《Idle Mage: Humanity&#x27;s Strongest Backer》


 Chapter 1 New Body, Who Dis?

    "Ash, sweetie. Wake up, now. Come on!"

    "..."

    "Really, wake-up already. It''s the Awakening Day, you can''t bete."

    "..."

    "Ai, you kid. Alright, I''ll return after 10 minutes. After that, no more extensions okay?"

    "..."

    A fair woman who wore a nun''s attire got up from the corner of a child''s bed and left the room, closing the door behind her.

    Moments after she left, the child inside the room opened his eyes and looked warily at his surroundings.

    "...this isn''t hell...this isn''t heaven either." The child muttered.

    He scrutinized his surroundings with a doubtful gaze. Looking at the room, he realized that it belongs to a kid, a really down to earth kid.

    "...ahem, ahem...yeah, that''s my voice alright." The child then looked at his hands and said: "These hands aren''t the ones I remember either."

    "Where the hell am I?"

    "More importantly, what is going on? I...I thought I died?"

    Ashton is really confused now. He has no idea what to make of his current situation. He didn''t know where he was and why he appears to be in a different body.

    Unable to figure out what exactly was going on, he decided to stand-up and look around this room. He thought that maybe there are clues around that could help him navigate this situation.

    His eyes thennded at a te card that''s on the table. There seems to be words written in them.

    "...it''s not written in English." He murmured, "Nor in anynguage that I remember but, strangely enough, I can understand what it says..."

    "Millibeth''s Orphanage." He uttered which surprised himself since he didn''t speak in English. He spoke in a differentnguage altogether.

    "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

    All of a sudden, a sharp headache hit him. It felt like there were needles poking his skull. It was quite unbearable and caused him to copse on the ground while clutching his head.

    In Ashton''s mind, a storm was raging. There were so many things going on that he can''t keep up. It felt like he was breezing through several perspectives of him doing something he doesn''t remember doing.

    His headache persisted for a good while until it slowly subsided. Ashton could feel hot tears pouring from his eyes. Whatever he experienced was that painful that it made him cry.

    He didn''t suffer for nothing though, the headache might''ve been really painful but it did left him with something important.

    "Transmigration...isekai...oh, hell. This is certainly unexpected."

    In his daze, Ashton didn''t even realize that he just spoke with this world''snguage.

    Yes, indeed. Ashton had transmigrated into a different world.

    ording to the new memories he acquired, he''s in a world called Blue.

    Specifically, in and called ''Last Bastion'' - also known as humanity''sst piece ofnd.

    "A dangerous world...crap, I''m not really looking forward to this." Ashton got up from the floor and sat on the edge of his bed while pondering things.

    Ashton...this is still his name even in this world. ording to the memories he inherited from the old one, he was an orphan.

    Apparently, his parents unceremoniously dropped him off at the doors of the orphanage and peace''d-out. It''s unknown if they''re still alive. Frankly, Ashton thinks that they''re dead, if not he''s just really unwanted. Either way, he doesn''t actually mind.

    Old Ashton is very much like him. Well, a little more on the weirder side but still, more or less the same.

    The old one was a quiet one. No, he wasn''t forced to be quiet nor he was abused by the other kids or the Nuns. It''s his choice to remain silent so much to the point that he gives off an impression that he''s mute.

    Old Ashton isn''t mute. He just didn''t want to be seen, that''s all. He isn''t timid, just being careful. He didn''t trust anybody aside from himself, so he mostly kept everything he knows to himself. He didn''t like to be on the spotlight and would very much rather fade into the shadows, making his presence really weak.

    Despite all of this, old Ashton was a clever and smart kid. He''s very critical towards people despite his young age. He knows what to do and how to act in order to avoid being noticed. Hell, even the Nuns doesn''t know what to do with him.

    Fading into the shadows and refusing to interact with people certainly gets lonely, not old Ashton though.

    The kid''s imagination was extremely colorful. With just a thought, he can create a world centered around him. He can breathe life into things and get immersed into his world. Of course, only he could see the things he created. After all, his imagination is his world.

    Because of this, old Ashton never truly felt lonely.

    Despite his strangeness, there are many couples who attempted to forge a bond with him. Believe it or not, he was once the child that is most sought after by the couples who looking to adopt.

    Unfortunately, Ashton didn''t like the idea of that. On the outside, he appeared very timid and afraid. On the inside, he just hated it.

    He didn''t trust them one bit. One look is all it takes for him to discover some bad signs and he always trusted his judgement.

    Ashton couldn''t me the kid for being too critical, especially after knowing that this orphanage is located at the slums of the city where there''s a lot of shady people around.

    The kid didn''t even trust the nuns, how can anybody expect him to trust strangers?<sub> </sub>

    One might say that the kid had some serious trust issues but then again, it kept him alive and safe didn''t it? So, is he really doing something wrong?

    Anyway, there''s actually another reason why Ashton didn''t want to be adopted.

    Old Ashton thinks-no, he''s certain that he was sick.

    For some reason, the kid had this premonition that his days are numbered. He always believed that he''s going to die young.

    He didn''t know what kind of illness he had but he''s so sure that he''s going to die. Heck, he even predicted the day of his death.

    One month after his 13th birthday. This was the concrete guess he made when he turned 10 years old.

    And would you freaking look at that! The kid''s a prophet! He''s like...Nostra-dumbass or something!

    He was right! His death indeed urred one month after his 13th birthday - which yesterday midnight.

    It''s quite funny actually, Ashton felt so familiar with the kid. They both had the same attitude towards their approaching death.

    They were already over it even before it happened.

    Old Ashton didn''t cry, didn''t ask for help, and didn''t tell anyone. The moment he was sure that he''s going to die, he just epted it. He just spent his everyday life ording to how he pleased and he moved-on peacefully.

    He perished silently.

    The old Ashton probably didn''t expect that someone wille to upy his body. Even if he did, he probably won''t care.

    "...this is so weird." Ashton murmured as he continued reviewing the memories he inherited from the kid.

    "Why do I feel like I''m missing something?" He whispered, "Like...I''m forgetting something? Ah, whatever!"

    Ashton scratched his head and looked around his room in wonder.

    "So...what now?" He asked to nobody in particr. "I guess this is my new reality now. I get to live again."

    "But really, I don''t feel particrly happy about this." He grimaced.

    Ashton can''t just ignore the fact that this world is dangerous, much more than earth since there are legit monsters here.

    Granted, humans can fight them because they possess powers too. Actually, the reason why that nun from earlier woke him pretty early is because he''s about to go in an awakening process to get this powers too.

    This world took the fantasy novels from his old world and made them real. It''s absurd knowing that he now has to live in a world like this.

    Speaking of which...this was trope on those novels in his old world. The transmigration/isekai tropes. He had read some of them in past but the trope grew out of proportion and there were too many of them. Most of them were just straight-up hot garbage but they''re fun!

    He remember tuning-out most of his mental faculties whenever reading them and they were a good way to spend and idle afternoons.

    "Uh...I guess I have nothing to lose. Transmigrating into a world of fantasy is already crazy in itself. Might as well try where the limits are..."

    "So um...where my golden finger at? System? You there?"

    "..."

    "A''ight! Good attempt, let''s never do that aga-"

    [System Functions, Loading...]

    "Sun of a beach!!!" Ashton eximed but hurriedly calmed himself down. "It really worked! That''s awesome!"

    Ashton couldn''t believe that this was possible too. Hell, he really got the Transmigrator''s Package!

    He didn''t believe it at first since he doesn''t remember talking to a Random Omnipotent Being and being offered with this but who would''ve thought that he would actually have it!

    "Geez..." Ashton chuckled upon looking at the progress bar steadily creeping up to full. "I guess I''m on my way to bing a protagonist huh?"

    A smile can''t be wiped away from his face as he impatiently waited for the system to boot up. It took a couple of minutes until it was full. As soon as it was done, Ashton saw a window appearing on his view.

    [System Download: 100%]

    [Greetings, Host. Wee to the Idle System!]

    [Notice: All System Functions are currently locked. Detected that Host''s body isn''t suitable to support the System''s existence. To unlock the System''s Functions, a mission is issued to the Host.]

    [Mission: Awaken!]

    ? Join the group of people who''s scheduled to leave today and undergo the Awakening Ceremony.

    ? Rewards: System Functions: Unlocked. New User''s Gift Bag(x1).

    ? Punishment: None

    ? Time Limit: Before the day ends.

 Chapter 2 Shady Hag

    "Oh..." Ashton was quite disappointed after seeing the state of the System.

    Then again, it''s not like it was an impossible mission, in fact isn''t this a free-giveaway? What''s there to be disappointed about?

    "Ash, sweetie. Are you up?"

    He was startled by the voice of the nun from earlier. Ashton nearly answered out loud but he managed to stopped himself from doing so.

    ''Oops, nearly f-ed up there. I can''t do that, it''s out of character. Note to self, conceal, don''t feel. Don''t let it go.''

    Ashton didn''t answer. Instead, he did his best to mimic the way how the old ash behaved and luckily it was natural for him.

    He noticed that the door opened and an old nun suddenly came into his view.

    "Oh, good! Exactly 10 minutes." She said softly, "Ash, it''s the Awakening Day. Have you got everything prepared?"

    Ash looked at the foot of his mattress and saw an old bag filled to the brim with things. He then looked back at the nun and nodded softly.

    "Very good." The nun smiled and reached out to pat his head. "Ah, I''m going to miss you little one. Polite and obedient kids like you are rare. If you''d just speak out more then you would''ve already been adopted. s..."

    The nun had a regretful expression on her fact. It''s as though she''s truly feeling pity for him but...

    ''Yeah, I don''t know if this is me or the remnants of old ash''s instincts, but I don''t trust this woman at all. She''s shady as hell.''

    Ashton truly couldn''t bring himself to trust this nun. He can''t exin why exactly, just something about her unnerves him. It''s all confusing still so he decided to just throw it at the back of his head.

    It won''t be long before he''s out of this ce anyway. By then, he wouldn''t have to worry about this.

    "Alright, since you pretty much ready, all there is left is for you to take a good bath. Do you need help with that?"

    Ashton couldn''t stop the shiver running down his spine at the mere thought of this woman bathing him so he hurriedly shook his head in refusal.

    "My..." this Nun had the audacity to chuckle. "Look at you, being so shy. I could still remember the days when you used toe to me to help you bathe yourself, now you''re already a big boy and so independent."

    Ashton couldn''t look at her in the eye, he truly can''t. It didn''t help that he''s getting real-time shbacks of those happening. Sadly, he couldn''t really protest since he didn''t want them to suspect anything.

    ''It''s fine, just endure it. I''ll be out of here soon. Real soon. I won''t have to see their faces ever again. Just. Endure.''

    "Okay then, I''ll leave you to it." The Nun stood up and walked towards the door. "Come down after you finish your bath, make sure you scrub your body real good so that you''ll smell good, you hear me? I''ll sniff youter and if you stink that I''m going to make you return there and bathe you myself, understood?"

    Ashton nodded furiously.

    "Come down once you''re done, we''ll eat, brush our teeth and wait for the transit. Alright, move along."

    After saying this, the nun left and closed the door behind him. Ashton scrambled to his feet and locked the door, heaving a sigh of relief once she''s gone.

    ''Damn! She''s so shady! I hate it! I hate so much! Ugh!''

    Ashton''s brows were furrowed in annoyance. He truly didn''t like that nun from the very depths of his heart. Something about her was creeping him out and he didn''t like it one bit.

    It took some time and a couple of deep breaths for him to calm down. He looked at the door and see that it''s locked properly. He then went towards the showers to be over with this.

    As he absentmindedly bathed scrubbed his body, his mind wandered about all the possible things that will happen after this.

    The most important thing is the Awakening Ceremony for obvious reasons. One, this will determine what he''s going to do in the future.

    See, this is a world of fantasy. In old ash''s memories, there are people who were called Knights and Mages, and apparently everybody strived to be either one.

    Perhaps it is because he lives in the slums that his education was mediocre at best. Even for someone who was just thrown in this world so abruptly without any warnings, he could tell from a nce that what he knew about this world - no, even just in this city alone is very insufficient.<sub> </sub>

    Due to this, Ashton could only fill up the gaps of his knowledge using his old world''s standards.

    The terms Knights and Mages struck a certain familiarity with him. In his head, he already have some images of what they look like based on the stereotypes. At the same time, he''s also aware that he shouldn''t base everything he knew with just this.

    ''So, swords and magic huh?'' He thought to himself, ''So what, is this like an RPG based world then? Will I have a ''ss'' and stuff? Wait, what would I be? A knight or a Mage? Is there a way to figure that out?''

    ''Ugh, this is so dull! I don''t have enough material for reference!''

    ''I guess I''ll learn about it there, huh? Oh well, whatever.''

    ''Ah, that''s right! I also have to worry about my living expenses after this. This is myst day in the orphanage after all.''

    For teenagers, Awakening Day signifies a start of a new life. Especially for an orphan like him.

    The Awakening Ceremony will determine whether he''s going to be a Knight or a Mage, this is what the old ash knows. After bing either of those two, one would be considered as a citizen of their city...a semi-adult, if you will.

    The orphanage can''t support them forever. It''s already burdensome for them to raise children with meager support from the government and just by waiting for donations.

    This is why when a child reaches 13 years old and had their Awakening Ceremonypleted, they will be...well, there''s no other way to say this, they will be kicked out of the orphanage to fend for themselves.

    Now, since Ash is someone from Earth, this sounds cruel to him. Especially considering the fact that hees from the slums.

    The idea that they''re going to the thrown out into the fire just like that makes him ufortable. s, he can''t do anything about. Its the rules. He has to ept them.

    Still, it isn''t all bad news...the government isn''t that cruel.

    The orphans will be given a chance...a lifeline per se.

    Once they are deemed as an Orphan, they''ll receive support from the government depending on their ''results'' or ''potential''. The brighter their future is, the better the investment will be.

    At minimum, they should receive a decent apartment, supplies and allowance that canst them for an entire year. Again, this is at minimum. The rates can change especially if one signed a contract from a sponsor.

    Of course, nothing''s free. Even the minimum support from the government wouldn''tst forever. If the officials determined that the child doesn''t have the ability to be independent enough to support themselves, they could only say sorry and cut off the support. Turning those kids homeless and miserable.

    This meant that once Ashton received his stipend from the government, he had to tighten up his belt and if possible find a part-time job in order to support himself.

    Again, hisfort will be decided by his aptitude which will be revealed once the Awakening Ceremony is done.

    ''Darn! So much to worry about, it hasn''t even been a day since I got here, what the hell?''

    Ashton sighed and could already feel the headacheing. He could only hope that his system would be of help in this.

    As his thoughts flew, Ashton finished bathing. He dried himself and changed into a new set of clothes. He sniffed himself and shrugged. Well, he doesn''t smell bad so that olddy shouldn''t have anyintster.

    After changing, he grabbed his bag and went downstairs to find a generous feast on the table. Well, ''generous'' in the slums'' standards.

    The others nun saw himing down and smiled at him. They guided him to the table and told him to eat and then brush his teeth afterwards. They also inspected him to see if he looked presentable at least.

    Seeing have they have noints or whatsoever, meant that he passed at least.

    As Ashton peacefully ate his fill of bread and porridge, he noticed that the other kids were starting toe down as well. As things got hectic for everyone, his presence gradually weakened even more to the point he felt that he turned invisible.

    Of course, Ash didn''t mind that. He even preferred it that way.

    Once he''s done with his meal, he silently stood up, brought the dishes with him on the sink and washed them. He then brushed his teeth and went outside to wait for the others.

 Chapter 3 Baited!

    Including Ashton, there''s five other kids who are alsoing to the Awakening Ceremony.

    Just like him, they too are 13 years old. The oldest amongst them was 13 and five months old. And while it''s arguable that some of them could''ve had their Awakening earlier, the Orphanage is poor so they could only follow the arrangement of the Orphanage to have their Awakening.

    The six teenagers as well as three nuns are now waiting for the transit to arrive. Ashton was hiding behind them, trying to make his presence really weak so that nobody would dare to talk to him.

    The transit arrived just in time ording to their schedule. Its appearance actually surprised Ashton since he originally was expecting something more...ancient?

    Like a carriage or something - with horses and all. On the contrary, he saw a bus - which in hindsight, should''ve been the first thing he thought of upon hearing the word ''transit''.

    ''Huh...I guess this world is more modern than I originally thought.'' He mused inwardly.

    Really, he should''ve known since the signs are everywhere. Concrete roads, funny-looking traffic signs, hell there''s even a TV - or at least he thinks it''s one. These should''ve been enough for him to tell the technological level of this ce.

    "Old Hag!"

    "Old Man!!"

    The transit driver and the head Nun greeted each other at the same time. Theyughed and even hugged each other like good friends but Ashton knew better...

    ''That is so fake.'' He mumbled to himself.

    Judging by the way how strained their faces were as they hugged, it''s already obvious that these two aren''t really close like they''re showing.

    Once they separated, the old man looked at the kids and asked: "Oho? Are these the young''uns who''ll be awakening this time?"

    "Yes. Don''t they look heroic? I''m looking forward to their results. I hope that the next Heroes from one of them."

    Oddly enough, to Ashton''s ears, these lines sounded rehearsed. Like the two of them said this so many times already that they could even recite it in their sleep.

    "Haha! We could only hope!" The old manughed uproariously. "How''s it? Are you kids ready to go?"

    The other kids nodded in excitement and anticipation, only Ashton remained silent and unbothered by their enthusiasm. He would''ve stuck out like a sore thumb if it weren''t for the fact that his presence were so weak right now that the driver hasn''t even looked at him once.

    "Well, what are we waiting for then? Come on! Get in the transit. I''ll drive you to the Federal Center."

    ''Federal Center?'' Ashton raised a brow. He mentally took note of that name and followed the others inside the transit.

    ''Yep. It''s a bus alright. The same one as I can remember. Ooh! There''s air conditioning too, nice!''

    Ashton fought the smile threatening to break out on his face as he chose a seat.

    He wasn''t expecting this world to have public transportations vehicles simr to the ones from earth. Well, they don''t look exactly the same. He can see some strange details here and there but overall, this is a bus and he''s just happy to be in it again.

    It feels somewhat nostalgic.

    Ashton sat on an empty isle. Most of the kids are bunched up in front along with the Nuns, nobody really paid attention to him which was perfect. He looked outside and saw that the transit was already moving.

    He gave onest look to the Orphanage and murmured a soft farewell before it disappeared from his view.

    "Ahem. Ahem! Eyes in front kids." One of the Nuns was currently standing while bus was moving. She appears to be holding a mic that looked somewhat different from the ones on Earth,

    "Now, since the transit is already moving and on the way to the Federal Center, we think that it''s about time for you all to learn everything you need to know about the Awakening Ceremony."

    ''Oh! A lesson in the middle of a trip? This is so nostalgic. And it''s about something I''m genuinely curious about too.''

    "Now, if you all can remember, we used to tell you a lot of stories about Heroes." The Nun smiled as she spoke: "We used to tell you that there are two kinds of Heroes in this world."

    "One is a Knight and the other is a Mage."

    "We also used to tell you that one day, you will all have the chance to be just like those Legendary Heroes from the tales. This day, your Awakening Day, is the day you get the chance to finally be that."

    Ashton could hear the excited gasps of his fellow orphans as they listened attentively to the Nun.

    "Our destination is the Federal Center. What is the Federal Center you ask? Well, it is a hub that was built the our government - the Morning Sun Federation, on each city."

    "As City M, our city, is included in the list of cities under the management of the Federation, they have a branch center here which is the Federal Center."<sub> </sub>

    "The Federal Center is where everyone who reached 13 years old, could go for their awakening."

    ''Ahh...I see. So that''s how this world works.'' Ashton nodded inwardly.

    "The Awakening Ceremony is held once a month. I know what some of you are thinking and we''re sorry about that but know that our Orphanage is short on funds most of the times so we could only maximize the effect of what little currency we have in order to survive. I hope you can forgive us."

    "That being said, we''re already on the way there so no need to worry about it anymore, okay?"

    The other orphans nodded their heads and didn''t look sad about the dy. Well, they''re innocent and have no idea that the Orphanage held them back but even if they knew about, what can do really?

    "Now, going back to our main topic. The awakening." The nun cleared her throat. "When we arrive there, us adults will lead you to the center, remember to not run around or else we will lose you and you might not get the chance to be awakened."

    "The Awakening Ceremony is divided into three stages; awakening the Spiritual Root which will define what suits you the best - knight or mage? And also define your potential.

    The next stage is awakening your Physique - if you''re a Knight, or your Magical Artifact if you''re a Mage.

    And final stage is awakening your Providence."

    "Once you''ve awakened these three things, you will be formally acknowledged as a Young Hero! Isn''t that exciting!?"

    The orphans nodded eagerly while Ashton just looked unimpressed.

    Ashton was listening intently and taking notes mentally. There are still somethings that are not clear to him so he could only wait to learn more.

    "After that, we''ll apany you to register your identity to the Federation''s Records. Then you will receive your monthly stipend from the government as well as your new homes!"

    "Kids, let me tell you something." The nun''s expression turned serious but kind. "Once you''ve awakened your potential, it means that you''re already considered an adult."

    ''A semi-adult actually but go on...''

    "You have to be independent from now on. We won''t be there to watch over you anymore since you guys are already big and strong enough." The nun exined.

    The other orphans looked sad and hesitant but none of them said anything.

    "What happens next will depend on you." The nun continued. "If you want to walk the path of Heroes, then you could enroll to primary school or even try your luck in the Academy!"

    "If you don''t want to, you can always look for work. City M is enormous, there will people who''s willing to hire you. If you have a job, you can continue living normally. Who knows? Maybe one of you can be a millionaire in the future. If that happens don''t you forget about us, yeah?"

    The nun chuckled upon seeing the orphans nodding eagerly.

    "Alright, that''s about it. Do any of you have questions?"

    ''I do. I have lots and lots of them. But of course I''m not going to raise my hand. Gotta keep the act you know?''

    "Okay since there are no questions, we can rx for the rest of the way. Old Man, can we watch something to entertain the kids?"

    ''Oh!?''

    "Hahaha! Sure, sure! Here ya'' go. Enjoy kids!"

    Ashton watched as a hologram...yes, that''s a hologram right there, appeared in the air and started ying something.

    It showed a man and a woman garbed in gorgeous looking armors ring at something. Following that, the perspective switch and revealed what''s in front of them.

    It looked like some sort of shadow monster with bright crimson eyes. It was menacing and it kept roaring at the two of them, trying to scare them away. Then the perspective zoomed-in at the man''s huge sword which glower with a white light while the woman started floating in the air.

    The man roared and at the monster and swung his massive sword. The screen cked-out and something dropped from above.

    ...it was a bottle filled with green colored liquid. Thebel on it reads:

    ''Mountain''s Essence. Buy one, take one. Only 4.95. Grab one at you local grocery stores.''

    ''F***! It was a darnedmercial! Are you freaking kidding me!!?''

 Chapter 4 Profile Registration

    Ashton was speechless, he wasn''t expecting something like that. What a ridiculousmercial that was!

    It isn''t just that too...the followingmercials after that are just the same. It was bad and cringy, yet for some reason, Ashton could tell that this kind of marketing might just work in a world like this.

    Mildly disappointed, Ashton secretly shook his head and instead looked out of the window. What he see out there was more pleasant than thosemercials at least.

    He saw the transit entering some sort of tunnel, it was dark at first but after they exited the tunnel, Ash was greeted by an sprawling city filled with vibrancy and colors.

    Now he understands why the area they were at previously was considered ''The Slums''. Comparing that area to what he sees right now...there''s just nopetition.

    He saw skyscrapers with enormous crystals shing with vibrant lights. He saw people weird riding flying vehicles like; swords, Pegasus, turtles, cars, he even saw a house floating above ground.

    The city proper looked very modern if not, more advanced than what his old home has. There are sky-rails here, all kinds of vehicles, holograms...people came all sorts of sizes and shapes, there''s even animals on the leash - types of pets he had never seen before, he even saw several people flying around without the help of any apparatuses.

    There''s so much in here that he doesn''t understand and he can''t wait to know more about them. Whilst he understood that this world, being this advanced and magical as it is, contains unimaginable dangers, he couldn''t help but be interested about it.

    The transit moved-along and Ashton''s attention waspletely captured by what he could see outside. He tried guessing things by their appearance but he wouldn''t know if he''s right or wrong since this is his first time seeing them.

    He could read some of the signs but he can''t make sense of them just yet. He figured that he shouldn''t pay much attention to that since there wille a time when he''ll understand themter.

    Time passed and after four hours, the transit finally arrived at it''s destination. The driver announced that they''re already at the Federal Center and the Nuns told the kids to get-up and get ready.

    Just like before, Ash remained behind the group. It looks like theypletely forgotten about him. It should be fine since they''re already here, he just needed to follow them anyways.

    ''Hmm, smaller than what I was expecting.'' Ash thought as he looked at the building in front of him.

    The Federal Center was smaller than he initially thought it would be. It''s about...six? Seven-storey tall? It''s because there are skyscrapers surrounding it that this ce looked out of ce.

    Still, the building looked very modern. There''s ss windows, sliding doors...he even saw some type of authentication device being used by the employees, it was awesome and fresh.

    The Nuns looked at the kids and rounded them up. They kind of surrounded them since there are a lot of people around. Seeing as most of them are kids at his age, they''re probably here for the same reason as them.

    Ash saw the Sister Millibeth whispering something to the others nuns. When thee nodded, Millibeth then walked up and talked to the guards.

    They had a brief discussion and then Millibeth returned to them, Ashton then heard her say:

    "Right on time, we must enter now, we can''t dy them or else they''d kick us out."

    Ashton raised a brow but didn''t say anything. And just like he expected, the Nuns told them to enter the center.

    Upon entering, Ash''s first impression was ''Woah, it''s cold.'' Because it is indeed cold in here. He instinctively searched for AC''s but he couldn''t find any.

    Though, when he followed the direction where the wind wasing, he saw some kind of blue-ish...ritual circle? Something like that. The wind wasing from there. His first thoughts was how? But then again, he also thought that its useless to think about this so he threw the question at the back of his mind.

    He looked at his surroundings and inspected it closely. What he found was, the whole 1st floor of this building seems to be dedicated for receiving people.

    Majority of the area are filled with chairs, there''s desk at the very front with pretty women talking to kids his age. On top of their desks, there''s stacks of paper and some sort of mechanism that kids stuck their index fingers in.

    Ashton saw them wincing for a bit and when they pulled out their fingers, thedies will give them either a candy or a lollipop.

    ''Uh, that reminds me of Dentists. These women aren''t Dentists, right?''

    "Alright kids, listen up." Sister Millibeth gathered their attention which woke Ashton out of his stupor, "See those chairs right there? Go there and sit next to thest person. Observe how the line progresses until you reach the pretty sisters in front okay? Don''t be afraid, we will be here."

    The kids nodded at her and the oldest naturally took charge. They walked towards the chairs and the oldest sat next to thest person on the line.

    Ashton''s eyes nearly popped out of its sockets when he sat down.

    ''Holy hell! What was that!?''<sub> </sub>

    No he wasn''t hurt nor his butt was poked by any pointy implements either. He was just surprised by how soft andfortable this chair was.

    They look unassuming at first nce but the moment he sat down, he felt his butt sinking into a cloud or something. Judging by looks of his fellow orphans, it wasn''t just him who was shocked about this.

    One of them even looked like he was contemting if he could steal this chair.

    ''What is this made out of? Memory Foams aren''t as soft as this that''s for damn sure. What the hell?''

    All of a sudden, the line moved. People started standing up so the orphans also followed them. The line moved in a snake-like pattern. And judging how fast the line was progressing, it shouldn''t take long before they''re turn is up.

    Ashton looked around as he waited, he inspected the 1st floor in curiosity, trying to make sense of the things he could see.

    From observing people, he figured out some neat things about this ce. For example; apparently, vending machines are also a thing in this world.

    They looked so different that he initially thought they were supposed to be TVs but no. He saw someone walking up to it and it automatically lit up. Then he saw the person pressing it and then feeding paper bills on the slot on the left side of the screen. Then, an opening showed up and spat the man''s drink.

    ''That was cool.'' Ashton wanted to get up and try it himself but he remembered that he actually doesn''t have anything on him, not even a single cent of money.

    Ash also discovered signs leading to some other areas such as thefort room, the employee-only room, he also saw the elevator that will take them up to the next floor...

    Ash continued looking around and taking notes of his surroundings. The line steady progressed and by the time that it''s their turn next, Ashton focused in front of him.

    He didn''t wait long until the women in front of them gestured e'' to them so they stood up.

    As soon as Ashton sat down, the woman in front of him gave him a friendly smile and asked:

    "Good morning, my name is Apple. May I know your name?"

    "Ashton." He replied. Yes, he chose to talk this time, he didn''t want to make things difficult for this woman after all. Her job already does that he assumed.

    "Alright Ashton, today is your Awakening Day! Isn''t that exciting?"

    ''Building up rapport? CSR much- Ahem!''

    Ash merely nodded causing things to get a bit awkward. Still, since Apple was a professional, she didn''t let it get to her.

    "Okay so Ashton, this is how the process is going to go. Here, I will ask you questions to fill up your Profile. This Profile will be submitted to the government so I''d appreciate it if you can answer it as detailed and as truthfully as you can, do you understand?"

    Ashton nodded again. Yeah, this process is really taking him back to the good old days.

    The woman then asked him several questions about himself, which Ashton answered as smoothly as he could. Once the form was filled-up, the woman went through it with him to check if everything written in the there correct. After that, she said:

    "Okay Ashton, we''re at thest step on the registration." Apple then gestured the device next to her and continued: "This device right here will take a blood sample from you which will be added on your profile as well."

    "Insert your index finger please, you will feel a slight prick but that''s normal, don''t be shocked."

    Ashton nodded and did what she said. He felt the prick but it wasn''t as bad as he thought, it didn''t hurt not it was enough to make him wince. He then withdrew his finger after Apple said that it was done.

    "Awesome! You took it like a champ! That''s impressive! Here, have a lollipop."

    Ashton fought the urge tough at this.

    "Okay, so we''re done here. You see that Big Brother over there? The one with the weird tattoo on his left eye? Go to him and he will take you to the second floor where your awakening will ur."

    Ashton nodded and stood-up from the seat.

 Chapter 5 Awaken!

    Ashton went towards the mean-looking man that Apple told him about.

    As he drew closer, the man noticed him and huffed, he then pointed behind him and said: "Stand there."

    Ash nodded and joined the rest of the orphans in the elevator. The elevator they''re are was a circr one, it''s big too. It can probably carry at least twenty people in one go.

    He didn''t see any weight or number limit though so he could only guess.

    When there''s about 15 of them in the elevator, the mean-looking man pressed some buttons and away they go. The ascend was gentle and they can see the outside at the back so it was quite an experience especially for the orphans.

    The ride didn''tst though, they''ve reached the 2nd floor quickly and there they were greeted by a group of men holding tablets. They wore formal suits which made them look slightly intimidating.

    "Step out of the elevator, kids. Come here." One of them said. The kids followed their orders.

    "Alright. When I call your name, step forward and go to where I point you okay?" The man stated. "We''ll start right away. Marcus Collins?"

    A kid stepped out, the man then pointed at the man standing behind him, the one that is at the very left. The kid walked up to the man and then another name was called.

    The man in charge kept calling out names until Ashton was called, he was pointed to the man at the very right along with other kids. The orphans were separated but none of them seemed to mind.

    "Okay, now that''s over. Kids, you follow the men I pointed to you okay? Listen to their orders and behave." The kids nodded and the man nodded at his colleagues. He then said: "Move out."

    "Alright, you five. Follow me. Don''t touch anything and don''t go astray, I won''t be held responsible if you break something here."

    The man in charge of Ashton''s group sounded kind and gentle. He smiled at them before walking towards somewhere. Of course, the kids followed him behind.

    They walked until they arrived at a room. The man stopped before they entered and faced the kids, saying:

    "This is the room where the awakening process will happen. Only one person can enter at a time. There are other people inside that will guide you to the process, just follow their orders and your potential should be awakened properly. Do all of you understand?"

    The kids nodded, the man then said: "Alright, let start with you. Come on, don''t be scared. It won''t hurt."

    Just like that, the first one to awaken among their group was chosen. The others sat down and waited for their turn.

    While others were feeling nervous, Ashton on the other had felt excited.

    He''s about to awaken. Not too long from now, he''ll discover whether he''s fit to be a knight or a mage. Truthfully, either one is fine with him. He just really want to know more about this world and experience what it''s like to live with powers.

    More importantly, his system shoulde online after this. This is what excites him the most. He really wanted to figure out what this system of his could do.

    He could remember it briefly introducing itself. It called itself the: ''Idle System''.

    That didn''t really give him much but it did give him clues. He just really have to wait and see it for himself.

    In his daze, he didn''t notice that it was already his turn. The call of the man startled him a bit. He also didn''t notice that the other kids didn''t go out of the room as well.

    When Ashton entered the room, he was greeted with a sight of three people wearingb coats looking at him. On the side, there are another bunch of men in suits standing in stoically.

    He inspected the room he was in. The very obvious one is therge tform in the middle of the room. There''s a lot of devices connected to it through wires which disyed graphs and words.

    Ashton also noticed that he couldn''t see any of the other kids in here.

    "Good morning...Ashton, is it?" He nodded and bowed at them. "Hi there, Ashton. My name is Shay, call me Dr. Shay. Next to me is Dr. Stevens and Dr. Myers. We will help you with your awakening."

    Dr. Shay is an old man who looked kind, he wore ssed and his back was slightly bent. Dr. Stevens is a finedy who wore tight fitting red shirt underneath herb coat and finally, Dr. Myers looked like a kind uncle next door.

    "Come! Step up in this tform, let''s awaken you as soon as possible." Dr shay urged.<sub> </sub>

    Ashton had noints with that so he did what he was told. Upon stepping on the tform, it made a loud and pitchy sound which startled him for a bit.

    He then felt a movement behind him so he turned around. Ashton saw the middle part of the tform opening up. From there, a stand with a mounted crystal ball rose up and reached right about his chest in height.

    "That right there, is a crystal ball which will determine if you''re a Knight or a Mage." Dr. Shay said to him. "All you need to do, is to touch it."

    "If your whole body lights-up, that means your Spiritual Root is your body. You have a Physique fit to be a Knight."

    "If it is the crystal ball that lights up instead, that means you have a Mageroot, a sign that you''re suited to be a Mage."

    "Either way, the crystal ball will also help us determine the grade of either your Physique or Mageroot. Do you understand all of that?" Dr. Shay asked to which Ashton nodded.

    "Very good. Touch the ball whenever you''re ready."

    Ashton too a deep breath and lifted his hand. Now he''s feeling nervous but he''s already here so it''s toote for that. Once he touched the ball, a reaction urred.

    The ball lit up with a bright blue shade. Ashton looked in awe. He also noticed that there seems to be something forming in the middle of the crystal ball but he couldn''t guess what it was. It''s just a bunch of colors that he sees.

    "Congrattions Ashton, you are suitable for the path of a Magic. You can remove your hand on the crystal ball now."

    He did that and saw that the crystal ball started going down again. He stepped back a bit in order to not get in its way.

    Ashton looked up and saw that Dr. Shay was writing something down on his clipboard. He wanted to ask something but he was interrupted by Dr. Myers.

    "Alright, Ashton. Next, we will awaken your Magical Artifact." Dr. Myers looked at him gently. "A Magical Artifact is something all Mages have. It''s the crystallization of your soul and will prove to be very useful in your future, should you decided to pursue the path of a Professional Mage."

    Dr. Myers waved his hand and all of a sudden, the tform opened up again. This time, no crystal ball showed up. It was a chalice ced on top of the pedestal this time around.

    Ashton looked at it and saw that the chalice contained some sort of a sparkling water. The weird thing is that, it smells minerally.

    "That artifact right there, is a Soul Awakening Chalice. It produces dew that can awaken your soul and your Magical Artifact. A fair warning though, it doesn''t taste good but it''s good for you so I advise you drink it all."

    "If you''re ready, you can start drinking it." Myers told him.

    Ashton nodded and looked at the chalice first. After a couple of seconds, he raised it and drank all the water it has. He tasted the water and boy, Dr. Myers wasn''t kidding, it does taste bad.

    But since he was advised to drink it all. He did it. Once he was done, he returned the chalice back to the pedestal and looked at the doctors. He was about to say that he doesn''t feel anything different but that''s when he suddenly felt cold.

    All hairs on his arms and legs stood up from fright. He looked on horror as he began releasing fumes of ck smoke.

    "Not good! Iste it, now!" Dr. Myers roared and Dr. Stevens immediately pressed a button which raised a barrier surrounding the entire tform.

    Meanwhile, Ashton was still horrified. He was releasing fumes of ck smoke all over his body, he''s even releasing it through his orifices which made him feel absolutely disgusted.

    This kept happening for five minutes until it stopped. The ck fog then suddenly swirled and funneled in front of Ashton. Themotion was a bit strong and caused Ashton to retreat and shield his face.

    When he noticed that themotion has died down, he opened his eyes and saw something floating in front of him.

    It was a thick ck book bound with chains and a weird looking lock. It is surrounded with a murky ck aura as it floated in front of him.

    Ashton then heard a hushed gasp of Dr. Shay.

    "A Cursed Artifact."

 Chapter 6 Mission Complete! Rewards

    It wouldn''t take a genius for someone to know that what happened to Ashton was bad-no, terrible.

    Yes, he isn''t really injured, just a bit ufortable but judging by the way how they didn''t hesitate to ''iste'' him and them whispering the words ''Cursed Artifact'' with such a thick horror on their voices, it is too obvious that this situation was bad.

    Despite this, Ashton didn''t really know how to react. There are so many things that he still doesn''t understand in this world. Hell! It hasn''t even been a day since he arrived here yet even he can tell that he''s in a sensitive spot.

    Ashton heard Dr. Shay clearing his throat which prompted him to look at them.

    "Ahem, excuse us Young Ashton. We were just shocked by the sudden development." Dr. Shay squeezed out a smile and told him.

    ''Yeah right!'' Ashton snorted inwardly but he didn''t let it show. He just nodded faintly.

    "You don''t have to worry, there''s nothing wrong with you. We can see your vital statistics here and it says that you''re still very much healthy." Dr. Shay continued, "Plus, your Magical Artifact is already awakened. If you concentrate deep enough, you should feel your connection with your Magical Artifact. You will also learn about it''s name. Try it."

    ''So they don''t n on telling me what hell this ''cursed'' thing is all about? Some doctors these people are. Hmph!''

    Ashton just sighed and ended following the doctor''s advice. He looked at the floating book intently. He really didn''t know what he was doing but he could feel a strong sense of familiaritying from this book, it''s as if he''s looking at his own hands.

    Ashton heard faint whispers in his ears which caused him to flinch. He instinctively looked around and found that there''s nobody who did that. So, his most logical guess was that it wasing from the book itself cause...well, having someone tell you that a Book is the crystallization of your soul is already crazy as it is. Hearing hushed whispers from it isn''t really that specialpared to that.

    He concentrated on those voices, and the more he focused, the more he could tell that the whispers were getting louder.

    "...Cursed Mystic Book." He says after a while. He opened his eyes and looked at the doctors saying: "Its called the Cursed Mystic Book."

    Dr. Myers then started writing on his clipboard. Afterwards, the doctor gave him a strained smile and said: "You did well, Young Ashton. Now, it is time for you us to proceed to the next awakening process. We will discover your Providence next."

    "Excuse me." Ashton interrupted him before he could continue speaking. "What is a curse?"

    The doctors looked at each other, seemingly arguing silently on who should exin things for the Young Ashton. In the end, it was Dr. Stevens who relented and started exining.

    "Young Ashton, we can''t really exin it to you now since it is still too early for you to know. However, to simplify it, a curse is some form of a shackle. A limitation, per se. It will make things very difficult for you in the future but so long as you work hard and persevere, you can achieve greater things in life."

    "If you want to know more about curses, I suggest enrolling to a school. There, the Professors will exin to you what Curses are in detail and...who knows? Maybe they can also teach you how to remove it."

    ''I shouldn''t me them for exining this in a roundabout manner. After all, I''m currently a kid. I imagine that they won''t to be held responsible for breaking my heart.''

    ''Well, at least they''ve given me a great clue this time. As it turns out, there are schools here as well. That''s good, if I go there, then I can learn more which is my goal anyways.''

    Ashton nodded and sighed, he then murmured: "Maybe this is why my parents abandoned me. Oh well."

    He said this in purpose. Why? Cause he felt like being a little mean. Seeing the difort show on the faces of the doctors made him smug a bit. Admittedly, guilt-tripping someone isn''t really a good behavior but Ashton didn''t care.

    He''s cursed after all...whatever that entails.

    "Ahem! Moving on..." Dr. Stevens took over the operation right. She did her best to remain professional and said: "The next step is to Awaken your Providence."

    "What is Providence? To put things in a simple terms, Providence is the amalgamation of your luck, fate and destiny. If we go on a detail here, I''m afraid that we''ll be here all day so just like before, if you want to know more about what Providence is, you might want to enroll to a school. The Professors there will tell you more about it."

    ? ''...sound a lot like plot-armor. You know what? Fine, I''m here for it.''

    "Providencee in many forms and we can only measure it''s bounty." Dr. Stevens exined. "To Awaken your Providence, we will use another tool."

    And as if on cue, the tform beneath Ashton opened up again. This time, it brought up a full-body mirror.

    "To proceed with the Awakening, touch the mirror and focus on it. You can proceed whenever you''re ready."<sub> </sub>

    Ashton nodded again and looked at himself in the mirror. He then realized that this is actually the first time he looked at himself ever since transmigrating.

    To his absolute surprise, he looked like his younger self in his previous world. Short ck hair, hazel eyes, greek nose, plump cherry lips, defined jaw line, and a rtively thin body frame. He wore loose clothing, hiding his nearly underweight body.

    It wasn''t so bad, plus he''s in his puberty and if its kind to him, then he can grow up to be a real head-turner.

    After briefly paying attention to his appearance, Ashton took a deep breath and braced himself. After what happened during the Magical Artifact Awakening, he couldn''t help but be wary of what''sing next.

    Still, he raised his hand and touched the mirror just like they said. He focused on it and after a few seconds he felt some kind of warmth coursing through his body.

    He was initially surprised but it didn''t feel terrible and he hadn''t heard the doctors telling him to stop so he kept his hand on the mirror.

    The feeling wasn''t really bad. It felt like he was basking under the warmth of a morning sun. It wasn''t hot, just warm.

    When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to discover that his entire body was covered in a golden radiance. He looked in the mirror and his reflection. He looked holy and benevolent.

    "Impressive, Young Ashton." Dr. Stevens'' voice pried his attention from the mirror, "It seems that despite being cursed, your are still very blessed. You may remove your hand on the mirror now."

    Ashton dumbly nodded and followed their suggestion.

    "Alright, way to go Young Ashton. You''re Awakened now. How do you feel?" Dr. Shay asked.

    "Weird." He replied.

    "Right?" Dr. Shayughed loudly, "Don''t worry, that''s just temporary. By the end of the day, you should feel normal again. In the instance that this feelingst for more than three days, don''t hesitate to go to a doctor okay?"

    Ashton nodded and noted his words mentally.

    "Okay, since we are done here it''s time for you toplete your registration." Dr. Shay continued, "Looking at your profile, we see here that you are an Orphan. This means that you are eligible to receive the Federation''s Welfare Support, a monthly allowance and supplies if you will."

    "Agent Theta, pleasee here." Dr. Shay called out and one of the men in formal attire stepped forward and walked towards them.

    "Young Ashton, this is Agent Theta, he will bring you to the 5th floor where you canplete your registration. He will also help you on other things so listen to him, okay?"

    Ashton nodded once more and bowed at the Agent. The good doctor handed the clipboard to the agent. The agent saluted the doctors and looked at him. He then said: "Follow."

    He pursed his lips and began following the man. They went at the other end of the room, opposite to where Ashton entered. The man then lifted his badge and all of sudden, the walls opened up, revealing an elevator behind. The agent stepped inside, gesturing Ashton to do so as well.

    Once inside, Ashton saw the agent pressing the button for 5th floor the ascent began. That''s when Ashton heard strings of notifications which almost made exim in shock.

    [Detected! Host finished his Awakening Ceremony]

    [Quest Cleared! Rewards: System Functions: Unlocked, New User''s Gift Bag]

    [Would you like to open the Gift Bag?]

    Ashton took a deep breath and gave his mental consent.

    ''Yes.''

    [New User''s Gift Bag: Opened. You received: Forged Inheritance Badge, Cultivation Manual, Magic For Beginners (Book), 10,000 Federation Dors, 1000 Mana Crystals and a Random System Skill Stub.]

    [All items were automatically ced in your Inventory. Check Inventory for more details about the items.]

 Chapter 7 Handsome Rewards

    [New User''s Gift Bag: Opened. You received: Forged Inheritance Badge, Cultivation Manual, Magic For Beginners (Book), 10,000 Federation Dors, 1000 Mana Crystals and a Random System Skill Stub.]

    [All items were automatically ced in your Inventory. Check Inventory for more details about the items.]

    ''Okay, wow! How generous. Uh...Open Inventory? Ooh! It works!''

    It''s really hard to divide his attention. He has to make sure that he doesn''t look suspicious as he explored his System so he had to control his facial reactions but at the same time, he''s excited to know everything he needs to know about it.

    As he did his best to multi-task, Ashton looked at his Inventory and inspected the items ced in there. He focused at the first item he saw and its description showed itself to him.

    [Forged Inheritance Badge]

    : Show this Badge to Agent Theta and say that this is something that was left to your person when your parents left you at the orphanage. This badge will give you handsome rewards.

    ''Eh?'' Ashton was confused. This was a weird item. It was cryptic which made him doubtful but at the same time, he wants to try it.

    ''I''ll inspect the other items first.''

    [Cultivation Manual - <Treasure zed Nine-Refinements Sutra>]

    : A Consumable. Use this item to instantly learn about the cultivation technique.

    : Warning! Use of this item might trigger a mild to moderate headache, please be careful when consuming it.

    ''Oh, thankfully there''s a warning there otherwise I would''ve recklessly consumed this thing. I''ll do it when I''m at my new home I guess.''

    [Book: Magic For Beginners]

    : A beginner''s book for learning the basics of Magic. A consumable item.

    : Warning! Consuming this item might trigger a mild to moderate headache, please be careful when consuming it.

    ''That''s great, that should get me started at least. A cultivation technique plus this? Should be enough to educate myself into an alright level I guess.''

    As for the currencies, they''re left at the bottom part of the Inventory window. They are numeral statistics of them listed in there.

    ''So, System. Can you teach me how to take out an item from my Inventory?''

    [Host just needs to think about the item he wants to take out appearing in his hands, the System will do the rest.]

    ''Sounds easy enough. Let''s try it.''

    Ashton was literally about to take out the Forged Inheritance Badge out from his Inventory when all of a sudden, a ding shook him out of his stupor.

    They arrived at the 5th floor already.

    Ashton then had to fight the urge to act but then he had an idea. He removed his backpack and opened it while walking beside Agent Theta.

    He then shoved his hand inside, pretending that he''s searching for something inside but in truth he was taking something out of his Inventory.

    And just like the System advised, he just imagined the badge appearing on his hand and not even a secondter, he was already holding it.

    "E-excuse me, Agent Theta." He called out meekly.

    "What is it?" The man replied without pausing his movements.

    "Does this have any value?"

    That''s when the Agent looked at him and the badge he was holding. The agent stopped in his tracks and looked at him as if he couldn''t believe what he was seeing.

    "The Nuns at the Orphanage I was in told me that I had this in my crib when I was left at their doors. It''s the only memento I have but it seems useless. Do know if it''s valuable? If it is, can I sell it? It would be nice to have more money to use."

    "..." Agent Theta was speechless. He took the badge from the kid''s hand and inspected it a bit. After finding that nothing wrong about it. He sighed and said: "This thing can''t be sold. But it does have a lot of value. Come, follow me. We''re nearly there."

    ''Yeah! It worked! Holy shit I''m such a great actor!'' Ashton sighed in relief.

    Honestly, he was really nervous about this. The system gave him the general ides of what he can say as an excuse to use this item but the execution was something he to figure out for himself.<sub> </sub>

    Thankfully, the Agent seems to have been convinced about his story.

    ''I wonder what the badge is for though? It says inheritance but that could mean anything in this world.''

    "We''re here." The Agent stopped in his tracks.

    The two of them are currently in front of an office. The agent pushed the door open and entered with Ashton following him from behind. Once they''re inside, they were met with another officedy in front of a desk with a bunch of clipboards stacked on top of it.

    "Agent Theta, Good Morning. You too, child. Good Morning as well." Thedy greeted.

    "Good Morning, Ms. Jones." The agent greeted back while Ashton just bowed to thedy.

    "Come here, child. Sit down on that chair." She urged, she then asked: "How can I help you both?"

    "We''re here to have him registered." The agent replied on behalf of Ashton. "Here''s his profile. Also, this."

    Agent Theta handed the clipboard he took from the doctors as well as the badge that Ashton gave to him.

    "Oh my, how rare." Ms. Jones gasped upon seeing the badge. She then looked at Ashton briefly before smiling. "Sure, I can help you with that. Give me just a moment here."

    Then, Ms. Jones waved her hand and suddenly a hologram appeared in front of her.

    Ashton saw her hands blur as letters begin appearing on the hologram. He was of course shocked, thisdy''s hand is moving so damn fast that it''s leaving afterimages! How is this possible?

    Then he remember what world he''s in and all of sudden, he thinks that this makes sense. But it doesn''t mean he''ll get used to this right away.

    "...okay, the Profile is more or less done at this point. Just a few details left and we''re good to go." Ms. Jones then looked at Ashton as asked him: "Ashton right? Do you know what this badge is?"

    "Um...a badge?" Ashton scratched his head.

    He could''ve sworn that Agent Theta''s lips were twitching. On the other hand, Ms. Jonesughed merrily and said:

    "Indeed! You''re right. Of course it''s a badge, what was I thinking?" Sheughed again. "My bad, I guess I shouldn''t beat around the bush huh?"

    "Ashton, this badge is what you call an Inheritance Badge. In some ways, it''s a memento but more importantly, it is a proof of your identity. Just to be sure, can you tell me where did you get this from?"

    "The Nuns told me that they found it with me in the crib. They gave it to me when I was old enough to think, they said it''s something that my parents left for me and that it might have some value. Is it really precious?" He asked innocently.

    "The badge itself isn''t." Ms. Jones shook her head with a smile, "But what it represents, certainly is. But before we proceed, we need to test is this is truly yours. Put your hand here please."

    Ms. Jones gestured to a device on her desk. It''s some sort of mousepad, pitch ck in color. Ashton did what he was asked and the moment his palms touched it, the mousepad lit up in some circuitry way. Ms. Jones then ced the badge on the mousepad as well and then a green light shed.

    "Alright! It''s confirmed, this is indeed yours. You may take your hand away." Ms. Jones stated. Ashton removed his hand and then she began exining:

    "Ashton, this badge is a proof. It lets you inherit the things that your parents left for you before they disappeared."

    p "Your parents left you a total of 500,000 Federation Dors and 100,000 Mana Crystals. Not only that, there are also some important books and letters contained inside which I highly suggest you read."</anda>

    "Additionally, your Inheritance makes you a 3-Star Citizen of City M which grants you a total of 25,000 Federation Dors and 1000 Mana Crystal for your monthly allowance which willst for two years."

    "Two years!?"

    "Yes. You must''ve heard that the monthly allowance for orphans onlyst for a year but since your parents made you a 3-star Citizen, it''s extended. And it doesn''t end there."

    "There''s more?"

    Ms. Jones giggled and nodded her head: "Yes. There''s more. You will also own a house provided by the Federation. There are a few avable for you to choose from. Here''s the list and the locations of the said houses along with what they look like. Take your time to choose."

    Ms. Jones then showed a list of houses to Ashton which he inspected a bit absent-mindedly.

    Now he understands why Agent Theta looked at him that way earlier. He must''ve thought that Ashton had some dogsh*t luck to have something like this. And Ashton couldn''t really me him for that.

    ''My god. This is what the System means by ''handsome rewards''? Dayum! I''m loaded!!''

 Chapter 8 Small Donation Of 15k

    Ms. Jones guided Ashton on how to navigate the hologram in front of him. That being said, Ashton still doesn''t recognize most of things written in it.

    He could read yes, but barely. The Orphanage never really focused a lot when ites to the basic knowledge. Old Ashton was the one who worked really hard to make sense of things.

    There are terminologies in there that he can''t quite grasp just yet. That being said, navigating the hologram was quite simple, it''s touch-activated just like smartphones back in his home world.

    Still, Ashton was never been one to understand maps thoroughly. There''s too much in the screen that doesn''tpletely makes sense to him.

    "Uh, Big Sister. Can you help me?" He asked.

    Ms. Jones seems amused by how Ashton addressed her but she doesn''t seem to mind. She asked: "Is there anything you don''t understand?"

    "Uh, a lot actually." Ashton didn''t bother lying about that. "I can barely read the words written in here. But that''s not it. Um, I need help in choosing a house."

    "I see." Ms. Jones seems to understand where he''sing from. "Tell me then, do you have anything in mind that you want for a house?"

    "Uh, I saw the houses here. They look pretty much the same on the inside and out, if they are like that and they''re that big, I don''t really have any problems with it."

    "But um...is there a house here that''s close to a school? And maybe a supermarket? I would like to see it if there''s one." Ashton requested.

    He then saw Ms. Jones looking at him in interest, which puzzled him a bit.

    ''Clever child.'' Ms. Jones thought to herself. ''It''s hard to think that he''s an orphan like this. Or maybe it is because he''s an orphan that he''s this clever? Either way, it''s good. At least, he''ll be fine on his own.''

    "Good thinking!" Ms. Jones recovered, she then waved her hand and filtered the list ording to Ashton''s requirements. Ashton then saw the list shrinking, leaving only one.

    "You came at a great time. If you''re a little bitte, this house would''ve been taken by someone else."

    "This location right here fits the requirements you asked for. It is close to a school, The Mystic Academy in fact, it''s probably the best school there is in City M. If you can pass their examination, you''d be golden and since this house is close to it, you can save-up money for vehicle fares."

    "This area right here is amercial space actually. Basically, it is rather famous and popted, there is a lot of stores around this area which where you can go to purchase your needs. Just a walking distance away."

    "The security is top-notch, there are Knights and Mages always in patrol so criminals wouldn''t even dare to think about causing trouble in there. So? What do you think?"

    "Mn! This is the one. I''ll choose this, thank you Big Sister!" Ashton didn''t dare to waste time thinking about it. This location is already really good based on her description.

    He didn''t doubt the woman since she''s a government employee, plus Agent Theta is beside her. In addition to that, Ashton felt that she''s trustworthy so he believed in her.

    If it turns out that his instincts are wrong...oh well, at least there''s an inheritance for him, right?

    "Okay! Since you have chosen, we can finalize your registration." Ms. Jones didn''t dally either. She finalized Ashton''s profile and updated his address and his citizenship.

    After a few minutes, she stopped. Beside her, a couple of cards appeared as well as some documents. She took them and passed them down on Ashton.

    "Here, this one will be your Federation ID, have it with you at all times since most of the facilities around your area will require you to show that. This one would be your Credit Card, this card can ess your inheritance money and you can use it to pay for the things you''ll but without needed to carry paper bills."

    "As for these papers, these are important documents about your profile. Keep this secured since there are times where people will ask you for this. For example when you enroll to the academy and had your interview, you will need to show that to the professors there."

    "Never lose these things, alright? At the instance that you lost them, immediately contact us and report it okay? You have to protect your credentials. Do you understand?"

    "Yes. Thank you very much. I''ll be careful, I promise."

    "Good boy!" Ms. Jones smiled, she then looked at Agent Theta for a bit and then back at Ashton. "Since we''re done here, you can leave with Agent Theta. He will take you to your new home. Be good and stick close to him okay?"

    "I will. Thanks again Big Sister." Ashton nodded and stood up.

    "Alright, bye Ashton. I hope you have a nice day ahead."

    "You too, Big Sister. Bye-bye." Ashton waved and then exited the office along with Agent Theta.

    The Agent didn''t say a word, he just expected the kid to follow him around like he''s supposed to do. Ashton then saw him fiddling his watch for some reason and he doubt that he was adjusting the time.<sub> </sub>

    They entered the Elevator and once inside, Agent Theta pressed the button for the ground floor. They rode the elevator in silence.

    Once they reached their destination, Ashton was surprised that they weren''t on the first floor. Instead they''re at the parking space where there are cars as far as the eyes can see.

    Agent Theta seemed to have noticed his surprise, he then asked: "Did you want to say goodbye to those who took care of you?"

    He''s referring to the Nuns. Admittedly, Ashton was bit a torn. While it''s true that he found them shady as hell, at the end of the day, they still took care of him. He grew up in their Orphanage, they fed and clothed him when in truth, they didn''t have to do so.

    "Does the Awakening Ceremony cost money?" He asked instead while he followed the Agent.

    "500 Federation Dors per person." He replied.

    "That''s 3,000 in total since there''s six of us who came with the nuns." Ash counted, he didn''t see the surprised expression of the agent when he realized that the kid can do math.

    "Can I use this to make a donation to the orphanage?" Ashton asked.

    Agent Theta recovered from his surprise and said: "Yes. How much are you thinking?"

    "15,000." He replied, "Also, if I can leave a message with the donation, that would ne great."

    "I''ll arrange it for you." Agent Theta nodded and he began fiddling on his watch.

    Ashton then saw a hologram appearing in front of the Agent, he swiftly did his thing and not even a minuteter, a form was already ready.

    ''Oh cool! So that''s like a smartwatch! Maybe I can buy one for myself.''

    "Millibeth''s Orphanage, right?"

    "Yes, that''s the one."

    "What''s your message for them?" He asked.

    "Thanks for taking care of me. Use this money however you like." Ashton replied.

    "Pass me your Credit Card."

    Ashton did that and he saw the Agent tapping his credit card on the hologram. After doing that, a green light shed and some notifications showed-up on the side which the Agent dismissed right away.

    "It''s done." Agent Theta passed the Credit Card back to him. "They''d be receiving that within three to five business days."

    "Thank you, Agent."

    ? "...I know that you donated that much to repay the favor but Kid, be wise on spending your money. You might think that you have a lot of it but if you get careless, all of your money will disappear before you know it."

    "I understand. I''ll be careful."

    Inwardly, Ashton couldn''t help but snicker. Of course he would know how to handle his money. If the industry works even slightly simr to that of Earth, Ashton has no doubts that one slip and he''d be homeless before he knew it so it''s already given that he''d be careful.

    "Anyways, here''s our ride. Get in, I''ll drive you to your new home."

    Interestingly enough, cars here looks simr to that of earth so he didn''t really have problems adjusting to it. He sat on the back while Agent is obviously on the driver''s seat.

    Ashton instinctively looked for the seatbelt but he didn''t find any so he just let it go. The seat on the other hand was heavenly. The interior of the car was sleek and handsome. Weirdly enough, he didn''t see a steering wheel, instead there''s some sort of a circuit board in there which confused him.

    Agent Theta of course understood how this thing works. Ashton saw him pressing things here and there then all of a sudden, the engines started. By the time he realized it, the car was already moving without the man doing anything.

    ''Auto-pilot? Wow!'' Ashton was really impressed. And the surprise didn''t end there. Once they''re out of the Parking Area, the agent''s seat suddenly rotated and is now facing him.

    "A few things for you to know before we arrive at your new home..."

 Chapter 9 System Functions

    Ashton still couldn''t get over the fact that the front seat just twisted like but he had to since the man has something to tell him and it seems important.

    "You''ve heard this from the doctors before. You are cursed." Agent Theta didn''t beat around the bush and instantly went into the sore spot. "While the doctors told you that it will make your life difficult, I don''t think you truly understand what that entails."

    "I''m not them, I won''t mince words with you." Agent Theta looked straight to his eyes and said: "If people around you knew that you are cursed, there is a high-chance that they will avoid you. In some cases, they might call you names or even go as far as to hurt you."

    Ashton winced upon hearing that. In truth, he already had premonitions that this might be the case. He''s afraid that the stigma of being ''cursed'' will have a great effect on him.

    It''s like racism actually, now that he thought about it. In Earth, that has been a very sensitive topic. Typically, thises with oppression and sometimes, hate-crime. Ashton isn''t really excited to experience all of that.

    "Boy, this world is crueler than you thought." Agent Theta shook his head, "You might think that you have it nice thanks to your inheritance but in truth, that barely amounts to anything."

    "While it''s true that, as a 3-star Citizen, you have more privileges and rights. Believe me when I say that humans, when motivated, will always find a way to drag you down."

    "I''m not saying this to deter you or scare you." He shook his head again, "I''m telling you this so that you can be prepared."

    "Be on-guard boy." He warned, "Take everything at face-value. Do not easily trust people just because they look and sound nice. Alwayse prepared and observe how you and they act. That''s the best way you can protect yourself. Do you understand?"

    "I...I guess? I don''t fully understand it yet but I can tell why its important. I''ll remember your words and I''ll be careful, I promise."

    "...good enough at least. Next. Education." Agent Theta didn''t bother repeating himself, the boy seems sensible enough in his eyes anyways.

    "You said that you n on enrolling to the Academy, but you also said that you can barely read. That won''t do." The agent shook his head, "That''s nowhere near enough to pass, and with your status as a Cursed Mage? Not a chance."

    Agent Theta then touched his watch and suddenly images to thick books showed-up in their holographic forms.

    "Kids who grew up ''normally'' studied these books. Those who are attempting to enroll into the Academy have them even memorized by heart. If you want to stand a chance, you have to reach their level or even surpass it."

    "It''s the second week of February today so you have at least three months to catch-up to their level of intellect. The written exams begin at May, around the second week so you have to be prepared. If you passed that, then you can study there and pursue the path of a Professional Mage."

    "Memorize what these books looks like,ter when you adjusted to your new home, go a nearby library and borrow these books. Study them thoroughly. If you''re meticulous enough, you should be able to understand all of it by yourself. If you can''t, you can always hire a tutor. Up to you. Do you follow?"

    "Yes!"

    "Remember, the matter about you being curse, you''re identity as a 3-star citizen, be careful when to reveal it and whom you''ll reveal it to. You have no one but yourself at this point, you gotta act more sensibly. Be wise with your money and work smart."

    "I understand." Ashton nodded solemnly.

    "Also, don''t even think about practicing magic before you enter the Academy or any school for that matter. One wrong move and you will kill yourself. Do it under professional supervision. You won''t go wrong with that."

    "Right."

    "That''s all I have to say. We''ll talk again once we''re at your home. You rest there or get familiar with the environment."

    After saying that, Agent Theta unceremoniously turned his seat again and paid attention to the road, leaving Ashton slightly speechless.

    Well, he can''t reallyin now. After all, this man just gave him some important advice despite them beingplete strangers.

    Ashton will admit that he had beencent. He was too distracted by all the new things he was seeing, experiencing and having that hepletely forgot that this world is just as dangerous as it is mysterious.

    Agent Theta was right. Since knowing that the inheritance was that rich, he thought that his life would be much easier andfortable as before.

    Honestly? Who can me him?

    He''s 13 yet he''s already a home-owner, not only that, his bank ount is fat as hell. And with the addition and excitement of bing a true mage? Who could stay indifferent from all of this?

    Not to mention, he got it for free! What could be better about this? If this was Earth? Oh, he''s set. All he needs to do is to find a decent job and a girlfriend and he''s golden.

    Sadly, this isn''t Earth. Earth is gone. He should seriously remove all remaining attachments he have on that ce since he''s nevering back. Earth is noting back. He has to ept that and live this new life he was given.

    It is thanks to the efforts of the Old Ash that his mistakes were minimized. He didn''t speak much nor reacted like a kid on a sugar-high. Old Ash being a skeptic and doubtful of everything helped him a lot so he owe it to him to live this life in a fitting way.

    ''Alright. Let''s take everything seriously and start some real ns shall we? There''s a time to y and there''s a time to work seriously. Let there be a clear distinction between the two.''

    ''Darn, I was so busy that I haven''t even explored what my System could do yet. Hey, System. Do I have a...Profile Page that you can disy?''

    [Affirmative.]

    [Profile]

    Host: Ashton West

    Race: Human<sub> </sub>

    Aptitude:

    ? Mageroot: Nature-Light Mixed (5th-Tier Human Rank)

    ? Magical Artifact: Cursed Mystic Book (Rare-grade)

    ? Providence: Five Golden Rays (Bright Saint)

    Specialization: [None]

    Rank: [Awakened]

    Cultivation Technique: NA

    ''Okay, this is mostly understandable except for the Specialization and Rank part. System, can you exin those to me?''

    [Negative. Host will have to discover them on their own.]

    ''Got it. System, what are your other functions?''

    [Spells List: 0/0]

    [Inventory]

    [Grinding Spots: 0/1]

    [Sign-in Opportunities: 1]

    ''Uh, okay. Some of these I can recognize but what is this...Grinding Spots? Sign-in Opportunities?''

    [The Grinding Spots and the Sign-in Opportunities are the unique functions of the System, Host.]

    [The Grinding Spots is a ce where you can send a piece of your consciousness to form an Avatar. In there, the Avatar will begin to practice Spells you want. When the Spell chosen leveled-up or the Host chose to halt the grind, the Avatar will dissipate and return to you including all of it''s gains and understanding about the previous Spell that it grinded.]

    [Note. Grinding Spots are limited and costs Mana Crystals to activate. Host could also choose to elerate the process by charging more Mana Crystals for the Spell of your choice. Unlocking more slots also require Mana Crystals.]

    ''So that''s where the Idle thinges from, I get it.'' Ashton nodded to himself, ''Well, what about the Sign-in Opportunities?''

    [This world is rich in Spirituality, it is for this very reason that things like Magic exist in the first ce.]

    [Time and Space remember Legends and History, they are branded to where they happened, invoking that specific ce to be rich with Legendary or Historical Providence.]

    [The purpose of the Sign-in Function is to encourage Host to seek these ces and leave his mark as a way of saying: ''I was here'' in virtue of Signing-in.]

    [In truth, Host can choose to Sign-in at any ce he pleases but ces which witnessed history and rich with Providence will be a much better ce to leave your mark.]

    [By Signing-in you will receive random rewards specific to the ce where you signed-in. ces that have richer Providence will rear you better rewards.]

    ''So, a proof of existence that goes beyond the ''I think therefore I am'', got it. Oddly poetic and romantic. I like that.''

    ''Ooh, darn! Now that I think about it, Signing-in at the Federation Center would''ve been real nice. Missed the opportunity to do that, oh well. I''ll just do it when the chance presents itself.''

    ''Ah, right! I still have that don''t I?''

    ''System, use the Random System Skill Stub.''

    [Random System Skill Stub, consumed.]

    [System Skill: Identify, unlocked.]

    ''Ooh! The staple skill for all Systems! Description please.''

    [Identify (System Skill)]:

    ? Identify any targets within Host''s line of sight.

    ? Details disyed may vary depending on the level difference between Host and the Target.

    ? No cooldown.

    ''Interesting. Let''s try it.'' Ashton then used Identify on Agent Theta and a screen disyed itself to him.

 Chapter 10 New Crib, Who Dis?

    <Name: Norman Reid

    Alias: Agent Theta

    Rank: Lv.8 Warrior

    Current Thoughts: ''Take this kid to his new home, guide him a bit, leave and be done for today. Maybe I can have a drink after the shift''s over.''>

    ''Oh, so it works this way. Good to know. Sorry, Agent. It''s been hard on you, don''t worry you can have drink when you go home. You deserve it.''

    [Identify] will surely be useful for his everyday life, Ashton can already see it. While its range is limited to his line of sight, it shouldn''t pose a huge problem for now.

    ''Oh, System? Can Identify be ced on the Grinding Spots?''

    [Negative. Host can only use the Grinding Spots for Spells.]

    ''Then how do I level-up Identify ? Wait, can I level it up to begin with?''

    [Host can increase the level of skill: Identify through normal means. Using it often to increase your proficiency with it.]

    ''Ah, I see. Okay, that shouldn''t be hard. I can tell that I''d be relying on it a lot anyway so it should be fast...at least I hope so.''

    Once he was done with testing his new skill, Ashton paid close attention to his Profile Page. If had checked the documents on his hand, he would''ve noticed that the details written on it are the same as what the system currently disyed. Which is how it''s supposed to be.

    ''Mageroot...although I still don''t know much about it, just by looking at what''s written in here, I can tell that my potential seems to be bad.''

    [Mageroot Grades: Human (5 tiers), Mystic (3 tiers), Treasure, Earthen, Heavenly, Ancient, Mysterious Rainbow.]

    ''Yep, as I expected. Mine''s at 5th-Tier Human Rank. Lowest of the low. Damn. Also, there''s the cursed Magical Artifact.''

    [Cursed Mystic Book (Rare)]

    ? Reading speed +100%

    ? Curse of Mediocrity - the bearer of the curse will not be able to use any Intermediate Level Skills or above.

    [Battle Sprit/Magical Artifact Grades: Simple, Rare, Profound, Epic, and Legendary.]

    ''So the grade of my Magical Artifact is a bit better...but that curse...''

    Ashton couldn''t help but feel bitter when he read the description of that curse.

    Reality really has a way of pping somebody to wake them up from their fantasies, doesn''t it?

    Just as he dreamed about the prospects of one day, calling down a fat meteor from who knows where to smite his foes, fate decided to show him the middle finger, cursed him and told him to deal with it.

    ''That''s somewhat depressing isn''t it? I only get to use Basic Spells. Well, I don''t know what are considered as a Basic Spell just yet, I just hope that it isn''t just some smoke and mirrors or misdirection-type ''Spells''. That would be too sad...''

    ''Hey, System. Do you have any idea why I''m cursed?''

    [System advices Host to figure that out himself.]

    ''Can the curse be removed?''

    [Negative. Host is too weak.]

    ''That means, its possible once I''m strong enough?''

    [Indeed. Good luck, Host.]

    ''Alright, I guess I can work with that. For now, I should focus on getting used to living in this world and catching-up with thetest event while also getting my education level up, that way I can at least n out what I''m going to do.''

    ''I can''t put the Cultivation Manual on the Grinding Spots either, can I?''

    [Negative.]

    ''Thought so...alright. It is what it is. I should chill for now I guess.''

    Even though Ashton was eager to explore the different uses of his System, he doesn''t really have anything to work with right now so he could only wait patiently.

    Without anything to do, Ashton looked at the scenery behind the windows. He can see that it''s already around noon. It''s bright outside and probably hot as well but a lot of people are still out doing their own business.

    He noticed that this specific part of the city''s really popted and active. He also noticed that the congregation of modernized buildings are really concentrated on this area.

    Ashton guessed that this is probably themercial area that Ms. Jones was talking about. If he''s right, then they should be near his new home already.<sub> </sub>

    About 10 minutes after that, Ashton noticed the car slowing down. He looked at the surroundings and saw his new home. The car stopped in front of the house and Agent Theta wasted no time to get out of the car. He opened the door for Ashton who jumped out and looked at his new home eagerly.

    "Wee to your new home, Kid."

    "Oh, wow! It is much bigger than I thought it would be!" Ashton uttered in pure awe.

    Compared to his house on Earth, this one wins without even a single doubt. It''s about the size of a basketball court. It has a garage, a nice looking yard, two-storeys high.

    Honestly this is too big for a single person to use, much less a teenager. But can you hear Ashtonining? Hell, no!

    "Satisfied?"

    "Very! I''m looking forward to start my new life in here." Ashton replied enthusiastically.

    "Let''s go inside then, I''ll give you a tour." Agent Theta walked forward and approached the doors with Ashton trailing behind him.

    Just before entering, the Agent stopped and faced Ashton.

    "See this?" He pointed at the rectangr mechanism attached to the door. "This is the Security Module of your house. Since this is the entrance, it will scan all people who are approaching."

    "Right now, your profile is already uploaded to this. It was Ms. Jones who encrypted it so this should recognize you and allow you to enter. As for me, I''m just a guest and I can only enter with you."

    "Later, you will learn how to change the settings of the Security Module so you can personalize it ording to how you like it. For now, stand beside me and let us allow this thing to scan us."

    The two of them stepped forward and when they entered a certain spot, they heard a mechanical voice right ahead.

    "Pause for Identi-scan."

    A red light then started scanning them from head to toe, after that the light turned green and the mechanical voice sounded again.

    "Wee, Home Owner Ashton and Guest." It said as the doors swung open.

    Ashton''s mouth was gaping and he didn''t even try to hide it.

    ''That was so freaking cool!!!!'' He gushed mentally. These kinds of things are those that he read on novels or saw at a movie which had the sci-fi genre.

    He never imagined that there would be a day when he will get to experience it first hand. Oh, life is good. Life is truly good.

    The entrance of the house was a bit narrow but it lead to an open space. There, Ashton saw a cozy interior that followed a beige-theme as its base. There are furniture readily avable, ss doors leading outside the yard and the pool!

    He has a swimming pool!

    There''s a big TV on the wall, the one that as big as those at the cinemas. At least he thinks that''s a TV, he could be wrong though. Apart from that, he also saw doors that leads to the other parts of the house as well as stairs leading up to the second floor. To top things off, everything looks clean as well.

    Beep! Beep!

    "Wha-!" Ashton was surprised. He saw something approaching them. He''s about to ask what that thing is but Agent Theta was already exining it.

    "This is a Butler-bot. A caretaker and housekeeper in one. It works for you and will attend to your needs but you must know that it can''t do everything on its own. Having it shouldn''t be a reason for you to getzy."

    Beep! Beep!

    The Butler-bot was standing in front of Ashton, twisting and turning eagerly. On it''s head, there is a small screen that disyed a smiling face and text-bubble saying:

    ''Wee home, Master Ashton. I am your Butler-bot, please call me Jerry. Nice to meet you!''

    "Oh! Hello, Jerry. Nice to meet you too. I''ll be on your care."

    Jerry shed another smiling face and the text-bubble changed to: ''I got you, Master. I noticed that your bag seems heavy and full of clothes. May I take them to your room first?''

    "Oh, uh...sure. Here you go." Ashton handed his bag to Jerry and the bot merrily rolled away carrying his stuff towards his room.

    "Alright, let''s get on with the tour." Agent Theta spoke this time.

    Ashton the followed him as he introduced the different areas of the house to him. There''s the receiving area, the yard and the pool. There''s also the kitchen, the dining area, the spare rooms on the ground floor as well asfort rooms and bathrooms.

    Most importantly, there''s a door that has another scanner that only allows Ashton inside. This door leads to the Training Room which took half of the space.

    Apparently, practicing skills, spells or even just breaking through the next level causes a lot ofmotion which is why this ce is built and heavily fortified to endure the abuse.

    Afterwards, theye to the second floor.

 Chapter 11 House Warming Package

    The first door on the second floor is where the Master''s Bedroom is and where Jerry is currently at, arranging and folding Ashton''s clothes for him.

    He has a king-sized bed, a bed side table,mp, a projector instead of a tv, and walk-in closets. It''s a bit excessive for Ashton but is heined. Of course not. There''s also a pretty bathroom in there with toiletries already avable for use.

    Aside from the Master''s Bedroom, there''s a veranda at the second floor for re-creational activities as well as three empty rooms that Ashton could freely modify ording to his needs.

    Agent Theta also showed him a smallpartment where the house''s security system is installed. He told him to not touch it unless he is a certified mechanic at least or else he''d just damage it.

    That about it for the house actually. It is so much more than Ashton could truly ask for but he''s very thankful to have it. He even whispered a word of thanks to the system since without it, he wouldn''t have this.

    "...Jerry could sustain himself but it wouldn''t hurt to bond with him from time to time. Although he''s a bot, he can get lonely too. If any idents happen and Jerry starts malfunctioning, you can call for mechanics to take a look at him."

    "Jerry can teach you how to use the electronics here so I''ll leave that to him. Buy a decent smart-watch as soon as you can since that would help you a lot and remember all the things I told you before. Do you have any questions?"

    Ashton was silent for a bit, seriously thinking if there are any questions he needs answer for.

    "...I think I''m good." Ashton replied after a moment of consideration.

    "Well, if you have any concerns, Jerry will be there to answer you. If he can''t then you''re on own." Agent Theta stated, he then sighed and said: "Well, that does it for me. I''ll be leaving now. Stay safe, kid. Have a good life."

    "Thank you so much for all your help so far, Agent." Ashton bowed and escorted the man out of the house.

    Agent Theta got on the car, gave Ashton ast wave of goodbye before driving away.

    Once he was gone, Ashton finally felt everything settling-in. He took a deep breath as he looked in to his home.

    "So, this is it. My new life." He murmured.

    He was filled with some optimism as he looked around. He can''t believe that he had gotten the jackpot at day one. But then again, he had to ground himself here.

    Ashton reminded himself that this world is different from what he''s used to. For the ignorant him, this might be much but what about the real professionals of this world? He can''tpare to them so it''s best to keep humble for now.

    Beep! Beep!

    Jerry''s cheerful beeps woke him up from his daze. The bot rolled-up to him eagerly with a new text-bubble on his screen-face.

    ''Do you need my help for anything, Master?''

    "Hmm...uh, I actually feel a bit hungry right now. Can you cook?"

    ''Yes, I can!'' The bot replied, ''Here''s the list of options I can make for you with the stock we have avable.''

    Jerry''s screen face then disyed a long list menu he can create for lunch. Ashton was a bit surprised. It seems that this butler-bot of his could do just about everything which neat.

    "Uh...let''s see...ooh, I wanna splurge a bit tomemorate my new life here so I guess I''ll go with...fried rice, medium rare steak, sunny-side up eggs and a bowl of sd. For drinks, a lemonade will do. But uh, weird question...Do you need to eat?"

    Jerry replied with: ''No Master, but I do need to charge for at least four hours per week to maintain my optimal state.''

    "Ah, of course. I should''ve known." Ashton was a bit embarrassed but oh well, just making sure you know? "Yeah, if you can make those dishes for me, that''d be perfect."

    ''Very well, then. Please wait for at least 15 minutes.''

    "Ah! Actually before you go, I need your help with something."

    ''Ask away, Master.''

    "How do I...turn-on or like, use this thing?" He asked pointing at the big-ass TV in the wall.

    ''It''s simple Master. The Cinematic TV is hooked on voicemand. Mr. Security already recorded your voice so you''ll only need to say ''Turn the TV on'' out loud.''

    "Oh! Alright...well then, here it goes. Turn the TV on!"

    "-BRINGING THIS NEWS LIVE FROM CITY B, I''M YOUR HOST, DEVON! STAY TUNED FOR MORE!"

    "#&%&#*#!!"

    A string of curses flew out of Ashton''s mouth. That scared the sh*t out of him. He didn''t expect this thing to be so damn loud. The sound was literally reverberating all over the room.

    "Tone it down!" He eximed unknowingly.

    Surprisingly, the volume did decrease to an alright level. It seems that the system of this house is pretty intelligent since it understood his intentions.

    Beep! Beep!

    Ashton looked at Jerry and saw him telling him something.

    ''Changing the channels is as easy as waving your hand. It is also connected to online so you can ess some of things being posted in there. To get more use out of it, I rmend you hooking it up on a smart-watch.''

    "I see. Thanks for letting me know." Ashton smiled and patted Jerry''s head. "Alright, I''ll be fine here. I''ll trouble you to prepare food. Call me up when it''s done."

    ''Yes, Master.''

    And just like that, Jerry merrily rolled away towards the kitchen leaving Ashton alone in the receiving area.

    Ashton sat at the sofa and once again felt his butt sinking in to clouds.

    ''I really need to know what materials they use for these things.'' He inwardly mused, ''Wait! If the sofa''s already this soft, then what about my bed? Ooh I can''t wait to try, but I''ll do thatter.''<sub> </sub>

    Ashton''s attention went to the whatever''s ying at the TV. He still finds this a little bit ridiculous but he''s slowly getting used to this.

    The current channel is filled with news. The show is named ''Today @Bastion'', it focuses on all sorts of events, rumors and important people living inside the Last Bastion.

    The structure and general theme of the news programs are quite simr to his old world''s. In hindsight, he should''ve expected this when he was trolled by thatmercial on the bus earlier this day.

    It would ne weird for him to say this, but this world''s news channel is actually pretty entertaining...that or he''s just really jubnt about his current situation, either or really.

    ''Ah right! I nearly forgot about this. Ahem, System. I''ll use my Sign-in Opportunity here.''

    [Host signed-in to his new home...]

    [Congrattions! You receiving a house-warming gift package from the System.]

    ''Eh?'' Ashton raised a brow. He opened his Inventory and found a new item in there.

    ? [House-warming Gift Package (Consumable).]

    The item has no other descriptions aside from that which is actually quite confusing for Ashton, nevertheless since ites from the System, he might as well see what''s inside right?

    ''Consume the House-warming Gift Package.''

    [House-warming Gift Package, consumed.]

    [Host received: [S-watch 9000], 50% Discount Coupon, Library Pass, Butler-bot Upgrade Chip.]

    ''Ooh! Dayum! Another jackpot! You''re too kind to me system!''

    Ashton couldn''t help but grin upon seeing the things he received from the package. He then began going through each items to know more about them.

    [S-watch 9000]

    : A recent piece of technology. Very helpful.

    : Comes with a beginner friendly manual.

    [50% Discount Coupon]

    : It does what you think it does.

    : Can be used at any stores.

    [Library Pass]

    : Allows ess to Public Libraries.

    : Valid for lifetime.

    [Butler-bot Upgrade Chip]

    : A little gift for good ol'' Jerry.

    : Give this to him and he''ll know what to do with it.

    ''Ooh! Got me a smartwatch! I don''t have to buy it anymore since I got one for free. Free things! Yay.''

    ''The rest are good. Very practical for my current situation, especially that Library Pass. I guess, I''ll visit the nearest one tomorrow.''

    ''As for the upgrade chip, maybe I should dy it for now. I gotta make it look like I bought this outside to hide the existence of the System as much as possible. Can''t go wrong with being careful.''

    Once he inspected his gains, he kept the Inventory away and returned his attention back to the program.

    A couple of minutester, he heard the whirring sounds of Jerry approaching him. He turned to look and Jerry said:

    ''Food''s ready, Master!''

    Ashton''s eyes lit-up and stood-up. He issued amand to turn the tv off and went to the dining area with Jerry.

    The scent of good food whetted his appetite. He smiled as he sat down on the table. This will be the first time this body will experience the joy of having good food.

    "Thanks for the meal." Ashton grinned and began cutting through the steak.

    As he chewed on his food, he heard Jerry''s whirring sounds next to him.

    ''Should I prepare a warm bath for you, Master?''

    "Ooh, yeah! That would be real nice."

    ''Alright! Please, enjoy your meal.''

    "Thanks, Jerry."

    And as the bot rolled away, Ashton happily consumed his food whilst thinking to himself:

    ''Today is truly a good day.''

 Chapter 12 March 9022

    "...are you ready to begin with your tests, Master?"

    "Yes, Jerry. I am. Let''s begin."

    "Okay, the timer starts the moment you pick-up papers."

    Ashton nodded and didn''t hesitate to pick-up the pen and the paper to start the test.

    It''s been roughly two weeks since Ashton began his new life and all things considered, he''s living pretty well. He''s notcking in anything except for education, which he''s trying his best to remedy as time goes on.

    Ashton had been to ces. He went out as many times as he could these past few days to familiarize himself to the neighborhood and learn about the simrities and differences of human lifestyle here.

    Surprisingly, for the most part at least, it isn''t much different to Earth. Although this world is more technologically advancedpared to his old world and there''s magic involved, themon trends of life are still being followed here.

    Just like earth, one day here is equivalent to 24 hours, each hour isposed of 60 minutes and   ...7 days is a week, the names of each months are the same, there''s a sun, moon and stars, electricity is a thing and all that jazz.

    People going to work to provide for their needs, seeking entertainment here and there, entering rtionships, getting married, having kids and etc. These are all simr to what he''s used to but just in a different setting so it wasn''t that hard to adjust.

    Now, this of course on the ''normal'' side of things. As for the ''magical'' side well...he has no idea just yet.

    See, he asked around, probing for information (he would''ve liked to know more by himself but the materials aren''t just avable to him) but as it turns out, the society of the ''Cultivators'' - as they were referred to by themon folk, are extremely secretive.

    Now as for why that is, nobody really gave him their opinions so he didn''t ask, but he did have some guesses of his own.

    The information avable on the news channels and online are also filtered as well. For the most part, it''s all just mundane things. They didn''t really hide the existence of the ''super-powered'' or ''magical'' society, he caught them explicitly saying that they are real and they are around but for the detailed exnation of things, he guessed that those information are either ssified or being filtered to another channel that he can''t ess just yet.

    This was all well for now since there are other things that he wanted to pay attention to anyways. Mainly, catching up to the intelligence level of kids his age.

    For the past two weeks, Ashton already borrowed the books that Agent Theta rmended to him and began ready. At weekends, he asked for Jerry''s help to test himself.

    Each week, he will set-up a small goal for himself. He''ll read and study several chapters or topics from the books he borrowed. Then, he will tell Jerry about the parts of the books he learned and ask him to make a questionaire to test his knowledge.

    Ashton figured that this works the best for him, chipping the contents of each book until he''s done with them. Yes this might be slow but it he''s learning steadily.

    Plus, it was effective. Ashton had learned so much from this book that he had to thank Agent Theta again for rmending these books to him.

    The things that he learned are considered as the basics of things since these books are for beginners. Still, they are incredibly helpful.

    It''s the first week of March, more specifically, March 03 9022.

    Yes, 9022. Ashton also thought that he read that wrong but apparently he didn''t.

    Just like any other people like him would do - aka Transmigrated ones, he started reading the history to see if they are really on a different world or were just in an alternate version of the future.

    Well, there''s no surprises there. He is indeed in a different world. Which is silly on his part since he witnessed the Earth being destroyed but oh, well...

    What''s funny is that, World Wars also happened here except that it''s humans versus aliens. Yes, aliens.

    ording to the history book he had, ''They'' came from the north and the south without warnings. ''They'' started wrecking havoc to everything humans held near and dear and ''They'' even nearly pushed humanity to brink of extinction.

    In fact, Humanity suffered so much from ''Their'' onught that they were pushed to a very small part of the world and could do nothing but to rebuild there and hide for as long as they could.

    This small part of the world is aptly named: ''Last Bastion'' as it is thest habitable ce for humanity to settle down and live. Right now, it is said that the Federation is doing everything that it can to produce more Heroes capable of defending their homes to keep them safe and the book even encourages young people to grow-up well and do the same.<sub> </sub>

    That military propaganda isn''t even trying to be subtle.

    But see, here''s something that Ashton couldn''t wrap his head around.

    This thing on the book implying that the Last Bastion is only a ''small'' part of the world and the st'' habitable ce for humanity to live in.

    Ashton had been watching TV almost religiously. He had seen the scales of cities Last Bastion has. (He even finds it slightly hrious that the names of the cities are incredibly uninspired. City A, City B, City C and so on, he''s living in City M by the way and apparently, the ''M'' stands for ''Mystic''. Why? He has no idea.) And each city is big! Like really big.

    Also, he had seen the map of the Last Bastion and to his surprise, it looks simr to that of Earth. The continents are a bit closer to each other and there aren''t countries. All is united under the same banner and is governed by the Morning Sun Federation.

    Getting back to the point though, judging by the simrities in the map and the scale of eachnd...Last Bastion is huge!

    Last Bastion is literally Earth squeezed together, still surrounded with water but also protected by arge invisible dome above (but that''s a topic forter).

    If Last Bastion is considered as a ''small'' part of the entire world? How freaking big is the Blue then!?

    More importantly, how freaking strong are those aliens? To be able to push humanity this far despite their technological level? What kind of horrors are out there?

    Ashton calls them ''Aliens'' for now since he really has no idea what else to call them. The book he read didn''t specify these antagonists, it just referred to using ''They'' ''They'' or ''Their''.

    There''s a vocabry here and the ''Monster'' is included in it. But since they didn''t use ''Monsters'' to describe them, then it''s obvious that ''They'' are something else.

    The history books also told about the tale of the ''First Hero''. They''re not named in this book but they are significant to the History of Humanity.

    The First Hero isn''t actually someone who ended the war and invasion of the aliens like what happens to the stories he had read back in his home world. Instead, the First Hero should be called the First Guardian instead.

    The First Hero was alone, when the aliens started wrecking havoc, they did so in armies and the hero couldn''t possibly take on that by himself. The First Hero is the first Awakened amongst humans but he didn''t reach his full potential due to the crisis.

    Instead of eradicating the aliens, the Hero instead found opportunities for Humanity to continue. They were the one who found the location of today''s Last Bastion and brought humans here.

    The First Hero was the one who taught humanity how to survive their new lives and brought the news of the change. He protected Humanity and helped out on raising the next generation of Awakened Humans before sacrificing himself for the sake of protecting his race which in turn formed the ''Dome'' over the Last Bastion.

    At this point, many other Heroes followed the First Hero''s footsteps and sacrificed themselves to strengthen the Dome, as such humanity remained safe and was able to rebuild and recoup their losses.

    That''s basically the summarized version of Humanity''s History so far, but make no mistake, the battle for survival is far from over.

    Why else would the Federation keep convincing people to join the army? More importantly, if it''s truly over, is there a reason for the Federation to exist?

    Just from this, it''s easy to guess that the battle is far from over.

    Indeed, Ashton was right on the dot when he guessed that this world a lot more dangerous that he initially thought.

    One hour passed swiftly since Ashton began answering the questionnaires and when he heard the beep from Jerry, it''s ''pens down'' signal.

    He submitted the test papers to Jerry and the bot rated it on the spot. A few momentster, Jerry let out whirring sounds and said:

    "90/100 points. Excellent results, Master."

    "Yes!!" Ashton cheered, "Alright! Let''s have a little celebration! Jerry, prepare a feast for me!"

    "As you wish, Master."

 Chapter 13 Lunar Princess - Fillianore

    "The exams for the Mystic Academy will happen around the 2nd week of May. It still have some time to study more to prepare myself for that." Ashton murmured.

    "If I go with this current pace I have, finishing the beginner books should be done by the 2nd week of March. I just need to refresh my memories about and I''ll be good to go. Still, learning more wouldn''t be too bad either."

    Judging by the schedule he built for himself, Ashton have plenty of time to not only catch up but maybe even surpass the intelligence level of kids his age about this world by the time the exams for the Academy Exams urred.

    His studies are progressing fast due to the fact that he''s an adult mentally. Most of the things he''s learning right now are the basics of knowledge which honestly not very hard for his intelligence level. Plus he developed a healthy habit of studying constantly in his past life so it''s understandable that being studiouses naturally for him.

    The only thing that Ashton still hasn''t done much of at this point is his Magic Practice.

    He''s studying magic. The system gave him the book about beginner''s introduction to magic and he''s been reading it for an hour before he sleeps.

    The book tells him about how magic came to be. It also has records about people who discovered Magic and who discovered what. It was fun and enriching to know more about this things because at least he''s having somethingpletely new.

    If this book was on Earth, people would call the author of it a lunatic. But in this world, this book is a well of knowledge that everyone has to know.

    The history of magic began basically the same time as the Invasion of the Aliens began. It is said that the First Hero was the first one to use Magic but since the idea of magic isn''t even an idea back then, they didn''t know what to call it.

    It is also worth to mention that Ashton''s ''norms'' about magic and stuff stemmed from Earth - world where those things are nothing more than a pipe dream. So it goes to say that when he discovered that First Hero wore heavy and shiny pieces of armor and carried a sword, he immediately thought of him as a ''knight'' and therefore had nothing to do with magic.

    Later on, he rectified this since, this standardes from the RPG''s he had seen and yed on Earth. This isn''t Earth. Earth knows nothing about magic so he should seriously stop thinking this way. It was when he stopped this way of thinking that things started making more sense to him and he''s able to have an easier time understanding the contents of the book.

    Anyways...

    History of Magic, yes. It started back then and while the First Hero neither confirmed nor denied the fact that they used Magic, just by the descriptions left by the authors back then, it''s pretty much confirmed that they indeed used magic. Although there are still debates about it, it''s whatever...

    But while magic already existed back then, it wasn''t until the rise of Fillianore Winchester - the Lunar Princess, that the term ''magic'' was coined and officially became a field of study.

    Fillianore was born roughly 600 years after the death of the First Hero. Back then Humanity is still in dire straits and are still recovering so things were a bit difficult.

    She grew up physically, and although she had the aptitude of a ''Hero'' - that''s what they call Cultivator back then, she''s sickly and can''t do physicalbor.

    But then, Fillianore held a secret that nobody knows aside from her. They didn''t know that her strength rises up depending on the phase of the moon. She is blessed by the Moon itself and she could even do weird things using Moonlight.

    Long story short, Fillianore''s secret was known because of an emergency, she was branded as a witch which forced her to be on the run but her parents protected her and let her escape in exchange of their lives, she was devastated, exiled herself from the Last Bastion to live along the dangers of the outside world.

    Miraculously she survives and gradually discovered the extent of her powers and even mastered it. She sessfully turned into a Hero, saved humans and established the school of Magic upon her return.

    After her, more and more people discovered the charm and wide uses of magic and refined the knowledge even further and that''s how the Mages came to be.

    As for the difference between a Knight and a Mage, in truth they aren''t so different. Both uses mana at base they just uses it differently.

    Knights uses Mana to refine their Physique even further so that they can be stronger and fight longer while Mages uses mana to enhance their intelligence and seek even more knowledge.

    Both uses spells to fight it''s just that one preferred wearing armor and one preferred cloth, that''s about it really.<sub> </sub>

    The book tells him about the divergent path that Knights and Mages had to walk in the path of cultivation. Apparently, this difference will only apply while they are still considered as Mortals but by they time they get rid of their mortal shackles the path they have to take converges into one.

    It''s the more advanced things so the Book didn''t go into detail but that basically confirms that there isn''t really much difference between the two.

    The most important thing that this book mentioned is the existence of Mana.

    p Apparently, it was the aliens who brought Mana to the Blue. For some unknown reason, the reacted to their arrival. Sensing that they are leaking Mana, the used it as a medium toplete it''s spirituality and be conscious.</anda>

    It was the spirituality of the Blue that helped the First Hero awaken and discover their abilities. Later then, the Spirituality of the Blue filtered the foul mana into something that humans can use. Which caused a mutation to the seeding generations of humans and made them Awakened as well.

    Spiritual Roots, Martial Spirit, and Providence were the gifts of the world to humans. These are tools that could help them recover and fight back against the aliens. Up until now, Humans are still relying on them to fight back.

    Ashton is still isn''t done with the book but he''s at an interesting part. There are actually exercises in the book about Basic Mana Control like sensing it, absorbing it and circting it to one''s body.

    He had been reading this thoroughly and memorizing the exercise by heart since it would prove helpful for when he eventually try to do it himself.

    Ashton''s not going to lie. He''s curious and want try out magic as soon as possible. While sensing Mana and controlling it isn''t really considered as ''magic'' is still the basis of things and he''d be lying if he said he isn''t dying to try it out.

    Hell, he had the Training Room prepped and ready for him to use but as of now he still has to step foot in it since he doesn''t know a thing about magic. The room take half of the entire space he had and its not even being used. That''s a waste.

    But really, he''s just curious. That''s all there is to it.

    You can just tell someone has the ability to wield magic and not expect them to try it out. That''s stupid.

    Yes, Ashton did remember promising Agent Theta that he won''t be reckless about magic. And he''s not being reckless if he''s memorizing the way how to do it properly right? So it''s good.

    Plus, that cultivation manual''s sitting on his Inventory. The time he''s wasting was potentially time he could''ve used to get some advantages before he officially bes a student of the Academy.

    Speaking of Academies, Ms. Jones wasn''t lying when she said that the Mystic Academy is the most prestigious school in City M. In fact, it is the only Academy around.

    There are schools and colleges around but honestly, those couldn''t hold a candle to the Mystic Academy.

    The education system in this world''s a bit different from what he''s used to. Basically, the knowledge that he knows wouldn''t even amount to the Elementary Level of education.

    If wants to know more, he had to enroll to a Primary Education Facilities or Elementary Schools since that''s what they do, they offer Primary Level of Education. If they want the more advanced level of education, they need to enroll to High-School next and a Coge after that. Masters and Doctorate Degrees can only be studies in an Academy.

    Mystic Academy works as all of these things, they offer Primary, Secondary, Tertiary and Masters/Doctorate Level of Education. Which basically means that if he got epted there, he''s golden.

    This is why Ashton''s working hard on educating himself. He would really love to be a student of the academy since everything would be avable there.

    Who knows? If he worked hard enough, maybe he can even apply for schrship?

 Chapter 14 Training Room

    Three weeks passed since Ashton came into his new home and it is only today that he''s entering the Training Room.

    He hadn''t stepped a foot in this ce since he had no reason to before but now he does. Ashton finally feel a bit confident about starting his new exercise.

    This new exercise having something to do with Mana of course. If it were any other regr exercise, he wouldn''t have to do it in this room specifically, he can do it in his yard.

    "Pause for Identi-scan." The cold mechanical voice Mr. Security sounded in his ears and Ashton did what it said.

    After he was scanned, his identity was confirmed and the doors to the Training Room was unlocked to him.

    Stepping inside the room, Ashton paused to survey his surroundings. Much to his surprise, this room is quite different from what he imagined.

    Being in a world where magic is real, Ashton had a different image in his head when he heard of the words ''Training Room''. He was expecting more of Dojo or like a dark room filled with pots, ritual circle and stuff, since...you know, he''s a Mage and all. But what greeted him was different.

    The area was clean and looked very techy. The floors are made out of square tiles each is 10x10 in measurement. There are a bunch of apparatuses inside which he doesn''t know of and there are blinking green lights off the corners of the room.

    It''s like he''s inside one of those time-chambers, and it doesn''t look bad actually.

    By instinct, Ashton used [Identify] to the things he saw and he was greeted by rows of information which helped him understood what this room is capable off.

    [Reactive Tiles]

    ? Extremely Durable.

    ? Can turn soft or solid, can also change colors and project images throuh the main controls.

    ? Self-Repair Enabled.

    [Dummies]

    ? Made out of extremely durable materials and can withstand some serious abuse.

    ? Each Dummy is connected to the Control Panel, the user can program them by changing their settings.

    ? It''s a good sparring partner.

    [Strength Measuring b]

    ? It does what it says, just punch it or something.

    ? Details shown can be modified through to Control Panel.

    [Rack of Weights]

    ? For the Gym Rats.

    [Meditation Altar]

    ? Must be activated through the Control Panel first.

    ? Costs Mana Crystals to function.

    ? Usable only for those who are at Warlock Stage and below.

    [Control Panel]

    ? This is where one can change the settings of the Training Room.

    ? It is rmended to view the tutorial guide first before using the Training Room.

    Ashton deactivated the skill and didn''t hesitate to walk towards the Control Panel. As if sensing him, the screen suddenly activated and it greeted him through words. It then gave him options which Ashton obviously considered. He started with the Tutorial Guide first.

    It took at least fifteen minutes for him to know more about the Training Room and it''s function. Now, all hisints about this room upying half of his lot is gone. He now understands why.

    There are many things that he can do in this Training Room. For example, with the help of the Control Panel, Ashton can edit the ambiance of this room.<sub> </sub>

    If he wants to feel like he''s in the middle of the forest while he''s here? He can do that. If he wants to feel like he''s underwater? He can do that. If he wants some inspirational background music sting through the speakers as he fed his muscles? That''s possible too!

    He can insert schedules, rms and so on. He can make the ground unstable like being on top of trampoline, make it soft like mud, make it sloped...etc. He can do so much things that the possibilities are quite endless.

    Of course, things like changing the flow of time and stuff arepletely out of it''s reach but what it has is more than plenty for his own use.

    Ashton tried several pre-sets for the theme and to his delight, it worked like a charm.

    The pre-set he used was named Nature''s Serenity. It changes his surroundings to a riverside in the middle of a lush forest. He can hear the sounds of a waterfall nearby and also the chirping of the birds and the crickets around. Hell, the air smells incredibly fresh and moist like he''s actually there. It was bizzare

    The realism of this theme was astonishing. If it weren''t for the fact that he could see the Control Panel and the other apparatuses around of him, he would''ve thought he''s actually in this ce.

    "Well, this is awesome. I''d use this one for now. I''ll try the other pre-setster."

    Ashton didn''t use the other apparatuses for now, he didn''t even used the Meditation Altar although it would be very useful for him.

    Instead, he found a spot near the river where he can hear the crisp sound of flowing water. He took a deep breath and he could feel himself rxing already.

    Even back at Earth, Ashton always liked the sound of flowing water and rain. In fact, he habitually y the sounds of rainfall on a loop as he sleeps since it helps him sleep better and longer so this is very nostalgic and rxing to him.

    "Alright...I''ve never done this before but here it goes. I hope it goes well."

    Ashton sat with his legs-crossed loosely, he kept his back straight but not stressed and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and began emptying his thoughts.

    He was trying to meditate for the first time ever.

    ording to the book he read, every cultivator must know how to do this. Those who can''t will never be able to use Mana efficiently in the lives. It''s kind of a pre-requisite at this point.

    The weird thing that Ashton discovered was the art of meditation in this world was simpler than he initially thought. Back in Earth, there many ''rules'' about meditation like; one''s back must be ramrod straight, one must fold their legs into a pretzel, breath in a square - whatever that means and so on...

    And the fact that doing all of that doesn''t really seem to achieve anything, makes it really hard for him to believe that it''s worth even trying even for the memes.

    In this world though, the instructions are more flexible. The act didn''t require too many restrictions for him since the real difficulty of the art happens in one''s mind not their form.

    Well, add this to the things that he shouldn''t judge ording to Earth''s standards. Seriously, he should really stopparing the two worlds. That would make his life easier.

    In Meditation, emptying one''s thoughts is just the initial challenge. It''s just a pre-requisite to enter the ''Meditative State''. Still, this is hard to do.

    On the book - Beginner''s Introduction to Magic, it described human''s minds as ''Monkeys who''s tails are on fire''. This basically means that a person''s mind is incredibly active, more than one could even imagine.

    The flow of thought is ceaseless and instinctual. There''s has never really been a time where a person''s mind is void of thoughts. Even in sleep, a person''s mind is active because of dreams. Not having a dream isn''t a sign of emptiness either since it''s most likely that one''s mind is pre-upied with something therefore it can''t produce a dream.

    This is why muting the flow of thoughts in a person''s mind is far more difficult to do than one might expect. Everyone''s so used to thinking about something consciously or sub-consciously that the activity turned to an instinct.

    The act of voiding one''s mind off thoughts, is stopping an instinct. Thus, it''s difficulty could only be imagined.

    Still, this is something that everyone who wants to be a cultivator must be able to do. There''s just no way around it. Ashton will have to do this one way or another and since that''s the case, he might as well begin at his own terms.

    The Meditation Altar would''ve been a great help for this. One of the benefits of the Altar is to help someone get through this process much quicker but Ashton decided to not rely on that for now.

    It is pride thatpels him to do so. Yes. But it doesn''t mean that he doesn''t trust the machine or disdained to use it.

    He just wanted to test things out by himself for now. He wanted to see how far he can go without any assistance for now. Additionally, Ashton knows that the Meditation Altar wouldn''t be by his side at all times so he doesn''t want to build any reliance on it.

    And just as he expected, it''s really hard.

    In the span of ten minutes, Ashton repeatedly caught himself being swept away by a train of thought sub-consciously. It''s somewhat frustrating but the very feeling of frustration is a distraction too which can lead to another train of thought which is another trap.

    Still, it''s not like this is enough for him to give-up on it. Believe it or not, Ashton felt the signs of him doing it right, it''s just that he couldn''t keep his focus that he loses the feeling but at least it''s something.

    The funny thing is, he thinks this seems like a lot of work for the simple act of sensing mana.

 Chapter 15 Mage Vs. Knight

    It should be of no surprise that Ashton failed his first attempts as sensing Mana. In fact, based from his experience and what he knows, he''s not even close but that''s fine, he has time anyway.

    In his first Meditation attempt, he was more focused on staying at the Meditative State since that''s the requirement to do sense Mana more urately. Unless he gets better at Meditation, he shouldn''t even think about Mana Sensing for now.

    Though he had to admit...if only his System acknowledge the Meditation as a thing that can be used for the Grinding Slots, this process would''ve been way faster. s, he can''t have them all. He should be thankful that he has a system to begin with.

    Speaking of the System, Ashton admitted hadn''t found a very good use of it as of now. Well, the sign-in function is the thing he uses the most and he actually umted a lot of nifty things from it but as for things that would actually make him stronger, well there isn''t a lot of that.

    But he did get something though...

    [Military Combat Tactics (13th Army Edition)]

    ? A list of Close Quarters Combat Techniques practiced by the Military Forces of the Morning Sun Federation.

    ? This Technique is released for public use and is free.

    ? Learning it will prove to be useful on certain asions.

    The Military Combat Tactics is a set of kickboxing techniques created for Soldiers who will brave the dangers of the outside world.

    It has 13 forms each having various stances that were refined by the Military throughout the years. The one he received is thetest edition which is refined by the ''13th Army'' which Ashton doesn''t recognize for now at least.

    What''s interesting is that, each form on the technique is named after animals; Bear, Tiger, Swan, Pangolin, Snake, Ape, Mantis and so on...it really reminds Ashton of those Kung-Fu movies he watched on his previous life.

    Ashton already learned this technique. All the forms and executions were imprinted on his mind but it doesn''t mean that he has mastered it. Sadly, the System doesn''t work that way...would be nice if it was but it wasn''t, oh well.

    He has to practice each stances and forms individually and master them all by himself...for now at least. He could hire someone to teach him but it''s unnecessary as the System imprinted every little detail on his brain perfectly. With time and constant practice, he''d fix those mistakes on his own.

    Ashton initially thought that this technique isn''t that bad. The forms and stances areplicated enough and it''s actually painful to do them properly but then he realized that, that''s actually the charm behind it.

    As this technique is made for Military use, it is created with the thought of instilling discipline to soldiers, which is a very important aspect of theirs. Pain is also a good motivator in some ways and if one does the forms and stances correctly, this technique can sculpt their physique and make it stronger and healthier.

    To that extent, Ashton didn''t mind learning and practicing it.

    He''s mostly free during the day anyway. Staying idle all-day long will deteriorate his physical strength which is bad. Just because he''s a mage, it doesn''t necessarily mean that he has to be physically fragile.

    Ashton already added this to his daily routine and he''s been at if for a week now. He always practices the technique every morning at the Training Room, going through all forms and stances, making sure that he''s doing them properly.

    After sweating, he''d sit down and practice Meditation. He found out that it was easier for him to stay in the Meditative State when he''s a bit exhausted. It works so he''s not going to question it. Once that''s done, he takes a shower while Jerry prepares his breakfast. He studies after all this.

    Just like this, Ashton is falling yet again to another routine, which doesn''t really sound bad. The routine he had is a healthy one and will just improve his longevity in the long run so why not?

    ***

    Third week of March...

    Ashton could be seen sitting in front of his massive tv, watching the shows that he liked and right now, one of those channels he was following is showing something that made his jaw agape.

    It''s an official spar between a Mage and a Knight.

    And unlike the one that he had seen on the bus, this one isn''t a sham nor amercial. This is the real deal.<sub> </sub>

    Ashton couldn''t give a single f about what they''re fighting for nor he''s in any state to care. All he knows is that what''s happening on his tv, is so freaking cool.

    The fighters were fast, so fast they''re a blur. Thankfully this is a rey and it was slowed-down for the audience to see what''s going-on.

    The fighters in question are Rnd Cassidy and Nelson Higgs.

    Rnd is the mage. A Lv. 8 Archmage and Nelson is a Lv. 9 Veteran Knight.

    Ashton watched the two as they wrecked absolute havoc on their surroundings. Rnd threw all sorts of spells from fireballs, icicle shards, boulders and sharp crescents of winds towards Nelson - who moved like an agile hawk dodging and defending against all the projectiles being thrown at him while also managing to counter-attack.

    From what he head from the newscaster, Nelson''s Physique is called a Sky Ram which strengthened his poise and endurance greatly. Nelson was a big and beefy dude, wearing a full set of armor that looked incredibly heavy yet he''s still able to move and carry them with ease.

    Meanwhile, Rnd''s Magical Artifact is an Elder Wand. A prettymon one for mages but it gave him a very rare skill called: Multi-Casting which is self-exnatory.

    At the start of the battle, Nelson was harassed greatly by the endless projectile bombardment from Rnd. All he could do is to mind his footing, dodge and defend against the attacks.

    Nelson was skilled, but so is Rnd. Again, Ashton doesn''t really know why they''re fighting and frankly he doesn''t care but it looked like they were adamant about ending each other''s lives.

    The Veteran Knight carried a sword and shield with him, a typical Knight stereotype if you ask Ashton but hey! He isn''tining. And following this theme, Rnd is wearing a hood over a cloth tunic which glowed with what looked like a bunch of runes.

    The fight was intense, the two threw plethora of skills and spells against each other. And as this channel was rated PG-13 (which is kind of the legal age in this world) the fight isn''t censored so Ashton saw blood flow.

    There were a lot of times where the camera crew nearly paid the price for their audacity and foolish bravery, hats off to them really. If Ashton was there, he would ''nope'' the hell away from that ce as soon and as far away as he can.

    The fight ended with Nelson''s victory. Although Rnd put up a great fight and abused the hell out of Nelson by properly spacing himself during the fight. In the end, Nelson''s endurance was much higher than Rnd.

    Nelson was, after all, a level stronger than Rnd. More importantly, his Physique is perfectly suited for drawn out fights which gave Nelson an edge for this battle.

    Still, magicians never runs out of their tricks and trinkets. Just as Nelson was preparing to capture Rnd, the mage used some kind of tool which teleported him away from there. Nobody knows where he is now but he survived. Nelson looked visibly upset but he didn''t give chase. Instead he just looked at the camera crew and walked away like a badass.

    That was a thrilling fight. So refreshing and real too. Ashton didn''t doubt the legitimacy of that broadcast since this world has that for real. He injuries they sustained in that battle was real too.

    Ashton needed some time to recover after watching that fight.

    That in itself proved that his thoughts were indeed right. This world is indeed dangerous. Just imagining all sorts of people who had the power to blow-up anything on their sight should they want to, frightens him greatly.

    While he knows that there are certainws that regtes all sorts of these events, in the end of the day, they are humans. And humans are fundamentally wed creatures.

    If Ashton wanted to have an chances of standing-up against these people, he gonna have to do some serious work because this is just ridiculous!

    Those people are more terrifying than nuclear weaponry! They''re literally a world-ending threat on legs! Just imagine the damage they can cause if they went ballistic...

    Of course, this is Ashton preparing himself for the worst and maybe being a bit judgmental of people. He knows that the original purpose of cultivation is protect Humanity from extinction but internal conflicts are a thing. Who knows what happens within the shadows?

    "But that mage was really cool..." Ashton murmured to himself.

    Then, his smile turned into a self-deprecating expression as he said:

    "Unfortunately, It''s impossible for me to do all of that. I''m cursed after all..."

 Chapter 16 Mystic Academy Is Where?

    Ashton felt like he was floating...

    It always feel like this whenever he''s deep in his Meditative State. It feels like his body was just leaving his body - astral projecting unconsciously but in truth, it''s not. His body and soul are firmly rooted on the spot.

    The lightness he felt is probably due to the fact that he''s freed up so much of his mental faculties. In the meditative state, he mostly kept his thoughts empty and the longer it stays the way, the lighter he felt overall.

    The weird thing is, in that same state, Ashton felt like his mind is capable of reaching for so much more. He got this feeling of freedom which tempted him to try so many things. But then again, he knew that this is a trap since the moment he tried to do something impulsively, his train of thought will resume and he''d be ejected out of that state.

    It''s finicky to be in this state, yet it also feels addicting. Ashton can say that he at least understand why many people do this and why it was required before attempting to sense mana.

    Speaking of Mana Sensing...Ashton had some sess with that.

    It was during one of those idle mornings where he was following his routine. He meditated without any expectations and without even thinking about trying to sense mana. He just did because it was a part of his routine by now and he grew to like the feeling of being in state.

    That morning, Ashton did well. He usually meditate for two hours, constantly trying his best to stay in the Meditative State within that time period and on that day, he did it.

    The sensation was still fresh in his mind...

    Around thirty minutes in his session, he found unprecedented calmness and peace. Then Mana revealed itself to him.

    It was crazy. It''s like seeing air particles with his naked eyes. He could see these tiny wisps floating around him, tentatively jumping and bouncing around him like curious little things.

    Mana behaved rather weirdly. Though they mostly stayed afloat, it seems that they can freely flow through anything as if they were nothing.

    When the books he read said that everything around them contains mana, they weren''t lying. Ashton saw it himself despite having his eyes closed. Mana was everywhere; in front of him, on top, beneath, behind...mana is also present in him as well. It was really everywhere, even mechanical things!

    Ashton knew that he just can''t look at the world the same after this. If living for more than a month hadn''t already convinced him that any of this is real, then this will do it.

    This world is so much different than Earth since none of this was possible there. If it was, it had never been Ashton''s turn to knew about this so he still preferred this.

    And while Ashton was jubnt that he unknowingly sensed mana at that point, he really didn''t do anything with it. He just observed its behavior and watched it behave normally.

    He knew that he wasn''t ready to siphon mana from his surroundings just yet. He had finished reading the book but he knew that he still isn''t ready due to numerous things.

    First and foremost, he sensed mana through sheer luck. He didn''t went into his meditation fully cognizant of the fact that he will sense mana. This just happened by chance and he''s already lucky enough to experience it for as long as he could.

    The other thing is, the act of absorbing mana to convert it for an individual''s own has to be done with extreme care and consideration.

    There is a reason why it is rmended for everyone to have a not try this without supervision from an expert. This could get very dangerous and could potentially end a life if done incorrectly.

    Ashton values his new life so he isn''t in any rush. Getting into the Academy is a sure-fire way to have someone supervise this process, that way he''ll have extra security.

    Of course, he''d still attempt it once or twice, and if he can''t really do it on his own, well he''d just have to get into the Academy right?

    So, there were really no reason for him to do anything at that moment so he just relished in that feeling and enjoyed it.

    Ashton ended up extending his meditation to four hours because of that. His legs were absolutely numbed after that and his butt hurts from all the sitting but it''s fine. He felt extremely refreshed and aplished anyway.

    "...do you have a membership card?"

    Ashton shook his head.

    "Alright, that''d be 150 Dors."<sub> </sub>

    Ashton took out his credit card and allowed he machine to scan it. After the bill was deducted from his ount, he received the receipt and picked up the grocery bags and headed out of the store.

    This feeling truly doesn''t get old...he didn''t expect that the idea of grocery shopping this way would be the same for this world as well. Even the membership cards are being offered the same way as well.

    Yeah, sure. He could''ve done this all online and had it delivered to his house. In fact, he already did that once but still, it''s nice to actually roam around the store with a good ol'' grocery list and personally collect the stuff to be added on his cart.

    By the way, the design of the carts are bit different but they function the same.

    Besides, going out of his house is nice every once in a while. Don''t get him wrong, he closely adhered to the way of the hermits and mostly stayed indoors but that doesn''t mean that he didn''t like going out every once in a while. In fact he did that quite frequently in his past life too.

    The funny thing is, even in this huge city where there''s tons of people, Ashton didn''t have a single person that he can actually call a friend.

    Sure there is that kind grandpa, Mr. Guard and his alcoholic belly, the lovely grandma who''s always giving him cookies, that elder sister who frequently runsps around the area and of course, Jerry. But none of those people are actually his friends. At most, they''re civil and kind to each other but that''s about it. Jerry is a special case of course.

    Just like his previous life, his neighbor hood is filled with adults or old people in general, which he find odd and quite hrious actually.

    Still, it would be nice to have a friend or two. He doesn''t want a lot, just enough to add a good dose of chaos in his life to make it more fun you know? s, it seems that he wouldn''t find it here.

    He guessed that he''d eventually meet some when he bes a student of the Academy.

    Speaking of the Academy, Ashton finally knows how to get there. Yes, it took him this long to actually get the address of the ce.

    While the agents did tell him that his home was close to the Academy, they actually never told him where it was exactly. The weird thing is that, there isn''t any avable information about the exact address of that ce online either. When he tried to asking people about it, it''s either they don''t know where it was because they didn''t pass the test or they just told him that he''ll know eventually.

    Thus, he dug deeper online, searching for any clues and he actually found it.

    ...believing this to be real though, now that''s more difficult to do.

    Apparently, the reason why this Academy doesn''t have an official address is because it''s not in this city...at least physically.

    The Mystic Academy is located on a so-called ''Grotto-Heaven'', in other words - a freaking Pocket Dimension.

    Now isn''t that just great? Who''d believe that sh''t?

    But remembering what this world is. Now it doesn''t sound impossible anymore isn''t it? In fact, it would totally make sense if that''s the case.

    With how much people glorified this Academy through the word of mouth, it''s origins must be really grandiose, right? And it''s not like it''s any normal Academy either. It''s an Academy that teaches people magic and cultivation! Of course it has to be dramatic!

    Therefore, it would totally make sense if it''s within a pocket dimension wouldn''t it?

    Ashton needed a nap to process of this apparently. His whole world was shaken so much upon learning the fact that the ce he''s trying to get into is located in a such a dramatic location.

    In turn though, it just made him even more fired-up. Now, he has more than enough reason to make it in. He has to!

    It''s a freaking Pocket Dimension, man!

    This was his ultimate fantasy daydreamse true! He hasn''t even been there yet he''s already geeking out. Who wouldn''t want to take a look at that?

    Well, if he wants to get in, he has to work even harder. The Academy''s initial exams will take ce online and it''s a written exam based from what he has already known. He''d best prepare for that if he truly wants to take a look at what the academy is like.

 Chapter 17 Circulation

    Ashton''s sweating and looked constipated.

    He sat in the middle of the Training Room which had been transformed into what looks like an endless white space where no sound could exist.

    In that silence, Ashton suffered by himself. Feeling a stinging pain all over his body. The veins on his head were bulging and his face was red and full with sweat. Still, there was a determined expression on his face.

    On surface, it looks like he was suffering from a very bad fever but if one would look closely, it would be obvious that something else is going-on.

    There''s a very faint blue lines swirling around him. They were thinner than threads and almost impossible to be seen with the naked eye. These threads seems to be funneling towards Ashton''s forehead and disappears in there.

    Inside his body, a momentous chance was urring.

    Ashton''s Mana Circuits are being baptized with his absorption of mana. Veins that were previously blocked by impurities are being cleared and being expelled out of his body.

    This is a painful process of course. Ashton feels like there''s a needle swimming through his bloodstreams. He had to endure this kind of pain while maintaining his state or else he will risk or down right fail this attempt.

    Ashton''s ears were ringing, he''s in so much pain and everything was distracting, he can here voices whispering to him, telling him to give up for now and just do it next time. Promising that if he gave up now, he won''t be in pain anymore.

    And while these whispers were tempting, Ashton fought it. Had this been any other kid, they will surely give in to these and lose their chance but Ashton was different. He has the mentality of an adult and he knows that this is something he can resist due to his matured mind.

    Yes, it is indeed painful. He has never experienced this kind of pain before but Ashton already knew that this was a necessary process. The book he read stated this multiple times, it will be painful and that''s normal. This happens naturally since the body isn''t really a suitable vessel for mana just yet and this pain will always be a part of this.

    The sweat that drenched his body are actually the impurities he''s releasing from this process. And while he can surely just give-in and continue the cleansing processter this will seriously affect his foundations and he can''t have that.

    Ashton''s talent is already bad as it is. On top of that, he''s cursed too. These are enough to limit his expectations on this path he''s trying to take. He''s not happy about it but he can''t help it, this was how it is and he can''t change that. But this doesn''t mean that he''d just give his remaining advantages just like that.

    If he has the ability to make things more normal for himself, why wouldn''t he do so?

    Giving up on building a stable foundation is the same as giving up on this path before even starting it. That''s stupid. Ashton wouldn''t do something like that if he can help it.

    And really, Ashton had been preparing for this for a good while now. He had studied his materials over and over again until the day arrived that he was finally ready.

    He learned about theplexwork of Mana Circuits present in every human there is. He had memorized the diagram, had someparisons with the knowledge he had on his old world about this and psyched himself up to do this all in one go like how one''s supposed to do it.

    Mana Circuits are these so called Meridians if this would be on Earth. But unlike the Ancient Medicinal Knowledge he only heard a few things about, Ashton figured a few key differences between the two.

    For one, Meridians are pathways that are moreplex than Mana Circuits, what little he knew of them were practically useless here since they''re different from one another.

    Meridians followed awork of its own within a person''s body while Mana Circuits are closely tied with a person''s blood vessels and veins.

    In fact, a person''s Mana Circuits and blood vesselswork swirled together and formed a helix pattern, making them inseparable. This means that wherever blood flows, mana is there to follow as well.

    And that makes the process of unblocking the Mana Circuits even more painful than necessary. Imagine having to go all through thoseplexwork carefully to prevent risking damage to one''s blood vessels as well. No wonder the book said that it would be better if someone was there to watch over the process.

    Today''s actually the first week of May. It took him this long to get the confidence he needs to start this process altogether.

    Ashton made sure that every step he took was taken carefully. He really didn''t want this process to be more painful than it already is. Had he not been so careful, he''d probably be injured by now.<sub> </sub>

    Despite the pain and the whispered temptations, Ashton held on. There was a sense of urgency because he''s so close to seeding, he knows that this is a trap, hurrying this process will increase the risk of failure so he fought the urge and steadily continued the process.

    He guided the mana to clear his circuits, not forcing them but guiding them. Forcing mana is probably the stupidest thing someone could do in this stage.

    And while Ashton still felt pained all over his body, he also felt so light. There''s this unprecedented level offort he''s feeling which he can''t exin in words. It''s like he''s flying, this is probably the best way he can describe it.

    Time steadily passed just like this and Ashton''s suffering is nearly over. There''s just a final inch of impurities left that''s stopping him from connecting his coils and he''d be done. Still, he couldn''t help but feel that this mere inch of impurities were making his life more difficult that it already is.

    The impurities are taking way longer than usual to clear up. It maybe because it''s thest ones or he''s just really exhausted. Either way, Ashton''s not about to give up now. Not when he''s this close from seeding.

    After what it seems like forever, Ashton finally did it.

    As thest dirt crumbled and expelled from his body, a huge burst of air exploded from his body, slightly ripping his clothes apart but Ashton had no time to care about that.

    He was entranced, basking in this marvelous feeling of being immersed with his surroundings. He never felt so peaceful and calm in his entire life, at the same time, he felt like he''s bursting with energy as well, like he could lift a huge boulder with one hand or something.

    It feels addicting...

    At the same time, Ashton''s vision started swirling. Visions blurred from his surroundings and by the time he realized it, he standing in front of an empty space looking at arge copper coin which is even bigger than him.

    Under his gaze, a faint blue outline started surrounding the copper coin. The blue color didn''t fill the outlinepletely, it stopped about a third of the way through.

    ''If I''m correct, then this huge copper coin should be my Mageroot.'' Ashton thought to himself, ''And the faint blue outline around it must signify me stepping on to the Apprentice Mage Stage, but I just fell short of turning Lv.1''

    This is indeed the case. This is Ashton''s first look of his Mageroot and the first time he experienced cultivation.

    The Apprentice Mage Stage isposed of 9 Levels. Each levels represents a Magic Array forming around a person''s Mageroot. This is what that outline stands for.

    Ashton barely making it to Lv.1 isn''t a big deal either, in fact it''d be more surprising if he did reach Lv.1 on his first sess. If it weren''t for the fact that he stuck with the process and endured the pain, this outline wouldn''t be filled as much as it is now.

    Another important note to be made is the fact that the expulsion of impurities is far from over.

    The idea behind the beginning stages of cultivation is to turn a person''s body into a proper vessel for Mana. Impurities will make this impossible so more needs to be expelled, the ones in the Mana Coils are actually the smallest amount that can be expelled for now.

    This doesn''t mean that Ashton had to go through this painful process over again though. All he needs to do is to continuously refine his Mana Coils as one would do and consistently increase his Mana Reserves by filling up his Mageroot with it.

    The intensity of Mana or it''s radiation will do the trick, forcing the impurities out of his body and making it a more fit vessel for Mana.

    For now though, he just made a sessful endeavor. He made his first step towards the path of cultivation and this needs to be celebrated.

    [Noticed! Host seeded in his first Mana Cirction Attempt without the System''s assistance. Achievement rewarded.]

    [You received: Providence Re-roll Stub, 5 Spell Cards, System Skill: Cleptomancy - unlocked, 20,000 Credits, 1000 Mana Crystals]

    And it would seem that his System wants to join the celebration as well.

 Chapter 18 Re-Roll!

    [Noticed! Host seeded in his first Mana Cirction Attempt without the System''s assistance. Achievement rewarded.]

    [You received: Providence Re-roll Stub, 5 Spell Cards, System Skills: Cleptomancy - unlocked, 29,000 Credits, 1000 Mana Crystals]

    This notification woke Ashton up and pulled him down from his high. He stared at the notification just to see if he''s seeing things correctly and in fact he was.

    "Huh...I guess this can happen too." Ashton mused to himself.

    Still, the things he received from the System made him incredibly happy. He went to his Inventory to learn more about the items of course.

    [Skill Cards](x5)

    ? Gain one random skill per car when consumed.

    ? Notice: Curse was detected. Spell acquisition is limited to Basic Spells.

    ''Ugh...I haven''t even performed actual magic yet I''m already suffering because of this curse. Whatever I guess.''

    [New System Skill: Cleptomancy]

    ? Effect: Killing or Eliminating a target with a spell will cause them to drop an item.

    ? Notice: Drops may vary depending on the Mastery of this skill. Drops are only visible to the Host. Upon the death or elimination of the target, the drops will automatically appear to Host''s Inventory, there''s no need to pick them up.

    ? Notice: System Skills are unaffected by the Curse Host has.

    ''Ooh!!'' Ashton cooed internally, ''I get drops by killing things? Now we''re talking. With this, my RPG life is moreplete.''

    ''Andst but definitely not the least. This one...''

    [Providence Re-roll Stub]

    ? This consumable item can allow Host to change their Providence grade but at random.

    ? Notice: Should the Host gets a bad roll, Host may choose to keep their original Providence instead.

    ''Holy crap...this item was possible too?''

    Ashton already had a guess upon reading the name of the item but knowing what it truly did, didn''t lessen the shock he felt. Re-rolling Providence? Isn''t that the same as defying the Natural Order?

    Well, the System''s existence is already Heaven-defying itself but still, this is absurd.

    And as funny as this sounds, this gives Ashton some hope for his future.

    The fact that the Providence Re-roll Stub was item that can be given to him by the System, it wouldn''t be wrong of him to expect something like a Mageroot Re-roll Stub or a Magical Artifact Re-roll Stub to appear as well wouldn''t it?

    If his theory is correct (and god he hopes that it is), then it is possible for him to get rid of this curse once and for all? Maybe this is the method that the System acknowledged as a way to get rid of his curse? Well, he can''t say for sure but so far, these are all just theories anyways.

    Unless a timees when he actually receives these items, he wouldn''t even think about it since everything''s just spection right now.

    ''Now that I have these Spell Cards...at least I finally get to see how the Grinding Slots actually work.''

    ''But should I use them now?'' Ashton hesitated. ''Do I have the patience to wait until the rest of my Aptitude is re-rolled before using them? Most likely not.''

    ''I can''t wait for that long. I''m not even sure if it''s possible. I can''t let my future be decided by something unclear like that. It''s probably for the best if I use them immediately and get some actual edge before I start my magical studies.''

    ''Besides, the Basic Spells are required to build a steady foundation. Learning some, whatever I get, will not really harm me, it shouldn''t harm me especially since it came from the System. I should be fine.''

    After thinking things through, Ashton felt that his logic was sound and didn''t dally any longer...

    ''System, consume all Spell Cards please.''

    [Spell Cards(x5), consumed. You received New Spells: Mana Bolt, Mana Shield, Mesmerize, Cleanse, Force Push]

    ''Yep...these all sounds like Basic Spells alright.'' Ashtonmented inwardly. He then went into his Profile Page and looked at his Spell List which is now filled with the new Skills he received.

    [Mana Bolt Lv.0]

    ? Send a bolt of mana that inflicts damage to the target.

    ? Max. Projectile Range: 5 meters

    [Mana Shield Lv.0]

    ? Form a shield made out of mana to defend against iing attacks.

    ? Can defend against both Physical Attacks and Offensive Spells.<sub> </sub>

    [Mesmerize Lv.0]

    ? A Basic Illusion Type Spell.

    ? Form a link through visual contact with an enemy to feed them harmless Illusions.

    [Cleanse Lv.0]

    ? Rids oneself or an ally of a De-buff

    ? Can be used once every hour

    [Force Push]

    ? A Basic Psychic Spell

    ? Emits a strong Force that pushes back enemies or projectiles away from the Host.

    ''Huh...'' Ashton wore an expression of pleasant surprise. ''None of these sounds bad actually. They suck for now but that''s because they haven''t levelled-up properly just yet. I''m sure that if I increase them to Lv.9 at least, I should be more than capable of protecting myself.''

    Through his studies, Ashton learned that Spells, Skills, Techniques and so on can increase their effectiveness by levelling them up just like how one would do it in games. Increased the Mastery of the spell requires both study and understanding of the spell of course.

    Ashton didn''t know the level cap for each skills, he didn''t read about it in any materials avable to him nor if the concept is even a thing in the first ce.

    As for what he knows, Spell Levels cannot be higher than the user. For example; Someone who''s a Lv.9 Apprentice Mage can''t have any Lv.10 Spell. They can have a Lv.9 Spell but not Lv.10 because they''re physically unable to do so.

    Ashton knows that with his current aptitude, it is impossible for him to reach the levels of those masters no matter how hard he tried. And in truth, Ashton never really thought about doing that, he just wanted to learn more about Magic and also have the ability to protect himself, that''s all.

    These Basic Spells doesn''t seem bad. While he was expecting something like a Fireball or Water Orb or something to appear, as those involved elements in their form, they must''ve not been considered as a Basic Spell.

    Or maybe it was and he just wasn''t lucky to roll for them but still...he can be satisfied about what he has right now.

    And really, he should be excited at least. Now he gets the chance to see how the Grinding Slots worked!

    But this actually reminded Ashton of something.

    ''So, System. You said that I got these gifts because I did Mana Cirction without your assistance. Does that mean you could''ve helped me all this time.''

    [Yes and no, Host.]

    ''...exin.''

    [To help the Host in Mana Cirction, Host was required to at least know of one Spell and had it running under the Grinding Slot.]

    [If Host''s consciousness arrive in there without any sess in his Mana Control, there will be a step-by-step assisted walkthrough for Host to experience under the guidance of the System. With it, Host''s chances of seeding in the activity will increase.]

    [Once the Host is ready, the Spell Grinding will officially begin.]

    ''...''

    Ashton was speechless. He didn''t know that obviously. He also is certain that the System never mentioned this to him. Had he known he would''ve used it already instead of wasting time psyching himself up for weeks.

    s, there''s nothing he can do now. What''s done is done. Besides, he got rewarded for his achievements anyway so there''s really no need to be upset.

    ''Oh well, a heads-up would''ve been nice but whatever. At least I proved something to myself and got rewarded for it so it isn''t really that bad.''

    ''But System, can you at least rate my performance? How did I do?''

    [Although there are plenty of room for improvement, connecting all your Mana Coils in one sitting is a worthy achievement. You did better than expected, Host.]

    ''Alright. I''ll take that.'' Ashton nodded in satisfaction. At least he has bragging rights.

    Ashton was pondering if he should give the Grinding Slots a go but decided against it.

    ''I''ll do it after I use the re-roll stub. Plus, I am a wreck right now, my clothes are torn all over the ce. I may even postpone it until tomorrow.''

    ''For now though...System, use the Providence Re-roll Stub.''

    For the first time ever since having the System, an animation appeared right in front of him. A System Window disyed a huge color-coded wheel. It has ck which upied arge portion of the pie chart, Blue which took quite a sizable part, Orange which has a smaller portionpared to previous color, Red which is even smaller, and finally Violet Gold which upied a mere strip of the whole chart.

    Ashton knows what these signifies. The smaller the dedicated spot is, the rarer it is. The arrow was ced at the top, following the usual spin the wheel mechanics, this arrow will determine what kind of prize he''ll get.

    He found a crane handle which he held onto. Ashton took a deep breath and sincerely hoped the RNG-gods heeds his plea and bless him with good luck.

    Then, he yanked the handle down and the wheel started spinning.

 Chapter 19 Sealed Memories

    ***

    Fingers crossed and inwardly chanting the names of all Saints, Gods and Deities he know of, Ashton watched in bated breath as the wheel, that may just change his destiny, gradually slowed down.

    Although he didn''t know if it''s possible for him to receive something like this stub again, Ashton still treated this as if it''s the only lifeline he had.

    He never wanted to be so lucky in his entire life.

    Ashton nearly hyperventted as the wheel slowed down to a crawl. The arrow''s still on the ck color and he could already feel the dread creeping up to his heart.

    Then again, the wheel persisted with it''s final movements. Slowly but surely, under Ashton''s stressed and hopeful gaze, it approached the next color but it had be really slow that the momentum it carried doesn''t appear to be enough to push it to the next color.

    ''Come on,e on,e on...''

    Ashton was like those gamblers who''s watching a racingpetition with their bets on the line. If his stare was just powerful enough, it might''ve been enough to give this darned wheel that final push to get this over with, unfortunately it doesn''t work that way.

    However...

    Through a sheer stroke of miracle, thest tick of the spin pushed it just beyond the ck color to the golden on before it finally stopped.

    Ashton felt his soul leaving his body. He felt lightheaded for some reason. He was so relieved and jubnt. Itnded on the Violet Golden color which is the thinnest strip in there! This means that he hit the jackpot, right?

    [Providence Re-rolled! Congrattions! Overwhelming Luck blesses the Host. Your Providence changed from: [Five Golden Rays (Bright Saint)] to [Fey Emperor''s Blessings (???)] Please check your Profile Page for more details.]

    Ashton only read up until he saw the new Providence he had. He didn''t hear thest part since something happened to him.

    His consciousness mysteriously turned dull. His body suddenly levitated few meters above the ground and strong fluctuations emerged from his body.

    The surrounding Mana became agitated as the fluctuations touched them. Mana reacted erratically forming a whirlpool with Ashton at its very center. Ashton was subconsciously absorbingrge amounts of Mana on his Mageroot and shocking changes were happening to his body.

    Ashton had no idea of what''s happening since his consciousness were somewhere else but apparently, the fluctuations he''s releasing was so great that it is rming the experts all around the City and even beyond.

    ***

    Someone who''s reading the movement of the stars jolted out of their stupor and whispered in shock:

    "This...is impossible!! This can''t be!"

    There''s one who''s peacefully adapting to the Hermit lifestyle. They were feeding some goats when they felt the fluctuation too. This person looked up to the general direction of where it wasing and said:

    "Oh boy...this will be problematic."

    At the depths of the abyss, a faint shadow was peacefully slumbering, curled like a fetus. The shadow''s eyes trembled open upon feeling the simr fluctuation and a deep growl sounded from its throat.

    "Another one! Kill!"

    Up above the stars, in a castle hidden behind swathes of golden clouds. A presence could be seen watching the scenery below. Their eyes are currentlybing through everyyer of the soil, trying to pinpoint where this fluctuation originated.

    "It escaped? No. That shouldn''t be. Nothing escaped my sight before. I refuse to believe that."

    "..."

    "So it''s hidden then? Hmm. That makes more sense. Either way, they sure moved fast. No matter, I''ll let them be happy for now."

    ***

    All sorts of people reacted to the fluctuation that Ashton involuntarily released. As for Ashton himself, he couldn''t control any of this sadly since he''s not really in the right mind.

    Thankfully, the System already responded to this oue...

    [Detected: Host''s Transformation rmed powerful individuals.]

    [Scanning...Detecting Killing Intent towards Host.]

    [Searching for avable solutions...]

    [Error! Error! Error!]

    [Troubleshooting...]

    [Anomaly Detected! Please Stand-by!]

    [Anomaly Deciphered; Due to Host''s change in Providence, his Mageroot and Magical Artifact benefited and mutated. Profile, updated.]

    [Mageroot: Mysterious Rainbow]<sub> </sub>

    [Magical Artifact: Cursed Book of Infinity (Legendary)]

    [Detected: Fluctuations resulted by the Host Transformation might garner unwarranted attention. Searching for apt solutions...]

    [Solution Found: Initiating ''Host Istion Protocol'']

    A long line of notifications rang from the System but none of it reached Ashton. The message windows didn''t go away and they''re recorded so he can always see themter but for now, the more important thing is to stop Ashton from rming really troublesome people.

    For this, the System personally acted. With a light Swoosh! A curtain of light enveloped Ashton for the briefest of moments and the fluctuations magically disappeared.

    With the fluctuations confined, the source was gone. The people who were rmed by it lost their lead and couldn''t track it down either.

    There were some who tried to use other methods to search for Ashton but failed miserably. Whatever the System did, it''s nothing short of impressive and effective. This ensured that Ashton''s life will be preserved and that he won''t be disturbed.

    As for where Ashton''s mind is right now. Honestly, he had no idea.

    Blurry images passed through him and he''s really out of focus. He couldn''t pay attention since he was too caught up with the moment. All he could do is feel but even the sensations he felt gave him mixed-ideas.

    He feels like he''s soaking in a warm tub of water but at the same enjoying the cool breeze of an open forest...which really doesn''t make sense. He wasn''t hurt though, oh no.

    It''s quite the opposite actually...

    <o>,m He never felt sofortable in his entire life...this one and the previous one.</o>

    As Ashton''s mind drifted away from all sorts sense, time passed by. Gradually, Ashton''s visions became clearer and clearer and he started seeing-well...remembering would be more urate.

    ***

    [Content Warning: Depictions of Sexual Harassament  and r*** ahead. You may skip this part if you''re ufortable. The title of this chapter should make it easy to connect the dots. ]

    It never urred to him that there was something locked away at the very depths of his memory...

    He never thought that it was possible but he should''ve known really. After all...this world revolves around Magic.

    He thought that when he transmigrated, he adopted to this body''s identity perfectly the moment his and Old Ash''s memories were fused. He never thought that Old Ashton actually had some sealed memories hidden away at the deepest recesses of his consciousness and now...because of this transformation, it''s all revealed.

    As it turns out...Old Ashton was indeed right when he suspected the Nuns of the Orphanage. There is a reason behind it and it isn''t because he''s just naturally untrusting towards people.

    Poor Old Ashton...his innocence was robbed from him mercilessly because some people couldn''t keep it in their pants.

    Ashton felt unbridled rage coursing through his body as the memories yed themselves out for him, which he doesn''t feel very often.

    He couldn''t believe that the predecessor of this body suffered something like that...both from the Head Nun of the Orphanage and that disgusting Bus Driver.

    They treated him like he was their precious toy. A young kid who hasn''t even hit his puberty, used like that...Ashton was trembling with rage and indignation that he couldn''t help but shed tears.

    And after they used him, they tampered with his head, sealing the memories away to keep the kid unsuspecting in hopes that he won''t run away.

    The sad part is, despite Old Ashton being careful and keeping his thoughts to himself, he really couldn''t fight against their methods.

    Had Ashton knew that the Old Ash suffered from this, he wouldn''t have made that donation. He could''ve just left without saying goodbye and whisper: Good Riddance.

    He can''t report this to the authorities either. He had no evidence! Everything was erased since those two old foxes were too meticulous on their operations.

    Plus, that area was the slums...all kinds of nastiness are in there. Reporting it might even backfire so he was really helpless. .

    Still, this was so f-ing sad and infuriating! Ashton wished that he hadn''t seen this at all. He was happy andfortable living his new life, now he had to deal with this too?

    ''The saddest part about this is that...if it''s still the same kid, he''ll probably let this go. He''s just going to forget about it and live far away from that mess. He''s so like me but...this isn''t okay.''

    ''This is where I draw the line...''

    ''Kid, I don''t know if you''re out there somewhere. I don''t know if you can see me or even hear my thoughts. But in the off-chance that you are...know that this isn''t over...''

    Ashton''s felt the world warping around him. The righteous indignation he felt was like a fire that burned this memories and reduced them to ashes. He''ll never forget about this. In fact, though he''s technically not the same person, he''ll suffer from this too.

    Him and the Old Ashton might''ve been considered as birds of the same feather but there are key differences between the two of them. As an adult, Ashton had a strong opinion about what''s right and what''s wrong.

    ''I don''t know if you''ll like me after this but they''re not escaping this one...''

    ''They will pay...and I can''t guarantee that it won''t be painful.''

 Chapter 20 H.I.P

    ''I''ll put this matter in the back burner for now. Currently, there are more matters that I need to attend to...''

    ''I...what happened to me exactly?''

    This was the part where Ashton finally opened his eyes to see what changed about him.

    The very first thing that he noticed is the fact that the world looked more vivid to him that before. He thought that it might just be his imagination but he also can''t shake the feeling that it''s real somehow.

    The colors are more vibrant, the atmosphere is clearer and the Mana...

    ''Yes, the Mana! I can sense it! But how? I''m not in meditation!''

    Ashton was astonished. He never expected something like this was possible too. He could actually sense mana clearly as if he''s in meditation! Before, he needed to get in to the Meditative State before having this sensation and that usually takes him around five or so minutes but now it''s different.

    ''And the sensation isn''t going away either! What''s going on?''

    Ashton then looked in front of him and his eyes nearly popped out with the amount of system windows panned out in front of him. He shook his head and went through them one by one.

    As he read the notifications, Ashton paled visibly.

    He dodged the bullet right there.

    He never expected that the effect of his transformation would be so great that it actually rmed some monsters that are hiding within the vicinity. (When he said monsters, he''s actually referring to the real powerful people within the world.)

    But what really caught his attention was the domino-effect that happened with his Aptitude.

    ''System, show me my Profile Page please.''

    [Profile]

    Host: Ashton West

    Race: Human

    Aptitude:

    ? Mageroot: Mysterious Rainbow

    ? Magical Artifact: Cursed Book of Infinity (Legendary)

    ? Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings (???)

    Cultivation Technique: None

    Specialization: [None]

    Rank: [Apprentice Stage Lv.0]

    ''Uh...okay. My Mageroot just straight up be the Mysterious Rainbow then? Isn''t to be a grade of the Mageroot not the Mageroot itself?''

    ''...''

    <o>,m ''The System isn''t answering. Well, I guess it won''t be called a ''Mysterious'' Rainbow for nothing. Guess I have to figure this one out myself. That''s fine.''</o>

    ''Right, let''s see this Magical Artifact then...''

    [Magical Artifact: Cursed Book of Infinity (Legendary)]

    Unique Skill: [Aspect of Infinity]

    ? Removes the lock of Spell Proficiency Limits per Cultivation Rank. (Spell Level can exceed the Host''s Level.)

    Curse: [Hex of Mediocrity]

    ? Forbids the user to learn any Intermediate Level Offensive Spells and above.

    ''You know what...? I''ll take that actually!''

    ''Mn! That sounds way better! The curse still sucks since it eliminates the possibility of me hurling a giant meteor to my enemies but staying in the back and keeping my allies in full health doesn''t really sound bad!''

    ''In fact, if I''m good at it, I''d be a hotmodity! In RPG''s there nock of damage dealers, the hardest to find in parties are healers. If this works in this world somehow, and I have a feeling that it does, then my future could still be exciting! This is fine! I like this development.''

    ''And that''s not even mentioning the fact that I can increase the level of my skills higher than myself. That should synergize with my Grinding Slots, right? Ooh! I''m excited!''

    Really, Ashton didn''t mind this at all. While the curse is still around, it didn''t limit him as much as it did before. Now that he had something to work with, at least there''s much to look forward to for his future.

    ''Alright, then we go to the reason of it all. My Providence.''

    [Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings (Grade-???)]

    : You have been blessed by the Fey Emperor, granting you numerous benefits such as;

    ? [Focused Mind] - lessens the probability of you failing to cast a spell. Greatly increases intellect.

    ? [Fey Emperor''s Majesty] - increases your beauty and charm, raises your Physical Strength, greatly increases your familiarity with Mana.

    ? ...to be unlocked.<sub> </sub>

    ''Ohh!!!!''

    ''So that''s why I can feel the flow of Mana even without being in the Meditative State!''

    ''And like...it raises my intellect too? That''s nice.''

    ''There''s also the beauty and charm. Am I more handsome now? I need to see myself again in the mirror to make sure.''

    ''And it looks like there''s more. Maybe I''ll unlock it once I''m stronger. That''s usually how it goes right?''

    [Affirmative.]

    ''...now it answered. Alright, fine. But yeah! This great! I''ve so much to work on. Unfortunately it''s the exam week next week, I''ll be a bit busy but I should be fine.''

    Ashton finally stood-up from his seat. His lips twitched when he heard his bones locking in ce as he did so. Yeah, he might''ve spent a little to much time sitting on the same spot. Strangely enough, he didn''t feel numb all over which usually happens after each session.

    ''Probably has something to do with my new Aptitude.''

    Ashton shook his head and deactivated the cultivationyout of the Training Room. When everything returns to normal, he then saw that it''s already twelve in the afternoon. He had spent his whole morning inside the training room.

    He walked out of the room only to find Jerry standing there with a stack of clothes on his arm.

    "Are you alright, Master? I saw that your clothes exploded while you were training."

    That woke him up. Right, he actually forgot that, that happened. If it weren''t for Jerry''s reminder he would''ve not notice it until it''s time for him take a bath.

    "Right. I''m fine. In fact, I feel much better than before. I had a little breakthrough but shh, it''s our secret okay?"

    Jerry made an ''okay'' sign with his fingers and said: "Yes, Master. Don''t worry, your secret''s safe with me."

    "Good, boy." Ashton chuckled. Jerry''s been a much betterpanion after he installed the chip he received from the system to the bot. Also, he can speak now. He sounds like an obedient child.

    "I''ve prepared your bath, Master. Also, here''s a change of clothes. I shall prepare your food while you take a rxing bath after a hard work. Should I increase the amount of food to make?"

    "Yes! I haven''t eaten breakfast and this little breakthrough deserves a feast. I''ll leave it to you, Jerry."

    "Got it! I make sure to prepare a scrumptious feast for you."

    Ashton took the clothes from Jerry and the bot cheerily waddled towards the kitchen. He smiled and went his way towards his bathroom at the second floor.

    Before jumping into the tub, Ashton looked at himself in front of the mirror and was surprised by what he saw.

    "Holy crap! I look fine as hell! What?"

    His short ck hair became more lustrous had more volume, his skin became smoother and stic, his pupils had a strong gleam in it and the shape of his face turned more sharper in a good way.

    He also noticed that the fat scattered here and there on his body disappeared, recing it with a more sculpted frame. He also appeared to be taller than before and his voice became one octave deeper.

    ''Is this because of my Providence? What the hell? This is possible too?''

    Ashton felt surprised but also a bit embarrassed. He felt a little bit narcissistic but he does look hot. He looked like one of those teenagers who were bullied by puberty. He''s like the popr kid in those high-school dramas that had all the girls thirsting over them.

    ''Surely with this face, finding a girlfriend shouldn''t be hard, yeah?'' Ashton thought to himself but then, he shook his head and said: ''Whatever, that''s not really the focus of my life right now.''

    ''What are girlfriends for where there''s Magic to learn? A waste of time, that is.''

    Deciding to no longer think of this, Ashton took off his ruined clothes and hopped into the tub.

    The temperature was good enough, just like how he likes it. He could already feel himself rxing here.

    ''...''

    ''I can now learn stronger spells, well Supportive and Auxiliary Spells but still...had I known that I''ll change this much, I wouldn''t have spent those cards earlier. Maybe I would''ve gotten a rare one.''

    ''I said that the Basics are still important and I still stand by that, but still, learning cooler spells would''ve been much better. Ugh, the irony.''

    ''Oh, that''s right. System, can you exin to me what the ''Host Istion Protocol'' does?''

    [The ''Host Istion Protocol'' prevents people from knowing the Host through the means of prying into the Heavenly Secrets.]

    [With it active, Host can set the bar on how strong he appears to the eyes of others to prevent suspicions. To put things simply, this the System''s way to keep Host safe.]

    ''Oh...thanks. That''s certainly very helpful. I''m d that''s in there.''

    ''Is there a time limit for this protocol?''

    [None. Host can deactivate it anytime he pleases.]

    ''I''d like it to remain as it, thank you.'' Ashton didn''t hesitate.

    This function is so useful like this so why would he even think about deactivating it? Unless he went absolutely mad, he won''t turn this function off.

    ''Hmm...''

    ''Now, since I have Spells to practice. It''s time to see the magic of these Grinding Slots.''

 Chapter 21 Idle Spell Grind

    Mana Bolt, Mana Shield, Mesmerize, Cleanse, and Force Push...

    These are the spells that Ashton had to work with for now, every single one of them are Basic Level Spells so they aren''t that strong but they should be more than enough to get him used to casting a spell.

    ''I''ll try it out with Mana Bolt first...''

    ''System, I''d like to charge Mana Crystals to grind the Mana Bolt Spell.''

    [50 Mana Crystals deducted from Inventory to raise the Spell: Mana Bolt to Lv.1]

    [Estimated Time of Completion: 24 hours.]

    As soon as his order was acknowledged, Ashton felt a slight pulling from within him.

    He felt his vision blurring for a bit and he started seeing something different. He found himself standing in an empty space faced with a training dummy with a target pain on its head and body.

    When he blinked, he found himself inside his bathroom again.

    The sensation caused him to shook his head in confusion but then he remembered how the Grinding Slots work.

    ''Oh right! Idling. The training will happen in the background while I go on about my day. How convenient.'' Ashton chuckled to himself.

    As he began scrubbing the dirt away from his body, he remembered something...

    ''How much would it cost me to open up another Grinding Slot?''

    [The next one will cost you 500 Mana Crystals, Host. Reminder: The price will increase the more slots are opened.]

    ''How much would the total be if I want to open 4 additional slots?''

    [A total of 5,000 Mana Crystals, Host.]

    Ashton felt pained upon hearing that. He pursed his lips and opened his Inventory to check how much wealth he umted so far...

    [Federation Dors: 500K]

    [Mana Crystals: 450K]

    Admittedly, it''s a little ridiculous for Ashton to feel pained for paying 5000 Mana Crystals to open up spots when he has 450K in his Inventory. The thing is, Ashton is quite stingy when ites to spending money.

    He wouldn''t hesitate to spend when the situation calls for it of course but it doesn''t mean that he feels good about doing it.

    The only reason why he amassed quite a bit of wealth without actually doing anything is because of the Sign-in Function...

    More often than not, Ashton would sign-in at his home and he''d receive some wealth as rewards for doing so. He would''ve added this to his bank ount but it would be troublesome to exin how he got it so it stays in his Inventory for now.

    That being said, the amount disyed in his Inventory isn''t counting the cheques and coupons he had in there. He''s keeping those for emergencies.

    ''Fine. Open-up four more slots, System. Register the rest of the spells I have while you''re at it.''

    [5000 Mana Crystals were deducted your ount to open up +4 Grinding Slots.]

    [2000 Mana Crystals were deducted to your ount to train spells: Mana Shield, Mesmerize, Cleanse, and Force Push to Lv.1]

    [Estimated Time of Completion: 24 hours]

    ''Alright, all of the spells should be finished around the same time tomorrow. I''ll rx for the rest of the day for now. A lot has happened after all.''

    After registering the spells to the Grinding Slots, Ashton decided to let it run on its own as he rxes. Truly, a lot has happened today.

    He seeded in his Mana Cirction, learned five Basic Spells, has his Aptitude changed dramatically and the memories sealed within him had broken free.

    There''s also the Exam Week approaching...

    There''s a lot for Ashton to think about right now and honestly, he just didn''t want to deal with them right now. This is already too much for a single day. He deserves a break.

    After cleaning himself up and feeling refreshed, he dried his body changed into a new set of clothes. He inadvertently looked at his reflection in the mirror again and couldn''t help but to click his tongue in wonder.

    "Dayum...hot guy alert!"

    Ashton chuckled at his ridiculousness and stopped paying attention to his face. He went down and joined Jerry to enjoy a sumptuous feast.<sub> </sub>

    Next day, around 1pm in the afternoon...

    Ashton was rxing on his bed, reading some study materials in preparations for the exam week when all of a sudden, continuous System Notice shed past his vision.

    [Notice! Spell: Mana Bolt grinded for 1 day and has now became Lv.1]

    [Notice! Spell: Mana Shield grinded for 1 day and is now Lv.1]

    [Notice! Spell: Mesmerize grinded for 1 day and is now Lv.1]

    [Notice! Spell: Cleanse grinded for 1 day and is now Lv.1]

    [Notice! Spell: Force Push grinded for 1 day and is now Lv.1]

    [Would you like to im the Experience?]

    Ashton blinked and stared at the notifications for a good five seconds before realizing it.

    ''Oh yeah, I did this yesterday. I actually forgot about it.'' Ashton chuckled to himself and shook his head, it seems that he had been a bit immersed in his own leisure that hepletely disregarded this after doing it.

    And since it''s running on the background, he didn''t really remember it until the System notified him.

    ''Do it one at a time so that it won''t be confusing. Starting with the Mana Bolt first.''

    [Transferring Mana Bolt experience to Host.]

    Ashton then felt his mind warping for some reason. He lost his focus and a stream of information suddenly started making its way to his brain.

    The funneling was a bit disorienting at first but his mind adjusted to it rater quickly.

    He then saw himself performing the act of casting Mana Bolt over and over again. Once, twice, thrice...it went on until he lost count. He appeared to be a tireless machine constantly dishing Mana Bolts and never running out of Mana to do so.

    With every seeding attempts, the form and stability of the Mana Bolt steadily increased until it finally resembled a proper projectile that did damage to the Training Dummy, the uracy and precision of each shot was eptable too. Of course, it could be a lot better.

    This feeling was sensational. Ashton was fully cognizant that he didn''t work this hard to reach this stage but he felt like he did it. The experience was immersive too, hepletely familiarized himself with flow and emission of Mana for the spell to work. It''s as if he was actually there doing all the practicing himself. But in truth, he was not.

    At some point, the experience transfer ended and Ashton could feel his body heating up. It''s like he did yet another work out just now.

    Unable to help himself, Ashton he jumped out of his bed and went down to the Training Room.

    Upon entering, he began going through the information he received and conjured a Mana Bolt with his hand. He aimed it at the training dummy in the room.

    As a result, he did it on his actual first try. He didn''t feel weird. Actually, he thought he''d be excited about seeding but no, he just felt calm. It''s as if he''s used to it. Which kind of make sense since he had experiencing casting this spell many times in a row already.

    Ashton did notice a few things though...

    ''Casting time is around 5 seconds...'' He murmured to himself, ''I don''t know if that''s bad but if I am in the heat of a battle, it will most certainly will be. I wonder if I could shorten that by levelling this up?''

    ''It also doesn''t spend as much Mana as I assumed.'' He continued while staring at his hand. ''I''m not Lv.1 yet but I managed to cast it, this should be a proof that the benefit I received from my Magical Artifact is working.''

    ''At most, I need to cast 5 Mana Bolts in a row before I''mpletely drained. And that is weird on it''s own. There shouldn''t be any Lv.0 like me who can do something like that.''

    ''This means my Mana Capacity increased and I only noticed it now. It''s probably due to the changes of my Aptitude.''

    ''As for how this change''s going to factor in my progress...I guess I''ll just wait and see. For now, I have other spells to gain experience from.''

    ''System, do the Mana Shield next.''

    Upon Ashton''s orders, the System funneled the experience of Mana Shield to him. And this lead to Ashton discovering more peculiarities about the Grinding Slots.

    Well, it should make sense but the training methods for each spell will vary depending on its type. Since Mana Shield is a defensive type of spell, in his training he''s inside a room where there''s a mechanism that will fire projectiles at him.

    His Avatar casted Mana Shield over and over again. At first it shattered, and on the second attempt too but as it continued, the shield grew more solid and managed to block the projectile shooting at it.

    The change in training methods also applied to others spells. In Mesmerize, he was given a live target, a squirrel to confuse. On Cleanse, he was given all sorts of animals with de-buffs to get rid off. For the Force Push, his was given a ball which he had to push around without using any physical means...

    This meant that the Grinding Slots will adjust to any kind of spells he ced in them and set-up an training method to increase its efficiency using the best method.

    ''Yep, the System is really awesome!''

 Chapter 22 Anxiety

    With the following days, Ashton continued on his own routine. However, due to the changes that happened to him, some things were never the same...

    The first thing he noticed is the fact that he was physically stronger than before. It was a strange feeling if he''s being honest. His body looked more or less the same from how it was previously but his strength rose to a whole new level.

    Jerry, his faithful butler-bot, weighs around 150-160kg. Yet Ashton could pick him up using one hand without feeling strained. His raw strength increased so much including his endurance and his stamina.

    The usual exercise routine he used to follow before his transformation? He could do them all without even feeling tired or out of breath.

    And this wasn''t the end of this of course. To emphasized just how much he changed, one had to remember that the weakest increase that he gained from his metamorphosis was on his physical strength.

    We''re still not factoring the increase in his intellect and his sensitivity to mana. So let''s talk about it...

    The description of the System was quite vague. When it said that his Intellect was raised significantly, he felt like it turned into a genius.

    First and foremost, Ashton had an easier time studying now. Not like he found it difficult before but it''s clearly simpler and easier thanks to the increase of his intellect.

    The reading speed perk he received before was gone but it did not matter. Not when Ashton could easily remember everything he had read so far down to the punctuation marks.

    He found it so easy to get immersed in studying that it started troubling Jerry. Of course, Ashton made it a point to rectify that and exert some sense of control over himself.

    Most importantly, his sensitivity to Mana.

    Oh boy...Ashton got really hooked into Meditation at this point. The fact that he could enter that state within half a second and even go deeper into it where he felt like he''s swimming along with Mana? Ashton finds it quite addicting.

    It''s much easier for him to absorb and circte Mana now. In fact he''s gotten so used to it that often found himself done before he even realized it.

    Speaking of Mana Cirction, Ashton finally decided to learn the Cultivation Technique that has been sitting on his Inventory for quite sometime now.

    ''Treasure zed: Nine-Refinements Sutra'' that''s what it''s called.

    Ashton had no idea how strong this technique was since the System never gave it a grade but he still decided to learn it. If he found something better than this, he could just always switch to a new one anyway.

    However, that doesn''t seem to be necessary at all. Especially after he discovered what this technique can do.

    The Treasure zed: Nine-Refinements Sutra, allows him to refine his cultivation a total of nine times. Making his foundations deeper and more solid, unshakeable even.

    As an example: Ashton''s currently at Apprentice Stage Lv.0 right now. Inside his consciousness, his Mageroot doesn''t have a single Magical Circle that is filled to the brim.

    If he starts cultivating this technique, he had to first fill this magical circlepletely making him Lv.1, after that he fills it again and then refine it, using the umted mana to strengthen the foundations of not only his Mageroot but also the Magical Circle as well.

    This will revert his progress, yes but he''s not necessarily losing strength in this. It will slow his progress by a lot but it''s a good investment, no?

    Once he filled it up again, he can refine it again, going all the way up to a total of nine refinements before he be Lv.2, then he do this all over again.

    This is idea behind the technique...

    Ashton would agree that this technique sounds very strong, downright overpowered even. Then again, strong doesn''t necessarily mean easy isn''t it?

    In order to fortify his foundations and make it truly unshakeable, he had to work extremely hard for it. And just like what was mentioned before, this will slow his progress down by a lot.

    He can already see it; others flying through the levels while he gets left behind. This might even be a problem academic-wise since he doesn''t really know if the professors will pressure students in the cultivation speed.

    To top this all off, this will definitely get expensive.

    Cultivation is mostly free, yes. There''s Mana around and its now owned by anyone. The problem is its volume. The Mana Density isn''t really constant around the city. There are ced rich in mana while there are ced that had the bare minimum.<sub> </sub>

    Ashton''s lucky since he had a nice home with a built-in Training Room. If he wants to, he can always use the Meditation Altar and charge it with Mana Crystals to convert it for his own use, but then again the amount he has on hand is finite.

    Just think of it this way, Ashton had to refine each level a total of 9 times. As his foundations grow deeper, it will certainly require more mana to stabilize it. It''s already going to slow him down, now it will also make him broke.

    That''s the price of strength, right there.

    And this isn''t even factoring his use of Mana Crystals to grind spells. Those will get really expensive down the line as well, he''s sure of it.

    The 450k he had on his Inventory might sound a lot but in truth, that''s far from enough if he wants to see some real gains.

    If there''s one thing those novels he read on his previous life had in simr with this world, it''d be the fact that cultivation can get really expensive. Wealth is a strong asset for a bright future, this applies for cultivators as well.

    ***

    "Hmm...."

    Ashton''s currently using his smartwatch to surf online. He had been reading some articles here and there that had no real credibility, trying to gauge if their contents had some truth behind it or not.

    He can''t really find any article about Magic that has some read credibility here since most of those are hidden. He had to pass some requirements first before he can ess to them so he could only make with these for now.

    "...I''ve read through at least 15 Articles at this point. All of them confirmed that Dual Casting is indeed only possible once you get strong enough or if your Magical Artifact has it as a perk."

    That''s right, Ashton had been reading about Dual Casting Articles, anything that''s rted to it as well and so far, they all said the same thing.

    It''s a pity. Ashton wanted to see if there''s a way he can study that on the side since he''s practicing real Magic now. Dual or Multi-Casting is an asset for any mages. This mastery alone can increase their lethality sharply so Ashton couldn''t be med for wanting to try it out.

    "Ah, well. I''m probably getting way too ahead of myself." He chuckled. "I need to chill. I legit know nothing so far. These few spells that I have aren''t worth mentioning."

    "I probably shouldn''t even think about this for now." He murmured, "Before entering the Academy, all my focus should be centered around studying. I''ll try apply for the schrship as well."

    "...it should be possible even for a cursed one, right?"

    Ashton bit his lips and felt quite distressed.

    He couldn''t help but feel anxious whenever he gets reminded of this. Until now, he still has no idea how he was cursed. He tried searching online about curses but all he got was just awfulments or pity from strangers.

    Nothing really helped him understand anything. Where did ite from? Can it be cured? Does it get worse? Are there people he can talk to about this? None of those.

    At the surface, it doesn''t look bad actually. And that''s precisely what made it even more worrisome for Ashton. He didn''t trust that. Why else would a government agent, out of all people, warn him about it?

    Ashton felt like a lot of things became possible the moment he became a cultivator but at the same time, there are still things that is unreachable for him. Which is totally normal of course, but it feels quite restricting.

    Of course, he''s aware that he just have to rx for now and take it one step at a time but still, feeling a sense of urgency is something that he can''t stop.

    "I''m stressing out way too much about this." He whispered to himself, "this is what happens when there''s nothing to distract me."

    "As expected, I am in need of a good dose of Chaos in my life. Friends to be more specific but...eh..." Ashton grimaced, "I''m surrounded with old people here, it doesn''t seem right to act all buddy-buddy with them."

    "...that''d actually look weird now that I think about it. Ugh..."

    "Oh well, whatever. I''ll just focus on what I can do for now. People willeter, for now I have to get into the Academy. I need to study some more."

 Chapter 23 Exams

    It is currently Sunday, thest day of the exam week for City M''s Mystic Academy.

    Ashton already took the exam, it happened on Wednesday since that''s his schedule and he finished it within that day as well. Now he''s just waiting for the results and he''d be lying if he said he wasn''t anxious cause he is.

    This really takes him back to his student days...

    The exams weren''t that hard in Ashton''s opinions, just as he expected and as he was told, the exam covered basic knowledge. The books he borrowed really helped him with that.

    <o>,m But of course, since it is an exam from a prestigious academy, there are traps and pitfalls scattered all over the exam. If one doesn''t pay close attention, they''ll get caught up to it which could possibly cost them their chance.</o>

    He didn''t have much problems with it since the time given to them was generous anyways. It actually kind of absurd now that he thought about. Examinees are given 10 hours to finish all the exams and they can break this schedule up to have some breaks in between, they just need to submit a request for it.

    Well, granted that there''s at least 1000 items to answer in that exam, it kind of makes sense but Ashton''s just not used to that and he''s not really in any position to ask.

    The segments which the questionnaire was broken up to was familiar to him as well; multiple choice, identification, fill in the nks, etc. He didn''t really have a hard time getting used to it since he''s quite familiar with them.

    All in all, Ashton''s quite confident that he at least passed. Whether he gets the schrship or not, well...he''d have to wait for the announcement.

    Speaking of that, since this is thest day of the exam week, the result should be released today as well.

    Ashton''s quite nervous actually. He had been sitting on pins and needles ever since waking-up. He still adhered to his routine but it was clear that his mind isn''t present during that.

    That''s what exams does to a person, isn''t it? Making them doubt themselves even though they know how well they performed in the first ce.

    Ashton really doesn''t have much to do for today. Currently, he''s just chilling in the balcony, eating some snacks and enjoying an idle afternoon.

    The Spells are currently on the grind. Training them to Lv.2 will take at least a week to finish and each spell costs 100 Mana Crystals.

    It seems that Ashton was right after all, this will get really expensive as time goes on. And these are just for the Basic Spells for now. He still don''t know what will happen if he learned a Intermediate Level Spells and above.

    He thought about going out for today but in the end he decided against it. He doesn''t really have any destination in mind, at most he''d just wander around for a few minutes until he decides to go back home.

    Ping!

    Ashton jolted in surprise as he heard that sound. That''s an rm from his smartwatch.

    "I have to turn that down." Ashton shook his head. The notification sound was really too loud for his liking but he can do thatter.

    He checked his inbox and the message left there...

    ''You received 1 e-mail from @M-Academy!''

    Ashton''s eyesically widened in shock. He sat up properly and went to his e-mails to check what it''s all about.

    ''Oh, there''s a video attachment.'' Ashton raised a brow before decided to y it.

    A hologram window appeared in front of him, revealing a middle-aged man who wore sses and had a few strands of white hair. He has crinkles at the corner of his eyes and he wore a suit which made him look like a professional.

    "Greetings, Everybody! My name is Jordan Schnee. I am this year''s Exam Supervisor on behalf of City M''s Mystic Academy."

    "If you received this video, chances are you were one of the people who took the examinations in hopes of being a student to the prestigious Mystic Academy. That''s very brave of you and since you are watching this, you will soon know whether you made it or not. But before we get into that, there''s a few things that I must tell you first..."

    "This year''s examinations urred just in time. 2nd week of May, this around the time where the Mystic Academy''s Examinations begin. Each year, the examinations roughly works the same. But of course, if it were that easy, then howe not all people were admitted to the Academy?"

    The man smiled and continued:<sub> </sub>

    "The reason behind that is the unique way of screening methods that the Mystic Academy applies every time the examination week begins. I can''t really exin it in great detail but know that not just anyone is allowed to take the examinations."

    "The exams had a total of 1055 Questions to be answered. Everyone''s given 10 hours toplete it. Adjustments to the said schedule are permitted even to ensure that the students will be able to have enough to give each question enough thought and provide answers."

    "Only those who answered 1000 questions, doesn''t matter if their answer''s correct or not, will have their test papers graded."

    Ashton''s eyes widened in shocked,

    "Additionally, those who took more than two days toplete the exams are hereby eliminated as well."

    "Of course this includes those who were caught cheating or attempted to cheat. Even the simple act of asking someone a question that is included in the exams when they''re still not done with it will count as cheating."

    "All examinees were being actively being monitored as exam week goes on so we have proof. Anybody who wants to dispute this can report directly to me to be pped with the cold-hard truth..."

    "-ahem, sorry for the strongnguage just now."

    Ashton mind was reeling. He didn''t expect this at all. He knew that there should be a catch on this but he wasn''t expecting it to be this big.

    "All of you should be curious as to why the mechanics of the exams work this way and why we kept it a secret from you."

    "I, for one, believe that you all should understand this by now but just in case, I''d still exin it..."

    "The Mystic Academy doesn''tck talent nor resources. It doesn''tck prestige, fame or anything in particr. With the professionals willing to share their knowledge to people for the sake of the greater good, the least you can do is to show some honesty and sincerity."

    "Cheating is a self-exnatory. As for the Time Restrictions..e on kids, are you seriously that slow? Any normal person could finish that exam within a day - hours, even! Two days is already pushing it but three days!? Hell no!"

    "Taking three days to finish an exam that could be done within hours is a sign that you''re not taking the exams or the academy seriously. Now, knowing this, why do you think you deserve a chance? Why would the Academy waste their precious time and resources to you?"

    "Even the City Lords have to pay enough respects to the Academy itself, the Federation personally acknowledged its methods. If you still think that you''re special, well you''re wrong so get-off of your high-horse and learn some humility. Trust me, it''ll go a long way."

    Ashton find it amusing that this guy dropped all pretenses at this point. He started out sounding so professional in the beginning but now, he''s not even bothering to hide his verbal ticks and habits.

    Still, Ashton understood what he''s trying to say. Now it all makes sense. Of course, he was already expecting that something''s up but everything was reasonable so far.

    It''s like what he said, the Academy didn''tck fame nor does it have any need for it. What theyck are good students who are willing to be educated. A small showcase of sincerity is a non-negotiable requirement if students wants to study there.

    "This year, almost 200,000 teenagers took the exams. That is quite a lot but in reality, this is normal considering how many people lives in City M."

    "Of course, not every single one will manage to pass. If so, then what are the exams are for? Although I said that the Academy doesn''tck talent, it does have standards."

    "Alright, I''ve babbled enough at this point. Let''s get back to the main thing..."

    "The passing mark is 950 points. Those who fail short on that, I''m referring to examinees who scored a minimum of 890 points, will get a chance to be interviewed by academy''s personnel who will determine whether to let you in or not. Bribes are forbidden kids, don''t even try."

    "As for over-achievers...I mean those who were gunning for the schrship, only those who scored 1000 points will be considered, anything less than that we can only apologize, you should''ve tried harder."

    "The kind of sponsorship the Schrs will receive depends on you since you''ll be interviewed as well. Expect someone from the Academy to contact you within three to five business days."

    "Okay, I''ve said everything that needs to be said. I will now show the list of the Mystic Academy''s Students of Batch 9022!"

    Upon hearing that, Ashton''s heart began pounding on his chest...

 Chapter 24 Results

    Ashton was really nervous.

    The list shown was long and filled with names. Of course he had no time to care about other names aside from his. Thankfully, the list in alphabetical order which made it easier for him to look for the area where his name would be.

    ''West, West, West...'' he murmured to himself as he scaled down the list of names.

    The longer he didn''t find his name the more anxious he got. But then...

    "Yes! Wheew!"

    He made it. He found his name on the long list of students to pass.

    ''West, Ashton. 1045 Points.''

    ''Ten points off from a perfect score. That''s not bad. At least I qualify for the schrship.''

    ''...I''d qualify right? That guy didn''t say anything about cursed people not being eligible for schrship so I should be fine...right?''

    Ashton pursed his lips and couldn''t help but feel uncertain. It''s really hard to not be informed about this. He doesn''t understand why the hell did the authorities withhold so much information about cursed people, he kind of understand that it has something to do with magic being potentially dangerous on untrained hands but can''t they at least release some information that would help?

    Honestly, he''s growing sick of it.

    Well, not that it matters now. He''s about to learn everything about it when the school year stars anyway. He just needs to wait. But this doesn''t mean that he''s fine with being ignorant about what''s happening to him. He''ll never like that idea.

    ''Ah, that reminds me...''

    ''That guy said something about sponsorship right? And if I can remember correctly, he implied that it has something to do with Schrs? Wait, let me check...''

    Ashton yed the video again and skipped to the part where he heard Jordan talking about the sponsorship.

    ''Huh...''

    ''That''s interesting...so it seems like the benefits schrs would receive will depend based will be based upon someone''s decision and not the Academy itself or the Federation.''

    This is how he understands it at least, of course he could be wrong too.

    He based this of with the information that there are these so-called ''Talent Agencies'' that are prominent around each City or in Last Bastion as a whole.

    Whenever it''s the Awakening Day, some Agents will be sent to the Federation Centers to scout some talented kids.

    And by talented, they meant those who awakened a high-level Aptitude. Agent Theta is one amongst many Agents who were there to scout as well.

    The moment someone with a high Aptitude was discovered, the Agents will try to rope them in towards the agencies they''re working for. If they signed the contract, the agencies will be their sponsors and send them stuff to help them with their growth.

    He read about some testaments here and there and it''s actually incredible how much money these people are willing to invest for a single person in the sheer hopes of getting them bound under them.

    Of course, signing the contract means agreeing to the terms of thesepanies. Sign with wrong agency and you be their ve. There were many articles who had repeatedly warned the viewers to read their contracts carefully use their head before signing away.

    He assumed that these people were those who regretted their decisions back then.

    Ashton read about this online and the article has some credibility in it. In any case, he doesn''t need to be reminded of this. Ashton is quite familiar with contracts himself since he had a share of his own experiences with them.

    He knows his way around it and knew better than to be blinded with a momentary wealth andfort in exchange of a lifetime of very.

    Ping!

    "Hmm?"

    Ashton checked his smartwatch again and saw that he had another e-mail. This one was also sent by the Academy to him. He opened it and it reads:

    ***

    ''Greetings, Ashton West!''

    ''This is Alicia Selner, Head of the Teaching Faculty of the Mystic Academy. First, I would like to congratte you for earning 1045 Points on our entrance examination. This is a impressive feat even for Young Heroes such as you, you should be proud!''

    ''With this impressive feat, we at the Mystic Academy, see you as a worthy candidate for a Schrship! We will send Ms. Angelica Kendrick, one of our personnel, to your address tomorrow. Please vacate your schedule around 9-10am tomorrow morning as she is expected to arrive around that time.''<sub> </sub>

    ''To set your expectations, Ms. Kendrick will inform you about how the schrship and sponsorship works. There is a fair chance that you might receive multiple offers from various Agencies. Please go over them carefully and choose wisely. You will be given ample time to make your choice so no need to be in a hurry.''

    ''Down here is the list of all Agencies who established close ties with the Mystic Academy.''

    ? ck Thunder Agency

    ? Crimson Crusaders

    ? Crossford Inc.

    ? White Corona Group

    ? Holy Spiriters Agency

    ? Blue Skies Empire

    ''Do note that these are the list of long time partners. Each of this group had kept close-ties with the Academy for decades now. There is a chance that you will might also receive offers from groups who aren''t included in this list.''

    ''Your choice will ultimately be up to you so do give it some thought.''

    ''Last but not the least, your Student Uniform and credentials as well as your Freshman''s Guidebook, Campus Badge and Pass will be delivered to you by Ms. Kendrick as well, do make sure to check them out and if there are corrections, don''t hesitate to inform us right away to preventplications.''

    ''Thank you for you time and I wish you a pleasant day ahead.''

    '' - Alicia Selner. ''

    ***

    "Oh? Tomorrow already? That''s fast." Ashton was quite surprised. He kind of expected it to take some time but then he remembered something important. "Ah right, my address is supposed to be close to the Academy. I guess that''s why."

    Yeah, him being close to the Academy should''ve made it more convenient for the personnel as well and honestly, that works for him. The earlier he can settle this down, the better it would be. At least if he had to prepare for something else, he''d have more time to do it.

    Still this did e-mail brought relief to him. It seems that he is indeed eligible for a schrship despite being cursed, it''s good to know that the Academy isn''t prejudiced against this because if it is, Ashton wouldn''t really know what to do.

    Knowing that there will be a visitor tomorrow, Ashton informed Jerry to make sure the house is spotless. The least he can do is to be a good host and show his best foot forward.

    Pretentious, yes he''s aware. But this is like a job interview actually. Although he had no idea who gave him an offer as of now, it wouldn''t hurt to show some kindness and politeness to the person who''s going to show these offers to him.

    Who knows? Maybe she''d even report back to him. If he''s convincing enough, he might even receive a bonus! He wouldn''t be opposed to that.

    ''Alright, since I got the schrship mostly secured at this point, I guess I should do some research about the agencies right? It''s only natural for me to know more about them since I might work for them in future.''

    Thinking about this, Ashton immediately went online and began looking up information about the agencies. He of course started with those listed in the e-mail first.

    There were sites dedicated for these agencies. They are professionally made and specially created to highlight the fancy things their agency could do.

    ''Marketing strats...they never change no matter what world it''s in.''

    He should''ve expected this to he honest, especially when he''s someone who used to work as an admin for these sites are well. Still, Ashton read through them one by one as came back inside the house.

    The agencies differ from the other, they have different things to offer and also differ in how they work.

    Take the Crossford Inc. for example...

    Crossford Inc. is a conglomerate empire centered around technology. They are the ones who invented the smartwatch series in this world and the sole hegemon when ites to technological expertise. Because of this, it is expected that their agents will be equipped with the most modern type of gadgets and trinkets. Plus, their power isn''t limited to City M, they''re all over the Last Bastion.

    It''s because of this that Ashton had to read through them carefully. Again, he still has no idea who amongst these groups sent him an offer or if there''s even one but it wouldn''t hurt to know more about them so that he knows what to expect.

    Still, these sites doesn''t really show the whole picture. It shows their good sides but what about the ugly part?

    Well, it''s a good thing that Ashton doesn''t have to worry about that.

    Because if there''s a ce where people can freely express their opinions without being afraid of implications, it would be the inte.

    And boy do they have a lot to say about these agencies...

 Chapter 25 Visitor

    Woosh! Pew!

    Ashton ducked and evaded two bolts of arrowing his way. Using the momentum of his previous action, he turned around and swiftly scanned where were the people who shot him was.

    One was hiding on top of a tree while one was standing inside the bushes.

    Ashton''s palm glowed with a blue radiance as he condensed a Mana Arrow and shot it to the one hiding on top of the tree.

    Missed!

    ''Tch.'' Ashton clicked his tongue and once again ducked to avoid another arrowing his way, the performed abat roll and hid behind a tree for a brief moment of respite.

    He took a deep breath and focused. He sensed their movements, he can hear movements on his right and it''s somewhat above him and he''s also hearing a movement closing in on his left, this one was close to the ground.

    ''They''re trying to restrict my movements.'' He concluded.

    Ashton immediately responded by supply mana to his palms and raising it in front of him. A thinyer rectangr-shaped shield appeared before him. This is Mana Shield, with this he can at least defend against the next projectiles they''ll aim at him.

    As expected, a few breathster, two more arrows came from his right and right. Ashton decided to move the barrier behind him and faced his left side.

    He performed anotherbat roll to avoid the arrow shot close to him while the arrow behind him was blocked by the Mana Shield. Before performing the roll, Ashton''s palms were already condensing a Mana Arrow which he immediately shot at the person on the ground level.

    Chak!!

    ''Got him...'' He murmured inwardly. The sound of the Mana Arrow piercing through that person was unmistakable. The dead guy suddenly vanished into a shimmering blue light as Ashton faced hisst foe.

    s, it seems that thest guy was smart. He used the time when Ashton was upied to find another hiding spot. Ashton couldn''t tell where he is.

    ''Dude''s probably going to wait until my Mana Shield''s duration runs out.'' He concluded, ''How I find him then?''

    As Ashton thought about this, he didn''t stop moving. He walked slowly and close to the ground, trying to make as little noise as possible.

    He focused on his senses to and tried to track thest enemy down. He paid attention to the sounds, the scent and search for tracks that were left to follow.

    Out of nowhere, rm bells on his head went off. He sharply turned around in reflex and ce his guard-up only to receive a solid blow on his body. It didn''t hurt a lot but Ashton nearly fell from impact, thankfully he caught himself and prepared for a beat down.

    ''You should''ve kept your distance my guy.'' Ashton jeered inwardly as he rushed his enemy down.

    With fists and feet glowing blue, Ashton engaged in close quartersbat with thest guy alive.

    Using the techniques he learned from the Military Combat Tactics, he employed the Virtue of the Python.

    He intercepted his opponent''s fist and swiftly rotated it behind him as he himself used the momentum of the strike to wrap his legs around his enemy''s body to lock it in ce. With a sharp tug, Ashton heard the sound of joints disconnecting and the painful cry of his enemy.

    But, Ashton wasn''t done. He didn''t let go of the limp arm, instead he uncoiled is and gave it a strong tug to drag his enemy''s body close to him as he met it with his knee.

    The blow caused the man to buckle down, Ashton then raised his leg and wrapped around the neck of the guy, then the used his upper body strength to m the guy''s head onto the ground. And with his final move, Ashton got up and used his hand to twist the guy''s neck, effectively killing him.

    He then stood up and said: "You really should''ve kept your distance. Had you done that, you''d be safer from me."

    The guy disappeared into shimmering wisps of blue light. Ashton took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

    Momentster, his surroundings warped and reverted into the usual appearance of the Training Room.

    Yes, Ashton was fighting against dummies in the Training Room. He figured that it''s about time for him to learn how to defend himself and get used tobat.

    As someone who rarely engaged in conflicts in previous life, Ashton didn''t really have a sense of battle. He wasn''t a Martial Artist or something, he read about them, sure but that''s not the same.

    This part of training is usually reserved on his afternoon training session. Since he no longer has to study for now, his schedule is more or less free so he''s spending his time wisely.

    However, for today he included it in his morning routine since he''ll be upiedter.<sub> </sub>

    Today''s the day that he''ll be interviewed for the schrship. He''d have a lot to think about so he freed up his afternoon.

    Ashton nced at the clock and saw that it''s already 8:15am.

    ''Alright, this should do for today. I have a visitoring. Gotta look presentable at least.''

    Thinking about this, Ashton left the training room and as usual Jerry was waiting for him outside. Jerry told him that his bath is ready and asked him what to prepare for breakfast.

    After choosing the menu, Ashton went to his room and took a bath. He changed into a new set of clothes, the newer ones he bought which looked good on him. After that, he went down to eat breakfast and waited until the visitor arrives.

    Around 9:30am, Ashton heard his doorbell ringing.

    He got up from the couch and looked at himself in front of a mirror to make sure he looks presentable at least. When he''s satisfied, he went to the door and opened it to see a woman standing there in a business attire.

    "Hello, my name is Angelica Kendrick. I''m from Mystic Academy''s HR Department. Are you Mr. West?"

    "Yes, I am Ashton West. Please,e in."

    Ashton gestured for the woman to enter, which she didn''t hesitate to do so.

    Angelica looked like someone on her mid-twenties. She wore sses had fair skin and she has this noticeable mole on the corner of he lip. She was elegant and sounded very kind. Like she''s someone who''s easy to talk to.

    Ashton lead her to the receiving area which was sparkling clean thanks to Jerry''s efforts.

    "Would like some beverage?" Ashton offered.

    To which Angelica shook her head and said: "Thank you but that''s not necessary."

    "Alright." Ashton didn''t insist. He sat down in front of her and then she began talking...

    "I''d assume that you''ve already read the e-mail we sent to you yesterday, no?" Ashton nodded to confirm that. "Good, that makes things easier for us."

    "Once again, I''m Angelica Kendrick. I''ll be the one who will arrange your Schrship details and I would very much appreciate it if by the end of this, I can help you find the best offer you can have."

    "I also have your student credentials with me but we''ll leave that forter. Right now, let''s begin by reviewing how the Schrship works."

    Ashton nodded and Angelica continued:

    "Schrships is a form of investment through one way or another." She stated, "Agencies and the Academy itself are willing to support the growth any talented students that we see."

    "The support we offeres in many forms; financial support, resources, certain privileges, personal coaching, etc. Depending on the agency you choose, the support you''ll receive may vary so choose wisely."

    "But of course, we''re not doing this for nothing." She said after a brief pause, "In exchange of our support, it should be understandable that we will expect something from you."

    "For the Academy''s side, we''re going to give you a set of Academic Requirements and Behavioral Expectations. So long as you perform ording to the bars we set, you''ll be good. You''ll see the requirementster when I start showing you the contracts."

    "For the Agencies, their requirements will vary. Not all agencies will expect the same thing out of you. I''d advice you to read through them carefully weigh down your options."

    "Because once you signed-up the contracts, you''ll be bound to them. What''s going to happen afterwards is something that you''ll deal with yourself. Again, do choose wisely."

    "I''ll give you the rest of the day to ponder about your options. Just submit the signed contract to our e-mail and you''ll be given the printed copy of it delivered to your address along with the first batch of supplies agreed upon ording to the contract."

    "..."

    "In the event that the offers you receive aren''t up to your liking, you may also refuse the Schrship altogether. Don''t worry, you won''t be in trouble for rejecting the offers, it is an option open for you as well so we''ll understand. Of course, if you refuse to sign any contracts, then you wouldn''t get the additional support at all."

    "Alright, I''ve said all that I have to say. Now, I''ll show you the offers your receive..."

 Chapter 26 Offers

    Angelica pulled out a briefcase out of nowhere which surprised Ashton, though he didn''t show it in his face of course.

    From the briefcase, she took out stacks of papers, all are neatly arranged and ced in their respective folders. Sheid them out on the table in front of Ashton and said:

    "Mr. West, you''ve received 5 offers for your sponsorship. 4 of them are from our long-time partners and thest one is from one of our private clients."

    "Private Clients?" Ashton was confused.

    "Yes. Private Clients are people who doesn''t represent any agencies and preferred their donations and identities a secret. Most of the Private Clients offers sponsorship to students they taken interest to and their contracts often works the same as the agencies does, only instead of answering to a entirepany of people, you''ll only answer to one should you decide take the offer of our Private Client."

    "As for their legitimacy, no need to worry about that. Every Private Clients had their backgrounds checked and monitored by our Academy. If they turn out to bad people and cause harm to students, the Academy will personally step-in to the students aid, given that enough proof is provided."

    "I see..." Ashton nodded in understanding. He then looked at the folders in front of him and asked: "Can I...?"

    "Go ahead." Angelica nodded.

    Ashton then picked one of the folders and started reading through them.

    The first thing that he noticed is the huge logos printed at the top of the contract. One was a royal blue crest with golden frame and has a capital ''M'' embedded at the very center.

    Ashton had seen this before, this is the crest that represents the Mystic Academy. This crest was also present on the exam papers he answered.

    The crest of the academy was on the leftmost side of the contract while on other is, presumably, the agency where this contract is from.

    The icon was a capital ''C'' which is made out some fancy font. It is golden in color and really unique.

    ''Crossford Inc.'' Ashton murmured inwardly upon recognizing the logo. He did some researchst night and remembered the logos that agencies used.

    Ashton then began reading through the contract. He took his time and analyzed every single use included in them. It took him around 10 minutes to finish this one. Once he''s done, he released a breath and analyzed what the contract was asking in exchange for their support.

    ''Alright first and foremost, the sponsorship is shared between the Academy and the Agency. The support I''ll receive is divided into 50:50 between them. Each side has an expectation from me and I have to do my best to follow them in order to keep their support.''

    ''For the Academy''s side, they''re expecting me to have an A-rating on my Major Subjects. I also have to make sure I don''t vite the rules too much and always be present in ss.''

    ''I''d also get a bonus if I reach the Honor Roll. I get more bonuses the higher my ratings are and any unique academic achievements will be rewarded as well.

    ''Everything is understandable and it doesn''t sound hard but with the inclusion of other requirements from the partner agency, things can be hectic.''

    ''Crossford Inc. requires me to work as an intern on their Academic Branch. They said that my schedule is going to be flexible but I don''t trust it, I''ve seen this pattern before. If I signed this, they''ll have my shift start as soon as my school schedule is done. They didn''t say how many hours I''d have to work for each day and that''s mighty suspicious.''

    ''Though their offer''s quite good though. Basically, if I sign this contract, I''ll have a massive boon technologically wise. They''ll update every piece of technology I have in this home to the most modern one for free and this includes vehicles too, I''d also receive their newest product, also for free.''

    ''Additionally, the monthly allowance I''ll receive from them would be 1 Million Federation Dors and 500,000 High-Grade Mana Crystals. Which insane if you ask me.''

    ''There''s also an additional use saying that if I graduated with a spotless record, they''d offer me a new contract and they will hire me as one of their ''Private Inspectors'', whatever that means.''

    Clearly, these numbers are too, too big. Especially for an orphan like him. That''s so much money! More than he knows where to spend it on.

    Yet Ashton, despite being impressed by their generosity, cannot be fooled by this.

    ''Nah, it''s way too suspicious. I can smell a trap here. This a ve contract. They want me to be an intern yet they couldn''t even be bothered to add how many hours I need to work everyday? They included at least ten paragraphs here glorifying their history and expertise yet they can''t even jot that down?''

    ''They also said that they''d ''hire'' me after I graduate? I don''t get to choose then? Nah. Nah...no way. I''m not signing this shit. Thank you next, b*tch.''

    Ashton''s inner voice was snorting in disdain yet on the outside, he looked like he''s just thinking. Yep, at this point this can be considered as a talent already.

    He picked up the next folder and read through just as carefully as he did on the first one. Once he''s done with that, he moved-on to the next one and then the other one...all they way until he finished reading through all five of them.<sub> </sub>

    ''The expectations of the Academy towards me is the same for each contract. They just want me to be an exemry student and that''s it. The better I perform the more bonus I''ll receive from them.''

    ''As for the Agencies...Crossford Inc. is a no for me. The others are White Corona Group, Crimson Crusaders, Blue Skies Empire. Their requirements are very different from each other.''

    ''Starting with the Crimson Crusaders, they are expecting me to join their Academic Branch as well but instead of an Intern, they want to train me as a Peddler.''

    ''Apparently, the Crimson Crusaders are like the Adventurer''s Guild of this world. They want students like me to know more about the trade since one day, if I decide to work for them, they''d take me outside for Adventure.''

    ''First of all...no.''

    ''More specifically...no!''

    ''You want to train me as yourckey? Excuse you. You''re offer isn''t even as good as Crossford Inc. All you offered me was money, mana crystals and training. That''s like...nothing so, no thank you.''

    ''Alright, moving on.''

    ''White Corona Group, oh boy.''

    ''In my research, I learned that these people are the ''Church'' of this world. They all about kindness, generosity, salvation and all that...''

    ''They call magic as ''Miracles'' which is just...no.''

    ''They want to train me to be a ''Holy Child'' which is just a fancy term for a Priest. The work''s mostly volunteer work and the schedule''s flexible enough, they even allowed to allocate the work hours myself.''

    ''It sounds good and all but it''s still a no for me.''

    ''There were many incidents reported of these group taking it too far in their Worship of their ''God''. The articles he read came from a reliable source too so it has credibility in it. And frankly, I just don''t want anything to do with that.''

    ''Their offer for me is also a no. ''

    ''I mean, they said that they will teach me all sorts of ''Miracles'' to perform which is tempting but still no. I appreciate the offer really, but I refuse.''

    ''Next, Blue Skies Empire.''

    ''Now this offer looks very sincere to me.''

    ''Just like the first two, they also require me to join their Academic Branch. The difference is that, the Blue Skies Empire is also closely rted to the Morning Sun Federation. Which meant their business has something to do with the military.''

    ''Working for them is more like enlisting. I''ll receive Military Training from their Academic Branch which honestly doesn''t sound too bad. Receiving this kind of training will help me survive the dangers of this world so that already sounds attractive.''

    ''If Iplete their training while also keeping my records clean, they''ll upgrade my citizenship to 4-stars, which is a very attractive offer since that will give me more privileges in the future. Plus once I graduated, I''d work for the Federation itself.''

    ''It sounds dangerous but that''s the training''s for right? Also, they''d teach me all kinds of skills and spells for free which is neat.

    ''ording to what I heard, they''re also a rowdy bunch. There are frequent tournaments within their Academic Branch and winning these tournaments will grant me bonuses as well. Which is kind of okay.''

    ''The monthly allowance they''d give me is the same as the Crossford Inc. was offering, just minus the upgrades part. Which is still a lot. But that also meant that the training is going to be hard.''

    ''Honestly, I''m really leaning towards this but...''

    Ashton bit his lips as he stared at thest folder he read. This one came from the Regal King and honestly, their offer sounds extremely tempting as well.

    ''Knowledge about Magic...''

 Chapter 27 The Regal King

    ''The Regal King...I''d assume he''s a guy for now.''

    ''His offer is too tempting for me to pass-on.''

    ''800,000 Federation Dors and 500,000 High-Grade Mana Crystals for the monthly allowance. Along with the requirements of the Academy, he wants me to work for the Academy as a Librarian.''

    p ''While the other offers required me join their Academic Branch, this person wants me to work for the Academy instead. Plus, he''s also offering me a bonus the better I perform at school which is nice.''</anda>

    ''The work schedule is also included in this. My working hours will be flexible and I just need to work for 3 hours every weekdays, which I can also squeeze in between sses if I want to.''

    ''Being a Librarian allows me ess to all sorts of knowledge and spells, I just need to apply for a Higher Level Clearance from the Academy to get ess to move up thedder.''

    ''Again, it really doesn''t sound too bad. But thing that really exceeded my expectations is that, the Regal King, will personally observe my progress and will coach me as well. So I''m also gaining a mentor for this.''

    ''Now, I don''t know how strong the Regal King is but if he''s a Private Client of the Mystic Academy, he should know what he''s doing right?''

    ''In terms of the material support, the offer''s a bit on the lower sidepared to the other offers but in truth, it''s still a lot of money. Add the fact that I''m getting a mentor out of this and ess to Magical Knowledge which I really, seriously, badly need at this point, makes this offer truly irresistible.''

    ''Ugh...I have two choices here. The Blue Skies Empire or the Regal King. Who do I choose?''

    Ashton really felt conflicted. Both options had their own merits. They also shown great sincerity for someone like him.

    He had no doubts that these people already knew about the fact that he''s cursed. It wouldn''t be surprising if they''ve already run a background check on him since that''s expected out of them. And yet, to think that he''d still receive generous offers like this is already astounding on its own.

    "It seems that you''re in a pickle."

    Ashton looked up and saw Angelica looking at him with a teasing smile on her face. Ashton gave her a helpless smile and said:

    "What can I say? This is my first time dealing with something like this. Everyone''s offer is quite dazzling for me, making it difficult for me to choose."

    Angelica chuckled softly and said: "You can ask me questions, you know."

    "Really?"

    "Yeah." She nodded, "But beware though, my opinions would be neutral at best. The decision will still be up to you regardless of my words."

    "Then..." Ashton hesitated for a bit and asked: "I''d learn more about Curses at the Academy right?"

    Angelica paused, clearly quite surprised by that question. She was expecting that he''d ask something he want to rify in the contracts but it seems he has a different idea. Nevertheless, she still answered him...

    "Yes, of course. In fact, I can guarantee that aside from the Academy, there''s no other ce in this City where you''ll find a well of information about Curses."

    "Great!" Ashton looked visibly relived upon hearing that, "Do I get to learn about them right away or would I need to finish some course before I could?"

    "You''d have to clear the Basic Courses first, especially Major Subjects. The course is usually offered to 3rd Years but if you can get permissions through several means, you can learn about them earlier."

    "Okay. That''s good to hear." Ashton nodded, looking more and more at ease. "Uhm, okayst question. Can we, students, apply for Military Training?"

    Angelica chuckled at that question: "Mr. West, you studying at our Academy is considered as Military Training already. Think about it, we are teaching you to be a responsible walking disaster, for what exactly? Isn''t to make sure that our home can be protected?"

    "That being said, I know what you mean. And that answer to that is yes, it is heavily rmended if you n on joining the Federation in the future. We have several clubs established just for that, you can pick one if you want and if you perform well, you might even be scouted early by the Federation to join them for real."

    Ashton nodded. Angelica doesn''t seem to be lying so he chose to trust her for now. If it turns out that she''s spouting lies and got him in trouble, he can always use her words against her and the Academy, after all their conversation is being recorded by the Security Module of his home.

    Of course, this is a back-up n. Ashton doesn''t want to go this far either so it would really be for the best if her words turned out to be the truth.

    Anyways, she raised several points in there which made him specte more things.<sub> </sub>

    First and foremost, even though he''s signing a sponsorship, it doesn''t really mean that he''s already considered as part of them, at most he''s a prospective member but nothing more. There will a different contract for that, one that doesn''t include the Mystic Academy he assumes.

    Next thing is the Military Training. Yes, that was quite dumb of him. In hindsight he should''ve realized that already. Studying Magic can already be considered as Military Training as well.

    He got muddle-headed there for a second, thankfully Angelica rified it to him.

    Now, the offer of the Blue Skies Empire seemsckluster. If anything, it''s just a special permit and nothing more. And in some ways, he''s kind of expected to finish the training if he wants the financial support to continue. Which isn''t really bad on its own but it kind of restricts him in a way as well.

    Still, that''s to be expected isn''t it? It''s the Military after all. They wouldn''t be called that if they''re not strict with discipline.

    The offer still sounds great and sincere for Ashton but he already made a decision.

    "Where do I sign?" He asked after a brief moment of silence.

    "I just need your signature over your printed name on the bottom center of each page of the contract you chosen. Also, I''ll need to have your palm print to seal the deal. Once again, I''ll remind you. Once you''ve signed a contract, there''s no turning back. Do you want to sign one now?"

    "Yes. I''ve already made my decision." Ashton nodded in certainty.

    "Alright. You may begin signing your chosen contract now."

    Ashton picked up the folder that has the contract with the Regal King and started signing it.

    Yes, in the end this choice was inevitable. This was the best one so far and he''d be a fool to not take it.

    With him being a Librarian, he''d have ess to plenty Magical Knowledge. He''d receive a mentor and he''d get a generous amount of monthly allowance so long as he continued performing well. He''d also get a bonus if he performs above the expected which is a nice addition.

    All in all, this is a solid choice. Of course, there are some restrictions to him but they''re not too concerning. He''s not allowed to tell anyone who his sponsor is, which is weird but eptable.

    He''s allowed to say that someone''s sponsoring him, he can say that it''s a Private Client but he''s not allowed to say that it''s the Regal King.

    Whoever this Regal King is, it seems that he values his privacy very much and that is respectable so Ashton had no problems with that.

    And while Ashton didn''t see anything in the contract that will cover his post-graduation matters, it''s fine. At that point, Ashton would presumably be already knowledgeable about the world enough that he would know what to do so he''s not worried.

    Ashton finished signing the papers. After he''s done, he double checked each page to see that it was all signed before handing it to Angelica, who in return asked for his palm print using a unique device.

    He then saw her imprinting his palm print on the back of each paper on the contract, which is weird, but he didn''t say anything about it.

    Next, Angelica ced the folder back to her briefcase, after a few seconds, the briefcase lit up with a green light. After the light was gone, she opened it and to Ashton''s absolute surprise, there were two identical folders.

    ''Wait, that also works as photo-copying machine!? That is so extra and cool!! I love it.''

    "Here''s your copy of the contract. Do keep it safe and secured. There might be a chance that you''ll need it in the future." Angelica handed him his copy. "Also, this."

    A stack of items appeared out of nowhere and arranged themselves on top of the table.

    "These are your Student Credentials, uniforms and guidebooks. Check them all and if there''s anything wrong, inform us right away, is that clear?"

    "Yes." Ashton nodded.

    "Great!" Angelica then stood up, "Well, since my job here is done. It''s time I move on to the next schr. Thank you for your time Mr. West. I hope our Academy can help you achieve your goals in the future."

    She said as she mysteriously disappeared in blink of an eye.

 Chapter 28 A New Chapter

    It''s been a few hours since Angelica left.

    Ashton had been checking the stuff he received to see if they''re all okay. Most of them seemed fine since upon using his Identify Skill on them, the description didn''t say that they were damaged.

    [Mystic Academy Student ID]

    [Campus Badge]

    [Campus Pass]

    [Mystic Academy Student''s Guidebook]

    [Mystic Academy Student Uniform]

    a��� Enchanted to automatically fit the wearer, adjust the temperature to ensurefort, can conduct Mana and could automatically clean and repair itself to an extent.

    Only the uniforms had a description on them and it doesn''t say that they''re damaged so he should be good.

    The ID looks the same as his Citizen''s ID, only with the background being the Mystic Academy''s logo. The Badge is just the crest of the Academy that also has some other functions which are currently locked. And the Pass is just a Green Card with his student details written in them.

    The uniforms were great in his opinion. It was set piece of a high-cored white polo shirt with the crest of the academy embroidered into left pec area, a pair of ck pants and royal blue robe with golden linings with the Academy''s Crest embroidered at its back. The robe alsoes with a hood.

    In addition to this, he also received a utility belt which can shrink items he ced in it. They have limited spaces, a little bit durable but still needs to ne taken care off since if it got destroyed, all the items stored inside will be destroyed as well.

    His Inventory is still way better but he couldn''t tell anyone of its existence so this will have to do for now.

    He tried it on and was satisfied with how he looked, now he just need to shop for shoes and probably a tie and he''s good to go. Since the uniform could automatically fit into his body, he didn''t need to apply for a re-sizing. The uniform feltfortable too and it stretches with his movements which added to the level offort it has.

    He tried casting spells with the uniform on and felt that everything that working properly. Since Mana can flow through this uniform, it didn''t impede his spell casting at all.

    After trying the uniform on, he then began reading the student''s guidebook to learn more about the do''s and don''ts of the Academy.

    It''s basically what he expected. Just don''t do something crazy or insane and anyone would be more or less fine. They are expected the present in their sses, behave and focus on learning.

    The Academy followed the rule of three when ites to punishment. Do it once, you''ll get a warning, do it twice and you''re going to have a talk with the Guidance Counselor. Do it thrice and that be left as a permanent stain on your record.

    After that, there''s another rule of three; Do it once and you''ll be in Detention. Do it twice and you''ll be suspended for a month. Do it thrice and that''s it, you''re out, you''ll be expelled from the Academy and with that kind of record? Good luck finding any school that will be willing to ept you.

    Again, these are all something that Ashton already expected to begin with.

    There isn''t much about the good deeds here since everyone''s expected to do that already. But the guidebook did say that Achievements will be handsomely rewarded by the Academy.

    Aside from that, the guidebook also contained a full map of the Academy - which was outrageouslyrge by the way. From what Ashton can tell, this ce is way biggerpared to Harvard.

    In fact it''s almost as big as that fictional school of magic he read about back in the day...what was that again? Something like...Pigwarts? Or something like that? Ashton can''t remember it anymore.

    Judging by the size of the campus, one would definitely need a vehicle to go to ces. It is just too damn big, hopefully it is not a maze inside or else Ashton''s going to have a hard time navigating it.

    Don''t mistaken, Ashton has a sense of direction. It''s just that, it''s weak that''s all.

    Looking at the map, Ashton''s eyes naturally gravitated towards where the libraries were. He saw a few of them scattered all over the ce but there''s one which is called the Grand Library.

    Ashton doesn''t know if he''s going to be working there but that ce seems to hold the real deal, it would be real nice if he can visit that ce early.

    ording to the guidebook, as a Freshman, there are a few areas restricted to him for now. The list of restricted areas weren''t on the guidebook and it doesn''t look like it''s missing a page so he concluded that someone from the school would inform them about that instead.<sub> </sub>

    At the end of the guidebook, there''s a long list of names. These list are the current personnel of the Mystic Academy and their positions. He also saw the event calendar of the Academy which was nice.

    Once he was done reading the guidebook, he kept it on the bedside drawer along with the rest of his ID and other stuff. He already gave the uniform to Jerry in order to wash, which ispletely unnecessary since it could clean itself but he didn''t like the smell of it and would much prefer it to smell like his fabric conditioner so he had Jerry wash it anyways.

    Once that''s all said and done, Ashton sighed and thought to himself:

    ''This is it.''

    ''I really am going to school that teaches magic.''

    ''It''s feels absurd and unrealistic but here we are. This isn''t a drill anymore. I really am doing this.''

    ''Oh gosh, I''m excited.''

    It truly feels surreal. Only a few months passed since his reincarnation and too much already happened that he could hardly believe it. He became a home owner, yed with magic a little bit and now, he got epted into a school which will actually teach him more about it.

    It''s truly exciting. This world has way too many things too offer unlike his previous one. He likes it more here even though it''s more dangerous. Well, this might change in the future but for now, he''s liking this world a little too much.

    Beep! Beep! Beep!

    Ashton checked his watch and saw that there''s rm.

    "Oh...I forgot to cancel the rm for my afternoon training."

    He didn''t n on the afternoon training for today since his mind is too pre-upied with thoughts about what happened today and he wouldn''t be able to focus.

    Speaking of training, Ashton''s about to reach Apprentice Lv.1

    It is taking sometime but that''s only because he''s only cultivating in the afternoon and not for a long time either.

    While his talent got an upgrade and his body became stronger, he still exercised caution when ites to cultivating. Once the school year starts he will double down on his efforts in cultivation.

    After all, he''d be stuck in Lv.1 since he had to refine his foundation 9 times in total. This will surely take some time and some real grind but it''s fine.

    He''d also probably stop using weights and instead rece itpletely with using the Military Combat Tactics. Practicing that technique will bring more resultspared to a in weight training, plus it would also hone hisbat instincts so it''s just better.

    Once he''s exhausted, he''ll cultivate while resting then he''ll do another round of these before concluding it. The same will be followed on his afternoon training. Then again, once school starts, this schedule will certainly change again so this is just temporary. At least until the school year starts.

    Other than that, he''d continue getting used to casting spells. His goal is to make it so that he can cast them as fluidly as he could. Due to the perks of his Magical Artifact bestowed to him, he''ll be able to cast a higher level spell than his own so he can continue grinding them.

    Of course, higher level spells will have a higher mana cost but Ashton''s already working towards expanding his Mana Reserves - which will also be boosted as he continued cultivating so he should be fine.

    Currently, all of his five spells; Mana Bolt, Mana Shield, Mesmerize, Cleanse, and Force Push are Lv.2

    He can only cast a Lv.2 spell once and that would leave him with just enough Mana to use in other ways. Ashton can of course cast Lv.1 versions of the spell since he''s already experienced with them but in his training, he''s casting the Lv.2 versions to get more used to them.

    Raising them to Lv.3 will cost 60 Mana Crystals and will take at least a month of grinding toplete.

    Ashton could increase the speed of the grind at the cost of more Mana Crystals but for now, he didn''t see any reason to do that since he can''t cast a Lv.3 spell anyways.

    All in all, Ashton is more or less ready to start his student life. He just needs to be patient and it wille.

 Chapter 29 Eccentric King

    Ashton is currentlyying on the couch while ying with a palm sized crystal. It''s royal blue in color which turns darker at the center. Even just by holding it, he can feel the sheer density of mana contained in this crystal.

    This, is a High-Grade Mana Crystal. It''s the first time he received something like this.

    Mana Crystals are graded depending on the density of mana they contain. The Mana Crystals he''d been ying with before are considered as the lowest grade and contained an eptable amount of mana in them, of course there''s also this Mid-Grade ones and the High-Grade Mana Crystals...

    ording to what he knew so far, Mana Crystals can be mined. Usually the mines appear at ced that have a high concentration of mana. It takes years, decades even to form but the wait is worth considering how much they''ll get in return for doing virtually nothing but waiting.

    It is said that the closer the miners are to the core of the mine, the higher the grade of Mana Crystals they can mine. Of course, mines naturally have their dangers so usually the mining team brings in a Cultivator to watch over the process.

    Since this is a strategic resource, there is a tight market surrounding it. He read somewhere that discovering of Mana Crystal Mine could potentially get dangerous given that nobody knows how much influence greed can have on a person.

    Still, that''s not really the important part.

    Ashton had this High-Grade Mana Crystal because the Regal King already sent him the first batch of supplies.

    <o>,m There''s this package that arrived this morning and it contained a vessel that only him can open since it is locked to his palm print.</o>

    When he opened it, an audio recording yed. He can still remember what it said:

    ***

    "If you''re hearing this audio recording, then I''d assume that you are Ashton West. If you are not him, then do ignore this recording as it is not directed to you, the package is yours if you can open it, though I doubt that you would be able to."

    "But if you are Ashton West, then good day to you. I am the Regal King. Just address me as such for now, I am a bit protective of my privacy so I''d apologize for not meeting you in person. There mighte a time when we will meet in person or not, it really depends. For now, that''s not important. Let''s get into the main topic, shall we?"

    "You must have a lot of questions as for why I chose you. I can understand if your doubtful about my intentions because I am refusing to show you my face as a way of showing some sincerity. I don''t have anything to say if that''s the case, just know that I am doing this for my own sake."

    "I don''t mind if you don''t like me. Frankly, I couldn''t care less. I offered you support not because I find you interesting or talented. I merely did out of sheer curiosity."

    "I am interested to see how far you can go despite your instances."

    "I''ll teach you everything I know. Once you start attending sses, I''ll be watching your progress closely. No, I am not monitoring your activities 24/7, that''s just creepy. And I sure as hell am not bored or sick enough to do something like that."

    "Just know that if it has something to do with your cultivation matters, I''ll know about it and I will constantly give you advice on how to progress. However, I won''t be holding your hand. I''ll give you hints, the rest is up to you to discover."

    "Frankly, my expectations out of you isn''t high. In fact, me giving you the position of a Librarian is something out of necessity not out of consideration, the Academy needs more librarians so I rmended you should you sign my offer."

    "You can quit if you want, especially if you feel like the work is hindering your progress. I don''t particrly mind. I am just here to observe."

    "With knowledge and resources given to you, it should be impossible for you to not make any progress. Don''t feel pressured, just do it at your own pace. Don''t worry about my expectations because I have none, though I wonder if you can say the same about yourself. Do you have any expectations to yourself?"

    "If so, then answer to that. Not to anyone else. Yes, this includes the Professors of the Academy as well. If they start bothering you, just tell them that I won''t be happy to hear them yapping, that should shut them up."

    "Mn...I like the sound of that. You have my permission to do so. Don''t be afraid."

    "Be warned though. This offer will onlyst so long as you keep my attention upied. If you turn nd and boring, then nothing personal kid, I''d pull out."

    "While I do have a lot of money to spend, I don''t particrly like wasting it on things I''m not interested in."

    "But if you do get very interesting, well..."

    "Just know that I tend to get invested real quick. The more interesting you be, the more things you''ll receive from me. But that''s up to you though."

    "Before I end this recording, let me give you a fair warning..."

    "While I understand that you will inevitably get curious about who I really am, do not, and I mean ''DO NOT'' try to investigate my identity."

    "I''ve said this once and I''ll say this again. I am very protective of my privacy. Don''t test me, kid. You''re not worthy of that just yet. It''ll only end-up with you being miserable. You wouldn''t want would you?"<sub> </sub>

    "Alright, I''ve babbled enough."

    "That package contains the amount ording to the agreement. Technically, you shouldn''t receive that much but, meh...I already packed it and I''m toozy to be bothered so have it anyway. Consider it as signing bonus."

    "I''ll send you the resources every 1st of each month so expect them toe. If you didn''t receive it within the 1st, tell me. My contact information is included in the package, don''t spread it around."

    "Well then, Ashton West. Today marks the start of something. How it will end-up will solely depend on you. I hope you be interesting, young man."

    ***

    The Regal King was entric, alright.

    Ashton was bbergasted by how haughty he sounded. Also, the voice he heard on the recording was edited. It sounded like those cursed, and hauntingly deep voice that aremonly used to mimic the sound of demons back in earth. It was really unsettling.

    But yeah, there''s that.

    Ashton had to admit that he feels a little bit insulted by how the Regal King treated him. But then again, he isn''t really some hot shot anyways so, eh...

    This world is weird, he shouldn''t be surprised that there would entrics around.

    Despite that though, Ashton knows that the Regal King wouldn''t go back on his word. He''s betting on the king''s arrogance.

    ''He said that if it has something to do about my cultivation, he''d know.''

    ''Does this mean that he knows I''ve already learned 5 spells? That I can use them at Lv.2?''

    ''Probably...''

    ''Would he know about my Aptitude then? He shouldn''t right? After all, I''m being hidden away by the System. Even if the Regal King is strong, he shouldn''t be that strong to see through this...''

    ''No, I can''t think of it that way. I''m putting the System on a pedestal.''

    ''The System is indeed unfathomable but is it omniscient or omnipotent? It shouldn''t be right? It''s unhealthy to rely on it too much. It would assist me greatly for sure but it wouldn''t dictate my path.''

    ''Same goes for the Regal King, and to everyone else probably...''

    ''I should be the one to decide what I want to be.''

    ''If, in the process of this, the Regal King got bored of me, then I can only apologize. The support is real nice but in theory, with or without the sponsorship, I''d be fine.''

    ''I should take the Regal King''s word with a grain of salt.''

    ''He said that he''s protective of his privacy and I believe that. The haughtiness could just be a facade he''s using to add ayer of protection to his identity. I can respect that.''

    ''Anyways, rich people really do live differently huh?''

    ''I can''t believe he sent me the full amount just because he couldn''t he bothered to re-do it. How generous.''

    ''Well, that could also be just an act. But still, I benefitted from this. With this much money, this shouldst me for a year. And I''d be receiving the same amount every month? That''s just...''

    ''Nope...I shouldn''t think of that either. Cultivation will get expensive. I still don''t know how much school expenses would be. I shouldn''t jinx myself.''

    ''...but I may have already done that. Ugh, oh well, whatever.''

    ''Either way, this would really help out a lot. I have the Regal King to thank for that. I''d try to impress him but not too hard. I wouldn''t want my life to be troublesome after all.''

 Chapter 30 Back To School

    June 01 9022nded on a Sunday.

    Ashton received an e-mail yesterday reminding him to attend the weing ceremony for new students. They even said that they will send someone to pick him up which was weird.

    Still, since the e-mail was an official one, he must attend. Plus, he wouldn''t miss the chance to finally see what the Mystic Academy looks like and how to get there exactly.

    Currently, the clock''s about to hit 10am, Ashton''s already wearing his school uniform with his stuff ced on utility belt on his waist. It''s weird to not carry a bag going to school but it''s more convenient this way.

    He had spent thest ten minutes telling Jerry what to do while he''s gone. And after giving him some instructions, he heard his doorbell ringing.

    Ashton went to the door and opened it to see a man wearing a suit. The man greeted him with a small nod and said:

    "Hi, my name is John. I assume you''re Mr. West?"

    "Ah, yes. How can I help you John?"

    "I''m sent by the Mystic Academy to be your chauffeur for today. I''ll take you there. Are you ready to leave?"

    "Oh! Ah, give me one second to double-check my things." Ashton left the man at the door for a brief moment to check his stuff once more, making sure he has everything he''ll need.

    After confirming that he indeed have everything, he bid Jerry goodbye and left for the door.

    "I''m ready." He said to John.

    "Great!" John then took a step backwards and waved his hand.

    A rectangr light appeared out of nowhere and slowly moved forward, leaving a frame of a vehicle at its wake. Ashton was astounded seeing this.

    After a few seconds, a motorcycle appeared. The type that looked badass. John went to it made the engine purr which jolted Ashton awaken.

    "Hop on in!" He said, "Don''t worry, I''m a good driver. You won''t be in danger."

    Ashton gulped and thought; ''Why am I scared?''

    Still, he approached the motorcycle and hopped on its back. John then reared the engine and they took off which surprised Ashton greatly.

    "Wait, were not wearing helmets!" He reminded.

    "Oh, there''s no need for that! This baby right here is built with a safety module. If we have an ident, the mod will activate and protect us. Just hang on tight, we''re going to go fast!"

    "Oh, dear..."

    It turns out that Ashton''s instincts were correct. There is a reason for him to be scared.

    When John said that he was a good driver, he didn''t specify his words. He is indeed a good driver.

    A very good race car driver that is.

    John didn''t have to tell Ashton that since it''s too obvious by the way he drove this thing. He zipped through thenes while mes trailing the tires due to how fast he was driving.

    Weirdly enough, nobody seems to be disgruntled about his reckless driving, well Ashton is but aside from him, nobody was. He had passed through several traffic enforcers already but none of them stopped him on his tracks.

    ''How is this okay?'' Ashton screamed internally as he held on for dear life.

    This dude is going like...500mph on a densely popted city, cutting throughnes and squeezing through other vehicles like they were nothing but still objects and nobody''s telling him off. What is going on?

    Thankfully though, the ride didn''tst long. Ashton''s home is close to the academy in truth, there''s no need for a chauffer - if you can even call John that.

    Ashton''s mind was still rattled by the time they parked the vehicle. He didn''t see much of the road, much less memorize how to get here with how fast they were going and how afraid he was.

    "We''re here." John dismissively said.

    Ashton took that as a sign to hop off of the vehicle. He felt a little bit dizzy but he could endure it. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. He looked at John to see that his motorcycle already disappeared. He stood there as if nothing happened just now.

    Ashton took a moment to recover, he checked himself in a mirror just in case he looked wretched because of that ride, thankfully he wasn''t. Just a bit pale but fine for the most part.

    This is when Ashton finally surveyed his surroundings. He found himself in front of a massive gate, around 40 to 50 meters tall. The gate is connected to tall fences surrounding a huge patch ofnd just ahead of them.

    He saw other students around him. Some of them were the same as him, looking around, while the others are already going through the gate.<sub> </sub>

    It was then that John spoke from behind:

    "Just enter the gates. The weing ceremony will start around 10:30am, you should be there."

    "I understand. Thanks for taking me here." Ashton nodded. He then walked away, leaving John behind.

    Ashton felt strange upon entering the gates. He felt like several gazesnded onto him the moment he did so but he didn''t see any so he just tossed it back to his mind.

    A wide span of mowed grass in greeted him the moment he entered. There were a few patches bushes with flowers growing in them scattered here and there.

    There''s a za in the middle that also has a fountain as its center-piece. Around him, he saw several wooden benches with students sitting on them. He can also see tall trees here and there which provided a decent amount of shade within the area, he even saw some students sitting or sleeping under them.

    He saw also signs which told him where to go. It all leads to the north so he followed it for now.

    Interestingly enough, he also saw several stalls here and there. He even went close to one and found out that this one was selling snack. They remind him of the school-side street vendors back on Earth.

    ''I guess some things doesn''t change huh...''

    Ashton had no interest on buying any food for now since he just ate before leaving for school.

    Eventually, his foot lead him to where most of the students were around.

    There a zone in there where several tables were arranged. He can see students forming lines in front of these tables. He also saw some students holding some sort of a stub which he didn''t have and made him curious.

    Before he could ask anybody, he saw something at the corner of his eye. There''s a sign-in there that he seemed to have missed for some reason. It says:

    ''Attention to all Freshmen:''

    ''Form a line and approach your Seniors, they''ll be sitting on the tables right up front.''

    ''Show them your student credentials to get instructions on how to enter the academy proper and some meal tickets. They will also tell you where to go from there.''

    ''May the blessings of Mana be with you.''

    There''s even an emoji at the bottom of the sign, which is weirdly adorable. Still, it''s a good thing he saw this early.

    ''...but there''s like five lines in here.'' He muttered to himself, ''I guess it shouldn''t matter where I go right?''

    Since this area was reserved for freshmen, he didn''t need to worry to much. He spotted the shortest line and decided to follow that.

    He didn''t need to wait too long for his turn either since the progress was fast, when it''s his turn, he''s already holding his student credentials.

    "Good Morning! Your name please?" The kind looking girl in sses asked.

    "Ashton West." He replied.

    The girl then searched for him name in the database with her smartwatch. After confirming that he''s indeed there, she asked for his student credentials which Ashton handed to her.

    After inspecting it for them brief moment and confirming that it was the real deal. The girl smiled at him and said:

    "Thanks foring to the weing ceremony. Here you go, some meal tickets, just a small reward for your attendance."

    Ashton received the stubs he had been seeing on the other students. Then the girl continued saying:

    "Now, see that hall over there?" Ashton followed where she was pointing and nodded his head, "Great, just enter that hall and you''ll see some guards wearing armors in there and a huge magical circles."

    "Just approach the guards and show them your ID, Badge and Pass. They will activate the magical circle for you that will take you to the Academy proper."

    "Fair warning though, you might feel dizzy on your first teleportation. It''s a normal thing and you''d get used to it in time. Just try to rx and don''t panic when the transfer begins, that should minimize the dizziness."

    "Once in there, just walk forward until you enter the giant castle. There will be people there who will tell you where to go next."

    "I see. Thank you." Ashton gave her a brief nod before leaving the line.

    Ashton released a sigh and looked at the hall, trying to calm down his anticipation, he walked towards it to see what the Mystic Academy truly looks like.

 Chapter 31 The Mystic Academy

    The great hall Ashton entered had a Greek theme.

    There''s white columns and golden linings everywhere. He could also see a lot of murals and statues, all had an ancient feel to it which give off an awe-inspiring atmosphere.

    Ashton took his time, he looked around and stared at the murals and statues around. Interestingly enough, this statues are filled with a huge amount of mana that he felt small within their presence.

    In addition to this, the murals and paintings here don''t have faces but it''s easy to identify their general identity. Those who wear majestic armors should ne Knights and those who are wearing robes with the hood on should be mages.

    The statues are arranged in a way where some of them are facing the exit while the others formed a semi-circle. Beneath theter are the magical circles where students should go to enter the Academy proper.

    Ashton thought that there''d be only one magical circle but it turns out that there are multiple. Thinking about it, this makes sense due to how many students needed to be transferred constantly.

    After taking a look around, Ashton saw everything that caught his interest for now. He figured that it''s about time for him to go and see the academy.

    He followed the line of students who were waiting to be transferred. Based from hos observation so far, around 20 students could be transferred at once.

    The line progressed quite fast so he didn''t need to wait that long until it''s his turn. The guards in there checked their credentials first, after confirming it. They were allowed to move-on. Before stepping to the transfer circle, he recalled the advice given to him by the senior earlier.

    He did his best to calm down and rx. He didn''t want to vomit on his first transfer and make an embarrassment out of himself.

    As soon as he''s done calming himself down. The transfer circle lit up and Ashton, along with the other students with him, disappeared from the hall.

    While transfer went on, Ashton felt his world spinning so fast like he was travelling at mach speeds. He could vaguely see and here the students around him panicking and screaming in fear as well.

    As for him, he forced himself to not resist nor move since that''s just going to make things worse. And surprisingly, it wasn''t too bad all things considered.

    The transfer was over the moment they realized it. With a snap, Ashtone to realize that he''s already standing in the middle of another grass in.

    The very first thing he noticed wasn''t that though...

    Instead, the one that got his attention the moment his focus returned was the sprawling castle right in front of him.

    It was huge, grand, majestic and archaic. It was everything that he imagined what the Academy would be like.

    It''s as though he travelled back in time where Earth is still young and people are just starting to discover the other parts of the world. Where the mostmon type of weaponry were cold steel.

    It was like he''s living in a world where Arthur Pendragon and his Knights of the Round Table was real.

    What a surreal feeling...

    Unfortunately, his moment was ruined by the other students vomiting their guts out shamelessly around him. Ashton frowned in disgust and put on his face mask as he walked away from there.

    The castle literally filled his vision. It give off an impression if being so tall and huge that it was blotting out the skies itself.

    Ashton also discovered that the density of Mana here is immense. He could feel it''s weight even as he walked around. With how much mana that''s in here, even the simple act of breathing is considered as cultivating already.

    As he looked around him, he saw students like him going towards the castle in droves. From a nce, it is so easy to spot who the freshmen were since most of them were admiring the look of the castle while the other students didn''t even pay attention to it.

    When he''s close to the entrance of the castle, he saw several armed guards wearing full armor standing there. Ashton was impressed, those armors looked heavy. And with how long they have to spend standing there, he can already feel how tiring their jobs were.

    The guards didn''t impede the students, they just stood there like statues, looking at a distance with a strict look on their face.

    Ashton wanted to ask them questions but they looked intimidating so he didn''t bother.

    Additionally, someone already approached him anyway...

    "Hi! You look new! Are you a freshman?"

    Ashton didn''t even see where this girl came from, she just appeared in front of him without any warnings. He thought that she should''ve used a spell for that but at the same time, he didn''t see any glow that indicates that so he could only toss it at the back of his head.

    "Ah, yes." He nodded in reply.

    "I see. My name is Lyca, I''m the Secretary of the Student Council. Do you know where to go from here?" She asked after introducing herself.

    "No. I was actually about to ask someone but then you appeared. I''m Ash by the way." He replied.<sub> </sub>

    "Well, it''s a good thing I approached you then." Lyca smiled in a friendly manner, she then turned around and pointed at a location. "Go there and you''d see a tunnel which will lead you to the courtyard where the Weing Ceremony will ur."

    "You shouldn''t get lost so long as you follow the small statues of a child holding the crest of the academy. Once you''re in the courtyard, you''ll see a lot of seats in there. Just sit anywhere you like and wait until the ceremony begins."

    "Ah, I see. Thank you."

    "You''re wee. I''ll see you around."

    As soon as she said that, she disappeared into a wisp of smoke which somehow confirmed that she indeed used a spell to approach him just then.

    Ashton shook his head and proceeded to follow the direction she pointed to him.

    ''Secretary of the Student Council huh...'' Ashton mused to himself as he walked towards his destination. ''So the educational system of this world, or this academy at least, closely resembles that of Earth. If that''s the case, then it shouldn''t be hard for me to adjust.''

    ''Then again...it''s been years since I attended school. I almost forgot what it''s like. I guess this would be both nostalgic and a fresh experience for me.''

    As he thought of this, Ashton continued navigating his way to the courtyard. What Lyca told him was correct, he wouldn''t miss it. As soon as he made a turn for the tunnel, he could already see the statues she was talking about - which all have dense mana in them as well, strangely enough.

    He followed the row of statues until he arrived at the courtyard.

    The courtyard was in fact arge open-air auditorium or gymnasium. The seats are arranged in the simr pattern as well. There''s a podium at the very front where he guessed the school administrators will appearter.

    Ashton found himself a seat at the middle. He sat close to the isle to make it easy for him to leave as well.

    He checked his watch and saw that the ceremony is still 10 minutes away from starting. With some time to spare, he decided to kill time by browsing online using his smartwatch.

    Yes, there''s inte here. Don''t ask.

    "Idiot! Like I''m telling you, it''s better to improve the strength of your arms! You''ll be able to do stronger shes that way!"

    "No! I don''t think so! I still believe that I have to work on my legs so that I won''t identally trip or fall during battle."

    "But if you can stab your enemy before you tripped wouldn''t that be better? Therefore arms all the way!"

    "Ugh, you''re impossible! You just don''t understand do you! Mary, can you knock some sense into this guy?"

    "Oh, please. Spare me. I''m a mage for crying out loud. Don''t include me in your muscle-headed nonsense."

    "Fine! Let''s go ask someone else then!"

    "...hey, brother."

    Ashton hesitantly raised his head and met two pairs of eyes bursting with fiery passion and immediately felt weirded out.

    "You two!"

    Bonk! Bonk!

    "Ow!!"

    The girl who''s sitting in the middle of the two owners of that gaze, raised her hand to smack their heads.

    "Can''t you ask without giving him those creepy looks!? ss hasn''t even started yet you two are already being weird."

    "Do we?" The ''arm'' guy, asked in a mildly terrified manner. He then looked at Ashton and said: "Sorry about that, Bro. We didn''t mean to weird you out."

    The ''leg'' girl also uttered a faint sorry as well.

    Ashton smiled wryly and replied: "It''s fine. Just turn down the energy next time. It''s a bit scary to be honest. But uh...how can I help you?"

    "Ah right!" The ''arm'' guy instantly recovered and asked him: "What do you think is better to improve? Arms or Legs?"

    "Uh...sorry dude, I don''t know. I''m a mage you see.."

 Chapter 32 Specialization

    "Ah, darn! Asked the wrong person!" The ''arm'' guy took a nce at his robes and said: "I should''ve known, you''re wearing robes after all."

    The uniforms of Mystic Academy varied depending whether the student is a Mage or a Knight but not that much. Mages will have a robe and knights will have a royal blue cape with golden epaulettes. It''s impractical but looks cool so who wouldn''t want to wear it?

    "I swear if you try to ask another person I will smack you again." The girl who''s sitting in the middle of the ''arm'' guy and the ''leg'' girl threatened. She looked at Ashton and said: "Sorry about them, they can be a little bit rude. I hope you don''t mind."

    "It''s fine." Ashton waved his hand. He then looked at the ''arm'' guy and said: "As for what''s better well...isn''t that why were here? To figure out how to be stronger? Why don''t you two wait until the start of the ss then you can ask a professor about it. I''m sure they''d be able to tell you which is which."

    The arm guy looked shocked and said: "Oh, yeah. You''re right. Dude! You''re like...smart or something! That''s awesome!"

    "Nah, you''re just an idiot." The girl in the middle interjected again. "And rude too. You didn''t even introduced yourself yet. I''m Mary by the way. This idiot guy is ke and this timid one is Alice."

    "Hey! You stole my chance to introduce myself! You can''t tell me I''m rude. Plus, I was nning on doing it anyway!"

    "Nah, you''re fine. Your name is ke and you''re an idiot, there''s not much to say. I did for you and for free so you''re wee."

    "Grr..."

    As the two bickered with each other, Ashton looked at the girl named Alice and nodded at her.

    Alice shyly nodded back and fiddled with her fingers, it seems that she''s not used to talking to strangers since she obviously looked ufortable.

    Ashton guessed that these must be childhood friends or at the very least neighbors. They seem to bicker a lot and it looked natural on them so they must be very close.

    ''A loud idiot, the haughty one and the timid one. What an odd set of friends.'' Ashton mused inwardly.

    They seemed to havepletely forgotten about him already which is fine. Ashton went back to browsing online using his watch.

    A couple of minutes passed like this until the clock hits 10:30am.

    Strangely enough, the courtyard suddenly turned silent. A tense air filled the surroundings and anticipation started rising up from the students'' hearts.

    At very front where the podium is, a sh of light made itself visible. An orb of golden glow appeared before the students and from it, several figures emerged.

    Ashton felt the wild fluctuations of mana on his surroundings. It''s times like this where his sensitivity towards mana backfires since this was making him feel ufortable.

    Thankfully, it didn''tst long. When thest figure stepped out, the fluctuations of mana ceased and a row of adults presented themselves before the students.

    One of the, stepped forward and cleared his throat...

    "Wee to Mystic Academy, Freshmen. Thank you for attending the Weing Ceremony we prepared for you. My name is Yohan Muller, I am the Events Administrator of the Academy and will be the spokesperson for today."

    Ashton didn''t see Yohan wearing a mic or something to amplify his voice but strangely enough, he sounded clear to him and he didn''t look like he was screaming either. It must be the work of some spell.

    Yohan then proceeded to give his weing remarks for the new students and started introducing the important personnel of the Academy.

    The Head of the Teaching Department is Alicia Selner. Oh her right is the head of the Knight''s Department - Ludwig Sawyer and on the left is the Head of the Mage''s Department - Julius Chrome.

    There''s also the Head of the Disciplinary Committee - Charles Randall and Academy Guardian - Jeeves; the Giant Stone Gargoyle. Fun fact: the statues he had been seeing all this time are Jeeves'' children and all are connected to him in a tight web that allowed the gargoyle to see what''s happening all over the Academy.

    Them there''s the Headmaster of the Academy - Siegfried Armond III. He''s a tall man with a long golden hair and eyes. He looked kind and schrly but Ashton knew that this guy was someone nobody should mess with. He can''t see through him but that''s natural given the disparity between them.

    He already knew about this people thanks to the guidebook. Their faces are in there as well but it''s different when seeing them in person.

    Yohan continued his speech about the Academy and told them about its brief history, all of which were boring and mostly ignored by students. Ashton thought so as well but he at least spared some attention to it since it could prove useful in the future.

    ording to Yohan, the ce where the Mystic Academy is right now was once a hostile dimension filled with invaders. This used to be a dreaded ce, one that ended many lives of humans but as Heroes rose, humans managed to get this ce under their control, wresting it away from the invaders for their own benefit.<sub> </sub>

    All of the threats that once walked this dimension are long gone. None wille back and that is assured by the fact that the Academy stood tall in this ce for almost 3000 years without facing any kind of threat.

    Yohan ended the boring lecture then since he seems to have noticed that majority of the students are ready to fall asleep.

    "...as part of the Weing Ceremony, we prepared an event that will help our students determine the most suitable path for them to follow."

    This part caught Ashton''s attention. Not only him, the bored students are now paying attention again.

    "With the rich history of Humanity''s Cultivation. It is safe to say that we havee far. The knowledge we possessed had been refined and tested by time. We''vee up with plenty of methods to improve and ensure that we can be strong enough to reach the apex."

    "The said methods include what we now call ''Specializations''."

    Ashton''s eyes widened upon hearing that. He focused and made sure to listen to whatever Yohan was about to say next since he had been waiting to figure this one out.

    "Not everyone follows the same path. In fact, when ites to cultivation, one''s own understanding will differ from another. What works for you, works for you. It is neither wrong nor right, it all just boils down to preference."

    "Still, there are certain aspects of physiologies we are born with that makes us resonate with a certain ''way'' or ''path''. To put in a simpler terms; not all Knights arefortable using a sword and shield, some preferred Spears, or other types of cold weapons."

    "Some mages find it difficult to cast the Fireball Spell but finds casting Water Orb Spell or the Icicle Arrow Spell much easier to do."

    "This is all due our ''Specialization'' trait. Finding the path that resonates with you will make it easier for you to perform certain spells or skills."

    "In the end however, where you end up will ultimately be decided by you. Specialization will only help you figure out what path is most suited for you to follow. It''s a rmendation at best. Whether you decide to follow it or not, that will be up to you."

    ''Ahh...so it''s the ss/Job System in RPG''s. I should''ve known.'' Ashton mused inwardly.

    Yes, it is exactly as he said. Although there''s a specific way on how this system works for this world, in the end it basically follows the same idea which made it easier for him to understand thanks to his familiarity with it.

    [Specialization knowledge received. A Quest had been issued to the Host.]

    ''Hmm?'' Ashton was surprised. He divided some of his attention to the system to check was his new quest was all about.

    [Quest: Determine your Specialization Path!]

    ? Host has received knowledge about what Specialization is. Now is the time to discover which path suits you the most and whether you''ll decide to follow it or not.

    ? Rewards: ???

    ? Time Limit: Until the end of the current week.

    ? Punishment for failure: Specialization Function permanently locked.

    ''Uh...''

    Before Ashton could even think about the implications of the Quest, his attention was once again caught by Yohan.

    "Since all of you attended today''s Weing Ceremony, the Academy decided to reward you with the one time assistance of discovering what your Specialization is, free of charge."

    Ashton was gobsmacked...

    "But before we proceed to that event, let me just remind you all again that this is just the initial stage of your Specialization. This might change in the future depending on your actions so it''s almost certain that you will have to go through this process again."

    "Don''t think that today''s result will be a permanent one, alright? Just work hard and you''ll carve your own path just like the Heroes before all of you did."

    ''Okay, I guess I''ll discover what my specialization is before this day ends.'' Ashton mused inwardly.

 Chapter 33 Class Types

    The crowd of students were lead towards another area in the Academy.

    Their next destination wasn''t far from the courtyard, in fact it''s just right next to it which was very convenient.

    From the outside, it looked like some sort of a fortress, its like a ce where you can expect guards to be around spending their break time or something.

    Much to Ashton''s surprise however, the interior waspletely modernized, in fact this looks even modern than his own house. The huge iron doors werepletely automated, it even had security module installed in it since he can hear that familiar mechanical voice when the instructors entered along with the students.

    This ce was big enough to fit them and still has some room. Everyone got seated and Yohan spoke to them once more:

    "Alright students, we will begin the Specialization Assessment shortly. This process might take some time since there''s a lot of you here but know that this is thest event for today. Once you''re done, you guys can go home. We''ll be seeing each other tomorrow when the sses officially begins."

    Ashton nodded to that and Yohan began gathering students to go on the assessment. It looked like he''s gathering around 50 students at a time, which is a lot but considering how many students are here, it will take some time before they could go through everyone. Not to mention, he still doesn''t know how long the assessment will ur so yes, this might really take some time.

    Since he had no idea how long this will take, he decided to distract himself in the mean time. Had he known that they will pick students from the front to the back, he would''ve came closer this time around. s, he had no way of knowing that and he''s in the middle-end of the bunch so it will take some before his turnes.

    Ashton simmered on his own thoughts...

    ''Specialization, aka ss/Job...change? No, wrong. Can''t call it ss Change when I don''t have a ss to begin with. Is a Citizen considered as a ss? Well it''s definitely not a job either but taxes- brain! Come on! You know what that''s not the point here.''

    ''Anyway...ss/Job Identification...hmm, that works I guess. Right, that. Uh, I wonder what I''ll have.''

    ''Well, what sses are in there to begin with? That I don''t know. This is the first time I''m hearing something about this so yeah, that''s natural.''

    ''But, I guess I can make some guesses...''

    ''I mean...yeah, I guess being a Mage or a Knight can be considered as a ss. But this Specialization thingy should be referring to the finer details of that.''

    ''For example, Knights that specializes in swords. Those can be called Sword Knights. Other iterations could Spear Knights, Guardian Knight - which could be the ''Tank'', Magic Knight - the dual cultivators and so on.''

    ''As for Mages...uh...''

    ''Huh, weird. I can''t think of any right now. I mean, I should know something and I''m just not remembering it. Hold on...''

    ''...are Alchemists considered as one? There''s this one game I remember where that''s a ss but I guess that''s pushing it. Uh...''

    As Ashton thought about it deeply, he felt someone tapping his shoulders. He looked to his left and saw Mary tilting her head. She then spoke him:

    "Sorry, you look like you''re plotting something evil. Are you nning on conquering the world?"

    Ashton chuckled and said: "Yeah, but shh. Keep it between the two of us. Once I seed, I''ll give you money."

    Both of them had augh with that then Mary proceeded to ask: "What were thinking so hard about anyway?"

    "Uh, nothing much." Ashton scratched his cheeks slightly, "Just wondering what kind of ss-I mean, Specialization I''ll get and what are the types there is."

    "Ahh!" Mary had an enlightened expression, she then sighed and said: "And here I thought you were thinking about somethingpletely puzzling."

    She pursed her lips and called Alice who was arguing with ke once more.

    "Hey, Alice! Come here."

    Ashton raised a brow at that.

    Alice saw them and walked towards them, of course ke followed as well.

    "Oh, hey. It''s you again, smart guy." He greeted as they came.

    "Right. I haven''t introduced myself yet. I''m Ashton. Nice to meet you all." He gave them a curt nod.

    They shared short pleasantries and then Alice proceeded to ask Mary why she called her.

    "It''s like this; this guy doesn''t know what Specialization Types there is. I was wondering if you can tell him. I mean, we''re already students of the Academy after all."

    "Oh, is that so? Yeah, sure I can do that." Alice nodded, she then faced Ashton and said:

    "Uh, so it''s like this. Typically, I shouldn''t be telling you this since we''d be informed about it anyway but since we''re already students of the Academy, that ban is lifted."<sub> </sub>

    "Ban?" Ashton raised a brow again.

    "Uh, the filters I mean." Alice rified, "You look smart so I guess you should''ve noticed. The Federation doesn''t allow knowledge about cultivation to be publicized without permission since it can be dangerous in the wrong hands. That''s the ban I was referring about."

    "Oh! So that''s actually a Law. Now it makes sense." Ashton looked enlightened.

    "Uh huh." Alice nodded as well, "But since we''d be learning about it here anyway the ban should no longer apply to us. But just to be safe, it''s still better to be careful especially if the information is too great or sensitive. Thankfully, the information about Specialization isn''t like that so we''re good."

    "I see."

    "So, uhm...there''s actually tons of Specialization Types. But on each profession, there''s three basic ones that majority of us starts with."

    "For us Knights, we have; Sword Bearers, Shield Bearers, and Bow Bearers."

    "For you Mages, there are: Red Mages, White Mages and ck Mages."

    "These are the most basic ones at least but there are tons of them out there. There are even rarer types which offers apletely different kind of fighting style."

    "Each person can have an affinity for one type or multiple ones. You can only pick one of course and you''re set with that so choose carefully. You can also pick none for now if you don''t like your choices."

    "Also, just like what Mr. Muller said before, this can change in the future. It all depends on your future development. You can also consult Professors if there''s a specific Specialization Type you''re aiming for, they can help you with that."

    "Uh...yeah, that''s about all that I can say for now at least." Alice concluded.

    "I see." Ashton nodded, "Thank you for that. I''m surprised you know a lot about this."

    "Oh, uh..." Alice chuckled shyly and said: "My parents are licensed Cultivators, that''s how. They have a lot of books around and they made me read those that I could."

    "Ah, I see. That''s convenient." Ashton nodded, he somehow wished that he had something like that too but oh well, he still prefers his life now.

    "So? Now that you know, what do you think you''ll get?" Mary asked curiously.

    Ashton smiled wryly and said: "No idea. I don''t even know what those types do to begin with. I can understand Knights but for Mages, I''m clueless. And I''m a mage too."

    That''s a fat lie. Ashton does have an idea of what those sses could do.

    When he heard about them from Alice, he instinctively want to smack his face for not even considering those options.

    Of course they''ll base it off of colors, why wouldn''t they?

    Moreover, those sses are familiar to him too since he had yed games in Earth where those sses are the base types.

    Red Mages are those who deals damage. White Mages are healers and Grey Mages uses hexes or curses to make it easier to defeat enemies. It is so simple but they are effective, also they really fit the Specialization description. Then again, that knowledge is from Earth. It could work differently here, who knows?

    "You look like you''d be a Red Mage or a ck Mage." Marymented.

    "Do I?" Ashton raised a brow. "But what does a Red Mage or a ck Mage do?"

    "...we''ll keep that a secret for now. Just to stay safe, I hope you can understand."

    "Of course!" He nodded, "I get it. I already know enough for now at least. But how about you, what do you think you''ll get?"

    "I''d be happy if I could be a Red Mage. Of course I''d be happier if I can receive a rare Type but that''s very unlikely."

    "I see." He then looked at Alice and asked: "And you?"

    "Sword Bearer I hope." She replied, "But if I can''t have it, then anything is fine."

    "And you?" Ashton looked at ke.

    "If I don''t get Shield Bearer than forget about it." He scratched his nose. "I love shields way too much, I can''t help it."

    Ashton nodded, Mary jeered at ke for his statement which was then followed by Alice and just like that, they''re at it again. Ashton silently withdrew from their argument and started thinking to himself...

    ''I wonder what specialization I''d get.''

 Chapter 34 Assessment

    The wait for his turn continued, there''s still a few students to go before ites to him so Ashton have some time to think.

    What Alice told him earlier was helpful. At least now, he could anticipate which one he would possibly be. But then again, there''s also a chance that he might get a rare ss which wouldn''t be too bad.

    Well, there''s also a fact that he might just be stuck with an undesirable one. Or maybe none at all, who knows? Alice didn''t mention the possibility of not having a specialty but who can say that it''s impossible to ur?

    ''I wonder if my curse has an effect on this...''

    This is really the most concerning part in this. Since he doesn''t know much about Curses, he will constantly worry that it might have an effect at everything that he does.

    He could ask Alice about it but he still remember Agent Theta''s warning to not tell anyone unless he''spletely sure.

    "Hey, you look like you''re plotting something again."

    Ashton looked up and already recognized that it''s Mary who talked to him. For some reason, Alice and ke are arguing again and now Mary''s attention was on him again.

    ? "Don''t mind me, that''s just how I am in general." He replied.

    "Is that so?" She raised a brow, "Oh well, don''t worry about it too much. Like Alice said the initial assessment hardly means anything since it''ll change soon anyways. Just take it with a grain of salt. If you don''t like what you got, you can walk away from it, do something else ande backter, maybe you''ll have other options."

    "I get that." Ashton nodded, "I just can''t help it, you know. Kinda new to the whole thing."

    Mary looked at him intently and said: "I see. Well, take your time. We''re here to learn anyway."

    "Are your parents licensed cultivators too? You seem to know as much as she does." Ashton asked, referring to Alice in thetter part of his sentence.

    "Kind of?" Mary replied while tilting her head. "Their job forces them to work with cultivators so it''s inevitable for them to not know anything. They don''t know everything of course, they know enough and that''s it."

    "What do they do for a living anyway?...if you don''t mind me asking that is."

    "I don''t mind." Mary chuckled and waved her hand, "They''re Psychologists...Therapists in other words. Most of their clients are Cultivators, if not, people who worked closely with Cultivators, that''s why they know some and they told me."

    "Ah. That sounds incredible." Ashton nodded, "Their job must be hard. After all, Cultivators aren''t really the same as regr people."

    "Right?" Mary readily agreed, "We can''t use the regr standards for them because of that. Their ''tendencies'' that might appear as borderline Psychopathic to us are just them behaving as expected, it''s weird but I kinda get it."

    "Plus, the pay is incredulously high from what I observed so far, so I can''t really me them for continuing that line of work."

    "I can see that." Ashton replied, "I mean, I can imagine that being the case. After all, a mentally ill Cultivator can be potentially dangerous."

    Ashton never really expected to have a decent and intellectual chat with someone from his age. Well, he''s an adult on a kid''s body but still...

    Well, the fact that Mary grew up surrounded by professional doctors might also contribute to that of course.

    Amidst their conversation, he couldn''t help but be distracted by the other two arguing so fiercely at the back. He turned to Mary and asked:

    "Are they always like that?"

    "Uh huh." Mary nodded, not even needing to look to know who he''s referring to. "That''s them on their natural habitat. It''d be weird if a day passed that they didn''t argue."

    "Honestly?" Ashton raised a brow. "Sounds exhausting..."

    "I know right, ugh." Mary rolled her eyes, she sighed and continued: "But well, them arguing means that they''re alright. If they don''t do that, it means that they''re either mad or each other, asleep or distracted bymon enemy."

    "By mon enemy'' are you perhaps referring to yourself?" Ashton raised a brow.

    Mary gasped and covered her mouth; "How the hell did you know?"

    Both of them had a goodugh out of that. They then noticed that the line was progressing so they followed as well.

    With the seats changed, ke is now seating beside Mary, beside her was ke and then Alice.

    "Oh, it''s nearly out turn." ke noticed, "Gosh, I''m so pumped! Please, please! Lemme get the Shield Bearer!"<sub> </sub>

    "I guess you can get nervous too. I thought you only have to states: dumb and dumber." Alice snorted on the side.

    "Hey that wasn''t nice. What did I do to you huh?"

    Ashton smiled wryly, with the seats changed, he''s much closer to the chaos. Even if he didn''t want to pay attention to them, that would prove quite difficult since they''re close.

    "Gosh, sometimes I wish I could cast a Silence Spell on the two of them to shut them up." Mary rolled her eyes once more.

    "That spell works that way too?" He was intrigued.

    "Who knows?" Mary shrugged, "I only based it off of the name. I don''t really know how it works. What I said is more like an expression you know."

    "Oh, is that right?" Ashton chuckled.

    "But seriously, I''m so excited to start my studies here. I always dreamt about learning in this ce you know? This is like, the most famous Academy in City M, maybe even Last Bastion in general."

    "Have you been to other cities before?" He asked.

    "Mn." She nodded, "But I can''t remember much from it since I was too young. As far as I can remember it should City C...or Z, I really can''t remember at the top of my head but I wasn''t so impressed by it."

    "Now that I think about it, that''s probably why I didn''t remember it. Whatever City it was, it''sme and forgettable. We only came there due to my parents'' work, we only stayed for three months at most then we returned here."

    "Ah...was it far?"

    "Can''t remember...but it shouldn''t be." Mary looked as if she''s trying to recall the memory. "I mean, there''s dedicated routes from City to City and traffic is strictly regted in there so everyone will arrive fast. The travel time can distract you from the actual distance so I can''t really say."

    "Oh yeah. I can rte to that." Ashton pursed his lips, "Just this morning there''s this guy who brought me here, he drove so fast that my soul had to catch up to my body."

    Mary let out augh and said: "Whoever that was, they''re most likely a professional racer. Those guys can ignore the trafficws due to their license, and if they''re working for the Academy, they''re practically untouchable."

    "...you know what, that makes sense. After all that guy wasn''t even apprehended even though he was clearly driving past the speed limit." Ashton was convinced. "But that''s a problem to me since I still don''t know how to get here on my own. He said that he''ll be my chauffeur for today, not permanently. Plus, I don''t know how to get home. I don''t even know if he''s going to give me a ride back home."

    "Oh, you wouldn''t need to worry about that." Mary replied to him, "You''ll get home just fine."

    "How can you tell?"

    "I just know." Mary looked confident, "Trust me, don''t stress out to much about that. You''ll be fine."

    ''...so she doesn''t want to tell me. Probably because she''s being careful about thew. Understandable.''

    Ashton nodded and paid attention to his front. Just in time to see that the line was progressing and coincidentally, it was already their turn for the assessment.

    "Ooh, gosh. Here we go." Alice murmured but the rest clearly heard it.

    Their group was escorted in a room past the hallway. Inside, there are ten transparent chambers, each has a small podium built inside.

    "Alright, kids. One room for each of you. Don''t bother choosing, it wouldn''t change the results anyway. Now, go." One of the consultants told them as soon they entered the room.

    "Let''s go and be done with this." Mary took the lead and stepped forward to pick.

    Ashton was just as swift as her. He didn''t bother choosing due to what the consultant said. Once he entered the room, somebody followed him inside.

    "Alright, Young Man. Don''t be stiff. Rx and ce your hand on the crystal over there. You''ll feel a slight tug inside your body, don''t worry that''s the mechanism drawing your Mana to read it. It''s nothing harmless. If you''re ready, go ahead."

    Ashton nodded and took a deep breath. He lifted his hand and ced it on therge crystal that''s ced on top of the podium.

    He felt the tug but he didn''t resist. But that wasn''t all...

    Much to his surprise, there''s a another pull. This one is fiercer and it forced out his Magical Artifact.

    Just as the Book of Infinity flew out of his body and unfurled its pages right above him, the crystal on top of the podium glowed intensely...

 Chapter 35 Assessment Results

    The Book of Infinity is a Cursed Magical Artifact.

    The guy who entered the same room as Ashton and guided him through the process, knew about this the moment heid eyes on the said artifact. This person had been working here for years now and he had seen this situation so many times already, that''s why he isn''t caught by surprise when this happened.

    His eyes was instead fixated on the crystal on top of the podium as it is his duty to tabte the results that wille out of that. The surprising partes from that...

    ''...what is going on?''

    The reading was a bonafide mess. Even with his tenure, he can''t make sense of what''s going on.

    Typically, this crystal will read the student''s mana and will show a Specialized Glyph which he then could analyze to discover what kind of Specialization a student has. That''s the process and the one he''s used to seeing.

    What''s happening at this very moment however, isn''t something like that at all.

    The crystal glowed brightly, shing with different colors. Multiple glyphs appeared and disappeared in quick session that the man can''t get an urate read out of them.

    The longer he watched, the more it doesn''t make sense since he could see several familiar glyphs, representing basic and rare Specializations, flickering in and out of existence. It''s as if the crystal can''t decide which one suits this student the most.

    It had to be known that this crystal has been here for a while now. It has been used by many students and it never acted this way. The man''s also certain that it''s not malfunctioning since, part of his job is to provide maintenance to this crystal after each use. He''s good at his job so he''s confident that this isn''t the fault of the crystal.

    This is due to the student who''s using it...

    However, before he could say anything or even think about reporting about this to his superiors. The crystal shed with a pure white light which almost blinded him.

    It softened within a few seconds and when his vision adjusted, he saw that there''s a single glyph being disyed on the crystal.

    A crystalline, pure white glyphs, unblemished from any kind of dirt, impurities or corruption.

    Now, this one is something he''s familiar with.

    Ashton also regained his consciousness at this point. When he opened his eyes, he saw that his Magical Artifact flew out of his body and is now floating in front of him, much to his surprise.

    He also saw the glyph on the crystal but he doesn''t know what it represents. Which prompted him to look at the man with him with a curious expression.

    "What you see in front of you is a Specialized Glyph that represents something. The number of glyphs represents how many paths are open to you currently and thenguage that the Glyph spelled out represents what kind of Specialization you got." The man started exining.

    "...based on the results shown, you have a single path open to you currently. As for what this Glyph means, it is spells out the word; White."

    "Young Man, you have the potential to be a formidable White Mage." He stated.

    "Huh..." Ashton was surprised, he looked at the glyph in wonder and then back at the man. "May I know what White Mages do?"

    "Sure, it''s no big deal." The man shrugged, "White Mages are often referred to as ''Healers'' but that doesn''t mean they''repletely stuck with just Healing Spells."

    "See, White Mages specializes in ''White Magic'' - a branch of Magic that deals with the preservation of life and purification of evil. It is also one of the Principal Constructs that keeps the bnce of out world."

    "It is said that the Last Bastion was once an inhabitablend for Humans and that, it is White Magic that purified it and kept it this way, allowing us shelter and protection."

    "You''ll learn more about White Magic as you continue your studies here. For now, I ask you, do you intend on pursuing the Path of White Magic?"

    Ashton didn''t reply at first. He submerged on his own thoughts since this will be an important decision.

    ''So I have and affinity for the Support ss huh? And it looks like it''s the only one.''

    ''It doesn''t sound bad...'' he thought to himself, ''It fits my personality and style. Plus it also somehow harmonizes with my curse. I''m guessing that White Magic doesn''t really focus on hurting people. My curse somehow prevents me from hurting people as well so it works just fine.''

    ''Plus, with my System. It shouldn''t be hard for me to do my job properly if it''s just for providing support. Yeah, I think I can work with this for now. This might chance in the future but I''ll let future me decide what to with that.''

    He took a deep breath and looked at the man, before he agreed though, there''s something he wants to know first...

    "Did this have anything to do with the results?" Ashton pointed at his cursed magical artifact.

    The man was at a lost for a brief moment. In the end, he sighed and said: "To tell you the truth, I have no idea."

    "Curses isn''t really my specialty. But I have seen many kinds of Cursed Magical Artifacts and Cursed Physiques in my time working here."<sub> </sub>

    "I''d say yes if we''re strictly talking about intervention. You see, the curse always rear their heads whenever the Specialization Assessment happens, that must mean something right? Why else would theye out if they don''t without your consent for nothing?"

    "But there''s an irony in you." He said, "Curses fall into the category of ck Magic. But your result lead you to the path of White Magic, isn''t this weird and mysterious?"

    "Therefore, I can''t really say if your curse tampered with your results or not. We can only leave it to spection for now. If you want, you can ask a Professor to analyze it for you if you really want to know more."

    "That, plus a chance of learning more about curses in general. I''d appreciate it if you can tell me some ways to do so."

    "Well you have nothing to worry about then." The man replied, "Considering that you are a bearer of a Curse, it is most likely that you''re already eligible to enroll to a Special ss for that. You should see the avable subjects you can take tomorrow, your ss Advisor should show you that."

    Ashton heaved a sigh of relief at that.

    "Thanks. I''m tired of remaining ignorant about this curse." He said, "Oh and uh, yeah. I''ll be studying White Magic."

    "Good to hear. I''ll add your name to the list. ''White Magic 101'' is the name of the subject. You can choose your preferred time-slots tomorrow."

    "Thank you." Ashton gave the man a curt nod.

    "You''re wee. You can leave, I have to prepare the crystal for the next user. The people outside will take you home."

    Ashton nodded once more stepped out of the room.

    He coincidentally exited at the same time as Mary, ke and Alice. Ashton noticed their expression and could vaguely guess the results.

    ke looked excited while Alice looked relieved. From their looks, it seems that they got what they wanted at least.

    Mary looked lost. Which made Ashton unable to guess what happened. It is possible that she didn''t get what she desired but it could also be because of another matter.

    Maybe it''d be better if he asked her about it instead.

    "How the tables have turned." He said softly upon reaching her side, "Now, you''re the one who looks like you''re plotting world domination."

    "Shut up, I''m going through my emo phase."

    "The what phase?"

    "Emo phase." She repeated. "I''m like...so emo right now, you don''t get it."

    ''I kinda do. I went through that phase back then too you know. Ugh, memories I could forget.''

    "Why? What''s wrong?" Alice looked visibly worried. She even held Mary''s hand. ke also looked serious.

    "I didn''t get the Red Mage." She replied.

    "What!?" ke and Alice looked shocked.

    "Wait, I''m not finished." Mary interrupted them before they could ask more questions. "I meant to say, I didn''t choose the Red Mage. It was there. Don''t panic."

    "Then what did you pick?" Alice asked.

    "...Magic Archer." Mary visibly sagged after saying that.

    "Bruh..." ke whispered. Alice covered her mouth in shock.

    Meanwhile, Ashton was confused. To him, Magic Archer sounds like a rare ss. If that was within his options, he''d choose it in a heartbeat. He didn''t understand why Mary was sad about this.

    That being said, he didn''tment. He figured that this must be due to personal reasons and he''s but a mere stranger so it would be inappropriate to pry further.

    "It''s fine. I can handle it. I''m old enough to make a decision for myself. For now, let''s go home. I''m a bit tired."

    ke and Alice nodded. Mary looked at Ashton and smiled wryly at him. Ashton waved his hand, signaling that he doesn''t mind.

    It was then that the consultants gathered them around, told them some important things and casted a spell that sent them directly to their home.

 Chapter 36 Diary

    Ashton was teleported home by the personnel of the Academy much to his surprise, only then did he realize why Mary seemed confident that he didn''t have to worry about it.

    He also got an e-mail from the Academy that contained directions on how to get there on their own. The instructions were clear and precise so Ashton didn''t have to worry aboutmuting anymore.

    When he got home, Ashton still felt surreal. He sat down on his sofa, thinking about what happened earlier. The Mystic Academy was so much more than he expected it to be and honestly, he liked it a lot. He''s really exited to open up the new chapter of his life like this.

    For now though, there is something else that requires his attention...

    [Host''s Specialization, Identified. Mission Cleared! Rewards: 5 Spell Cards (White Mage Edition), A Lonesome White Mage''s Diary(x1), 100,000 Credits, 50,000 Mana Crystals. See Profile: Specialization, for more details about Host''s Specialization!]

    ''Show me my Profile please.''

    ***

    [Profile]

    Host: Ashton West

    Race: Human

    Aptitude:

    ? Mageroot: Mysterious Rainbow

    ? Magical Artifact: Book of Infinity (Cursed - Legendary)

    ? Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings (???)

    Specialization: [White Mage]

    Rank: [Apprentice: Lv.1 (1x Refinement)]

    Cultivation Technique: Treasure zed Nine-Refinements Sutra

    [Spells: 5]

    [Inventory:]

    [Grinding Spots: 0/5]

    [Sign-in Opportunities: 0]

    [Mission Board: 0]

    ***

    A few key details changed in his profile.

    First and foremost, he''s already a Lv.1 Apprentice and also experienced his 1st refinement - meaning that he already dropped his cultivation once, experiencing Lv.1 twice.

    The first refinement wasn''t difficult, he did it on one sitting. It wasn''t painful either but that''s just because it''s still too early in his refinement. He already knows that the following refinements would be harder and more painful that this and he''s ready for that.

    His Aptitude tab is still the most impressive part. He truly lucked out on that ticket which caused a chain reaction for him. But his attention wasn''t focused on that, it''s on the new information added to his Profile.

    [Specialization: White Mage]

    He focused on that and all of a sudden, another panel popped-out in front of him and disyed the necessary information about it.

    ***

    : A type of mage who provides excellent support for theirrades. White Mages specializes in Buffing allies to increase their fighting capabilities, they are also proficient in Healing, Cures and getting rid of Corruption. Their offensive capabilities are rather weak but it doesn''t mean they''re useless, in fact they are extremely vital for operations.

    ? Doubles the Boost Effect and Duration for Supporting Spells.

    ***

    ''Yeah, that''s about what I expected it to be.'' He murmured inwardly.

    It isforting to know that he could still use his old world''s standards to gain some insight of what''s happening around him.

    Just as he thought, White Mages are indeed the support ss. In other games, White Mages are often called as: Priests, Medics, or just Healer. No matter which game it is, White Mages are the dedicated healers of a team since Healing Spells could only show their full potential in their hands.

    It isn''t as cool as hurling mini-suns to your enemy or changing the weather itself, but keeping your teammates topped off and healthy doesn''t really sound so bad.

    But, see here''s the thing...

    Typically, White Mages had to rely on their teammates to survive. Yes, White Mages might be able to keep them alive but the moment someone dies, the pressure would be too great for the White Mage.

    White Mages aren''t even considered as ss Cannons, they''re just straight up ss. And if we''re following the typical RPG clich��s here, White Mages would definitely be extremely vulnerable to Assassins.

    And Ashton could already see thating...

    The moment that he sees an Assassin on the enemy team, he should already know that he''d be their target. That''s just the way how it is.

    ''But that doesn''t necessarily mean that I have to make it easy for them to kill me.'' He stated inwardly, ''If they want me dead, then they have to put in the work. I''m not just going to stand still and topple over once theye close. Who knows, maybe I could even kill them instead.''

    ''But in order to do that, I''ll need more spells than what I currently have.''

    ''Thankfully the mission came through. 5 new Spells, all under the White Mage category. Alright, let''s see what I''ll have.''

    ''System, consume the Spell Cards.''

    [Spell Cards (White Mage Edition)x5, consumed!]

    [Congrattions Host, you received: Warmth, War Cry, Haste, Fortify, Stun Bolt]

    ''Alright, let me see what they do.'' Ashton then opened up the Spell Panel to check the new spells he got.

    ***

    [Warmth - Lv.0]

    ? Cast an orb of light that heals injuries over time. Only effective on minormon) injuries.<sub> </sub>

    ? Lasts for 1(2) minute(s)

    ? AOE: 1(2) meter(s)

    ? Minimum distance: 2 meters

    ? Max distance: 5 meters

    ? Can only have 1 orb at a time.

    [War Cry - Lv.0]

    ? Release a rallying cry that encourages allies, mildly(noticeably) increasing you and your team''s strength and endurance.

    ? Lasts for 5(10) minutes

    ? AOE: 5 meters

    [Haste - Lv.0]

    ? Summon a blessed gust of wind that mildly(noticeably) increasing you and your team''s speed and reflexes.

    ? Lasts for 5(10) minutes

    ? AOE: 5 meters

    [Fortify - Lv.0]

    ? Commune with the Great Earth and receive its blessing, mildly(noticeably) increasing you and your team''s defenses against physical and magical attacks.

    ? Lasts for 10(2) minutes.

    [Stun Bolt - Lv.0]

    ? Release a fast and solid bolt that stuns the enemies in ce.

    ? Stun Duration: 1 second

    ? Range: 3-5 meters

    ***

    ''Those inside the parenthesis...are they the effects of my Specialization?''

    [Yes, Host.]

    ''Not bad.'' Ashtonmented to himself.

    The spells he received looked useful enough. He didn''t get the White Mage''s bread and butter spell which is ''Heal'' but ''Warmth'' is good enough for now.

    Still, it seems that his luck is bad today. He didn''t get any rare spells. All he drew were Basic Spells still, which is fine but he really wanted to see what kind of effects Rare Spells has.

    Oh well, it seems that he''d have to wait for a while to see it.

    ''System, rece the current spells on the Grinding Slots with the new spell I got. Are the rates the same?''

    [Yes, Host.]

    ''Do it then.''

    As soon as he gave the other, the System switched the spells he''s currently grinding to the new ones.

    He received some feedback from the older spells but they weren''t iplete as he took them out before they werepleted. He didn''t mind it of course, plus getting the older spells to Lv. 3 will take a month to finish, he wouldn''t be losing out to much if he got the newer spells to catch-up first.

    More importantly, he doesn''t have enough mana to cast a Lv.3 Spell so pushing it that far is useless.

    ''Alright, now that''s out of the way. What the hell is this book all about?''

    [A Lonesome White Mage''s Diary]

    To his curiosity, Ashton took out the book from his Inventory and started reading the beginning at the very least.

    [...I need a girlfriend. If possible, I want one at this very moment since I seriously am about to lose my sh*t.]

    ''Woah, starting off a bit strong there aren''t we, brother?''

    [Why did I pick White Mage? No, seriously why? I had a Rare Specialization avable to me during the assessment! I should''ve picked that instead. But no...me and my dumbass brain thought that it''s too difficult and troublesome to pick that so I chose White Mage instead!]

    [Had I known that they would look down on me because I''m a White Mage and would even brand me as a loser, I wouldn''t have picked it in the first ce. Now, my chances of scoring a beauty is visibly lower. What am I going to do?]

    ''Uh...''

    [1:03pm: You know what? Forget about it. I''m happy to be a White Mage! Being a White Mage is love, being a White Mage is life. Nobody could convince me otherwise. I''m so lucky to be here!]

    ''I bet he met a girl who''s going to be his ssmate and it just so happen that she''s incredibly hot and totally his type.''

    [1:10pm - So, her name is Mia. That name totally fits her. It''s synonymous to beauty, fairness, gentleness, kindness and all sorts of wonderful things. Ah, is this it? Am I...am I in love? Oh...what a great day this is!]

    ''Seems that I''m right and holy hell, Dude! Chill! Why don''t calm down and touch some grass or something? Seriously? You just met her today.''

    [1:15pm - Her voice sounds like an angel''s song. Seriously, I could listen to her talk all day and I''d be fine. Come to think of it, what was she talking about again? I can''t seem to remember but, oh well. That''s fine.]

    [But yes, she''s insanely attractive. I can''t believe that we''d be ssmates from now on! Hell, she''s doesn''t think that I''m a loser! She''s even talking to me! Seriously! This day couldn''t get any better!]

    [5:00pm - Never mind, everything sucks. Mia who? Don''t know her.]

    [Bruh, she''s taken. And my crusty ass won''t evene close inparison to the dude he''s dating. Life sucks! I wanna die.]

    ''Oh buddy...''

 Chapter 37 Little Girl

    The diary was entertaining.

    Most of it was about the owner''s struggle to find someone to be his lover and most, if not all, of his encounters were hrious to Ashton.

    At first, Ashton was confused as to why the System gave this to him, but as continued reading it, he finally understood why.

    Despite the owner''s hrious fails on his love life, this diary contains useful information about White Mages.

    There wasn''t much but the owner did record his experiences as well the tips he learned from his seniors as he continued on his studies.

    The subjects that he took, the questions he didn''t answer correctly during the exams, his setbacks in his learning...all of this are recorded in this diary.

    Despite the owner''s initial dislike with his Specialization, he grew fond of it over time. Ashton read through the diary as if he was watching how the boy turned into a man with his experiences.

    The owner lost a lot of people dear to him; family, friends, brothers-in-arms, women who rejected him...all because of the cruelty of life and invaders of this world.

    Although the identity of the owner never really revealed his name in the diary, Ashton could tell that he was famous. He grew to be an exemry White Mage of his era, he even had disciples worshipping him ording to what Ashton read.

    There are more information in the diary that he couldn''t understand for now since hecked basic information still but even if that''s the case, this diary is still a very useful reference to him.

    He figured the he would check it from time to time to see how far he''se. Maybe he''d even make one for himself, who knows?

    But that''s not really the focus of today.

    It''s July 02 9022, Monday. It''s also the official start of the School Year.

    Currently, Ashton ismuting towards the Mystic Academy.

    He noticed that he was being stared at a lot on his way though, which came as strange to him. Last time he checked, which was like - five minutes ago, he didn''t look weird, he doesn''t smell bad either nor did her really do anything to be stared at so this was confusing to him.

    But it really didn''t take him long before he understood why he''s being stared at.

    There''s this confidentss who walked right up to him and asked for his contacts. She evenplimented him and asked him if he was already dating someone.

    That''s when everything clicked to him. He politely rejected the girl''s advances and smiled wryly to himself.

    That was really new, he had never experienced something like in his previous life. But at the same time, he should''ve known. Had he just looked closely or attuned his ears, he''d figure out that most of those who were staring at him were girls around his age. They''re even discussing how he looked so dashing and heroic in his uniform.

    There were no more attempts after that which made him sigh in relief. He reached the Academy without any hitches and with time to spare.

    Yesterday, he was informed that there will be a bulletin board at the courtyard where he''d find the list of students. He''d find which ss he''s in and where the ssroom would be.

    Upon arriving at the courtyard, he saw what they''re talking about.

    Ashton walked closer to search for his name and he found it.

    "West, Ashton. ss C-1. West Wing: 5-13."

    Ashton hummed upon seeing that. It seems that he''s a part of ss C-1.

    ss C-1 should mean 1st Year, ss C. West Wing should be the area or the building where he should go. More precisely at the 5th floor of the West Wing Building, at Room 13 is where his ssroom would be.

    Ashton understood it enough. He checked his guidebook since there''s map in there he could use to locate where the West Wing is.

    "There." He murmured.

    The West Wing is quite far from the courtyard. If he just relied on his legs, it''d take him hours to get there. Thankfully, he didn''t have to.

    There were Flying Transits parked just outside of the courtyard. Students can use these freely to get to ces.

    Deciding to not waste time, Ashton rode one and waited until it sets off.

    From his observations, he noticed that the bus only waited for set amount of time from the moment the first student came in. Full or not, it''ll leave within five minutes in order to save time. Also, there''s no driver. The buses seems to be controlled by magic.

    Ashton marveled at the sight outside as the bus flew, this was the first time he rode a flying bus so it was an experience for him. Despite being bulky in size, the bus was quite fast.

    The bus seemed to be programmed to stop in ces to drop the students off. Ashton''s destination; West Wing, would be the next one.

    When the bus arrived there, Ashton got up and got off of the bus. He then saw the environment around the West Wing.

    The West Wing is surrounded by a sprawling forest. There''s paved road which people can use to get to the tower in the middle of this forest. He also saw some benches and street vendors around the area.<sub> </sub>

    It truly seems like this ce is a school on its own but it''s only a part of the the Academy itself. It has such arge space that Ashton didn''t even know what its use for.

    He followed the road until he came close to the tower.

    It was massive and tall. It looked ancient, made out of stone and bricks but Ashton could clearly sense the sheer density of mana in this ce. There''s also seems to be some writings on the wall but when he looked closely, they weren''t there so his eyes must be ying tricks on him.

    There''s mounted statues outside of the tower. Four Gargoyle Statues sat at the very top, their eyes seems to have ruby crystals embedded in them and they are all looking down their surroundings.

    Knowing that there''s a sentient Stone Gargoyle in this Academy, Ashton didn''t doubt that these statues are alive.

    Ashton entered the tower. As expected, despite it looking ancient on the outside, the interior is modernized.

    There were shiny tiles which you can almost use a mirror. There''s also air conditioning inside,puters, esctors and elevators as well.

    Ashton saw that there''s small rectangr board on the front which says: West Wing. This meant that he''s in the right ce.

    He used the elevator which can have at least 50-60 people with how big it was. The elevator run on magic, just like the one he used on the Federation Center before.

    When it stopped at the 5th floor, Ashton exited it and proceeded to search for his ssroom. It wasn''t so difficult to find it since the rooms are arranged in numerical fashion.

    The real surprise, was when he entered the ssroom.

    ''This...is a Training Room?''

    Indeed. The sight that weed him the moment he entered was something he was familiar with, only much bigger than what he have at home.

    At first, he wasn''t convinced so he used the skill: Identify, on the room but the results confirmed it. The room was indeed arge training room.

    "Ashton?"

    That prompted him to look towards the origin of the voice and found a familiar face.

    "Oh, hi there Mary."

    Yes, Mary''s in this ss too. She beckoned him to sit beside her since there''s nobody there and there''s only a few of them so far. Once he sat down, Mary said:

    "I didn''t expect you to be here."

    "Yeah, I didn''t expect you either." He replied.

    "...that''s not what I meant."

    "What was that?"

    "Nothing." Mary shook her head. "But this is nice. At least there''s someone I could talk to."

    "Yeah, I feel you." Ashton nodded, "Are Alice and ke ssmates too?"

    "I don''t know yet." She shrugged. Then her watched pinged, she checked it briefly and told Ashton: "What a timing. Apparently, they are."

    Ashton chuckled and looked around. He then said: "I didn''t expect our ssroom would be a Training Room."

    "Yeah, me neither." She replied.

    The two of them proceeded to talk to each other. They''ve discussed random things as time passed and more students came in. Around 10:00am, Ashton began looking around, a professor should''ve arrived by now ording to the schedule.

    That''s when the door opened once more and revealed a cute little girl.

    She wore a pair of oversized eye-sses, a pink tutu and pink rubber shoes with striped pink-white socks. Her hair is simrly pink as well, in pigtails and she has a heart-shaped choker on her.

    All eyes on her as she carried a tablet while walking in front of the students. She jumped and stood on top of the table and looked over the students.

    "Ah, excuse me. I don''t think you''re supposed to be here, little girl." One of the students said while smiling.

    "Call me Little Girl again and I''ll break all the bones in your body." She snorted, she gave them a cold look and said: "Good morning ss, my name is Aisha. I''m your ss Advisor and your Professor on Magic 101."

    "Eh!?"

 Chapter 38 Class C-1

    Nobody could believe what they just heard.

    Well, that''s not really surprising. After all, a pink-haired girl in pigtails wearing a pink tutu and shoes saying that she''d be your teacher is something that doesn''t happen everyday.

    Sadly, her adorable face doesn''t appear like she''s lying.

    "I know, I know." She said, "It''s unbelievable, yes I get it. Stop looking at me like that. But I am telling you the truth. I really am a Professor here and from this day forward, you''ll be my students so can you guys stop making my life harder than it already is?"

    She said those words with a serious face but the way she sat down at the edge of the table while swinging her legs is too adorable that most of them students still have a hard time believing her.

    Aisha rolled her eyes and sighed: "I guess I have to convince you some more huh? I really should change my ways, this sh*t is getting old."

    ? With a wave of her hand, arge rectangr hologram appeared before the students. It showed them her Professional Profile.

    Name: Aisha Greenfield

    Age: Omitted

    Rank: Sorceress Lv.6

    upation: Licensed Mage/Mystic Academy Professor.

    Once she showed that, the students are now more or less convinced. This details looked real and thinking about it, there''s no way that some random kid could just barge into the Academy for nothing.

    But just to make sure, Ashton still used his system skill: Identify, to Aisha. The results showed this:

    Name: Aisha

    Age: ???

    Rank: ???

    upation: Licensed Mage/Professor

    Current thoughts:

    ? ''This ss looks like a bunch of losers. Why am I so unlucky with drawing lots? Ah, whatever. A deal is a deal. Someone has to look after this poor kids.''

    Not even the system could show him her actual age or rank. It might be because the level of the skill is still too low or Aisha''s just too strong. Maybe even both.

    "And just to seal the deal. I''ll disy a fraction of my strength to you all. I hope there''s no doubting me after this.

    After saying that, Aisha lifted her pinky.

    All of a sudden, all students found themselves suspended in the air. They didn''t even notice when they got there. Nobody was able to react, they werepletely at Aisha''s mercy.

    Just as they started freaking out, Aisha lowered them down and ced them ording to the way they were seated before. Everyone sighed in relief and all sorts of doubts disappeared from their mind.

    "Alright, now that''s over, let''s do this again." She cleared her throat and said: "Hello, ss. My name is Aisha Greenfield. I am your ss Advisor and your Professor for Magic 101. Nice to meet you."

    "Nice to meet you too, Professor Aisha." The ss greeted in unison.

    "Mn. That''s more like it." She hummed, she then took her tablet and began using it while she talked: "Since you all are now formerly students of the Mystic Academy, I''ll go as far as to say that we will be expecting great things from you."

    "Though, I hate to be the one who bring down your anticipation, I am your ss Advisor so it''s my responsibility to keep you in check and set your expectations."

    She then looked at her students one by one with a dull face and said: "How far you go depends on you."

    "The Academy has everything you''d ever need to assist you but in the end, your path belongs to you. We will never force you to do anything, all we''ll do is to point you to a direction. Whether you go there or not, that depends on you."<sub> </sub>

    "Well, I say that but in the end, you guys made it here. You''re expectations are to yourself and not anybody else''s. Whether you achieve it or not, that depends on your effort."

    Aisha paused and looked at the students again.

    "...there''s a lot of you here. Which is to be expected since we''ve only just began. That being said, I know someone in this ss will eventually quit. I can already see it happening."

    "Don''t be surprised. This happens every time. What? You''re expecting this to be easy? Hell, no!"

    "To that specific someone...or some people, when this happens, don''t bother doing a dramatic exit, yeah? Just silently pack up your stuff and leave. Never think that you are special because this Academy will repeatedly p you to the reality that you''re not."

    Aisha''s words were ruthless. Ashton could already see his ssmates tensing up because of her words. That being said, he can understand why she''s saying this.

    He knows that this is Aisha''s way of priming them for what''s about toe. To wake them up from their delusional dreams that everything will be just rainbows and funsies so that when reality hits them, it wouldn''t be as bad as expected.

    "Alright, moving-on." She said, "Now, I know some of you here might he confused. You think that you shouldn''t be in ss C because your score on the entrance exams were high. That you should be in ss A or something."

    Aisha scoffed and said: "And well...you might be right, but there is a specific reason why you guys were here. This is the Mystic Academy kids, we don''t do things without any purpose. That''s not our style."

    She paused for a bit before revealing the reason...

    "We all are cursed."

    That statement, shocked the living daylights out of Ashton. But before he could think of anything, Aisha already beat him to it.

    "ss C-1...it can also stand for the ss of Cursed First Years, but that is ugly and undesirable so we should just use ss C-1 instead."

    "I know I just outed everyone''s secret just now and I do apologize for that. However, it is also important for you to know that there are people like you and in this case, everyone around you is like you as well."

    "I''ll say this though...this is a ss Secret." Aisha warned in a serious tone. "I revealed it to you for the sake of transparency but if we discover that someone from this ss revealed this information without permission, you''ll be subjected to Academic Laws. Trust me, you don''t want to be in that position."

    "Plus, it''s a basic form of Human Decency. If you can''t even keep that to yourself, you might as well stop being a human altogether."

    "There will be a time when people will eventually find out about this. No secret will remain a secret forever. I just hope that if when that day happens, you all have grown strong enough to not care anymore cause trust me, Curses might seem scary but it doesn''t make you less of a human as others do."

    The students looked at each other, clearly ufortable still but somehow relieve that nobody seems to be judging them since everyone''s on the same boat.

    "That''s also the reason why I became your ss Advisor." Aisha stated, "If you haven''t noticed it by now, I am bearer of a curse too. I hope none of you seriously thought that me being in this form is just some random fetish because I you do, I''ll gouge out your spine while you''re wide awake and show it to you afterwards."

    The students shivered uncontrobly under Aisha''s threat. At this point, nobody dares to doubt her words. Especially after her disy of power.

    "My curse is Eternal Youth." She stated, "I stopped aging after six years old, that''s why I look like this. My body never developed further than that which means that I never experienced what it''s like to have my period, I never got taller and my voice didn''t even change."

    "Don''t mistook it for Immortality though. Immortality is just a Legend, nobody proved that it is real yet. I am just as susceptible to danger as you all are. In fact, because of my under-developed body, I''m in even more danger than you all."

    "I only aged mentally which sucks. It also sucks that nobody treats me seriously since I look like a kid. I can''t even buy alcohol for myself since who in the right mind would see them to a kid? It''s tiring to prove myself over and over again so sometimes, I just don''t even bother."

    "Still, I''m alive and well. Those who knew personally give me the respect I deserve and needed."

    "What I''m trying to say here is that, being cursed really sucks but it''s not the end of the world. Things will get better eventually."

    "The Academy can help you figure out possible ways tobat your curse but whether you can cure it, alleviate it or neither, will ultimately depend on you. Again, we won''t force you to do anything. Every result that you''ll get here will be decided by your own efforts."

    "Alright, enough about curses. I''m not your Professor for that so let''s move on to another topic."

    Aisha snapped her fingers and instantly, stack of papers appeared right before her. She waved her hand and distributed the papers to each students.

    "Those are list of Subjects you can enroll into, Majors, Minors and Electives. Give it a look."

 Chapter 39 Schedule

    The papernded on Ashton''s desk.

    He picked it up and read it''s contents. Just like what Aisha said, this list indeed contains the subjects avable for first years like him and to his surprise, there is a lot in here.

    However, he also noticed that there were already marked ones on the list. These subjects are the ones that he''s already enrolled to; Magic 101, History, and Inscriptions.

    These three subjects are already marked ck, meaning that he''s already enrolled to it. Aside from that, there''s also subjects that are marked with red, this means that they are strongly rmended. The others are unmarked, these subjects could be taken if the student is interested in them.

    "In case some of you still can''t follow, let me exin..." Aisha said, "Those subjects that are marked ck are subjects that you are already enrolled in and included in your schedule. The ones marked with red are the strongly rmended subjects. You can take them or not, it depends on you, we''re just making a suggestion. As for the unmarked ones, they''re avable to you but again, it''s up to you if you want to enroll in them."

    "Homeroom and Magic 101 will be handled by me. Our schedule is every Mondays, 10:00am - 12:00pm. The first 30 minutes will be Homeroom and the rest will be for Magic 101."

    "History will be for Tuesdays, 10:00am - 11:30am. A colleague of mine will be handling that so I''ll let her introduce herself to you."

    "Inscriptions on Wednesdays, 10:00am - 11:30am. You''ll meet your Professor for that so just wait until then."

    "As you observed so far though, your schedule is extremelyx. If it remains like this, you only need to attend school three days a week. That doesn''t really sound bad. And indeed it''s not. But I''m telling you right now, if you n on taking it easy, then there''s no way you''llst until the end of the school year here."

    Aisha yed with her hair and crossed her tiny legs.

    "Those who are interested in enrolling to more subjects, pick one schedule and mark the circle next to it. Give me the paperter and I''ll take care of the registration. You''ll be notified through e-mail once the process is finished."

    "I''ll give you 15 minutes to make your decision. I''ll return once the time''s up. And we''ll proceed with today''s Magic 101 lesson."

    After saying that, Aisha suddenly dissipated into white mist and disappeared from their view.

    It was evident that some students were awed upon seeing a spell casted right in front of them but not Ashton of course. He had seen that disappearing act once or twice at this point, he''s already getting used to it.

    He once again turned his attention to the subject list on his hands and looked at the ones rmended to him and the other ones that are avable as well.

    ''Not much when ites to the strongly rmended ones. I only see Basic White Magic, Basic ck Magic, Herbology, and Crafting 101.''

    ''As for the rest, well they don''t really look important. I should be fine without taking them.''

    ''But this one...Combat 101. I should take this. The diary said that this subject would prove extremely useful, especially for White Mages like me.''

    ''So, I''ll get all the rmended subjects plus Combat 101. My schedule would be busy, especially since I have to work for at least 3 hours every weekdays.''

    Ashton pursed his lips and then thought: ''It''s fine. The schedules looked flexible anyways. I can scatter the subjects throughout the week. There aren''t much to begin with.''

    He did some mental calctions while marking the subjects he chose as well as the his preferred schedule. By the end, his schedule now looks like this:

    ? Mondays: Magic 101, 10am-12pm. Crafting 101 1pm-2:30pm.

    ? Tuesdays: History, 10am-11:30am. White Magic, 1-3pm.

    ? Wednesdays: Inscriptions, 10am-11:30am. ck Magic, 1-3pm.

    ? Thursdays: Herbology, 1pm-3pm

    ? Fridays: Combat 101, 10am-12pm.

    ? Sat - Sun: Off.

    Yeah, this doesn''t look bad to him. If he wants to, he can begin his shift before or after his sses. The Regal King said that work schedule is flexible so he should be able to do that.

    "That''s quite a tight schedule you created for yourself." He heard Mary saying beside him.

    He looked at her and said: "Ah, it shouldn''t be that bad. They look interesting anyway."

    "Eh? White Magic is rmended to you? You''re a White Mage?" She looked surprised.

    "Yes. Did I not tell you?"<sub> </sub>

    "No you didn''t. I kinds left in a hurryst time, remember?"

    "Yeah, I recall but...weird, I thought I told you three about that. Whatever." Ashton replied.

    "Then...why Combat 101?" She asked, "I mean, since you''ve picked White Mage, that doesn''t seem suitable for you. Weren''t you guys supposed to heal?"

    "Hmm..." Ashton looked ahead, "Learning some way to defend myself doesn''t sound bad. I mean, just because I''m healer, it doesn''t necessarily mean that I have to be fragile as well, don''t you think?"

    p "Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Mary nodded.</anda>

    But Ashton could clearly see that she''s not convinced. This made him think that a clich�� must be in y here. He wouldn''t have thought about this if not for Mary - who''s parents are closely rted to Cultivators due to the nature of their work.

    Nevertheless, he didn''t really need to reconsider his choice just because Mary doesn''t seem to agree with it. This is his decision anyways. This doesn''t mean that he trusts the owner of the diary more than Mary.

    The one he trusts is the System since it has never done anything to fail him yet.

    "Well, how about you though. Mind if I see your schedule?" He asked.

    "I don''t mind. Here you go." Mary shrugged and gave the paper to Ashton.

    He then saw that Mary also had ck Magic on her list on top of the already avable ones. She has Archery 101, Espionage 101, and Hunting 101 as well.

    Her schedule seems action packed based on the names of the Subjects she chose. Ashton also noticed that Herbology is rmended to her as well but she didn''t pick it. The ones above plus Magic 101, History, and Inscriptions are the subjects she chose for herself.

    Ashton returned her paper after seeing it once, he didn''t say anything about it since he''s really in no position to do so.

    "Really, you have nothing to say?" She asked.

    "Well, that''s your choice. My opinion''s unwarranted anyway." He shrugged in reply.

    Mary seems to have something to say but a disturbance prevented her from speaking any further.

    The disturbance was Aisha.

    She returned to the ssroom with a drink and her pink sunsses on, it''s as if she just returned from her vacation.

    "You done, Kids?" She asked.

    The students felt weird being called ''Kids'' by her but still, they nodded.

    Aisha flicked her wrist and the papers suddenly floated on their own and flew towards her. They stacked neatly on top of each other and the professor kept them in a separate folder before whisking it away.

    "Alright, with the remaining time let''s briefly discuss about Homeroom before we go to Magic 101 proper."

    Aisha once again flew up and sat on the edge of the desk, she took off her sunsses and crossed her legs.

    "Frankly, as your ss Advisor I don''t really expect much." She said, "If you can be a decent human being, then that''s all I could ever ask for. Respect me and the other professors, respect your fellow students and expect to receive the simr kind of respect given back to you."

    "Attendance doesn''t really matter to me. So long as I see one student present during my ss, I will teach. If you want to be excused due to a certain event or activity, inform me ahead of time. If you just want to skip/cut sses, fine with me. Like I said, I don''t really care."

    "Just know that results is what matters to me the most." She took a brief sip of her drink, "I will inform you ahead of time if there will be tests or exams so you can prepare. Once it''s done, it''s done. Don''t bother asking me for a re-take. If you''re eligible for one, I''ll inform you."

    "I''m already sounding like a broken record her but let me emphasize this onest time. Your results depends on your performance. Should you fail my subject, don''te crying to me. That''s your fault."

    "If you have any concerns rted to academics,e to me first. I''m your ss Advisor for a reason. Especially when ites to breakthroughs."

    "If you feel like you''re going to have a Breakthrough soon. You have to inform me. If I notice that you attempted a breakthrough without my knowledge, I will instantly give you a mark down. Trust me, you won''t escape my senses."

    "Also, before we end today''s schedule. I''ll be needing to talk to each one of you in person before I let you go so stick around. It wouldn''t take long, don''t worry."

    "Okay! That''s Homeroom done. Let''s move on to Magic 101."

 Chapter 40 Magic

    "So...Magic."

    "What is Magic? Can someone share their opinions to the ss? I''d prefer it if you answer based on what you think magic is. Anyone?"

    Aisha didn''t waste too much time and went straight to her lessons, directly throwing the students into the fire by asking aplicated question.

    One student raise her hand and Aisha nodded at her, the said student stood-up and said: "Magic is something we use to fight against those who are trying to kill us."

    "Interesting outlook. Anyone else?"

    Another student raised their hand and answered: "Magic is the path towards evolution."

    "Good point. Anyone else?" Aisha looked around.

    Nobody raised their hand anymore so Aisha decided to pick one herself.

    "How about you?" She asked, looking directly at Ashton. "What do you think Magic is?"

    Ashton of course knew that she was talking to him since there''s nobody behind him.

    "Magic is the utilization of Mana." He replied.

    "Excellent answer." Aisha nodded.

    Some students looked surprised. They were probably not expecting that.

    "ss, here''s the thing...the truth is the public''s opinion about Magic ispletely overrated."

    "See, while Magic can indeed pave a path towards evolution and is a fantastic too for self-preservation, at it''s base, Magic is as simple as that...utilization of Mana."

    "Be it Magic, Technique, Skill, Spells...etc. everything is ultimately tied together by a single source and that is Mana. If we don''t know how to harness the potential of Mana, if we don''t know how to use it properly, then what''s the point of having it?"

    "In the end, it''s just useless. Magic wouldn''t exist if we didn''t discover how to use Mana to begin with."

    "Of course, this is not to say that Magic is unimpressive. Believe me, it is. The things we can do with Mana are endless. You''ve seen how out society works, we wouldn''t have been able to go that far if we didn''t manage to discover how to use Mana in the first ce. You''d do well in remembering that."

    "Magic is just as simple as that. It''s the utilization of Mana. But just because it is simple, it doesn''t mean that it cannot go far. Sometimes, the answer to things doesn''t have to be soplicated."

    "Magic 101 is all about that as well. In my ss, I will teach you all how to properly utilize mana in a way that won''t hurt you. I will show you how to form a steady and reliable foundation for your cultivation so that you can achieve your goals."

    "In a sense, Magic 101 is where you kids gets to y with Mana. You know, get to know each other better, be best friends or something...that way, when it''s time for you absorb it to increase your strength, it won''t fight you nor kill you."

    The students seems convinced with her exnations. She then told all of them to stand up, so they did. Aisha snapped her fingers and the chairs vanished. Another snap of her fingers and the atmosphere around them changed.

    Previously, they were at the base look of the Training Room but now, it changed into a cliffside.

    Some students were surprised but managed to calm themselves down. Ashton was used to it since he had experiences of his own.

    The temperature dropped, causing some students to involuntarily shiver. It wasn''t so bad since their uniforms were slowly adjusting to it as time went on.

    Aisha stood in front of them and said: "Since today''s the first day of ss, I decided to prepare a simple activity."

    "Some of you probably already know what''s about to happen but for those who don''t, listen up closely." Aisha ced her tiny hands on her tiny waist and continued: "I want you all to Meditate right now and sense Mana. That''s all."

    ? Some students couldn''t help but let out a groan upon hearing that.

    "I know, I know. ''But prof, meditation is so boring h h...'' I get it. I understand where you''reing from but you all can''t really escape this. This is a process that everyone needs to know how to do and do well of course."

    "The idea is that...well, since you want to be best friends with Mana, then why don''t you get to know each other first? Sensing Mana is the first step towards performing Magic. It''s like introducing yourself to Mana."

    "Now, stopining and just do it." Aisha waved her hand after telling her students what to do.<sub> </sub>

    The students moved. Some of them directly sat on their spot, others got up and distanced themselves for the group.

    As for Ashton, he found a rock formation nearby and sat against it. He rested his back on the giant rock, pulled his hood up and stretched his leg. He then crossed his arms and lowered his head, then he closed his eyes.

    Mary who had witnessed that, was somewhat perplexed. In her head, she went like: ''Is this guy for real? Does he really n on sleeping in front of the Professor?''

    She was at a loss. Her conscience told her that she should at least convince him not to sleep but the other part of her brain says that it''s none of her business. If Ashton gets in trouble, it''s his fault for doing so.

    Mary didn''t know what to do so she was kind of stuck. That''s when she heard a voice behind her saying:

    "Uh, excuse me Professor. That guy''s sleeping."

    She froze and looked behind her in rm. Now, everybody''s looking at Ashton - who didn''t seem to have heard what the other guy just said. She felt some panic and tried to do something but Aisha''s voice echoed on their ears.

    "No he''s not."

    "Eh?"

    The ss was perplexed. They didn''t expect that from their Professor.

    "He''s not sleeping." Aisha shook her head, "He meditating already."

    "Seriously? That''s meditation?" The previous guy asked, his doesn''t look particrly convinced.

    "Yes." Aisha nodded in a nd way. "Meditation is a way to attune the mind in order tomunicate with Mana. Sitting down cross with your spine straight and legs folded into a pretzel is the rmended way for beginners to perform Meditation."

    "Once you''re used to it, Meditation can be done in any posture. Wasn''t this in the Entrance Exams? If I remember it correctly, all of you answered that specific question correctly so why do you guys looked unconvinced?"

    Majority of the students paled upon hearing that. They felt that they just got exposed all of a sudden so they didn''t bother replying. This goes especially well for the one who reacted the strongest earlier.

    He''s so embarrassed that he wants to find a hole he can crawl into and never show his face to anybody ever again.

    "And why are you all still standing around?" Aisha ced her hands on her hips again and said: "Didn''t I tell you to Meditate? Go on, stop bothering your ssmate."

    Themotion was quelled just like that. Mary who had been worried earlier was now relieved but also in slight disbelief.

    ''This guy...'' She sighed as she looked at Ashton. ''Had me worried there for a second...still, I should really learn to mind my own business.''

    She shook her head and began her Meditation as well. Just like the others, she chose the usual way of Meditation since she''s admittedly not an expert on it yet.

    As for Aisha, she spared a few nces on Ashton as well.

    ''...impressive for a brat. But not just yet. Can''t praise him too much or else he''ll be the public enemy of this ss.''

    As a Professor, she of course knew about Ashton. She knows that he''s a Schr and who his sponsor is. She is even aware of the fact that he''s already Lv.1 when others still aren''t.

    She''ll talk to him after ss to check on his foundations but she can already tell that he was fine. She guessed that he probably had someone to assist him in breakthrough but a little reminder won''t hurt.

    As for Ashton himself, he of course heard themotion earlier.

    Meditation doesn''t put him to sleep, if anything it even elevates his sense when it''s already as high as it is. He even predicted that something like this was going to happen and already prepared for it.

    Though it was also relieving that Aisha was there to rify things for him. It saved him from the useless confrontation with a stranger.

    Unorthodox Meditation is already something that he''s close to mastering thanks to his heightened senses. He can instantly enter the Meditative State but there are still ways to improve it of course.

    He did think about doing it the same way as them but he really didn''t particrly liked that position, it''s harsh on his legs. He can achieve the same result in any position he liked anyway, plus they''re bound to know anyway so it truly doesn''t matter if did it now orter.

    For now, since the Professor told them to meditate, that''s just what he''s going to do. He won''t go wrong so long as he followed instructions anyway.

 Chapter 41 Personal Advice

    The rest of the period was spent with all of the students meditating.

    Near the end, about ten minutes before ss ended, Aisha woke the students up gently from their meditation and gave them some tips and tricks to improve in this particr activity.

    The students still has to improve a lot if they want to even try absorbing Mana, in this area, Ashton was far ahead of them since he''s already level one. But considering his cultivation well...the rest will bound to catch up eventually.

    Aisha didn''t really discuss a whole lot one the first day, much to the relief of the students. Then again, she also already updated their profiles and wouldter develop some form of n for each student she has.

    After their brief discussion, Aisha proceeded to talk to each student just like she said earlier. This caused the students to stay beyond the allotted time for the subject but it''s fine since this is a one time thing.

    Ashton was one of thest students to be interviewed. He won''t lie, this will be weird for him. Even though he already epted the fact that this...woman, is his professor, that doesn''t make it less weird.

    "Ashton West." Aisha said once he sat down in front of her.

    "Yes, Professor. That''s me." He replied.

    "You''re Lv.1 already? Care to tell me how this happened?"

    ''As expected, she knows.'' Ashton mumbled inwardly. He took a deep breath, thankfully he already anticipated this.

    "It happened a few days after my awakening. Back then, I had this feeling of fullness when I woke up. I''ve read in the books that this might be a sign of a breakthrough. I called for an assistant and they guided me with the process."

    "He said that during my Awakening Ceremony, my 1st Magical Circle was almost filledpletely so it was only natural that even if I didn''t do anything, the breakthrough would ur. He said that I was fine since I already made my breakthrough ."

    "I see." Aisha nodded. "You did good on that part. Remember that the initial stages of cultivation is dangerous. Unless you are forced to by circumstances, its best to have someone''s assistance in this process."

    "Given how diligent you are, I''d assume that it wouldn''t take long before you can reach a stage where this isn''t necessary anymore, but never be hasty. Go at it at your own pace."

    "I understand." Ashton nodded. Inwardly, he''s relieved that his excuse seems to have worked out for the best.

    "Alright moving on." Aisha''s face turned dead serious. "This might get a little ufortable with you but as your Professor, it is my duty to know. Will you tell me what kind of curse you bear?"

    "I know that I''m overstepping my bounds here, but I am your Professor. I am bound by my Oath to never reveal this information to anyone else without your permission even in death. So you can rest assured that your secret will be safe with me."

    "Of course, if you''re not ready to tell me yet. I can understand that as well. I just hope that before this year ends, you''ll find it in you to tell me since that would make it easier for me to search for a way to help you."

    ''Ah, so that''s why she wanted to talk to us in person.'' Ashton nodded inwardly.

    Ashton also understood why Aisha looked solemn at this point. The topic of curses is sensitive.

    He shrugged and said: "Fine with me. I''d like to know more about this anyway, every help would be appreciated."

    "My curse is called the Curse of Mediocrity." Ashton revealed, he even showed his Magical Artifact to Aisha - the Book of Infinity.

    "It prevents me from learning and caster Intermediate Level and above Offensive Spells."

    "Strictly Offensive Spells?"

    "Yes." Ashton nodded, "That''s what I learned anyway when I got this. I never really had the chance to see any Intermediate Spells yet so I can''t say for sure."

    "I see..." Aisha nodded while writing something. "That would surely make things inconvenient for you. To be honest, one of the ways to pass the Practicals of the Final Exams is to perform an Intermediate Spell or above. But since I am now aware of this, I can make an exception for you once we confirm thingster."

    "Thank you, Professor." Ashton was seriously grateful for that.

    "If you don''t mind, may I take a look at your Magical Artifact closer?" She asked.

    "Sure." Ashton nodded.<sub> </sub>

    He willed the artifact to move closer to Aisha and she squinted to inspect it closer.

    The book was currently in its ''sealed'' state, as Ashton would call it. The Book of Infinity is usually wrapped in thick chains with a circr lock in the middle.

    The lock was unique for it doesn''t appear to have any keyhole in it.

    The book''s outer shell is covered in faint intersecting lines which should be ''Inscriptions'' if Ashton''s guesses was correct. He couldn''t make sense of them just yet but now that he''s learning in the Academy, it shouldn''t take long before he get some clues.

    There were a few asions when the book would break out of its chains. Ashton never knew how to trigger it consciously and he didn''t know what that signifies either.

    "This Magical Artifact..." Aisha frowned, "The Curse is firmly suppressing it''s full potential. I can feel that it''s very impressive. You must''ve receive some benefit along with its awakening, can you tell me what it is?"

    Ashton nodded and said: "It''s called Aspect of Infinity. It basically allows me to cast spells that are at higher level than me."

    "So, that means you can cast a Lv.3 spell even if you''re just Lv.2 or Lv.1?"

    "Yes, that''s how it should work, I think. I haven''t had the change to y with spells so I still can''t confirm it."

    "That''s fine. We have time." Aisha nodded, "If our guesses turns out to be true then this is probably the best way to off-set the effects of the curse. You may put it away now."

    Ashton nodded and did what she said.

    "I''m not going to mince words with you, West. Your curse will be troublesome to get rid of. I can already tell." Aisha revealed after a brief pause. "That Magical Artifact of yours carry a lot of potential. If the curse was weak, then it wouldn''t have adhered to your Magical Artifact at all."

    "...but it shouldn''t be impossible to get rid of it. Is that what you''re trying to say, Professor?"

    "Indeed." Aisha nodded. "But this is going to be an uphill battle for you."

    "You will need to do a lot, to get rid of this thing. A lot of effort, hard work, resources, knowledge...even luck included."

    "From my initial impressions of you so far, I can tell that you''re eager and a hardworking student as well. I know that you are determined to get rid of this curse. And since your like this, as your Professor, I''ll give you a hand. It is my duty after all."

    "I know that you''ve chosen the Regal King as your sponsor. That fe is he rich from what I could tell so far. So long as you seem interesting, they wouldn''t mind bathing you in riches."

    "You gotta take advantage of that. I''m saying that you should be a clown or a mascot or something. Just show them your will and efforts and you won''t fail."

    "Also, the Academy offers a lot of opportunities that you should definitely watch out for. I''d tell you about them in the future and ahead of time so that you can prepare yourself."

    "So long as you umte this early, in due time you''d be able to break out of this curse and be free unlike majority of us. But remember, this will depend on your own hard work. I''d only give you rmendations and suggestions, the rest is up to you."

    "I understand, Professor." Ashton nodded.

    "Good. You may leave for your work. The Grand Library is at the Castle Main, head to the 20th floor of this building, 3rd door on the left. You''ll find a transportation circle there. I already told them about you so you shouldn''t encounter any troubles."

    "Thank you. I shall take my leave then." Ashton nodded once more.

    Aisha called in the next student as he exited the door. As for Ashton, he went straight to the Elevator and hit the button that would take him to the 20th floor.

    It is rater convenient that there''s a transportation circle here which would take him directly to where he needed to go.

    As he rode the Elevator, he could''ve sworn that he saw Mary waiting for him outside of the building. But then again, he must''ve been seeing things again since when he blinked, she wasn''t there anymore.

    Ashton decided to throw this matter at the back of his head. Once he stepped out of the elevator, he entered the 3rd room on the left so that he could report to work already.

    He''ste on his 1st day but that should be fine. He had a valid excuse anyway, right?

 Chapter 42 Grand Library

    There wasn''t much fuss in the process.

    The personnel of the 20th floor was already waiting for him so he immediately was able to use the teleported as soon as he arrived.

    Literally, in a blink of an eye, he found himself standing in apletely different ce but he knew that he was where he''s supposed to be since he''s surrounded with bookshelves.

    "Hmm...I''m not expecting a student...ah! Are you the new guy?"

    Ashton looked behind him and saw a tall man with a bearded face and a monocle standing there, inspecting him from head to toe.

    "Ah, hi. My name is Ashton West, I am here to report to work. Sorry if I waste, Prof. Aisha extended the ss for a bit."

    "Ashton West. Yes, I do recall this name. The Regal King''s chosen."

    "He is the one sponsoring me, yes. May I know your name, Sir?" Ashton asked.

    "Oh, please. Don''t call me Sir. Leon would do. I''m the Chief Librarian here. Come, Young Ashton. Let me show you around."

    Leon was a 7 foot tall guy, Ashton has to literally strain his neck just to look at his face. He wasn''t just tall either, he was built like a truck. He had a rough facial features, sporting a vertical scar that starts from his right eye down to his chin, that''s also where his monocle is. But his voice sounds calming and gentle. He also has a sun-kissed skin.

    He wore the same uniform as he does but white instead of the royal blue cor. He also wore a lot badges, one of them had an open book etched into it.

    Leon then took Ashton for a brief tour of the Grand Library.

    ording to him, the Grand Library is located at the 5th floor of the Castle Main. The main entrance looked like two sliding doors which is different from regr ssrooms so it shouldn''t be too hard to distinguish from others.

    Apparently, a lot of students always underestimate just how big this ce truly is because it''s outside appearance is too deceiving.

    The Grand Library is where all the records and books that the Academy uses are kept. There''s multiple copies of each book, sometimes a single version of a book can fill multiple shelves depending on the demand of course.

    Leon said that a powerful mage who graduated from the Mystic Academy folded the space several times over in order to fit this massive library into one room. An extremely impressive feat especially considering how it hasn''t copsed yet.

    "We''re not usually busy here." Leon said to him as they walked in an aisle. "Even with how many books there are here, only a few students trulye here. Even schrs barely spends time here. They said that the smell and sight of books were bad for them."

    "That''s little ridiculous if you ask me, but well, it''s not like we can force them anyway." Leon chuckled wryly.

    "The only reason why we requested for more people is because it is quite difficult for us to maintain the ce with just us." Leon stated, "There''s only 14 of us here, you''re the 15th. Our task is to just maintain the peace and serenity of this ce. Also to keep it clean...which is the hardest part."

    "Since this Library is so big, it is too difficult to keep all the books at clean and free from dusts. Due to theck of man-power, there were always books that are aging faster than expected. This results into them deteriorating too much and eventually turning into dusts."

    "The Academy then had tomission new requests for the same books which means more money to spend. It''s truly troublesome. This is why we need more people working here."

    "Uh...the books age? I don''t understand..."

    "Ah, right. Sorry about that, let me exin." Leon cleared his throat and said: "You know the policy that filters the release of information to the public, yes?"

    "Yeah."

    "That applies to pretty much everything. As you can see, we are surrounded with books containing all sorts of knowledge pertaining to Cultivation. This can''t be leaked to public without permission therefore a bill was passed to control textiles as well."

    "The materials used for these books are designated to have a limited lifespan. In other words, they aren''t meant tost forever."

    "The minimum is 5 years, the maximum is 100 years. All books here fall under that condition and all books here are just copies of the original ones held by the Federation."

    "To exin it in a more rtable way, all of these books are photocopies and are programmed to delete itself when met certain conditions."

    "Such conditions are either reaching the limits of their life expectancy, or if they are taken outside of the City. The ''death'' of the book will also be triggered once it automatically finds it way to the wrong hands to prevent our knowledge from being stolen. Do you still follow?"

    "Yes." Ashton nodded.

    "Good. Now, there are certain books here that are quite unstable, either a) because knowledge contained in them are too powerful or sensitive, or b) they''re a bad product."<sub> </sub>

    "Either way, the unstable ones will often need a lot of care to be maintained. Leaving them as is would just cause them to deteriorate faster which also shortens their expected lifespan."

    "These are the troublesome books, and the reason why we need so many people to maintain them." Leon pursed his lips, "They''re also expensive to boot to if we don''t take care of them, the academy will need to buy more copies of them sooner."

    "Oh, I see." Ashton nodded.

    "This is where wee in, Librarians." Leon stated, "Our task is to man the Library and keep the books in their peak condition so that when the students or Professors need them, they will be ready."

    "I won''t talk about sry here since the Regal King is already paying you. I do want to say that if you be a Librarian, majority of the books here will be avable to you."

    "So long as you''re doing to your job properly, I wouldn''t mind you reading the books you are interested in. Keep the peace and serenity of the library, keep it clean and make sure the books are in their best condition, this will be your job here. It shouldn''t be difficult right?"

    "Yes, it doesn''t soundplicated but it also doesn''t mean that it''s not going to be challenging either." Ashton replied honestly.

    "Indeed." Leon sighed, "There''s just too many books here. Sometimes, even I get overwhelmed. But I''m sure that once you''ve adjusted to it, you wouldn''t mind it anymore."

    "Looking forward to that." Ashton softly replied.

    "Alright, tour''s over. Let me bring you to your station." Leon smiled and lead Ashton to another ce.

    The Grand Library isposed of at least 10 floors, each floor was huge on its own.

    Leon brought Ashton to the 3rd Floor of the library. At the end of the staircase, just a few meters away from it, there''s some sort of a receiving area.

    Ashton saw a few rows of wooden tables and chairs, behind those is a station which looked like the receptionists tables at hotels. He saw someone in there but that person doesn''t seem to notice their presence.

    "That''s Aria." Leon stated upon arriving there. "She''s like you as well, but from a different sponsor. She''s a sophomore so you can ask her questions. You two are in-charge of the 3rd Floor."

    Ashton nodded, then they finally reached the station. However, the girl named Aria still doesn''t seem to notice their presence.

    "Oi, youss!"

    "Eep!" Aria jumped from her seat like a frightened rabbit. She got so surprised that her round sses nearly fell off. "O-oh, Chief! I didn''t see you there, hello!"

    "Yeah, we noticed." Leon snorted. "Anyways, this is Ashton. He''d be working with you since you''re horrible at your job. Teach him everything you know. If his performance is terrible, you can say goodbye to your job."

    Leon didn''t bother waiting for another reply and just promptly disappeared, leaving the two awkwardly face to face.

    "Uh, hello. My name is Ashton. Nice to meet you."

    "Ah, yes. Hey. I-I''m Aria. You don''t have to so polite, we''d be co-workers now so let''s get along."

    "...yeah, let''s." Ashton felt really terrible.

    Aria doesn''t seem to be a bad person but she''s too horrible inmunication. That line she said earlier sounded so rehearsed. She can''t even look at him properly while saying that, she just kept fidgeting where she stood.

    The awkward silencested long enough so Ashton decided to take the initiative again and asked: "So, uhm...if you don''t mind, can you tell me what to do here? I mean, Chief Leon briefly talked about it but I don''t still don''t know what I''m supposed to do exactly."

    "A-ah! Yeth."

    Aria''s eyes widened.

    "..."

    Ashton blinked and watched in amusement as Aria stood there, blushing like a ripe tomato. He literally saw the moment she realized that she lisped and can almost see her soul leaving her body.

    Unfortunately, he doesn''t really know what to say to diffuse this situation.

 Chapter 43 Work Duties

    Ashton was truly at a loss.

    The girl looked like she was about to cry any minute now. She was so red and looked absolutely mortified. He could almost rte but he''s also fighting the urge to giggle at the same time.

    Still he forced himself to calm down. He took a deep breath and maintained a straight face. He knows that he has to talk now or else, the long this awkward silence goes, the more horrible both of them will feel.

    "...right so. Is there anything I need to know or...?"

    "A-ah, uhmm..." Aria jolted, she probably wasn''t expecting him to just shrug that off. "S-so uhm...basically uh...y-you uhm..."

    "Hey, hey. Chill." Ashton said, he took a step backwards and continued: "Listen, just take a deep breath in and out. Rx. Yes, just like that. Do it one more time? Right, that''s it. Okay. You good?"

    Aria nodded.

    "Cool. Stay that way. Do you know signnguage?" Ashton asked. To which Aria nodded.

    He then raised his hand and started signing to her: ''We can talk like this if you want.''

    Aria nodded and signed back: ''Thanks. And I''m sorry. I made a fool out of myself just now.''

    ''Don''t worry about it. Happens to the best of us.'' Ashton replied. ''Anyways, so...work. Care to teach me some things?''

    ''Yes.'' Aria nodded, ''What Chief Leon told you was the jist of it and it''s not really that difficult. Here, watch.''

    Aria looked more rxed nowpared before. Ashton guessed that she probably has social anxiety - something that he can rte to since he''s also like her in his past life.

    Due to that, Ashton maintained his distance but watched her actions slowly. He did it as a sign that he''s respecting her personal space. He didn''t want to overwhelm her since he''s aware hoe terrible it feels.

    She lifted a finger and caused them to glow with a blue light. On her other hand was an old looking book. She ced her glowing fingers on it and suddenly, the books started shimmering as well.

    Ashton watched as the book gradually turned glossier and more fresh. It was a bizarre sight, it''s as if he was witnessing sometime rewind time.

    When she was done, Aria looked at Ashton and signed: ''I used a Spell called ''Repair'', it''s like the Healing Spell but for items instead. It has certain limitations but it''s more than enough to help us do our work here.''

    ''We will take turns roaming the 3rd Floor, going through every single book in the shelf, checking their durability percentage. See this thing right here?''

    Aria lifted some sort of a scanner on the table and showed it to him.

    ''This is the tool we use to scan how much durability or lifespan a book still has. It''s user friendly so it is not difficult to use. Just point the end to the barcodes of each book, just like this.''

    She then demonstrated it to him.

    ''See? The scanner glowed green, if you look at the screen here, it''s showing how much is left on the durability. Here it says 90% which is pretty high still.''

    ''Because of that, we can return this book on the shelf and check it again periodically.''

    ''We only use Repair when the durability hits around 70% or lower. As long as we keep all books here in that state for as long as we can, then we will be fine.''

    Ashton nodded in understanding.

    ''Uh, I should probably teach you the Repair spell huh...''

    ''No need.'' Raven signed and shook his head. Before Aria could ask any questions, he lifted his fingers and showed her the same spell she was using just now. ''I already learned it, thanks.''

    Aria looked shocked. She couldn''t help but ask: ''Did you learn this after seeing it once?''

    ''...not really. But let''s just say that I learned from you. After all you''re supposed to teach it to me anyways, right?''

    Ashton indeed learned it just from seeing it once, but since he doesn''t want to tell to much, he figured that it would be better if he put it out this way instead.

    ''...yeah. I supposed you''re right.'' Aria didn''t bother asking any further than that.

    It seems that she''s sensible enough to nor pry so she didn''t.

    ''Oh, and by the way.'' Aria remembered something, ''Whenever you''re going to do rounds of repairs, make sure that you bring this with you.''

    Aria showed him another item.

    ''This is a Clip Drone. It can record videos. You have to make sure you record yourself doing it. You mustn''t forget it or else it will troublesome.''<sub> </sub>

    ''Got it.''

    ''As for the division of work, let''s just alternate each day. For example, today you''ll be at the station while I''ll do the repairs, then tomorrow we''ll switch. Something like that...''

    "Uh..." Ashton scratched his head, he then signed: ''My work schedule will mostly likely not be static. You know, on top of the regr schedule and all.''

    ''Ah, don''t worry about that. I uh...kind of live here.''

    Ashton blinked and tilted his head in confusion.

    ''D-don''t ask. I-it''splicated. Just know that that you''ll pretty much always see me here. Let''s just put it that way.''

    ''Ah, you''re a full time Librarian?''

    ''...yeah. Yeah, something like that.'' Aria replied.

    ''Okay, got it. Oh, my schedule is three hours every weekdays. Just letting you know.''

    Aria nodded and signed: ''Got it.''

    Ashton then proceeded to ask Aria more things about work. To summarize everything, it''s simple enough.

    As they are just working students here, there are ced that they''re not allowed to be in. 7th Floor and above are restricted area, they couldn''t be caught around there or else they''ll be punished.

    Librarians are not allowed to leave their area of responsibility unless they were requested to do so. If they do, they have to be off-shift first.

    Also, just like how it works on Earth, Libraries are meant to be a ce of reading...it''s mean to amodate couples who just want to make-out in private. It is also not a ce that''s supposed to be filled with noise.

    There''s a strict surveince around each floor and the one manning the station must check them periodically throughout the shift in case of shenanigans ensuing.

    Aria also taught Ashton how to assist students who wants to borrow books, how to clock-in and out, what to do in case of emergencies, and etc.

    As it turns out, Aria was talkative, just in an unexpected way,

    While it''s debatable that she''s just like this because she''s teaching Ashton work duties, it was obvious by the way how she initiates conversations now unlike before. Yes, they''re still using signnguage but that''s perfectly fine.

    Ashton was just d that Aria doesn''t look so constipated right now. His guess was pretty much spot-on to be honest.

    Aria do suffer from Social Anxiety, why? Well that''s something that Ashton has no way of knowing right now and of course, being someone who can rte to her closely, he knew better than to ask. So he just let it be.

    After their discussion about work, an hour and half already passed by. There''s not much left before Ashton''s out of here. Since this is his first day, he doesn''t need to clock-in just yet so there''s nothing to worry about.

    They spent the rest of the time applying the things Aria taught to him. During that time, nobody really came around so they weren''t disturbed.

    Aria was impressed, Ashton did everything perfectly on his first try. He''s a fast learner which made it easier for her teach him things. He''s a bit slow, yes but that''s to be expected since it''s first time. He just need some experience and he''ll get used to this real quick.

    Along with the things he learned from her, she also told him about the fact that nobody reallyes to Grand Library, which is a bit disappointing.

    Leon briefly talked about it but it was Aria who told him why that was the case...

    As it turns out, most of the students who got epted here are mostly from well-off families or heirs of licensed cultivators.

    Because of that, the books that the library can offer are something they already probably own themselves therefore they just don''t see the reason why they need toe here at all.

    If they will pay a visit, it''s probably to borrow books that are located at the 7th Floor and above. They have no need for themon books.

    Ashton wasn''t surprised. It''s a bit saddening but it''s kind of expected.

    The two of them talked to each other until Ashton''s allotted time is up.

    Aria saw him off. Ashton made sure to pass by Chief Leon''s station to let him know he''s leaving as well.

    Once he''s out of the Grand Library, he looked at the entrance and reminded himself of its image. Then he walked out of Castle Main and boarded a transit that can take him back home.

    Just like that, Ashton''s first day at school ended.

 Chapter 44 History

    It''s Tuesday today and Aston''s already at school.

    Once again, he''s 30 minutes early and is already at the ssroom. Mary isn''t here yet so he was spending time on his own, reading a book that he borrowed from the library.

    The book was nothing too special. It doesn''t talk about magic at all, instead its topic is about the career options for cultivators. He knows that its still too early for him to even be concerned about this but a little bit of advance knowledge wouldn''t really hurt.

    He passed time like this as his ssmates slowly arrived. When there''s only five minutes left before ss started, Ashton kept his book and stretched in his seat. That''s also when Mary arrived and sat next to him.

    "Yo, cutting it real close there." He greeted.

    "I me those two." Mary sighed in a tired manner, she''s of course referring to Alice and ke. "They''re still not used to getting up early yet they''re the ones insisting that we go to school together. I swear if this happens one more time I''ll just leave them behind."

    "They''ll get used to it. Rx."

    "Yeah I hope so too." She sighed, "But I''ve been friends with those two for practically all my life. I know that''s a tall order for them. They won''t learn unless they suffer."

    "Well, let''s hope it doesn''te to that." He replied.

    "Yeah."

    The two of them talked to each other until the professor arrived. When the clock hits 10am, Ashton felt a sharp sensationing in front of them. He felt a presence which made him look there.

    All of a sudden, an old man appeared in front of the ss.

    He was bald but there are some strands of white hair still attached to his scalp. He sported a long gray beard and he had the appearance of a kind grandpa. His back is already bending downwards and he has a cane which he used to stabilized himself

    The old man was wearing a loose green shirt with the Academy''s badge on the right chest side. The shirt is tucked inside his white pants and he''s wearing a brown leather boots.

    His eyes were closed, but Ashton could feel his gaze. The old man had this kind smile on his face as he scanned the ss. He cleared his throat and said:

    "Good morning 1st year, ss C. My name is Aleck Hamilton, I am your Professor for History. Nice to meet you all."

    "Nice to meet you too, Prof. Hamilton."

    The old man looked pleased as he nodded. He then slowly tapped his cane towards where his desk is. He pulled out the chair but instead of sitting in front of the desk, he ce the chair in the middle of the aisle in front of the students.

    "Whew. I hope you kids don''t mind me sitting here. Old me can''t stand for long periods of time. But don''t worry, I can still do my job just fine." The old professor smiled and sat on the chair.

    Ashton blinked and his gaze briefly nced at the rest of the students. Well, as he expected, at least half of them are bored. It would seem that History is going to be one of those subjects huh...

    "Okay, before we start the ss. Let me tell you a few things about me. I know some of your aren''t interested in that but if you can humor me for a bit, please do listen."

    The old professor then brought up his profile for everyone to see.

    "As you can see, again my name is Aleck Hamilton. I am 97 years old this year and I have been a professor here for about 40 years now."

    ''Holy hell, that is mad...'' Ashton eximed inwardly.

    He couldn''t believe that this old man is 97 years old already. He hasn''t met anyone this old before and he still looks like he has a few more years left for him. This is insane!

    Not to mention, 40 years of tenure? Holy crap, that is some made loyalty right there.

    "I used to be in charge of Modern Technology and Advanced Science but I''ve gotten too old to handle the activities meant for those subjects and it became stressful too. That''s why I got transferred into History and Alchemy now."

    "Moving on to my style well...I require nothing from you kids. My subject should be easy enough so as long as you pay attention you should pass. I''ll be informing you about tests and examinations ahead of time so that you can prepare."

    "I''m not strict when ites to attendance, so long as there''s a student in this ssroom, I''ll teach. I''ll only record the results you''ll give to me so if you fail, it means that its your fault, not mine."

    "The only thing that I request from you kids is to never resort to underhanded tactics in order to make yourself look good."<sub> </sub>

    The Professor opened his eyes for the first time and looked at the students. His kind smile also disappeared.

    Much to their surprise, the old man''s eyes were pure white, which made him look freaky and intimidating.

    Ashton felt goosebumps on his arms when he sensed the gaze of the professor.

    "You see, old me never really liked cheaters."

    The weight behind those words were not to be taken lightly. It might sound like a warning but in truth, it''s a threat.

    Before the students realized it, the old man''s expression already changed. His eyes closed again and his kind smile returned.

    "...ah but well, that''s just for old me''s preference. Just don''t do it, okay?"

    The students nodded and the professor looked pleased. Then he started checking the attendance. He said that he''s only going to do it once since he''s good at remembering names and faces. He said he''s d that not even his old age affected his memory.

    After everyone''s called, the old man moved-on to the lesson properly...

    "Now, now. Since most of you here passed the entrance exams, I''d assume that you know the brief history of our world." He said, "You might''ve heard it from us adults or read it through books..."

    "The story of how our peaceful world suddenly got invaded by Foreign Races who pushed us to the brink of extinction. The rise of the Heroes and the eventual establishment of the Last Bastion. To summarize, that is our History."

    The students found themselves nodding in agreement with the old man.

    "But of course, this is just the summary." He said, "There''s so much more to the story. Most of these information are too sensitive to be included to what the public knows. But since you all are here, you must know it."

    "Because in order to ensure the longevity of our race, we must not make the same mistake again. Well, that''s the goal anyway but for all we know, History just repeats itself sometimes."

    "Still, it''s good to know how far we''vee. Looking back to our past isn''t a waste of time. We do it for reference to ensure that we''re walking at the correct path."

    "Now, if we''re going to start looking back to our history, it is only proper that we must start at the very beginning, no? So, let''s go ahead and do that."

    Professor Hamilton raised his cane and stabbed it on the floor. All of a sudden, a curtain of light enveloped the students.

    Their surroundings started warping around them, it was as if they were truly going back in time. This went on for a few minutes until it stopped.

    Everyone then found themselves surrounded with an endless nket of ice but they weren''t cold. As they looked around, snow filled their vision as well as the gloomy skies above.

    <o>,m "Before we continue, I must let you kids know that this is just a depiction of what happened back then." The old professor said this to grab their attention. "As we never really developed a machine that allows us to observe the past in a safer environment, we can only use these kinds of tricks."</o>

    "Anyways...wee to the extreme north - the ce where it all began. As you can see, the environment here is harsh. No regr humans can survive in this ce, but surprisingly, there are tribes here. Let''s have a look at them shall we?"

    Their surroundings warped again, it''s as if they were zooming in to somewhere now. And they were.

    Beneath the snowy mountains, there are several establishments that appeared. Said buildings were covered with snow but they are visibly noticeable.

    The students could see people around, wearing clothes made out of animal skin. They are thick and covered in fur. These tribesmen are holding pre-historic weapons and the craftsmanship was obviously horrible.

    As the ss observed closely how the tribe lived, Ashton sensed movement at the corner of his eyes. He could''ve sworn that a shadow passed by and he felt ufortable.

    He felt his senses alerting him as he involuntarily tensed up.

    Ashton blinked one time and when he opened his eyes, he saw the shadow standing in front of them as it dug its sharp ws to heart of a human who never saw iting.

    Ashton swallowed down hard and thought:

    ''That went from zero to a hundred real quick.''

 Chapter 45 The Invasion

    The students paled upon witnessing such a cruel disy.

    They literally just blinked and before they knew it, a shadow already manifested in front of them and killed someone. They didn''t even know where it came from.

    Ashton at least sensed it, but it doesn''t mean that he''s any better since he wasn''t able to react in time.

    <o>,m The victim of that shadow didn''t even had the time to cry out in agony before dying. They were perfectly assassinated by the shadow, leaving the rest none the wiser.</o>

    The ss watched as the shadow phases through the ground, turning into a pool of ck goo which moved at a blinding pace. From the direction it was going, anyone could tell that it''s searching for more victims.

    They were right to assume that since what followed was simply a cold-blooded ughter.

    One by one, the shadow killed the tribesmen until it was finally noticed. However, instead of turning its tail to run, the shadow just stood in front of the furious tribesmen, opened its maw and screeched so loud that it echoed across the snowy ins.

    The surroundings rumbled. Ashton thought that the creature just caused an avnche but it turns out that he was wrong.

    It called for back-up.

    Shadows of all shapes and sizes manifested from beneath the ground and bared their fangs at the tribesmen, someone from the tribe couldn''t help but feel so unnerved that he started running away, that''s when the bloodshed began.

    For the sake the students sanity, the ughter was greatly blurred out, yet the harrowing cries of the tribesmen weren''t silenced. It filled everyone with epassing dread and helplessness.

    These humans werepletely unprepared for this event. Their weapons weren''t good enough to even hurt the creatures attacking them. They might''ve been able to hunt down the predators lurking around their tribe but these shadows are on apletely another level.

    Next, the ss witnessed how these shadows converged into a single solid mass. They took the shape of a sphere that is surrounded with wide mouths and razor-sharp teeth.

    The sphere started to roll like a ball, it left a trail of ck goo wherever it passes and it went around devouring the corpses of all tribesmen that were killed, nobody escaped. Even the houses weren''t spared. Everything eaten by this monster.

    When it has consumed everything. The spherical monster stopped on its tracks. It stayed still and after a few minutes, a great change urred to it.

    The sphere seemingly melted on the ground and started spreading everywhere. The mouths disappeared along with the teeth, all that''s left is a pitch ck goo on the ground.

    Momentster, they saw a hand wing upwards at the very center of the ck pool of goo.

    The arm bent in a way as if pulling itself back-up.

    Next, a tall and extremely frightening figure came out of the pool of goo. Its head was big and hasrge coiling horns. Its eyes lit up with a ghastly green color, it has the torso of a human and the lower body of a horse. It also held a fiendishly long spear on its hand.

    ''Is that a f-ing Centaur?'' Ashton''s eyes widened like saucers as he saw the creature in front of him. But it didn''t end there.

    Creatures that were familiar yet unfamiliar to him started emerging from the pool of goo: Harpies, massive centipedes and worms, insects, imps, etc.

    All of these creatures have horns in them and they marched purposefully in all directions, some went to thend while others were headed to the sea, some even took to the skies. Wherever they went, they always leave a trail of that ck goo which in turn expands its original size even more.

    Ashton felt his skin crawl since their numbers didn''t show signs of stopping anytime soon.

    This was when the scenery switched up. The students once again felt like they were being transported somewhere else. It didn''t take long before they arrive but to their surprise, they were once again seeing nothing but an endless nket of snow.

    "This is the Extreme South." Professor Hamilton stated.

    And just like before, they saw yet another tribe.

    The difference is that, this tribe seems to follow a very strict religious doctrines. Ashton could see several totems and statues of what looks like an animal but he can''t be too sure. But he did saw the tribesmen worshipping them even amidst the raging snow.

    They then saw several men who wore a different kind of clothingpared to the rest of tribe which kind of signified their importance.

    In the middle of their worship/ritual, these men took off their garbs and theypletely naked underneath, their private parts were censored of course...along with the part where they slit their own throats after reciting some sort of a prayer.

    As the students reeled in shock due to the sheer madness of what they had just witnessed, a strange development took ce.<sub> </sub>

    The tribesmen didn''t mourn those who died, in fact it seems that they couldn''t care less. The corpses that are losing heat suddenly emitted a strange golden brilliance.

    When the tribesmen saw that, they all went mad. They scream, cried and knelt down, their eyes were fixated on the glowing corpses as if they were witnessing a miracle.

    Someone let out a iprehensible words, then she stood up and walked toward the glowing corpse. She got rid of her clothes and embraced the corpse while letting out whines.

    All women followed her lead and their actions just caused the golden glow to be stronger.

    As the men, they prostrated deeply. Not minding the cold that''s literally killing them. They repeatedly uttered prayers that nobody in the ss could understand.

    That''s when a strong explosion erupted that wiped out all humans there. Flesh and blood were scattered everywhere. The scene was so gory that almost everything was blurred out.

    It was then followed by some kind of a hymn. A sound that irritated Ashton down to his bones.

    All of a sudden, the gloomy clouds above parted and a strong rays of sunlight manifested. From beyond that light, golden creatures emerged.

    To the ss, they appear to be just golden shadows with crimson eyes. They trickled down slowly until theypletely popted the vast and snowy fields.

    Then bigger golden shadows appeared, when those descended, the little ones made way.

    The big golden shadows walked slowly. They nced at the fleshly bits that are scattered everywhere. They opened their mouths and started sucking them in.

    The siphoning force was strong thatrge patches ofnd were being pulled out ae well. When the siphoning stopped, the golden shadows wriggled and slowly transformed.

    To the student''s surprise, they now took the form of the dead tribesmen, they could even hear them speaking theirnguage. Together, they utter a loud prayer apanied by the hymn that irritated Ashton.

    Then, from above them, the dark clouds suddenly disappearedpletely, reced golden clouds that stretches as far as the eye can see.

    Ashton could also saw something behind that could. He saw a shape there or something but the scene switched so he didn''t get to make sense of it.

    The golden shadows then started to march in every direction just the like the dark shadows before. They also left that golden trail wherever they go.

    The next thing the students saw, the scene warped and zoomed out of their. Time was sped up and they saw how the gold and ck shed in the middle of the. That''s where the scene ended.

    "We weren''t prepared for their arrival. Nobody was expecting that they wille just like that." The old professor stated.

    "Although you might argue that the tribe from the Extreme South summoned them, studies shows that they aren''t in the right mind when they did. From the reports we gathered, it is said that they were lulled by something and it changed them, robbed them off of their sanity. They were used as a tool to open up the gates from their world to ours."

    "Our disaster started from here. We were never built to take on them. They were too strong and they had methods thatpletely surpasses ours."

    "Because of that, our race suffered greatly. Mountains of bodies and rivers of blood were formed from Humanity''s corpses. We were pushed to the brink of extinction and we never stood a chance."

    "Not until the First Hero came."

    A silhouette of gant man appeared behind the professor.

    "In his arrival, our counter-attack officially began. Although he couldn''t achieve much since he''s the only one at that time, he walked so that we could run."

    "We owe so much to him. If it weren''t for him, Last Bastion wouldn''t have existed in the first ce."

    "Before we end the ss, let me remind everyone that what you saw is just a depiction of what actually happened. There is a way to witness what truly happened back them, it''s just that we don''t have the technology avable to let us do it safely."

    "Once you kids are strong enough, you''ll get the chance to see it for yourselves."

    "Alright, that should be enough for today." The professor looked at his watched and slowly got up from his seat. "Next ss, we will be discussing the Story of the First Hero. We''ll also have a short quiz so prepare for that."

    "Goodbye, I''ll see you on the next ss."

 Chapter 46 Break

    After the History ss, Ashton has an hour and half break before the next ss which will be the White Magic at 1-3pm.

    Through e-mail, Aisha already informed the ss that their schedules were already updated and is effective as of this day, meaning he has to report to ss in order to make an impression at least.

    Right now, Ashton really doesn''t know where to go.

    The Mystic Academy is so big and it has so many ces he can visit yet somehow, that also mak3e it difficult for him to decide where he should go.

    "Hey, where you n on spending your break?" Mary asked as they left the ssroom.

    "Actually, I don''t know." Ashton replied while shrugging. "I might just go in the Cafe''s nearby and use the lunch tickets I receivedst Sunday."

    He wasn''t really hungry since he ate something before he leaves his house. An hour an half break isn''t that long but isn''t short either so he thought of spending it at a rxing ce so that he can be refreshed for the next ss.

    "Why don''t youe with me? I''m having lunch with Alice and ke at Rosie''s." She offered.

    "Would that be okay? I wouldn''t want to intrude..."

    "Nah, you won''t be, it''s fine. They know you''re okay so it shouldn''t be a problem." Mary waved her hand.

    "Alright." Ashton agreed, "But what is this Rosie''s you''re talking about?"

    He could''ve sworn that he heard Mary gasped. She looked at him in a scandalized manner and said:

    "I can''t believe you don''t know about Auntie Rosie''s Pastries! That won''t do! Come, let''s go! It''s time that you learn about the good things in life."

    Ashton blinked and allowed himself to be dragged by Mary out of the building. He doesn''t have a clue as to why she''s acting this way, it''s not like he asked weird question in the first ce.

    The two of them arrived at the transit stations and boarded one of the transits. As they sat down and waited for the transit to fly off, Mary said:

    "I''m surprised you didn''t look shaken from what Prof. Hamilton just showed us. It still gives me the creeps you know..."

    "...it''s not like I''m unaffected though. I mean, it''s definitely freaky but I just kept telling myself that it''s just a video at best, plus the gory bits are censored, that really helped out a lot."

    Ashton didn''t really feel fazed if he''s beingpletely honest. He doesn''t particrly know why too. It''s not like he had killed someone before or did anything remotely close to that.

    He guessed that it''s probably because he truly saw that whole thing as just a well made short movie in VR. If it''s because of something else, then he truly doesn''t know.

    "You know, my parents calls them Imps and Pigeons." Mary casually stated.

    "By ''them'' are you referring to the ck and golden shadows we saw?"

    "Uh-huh." She nodded, "Of course that''s just how they call them, that''s not what the actual name of their race. But yeah, Imps and Pigeons. I don''t know why but somehow, I can see why they''re called like that now."

    "Really?" Ashton doubted, "I can somehow understand the Imps but...I don''t remember pigeons being golden..."

    "No, not like that." Mary shook her head and sighed, "You know what, never mind. It''s weird, let''s just say it like that."

    This was when the transit finally flew after a couple of minutes.

    "My parents used to have a lot of clients that suffered heavily because of those creatures. One of them was their close friend who became my Godfather as well. He used to tell me some vague stories about them as means to consistently tell me that they''re bad."

    "How did your parents react to that?" Ashton asked.

    "They never really knew. I never told them." She admitted, "I was the one kept begging my Godfather to tell me stories since he usually took care of me when my parents are on a business trip."

    "He filters the stories a lot, often times he makes it light hearted and had a good ending, but as I grew up I gradually learned that he was lying to me."

    "He did that to protect you, I guess." Ashtonmented.

    "Yes. He did." Mary sighed, "It''s been a while since Ist saw him. I miss him."

    "Why, where did he go?"

    "He works for the Federation. Got stationed in the Broken Bands - a ce located 1000 miles away from the Last Bastion." Mary sounded concerned when she said this.

    "That''s dangerous. But he shouldn''t be alone right?"

    "Yes." Mary nodded, "He''s a Squad Captain. He''s alive and well, I''m still receiving letters from him so I know that he''s still out there."

    "Letters?" Ashton raised a brow. "Are they not allowed to use their smartwatches while on duty?"

    Mary looked at Ashton and said: "Humanity''s technology doesn''t work outside of Last Bastion."

    Ashton was shook when he heard that. Now that was something that hepletely didn''t know.

    "...all of them?"<sub> </sub>

    "Yes. All of them." She nodded, "From Transits all the way down to the most basic of the firearms. None works. For some reason, all of them bes useless the moment you step out of Last Bastion. But if you take them back inside, they''ll work properly."

    "This is why cold weapons remained popr. It isn''t because people preferred it, it''s just that we don''t have any other options." Mary stated.

    Ashton learned another valuable thing from Mary. This will surely affect his decisions in the future.

    "So that''s why you can only receive letters from him."

    "Yeah." Mary sighed, "Many people tried to make our technology work out there but all failed. Hopefully he finished his mission soon, I''m really starting to get worried about him."

    "..." Ashton didn''t say a word. He didn''t know what to say to begin with anyway.

    Then a mechanical voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

    "Passengers, we are now at the Castle Main. If this is your stop, please prepared to get off of the transit."

    "It''s here. Come." Mary stood up, Ashton followed suit as well.

    They got off the transit and found ke and Alice already waiting for them at the stop.

    "Oh hey! They''re here." ke told Alice when he saw them.

    When they got close ke nodded at Ashton and said: "Hey, man. What''s up."

    "I''m good, you?"

    "As handsome as always." ke struck a pose, which cause Alice and Mary to mock vomit at the side.

    The corners of ke''s mouth twitched in annoyance but he ignored them. Of course, the girls wouldn''t let that pass that easily.

    "Come, let''s go to Auntie Rosie''s before I puke my intestines out." Alice snorted, "Seriously, some people really had vanity etched in their bones."

    "Gross, right?" Mary joined in as well. "Thankfully we know better. Come, let''s go."

    ke blinked and felt betrayed, he looked at Ashton who threw up his hands and said: "Don''t look at me, they are your childhood friends, not mine. Plus, you were the one asking for it."

    "Darn, you right." ke sighed and followed behind the girls. Ashton walked beside him.

    They then walked for a couple of minutes, going inside a tall building which was in fact, a mall inside. There were several stalls and shops inside and there''s a lot of students roaming around as well.

    The group entered a fairly popted area, they made a turn and entered ce which looked like a fast-food chain.

    ''Auntie Rosie''s Pastries'' is its name.

    "Right, it''s Ashton''s first time here. He hasn''t tasted any of Aunt Rosie''s pastries." Mary told them.

    Ashton blinked and saw how Alice and ke looking at him as he justmitted a heinous crime.

    "Nah, bro. That won''t do." ke shook his head.

    "I don''t want to agree with that buffoon but he''s right. That really won''t do."

    Ashton looked at Mary who just shrugged at him, he then felt Alice and ke pushing him from behind.

    He sighed and just epted his fate. By the time he realized it, a prettydy was already asking for his order.

    p "A slice of strawberry cheesecake please." He said.</anda>

    He could swear that he heard the three humming in approval from behind him, but he decided to just ignore them for now.

    "Drinks?" The prettydy asked.

    "Iced-Tea."

    "Got it. Please choose a room and wait for your order to be delivered."

    Ashton paid for the food using his ticket stub and waited for the rest to order as well. Afterwards, they entered on of the empty rooms inside the shop.

    The room was cozy. It has warm lighting, not too bright or too dim. The chairs were ssy and extremelyfortable. There''s also a tv inside, gaming consoles and a stack of pillows as well.

    ''Oh, so it''s that kind of ce huh...''

    It didn''t take long before a server knocked on the door with their orders. They gathered in front of the table and Ashton couldn''t help but smile wryly since the three was clearly urging him to eat first.

    So, with that in mind, Ashton took a slice of his cheesecake and ate it...

 Chapter 47 White Mage Class

    "It''s good." Ashton said as he took a sip of his tea.

    Of course, he didn''t miss the disappointed faces of the three due to hisck-luster response.

    "...he''s a wierdo, confirmed." ke stated.

    "Yep, I too confirm." Mary followed. Alice also nodded.

    Ashton rolled his eyes and ignored that instead.

    "It doesn''t make sense bro. Auntie Rosie''s Pastries are one of the best things life has to offer. Those who doesn''t feel happy eating her products are either depressed or psychopaths." ke added.

    "Yeah, we don''t make the rules sadly." Alice hummed in agreement.

    "I didn''t say that it''s bad." Ashton countered.

    "Yeah, we know. But still, you reaction is so dull that it kind of kills the whole vibe you know. What''s up with you? Is taste buds working properly?" Mary asked.

    "They''re working just fine." Ashton replied while smiling wryly, "I''m just not very emotive I suppose."

    "Yeah, we figured." Mary nodded.

    To bepletely honest, Ashton wasn''t really impressed. The food taste good but it wasn''t mind-blowing. It tastes the same as he remember it back in his old world and those were still fresh to his memories so he wasn''t really surprised.

    "Anyway, what''s your next ss after this?" Alice asked Mary.

    "Archery for me. 1-3pm"

    Ashton could''ve sworn that he heard a thick dread on Mary''s voice when she said that.

    "Oh, I have Swordsmanship at 1-3pm as well."

    "Shield Lessons for me." ke added.

    "White Magic, 1-3pm as well." Ashton replied.

    "Oh, you''re a White Mage?" Alice looked surprised. ke too.

    "Yes. Mary didn''t tell you?" Ashton asked.

    "No she didn''t. That''s surprising. We thought you''d be a Red Mage or a ck Mage." ke shrugged as he continued eating his meal.

    "Ah, well. I only have an affinity for White Mage so I picked it. Also, it doesn''t sound so bad and I was interested in it anyway."

    "From what I heard, the White Mage sses are boring." kemented.

    "Yeah, my parents said that it''s difficult and boring as hell. That''s why many people failed the ss." Alice added.

    "Don''t you worry about this guy. For all we know, that might just be right up his alley." Mary stated.

    Ashton refrained frommenting and just smiled instead.

    The four of them then spend their breaks together, talking about the most random things they could. Most of it ends up with the three of them arguing with each other while Ashton stood on the side and just nodded from time to time.

    These three were so chaotic yet Ashton remained sane amidst of their arguments. They tried dragging him into their conflict but Ashton expertly deflects the topic somewhere else to escape from it.

    Nevertheless, it was fun. Ashton didn''t talk much but he had fun hanging out with these three. They''re a little bit ridiculous and their never-ending arguments gives him headache but that''s fine.

    Eventually, their break is over. They went out of the shop and separated to go to their respective sses.

    Since this ss is about Specialization, Ashton wouldn''t be with his ssmates nor use their regr ssroom.

    The White Mage ss will take ce in the Castle Main, more specifically at the area near the Academy Hospitals.

    Following the directions, Ashton came across several huge white tents near the clearke at the back of the hospital building. At first he was confused but he discovered that the directions he followed truly leads him here, which means that he''s at the right ce.

    ''WMA-1C'' this is the ssroom he supposed to enter. From looking around, he discovered that ''WMA'' stands for White Mage Apprentice, and the tents erected here are truly where their ssrooms would be.

    He found the 1C tent and entered. He discovered that he''s the first one to arrive so it was a bit boring. There''s still ten minutes before the ss started, so he used his smartwatch in the meantime while waiting for the rest of his ssmates.

    Time gradually passed and eventually, his rm rang. At the same time, he sensed someone entering the tent where he''s at.

    A woman in her prime entered the tent. She was tall and curvaceous. She has a long blonde hair, a pair of soul piercing blue eyes, fair skin, plump lips and has a beauty mark at the left of her mouth. She wore a white doctors robe that has golden mes embroidered at he seams.<sub> </sub>

    She looked kind, especially with that smile on her face. When she saw Ashton inside, she tilted her head and said:

    "Oh, you''re here. That''s great."

    "Uh..." Ashton was flustered but he managed to recover just in time before he embarrassed himself. "Good afternoon. My name is Ashton West."

    "I know, I got your profile with me." Thedy chuckled softly. "My name is Jeanne rk. I''ll be your mentor for the White Mage Profession. Nice to meet you."

    "Nice to meet you too, Professor." Ashton performed a curt bow. He then looked around at the empty seats beside him and asked: "I-It seems that my ssmates arete."

    "No, they''re not Young Man." Jeanne chuckled. "You''re the only one in this ss."

    "Eh!?" Ashton was shocked.

    "Yes. You heard me right." Jeanne adjusted her sses. "I only have you as my student for this ss. Surprising I know, but that''s just the way how it is. Not many students pick this Specialization after all."

    "Uhm...are there any sses aside from this?" Ashton asked.

    "Yes, there is." Jeanne answered readily.

    That made Ashton think. It didn''t take long before an idea formed in his head which made him ask: "This is about me being cursed, isn''t it."

    "My, how sharp of you." Jeanne looked pleasantly surprised. She nodded and said: "Indeed. It''s because of your status as a cursed one. But don''t take it to heart. Your curse isn''t going to get in the way of you learning the duties of a White Mage."

    Ashton nodded and released a sigh.

    Well, this is weird. He wasn''t expecting something like this to ur. Still, this isn''t so bad. At least he''ll get a one on one tutge. He can use this to his advantage.

    "Alright, let''s get the formalities out of the way." Jeanne caught his attention. "Again, my name is Jeanne rk. You may call me Professor Jeanne or Professor rk if you want. Teacher also works fine. Up to you."

    "I am a Licensed White Mage and an educator here at the Academy. On top of that, I also work as one of Medics in the school."

    "Since it''s just going to be the two of us here, I can give you my full attention so that you''ll learn everything about this profession in the best way possible."

    Ashton nodded in understanding. He''s already expecting this.

    "Due to our unique set-up, I decided that I''ll teach in an unorthodox manner." She stated, "Don''t worry, the work load isn''t going to rise. We''ll just use a different approachpared to how it usually goes when there''s multiple students involved."

    "This may hasten or slow down the time it''ll take for you to finish learning everything you can from me. In the end, it''ll boil down to your own efforts and since you''re my only student, I offers me no other choice than to observe your progress closely."

    "I''ll try my best to not disappoint you, Professor."

    "Good. That''s what I like to hear." Jeanne beamed. "Alright, so first things first. I want to know what are your current thoughts about White Mages. Don''t be afraid to speak your mind. There''s no wrong answer."

    Ashton thought for a bit before answering...

    "It''s a Specialization that suffered frommon misconceptions." He answered.

    "Care to borate?"

    "Well...just before I went here, I was hanging out with a group of friends and when they learned that I was a White Mage, they were surprised. They then said that they heard that the sses are bound to be difficult and boring, that''s why a lot of people tend to stay away from it. And those who did end up taking it, fails."

    "I think these are nothing more than rumors. I don''t know where they came from and how legitimate it is, but it is visibly harming the image of the Specialization. At least that''s what I think."

    "Would say that these rumors are baseless then?"

    "No." Ashton shook his head.

    "Interesting. Can you tell me why?"

    "I mean...as far as I know, White Mages are synonymous to Healers. That means we dabble with life itself. One mistake could possibly bring us to the opposite spectrum of what a Healer should be."

    "If we want to save lives, then we should know how it works first. The Human Physiology is already full of mysteries, add the fact that Healing itself is a sensitive topic that needs utmost care when being performed, I couldn''t imagine learning it to be easy."

    "So I wouldn''t say that the rumors are baseless. It makes sense why they would say that. Still, that doesn''t make it any better of course."

    Jeanne beamed happily and said: "It is exactly as you said. Great job. With your current mentality, it wouldn''t be too hard for you to do what others can''t."

    "Come closer, I need to show you something..."

 Chapter 48 Value Of White Magic

    Ashton got up and went closer to the professor.

    As he approaches, the professor took out arge rectangr ss container. It''s divided into two, one part has a pitch ck soil in it while the other has golden sand it seems.

    He didn''t know why but the moment the professor took that container out, Ashton felt all the hairs on his body standing up. He visibly paled and froze on his tracks. He felt a primal fear stemming from the roots of his soil as well as a strong nausea just by looking at it.

    ''What the hell!?'' He eximed inwardly.

    The way he unconsciously reacted came as a shock to him. He couldn''t control this feeling at all and that really threw him out of the loop. Just what are things?

    "...your sensitivity towards these is sharp. That''s good. No wonder your affinity towards White Magic is high." Jeannemented.

    "What are those, Professor? Why am I feeling a strong disgust and fear by looking at it?"

    "Nothing much..." Jeanne stated, "It''s just some soil we collected at the Bands. These two are the mostmon types of soil you''ll find out there."

    "Soil? Are those really just simple soil?" He asked in disbelief.

    "Yes. At least in the standards of the world outside of the Last Bastion, these are themon soil. As simple as that." Jeanne replied, "But it is different when ites to us. You already felt it, your instincts are screaming at you that these simple soil are extremely dangerous."

    "The footwear we have can''t be used to traverse the ground outside of our territory. The moment it does, it''ll just melt. If any part of your skin touches the ground out there, there''s is a high change that you will die."

    "The pitch ck soil will crawl up and digest you while the golden soil is simr to quicksand, it''ll swallow you up in no time t."

    Ashton was shocked. His mind reeling from these information.

    ''It''s that dangerous outside?'' Ashton eximed inwardly.

    He didn''t expect that the world outside their little bubble is so unfriendly that even the ground is out to get them. It''s so dangerous that nobody''s even allowed to step in it so casually.

    "Don''t be mistaken. We have developed certain ways to nullify the effects of these soil. There are techniques, skills and spells you can learn that allows you to not be affected by these things."

    "Still, that doesn''t make them any less dangerous." Ashton blurted out.

    "Indeed." Jeanne nodded, "the reason why I showed this to you is to discover how sensitive you are towards these things. We''re already done with that. The next reason is to show you the true value of White Mages especially in expeditions out of Last Bastion."

    Jeanne then lifted her hand and hovered it over the container. She palms glowed with a warm white light.

    Under Raven''s observations, he saw the soil within the container sizzling. He could also swear that he could hear agonized cries but it was faint.

    In a span of seconds, the soil transformed and became regr ones. The kind that Ashton was familiar with.

    Ashton guessed that Jeanne used some kind of White Magic to purify the soil, turning it to something safe for humans to interact with.

    Jeanne then opened the container and grabbed a fistful of soil. She showed to him that it''s now safe and just like any regr soil one would find inside the Last Bastion.

    "So it''s true then?." Ashton murmured, "The reason why Last Bastion became a habitable ce for humans is because of White Magic?"

    "Oh, so you''ve heard about that." Jeanne adjust her ssed and cleaned her dirtied hand, "Yes, it is indeed as you say. White Magic is the reason why we managed to carve a piece of the world for ourselves."

    Ashton nodded, now that''s confirmed, he could now say that White Mages are indeed important for Last Bastion as a whole. They''re an integral part of the system.

    "The name of the Spell I used just now is Purify." Jeanne stated, "To learn it, you must first learn and master the spells; Cleanse and Warmth. Those two are basic spells that I''ll teach you next week."<sub> </sub>

    Ashton nodded. He didn''t say that he already know these two spells since he wanted to keep his secret safe. Both Cleanse and Warmth are already Lv.3, but Jeanne said that in order to learn Purify. He needs to Master the two pre-requisite spells first.

    Well, that''s not going to happen anytime soon but it should be achievable so long as he has enough funds.

    "In every expedition that takes ce outside of the Last Bastion, the presence of us White Mages are always needed. No team will depart without a White Mage on the team since we can raise the team''s survivability by 40% just by doing what we''re supposed to do."

    "Skilled White Mages are even more valuable, they are treated no less than a Saint by the crusaders. A Skilled White Mage will not only ensure the safety of the team but will also increase their profits. More often than not, they receive the highest cuts in expeditions."

    "That being said, we White Mages are the most vulnerable link of the team." Jeanne sighed, "Our enemies outside aren''t dumb, more often than not, we are their first target."

    "Add that to the list of reasons why our number is too littlepared to other Specialization Types." Jeanne stated, "It''s quite ironic how we raise the team''s survivability but in case of idents, we''re the first ones to fail."

    "I looked at the subjects that you enrolled into and I am pleased when I saw that you enrolled to the Combat ss. I was going to rmend it to you but I guess I don''t have to anymore."

    Ashton nodded at that. As expected, his decisions were on point up to this point. He knew that he could trust the things his System suggests him to do.

    "In addition to our ssroom discussions, when we get to the point where you''re mastery over some White Magic reaches a level I''m quite satisfied at, you''ll follow me around the hospital to gain a first hand experience in works that doesn''t require you to step outside of Last Bastion."

    "Don''t worry, they will be nothing too difficult. You''d just apany me for the most part as I exin things for you."

    Ashton nodded to that. It should be counted as work since it''ll only happen during the White Magic period, and as Jeanne said he''s just there to observe closely so it shouldn''t be too difficult.

    "Alright, that really all that I have to inform you for today. You may now go."

    Ashton''s eyes widened in surprise. He nced at his watch and saw that only 30 minutes passed since the ss started. White Magic ss was supposed tost for 3 hours.

    "Uh...only 30 minutes passed so far."

    "I know." Jeanne nodded as she kept the container. "But like I said, my teaching style would be different since you''re my only student. I still haven''t finished my ns for you and there''s really nothing for us discuss for today since you understood everything that I was about to exin anyways."

    "This is good for the both of us no? You and I can go to work much earlier so that we can go home much earlier as well. Isn''t that right?"

    Ashton really couldn''t refute that. So, he simply shrugged. He stood up and bowed: "Thank you for your time Professor."

    "Mn. You too. See you next week." Jeanne didn''t say much and exited the ssroom followed by Ashton.

    Jeanne went towards the hospital to clock-in to her shift. She''s one of the medics in the hospital as she said earlier so it would make sense why she''d go there.

    As for Ashton well, he took the long way around the hospital. Passing through the other white tents that serves as ssroom as well. He briefly nced at the windows and saw that their ss is still on.

    Ashton felt really weird but he didn''t hate this. The unorthodox manner of teaching was to be expected since he''s the only student around. He had faith in Jeanne''s decision since she''s the one that''s more experienced in this areapared to him.

    But just like she said, this works for him as well.

    He''s now headed to the Grand Library to clock-in to his work as well. The earlier he finishes his work, the earlier he can go home. Ashton likes that idea.

    Still he wasn''t on the rush. He made sure tomit every scenery on his way to memorize the route towards the Grand Library, this should help him not get lost due to the scale of this Academy.

    When he arrived at the Grand Library, he saw the Chief Librarian Leon and greeted him. He went to 3rd floor and greeted Aria as well, then he clocked-in.

    Today he was tasked to be the one repairing the books so he started his rounds as soon as he got all the tools he needs.

 Chapter 49 Inscriptions

    Since Ashton starteding to school, he had to adjust his training schedule.

    He spends most of his time in the mornings sparring with training dummies at his home and as time passes, he''s bing more and more experienced in dealing with them.

    No, he hasn''t been able to defeat even a single one in a real spar since at base, the Training Dummies are more durable than him and the techniques they execute are programmed to performed skillfully.

    This of course didn''t bruise his ego too much. He knows that he has a long way to go still. He only needs time and he''ll eventually get there, especially with the help of the System.

    Speaking of time...

    The Inscription ss is about to begin at any minute now. Ashton was already on the ssroom waiting for the professor to arrive.

    As the clock hits 10am, Ashton sensed the familiar sensation of someone appearing in front of them.

    This time, their Professor is someone that Ashton was familiar with.

    "Good morning, 1st year ss C. My name is Leonardo Cestus. I''ll be your Professor for Inscriptions. Nice to you meet you all."

    Leon showed them his profile and the ss greeted their new professor.

    Ashton was quite surprised. He didn''t know that Chief Leon was going to be his Professor on top of being his supervisor as well. Why didn''t he say anything.

    Their gazes met for a brief moment and Ashton could''ve sworn that Leon was teasing him. Whether this is true or not, he''ll knowter when his shift starts.

    Leon ced his stuff on the table and took a seat. Because he''s so tall, Leon still towered over the students even while sitting. His looks were quite intimidating too especially with that scar on his face, nevertheless he''s soft-spoken which calmed the students down.

    "Following the traditions on my colleagues, I''ll be setting your expectations about how I will handle your ss." Leon stated, "It''s basically the same as them."

    "I will not force you to do anything, not even attending my ss for that matter. So long as I see a student inside this ssroom when I arrive, I will teach."

    "Results are the thing that matters the most here. I''ll record what you guys give me so don''t me me if you fail, I did my job and you didn''t so it''s your fault."

    "Due to the nature of our ss, I will be strict when ites to Practical Activities. I''d say that I will do you good to pay attention to my ss but that depends on you anyways. Since I''ll only be recording your results, don''t me me if you get stuck in your cultivation since that''s on you."

    "Just reminding all of you, unless you pass my ss and the other two, you won''t be able to enroll to other subjects since these are your basics."

    "With that being said, let''s proceed to our discussion shall we?" Leon adjusted his monocle again.

    "Inscriptions are one of subjects that is forced upon you to learn along with Magic 101 and History. Does anyone have any opinion on this is so?"

    Beside Ashton, Mary raised her hand. Leon nodded to her so she stood up and answered: "It is because Inscriptions are integral part of cultivation."

    "Excellent." Leon smiled and nodded. He adjusted his monocle and said: "Such is indeed the case."

    "But does anyone here know Inscriptions became important when ites to cultivation?" He asked. "In your own opinion ss, why are Inscriptions important for cultivation?"

    This time, nobody could answer. Not even Ashton knows why this was the case. He noticed this earlier but he never gotten the answer.

    "Nobody?" Leon looked around once more. "Alright, that is fine. It''s understandable that none of you knows since this is not something you can learn from books that can be released in the public."

    "The reason why Inscriptions are closely rted to our Cultivation is because Inscriptions are considered to the ''Language of the world''. It is something that could urately represents all parties that involves the very existence of the world."

    Leon stood up and waved his hand.

    All of a sudden, the ssroom transformed under the eyes of the students. Intricate patterns and symbols appeared at every inch of the room, some where overpping, some made sense while others didn''t. Some were small, some were big. They alle in all shapes and sizes as well.

    "Nobody could really say when Inscriptions appeared. Some says that they''ve always been there while some argued that they appeared when our world was besieged."<sub> </sub>

    "Still, it doesn''t matter when they appear. What matters is their purpose." Leon waved his hand again and the projection disappeared. "With years spent researching the purpose of Inscriptions, we eventually discovered what they represent and how it affects us."

    "Just as I exined before, everything that makes up the system of the world, all is made of Inscriptions. Even the mere interaction with mana will result in the formation of Inscriptions."

    "So long as we understand what they mean, we will be able to urately control the path we have chosen. In addition to this, understanding Inscriptions is what allows us to cultivate in the first ce. It is the reason why we could strengthen ourselves in order to protect our home."

    "This is why Inscriptions became an integral part of Cultivation in general. Be it a Mage or a Knight, everyone has to learn them. The deeper your understanding is, the more knowledge you''ll receive, and with more knowledge under your belt, the more easier cultivation gets. Do you all understand?"

    Majority of students nodded. Ashton was simrly enlightened as well.

    "Now, as you all are trying to achieve your breakthrough to the Apprentice Realm. It would be a good time for you to learn about Basic Inscriptions that you can possibly use to improve your foundations."

    Leon then waved his hand to change the environment inside the ssroom.

    Next thing the students knew, they were already standing in the middle of a traditional looking room. The floors transformed into glossy wood. The walls turned into sliding doors where light can pass through.

    Rows of tables and cushions appeared in front of them. On top of the table, there were stacks of papers, inks and quills.

    The theme of the room reminded Ashton of those traditional Asian infrastructures back on Earth.

    Leon cleared his throat and said: "Pick a seat, use the cushion to make yourselvesfortable."

    As he said that Leon also moved to his own spot which is of course in front of the ss. He too has a same table as the students has, his is bigger of course.

    The students moved. Ashton sat on his usual spot, he took the cushion ced it on the wooden floor, he then sat on it with his back straight.

    His eyes then darted forward and saw Leon writing something using the quill. His hands moved fast and before he knew it, he was already done.

    Five papers floated beside Leon in a single file. Each paper has a drawing on them. It looked like a symbol of some sorts. Beneath every symbol, there are words written by Leon in thenguage that everybody knows, it''s the trantion of this Symbols.

    "Each symbol that you see here represents something. As you can see, they are: Breath, Life, Mana, Strength, and Wisdom."

    "These are the basic symbols that all of you will learn for today." Leon stated, "Additionally, these symbols will be the ones you''ll see very often when you start cultivating for real so familiarize yourself into them as much as you can."

    "For that aspect, I want all of you to try and replicate those symbols using your own efforts." Leon''s gaze roamed his ss as he said this. "You have the materials needed in front of you so I want you all to give a shot."

    "Don''t crumple the papers if you fail. Just set it aside, I''ll collect them allter since they''ll be useful for reference. Just try your best to make a set of these symbols before our period ends."

    "You may begin whenever you''re ready."

    Once he said this, Leon didn''t pay attention to the ss anymore and decided to use his tablet, probably working on other things thates along his duties.

    Well, he already gave the students something to do so this is understandable.

    Ashton could here some students whining quietly because there''s an activity already. He didn''t concern himself with any of that. Instead, he used his senses to study the symbols and memorize them to the best of his abilities.

    The first symbol he focused on is the Symbol of Breath.

    It looks simple enough, it''s a circle with what looks like gusts of air inside. It didn''t take him long to memorize it so he took the papers and dipped the quill into the ink to begin.

    When he''s done with his attempt, Ashton couldn''t help but show a scowl on his face. He then murmured:

    ''This is harder than what it looks like, huh?''

 Chapter 50 Black Magic Class

    Ashton never really had any experience on using quills and ink. His hand-writing is okay but it doesn''t mean anything when he''s using something he''s not really used to.

    He nced at his surroundings and saw that it wasn''t just him who was struggling. Some students even spilled ink all over their desk already at this point.

    Somehow, he wished that there''s a demonstration for this. Leon did it so fast and didn''t teach them how to do it, he just gave them materials and then asked them to copy it so everyone is struggling.

    Ashton doesn''t really know what Leon''s aiming for by doing this, nevertheless, he still tried.

    On his next try, he decided to draw a smaller symbol first. He wanted to master the shape of the Breath Symbol first by doing it multiple times without wasting too much paper.

    As he felt like he''s getting used to it, he started drawing them bigger and bigger until he finally gets it.

    This might be due to his increased learning capability but he adjusted pretty quick. He doesn''t know if he''s doing it correctly but he''s getting used to the feeling of using quills to write something.

    After many tries, he finally managed to make an eptable Breath Symbol. He looked at it and thought that it looked quite simr to the one Leon made. He decided that, that should do it.

    He brought out a stapler from his belt and stacked all the papers he used for practice, he ced the final attempt at the very bottom before stapling them together.

    Then, he moved on to the next symbols...

    He used the same approach for the others as well and stapled the attempts together. When he''s done, he noticed that he still has some ink and plenty of time left.

    Without nothing better to do, he decided to refine his calligraphy by doing them again until either the period ends or he runs out of ink and papers.

    Time passed just like this and before he knew it, he already ran out of paper to use and there wasn''t much ink left at the container. That''s also when Leon peeled his attention away from his tablet and caught the attention of the ss.

    He stood up and began walking towards them, saying: "Alright, that should be enough. Leave the papers on the desk. That would be all for today."

    Most of the students were a bit frazzled by this but nobodyined. Most of them just stood up and exited the ssroom, leaving their attempts at the table.

    Ashton stood up as well, his gaze met with Leon so he nodded and made his way out of the ssroom as well.

    As the students left the ssroom, Leon remained. Gathering the papers left by the students and inspecting them.

    He carefully analyzed every single paper, his face remained stoic.

    ''Well, it''s to be expected.'' He thought to himself, ''Nobody really gets it in their first try.''

    There is a reason why he didn''t do a demonstration. An important reason at that, but that''s story for another time. The thing is, the reason why he wanted to see even the failed attempts is because it''s part of the process.

    Leon wanted to have a general idea on how he should teach the ss because this is bound to be different for each of them. He wants to see what he can do so that he can be better at his job.

    None of the students he inspected so far seeded. Not even close. They just drew random shapes and called it a day.

    Some of them seemingly ignored his words and crumpled their paper anyway. Some used it to secretly talk to friends or something while there''s also some who just doodled whatever they wanted.

    It''s a bit disappointing but this behavior wouldn''tst, especially when they realize how important his ss is going to be. And it won''t take long for that to happen.

    Though...someone from this ss really surprised him.

    It''s none other than Ashton of course.

    Leon had a good impression of the kid. His profile was clean. His results were impressive so far, especially considering that he''s an orphan. The kid was polite and maturepared to kids of his age.

    Ashton is reliable at his job too. He learns and adapts quick. He even managed to get that shyss - Aria to befortable around him in no time t.

    It had to be known that the girl is afraid of social interactions. The only one she could speak to was him, she''s estranged to the rest of librarians, making her the odd one out even at the odd bunch. Yet Ashton managed to blend-in with her and make her feel safe enough to speak her mind.

    He''s an impressive kid so far, and Leon hopes that he continues being this way.

    Now, he knows that Ashton hasn''t encountered Inscriptions yet, much less have any experiences with it. Even though his profile already says that he''s a Lv.1 Apprentice already, any professor could easily know if he yed around with Inscriptions since it will reflect on his aura.<sub> </sub>

    Yet looking at this organized stack of papers that he left, it gives off an impression that he knows about them.

    Though, it also shows that he doesn''t since he failed so many times. Every attempts is recorded here.

    Ashton managed to seed. Although his methods are bit crass and unrefined yet, he still managed to do it when all of his ssmates didn''t.

    Looking at the recording of the ss, he saw that Ashton practiced diligently. Even when he already seeded, he still continued practicing, resulting in him using all the papers and almost all of the ink.

    When others finds this rather boring, Ashton doesn''t seem to mind. He didn''t even talk to anybody during this period, he was focused on his work, which is a good attitude when ites to learning.

    Leon collected the rest and as expected, only Ashton''s work was worth noticing here.

    Had Ashton been the only person in this ss, he would''ve already moved on to the next phase and begin teaching him how to properly write them then apply it to his cultivation. Sadly, he has to wait since Leon can''t make an exception just yet.

    Well...that''s unless he asks for it. And for some reason, Leon can see that happening.

    ''Continue this attitude, Young Man. You''ll certainly go far.''

    Leon then disappeared from the ssroom after murmuring that.

    Just like before, Mary invited him to have lunch with her, Alice and ke.

    Ashton doesn''t really mind. But unlike yesterday, they didn''t go to Auntie Rosie''s Pasty Shop. They spent their lunch at another store where they also rent a room to spend for their lunch break.

    After that, it''s back to ss. This time, ck Magic.

    The entirety of 1st Year, ss C enrolled to the ck Magic ss, the reason is because this ss will let them know more about curses which may let them device a way on how to break theirs.

    The time eventually came, and following punctuality of the others, their Professor arrived just in time.

    Their teacher is a woman who wore a long ck gown. She has a pale skin, tinum blonde hair, icy blue eyes, plump red lips and had a body that could mesmerize even the toughest of men and women.

    Ashton could''ve sworn that he heard some of his male ssmates gasping or eximing in awe but he effectively chose to ignore them. He remained calm despite being in the presence of an elegant woman.

    "Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Nina Violeta. I will be your Professor for ck Magic. Nice to meet you all."

    ''Darn.'' Ashton eximed inwardly as he vocally greeted their new professor. ''Even her voice sounds seductive.''

    ''I have to keep it together. Can''t appear like a horny teenager. First impressions are important!''

    Their Professor then began with the usual stuff; showing them her profile, setting up expectations and whatnot. Her words are basically the same as the rest of the professors so far.

    After that is over, she then began to speak about what this ss is going to be all about.

    "ck Magic..." She says, "It always gets a bad reputation just by existing. Due to themon misconceptions of the crowd and the rumors going on. Most people think that ck Magic is rted to something evil."

    "More often than not it''s frowned upon. Mostly because some people doesn''t like the way how ck Magic works and what are its effects that makes it this way."

    "ck Magicians are most of the times branded as witches, apostles of evil, so on and so forth."

    "However, those who are well versed in Magic will be the first one to tell you that ck Magic isn''t bad. It''s just a branch of Magical Studies and nothing more. It is neither evil nor good, same goes with White Magic."

    "I know all of you here bear curses. More importantly, I know your goal by enrolling yourselves into this ss. I understand it, believe me. But..."

    "...I''ll be the first one to tell you that if that''s all you''re going to use ck Magic for. Then forget about getting rid of your curses. You might as well drop out of this ss to not waste your time."

    Ashton was understandably shocked upon hearing this.

 Chapter 51 Fickle Fate And Curses

    Nina''s lips formed a thin smile as she looked at the students who were noticeably surprised by what she just said.

    "What? Were you kids thinking that getting rid of curses is that easy? That''s very naive of you know." She stated. "You thought that if you just attend the ck Magic ss then your curse will magically disappear? Did you all thought that the Academy will get rid of the curse for you?"

    "Well, sorry to burst your bubble that''s not happening." Nina chuckled softly as she took a seat. "The Academy has no responsibilities in ridding you of your burdens. We''re here to provide you with methods on how to do so. Doing it will ultimately depend on you all."

    "So again, if you''re just attending my ss with the hopes that I, or the Academy, will get rid of your curse, then I''m sorry to inform you that, that''s not happening."

    "If you don''t n on putting on the effort to remove it yourself, then you might as well start living with it for the rest of your life. Don''t waste time here."

    Nina''s gaze roamed the ss and saw some students who doesn''t look fine. They look like they''ve just been betrayed, lied upon and furious. They look as if they want to demand an exnation.

    She couldn''t help but scoff at this inwardly. As long-time Professor of the Academy, she had seen it all. This scene is nothing new to her.

    Nina wouldn''t be surprised if tomorrow some parents would visit the Academy to demand an exnation from her or the Headmaster. What usually follow is embarrassing them with cold-proof that the Academy wasn''t in the wrong, that it was them who raised their expectations to that point.

    The Academy never said that it will remove the curses from these students. All the Academy promised is help, and that helpes in the form of knowledge.

    "Those who feel unconvinced and wants to demand an exnation from me or the Headmaster, feel free to set-up an appointment. We won''t mind reminding you that we never promised anything like that in the first ce."

    "Also, those who ns on dropping-out of this ss may do so after this period. I''ll hand out forms that you can fill, submit it to the Teaching Department and the ck Magic ss shall be removed from your schedule." Nina stated.

    Some students were feeling ratherplex right now. Ashton on the other hand, already recovered from his initial shock.

    Well, it''s not like he was expecting someone toe and help him get rid of the curse anyways. Admittedly, that would be nice, but he never really banked on that.

    His goal hasn''t changed. He''s here to know more about Magic and to learn more about his condition. If he can gather enough knowledge to learn how to remove his own curse, that would be for the best. He can handle himself just fine.

    "Anyways, since I''ve already informed you about themon misconceptions about ck Magic, let''s move-on with the topic."

    "ck Magic is another branch of Magical Studies. It''s one of the Fundamental Knowledge that every budding Mage must learn in order to grow stronger and achieve their goals."

    "ck Magic is formed under the virtue of ''Fighting Fire with Fire''. Due to the hostile environment of this world and how limited our resources are, we needed more methods on how to effectively take down our enemies. We needed an option that provides more lethality. And thus, ck Magic was formed."

    "See, kids...ck Magic existed even before we coined the term for it." She said, "Back in the early stages of cultivation, when our enemies started seeing that we''re slowly recovering from their attacks, they used their own versions of ck Magic to curse our Race."

    "Back then, we don''t have any clue as what happened to us. Only when the seeding generations showed signs of ''difference'' did our ancestors notice that something wrong happened."

    "They cursed us. Not all but some. Also, it takes on different forms and mostly unpredictable so we couldn''t really minimize the casualties."

    "Those monsters wanted to seal our potential. They want Humanity to decay on it''s own so that they can rule this world. If it weren''t for our tenacity and our burning desire to progress, we will never figure out the cause of our weakness. We''d probably be extinct by now."

    "As our knowledge towards ck Magic increased, we eventually developed certain ways on how to get rid of the curse but so far, even to this day, only one method remains the most reliable..."<sub> </sub>

    ? "And that is by removing your own curse through your own efforts." Nina revealed. "This method is the most dangerous but also the most effective. The process is sensitive since it requires no outside help at all. Removing the curse should be done all ording to the will and effort of the bearer."

    "This is why even if you pay the Headmaster handsomely to get rid of your own curse, he will never do it. Neither does any expert for that matter. Nobody wants to he responsible for your death. You decide that, not us."

    "This is also why the Academy never promised you anything of that sorts. If you want to know how, sure! We''ll teach you how to. But if you want to regain your freedom, you must do it yourselves."

    Once again, Nina''s thoughts pretty much confirmed that Ashton''s thought process was in the correct direction. What she said makes a lot more sense and now, Ashton also knows who was responsible for this curses.

    However, this also brings up something that he''s curious about. So he raised his hand to ask a question.

    "Yes?" Nina noticed him and asked.

    "You told us that the ''monsters'' cursed us during the earlier stages of cultivation. Which means that we''re still recovering from their onught. Why didn''t they finished us instead? Did someone or something stopped them from doing so?"

    Ashton could feel the incredulous stares of his ssmates. He could even almost hear their thoughts, saying; why would you ask that? Do you want Humanity to end? Did you want them to kill us all?

    But of course, he didn''t care about those. He was curious and this is a ce of learning so naturally, he would ask someone who might know so that he can learn.

    "Excellent question!" Nina eximed, "The answer to that is simple. Indeed, someone stopped them. Specifically, it''s the First Hero."

    "You''d learn more about this in your History ss but basically, at that time when Humanity is still recovering, the Heroes were around to ensure our safety. Around the time, the First Hero had already grown old and could only guide the next generation to be stronger."

    "Before he died, he made a decision to sacrifice his life as well as all of his strength to form a bubble that will serve as a protective shell for Humanity."

    "His Divinity along with the overwhelming faith humanity held for the First Hero, made this shell extremely tough to crack. No monsters were able to get in, only humans can pass through it without getting harmed."

    "Thanks to that, we were pretty much safe to recover and develop. The monsters outside didn''t like that thought though. While it''s true that the shell protected us, it didn''t make us invisible. They can see our progress and they feared out potential."

    "Somehow, only Curses were able to by pass our protective shell, which is precisely what they used to bombard us from afar. And since we have no idea on how it works back then, we suffered greatly from it."

    "With the amount of time that passed since there, many Heroes followed the footsteps of the First Hero and strengthened the protective shell even further. We also devised a way to stop the curses from getting in so those stoppedpletely."

    "Unfortunately, some of the curses are hereditary, not in the sense that they''d be passed down to your own flesh and blood though."

    "Curses that are not removed will be passed on to a new host when the previous holder died. From our research, this is random so far so we can''t really predict who''s going to have them. Moreover, their curses doesn''t work with the scale of time."

    "What I meant by that is, for example; there is someone who is been cursed to be blind. The holder of this curse died without removing it so the curse will be passed on right? Well, there is a chance that, that curse - the Blindness Curse, will not appear immediately to someone else after the previous holder''s death."

    "It can appear at a muchter or sooner date. There''s also a chance that it will never appear again. Sadly, we haven''t developed a way to track the more urately which is why we still need students to personally inform us what curse they hold so that we can provide you with necessary ways to remove it. Of course, that is if you want to remove it."

    "Any other questions?"

 Chapter 52 Careless Aria

    The first ck Magic ss continued with Nina introducing the students to the subject.

    She already set their expectations for the ss and told them what''s going to happen on the next ss.

    Once the period ended, Ashton went out of the ssroom and is now headed to the Grand Library to report to work.

    Today, is his turn to man the station while Aria check the durability of each books.

    When he arrived there, he didn''t see Chief Leon. He guessed that he must he conducting a ss somewhere so he didn''t bother looking for him. He heads straight to the 3rd floor and see Aria there, still immersed on her books.

    This girl is really something else, now that he thought about it.

    Chief Leon told him that Aria is a 2nd year student but he never saw her attending any ss at all. Every time he arrives here, she''s here as well. Most of the times, she''s reading sometime and wouldn''t even notice anybody''s presence unless they do something to startle her - which usually ends-up in an embarrassing scene for Aria.

    But, even though he curious about why Aria was always in the library, he never intended to ask her anything simply because they''re not that close yet. Even then, he probably wouldn''t ask since he doesn''t want to pry.

    If she wants to tell him the reason, he''d listen. If she doesn''t want to, that''s fine as well.

    Ashton walked-up to the station, deliberately making a noise as he did so. That caused Aria to raise her head and look at him. She smiled and nodded at him. She closed her book and stood up, stretching slightly.

    He blinked several times before looking away. Murmuring inwardly: ''Woman, be careful will you? Darn.''

    Aria seems to have noticed Ashton acting weirdly and saw him looking away from her. That''s when she realized what she just did and once again, she blushed madly.

    Aria was a well-endowed girl. She''s curvaceous, had a fair and supple skin as well a gorgeous ck hair that flows like a waterfall behind her. Her uniform hugged her figured tightly and when she stretched, her blouse revealed some of her skin as well as emphasized her curves and her chest.

    Ashton cleared his throat and said: "I''ll clock-in now. I''d be on the station for today, would that be fine with you?"

    "Y-yeah. I''ll take care of the books. Let me just get the things here." Aria said as she bent down to gather the tools under the table.

    This time, Ashton had to bite his lips and prevent himself from looking.

    ''Damn it, she really needs to be careful.''

    Even though Ashton was looking up front, he could still see the ''audacious'' sight next to him.

    Really, this girl is too careless. Bending over like this without even thinking. Had she been with the wrong guy, things would''ve gotten more chaotic.

    Aria doesn''t seem to notice it this time. She just grabbed the things she needed and stood-up. She then noticed that Ashton seems a bit stiff, he wasn''t saying anything so she just said that she''s going to do her job now.

    <o>,m Ashton just nodded and Aria just walked away.</o>

    As she began checking the durability of the books, Aria couldn''t help but feel distracted. For some reason, she felt like she was missing something. The stiff expression of Ashton was bothering her for some reason.

    She tried to get her mind out of it but it was really bothering her so she decided to stop for a bit and think. She recalled what happened and murmured:

    ''Weird, I don''t remember doing anything though. I just stretched and he looked away, I noticed that and that was embarrassing but he seems to recover from that quick so it''s nothing anymore.''

    ''Then, he told me he''s manning the station, then I said I''m going to do this, then I be-...''

    "Oh my god!" Aria eximed out loud when she realized it.

    Due to them being in the Library, Ashton heard this so he stood up to check what happened to her.

    He then found aria slumped on the ground in between bookshelves, red as a tomato and covering her face.

    "Hey, hey. What''s wrong? What happened?" He asked softly, still maintaining distance.

    "A-ah! No, uhm...I-it''s uh...a cockroach. Yes, I saw a cockroach and I freaked out because it flew."

    Aria was shocked to see him here, thankfully she managed to think of an excuse for what happened.<sub> </sub>

    "O-oh." Ashton was somehow relieved for some reason. "Where was it? Did you kill it?"

    "M-mn." She nodded, "I think I hit it with a spell and it died. I don''t see it anymore."

    "That''s good." Ashton sighed. He looked convinced by this excuse so he stood-up and asked: "Are you going to be fine? We can switch you know."

    "No, no. I''ll be fine." She shook her head, somewhat avoiding his gaze now. "Y-you can go back and man the station. I''ll be good here."

    Ashton nodded softly and said: "Alright, if you say so. But if you change your mind, just tell me."

    Aria nodded and saw him walking away. Once he disappeared from her vision. She sighed and relief and clutched her chest. Her heart was beating so fast right now.

    ''Idiot. Idiot. Idiot!!'' She berated herself inwardly.

    She stood up and found a seat nearby where she can calm down for a bit. The reason why she screamed was because she just realized that she did something careless and bit indecent.

    ''I can''t believe this! I''m such an idiot! How am I supposed to face him now?'' Aria huffed and felt like crying. ''I literally was pushing my ass to him. How could I do that? What was I thinking?''

    ''And I was supposed to be the senior here. Ugh.'' Aria wanted to pull all of her hair out in stress.

    ''Wait!!'' She just got reminded of something. ''Did he look!? Don''t tell me looked!? No, I must check.''

    In her panic, she swiftly essed her smartwatch which is connected to the library''swork. She essed the security cameras and saw Ashton reading a book at the station.

    He looked as if nothing just happened. All of his attention was focused on the book which caused Aria to be relieved.

    She then reyed the recording until around the time where he arrived. She watched as how she, like the dumbass that she is, careless stretched in front of him. She then saw Ashton blinking then looking away almost immediately.

    Next, she saw how she bent down, back arching while Ashton stood behind her. She then saw how he mechanically twisted his body away, and stared somewhere else, but it was obvious that he was trying so hard not look.

    Aria bit her lips in embarrassment. Then she saw herself walking away after saying something. She saw Ashton looking at her and sighing once she''s done. He shook his head and pped his cheeks, then he took out several books and began reading them.

    Aria stopped looking at the footage after that. She rested her back on the seat in relief.

    He didn''t look. He tried his best not to. She can ept that at least.

    At least he wasn''t like others she worked with before. There were many working students who became her partner in this job once and all of them, be it a girl or a boy, couldn''t keep their hands to themselves. They even had the audacity to me her that it''s her fault for being so suggestive.

    That ended-up with them being kicked out of the job or worst, being expelled from the Academy itself.

    The situation with Ashton was a bit different since she was the one who''s careless. Aria would''ve truly be unable to forgive herself if he loses his job because of her carelessness.

    Ashton was the only boy whom she feltfortable working with. She wouldn''t want to be the cause of him losing this job if she could help it.

    "I should really pay attention next time." She whispered to herself. She stood up with the intent of continuing her work. "Chief Leon would probably see this and scold me again."

    She sighed and continued her work. She had to finish before Ashton''s shift is over since this is the only time when she can do it.

    Meanwhile, Ashton already forgot about the incident. Currently, he''s absorbed to whatever he''s reading.

    No one else is in the 3rd floor right now aside from the two of them. Since Aria was doing something, nobody was really disturbing him.

    Right now, Ashton was doing some advance reading for the sses he has. He figured that it wouldn''t hurt to read in advance just so that he can be prepared.

    The book he''s reading right now is about Magic 101, something Aisha was carrying around as well.

    Here he saw some activities that would help beginners to move mana inside their bodies more efficiently. He nned on memorizing the book before his shift ends so that he can practice at home.

 Chapter 53 You Again?

    With how much time passed since the dawn of cultivation, it is understandable that humanity will improve and refine the methods they use to elevate their strength.

    Many things had been decoded by the geniuses of the past, allowing Humanity to improve even further so that they can do a better job at protecting themselves and surviving in this cruel world.

    ording to the books he''s now reading, especially those that are centered about cultivation itself, there isn''t really much difference from a Knight or a Mage.

    Both uses Mana to cultivate. They just use different terminologies and born with different affinities.

    Those who are born with more affinity towards Mana will most likely be a Mage and those who are born with excellent physiques are mostly likely going to end-up awakening as a Knight, that''s all there is to it.

    Of course, disparity appears depending on the Aptitudes they''re born with, however it is still up to their personal efforts on how far they can go should they decide to pursue cultivation.

    It is known that Mages uses Spells to fight and Knights have Skills/Battle Arts. At the end of the day, the only difference for these two are on how they are called. Both uses mana to cast and requires repeated to use in order to be mastered. So in the end, there isn''t really much of a difference.

    Later down the line, what divides these two will eventually disappear. They will merge in a single one that all will collectively pursue. The first few stages of cultivation is just based off of building foundations anyway.

    Speaking of stages of cultivation, Ashton found out the realms in the same book. They are:

    [Knights]: Trainee, Fighter, Warrior, Master, Grandmaster.

    [Mage]: Apprentice, Practitioner, Archmage, Warlock, Sorcerer

    He didn''t see exnations about what each stage does, probably because there will be other books that will focus on that instead.

    However, he do knows what the Apprentice Stage was supposed to do.

    See, a child that''s been awakened as a Mage will have their own ''Mage Crest'' which will mostly stay dormant inside their consciousness. The appearance of the crest will differ from person to person, making it unique to an individual.

    Ashton already saw his a couple of times now. His Mage Crest was a rainbow colored token that has a tree insignia within, at the core of the said tree, an image of a book could be seen. These represents several aspects of Ashton''s Aptitude.

    Around the crest is an array circle. This represents his Lv.1 of strength, each rise of his level, another circle will appear. This how cultivation works for most people.

    The only difference with Ashton is that, because of his cultivation technique, he needs to refine each array circle a total of 9 times before he proceeds.

    In order to strengthen one''s foundation, they may choose to refine the inscriptions that''sposing their cultivation array circles. When he read this, Ashton now understands why Inscriptions were automatically added to the list of subjects he will be studying. It is indeed a crucial part of everyone''s cultivation and it will only benefit them if they learn more about it.

    After 9 array circles are formed, it is said that what they should do next is to fuse them one at a time in the Practitioner Stage. Doing this will improve their foundations and increase their mana capacities, allowing them to cast more spells.

    So far, this is as much as he knows. The books hasn''t revealed much to him yet but that''s fine. He has time anyways. There wille a day when he''ll learn about it, he just needed to wait and seek out more books here.

    Time passed in Ashton''s shift and before he knew it, three hours already passed. A tiny rm woke him out of his focus.

    Ashton took a deep breath and closed the books he had. He then rested his back on his chair and stretched for a bit. He looked around and saw Aria approaching the station.

    He stood-up and cleaned-up after his mess. Once he was done, he bid farewell to Aria and left the Grand Library to go home.

    "...uh." Ashton blinked several time and was confused.

    In front of him, Jeanne chuckled and said: "Hello again, Mr. West."

    "Good afternoon, Prof. Jeanne. Are you my..."

    "Yes. Indeed." She nodded before he could finish his sentence. "I also am your Herbology Professor. Also, yes. You are again, alone in this ss. Surprising isn''t it?"

    It was Thursday today and Ashton attended his Herbology ss, not expecting this strange scenario at all.<sub> </sub>

    He didn''t expect that he''ll be, once again, the only one in this ss but also to have Jeanne as his Professor as well.

    "I kind of understand why with the White Magic ss but...Herbology? Really, nobody takes it?" He asked, sounding a little bit incredulous.

    "Well, what can we do?" Jeanne shrugged. "Not everyone is fond of studying boring subjects." She said as she ced her things on her table.

    "Simr to White Magic ss, Herbology is an extensive subject that tends to be boring yet also very demanding. It doesn''t have any blood-pumping activities and it doesn''t directly benefit your cultivation so it''s no surprise that it''s a less popr subject." She shrugged.

    ''Less popr'' is being used lightly here. With thousands of students enrolling in this Academy, it is a little ridiculous that not even a handful will take interest in taking Herbology at all.

    "Don''t fuss over the small details." Jeanne stated, "We provide students with freedom to choose their own sses. If they don''t see the merit of this ss then that''s on them. We shouldn''t interest ourselves in whatever they''re thinking."

    "I understand." Ashton nodded.

    Still, this doesn''t make this situation less strange. But just like she said, it''s no use thinking about it this much, he couldn''t change their opinions anyways. He should just focus on what he''s supposed to do instead.

    "Alright. Since your situation is a little bit special, we''d follow the same rules for the White Magic ss. I''ll use unorthodox means to teach you. We won''t stick with the conventional means since that would just hold us back."

    Ashton didn''t have any problems with that.

    Jeanne then brought out a thick, thick book from her belt and ced on the table. Ashton gulped at the sight of that thing.

    "This is the Bible of Herbology." She stated, "In here, all of the known herbs are recorded, including their uses, information about how they grow, and etc."

    "Your goal is to memorize everything that is recorded in this book by heart." Jeanne stated with a bit of twisted grin on her face. "Of course, in order to test your knowledge, I will require you to demonstrate the things you''ve learned using live ingredients. That will also solidify your skills should you choose to pursue Alchemy as well."

    Ashton bit his lips as he stared at the thick book. He could feel a headache iing but he didn''t utter a word ofin. He wanted this so he should be responsible.

    "Don''t fret. I''m not asking you to memorize everything in here today." Jeanne chuckled. "We''ll break it down to chapters to make it easier for you. Of course, you can also do some advance reading since that would make it faster for us to progress. Take the book with you."

    Ashton nodded and stoop up to fetch the book.

    Holy hell was the book heavy. It also smells really old too. Nevertheless, Ashton didn''tin and hulled the book back to his seat. He didn''t keep it since he wanted to check it out first.

    "Read the first five chapters and memorize everything in there." Jeanne stated, getting his attention. "On our next meeting, I will bring out fresh ingredients for you to y around with."

    "Alright." Ashton nodded as he began flipping the book.

    "Don''t worry about the book itself." She said, "Unlike other books, that one doesn''t have any durability. It''s atest original copy as well so it is updated. Just handle it with minimal cate and you''d be fine. We have a lot of original copies anyways so it''s fine even if that one is damaged. But of course, don''t do intentionally. Also, don''t show that to others who aren''t studying here."

    "Understood."

    "Alright. I''ll leave you to it. Use the remaining time to read or whatever, just make sure during our next ss you know your stuff and we''ll be good."

    After saying that, Jeanne picked up her things and exited the ssroom, leaving Ashton mildly speechless.

    The woman sure is taking her job very lightly. She didn''t even bothered with some pleasantries. She just gave him a homework and peaced-out. How ridiculous.

    Nevertheless, this works too. Since Ashton is alone in this ss, he can focus more.

    He decided to stay behind and read the first ten chapters of this massive book. If he can''t finish it here of he gets bored, he''ll do it back in his home.

    ''With my enhanced memory, memorizing this whole thing shouldn''t be difficult. Maybe I''ll finish this subject even before the year ends. Who knows?''

 Chapter 54 Combat Class

    It''s Friday today.

    Ashton only has a single ss for this day and that is the Combat ss. He has some expectations of what''s going to happen in this ss so he did some minor preparations just in case.

    He still did his regr morning routine to ensure that his body is at its peak condition, on top of that, he brought plenty of water, energy bars and energy drinks as well, just in case he will need them. He also took a first aid kid should he get injured.

    Even though he knows a spell that he can use to heal himself, he can''t exactly rely on that since he wouldn''t be able to exin himself if he gets caught using it.

    Once again, he arrived early at school but he didn''t go to the usual ssroom they use. The Combat ss will take ce in a different field. He went to a ce called ''Training Field A''.

    Training Field A is located somewhere near the Castle Main, just a little but beyond the courtyard where the weing ceremony took ce.

    On his way, Ashton realized that there were many students heading at the same direction as him. From his observations, he discovered that most of them are 1st years just like him as well. This gave him an idea that they might be heading to the same ss as his.

    Which made him think that the Combat ss sure is popr, but it doesn''t make sense though, from what he remembers, the Combat ss isn''t amongst the required subjects for students.

    Well...at least not for him. Which gives him an idea that it might be a different case for other students who aren''t White Mages.

    He eventually arrived at the Training Field A, and to his surprise, he saw a handful of people already there. Most of them already formed small groups and are talking to each other.

    Training Field A is a open an open air field. It''s surrounded with tall trees that provided enough shade. The air is fresh around here and the mana density is quite high.

    There are a few benches around to sit on. Ashton could also see several equipment here and there, he had no idea what they are just yet. His skill Identify isn''t giving him and feedbacks either so they''re a mystery for now.

    It had to be known that so far, Ashton arrives 30 minutes before ss starts, whenever he arrives, there wouldn''t be much students around in ss but it''s different in this ss it seems.

    So far, he hasn''t seen anyone he''s familiar with so far. It made sense since, by the uniform majority of these students wear, there are more knights here than mages.

    ''I wonder if this ss is required for them.'' He mused inwardly.

    Shrugging to himself, he found a spot to sit down and wait until ss starts.

    After a few minutes, he heard something...

    "Eh? Is that him over there?"

    "Yeah, it looks like him."

    "Idiots, that is him and he can hear us. How about wee to him instead?"

    Ashton raised his head and looked over to the source of those voices. There he saw ke, Alice and Mary heading towards him. No wonder he thought those voices were familiar.

    "Hey, Man! I didn''t think you''d be here." ke sat next to him and patted his back.

    "Yeah, we didn''t know you enrolled in the Combat ss as well." Alicemented.

    "I did. But it''s none of my business so I didn''t bother telling you two." Mary stated on the side.

    "I...kind of expected to see you two here as well, you know, both of you being Knights and all. But..." he then shifted his gaze to Mary and said: "I wasn''t expecting you too."

    "Don''t look at me. It wasn''t my decision to be here." She snorted.

    "Don''t mind her." Alice chuckled, "She lost a bet, that''s why she''s here. Her parents also wants her to enroll but she''d adamant that she doesn''t want too."

    "In the end, we used a different method to convince her, so now she''s here." ke continued.

    "Ah, I see." Ashton chuckled.

    It was obvious from Mary''s bodynguage that she doesn''t want to be anywhere around this ce. For what reason, Ashton doesn''t know and he wouldn''t pry. It''s just rather amusing how she''s pouting and all.

    "How about you? Why did you decide to enroll in this ss?" Alice asked.<sub> </sub>

    "Self-defense." Ashton answered readily. "I mean, who knows what will happen to me in the future right? Just making sure to cover-up all of my bases. Just in case..."

    "Respect, dude." ke nodded in satisfaction.

    "How about you two? Is this ss a requirement for you?" He asked.

    "Not really." Alice answered while shaking her head.

    "It''s just in our best interest to do so, you know?" ke added.

    "Yeah, they''re training maniacs. All brawns, no brains. Enrolling here wasn''t a need for them, it''s what they want." Marymented on the side.

    Ashton nodded. He could at least see why she would say that. Given by the few interactions he had with these kids so far, he can tell that they''re very passionate about their training.

    There''s probably a reason behind that. Maybe it''s because of their dreams for their own future? Who knows really?

    The four of them spent the remaining time talking to each other. Due to the nature of their environment, it''s inevitable that their topic revolves around battles and stuff.

    Eventually, Ashton''s smartwatch pinged, signaling that it''s already 10am. The others also heard the ping so they turned quiet and waited for their Professor to show up.

    And just like the punctuality of the Professors so far, their Professor appeared as soon as the clock hits 10am.

    A man in a sky blue tracksuit holding a paper fan appeared before them. He was tanned, had a spiky short brown hair. Stubbles could be seen tracing his jaw line. He had a piercing gaze and an intimidating presence.

    "All of you, gather up in front of me and sit down. You have 30 seconds."

    His voice was deep. Like, really deep. The students scrambled when they heard hismand. They feltpelled to follow him not because he''s their professor but because he was scary.

    The students bunched-up and sat down on the ground in front of the professor. In this manner, they all felt small in front of him. It didn''t help that he was pping his paper fan on his back, increasing his already intimidating presence.

    The man cleared his throat and said: "Wee to the Combat ss, my name is Rycard D. Just. In this ss, you may call me either Professor Rycard or simply Coach Ry. I don''t wanna hear you calling me Mr./Prof/Coach Just, understood?"

    "Yes, Professor." The ss responded.

    "Good. Since you said that, I''ll be expecting you all to follow it, if you slipped, don''t me me for hitting you with this." Rycard pped the paper far on his hand, causing a crisp sound to echo across the field, making the students flinch in surprise.

    "Alright. Here''s my profile, take a look at it, don''t be shy." He said as he disyed it to everyone.

    Now that all the students saw how his name was written, they began to understand why he didn''t like being called Prof. Just. It''s really awkward.

    "Anyways. Let''s move-on." Rycard removed his profile and talked to his ss. "Before we start this ss, I want to set your expectations first, just in case some of you are disillusioned here."

    "In here, the Combat ss, I will teach you how to fight. Unlike with other subjects were they don''t require you to do anything or expect anything out of you, in this ss it won''t work that way."

    "What I will teach you is how to survive, how to fight and how to protect yourself. This is quite literally a hands-on teaching and my pride won''t allow me to just let you do as you please here."

    "If you''re going to do it, you''re going to do it properly. That is my rule." He stated with a piercing stare. "If you don''t like what I''m forcing you to do, feel free to quit, you''re not a loss. If anything, you''d be less of a headache for me so feel free to do so."

    "I will be in-charge of your Physical Conditioning, whether you''re a Mage or a Knight doesn''t matter to me. Here, you will all experience the same exercise."

    "I don''t want to hear excuses like; I''m a mage, I don''t have a strong body, or, I''m a Knight, I don''t know have the mana required for this. None of that. If you can''t do it, that''s just because you didn''t try hard enough that''s all."

    "I will closely monitor all of your activities. If I find you cking in any way, shape or form, I won''t hesitate to kick you out of the ss. Are we all clear?"

    "Yes, Professor." The ss responded.

    "Good. I''ll have your word on it." Rycard then brought out several crates our from his belt. He held a piece of clothing in his hand and showed it to his ss.

    "Grab this kind of clothes in those crates and change in them. I''ll give you 5 minutes to do so. Those who arete will be punished. Timer starts now."

 Chapter 55 A Mage?

    Ashton checked himself in front of the mirror.

    Right now, he''s wearing a blue jumpsuit, simr to the Prof. Rycard was wearing, his however, was fitted to his body. The fabric clung to his skin but it wasn''t ufortable, in fact it''s the opposite.

    The jumpsuit covered majority of his skin except for his hands, feet and head. Aside from this, they were also given a pair of shorts. The girls had an additional sleeveless shirt for themselves.

    Once Ashton thought that he looked fine, he exited the changing room to wait for further instructions. Once the time limit set by their professor was up, he announced:

    "Today, will be a fitness test. Start with a round of warm-ups ording to the screen you''re seeing. Once you''re done, go runps around the training field, you are not to stop unless I told you so."

    "Begin."

    Their professor wasn''t one to waste time it seems. Ashton has no problem with that. He looked at the screen in front of him and saw the exercises he needed to perform.

    ? Push-ups: 30

    ? Sit-ups: 30

    ? Forward lunges: 25 per leg

    ? Chin-ups: 30

    ? Jumping jacks: 50

    ? Run around the training field.

    ''Okay, that''s doable.'' Ashton mused to himself.

    He found a nice spot for himself and immediately performed the exercises that are listed above.

    Meanwhile, the other students are somewhat horrified by what they''re seeing. To them, this doesn''t look like a ''warm-up'' at all, this is a whole-ass work-out for them.

    Of course, there''s also students like Ashton who didn''t have anyins about this and started doing the exercises already.

    Mary, Alice and ke saw Ashton dropping down and starting his push-ups. That made them look at each other. Afterwards, they shrugged and began their own as well.

    Professor Rycard who''s watching the ss saw all of this happening with a sharp look on his eyes. He didn''t say anything despite seeing the troubled faces of the other students.

    ''If they''re alreadyining about this, I don''t see themsting very long in this ss.'' He snorted inwardly.

    Of course, he won''t coddle-up with these kids. That''s not his style and frankly, that kind of attitude with just be detrimental for themselves. If all these kids do isin all day long, there''s no need for them to be here.

    On the other hand, he appreciated those who didn''t utter a word ofints. Although there''s no way for him to know whether they canst or not, it doesn''t really matter today.

    After all, this is just him testing their fitness. He just want to see how active these students are so that he can make sufficient preparation for them in the future.

    Of course this is only applicable for today. By all means, he''s here to be their fitness andbat coach. He need to train this kids because that''s he job.

    Ashton was used to this kind of routine already since he had been doing it for quite sometime now. Actually, he''s doing much more than this but there''s no reason to attract unnecessary attention for now.

    To him, this is an actual warm-up.

    He took a couple seconds of rest in between so that he won''t identally pull a muscle. He breezed through the exercises and by the time he was over with the warm-up, he stood-up to drink some water before jogging towards the edge of the field.

    Once he arrived there, he started his run. He didn''t go at his full speed, just the regr one to conserve as much energy as he could. He''s also paying attention to his breaths as he did so.

    Once he finished his firstp, he saw that there are others who were joining him already. He could see his friends running closely behind him as well.

    When the other students saw that their ssmates were already runningps, their procrastination ended and they started their warm-up as well.

    Time passed just like this and eventually, all students are now runningps around the training field.

    Rycard watched over them from time to time to check their progress. He''s alsomitting some names to his memories as he watched.

    From time to time, the students would hear him say something like: "Richardson, get-up and give me 3 moreps. If you can''t, drop out of this ss."

    Sometimes, it would be like:

    "Hill, 5 moreps and you''re done."

    "Grayson, 2 moreps."

    "Are you messing with me Paul? Not even ap and you''re already tired? Get-up and do 5ps before you die."

    Mr. Rycard wasn''t ying around. He was strict and is certainly watching each and everyone one of them. He also wasn''t one to use nice words to encourage his students. He''s crass with his words but they can''tin about it.

    Meanwhile, in the middle of the crowd, Ashton was on his 7thp already. He still look mostly fine, just sweating profusely. Near him, Mary, Alice and ke were haggard.<sub> </sub>

    "Geez." ke murmured.

    "Hah...hah..." Alice was breathing heavily.

    "Dear god..." Mary wasining.

    Ashton would chuckle if it weren''t for that fact that he thinks it''s inappropriate to do so right now.

    And it wasn''t just them, majority of his ssmates are suffering right now thanks to Rycard. Those who had been called out earlier already passed-out on the field due to exhaustion.

    "Dude...how the hell are you still good?" keined while running near him. "You started way before us, you don''t even look tired."

    "Right...you''re...not even...a knight..." Alice huffed.

    "..." Mary didn''t say anything. Well, more like she can''t since she''s already dead tired.

    "I''m used to it." He replied to them. "Focus on your breathing and don''t talk to much. It''ll be over soon."

    After saying that, Ashton didn''t mind them anymore and just continued his jog.

    "Klein, give me one morep." Rycard said.

    "Yes, Sir." Mary responded, seemingly energized to know that she only has to endure a bit more before it''s over.

    Time passed and Rycard called-off more students. Eventually, Alice and ke was called out too. As for Ashton, he''s still going. He''s on his 10thp at this point.

    More time passed and by the time they realized it, only Ashton was the one running.

    It was such an ironic sight since he was practically the first one that started running and it''s also him whosted this long.

    While others were already recovering from their suffering, Ashton is still running. How the hell was this even possible?

    Even his friends couldn''t believe this. Wasn''t Ashton supposed to be a Mage? Howe he ousted every single on of them here.

    It has to be known that the Mages who were enrolled in this same ss were the ones who surrendered first. So there is a basis on why they found this situation a bit bizarre.

    Ashton ousted his entire ss even though he was a mage. Even though this doesn''t sound like an impressive as it is, in truth, it was.

    Even Rycard was impressed.

    "West, one morep and you can rest." He said.

    "Yes, Sir." Ashton replied and continued with his jog.

    Painfully aware that he''s being watched by the entire ss right now, Ashton soldiered on.

    To be honest, he''s nearing his limits as well. One morep is all he could do before he starts wobbling. He was still sweating profusely and he could feel that stinging pain on his legs.

    Eventually, Ashton finished hisstp, making his that a total of 15ps around the training field.

    Instead of copsing though, he slowly reduced his speed and walked instead. He took out a bottle of water from his belt and downed it in an instant.

    "We''ll have a fifteen minute break, cherish it since there''s more activities today." Rycard said before peeling his attention away from the ss. He ignored the groans of his students since there''s nothing they can do to convince them otherwise.

    Once Ashton reached where Mary, ke and Alice were sitting, he sat down with them and took out a towel to soak-up the excess sweat on his body.

    He noticed that the three of them were looking at him weirdly, so he asked: "What? Is there something on my face?"

    "Dude, you''re a monster." ke blurted out. "Are you really sure you''re a Mage?"

    "It''s very unlikely for the personnel to make a mistake in the assessment so, yes. I''m sure. Otherwise, the White Mage option wouldn''t show-up for me."

    "I mean, you did tell us that you''re used to it so I guess it makes sense." Alicemented, "Do you go to them gym often?"

    "No." Ashton shook his head, he swept his hair back since it''s still dripping with sweat and it was irritating to him. "I do have a gym set on my house, so I don''t need to go to one."

    "But still, that doesn''t make sense." Maryined, "You weren''t using Mana when you ran. How did you finish a whole 15ps around the field without using Mana?"

    "I don''t know. Maybe I''m just built different." Ashton replied while taking out energy bars from his belt.

    He opened one and took a huge bite of it, he then looked at his friends and asked:

    "Want some?"

 Chapter 56 Weapon Choice

    Training Field A remained mostly silent because everyone was exhausted.

    Majority of the students are still recovering from their suffering earlier. Ashton was also included in this, though he''s in a much better state since he''s used to activities like this.

    Mary, ke and Alice are still looking haggard but since they ate some energy bars, they should be fine for the rest of the ss.

    Once their fifteen minute break passed, Rycard stood up from his seat and gathered them around. Everybody tensed-up since they were anticipating another round of suffering under him.

    "Don''t look at me like that. You brats know what you''re getting yourselves into by enrolling in this ss." Rycard snorted upon seeing their faces.

    That caused several students to feel ashamed.

    "Everyone who experiences awakening enters this kind of mindset." He stated, "Just because you''ve awakened some relics and saw the path to glory, you all thought that the rest will be smooth sailing from there."

    "Did you honestly think that cultivation is that easy? Kids, there are people who can die just by breakthrough, not to mention seeking out opportunities outside where all manner of danger is present."

    "Don''t think that just because you became a student of this academy, you''re already infallible, that everything will naturally fall into ce and ording to how you desire it. It doesn''t work that way. Wake up to the harsh reality."

    "Sure, if you be strong, you''ll get ess to wealth, fame, and reputation. But don''t think that achieving those would be easy. I can tell you right now that at least 70% of the awakened poption didn''t amount to much in their lives, it isn''t because their talent iscking, it''s because they didn''t work hard enough."

    Ashton listened to this and couldn''t help but feel like he''s missing some context here.

    ''His words sounds extremely simr to the light novels I''ve read in the past. The ones where they say ''I, your grandfather this..'' and ''I, your grand daddy that..'' could it be that the same rules apply here?''

    ''Judging from what he said so far, it seems that majority of the students here are aiming to explore the world outside. That''s courting death isn''t it? Do they even know about the different kinds of soil that''s in there? Are people here really that desperate for treasures?''

    ''I still have many things to learn I guess...'' he mused inwardly.

    "Learning how to fight is obviously a good thing, especially since most of you here aims to be Licensed Cultivators in the future. But if you''re thinking that, that''s all you know, then you''d be awfully mistaken."

    "If there''s one thing the Federation doesn''tck, that would be brutes who could contribute nothing else aside from brawns. In other words, cannon fodders - people who die first the moment shit hits fan."

    "I have no qualms if that''s what you want for yourself. Quite frankly, I don''t care. But right now, none of you are even fit to be a cannon fodder. The worst part is that you brats who hadn''t even experienced much, feel like the world is already out to get you, yet you haven''s seen shit yet."

    ''Ooh damn, he''s spitting some real fire here.'' Ashton eximed inwardly.

    He wasn''t particrly affected by what Rycard said, why? He isn''t included in those students who feel entitled to something. He knew where he stood and have the right amount of confidence to back that up.

    ''Still, I''m getting some vague clues here...'' He mused to himself, ''He referred to Licensed Cultivators just now. Does that mean that one has to have a license first before they could go out of Last Bastion?''

    ''Wait, why does this sound like a public knowledge to begin with? Don''t tell me it is, because I don''t know it. If it is though, how did I miss it? I could''ve sworn I gathered as much public knowledge as I could already...''

    Although Ashton understands that he still has many things to know about the mystical world of Knights and Mages, he did what he could learn as much as possible before getting here.

    He thought that he shouldn''t be missing something that''s made public. Well, all of this are just spections for now anyway.

    ''He also referred to the Federation. I''m assuming here that the Federation rules over cultivators since they seem to be the ones who''s deciding where they could and couldn''t go.''

    ''If that''s the case, then they hold too much power here. I don''t believe that their ranks aren''t filled with strong cultivators as well since that''s the only way they could bring the poption under their rule.''<sub> </sub>

    ''That basically means that, even in this peaceful environment, the strong thrives while the weak are forced to bow their heads. And if there''s anything I learned the hard way in my previous world, that''d he the fact that the government will never truly be pure from the inside out.''

    ''Sufficed to say, I''d be assuming that the Federation is akin to turbulent waters. Man, that''s troublesome.'' Ashton sighed softly.

    "Like I said earlier, I am your Professor but at the same time, I also work as your fitness coach. It should be obvious by now that I am strict and I don''t like people who arezy andcent."

    "The Combat ss isn''t required to most of you here yet you enrolled in it. That''s practically you telling us that you want to want to know how to fight or defend yourself."

    "My ss is a pre-requisite for the more sophisticated subject in higher years so if you fail here, those won''t be avable to you. I for one would judge you ording to your performance. If you show me that you''re working hard and you''re following my orders, you and I won''t have problems. If you don''t then that''s on you, I truly couldn''t care less."

    "From what I saw based on your performance earlier, I can easily say that majority of you will suffer in this ss. Don''t think that I will tone down your physical conditioning since I have no ns on doing that. Either you do it or you don''t. It''s as simple as that."

    After saying that, Rycard snapped his fingers and all of a sudden, the environment shifted which shocked all of the students including Ashton.

    Behind Rycard, arge wall suddenly appeared.

    The wall had several things hanging in them. Most of them are steel weaponry. Beneath the wall are several crates filled with copies of the same weapons that are disyed on the wall.

    "If you want to fight, you will need a weapon." Rycard stated, "Fists are good enough but those are yourst resort. Most of the times, you will be holding something that could sincerely ruin those who dares to oppose you."

    "Today, we will be going through the basics of weapon wielding. All of you, pick a weapon of your choice. Try to for the ones that suited to you the most. When you''ve chosen,e to me and I will pass down the basic stances and knowledge about your weapon choice."

    p All students got up and went over to the wall to decide which one to choose. As for Ashton, he stood on his spot thinking to himself:</anda>

    ''I guess fights doesn''t always revolve around spells and skills. That makes sense, after all, nobody possess unlimited amounts of Mana. There are times when one would either choose to conserve some or be forced to not rely on them. Which is why knowing how to wield a weapon is must. Yeah, that should be the idea behind it.''

    ''But...what should I choose? I never worked with weapons before.''

    Ashton was already standing in front of the walls, still in deep thought. He could see all kinds of weapon disyed in there. There were all kinds of swords, spears, bows and arrows, there''s even the unorthodox weapons like chakrams, scythes and stuff in there.

    Looking around him, he saw most of the students making their choices already. He saw ke going after a shield, Alice going after a sword and Mary picking up a bow and several arrow quivers.

    He couldn''t make a decision right away so instead of just standing there doing nothing, he went over to the crates and decided to get a feel for each weapon type.

    Ashton was somewhat going through instincts here. He''s a White Mage first before abatant so the possibility of him engaging on a one on one fight was low, that''s why he never really thought about learning how to wield a weapon.

    After trying out everything, Ashton went back to the ones that felt quite alright to him and made aparison in his mind.

    In the end, he made his choice. And it was something that he never thought he would pick, but here we was.

    He went up to Rycard and said: "I''ve decided, Sir."

    Rycard looked at the weapon in his hand and nodded: "A staff huh, very well."

    The professor then poked his forehead and suddenly, Ashton felt a wave of new information drowning him.

    [Notice!]

 Chapter 57 Weapon Training

    Why did Ashton chose the regr staff?

    Well, first and foremost, it felt nice on his hands. It was dense and heavy enough for him to hold and he liked that feelingpared to other weapons disyed here so far.

    Additionally, a weapon like this good for maintaining distance. It''s arguable that bows and spears could do the same but frankly enough, he didn''t like the way they feel in his hands.

    In the end, he''s really using his instincts here. Since his instincts told him that a staff would be good for him, then there''s no reason not to try it out for now.

    Ashton took a couple a couple of seconds to recover from the information transfer. It maybe helped that he has the mind of an adult that made this process significantly faster.

    Once he opened his eyes, there''s a system panel hovering in front of him.

    [Notice! Knowledge Transfer, detected. Scanning for malicious intents...]

    [None found. epting the transfer...]

    [Host has acquired: Basic Staff Technique!]

    [Basic Staff Technique - Lv.1]

    ? Increases Host''s familiarity and finesse when using a Staff to fight.

    ? 10% attack potency increase when wielding a Staff.

    ? 5% increase in Host''s Endurance.

    Ashton released a short breath and walked-away, Rycard was already passing down knowledge to another student anyway so he didn''t notice.

    Seeing as others found a spot for themselves to train, Ashton thought he should do the same.

    The Training Field A was quiterge, there''s enough space for students to spread around so that they won''t disturb someone else''s practice. Ashton went into a distant corner of the field, somewhere that has a good amount of shade and people around.

    His chosen spot was surrounded with trees and has a nice open space for him to train, there''s also plenty of shade so he wouldn''t have to worry about heat. Before starting with his training though, he figured that he has to ask something to the system. He argued that he probably should''ve done this before he made his decision but, betterte than never...

    ''System, was there a way for you to tell me which weapon was suitable for me?''

    [Negative, Host.]

    ''Alright, I figured as much.'' He sighed.

    He already had a clue that this should''ve been the case but it still wouldn''t hurt to ask, just in case. Thankfully, his intuition was correct.

    ''And I suppose I can''t put this skill in the Grinding Slots, huh?''

    [Negative, Host.]

    ''Yep, just as I thought.'' Ashton wasn''t really surprised.

    As much as he was d to have the system with him, right now it couldn''t really help him much.

    He initially that thought that, since Spells and Skills are only different in name, that he could also grind them as well, apparently not. As for why, he can''t exactly tell for now and it isn''t the time to wonder about that too. He had other things to pay attention to.

    <o>,m Doing some light stretches, he twirled the staff in his hands first to get a good feel for it. Just as he expected, it felt nice in his hands, especially now that the perk from the technique is in effect.</o>

    Ashton then went into a horse stance while holding the staff parallel to the ground. He took a deep breath and checked if he''s doing the stance properly.

    He searched for ws and fixed them ording to the proper way before even performing the first attack. He wasn''t on the rush, there''s no time limit given so he could take his time. He figured that it would be better to practice it in the correct from as to not develop any bad habits in future.

    The first attack was a simple thrust. Just by getting a good grip on the staff and stabbing it forward was all he has to do.

    Ashton did it on his first try, like anyone else here would, but he''s far from satisfied. He was severelycking still but he got the idea.

    For the next chunk of the ss, Ashton wouldn''t perform any other move aside from this one. He didn''t feel the need to go through the list if he can''t even perform a single one properly.

    And so, he did just that. He got absorbed into his own training that he lost sense of time in the process.

    "Alright Kids, time''s up. Gather around here!"

    Rycard''s voice broke his focus. Ashton released a sigh and released himself from his stance. He felt his muscles aching but it was a good burn. He''s already used to this kind of sensation due to his daily conditioning.

    Before he left his spot, he noticed that for some reason, he left a deep footprint on where he was standing before. He failed to notice when that happened though, but he knew that it''s the product of the intensity of his strikes and focus.<sub> </sub>

    He returned to his ssmates that are now standing in front of their professor.

    Just from a single nce, he could tell that everyone are drained. He was in a better spot but he''s drained too, after all this is his first time training with a weapon.

    "All of you can keep the weapons you picked today. A word of caution, don''t try to use them for hurting others since they are programmed to send a signal if that happens. If you use that to intentionally hurt someone then that''s an automatic expulsion for you and that''s non-negotiable." Rycard reminded strictly.

    "You can also keep the training clothes. Every time youe in to my ss, you all should be wearing that instead of your uniforms."

    "For your homework, I want you all to study the basic weapon techniques I passed down onto you. You have until our next ss to perform them in an eptable level."

    "I will ask you to give me a demonstration during our next ss where you will be graded based on your performance. Are we clear?"

    "Yes, Professor."

    "Good. I''ll be expecting you all on our next ss. That''s it for today. Go home safely."

    After saying that, Rycard disappeared the same way as other professors did.

    Knowing that he''s gone, the students finally released their frustrations. Most of them just groaned, someined but mostly, they just dragged their exhausted bodies back to the changing room before going home. Of course, there''s also some who didn''t even bother at all.

    As for Ashton, whether he likes it or not, he still has a shift to attend to. So, he went back into the changing room to wear his uniform again.

    When he got out, he noticed that Mary, ke and Alice were already gone. That''s when his smartwatches pinged. He received messages from them, telling him that they already went ahead of him since they were tired beyond their minds.

    Ashton didn''t mind this of course, he just told them to get a good rest and told them that they''re going to be in severe pain tomorrow due to the abuse they suffered today.

    After that, he went straight into the Grand Library and clocked-in for work. Aria was there as usual and there weren''t any visitors yet again.

    "You look a bit...exhausted. Did something happen?" Aria asked in concern while Ashton was taking out the things he need.

    "Oh uh. It''s Combat ss today, that''s why."

    "Ah, I see. Wait, what''s you''re specialization again?"

    "White Mage." Ashton replied without looking at her.

    "And you enrolled in the Combat ss? That''s admirable. Good for you."

    "Thanks." Ashton looked at her and smiled.

    He failed to notice how Aria seems to nk out upon seeing that smile of his.

    "Uh, I have a question." Ashton faced her looking a bit hesitant.

    "Y-yes? What is it?"

    "Do I smell bad?"

    Aria wasn''t prepared for that question, Ashton even leaned towards her so that she can get a good whiff of his scent.

    And so, just like what a normal human being would do in this situation, she sniffed him and paused for a bit.

    Ashton waited for the verdict, feeling a bit nervous since he honestly don''t know what he smells like right now. His nervousness only got worse when he saw Aria looking at him nkly with her jaw slightly ajar.

    "Uhm...earth to Aria? Hello? You still there?"

    "Ah! Yes, yes. I-it''s fine. You don''t smell bad." She replied, jolting out of her stupor.

    "Are you sure?" Ashton frowned, "You don''t sound convincing."

    "Really, believe me." Aria nodded, "You''re fine- smell, fine! Yes. You smell fine. You don''t stink. Not at all. Y-you can ask Chief Leon to confirm it if you want."

    "Nah, that''s fine. I''ll take your word for it." Ashton grinned them took the things he needed to do his job.

    He''s mostly worried about smelling bad since he didn''t take a shower beforeing here, he knew that teenagers had a lot going-on for their bodies including hygiene concerns so he just want to make sure. But since Aria said that he smells fine, then it''s all good.

    She wouldn''t lie to him about that, right?

    What Ashton failed to notice was that, after he was off checking the durability of books, Aria left a fort room break'' on the station''s desk. She only returned after ten minutes.

 Chapter 58 Intrigued Regal King

    "Master! There''s a package outside, I took it in..."

    Jerry''s voice sounded through thems. Ashton straightened his back and wiped away his sweat using an already damp towel hanging by his shoulder. He looked at the time and saw that it was around the time he wraps-up his daily routine, so he deactivated the training room and stepped outside.

    His trusty helper-bot was already waiting for him outside, carrying an innocuous box which doesn''t even have any kind of designs in it. It looked just like a in old cardboard box.

    "Did it say where it came from?" He asked the bot.

    To which Jerry replied with a shake of his head. Ashton shrugged and pointed at the table. The bot then whirred and went ahead to put the box in there.

    Once he sat down, Jerry told him that he''ll be cooking food and left Ashton on how own.

    Ashton took a couple of seconds to rx. He''s still a little bit out of breath from his training just now. He could even feel himself still sweating even while resting.

    Meanwhile, he inspected the box using his senses. He didn''t sense any maliciousness in it not anything that could possibly tick him off. But he does notice that the box radiates a good chunk of mana, which made him wonder what''s inside of it.

    A little whileter, he decided to open it anyway. He really wouldn''t know unless he did after all.

    He''d admit that he''s on guard. After all, the sender didn''t leave any information on the box itself so that''s already suspicious. And since one can never be too careful, especially in this day and age, he might as well assume that the box might explode the moment he opens it.

    ...which it didn''t, thank god. That made him sigh in relief. .

    He then proceeded to take a look at the stuff it contains and to his surprise, the items here were mostly something that he didn''t recognize.

    There''s a chip in here which he can insert to his smartwatch, this usually contains information and so on but it has many other uses. He also saw a lot of books, a weird looking crystal and a small box.

    Ashton frowned, he didn''t remember doing any online shopping recently so he couldn''t possibly be the one to have ordered this. Plus, if he was, then someone would''ve actuallye and talk to him, right? The fact that the box looked in and didn''t contain any information was a dead give-away.

    He then noticed a small tape attached to the chip. There''s words on that tape which reads: ''Scan this first.''

    Ashton raised a brow. He was hesitant at first but it''s not like he can discover anything if he didn''t do this so he might as well. He peeled off the tape and inserted the chip to his smartwatch to scan it.

    After a couple of seconds, his smartwatch lit up and disyed a paused audio recording. Ashton blinked and somehow, an idea on who this package might''vee from crossed his mind.

    He yed the audio recording and this is what he heard:

    "Greetings, Young West. Regal King here."

    ''Thought so...'' Ashton murmured to himself.

    "You might find this weird and very out of the blue, frankly I don''t care. I wanted to do it, so I did it. I sent you another package."

    ''I can see that...thanks I guess?''

    "You might be wondering, why? Well, because I was intrigued, that''s all."

    ''Intrigued? About what?''

    "I received reports on your first week of school. So far, you''ve been impressive and I hope you stay that way. But, I digress. What I''m interested about is that curse of yours."

    ''Ahh...''

    "It''s intriguing to say the least...this, Curse of Mediocrity, as you call it. A curse that prevents you from learning Intermediate Spells and above. I did some research about it and found out that, so far, this a Unique Curse."

    ''A Unique Curse?''

    "Aisha might''ve already told you this, but if she didn''t, then listen carefully. Curses doesn''t really disappear. It just goes around and gets passed around."

    "Even if someone got rid of their shackles, the curse they once bore doesn''t really dissipate into nothingness. Someday, someone will be unlucky enough to be the next host of the curse and the cycle just repeats itself."

    Ashton nodded to this. Aisha did inform him about this being the case.<sub> </sub>

    "The reason why I call your curse a unique one is because there weren''t any records of it so far."

    ''Oh?''

    "This means that, this Curse of Mediocrity, is something that only you, so far, has had throughout history. Which also mark you as a unique individual."

    "If there''s one thing that you should know about me, Young West. It''s the fact that I am a very curious individual, so much so that it gets me into trouble sometimes, but that''s a story for another day..."

    "I sent you a package that contains things that would help you determine how deep this curse is embedded to you and what are it''s limits. See, curses can be fickle at times and some can be manipted or worked around. The items in that box I sent you will help you determine more clues about it. Of course, I''ve added some bonuses as well, I''m not asking you to do this for free. After all, I''m already crossing the line with this."

    "I''d like you to take a look at the weird looking crystal that''s in the box first."

    Ashton peeled his eyes away from the hologram and took out the weird looking crystal out of the box.

    The crystal looked...unnatural, to say the list. It''s jagged and covered with thin yet sharp looking shards all over it''s body, then again the bottom part was smooth and t, allowing it to stand on itself.

    It looked untainted for the most part, but at the very center of it, there seems to be a tiny wisp of...something blue. It''s moving slightly and it jiggles whenever he touched the crystal itself. It''s radiating mana but weirdly enough, Ashton didn''t think that, whatever that thing is at the center of the crystal, it wasn''t made out of mana.

    He ced it in front of him and then heard the Regal King say:

    "That, is a Soul Reflecting Crystal, a small fragment of it, more like. It has many uses that you''d eventually discover in the future but the one thing about it, is that it reacts to Curse Individuals strongly."

    "Listen to my instructions first before using it. You must know everything first since the reaction will be quick and that crystal can only be used once. It is rather pricy and difficult to find so I''d appreciate if you don''t waste it."

    "Now, to use it is simple, you''d only have to inject it with your mana. But like I said, this crystal reacts strongly to people like you so once you do that I want you to pay close attention to what will happen next."

    "There''s a total of five reactions we''re looking for here. Scaling from weak to strong, they are:

    ? If the core of the crystal turns into a deeper color

    ? If it turns ck

    ? If it turns ck then taints the inner parts of the crystal.

    ? If it taints the entirety of the crystal

    ? And if the crystal just melts into ck goo.

    These are the reactions you should look for. Remember this happens quick, no matter how strong the reaction is, this crystal will always dissipate into nothing, yes even the ck goo."

    "If it''s alright with you, I''d like you to tell me how the crystal reacted to you honestly. You have my contact information so you can use that to inform me."

    "As for the books, some of those contain knowledge about curses in general. It has records of what are the known curses and who seeded in getting rid of them, it even includes how they did it. These should be useful to you."

    "Additionally, one of the book there is special. I sent you a book that contain knowledge about Staff Wielding since I discovered you picked that as your choice of weapon. That should be useful to you as well."

    "To top things off, that small box contains a ne. Wear it, it will help you increase focus and increase your cultivation speed slightly."

    "I might ask you to perform more experimentster on but do tell me if you''re ufortable with it, I won''t force you unless you''re willing to do so."

    "That''s it for me. Do think about it. I''d be expecting your reply."

    The audio recording stopped and chip dislodged itself from his smartwatch before turning into dust. Ashton watched this happen with a wry smile. This sponsor of his is really being thorough huh?

    "Prof. Aisha wasn''t kidding..." he murmured despite himself, "He really is generous once he''s invested."

    Ashton shook his head and kept the things away for now. Jerry arrived with his food and he''d rather have that first before the experiments.

    He doesn''t mind participating with the experiments the Regal King has for now, after all he wants to get rid of this curse no? So, why not? Who knows? Maybe he can help him figure out a way to remove this.

 Chapter 59 Experiment

    Ashton didn''t do anything with the crystal just yet because Jerry came with his food.

    He will eat first then he went on with the experimentter.

    While he''s eating, he''s doing some online research about the Soul Reflecting Crystals since he wants to know more about them.

    One of the benefits of being an official student of the Mystic Academy is that, he was granted clearance for his magical studies. If he uses his student id to log-in and browse, he''ll be able to view information online that previously weren''t avable to him.

    When he searched for the information he wants, several results showed-up. He viewed the one at the very top and was satisfied to see a detailed exnation about the crystal.

    The Soul Reflecting Crystal is something that doesn''t form within the bubble of the Last Bastion. This resource is so rare and extremely risky to collect that often times, casualties are expected whenever a group was sent out to collect some. This was mainly the reason behind it''s steep price but if course, that''s not all.

    Listed below the article were at least 30 uses of the crystal. Ashton casually read through them and discovered that almost all of the listed uses are extremely important.

    For example; the blue-ish core inside the crystal. That can be used to create the more modern types of Smartwatches. It turns out that it''s key ingredient for making them too. To top things off, smartwatches only needed a drop of that liquefied core to be functional.

    Even the tiniest shard of this crystal can be used as a disinfectant using proper tools and chemicals. It is too versatile which is why, even though it''s risky, many people still risks going outside to harvest these.

    Now that he learned about majority of its uses, Ashton now feels that it''s a little to wasteful to use this crystal to gauge how ''cursed'' he is. There should be other ways to test this but since his sponsor told him that it''s going to be fine, then he decided to just go along with it for now.

    Once he was done with his meal, he let Jerry clean out the table first before initiating the test.

    Once the bot was done, Ashton took out the crystal to prepare himself.

    He used his smartwatch to record the process since he figured that his sponsor would appreciate that. Once he''s done with his set-up and double-checked everything, he took a deep breath and went on with it.

    Buzz!

    p Injecting mana from his finger to the crystal was easy, the reaction was quite swift too. Ashton blinked and before he knew it, the crystal turned pitch ck before dissolving into a ck goo. A secondter, the goo dissipated into dust, nowhere to be seen anymore.</anda>

    Everything happened to quick that Ashton didn''t even had the time to react. In the end, he sighed and stopped the recording. He reyed it using the slowest speed he can use.

    Under his observations, he could see that once he touched the crystal and injected a faint dose of his mana in it, the core instantly darkened and popped, tainting the entire crystal pitch ck. A couple of momentster, the crystal slowly melted off into dusts particles.

    Ashton sighed and decided to sent the video recording to the Regal King, once he''s done with that, he rested his back against the chair and looked-up, whispering:

    "...it''s that bad huh?" There was a trace of helplessness on his voice.

    To be fair, his curse doesn''t really sound so bad in words. The Curse of Mediocrity, a curse that prevents him from learning Intermediate Offensive Spells and above. Again, it doesn''t sound so bad and it shouldn''t be...at least from what Ashton could tell so far.

    It will restrict him severely, yes. But, it''s not going to kill him...at least he hopes not.

    Then again, judging by the reaction of the crystal, he really has it bad. He''s now starting to wonder if he could even get rid of the curse in the future.

    While waiting for the Regal King''s response, if he''s even nning on responding at all, Ashton decided to check the other things that his sponsor sent to him.

    Several books about curses, the Staff Wielding Book and the small box that apparently contains a piece of jewelry.

    He kept the books about curses first in his inventory as well as the book for staff wielding. He can read thoseter when he has time. As for the contents of the small box, it was a ne with a sapphire gemstone.

    ''Identify...'' Ashton whispered amand to his system.

    [Clear Sky Ne - Rare]

    a��� Sharply increases focus and concentration

    a��� +30% Cultivation Efficiency.

    a��� Durability: 100/100

    ''Oh, it can break.'' Ashton murmured inwardly. ''Oh well, I have a repair skill, once I level that up, that should be able to take care of this ne as well.''

    Without any further ado, Ashton wore the ne and immediately felt its effects. This will prove very useful when ites to studying and cultivation, it could even have a positive effect on his training in general.

    There''s really no reason for Ashton to never wear this at all.

    He sighed once he''s done with this. Jerry then came and informed him that his bath was ready. Ashton smiled and patted the bot''s head, he stood-up and went upstairs to enjoy his warm bath.

    ''A nice afternoon nap after this sounds very enticing.''

    Is what Ashton thought as he dipped his somewhat exhausted body to the tub.

    Ashton frowned as he looked around.<sub> </sub>

    He found himself treading across a very deste area. A wide stretch of opennd that has nary a de of grass on sight,

    Traces of battle are obvious every where he looked. The air is heavy, thend was uneven, there are pieces of metals scattered all across his vision. The atmosphere itself was quite frightening.

    Ashton doesn''t have a clue on where is right now or how he ended-up here. Now that he thought about it, why does it seem like he can''t remember anything else aside from his name?

    ...and why does he feel a splitting heartache as looked at this destend?

    He had no answers for any of this, so he could only do what he could and that is to continue moving forward.

    Sometimes, he wondered why he could stop to look at a certain area of this ce, he''s also wondering why he could feel more hurt whenever he''s staring at those ces. He really can''t make sense of anything that''s happening to him.

    Sometime after that, Ashton started hearing voices. It all started with faint whispers here and there, they were to faint to locate and iprehensible so he selectively ignored them but as time went on, they were bing louder.

    The strange part is that, he didn''t hear just one voice, there were multiple. Each voice was saying something but since they''re all happening at the same time, he couldn''t make sense of what they''re saying at all.

    Along with the voices, the heartache he felt made him feel extremely horrible. So much so that he''s panicking and asking himself just what it is that he''s forgetting? Why can''t he remember? What is going on?

    Nevertheless, despite what he''s feeling, he continued moving forward. Somehow, he was hell bent on doing just that even though things are getting progressively worse.

    He really doesn''t know what was happening, he couldn''t, for the life of him, remember why he''s experiencing so much pain and agony, just what is it that he do to deserve this? And why is he stubbornly so hell bent on moving forward?

    Where the hell did this drive came from?

    It was when he took that one step that things changed. Suddenly, everything went quiet. The voices were gone and the heartache disappeared as well. He was left there, puzzled and very confused but relieved as well. But before he could even think about what just happened, another development urred.

    ''Why are you here?''

    ''This doesn''t make sense.''

    ''Are you supposed to be here?''

    ''You''re not supposed to be here.''

    ''How did youe here?''

    ''Where did you came from?''

    ''Who are you?''

    ''What is your name?''

    ''What are your intentions foring here?''

    ''This ce isn''t for the likes of you.''

    ''Stay away!''

    ''Begone!''

    ''Pest.''

    ''You''ll die.''

    ''Ah, so you can hear and feel us too.''

    The voices came back with a vengeance. They were louder and clearer. They spoke way too much, all at the same time too, making it hard for Ashton to think properly.

    He could feel his body shaking under the pressure. The voices, they''re too loud...too much for him to endure. He could feel a splitting headache that made him clutched his head. He desperately wants to silence them but he couldn''t.

    Then...warmth came to him. All of a sudden, a while light flooded his vision and the voices were gone. Then, he heard a gentle and affectionate sound on his ears.

    ''Not yet, child. You''re too young for this ce. You still have a lot of growing-up to do. One day though, you will return. By then, hopefully you''ve find your path.''

    Gasp!

    Ashton''s eyes snapped wide open, he harshly got up from his bed and panicked momentarily. He took a careful nce at his room and was relieved that everything seems normal.

    ''What the hell was that?'' He couldn''t help but ask himself.

 Chapter 60 Surprise

    Ashton doesn''t really understand what kind of dream was that no matter hard he tried to...

    It felt so...real, so much so that he''s starting to believe that it was real instead. Granted the world he lives in right now, too? That might''ve actually been the case.

    Still, none of that made sense to him. He tried searching online but found nothing, he referred to books too but still, nothing. In the end, he could only drop the subject altogether and just move-on with his life.

    No use in being invested into something he doesn''t understand to begin with anyway.

    Just like this, life continued for Ashton. Days passed as he adjusted to his new life and continued his magical studies.

    Each day he could feel himself substantially getting stronger and more vigorous. It was such a weird feeling since he can easily tell that he''s much strongerpared to his fully grown self from his past. There''s just noparison to be made.

    With the time that passed, he also learned more and more about the world of cultivation, eventually painting a full idea of what it''s like in his mind.

    Sufficed to say, his initial assumptions were correct, this world was indeed dangerous. In fact, it''s even more dangerous that he initially expected.

    See, he found out that there''s just no way to avoid it.

    Even if his goal was to just be a hermit and just study magic all of his life, there''s no way he''ll be able to avoid confrontation. Sooner orter, he''ll have to fight. There''s no way he can''t, life wouldn''t allow it.

    As days turned into weeks, then weeks turned into months, Ashton fell into a stable routine that 5 months shed past him since the beginning of the academic year.

    And while the past six months were nothing but peaceful, it failed to lure Ashton to it''sir.

    Ashton knew...he just knew that there''s no way this peace would continue just like this. Something has to happen.

    And to nobody''s surprise, he was correct.

    "...alright you brats, listen up." Aisha walked down the aisle as she said this, "your Final Exams for the first semester ising up. It will happen next Monday so I want you to prepare."

    "To that extent, your schedule for this week is cleared. Use this time to do somest minute training to prepare yourselves. Is that all clear?"

    "Yes, Prof." The students replied in unison.

    "Those who are close to their breakthroughs, don''t forget to get me or other trusted people on speed dial. I trust you all to follow the rules or else we will some serious problems. Alright, that''s it for me. Now, scram!"

    The students then stood up and began leaving the room.

    "Hey, Ash. Alice and ke said that they''re already at the meeting ce."

    "You mean Aunt Rosie''s?"

    "Same thing."

    Ashton rolled his eyes, "Seriously, why the hell do you guys treat that ce like some sort of a secret base? I mean, all we do there is eat and lounge around."

    "Heathen!" Mary called out in a scandalized voice, "How dare you! That is our bunker! Ourst line of defense against the normies! Don''t you ever sully it with those foul words of yours."

    Ashton groaned and said: "Yeah, yeah whatever. Let''s just go."

    At this point, Ashton already relented and allowed himself to get dragged-on by these three. Honestly, at first he was hesitant to join them since he was still adjusting to his life as a teenager...again, but they never really gave him a chance to get-away from their grasp.

    In the end, he became friends with them and came to knew more information that he didn''t knew in the past.

    For example; it turns out that Mary''s curse was particrly troublesome

    As they grew morefortable around each other, they eventually revealed the type of curse she have. Ashton shared his first to them, then eventually he knew hers.

    Mary''s curse it the ''Curse of Negativity'', this basically punishes her every time she feels negative emotions as she would feel it twice as strong. Ashton could see many ways on how this curse could seriously ruin someone so he pitied the girl quite a bit. He never showed it though since, that''s would be insulting to her.

    If it were him, he wouldn''t want anyone to pity him too. It''s demoralizing and could possibly make someone feel...''less'' in general. Not a good a thing in the first ce, even more so if Mary was the one to feel it since her curse would make it worse.

    At the same, this made Ashton feel like he had it easier. At most, he can''t use intermediate offensive spells and that''s it. Mary on the other hand would seriously suffer from this, this is why Alice and ke tries their best to distract her.<sub> </sub>

    But of course, since Ashton now knows this as well, he''s in it as well. Alice and ke never really specifically told him to do so but the hints were there. He''d be a fool to not notice them. He didn''t mind it of course, their friends anyways.

    Speaking of friends, Ashton didn''t really go out of his way to expand his social life. What little he has right now is just fine with him. He''s acquainted with the rest of the ss he''s in as well as those from the Combat ss but not really close enough to call themselves friends.

    Honestly, he just didn''t see the point nor he''s to keen to discover anyways. He''s already used to being a loner anyways so Mary, Alice, ke and Aria were good enough for him.

    Mary and Ashton boarded the transit and eventually arrived at their destination.

    "I don''t see them anywhere though." Ashton murmured as soon as the two of them arrived at the shop.

    Behind him, Mary walked past him, dragging him towards a corner. Ashton frowned and allowed himself to be dragged around. Eventually, they arrived at a door. Mary went behind him and pushed him inside.

    That''s when the lights flickered on and he was greeted with:

    "Surprise!! Happy Birthday, Ashton!"

    Phewwtt!!

    Alice, ke and Aria was inside, wearing party hats and small confetti bombs in their hands. There''s party decorations on the walls and a cake at the middle of the table.

    A helpless smile appeared on Ashton''s face as he entered the room.

    "So that''s why I felt like I was missing something important when I woke-up this morning." Ashton said while shaking his head.

    "Seriously? You forgot your own birthday?" ke asked, sounding a little incredulous.

    "How did you guys even know? I don''t remember telling you about it." He asked.

    "Yeah, you didn''t. It was Aria who discovered it." Alice stated, looking at the timid librarian.

    "You usually leave your stuff unsupervised whenever you''re cramming. Your profile was open and I kinda saw it but not everything in it of course. I saw your birthdate there, October 15, so I took note and told them about it a week ago." Aria mentioned casually.

    Looking at her, Ashton wouldn''t have known that she was the same, stuttering mess, that she was during their initial meeting. Aria hade out of her shell, which is a sign that she''sfortable around them.

    Ashton nodded and humored them by also wearing a party hat. Of course, his was special, he was the birthday boy after all.

    This was new to him. He''s never really been one to celebrate birthdays, neither is he one to actually pay attention to his own age. He just lives life as he pleases before and that habit followed him in this life.

    Still, he wouldn''t refuse this. It''s not a bad feeling.

    They proceeded with the celebration. They sang happy birthday to him and even asked him to make a wish before blowing out the candles.

    Ashton was really d that the rooms were soundproof or else, ke would''ve already brought the house down with his loud and screamer vocals as he used the karaoke.

    Alice was pushed to the brink of insanity as shees ''this'' close to murdering him with her bare hands. Aria was just there, looking culture-shocked while Mary just looked done.

    Ashton himself just find this funny. He figured that he should just let this pass since it''s a special day of course.

    However...for some reason...Ashton feels really strange.

    He doesn''t know why but he feels a bit uneasy. Initially, he thought that it''s just because he forgot that its his birthday today but then again, it didn''t really disappear.

    Ashton felt cold and he doesn''t know why. He also feels like someone''s prickling his skin with needles and it was getting ufortable.

    Aria seems to have notice this so she leaned towards him and asked: "Hey, what''s wrong?"

    He looked at her and hesitated, he opened his mouth to speak but to his surprise, his voice wasn''ting out. It''s as if his throat was plugged or something.

    Before he could even say something to her using signnguage, his world was rocked by a sudden explosion.

    The impact was so strong that everything, including him, tumbled around the room. His head hit something hard and then he lost consciousness.

 Chapter 61 Ruined City

    Ashton woke up with a horrible headache.

    He could feel his head pounding and he also felt dizzy. It took quite sometime before he adjusted and when he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see where he was.

    Everything around him was charred beyond recognition. The burnt smell flooded his nose, causing him to feel nauseous. He also noticed how his uniform got so tattered that the automatic cleaning functions it has weren''t working.

    He found himself resting against a wall, what remains of it at least. There''s no one alive on sight, everything was in ruins.

    It''s probably because he just woke-up that all of this wasn''t sinking to him just yet. Ashton felt mostly confused for now, he also felt incredibly weak for some reason.

    He tried to stand-up but he can''t just yet so he could only stay where he is. He closed his eyes and tried to breathe despite the awful smell around him.

    ''System, you there?''

    [I am with you, Sir.]

    ''Can you tell me what just happened?''

    [System advices Sir to recover his health first before viewing the footage.]

    ''That means you''ve recorded the event, that''s good. I didn''t know you can do that.'' Ashton grunted as he adjusted his position. ''You''re right, I should probably recover my health for now just in case. Open up the Inventory please..''

    A hologram appeared before him. Ashton opened his eyes and scanned the items he collected so far by just signing-in everyday. He looked at the umtion and saw several items that could help hasten up his recovery.

    Arguably, Ashton could''ve probably used a spell to heal himself but the problem is, he sensed that his mana reserves were almost dry and he''s too weak and hurt to go into meditation right now so he could only use items.

    [Small Health Potion]

    [Small Mana Potion]

    He has lot of these thankfully. He got them whenever he signed in during the Herbology sses. Sometimes he''d receive them by tens, if he''s lucky, by hundreds even. On rare asions, he''d get a Medium or Large Health Potions. He never had any practical use of these so it was just stuck to his inventory, now he can finally test them out.

    With weak hands, he removed the cork and downed the potion in one go. He sighed as he felt the liquid smoothly gliding down his throat. Next, he felt a cool and soothing sensation spreading all over his body. He groaned infort as he felt himself recovering, he''s starting to feel light and energized.

    After a minute or two. He finally opened his eyes. Another sigh escaped his lips. He no longer felt weak but his mana reserves are still empty. Well, that''s what the mana potion was for.

    Once he drank the potions. Ashton felt as good as new. He stood-up slowly and looked at his surroundings. He bit his lips and felt the realization sinking in.

    There''s really nobody in sight. All he could see was charred ruins everywhere. He bit his lips and suppressed the bubbling dread on his stomach.

    He sat back down to where he was earlier and took a couple of deep breaths. He asked himself if he''s ready to know the horrible truth. It took a couple more minutes if introspection before he finally got the courage to do it.

    ''System, show me the footage.''

    [Affirmative.]

    Ashton then felt his mind jerking. He then saw scenes shing past his eyes.

    Several hooded figures hovered on top of the Academy. One of them raised their hand to conjure a miniature sun which they then threw at the Academy itself.

    Several instructors showed-up in attempts to stop-it but it''s useless. A devastating explosion ruined the entirety of the Academy.

    The footage then showed himself as well as his friends celebrating his birthday. When the explosion urred, he saw himselfunching to the opposite side of the room, hitting the edge of the table on his way which caused him to lose consciousness.

    He then saw an very injured Leon appearing right before them amidst the fire. He encased all of them in a bubble of barrier before dragging his exhausted body out of there.

    Sadly, before they can escape, another explosion urred and this time, Leon couldn''t hold the barrier.

    Ashton bit his lips as he Leon coughing out blood as he used his body as a literal shield to protect them from the shrapnel flying around. One said shrapnel pierced his body, right at his chest, causing the man to buckle forward and cough out even more blood.

    He saw how Leon''s gaze sharpened. He started chanting a spell unknown to Ashton. Just from the look on his eyes, Ashton knew that Leon had already decided to sacrifice his life to save them.

    Before finishing the spell, he heard Leon saying this;

    "I don''t know where this spell will take you. Hopefully out of the city but...*cough!* I''m too weak to stabilize it."

    Another explosion urred on the background.

    "Damned Revenants. How the hell did even passed through the bubble?" Leon coughed another mouthful of blood. "I''ve got to hurry-up. I can''t let the Revenants get a hold of these kids or else, Humanity will be done for."

    Leon grunted and summoned all the strength left on his body to finish the spell. Just before he was done though, he ripped his ne and approached Ashton''s unconscious body.

    "The Grand Library shouldn''t fall on their hands either. Young Ashton, you must never let them have this. And if you evere out alive from this, I hope you take care of Aria. Be there for her...please."

    By the time he''s done with his speech, Leon pped his hands and then their bodies were covered by a thin film of light. The footage blurred for a bit and before he knew it, he was already where he is now.<sub> </sub>

    The footage then zoomed-out far enough to cover an entirendmass and before he knew it, Ashton found himself staring at the ruins of City M...

    ..whatever''s left of it anyway.

    The footage zoomed-in on his unconscious body, next to him was Aria. She turned into a streak of light and entered the key that Leon gave him.

    Ashton didn''t see Mary, Alice or ke anywhere.

    It was at this point that Ashton felt hot tears cascading down his face.

    ''So, it''s just me and Aria now huh...''

    [In this ruined City M, yes.]

    ''How long was I unconscious?''

    [3 whole days, Sir.]

    ''I don''t get it.'' Ashton bit his lips. ''Where are the people from the Federation? Why haven''t they done anything about this!''

    [Sir-]

    ''What are Revenants anyway? Chief Leon hinted that they''re not from here, so Outsiders then? How the hell did they pass through the protective bubble? This doesn''t make sense!''

    [Sir-]

    ''Just how many people died? What are they doing? Where are they? Weren''t they supposed to prevent this from happening? I don''t understand! Why has help haven''t arrived yet?''

    [Sir! City M had been isted.]

    ''...huh?''

    [The ruins of City M is no longer within the Last Bastion.]

    Ashton''s mouth opened as if he''s about to say something, but unable to form words that could exin just how confused he was.

    ''...how?'' Is all he could ask.

    [My apologies, Sir. But I don''t have enough information to urately answer that question.]

    [All I could say is that, for unknown reasons, the ''Revenants'' as Leon called them, managed to not only destroy the Mystic Academy and City M as whole, but also rip it away from Last Bastion, sending it away to an unknown territory.]

    ''...we''re no longer inside the Last Bastion.'' Ashton chuckled hollowly as the realization finally kicks in at this point.

    ''I''m literally in the middle of god knows where, presumably outside of humanity''sst safe haven where all manner of dangers are present. Me, the weak old me!''

    Trepidation swam through every inch of his skin. Panic and horror kicked-in as Ashton found himself curling into a ball and feeling cold all over.

    What a horrible day this was...

    And out of all days, it just has to be his birthday. How cruel can this world be for him. He didn''t ask for any of this.

    In the middle of Ashton''s meltdown, a voice called out from the depths of his mind.

    ''Ash...''

    His eyes snapped wide open. He recalled who that voice belongs to. Panicking, he took out the key from his chest pocket and held it dearly like it''s his lifeline.

    "A-aria...you there? Can you here me?"

    ''Focus on my voice Ash.'' She whispered, Ashton could hear the faint sobs in between her words. ''I need you to focus.''

    Ashton took a deep breath and did what she said. Once he found himself settling down, he felt a tug which caused him to open his eyes.

    He looked around to see that he''s within a familiar ce. The Grand Library.

    He then looked down and saw a mop of auburn hair. Aria wrapped her delicate arms around him, hugging him so tight while shaking.

    Ashton bit his lips to prevent another sob from escaping. He returned the hug and whispered:

    "I''m so d you''re here with me."

    "Me too, Ash." Aria sobbed in his embrace. "Me too."

 Chapter 62 Survive And Explore

    The Last Bastion is under a strict lockdown because of what happened.

    Considering that an entire city was not only destroyed along with most of it''s citizens, and missing, this shouldn''t havee as a surprise to anyone.

    Nobody was prepared for what happened, neither were they expecting it to begin with.

    Not even a day passed since the disappearance of City M, humanity was in a full blown panic. While the Morning Sun Federation deals with a lot of things to maintain peace and stability, there''s really not much they could do in this scenario.

    After all, how can one even begin exining the disappearance of an entire city?

    The authorities were frazzled by this. Even though they already determined that Revenants did this, they still can''t understand how they managed to infiltrate the Last Bastion.

    p Wasn''t it that protective dome''s job to filter these things out? Howe it failed?</anda>

    Nobody has any exnation for it.

    Simrly, nobody could tell where the city went. They have no idea where it is right now. Plus, it didn''t make sense you see.

    If the Revenants'' n were to kill every humans within that city, then why did they remove it from the Last Bastion? Seems like a wasted effort, no?

    If everyone''s dead and the city was burned to the ground, then the next logical move for them was to do the same for the other cities. But that''s not what they did. They killed almost all of City M''s citizens, burned the entire city to ashes then pried it away from the Last Bastion itself.

    What is it, that they''re trying to aplish here? This is what Humanity''s Leaders were trying to discern right now.

    Well, that and how to calm the public outrage. Everyone''s panicked after all.

    In order to make sure that any event like this would be prevented before it happened, the Morning Sun Federation called out to all Licensed Cultivators to increase humanity''s security.

    Even those who were outside of the Last Bastion were called back as well. The Federation wanted to make sure that their security bes the main priority here.

    They alsounched multiple investigations. This act of terrorism might be a work of a traitor so it''s logical for them to do some introspection just to be sure.

    As for Mary, Alice and ke well...they''re not doing fine.

    They all woke-up in ''City O''. Not beside each other but eventually they were reunited.

    They didn''t take the news very well. All they knew and loved disappeared and they didn''t even know how. All they could remember was getting knocked out from the explosion while celebrating their friend''s birthday, the next thing they knew, everyone''s dead and only the three of them remained.

    None of their families made it out, neither did their teachers and friends they met along the way. All of them were gone and they only have themselves.

    It was a horrible nightmare. Something that even consistent therapy sessions wouldn''t ease-up. The fact that they have to live like this now, branded as City M''s only survivors, surely doesn''t make it any easier. So it the survivor''s guilt thates after that.

    Of course, they only think they''re the ones suffering from this because they have no idea that Ashton and Aria survived. If they only knew really...

    Sadly, they would remain clueless about it for a very long time.

    ***

    Ashton was emotionally drained.

    At this point, he doesn''t even had the energy to shed tears anymore. He''s tired of asking the world; why does this have to happened to him? Or, what did he ever do to deserve this.

    He''s just tired.

    The silence was deafening but he prefers this over explosions. Honestly, Ashton might just develop some serious PTSD with explosions as a trigger at this point.

    He''s in bed with Aria right now and no, get your mind out of the gutter.

    They''re cuddling, sure. But that''s just that. They only have each other right now and both of them were too distraught with what happened so far.

    In his exhaustion, he didn''t even had the time nor the energy to ask why does Aria have a room within the Library.

    All he could think right now is how to move-on from this. And even that was starting to feel a little tedious...a little too stressful as well.

    Is there even anything that''s useful in this city still? Everything was burned. Could he scavenge food? Clothing? Maybe materials?

    Shelter shouldn''t be a problem, he has the Grand Library to stay so it wasn''t a priority. Well, if it turns out that he can''t stay here for long, he had enough materials and knowledge to build a decent home so it shouldn''t be a problem.

    The most pressing matter right now is safety.

    Ashton is currently at an unknown territory. Surrounding with all sorts of horrors and dangers at all sides.

    He''s is too weak to even be out here yet here he was. He didn''t want this at all but if he intends to survive, he has to be stronger.

    After all, he isn''t just living for himself, no. He''s living for Aria as well since, for some reason, he is now in-charge of her, whatever that may mean.

    He''s not doing this out of responsibility nor need. He''s doing this because it''s his choice to do so. He isn''t doing it to repay the kindness of Chief Leon or to honor his memories and respect his wishes.

    He''s going to do it because it''s the right thing to do and Aria was a dear friend. He couldn''t possibly abandon her.

    Speaking of which, said friend has passed-out from crying. Ashton''s feeling very reluctant to leave her side right now because she might breakdown when she woke-up and he''s not there. He didn''t want to traumatize her beyond this.<sub> </sub>

    Despite his horrible situation though, Ashton still has some hope left.

    Had it been other people, they might''ve already given-up at this point. Possibly taken their own life so that they''d die in their own arrangement.

    But Ashton has something they don''t have.

    The System.

    Frankly enough, he doesn''t want to rely on it too much for survival but since push had alreadye to shove, he needs to do what he has to do.

    Ashton''s going to survive this. He''s determined to do so. He also vowed that, one day, he will return to the Last Bastion.

    His current predicament isn''t really the most ideal one but it certainly could be worse. Thankfully it''s not.

    He has a lot of tools to use in order to ensure his survival, additionally he also has time.

    So long as he''s being careful about this, surviving shouldn''t be as hard.

    [Notice: Host received a Quest and Missions!]

    Ashton''s brow rose because of the notification. It seems that the System was in sync with his will. He opened his updated Quest Tab to check the mission given to him.

    ***

    [Quest: Survive!]

    : Host has been forced into an upromising predicament but hope is not gone. Survive the horrors and dangers of the Outside World for as long as you can.

    a��� Survive for 1 month - Rewards: Bloodline Purification Pill x5

    a��� Survive for 3 months - Rewards: Mobile Safehouse x1

    a��� Survive for 6 months - Rewards: Exosuit x1

    a��� Survive for 1 year - Rewards: Randomized ''Trait'' x1

    a��� Survive for 3 years - Rewards: Specialization Soul Card (L) x1

    a��� Survive for 5 years - Rewards: Curse Banishment Pill x1

    ***

    Ashton''s eyes widened. Those rewards were certainly alluring. It seems that his determination to survive will be rewarded handsomely. Now, there''s more reason for him to do so.

    But of course, there''s more to this.

    ***

    [Mission: Investigate]

    : It''s a long way home from here. Where even is ''here''? Well, why don''t you find out? Plus, aren''t you curious as to what the Outside World looked like? The more you discover, the more rewards you''ll get.

    a��� Discover where you are - Time Limit: None. Rewards: New System Function unlocked.

    a��� Find a way back home - Time Limit: None. Rewards: Randomized ''Trait'' x1

    a��� Discover and Study Hostiles - Amount: 200. Rewards: New System Function unlocked.

    a��� Path to Enlightenment - Time Limit: None. Rewards: System Overhaul.

    ***

    Once again, Ashton was surprised.

    It seems that the System wants him to explore the Outside World since he''s already here.

    If he were to be honest, he''d rather not but those rewards were tempting. Additional System Functions are always good. Those could help him after since right now, he''s pretty limited. He didn''t know what he''ll get yet but that''s fine.

    The missions wereprehensive enough, save for thest one. That one, he didn''t understand.

    Path to enlightenment? Did the system think he''s some sort of monk trying to ascend and be a Buddha? What the hell?

    That being said, he knows that the system wouldn''t add this if it wasn''t important. He doesn''t know how toplete it but he''s going to try at least. The reward for it was a System Overhaul which may be good or bad, who knows?

    Anyway, since he received this quest and missions, he might as well do his best toplete all of them.

    If he happens to die while trying toplete them well, at least he had an action packed second life.

 Chapter 63 Planning

    Ashton closed the missions tab and got immersed in his own trail of thoughts.

    It is clear that the System was pushing for his survival as well which is good. And since the point was made, Ashton now has to think of his next steps.

    Aria is still sleeping right now so he couldn''t ask his questions. For now, since he doesn''t know how long he can stay inside the Grand Library, he might as well think about making an actual shelter.

    He made a mental note to explore the ruins of City M at one point. He figured that maybe he can scavenge some items around (if there even is any), he also had to search for a rtively safe spot to hide for now.

    Thest location he was at wasn''t that bad but it''s exposed. Ashton would be stupid to stay there since he would most definitely be seen by the creatures that will eventually wander inside the city.

    Once again, he was reminded that he''s surrounded in all sides. There isn''t even a wall behind his back anymore. He had to carve a spot for himself where he can stay and remain safe for now. A temporary base of sorts, just in case.

    If there''s anything he''s grateful for, it''d be the fact that he worked hard in his studies and training.

    While Ashton hasn''t read nor memorized everything that the Grand Library has to offer, he at least read enough to know of many things, specifically ones that would help out on his current situation.

    He''s pressed for time but as long as he can sit down and n for a bit, he would definitely hatch a n that could ensure his safety.

    Additionally, his cultivation wasn''t stagnant...

    [Profile]

    Host: Ashton West

    Race: Human

    Aptitude:

    a��� Mageroot: Mysterious Rainbow

    a��� Magical Artifact: Book of Infinity (Cursed-Legendary)

    a��� Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings (???)

    Specialization: [White Mage]

    Rank: Apprentice Lv.9 (8th Refinement)

    Cultivation Technique: Treasure zed Nine-Refinements Sutra

    This is the bulk of Ashton''s progress so far before disaster struck City M.

    On top of this, he also has quite a number of spells under his belt. Most of them are strictly for support since that''s geared towards his Specialization and most of them are Lv. 4 or above.

    As for offensive spells well, he had the basic ones like Mana Bolt, Stun Bolt, Arcane Missile and etc. but they are low-levelled. He didn''t put much attention to them since he figured that he won''t be needing them soon.

    Well, that thought certainly aged poorly hasn''t it? Oh, he regretting it now.

    In fact, it''s because of this that Ashton''s immediate act after discovering that he''d had to survive on his own, was to grind this skills to the max, or least, as high as he could take them.

    He had opened up additional Grinding Slots for them and even charged Mana Crystals to elerate the speed. Now, he could only hope that they''ll be ready before he''s confronted by the dangers of the outside world.

    Ashton wasn''t worried about his supplies. He had certainly umted a lot of them thanks to his daily sign-in chance and the marvelous skill; [Cleptomancy] - a system skill that generates ''drops'' whenever he ''kills'' an enemy.

    The reason why this skill is so busted is because it works on his Grinding Slots as well.

    Just a reminder on how the Grinding Slots work, it takes a sliver of consciousness away, forming an avatar that gets submerged in a virtual arena where time is stretched. There, the avatar will practice spells to raise its efficiency. The training arena changes to maximize the effect of the grind, it almost always starts with training dummies but then it switches to virtual live targets and so on.

    Cleptomancy works here, so whenever Ashton''s avatars kills a dummy or a living target, he get a drop. And the resources he gathered so far umted in his inventory, so he wasn''t necessarilycking in supplies for now.

    Money became useless which is a bummer but Mana Crystals are still very useless. However, since he''s out on his own, Ashton''s supply of it will eventually run out so he had to be wise about spending them.

    Clothes, he has a lot of those. Food? Don''t worry about it. Water? Literal tanks of them were in his inventory for some reason. Woods, metals, tools, blueprints? They''re there too...<sub> </sub>

    ? Honestly, if he released his stocks back then, he''d probably put a dent on Humanity''s economy.

    Honestly, so long as he''s careful, surviving for at least five years shouldn''t be too difficult for him.

    ''But still, all of this is useless if I''m not strong enough.''

    ''Prof. Rycard drilled this to us in the Combat ss; in the face of Absolute Strength, everything is useless.''

    ''I''m too weak to be here.'' Ashtonmented, ''The youngest explorers or Licensed Cultivators should be Archmages or Grandmasters at least. I''m not even close to that.''

    ''Even the air around here could probably kill me if I''m not careful.'' He smiled wryly to himself, ''I still have one refinement to go before I can breakthrough to the Practitioner Stage. I should make my presence scarce before then.''

    While Ashton simmered on his own thoughts, Aria shifted on his side, catching his attention.

    He couldn''t fight the fond smile forming on his lips as she unconsciously sought his warmth, snuggling deeper into his embrace.

    She buried her face in the crook of his neck and pulled him closer like he was her life-sized plushy. Her breath tickled Ashton a bit but he didn''t mind.

    Instead, he just pulled her closer. Hearing her sigh ever so softly as he did so. Ashton removed the strands of hair covering her face, tucking it gently behind her ears.

    He couldn''t help but stare at her...

    Aria''s eyes were still puffy from crying. Her uniform was still mostly intact save the edges that were tattered. It''s amusing how she seems to be pouting in her sleep though...

    Honestly, if this awful disaster didn''t ur, he might''ve already asked this girl out.

    He had ns on doing that after the final exams. Ashton had grew extremely fond of this shy but bubbly librarian that sometimes he had to fight the urge of just kissing her senseless.

    And if he''s not horrible when ites to social interactions and reading people, he''d know that Aria feels the same way.

    He''s not an idiot. He notices how she acts with him around. Their little interactions within thest six months were a proof of that, plus sometimes she can be very obvious as well.

    Ashton find this adorable of course, and since he was originally nning of living out his life the way he see fit, he figured that he should give it a chance and take on the initiative.

    Sadly, it seems that now is not the right time for them to explore this option out.

    Not when they''re in the middle of a very dangerous situation.

    Plus, there are things that Aria needs to exin to him before he determines how they progress from here.

    ''For now though...'' Ashton paused as he wrapped his arms around Aria protectively, smiling ever so slightly when she lets out a faint noise as he did so; ''...this is nice. I''d take this for now.''

    Ashton closed his eyes and evened out his breathing.

    He has many things to do from now on, he doesn''t know how much time he has left before some creature discovers him but right now, he has the advantage and he ns on capitalizing on that.

    He needs to be strong not just for himself, but for Aria as well. He''s determined to survive and find a way back home, back to his friends and to his race.

    Fighting is inevitable. He knows this. He doesn''t doubt this. He will fight and he will be pushed to his limits. The lessons he learned from his teachers were nowhere near enough to guarantee his survival, hell he doesn''t even know if he''d make out of this in on piece.

    This road will be a thorny one. Who can say what he''ll discover and what he''ll find out here. He has the advantage of being the Host of the System, but it''s not a reason for him to be careless, if anything, he should exercise more caution on his steps.

    When he got reincarnated here, Ashton wasn''t expecting to be sent in such a dangerous world. He made peace with the idea that he didn''t really want to be a part of it. He just wanted to study magic since it fascinates him, cultivation was just something he do because it''s a way for him to learn more magic.

    s, fate has other ns for him. He doesn''t know why this has to happen to him. Why him of all people? Unfortunately, he wouldn''t really get his answers anytime soon.

    As for how his journey back home will go, well hopefully not too bad. He had this vague feeling that he''d discover something that would change his life here but right now, that''s not his priority.

    The long journey way back home...starts here.

 Chapter 64 Arias Truth

    "...so, that means I''m not the only one who''s old mentally?"

    "I mean, if you put it that way yeah. I''m way older though..." Aria shrugged as she chewed on her bacon.

    Ashton didn''t really know what to say so just sighed and ate his food as well.

    Currently, the two of them are eating while Aria just finished revealing who or what she truly is to Ashton.

    As it turns out, Aria is a somewhat of an Artifact Spirit. She''s not entirely human like Ashton was nor she''s a full-on artifact spirit. She''s somewhat in the middle of that.

    See, Aria said she was once human too. Though, she inherited a terminal disease from her parents which made her sickly. Her days were already numbered the moment she was born and because she was weak, she didn''t experience any kind of normalcy.

    Aria was drawn to books and spent most of her time in the Library once upon a time. The books allowed her imagination to bloom and in there, she was sick nor dying, she can be anyone she wants, the sky is literally her limit.

    It her love of books and her sheer unwillingness to separate from that anchored her in the same library. As it turns out, her very existence got attached to the said Library and in there, she won''t get hurt.

    The said Library was magical of course which made this possible to happen. Which resulted into Aria being the pseudo-Artifact Spirit of the Library.

    Inside the Library, she''s not ill. She''d age, yes but she won''t spend most of it bedridden. She''s just as energetic as any other human being. Her lifespan is limited to a hundred years though she wouldn''t look older than 20.

    Once she reaches 100 years old. She''ll die for six months before being reborn within the library with all of her memories intact and in the body of a teenager.

    During her 4th rebirth, a cultivator discovered her presence and decided to take care of her since her mortal parents were long gone. That''s when the Library turned to the Grand Library of Mystic Academy.

    Because of her uniqueness, Aria possess the strength of a High Sorceress but only inside the Grand Library. She can step out of here but she can''t be more than 10 miles away from the Library, she can be killed but she''s just going to respawn the next day within the library so long as her lifespan isn''t up yet.

    Additionally, she also can''t have children...

    This was all that Aria told him so far. It''s a lot to take-in but considering that Aria also now knows that he''s an otherworlder, she knows Ashton would eventually make peace with it.

    Since Ashton is now the new keeper of the Grand Library, his secrets are revealed to Aria whether they like it or not, that''s one of the policies that all Keepers of the Library has to do -plete transparency. This meant that Aria is also now aware of the Idle Mage System as well so Ashton no longer has to hide anything from her.

    She assured him that there''s no need for him to worry about her spreading this information. She is physically and mentally unable to due to the restrictions of the Library so there''s that.

    "Do you have any idea where we are right now?" Ashton asked tentatively.

    Aria shook her head and sighed; "Beats me. Like you, this is also my first time in the Outside World. Never thought I''d see the day but here we are."

    "Figures." He let out a defeated sigh too. "How far does your senses cover?"

    "I''m suppressed here for some reason." Aria pursed her lips. "My senses can''t go beyond the library. Also, the air outside is extremely harmful for me so I''d have to stay here if I want to live."

    "Ugh." Ashton felt weak.

    Well, that wasn''t helpful at all. Here he thought that Aria could at least ensure his safety should shit hits the fan but now, it doesn''t seem like that''d be possible.

    "How long can I stay here?" He asked.

    "Half day. You can use that sporadically throughout the day or have it all in one go. So can''t be inbat if you want to enter though, you have to he alone or else the monstrosities will follow you here. I don''t want them to wreck the books so no thank you."

    "Can I now take a look at the upper floors?"

    "Break through the next realm of cultivation first." She said, "Practioners get ess to the 6th floor. Arch Mages can go the 7th and so on. There are numerous spells there that you can learn so you''d have to be tested first."<sub> </sub>

    Ashton nodded. He had guessed that to be the case but a confirmation didn''t hurt. Now that he knows, at least he could prepare himself.

    "Also, I''m considered as a ''Bound Item'' to you...well, the Grand Library is so in extension, I am too. You should know what that means."

    Ashton nodded. Bound Items are things only he gets ess of, they can''t be stolen from him and in the event that he dies, it disappears and reappears somewhere else. That''s how that works.

    "Okay so,st question I guess." Ashton said, "Is it possible for me to modify the Grand Library?"

    "Not right now, no." Aria shook her head. "You''re too weak to do that and the materials you''ll need aren''t avable to you yet. The Grand Library was modified by the Deans of the Mystic Academy. You''ll have to be a Sorcerer first before you can do that."

    "I see." Ashton nodded.

    Well, that made things moreplicated for him but that''s fine. This means that he can only use the Library for momentary reprieve and to learn more things, which is the idea to begin with.

    "If you want to increase the time you can spend inside this ce, you''d have to upgrade your status." Aria stated to him.

    "Upgrade my status? How do I do that?"

    "Right now, you''re a Keeper of the Grand Library just like Chief Leon." Aria bit her lips at the mention of that name, "Keepers are actually the ones that has the lowest ess to the Grand Library."

    "Upgrading your Status from Keeper to Guardian will give you more time and ess to additional things the Library has hidden. You''ll have to be tested by Gatekeepers and if you pass that test then your Status will be upgraded."

    "If you be the Owner of the Grand Library then you''d be invincible here. Just to let you know though, not even the Headmasters of the Mystic Academy managed to pass those tests and some of them nearly died because if it. Don''t bite more than you can chew."

    Aria looked forlorn when she''s saying this. Ashton somewhat get the idea why.

    Sometimes, a long lifespan isn''t really a blessing. And although Aria was a pseudo-Artifact Spirit, she''s still part human. As a human being, seeing peoplee and go can seriously desensitize them.

    "Okay. There''s that I guess." He said. He didn''t want them to simmer in this kind of atmosphere so he dispersed it. "I guess I''ll just have to be careful when I do things here."

    "I should be able to set-up a base somewhere around the ruins." He muttered, "And since I have the materials for it, maybe I can set up a formation that will hide things away from hostiles. That should keep me safe for the time being."

    "You''re notcking supplies anyways." She pointed out.

    "Yes. That''s indeed the case." Ashton nodded. "I''d have to explore the ruins too, see if I can find something that I can still use. After that, I''d explore a bit here and there. I have to unlock that Map since that would extremely useful to us if we want to back to the Last Bastion."

    "...if there''s even a Last Bastion by the time we arrive."

    "Hey! None of that." Ashton chided. "We''ve experienced enough negativity already. Don''t add anymore. Let''s try to be positive here, yeah? We can do this."

    "I''m of no help to you though." Aria lowered her head in shame. "I''d just be a burden to you. My strength is useless outside of this ce."

    "That maybe the case for now but who can say in the future?" Ashton looked at her in the eyes. "Don''t give up on me now, you hear me? We''ll make it through this. I''ve got every tool I need plus more. If I can''t do it, then nobody can in my ce. So believe in me, yeah?"

    <o>,m Aria bit her lips and nodded.</o>

    Yeah, at this point, there are no other options for them anyway. Ashton has to do this and is determined to do so. He refuse to just sit back and wait for death. If he has to w his way up to return back home, he would. Whether the effort would be worth it or not, only time can tell.

    For now, it''s time to get busy.

 Chapter 65 Black Fog

    Within the ruins of the disced city, Ashton''s form could be seen dashing through the ce, vaulting over ledges and rubbles, leaping and falling silently like a feather, sometime blinking through short distances.

    As he roamed the ruins, he kept an eye out for anything that''s worth noticing. He had found some materials that he could salvage or in dire need of repair. He kept those within his inventory and kept searching while it''s still daytime.

    As he ran across the city, he couldn''t help but feel a deep seated sadness from within. Just a few days ago, this ce had been a bustling and active city.

    Its streets were busy and there''s all sorts of wonders around. Now, everything''s reduces to ashes. The silence was ufortable. Coming through the familiar streets, Ashton couldn''t help but sigh.

    The market and grocery shops that he used to visit, the shop that sold his favorite dessert and coffee, ces where he and his friends used to meet and chill...all of those ces were gone. All of the people he once met are no longer there. Only him was left...

    The sadness he felt intensified when he reached his home...whatever''s left of it at least.

    Just like everything else around him, his house didn''t survive the attack either. Not even a furniture was on sight.

    ...he didn''t even see any remains of his trusted Butler-Bot, Jerry.

    "I wish I was able to save you buddy." Ashton whispered in the air.

    He didn''t care if his house was gone, neither does he care about the furniture or even the training room actually. Jerry was more important to him than those things. The adorable butler-bot who''s been very loyal and always catered to his needs even without direct orders, his first friend ever since arriving in this world.

    Oh how he wished that he was able to save him...

    Even after thoroughly searching what remains of his house, Ashton couldn''t find any remaining traces of Jerry, not even a chip of his body or anything. All of this lead him to believe that Jerry is truly gone.

    The idea hurts him deeply...

    Biting his lips, he could only step back and stare at his old home one final time. And just to round up the cycle, he decided to so one thing.

    He stopped in front of what used to be where his door was and nced at the system notification...

    [Ruins of your old home. Sign-in?]

    ''Sign-in.''

    [Sign-in rewards; Memory Core - BB Jerry x1, Training Room (S) Blueprint, 1 month Grocery Basket.]

    Ashton''s eyes widened. He immediately opened up his inventory to check on that one item. He prayed that he wasn''t just seeing things...

    [Memory Core - BB Jerry]

    a��� Your loyal and adorable Butler Bot''s Memory Core. His memories lingers here still however he has no body right now.

    a��� Durability: 100/100

    a��� Energy Stored: 10/100

    "Oh..." Ashton bit his lips and shed a few tears. He briefly nced at the other items but in truth, he couldn''t care less about them.

    Jerry''s still alive somehow, in this core his memories are still intact. He just needs a body to be reborn once more and that shouldn''t be a problem.

    Ashton learned some crafting techniques, and since he is now the keeper of the Grand Library, he had ess to books that will teach him how to forge a new body for his loyal bot.

    "Don''t worry bud." He whispered, "We have all the time in the world. I''ll make you a new body as soon as I could. Just stay put inside the inventory for now."

    So long as Memory Core is kept within his Inventory, it''s remaining energy will not be depleted nor its durability will fall. It will remain at it''s current state and that''s Ashton''s goal.

    Now that he had settled this, he pretty much roamed the entire ruined city. There isn''t really much to see nor use here anymore.

    He visited where the Academy''s entrance used to be but it''s gone. He couldn''t even feel it''s existence anymore. Aria also confirmed that the spatial fluctuations weren''t there anymore, meaning that the pocket dimension was truly gone.

    Perhaps, it was taken by the Revenants...honestly, Ashton has no idea.<sub> </sub>

    But with that out of the way, Ashton decided to check out the outskirts of the City. It''s time for him to find out what he''s dealing with.

    "Gotta get there before it gets darkpletely."

    Ashton nced at his smartwatch - which is barely working, and saw the time. It''s around 1pm, yet looking at his surroundings, he could see that it''s already turning dim.

    This is yet another unique thing about the Outside World. Here, nights are longer than day. And during nighttime, everything is active.

    Ashton hadn''t got the chance to see just how ''active'' this ce gets during the night yet he also doesn''t have any intentions of finding out for now at least.

    He reminded himself that he is way too weak to be here. He repeatedly needs to Purify and Repair his respirator as he travelled around here since the air here is dangerous to him. He also need to be covered from head to toe since he can''t risk being infected now.

    As he reached the outskirts of the city, he saw something that stopped him in his tracks. He swallowed hard and felt goosebumps all over his body.

    ''Shit...a ck Fog.'' He heard Aria eximed through their psychic link.

    Indeed. In front of Ashton, a expanse of pitch ck fog rolled over and formed a wall around the city. With his sensitivity to Mana and sorts of magical things, Ashton could feel a strong aversion and danger just by looking at this thing.

    The ck Fog is one of the most dangerous natural disasters that was born during the reign of the Invaders or Aliens - as Ashton calls them.

    This thing not only devours any life to the ces it passes through, it also is a moving next of Horned Creatures - Demons as most of his Professors would describe.

    In there, Demons are practically invincible. They could be killed yes but they''d just be reformed by the ck Fog anyways. That, on top of the fact that the fog is dangerous by itself, makes this a true disaster for any Licensed Cultivators.

    If there''s any salvation in this, it would be the fact that the ck Fog moves really slow. It can be outran but cannot be stopped.

    "This shit''s going to pass through the city isn''t it?" Ashton took a couple of steps back.

    ''Yes. It will also taint everything it passes through, leaving a Trail of Tormented Soil.'' Aria replied.

    Tormented Soil is the ckened soil that Jeanne; Ashton''s White Mage and Herobology Teacher, once showed to him. The kind of soil that devours all manner of life.

    "Tormented Soil and Demons." Ashton added, "I learned Purify Spell and it''s Level 9, that should be enough to deal with soil but I''m afraid I''d have to fight demons eventually."

    ''Ash...that''s risky.'' Aria''s voice sounded worried.

    "Well...I''m aware of that." He replied, "I''m not saying that I''d actively look for a fight but, we both know that it eventually has to happen, no?"

    ''...''

    "Plus, this will give us an idea of where we are right now." Ashton supplied, "Because of the ck Fog, it''s pretty much confirmed that we are close to a Demonic Territory. If I see the kind of Demons this ck Fog gives birth to, we should be able to pinpoint our location somehow. That''d give us an idea on how far we are from the Last Bastion."

    Aria couldn''t refute that logic. It is indeed as Ashton says. Figuring out these things will help them immensely at their journey. What she''s afraid of is the fact that it''s almost certain that Ashton will have a confrontation against Demons.

    They still don''t know what kind of Demons were around here. What if the Demons were way stronger than Ashton? Wouldn''t a confrontation be bad for him? That''d just be courting death.

    And it''s not like he can outrun them either. Aria couldn''t forcefully pull Ashton inside the Grand Library should things go fast since the rules of the library wouldn''t allow it.

    However, looking at Ashton, it seems that he''s determined to see this through. And based on what he is a person, Ashton would certainly try his best here. After all, he''s determined to live.

    ''...just be careful alright.'' Aria relented, ''Judging by the mass of the ck Fog, it''ll take the whole night before it passes through the entire city. It''ll leave Demons and Tormented Soil behind so be on the lookout for that.''

    "I know." Ashton nodded. Once he acknowledged this, he turned around and ran back to the city, saying here would just be tempting fate since Demons would eventually appear from the fog.

    "Gotta hole up for the time being." Ashton whispered as he searched for a spot where he can stay for the night as the ck Fog passes through.

    He has enough materials for a temporary shelter which could keep him safe. The worst part is that, he might not be able to get a good sleep in because of the tense atmosphere around him.

 Chapter 66 Demons

    "...alright, this shouldn''t be too bad for a little hidey-hole." Ashton murmured to himself.

    ''Could be better.'' He heard Aria snort from their link.

    "Definitely could." Ashton readily agreed, "But beggars can''t be choosers. I never knew I''d have to do this one day so I didn''t bother learning it, yet here we are."

    Ashton''s little shelter is built underground. Thanks to the Spells - Dig and Force Push he was able to hasten the process of building the underground shelter.

    He sealed the entrancepletely shut because he didn''t want the infection to seep through his shelter. He also ced a Talisman Seal on the entrance as well as the corners of the shelter which should prevent that from happening either. Also, the talismans helps in keeping his aura within the shelter, this way, the demons would roam the city wouldn''t be able to sense him.

    Because the entrance was the only way out, air wouldn''t flow inside the shelter. This would''ve been a problem but Ashton has a remedy for this.

    He had a tool which converts Mana into Air, it''s a small item which fits in the palm of his hands. He only need to inject it with Mana Crystals and it would do it''s job. This item is called a Mana-Air Converter. It''s a niche item and certainly does it''s job.

    Also, it doesn''t count as Humanity''s technology since Ashton received it from the System so it''s working out here.

    By the time he was done sealing himself away, he''s aware that the outside has gonepletely dark at this point.

    Even with the Talisman Seals around him, Ashton could feel the foreboding danger flooding him at all sides. He''s tensed and he''s aware of it. Even though he had done everything he could to make sure that he''d be safe for the time being, it didn''tfort him at all.

    Somehow, he still feel like he''s in danger.

    Aria could feel his distress and reassured him that he''d be fine. She said that what feels is just normal since he''s never been in a situation like this before.

    Ashton had to acquiesce to that, after all she makes a good point.

    Carving out this shelter took some of his energy and mana away. Ashton decided to eat something for now and meditate afterwards to replenish his energy cause god knows he''ll be needing it.

    As he cooked his food using the portable stove he has, Ashton could feel several presence above him, causing him to wince.

    Those presence were foul. It disgusts him to his very core. This is one of those times when his increased sensitivity to mana backfires, really.

    He could hear them from here. Garbled soundses out of their jaws, they sound like a rabid dog for the most part, just make it deeper and creepier,

    From what he can tell, there''s hordes of them out there. He could feel the vibrations around him as a result of their march. If his guess was correct, then the ck Fog must be right on top of where he was right now.

    As his food cooks, he slowly stood up and tip-toed to the entrance. He checked it''s state and to his relief, it seems like it was holding up just fine. Not a trace of infection was visible yet.

    And just to make sure he''s being thorough, he nced around the room to check if he can spot any infections. Once again, he was relieved to not find any.

    That allowed him to rx even for just a bit. Once his food was done, he ate and meditated.

    His meditation lead him to another discovery. Apparently, it is way more difficult to enter a meditative state within the Outside World.

    He could feel a strong dissociation whenever he tries to. It''s as if someone or something was preventing him doing so.

    Ashton''s a little freaked-out because of that. He even felt as if someone was staring directly at him which caused him to freeze. Thankfully, that''s just his imagination. He managed to enter the meditative state using the basic method taught to kids.

    Now, he just have to get used to it or work his way up again. And considering that he''ll be out here a long time, this wouldn''t be a problem in the long run.

    Once he replenished his mana, Ashton tried to get some shut-eye. Unfortunately, because of the tense atmosphere and him being a nervous wreck in general, he wasn''t able to sleep.

    His mind was awfully active, feeding him negative thoughts that kept him up. He tried to regte his breathing and other methods to hopefully get some sleep but none worked so he gave-up eventually.

    Instead, he chose to rece sleep with meditation instead. Meditation works since it calms him down and kept his energy topped-up.

    Eventually, hours passed in his meditation and before he knew it, the time hase for him to get out.

    He checked his smartwatch and saw that it''s about 4:30 in the morning, while it''s still dark, the early rays of dawn should be visible at this point.

    He cleaned-up his stuff and walked towards the entrance. He took out his staff and applied the Spell - Silent Cowl on himself.<sub> </sub>

    [Silent Cowl - Lv. 9]

    a��� Minimizes the sounds of footsteps.

    a��� Reduces the spell caster''s aura and presence.

    a��� Lasts for 1 hour.

    a��� Shroud breaks upon contact with the enemy.

    Once the Spell was on, Ashton slowly peeled off the talisman seal from the entrance. Then, he did his best to silently move the rubble away so as to not alert any demons nearby.

    Not even out of his little shelter just yet, he could already see the patches of Tormented Soil.

    If he wasn''t conserving Mana, he''d already used Purify on this ce yet he didn''t. Instead, he casted Cleansing Shroud on himself and moved-on.

    [Cleansing Shroud]

    a��� Channel a shroud that prevents vile infections and keeps the spell caster pure.

    a��� Last for as long as mana is supplied.

    This Spell should allow him to walk on tormented soil unharmed. It wouldn''t remove the infection, it will only prevent it from infecting him but that''s fine. Using Purify around here will just leave tracks which Demons could use to follow him, he doesn''t want that to happen so this works for him.

    ''Okay, time to see what we''re dealing with.'' Ashton murmured to himself.

    p He kept his posture low as he surveyed his surroundings. Just as he expected, it''s still dim outside but that''s fine. There''s enough light around for him to see things clearly, plus his eyesight is good thanks to his increased sensitivity.</anda>

    Ashton spotted several shadows lurking around. He found a spot to hide and observe them from afar. He squinted a bit to see what he''s looking at and saw several features from the demons...

    The one ring thing about demons is their Horns as it represents how strong their are. Each demon has a pair at the very base, which meant that they''re lowest level for their kind. The more pairs of horns they have, the older and stronger a demon is.

    Right off the bat, Ashton saw four pairs of Horns...

    It took all of his might to not just ''nope'' his way out of here to bepletely honest.

    ''Oh, joy. And adult demon right of the bat. Are you freaking kidding me!?''

    Unlike humans, demons don''t cultivate. Neither does their counterpart at the other side of the map. Cultivation is something humans only know how to do.

    But, instead of cultivation, Demons gets stronger the older they get. By ''older'' it doesn''t necessarily meant that they''re alive for a very long time. Their growth speed depends on what kind of Demon they are, the purity of their bloodline and their overall potential.

    Some demons grow faster than others which in turn, makes them stronger. That''s how it works for them.

    That being said, Ashton is in grave danger right now for he''s within the presence of an Adult Demon. He doesn''t really need to know what kind of demon this is to know that he''s in a perilous situation since ording to what he learned, even Arch Mages had to run at the sight of any Adult Demons.

    If it wasn''t for the fact that he has the Silent Cowl on him, this demon would''ve already sensed him and killed him.

    Ashton froze in fear. He could hear Aria urging him to move and enter the Grand Library but honestly, he''s so freaked out right now that he''s totally frozen on the spot.

    He noticed the other features of the demon though.

    Aside from four pairs of horns, he could see a pair of bat-like wings behind it''s back. It was shorter than him, around 3-3.5 foot tall. It held a some sort of pitchfork and had an alcoholic''s belly. It had a deep maroon skin-tone and the lower half of its body looked like it belonged to a horse.

    Surrounding it, were other smaller demons who looked just like the adult one. The others had a pair of horns, or at least two of them from what he observed so far.

    At this point, Ashton finally had a name that matched the features he observed so far.

    ''Shit! It''s a pack of Imps!''

 Chapter 67 Tormentor

    Imps are probably one of the mostmon types of Demons out there...

    Though they are small in stature, make no mistake because these creatures are mean.

    ording to how his Professors described them to the ss, Imps are swift and extremely cunning. Their skin are as though as metal and those pitchforks they have are poisoned.

    If you get hit by the poison, then all kind of healing you get, be it naturally or from a spell, will be cut in half. This is what makes Imps a pain the ass for Cultivators.

    Plus, they always move in packs. Never, and this is repeatedly stressed by the Professors, Never assumed that an Imp is alone, for all you know, you might be walking on a trap that they specifically arranged just for you.

    ''Ash! Seriously you gotta move! Please! You can''t deal with that! Come on, listen to me!''

    Aria''s panicked voice returned Ashton to the present. He took a shallow breath and slowly ducked in order to hide himself.

    The sight of the pack didn''t really give him much to work with. If anything, it just stressed him out.

    Who would''ve thought that the very first thing that he''d ever see in the Outside World is an Adult Imp? What are the odds right?

    Much to his dismay, Aria was right. There''s no way he can even think about confronting those things. He''s outnumbered, plus he had no experience in dealing with them. If he wants to survive, he has to be extremely careful and avoid this pack for now.

    Ashton retreated slowly so as to not alert the pack. Thankfully, the buffs he put on himself were still active. The pack hasn''t seen him yet, thank god, so he could walk out of here scot-free.

    ''Ash, you can get inside the Library now.'' Aria reminded him. Well, she''s more like imploring him to do so.

    Ashton sighed and replied: ''Yes, yes I know. I''ll get in there once I see more, don''t worry.''

    ''Ash, don''t be stubborn! You''re going to get yourself killed!''

    ''Everything I do out here is going to get me killed!'' Ashton spat back. He sighed harshly and said: ''I''m sorry for the outburst but you should know that I value my life just as you value yours.''

    ''I''m not doing this because I''m suicidal. I''m doing this because it needs to be done, I need to know more so that I can understand where the hell are we and how the hell do we get back home.''

    ''Trust me, had I got a different option, I wouldn''t have picked this. You''ve seen my memories so you should know that.''

    ''...''

    Aria pursed her lips in frustration as she was unable to refute that. She inwardly berated herself for being so useless and a burden. Her panicking causes distress to the one who''s actually going to stake his life out there, she should''ve know better to be honest.

    Ashton was correct. If he was presented with another choice, he wouldn''t have picked this. He didn''t want to be here but fate didn''t ask for his nor Aria''s input.

    Someone has to do it. Aria couldn''t so it could only be him. It''s that simple.

    The situation isn''t fair since he''s vastly weakerpared to Aria but life isn''t fair. All they could do is to just solve the problem as they appear. Again, it''s that simple.

    Ashton felt bad for raising his voice to Aria. Just like her, he''s panicking too, the difference is that she''s safe in there while he''s not. The situation isn''t fair for him yet he has to be the one who would do it because she can''t.

    He''d really appreciate it if Aria could just stay silent if she''s nothing to contribute to their goal. She likes the girl but honestly, she is not helping right now.

    Ashton continued toy-low and survey his surroundings. He''s always making sure that he has cover for when he moves so that he wouldn''t risk himself getting spotted.

    He had seen another pack of imps here and there. He could hear their gibberish from his hiding spots. He couldn''t understand theirnguage but that''s fine for now. He doesn''t n on doing anything big today anyway.

    In the middle of his observation, he suddenly felt a sickening presence nearby.

    The sheer foulness of that presence almost made him puke. All the hairs om his body stood on their ends as he felt the presenceing closer to his vicinity.

    Ashton looked around in rm and then, he saw something that would surely haunt him in his dreams.

    The demon was around 8 foot tall. It has deep crimson skin and eyes, very muscr physique, covered in tribal tattoos. It took a humanoid form, and every step it took not only shook the ground it was one but also left a disgusting pool of ck goo.

    Pitch ck chains were wrapped on its wrist all the way to its shoulders, one end was connected to a sickle while the other end has antern that shone with a ghastly green light.

    White mist escaped through it''s fanged-mouth. And the most notable part of its gait were the three pairs of enormous horns on its head, curling onto itself.<sub> </sub>

    ''Haha, Nope.''

    Is what Ashton thought the moment he realized what he''s looking at. He wasted no time and immediately entered the Grand Library to keep himself safe.

    He really didn''t feel like being in the presence of an adult Tormentor, nope.

    Nuh-uh! No, sir! Thank you very much.

    The moment he popped inside the library, he saw Aria looking at him with wide-eyes, clearly panicked and distraught.

    "What the hell? A Tormentor? Which god did you offend for you to have this much bad luck in life."

    "Shit, I don''t know!? You ask me but who the hell do I ask?"

    Their panic is understandable. Had there been other people here, even Professors for that matter, they''d be panicking as well.

    Tormentors. They are a breed of demons that are said to be a myth.

    They''re like a modern day boogeyman actually. The thing that parents use to scare their kids so that they will follow orders?

    Only...this kind of boogeyman was real. And you know what they say, to see is to believe. Well, Ashton encountered it and saw it with his own eyes. So it''s pretty freaking real.

    Tormentors are considered as myths because many people (cultivators) said that they saw it and felt primal fear overtaking their bodies. What made stories about them real scary is the fact that those who wanted to know more, never lived to tell the tale.

    This made people believe that seeing Tormentors is a bad omen. And to make things worst, nothing much is known about them save their appearance.

    Nobody saw how they attack, how they kill, what their abilities are, what do they do...nothing. Everything Ashton and Aria knew about Tormentors are just rumors so far.

    In fact, even the name given to them - Tormentors, was based on the rumors themselves.

    Some imed that they could reap souls with their sickles and ce them in thatntern, inside saidntern is a personal hell of eternal suffering.

    Others im that Tormentors loves to eat human flesh and suck the marrows out. Their favorite drink is blood and their favorite desert is human souls.

    Again, most of these are just rumors since nobody was able to gather enough knowledge about them.

    Then again, from what Ashton felt so far, those rumors seem to have their merits. He had never been so freaked out in his life. Likewise, he had never encountered anything that made him flee this fast out of fear.

    It took a couple of minutes for Ashton topletely calm down alongside Aria. They stayed silent for the most part since that was certainly cutting it close.

    Once he''s more or less recovered, he stood-up and grabbed several books to reference the information he gathered so far.

    With a pile of books on his left, a rough sketch of the map in front of him and more pile of books on his right, he started guessing where they currently are.

    On his hand, a book named: Demonic Sightings were open. He flipped through the pages and found the records about sightings on Tormentors.

    Using pins, he tried locating the rough spots where the sightings were located. Aria was helping him on the side.

    Once they were done with referencing, they looked at the map and saw that majority of the pins where concentrated on a certain area of the map.

    It had to be known that this map is just a rough sketch of the Outside World. Nobody really managed to map out the entire world as they know it so far.

    Once they located the area, Ashton''s eyes then moved from where the Last Bastion is and felt his heart sinking.

    "Shit, if this is urate, then we''re thrown pretty far huh?" He murmured but it was heard by Aria, who nodded despondently beside him.

    ? And as if mocking him for making this discovery, he heard a loud ping inside his head followed by the System''s mechanical voice telling him:

    [Objective Cleared: Discover where you are.]

    ? Reward: System Function - [Simtion Zone] unlocked!

 Chapter 68 Simulation Zone

    The system giving him a reward is pretty much a confirmation that his guess was actually correct. That being said, it certain didn''t make him happy.

    They''re so far from the Last Bastion...they''re on the other side of the actually.

    This specific spot where the City M ended-up? Is the actually the farthest distance humanity managed to travel so far ording to the history books. Those who participated in the expedition mostly died and only one managed to return home.

    Even then, the survivor of the expedition only lived long enough to make a report before dying as well.

    Sufficed to say, Ashton''s pretty screwed right now. The more he discover things about their current predicament, the more it seems impossible for him to make it back home.

    How is it that things gets worse first instead of getting better. It just doesn''t make sense! What did he ever do to deserve this?

    Still, Ashton had no other choice. He didn''t want to die so he at least needs to try. He doesn''t want to give-up here even though it so tempting to do so.

    Aria didn''t say a word. She just stared at Ashton and watched as his face morphed into a fierce conflict before gradually retaining it''s calm.

    She doesn''t really know whether tomend him for not losing his cool or to be scared that he''s suppressing everything in. It''s unhealthy, she thinks. But panicking will make Ashton reckless, which in turn make it even riskier for him to go out and explore.

    The worst part of this is the fact that she felt so utterly useless. She''s constrained within the walls of the Grand Library, unable to step out because it''s dangerous for her. She hated the fact that she had to rely on Ashton through everything. She hated that she could only watch as he risks his life for the both of them.

    She hated being so weak...

    "T-the System pretty much confirmed that our guess was spot-on." Ashton said in hopes of diffusing this tense atmosphere. "I-I unlocked another System Function."

    "T-that''s great! What is it?" She asked.

    "Simtion Zone." He replied, "Hold on, let me learn more about it."

    Ashton sat down and rested his back against the chair. He then closed his eyes andmunicated with the System.

    ''System, how does the Simtion Zone works?''

    [The Simtion Zone allows Host to replicate things that he sees, be it a ce or a person, so long as the host knew sufficient details of what he saw, it can be replicated in the Simtion Zone.]

    [In simpler terms, this is your own Virtual Reality. In the Simtion World, you can do anything you please so long as you could think of it.]

    p ''Hmm...a bit vague but understandable.'' Ashton mused to himself. ''Alright, let''s try it. Uh...simte an Imp please?''</anda>

    [Host should immerse himself into the Simtion Zone first.]

    ''Right. Let''s do that.''

    He then felt a pull which caused him to jolt. The next thing he knew, he''s standing at a vast empty white space.

    ''Is this the Simtion Zone?''

    [Indeed, Host.]

    ''It looks boring...uh, so I just imagine things are they''ll appear here right?''

    [Correct.]

    ''Okay. Let''s start with something simple.'' Ashton took a deep breath and started visualizing an image.

    Then, before his very eyes, he saw the ground being covered in tiny des of grass, spreading as far as the eyes could see. He looked up and the sky turned blue with puffy clouds above. He imagined a cool breeze of air and it appear. He thought about trees and they appeared too.

    In a span of a few seconds, the vast empty space transformed into a peaceful forest much like the Training Field A of the Mystic Academy.

    ''Okay, I think I understand how this works now.'' He whispered, ''A few more tests I guess...''

    Ashton then did a few more test to see where his limit lies. Before he knew he it, he tested a bunch of things and it all worked ording to how the System described it. He actually ran out of ideas instead which forced him to stop the experiments.

    Ashton could replicate anything he had seen so far. So long as he knows itsposition or general description, the System would urately replicate it here. Missing the tiny details was fine because the system will fill that gap in.

    Once he thought that he had a pretty good understand on how things work here. He decided to use it to his advantage.<sub> </sub>

    He changed the scenery to what it was like outside, the ruins of City M. The wreckage was replicated perfectly before his eyes, even the infected soil as well.

    Then he added an Imp. Just a single one. He replicated an Infant, one that has a single pair of horns.

    He then replicated his arsenal and his cultivation. After that, he took a couple of deep breaths and applied the changes.

    The moment he did, the Imp instantly came for him. Ashton''s eyes widened and was half a secondte from defending himself which caused his cheeks to be grazed by the pitchfork the demon wields.

    Ashton then experienced why Imps were such a troublesome foes. He could feel a disgusting sensation running through his body. He felt like he''s covered in lead or goo. It didn''t slow down his movements but it made him feel so dirty.

    The Imp didn''t allow him to rx. It was a menace as it repeatedly tried to punch holes on his body using the pitchfork. Ashton was barely able to deflect the attacks using his stuff.

    He didn''t have enough time to buff himself up nor attack at all. He was pushed into the defensive by an infant imp.

    The frustrating part of this is that, Ashton was vaguely aware that this fight shouldn''t have been this difficult. He knows that he''s much stronger than the Imp thanks to the additional refinements on his cultivation yet he couldn''t even change the rhythm of the battle to his favor.

    And even though this is but an infant imp, it''s physique is naturally stronger thanks to its demonic lineage. It''s their natural talent so this thing couldst as long as he could.

    Hisck of experience caused Ashton to stumble on his stance, and with just a single mistake. The demon''s pitchfork punch a hole through his chest, effectively ending the simtion.

    Ashton jolted back to reality. His eyes snapped open, he was pale and sweaty. His heartbeat rang loudly in his ears as he clutched his chest, feeling a phantom pain in there.

    "Ash! You alright?"

    Ashton looked at Aria and nodded stiffly. He took a couple of breaths to calm himself down and said:

    "Yeah I''m good. Just did a whoopsie, I guess."

    "Huh?" Aria looked confused.

    "I tried fighting an imp. I lost. Got stabbed in the chest. Thankfully it''s just a simtion."

    Ashton then proceeded to tell Aria how the Simtion Zone works. By the end of his story, she looked convinced.

    "That''s extremely useful." Aria stated, "This way, you can gauge your chances. And if I''m guessing this correctly, you can umtebat experiences this way."

    "Yep, that''s what I''m banking on as well." He replied. "Still, it''s going to take sometime to get used to it. Even though it''s just a simtion, it feels real. I can still feel a phantom pain in my chest."

    "Then you shouldn''t use it before that sensation disappears. It''s fine, you can take it slow."

    "Right." Ashton nodded while sighing as well. "Come, let''s make some food. I''m famished."

    The addition of the Simtion Zone in his arsenal increased Ashton''s chances, there''s no doubt about that. This function essentially allowed him to pick his battles, therefore increasing his survival chances too.

    Since he''s rtively knew to the sensation, it''ll certainly take some time before he gets used to it. Plus, he had a feeling that he''s still using it to it''s full potential so he''d have to experiment some more.

    The Tormentor could honestly choke to death for all he cares though. There''s no way Ashton would even consider simting that thing anytime soon.

    He''d work his way up of course. Thanks to how vivid the simtion is, the battles should be realistic as well.

    For now, he can tell that he''s so inexperienced that he can''t even defeat a single imp. That stings a bit but he can work with that.

    Like Aria said, there''s no rush. He has time and certainly he''s got patience.

    The road home is going to be a long and arduous one but he can take it one step at a time. It''d be in his best interest to pay attention to the journey itself since who knows what he''ll find out?

    This reminds of something that Rycard used to tell their ss:

    ''Fortune favors the bold. Opportunities are often found withinyers of dangers. There will be times that you''d have to risk your lives in order to get something valuable. Observe, learn and fight. Take what you can get and keep yourself safe. That''s how you get strong.''

    This advice should be worth remembering given his current circumstances.

 Chapter 69 More Demons, Oh Joy!

    Ashton holed-up as much as he could during the past couple of days.

    He always made sure that if he''s going to move, he will do it during daytime and without being detected by Demons. He isn''t in any hurry to confront them, he''s too weak and inexperienced to deal with them anyway. Plus, his curse wasn''t helping him at all.

    He doesn''t have any powerful offensive spells that he can use to fight with. Sure he can level up Spells higher than his cultivation but since all he had are Basic Spells, there really isn''t much he can do with them.

    Ashton would know. After all, he tried them within the Simtion Zone and barely worked.

    Realistically, all he could do right now is to gather enough experience and increase his strength through cultivation. Even though he''s avoiding confrontation against demons, with the help of the Simtion Zone, he can collect experience.

    It would''ve been perfect if [Cleptomancy] worked in simted enemies but it didn''t. Well, beggars can''t be choosers. He''s already loaded anyways so it didn''t really upset him that much.

    While Ashton dutifully avoided demons like the gue they are, it didn''t mean that he stopped analyzing them and observing his surroundings.

    Recently, he has been trying to search for any weak spots he can take advantage of through studying the Imps closely. He hasn''t had any luck so far but he wasn''t discouraged. He still refused to simte a Tormentor though.

    In addition to the two types of demons he initially saw, he discovered more types within the past few days roaming around the city ruins. They are;

    Inciters - demons that have the ability to incite a target and make them lose all reason and self-preservation. These demons are humanoid in shape. They have short arms and long legs. They''re quite ugly to look at and they release eerier sounds whenever their trying to use their abilities. The ones he saw roaming around where kids, two-three pairs of horns.

    Flesh Eaters - small but deadly. These are insect type demons with wings that would put Earth''s Piranhas'' to shame with how they feed. They move in schools and usually move in a listless manner but the moment they smell blood, all hell will break loose. They don''t discriminate either, they''d even eat fellow demons should they bleed within their range.

    Ashton still feels his skin-crawling the moment he saw a school of Flesh Eaters.

    And finally, one of the most terrifying demons that was ever recorded in Humanity''s records...

    Crowfathers - a demon with a head of crow wearing a ck feather gown. They''re usually followed by a murder of crows but at the very least, there would be two perched on each of its shoulders.

    Crowfathers have a bone staff, the scary thing about them is that they can use magic and are known to be proficient Hexers. They can multi-cast and have a deep well of mana reserves which allow them to spam spells left and right. The murder they keep are also dangerous for they are nor idle when the Crowfather wants someone dead. And so long as the Crowfather has a single breath in him, the murder are practically immortal.

    The murder can also feed themselves to the Crowfather to heal his injuries. In turn, the Crowfather can give birth to more crows as he deems fits. It''s is just an awful cycle of nightmares, the likes that Ashton doesn''t particrly like to get involved in.

    The horrifying thing about Crowfathers is in the way they eat. They keep their target alive as they eat then. They force their targets to watch as the demon eat them one piece at a time, savoring their fear and hysteria.

    He only saw a single Crowfather so far which is good, but considering that it''s also an adult one with 4 pairs of horns, made Ashton take back that statement.

    This demon is just as bad as the Tormentor. Ashton truly is unfortunate to be within the vicinity of a Crowfather but hey, at least he remained unnoticed.

    He needed to switch locations every now and then out of necessity but that''s fine. Ashton got lucky enough to find a good spot to hide for a while anyway so he n on taking advantage of that.

    ''...this spot should be fine for two weeks at least.'' Ashton mused to himself. ''That''s enough time for me to recover from sleep deprivation and exhaustion. If I''m lucky, I can stay here for my breakthrough as well.''

    ''But you shouldn''t risk that.'' Aria''s voice sounded in his mind. ''Have your breakthrough here in the Library instead.''

    ''Are you sure though? Wouldn''t the books get destroyed?'' He asked.

    ''There''s an empty room you can use. So long as you ce an array and seal it shut, you should be fine. Anyways, rest for now. I''ll warn you if I sense something wrong.''

    Ashton nodded. The past few days had been particrly stressful for him.

    In hindsight, he didn''t need as much sleep as regr mortals thanks to his cultivation. However, the tension was taking its toll on his body, leaving him exhausted and drained.

    He really needs a good rest. Sadly, that would prove to be rather difficult with all the demons roaming around but he can at least try.<sub> </sub>

    Aria would be there to look after him. Her senses as a Sorceress are suppressed earlier but she''s trying her best. With a bit of luck, she managed to discover a way to extend her sense past the walls of the library.

    Her range isn''t far. Just around 100 meters in radius but that''s enough for Ashton.

    Once he rested properly, Ashton should be well enough to breakthrough the Apprentice Realm. He''s currently lv.9 with 9 refinements so it shouldn''t be too difficult for him. Plus, Aria would be there to guide him so he should be fine.

    Once the two weeks passed, the first benchmark for the survival mission should bepleted as well. The rewards for that would 5 pieces of Bloodline Purification Pills.

    Honestly, Ashton had no idea what will happen once he consume those. Does he have a bloodline anyway?

    His Profile said that he''s Human, it didn''t say which kind of bloodline he possess. He tried asking the System but it didn''t answer him so he could only guess for now.

    Well, if there''s any clue he can use, it''d be the ''Fey Emperor''s Blessing''. This is his Providence but by it''s name, it also something that is close to being a Bloodline.

    Would he be a fairy when he increase the purity of this bloodline? Will have pointy ears? Would he be even prettier that he already is? Would his sensitivity to mana increase again? What should he expect really?

    A lot of questions that has no answers for now, sadly.

    While Ashton''s immersed in his own thoughts, his body went into an auto-pilot. He ced several Talisman Seals around his new hideout, making sure they''re spaced-out evenly and ced properly so as to maximize their effects.

    He also set up a formation around for extra-measure.

    Once he''s done with his set-up, he took out stuff and started preparing a meal for himself.

    While the soup simmered away, he set-up the tent and the sleeping bag he''ll use. He also lit-up an incense to drive away any pests or insects that may crawl around his shelter.

    Once he''s full and rxed, he wrapped the sleeping bag on himself and copsed inside the tent. Before closing his eyes, he double-checked if the Mana-Air Converter and Purifier has enough supply tost for his slumber.

    Once he confirmed that they do, he made himselffortable and closed his eyes.

    Even though he''s dead tired, sleep didn''te to him immediately. His mind fed him thoughts that he would rather not deal with right now and there''s nothing he could do other than to take it.

    He was reminded of Mary, Alice and ke. That opened up a train of thought that he repressed for quite sometime now...

    Ashton wondered if they''re still alive. He wondered if they made it our safely and if they did, how are they doing right now?

    Did they learn about the disappearance of the City? Were they saddened by it? How are they coping? Do they still remember him and Aria or did they move-on already?

    Did they think that the two of them were dead? They did try to search for them? Would anyone help them? Are theyfortable where they are? Are they eating and resting enough?

    All sorts of questions appeared in his head, making it more difficult for him to sleep.

    This istion is really taking a toll on him. Even with Aria''s presence, it''s driving him insane.

    It would''ve been so much easier if he could just give-up here and ept his fate. To just surrender to whatever bullshit life threw in his path and just conclude that this second-life of his was just as shitty as the previous one.

    But he truly couldn''t do that. He just can''t ept it for some reason. Not when he knows that he can do something about it.

    Eventually though...even if it did take some time, sleep came for him and he fell into a deep slumber.

    ...one that wouldst for a whole week.

 Chapter 70 Practitioner

    "...I don''t get it."

    ''Yeah, me neither but it all boils down to two simple facts. You slept for a week and for some reason, you also broke through the Practitioner Realm.''

    Ashton blinked and said: "...I mean, if you put it that way, I guess it is simple. But the why and the how is still unknown."

    ''Eh, does it really matter?''

    "Uh, yes it does? This is my cultivation, hello? Isn''t it normal for me to know how it happened and be in control? I slept for a whole and made a breakthrough, how does that suppose to make sense? You can''t seriously tell to just brush this off or that I just lucky!"

    Ashton really didn''t know what to feel right now.

    On one hand, he doesn''t feel likeining about it since, well he made a breakthrough this easily. It was painless and it happened during the longest sleep he ever had in both of his lives.

    On the other hand, he couldn''t help but think that this was risky. He''s supposed to be in control of his own cultivation, it doesn''t make sense for it to happen the way it did.

    ''But are you hurt though?'' Aria asked, ''Do you feel any difort or something like that?''

    That made him pause. He closed his eyes briefly to scan himself and when he opened then, he had a nk expression on his face.

    "Not really. I feel stronger and my mana''s denser. My reserves also expanded greatly." He said.

    ''Then you''re fine.'' Aria dered, ''Seriously, stop overthinking. What happened, happened. Just take it and run away with it. No big deal.''

    "That''s irresponsible, you and I both know that." Ashton sighed.

    ''But it doesn''t change the fact that you''re a Mage Practitioner now so suck it.'' Aria chided.

    Ashton sighed. Well, she''s not wrong. But just in case, he decided to double-check his body. He just want to be sure that he didn''t mess up here cause that could potentially be devastating.

    He scanned his body again and even went as far as to scanning his own sub consciousness.

    He checked his Mage Crest that had some changes along with his breakthrough...

    If in the Apprentice Realm, Mages had to form a total of 9 magical circles around their Mage Crest, then at the first level Practitioner Realm they have to form a link that connects all the circles together. At level two of Practitioner Realm, they would start fusing the farthest magical circle to the one before it.

    This goes all the way until there''s only a single magical circle around the Mage Crest. A big one at least.

    In Ashton''s sub consciousness, his Mage Crest shone with an intense rainbow colored glow. He could see that all of the magical circles around his Mage Crest are now linked to each other.

    There''s an instinctual need for him to start reeling them closer but he''s aware that he can''t do that. His breakthrough was fresh and he''s nowhere near ready to make another breakthrough.

    Still, he could feel the increase in quality just by looking at it. He can''t really make anyparisons right now since he''s...well, there''s nobody topare to, but he can tell that the sheer volume of his mana could easily surpass his actual level.

    He wondered how the refinements will work now that he''s a Practitioner.

    Well, he''d found out eventually, but since everything seems fine here, it looks like there''s nothing for him to worry about.

    For what it''s worth, he''d still want to know how it actually happened but he really canin. He had a long sleep and a clean breakthrough. That''s it, in and simple.

    "Okay, whatever. I see no problem so I''ll just take it I guess." Ashton stood-up and stretched for a bit.

    He already ate something since that became his first instinct after he woke up from his long slumber. Now that his mind was clear and all, it''s time to check how his shelter his holding up.

    He walked around to help with his digestion and to also check the shelter. He inspected every talisman seal he ced, making sure that they''re still intact.

    Ashton also checked if there''s any traces of infection seeping it and was relieved to not find any. The formation disc that he left is also still active so everything was perfect. It stayed the way how he left them before going to sleep.

    Since his shelter held-up for this long without fail, Ashton decided to leave it be. No point in fixing what''s not broken.

    He warmed-up his body slowly. The long period of inactivity affected him somehow but it''s nothing he couldn''t deal with. Once he''s done with that, he decided to practice some basic spells just to re-familiarize himself with them again.

    Of course he didn''t forget about the Staff Techniques he learned.

    It''s a pity that he didn''t really get a chance to learn some more advanced Staff Skills (not that he knew if he could even use them to begin with because of the curse) but the basics should be enough so long as he get enough experience with them.

    The current staff technique looks like this:<sub> </sub>

    [Basic Staff Technique - Lv.5]

    ? Greatly increases Host''s familiarity and finesse when using a Staff to fight.

    ? 50% attack potency increase when wielding a Staff.

    ? 25% increase in Host''s Endurance.

    p It doesn''t look much but honestly, given how fragile Mages are in terms of physique, this goes a long way.</anda>

    Once he''s done with his initial practice, feeling that his body was heated-up properly. Ashton sat down and immersed himself within the Simtion Zone to fight Imps again.

    Now that he''s had his breakthrough, he should have higher chances to defeat one at least...right?

    Using the simr settings as before, Ashton started the fight.

    He''s no longer surprised by the sudden charge of the Imp. He''s gotten used to it already.

    Waving his staff, he parried the first thrust of the Imp and twirled his staff to deliver a counter attack. The other endnded square on the jaws of the Demon and Ashton clung into that advantage.

    He stepped forward and weaved his staff with a fluid motion, hitting the Imp four to five consecutive times, aimed at the part where it would hurt the most.

    The Imp snarled at him and tried to counter attack but once again Ashton parried it.

    He discovered that,pared to thest time, he isn''t panicking to respond anymore. In fact, thanks to his breakthrough, he could now anticipate how the Imp will attack. His perception processed information faster and it''s being honed by the experience he''s gradually umting.

    Now, he even had time to weave spells in his onught which made things more difficult for the Imp.

    After five minutes of confrontation, Ashton''s staff struck the head of the Imp, piercing through its skull and promptly ending the battle.

    Ashton released a sigh and sat down. He was panting and his face scrunched up in dissatisfaction.

    ''I''m already this tired after killing one? That''s not good.'' He thought to himself.

    Ashton really couldn''t bring himself to be happy with his results. It''s far from desirable if he wanted to get out this ce. There''s hordes of Imps roaming above him, there''s no way that they''d fight fair.

    In fact, why is he even bother with fighting a single imp anyway? He knows that it''s nearly impossible for him to confront just one since they move in packs.

    He''s better off fighting a pack to begin with. Fighting a single one is counter-productive since bringing a single one down doesn''t really do much for him when there''s going to be another oneing for him right away.

    ''System, yback the fight just now. I want to see how I can improve.''

    He asked, and the system delivered. Just like what he was expecting, he could really do anything here. He should really take advantage of this more...

    Ashton watched the fight closely. He even had the option to slow it down or down right freeze the fight so that he can look at it closely.

    He criticized his own self. Groaning at every instance that he missed. He noticed several times where he could''ve ended the fight right then and there but didn''t because he''s trying to be so safe.

    Again, there''s no point in ying it safe when he''s in a simtion zone. It''s fine for him to die here...well, not really since he''d feel a phantom pain but still, there are ways to him to improve faster and he''s not taking advantage of it.

    He figured that now''s the time to rectify that.

    ''Okay, so let''s test things out.'' He mused to himself, ''System, make a clone myself that has a maxed-out Basic Staff Technique please.''

    Lo and behold, the System came through. Ashton suppressed the desire to sequel in delight upon discovering that.

    ''Okay, just to be clear. This clone has the same cultivation level as I am right now, correct?''

    [Yes, Host.]

    ''Perfect. Let''s have this clone fight an Imp in three...two...one!''

    Boom!

    Ashton blinked and the fight was over.

 Chapter 71 New Toy

    He didn''t even see what happened.

    Whatever that was, it happened too fast that he didn''t even see what happened. Not even a smear of the Imp was left.

    That shocked him to the core, yet it also thrilled him. If he could do something like that, then there''s no stopping him from going anywhere he pleases.

    Still, there are things he needs to check if he wants to make this work.

    ''System, kindly tell me what exactly the level of that Basic Staff Technique.''

    [5-Star Ascended]

    ''Huh...never heard about that ranking before.''

    [Martial Skills,pared to Spells, works differently. Past the first 10 Levels will be the ''Unity Stage'' - where the wielder bes one with their chosen weapon. The Unity Stage and beyond uses the ''Star'' rankings. 1-star is the lowest and 5-star being the highest.]

    [After the Unity Stagees the Phenomenon Stage - where every action you perform using your weapon causes a phenomenon that changes your surroundings. i.e. toppling mountains, overturning seas, ending a cmity, bending space, etc.]

    [And the final stage is the Ascendant Stage - where even the simplest motion of yours could potentially destroy the world, ignoring the veryws that determines it.]

    ''Huh...''

    Ashton was rightfully speechless. Time and time again, he was surprised by how ridiculous this world can get and he had a feeling that it''ll never get old.

    Seriously, the words that the system just uttered right now where something that he used to read in the novels of his past life, he could distinctly remember cringing at them but now, he couldn''t bring himself to do so.

    After all, it''s just much different when it''s actually demonstrated right in front of him.

    ''Okay. That''s a lot.'' He murmured to himself. ''I should probably shelve that information first since that would just distract me.''

    ''Okay, moving on to the next test.'' Ashton cleared his throat and said: ''System, is it possible for me to use the simted clone to act as my teacher?''

    [Negative, Host.]

    ''Okay, worth a shot.'' Ashton shrugged. ''But I can fight it, right?''

    [Yes.]

    ''Good. Now, is it possible to warp my perception of time whenever I''m in here?''

    This is something that he''s looking forward to know because this is going to be the core of his development. That''s why it is natural for him to feel nervous as he awaited the reply of the System.

    [It is indeed possible Host.]

    Ashton breathed a sigh of relief and couldn''t help but celebrate. Yep, the Simtion Zone is indeed useful. It falls just under the Grinding Slots at this point.

    ''Can you tell me how much? And would there be any drawbacks?''

    [The longest would be 3:1 ration in hours. It is possible to extend it the more you get used to it and as you grow stronger. As for the drawbacks, it ranges from a headache to aa. Please be careful.]

    ''I will. Thank you.'' Ashton replied. Of course he''d be careful with this especially since he''s within enemy territory.

    The limitations didn''t really bother him that much, he knows that there''d be some drawbacks since, frankly speaking, the benefits he''s receiving from this one function alone is already astonishing.

    [Another reminder, Host. You''ve unlocked something new with your Cursed Legendary Artifact. Do check it out.]

    Ashton raised a brow. Then he finally remembered.

    ''Ah that''s right. If forgot that Legendary Magical Artifacts, even Cursed Ones, work in a special way.''

    Legendary Magical Artifacts unlocks a unique ''thing'' every time their users cross a major boundary in cultivation - i.e. going from Lv.9 Apprentice to Lv.1 Practitioner and so on.

    This is what makes the users of these Legendary Artifacts, a cut above the rest. At this point, Ashton would take anything that will help his situation really.

    Due to the this, he withdrew from the Simtion Zone and returned to reality. He took a deep breath and summoned the cursed magical artifact of his.

    Most of the time, the Cursed Book of Infinity is closed and sealed, covered in chains and a lock at the very middle. However, there are times when it will mysteriously open on it''s own ord.

    Ashton rarely saw this happening. Up until now, he still didn''t know why it does that and he never really had a clue. None of his experiment proved useful so far so he just kind of let it do its thing since most of the times, it doesn''t really hurt him.

    Seconds after he summoned the book, Ashton saw it unsealing before his eyes.

    The lock mysteriously detached without his consent and the chains that bound it slowly unwrapped themselves.

    The Book of Infinity then opened by itself. The pages began shuffling and seemed never-ending until it stopped. Initially, it disyed a nk page but a few secondster, crimson letters began appearing.

    Ashton doesn''t know whatnguage this was. On top of that, he also didn''t know what were the diagrams being disyed there. He kept watching though, up until the pages were filled with words he didn''t understand along with the unknown diagrams as well.

    Then, it urred...

    The book shed a white light which then converged into something more...material.

    Under his stunned gaze, the book produced something that he never thought he''d have, especially considering where he is.

    "...guns?"<sub> </sub>

    Yes, indeed. What the book materialized in front of him, as a reward for crossing a major boundary in his cultivation, was a pair of guns. Something truly unexpected.

    In his mystified state, he raised his hands and held the guns for the first time. The moment he did, the System suddenly came through with several alerts...

    [Mortal Reminder - Unlocked!]

    [Mortal Reminder (1st Form)]

    ? A sub-artifact unsealed from the Book of Infinity.

    ? Uses Mana to form Bullets

    ? Can be used as a Medium to cast Spells.

    ? Indestructible

    ? 1st Form - Handcannon

    ? 2nd Form - Sniper Rifle

    ? 3rd Form - ???

    [Due to the unique circumstances of the Host, Specialization Function gets an upgrade!]

    [Sub-ss are now added.]

    [Host''s Main ss is White Mage. Sub-ss automatically filled to ''Gunslinger''. Rewards distributed.]

    [Basic Firearm Proficiency - Unlocked]

    [Basic Firearm Proficiency - Lv. 1]

    ? Increased familiarity when wielding firearms

    ? 10% attack potency when wielding firearms

    ? 5% increase to Dexterity

    [Gunslinger Skill Tree - Unlocked!]

    [You now have ess to the Gunslinger Skill Tree. You may use Federation Dors/Mana Crystals/Natural Resources to unlock skills in this tree.]

    Ashton was once again, speechless.

    What''s up with today? Howe a lot''s happening? It seems like his week long inactivity caused by slumber is now making up for the lost time.

    ''Ash, what the hell!? Are those even going to work out here?'' He heard Aria asking he shrugged and took a look at the guns.

    Frankly, they don''t look like much. It''s like someone took a chunk of Mana Crystal, trimmed it a bit and attached some things here and there then called it a day.

    It looks like a gun at least, minus the fact that it doesn''t have trigger nor a magazine slot. Then again, the description says that this thing uses mana as bullets so maybe it works differently?

    ''...I mean, there''s only one way to find out right?'' He replied.

    He then raised the one on his right hand, aimed at the wall and shoot it. He gasped as he felt the gun siphoning mana from his hands, and was startled when he heard a loud ''Peng!''.

    ''...I mean, I''d say that it works.'' He said. Aria remained silent.

    He surprised, don''t get it wrong, he really is. After all, firearms weren''t supposed to work outside of the Last Bastion.

    Then again, it isn''t just gun. All types of humanity''s technology will have difficulties working in the outside world.

    That being said, this doesn''t count. These pair of guns were a sub-artifact of the Book of Infinity. They''re not man-made, at least Ashton doesn''t think so, which made sense since they worked just as he expected.

    "Interesting." He murmured as he inspected the guns again.

    He truly wasn''t expecting something like this. Out of all the things he''s expecting the Book of Infinity to produce, this was far from what he anticipating.

    ''Supposedly, this sub-artifact has more than one form. This one is Handcannon.'' Ashton mused to himself, ''It sounds impressive but the effect just now isckluster.''

    ''...I wonder though...'' He continued.

    Inspecting his new toys a bit more, he tried to keep them away and summon them again. He noted that he didn''t need to actually take out the Book of Infinity first before summoning the sub-artifact, which is nice.

    Summoning and banishing the sub-artifactes instinctively to him as well. The weight and size of the guns will take some time getting used to but not impossible.

    He checked the notifications again before dismissing them. He kept the sub-artifact away and immersed himself in the Simtion Zone once more.

    There, he summoned the guns, which responded to him just like expected. He then raised them and shot both at the same time.

    What followed was a solid sound of impact that caused Ashton to feel like he just got hit by a truck. He groaned and muttered to himself:

    "So that''s why they''re called Handcannons."

 Chapter 72 Gunslinger And Bloodline

    Ashton knew that it''s going to take some time to get used to the guns...

    At first nce, the base form of the Mortal Reminder is like an SMG but the recoil on this thing is just...something else.

    If he wants to fire this gun more effectively, he has to get used to that first. It''s going to be a slow start but nothing too difficult.

    With that said, the gun was promising. Since it shoots out bullets bypressing mana, he didn''t need to manufacture them out here. He''s only going to he limited by the amount of mana he possess, of which he has a lotpared to those at the same level as him.

    In addition to the guns, Ashton took some time to look at the Gunslinger Skill Tree.

    The disy was just like what he expected, it looked like the ones on games too. There were a bunch of active skills as well as passive skills as well.

    Since he can use his resources here to unlock skills, he went ahead and unlocked a bunch using money since he had no use for them out here. The skills he unlocked are:

    [Precision - Lv.1 (Passive)]

    ? Increases Hit Rate by 5%

    [uracy - Lv.1 (Passive)]

    ? Increases Hit uracy by 5%

    [One Shot - Lv.1 (Passive)]

    ? Insta-kill chance - 0.01%

    [Ranger - Lv.1 (Passive)]

    ? Increases Range by 10 meters

    [Footwork - Lv. 1(Passive)]

    ? Increases ease of movement by 5%

    [Piercing Rounds - Lv.1]

    ? Shoots a bullet that pierces through an enemy

    [Curve Shot - Lv.1]

    ? Fires a bullet that curves to hit the target.

    [Burning Rounds - Lv.1]

    ? Fires a bullet that set the target aze upon contact.

    All of these cost him nearly 1 million Federation Dors but they worth it in his opinion.

    Of course, this isn''t all the skills avable to him right now. There were more but he decided to unlock themter since he''d have to get used to the skills he has first. Additionally, there were also skills that are unavable for him at the current moment, probably because the other forms of the guns aren''t avable yet or he needs to raise the skill levels first. Either way, it''s fine.

    The skills he unlocked are not spells that he can ce in the Grinding Slot which is a bummer but not really a deal breaker. At least, now he has a range option.

    No, he won''t abandon the Staff Technique. He knew that it would still be useful, he just decided to focus more on the guns since he has a Sub-ss for it.

    Of course he also wouldn''t forget about his skills as a White Mage. He know that those were too important here so there''s no way he''d ck off.

    With that in mind, he decided to continue with his seclusion and his training.

    He practiced with the guns for the most part, he''s even weaving some spells here and there too. Once he''s tired, he''d rest up a bit then get to basic staff technique. After his training, he''ll cool down, eat something then sleep for the night.

    His perception of time was utterly screwed. Mostly because he adjusted the time he spent inside the simtion zone to his advantage. He could feel the headache of that but it''s nothing a good night sleep can''t get rid off.

    The funny thing about this is...Ashton is kind of a natural when ites to using guns.

    By the end of the first day since he got them, the [Basic Firearm Proficiency] rose to Lv.3, he had adjusted way too quick for someone who never really held a gun before.

    He already got used to the recoil of the handcannons. His shoulders were stiff by the end of it but that''s fine. It''s supposed to be that way since this thing is effective.

    He even managed to beat a simted Imp with this in his first try and that''s saying something.

    Ashton also tried out the 2nd form of the Mortal Reminder which is a Sniper Rifle. It turns out that if hebined the two handcannons, they automatically transform into this form.

    The base range of that thing is at least 1 kilometer which was really good. Add the bonus he got from his passive and he could stay even further back.

    That''s far outside the Imps are least. The recoil of the Sniper Rifle is stronger than the handcannons but it''s more silent. Plus, Ashton couldn''t get enough of the satisfying head shots he does with this. It wasn''t always a hit since he''s a beginner but man does it feel good tond one.

    Head-shoting an Imp doesn''t kill them immediately though, from what he observed so far. He didn''t know why for now but maybeter in the future he''ll know.

    Aside from that, Ashton mostly just stuck with the basics. With the help of the Simtion Zone, he worked on his basics; the right posture, the aim, tracking, shooting while moving at the same time, etc.<sub> </sub>

    He knew that the basics wouldn''t fail him so he ingrained them into his being. There''s still a long way to go but Ashton has time.

    Time that he had no qualms taking advantage off...

    A couple of days passed by after that...

    Today marks his first month being outside of the Last Bastion, and ording to the System, he should be getting a reward for today.

    [Quest Updated! Survive for 1 Month: Cleared. Rewards: Bloodline Purification Pills (x5), distributed. Please check your Inventory.]

    The System delivered...

    Ashton withdrew from the Simtion Zone and returned to reality. He opened up his Inventory to check the new addition to it.

    [Bloodline Purification Pill]

    ? Increases the potency of one''s Bloodline by 5%

    ? Note: Continued consumption of this pill will diminish its effects.

    Ashton wasn''t surprised with that.

    Consuming 50 Pills to purify his bloodline to the maximum sounds too good to be true so he didn''t believe it. He didn''t even think about it in the first ce.

    ''System, do I have a bloodline? Except being Human of course.''

    [Yes, Host. There is a faint trace of bloodline in your body that hasn''t been awakened yet.]

    ''...is it what I think it is?''

    [Indeed, Host.]

    Ashton nodded to himself. He decided to rx his mind first before consuming a pill at least.

    The confirmation of the system was all that he needed actually. It seems that he indeed has the bloodline of a Fay...more specifically, the Fey Emperor.

    On how is that even possible, honestly Ashton has no clue. It''s the System who determine things here, the rest was up for him to discover on his own.

    Ashton never heard any tales about the Fey here. Not a single book he read so far was about them. Maybe he''ll find out more about them in the future when he gets ess to the upper floors of the Grand Library but for now, he''s totally in the dark.

    Once he was calm enough, he took out a single pill from his Inventory. Without any further ado, he swallowed the pill and waited for its effects to show.

    ...he didn''t have to wait that long.

    Around a minute and half after swallowing the pill. He felt a unique heat simmering on his chest.

    The sensation was akin to scalding heat. It''s as though he swallowed a fireball spell or something...

    He could feel sweat drenching his clothes. It''s also getting more difficult for him to breathe and remain calm under this sensation.

    Ashton''s body was steaming, his skin turned red from the heat and his clothes were sticking close to his body due to it being drenched in his own sweat.

    This kind of sufferingsted for half an hour, but for Ashton, it felt like he''s been like this for days...

    His salvation came in the form of aforting breeze. No, it didn''te from his little underground shelter nor the air purifiers he had. It came from within him.

    That cool breeze was the first sign offort to him. Everything else subsided after that.

    The hear was gone, he no longer felt like his blood was boiling. His throat was no longer parched, his skin was also regaining it''s natural color.

    ? Then, out of nowhere, a weak fluctuation pulsed out of his body, causing him to jolt ever so slightly.

    His hair grew longer and more lustrous, his skin shimmered briefly and his posture eased-up. His body stretched, like he was getting taller too. His body became leaner and morepact and his facial features turned sharper.

    His mana reserves practically doubled. It''s purity also increased...

    Ashton felt awesome. He''s immersed in a coolfort that he didn''t want it to end. Unfortunately, the feeling dissipated shortly after.

    He opened his eyes and his pupils shed with a steak of viridian gleam before disappearing.

    His lips unknowingly curved into a smile. He felt so lightweight and strong that he had this urge to go out there and wreck some havoc. Fortunately, his rationality kept him still.

    Ashton took a deep breath and looked at his own hands, still reeling from the sensation just now.

    [Notice!!]

 Chapter 73 Badass!

    [Notice! Host''s Bloodline roused and awakened! Providence updated.]

    [Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings (Grade-???)]

    : You have been blessed by the Fey Emperor, granting you numerous benefits such as;

    ? [Focused Mind] - lessens the probability of you failing to cast a spell. Greatly increases intellect.

    ? [Fey Emperor''s Majesty] - increases your beauty and charm, raises your Physical Strength, greatly increases your familiarity with Mana.

    ? [Magical Affinity (New!)] - Gain the Favor of all Elements, allows the possibility of multi-casting, increases Magical Perception.

    Ashton stared at the notification in wonder.

    He''s still marveling at the changes brought by him increasing the potency of his bloodline, then there''s this. Seriously, his luck was really weird sometimes.

    The Magical Affinity opens up a lot of possibilities for him. It won''t help much offensively thanks to this petnt curse he bears but the idea of multi-casting sounds too good to be true for him.

    That, and the fact he gains the affinity for all Elements plus the perception is truly wonderful. This will really help out a lot.

    ''...this really makes me wonder if there were Fey around.'' He mused to himself. ''I mean, their existence would be justified due to me having this but weirdly enough, I wouldn''t be surprised if they''re not real in this world.''

    Due to him being an avid fan of fantasies back in his old world, he could recall some things about the Fey Race.

    Fey, or in some other works; Fae/Faries/Elves, were a race that has close ties with nature. In some adaptations, they''re the protector of nature. Other times, they are the protectors of the world itself. They answer to the natural order and maintain it''s bnce.

    Most of the times, their race has the highest affinity when ites to magic. Sometimes, they are depicted as pacifists, preferring to tend to their own rather than actively seek out what''s outside their gardens.

    Perhaps, the mostmon ways of depictions he can recall as of this moment, is the fact that they are overly sexualized. They''re often described to posses unparalleled beauty and grace, wearing skimpy outfits with their pearly and supple skins with their malespared to Greek Gods while women had thergest knockers. It''s ridiculous really.

    That being said though, Ashton''s transformation certain did not help this stigma. If anything, this just proves it. Then again, he''s living in an actual fantasy world right now and he had been proven wrong time and time again so he wouldn''t be surprised to learn if things works differently here.

    Not that any of those were important right now...

    See, Ashton didn''t just unlock a new benefit from his Providence. The older effects were also boosted by the increased potency of his Bloodline.

    This meant that his mind is sharper now and he''s much stronger than before. This also exins how his Mana Reserves practically doubled just now.

    Ashton nced at the time and saw that it''s nighttime. Usually, he''d be resting at this point but he''s bursting with so much energy that he''s bing restless.

    In order to remedy that, he immersed himself in the Simtion Zone to let loose.

    Using the fixed arena which depicted the ruins of City M, he summoned a pack of Imps. He took his guns out and began shooting wantonly.

    With his stronger body, he discovered that the recoil was more manageable now, it barely phases him anymore. Plus, his firing rate also increased due to several reasons.

    See, during his training a few days ago, he discovered the nuances of how the Mortal Reminder works...

    To load the gun with bullets, the gun is linked directly to his Mana Reserves. Ashton discovered that the more mana he has, the more bullets he can shoot. Also, the purer his mana is, the easier it is for the gun to convert them into bullets, which trantes into the increase of his firing rate.

    Aiming and predicting the enemy''s movements are things that he still needs to get used to. He''s a beginner Gunslinger, he has a lot of work ahead of him. That being said, the more he uses the sub-artifact, the more he falls in-love with it.

    Peng! Peng! Peng!

    Despite Ashton''s eagerness, he was calm. He fired off three consecutive shots. All pierced the heads of the Imps, one even pierced through the one behind it.

    Five Imps dashed at him, all seeing red in rage. They were fast and relentless, they didn''t die even though they''re shot at the head. If anything, that just made them angrier.

    Despite this, Ashton remained eerily calm. He himself didn''t understand it but he wasn''t stressed right now. If anything, he felt light and at ease even though he''s facing Demons right now.

    He dodge the onught of pitchforksing his way with grace, firing shots that barely missed the vitals of the imps. Hell, he even parried a thrust with a shot.

    In his calm state, Ash could see every move of the Imps with so much rity. Their stance, the way their muscles tensed, the trajectory of their strikes, he could even tell the how far they could reach in each attack.<sub> </sub>

    It was bizarre yet it felt awesome.

    A calm smile adorned Ashton''s lips as he surprised himself by casting the Blink Spell, which teleported him right above the group of imps. Riding the momentum, he spun fiercely while shooting.

    He quite literally created a rain of bullets that either pierced through the imps or left them burning.

    By the time his footnded on the ground with a silent grace, the group of Imps around him vanished. But they were soon followed by thest batch of Imps, this time, there''s seven of them.

    Ashton looked at the group and felt himself grinning. He brought the guns together and used the second form which is the Sniper Rifle.

    Blinking a couple of times back, he put quite a distance between himself and the remaining Imps.

    He took a deep breath and loaded his first shot.

    Peng!

    He fired. The shot flew at, what it seems, the speed of sound. The impact caused one of the Imps'' head to pop like a watermelon. The body wriggled a little bit before turning into dust.

    Ashton lowered his posture and then fired another shot.

    Peng!

    Another head exploded. Sadly, Ashton can''t continue this since the Imps are fast approaching. He got up and aimed. He saw the Imps avoiding his scope which made him raise a brow.

    He tapped his foot and blinked to his left, which caused the Imps to be caught off-guard. As soon as he appeared, Ashton fired his shot and sted another head off. That makes it three at this point.

    Riding the adrenaline pumping through his body, Ashton jumped in the air, aimed down and fired another shot. The recoil pushed him back a bit but he wasn''t hurt. Plus, he killed another one so that''s four.

    As soon as hended though, he had to evade since one of the Imps got desperate and threw its pitchfork at him. The attack didn''t graze him but much to Ashton''s surprised, he found himself catching the pitchfork and hurling it back to its sender.

    Another one dead so only two left...

    After hurling the pitchfork, Ashton rode the movement and lowered his body bring his rifle to another aim. He clicked his tongue when he saw the Imps running in an erratic pattern to avoid his line of sight.

    That being said, Ashton has patience and distance. He took a breath and he started predicting their movements. His mind whirred into activity yet his body remained still. With an exhale, he fired another shot.

    A shot the curved beautifully to hit the Imp hiding behind a wall. That one''s down, Ashton didn''t need to check, he''s certain of it.

    Then, with thest stroke of arrogance. He didn''t bother aiming nor using the scope of the sniper rifle, he fired another shot behind him without looking.

    The shot curved and thest imp fell with an incredulous look on its face.

    Ashton stood in his spot, unmoving. He took a couple of deep breaths and surveyed his surroundings to check if there''s more.

    When he saw the battlefield dissolving, the massacre he performed sunk-in and his eyes widened in disbelief. He guffawed and looked at his gun and hands.

    "Holy shit!!" He eximed. "What the fuck!?"

    "I did that..." he muttered, his eyes widened and he repeated. "I. Did. That!"

    "Holy shit! That was so cool!!"

    Ashtonughed like a maniac. He justpletely obliterated a pack of Imps and he didn''t even feel tired afterwards.

    His mind reyed his act just now and he found himself speechless by the things he did. He used the Blink Spell in a way that he never thought possible before, he parried an attack with a gun. He released a rain of fire and he performed seven head-shots that straight-up killed thest batch.

    As his deeds settled down on his mind, Ashton couldn''t help but feel smug. He knew that he shouldn''t be feeling arrogant about this but he can''t help it.

    "I did good. I did good." He muttered as he patted his own back. "I was badass. 10/10 would do it again."

    "...now, If I could just be like that every single time, that''d be awesome."

 Chapter 74 Heat, Tension And Passion

    Ashton wants to thin out the herd of demons above, he truly does. The only reason he hasn''t done it yet is due to the fact that it''d be extremely risky.

    Every single day, Ashton would allocate some time to venture above and observe the demons roaming around the ruins of City M. There''s way too many of them for him tofortably walk around even at daytime, which proves rather risky to even think about taking the initiative to attack them.

    Ashton had no doubts that the moment he fires a single shot, he will be mobbed by hoards of demons. And even though he has the ability to kill the mostmon types of Demons by now, he is nowhere near strong enough to deal with a massive hoard on his own.

    Sadly, that''s what kept him rooted underground. What else can he do other than to bide his time and keep training until he''s strong enough to deal with all of the bullshit above him?

    What''s concerning about his current predicament is that, it''s starting to get nd...

    The loneliness and destion he''s exposed to was starting to really take a toll on him. Yes, he''s getting enough rests in between his training and all of that, he made sure of this. But still, it doesn''t change the fact that his situation isn''t getting any better.

    Aria was trying, she really does.

    She''s always reminding Ashton that he''s not alone and that she''ll always be there for him. And, even just for a little bit, it''s working. It''s barely able to stave off the darkness that were trying to swallow Ashton whole though. Still, it''s better than nothing.

    Ashton himself knows this too. Unfortunately, even though he''s aware of it, he really can''t do anything against it.

    His situation sucks. That much is obvious. And all he could really do is to endure it.

    He''s already affected by it, that much he''s certain. He''s trying his best to be strong not just for himself, but for Aria as well.

    But he really needs rest. He needs to distract himself from all of this gloominess.

    That is why now, he''s doing something about it.

    Inside the Grand Library, Ashton could be seen reading a book.

    The book in his hands wasn''t about anything magical, no. Neither it is theories about the demons or the outside world.

    It''s a book about Mechanics...

    Ashton already started his research about if because he misses Jerry way too much. This is what he decided to pay attention to for now and not whatever''s going on above him.

    Ashton''s head was resting on Aria''sp as he read. He was focused on the material but he''d admit that he''s a bit distracted by the way how Aria was ying with his hair.

    Aria''s hands were soft. She''s very gentle as she yed with his hair, she''s even humming a tune that sets Ashton''s mind and heart at peace, albeit also making him a little bit sleepy.

    Ashton adjusted his position, causing Aria to look down on him. As their gazes met, Aria gave him a sweet smile that made Ashton''s heart hitch. He smiled back at her and ced his attention back at the book.

    Aria swept the hair on his forehead, her soft hands thennded on his temples, giving him a gentle massage that caused Ashton to groanfortably on hisp.

    Ashton ced the book down and closed his eyes, wanting to enjoy the sensation. He deftly held Aria''s hand and peppered it with kisses.

    He opened his eyes to see Aria blushing at the contact, making it all the worth on doing so.

    "...tired?" She asked.

    "Not really." Ashton shook his head while replying softly.

    He lifted himself and sat close to her, their bodies touching quite generously. They looked at each other in the eye, feeling a subtle tension in the atmosphere.

    "You need to rest you know. You''ve been at it pretty hard these past few days." She said.

    "I know." Ashton murmured. He then unashamedly burrowed his face on the crook of her neck. And if Aria barely stifled a squeal upon the contact, then that''s her business.

    Ashton sighed softly as he inhaled her scent. Aria smells really good. She always does. It''s one of the things that he liked about her. She smells likevender, sometimes peaches.

    ''It''s probably her shampoo or her soap. Whatever, she smells so good.'' He mused to himself.

    Aria''s blushing like mad right now but she made no efforts in stopping this. She also didn''t stop him when he pulled her closer to him, wrapping his strong arms around her.

    She almost melted in his embrace. She won''t admit this out loud like, ever, but she''s touch-deprived. Due to her uniqueness, nobody really sticks around, much less even pay attention to her.

    Those who did were mostly perverts who can''t take a hint.

    But Ashton was different. Especially after knowing what he''s been through with their knew connection, Ashton was unlike any other she''s met before. And that''s precisely why she doesn''t mind this.<sub> </sub>

    She knew that Ashton isn''t really clingy. It rarely happens, but when it does, he''s the best.

    If anything, Aria would even say that she wants him to do it more. s, you''ll never hear her say that out loud anytime soon.

    "Hey um..."

    "Hmm?"

    "..."

    Aria was puzzled. She could feel that Ashton was hesitating and she wondered why. The next thing she knew, his face adjusted and he ce a chaste kiss on her neck before withdrawing.

    Aria stiffened because of that, then she blushed even harder if that''s even possible.

    "Uh...did I um..."

    "No...no, i-it''s fine. I don''t...mind."

    Their gazes met briefly before Aria looked away. Ashton bit his lips and swallowed. She could feel the intensity of his gaze but she isn''t bothered by it.

    It just made her a bit sheepish and very flustered, but she''s not against it.

    Ashton leaned in again. Burrowing his face at the crook of her neck and cing another kiss there. Aria bit her lips, then she noticed that he didn''t withdrew.

    Instead, he ced another kiss...then another one...

    The intervals of his kisses were shortening. Aria could feel herself breathing deeper in anticipation. Somehow, their hands entwined without their knowledge.

    Lost in their little bubble of scalding passion. Aria noticed that Ashton''s kisses somehow made its way up. From her neck to her chin, then now on her cheeks and face.

    Ashton peered Aria''s face with kisses which made the maiden''s heart jump in joy. Their foreheads touched at one-point with Ashton cupping her cheeks.

    Her eyes were closed but she could feel Ashton''s intense gaze on her. She slowly opened them to meet his and she nearly lost himself in it.

    With a gentle swipe of his hand, he removed her rimmed sses and ced it on the bedside table. He then leaned in totch on her lips and both of them sighed in contact.

    That warm and pillowy sensation soothed their souls. Aria''s hand clutched his shirt as he deepened their kiss.

    Aria swoon at the way he pulled her close. How he greedilytched on to her body, pulling her to hisp while their lips stayed connected. She hummed in contentment as her man took the lead in this intense dance.

    Pulling away briefly, Aria just barely managed to see him tossing his shirt away before he imed her lips again. He pushed her onto the bed and is now on top of her with her arms wrapped around his neck.

    His greedy hands explored and felt her body, causing her to hum and squirm in their kiss.

    Aria felt like her chest was going to explode with passion. Ashton wasn''t big on words as he preferred action, which he conveyed through her with what they''re doing right now.

    He''s greedy yet patient. He asks permission through her action and knows her signals. They both know that this is not the time for words. This tension had been going on for far too long and now, they''ll have it no matter what happens.

    Aria was emboldened by her passion as she held Ashton''s hand and slid it inside her shirt. Ashton hummed and cupped her bountiful breasts, giving it a firm squeeze to convey his satisfaction.

    Aria moaned as he yed with her sensitive nubs, rolling, pinching and alternating between the two. And as their tongues chased each other, Aria wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him closer and pressing the firm hardness within her pants on her core.

    The fire just burned even fiercer at this point. Aria arched her back and found herself losing her mind, hazy in pleasure.

    Somehow, Ashton managed to pull away from their kiss. They both panted harshly, hips grinding together as they looked at each other''s eyes.

    "I want you..." he whispered in her lips.

    ? "Have me, then." She replied.

    No words followed that. They just tossed their clothes away and joined their hearts together as the room was gradually filled with grunts and wails of pleasure through their union.

    Today is a really good day...

    " AHEM "

 Chapter 75 Cloak Of Apparition

    Ashton woke up from his slumber, feeling a little bit sore but lighthearted as well.

    He took a deep breath and smelled the scent ofvender near him. He could feel a weight on his chest and a suppleness pressed against him. He looked down and couldn''t help but wear a small smile on his face.

    Aria slept soundly within his embrace, curled-up and breathing evenly with her head on his chest.

    Their naked bodies are pressed against each other in between the sheets, Ashton felt afortable warmth in this, it''s even lulling him back to sleep.

    shes of what urredst night came rushing to him. Ashton couldn''t prevent himself from feeling a bit flustered, yet if he''s given another chance, he''d undoubtedly do it all again.

    Last night was memorable. They''d surely lost count on how many times they did it. me Aria for being such an insatiable beauty, Ashton can just help himself.

    s, Ashton better get-up. He only has a few hours left before he''s kicked out of the Grand Library. He needs to take a bath and get dressed before that happens.

    Pulling Aria close to him, he gently tucked the strands of hair covering her face. He watched as she peacefully slumbered away as he yed with her hands, peppering it with kisses.

    This roused her up from her sleep. Her eyelids fluttered open and the first thing she saw was him smiling at her. They stared at each other for a bit and Ashton watched as memories ofst night shed through Aria''s memories.

    He chuckled as he saw how her cheeks red red and she hid at the crook of her neck. Cooing in adoration, he showered her with kisses which eventuallynded squarely on her lips.

    After their tender and passionate kiss, Ashton pulled back and said: "I only have two hours left before the library kicks me out. We gotta get-up."

    Aria whined softly and wrapped her arms around him, unwilling to let him go. Ashton smiled wryly, he too didn''t want to get-up. He wants to snuggle closer to her as much as she does but sadly, they can''t do that for now.

    "Come now..." He whispered. His hands travelled at the curves of her body, causing her sigh.

    Ashton smirked, he went ahead and tickled her yfully. Listening to her crisp giggles and watching her squirm in his embrace.

    "Okay, okay! I''m up. I swear." Aria rose up from the bed, letting the soft duvet slid from her body.

    Ashton stared and swallowed as her perky breasts bounced in his vision. He bits his lips and looked at his lover with a heated gaze. Aria blushed and sheepishly slipped out of the bed.

    She walked towards the bathroom, looking back at him briefly before continuing. She didn''t even bother covering her body at all, which provoked all sorts of thoughts for Ashton.

    He watched as her hips swayed enticingly like and invitation. He could see the marks that he left on her bodyst night and suddenly Ashton''s mind started turning hazy.

    The moment he heard the water running down from the bathroom, he too slid off of the bed and went inside to join her.

    ''Gotta conserve water and all that stuff, you know?'' He mused to himself as they shared, what probably the best shower experience in their entire lives.

    Ashton really didn''t want to leave her side but he has to.

    If he had a choice, he wouldn''t return to his temporary hideout at all and would rather spend the rest of the days lounging around with Aria, s it doesn''t work that way.

    After they showered, they also ate before Ashton had to leave. It''s only going to be for a few hours but still...

    ''Ash, just a reminder, you now have ess to the 6th floor of the Library. Also, if you want to increase the time you can spend inside, you can now try to upgrade your status by challenging the Gatekeepers.'' Aria''s voice sounded in his ears.

    "Right...I actually forgot about that." Ashton sheepishly said while scratching the back of his head.

    Yeah, thest few days were a bit hectic for him that he hadpletely forgotten about that, well, he didn''t really forgot it, he''s just really pre-upied.

    He had a lot of stuff to do. So many new things to try out, his training also kept him upied for the majority of the day.

    But since Aria reminded him of that now, he should probably take some time to check it out at least. Right now, he''s still cooling down from all the activity he had done. Sex definitely did help but it''s not theplete solution.

    While resting still, Ashton opened up his profile.

    [Profile]

    Host: Ashton West

    Race: Human

    Aptitude:

    ? Mageroot: Mysterious Rainbow

    ? Magical Artifact: Book of Infinity (Cursed-Legendary)

    ? Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings (Grade-???)

    Specialization: Main - White Mage, Sub - Gunslinger

    Rank: Lv. 1 Practitioner (5th Refinement)

    Cultivation Technique: Treasure zed Nine-Refinements Sutra<sub> </sub>

    [Spells +]

    [Inventory]

    [Grinding Spots: 0/100]

    [Sign-in Opportunities: 1]

    [Mission Board: 2]

    [Simtion Zone]

    ''System, Sign-in!''

    [Signed-in! Host received: Cloak of Apparitions (Epic)]

    Ashton raised a brow upon receiving that. He went to his Inventory and checked-out the new item he got.

    [Cloak of Apparition (Epic)]

    ? A white cloak that of mysterious origins.

    ? Durability: 100/100

    ? Unique Skill: Apparate - Turns the user light and intangible, allowing them to pass through anything without receiving damage. Lasts for 5 seconds. Uses left: 10. Refreshes everyday.

    Ashton was impressed. This item was certainly useful. Even though it only has ten uses each day, that''s still a life-saver.

    He took the cloak out of his inventory and equipped it. The cloak was like the ones that reapers uses in video games. It has a hood that covers most of his features. It covers him quite nicely and it''s soft andfortable too.

    It''s white in color and doesn''t get dirty even though he''s sitting on the ground. Ashton then tried to apparate using it and he immediately could tell the difference.

    He moved swift and silent like a ghost, hell he even went through the wall, which disoriented him for a bit, before returning to his hideout. Ashton quite liked this function. Now, if he wants to venture outside, he didn''t have to unseal the hideout with the risk of it being infected by the nastiness outside.

    He can just apparate in and out of it.

    ''I can already tell that I''d be using this cloak a lot so you know what? Let''s give it some love...'' he mused to himself.

    He opened-up his Inventory and took out another item.

    [Item Upgrade Kit (Epic)]

    ? Use it to upgrade a System issued Item.

    ? Can only be used for items that are at least Epic-grade and above.

    ? 90% chance of sess.

    This is one of the rarer items that Ashton received. It didn''te from the sign-in, he got it as a drop from [Cleptomancy].

    He summoned the item and ced it next to the cloak. The moment he did, he received a notification from the System asking if he wants to the cloak. He confirmed it and the cloak bathed in light for a couple of seconds before fading.

    Once it faded, the cloak remained the same, at least visually. But Ashton can tell that it changed a lot. He used identify on it and saw that it''s been sessfully upgraded.

    [Cloak of Apparitions (1-Star Legendary)]

    It''s durability value disappeared, it turned indestructible now. It also has a new effect where it minimizes the user''s presence and silences their movements. It''s Apparate skill can nowst for 10 seconds and has 100 uses per day.

    It''s a solid upgrade and more than enough for Ashton to never un-equip it. It''s weightless,fortable and extremely useful. Now, he has another tool that will help him survive the hoard above him.

    Of course, he in no hurry to do so. He''s still rtively weak. He still needs to train a lot before even considering it.

    For now though, he wore the cloak and decided to continue learning about mechanics. He really wants to re-create Jerry again to have him as apanion for not only him, but Aria as well.

    He''s nearly there when ites to theoretical knowledge. Once he''s done with that, he only needs to apply all that he learned. The biggest problem is making the product work out here.

    Remember, Humanity''s technology barely works outside of the Last Bastion. It is something that stumped a lot of inventors for so long and no solution was made as of now still.

    Ashton has to discover this on his own while also trying to keep himself safe. This hideout is working so far but he never once thought that it''dst forever. The talisman seals will eventually be worn out and will be rendered useless, the infection will seep through and this hideout will be all tormented soil soon.

    There''s no way he can stay here permanently. Soon, whether he likes it or not, he will have to confront the hoard of demons above him and he will have to carve a path for his survival.

    Ashton could only hope that it all goes well for him.

 Chapter 76 Gatekeeper

    The 6th floor of the Grand Library is filled with things that are useful for Ashton''s current predicament...

    Intermediate knowledge about magic, tips for improvements, important life and survival skills, records of the Outside World expeditions...these are only a few of the things that are in here.

    Ashton decided to move here with Aria instead of the 3rd floor since he had read everything that the lower floors have to offer at this point. Plus, Aria''s Private Room could be ess in any floors anyway so it wasn''t much of a problem.

    He also recovered well enough to continue his training, now though, he''s pacing himself more evenly in order to not burn-out himself anymore. He spent as much as time as he could with Aria since their rtionship is fresh and frankly, they just can''t get enough of each other since then.

    Currently, they''re in bed again, naked in between the sheets. They just had another round of passionate activity and both areing down from the high.

    Aria''s curled around his body as he peppered her face with kisses. She looked up with him and smiled, causing Ashton to smile back at her as well. His hands were naughtily caressed her breasts, which Aria doesn''t seem to mind as she drew circles on his chest.

    "Do you think I''m strong enough to challenge the Gatekeepers and upgrade my status here?" He asked.

    "I honestly don''t know." She replied, "I never really asked the previous Keepers how it went nor did any of them went out their way to tell me. I never actually saw what the Gatekeepers looked like to be honest."

    "...that''s fine. I guess I just have to figure it out on my own." Ashton stated as he pulled her closer.

    "..."

    "..."

    "Ash?"

    "Hmm?"

    "...are you really...fine with me?"

    Ashton pulled back slightly to look at her face and saw her wearing a hesitant look on his face.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Well...I''m a lot...older, than you, you know?" She replied, looking down. "W-we''re both old mentally but I''m...I''m more...you know."

    Ashton frowned and refused to answer that question. For now at least...

    Instead, he cupped her face and gave her a searing kiss that left her mind buzzing. His big and strong hands roamed her body, exploring her curves and grabbing them firmly with greed.

    Aria knew this was Ashton''s way to iming her as his. She couldn''t help but squirm in his touch as he dominantly dered his possession and sheer want through his actions.

    After a while in their kiss, Ashton pulled back and gave her a piercing gaze, one that seared through her soul.

    "...thought I was bring obvious enough, given by how much time we spent in between the sheets." He whispered with a low growl.

    He then climbed on top of her and gave her a trail of soft bites around her neck. He hooked his arm on her leg and raised it, easily spearing through her depths with ease, causing Aria to let out a gasp and shudder under the sensation.

    "You''re mine, got that?" Ashton asked, and she nodded hastily. He drew back his hips and mmed it back down, bottoming out until their hips made an obscene pping sound.

    "Let''s not count age here...we''re different, you and I. Things like that shouldn''t even get in the way of what we feel." He dered as he repeatedly poked her very depths, eliciting a pleasured gasps and moans from Aria.

    "Do love me?" He asked.

    Aria''s eyes snapped wide open. She stared at his eyes and gave him a nod, saying: "Yes. I''m in love with you."

    Ashton dipped his face down and gave her another searing kiss to seal the deal.

    "Good. I am very much in love with you too." He dered, "So long as both of us know that, then we''re good. Am I clear?"

    "Y-yes~!"

    "Good. But not enough. I guess I just need to mark you again and again to make sure you never forget about it."

    " Ahem! "

    Stepping out of the shower, Ashton felt refreshed.

    He stretched his body for a bit. He dried up his hair as he shuffled through what clothes to wear. Once he got dressed, he passed by their shared bed and found Aria still slumbering peacefully.

    ''I might''ve overdid it.'' He mused to himself.<sub> </sub>

    He could still smell their mixed scent in the sheets and could see the marks he left on her body, a proof of his im and deration.

    Ashton chuckled to himself and let her sleep some more. Aria might be have the strength of a Sorceress here but she clearly underestimates how much stamina Ashton has due to his training.

    He exited her room and found himself on the 6th floor of the library. He climbed up the stairs, passing through the 7th up to the 9th floor to arrive at the very top.

    The 7th to 9th floor of the Grand Library are still filled with books. The stairs aren''t sealed off but there''s a barrier that''s keeping him from essing the contents of those floors.

    As for the top most floor, there''s just a single bookshelf in there. It too, was filled with books but it''s also sealed shut. Well, that''s not really the reason he hade up here anyway.

    He looked at the side and saw that there are rooms that lead towards other ces. Most of them are sealed currently to him save one. That door will open up a passage to challenge the Gatekeepers.

    Ashton walked in front of that door, he twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open, entering it to see what''s on the other side.

    To his surprise, he entered an empty space. He tested the waters and saw that it''s safe, he could walk in this empty space with no problems. So he did until he arrived at, what seems to be, the center of the room.

    "Wee, Young Keeper."

    Ashton''s eyes widened like saucers as he called out: "Chief Leon? Is that you? You''re alive?"

    "I''m afraid no is the answer to all of your questions, Young Man." The voice, which sounded a lot like Chief Leon, replied. "My voice morphs to mimic the past keepers of the Library. The one named Leon is already dead."

    Ashton bit his lips and took a deep breath upon hearing that. Well, so much for that...he had hoped but its dashed away by the cruel reality. Oh well.

    "Who are you then?" He asked.

    "My, I thought you already know the answer to that, Young Man? Seeing as how you actively sought this ce out."

    "Gatekeeper?"

    "Indeed!" The voice confirmed, "One of them, at least. Wee to the Trial Space, Young Keeper. I assume that you''re here to prove yourself, no?"

    "I am." Ashton nodded, "But I''d like to hear it from you as well. My girlfriend just told the minimum. I''d just like to be thorough if that''s okay."

    "Certainly!" The voice agreed, "We, Gatekeepers, are created for the sole purpose of protecting the well of the knowledge that is the Grand Library."

    "s, for we have no form and only exist through thought, we need someone, an agent that will face those who craves to hoard the immense wealth of knowledge being kept here. That is how the idea of the Keepers were born."

    "I will be your first Gatekeeper. Pass my test and you shall be a Chief Keeper, allowing you to not only stay inside the library for all you want but also give you enough authority to make some minimal changes in the library."

    "How many tests are there in total?" He asked.

    "Five." The voice answered. "Each test gets progressively harder and each test will only give you three attempts to pass them. Fail and you shall be barred from progressing your status."

    "I understand." Ashton nodded, he took a deep breath and said: "Okay, I think I''m good. May I know the contents of the test?"

    "Defeat three packs of Imps." The voice dered. Then the room transformed.

    He found himself standing in a vast grass ins. Time is currently frozen and in front of his, the packs of Imps are in suspended animation as well.

    "You may use yourplete arsenal for this task. The conditions of failure are dying under their assault. There''s no time limit. Do note that you won''t actually die, you''ll feel the sensation but you''ll be fine."

    Ashton nodded upon hearing that. He then equipped his arsenal; the guns, the staff, the cloak and wired himself to be battle ready. He casted all sorts of buffs to improve his chances and then dered:

    "Okay, I''m ready."

    "Very well. The trial will begin after five seconds."

    As the countdown started, Ashton''s eyes roamed around to gather as much knowledge as he could. Once the countdown ended, the started firing shots and moving erratically to avoid the swarm of Impsing his way.

    Gunshots echoed throughout the grassy ins, the soil was tainted by the dead corpse of Ashton''s victims. It didn''t take long before he fired thest shot that ended the trial.

    He dusted himself and heard the voice saying:

    "Congrattions, Young Man. You''re talent is impressive. I now dere you as a Chief Library Keeper!"

 Chapter 77 Surprising Discovery I

    With him sessfully upgrading his status to a Chief Keeper of the Grand Library, Ashton can now stay inside the Library indefinitely. This means that he doesn''t have to rely on the underground bunkers anymore to keep himself safe.

    Additionally, the Gatekeeper said that he can make small changes within the Library. These changes are limited to moving shelves mentally, adding a single room like Aria''s, relocating the Librarian''s desk and other small things. It isn''t much but it''s a nice addition to his authority.

    The fact that he had to be out ofbat to enter the Grand Library still hasn''t changed though. Not to mention, he''ll appear at the same spot where he disappeared which might give him problems in the future. It doesn''t help that he can''t spread his perception beyond the library to check his surroundings. It''s not like time be suspended outside while he''s inside so that might really cause some problems for him.

    Either way, baby steps for now. At least he has somewhere to he if he wants to rest. That in itself is a lifesaver. To ensure his personal safety, he just had to make sure that he''ll be inside an isted spot before he enters the library so that there will be no surprises for him once he leaves.

    Using his new authority, Ashton decided to add another room within the library. But before that, he decided to overhaul Aria''s room since they''re sharing it for now.

    He made Aria''s room bigger, it''s now at the size of a 5-star Hotel Suite. He was able to expand this thanks to the System of course.

    Throughout his sign-ins and the magic of [Cleptomancy], he umted a lot of blueprints for all sorts of things. One of them was the 5-Star Hotel Suite which is just perfect for the two of them.

    What makes this Blueprint better is the fact that it could be used multiple times. Once he used the temte it has, he just needed to supply the necessary resources to build it, which he has crap tons of by the way, and then the magic of the library did the rest for him.

    Aria didn''t even woke-up from the overhaul, she slept through it since it made no fuss at all. She''d be surprised no doubt when she wakes up. Her room is now bigger, has a lot of couches, has working appliances, a kitchen, a nice bathroom, and etc.

    Sadly, since they''re far away from the civilization, inte connection doesn''t work which is definitely a bummer. There''s a tv, though it can only y movies that they''ve downloaded before they were transported here. Same goes for games, they can only y the offline ones.

    Still, that''s better than nothing. At least they have more than one source of entertainment at this point. This should be effective in dpressing the stress Ashton will umte as he ventures through the dangers of the outside world.

    As for the new room, he made it into a Laboratory.

    His first choice was actually a Training Room but he figured that it''d be redundant since he already had the Simtion Zone from the System, and that''s easily way better than any training rooms that are avable.

    The reason he chose the Laboratory is because he wanted to study the kind of wildlife the outside world has.

    Ashton has a decent foundation when ites to the knowledge of Herbs thanks to his studies at the Academy. Since he''s going to spend a lot of time in the Outside World, then he should at least learn as much as he could.

    By studying the wildlife around him, maybe he can discover ways to in order to make survival easier for himself and others. Maybe he can concoct potions or make ointments that will cure diseases that are often caught by the expeditionary. Who knows?

    Additionally, the Lab could also serve as a greenhouse to secure food supplies. While Ashton has many in his stock, an emergency might struck him so it''s better than nothing. He just wants to cover all of his basis at this point. Plus, Aria could definitely use some distraction while he isn''t around.

    Once he''s done with all of this. He checked theb onest time before exiting and returning to their shared room. Since he can now stay indefinitely here, he figured that he should pamper his girlfriend a bit before going back to training.

    Peng! Peng! Peng!

    Gunshots echoed all over his surroundings. Ashton''s expression was somber as he continued firing his guns to shoot the projectilesing his way.

    Sadly, the said projectiles were too fast and there seems to be no end to them. He only hits half of the shots he''s firing due to how fast they were. It certainly doesn''t help that this projectiles seems to be intelligent as well.

    Right now, Ashton was barely hanging on. He has several ribs cracked, a punctured lung and several holes in his arms and legs. One of his eyes were missing as well.

    In his delirious state, his concentration blurred for a bit and that was enough to end him. A projectile went through his skull, ending his life in the process.

    Thankfully, this is all just a simtion. Ashton was alive, only mentally exhausted. He could feel the phantom pain of the injuries he umted from thest run, but he''ll be fine.

    "...still can''t do it. Not even close. But I''m definitely improving." Ashton mused to himself as he lied down to calm his breathing.

    Ashton had been suffering defeat again and again under the hands of the Crowfather within the simtion. That Demon is seriously a pain in the ass to deal with...

    The fact that it could devour its own children to restore its vitality made it seem like Crowfathers have pseudo-Immortality.<sub> </sub>

    Ashton tried to blow it its head in more ways than one but nothing worked. Even if he did blow up its head, it will just re-grow them as if nothing happened.

    A battle of attrition doesn''t seems to work either since Crowfathers can virtually give birth to limitless amounts of crows. Killing all crows it produces wasn''t enough to even slow it down on its tracks. If anything, that just provokes the Crowfather into upping the production rate which in turn will hasten his death.

    "I need to increase my proficiency, upgrade my passive gunslinger skills and more. All in all, I need to be stronger."

    Although Ashton is just a level 1 Practitioner right now, he''s strong enough to ughter three packs of Imps. He even seeded on taking down the adult one already. This meant that his experience is definitely helping him. And since the simtion almost seems to real, he shouldn''t have any difficulties replicating that result in an actual battlefield.

    Ashton empty his mind for a bit. He stared at the ceiling of the room, resting. He doesn''t feel extremely exhausted, he just needed a short rest for now.

    As he rested, his thoughts began running on their own...

    He made no efforts on stopping them though, instead he followed them until an idea crossed his mind.

    "...huh, I actually never tried that before."

    He sat up and immediately closed his eyes, feeling the familiar sensation of being immersed into the Simtion Zone.

    No, Ashton didn''t n on fighting the Crowfather again. In fact he didn''t even summon a single imp nor used the battlefield which looked like the ruins of City M.

    He was fine with the nk white space.

    Ashton summoned his guns and took a deep breath. He raised them both and circted his mana in a different way...like how he would do it when he''s casting a spell.

    Pshht! Boom!

    "Holy shit!!!" He eximed.

    Instead of a regr bullet, Ashton just shot a streak of aquamarine light which flew at the speed of sound. The shot was so strong enough to even beat a regr sniper rifle shot. The best part is that, there''s almost no recoil when he did that.

    "What do you mean I can cast spells with my guns!!?" He was wide-eyed as he stared at the guns on his hand.

    That''s right! Just now, Ashton just casted a regr Mana Bolt Spell using his guns. At first, he didn''t believe that it''d work, but it turns out that he''s a man or little faith. He actually did in his first try.

    Psshhht! Boom!

    ...and he did it again on his second try. He''s almost surprised with how easy this was. He''s even more surprised by the implications of this discovery.

    "Holy shit! This changes everything!!"

    Mana Bolt, Stun Bolt, Arcane Missile...

    Mana Bolt + Piercing Shot. Mana Bolt + Burning Rounds. Mana Bolt + Curving Shots. Mana Bolt + Bouncing Shot...

    Stun Bolt on the left gun, Mana Bolt on the right. Dual Arcane Missile Shot...

    Healing Shot? Yes, please! Shooting a target dummy to apply buffs? Say no more! How about a de-buff? Forget about it!

    Ashton was like a kid who just discovered the amusement park on a sugar high. He practically bottomed out his mana just by testing all sorts ofbinations with his guns.

    "Oh...I''m going to have so much fun in this."

 Chapter 78 Suprising Discoveries II

    "Okay, this doesn''t make any god damn sense!!" Ashton yelled to no one in particr.

    He was looking up in distress as he held his guns who were still smoking from being used. In front of him, the ashes of his simted victims are starting to scatter.

    "How in the world does White Magic hurts a Demon!? And why the hell am I only finding this out now?" Ashton yelled indignantly at the sky.

    He could cry about it really. The revtions that he been discoveringtely was really taking a toll on his mentality.

    ''Using a Healing Spell on a Demon.'' This statement was supposed to a joke. You know? Something stupid tough about cause he''s bored and just wanted to see what will happen?

    But to his overwhelming surprise, the moment the spellnded on the Demon, it melted like butter under direct heat. The demon didn''t even have the time to scream.

    Just to emphasize how ridiculous this discovery was, Ashton used the Warmth Spell!

    [Warmth - Lv. 15]

    ? Cast a orb that heals injuries over time.

    ? Lasts for 5 minutes.

    ? Healing Range: 15 meters.

    This spell is considered as the weakest healing spell under the White Magic branch! It''s one of the fundamental spells that everyone can learn. It''s easy to cast and doesn''t require too much mana at all.

    "It is a healing spell, everyone knows that! So how the hell does this little yellow ball of warmth, even more effective than an actual Fireball Spell when ites to demons? It seriously doesn''t make sense dude!!"

    While Ashton does sound like he''sining a lot, in truth he''s just being dramatic. Loneliness and a little bit of sleep deprivation does that to people. He''s just really upset that it has taken him this long to even discover it. Even though it really doesn''t make sense to him.

    This is a wild discovery, sure. How the hell would anyone even believe him when he says that White Mages are absolute terrors in a demon infested territories? What made this even more ridiculous is that, this information isn''t written anywhere else. At least not to the ones that he has ess within the library.

    His White Magic professor didn''t tell him anything either. At this point, Ashton''s considering a few theories that might be the reason behind all of this;

    First is the fact that this is a well known idea amongst the upper echelons of the society but it is hidden tomon folk probably in attempts to not saturate the number of people who will abuse White Magic. The number of natural White Mages are far too few to begin with so it''s kind of like a filter.

    Second is the fact that it''s a secret to most people as well. Probably because of greed? Who knows?

    The final theory he has is that, nobody really knows and he''s the first one to even try it. Yes, it might sound a little too far-fetched but the seriousck of documentation about something so useful is just downright criminal. This gives him the idea that he is indeed the first one to discover this.

    Either way, these are all just theories. While it''s nice to know them, it doesn''t really help him a lot since, well...he''s alone here with Aria. The application though is theplete opposite.

    Right now, Ashton''s primary bullets are in the form of condensed Warmth Spell Shots. Again, the spell itself doesn''t drain too much mana, hell the mana cost is even lesserpared to the regr bullets.

    In addition to that, he can always shoot himself to heal mid-battle which is just neat if you ask him.

    "If White Magic is effective against Demons, would ck Magic be effective against Angels?"

    Yes, it is weird but the other race that contested the demons from conquering this world are the Angels. They''re not the ones like Ashton''s old world romanticized. These pigeons will not hesitate to gut humans at the first sight. They''re called Angels not because the religious beliefs of Earth is present here, it''s because that''s what they call themselves.

    Still, that''s an idea at least. If White Magic turns out to be harmful for Demons, then its opposite; ck Magic, should be harmful for Angels as well.

    He can''t really test this out right now since he''s in the middle of a demon infested territory. Maybe one day though.

    On another note!

    Ashton finally discovered a way to defeat the Crowfather! This ties to his recent discovery too! Apparently, the Purify Spell - which ismonly used to get rid of tormented soil, is absolutely lethal to the Crowfather.

    One shot of Purify and the Crowfather screams in agony, unable to give birth to more crows. Shooting it three times with Purify Bullets on top of Burning Rounds is enough to get rid of itpletely.

    Ashton couldn''t even exin how relieved he was about this discovery. Although shooting Purify using the guns and using offensively costs more mana than Warmth, it''s within an eptable range that Ashton doesn''t mind putting it as his secondary rounds.

    Plus, using it in conjunction with his guns intensifies its effect. With it, Ashton can purifyrger patches of ground which gives him safety in terms of footing.

    With the recent discoveries he made, Ashton''s chances of survival significantly increased. All he needs right now is just more practice and soon, he''ll be able to clear the demons roaming within the ruins of City M.

    For now though, he called it day.<sub> </sub>

    He felt somewhat exhausted. He didn''t want to overdo it once again since it''s just not optimal. Plus, Aria will give him another earful and he frankly doesn''t want that right now.

    He retreated from the Simtion Zone and released a long sigh. He stood-up from his seat and went out to look for his girlfriend.

    Ashton found her in the librarian''s station, buried in her books. They''ve stationed themselves at the 6th floor and Aria had been reading non-stop recently.

    Apparently, this was her first time here as well. The previous keepers kept her away from this floor for some unknown reasons but Ashton''s obviously different. He didn''t see any harm on doing that so he allowed her here.

    Seemingly feeling his presence behind her, Aria leaned back and rested her head on his chest without peeling her attention away from the book she''s reading.

    Ashton sat behind her and nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck, peppering it with kisses and wrapping his arms around her waist. They sat like this infort and peaceful silence.

    He looked up and peeked at the book she''s reading. The book''s about History, something that Ashton doesn''t really care about.

    "Have you eaten yet?" He asked softly.

    Aria shook her head and said: "No, I was waiting for you."

    "Hmm..." Ashton sighed and kissed her cheeks, "Are you craving for something?"

    "...I''m not pregnant." She said, "at least I don''t think so."

    "Wha-! No, that''s not what I mean!"

    "Haha, I know. ''M just messin'' with you."

    "Geez, you made nervous." Ashton chuckled, "For a second there I forgot that you can''t get pregnant."

    "That''s what you get for going so hard on me." Aria huffed.

    "Hmph, as if you didn''t love that." He snorted, "remind me again who''s begging for it?"

    "Shut-up!" Aria red at him with a healthy blush on her face.

    Ashton justughed and pulled her in to a long and passionate kiss.

    After their brief making-out session, he pulled away gently and asked: "But seriously? Are you craving for something?"

    "I''m down for some pasta and ice cream."

    "Sounds good." Ashton nodded, he then stood up and said: "Alright, go back to your books. I''ll call you in once I''m done."

    "Okay."

    With that, Ashton left her to her books as he headed to their shared room to cook dinner.

    Even though Ashton mostly relied on Jerry to prepare his meals before, it doesn''t mean that he''s rusty when ites to cooking. If anything, he''s even better now.

    Once he was finished cooking their meal, he called Aria in and they ate as they converse about random things. After that, they sat on the couch, watching some horror movies they haven''t seen before while eating ice cream.

    Once they got bored and sleepy, they moved to their room and cuddled until they fell asleep.

    This kind of mundane normalcy isn''t much to be honest but it keeps Ashton from slipping to madness.

    He really couldn''t thank his lucky stars enough to have Aria by his side. God knows without her, he''d probably turn insane from all the stress and loneliness eating away at him.

    His task of survival is only bearable since she''s with him. While he''s not really reliant on her, her presence keeps him sane and grounded.

    Ashton still hasn''t made enough progress. Hell, he hadn''t even started his journey back home, he''s still at the same ce where he started. Nevertheless, his personal progress is steadily increasing.

    Soon, he will be strong enough to begin his journey. Soon, he will be strong enough to make his way back home.

    That is his promise.

 Chapter 79 Hes Back BB!!

    "Ah, crap!"

    Boom!

    Ashton just barely managed to evade a massive explosion that could''ve potentially kill him. He rolled to disce the impact on his body and located where his enemy were in order not to not be surprised again.

    The 8 foot tall monstrosity snarled at him with hate as it reeled back the chained sickle it threw.

    Ashton shot a few White Magic Shots at it but the demon evaded them swiftly despite its size. It''s body seemingly glitched out and then reappeared near him.

    He barely avoided its deadly stomp with a well ced Blink. He continued shooting at it but the demon just raised itsntern which formed some sort of a barrier that protected it.

    Ashton clicked his tongue and blink away several times. He brought out the sniper rifle andbined his spells with Piercing Rounds and Burning Rounds in hopes of hurting the demon at the very least.

    Unfortunately, the barrier it has was too sturdy. None of his shots even put a dent in it. Ashton had to evade again since the demon threw it''s chained sickle at him once more.

    Ashton managed to evade it at least, but he was caught off-guard by a sudden change. He missed the fact that chained sickle somehow burrowed deep into the ground and followed him to where he''s supposed to appear, it appeared beneath him and it was already toote to evade it.

    Ashton''s was cleanly cut in half, effectively ending the simtion.

    Once his consciousness was kicked out of the simtion zone, Ashton gasped awake and clutched his body.

    "Oh that was horrible." He murmured, he sounded weary and upset. Heid down on the mattress and took several deep breaths to calm himself down.

    It''s unfortunate that he''s still not strong enough to even hurt a Tormentor.

    He had been simting a fight against it within the past few days but he just can''t even damage it in the slightest. The demon was so freaking strong, it''s fast and cunning too. Not to mention, it''s impossible toy down an ambush for it or even trap it with his current skill set.

    Ashton tried almost allbinations he had in fighting that thing but nothing worked. His de-buffs are too weak to even take effect. His Spell Shots can''t prate that damn barrier. He can''t even outsmart it for the life of him!

    "Maybe I shouldn''t even think about fighting for now." He mused to himself, "I should train-up my Spells, Skills and techniques first before I try again."

    "Yeah, that sounds about right..." he concluded.

    There''s really not much for Ashton to do as of the moment. Unless he bes strong enough to kill a Tormentor, he shouldn''t even think about reducing the numbers of the demons roaming around the ruins.

    See, he discovered what makes Tormentors a nightmare to fight. They have this ability to devour the souls of allies and foes alike which permanently makes them stronger. And this is on top of their already absurd physiology which naturally gets stronger as they mature.

    They don''t need to kill anyone in particr, they just have to devour the soul of whoever died near them and it will make them stronger. How absurd is that?

    In addition to that, the strength of a Tormentor''s barrier scales directly with amount of souls it devoured, the more souls it ate, the sturdier its barrier bes.

    This is what makes Tormentors a pain in the ass to deal with. Ashton has no idea how much soul this one in particr devoured so far but it must be a lot. Considering the fact that Ashton could kill other types of demons roaming around the area already except that one, that is a huge sign in itself.

    Tormentors have one big weakness though; theirnterns.

    You see, while Tormentors can indeed devour souls, the way they do it unique from what he observed so far.

    They suck the soul inside theirnterns, which effectively imprisons the soul. In there, the souls will experience all kids of torments which will erode their sanity until they''re fully consumed.

    The stronger one''s spirit is, the more difficult it is to consume them. In fact, it is even possible for a soul to break out of thentern. Not that that''s optimal either since the Tormentor would just cull the soul with it''s sickle if they managed to escape anyways.

    This basically meant that it takes time for the Lantern to devour a soul. Ashton was certain that if he could just destroy thentern, that would be enough for him to take down the Tormentors.

    That being said, that''s a difficult task in itself. Ashton tried doing that multiple times by now but the damn thing is too freaking sturdy. Additionally, the demon does it best to make sure it''s protected anyway so good luck with that.

    Anyway, it will take sometime before he could effectively take down his biggest problem. Thankfully, he has time to spare and he had methods avable to him which takes advantage of that.

    After his defeat from the Tormentor, Ashton called it a day. He didn''t want to overexert himself again. Plus, he had other projects to pay attention to anyway.<sub> </sub>

    He exited their shared room and went to theb. There he found Aria immersed in her research. She sensed his presence and gave him a sweet smile before returning to her work.

    Meanwhile, Ashton made his way into the corner of theb to continue his project of making a new body for Jerry.

    He decided to follow the original design with a few improvements. He used betterponents and metals to create the body, he also optimized the energy capacity so that Jerry would have more up time and shorten his charging time.

    Ashton didn''t really have to worry about the this not working.

    While it is indeed difficult for human technology to work properly in the Outside World, the Grand Library is exempted from that. So long as Jerry remains inside the library, there shouldn''t be any problems with that really.

    Ashton felt like an idiot for not realizing that sooner. Oh well, betterte than never. He wouldn''t be needing Jerry toe outside anyways so he can revive him now.

    This project took him a little over than four hours to finish. Once the main frame for Jerry''s body isplete, all that''s left is to attach the Memory Core in it and let him boot up.

    Ashton did that and watched the loading screen with rapt attention. Once the download was finished, a familiar expression (emote) suddenly appeared on the screen-face.

    Ashton heard the familiar whirring sounds made by his trusty butler-bot. Jerry head rose up to meet his and suddenly...

    "Greetings, Master. I trust that it is you who made me a new body?"

    Ashton nearly cried in joy as he heard Jerry familiar voice. He earnestly nodded at him.

    "My outmost thanks, for reviving me." He said, "Butler Bot Jerry is once again is yours tomand, do you need me to do anything for you Master?"

    "You''re not done charging yet." Ashton shook his head, "I upgraded your body so run some checks on yourself and optimize your systems. Once you''re done with everything, including your charging time, you cane look for me."

    "As you wish Master." Jerry wasted no time and began optimizing himself.

    Ashton sighed and left theb. He had a wide smile on his face as he went back to their shared room. He was really happy to have Jerry back.

    With him around, things will be more fun and easier. Jerry''s extremely helpful specially with his new upgrades. Ashton added a mana circuit in him which allowed Jerry to cast spells by consuming Mana Crystals. His new body is also slightly bigger, stronger and far more durable than before.

    Aria and Ashton could leave the repair of books to Jerry, he''ll surely be more than happy to cover that task for the two of them.

    His girlfriend seems to have noticed his happiness...

    "Did you seed?" She asked.

    Ashton nodded and gave her a kiss. She congratted him and pulled him in the couch with her to watch movies with her.

    After an hour or so, they heard a whirring sound and the closing of the door. They found Jerry sliding over to them with a smiling emote on his screen-face.

    "Hey buddy. I''d like you to meet Aria. She''s my girlfriend and she''ll be staying with for a very long time, maybe even permanently." Ashton stated.

    "Hi, Jerry."

    "Hello, Mistress Aria. I am Master Ashton''s Butler Bot - Jerry. Feel free to give me tasks to make your life morefortable. Would the two of you allow me to cook dinner?"

    "Sure! What are your rmendations?" Ashton asked.

    Jerry then disyed a menu list for them to choose from. Aria and Ashton told him their meal choice and Jerry gave them another smile as he made his way towards the kitchen.

    "I think I''m going to enjoy hispany a lot. Do you think he knows how braid my hair?"

    Ashton chuckled and said: "I wouldn''t be surprised if he does."

 Chapter 80 Progress

    Another month passed by and Ashton still has to make a move.

    This doesn''t mean that he''s idle though...well, he kind of is but considering the nature of his System, that just makes him even stronger. Plus, he''s actually training to top it off, making his progress significantly faster than what it should be.

    Currently, Ashton is at Lv. 4 of Practitioner Rank, he just finished his 8th refinementst night.

    Most of his spells are at least Lv.20, way ahead of his actual level. The cost to upgrade them is now reaching five digits, and this isn''t counting the amount he has to charge if he wants to shorten the time it takes for them to finish.

    As for his skills, mainly the Staff Technique and the Gunslinger ones, they''reing along. Since he can''t use the grinding spots to hasten their development, he just needed to practice them himself.

    His Staff Technique reached Lv.10, just a shy of a step away from reaching the next stage. Though, his Basic Firearm Proficiency reached 3-star Unity Rank due to the sheer amount of practice he''s had with it.

    With that, Ashton can use the Mortal Reminder like it''s an extension of his body. His aim is true and he could even shoot at things that''s not within his line of sight urately. It''s a bizarre sensation, yet it''s one that he weed with open arms.

    The skills under his Gunslinger Skill Tree reached Lv.11 and above. All that mental training within the Simtion Zone helps, and since his perception of time is warped in there, he could squeeze more results from the training.

    The feeling of getting stronger day by day is something Ashton couldn''t get enough of. He previously thought that he was not much of a fighter himself, that he''s more of a studious hermit. But as it turns out, he was wrong.

    There''s just something truly gratifying upon realizing how strong you get. The confidence thates with it is just a bonus. Plus the action he gets makes it more bearable for him to stay out here, at least he has an outlet to release his frustrations upon.

    Speaking of which, Ashton''s inactivity ising to an end...

    Recently, he had been immersing into the Simtion Zone quite often since he has not reached the point where he can seriously consider clearing the horde of demons lurking at the ruins of City M.

    In his simtions, he was waging a war against them alone. Gun zing and blinking all over the ce, Ashton was like a shooting star in the battlefield.

    One of his shots will sometimes take out clusters of Demons much to his satisfaction. The Imps, including the adult one, that he saw before, are no match for him. The Crowfather isn''t a problem anymore so the only thing that could cause him to fail is the Tormentor.

    In a straight up 1v1, the Tormentor isn''t a problem to him anymore. Ashton grew strong enough to be able to prate it''s pesky barrier and shatter thentern, effectively weakening the damn thing and killing it shortly after.

    The Tormentor bes a huge headache if there''s demons around it. Again, this demon can devour the soul of enemies and allies alike. Yes it might take time but it will definitely make it harder for Ashton to kill it if that keeps on happening.

    To remedy that, the Tormentor has to be the first one to die. Yes, it''s troublesome but it is a viable strategy. Ashton can''t kill it with a single shot but so long as he has time, he can make it work.

    Sadly, Demons by nature are cunning. 9 times out of 10, they will discover what he''s nning and would devise a n to stop him. They screwed up Ashton''s n several times in the simtion already so he would know.

    8 times out of 10 in his attempts, he will fail and die. Ashton didn''t like the sound of that so he decided to refine his work more before he eventually goes out there.

    And that''s exactly what he''s been doing during the past couple of days...

    Ashton practically threw himself at the Simtion Zone at every waking moment. He says that he''s not overworking himself and he doesn''t seem like he was but it doesn''t stop Aria from worrying about him. Even Jerry would remind to take it easy.

    Of course, he knew that they''re worried about him but he''s honestly fine. He might appear tired most of the times but it''s nothing a good sleep can''t cure.

    He''s already used to the Simtion Zone, in fact everythinges naturally to him already. He''s pushing himself to the limit, yes but that''s to be expected, no? After all, he has to be strong if he wants to get back home.<sub> </sub>

    He heeds their advice of course. Ashton learned his lesson already. He knows that he has to take care of himself and pay more attention to his body since he''ll be the one who would do all the fighting.

    Ashton''s aware of that...but he can''t exactly just stay still and pray that he''d just wake up one day invincible right? That would be nice but unfortunately, that''s not how the world works.

    Still, he takes their words to his heart. He knew better than to worry Aria. He takes weekends off of his training to spend quality time with her and to give his body enough time to catch-up.

    That takes care of his rest and his rtionship with her so he''s more than willing to do it.

    Of course, Ashton would never forget about his roots. Magical Studies...

    How can he call himself a mage if he''s not knowledgeable about magic? It''d be a damn shame if he isn''t when he''s literally the keeper of the Grand Library.

    Ashton didn''t slow down with his learning, if anything he became even faster thanks to the boost of intellect he received from awakening his bloodline.

    Speaking of bloodline, Ashton already consumed the rest of the bloodline pills. And because its effect diminishes with multiple consumption, the potency of his bloodline increased to a measly 15% in total. It isn''t much but it''s respectable.

    But yes, his theory knowledge helped a lot when ites of his practice as well. Since he had the Simtion Zone, he can test out theories to confirm them. Proven theories can directly increase his change of survival out here so why not?

    In terms of Mana Density, Ashton is on par with Archmages already. If you consider the purity of Mana as well? Some Archmages back in the Last Bastion wouldn''t even amount to anything in front of him.

    All of this is thanks to his cultivation technique really. Even though it slows down his actual speed of cultivation, the pay-off is worth the investment.

    As for other matters, Ashton already secured a source of fresh food thank to his and Aria''sbined efforts. Building theb turns out to be the correct decision after all.

    So far, they''ve set-up a greenhouse for all sorts of vegetables, fruits and wheat. All are growing under a formation which promotes their growth. And because they are infused with Mana, the products won''t spoil for a very long time.

    It came with a perfect timing too since Ashton noticed that they''re making a dent on his food supplies. This is a way to replenish them to ensure they won''t run out of food.

    Water is the next resources they''re working with. Ashton still has a lot in his Inventory but it''s not advisable to rely on that. They have to find a way secure a fresh water source not only for drinking use but for cleaning and other purposes as well.

    This is part of the reason why Ashton was trying his best to hone is skills faster. The earlier he can explore the world and make his way back home, the sooner he can solve this problem.

    The other projects that Ashton and Aria paid attention to has something to do with technology and the environment of the outside world.

    There''s no better time to do this research since they''re already here. Ashton had been gathering samples of the ruins for them to study. They wanted to understand what makes the outside world so different from the Last Bastion.

    Why is it harmful for them and not the demons or the angels? There''s no way that it''s just the soil because that doesn''t exin the ck Fog at all nor why Humanity''s technology malfunctions here. It''s quite a mystery really and they want to find that out.

    Again, better now than never...

    All in all, there''s still a lot for Ashton to do. He''s still too far from home and to weak to ensure his safety. Him clearing out the ruins of City M is just the start, if he wants to make his way back to the Last Bastion, he will need to fight literal hordes of hostiles to do so.

    Ashton has all he needs to make it happen. He just needs to make sure that he keeps himself alive to use them.

 Chapter 81 The Purge

    "...it''s time." Ashton murmured.

    He fastened his belt around him and looked at himself in the mirror. He''s wearing a light armor that protected his vitals. Here''s paddings on his joints and he''s wearing a pair of enchanted boots that could protect him from the tormented soil.

    He wearing the Cloak of Apparition on top of this while guns are holstered on his sides. He was looking ready to wage war.

    Ashton felt a hand around his back. He saw Aria looking at him with a clear worry in her eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile and said:

    "I''ll be fine, don''t you worry about me. I''m ready for this."

    "I''m aware that you''ve trained for this but that doesn''t really stop me from worrying." She stated, "Then again, I can''t really stop you from doing this. Just remember that if things get dicey, do not hesitate to run away. I don''t want to lose you."

    Ashton turned around and encased her in a hug, he gave her a loving kiss and said: "You won''t lose, I promise."

    He pulled back, still giving her a reassuring smile, he nodded at her and said: "I''m off."

    "Take care."

    And with that, Ashton disappeared from the library and re-appeared at the underground bunker.

    To think that this ce remained undetected and uninfected is surprising for him. He didn''t think that it willst this long but he''s also notining.

    Ashton took a deep breath and calmed himself. Admittedly, he''s nervous. What he''s going to do isn''t a simtion anymore, it''s the real deal. A single streak of carelessness might cost him his life so he has to be prepared and ready for anything.

    Ashton took out his guns. He closed his eyes as he channeled his mana, casting a buff after another to himself.

    With most of his spells reaching lv.20 and above, the buffs he applied to himself doesn''t just onlyst for a long time but are also extremely potent as well.

    His defense, strength, speeds, stamina, endurance, recovery, and perception were boosted. The potency of his attacks are increased, his presence were minimized, his footsteps were silenced, his guns are glowing with sheer power and his entire self looked threatening.

    Once he had all buffs casted on himself, he took a step forward and his body seemingly stretched and turned transparent. He passed through the exit of the underground bunker without any noise nor difficulties. He''s like a ghost who just appeared out of nowhere.

    Upon stepping outside, Ashton immediately felt the dense killing intent in the air. He couldn''t help but wince out of sheer disgust, this is something that that he never really gotten used to.

    He continued to apparate until he found a hiding spot to survey the battlefield. His eyes swiftly roamed around as he marked the demons lurking around mentally.

    It''s also daytime by the way, the only time when Demons are slightly weakened. Even with all of his training, Ashton didn''t dare to fight them in the middle of the night since that''s just a death wish.

    As soon as he began tallying the numbers of the demons, a n immediately hatched in his brain.

    From his observations, he saw at least 10 packs of Imps, 3 Crowfwthers and the Tormentor who had been here since day one.

    ? That''s a total of 124 Demons lurking around his vicinity. It is highly possible that this isn''t all of them either since his perception is suppressed here.

    Still, this is good enough. Right now, the Tormentor is the biggest problem that he intend to solve as early as he could. He''d be damned to let that thing devour the souls of other demons to make itself stronger.

    The Crowfathers are a threat too, yes. But since he figured out a way to effectively counter them, they''re not an immediate priority for him.

    Over a hundred Imps though...now that sounds like something he didn''t want to deal with. s, he had to or else he won''t be going anywhere.

    Ashton fused the guns, turning it into a sniper rifle. He perched from his hiding spot and aimed at the Tormentor''sntern.

    ''That thing needs to get out of here.'' He mused to himself as his scope followed thentern.

    He took a deep breath and channeled his mana to the rifle. Using a Gunslinger skill, he stacked 10 casts of Arcane Missile to form a bullet, blessing it with Piercing Rounds and a Curve.<sub> </sub>

    At the same time his exhale ended, he shot the bullet and streaked through the air so fast that nobody was able to follow it.

    The Tormentor seemingly sensed the threat and held up thentern to cast the barrier. Unfortunately, right as the bullet was about to hit the barrier. It curved at thetest time possible and swiftly flew around the area that is not covered by the barrier,nding squarely at thentern and sting it to pieces.

    The winds howled along with the release of the souls trapped in there. The Tormentor released a guttural scream that alerted every demon within its vicinity, but before it could even search for the one responsible for blowing up itsntern, the Tormentor''s head exploded into bits.

    Next, it''s body lit up with mes as it toppled down on the ground, twitching and burning.

    The demons finally reacted with that and began looking around to search for the Tormentor''s killer.

    But once again, before they managed find him. Ashton was already firing more shots.

    A single bullet streaked through the air, scattering into explosive salvo that rained down on the demons. Itnded on the cluster of the Crowfathers and Imps.

    The salvo was blessed with Purify and Warmth, making them no less than a White Phosphorous Salvo for the demons.

    They cried out in agony as the burned and melted from it. The demons who were lucky to not get his are now seriously panicking and searching for the one responsible for all this.

    They''re failing, and that is because of Ashton''s reduced presence. His buffs were seriously making this easier for him since the demons could only see where the shot ising from but not where he exactly is.

    Pressing his obvious advantage, Ashton fired shots after shots. The battlefield was starting the get covered in smoke with all of the fire appearing here and there.

    Demons fell one after the other, themotion caused by this was sensed by all of the other demons roaming around the city ruins. And so long as they get close to five kilometers away from where Ashton is, he will see them and he will shoot them.

    Now, with all the smoke and fire around, it just became even harder to tell where Ashton was. His massacre created a tight circle around him which served as his cover to protect himself, yet it''s also an absolute killing field.

    Any demon who were brave enough to step foot within this area will either burn or get shot, either way, they will end-up dead.

    Ashton practically never left his position. Why would he when he formed a safety circle around him?

    He must''ve spent at least an hour or so, firing constantly and ending the hoard of demons. He was never really at risk of being discovered as no demon even managed to get close to him, but he still kept his guard up. Again, he couldn''t be careless in here or else he''ll die a horrible death.

    Ashton might''ve killed at least five more Crowfathers and a couple hundreds of Imps. He might''ve seen a different breed of demon amidst his massacre but honestly he had no time to identify them since he''s a little bit busy.

    Ashton kept firing until he could no longer sense any demons around. All he could see is a sea of fire and smoke around him. He remained in position for a while, slightly hesitant to believe that he already killed every demon around.

    After waiting for a few more minutes, he stood up and sighed. His guard is still just in case but he truly can''t sense any demons anymore.

    He took this down time to check his reserves and discovered that his tank is still rtively abundant. He drank some water and started purifying his surroundings en masse.

    The fire raging around him is actually helping with that as well since it''s burning the impurities that seeped through the soil, these fires won''t die until it cleansed everything of filth.

    Ashton apparated out of the circle of fire and scattered his senses around. He was greeted by silence around him. Only the crackles of fire could be heard around him.

    Not a trace of demons in his sight. Nothing''sing too...

    He once again released a sigh, at this point, he was convinced that indeed managed topletely eradicate all demons lurking around the city ruins.

    Ashton reverted the rifle to it''s base form and began walking away. He looked a bit despondent as his gaze roamed around what remains of the city.

    Just before he left the ruins, he turned back once and whispered in the air.

    "Farewell, City M. Maybe we''ll see each other again in the future."

 Chapter 82 Acorn?

    If he''s truly being honest, Ashton has no idea where he''s going...

    Sure, he had the rough location of where the ruins of City M ended up on the map and he had the general direction for where the Last Bastion is...that being said, the map they had isn''tplete nor reliable.

    See, there''s no way he could just follow one direction and hope for the best. Sooner orter, he''lle up with something that would force him to find another way which would also de-rail him from his destination.

    And in this particr scenario, it was sooner than he would''ve liked...

    Around...10 or 11 kilometers away from the ruins of the city, Ashton encountered his first environmental challenge in navigating this unknown and incredibly dangerous world.

    As it turns out, the location where the ruins end up happened to be on top of an elevated ind.

    No, not floating, just really elevated...

    He should''ve noticed this sooner. He should''ve suspected it when he saw that the clouds looked close whenever he looks up.

    Ashton is at the ind''s edge. He''s so far up that he felt nauseous from looking down. Thend below him looked like a zoomed-out picture, it''s honestly terrifying.

    Now, this begs the question...how the hell does he go down then?

    Moreover, why the hell did nobody think to write this down when they reached this ce?

    Cause remember humans had been here before, on this same elevated ind. Ashton and Aria found records of it in the books they gathered at the library. They''ve read those like their life depended on it, so they wouldn''t miss any important notes about it, therefore he''s pretty confident that he had never noticed anything about the ce being like this.

    But yeah...how is he supposed to go down from here? Flight?

    ''Flight might work, but it''s incredibly dangerous.'' Ashton mused to himself as he surveyed the edge of the ind. He leveled his gaze and saw the fumes covering the atmosphere, he could also make out a few shadows lurking behind those fumes.

    They''re swift and loud at the same time. Ashton wouldn''t be surprised if those turned out to be Avian-type Demons.

    He just walked out from a massacre, he''s not really in the mood for some more right now. He then looked down and paid attention to the stiff and jagged edges of the elevated ind.

    ''Climbing down is also risky and scary.''

    Ashton doesn''t have a fear of heights but considering where he''s at right now. He wouldn''t be surprised if he learns that there are demons who lurk at the cliff''s edge too.

    Plus, this elevated ind curves down for some reason. The curve isn''t so subtle too, it''s a sharp curve.

    This ce is a big middle finger to logic but hey, Magic is a thing and in this situation, it might as well be the cause of this.

    Anyhow, this is another problem. And sadly, this stops him cold on his tracks.

    So, it might be counter-productive, but he had no other choice than to go back in the opposite direction of where he was supposed to go.

    He''s once again, at the ruins of City M, which is still burning from the fire by the way.

    Ashton felt quite embarrassed to return here after bidding it farewell but hey, at least nobody''s there to judge him.

    Right?

    He once again returned to his underground bunker, which is still intact. Once he was there, he disappeared and entered the Grand Library.

    Aria was in thebs and Jerry was repairing the books.

    He copsed on the couch and closed his eyes. His mind went to work as he tried to deduce solutions for his current predicament.

    ''An elevated ind... its edges are curving downwards.''

    ''Judging from the curve the shape...looking at the bigger picture...this ce would be like an acorn with a buried tip. I guess that would exin why it''s stable despite its shape.''

    ''Flying down or climbing down are options to leave but it''s risky. There might be demons with wings who won''t hesitate to attack me if I fly. If I climbed down, I might encounter critter demons who liked having their nests at cliffsides...''

    ''Now that I say that...this ce is under demonic territory isn''t it?''

    ''It wouldn''t be too far-fetched to assume that there are hordes of critters or lizard-type demons here.''

    ''And if there are nests...''

    ''There must be an undergroundwork here!!'' Ashton''s eyes snapped wide open.

    ''An acorn that is filled with holes...those holes can represent the nests. If we break the acorn in half, there should awork of tunnels inside, which would make sense.''

    ''And now that I think about it...''

    ''Maybe the explorers who arrived here never reached the top of the ind.''<sub> </sub>

    ''The records say that they were running from hordes of demons when they reached this ce, it is only through finding an empty cave that they managed to lose them and rest.''

    ''Then they saw that the cave turns out of the tunnel that leads deeper to somewhere.''

    ''The group decided to venture deeper but the records didn''t detail what experience inside, it just said that they called the mission off and decided to return home from the expedition.''

    ''Only one of them managed to return, that person didn''tst upon returning home either. They died shortly after.''

    ''The cave they encountered might''ve been the entrance to the tunnel system of this elevated ind!''

    ''Since they were being chased when they got here, it would make sense for them to not notice the fact that thendmass in front of them was oddly-shaped. And since they didn''t notice it, of course, they wouldn''t write it down either.''

    ''Their encounter within the tunnels aren''t recorded but it is said that one from their group died there. These people are a group of Sorcerers, that means that the demons lurking inside this series of tunnels are that strong or they experienced a nasty ambush.''

    ''Either way, this works for me.''

    Ashton rested his back on the couch and massaged his temples.

    ''I''ll have to dig down I assume.'' He mused to himself, ''just until I encounter the undergroundwork that demons use to get around.''

    ''That''s scary though.''

    ''I''m like...inside an ant''s nest.'' He shivered, ''If I provoked any demons living down there, I''d face an endless hoard of them.''

    ''Plus, I wouldn''t be able to tell when I''ll be discovered. Who knows when they decide to dig new tunnels and end up at the same location as I am? I''d be lucky enough to have time to run, not to mention dealing with endless hordes.''

    ''I''ll have to be extremely careful then...''

    ''But before I start digging down, I should at least roam the ind. Maybe I can find something around that could be useful or helpful in this endeavor.''

    Sighing to himself, Ashton opened his eyes and was surprised to see Aria sitting beside him.

    "Oh, hey. Sorry, I didn''t notice you soon." Ashton smiled apologetically and wrapped his arm around her waist.

    "I didn''t disturb you cause you seemed to be in deep thought and stressed." She stated, "What''s the problem?"

    Ashton sighed and began telling her their current predicament. Aria listened to him intently and held his hand.

    "...well, that''s about it. I just need to be careful I think. Don''t worry, I''ll survey the ind first before digging. Who knows? Maybe I''ll find an elevator that leads directly down to the base."

    Thatst part was a little bit of his wishful thinking.

    "Yeah, who knows. Maybe those do exist and you might find one?" Aria smiledfortingly. "In anyways, just take your time and prioritize your safety. We''re in no rush."

    "Right." Ashton smiled and kissed her. He then inspected her and noticed that she was looking a bit different today.

    "Are you wearing make-up today? Also, you''re hair''s braided. What is the asion? Is it your birthday today!?" Ashton''s eyes widened as he asked thest question.

    "It''s not, silly." Aria chuckled. "My birthday''s at every start of the year, I thought I told you that?"

    "No?" Ashton frowned and shook his head, "Well, you did now."

    "Is that so?" Aria shrugged, "Well, now you now. And rx, I don''t celebrate birthdays. I mildly dreaded them."

    "I get it." Ashton nodded, he didn''t need to say more since that topic isn''t really good for the both of them. "But yeah, what''s with the make-up then?"

    "Jerry." Aria said, sheughed when she saw Ashton''s baffled face, "Yes, apparently he not only knows how to braid my hair, he also knows how to apply make-up on someone."

    "...I, that wasn''t included in the upgrades I added on him, so it must''ve been on his base programming already."

    "Yeah, that''s what I also thought." Aria agreed, "But how about it? What do you think?"

    "He did well." Ashton nodded, "You look pretty in them."

    "Awesome!" Aria giggled and kissed him.

    "But knowing you, you''d probably forget to wipe that off before you sleep. Make sure to remind Jerry to notify you. I don''t want you to damage your skin with them."

    "Yes, love. I would." She cheekily said, "Anyways,e! It''s lunchtime. Jerry made us pizza."

    "Oh, hell yeah."

 Chapter 83 Anti-Abomination Shot!

    "...okay, time to look around."

    Ashton took notice of his surroundings and as sighed. He just left the ruins again to see what the rest of the ind looks like.

    He''s in no rush to dig down. He has time to check if there are alternatives around.

    Ashton reminded himself to be careful. He wore hisbat outfit and cast obscuring spells on himself to make sure that he won''t get ambushed by stray demons.

    Well, it''s not like he knows if there are still some around here but it is better to be safe than sorry.

    He went in the opposite direction of where he exited yesterday. That direction leads to the edge of thisndmass so it''s a waste of time to return there.

    What he did find on the other side looks somehow promising...well, ''promising'' is a strong word.

    There''s a jungle in there...a pitch-ck jungle, contaminated by the infestation that demons released simply by existing. Somehow, Ashton could''ve sworn that he saw a massive tentacle in there somewhere but maybe he''s just imagining things.

    Still, that''s a destination at least. Might not be a pleasant one but hey! Being outside of humanity''s territory is already unpleasant, it can only get worse from that.

    He kept that ce in mind. For now, he surveyed another direction.

    A couple of minutester, he found another promising spot. This one leads to a river. Again, a contaminated river.

    At this point, he really shouldn''t be surprised. This is a demonic territory, of course, everything''s contaminated by that that ck goo or whatever.

    Ashton could go there, but he didn''t like the vibe of that ce. Moreover, from he is, he could see only a shadow of the things leaping out of the river and he could swear that none of them look pleasant.

    Once again, he marked this location and left. That''s two possible ces to explore for now. He wrote them down and even drew what they looked like just for future references.

    He made his way to another side and once again, found another ce to investigate.

    This one looks inviting...

    A vast field, t for the most part but covered by a purple haze.

    One look at that ce and he could already tell that it was dangerous. It''d be a god damn miracle if that purple haze isn''t poisonous at least. What''s more is that, if you squint, you could see shadows lurking in there. Ashton swear he could hear something ominous within that ce. He just can''t put a finger on it.

    "Joy..." Ashton sighed in annoyance, "I really am surrounded by danger."

    He clicked his tongue and began thinking...where should he go?

    At this point, he''s really tempted to just dig down and be done with this ce. But then again, digging down isn''t any better than exploring these hell holes. If anything, what''s underground may prove even more dangerouspared to what''s around him.

    What was he supposed to do here?

    "System, can you Identify that Fog?"

    A fluctuation pulsed out of his body then came to the response of the system in a way of text-box.

    [Wretched Mist]

    A purple mist that is released by a unique type of demon.

    Highly Poisonous, Toxic, and Dense.

    More dangerous to males.

    Do not approach.

    "A''ight, cool! Do not approach, got it." Ashton nodded vehemently. He then crossed this off of his list and moved on.

    Really, there''s no point in trying to doubt the System now. It hasn''t failed him yet.

    He then went back to the riverside and once again, scanned his surroundings using [Identify].

    [ck Blood River]

    This is a river of blood. Blood of a strong demon who died in this ce.

    Upon its death, this river was born. The demons that lurked underneath its surface are Blood Parasites that once lived inside the body of the said demon.

    This river has a form of consciousness. It will attack you the moment you get close. Those who live in it won''t stay idle either.

    A good boat may ferry you to the other side. Without it, don''t approach.

    "A boat?" Ashton frowned. "I don''t have something like that for now. Unlucky."

    He clicked his tongue and moved on. The river sounds intriguing though. Ashton has no idea what kind of demon was so powerful to leave something like that behind, then again he didn''t feel like knowing right now since he''s too weak.<sub> </sub>

    So, he''s back in the jungle in front of him. This time, he confirmed that he wasn''t seeing things. He saw those tentacles again before they vanished.

    "Alright, Scan and Identify please?"

    With that order, another pulse was released and Ashton received another feedback shortly after.

    [Eldritch Jungle]

    "OH HELL NO!!" Ashton eximed.

    God knows how much he wanted to get rid of that message right then and there upon reading that.

    ''God, why!?'' That is what he wanted to ask. Of all the things that could''ve been real in this world, why the hell does it have to be Eldritch Abominations? Why?

    Ashton consumed enough media about those things to know that they''re bad news! He should''ve known the moment he saw that tentacle cause what squid or octopus lives in the middle of a freaking jungle!?

    Certainly not something that big, that''s for sure.

    s, the curse of curiosity. Somehow, he''spelled to know more since, in his defense, he''s pretty far away from where that thing is and he''s rtively safe. There''s shouldn''t be any harm in knowing more before moving-on right?

    [Eldritch Jungle]

    A young jungle that''s unlucky to be the breeding ground of a lost Eldritch Abomination sapling.

    Going in there is suicide. Though young, the Eldritch Abomination is strong enough to reduce you into a blood-crazed brute. It will suck you dry of everything you have. There wouldn''t even be a trace of you left in there.

    Tip: Fire is your best friend. Do the world a favor and burn this jungle to the ground. The results may give you a surprise gift.

    "Oh..." Ashton was appalled.

    ''The System legit just asked me to get rid of this thing.'' Ashton couldn''t help butugh dryly at that poor attempt of subtlety.

    Nevertheless, why the hell not?

    "Though that ce looks like a whole can of worms that I''d rather not deal with. It seems that my fate is pointing me in this direction." He mused to himself.

    "Well, I guess I have to try. I''ve scanned the area so let''s see if my fire power''s enough to deal with it."

    Ashton then erected a ward that would protect him from demons. He purified a spot and then sat down to immerse himself in the Simtion Zone.

    It took him a couple of tries, to be honest, but then again the system didn''t lie. Fire is his best friend for getting rid of this ce.

    The ''Burning Rounds'' isn''t enough to do the job. That also includes the reckless method of spraying and praying. He needs to spaz it up a bit, do something fancy tricks here and there to get the job done.

    Once he''s got the pattern down, he withdrew from the Simtion Zone and dispelled the ward.

    He brought out the Mortal Reminder in its sniper rifle form and aimed. He readied his spell and thought: "If this gun had a Grenade Launcher form, that''d be much easier. Oh well, this works too I guess."

    Stacked Rounds (Warmth Bullets) x10 + Stacked Rounds (Purifying Bullets) x10 + Stacked Rounds (Burning Rounds) x20 + Curving Shot + Piercing Shot = Anti-Abomination Shot: White Hell Salvo.

    "Fire in the hole, bitch."

    Peng!

    A streak of white light flew straight to the depths of the jungle, leaving a white burning trail behind its tracks.

    Ashton heard a couple of loud thumps and a furious and maddening howl from the depths of the forest before arge plume of fire emerged out of nowhere.

    White mes immediately consumed the jungle. It didn''t even take a minute for it topletely douse the jungle in the fire.

    Something big and angry was iling deep within that ce. Ashton didn''t wanna know what it looks like and frankly didn''t care. All he knows is that it needs to die and dying is what''s experiencing right now.

    Ashton retreated far enough to observe in safety. He once against cast a ward of protection and doubled down with talismans just to be sure. He watched with mild glee as the forest burned to the ground with every minute that passed on.

    ''Who would''ve thought that I was an arsonist at my core?'' He mockingly mused to himself.

    ''Whatever that thing is, it''s in pain. Good.'' He added, ''Any moment now and it dies.''

    The fires raged and as time passed, the iling of the entity deep within the jungle starts to cease. The roars of pain and agony were dying. The white mes still rage on as he watched.

    All of a sudden, he received a notification.

    [Infant Eldritch Abomination in! Cleptomancy worked! You received: Elven Blood Vial x5, Wish Stone x1, Fragmented Soul Card: Divine Gunslinger (SSS) x1]

    "Ooh! Jackpot!"

 Chapter 84 Loot!

    [Elven Blood Vial]

    Increases the potency of your bloodline.

    No diminishing effects.

    [Wish Stone]

    Increases one''s Fortune permanently

    Can only be used once.

    [Fragmented Soul Card: Divine Gunslinger (SSS)]

    A soul card that can be used once your reached Sorcerer Lv.9 (Peak)

    Requires 9 more fragments toplete.

    Ashton did hit a jackpot with these drops. It was unexpected but considering that he kind of did the System a favor, he really lucked out in this. That being said, some things puzzled him.

    ''System, the Elven Blood Vial will increase the potency of my Fae Bloodline yes? And if it does, how much are we looking here if I consumed all 5 vials?''

    [Yes, Host. The Elven Blood Vial will increase the potency of your Fae Bloodline. Consuming all five will grant you a 10% increase based on the current potency of your bloodline.]

    ''I take that the higher the bloodline''s concentration is, the harder it is to increase it further, yes?''

    [Indeed.]

    ''Alright.'' Ashton nodded, ''Then, how does Fortune affect me?''

    [Using the Gamer ng, Fortune would be your Luck Stat.]

    ''Hmm? I thought that''d be my Providence?''

    [Providence is the base Luck amount people are born with. Only through miracles do those increase. Fortune is the Luck value you umte based on your life encounters.]

    ''I see.'' Ashton took that in mind, ''As for the Soul Card, I thought I''d be condensing this instead of it being a drop?''

    [Your situation is a bit different from normal cultivators, Host.]

    [While Sorcerers indeed condense their Soul Cards through careful umtion, don''t forget that you essentially have two Specializations.]

    [You already have White Mage, and if you don''t n on changing out of that anytime soon, then the Soul Card you''ll be condensing in the future will be tied to that Specialization.]

    [Gunslinger is a System-issued Specialization though, you''d find it difficult to upgrade that through the same method as your main ss, therefore the System issued you fragmented upgrades instead. Of course, you have toplete them first before you can use them.]

    ''Okay, that makes a lot more sense. Thank you, System.''

    [You''re Wee, Host.]

    The exnation he got from the system was satisfactory so he turned his attention elsewhere.

    He gazed at what was in front of him and saw that the jungle was almost gonepletely. The fire, however, was nowhere near done.

    The mes are still raging on. It''s starting to scatter somewhere else.

    Ashton looked down and saw that he was still killing demons despite not firing any more shots, he can tell since he''s still receivingmon drops thanks to Cleptomancy.

    Fwoosh!

    Ashton was startled by the sudden swelling of the mes. He looked to his right and saw the mes rapidly coating the surface of a creak.

    The creak, if he remembers it correctly, passes through the jungle. Ashton had no clue as to how it was possible for water to be set aze but here it was.

    This creak is connected to the river over there and the purple haze field on the other side. Since it caught on fire, it''s safe to say that those ces will burn as well.

    Ashton was tempted to watch really. He wanted to see the river burned to the ground but honestly, he needs to explore. He had already spent a few hours of daytime just setting the jungle on fire and waiting for it to be gone. He only has a few hours left before sundown and he doesn''t usually stay out during nighttime since it''ll be more dangerous out here from that point.

    The mes wouldn''t hurt him. He''d feel their heat just a little bit but it won''t hurt him since he''s the one who caused it in the first ce. This is one of the few tricks he learned from the Mystic Academy after all, under his Magic 101 Professor.<sub> </sub>

    As he approached what remains of the jungle, Ashton repeatedly scanned his surroundings. Better be safe than sorry in his opinion. Although the mes are still raging-on, there might still be some demons here who could shrug off something like this.

    Once he arrived there, he noticed that the demonic corruption is fading due to his fire. This is the side-effect of having Purify as a bullet.

    "Seeds?" He mused to himself as he crouched down and inspected the little things he saw on the ground.

    He scanned the seeds for corruption and didn''t find any. He held one in his palms and tried to identify it. The skill failed since there are no records for these types of seeds.

    "I wonder why you all didn''t automatically appear in my Inventory?" He mused to himself, the seeds didn''t look nor feel dangerous so why has it not appeared directly in his Inventory instead?

    "Can I not put them in there?" He asked himself.

    He attempted that and frowned when he saw that they got in without any problems.

    "...weird." He muttered,ter then he shrugged and took them all in any way. Aria might discover what''s so special about themter.

    He continued roaming the remains of the jungle,pletely unaffected by the mes that still rage on. Aside from discovering the mysterious seeds, he also discovered other unique things like; crystalized tree branches. Logs that arepletely immune to the mes, gemstones, etc.

    He has no idea what they are for now but he still kept them since they may be usefulter.

    Once he''s done roaming the jungle, he discovered that there''s nothing else special in it. Not even a speck was left by the Eldritch Abomination which is nice.

    There is a ce right behind the jungle but he decided to ignore that area for now. He checked out the river he saw back then to see what he could find first.

    When he arrived there, the river waspletely dried out. mes still licked the depths but not much of it remained anymore. Sadly, the river didn''t turn into clean water for him to use, they evaporated due to the mes, which is probably for the best, but still...

    Anyways, since there are no more threats lurk8ng around thanks to the mes, Ashton jumped down at the dent. The ground is still soft and wet, it''s still oozing with corruption but the mes will take care of that soon.

    Here, Ashton found several things like crystallized fish bones, weird-looking algae, moss, crystals, and gemstones as well.

    He followed the path of the river and upon reaching its end...or rather, its origins, he saw arge rotting corpse burning intensely by his fire.

    He could already see the skeleton of this thing. It''s gigantic. Ashton could easily fit into its eye socket.

    "I think the mes are purifying and refining this thing." He mused to himself, "that''ll take time."

    He then looked around, checking if he missed something important.

    Eventually, his pulse suddenly gave him a response that he wasn''t expecting.

    "There''s a mine here." He mused to himself. "As for what kind of mine it is, I don''t know yet. Better mark that down."

    Ashton wrote some notes in his journal. He even left some physical markings on the mine itself just to make sure he won''t get lost next time. Once he did that, he jumped out of there and ran toward the purple haze field which changed greatly too.

    The purple haze is gone, and the demons lurking within it are presumably dead too. There''s only a scent of burnt something there. He walked around and see if he could find some unique trinkets, and he did!

    Crystalized bones, des of grass, teeth, horns, pelts...he even discovered some kind of a totem in there. He picked them all up and will inspect themter at theb.

    Ashton continued exploring around, seeing if there are still other things he missed on the way.

    He did not find any sort of contraption that will send him directly to the bottom, which is a bummer but that''s fine. He got a nice haul anyway from all the pyromania he caused.

    Ashton didn''t explore any further since he noticed that the sun was almost down. He went back to the location of the mine and set up a ward there that can iste his aura and protect him before he went inside the Grand Library.

    He scanned his surroundings and saw that Aria was currently cooped-up inside theb. She''s in the middle of testing something.

    Ashton had a quick snack before he went to the library where Jerry is.

    He asked for a book that has details about unique trinkets that can be found in the outside world. After a couple of minutes of waiting, Jerry returned carrying a stack of books.

    Ashton thanked the bot and then dived into his research. After an hour or so, he mostly identified most of the things he picked up just now.

    As it turns out, those trinkets are valuable materials. Humanity had recorded a long list of things they can be used for. The most prominent is the crystalized remains. These could fetch high prizes back in the Last Bastion.

    Sadly, he''s nowhere near that ce and he''s certainly not pressed for money.

 Chapter 85 Mining

    Ashton was currently frowning at the sight of the system window in front of him.

    He made a point of checking his inbox every day in conjunction with his signing-in. Due to this, he also kept an eye out on his quests tab. At first, he thought that they mostly remained the same but turns out that he still missed something...

    Under the secondary mission that was given to him when he decided that he will return home no matter what, the Discovery Mission was updated...

    ? Discover and Study Hostiles (10/200)

    ''Now, how did that happen?'' Is what he''s trying to understand currently.

    As far he knew, the only Demons he encountered personally were the Imps, Crowfathers, and the Tormentor. That''s three, but why is it that the quest says 10?

    Unable to help himself, he expanded the mission tab and soon got his answers.

    ? Discover and Study Hostiles (10/100)

    3 Confirmed: Imps, Crowfather, Tormentor

    7 Discovered but not studied.

    "Ahh..."

    Now that makes more sense to him. He''s a little surprised by the parameters but it turns out that there are finer details contained within, he just had to figure it out on his own.

    With his curiosity, Ashton couldn''t help but want to see what were the demons he missed. He''s almost positive that these are the demons that he saw shadows of. They didn''t count since he didn''t bother seeing what they look like or figuring out how they behave before killing them.

    In hindsight, that''s probably for the best. These are demons after all. But quest-wise, he can''t ignore this. The reward for clearing this mission was something he wants for himself after all.

    From the additional info, he gatherer that the demons he missed were named; Shadow Lurkers, Gnawers, Corpse Eaters, Deadwoods, Slugs, Mimics, and Howlers.

    The Infant Eldritch Abomination is there too but to be honest...no. just, no...

    Well, the system was gracious enough to give him names at least. Sadly, there''s no description of them so he doesn''t know what they do. The most he got are spections based on their names, but that''s unreliable too.

    Either way, there''s still time for him to discover and study more. No need to be in a rush. He''ll get there eventually.

    For now, though, Ashton had to pay attention to a more pressing matter, and that is...mining.

    Yes, it hase this far.

    Well, he couldn''t be med. There''s a treasure trove in front of him, who''s he to ignore it?

    Ashton already studied the mine and confirmed that the one he found was a Mana Crystal Mine. A very rich one at that...

    Thanks to the System''s aid, he discovered that this is an A-grade Mana Crystal Mine. Something that contractors would fight tooth and nail for upon discovering it.

    This rich mine has a density of 78%, meaning that the entire thing is almost made out of Mana Crystals itself. How the hell could someone ignore something like this?

    What''s more is that thanks to the aftermath of Ashton''s Anti-Abomination Shot, the fires cleansed this mine out of filth too and now, they are ripe for harvest.

    Ashton may not have use for money but he could certainly use more Mana Crystals. The cost of Grinding is starting to poke holes into his reserves and even though Cleptomancy can somehow help with that, he wouldn''t say no to having more sources of Mana Crystals.

    That''s why he''s now wearing a hard hat and had mining gear. He already sealed the entrance to the mine and established some form of stability inside so that he can mine in peace.

    "This is going to take a while..." he muttered as he chipped away at arge deposit of Mana Crystal in front of him.

    He could vaguely sense where the crystals would be thanks to his sharp senses but using the regr method of mining will have him trapped in here for longer.

    "Maybe I can find a different way to do this more efficiently." He mused to himself.

    Said way was of course, via Magic.

    Ashton had a plethora of spells at this point. Most of them are useful, some are situational of course but if he had discovered something this past few days, it''d be the fact that he might as well try all sorts of ideas, despite of if he thinks they''re usible or not, since you''ll never truly know.

    After all, it hasn''t been long since he discovered that White Magic is lethal to Demons and that he can use them as bullets for his guns. None of those seems logical from a certain standpoint but they worked beautifully.

    "Alright..." he took a deep breath and tried some spells.<sub> </sub>

    After a couple of attempts, he discovered the one spell that works perfectly here.

    "[Dismantle!]"

    Using the Spell: Dismantle, he can directly reduce therger formations of Mana Crystals in pieces ording to their grading; low, mid, and high. It''s easy to do and doesn''t require a lot of mana to cast.

    He can even use it in conjunction with Extract to take out the crystals that are buried on the surface of the mine.

    This little endeavor of his took him at least a week before barely extracting all mana crystals in the mine. With his Mana Crystal refilled to the brim, Ashton can now pay attention to the other detail he discovered while he was inside the mine.

    "...a Critter perhaps?" He mused while crouching down on the corpse in front of him.

    While harvesting Mana Crystals in the mine, Ashton discovered several corpses of demons here.

    Just from a single nce, he knows that these are old. How exactly old is something he''s not sure of, but they are old.

    See, the mes caused by his attack should''ve vaporized the demons ites in contact with or at least turn them into loot. These corpses are not loot. Meaning that they were long dead even before he got here.

    "Looks like a roach...ew." Ashton winced as he studied them.

    Somehow, an image of a Demonic Cockroach appeared in his mind. Ashton could barely suppress the shiver running down his spine the moment he saw that. He hurriedly dismissed the idea but the more he looked at the corpse in front of him, the more convincing it gets.

    He also discovered a corpse of some sort of a scarab here. The shells were intact but the body was withered beyond recognition. They''re awfullyrge too.

    "Must be one hell of a Demonic Bug then." He concluded. Ashton''s not squeamish when ites to insects but the fact that they are of demonic descent terrifies him.

    He inspect the rest of the corpses he had seen so far and for the most part, all the demon corpses he saw belonged to the Insect Type category.

    When ites to strength in numbers, there''s probably nothing more terrifying than insects, especially the demonized ones.

    And the fact that he found this inside the minds makes him think that this mine must be somehow connected to the colony below him.

    On one hand, this is fine. At least he has another entry point for when he ends up going down anyway.

    On the other hand, this isn''t fine cause Insect Type Demons...yeah.

    "...I''ll seal this ce for now," Ashton said wryly as he gingerly ced talismans all over the mine. "Not down to be ambushed by insects. I get to ambush them not the other way around thank you very much."

    Ashton made extra sure that the cement of the talismans was on-point. He made it very clear that he''s not leaving his fate up to luck here. Once he''s satisfied, the now mostly-emptied mine, became another underground bunker for him.

    He''s not quite done exploring the ind above. He will do that and study more demons while he''s at it. For now, though, he''s pacing himself carefully.

    Once he was satisfied with his new base, he nodded to himself and entered the library.

    Once again, Aria was in theb and Jerry was doing his maintenance of the books.

    He sighed and went to theb to check on his girlfriend.

    There, he saw her so concentrated on whatever she was doing that she didn''t notice him at all.

    From what he can see, Aria was trying to experiment on the trinkets he had collected so far. She asked for a bunch of them and he gave some to her for the sake of science, now though he''s starting to get worried.

    Making sure that she wasn''t in the middle of a delicate process. Ashton rested his chin on her shoulders which caused her to gasp in surprise.

    "Honey, baby, sweetheart, love, light of my life...when was thest time you peeled your gaze away from that?"

    "U-uh..." Aria looked like a deer caught in headlights.

    Ashton rolled his eyes and sighed. With one fell swoop, he carried her in a bridal style despite her protests.

    "Ash!!"

    "Nope...I won''t allow you to overwork yourself for the sake of science." He shook his head vehemently. "You are resting and I''m going to pamper the hell out of you. This is non-negotiable."

    That put a stop to her protests. She just sighed and smiled sweetly as her boyfriend expressed her care for her in a silly manner.

 Chapter 86 Spy Ward

    Ashton didn''t find anything useful on the ind.

    He''s been exploring these past few days, he never saw anything that would help him reach the base of thisndmass faster. This left him with his only option which was to go down the hard way.

    In hindsight though, the demons he fought at least gave him more battle experience. It also progressed his quest and earned him some loot.

    Ashton also reached Practitioner lv.5 (5th Refinement). This made him a hell of a lot stronger than before. It feels rather crazy to him that his cultivation speed was skyrocketing despite being outside of humanity''s territory but somehow, that also made sense.

    It may seem like he''s taking it easy, but in truth, he''s always at risk so long as he''s out here. His nerves are always taut, not a single moment did he ever dare to let his guard down. He''s pushing himself to his limits and that''s causing his potential to be squeezed out even more. Which in turn, speeds up his cultivation rate as well.

    But enough about that...

    It is time for him to start digging.

    Back to his new base, which is the mine he mostly emptied, you would see him crouching down, hands t on the ground while his eyes closed.

    This is him scanning the ground beneath him. He was searching for the tunnels below, which he knows exist, it has to or else there''d be no way out of here.

    He''s starting to get nervous since he hasn''t found anything close yet. He''s been scanning different spots all day long to no avail. He also can''t exactly go outside either to search for them since there is yet another ck Fog crawling above him.

    That ck Fog will, once again, taint everything corruption and will leave hordes of demons on the ind. Ashton just didn''t want to deal with those for now.

    Plus, nighttime''s approaching. There''s no way he''s getting out now.

    What''s left for him to do is to continue his search for the closest tunnel beneath him.

    Sighing for the nth time of failure, he stood up and stretched for a bit. He groaned as he felt his body stiff, he hadn''t done much physically today so that might be the reason why.

    He stretched some more, just to get the blood flowing. Then he found another spot. Once again, he crouched down, took a deep breath, ced his palms t on the ground, and began scanning the depths.

    Not even a few seconds in, Ashton recoiled in shock.

    "Oh wow, are you kidding me?" He muttered, feeling speechless all of a sudden.

    He had scanned so many spots beforehand to no avail yet this one right was right on the money. So much so that he''s questioning the stability of the ground he''s stepping on.

    The ground separating him from the tunnel is about 5 or so feet. There is nothing that''s supporting the stability of the ground beneath him so the fact that it hasn''t caved in yet was very questionable.

    Nevertheless, he can''tin. He already found his target. Now, he''d just have to n his approach and he can start making his way down.

    Of course, Ashton would dig down hastily. He has no idea what kind of demons were lurking down there. He had to n it out by observing first.

    "Hmm, how should I do this?" Ashton thought to himself.

    He sat down and meditated for an answer. The ideas flowed in his mind and shortly after, a n was formed.

    "Alright so, I''ll make Spy Ward using the trinkets I looted from the Demons I killed. This way, even if some demons manage to discover it, they won''t treat it as a hostile."

    "This Spy Ward should be able to record what happens 24/7. I need to know if demons are lurking around the tunnels. If there are, do their patrols have patterns? What demons am I dealing with exactly? These are things I need to know first before I go down there personally."

    "So collect intel first, after reviewing the intel, I decide whether it''s safe or not. If it''s safe, then I go down. If not, then I find another spot."

    That''s mostly the n for now. Ashton didn''t need an overly-detailed one since there will always be variables anyway. Being flexible is always a given especially when encountering demons.

    With the rough n established, he started working.<sub> </sub>

    He took out several supplies with him, mainly tools that he think he needs to create a Spy, Ward.

    After a couple of tries though, Ashton gave up. While he does know how to create a Spy Ward, creating it using demonic trinkets was not his specialty.

    As a result, he needs Aria to make it for him. Thankfully though, she''s been researching these things for a while now. If there''s anyone who could do this, then it should be her.

    "...yes, I think I can do that." She says after Ashton told her his ns. "It''ll take me a while though. Also, I''m going to need more trinkets if you want this to be as durable as possible."

    Ashton has no problems with that. He gave her more since frankly, he has no use for them right now.

    It took Aria a whole day to make one though. She failed several times due to how finicky the process was but that''s fine. They have enough materials on hand.

    Eventually, she seeded and the unique Spy Ward was created. This Spy Ward can record everything in crisp detail within its line of sight. It has built-in camouge and has enough memory capacity to record non-stop. It can also be remotely controlled so that they can switch points of view.

    Since it''s created using demonic trinkets, demons, hopefully, wouldn''t treat it as a hostile device. That''s the idea at least.

    And just for good measure, if demons still found it and decided to destroy it, they made it so that it will automatically end the recording and send the recent memory to an emergency device.

    The item was light enough to carry and Ashton was extremely satisfied with it. As soon as daybreak hits, Ashton went out of the library and started digging down at the spot he marked.

    He stopped just mere inches away from punching a hole in the tunnel. He built a foothold within the hole he created and scanned again.

    Once he''s sure that there were no demons near the spot, he made a small hole where the Spy Ward''s lenses could fit. He then ced it there and activated it.

    The Spy Ward immediately started recording, it''s cloaking mechanism kicked in too. Once that was done, Ashton climbed out of the hole and rxed.

    He briefly checked what was going on outside of the mines and saw that the ck fog is still around. Ashton decided to not risk it so he returned inside. Instead, he chose to chill in his home, which is the library, with Aria.

    After waking up the next morning, Ashton jumped out of the library and into the hole. He retrieved the recent recording from the ward and reviewed it at 4x speed asionally slowing it down to analyze the footage better.

    Once he''s done. He sighed and massaged his temples.

    "Okay so...I''m mostly correct with my spections so far." He muttered to himself. "Insect-type Demons are what I''m going to be dealing with here."

    "There''s a few that showed up; one that looked like a locust, a centipede, worm, some kind of a beetle, and an ant."

    "Most of the demons spotted are infants at best. And from what I noticed, they appeared during nighttime. They didn''t patrol in groups though, most of them just roamed around."

    "All in all, it doesn''t look bad for now. But I''m going to need more than that." He mused, "I see more before I decide."

    And that''s what Ashton did...

    He continued observing the behavior of demons throughout the rest of the week. Some patterns changed while others didn''t. He paid close attention to everything since he didn''t want to be blindsided.

    Since he saw the types of demons appearing within the tunnels. He managed to cross-reference their descriptions with the books about demons. This allowed him to strategize and update his quest count.

    So far, he concluded that he should be safe to roam the tunnels so long as he enters during the daytime. The demons in there are nocturnal, but of course, he wouldn''t put it past them to attack him should he disturb their slumber.

    Ashton didn''t want to confront them if he could help them. There is a possibility of him being surrounded real quick if he did so. And while he''s strong enough to repel them, he had no way of knowing what other terrors were lurking deeper within these tunnels. He didn''t want to risk his safety like that.

    He already had been fighting them within the Simtion Zone. He had a firm grasp of how to defeat them obviously but that should be ast resort.

    Still, now he has enough intel to make this work. All that he needs to do is to execute his n to get the hell out of this ce.

 Chapter 87 Mobile Safehouse; Get!

    It''s not fun...dealing with Insect-type Demons.

    p They''re gross and yucky even for a battle-hardened Ashton. Their piercing screeches hurts his ears and every time he shoots them, their bodies always make that skin-crawling, gross, squelching sound which is just...no.</anda>

    The tunnelwork was bigger and airy than what he initially expected. It''s smelly too, so much that Ashton had to wear a respirator since he just didn''t want to deal with that.

    A few things in his initial n didn''t work.

    For starters, insect-type demons are uncannily perceptive, they practically sensed him the moment he stepped foot in the tunnels.

    He didn''t get ''mobbed'' per se, since there weren''t a lot of insects roaming around this particr area anyway. However, there are enough of them to make him sweat a bit.

    And although he was extremely tempted to just burn everything that''s lurking within these tunnels, dousing them in mes that will never die out until they''re dead, he didn''t do so.

    Ashton isn''t illusioned that this method will work every damn time. Sometimes, somehow at some point, his mes will prove ineffective. He just knows. That is why he wanted to gather as much experience as he could to be prepared for that.

    On another note...

    Navigating this underground tunnelwork is going to be a nightmare, he''s sure of it.

    While he could spread his senses to peer underground, he can only stretch it so far, he can''t cover this entirendmass at all. That automatically makes it more difficult for him to locate where he''s supposed to go.

    Arguably, he could just keep digging straight down. That''s an option, yes, but also a bad idea at the same time. He only has a weird estimate of how big this ce exactly is. Digging straight down might be counter-productive you see, for he might either not dig deep enough or dig too deep.

    Either way, he''s going to have to follow the tunnelwork to check his progress anyway so he might as well do that in the first ce.

    Another thing that sucks about dealing with insect-type demons, and this is personal to him, is that they don''t give loot.

    Yes, it is rather petty but hey! Loot is loot! His Inventory space doesn''t have any limits so the more the merrier. Of course, he''s going to be bummed about not having more.

    It''s not like he''s not receiving anything...there''s Cleptomancy so at least that helps, but yeah, these troublesome pests are already a pain to deal with, top that with the fact that they don''t give out actual loot. Well, it makes dealing with them ratherckluster and just not worth the effort.

    But oh well, he''s going to have to anyway. If he doesn''t do it, they''ll juste back and bite him in the ass and he just didn''t want to deal with that either. So more shooting he goes it seems.

    "Ooh damn, another dead-end." Ashton clicked his tongue in annoyance.

    Like what was mentioned earlier, navigating this tunnelwork is going to massive pain. He''s been at it for a few days now and he only managed to go so far from his starting point.

    He had already met at least 5 dead-ends at this point, four of them leading right to the very edge of thendmass, where there''s only a deadly fall waiting for him.

    Ashton didn''t even try to get close to that. He''s afraid that some flying-type demons might just swoop down and pick him up from where he is, that will kill him so no thank you.

    He made it a point to keep his progress jotted down though. He made a map of the tunnels he''s been at so far to avoid looping around the same area, he also left some tracks that only he could interpret just to make sure.

    As he did that, he continue his way down here. Meeting some more insects as he goes. As usual, he shot them dead. The unnerving thing about this though is that, as he continues going down, the stronger the demons he''s encountering.

    Infant insect-type demons are already a pain in the ass to deal with, but older ones? Oh boy, they tend to get scarier.

    They''re physically stronger, faster, more durable, and wiserpared to their younger counterparts, plus they have ess to more bags of tricks that Ashton had to pay close attention to.

    The locusts could shoot freakingsers from their eyes, the centipedes have more durable shells and could spew a toxic acid that could melt a human within seconds, worms had a million rows of sharp, jagged teeth, and beetles could detach their shells to use them as projectiles, it also makes them a heck of a lot faster.

    Thank freaking god for sending him the Cloak of Apparitions though. Ashton had way too many close calls and Apparate saved him from those.

    Still, all of these real-life encounters are tempering him. He''s getting better at anticipating where an attack wille from and judging the correct course of action to get out of it scot-free.

    His firearm mastery is also doing work here. Overall, he''s getting better at fighting for his life and the more he does this, the stronger he gets.

    For someone who had been living a sheltered lifestyle not too long ago, Ashton certainly did change a lot.<sub> </sub>

    He did consume the Elven Blood Vials and the Wish Stone. His bloodline is at 25% potency at this point. Nothing much changed in him physically but the effects of his Providence were boosted. The Wish Stone increased is Fortune but he really can''t tell. There''s no ''concrete'' proof that it did, not even a feeling. Though the system did confirm that it was indeed boosted. He guessed that he''ll just have to pay close attention then.

    Still, he always makes sure that he''s getting enough rest in between. Aria constantly reminds him that there''s no need to rush. Haste makes waste after all.

    Aria is the anchor to his sanity. Without her, Ashton wouldn''t even think of trying to make it back home. She makes this challenge more bearable just by existing. Jerry''s a close one too of course.

    [Quest Updated!]

    Survive for 3 months: Cleared.

    Reward: Mobile Safehouse.

    "Oh..." Ashton woke up to this notification. "Three months passed already? That''s rad."

    Yes indeed. It has been 3 months since he was plunged into this horrible situation. He''s getting by pretty well, considering where he is. It''d be better if he''s home though but, well...

    ''Anyways, Mobile Safehouse. Get!''

    [Mobile Safehouse]

    It''s not much but it serves well as a temporary home in the middle of nowhere. Plus, it can move so that''s a bonus!

    Functions: Mobility, Heating, Cooling, Security, Cloaking, and Size-Alteration.

    Can be summoned at will.

    Durability: 10,000/10,000

    "Cool, cool, cool!" Ashton was satisfied with this.

    The Mobile Safehouse doesn''t do much for him to bepletely honest. It''s arguably useless except for one thing and that is the Security Function and its mobility.

    See, he already made the Grand Library his home. Aria can''t get out of there so why would he even think about leaving her behind?

    The only benefit that the Mobile Safehouse gives him is the fact that he could enter it in the middle of a battle. Inside the safe house, he''s technical ''out of battle'' meaning that he can go straight into the Grand Library to bepletely safe, and as soon as he enters, the safehouse goes away with him.

    In short, the Mobile Safehouse is a loophole for him at best.

    Another thing is that his senses can bleed outside of the library, this works for the safe house too. And since the safehouse has mobility, this allows him to practically pick his spot, which makes it even safer for him out there.

    Again, it''s not much but Ashton will take it. Anything to make his life a little easier is weed to bepletely honest.

    And with the weirdbination of the two, navigating this hell hole bes much easier all of a sudden.

    Ashton can now pick his fights which is nice, he won''t get ambushed a lot anymore which means less stress for him to deal with. And if he encounters something above his paygrade, well, he just ''nope'' the hell out of there nigh-instantly.

    ...which is something that he did just now because he felt a foul presence not too far away from him.

    That presence gave him war shbacks. The same thing that he felt when he encountered the Tormentor for the first time. Admittedly, he''s far stronger nowpared to him in the past. More experienced too.

    But the fact that whatever that demon is, still made him feel this, made it pretty freaking clear that he probably shouldn''t fuck with it anytime soon.

    And by the gods...he hates how he''s so right sometimes.

    Because when that demon appeared in his vision, Ashton felt like his soul was being ripped away from his body even though he wasn''t even physically there.

    "What in the ever-loving-fuck is that!!?"

 Chapter 88 Matured Demon

    Gross. Really gross.

    That''d be the perfect description for the thing he''s seeing right now.

    A demon whose body is like a big, ck gtinous mass that writhes as it crawls the tunnels. It''s covered in warts that constantly leak out ck and yellow-ish colored goo. It''s like a giant maggot with the way how its body pulses with every move.

    What makes it more disgusting is the fact that, whatever this thing is, has a cannibalistic streak. Ashton could make out several demons being savored inside its mouth as it writhes forward. He could even hear the screeches of its victims which made his skin crawl.

    It has a foul appearance, presence, and smell. It''s disgusting to look at and every single action it does is nightmare-inducing. But, nothing could top the one thing it did which nearly caused Ashton''s knees to buckle in fear.

    The creature stopped at one point, and Ashton couldn''t help but notice that it stopped precisely at where he disappeared.

    He then heard the unmistakable sound of sniffing. He didn''t even know that this creature had a nose. But when it''s done sniffing around, its body wriggled fiercely, then stopped.

    "Ghhk...kugh...kergfh..."

    What could be described as gurgling sounds escaping from that creature''s maws? Ashton was so unnerved that he was so tempted to cut off the connection outside, however due to his need to know, he didn''t.

    ...and he might''ve regretted that decision.

    "H...h...hu...hum..."

    "Hu...man."

    "Hum..an."

    "Huma...n."

    "HUMAN!!!!"

    Blood drained from Ashton''s face. He never expected something like this. A demon that can talk.

    Its voice was nightmare-inducing, it sounded like thousands of people were speaking the same thing at the same time. The creature also reacted so strongly that it did something that Ashton didn''t know was possible.

    He heard it hacking and coughing, then it faced the ceiling and opened its maws so wide revealing what seems to be endless rows of teeth. He saw the other demons it''s savoring suffering whilst impaled on its teeth, writhing in despair and screeching in pain.

    From the center of the maw, a flesh pod suddenly popped. From it, emerged a man who only has half of his upper body intact. He has long ck hair which is currently covered in ck goo, his skin was as pale as a corpse, his arms hang limply on the side and his eyes were void and empty, dead for all intents and purposes.

    The lower half of the man''s body was fused with whatever this monstrosity is. He then saw a single tentacle rising and plunging itself at the back of the man''s head.

    Ashton had to watch as the man jerked a few times as if electrocuted. Then all of a sudden, the man suddenly moved.

    "A...lingering...scent of...human...here." the creature talked through the man''s body, which made Ashton shiver in horror.

    "...been a long...time since...human...came here...missed their...taste...want to...to...to...devour!!"

    "Human!! Flesh!! Human flesh!!! Mine!!!" The man twitched while roaring in insanity.

    Ashton made no mistake. He knows that the man is dead, the foul creature is just using his body to, perhaps, talk better.

    Still, this doesn''t make this situation any better for himself.

    It seems that he had been far too naive, thinking that he could just breeze through this whole underground tunnel system without endangering himself. In hindsight though, nobody could expect him to need to hide his scent as well, but s...

    The creature can now use this to track him down. And judging by what he has seen so far, this creature would be a massive pain in the ass to deal with.

    Ashton could literally see those mad-looking array of horns it has. This one has four fully grown pairs and one pair that''s already halfway there.

    This thing is a matured demon! If that hasn''t been obvious from the moment it spoke using Humanity''s Language.

    "...w-where are...you...little human..e out..e out...wherever you are..." the creature stuttered as it continued patrolling the tunnels.

    It sniffed now and then, trying to get hold of Ashton''s tracks. This will prove to be a lost cause since Ashton is no longer physically there.

    Now, if that ain''t a relief or what...

    "Babe, seriously? What the hell is up with your luck? I thought you told me that you increased your fortune?" Aria''s voice sounded behind him.

    "I thought it did..." Ashton whined weakly.

    "Then what the hell is this?" Aria was stressed-out and exasperated. "How the hell did you find yourself confronting a matured Nightmare Devourer?"

    "Okay, first of all, I didn''t encounter it."<sub> </sub>

    "...yet."

    "Yet. Damn it!" Ashton cursed, "Second, this isn''t my fault! Had I known that I''d see something like that in the tunnels, I would''ve considered jumping down instead."

    "And finally, how''d you know what this thing is called?" He asked cause he didn''t know what that creature is until Aria spoke, he knows it was a demon but that''s it.

    "Ah, I don''t know if that''s its real name or not. I just based it on the records we''ve seen before. You know, the one we referred to when we were trying to locate where we are?"

    Ashton thought for a bit and said: "Ah right! The expeditions records! I remember that. They said something about encountering a Nightmare inducing Demon Devourer. Is that where the name came from?"

    "Yep." Aria nodded, emphasizing the ''p'' sound. "It''s fitting isn''t it?"

    "Yeah." Ashton sighed as he nodded. "It makes sense too. That thing still has the corpse of thest human it ate. It is even using him to track me down. How vile."

    "You''d think it''d long since digested that man, but I guess it has other ideas. Said ideas that I most likely would never want to know thank you very much." Aria grumbled as she plopped down on the couch next to him.

    Ashton refrained frommenting. He still finds himself reeling from the shock and horror he witnessed just now.

    Honestly, how does anyone expect him to face something like that? Does he wanna know? Would he even try to simte a battle against this thing in the Simtion Zone?

    Well, the answer to thest part was most likely yes. If he wants to continue his descent downwards, he needs to confront this bullshit of a demon.

    At this point, he too was starting to question if his luck really increased or decreased instead. He''d like to think that it''s the former but now...he''s starting to doubt it.

    "Either way, I guess I should''ve been more careful." Ashton sighed, "It''s just...I didn''t know that I also have to hide natural scent on top of hiding my presence as well. I''d like to think that I''m being thorough and careful with whatever I do outside but things just happen all the time and-"

    "Shh..." Aria ced a finger on his lips and cupped his face with her hands, she brought him to her bosom and heard him sighing infort. "Quit ming yourself. This isn''t your fault. I know you''re trying your best."

    "...boob heaven." He hummed as he snuggled closer.

    Aria rolled her eyes and said: "Really?"

    "What?" His head rose and pouted at her. "You''re the one who initiated this so take responsibility."

    And with that, he dove right back in, snuggling closer for more warmth.

    "But yeah, I get it." He mumbled while basking in the warmth of Aria''s valleys. "I''m just frustrated I guess, it''s nothing new. I''ll bounce back from this."

    He emphasized the word ''bouncing'' as he bobbed his face on her chest, eliciting a giggle from Aria.

    "I guess it''s more Simtion Training for me." He added, "I not looking forward to it though, considering I''ll have to fight a matured demon."

    "...this is going to be a routine isn''t it?" Aria wondered out loud.

    "Yeah I can, see that happening." He replied, "Me trying to navigate the way back home, being stopped every now and then to train whenever I meet a demon that could potentially kill me. That''s going to get repetitive."

    "But you''ll alwayse-out on top. You''ll end up victorious because if you don''t then nobody could. I believe you." Aria smiled at him.

    "Mn." Ashton nodded, "And I also believe in Boob Heaven Supremacy."

    "Ash!!"

    Aria giggled as Ashton lifted her shirt and snaked his head inside, stopping right at her cleavage and humming in satisfaction.

    "Mountains, yay."

    Aria chuckled as he firmly imed his spot on her cleavage, refusing to leave, forcing her to cuddle with him.

    The connection outside has long been forgotten. Ashton clearly doesn''t want to deal with it right now. He would rather bask in the glory of his mini-paradise instead of dealing with a nightmare inducing headache right now.

    As for Aria herself, well she doesn''t mind this either. She''s not really disturbed by his boyfriend''s behavior since he wouldn''t do this if he knew she''d be ufortable with it.

    Besides, she''s rather fond of his mildly pervy antics too. At least he''s not shy to express what he wants. She''d rather have that instead of Ashton keeping everything bottled-up.

    "Ooh, boob sweat, yoink!"

    "Ash!!!"

    On second thought...

 Chapter 89 High-Order Spells

    Fighting the Nightmare Devourer isn''t fun...

    Ashton wasn''t looking forward to it since he already knows it''s gonna suck, and he hates it when he''s right too.

    A matured demon, one with four and a half pairs of horns, one that can talk and obviously dead-set on eating him, isn''t really something that he''d easily deal with.

    Despite its sluggish appearance, the Nightmare Devourer is deceptively swift. It can instantly cover hundreds of meters in a blink of an eye. Its main form of attack is by sending barbed tentacles at him.

    Each tentacle is covered with acidic spit, one that could punch a hole in his body within mere seconds. The thorny barbs that covered the tentacles were extremely sharp, each one is jagged and curved too which makes it even more painful.

    This thing was a predator through and through. The creepier part of its abilitieses in the form of ''Grafting'' as Ashton would like to call it.

    In some kind of sick and twisted way, the Nightmare Devourer can control the corpses of its victims, somewhat reanimating them in a way and using them as a puppet to increase its arsenal for predation.

    Ashton had witnessed it using its victims to shoot streams of acid towards him, lob thick shells, emit a poisonous fog, bite him in half withrge mandibles, and so on. All of this was done using the corpses of its victims and it didn''t help that Ashton has to sever the connection if he wants to stop it.

    The most disturbing thing about this is the fact that it can also use its human victim quite easily.

    Ashton had to shake off the unsettledness that he felt when the human corpse began casting spells. It turns out that the man it ate was once a Sorcerer for the parasite and was able to use High-Order Spells.

    The demon can use multiple bodies at once so if he wants to even stand a chance against it, then Ashton had to develop a fine strategy here.

    The fires caused by his shots don''t work either. They''ve finally met their match it seems.

    The moment he tries to set the demon on fire, the Nightmare Devour would just casually discard the part of it that''s on fire giving it no chance to spread at all.

    ? And since it''s agile as well, shooting it down is difficult even with Ashton''s expertise. Ashton also confirmed that this thing has an absurd about of vitality. A battle of attrition isn''t wise to deal with it since it would most likely oust the attempts.

    This meant that Ashton is kind of stuck now. He doesn''t know how to approach this for now but he could certainly try more ideas.

    He didn''t n on going out before finding a solution to this problem though. Ashton just didn''t want to risk it.

    Based on his observations during the past few days, the Nightmare Devourer is really determined to find him. If had been doubling down on its patrol and practically refused to never leave the spot he departed from for too long.

    It''s clear that it is waiting for him, it wants to eat him so bad and he''d be an absolute buffoon to fall for such a tant trap.

    This is fine for Ashton, if anything, time is on his side. He''s not in a hurry anyways.

    That being said, he''s far from being idle. He''s working hard.

    Getting killed by the Nightmare Devourer sucks. The demon takes its time and savors the victory. It will even go so far as to preserve him just so that he bes more ''vourful''. Experiencing that process is just a prolonged agony and suffering.

    It''s kind of traumatizing to die in such a way but he''s building some kind of resistance towards it with every subsequent attempt.

    Ashton is also trying to figure out a way how to kill this thing more effectively.

    While the mes don''t work on it, it doesn''t mean that the demons weren''t harmed by it. Oh, that hurts it a lot. It just doesn''t suffer too long from it, which is the problem.

    He tried shooting it using the Anti-Abomination Form.

    Well, it sorta worked, but it didn''t kill it outright. It was close though.

    Still, Ashton would prefer to not use that kind of shot unless it''spletely necessary. While it does seem effective, the attack proves to be so strong that it will undoubtedly copse the tunnel system.

    And as much as he would like to eradicate the demons barring his path toward home, he wants to do it without burying himself in the process.

    ''Restricting its movements is a no-go.'' He mused to himself after another failed attempt. ''The tunnels are too small that there''s no use for that anyways. Plus, this creature is highly resistant against the mes.''

    ''Well, it is a Matured Demon so it does make sense why that''s the case but still...''

    ''A battle of attrition is a big no, I''m not faster nor stronger than it is, and traps don''t work either.''

    ''Surely, I''m missing something, right? There should be a way for me to defeat this thing without killing myself in the process?''

    Ashton was facing a dilemma. This thing is more difficult to deal withpared to the Tormentor and the Crowfather. It truly is one hell of a demon.

    And to think that something like this is hiding in the depths of this ce. It puts the world''s perspective in a negative light.

    In the end, Ashton couldn''te up with an answer for today. So another fruitless endeavor it seems.

    It''s not like he doesn''t have any other options though. For one, he could just remain inside the library and cultivate until he''s strong enough to wipe that thing off of the face of the.<sub> </sub>

    That''s an option...

    Sure, it will take time but it''s effective so it''s viable. Additionally, Ashton has time, he isn''t in a hurry. But this would be thest resort though.

    Even though he wasn''t in a hurry, it wouldn''t be productive of him to be stopped for that long just to deal with one demon. So, whether he likes it or not, he has to find a way to deal with this as soon as he can.

    "Hey, Babe."

    "Yes?"

    "What non-offensive High-Order Spells do you have?" Ashton asked.

    "Hmm, well there''s Absolute Immunity, Archangel''s Breath, Divine Fortress, and White Emperor''s Regalia." She replied, "Why do you ask?"

    "Can you teach me one at least?" He asked, looking a bit hesitant. "My ammunitions aren''t working on the damn thing. I''ve tried all sorts ofbinations at this point but that thing just casually shrugs it off, I''m getting sick of it."

    "Well...since we''re in a weird situation, I guess that wouldn''t be a problem. I can teach you everything I know, but I need to check if you even have the mana capacity to cast them in the first ce."

    Aria then walked toward him and held his wrist. Ashton could feel her sensing his mana reserves.

    Under normal circumstances, what he did just now would be considered rude and disrespectful, but like Aria said their situation is weird and they''re lovers so it isn''t much of a big deal.

    "Wow...no wonder you canst so long." She gasped faintly. Ashton pointedly ignored the innuendo. "Your reserves are almost as big as I have. With your intellect, it shouldn''t be difficult for you to learn High-Order Spells. You should be fine casting three of these before your reserves dry out."

    Aria then let go of his wrist and proceeded to write down something on a parchment. Ashton leaned over to see what she was writing and discovered that she was writing the details about the spells she will teach him.

    She even wrote it down ording to the System''s style, which made him feel special.

    [Absolute Immunity]

    High Order Immunity Spell.

    Grants Immunity to all kinds of negative status ailments for five minutes.

    Cooldown: 12 hours

    [Archangel''s Breath]

    High-Order Healing Spell

    A massive AOE heal that cures all known injuries and heals allies back to their peak health.

    Cooldown: 12 hours.

    [Divine Fortress]

    High-Order Defensive Formation Spell

    Erects a 5x5km Defensive Formation that blocks High-Order Offensive Spells for an hour.

    Cooldown: 24 hours.

    [White Emperor''s Regalia]

    High-Order Defensive Spell.

    Grants a massive offensive and defensive boost to all allies.

    Unique Effect: White Emperor''s Revenge - Reflects all damage inflicted.

    Cooldown: 12 hours.

    "Oh wow..." Ashton was awed.

    These spells looked absurdly strong. It would make sense since they are High-Order Spells, something that ''only Sorcerers'' are supposed to learn and able to cast. That being said, Ashton''s a unique guy.

    High-Order Spells are simr to EX-Skills in video games. They''re supposed to be absurdly strong and have ridiculously long cooldown times. It sounds like something that Ashton needs to deal with one massive pain in the ass.

    Anyway, since Aria doesn''t have any problems teaching him these Spells, he should be able to use them shortly. And with the Grinding Slots avable to him, this should hopefully be enough to deal with the Nightmare Devourer.

 Chapter 90 New Spells, Bullets And Combinations!

    Basic, Intermediate, High-Order, Ascendant, and Law-Level...

    These are the Spell Rankings ording to Humanity''s standards. At the Mystic Academy, only High-Order Spells are avable for both students and teachers to learn. Even then, they have to go through several tests and get clearances to learn them.

    Ascendant level spells and above weren''t even revealed, much less taught. These spells are considered Humanity''s trump cards and only a handful of people are trusted to learn them.

    The only reason why Ashton is aware of their existence is thanks to the books that are now avable to him. Even then, he only knew the introduction to these spells.

    Aria teaching him High-Order spells should help out immensely. Well...at least he hopes it does since he''s running out of options here.

    Learning the spells themselves wasn''t a challenge for Ashton. It''s probably thanks to his keen intellect granted by his bountiful Providence. It only took him a couple of tries before getting the hang of it.

    This made Aria somewhat bitter because it took her almost a month to master each one of these spells and she was hailed a genius. Whereas Ashton learned it after a couple of tries.

    If she''s called a genius, then what would they call Ashton then?

    Well, that''s not important right now. Despite being a bit jealous, Aria is more than happy to help Ashton in any way she could.

    What separates High-Order Spells from Basic or Intermediate Spells were a few things: Mana Reserves, Intent, and Mediums.

    To cast a High-Order Spell, the caster''s mana reserves should be at least twice as big as the required amount of mana needed to cast the spell, otherwise, it will fail.

    The reason behind this is due to Mana Exhaustion - a status ailment that weakens a Mage, it''s triggered by emptying their mana reserves swiftly. This can be fatal, especially when casting a high-level spell.

    The doubled mana reserve requirement is a failsafe for the mages who n on casting this to avoid killing themselves.

    Next is Intent, which might be vague but it is an important process when ites to spell casting.

    High-Order Spells are dangerous. They require a lot of mana to cast and their effects could prove devastating either to the enemy or to one''s self.

    Spell casting, and this couldn''t be stressed enough, ALWAYS have a chance to fail.

    Failing to cast a High-Order Spell will cause severe injuries if not, directly killing the caster.

    This is where Intentes in.

    The clearer the caster''s Intent when casting a spell, the lesser chance the spell will fail. A spell caster''s intentes from their Will, so the stronger one''s Willpower is, the stronger their Intent. This in turn causes spell casting to be more stable.

    Andst but not the least, Mediums.

    Again, High-Order spells are demanding. Casting them without the use of Mediums could be suicide. After all, concentrating too much mana on a single body part is too much of a burden.

    Mediums act as a vessel for the spell, it helps the process of Spell Casting to be much smoother and doable. There are a lot of items out there that Mages can use as a Spell Medium.

    The mostmon ones are wands and talismans. There are peculiar ones too like animals, bones, teeth, potions, etc. Ashton had read a lot about those and he too found those options rather weird. Then again, if it works, it works.

    Magical Artifacts can be Mediums too, however, to do so, they have to have the ''Spell Medium'' Trait, or else it wouldn''t work.

    Ashton''s Cursed Book of Infinity and its sub-artifact called: Mortal Reminder, both work as a Spell Medium so this has never been an issue for him.

    All in all, Ashton has everything he needs to cast High-Order Spells. And during these past few days, he had been practicing them.

    The spells are already registered under the System and are now going under the Grinding Slots.

    So far, he discovered that he can''t elerate the Grinding Speed of High-Order Spells for now, which is a bummer, but it''s fine.

    ...at least he could still use them as bullets, which was the whole point of this anyways.

    Actually, that''s another discovery he had when he started practicing. As it turns out, High-Order Spells (Buffs) when used in conjunction with the Mortal Reminder and the Gunslinger ss, be apletely new thing.

    He''s using the guns as a conversion tool to make buffs into offensive spells. Neat!<sub> </sub>

    If he casts [Absolute Immunity] with the Mortal Reminder, he converts it into a bullet that pierces through all manner of protection. It''s a shot that ignores everything and pierces right through their soul!

    Of course, it''ll be a buff if he shoots himself or an ally with it, but to enemies, it bes that one painful round that they will remember at every waking moment, granted that they survive it of course.m

    Trust Ashton, he would know. He tested it after all.

    [Archangel''s Breath] is just a woke version of Burning Rounds. This one spreads fast and is extremely lethal to demons. One lick is all it takes to wrap thempletely in mes that burn them into crisp, not to mention, the pain sears to their soul. This is highly reactive to Demonic Corruption so it''s a perfect tool for Demon Hunting.

    [Divine Fortress] is fun. It''s an AOE shot that creates a 500m cube that traps all that''s caught within an inescapable bullet hell. The cubests for 10 minutes, enough time for Ashton to run away if he needed to.

    And finally, there''s the [White Emperor''s Regalia], which is probably the shiest and most ''extra'' spell in his arsenal.

    It shoots a signal re, which calls down a rain of fucking weapons down the sky. Where the hell are those evening from?

    The weapons range from swords, daggers, spears, axes, arrows, hammers, chains, etc. It is so extra and Ashton fucking loves it.

    The way how that bullet workspletely eludes him but it''s fun to watch. Each weapon looked real but non of them stays permanently. The craftsmanship of each one looks divine though, not going to lie.

    It''s absurd but Ashton learned to now question it. Again, if it works, it works.

    With these four new spells in his arsenal, Ashton just became even deadlier.

    The mana cost of each spell was around the same level which meant that he could potentiallybine these spells into one bullet. His current maximum is three High-Order Spells ording to Aria, which is good enough.

    And the poor Nightmare Devourer though...

    The moment Ashton learned these new spells, was the same moment that this demon stopped being his problem.

    Right now, it has be his training dummy. Well, at least it''s a simted version. Though Ashton would be lying if he said that he''s not having fun torturing the poor demon.

    Either way, Ashton had been testing outbinations so far, because yes he couldbine multiple High-Order Spells into a single shot apparently, hell he could even apply the lower-tiered spells along the mix.

    Combining [Absolute Immunity] + [Archangel''s Breath] results in a streaking shot that pierces through everything it passes and leaves a burning trail that burns everything it touches.

    [Divine Fortress] + [White Emperor''s Regalia] bes a cube trap of bullet hell. Said bullets were weapons of all shapes and sizes.

    [Absolute Immunity] + [White Emperor''s Regalia] causes the weapons to be ethereal and deal ''true damage'' if this were to be a game.

    [Archangel''s me] + [Divine Fortress] bes an on-site cremation zone.

    [Absolute Immunity] + [Divine Fortress] causes the zone to slowly shrink to nothingness.

    And [Archangel''s Breath] + [White Emperor''s Regalia] encases the weapon with pure white mes that burn everything it touches.

    It was fun to watch as the Nightmare Devourer tries so hard to survive under the harassment of his attacks. Ashton can''t pick favorites since all of them were cool.

    That being said, Ashton also felt Mana Exhaustion for the first time, and that was not fun. Well, he felt it through the Simtion Zone so it''s not as lethal but it still hurts.

    The kind of pain where every single inch of his body was throbbing, that''s what Mana Exhaustion feels like. Hell, he felt pain in ces he didn''t think existed before.

    He was thankful for the warning though cause without it, he''d probably suffer even greatly due to his enthusiasm.

    Ashton had to thank his cultivation technique for this as well since that''s the one that made this entirely possible in the first ce.

    If it weren''t for the repeated refinements of his mana, its purity and quantity wouldn''t have been enough for a single High-Order Spell. So he''s very thankful for it.

    Either way, since the Nightmare Devourer is no longer a problem, Ashton felt lighter of course. He''s no longer stressed and felt like he could make his way down the tunnelwork fairly safe.

    All that''s left for him to do, is to explore more and it won''t be long until he''s back on track, making his way back home.

 Chapter 91 Plain And Simple

    "Well then...I''m off."

    "Right, be safe out there."

    "I will, see youter." Ashton kissed Aria in the cheeks before exiting the library.

    In the real world, within the underground tunnelwork, the mobile safehouse appeared silently, it is cloaked so nothing sensed its appearance. Inside the safehouse, Ashton buffed himself with spells he needed to keep himself safe before exiting.

    He had been stalled for two weeks now and clearly, that can''t go on anymore. It''s time for him to resume his journey down to the unknown depths of this ce.

    Being wiser nowpared to before, Ashton made sure that every single thing that would give away his location is covered. He left no footsteps, sound, or even scent as he traveled. He made sure that he was moving like a ghost to keep himself safe and maintain the option of picking his fights.

    If there''s something that could get in his way currently, it would only be that one demon who he hasn''t dealt with yet.

    And speaking of the god damn demon...Ashton could already feel its presence closing in on him.

    "Ugh, fine!" He muttered to himself, withdrawing his guns from the holster. "I''m getting sick of this fucker anyways."

    He stood on the spot for a minute or two, waiting for the demon to get real close before he took action.

    Soon, he felt the ground shaking underneath. Something big wasing his way. He then heard a loud groan which could only belong to that monstrosity.

    "Hu...HUMAAAAN!!!"

    Peng! Crash!

    With a smooth movement, he turned around and fired a shot at the charging monstrosity. The bullet traveled swiftly and stopped mere inches away from the demon before transforming into something else.

    It turned into a cube thatpletely trapped the demon. It even crashed violently into the walls but not a scratch remained. The walls of the cube were solid and could withstand some serious beating. If anything, the demon injured itself by crashing onto it.

    "Wha...what''s this!?" The Nightmare Devourer asked. Ashton still felt rather unnerved by the fact that this demon was speaking hisnguage.

    "A little prison for ugly fucks like you." He replied, ring at the trapped demon.

    The demon didn''t look convinced. It roared and attacked the cube with all manner of ways avable to it yet none worked. It didn''t even leave a scratch.

    "You''re just wasting your time. Unless I want you free, there''s no way you''re getting out of that little prison." Ashton stated, much to the dismay of the trapped demon.

    "P-puny Human!! What...what did you do...?"

    "Damn it, this is hopeless. This thing''s stupid." Ashton cursed under his breath.

    "Let...let me...eat youuuu..."

    "Unreasonable too, great." Ashton rolled his eyes.

    Then his eyes gleamed all of a sudden. An idea formed in his mind.

    ''Maybe...I can use this to my advantage. I mean, I have nothing to lose if this didn''t work anyways.''

    "Hey, ugly!" He called out.

    "Y-yes?" The demon answered much to Ashton''s surprise.

    ''It''s oddly polite. Maybe it''s because it''s stupid. Okay, let''s try this.''

    "If you agree to answer some of my questions, then I might think about letting you eat me. How does that sound?"

    The demon''s body went rigid for a bit. It then released some disgusting gurgling sounds from whichever part of its body.

    "I want...I want...eat! You, eat!! Y-yes!!"

    Ashton winced and asked: "Do you agree?"

    "Y-yes!?"

    ''Why do you sound like you''re asking me that?'' Ashton shrugged, ''Anyway, let''s see how this ys out.''

    "Can you tell me where this ce is?"

    "...h-home?"

    Ashton nearly pped himself. Of course, it would answer this way. He''s cing too much hope in this thing.

    "It''s...it''s...home for me...but not for...everyone like me..." the Nightmare Devourer continued, "R-real home...we call it...C-Central...K-Kuay? K-kyul? Kuwaipoth? I...I don''t know how...to say it..."

    "Qlipoth."

    "Mn! Mn! Mn! T-that''s it! H-Human...smart!! Wanna....eat you!!"

    Ashton waspletely unable to feel ttered by the praise because he was too busy letting out strings of curses within his mind.

    ''Qlipoth...fucking why not, right!? Of course world! How can it be so fucking simple when ites to you? God damn it!''

    "Right. Whatever..." Ashton huffed, "Do you know the shortest path to take to get out of this ce?"

    "...N-Nurseries..." it replied, "M-mindless slugs...points their horns at the way outside...c-can''t eat them...they are useful."

    ''That''s...helpful.'' Ashton raised a brow as he wasn''t expecting that.

    Of course, the demon could very well be lying to him as well. He wouldn''t put it past them since it would be fitting for what they stand for. Then again, for a demon this strong there''s no point in doing that.

    Plus, it is clear that even though this thing possesses some level of intellect, it is not as smart as him. So the chances of it lying is very low.

    "What do the Nurseries look like?"

    "...a cave w-with...a lot of eggs?"

    Again, that answer made Ashton want to smack himself in the face. Of course, it would! How could he have not thought about that?<sub> </sub>

    "T-the...nearest one is...below this...tunnel? I-it''s...big...you won''t miss it..."

    "Thanks, I guess."

    "Y-you''re...wee?" The demon squirmed.

    ''Damn it''s polite...what the hell?'' Ashton groaned inwardly.

    "Okay, are there any other demons out here that could speak mynguage just like you do?"

    "U-uh...no?" The Nightmare Demon replied, "I-I could...speak human tongue b-because I have...eaten one...before...other didn''t."

    "And these ''others'' you speak about...are they as old as you?" Ashton inquired.

    "Y-yes!!" The demon replied enthusiastically, which bothered Ashton. "B-bigger and s-stronger than me...f-faster too! I want to...I want to be like...them...when I grow up!"

    "Can you describe what they look like to me?"

    "Y-yes." The demonplied, "T-there''s Big Brother Mantis! H-he is fast...very fast...h-he can fuse...with the darkness and then stab...stab you!"

    "T-there''s also Big Sister Viper! S-she''s older than...me and Big Bro Mantis! S-she...likes biting...things and...and spitting venoms."

    "I-I hate Big Brother Snail...he...he blocks the tunnels...sometimes...not letting us...move to where...we want. He...doesn''t care how long it takes...his shell is...hard and he''s...very heavy and yucky."

    ''That''s riching from you.'' Ashton rolled his eyes.

    "A-and then...there''s Big Brother Dragon."

    Ashton''s breath hitched upon hearing that, thankfully the demon didn''t notice it.

    "B-big Brother Dragon is...is the strongest! He''s...he''s awesome! He...he said that he''s an...undead dragon! A...a rare breed! He''s really big...and smelly!"

    "He hates it when...we disturb his sleep or...if we dirty his...treasure hoard..."

    "D-don''t touch his...treasures! H-he will kill you! I-if you died...I won''t be able to eat you anymore!! D-don''t go to his...cave!!"

    Ashton practically ignored the demon''s warning cause; ''Holy mother of god there''s a Dragon here!?''

    He surely wasn''t expecting this...

    Ashton initially thought that he''d be dealing with critters and bugs, not a whole-ass dragon!

    That being said...he doesn''t have to confront that thing, right? If it''s not on his way out of here...he doesn''t have to fight it...right?

    So long as he''s being careful here, he wouldn''t have to fight because seriously, what''s the point? He just wants to go home. Maybe he can avoid fighting altogether, who knows?

    Ashton scratched his head and sighed. This is getting troublesome.

    "Okay,st question," Ashton said to the Nightmare Demon. "Why does your race want to eradicate us?"

    "E-eradicate? Humans?" The demon asked in wonder.

    "Yes." Ashton nodded, "Why do your race and Angels hate us so much?"

    The demonughed...itughed.

    "Hate you? W-we don''t...hate you...silly. H-humans are...food. Y-you can''t hate...food! Demons don''t...hate food...t-the hateful Angels don''t...hate food either!"

    "H-humans are...tasty...t-that''s why...we eat you. W-we don''t...hate you...in fact...we love you...w-what we hate are angels!! T-they''re the enemy! Not humans!"

    "Angels are our...enemies...that''s why we...fight them...here."

    Ashton chilled. His whole body felt like it was struck by lightning.

    "I...see." He muttered, "So...that''s how it is. I get it now."

    The demon''s right. He''s really silly. Asking stupid questions and all that. The answer was in and simple as it turns out. How can he be so stupid to not know all of this beforehand?

    Oh, he''s really silly.

    "Thank you, for answering my silly questions." Ashton smiled at the demon. Yet his eyes...they''re cold and distant. He raised his gun and aimed it at the demon.

    "Here, eat this."

    [Archangel''s Breath] + [Divine Fortress] = ''Heavenly Cremation Shot''.

    Ashton closed his ears and his heart from the agonized roars of the burning demon. He watched as the demon tried its best to survive his attack only to fail miserably.

    He felt no pity nor anger as he killed this intelligent demon. Why would he? Isn''t this natural?

    It wouldn''t be wrong to say that what he killed isn''t a demon; it''s EXP and Loot. Nothing more. Why should he feel pity for it? He wants to be stronger after all so it''s natural that he will kill it. in and simple.

    It''s not thatplicated. There''s no absurd revenge plot or righteous indignation here. Only thew of the jungle.

    If he was weak, he''ll be eaten. If he''s strong, then he won''t. In the grand scheme of things, it''s just that. in and simple.

    To Demons and Angels, Humans are just delicacies who happened to be present on their battlefield.

    And as much as he hates the sound of that, he''s not the one making the rules.

    Well, at least not yet.

    "Since you all see us as food, then it wouldn''t be unfair if we all see you as EXP and Loot right?"

    [Notice! Quest Updated!]

 Chapter 92 Ashtons Thoughts

    [Notice! Quest Updated!]

    Path to Enlightenment: 50% Complete.

    Ashton''s eyes flickered upon seeing this. He forcefully took a deep breath in and released it slowly to calm himself down.

    He was in a foul mood. And this is probably the first time that Ashton felt this kind of anger in both of his lives.

    ''Ash. You okay?'' Aria''s worried voice sounded in his consciousness.

    Ashton winced. He was trying to suppress the signs of his bubbling anger yet Aria still felt it in the end. He sighed and replied:

    ''Not really, but I''ll be fine. I just need to vent.''

    ''Alright.'' She said, ''Do what you just. Once you''re tired,e here, and let''s watch some movies while eating ice cream, yeah?''

    ''Yeah, that sounds fantastic. I''ll look forward to it. Thank you. Talk to youter.'' A shadow of a smile appeared on his face before the connection disappeared.

    He truly appreciates Aria''s concern for him and her consideration. She didn''t force him to say anything and instead told him subtlely that she was there to listen. That''s more than enough for him right now.

    Still, Ashton needs to vent.

    He''s too angry to sit down and watch movies with her right now. He needs to release all of this anger at once or else it will hurt him.

    Thankfully, he has no shortage of demons to kill. This...this would help. This is good for him right now.

    Ashton snorted coldly as he aimed his guns and began firing shots, instantly plunging the entire tunnel into ming mayhem.

    The words of the Nightmare Devourer still rang in his ears.

    To summarize what it said, it''s this; ''Humans are just our food.''

    That''s it. It didn''t get any moreplicated than that.

    Yes, it is highly possible that the demon was just lying to him, pulling his leg or something, there''s a possibility of this happening. Yet for some reason, Ashton believes it.

    But oh. Oh, how he hated that.

    Ashton wouldn''t call himself a Saint or a Racial Patron for Humanity, or anything of the sorts. He''s just some random dude with some questionable luck and a weird fascination with magic.

    Still, he can''t help but feel greatly insulted by the fact that these ugly things justbel him as food. Like cattle, always meant to be raised and, one day, ughtered to be fed to them.

    He hated that idea.

    This is somehow hypocritical since Humans do that to animals too, yet Humans never really felt remorseful of their actions (except for a select group who strictly eats vegetables only), nor do they specifically care about the morality of what they''re doing, yet when other races did it to them, suddenly it bes a problem.

    But that''s just human in a nutshell, aren''t they? A hypocritical race that never ceased to pursue perfection, no matter how far-fetched the idea is.

    Ashton never really explicitly felt pride for being a human, yet he also couldn''t think of being born to any other race aside from this. He''s gotten used to it already that everything else seems dull at this point.

    And maybe that''s why he''s reacting this badly...

    The fact that he was being disrespected on a racial level triggers him so bad. To think that someone would have the gall to call him nothing but food, sounds incredibly disrespectful to him and he hates it.

    It''s such a tant disregard for his race too. Saying that both Demons and Angels kept them around since they''re considered a unique delicacy of this world.

    To them, all the human blood that''s been shed, all the efforts of the Heroes who were born since the dawn of their invasion, those who sacrificed their lives to make sure that the next generation of their race lives on and hope for a brighter tomorrow...

    All of these are nothing but a divineedy to them. A wonderful joke, all of it. Nothing more.

    And that''s...that''s disheartening, isn''t it?

    The fact that these invaders just arrived here to fight each other while hunting humanity for sport.

    It''s a kind of insult that sears into one''s being. Ashton''s too.

    ''So, the act of them tantly swaggering inside Last Bastion, ignoring its bubble of protection as if it didn''t exist, and attacking an entire city is nothing more than a hunt for them, then?''

    Peng! Peng! Peng!

    ''You mean to say that all of those lives, you lot imed it because you''re apparently ''craving'' for some Human meat? Is that it?''

    Peng! Peng! Peng!

    ''You lot disturbed our peace.''

    Peng!

    ''Terrorized us.''

    Peng!<sub> </sub>

    ''imed millions of lives.''

    Peng!

    ''And destroyed an entire city, warping it away from our territory just because you''re starving?''

    Peng!

    "How fucking dare you all..." Ashton grunted coldly as he condensed more bullets to shoot.

    He''s really not in a great mood today. It''s evident by the fact that he''s not even trying to hide his presence. Instead, he announced it proudly as if he was a beacon, attracting more demons towards his location so that he could kill more of them.

    Ashton downed a vial of Mana Potions in between shots since he isn''t satisified yet. Far from it actually. He needs to kill more to satiate his anger.

    At this point, it is clear that Ashton now bears a grudge. He had made it his mission to kill as many demons as he could to maintain his peace of mind.

    The idea of just making peace with this new knowledge just didn''t sit well with him.

    How could he possibly do that when these invaders made it personal?

    See, he loved this new life of his, he truly does. It''s fantastical, wonderous, and mysterious too, if not just a tad bit dangerous. He was looking forward to living his life to the fullest, chasing after his dreams and all.

    Then, they came out of nowhere and decided to rip those dreams apart like they were made out of the thinnest sheet of paper.

    They never asked for his opinion about it, they just went ahead and did it. Not caring about his or Humanity''s well-being.

    They swaggered on their territory, snorting as they look around, thinking of it as nothing but a pathetic joke, then imed their share of Human meat cause it''s probably been a while since they ate some.

    Isn''t that just too vexing?

    Anger couldn''t even describe what Ashton was feeling right now. He felt humiliated, spat and stepped on, disregarded, and extremely disrespected. All of this created a stifling feeling in his chest.

    He doubts if he could make that disappear, even after killing hordes after hordes of demons. Yet at the same time, this is what he can do best right now.

    ''I shouldn''t be feeling this way really.'' He mused to himself. ''In the grand scheme of things, this could be identified as thew of the jungle. Survival of the fittest at its best.''

    ''It''s an age-old rule that had always been there. The one fundamentalw that all living beings followed through.''

    ''Yet it feels harrowing.'' Ashton sadly concluded as he saw the burning demons in front of him.

    ''Demons and Angels...why do they have to pick this world to be their battlefield? What''s the reason, really?''

    ''Humans are fine on their own. Why do they have to appear? Why do they have toe here?''

    ''If their goal is to eradicate each other, can''t they do it in their territory? Somewhere else maybe? Why does it have to be here? Just why?''

    ''And the gall of them really...''

    ''They came in like they owned the ce. They didn''t bother asking for our opinion and just started fighting each other.''

    ''From the very start of this whole mess, Humans were never seen as a threat. Never respected as a local of this ce. Never had any opinions that should be heard by both races.''

    ''Humans are just food.''

    ''A unique delicacy that could be found in this specific battlefield of theirs.''

    ''Do others know about this?''

    ''Did they even bother?''

    ''When I read the history of humanity before, I didn''t find anything weird. I thought that it was just normal.''

    ''The invaders came out of nowhere. They didn''t bother to announce their presence, they just started to appear then they fought each other. History said that Humanity suffered as coteral damage.''

    ''If it weren''t for the appearance of the First Hero, Humanity would''ve gone extinct at this point.''

    ''It''s understandable that the First Hero''s course of action, is preservation. He''s alone after all. He can''t kill every single invader out there so instead, he protected humanity and made sure they''ll survive.''

    ''It''s under his lead that Humanity built the Last Bastion - a ce where Humanity can be safe and continue living while also trying to raise more warriors that would keep their race safe.''

    ''This has been the trend for so long.''

    ''Humanity advanced gained some semnce of control through the help of dazzling Heroes who in turn sacrificed their lives to protect humanity."

    ''Yet...now that I think about it, theter line of Heroes could''ve done so much more than living long enough to sacrifice their own lives for humanity''s preservation.''

    ''Why is that?''

 Chapter 93 More Deep Thoughts With Ashton

    ''There could be a lot of reasons...''

    ''Limited knowledge, abilities, time, technology, and so on.''

    ''And if that were to be the case, then I couldn''t me them.''

    ''But that''s not it.''

    ''At the end of the day, these limitations are just excuses too.''

    ''While they are limited strictly because of the uncertainty of their situation, they weren''t threatened to the point of extinction.''

    ''They didn''t experience any real invasions, the attacks that urred happened outside of the Last Bastion. Meaning that if they chose to not send anyone outside the protective bubble, nobody would''ve died.''

    ''Now that I think about it, the hardships and challenges these Heroes faced mostly happened within Humanity''s territory. Most of it was internalized conflict. But the result always ended up with them sacrificing their lives to strengthen the protective bubble.''

    ''Isn''t that shady?''

    Ashtin pursed his lips as he holstered his guns. He looked in front of him, witnessing the zing mess of demons writhing in pure agony as his thoughts gradually closes to an ugly conclusion.

    ''They could''ve achieved so much more if there weren''t people who deliberately tried to discredit them. They could''ve done so much more if they just tried hard enough.''

    ''Yet they didn''t.''

    ''All of them sumbed to the pressure didn''t they?''

    ''Someone or some people pressured them and indoctrinated them to be martyrs. Their deaths were glorified, paraded as a noble cause to poison the minds of the future generations, breeding more martyrs in the process.''

    ''This minimized their potentials and limited their achievements, which in turn, stagnated the growth of humans even more.''

    ''It had been thousands of years since the invasion began, many heroes rose and fell yet the progress of humanity only amounted to this much.''

    ''It wouldn''t have been suspicious if humanity''s being constantly pushed to the edge of extinction but they''re not.''

    ''Most of them were happy to peacefully live within that protective bubble because so long as they stayed inside, they''ll be safe. After all, this trend continued for a very long time so it had be somewhat given at some point.''

    ''Humans are a progressive race. Creatures that sought after perfection no matter how unattainable it might seem. Yet for a race like this only have this much progress even after thousands of years? That''s a red g if I have ever seen one.''

    ''Because see, Humans here can cultivate, unlike my previous world. Out lifespans are longer and there are materials here which don''t exist in my previous world, this on top of magic as well, yet the fact that progress here is slowerpared to my previous world just doesn''t make any sense.''

    ''At this point, I can already tell that there''s some real shady shit going on behind the scenes.''

    Ashton''s gaze hardened.

    ''It''s the Federation isn''t it?''

    ''It has to be. After all, they are the ones that have the trust of the public and have ess to resources. It''ll be very easy for them to apply schemes that could seriously affect the future trend for Humanity itself.''

    ''Oh, I don''t like this...''

    Ashton clicked his tongue and re-applied his buffs. He pulled the hood of the cloak on and began making his way deeper into the tunnels.

    His thoughts were chaotic at the point, but he still has enough attention to spare for his surroundings. He wanted to have some semnce of control over his current emotions yet he''s unable to due to the revtions that are urring to him at this very moment.

    It''s hard to act like nothing''s wrong. As much as he wanted to stay positive and trust the authorities, he really couldn''t right now.

    Yes, he also thinks that he''s being a little bit unfair. After all, it''s not like they can exin themselves to him right now, given where he currently is.

    ''But this ties back to my discoveries too...''

    ''If my theory ends up being right, then Humanity''s in danger.''

    ''If, say, those who move behind this scenes, also knew I know. Then their n is simple.''

    ''Controlled casualties...''

    ''Since these races see us as cattle to be raised, then they''re surely ying the part of pastors. Raising soldiers to send out to feed them to invaders.''

    ''This method allows them to prolong the life expectancy of humanity as a whole. They''re probably hoping that the invaders will eventually get sick of each other enough that they would start fighting each other, hoping for it to evolve into a full-scale war.''

    ''They''re ying the long-con.'' Ashton concluded, ''Trying to outsmart the invaders and oust them whilst hiding.''

    ''It is a smart andmendable n but ultimately stupid. Why? Because they''re gambling at the cost ofplete extinction here.''

    ''The winning condition would be if, and only if, whoever the winner of the war between angels and demons retreat once they''re done.''

    ''The world''s probably fucked beyond recognition at that point but in the end, Humanity lives on. That''s the only win condition I can see here, and it''s not even a lucrative victory either.''<sub> </sub>

    ''There are so many ways this could fail. This is a very dangerous gamble with a very tiny chance of winning. Betting at an actual lottery would be infinitely betterpared to this.''

    ''What if the winners didn''t retreat? What if the war will never happen unless Humanity''s eradicated? What if an ident happens? What if the Angels and Demons decided to void the agreement if there''s even an agreement, to begin with?''

    ''Actually, thest part already urred didn''t it? And it cost us City M. Millions of lives, lost just like that.''

    ''That protective bubble didn''t protect shit.'' Ashton spat. ''The ''Revenants'' as they called it, swaggered inside of it like they own the ce and just took a solid chunk of humanity''s poption just like that.''

    ''Isn''t that what happened?''

    Ashton''s thoughts turned more chaotic.

    ''God, I never wanted to be right so bad in my entire life, yet I had this sneaking suspicion that I am.''

    ''I hate it. Oh, I hate this.''

    Ashton bit his lips and took a deep and calming breath.

    ''Humanity''s fucked.''

    Ashton didn''t really like where his thoughts took him so far but he can''t help it.

    As it turns out, he only needed one revtion for the puzzle to start piecing itself together.

    He hated the idea so bad yet he can''t deny that there are proofs around him. He was so naive at one point that he felt sick upon learning about everything now.

    Again, so far, these are all just spections for now. Although Ashton was already treating it as the cold hard truth of the world, deep down he''s still hoping that this wouldn''t be the case.

    He wanted to have faith in his race. He wanted to believe in their hearts, yet it''s also because he is human himself that he can''t deny that the possibility of him being right is absurdly high.

    Humans can be really cruel to themselves. He would know, he had seen it a lot in his previous world.

    Then again, this begs the question: What would he do if it turns out that he''s right?

    Would he dismiss it entirely and do whatever he wants to ensure his survival? Or would he help them?

    This stumped him, surprisingly.

    The question felt so heavy for him that it caused him to stop in his tracks. In the end, he couldn''t continue exploring the tunnels right now because he just wasn''t in the right mindset currently.

    He''d just end up hurting himself if he continues. He should call it a day for now and just rx.

    ...and that''s what he did.

    He went into the Grand Library and saw Aria waiting for him. He smiled at her weakly, trying to cate her worry but he knows it wasn''t working.

    Ashton needed to be alone right now. And Aria knows this.

    So, she just nodded at him and let him have his space for now.

    Ashton went into their shared room, hey down on the bed stared at the ceiling. Letting his thoughts direct themselves.

    What will he do if it turns out that his assumption was correct?

    Would he ignore it or stretch an arm out to help?

    Both had pros and cons, neither is right nor wrong. And this is what makes it more difficult to answer.

    It''s dizzying to think so far ahead right now. He only has two choices yet it feels a lot for him to bepletely honest.

    ''Is this what they call the Curse of Knowledge? I don''t like it. It''s not fun to deal with.'' Ashton mused in the middle of his train of thought.

    He''s more or less right. Knowing a lot of things isn''t always a good thing. Sometimes, being knowledgeable is a curse. This is why they often say that Ignorance is a Bliss.

    It''s a little toote to be ignorant now so he just had to deal with this it seems.

    Right now though...Ashton really can''t answer this. It''s too much for the little him to handle.

    He''s fifteen for crying out loud. Right now, he''s should be worrying about teenager things, not decisions that will decide the oue of a whole damn race.

    Yet, he''s also cursed by not being a normal teenager.

    Though for now, all he could do is do what he can. Find a way home and see what things are like there. Once he confirmed it, it wouldn''t be toote for him to decide anyways.

    ''Alright, enough of that I guess. Time to make it up to Aria.''

 Chapter 94 Progress

    [Quest: Survive!]

    : Host has been forced into an upromising predicament but hope is not gone. Survive the horrors and dangers of the Outside World for as long as you can.

    Survive for 1 month - Rewards: Bloodline Purification Pill x5 (Complete)

    Survive for 3 months - Rewards: Mobile Safehouse x1 (Complete)

    Survive for 6 months - Rewards: Exosuit x1 (Complete)

    Survive for 1 year - Rewards: Randomized ''Trait'' x1

    Survive for 3 years - Rewards: Specialization Soul Card (L) x1

    Survive for 5 years - Rewards: Curse Banishment Pill x1

    [Mission: Investigate]

    : It''s a long way home from here. Where even is ''here''? Well, why don''t find out? Plus, aren''t you curious as to what the Outside World looked like? The more you discover, the more rewards you''ll get.

    Discover where you are - Time Limit: None. Rewards: New System Function unlocked. (Complete)

    Find a way back home - Time Limit: None. Rewards: Randomized ''Trait'' x1

    Discover and Study Hostiles - Amount: 100/200. Rewards: New System Function unlocked.

    Path to Enlightenment - Time Limit: None. Rewards: System Overhaul. (Iplete)

    It''s been six months since Ashton received this mission. His progress has been rather slow yet steady.

    Ashton can feel it, he''s nearly out of this godforsaken nest of demons. He could practically feel the foul breeze of the outside, he just had a few more tunnels to check and he''d find his way out of this damn ce.

    At this point, Ashton has already killed most of the ''Boss'' demons here; the ones that are at the same level as the Nightmare Devourer. The only left is that damned Undead Dragon.

    "Tch." Ashton clicked his tongue as his consciousness returned to his body. He sighed and said: "Failed again. This sucks. That damn dragon is really something else."

    A whole month, that is how long he''s been trying to search for a way to kill this Undead Dragon. So far, he''s been unlucky. He had lost count on how many times he had died under the ws of that damned thing.

    The Undead Dragon was fierce.

    Not only was it huge, it is extremely aggressive too. The Nightmare Demon was right, the dragon isn''t kind to those that visit its nest unless they were called. It practically attacks the moment you step foot inside its nest.

    It being a dragon is already troublesome in itself. But add the fact that it''s Undead too? Now that''s just cheating.

    Being an Undead Dragon, this thing had the authority to use Demonic Corruption in its attacks. Because of how strong it is, the potency of corruption is rather fierce too. It''s the kind that even Lv. 30 Purify couldn''t deal with it fast enough.

    Not even his Exosuit made Ashton feel safe against that thing.

    [Exosuit: M-117]

    An all-terrain exosuit that could protect the user from all sorts of outside harm.

    Unique Skill: Mana Storage, Memorize, and Auto-Cast.

    Durability: 10,000/10,000

    The Exosuit is nice, it''s Unique Skill allows him to store mana into the suit which he could then use to either amplify the defenses of the suit or absorb it if he runs out in the middle of the battle.

    Memorize allows him to record spells into the suit, Buffs only. He could then program the suit to Auto-Cast these spells whenever he wears it. The fuel for the spells will eithere from the storage of the suit or Ashton himself.

    Paired with the Cloak of Apparition, Ashton''s security just went to a whole another level. Yet even with this, dealing with that Undead Dragon is still hard.

    He already knows the problem. It isn''t because hecks trinkets or powerful skills, he justcks strength in general.

    Ashton could lock down the dragon with his spells. He could do so for an extended period, but hecks the required lethality to deal with the damn thing once and for all.

    The Undead Dragon has an astonishing vitality for a creature that''s metaphorically dead. It''s absurd.

    He isn''t just strong enough, he''s also not fast enough to avoid being hurt by the damn demon, cause its deceptively swift.

    Every part of its body is steeped in corruption. Hell, the thing itself is leaking and reeking with it. It''s disgusting and repulsive, which is why Ashton couldn''t, in his good conscience, allow this thing to continue to exist.

    He swore that he was not leaving this ce, not until he killed that thing.

    So right now, he''s focused on cultivation.

    Currently, Ashton''s at Lv.9 Practitioner Stage (9th Refinement). He''s so close to another major Breakthrough which will undoubtedly give him more benefits and will quite literally raise his strength to a whole new level.

    Because of this, he entered seclusion inside the Grand Library. He didn''t do it like locking himself inside a room and swearing to not go out unless he''s done with his breakthrough. That kind of seclusion doesn''t work for him.

    Instead, Ashton took it easy and had a routine. He reces sleep with meditation then would refine his skills, he would take breaks to eat, bathe and spend time with his girlfriend before throwing himself into it again. This is how he did it.<sub> </sub>

    He found out that this method is more effective for him and it''s more beneficial since it''s not warping his mentality to that of an old hermit. Ashton already lived like one in his previous life, there''s no need to do it again.

    When ites to refining his skills though, that''s rather slowpared to the growth of his spells (after all he can use the Grinding Slots for his spells, not his skills).

    Most of his Spells have now reached Lv. 35 and above. The cost of the grind is rather astronomical at this point, reaching six digits for one spell and longer periods forpletion. The eleration cost isn''t low either. Actually, Ashton''s close to running out of Mana Crystal''s again.

    He''d have to search for a new mine to empty, but that''s really up to luck at this point.

    Then again, there''s also the Undead Dragon''s Treasure Hoard.

    So long as he kills that thing, everything this big lizard hoarded will end up as his, he''d just need to purify them first of course since they were steeped in demonic corruption.

    The nest of the Undead Dragon itself is filled with corrupted Mana Crystals. Not to mention, the treasure hoard itself is literally a mountain high.

    It''s just another good reason for Ashton to kill that thing.

    His skills; mainly his Staff Technique and his Gunslinger Skills are somewhat progressing, albeit slowly.

    Ashton has already forgone the Staff Technique since he truly doesn''t have a good reason to keep training it. He''s mostly using his guns and that''s why his Gunslinger Skills are being upgraded way more frequently.

    His [Firearms Proficiency] had now reached the peak 5-star Unity Stage. Just shy of a step away from the Phenomenon Stage, which he''s gunning (hehe) for during this seclusion for him.

    The skills under his Gunslinger Skill Tree...

    [Precision - Lv.20 (Passive)]

    Increases Hit Rate by 30%

    [uracy - Lv.20 (Passive)]

    Increases Hit uracy by 30%

    [One Shot - Lv.20 (Passive)]

    Insta-kill chance - 0.2%

    [Ranger - Lv.20 (Passive)]

    Increases Range by 200 meters

    [Footwork - Lv. 20 (Passive)]

    Increases ease of movement by 30%

    [Piercing Rounds - Lv.Max]

    Shoots a bullet that pierces through an enemy

    [Curve Shot - Lv.Max]

    Fires a bullet that curves to hit the target.

    [Burning Rounds - Lv.Max]

    Fires a bullet that set the target aze upon contact.

    [Scatter Shot - Lv. Max]

    Fires a round that explodes into tiny shrapnels.

    [Charged Shot Lv. Max]

    Hold fire for 1/5/10/30/60 secs. to increase its power.

    Most of his passive skills are still increasing while the active skills are already maxed. The max level for active skills is lv.10 and with how frequently he uses them, it''s no wonder he maxed them out rather quickly.

    There are still a few skills that are locked in the skill tree. So far, these are all he can get from it and he''s fine with that.

    As for his self-created skills like; Anti-Abomination Shot, White Phosphorous Shot, Heavenly Cremation Shot, Copsing Zone Shot, etc. Those aren''t registered in the skill list since they more like forms for skillbinations rather than skills themselves.

    As for his High-Order Spells, they''re all still level 1. The Grinding Slot still doesn''t amodate them so he''d have to upgrade them through normal means, which is going to take some time but it''s fine.

    All in all, Ashton''s making a lot of progress. He''s apletely different personpared to who he was a few months ago. The pressure of being constantly besieged by demons squeezes out his potential, which is already not bad, to begin with, making him stronger day by day.

    Of course, it''s also thanks to the System being there for him. If it weren''t for its existence, there''s probably no way he''d make this work.

    Still, it''s a long, long road home. He does feel a bit mncholic whenever he remembers the good old days of cking around and hanging out with his friends. That being said, that just fuels his desire to go back home.

    Hopefully by the time he returns, they are still there.

 Chapter 95 Nest; Demolished!

    Ashton felt like he was floating...

    It was weird, you see, seeing the world like this. He never felt so calm and present at the same time in his life.

    All is clear yet blurry at the same time.

    He''s vaguely aware of his breathing and his movements. He could hear his heartbeat and he could tell how deep or shallow his breaths are.

    Ashton felt as if he could sense everything even with his eyes closed. Hell, he''s in danger right now yet he didn''t look like he was treating it seriously.

    Casually tilting his body to the side to avoid the w sweeping down to crush him. Jumping just high and fast enough to dodge the next attack while also shooting his guns.

    In this wonderful state of calm and serenity, Ashton could feel the flow of mana inside of him. Aware of just how much he has, how much he has to use, how to convert it to achieve the most optimal result, and so on.

    The Mortal Reminder, his guns, felt familiar yet also known on his hands.

    How is it that it took him this long to discover that, every time he held them in his hands, a blurry set of blue vines appear on the guns and his hands? How is it that he only discovered that this is how the guns were converting his mana into bullets that he can shoot?

    Why did he only discover that he could refine this connection even more? Allowing the sub-artifact to perform at a more optimal rate, making all of his shots pack more punch?

    Maybe it''s because of the weird state that he''s in...no, it has to be the reason why.

    This whole new level of awareness is something that he never once felt in his entire life. He could feel and sense everything that was in motion. He could feel the flow of his environment and the results of his every action.

    Ashton could feel the imbnced harmony of his surroundings. He could feel that it''s repulsing him, pushing him away...it hates him and tells him he doesn''t belong here.

    The hostility surprised him. Yet after thinking about it for quite some time, he felt that it was only natural.

    It wasn''t the world that was telling him this, it was the Demonic Corruption around him that was speaking. Granted that he''s not a demon, of course, the corruption sought to destroy him.

    Weirdly enough, in this state of his, Ashton knows how to hurt this. Which, doesn''t make sense at all, but it''s the truth. He knows what to do to upset the Demonic Corruption even more.

    ''For example, if I were to shoot this way...''

    Ashton didn''t aim at the Undead Dragon that was trying its best to kill him nor did he aim at the mountain of corrupted treasure behind it. He aimed at a seemingly random spot, yet after shooting it...

    He felt a piercing shriek shaking him.

    The winds howled and corrupted harmony was interrupted. Space itself bent with the shot and a domino effect urred.

    It''s as if Ashton suddenly transformed everything in his vicinity into a searing white hell. Not a single inch of the Undead Dragon''s cave was spared from the hot white mes.

    The Undead Dragon cried out in agony. Ashton could hear the sheer disbelief in its tone. It''s as if it couldn''t believe that itself was hurting.

    He''s vaguely aware of what the dragon was thinking; what happened there? How can this be? How did this puny human manage to hurt me with his ridiculous toys? Weren''t my scales hard enough to protect me? Then why am I hurting?

    Ashton wouldugh really. If he just wanted to piss the dragon off, he''d say that what he did was just a lucky shot, a fluke more or less, but he didn''t.

    He celebrated inwardly instead, thinking to himself; finally made you feel it you overgrown lizard!

    This little celebration of his was, of course, not enough to shake him out of this special state. Which he''s d for by the way because he knew that he only managed to hurt the damn thing seriously during this state.

    ''I need to finish this quickly while I''m still in this state. I don''t know how long itsts after all.'' Ashton mused to himself as he took a deep breath and submerged himself deeper into the state he was in.

    This absurd level of awareness felt so awesome yet freaky at the same time. He vaguely felt omnipotent in this state since he could tell everything that was going on with crystal clear rity.

    The faintest gust of wind, the slight tremors of the ground, he could even predict what was going to happen next! It''s truly bizarre.

    In this state, he could feel the inner workings of the world surrounding him, he could almost see the state of everything in front of him.

    It''s like looking at building blocks. He couldn''t exactly tell which is which since he was new to this but he could tell where to aim and shoot which will result in a whole world of hurting for the enemy in front of him.

    This is what happened earlier. His shot was aimed at somewhere that''s not present in the naked eye and it caused a set of chained reactions to happen which resulted in him injuring the Undead Dragon.<sub> </sub>

    And he''s about to do it again...

    ''This is crazy...'' he mused to himself, ''I could end this with this next shot.''

    And end it, he did...

    A pair of shots aimed at the Undead Dragon. Judging by the trajectory of this shot, this shot was bound to miss, yet that''s not what happened.

    The space warped around the shot, wrapping around it which effectively made the shot invisible. The next thing that happened was the shot reappearing inside the Undead Dragon''s body.

    More precisely, at its heart...

    One bullet appeared on the right side, the other on the left. They met and shed at the center, bouncing upon the collisions and ricocheting inside the poor thing''s body.

    The dragon was already injured before, now it''s severely injured it is currently experiencing a whole new level of agony as it felt the bullets bouncing inside its body like pachinko balls.

    The bullets were merciless, they punched holes in every single organ it has. The momentum behind them was enough re-arrange the dragon''s insides! It even left a burning white trail behind.

    The Undead Dragon roared in pure agony, yet it was cut short by the bullets piercing through its brain. And as ast act of brilliance, the bullets exploded like fireworks inside its body, resulting in the dragon roasting from within.

    The whole cave shook upon its death. It''s as if a high-magnitude earthquake urred.

    In his current state, Ashton felt a strong sense of danger screaming at him to run away as far as he could from this ce.

    This was something that he didn''t dare to question. So he swiftly took mountains of, now cleansed, treasure into his inventory and bolted the hell out of this ce.

    As he ran away, he made another discovery. Using the Spell: Blink in this state, takes him farther and uses less mana. He discovered a more efficient way to cast the spell just now and automatically applied it.

    Hell, he''s even noticed that he''s practically dual-casting at this point since he was shooting the stray demons that were chasing him as he ran away!

    Everything''s too much for him to handle right now so he decided to think about itter. The more important matter is that he needs to get the hell away from this ce.

    ''There!''

    Ashton saw the light of the outside for the first time in a long while. He ran faster, and he didn''t stop until he was at least a few kilometers away from the massive nest.

    He then summoned the mobile safehouse in front of him, blinked inside, and entered the Grand Library from within while retrieving the safe house.

    Once he appeared inside his safe space, he bled his senses out of the library''s walls and witnessed how the entire nest he was at, copsed.

    It didn''t end there either...

    The white mes that were present inside the cave of the undead dragon crept up, setting the copsed nest into a massive ball of white mes, a thing that could be witnessed from miles away.

    Ashton felt a deep sense of satisfaction as he saw the whole thing go down. The sight soothed his arsonist side, which is something he will vehemently deny having, and it also pleased his sense of duty as a human being.

    These mes will spread far a wide, and the area around this ce will be swept clean because of the purifying mes alone. Ashton could already see that happening.

    Unable to help himself, heughed. Feeling light and airy. He could feel himself rxing finally as he now paid attention to a string of notifications the System ensued.

    [Undead Dragon in! Cleptomancy worked! You received...]

    [1,745 items picked up. Assorting them into Inventory. See the full list here...]

    [Strategic Demon Base; Destroyed! You''ve been rewarded with...]

    [Conrattions Host! [Basic Firearm Proficiency] has now reached the 1-Star Phenomenon Stage!]

    Seeing all of this caused Ashton tough uproariously again...

 Chapter 96 Lots Of Loot!

    ''So that''s what it is like...reaching the Phenomenon Stage of a Martial Skill...'' Ashton mused to himself as he recalled the wondrous state he was in a few minutes ago.

    It felt like he was omnipotent all of a sudden. It''s a state where his senses are dialed up to 20 yet without any side effects. That level of awareness is so addicting that he wants to experience it again.

    He received so much inspiration in that state though. The fact that he was able to bend space itself with just pure skill is mind-blowing to him...and for others too should they discover his achievements.

    How old is Ashton? He''s 15! Ever seen a 15-year-old bending space just because he shot? Yeah, didn''t think so, huh?

    Not to mention, he just broke through Lv.1 Archmage Rank not too long ago. He''s probably the youngest Archmage humanity had in a long while. Sadly, nobody aside from Aria was here to know that.

    To top this all off, he''s probably the scariest Archmage there is. Not long after his breakthrough, he already demolished a strategic base of demons, doing so all by himself.

    Yes, it did take some time but it doesn''t make this any less impressive.

    And to celebrate his achievements, Ashton was rewarded handsomely.

    [Undead Dragon; in. Cleptomancy worked! You received: True Dragon''s Skull Bone.]

    [Strategic Demon Base: Destroyed! You''ve been rewarded with: S-rank Bloodline Pills, 3 Fragments of Divine Gunslinger Soul Card, 3 White Mage Exclusive High-Order Spell Cards!]

    And this isn''t even including the mountain of loot he snatched from the Undead Dragon''s hoard.

    Rubbing his palms in excitement, he opened his Inventory to sort out his spoils and to also check the descriptions of his newly received items.

    [True Dragon''s Skull Bone]

    A Treasure Relic thates from the remains of a True Dragon.

    Unique Skill: Apex Predator.

    The Unique Skill of the skull bone; Apex Predator - is a suppressive intimidation skill. It''s a wonderful deterrence for those who possess weaker will and strengthpared to him.

    ''System, how do I use the skull bone?''

    [You fuse with is Host. Fair warning, this process will be extremely painful since you''ll rece your skull bone with this instead. But so long as you''re careful and your willpower is strong, then there shouldn''t be any problems.]

    ''Ooh.'' Ashton winced upon hearing that. ''Recing my skull huh...that sounds incredibly dangerous alright. Oh well, I''ll deal with itter.''

    Ashton then moved on to his other items such as the S-Rank Bloodline Pills; which increases the purity of his blood by 5% directly and don''t have any diminishing effects no matter how many he consumes. Since he received three of these, then that''s another 15% increase. Once he consumed these all, the purity of his Bloodline will reach 45%, that''s already impressive.

    And then, there''s the Fragments of Divine Gunslinger Soul Card. He now has a total of 4, he''s missing 6 to create aplete one. He doesn''t know if he couldplete collecting all the necessary fragments before arriving back home since the drop rate appears to be random and it only appears after he did something noteworthy.

    ''System, use all of the White Mage Exclusive High-Order Spell Cards.''

    [Acknowledged.]

    [Congrattions Host, you have 3 new High-Order Spells; White Guardian, Golden Time, and Magical Aurora.]

    ''Alright! Let''s check this out...''

    [White Guardian]

    Link one''s self to another. All damage received will be divided equally among the linked people. Attacks below High-Order Spell standards will be nullified.

    Maximum number of links: 5

    Duration: 2 hours

    Cooldown: 24 hours

    [Golden Time]

    Puts the user into a stasis, granting them momentary invincibility to all manner of danger.

    Duration: 10 secs.

    Cooldown: 2 hours.

    [Magical Aurora]

    An illusion-based High-Order White Magic Spell that befuddles every hostile within a kilometer''s radius.

    Duration: 30 minutes.

    Cooldown: 12 hours.<sub> </sub>

    ''Ooh! Ooh! Nice.'' Ashton smiled in satisfaction. He had a good roll this time around. He was surprised by thest spell considering that it''s not a buff but an illusion-based spell, but that reminds him that White Magic isn''t exactly just for buffing, healing, or purifying evil.

    Either way, he can''t wait to see the alternative effects of these spells when uses them with his guns. He wouldn''t test him now of course since he''s still tired. Butter, surely.

    Ashton continued sorting his Inventory, checking out the things he received from the treasure hoard as well.

    He discovered that he managed to snatch a lot of shinies from the jaws of the dragon. There are a lot of trinkets here that he doesn''t know of yet. Ashton felt excited since most of these trinkets might turn into useful materials that would allow him to build a lot of things.

    Surprisingly enough, he received a crap-tons of blueprints from the hoard. All of which are written in anguage he couldn''t understand but the drawings looked rather important.

    Looking at these made him question a lot of things. These blueprints didn''t look like they were made by humans at all. First of all, thenguage is a dead giveaway and then there''s the mechanisms that are depicted there.

    This technology looked so advanced that it''s mocking Humanity''s progress just by existing.

    The real question is, where did thesee from? Who were the creators of this advanced technology?

    This...this is worth his time researching. Now he''s determined to hole up inside the library for quite some time to get answers or at least, clues.

    The biggest surprise for him though is the amount of Mana Crystals he umted...

    [Mana Crystals: 11.3B High-Grade, 100B Mid-grade, 115M Low-grade.]

    ''11.3 Billion High-Grade Mana Crystals!!! Hooo boy! I am filthy rich bitch!'' Ashtonughed uproariously upon seeing these ridiculous numbers.

    Like what was mentioned before, there are mountains of Mana Crytal Formations within the cave of the Undead Dragon alone, not to mention the smaller hoards he ransacked as he went down the nest.

    All of these were steeped in Demonic Corruption before but thanks to his Purity mes, they were purified and useable. Now, Ashton doesn''t have to worry again about the cost of grinding his spells.

    All in all, Ashton made a serious killing and profits in this endeavor of his. He can now say that all of his efforts were worth it.

    Yes, he did have a difficult time at the start but it''s over now.

    He''s nning on having a short vacation from any fights to focus on resting. He''s been under pressure for a long time and it is taking its toll on his body. He needed plenty of rest, food, cuddles, and, if Aria''s willing, of course, lots of sex to dpress.

    Ashton would hole up inside the library for a while. Researching these blueprints might lead him to an astonishing discovery in his life. Maybe it won''t, who can say? But it does worth his time to find the oue of the research.

    Bleeding his senses outside, he could still see the enormous bonfire that is the old demon nest. The raging white mes are starting to creep around its edges, threatening to spread far and wide.

    That too will take some time. A lot of demons would probably die because of that and that''s perfectly okay with him.

    Ashton also wants to consolidate his overall strength. He had experienced several advancements not too long ago, everything happened so quickly that he just breezed through it. That''s fine since it''s within reason but it''d be a detriment to his cultivation in the long run if he didn''t fix it.

    So, he will make sure to spend some time consolidating his recent breakthroughs toy down a stable foundation for himself.

    At this point, Ashton''s already determined to be stronger. It''s not out of duty but out of desire. He wants to be stronger so that he won''t be mere food for the demons and to protect his loved ones as well.

    The past 6 months were enlightening to him...

    It made Ashton realize that this is his life now. ''When in Rome, do as Romans do'' - this saying resonated with him during his stay out here.

    This isn''t Earth. He knows that from the moment he transmigrated but he never really understood the weight of it until he was wrested away from his safety bubble.

    Under the trials and tribtions he faced, phantom pains of death, and truths he realized during his time out here, Ashton is changing.

    He could tell, but as to where this direction will go, that remains a mystery even to himself.

    All he could do is to follow the path he has chosen. Whether it leads him to a dead-end or a new beginning, only time would tell.

    "Hey, Babe."

    Ashton jolted out of his stupor when he felt the touch of his lover. He unconsciously leaned into the contact and smiled at her.

    "Hey to you too, I guess."

    Aria chuckled as she unhesitatingly sat on hisp. She gave him a peck on the lips and asked: "Are you done with your outside matters?"

    "Yep, all done." Ashton nodded.

    "Great! Now, off to the showers with you, stinky man!" She yfully scrunched up her nose and pushed herself away from him, her hips swinging seductively as she goes;

    "Meet me in bed once you smell nice. Who knows? Maybe I''ll reward you with something." She looked back and winked in his direction.

    Ashton didn''t say a word and quite literally teleported to the showers...

 Chapter 97 ARC Base

    One month...

    That''s how long Ashton secluded himself inside the Grand Library. During this time, he hadpletely foregone his regr training and was focused on resting.

    He did consolidate his recent breakthroughs but that''s it. He didn''t practice, didn''t try out his new High-Order Spells, etc. He took it easy and instead poured his attention elsewhere.

    Most of it went to his research...

    The blueprints he received from the Undead Dragon''s Hoard were fascinating. While he didn''t initially understand what it all meant, that didn''t stop him from admiring theplex designs that were depicted in each of those papers.

    Sadly, one month isn''t really enough topletely understand thenguage used on the blueprints. The materials avable to him aren''t enough to decipher thenguage itself. Nevertheless, he still made progress at least.

    The blueprints depicted some sort of a shelter, one that can survive all kinds of harm and climate, some of which can even be built underground.

    Every single one of these blueprints turns out to be connected to each other. Due to their design, Ashton called them; ''ARC'' for now, since they seem to be designed to endure the worst the world could offer.

    Every design he saw was intricate, strokes of sheer genius in his own opinion. Whoever made this could open mock any Human Inventors and it wouldn''t be taken against them, that''s how good they are.

    One of the designs he saw was just a marvel on its own. This one, he calls; ''The Core''. It''s an Energy Source Blueprint that can absorb, convert and filter all types of elements and turn them into pure Ether Energy that can be used in a less harmful way.

    ''The Core'' is the one that binds everything together. Making it all work seamlessly and in harmony. With it, the ''ARC'' base can survive even the worst tribtions the world has to offer since ''The Core'' would just absorb anything that was thrown into it anyways.

    The ''ARC'' base can be stationed on the ground, underground, underwater, or in the skies. Ashton could also tell that it may be able to survive the space vacuum if someponents were upgraded.

    It also has cloaking mechanisms, and self-defense systems, nature-friendly as well thanks to ''The Core''. It is the ultimate base for survival.

    What amazed Ashton truly, was the fact that the ''ARC'' itself could just be as big as a normal city yet its interior could be as big as the world itself.

    The materials that are needed to create the ''ARC'' were specified as well. A mixture of rare metals, minerals,plex arrays, andst but not least...

    Trinkets that could be harvested from the remains of both Demons and Angels...trinkets that Ashton just happens to have a lot of currently.

    Ashton couldn''t grasp how in world was this even possible but all clues lead to this oue. This kind of technology is terrifying as it was amazing.

    If Humans could build this, then there''s no need to be afraid of invasions anymore. The ''ARC'' is at least 10x betterpared to the protective bubble of the Last Bastion! Which is rather absurd if you think about it.

    Though, this begs the question, who in the world was responsible for making these designs?

    It doesn''t make sense for Ashton...

    As far as he knows, three races currently live in this world; Humans, Demons, and Angels. Well, four if you include animals of course.

    He would like to think that demons are the ones who created this, as he did receive them at the Undead Dragon''s treasure hoard, but that''s very unlikely...

    With his experiences with Demons so far, he didn''t take them for a very tech-savvy race. Hell, they preferred the brutal and barbaric way of living! And while this could just be a stereotype since, admittedly, Ashton doesn''t know ''everything'' about the Demon Race, he still doesn''t believe that they will hide this kind of side from them. It just doesn''t seem to fit their image.

    Angels are uncharted territory for Ashton. He hadn''t met the eyes-and-wings-galore race yet so he can''t say anything about them.

    It could be Humans, but that doesn''t make sense either.

    Ashton had been in the Last Bastion before. He saw the level of technology they have. The ones depicted in the blueprints are far from what the Humans of the Last Bastion can produce!

    The Morning Sun Federation wouldn''t be able to hide this kind of technological brilliance since any cultivators that witness them would revolt if they discovered that they are hiding them.

    So maybe...just maybe...there''s another race living in this world that he doesn''t know of. And right now, Ashton is inclined to believe this.

    Yet at the same time, what Race could they be?

    It could be the Fae Race. Ashton does have their bloodline so it wouldn''t be surprising if some of them still exist.<sub> </sub>

    It may also be the Dwarven Race! Since, you know, ording to his old world''s depictions, dwarves are the most progressive race when ites to technology.

    There''s a small chance that it could be the Machine Race since, well this would be right up their alley, but the chances of them existing is very low so...meh.

    Either way, these blueprints are extremely valuable.

    They made Ashton think a lot of things and receive some inspiration as well. Even Aria was mildly obsessed with them when he showed them to her.

    Right now, both of them are working hard topletely decipher thenguage so that they could learn more about these blueprints. The more they learn, the more knowledgeable they''d be, and maybe in the future, they''ll be able to re-create the whole ''ARC'' itself.

    For all they know, this might just be what Humanity needed to save themselves.

    ''...I''ve rested enough.'' Ashton mused to himself as he got up from the bed.

    He no longer felt tired. Instead, he felt light and rxed. The one-month break from all the fighting really did help with his recovery. Of course, he had to give Aria credit as well for taking care of him.

    During the past month, she''s the one who regted their activities. When she says that they could work, they''ll work. When she says that it''s time for them to rest, they will rest.

    That healthy routine allowed Ashton to calm down considerably and allowed him to rx. Now he''s ready to continue his long march home. But before that though, he still has a few things that he needed to do.

    First and foremost, he has to refresh his experience in using his spells. This is a necessary process since he didn''t use a single spell during the past month and his Gunslinger Proficiency broke through the 1-star Phenomenon Stage.

    He needs some refresher so that he would fumble on the live battlefield. Thankfully, he has the Simtion Zone for that.

    Next, he wanted to check out the bullet versions of his new High-Order skills. As he recently broke through to Lv.1 Archmage Realm, his mana reserves increased, even more, allowing him to cast a total of 10 High-Order Spells before running out of Mana.

    So, after he had some refresher with his basics, he moved on and prepared the new High-Order Spells.

    First, the [White Guardian]. It''s a spell that links allies together and spreads the damage evenly amongst them.

    Converting it into a bullet changes its effect to linking a current maximum of 5 enemies together within a radius of 200 meters. Shooting one of the linked targets will cause the rest to be injured too. Sufficed to say that if one of the linked targets dies, the others will soon follow.

    This is an incredible spell for mobbing demons. Especially the stronger ones.

    Next is [Golden Time], a spell that puts the caster and their allies into a golden stasis, negating all harm that would befall them for the next 10 seconds.

    In its bullet version, it is a shot that immobilizes enemies in a 50-meter sphere for the same period, leaving them vulnerable to all damage. As far as Ashton observed so far, this applies to all targets. But there might be limitations in the future.

    And finally, the [Magical Aurora].

    Nothing really changes for it. It is an illusion-based spell so the conversion doesn''t really take effect.

    Ashton still doesn''t know how the hell the Mortal Reminder is converting the White Magic Buffs into bullets that could seriously harm Demons but he wasn''t reallyining.

    Speaking of the Mortal Reminder though. His breakthrough to Lv.1 Archmage unlocked its new form.

    Mortal Reminder''s 3rd Form: ''Grenade Launcher.

    Ashton practically vibrated in excitement the moment discovered this. Imagine the havoc he could cause things...

    He could already see himself screaming ''Fire in the Hole!'' repeatedly whileughing madly at the destruction he was causing.

    Trust him, he''s not a psychopath...yet. If he ever would be, it''d be reserved for his enemies only.

    Still, Ashton received a significant boost in his strength. All of this should make it easier for him to continue his journey toward home.

 Chapter 98 More Power!!

    Thunk!

    Boom!!

    Thunk! Thunk!

    Boom!! Boom!!

    Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

    Boom!! Boom!! Boom!!

    "HAHAHAHAHAHA!! DIE BITCHES!!!"

    Madughter escaped from Ashton''s mouth as he repeatedlyunched grenade shells at Virtual Demons.

    Aria would probably reconsider settling down with him if she saw this side of his, truth to be told. Because right now, Ashton''s far scarier than demons were.

    "POWER! MORE POWER! I NEED MORE POWER!!"

    Howling in madness, he pumped more mana into the Grenade Launcher and shotrger shells of pure destruction.

    The virtualnd around him was filled with craters and smoke. Demons were shivering like a leaf in fear as they stared at the maddened humanunching pure terror shells at them. Some ran away, others epted their demise.

    None were spared...

    If Ashton was just blindlyunching shells and praying that the impact and explosions will hit them, it would''ve been fine but no, Ashton was too good to stoop that low.

    Remember, his ''Basic Firearm Proficiency'' just reached 1-Star Phenomenon Realm, meaning that all of his attacks could potentially change the state of the environment around him.

    That, on top of the sub-artifact itself allowing him to convert White Magic into ammunitions, makes this even scarier.

    If someone ever wondered if Demons were capable of feeling fear, well this situation would probably tell them all that they need to know...

    The difference the Grenade Launcher makes is that it requires a minimum of five spells to create a single shell. This automatically makes a shot of this strongerpared to the other forms of the sub-artifact.

    Even as he howled andughed in madness, Ashton''s mind was clear and he was testing out numerousbinations, trying to pick which form works best.

    He wasn''t just blindly shooting shells to the moon...

    Due to the long list of spells he had in his arsenal, this will take some time. Additionally, even though Ashton''s Mana Reserves expanded, he could still run out of it since he''s using a lot of it in his tests.

    Though, on a positive note, mobbing demons would never be a problem for him anymore with this form. With himunching grenade shells left and right, he didn''t even need to spend that much effort in aiming unlike with the Sniper Rifle Form, he could just chuck the shell in the general area where the demons are clustered and it''d hit.

    It''s honestly satisfying to watch...

    Right now, he''s basically a one-man army. He simted literal hoards of demons toe at him yet there wasn''t a single scratch on him. Not only that, but he also terrified the demons themselves. It was the feeling ever.

    In less than ten minutes since he began his tant rampage, the hoard which consists of at least 500 demons was decimated. It didn''t matter from which side they came from, the moment Ashtonid eyes on them, they''d get a grenade shell.

    Every single one of the demons he simted died with terror-stricken faces, forget about closing in, some of them didn''t even know how they died.

    Once the simtion was over, Ashton sighed in bliss. He could feel the adrenaline wearing off from his body. The mad glee he felt also disappeared. What''s left is just a calm and rxed grin.

    ''That was great...'' he mused to himself, ''I''d probably do that again if I ever feel the need to dpress.''

    That activity was a great stress reliever for him. He wouldn''t mind doing that more often if he ever feel like everything was too much. Of course, it''s also a good way for him to satisfy his darker side.

    Now that he feels much lighter than before, it''s time to check out the new aspects of his power that he had set aside from his month-long rest. This one pertains to the effect of his Magical Artifact...

    [Magical Artifact: Cursed Book of Infinity (Legendary)]

    Unique Skills:

    [Aspect of Infinity]<sub> </sub>

    Removes the lock of Spell Proficiency Limits per Cultivation Rank. (Spells Level Infinitely)

    [Memorize (New!)] (Unlocked at Archmage Realm)

    Allows the user to imprint a total of 10 Spells in the magical artifact which couldter then be used instantaneously with other spells.

    Sub-Artifact: Mortal Reminder (Unlocked at Practitioner Realm)

    Curse: [Hex of Mediocrity]

    Forbids the user to learn any Intermediate Level Offensive Spells and above.

    Ashton''s Magical Artifact has a new Unique Skill: Memorize.

    If he were, to be frank, this skill could easily be ridiculous if used correctly. Memorize has way too much potential to be ignored, which is why he decided to a lot a time slot on his daily schedule to test its limits.

    Using the skill came naturally for him, it''s like had known it in his entire life even though he just unlocked it not too long ago.

    Casting a Spell and imprinting it to the Magical Artifact uses mana, which was to be expected so there are no surprises there. Once the imprint was sessful, a page on the Cursed Book of Infinity will disy the imprinted Spell which meant that it has it Memorized.

    Once a spell was imprinted on the magical artifact, it needs to be used to free up the slot it took, it doesn''t matter how much time passed since the imprint happened, the spell won''t be removed from the artifact''s memory if it wasn''t used, though he could also choose to remove the spell without using it but the mana cost wouldn''t be refunded.

    Using the Memorized Spell is easy as he only needed a mentalmand to do so. This meant he could be in the middle of casting a spell while simultaneously releasing the memorized spell.

    It''s essentially dual-casting...

    And he had 10 slots avable for use. To top things off, he can memorize his ammunition forms here as well and it''d only count as one spell. This meant that he could shoot twice in one action, which opens him up to a lot of possibilities. This could seriously change the way how he approached scenarios in the future.

    Getting used to this new skill will take some time but it''s worth it, Ashton could already say that much.

    Things are starting to look up for Ashton. With the promotion of his strength, he''s gaining more confidence to march towards his goals. Of course, there are still many things that could possibly make things worse for him but so long as he continues to grow stronger, he''d always have a basis for his confidence.

    Speaking of things that could make everything worse...His next destination is already set.

    Referencing the mapped records, Ashton should be heading towards a river that he has to cross to continue with his journey.

    Said river, ording to what the records say, is a river of what seems to be tar. Which doesn''t sound fun if Ashton were to bepletely honest.

    The records say that the river was murky and hard to cross. A lot of demonic creatures were lurking underneath its surface. The expedition ground suffered greatly from their attacks, one of them was even severely injured from the relentless siege. Said injured persons had to have their left arm amputated since the corruption was starting to spread on their bodies.

    Ashton doesn''t have any other choices aside from that path. If he were to trust the records left by the expedition team, then the alternative routes are justpletely impossible to cross, which made this path the only one they could take.

    He could check out the alternative routes, yes. After all, he does have time and unlike the expedition team, he has numerous ways to keep himself safe.

    Ashton might do it, but he''s not leaning towards that...

    The reason being is that he had surveyed this area before when he was still above the nest. He had already vaguely seen the alternative routes they were talking about.

    One leads to a valley filled with bloody red spikes which also looks like another nest of demons. The other was a dested in which is crawling with Wyrm Demons - a huge worm-centipede demon hybrid that burrows itself underground and could shoot out freaking lightning from their maws.

    Compared to those routes, the river seems tamer if he''s being honest. So he might as well re-trace their steps.

    Ashton doesn''t really know what to expect. All he could really do is to prepare himself as best as he could before he goes there.

    Thankfully, the mobile safehouse has an all-terrain function, meaning it could work as a boat, maybe a submarine? Who knows. He needs to test it out.

    The durability of the safehouse should be high enough to endure some trauma from the encounters he''ll have as he crossed the river. Plus, he could alwayse to the library if things go south. There he could repair the safehouse if it ever gets close to breaking.

    He can''t say how long it''ll take for him to cross the river as there are a lot of variables in y.

    All he could say is that he''ll proceed with care and caution. If he could, then maybe he could purify this river and maybe that''ll lead him to another discovery.

    Only time could tell at this point...

 Chapter 99 Bonewheels

    Under the harsh re of the sun, Ashton could be seen walking in the middle of a destednd.

    He''s wearing a white cloak with its hood on, underneath is a special suit that clung to his body that regted his body''s temperature, keeping him cool and calm even under the direct heat of sunlight. On his belt, the sub-artifact; Mortal Reminder was holstered, it''s on its twin hand cannon form which is lighter and more essible for use.

    As he traveled, Ashton couldn''t help but feel a little disheartened by what he''s seeing around him.

    He''s still in the area where he left one month ago. The ce near the copsed demon nest.

    The good thing is that the immediate area around the demon nest''s vicinity was cleansed by the aftermath of his purifying mes. The sad part is that since thend in this area were corrupted for a very long time already, its vitality waspletely sapped away by the corruption, leaving an infertile, drynd.

    Any kind of purification won''t work anymore. Life here ispletely sparse. It''ll take a huge amount of effort, and a long time of constant nourishment to revitalize this ce.

    The worst part is that he couldn''t do this now since it''d just be a useless effort. Unless the demon and angel races were purged, any attempts of recovery would be extremely risky.

    It''s disheartening since this ce could''ve been much more...

    It could''ve been a sprawling metropolis, a peaceful province, a nature''s treasure bowl, or even a wonder of the world! But due to the Demonic Corruption that had gued thisnd for decades, maybe even centuries, it became none of that except a strategic base for demons.

    Ashton sighed. He really shouldn''t be focusing on this. There''s nothing he could do right now anyway. An effort of a single person wouldn''t amount to much, that he can understand, so he could onlyment in silence.

    Currently, he''s heading in the direction of the river, which the expedition aptly named the ''River of Tar''. He''s heading there to cross the river to the other side so that he can continue following the road back home.

    As he traveled, Ashton noticed the presence of a few demons around, though none dared to attack him.

    The ones he saw were infants, little things that he could y with just a single thought. They probably felt the oppressive aura around him which made them flee decisively. He didn''t chase after them since it''s just not worth it.

    He''s already expecting that the number of demons here would shrink due to the aftermath of his actions one month ago. The demons probably migrated to avoid the spreading white mes that came from the copsed demon nest.

    Ashton had no idea just how many demons he got with that. He was inside the Grand Library at the point, resting. And he doesn''t care right now. Whether he killed many or none, wouldn''t make a difference in the grand scheme of things.

    They''d just return anyway...

    Ashton was in rush to arrive at the River of Tar. Even though the scenery around him is somewhat depressing, he still kept his eyes peeled to see if he could discover something worth his attention.

    ''This is sad...'' he mused to himself as he walked around, ''thend''spletely dry and coarse. Not even a de of grass will grow here. If it stays like this, it''d just turn into a dessert within the next decade or two.''

    ''Then again, if the demons somehow reimed this ce, thisnd would just be filled with corruption again.''

    ''It''s funny cause it''s possible for some kind of demonic vegetation to grow in thisnd should it be filled with corruption again. Yet without corruption, nothing can grow in it.''

    ''Makes one wonder if it should even be purified...''

    Sometimes, his train of thought is just unlikeable. This one in particr is going in on the uncharted territory. A pretty dangerous one at that.

    Ashton shook his head and removed these thoughts from his brain. He pped his cheeks for a bit and took out some water to drink. He really shouldn''t be thinking about something like this.

    ''Let''s focus on other things yeah? Screw these gloomy surroundings! Focus on something else...like that demon over there...which is something I have never seen before. What is that?''

    Ashton narrowed his eyes at the demon that crossed his sight, trying to see it clearly.

    The little thing is agile, he''ll give it that. It''s oddly shaped though, making it hard for him to decipher just what kind of demon it is.

    Pursing his lips, his right-hand moves to his belt. With a single stroke of movement, he drew his gun and shot at the bolting thing. The bullet he shot was a regr one, attribute-less too.

    He didn''t want to kill it, he just wants it to stop so that he properly see what it looks like.

    The shot hit, of course, it would, and the creature let out a weak squeak as it fell to the ground.

    Ashton blinked towards its location, enabling him to see the demon properly.<sub> </sub>

    "...a wheel? Really?"

    Yes. It''s a wheel. Though not any normal wheel since it has a face in it, which is growling and baring its teeth at him.

    It looks like a bicycle wheel; which is rather odd if you ask him, it''s just that it''s made out of pulsating ck flesh.

    Fwoosh!

    "Damn!" Ashton leaned back to avoid the plume of ghastly me it spewed. He didn''t know this thing could do something like that.

    He didn''t mind the demon attacking him since that''s to be expected. Instead, he searched for the horns of the little thing and found out that it only has a fully grown pair of them, he saw that the second pair was just starting to bud which means that this is indeed an infant one.

    Ashton took out a notebook from his inventory and started drawing what he was seeing. A series of murmuring could be hearding from him too.

    "...a demon wheel, pretty fast even for an infant, can travel by air, leaves a trail of ck fire on its wake, the intensity of the mes probably depends on how strong the demon wheel is. Pretty aggressive has a short temper, sounds like a squirrel." Ashton''s mutter stopped in conjuction with his hands writing. He raised a brow and straightened his back.

    Screech!!

    "Woah, there!!"

    A blur suddenly whizzed past him. It may seem like Ashton barely avoided that blur but in truth, he had sensed that thinging for him and was already prepared to evade it.

    The skidded on the ground, leaving scorched earth in its wake. It then switched directions and moved once more. A sonic boom causes the ground to quake and for Ashton to blink in surprise.

    The blur started zigzagging around him, not hitting him deliberately but trying to confuse him. The corners of Ashton''s lips curled up, this demon was pretty cunning it seems.

    He aimed his gun at the little wheel that was still snarling at him, and that''s when he heard another screech from the blur. A knowing smile appeared on his face as he pulled the trigger.

    Peng!

    The shot flew, yet it didn''t hurt the infant demon wheel. When the smoke cleared up, a figure standing in front of it, snarling at Ashton as well.

    "Oh, so that''s what you guys look like when you grow up. Neat!" Ashton mused to himself.

    In front of him, is a 5-foot-tall demon with four pairs of horns. It looms weird and wrong. It''s as if someone just lodged a wheel made out of porcin bones into the body of a demon and called it a day.

    "Your breed isn''t on the records so I''ll call you guys Demonic Bonewheels. Yep, that sounds apt." He stated as he drew his other gun.

    The demon didn''t stay put. It picked up the infant demon wheel and put it inside its body, how that''s possible is something Ashton didn''t want to know.

    The demon then folded its arms and legs to the wheel and started spinning ferociously. Ghastly mes erupted from it and then it tried to m itself into him.

    Unfortunately...

    Boom!

    Before it could even move, an explosion urred underneath where it was standing. The impactunched the wheel high-up in the air where Ashton was already aiming.

    A pair of streaking white bullets flew and pierced the demon''s body as soon as it arrived at a certain height after itsunch.

    The ghastly mes it has turned white, and that white mes are now cooking the demon.

    The demon snarled in pain yet it couldn''t do anything to stop it. Ashton had this nned from the very moment he felt its presence. Had the demon chosen to just im its kid and run away instead of attacking, he might''ve spared them.

    Unfortunately, it made the wrong choice. Now it has to suffer from the disaster it courted for itself.

    "You did this to yourself and your kid. Farewell." Ashton snorted as he holstered his guns, leaving behind the burning remains of the Demonic Bonewheel behind him.

 Chapter 100 River Of Gross

    "Ugh...do I really have to cross this thing?"

    Ashton nched slightly as he looked at the sight in front of him.

    There''s a ck, gooey, and inky sludge flowing down a deep ravine. The wet smacks it makes causes shiver to run down one''s spine. If you look at it for too long, you''d start seeing agonized and tortured faces being swept and submerged in that pitch-ck goo.

    How this thing''s called a ''river'' makes no sense to him. Where have you ever seen a river that has tentacles protruding out of the depths? Is there another Cthulu-shit slumbering down there? What''s going on?

    The worst part is that these tentacles are everywhere in the river. It''s like someone methodically ced these things down there to make sure there would be no escaping them.

    The tentacles writhe in a soul-shivering way. It''s also covered in razor-sharp teeth and...are those eyes!?

    "Ugh, god!" Ashton felt sick as he stared at it. His body shivered ever so slightly every time he saw those tentacles moving.

    The tentacles are one thing, but what about those that live under the depths of this river?

    "Fear of the unknown, huh? I really hate this Lovecraftian trope." Ashton murmured to himself as he thought of a way to proceed.

    This ce is disgusting and repulsive. It''s something that no human should ever deal with to bepletely honest. But in Ashton''s situation, he has no other choice.

    "Will the safehouse even be able to sail through this?" Ashton pursed his lips in wonder.

    The River or Tar is viscous, that fact was made clear just by looking at it. It''s turbulent too, something that doesn''t show any signs of stopping.

    Ashton frowned as he began nning his next move. As much as he would like to not deal with this thing, he has to. And to make sure he remains safe, he needed to test out a few things.

    Removing his guns from the holster, hepressed an Anti-Abomination Bullet and shot it to the nearby tentacle.

    The shot streaked through the air and pierced the tentacle, it even hit another one before it faded. Ashton watched as the tentacles iled in silent pain. They were caught in a purifying me and were burned good however, his desired oue didn''t happen.

    He wanted to test out if he could set the whole river on fire. This is an absurd notion, truly, but it''s worth the shot.

    His senses won''t lie to him, this river is liquefied demonic corruption itself. Why else would he feel a strong repulsion from it?

    Ashton had done something like this before, back when he was still at the top of the demon nest. He was able to do it, although it happened as a side-effect. His initial goal was to replicate that somehow.

    Sadly, he failed...

    After a few tests with all kinds of ammunition forms avable to him, he discovered that the demonic corruption was too dense to deal with like this. He''s either not strong enough to do so just yet or he doesn''t have the right ammunition form to do so.

    Either way, this is a failure. So he moved on to the next experiment.

    He took out a few items from his Inventory to throw them into the river. He has a theory that needed to be confirmed so this was necessary.

    First, he threw an uncorrupted chunk of meat at it. It didn''t go far at all, the tentacles snatched mid-flight and it was consumed in a blink of an eye. Ashton''s lips twitched at this sight but he moved on.

    Next, he threw a regr sheet of metal at the river. The result was the same as the previous one, eaten by the tentacles. He then threw rocks, gems, weapons, animal remains, and even a vial of his blood at the river.

    The results were fairly uniform, most of the things he threw were taken by the tentacles. Some items they ignored while others were destroyed as if it was their mortal enemy.

    He also saw a few demons jumping out of the tar to take part in his experiments. How nice of them, really. Sarcasm aside though, his experiments did confirm his theories.

    "...I need to modify the safe house." Ashton sighed.

    More specifically, he needs to make a coating for the whole thing and it has to be made out of Demon Trinkets.

    Based on his experiments, everything that is not corrupted will be attacked by the creatures of the river while those with varying levels of corruption will at least be ignored.

    Demon Trinkets are mostly made out of demonic remains, and demons are the crystallization of corruption itself. Even though they''re safe to use as a material, it still counts as a corrupted object, just controlled one.

    In the few tests he made, the Demon Trinkets werepletely ignored by the river creatures. He can even still see them floating above the river. This gave him the idea that if he made a coating out of Demon Trinkets and used it in the safe house, then he should be able to cross the river rtively safe.<sub> </sub>

    There''s a small chance that this might fail but it''s worth the shot.

    As for the river creatures...Ashton doesn''t care about them. He doesn''t want to deal with them either. He just really wants to cross this river in peace and hopefully nevere back, like, ever again.

    With a mission in mind, Ashton stopped hesitating. He went inside the Grand Library and started working.

    Luckily for him, Aria was immensely fascinated by the trinkets that she had performed many experiments with it already. In this world, there might now be anyone more knowledgeable about Demon Trinkets than Aria.

    He told her what he needs to do and she''s more than happy to help of course. She had taken a break from researching Demon Trinkets with the appearance of the ''ARC'' blueprints but she doesn''t mind getting back to it.

    "...I guess we could make it like paint. That way, we can easily apply it to the safe house without sacrificing its structural integrity. Also, if we do it this way, we can make sure that the ''controlled corruption'' level of the trinkets wouldn''t be disturbed."

    "Since the safehouse has an all-terrain function, it should be able to function as a boat. You probably won''t need to make some absurd modifications that will take a long-ass time." Aria stated.

    "So...we''re going to make a paint coating out of Demon Trinkets?"

    "Yep." Aria nodded, "Well, I would...you rest easy. I got this."

    "No, no! I''ll help you." Ashton protested.

    "It''s fine. I can handle this by myself." Aria waved her hand. Ashton wanted to protest some more but Aria ced a finger on his lips, saying: "Leave this to me, okay? Have some faith in me. I''ll get it done in no time."

    Ashton blinked in surprise due to her insistence. He looked at her and saw that she was really determined to do this by herself.

    Well, who was he to deny her this chance?

    So, although begrudgingly, he nodded and kissed her before letting her do her work.

    Aria skipped towards theb, leaving him in his thoughts. Ashton sighed andid down on the bed.

    He''s aware of why she''s acting this way. She probably felt useless and insecure.

    Who was the one who have to watch as their lover cross the ever-so-dangerousnds of the outside world? Wasn''t it Aria?

    How many times had she seen him staking his life out there? How many times has she weed him in her arms when he''s dead tired and mentally exhausted?

    Even then...even if he was being driven to the brink of insanity, he still returns to her in one piece, tells her ''I''m home, and gives her that reassuring smile.

    He did this all while she has to watch and wait...twiddling her thumbs and praying for his safety.

    Ashton knows that she hated herself for being useless. It''s why she threw herself into her research, to begin with. She wants to help. She wants him to rely on her as well.

    She wants to make a point that he''s not doing this alone. She doesn''t want him to do this alone.

    Ashton''s well aware of all of this. Which is why he lets her do as she pleases.

    Don''t get him wrong, he''s more than willing to carry this burden alone. At this point, Aria is being plenty useful and helpful just by existing since he knows she''ll always be there to wee him home.

    And so, if she wants to be more helpful than she already is, why stop her?

    Preventing her would just put a rift in their rtionship. It''d just give her the wrong idea, something that Ashton doesn''t want to happen. And seeing how determined she is, makes it hard for him to refuse anyway so it''s all good.

    Aria can do what she wants, so long as she''s not risking herself for his sake, that''s fine. That''s his job anyways.

    But if he were being honest here, it does feel nice to know that she cares deeply for him.

    He truly doesn''t mind this.

 Chapter 101 Unlucky

    p "...finally done."</anda>

    Aria sighed as she slumped on the ground, feeling tired and a little bit out of breath. Her face had streaks of ck paint, her hair is a mess, and the work clothes she was wearing are simrly dirtied as well.

    Despite her exhaustion though, her eyes were clear and joyous. She did it. She managed to not only turn Demon Trinkets into paint, she also managed to apply it to the whole safehouse all by herself.

    The process of converting Demon Trinkets into paint had taken several attempts. She failed a total of three times but she seeded on her 4th try. The paint job she did was also well done, the safehouse looked different yet unchanged at the same time.

    Ashton silently appeared next to her. Aria let out a yelp when she felt that she was being hoisted off the ground. She giggled when her man started peppering kisses on her face.

    "Job well done, Babe." Ashton kissed her on the lips. Aria hummed and wrapped her arms around him.

    They kissed for a while and then separated. Ashton patted her ass, gave it a few squeezes, and said: "Off to the showers you go. You smell. I''ll take this baby out on a test drive."

    Aria scrunched up her nose at him but didn''t say anything, she just left theb and went towards their shared room to clean herself.

    Once she left, Ashton stared at the safehouse and nodded to himself. He just used Scan and Identify on the safehouse and this is what he got:

    [Mobile Safehouse]

    It''s not much but it serves well as a temporary home in the middle of nowhere. Plus, it can move so that''s a bonus!

    Functions: Mobility, Heating, Cooling, Security, Cloaking, and Size-Alteration.

    Can be summoned at will.

    (New!) Corruption Coating - the safehouse is now treated as a corrupted vessel. This neutralizes Demonic Aggression to a certain degree. Can be turned on and off.

    Durability: 10,000/10,000

    ''A job well done, truly.'' Ashton smiled.

    The fact that the System itself recognized Aria''s efforts makes this even more impressive. With this new function, Ashton should have an easier time dealing with River of Tar.

    With that in mind, Ashton took the safehouse to his Inventory. He then wore his usual attire, making sure everything was prepared before he sets out.

    Once he double-checked his stuff, he disappeared from the Grand Library and appeared outside.

    As soon as he appeared, he summoned the safehouse and started controlling it. He didn''t dare to go fast, he wanted to be careful so that he can react if things go south.

    The safehouse can be controlled mentally since he''s the owner of it. It hovers in the air but doesn''t make any noise so long as it travels at a constant speed.

    With the Corruption Coating on, the safehouse essentially blended with its surroundings. Ashton could sense it through the fact that he''s more sensitive to the trend of the world.

    Visibly, it looks weird since there''s a floating house trying to approach the river, but in terms of natural phenomena, nothing''s weird here. In fact, everything was in harmony.

    Of course, he doesn''t count. But thankfully, he''s hiding behind the cloaking mechanism of the safe house so he''s not upsetting this harmony.

    Once the safehouse touched the waters if you can even call it that, it automatically adjusted to its new surroundings. It no longer hovered in the air, it just kept on moving onwards, allowing itself to be carried by the waves.

    Ashton was barely controlling this thing, he''s not spending too much energy to do so either. He''s just adjusting the position of the safehouse ever so often to make sure that he''s going in the right direction. He leaves the rest to the waves.

    Of course, this doesn''t mean that Ashton was rxed. He remained vignt in case of emergency. If you read the effect of the safe house, it says there that the neutralization of Demonic Aggression only amounts to a certain degree.

    This means that if there are stronger demons out here, they might get suspicious and check this thing out.

    Ashton wouldn''t want that to happen so he''s keeping an eye out.

    His senses bled out of the walls, scanning everything within 500 meters around him. Thanks to his constant exposure to Demonic Corruption and his growth in cultivation, his senses were tempered constantly, allowing him to sense this far.

    Everything was calm and he was relieved by that. Though, even if that was the case, he still remained doubtful. So long as he''s within enemy territory, he shouldn''t trust anything easily.

    His senses caught some interesting things as the safehouse sailed. He captured some demonic creature leaping out of the waters. Sometimes, he would even tense up whenever he see some tentacles moving in his direction ever so slightly.

    He prayed for a safe and peaceful voyage. So far, it''s working. He doesn''t have any idea for how long though.<sub> </sub>

    As he sailed, Ashton chatted with Aria. He wasn''t doing anything strenuous, just keeping a lookout, so he gave some attention to spare.

    It took Aria a week toplete the experiment and renovation of the safe house, she ate and slept at theb so the two of them didn''t get to talk as much back then, which is why he''s making up for it now.

    Judging by how fast he''s going, it would take him three days to cross this river. And that''s because there would be no mishaps along the way.

    It''s not that the safehouse is going slow, it''s to ensure that he won''t provoke the peaceful monstrosities that may be resting at the depths of this river.

    Unfortunately, it seems that he can''t really escape them all...

    "Shit!" Ashton cursed.

    He felt a strong sense of crisis pressing down on his chest. Without any shred of hesitation, he immediately disappeared along with the safehouse and appeared inside the Grand Library.

    His senses remained connected outside, which allowed him to see what will happen if he''d been even a second toote with his actions.

    The ck and murky waves of the river suddenly surged up, causing great turbulence to shake the surroundings.

    Then, from the depths of the waters, something big rose. Like two hills rising from the depths, a gaping maw was revealed, causing jet streams of water to ssh around.

    It didn''t end there...

    From that gaping maw, several thick and gross-looking tentacles suddenly erupted. They look just like the ones that could be seen everywhere in the river, only these were thicker and more active.

    They have more fangs and eyes than the other ones. The sheer sight of it sent a cold chill down Ashton''s spine.

    The gaping maw suddenly snap shut once the tentacles withdrew with a crisp sound that echoed for miles before it retreated to the depths.

    Ashton paled and swallowed hard upon witnessing that scene. He felt his back drenched in cold sweat while his heart pounded on his chest.

    Close...that was way too fucking close! Had he beente even for a second there, he''s probably be spending time in the bowels of whatever that thing was.

    "...was that a fucking whale!?" Ashton asked, wide-eyed as he reyed the scene in his head.

    He didn''t see it clearly because he was too panicked and it happened way too fast, but judging from the size of that mouth, he''s most likely correct.

    And if he is correct...well shit. This voyage just became a little too dangerous.

    "Ash! W-what happened!?" Aria asked hurriedly when she saw him appearing here looking like this.

    "Babe!" Ashton looked at her with a wronged expression. "There''s a Cthulu Whale under the river! I''m scared."

    Aria nearly stumbled backward when Ashton shamelessly buried his face in her bountiful chest and started feigning a miserable cry.

    He''s been out for what? Five or six hours at most? Yet here he was, already encountering something that nightmares are made out of.

    Seriously, what''s up with his luck? Why does it suck so much? It doesn''t make sense! Shouldn''t he be luckier since he got that boost before? Why does it seem like it made his luck ever worse?

    Like a kid who got bullied at school, Ashton told Aria what happened. Thetter tried tofort him as best as she could but she knows that Ashton isn''t that frightened.

    Surprised and a little panicked, yes. But scared? Not really. He had seen all sorts of monstrosities out there in his travels, this one isn''t enough topletely terrify him.

    Ashton''s justining more than anything. Just asking to be pampered. For all she knows, he''s probably already nning on how to deal with that thing already.

    "Do you n on fighting it?" She asked.

    "Don''t feel like doing so..." Ashton pouted as buried his face even deeper into her bosom. "Seriously, I just want a peaceful voyage. Why can''t I have that? Why does my luck suck too bad?"

    Aria smiled wryly but didn''t say anything. At this point, she doesn''t really have to say anything anyway. She knows him, he''ll figure out a way. He just needs to vent for a little bit.

    "...boob heaven..."

    By doing this apparently...

 Chapter 102 Next Stop: Demonic City Ruins

    "...fucking Cthulu Whale." Ashton grumbled as he drove the mobile safehouse.

    If it wasn''t obvious yet, Ashton really despises the thing already. He hates everything about it; its size, its appearance, strength, tentacles, and everything that it stands for.

    The damn thing has been a nuisance to him these past couple of days. Every four or six hours of his sailing, the whale would suddenly appear and will try to swallow him along with the safe house. It really grinds his nerves but he had no other choice, he had to endure it.

    Ashton would''ve loved to bring this thing down. Oh, how he wanted to shove several grenade shells in its tentacled mouth and watch it implode from the impact.

    Sadly for him, this doesn''t really work. He already attempted it before and it didn''t even tickle the damn thing. Whatever this thing''s made out of, it''s extremely durable.

    This is why Ashton could only take this one step at a time. Sailing every now and then, keeping vignt of its whereabouts. Once it shows up, he runs away and waits until it disappears before trying it out again.

    Since the whale is too damn strong for him to handle, who says that he has to kill it? He can always just run away, there''s no shame in doing that.

    ''If it''s stupid and it works, then it ain''t stupid.'' - Wise Words said by a Wise Man.

    This was how he nned on solving headaches.

    Still, this doesn''t mean that he likes this process. He particrly hates the way how helpless he is against this thing. Even with all the progress, he made with his training and cultivation, it''s not enough to injure this thing, not even a single bit.

    But again, he doesn''t have a choice other than this so it''ll have to do.

    Thankfully though, it''s only the whale that''s showing interest in him so far. Ashton would probably lose his mind if there''s another one. Also, he''s nearly at the other side. He''d only have to endure this for a bit more and he''s out.

    "It''s getting anxious too..." he murmured while watching the whale thrash around the rivers in search of him.

    The whale had been following him religiously and the closer he got to the other side, the more desperate it got. It''s tracking him more and more, plus it stays around for longer too, which dys his voyage as well.

    The cunningness and intelligence of demons are something that Ashton really doesn''t like about them. The more he interacts with them, the cleverer they get and he doesn''t like that.

    Anyways, he''s already at thest stretch of his river voyage. Unlike the whale, Ashton had time to spare so there was no need to rush it. The whale can try as much as it liked but Ashton will never be its food so it could only dream.

    And because he finds its existence hateful, Ashton clearly has no problem letting it suffer as he takes it easy. It''s just fair that he stresses it out too like the way it stresses him out.

    "Damn! Woo! Finally out of that damn river! Woo!" Ashton cheered in delight as soon as the safehouse arrived onnd once more.

    He looked back at the river and raised his middle finger at it, feeling the stifling pressure on his chest disappear once he left that ce. Heughed when he heard the echoing snarl of the deep river Chthulu Whale. It''s clearly angry but did he care? Not at all. In fact, that made him even happier.

    What should take him only three days, got extended to a week because of that damn thing. Now that he''s out of its reach, how could Ashton not be happy?

    Driving the safehouse into the familiar corrupted ground, his heart felt light. He even hummed a tune as he peacefully drove away from that river.

    Of course, this doesn''t mean that he lowered his vignce. He didn''t forget that he''s still treading on dangerous territory.

    He still scanned his surroundings now and then. He saw some demons but none of them attacked him because of the corrupted coating of the safe house. Plus, the ones around here were infants or teenagers. He could kill them in a blink of an eye should they dare attack him so he''s not worried for now.

    ''Alright, now that I''m out of that god-forsaken river, my next destination is a bit more manageable.''

    Ashton unfolded the map and traced his tracks.

    ''If I follow this path correctly, I should encounter the ruins of a Demonic City.''

    Following the map created by the expeditioners, the Demonic City was his nextndmark.

    During their expedition, the group of adventurers discovered this location. Here they found traces of a thriving demon civilization. It''s a city filled with sin and filth. The group apparently witnessed unspeakable acts when they investigated this ce.

    Also, this is where they discovered how the demons experimented on their own kind to squeeze out more power from their bloodline and corruption.

    The expeditioners made a unanimous decision to raze the city to the ground. Swearing to not leave even a single demon behind. They also destroyed all their ritual tools and scriptures, not leaving a single trace of them in their wake.<sub> </sub>

    This is where they expended a lot of their resources, which is stupid and caused them to suffer in their future journey. Nevertheless, they were sessful in their n and all that''s left of the demonic city are its ruins.

    ''It''s been a long time since the expedition did that though.'' Ashton mused to himself. ''I wouldn''t be surprised if those ruins are now crawling with demons again.''

    ''I also wouldn''t be surprised if they rebuilt the city again.'' He added.

    A lot of things can happen so long as there''s time. Demons, as much as they disgust Ashton, are a clever race. They are cunning and smart. It wouldn''t be too surprised if they somehow enabled themselves to rebuild the city from scratch.

    If that''s the case, then Ashton''s probably arriving at another strategic demon base again.

    ''Well, with my current speed, I''ll arrive there soon. Around three to five days, I guess. I''ll see what''s up then.'' He decided inwardly.

    For now, he takes it easy. He just left a risky zone. Even though he barely did any fighting, he still felt exhausted.

    He doesn''t need a vacation again this soon since he just had one, he''s going to be fine after sleeping.

    Once the sun was down, Ashton retreated to the library and kept the safehouse on his inventory.

    Aria greeted him as soon as he arrived.

    "I see you''ve crossed the River of Tar." She said while they were resting in their room.

    "Yes, finally out of that damn ce. I''m heading towards the Demonic City though, it''s probably been rebuilt by demons."

    "If that''s the case, you can decide what to do when you arrive there." She stated, "I mean, you have more means under your belt to deal with thempared to the expeditioners. I''m sure you''d be fine."

    "Yeah, that''s what I was thinking too."

    "Oh! That reminds me, I think I''m close to deciphering the foreignnguage!" Aria cheerfully said.

    Ashton''s eyes widened as he asked: "Really?"

    "Really." She nodded, "I can understand most of the things that are written in the blueprints. Plus, thanks to you letting me experiment with the Demon Trinkets it might not be long before I can start replicating ''The Core''."

    "That''s awesome!!" Ashton jumped from his seat and cradled Aria, much to her exasperation. "I knew you could do it!"

    "Thanks!" She smiled.

    "If I rank up some more, I could probably elevate my status in the library as well." He stated, "If I seed, that means we can make more renovations for the library!"

    "If we could replicate ''The Core'', we can install it in the library. We can then have more means of manufacturing materials. Maybe we can even build the entire ''ARC''!!!"

    This was really a piece of pleasant news for Ashton. The news was so good that the recent annoyance and irritation he felt for having to deal with the Cthulu Whale''s harassment, melted like snow under the summer''s heat.

    Unlocking this technology is a major breakthrough for mankind. The ''ARC'' is more than capable of ensuring their survival. How can he not be happy?

    "Well, if we want to replicate the whole ''ARC'', then we need a lot of Demon Trinkets as well as Angelic Remains. That''d force you to travel the outside world more which would probably put you in more danger." Arai stated solemnly.

    "I don''t mind that!" Ashton eximed. "I kind of forced to do that anyways. In this journey we''re at, I''d encounter a lot of them anyways that around the time I arrived back at Last Bastion, we probably have everything we need to build the city itself. It''s fine, I can handle that."

    <o>,m Ashton didn''t mind. If it means that he''d be more powerful and more capable once he returned home, he truly doesn''t mind.</o>

    "Alright then, let''s do our best."

    "Yeah, let''s."

 Chapter 103 Demon Factory

    Ashton''s prediction was on point. The Demonic City was indeed rebuilt.

    He arrived here after around three days of traveling during the daytime. As soon as he saw the paved road leading down somewhere, he already suspected this.

    Of course, Ashton didn''t infiltrate the city yet. He activated the cloaking mechanisms of his mobile safehouse and stationed it at the edge of the elevated area so he could spy on the city from above.

    He used the scope on the Mortal Reminder''s 2nd Form - Sniper Rifle, to investigate the city''s activities. There''s no way he''d just waltz in there, guns zing without knowing what he''s dealing with, that''s just not his style.

    ''A total of five ritual grounds which are connected through arge formation.'' He deduced as he spied on the city, ''On top of this, there are also several rm traps installed at every point of entry through the city.''

    ''I don''t like the fact that this looks so simr to how humans build their cities too.'' Ashton pursed his lips as he continued his line of thought. ''The designs of houses, the groundwork, the overallyout...all are the exact same as what humans use, just a little more demonic and barbaric.''

    ''I also hate the fact that they have a semnce of order here.''

    ''It''s like a hierarchy, I guess? There are worker demons, supervisors, guards, team leaders, and so on.''

    ''Even the Demon Nest I was at wasn''t this organized. It really looks like a human society. And that''s really creepy.''

    p Ashton sighed as he removed his sight from his scope.</anda>

    His initial surveince already raised a few red gs. He didn''t like the idea of demons working this way. Nor he liked the idea that it represents either.

    How did they manage to disciple themselves like this is something that Ashton wants to know so that he can stop it. Unfortunately, it''ll be a little too hard to get some answers for that right now.

    ''What exactly are the rituals for though?'' He wondered to himself.

    The records of the previous expedition to this ce weren''t clear about it. All they said is that the Demonic City was a ce that needed to be destroyed.

    They witnessed Demons experimenting on their kind through some sort of ritual. They said it was to squeeze our more potential from their bloodlines or whatever but what exactly happens and how? These are the things that weren''t answered nor recorded in that tale.

    They just highlighted the fact that they destroyed the city after careful deliberation. Which is nice but to bepletely honest, it''s a little too vain.

    Ashton understands that this record was made to emphasize and give hope to humanity bute on, knowing what exactly they''re dealing with is more important! Couldn''t they seriously be bothered to jot that down?

    ''As much as I am tempted to blow this city up, I need to know more. Going in there with the intent of destroying everything on sight sounds fun but it''s too reckless.''

    That was when Ashton suddenly felt a strange fluctuationing from the city. This caused him to be rmed as he immediately zoomed in with the scope to discover what was going on.

    He watched as imps, maggots, critters, and hound demons began marching toward one of the ritual sites.

    Ashton''s expression turned solemn. Well, he wasn''t expecting that he''s get more clues this early but he''s certainly notining.

    A handful of demons filled the ritual ground. They all watched as some sort of a shaman stepped out, wearing a ck cloak and supporting itself with a skull cane.

    He saw the shaman yapping at the demons around and the demons wore an expression of...awe? Amazement? Something like that.

    Then the same fluctuations appeared when the shaman started chanting. Ashton''s gaze hardened when he saw the ritual circle glowing with a bloody red light.

    He then saw the audience closing their eyes and chanting the same things as the shaman did. All of a sudden, they opened their eyes and exploded like watermelons in a blink of an eye.

    Ashton''s eyes widened as he saw blood and guts flying all across the ritual ground. The demon shaman looked unperturbed by this and continued chanting.

    When the fluctuations became stronger, Ashton saw as the blood and guts began rushing at the ritual circle. They formed an orb of red mass that looked gross and weird. Like zits containing blood that pulses with every fluctuation urring.

    The pulsating red mass contracted faster under the shaman''s control. And as a final act of its service, the shaman opened its eyes with a crazed glint on it. The demon then stabbed itself in the heart with a dagger and threw itself into the pulsating mass, fusing with it.<sub> </sub>

    The mass froze and then, it smoothed out, turning into a shiny orb of maroon blood.

    About five minutester, the blood orb cracked like an eggshell. Ashton then witnessed the birth of a nightmare-inducing demon.

    ws came first, ripping the hardened shell of blood. From his guesses, the demon was probably eating them. It didn''t take long before he was proven correct as more parts of the demon became visible. Little by little, Ashton took note of its shape and appearance until its description matched the knowledge he has...

    ''A Ghoul...'' Ashton''s expression turned ugly the moment he confirmed this.

    A humanoid demon that moves like an ape. Its skin is pale blue and covered in red blisters, zits that contained corrosive blood. Deformed face and skull, looking like it''s always in pain and agony. Its howls are soul-chilling, sounding deep and harrowing. It has patches of fur all over its body, leaves pools of corrosive acid either by its drool or piss, and smells like a mighty septic tank.

    That''s Ghouls in a nutshell...

    Ghouls are fast and relentless pursuers, the moment they caught a whiff of your scent, forget about escaping since they will never stop chasing you unless you kill them. It doesn''t matter how fast you flee or how far you''ve distanced yourself from them, they will always catch up unless they die.

    They are one of the most aggressive types of demons. Despite their small stature, they are deceptively strong, able to leap great distances and shatter a boulder in just a single punch. They''re incredibly fast and frightening hunters.

    Ghouls are a nightmare encounter for any non-demons who are unlucky to meet them.

    ''So that''s why this wasn''t recorded.'' Ashton had a look of bitter understanding on his face. ''It turns out that this city is a Ghoul Factory. No wonder they decided to destroy everything here.''

    Ghouls are horrible creatures. They''re one of the ''Boogeyman'' demons that parents used to scare their children into obedience.

    Like ''Tormentors'', ''Ghouls'' are so rare that their existence wasn''t properly recorded in the Book of Demons. Somehow considered a myth. Still, due to the fabricated stories about them, they''re feared.

    ''...it''s an adult Ghoul too, fuck!'' Ashton swore under his breath as his scope remained locked on the ghoul.

    He could see five pairs of pitch ck horns in that thing, the sixth pair is already halfway out too.

    If these demons could produce an Adult Ghoul with just a handful of young demons and a shaman, it really makes one wonder how many are in there inside the city.

    Also, the fact that it came as a process, a step-by-step ritual, gives Ashton some horrible premonitions.

    ''This makes things moreplicated isn''t it?'' He groaned inwardly. ''How the hell can anybody expect me to walk away from this?''

    ''There''s no way I can simply ignore this! If a string of coincidences urred to one of the ghouls it is highly possible for it to locate where the Last Bastion is. Many people would die under its jaws! I can''t let that happen!''

    The Last Bastion is still ways ahead of this ce so the chances of a Ghoul closing in on that ce are very low. It doesn''t mean it''s impossible though, and that''s what Ashton''s afraid of.

    These Ghouls need to be taken care of. This city needs to be destroyed again. And if he could somehow ensure that there''d be no possibilities of it being rebuilt in the future, that''d be better.

    Unfortunately, the Ghouls are not his only problem...

    Ashton didn''t know when or where that person appeared. He just noticed his presence there and just from a single nce, every single cell on his body told him to run away as far as he could.

    He didn''t even realize it when he ran to the library. He just watched as the said person suddenly appeared from the ce where he disappeared from. Said person started looking around with a deep frown on their face.

    "...must''ve been my imagination then." The person concluded. Their voice sounded like five different people speaking the same thing at the same time.

    Also, this person''s nestling the ghoul, like an infant in their embrace. The most striking feature he noted from observing that person was their wine-colored eyes and ck ruby crown nestled in their head.

    Pale-faced and coldly sweating, Ashton muttered:

    "Demon Prince..."

 Chapter 104 Demon Prince

    Ashton''s adventure in the Outside World taught him many things. He had learned a lot of things that he would otherwise never learned had he remained inside the protective bubble of the Last Bastion.

    One of those things is the fact that Humanity never really had an idea about the upper limits of what the foreign races can grow into...

    It''s amonnguage that the strength of Demons is based on their ''maturity'' represented by the number of horns they have as well as their bloodline. Angels on the other hand based their strength on how many pairs of wings they have and how big their halos were.

    For demons, a pair of horns represents Infants, 2 pairs are Teenagers, 3 pairs would be Young Adults, 4 pairs are Adults, 5 pairs are Elders, and 6 pairs ars Ancestors.

    At least, this is what most humans believed in the entirety of it. That''s wrong though.

    There are upper limits to the strength of demons that Humans don''t know, the same way how they also didn''t know that demons built a Capital City for their civilization, located at the Extreme North called Qlipoth.

    Demons whose bloodline is considered rare and full of potential have the chance to go past the known limit and grow to increase the purity of their bloodline where it''d be considered a Noble Bloodline, even by Demons'' standards.

    This is represented by their horns coiling around their head, forming a crown that represents nobility amongst their kind.

    Demons who reached this level of maturity are appropriately called Demon Princes/Princesses.

    And if there are Prince/Princesses, there''d be Kings and Queens for sure...

    Emperors and Empresses might also appear...

    Maybe even a Demon God...who can say?

    But the fact of the matter is, humans had no idea that there are way stronger demons around. Angels too for that matter, as these two races have been at an age-old war.

    This is Ashton''s first encounter with a Demon Prince...well, if this could even count as an ''encounter'' even as he just fled at the mere sight of the thing.

    Ashton learned about the Royal Bloodlines of Demons thanks to the hoard of the Undead Dragon he killed back in the nest.

    In that treasure hoard, he found a sealed letter which he opened and read. Thenguage used is the same as humans but the letter came from a Demon Prince - the writer addresses himself as such.

    It was a love letter for the Undead Dragon - who turned out to be female. She''s being courted by a Demon Prince and that hoard she has, most of them came from the Prince himself.

    What really solidified the proof to him was the painting of the Demon Prince included there. The painter urately captured the essence of the Prince''s charm which allowed Ashton to discover the peculiarities for himself.

    A Demon Prince''s crown can never be worn off since it''s made out of its horns. This is the most obvious tell...

    This and the appearance of another Demon Prince just now, pretty much-confirmed everything. There is Nobility among Demons that doesn''t just represent status but also strength.

    Just from a single nce, Ashton could tell that there''s no way he''s beating that guy anytime soon. If the Prince''s very presence could terrify him this much, how could he even think about shooting him?

    Furthermore, this also confirms Ashton''s worst fearsing true; that someone from the Capital City of Demons indeed came here and was plotting something.

    He already suspected this the moment he saw a semnce of order in the city. After all, only those who carried true authority can whip the demons into shape and make them obey orders.

    With the Demon Prince being there, the difficulty of his mission was raised to its upper limit. It became so difficult that Ashton doesn''t think he could do it.

    He''s stressed. How can he not be? His journey back home just got even more dangerous than it already is.

    He couldn''t have expected to meet a Demon Prince on the road. Hell, how was he supposed to tip-toe around that guy when even at him minimizing his presence and all, the Demon Prince still sensed him?

    Plus, the Demon Prince was already suspicious...

    Ashton doesn''t believe that the prince would just drop the matter like that. It''s obvious that whatever his mission is which required him to be stationed in this city, was important and he wouldn''t like it if there are unounted variables around.

    He knows that the Demon Prince would raise his vignce from now on, which means that it''s pretty much impossible for him to sneak around the city. The moment he steps out of the library, he''d be exposing himself.

    This is probably the biggest crisis that Ashton faced in his entire life, counting the previous one as well.

    Ashton''s currently pacing around the room, trying to figure out a way how he could escape this.<sub> </sub>

    In the end, he had no idea in mind that he could make use of.

    That sucks, especially since there''s no other way out of this aside from crossing the city itself. Whatever he does, he''d have to go through the city if he wants to move on.

    Ashton scratched his head in irritation and slumped down on the couch.

    He''s in a really bad spot right now. He doesn''t have many options.

    ''How about I try fighting him...''

    That idea leads him straight to the Simtion Zone. Not even five minutester, he withdrew, face incredibly ugly as he could feel every inch of his body suffering from phantom pains.

    Totally outssed...that''s the result of his attempts.

    The Demon Prince thrashed him around like a ragdoll, blew him up with a single palm strike, severed his head off, and so on...

    He couldn''t even draw out his guns, not to mention shoot. The Demon Prince was way too fast, he''s not teleporting it''s just pure speed and he''s totally outssed.

    Not even his 1-star Phenomenon Rank Firearm Proficiency could make a difference in the fight. He couldn''t shoot his guns nor cast a spell. The Demon Prince was way too quick and decisive that he couldn''t do anything at all.

    ''Damn it...'' Ashton cursed silently.

    This situation really felt horrible. The expeditioners were lucky, he couldn''t help but envy them since they didn''t have to deal with a Demon Prince unlike him.

    ''It seems that I''d be stuck here for a very long time then.'' He concluded, ''At most, I can go outside for five minutes before running the risk of exposing myself. Aside from that, I wouldn''t be able to do much.''

    ''Why is my luck so bad?'' Ashtonmented to himself. ''Was all the Cthulu-shit weren''t enough? Why must I suffer from this too?''

    Ashton shook his head and released his perception past the walls of the library. The scene outside revealed itself to him. He adjusted the perspective and pointed it to overlook the city.

    There''s not much he could do. He could only observe like this. He can''t move the library past this since he doesn''t have that kind of ability.

    ''Great, he''s looking over here.'' Ashton grumbled as he saw the Demon Prince at his tower gazing at the spot where he disappeared. ''Drop dead will you? Please? I wanna go home!''

    If only his whining andining could actually happen, sadly that''s now how the world works.

    At the end of the day, since the situation hase to this, there''s only one choice left for him.

    And that''s to grow stronger again.

    Time is on his side here. With how rare Noble Demon Bloodlines are, there''s little to no chance that there''s another Demon Prince in there. This meant that the only threat in that ce is that lone Demon Prince.

    It''s time for another seclusion. What else could he do? As much as he loves to hasten his journey back home, he couldn''t do that.

    He''d be busy again. He needs constant pressure so this means he''d be fighting this Demon Prince again and again in the Simtion Zone to strengthen himself.

    Ashton would again, subject himself to a lot of pain. He could already feel it in his bones. As much as he''d like to not do that, there''s no other way.

    He has to pay attention to the activities of the Demonic City from where he is as he works hard on cultivation. The stronger he gets, the better.

    This wouldn''t be fun. Suffering defeat after defeat under the same hand was never fun. Yet it has to be done.

    He made a promise after all, to himself and Aria. There''s no turning back now.

    The Demon Prince can look in this direction as much as he wants, Ashton wouldn''t go out unless he has enough power to at least protect himself against the demon.

    He can''t see through the library anyway. The most this demon could do is to re in this direction and he can do that all he wants.

    Ashton would settle these grievances once he''s ready and strong enough to face him, it''s only a matter of time.

 Chapter 105 Librarys Trial, Again

    "...fucker''s so damn persistent!" Ashton cursed as he swept his growing hair back.

    His body was covered in sweat, his expression was twisted in irritation and annoyance as he released his perception past the walls of the library.

    That Demon Prince visited the same spot again. Observing the surroundings with a despondent expression for quite some time before leaving.

    This had be a daily routine honestly. Ever since he got nearly caught by the Demon Prince, thetter never missed a single day to check out the same spot.

    "Seriously, fuck off." Ashton cursed again, unafraid of doing so since he knows that the demon won''t hear him anyway. "Don''t make this your life''s mission. Go the hell away! Nobody likes you."

    Ashton wanted to cry, to be honest. The Demon Prince was really diligent that he felt ashamed. Not a single day passed that, that fucker didn''te to that ce to search for his trail.

    It''s like the thing waspletely expecting him to show up any day now. Honestly, it''s so frustrating for Ashton yet he can''t do anything. He can''t even relocate at all since he''s afraid that the moment he shows his face outside, the Demon Prince will be ready to carve his heart out.

    Oh, thatst part was very likely to happen. Why? Cause he had seen that fucker do in the Simtion Zone before. Honestly, he''s starting to think that it''s a fetish at this point.

    The number of times he caught himself being ejected out of the Simtion Zone while clutching his chest, just to make sure his heart is still there doing its job properly, has been a lot. He had already lost count of how frequent it happened.

    He doesn''t know why the Demon Prince was so insistent on doing that, again it might very well be a fetish, all he knows is that it hurts and he doesn''t want that to happen in real life.

    He only has one heart and he would very much like it to stay where it is now thank you very much.

    It''s been, roughly, a month since he started another seclusion. He threw himself into bitter training the moment he started. Losing count on how many times this hateful Demon Prince had killed him so far.

    Despite his bad experiences though, he could feel its positive effects on his cultivation.

    Thanks to the overwhelming pressure brought by the Demon Prince, Ashton had reached Lv.5 Archmage Rank (2nd Refinement) pretty quickly.

    Some would say that he''s sacrificing his foundations in favor of advancing too quickly but the truth is far from this. Ashton never forced any of his breakthroughs, they happened naturally as he umted sufficient experience.

    The sensation brought by the fights which happened in the Simtion Zone looked and felt way too real. So, whenever he triumphs over his enemies or gets killed by them, Ashton could feel it all as if it actually happened.

    All the experiences he got were imprinted on his bones. It''ll only take him some real practice topletely integrate with those and his body would naturally adjust to it. This is the beauty of the Simtion Zone.

    That being said, because of how real it feels and how his death seems very real, he sometimes gets nightmares about it. Hell, these experiences will take a toll on his body whether he likes it or not. This is why he always makes sure to get some rest every now and then to properly break the immersion.

    He didn''t want to lose his grip on reality because he overexerted himself. Aria will kill him for that.

    The pressure was good for him. It allowed him to not only squeeze more potential out of his body to also refine his skills.

    After one month of continuous one-sided battles, Ashton has improved and could properly read the tells of the Demon Prince to react properly.

    He''d been in a fierce tango with the inside the Simtion Zone, he had yet to win but he''s steadily progressing and that''s what matters to him.

    His Basic Firearm Proficiency had reached 2-star Phenomenon Rank. This allows him to shoot faster and be more creative on how he should deal with his enemy.

    See, the problem about the Demon Prince is that he''s way too fast. Blinking would make you miss how he closed the distance between the two of you. He''s strong too to top that off and Ashton could tell that this guy hasn''t shown anything yet to him. Which causes him more dread.

    If he wants to match the pacing of the Demon Prince, Ashton has to push his intuition to keep up, or else he will die before he even knows how it happened.

    Ashton was also revisiting his basics as he trained. Only a disciplined and experienced person can keep with the Demon Prince. He has to increase his skills even further to improve so he had to make sure his foundations are solid.

    All of his fights against the Demon Prince are one-sided with him being killed as themon ending. Also, the fights never took any longer than 5 minutes due to how ridiculously powerful the Demon Prince was.

    The fight could literally end within seconds if he''s not being careful. The moment he starts the battle, Ashton has to make sure that he can explode at his peak strength to match the Demon Prince blow by blow.

    And because Ashton''s mind was geared to be as realistic as possible, he''s already expecting the Demon Prince to have a 2nd phase. He just knows that there''s 2nd phase, there has to be.

    For now, though, it''s useless to think about that. He''s not nearly strong enough to push the Demon Prince to enter that phase so there''s no use in thinking about it too much.<sub> </sub>

    "...are you gonna attempt the promotion now?" Aria asked when she saw Ashton gearing up.

    "Yep." He nodded as he secured his belt.

    Due to his consistent hard work and strenuous training, Ashton''s physique had seen an impressive improvement.

    He''s around 5''8 tall now despite being 15 years old. His body looked like it was carved out of jade, his muscles were solid andpact. The thing that Aria loves the most about his body was his broad shoulders yet narrow waist.

    She also likes tracing her fingers in the v-line which leads to his sacred sword. She calls that part ''*** gutters'' much to Ashton''s amusement.

    His hair was a bit longer now. Aria was the one who ties them up into a bun most of the time. None of them knew how to cut hair properly so they could only resort to this right now.

    Pulling up the hood of his white cloak, he kissed Aria and said: "I''m off, see youter."

    ''Mn, good luck." Aria smiled and sent him away with her gaze before returning to thebs.

    Ashton was about to take another Status Promotion Test in the library. This will allow him to unlock more functions for the library and new floor filled with books which they can use to gain more knowledge, should he seed.

    Right now, he''s a Chief Library Keeper. It''s a title above the base level of being a Library Keeper. This title allowed him to add another room in the library and also make renovations for their rooms and minor ones to the library itself.

    Technically, he could''ve gone after this test once he reached Lv.1 Archmage Rank but he wanted to be sure. Plus, he''s busy at that time so he postponed it.

    It wasn''t until today that he got the time to take it, so he''s doing it now.

    Climbing to the peak of the library, he was once again standing in front of that familiar door. He pushed it open and was once again greeted with pitch ck darkness.

    "Chief Keeper of the Grand Library. What is it that brought you here?"

    An androgynous voice asked him whilst he stood out in the middle of the darkness.

    "I seek to upgrade my Status," Ashton replied.

    "...very well." The voice said. "The rules remain the same. You only have limited attempts. Once all are used up, your status shall be firmly locked in ce."

    "Your trial is this..."

    Ashton then saw his surroundings shifting. His vision blurred for a bit but it quickly recovered thanks to his recent growth.

    He found himself standing in the middle of a Demon Hoard. There must be at least a thousand here from his initial guess.

    "Eradicate all demons without receiving any injuries. You have 15 minutes toplete this task."

    Ashton whistled upon hearing that. This test is pretty strict. Facing more than a thousand demons without getting injured? Not even once? They sure were expecting a lot out of him.

    "What counts as an injury though?" He asked, wanting to rify things for himself.

    "Ones that make you bleed." The voice replied.

    "Oh. Yeah, sure I can work with that." Ashton grinned.

    "Are you ready?"

    "Yes."

    "Then, your trial begins now."

    As soon as that was said, Ashton immediately turned into a streak of white light as he soared through the skies...

 Chapter 106 Celestials? Hypogeans? Weird Isnt It?

    "...phew!"

    Ashton let out a huff as he stared at the scene of devastation he caused.

    The grenadeuncher was still smoking in his grasp, the wild white fire raged in his surroundings, and the agonized cries and looks of terror on the demons'' faces were still visible around yet none of this bothered him.

    With what he just did, there''s no way that any of the demons would survive. They are trapped in purifying mes and the only way for them to get out is by dying miserably.

    Some might say that he''s overdoing it, and they might be correct. But at the same time, they can''t me Ashton. He''s stressed about having to figure out a way to defeat the Demon Prince. He had been thrashed by the thing too many times that he was all out of mercy at this point.

    He vented his frustration to this hoard of demons, and it was satisfying as fuck. Therefore, Ashton regretted nothing.

    And just as he predicted, he demolished this test. It didn''t take long before a bright light swept his surroundings and he found himself back where he started.

    "Congrattions, challenger." The androgynous voice sounded in his ears, "You''vepleted the test with flying colors. Your status is now upgraded."

    Ashton then felt something muddling his senses. He involuntarily closed his eyes as sparks of light suddenly appeared around him. These specks of light then began condensing on his forehead, forming a golden eight-pointed star tattoo that was imprinted on his forehead.

    "From Chief Keeper, you are now the Master of the Grand Archives." The voice continued, "The Grand Archives is the real form of the Grand Library. Most of its secrets are now revealed to you."

    "As the Master of the Grand Archives, this ce is your rightful home. This ce will shelter you anywhere and anytime you please. You also have better control over it and you are also free to modify its structure as you please."

    "The lower area of the Grand Archives is now avable to you. Only you are allowed in this ce. If you want to unlock the upper levels of the Grand Archives, you must upgrade your status again."

    Ashton listened to all of this rapt attention, hiding the shock that he was currently feeling.

    He didn''t expect that there are more secrets hidden within this ce.

    Just now, Ashton could feel it clearly, his connection with this ce got stronger. He felt closer to it than ever before. He also felt the freedom to move it and re-arrange its structure as he pleases.

    This also meant that he could add more rooms if he needed to. He can create luxury areas or research areas, it truly depends on him.

    With the ease of how he could control this ce, the Mobile Safehouse had lost its purpose. After all, the only reason why Ashton was using that in the first ce is to serve as a buffer for his entry to the library.

    Now that he coulde and go here as he pleases and he could control the position of the library while it''s hidden from prying eyes, he does not need the Mobile Safehouse anymore.

    He''d still keep it, probably to sell to someone else in the future. But for now, this will be kept on his Inventory.

    "Grand Archives..." Ashton mused as he opened his eyes. The exit already manifested behind him, he stepped out and saw that his sense seems to be pointing him somewhere.

    The door that was previously locked, the one beside the one he entered to upgrade his status, is now unlocked to him.

    Upon stepping inside it, he was greeted by more rows of bookshelves. This time, every single one of these books looked ancient. He could feel the influence of mana here. There''s also a faint calming tune ringing in his ears, allowing him to concentrate more and focus more easily.

    A flight of stairs leading to two upper floors was in the distance. At the foot of the stairs, he could see some kind of a transparent barrier preventing him from going any further.

    In front of him, was a station that looked like the ones in the library. Something tells him that this is his spot. He can go here with the books that had taken his interest, a ce where he can sit down and read them peacefully.

    Walking at the station, he saw a strange stone tablet embedded in the center of the table. He frowned and touched it, then all of a sudden, a bright golden light emerged out of nowhere.

    The light formed a silhouette of a person, someone who Ashton doesn''t know.

    "Greetings, New Master of the Archives." The silhouette said while looking at him. "I am the previous Archive Master, a remnant will of sorts. I am here to tell you more about the Grand Archives and its contents."<sub> </sub>

    Ashton confirmed two things. One, this is a recording of some sort. The kind that ys automatically when the new Master of the Archive touches the tablet.

    And two, this recording was done through magic. Ancient Magic to be precise is something that was told to have been lost for thousands of years now. This meant that the mystery surrounding the Grand Archives are deeper than he initially expected.

    "The Grand Archives is more important to Humanity than you initially expected. As you''ve been chosen to be a Keeper of it, you must''ve been warned that this ce should never fall in the hands of the Celestials nor the Hypogeans. If you''re not aware of that well...now you know."

    "Let me reiterate this one more time for you." The silhouette''s voice turned more solemn and icy. "You must never hand the key of the archives to the Celestials nor the Hypogeans, lest you doom the entirety of humanity on your own."

    "Destroy it if you must, but never give the key to them. I hope you keep that in mind."

    Ashton already knew of this beforehand and he wasn''t nning on doing that anyway. Hand over the key? Isn''t that the same as handing over Aria to his enemies? Why would he even think about doing that?

    "But...Celestials? Hypogeans? Is he referring to Demons and Angels?" Ashton frowned as he mused to himself.

    "Anyways!" The silhouette pped his hands and said: "Let''s move on. Secrets of the Archives, yes!"

    "If you''re someone who has been living under a rock your entire life, then you must''ve never noticed anything weird about the situation of Humans before. But if you were, congrattions, your brain is still working properly. That curiosity is a sign that you are still humans at your very core and far from stupid. Very good!"

    Ashton''s lips twitched in annoyance, yet he didn''t speak.

    "Whether you wondered why you feel like the situation of humanity is weird or you hade to conclusions by yourself. I am here to enlighten you on what truly goes on behind the scenes. So sit back, rx and grab some food since this will be a long-ass exposition. A long drama if you will."

    Ashton blinked, yet he can''t argue with that. So, he sat down on a chair and waited for the silhouette to continue.

    "Humans are one of the, if not the most, progress-obsessed race that has ever walked the face of the earth. We are so obsessed with progress that sometimes it forces us to do unspeakable things for the sake of it."

    "If you were someone who has no idea what''s going on and never bothered to question it, I truly wonder how you managed to get up until this point, but I digress. Don''t you find it weird?"

    "Humanity had existed for far too long now. We were here even before the Celestial and Hypogeans arrived. Even after the devastation, they caused to us, almost causing our race to go extinct, we persisted."

    "We awakened with gifts and started fighting back. At least, that''s how your history teachers wouldy it to you. But don''t you find that weird? That even with the long line of Heroes who were born, took arms, and fought against demons, we still haven''t progressed that much?"

    Ashton''s eyes hardened. It seems that he was correct, this remnant will is truly going for that topic.

    "I mean, having the Last Bastion is good an all. We all owe it to the First Hero who walked so that we can run. He even sacrificed himself to build a protective bubble around the area which protected us all this time."

    "...but have we ran yet?"

    "Seriously, think about it for a second. Recall what the Last Bastion looks like and then recall how many heroes had been added to your History books. Read their biographies real closely and then look at the Last Bastion again."

    "..."

    "Weird isn''t it?" The remnant will smiled mockingly. "We really haven''t progressed much even with all the sacrifices that our Heroes made. So much for a progress-obsessed race right?"

    "Forget about running, we haven''t even made a real step forward at all!"

    "So! Let me ask you again...don''t you find it weird?"

    Ashton bit his lips and nodded bitterly: "Oh it''s weird alright."

 Chapter 107 The Truth Revealed: Sheep

    Ashton had a simr realization like this not too long ago. It was something that haunted him for weeks, making him unable to sleep properly.

    To think that he''d meet someone who discovered this too and probably knows more than him...Ashton felt some kind of dreaded anticipation bubbling in his chest.

    It''s not a pleasant feeling, he''d say that much...

    "...we have centuries of history. Centuries of experience under the relentless oppression of the Celestials and Hypogeans. Yet somehow, even though we survived that long under their harassment, why have we not made a lot of progress?"

    "Why is that we''re still limited to the Last Bastion? Why is it that we still haven''t figured out ways to better protect ourselves instead of relying on that bubble alone? Why is it that our technology is still limited within that bubble too? Why can''t it work outside?"

    "Why do our experts only reach the Sorcerer Rank? There are Ranks above that too, why is it that only a handful of people go past the Sorcerer Rank?"

    "Is it because our inheritance iscking? Is it because we don''t have enough resources? Are our knowledge about the Martial Path and Magical Studiescking? It can''t be, right? After all, we have hundreds, if not, thousands of years of history! Howe we''re stillcking?"

    The barrage of questions left Ashton reeling. Again, this is all so familiar. This was his line of thought once upon a time too.

    That dreaded anticipation is now getting unbearable. It''s like a barrel of gunpowder that only needs the tiniest spark to explode. Ashton''s just waiting for the big reveal. It''ll be anytime soon now.

    "At this point, you should be questioning a lot of things about Human Society. Not even the dumbest person I know would just ignore everything that I just said right now."

    "But I digress. You must want to know the reason behind all of this, no? If you''re still listening to me, then that''s the sign. Very well, I shall tell you."

    "Once upon a time, a pact was made." The silhouette stated. "During this time, the skirmishes between three races are escting beyond control."

    "These races are Celestial Race - the wings and eyes galore race, the Hypogeans - creatures with horns and serious anger-management issues, and us, the Human Race."

    "The oh-so-frail and weak and helpless race. The race is so fragile that even a stronger breeze of air could knock them over to their feet. Yes, that''s us." The silhouette''s voice sounded bitter at this point.

    "Out of the three races, we were the most miserable ones." They said, "Unlike the Hypogeans, our bodies aren''t that strong. And unlike the Celestials, we cannot draw power from the Heavenly Bodies above us."

    "Even though we were the first one to appear in the world, even though this world should technically belong to us, we weren''t able to do anything to protect our territory."

    "None of our weapons worked against them, our technology betrayed us and stopped working. The worst part is that the other two races that invaded this don''t even treat us seriously."

    The silhouette then turned his head and looked at Ashton''s eyes with uncanny uracy; "To them, we''re nothing but a local cuisine. Delicacies that came with their new battlefield."

    "To them...we''re just food. Nothing more, nothing less. It''s just that. in and simple."

    Ashton chilled. He sucked a cold air of breath and felt the dreaded dawning upon him.

    It turns out that it was real. He had discovered this fact on his own previously and now, someone said it directly to his face. At this point, he could no longer deny it no matter how much he wants to.

    This is the chilling truth of this world. It''s something he abhors but cannot get rid of that easily.

    "It''s funny. I said that our races are at war but if you ask me? Those two races are at war, we''re not included in that. We''re just the bystanders that happen to suffer from their reckless actions."

    "Extras. That''s all we are in a story that revolves around them." The silhouette''s voice was t but Ashton could tell that there was a raging storm of emotions hidden beneath all of that.

    He''d know. Cause that''s what he feels too.

    "The world had seen our sufferings. It heard all the grievances that we forcibly swallowed. And it granted the deepest wishes that we all had."

    "A chance. That''s what we received. A chance to push back the aggressors and a chance to carve a piece of this world for us."

    "Spiritual Root, Martial Spirit, and Providence. That''s the gift that Gaia gave to Humanity. Since you''re a modern person, this would be your Physique/Mageroot, Battle Spirit/Magical Artifact, and Providence/Destiny''s Qi."

    "With these gifts, we were able to fight back. It was the First Hero who mastered these gifts and was able to carve a piece of the world to shelter us. It''s also because of his sacrifice that we managed to buy time for the next generations of Heroes to rise and improve our living conditions."<sub> </sub>

    "Gaia and the First Hero, brought us hope. And it''s because of this that we were able to improve and be participants in this war."

    "We took that chance and wielded it so that we can protect our home."

    "Sadly, this isn''t enough...it has never been enough."

    Still staring straight at Ashton''s eyes, the silhouette said: "Compared to the Celestial Race and the Hypogean Race, our foundations are far too weak."

    "It is rumored that these two races have been at odds against each other for millions of years. Additionally, those that are in this world aren''t their main army. At most, they''re foot soldiers. Cannon fodders sent by both races to prime the battlefield for the big war."

    Ashton''s eyes constricted.

    "It''s a hopeless battle." The silhouette shook his head. "Even with these gifts, we''re just prolonging the agony and dying the inevitable. It''s no uphill battle, it''s losing one right from the very beginning."

    "...at least, that''s what everybody thought when they heard the same rumors too."

    The silhouetteughed mirthlessly. Ashton clutched his chest and red at the form before him.

    "But see, one thing that Humans are famous for aside from our progress-obsession is our stubbornness."

    "It''s the ''Never say never'' attitude. And the ''You''ll never know until you try'' outlook in life. For mad scientists, it''s the ''Failure is the mother of invention!''"

    "Whatever it is, the point still stands. Impossible odds never really stopped us from trying. Not once and never did. That kind of stubbornness is why there''s still hope for us. No matter how bleak the future might seem."

    "But you see...what I said just now is good and all but not everyone shares the same thought." They stated, "While there are people who are willing to work hard for the sake of progress and to carve out a path for our survival, there are also people who had already given up just because they heard a rumor."

    "You know, internal strife isn''t really a good thing when you''re in the middle of an existential crisis." The figure said with a wry tone. "And I''m not just saying that. There''s proof behind that im. Why else am I here then?"

    "There were groups who united under the same banner, sharing the ideals of never giving up until Humanity rises up and bes strong enough to push back the invaders. These people are the Dawn of Hope Federation."

    "As for those who gave up, well we call them losers." The silhouetteughed. "They became the regr civilians that we all know now."

    "The Dawn of Hope Federation raised an army. It was a glorious era where there''d be expeditions left and right. There were many casualties but the resources we umted rose to an all-time high. This group was the one responsible for building the foundations of modern human society."

    "But remember what I said about internal strife?"

    "The Dawn of Hope Federation had asting history and a glorious streak of achievements, but like they said: One bad apple is enough to spoil the entire harvest."

    "The fault lies in the number of casualties we suffered under the hands of the Celestials and Hypogeans. As the bodies piled up, the mentality of the battle-hardened warriors was getting worse and worst as time passed."

    "Eventually, the whole purpose of the Dawn of Hope Federation was tinted. ''Working hard for the sake of a brighter tomorrow'' became ''a battle of attrition''. Eventually, it turned into simple ''Endurance''."

    "As their eyes became clouded by too much bloodshed, they were unable to see the faint rays of hope that are finally appearing on the horizon."

    "It only became worst when a group of strong Celestials ''and'' Hypogeans gave Humanity an Ultimatum."

    "Hope was dashed as soon as it appeared. The Dawn of Hope''s purpose crumbled beneath their feat and a pact was made."

    "Humans are to raise fat, fat sheep for the Celestials and Hypogeans to enjoy. In exchange, Humans can enjoy their peace in this little bubble they have for themselves."

    "Who are these fat sheep you ask? Well...turn to your History Books. Count until you reach the 101st Hero you see recorded in there..."

    "Starting from that person until the very recent one, those are the sheep that I''m talking about."

 Chapter 108 The Grand Archives

    Ashton felt chills...

    The hairs on his body stood on end as he stared in clear disbelief at the silhouette looking with uncanny uracy. Cold sweat poured down his back as he felt his head pounding with sinking realization.

    As much as he wanted to not believe this, call it all a fat lie, at the very depth of his mind, a voice tells him ''I knew it!''

    This was a fucking nightmare. No...it was reality. The truth of this ugly world that he lives in. The miserable fact that he''s now aware of.

    "You must be in a state of shock or disbelief right now." The person said, "I won''t me you. I was like that too when I discovered this as well."

    "You can call me a liar all you want. I won''t me you for not believing a word I said. In fact, I won''t even me you if you chose to walk away from all of this and continue to live your life in feigned ignorance."

    "Though, at the end of the day, in one way or another, sooner orter, this ugly truth will eventually surface again. Nothing can be kept as a secret forever, not even with you being dead."

    "If you''re still here, Imend you. I know how difficult it is to stomach this truth. You''re a brave one for staying. Though, only time will tell if that bravery can get you somewhere."

    The lips of that silhouette''s face curled slightly upwards, then they said:

    "Since I already pointed out who the fat sheep are, then it''s pretty much given that the leading figures of the Dawn of Hope Federation signed this agreement. Though, if itforts you, the decision hadn''t been easy."

    "Despite their purpose being tinted and muddled because of the number of casualties they suffered, there were still a handful of people who inherited and lived by the federation''s true purpose. Those people followed the footsteps of their predecessors faithfully and would rather be destroyed rather than voluntarily give-up."

    "A brutal conflict urred because of opposing opinions with one side consenting to the agreement against the other side who clearly doesn''t consent to it."

    "Blood flowed and in the end, the group who consented to the agreement won the fight. The other side was outnumbered, to begin with. Still, even with that in mind, they chose to fight for their ideals even if it meant dying on the hill they''re standing on."

    "Who was right? Who was wrong? Well...Does it matter?" The silhouette shrugged. "At the end of the day, the two sides wanted the same ending, humanity''s survival. It''s just that one side chose to endure the humiliation, for now, to bid time while the others chose to remain steadfast and inflexible, keeping their thoughts transparent in hopes of inspiring others."

    "Which side was right? Which side wasn''t? The answer to that is neither in my opinion. Both sides wanted the same ending, what differentiated them was the execution."

    Ashton couldn''t help but agree with those words.

    "Because the real inheritors of the federation''s true purpose died in that battle, history had taken quite a turn from the point forward. The original intent and purpose of the Dawn of Hope Federation were now dead. It was then reced by something new..."

    " ''Enduring Victory'', this what the remaining people established. Choosing to bow their heads before the oppressors to ensure the longevity of humanity. ''Endure'' the humiliation for now so that Humanity can heal and raise another champion that will bring the ultimate ''Victory''."

    " ''Endure'' the bleak horizon for now, patiently bide your time and be steadfast, for eventually, the ''Dawn'' will arrive and the ''Morning Sun'' shall rise again, that which bes the symbol of Humanity''s true ''Victory'' against invaders."

    "...thus, the Dawn of Hope was no more. From its ashes, rose the Morning Sun Federation that you know of today."

    Ashton was reeling after receiving one revtion after another. He felt the world spinning around him and also felt like everything started making sense now.

    "From 101st Hero that''s recorded on your History Books up until the most recent one, there is but one trend that connects them all. And that is the fact that they all chose to sacrifice their remaining lifespan as fuel to strengthen the bubble of protection that keeps Last Bastion safe."

    "However that...is a fat lie. None of them did that. They weren''t allowed to do so. If they did, they wouldn''t have been hailed as a Hero, just some unknown nobody with delusions of grandeur."

    "Why you ask? Cause the Morning Sun Federation won''t allow it. As the hailed pir of the current human society, they have eyes everywhere. Simrly, since they agreed with the pact, they have to keep their end of the bargain."

    "Because of that, they have eyes everywhere. And simrly, they have candidates to choose from."

    "When a decision was made, everything else bes easy after that. They wouldn''t hesitate to use their umted resources to make sure that they have the candidate''s undying loyalty."<sub> </sub>

    "To that extent, they wouldn''t hesitate to get rid of people who might pose a problem to their ns. Variables that needed to be settled with are dealt with extreme prejudice. All that to ensure that their candidate will follow whatever it is that they n for them."

    "Once they have the candidate''s absolute loyalty, they will make them sign an agreement which basically forces them to sign their lives away. If they agreed, then they will use resources to make sure that said candidate will grow just like how the Celestials and Hypogeans would like them."

    "Once the promised date arrives, that''s when the truth is revealed. The federation will do their best to make their sacrifice a martyr in the eyes of people as they go ahead and do it all again."

    "As for the sheep? Well...do you need to know what happens to them? Are you that curious? You can''t be that dense right?"

    Ashton remained silent. He didn''t need to ask cause it was already obvious what the answer is. All he can do isment inwardly at their fate.

    "This all sounds bad if I put it this way, but it doesn''t mean that the Morning Sun Federation likes doing this either." They stated, " ''Enduring Victory'' remember? Those politicians are two-faced people, old and sly foxes but most of them genuinely meant well."

    "By catering to the demands of the enemies to honor the pact and by ying the role of being the antagonist to their race, these bastards were able to hide their true intentions to fool those stupid invaders."

    "They might''ve sacrificed the Heroes they raised by it doesn''t mean that they''re forgotten them or lost everything that they contributed to humanity as a whole."

    "In truth, with the excellent acting which could even fool themselves, they managed to save everything that the heroes contributed for Humanity right the nose of those pesky invaders."

    "See, there were times when the inventions and discoveries of certain heroes were a little too impressive that it poses an actual threat against the invaders."

    "When the Invaders discover this, of course, they will demand said discoveries to be terminated, or else they willunch an attack. It''s not like old foxes can hide this either because those pesky invaders cane and go as they please in our territory."

    "Because of this, the old foxes had to do something. Cause, again, by the end of the day, their purpose is clear and they know what ending they want. So, as they try to purge all achievements of the Heroes and make sure that the status quo remained unchanged on the surface, they built something where they can keep copies of those to make sure that when the timees, they''d be useful."

    "That...is how the Grand Archives was born." The silhouette stated as they gestured at the rows of bookshelves behind them.

    "All of the books you see here contain the life''s work of all the Heroes that have served humanity despite their miserable ending."

    "This ce contains the hopes and dreams of humanity, patiently waiting for that someone to see them and use them as they see fit. Those Heroes might be dead, but their story lives on in this ce."

    The silhouette then suddenly floated down and stood face to face with Ashton.

    A faint light illuminated their face and all of sudden, their face was revealed. And this face...caused Ashton''s eyes to widen in shock.

    "You may be surprised but I''m not." The man shook his head and chuckled to himself. "You know me, I know you. I also know ''when'' you are."

    "What happened to you was sad, I''d admit. It is something that we never expected. I was the one who told Leon to pass the key to you since I know you''ll eventuallye here."

    "Truth to be told, I''d rather not leave this kind of responsibility to someone so young like you but at this point, we no longer have many options."

    "From now on, the Grand Archives will be managed by you. What you do with it, ispletely up to you. I have faith in you."

    The man smiled and started fading, before hepletely disappeared, he said:

    "Good luck, Ashton West."

    Said by one Alexander Highdragon - the First Hero.

 Chapter 109 Goal: HSB

    Ashton sat on his chair as he stared at a nk space.

    His mind was whirring with thousands of thoughts right now but nothing could make him recover from the shock of the life he just got.

    Did the First Hero legit just talk to him? The Fist Hero? That Alexander Highdragon? That legendary man!? Did all of those seriously just happen?

    He couldn''t even tell what he was feeling right now. He''s shocked, furious, surprised, confused, etc. One revtion after the other bombarded his unprepared mind today. It would take days for him to recover from this but right now, all he does is this...stare at a nk space.

    ''Seriously, why me!?''

    Ashton whined inwardly. He doesn''t get it. Why was he getting caught up with so many things that he''d rather not deal with?

    First, there''s what happened with City M which forced him to grit it out and crawl all the way back home. Then came the mysterious blueprints and that Demonic City with a Demon Prince in it.

    And now, this!?

    Seriously? Why him? All he wanted to do is to chill in this lifetime, study magic, have a small family, and die peacefully, that''s about it. But why does fate doesn''t seem to like that?

    With his personality, there''s no way he could stay quiet after hearing all of this. He couldn''t let humanity continue suffering like this! Yet, doing something about it will be a lot of work and pressure for him!

    Could he even handle that kind of responsibility? He''s just 15 years old. Even if webine his age from his previous life, he still doesn''t that he''d be mature enough to handle this kind of burden.

    A burden of an entire race, resting upon his shoulders? That''s too much!

    Still, it ismentable...the fate of humanity is.

    The cold truth still causes him to reel and wince. To think that Humans are being forced to raise one of theirs to be taken as a sacrifice just so that the many would be kept safe...

    From a logical perspective, it''s a wise choice, sacrificing one for the sake of many. But from a moral standpoint...it''s ugly.

    But what could humans do? None of them were strong enough to handle both the Celestials and Hypogeans! To ensure the longevity of their kind, they could agree to the pact and endure the humiliation.

    If pushes to shove and Ashton was to be ced in their position, he would most likely do the same thing. He wouldn''t like it of course. He would feel incredible guilt and it''d most likely eat him inside but it has to be done. He will endure the consequences if it means that he could buy time for the next generation to grow up.

    This is why, even though he couldn''t bring himself to wholeheartedly agree to the actions of the Morning Sun Federation, he couldn''t bring himself to despise them. They did what must be done.

    The peace they established was a lie but it''s peace nheless. It allowed humanity to breathe and smile even though at the end of the day, all of it was fake.

    Still, he is now the Master of the Grand Archives. This is something that Ashton could never just put aside.

    From Alexander Highdragon''s words, all of the works of past Heroes are allpiled here, hidden under the nose of both Celestials and Hypogeans. Kept under the wraps and preserved for the person who would wield this knowledge and turn the fate of humanity around.

    ...which just so happens to be him.

    Looking at the books that are here, bathing in ancient light. Ashton couldn''t bring himself to touch them.

    Even the mere sight of these books felt heavy to him.

    ''Seriously, why me!?'' Ashton groaned to himself again. He just can''t really understand why he was chosen.

    Was it because of the System? How much does the First Hero know about him? Why does it feel like he''s still missing some important details here?

    Ashton rubbed his face aggressively. He roamed his exhausted gaze on the books and whispered to himself:

    "I''m not a Hero." He groaned, "I don''t want to be a Hero. It''s just not something that I''d want for myself. My System''s called the Idle Mage System, I''m a backseat gamer so why the hell am I finding myself in this kind of situation?"

    Yes, he just really can''t understand how this keeps on happening to him. He didn''t want any of this. He just wants to chill and take it easy, was that so bad?<sub> </sub>

    "I''m not some kind of a ''Chosen One'', nor do I want to be one. Yes, my soul came from another world but that doesn''t automatically mean that I''m some kind of a protagonist. I don''t want to suffer from an MCplex either cause that will automatically make me a dumb and horrible person. I don''t want that."

    He had seen far too many transmigration novels in his previous life. Most of them, if not all, suffer from some kind of ''Main Character Syndrome'' which makes them think that they''re all some hot shit just because they came from earth!

    It''s the same abused trope that he hates; Transmigrated Soul + Golden Finger = a self-righteous bastard who thinks their some hot shit, collecting hoards of whores and calling them beloved when the truth is it''s just some sorry excuse for a romance which makes the whole story turn into some horrible porn script.

    The worse part is that people buy that shit...Like, hello? Just watch porn instead of wasting money on that!

    It''s the very reason why Ashton somehow dreaded this second life of his. He received the same form as those people did so he was afraid that he''d eventually be like those failed abortions who call themselves ''Main Characters''.

    So far though, it''s going well which he''s thankful for. He managed to stay true to himself though he could still feel himself changing.

    Well, he never expected that he''d fall in love with an Immortal Library Spirit but it isn''t something that he regretted, not at all.

    He just wanted to take it easy. Live a simple yet fulfilling life of a schr. But it seems that that kind of life isn''t for someone like him.

    Ashton bit his lips as he stared at the books. The words of the First Hero were still ringing in his ears. He''s feeling the pressure now.

    "Wait...who says that I have to be the Hero?" Ashton wondered to himself.

    Eyes brightening ever so slightly, he rose from slumping on his seat as he found a new kind of inspiration.

    "I don''t need to be a Hero to make use of all of this." He muttered to himself, "Instead of being the one who goes into the front lines, why don''t I just pay people to fight for me!?"

    His eyes shone in splendor as he came up with this idea.

    "It''s not like I can fight the Celestials and Hypogeans on my own anyway. That''s suicide, considering that the rumors of their army being way bigger than we think happens to be true, why the hell would I want that?"

    "Instead of being the Hero, I''d just be the Bigwig who pays them instead! I can be one of those old foxes!"

    Ashton opened his Inventory and saw the rows of supplies that he has. Materials, resources, medicines, trinkets...all sorts of items that are rare even for the Last Bastion, he has a lot of them.

    "The resources I have here would be enough to sponsor a group of people who had the makings of a Great Hero! As long as I can support their growth and they''re willing to work hard, this can work!"

    "Heroes will be myckeys instead! They''d do the heavy lifting for me while I ensure that they have a ce to return to. With the System and the blueprints I have so far, I can show them the fruits of theirbors so that they''d see that their efforts are taking them somewhere!"

    "There are also these books that I haven''t touched yet!" Ashton''s gaze towards the archive changed into a more positive one. "The work of deceased Heroes wouldn''t be shabby right? After all, the First Hero said it himself, some of these books contain information which could seriously threaten the invaders!"

    "Since I''m the new master of this ce, I can learn them all! So long as I have the resources and foundation, I can let these creations release their true brilliance in this era!"

    "If I y it smart, Humanity will have a chance. I can get to take it easy at some point while Humanity bes self-sufficient. Who knows!? Maybe at some point, we can make the invaders feel our collective wrath and be free of the humiliation that they forced us to endure after so long!"

    "Mn! Mn!" Ashton nodded to himself. "This can work-no, I will make this work!! This is it! This is my ultimate goal!"

    "I won''t be a Hero. That''s just not me."

    "I''d be Humanity''s Stronger Backer instead!"

    [Notice! Mission updated...]

    ***

    Unbeknownst to Ashton...at an unseen ce within the Grand Archives, the silhouette of the First Hero was observing him with an amused expression and an approving smile.

 Chapter 110 Consoling Aria And Guidebook

    [Notice! Mission updated: Discovery]

    Enlightenment: Complete. Reward: System Overhaul.

    Note: Distribution of the reward is temporarily postponed due to ongoing missions.

    Ashton saw this prompt and felt quite bummed, nevertheless, this was fine for him. Considering what his mission parameters were, he thought that it was better like this.

    Instead, he focused on his new goal...

    Finally understanding what he wanted for himself, Ashton felt light. His immediate goals still haven''t changed, he still wants to return to Last Bastion. Now though, he has a long-term goal beyond this.

    And that is to be Humanity''s Strongest Backer.

    He will have to work very hard to prepare for everything but he knew that already and he''s prepared. This is for his eventual retirement! While he still has the energy of his youth, he''ll work hard so that when he''s old, he can take it easy.

    He shook his head and got rid of his excess excitement for now. He had felt a lot of things just now and felt emotionally drained. Actually, he wasn''t sure if he had the energy to start reading the books on the first floor of the Grand Archives.

    ''Right, I still haven''t told Aria that I''ve passed. She might be feeling anxious right now.''

    Ashton looked reluctantly at the books before eventually turning around. He thought to himself: ''I''ll deal with you all tomorrow. You all won''t be going anywhere anyway. For now, I have tofort the love of my life.''

    One thing he noticed before he left was the fact that his name was already imprinted on the te that was on the desk of his station. He can''t remember when he did that so he guessed that it just automatically happened.

    Since his name is already registered there, Ashton can go here anytime he pleases. There''s no need to worry about it.

    With this in mind, he left and closed the door behind him.

    Upon stepping outside, the first thing he noticed is his connection with the library itself. He knew he wasn''t imagining things, he truly felt at home here. The whole library felt like an extension of his arm.

    It''s like all he needed to do to know everything that was happening inside the library, was to close his eyes. He also felt he could use it much better than before. There''s a certain freedom in this sensation that allows him topletely modify the library ording to his wishes.

    He can add more rooms, take advantage of its cloaking mechanisms better, arrange the bookshelves better, add or reduce the number of floors it currently has...and so much more. Save the Grand Archives, he could almost do anything he pleases here.

    It''s strangely satisfying...

    Ashton went downstairs only to find an anxious Aria waiting for him at the bottom of the staircase. She looked like she hasn''t slept at all with those eyebags she got. Her hair was a mess and she looked like she''s been crying a bunch.

    He felt his heart sinking to his stomach. He immediately hurried his steps and practically flew towards her in a sh.

    "Hey, hey. What''s wrong? What happened? Are you hurt? What''s going on?" Ashton fussed over her, hugging her, wiping her tears away, and cupping her face.

    Aria just looked at him and suddenly bursts into tears, full-on bawling as she threw herself into him.

    "I was so...worried!" Aria wailed, "It''s been three days since you left! I couldn''t contact you so I thought...I thought that you-waaaahhhh!!!"

    "Gosh, I''m so sorry." Ashton felt horrible. Three days passed already? How the hell? "But I''m fine, here see? I''m not hurt. Not even a scratch! I didn''t think it will take that long! Sorry,e here."

    He picked her up and shetched on to him like a ko. He walked towards their shared room and onto the bed. There, they bothy down, bodies still pressed firmly against each other.

    Ashton kept peppering her face with kisses, trying to atone for making her worry and consoling her.

    He wasn''t aware that due to their unique circumstance, Aria developed some form of dependence on him. With Ashton being away from her reach that long, she suffered from separation anxiety. Not even her work managed to distract her from that.

    ''Oh, my poor love.'' Ashton thought to himself. ''She''s still shaking. She probably hasn''t slept as she waited for me.''

    ''But still, three days? How? Was there a time dilution inside the Grand Archives? There shouldn''t be, right? I mean, the First Hero wouldn''t have forgotten to tell me something that important!''<sub> </sub>

    He thought of this but he''s also doubtful. Well, the First Hero was a remnant will so maybe his time was limited. Maybe he timed out before telling him everything he needed to know.

    It could also be that he had just forgotten it too altogether. The chances are low but it''s still there.

    Nevertheless, Aria clung to him and refused to let him go.

    He won''t lie. While he does feel bad for unknowingly doing this to her, he also loved the way how she clings to him. She''s adorable, following him wherever he went.

    Even bathtime wasn''t an exception. Hell, he''d say that she''s even more clingy to him when their clothes arepletely gone.

    Well? What could he say? He''spletely and irrevocably smitten. How can he prevent himself from doting on her when she''s being this cute and adorable?

    Needless to say, he ended up dying his visit to the Grand Archives by one week instead of one day. Aria refused to let him go despite knowing everything already and he''s too weak to deny her anything in that state.

    It took a lot of effort for him topletely pacify her. Most of it came from reducing her into a lovable whining mess in the sheets, boneless and absolutely euphoric.

    Ashton worked really hard.

    In the end, Aria was back to her usual state. She''s even glowing and more beautiful once she bounced back. She no longer stopped him from going but she did escort him up until to the entrance of the Grand Archives.

    Ashton tried to take her with him but there was a barrier keeping her from entering. He thought of ways to let her pass but ultimately, he failed. Since there''s nothing he can do, for now, he decided to postpone it.

    Maybe he''ll get permission to bring her in once he unlocks the 2nd or 3rd floor of the Grand Archives.

    Arai made peace with this and focused on her work instead, now that she knows that her boyfriend is far from any danger, she felt much better about him being out of her reach. This also made Ashton relieved since he could now focus on the things that are in here.

    Now that he has returned here, he took a deep breath and smelled the scent of ancientness surrounding him. He nodded to himself and said:

    "Alright time to see what the Grand Archives has to offer."

    The first thing he did was to inspect his station. He forgot to do this before due to the First Hero distracting him and him being in a hurry to leave.

    Aside from the stone tablet that is now dim and his namete, there were a few things on his desk that he failed to notice before.

    There were some unusual ornaments ced there, a vase with what looked like a fake flower, some post-its which looked out of ce but made sense, a book neatly ced at the far corner of the desk, and a silver bell, the one you press which libraries and hotels have.

    Ashton''s attention was focused on the book. It was thin, no more than fifty pages from what he observed. It''s titled: ''A Guide for the Master of the Grand Archives''.

    ''Oh...'' Ashton pursed his lips. ''I guess this will have everything I need to know. No wonder the First Hero didn''t bother saying anything.''

    He sat on his chair and began flipping through the pages.

    Thanks to the increased intellect his bloodline gave to him, it didn''t long for him to read and memorize the contents of this book. Once he''s done with it, he now knows his responsibilities as the Master of the Grand Archives.

    The important parts for him were; (1) there was no time dtion here. This means that it took him three days toplete his enlightenment. He was probably in a trance for the most part.

    (2) He can give special passes for people toe up here, which also includes Aria, but they could only stay for a limited period of time. At most, he could give a 24-hour Pass which can be used in batches. Once used up, there''s a cooldown period of 1 week before it''s refreshed.

    (3) The most important part, is the fact that these books don''t need any kind of maintenance. They''re fine on their own and so long as one was being respectful with them, they won''t get damaged.

    He doesn''t have to take out the book from the shelves, he just needs to touch them and their contents will immediately show up in his mind, which is convenient. The book he just read also contains the name of the books on the 1st floor of the library and naturally, Ashton already picked the ones that he''s interested in...

    ''White Magic Combat Arts''

 Chapter 111 New Discoveries

    ''So, it turns out that my ''idental discovery'' wasn''t entirely idental at all. The applications were different but the result was the same...''

    This is the summary of what he had seen after reading the contents of the White Magic Combat Arts.

    Whoever said that White Magic was strictly for healing and re-invigorating thend is most likely unaware of this or just in stupid. Either way, not that Ashton could me them...this is kept as a secret for a specific reason.

    White Magic Combat Arts should be one of those techniques that could seriously threaten the Hypogeans. After all, its creation was made specifically with them in mind, hence the surprising lethality they possess against demons.

    Ashton would know, this is how he''s been getting by for nearly a year after all...

    No wonder the Revenants did whatever they could to pressure the leaders of humanity to prevent this knowledge from being passed down and refined even further. With Humanity''s talents and their terrifying rate of progress, it wouldn''t take long for them to create more incredible arts based on this. Once they achieved that stage, what else is there to fear about these horned abominations?

    That being said though since the threat of this technique was discovered early on, there weren''t many chances for its creator to hone them. Actually, the White Magic Combat Arts that he saw were far inferiorpared to the ones he''s using now via his sub-artifact; the Mortal Reminder.

    Still, he discovered a few things in the technique that he could use as an inspiration to improve his skills even further.

    After reading the White Magic Combat Arts, Ashton proceeded to read other books which caught his interest.

    The books contained all sorts of things such as information, theories, designs, blueprints, techniques, etc. All of which broadened Ashton''s perspective and showed him a whole world of possibilities.

    From the information, the most important one he got was the political structure of both Celestials and Hypogeans, as well as information about the Revenants.

    He already discovered the Noble Bloodline of Hypogeans, and just as he expected, there were demons stronger than those fully matured ones (6 pairs of horns). There were Noble Demons, Saint Demons, Demon Prince, Demon Kings, Demon Emperor, Ancestral Demons, and at the very top of their food chain, sits the Father of Demons. Or as they would like to call them, Demon Gods.

    For the Celestial Race or the Angels, their strength is measured by the number of wings they have and how ''Holy'' their Halos were.

    At first, they use the same rankings as demons; infant to fully matured. The changees after those levels.

    After the Fully Matured Stage, there are the Low-order, Mid-order, and High-order Celestials. The one that rules them all is the one called Celestial Thearch.

    The Revenants are a group of mysterious individualsing from both the Hypogean and Celestial Race. They are the scourge of Humanity, bandits who worked together for the sake of profit.

    Most of the time, it is said that they''re hostile to each other due to their innate differences yet they were united due to their insatiable desire to eat human flesh.

    The sad part about this is that, even though Ashton wanted to call them bandits, they''re far from one. The Revenants are a powerful bunch, the mere fact that they could represent the will of their races to form the pact and supervise it means that their backgrounds aren''t so simple. Even the old foxes of Humanity couldn''t afford to offend them.

    Ashton didn''t know that there are a lot of things he still doesn''t know about their opponents. The research he got was of great importance of course.

    Apart from this, Ashton also saw a book here which contained theplete list of all demon and angel types, they areplete with life-like drawings which allowed a person to see what they actually look like without needing to go out of the bubble.

    He read a couple of techniques that caught his interest as well. There weren''t many spells here since most of the invented spells are released to the public. The Revenants never took Humanity''s magical aptitude seriously out of arrogance.

    They believed that their Magical Excellence is naturally superior thanks to their upbringing and that it is something that Humanity could never hope to match with their feeble mind so they didn''t restrict it that much.

    p Plus, considering the fact that the Spell Inventors would soon be their meal anyway...well, there''s really not much for them to worry about.</anda>

    A big blunder in Ashton''s own opinion.

    What they restricted the most were Humanity''s Martial and Technological Excellence. This is something that neither of their kind had, and it''s what invoked their greed and something that they''re envious of.

    Humanity is the dear of this world because it is this very world that gave birth to them. Naturally, they''re also the ones that this world deeply cares about, not the invading races. It''s only expected for Humanity to receive the greatest gifts because of this, which is why the two races work together to suppress them.<sub> </sub>

    Many things here inspired Ashton. He felt refreshed seeing as how Humanity''s collective progress was all here, preserved and waiting for the chance to release their true might.

    Ashton left the Grand Archives with a light heart and inspired mind. There are still tons of books there that he hasn''t touched yet but time was on his side. He wasn''t in any rush for now especially considering the fact that he is now aware of just how much he''scking currently.

    He didn''t find a distressed Aria once he got out. She holed herself up in theb, still immersed in her research. This meant that she doesn''t feel anxious about Ashton leaving her behind which is honestly a relief.

    He was then reminded of his current situation, which caused him to pay attention to the outside once again after a long while.

    Bleeding his senses past the walls of the library, he saw that the Demonic City still looked the same.

    What''s odd is that he doesn''t feel the gaze of the Demon Prince over this direction anymore. Back then, even if he was inside the safety of this ce, he still felt anxious because the Demon''s Prince was somehow suspicious of the area where he left.

    The Demon Prince would even visit the said area at least once each day which was honestly annoying for Ashton.

    Now though, the Demon Prince wasn''t paying attention to this area anymore. Ashton could feel that stifling gaze and heavy pressure anymore. It made him wonder what happened.

    ''Well, whatever it was, I just hope that the fucker won''t disturb me anymore. I just need some time and more experience and I swear, I''ll put him down.''

    As he thought about this though, Ashton suddenly had a bold idea...

    ''I wonder if I can...''

    Ashton closed his eyes and blended his senses with the Library. Due to his improved connection with it, this ce now feels like his own limbs. He went into a deep meditation all of a sudden and felt like the library became his own body.

    Emboldened by this newfound sensation, Ashton attempted to move his body which is the library currently.

    And to his surprise, it actually worked! He didn''t go very far but he knew that it still happened. If hees out of this ce now, he wouldn''t be appearing at the same spot as where he disappeared before.

    With this surprising discovery, Ashton suddenly felt like messing with the Demon Prince.

    He wasn''t nning anything big, just a little prank to annoy the hell out of that thing. After all, it wouldn''t be fair if Ashton''s the only one aggrieved here.

    Moving as slow as ever, he went down and closer to the Demonic City. The pace is simr to his walking speed, additionally, he''s spending Mana by doing this but it''s going to be worth it in the end he thinks.

    Aria got out of herb at some point and saw him doing this. She wanted to ask how but it was not the right time. So, she just watched what her boyfriend was trying to achieve by doing this.

    As he got closer to the Demonic City, Ashton actually felt the sickening aura of the Demon Prince which made him vignt. To add more anxiety to him, he felt the thing''s gaze passing through him which caused him to stop cold in his tracks.

    What surprised him is that the Demon Prince''s gaze swept past him. It didn''t stop where he was as he was expecting. It''s as if the Demon Prince hasn''t sensed him at all.

    ''Is it because of my deeper connection with the library?'' He mused to himself.

    Nevertheless, this made him jubnt. If this turned out to be a fluke, then he can''t say much about it, but if this actually works seamlessly? Oh boy.

    Ashton was already nning all kinds of pranks he can pull to make this Demon Prince''s life absolutely miserable.

    He would pay twofold for all the grievances that Ashton suffered.

 Chapter 112 (Evil Laugh, Intensifies)

    Remember when it was stated that Ashton was changing?

    Well, him being a little bit vengeful was one of those said changes...

    He''s never been someone who does things like this. Not even in his previous life nor for the vast majority of his second life. This is a pretty recent thing and even Ashton himself wasn''t aware that his behavior was changing in this way.

    But, him being like this shouldn''t be a bad thing. ''Shouldn''t'' is the key word here.

    As long as he keeps it under control, he''d be fine. As long as he''s targetting the right people, or in this case demons, then he will be fine.

    This change was probably influenced by his istion from society. It has almost been a year since he was rudely wrested away from civilization and hadn''t a proper social interaction.

    That does things to an individual''s mentality, you know.

    Recently, all he''s aware of is the constant cycle of vexation and carnage.

    He''ll meet an obstacle in his path, he trains to get stronger and clear said obstacle so that he can continue moving, rinse and repeat.

    Unbeknownst to even himself, Ashton had long since changed. He''s no longer the sheltered kid who just wanted to live his days in peace, no matter if it''s false or not. He had grown up to be a battle-hardened warrior due to his constant exposure to demons, he had shed his youthful naivety and became a fiercebatant that could survive the harsh environment around him.

    He''s still him at the end of the day, it''s just that he was forced to grow up since that''s the only way he''ll survive this ce.

    ''First, I''ll scatter your neatly arranged stacks of documents. I know you''ve spent hours just organizing everything but ha! Too bad, there they go, scattered all across the room. Good luck re-arranging them!''

    ''This drink of yours? It looks yucky already but I''ll still spit on it. Don''t worry, I''ll even stir it for you just so that you won''t notice it. See? Aren''t I nice?''

    ''Is this where you take a bath? Ha! Are those shampoo bottles? You filthy demon stole this idea from us too!? How rude. See how I switch the contents of this bottle. Hmm, how about a fabric conditioner instead? I could change it to something much worse but I''ll wait since I''m nice.''

    Ashton went to town with his pranks.

    Ever since he discovered that the Demon Prince couldn''t sense him anymore and that he could move the library''s position even while he was inside, a ton of horrible ideas naturally flowed into his brain.

    He didn''t n the demise of the Demon Prince yet, he''s too weak to even confront him right now so that''ll just be useless. He''d take anything he could to piss him off though, that''s the only way he can keep his heart clear from the pressure he''s facing.

    ***

    For the next following days, Demon Prince Lu felt like he was being punished by the Demon God.

    It all started small, a few things or furniture being out of ce, his drink bing a little too much of something; sweet, bitter, colorful, hot, cold...

    Then, as time passed by, it escted. One time he saw the documents, which he had spent so much time organizing, scattered all across the room. Some were crumpled to a ball and thrown into his empty cup which nearly caused him to faint in anger.

    Then he discovered that his shampoo was not a shampoo. It wasn''t bubbly nor foamy, instead, it was a viscous colored liquid that smells a little too good. When he discovered that he began suffering from hair fall, that''s when he realized that he had been duped. He didn''t know what this thing was but it wasn''t shampoo.

    Sometimes, he hears a loud honking sound in the middle of his sleep which will cause him to wake up so abruptly that he thinks their being attacked. It had to be known that the Demon Prince loves his beauty sleep since he doesn''t fall asleep that easily. If his sleep is interrupted, it''ll be difficult for him to return to it so he might as well stay awake.

    Though he''d be grumpy for the rest of the day if that happens...

    It only got worse after that. As days passed, he never even once saw his documents being neatly arranged, his office was a bonafide mess, and he no longer trust the shampoo bottles since their contents changed without his knowledge constantly.<sub> </sub>

    On some days, he''d wake up startled. On lucky days, he''ll get some shut-eye but he''ll wake up with either crumb of food on his bed or dead insects.

    How many subordinates has he in at this point for ipetents? Demon Prince Lu has lost count already. He knows he''s being unreasonable, how could he expect them to find the scourge that''s causing all of this when he himself couldn''t locate them in the first ce?

    But that''s the only thing left that keeps him sane. It''s fine for him to kill these useless ves, in fact, they should thank him since they died under his majestic hands, that''s not something that happens on a regr basis at least.

    But...as Demon Prince Lumented his unluckiness, his vision greatly dimmed, causing him to focus on himself rather than the big picture.

    He failed to notice that all of his sufferings were just mere distractions. A part of an borate scheme that leads to a much bigger problem.

    Thanks to the wanton ughter of his ''ipetent'' subordinates, the demons around him became too scared to open their mouths lest they want to be killed too.

    Because of that, weren''t able to report many signs that some things were amiss within the city...

    For example, the Ghoul Nursery had been rather weird these past few days. The infant Ghouls were constantly wailing, seemingly in pain and writhing in agony. Their situation stumped their caretakers, unable to discover the reason why they are all acting like this.

    In addition to that, the ritual summoning had seen some sharp decrease in its sess rate. Before 9/10 times, they''d be sessful in creating a Ghoul but recently, it dropped to 6/10 and it doesn''t show any signs of stopping.

    They''ve checked everywhere but failed to see the cause of this sharp decrease in the sess rate. Due to the Demon Prince being angry at all times, all they could do is to curse their bad luck and hope that this unlucky streak passed by quickly. After all, their resources are taking some serious damage here.

    Sadly, they''d never know that this isn''t just because ofdy luck scowling at them. It''s because Ashton, being the vengeful and spiteful little shit that he is, finally decided to put his ns in motion.

    He didn''t really need to do much, all he did was to poison their food and water.

    Hell, was that even considered poisoning? He purified them a little bit and infused the ashes of Soul Cleansing Incense into their food and water which eventually lead to this oue. How can that be counted as poisoning?

    Well, that''s not his fault. If they want to me someone, then me their creators he''d say. After all, it wasn''t Ashton who made them unable to tolerate ''clean'' things.

    Despite him throwing a wrench on the Demonic Cty''s operations, Ashton doesn''t have any big ns right now. Well, he does but he''s not taking action personally to implement them yet, it''s still too early and, once again, he''s too weak to make any big difference right now so he postponed it.

    That being said, meddling in their affairs is something that he''d be doing constantly from now on. That is on top of his training as well.

    He''d give them a break now and then, just long enough to let them breathe. He didn''t want them going anywhere so this is necessary. This goes the same for torturing the Demon Prince.

    The past few days had been rather satisfying to Ashton. It already quelled the grievances in his heart. He felt light and airy already and had a goodugh because of his pranks seeding.

    His being free from all that gloom and pressure was reflected in his training. He''s now progressing at a respectable pace since he''s no longer carrying all that unwanted burdens.

    ? Him constantly bothering the Demon Prince is all for the sake of entertainment at this point and to keep him on his toes. He didn''t want that fucker to rx at all.

    Ashton wants the Demon Prince to remain vignt, doubtful, and constantly alert. He wants him to erode his sanity little by little. He wants him tired, exhausted, always in a foul mood, always heavy-handed and scowling.

    He''ll give him rest from time to time sure but not long enough to make him rxed. He wants that guy always on alert, constantly looking out for the one who''s causing all of this.

    This is a necessary step because when he finally gives the Demon Prince was he needed the most when he''s unable to endure it anymore...that''d be the sign of his downfall.

    But for now, Ashton could only wait until everything was ready...

 Chapter 113 Mr. Slayer

    "Interesting...very interesting..." Ashton muttered to himself as he was immersed in whatever he was currently reading.

    There''s a strange glint in his eyes as he read the contents of the book in his hands. Ashton had seen enough of this world that mellowed down his enthusiasm but there are certain things that pique his interest.

    The Grand Archives opened up a whole new world for him to explore. It does make sense as most of the books here were the life work of deceased Heroes. Everything here has value and their discoveries were something that Ashton may not be able to have despite his clear advantages.

    One of the said discoveries, one that truly caught Ashton''s attention currently, is a Cultivation Technique that focuses on a specific Specialization.

    As a reminder, Specialization is the person''s inborn or trained affinity. It may fall into a specific element or concept, and it''s something that directs Knights or Mages to a specific path in their journey to bing powerful.

    Ashton''s Specialization is set to White Mage as his main and Gunslinger as his sub-ss.

    But this book is really tempting him to swerve on a differentne; The yer''s Path.

    That''s the name of the book by the way; The yer''s Path. It is created by the 199th Hero - Norman ck, also known as Mr. yer.

    In this book, he wrote about his life experiences. This book was his diary. It is detailed to the point that he even wrote about his thought process, his theories, and everything that lead him to the path he has chosen.

    Mr. yer is someone who possesses an inborn Bloodlust affliction. It is not a curse like one that Ashton has but it did make his life a bit difficult since, due to prejudice, people lumped him with the used ones anyway.

    The Bloodlust affliction caused him to be a Battle Maniac. The sight of people bleeding gives him some sense of exhration. He loves a good fight and sometimes he even goes out of control. Nevertheless, he never killed a fellow human in his entire life.

    Due to his aggressiveness and his love for battle, he was isted from his peers. Nevertheless, it is also because of that he was a phenomenal fighter. The Bloodlust affliction might''ve caused him to be weird in the eyes of others but it did hone hisbat style, so much so that rarely anyone could match him at all.

    Pair that with the Trait he managed to awaken, he was almost matchless in his life.

    Norman ck awakened the Predator Trait which ramps up hisbat talent through the roof. Each battle he experiences and lives through only served to make him stronger. It is said that his killing intent was so potent that his mere presence causes people to fair from sheer terror.

    And it wasn''t just humans who were afraid of him...

    Mr. yer was one of the more difficult humans to deal with. He''s scary and he knows it. He didn''t give a shit about anyone and does whatever the hell he wants. Forget about the Morning Sun Federation, not even the Revenants knew how to deal with him at all.

    The moment he reached the bare minimum requirements to venture outside of the bubble, he took it. That''s the start of his legend.

    For years toe, both Demons and Angels came to know and fear Mr. yer. He wille without any notice and began reaping lives like they were wheat. He left a bloody trail in the outside world, killing thousands of invaders in his wake.

    Both races were so freaked out by him that they gave a ''Flee on sight'' order to their subordinates. That hardly did anything though since Mr. yer never gave a shit about where they hide.

    Kill everything on sight, move on, rinse and repeat, this was his routine. And said routinested for four decades before Mr. yer''s age caught up to him.

    He was captured in battle against Demons and Angels working together. It wasn''t the Revenants who captured him, but his ending might as well be the same, eaten by them.

    The secret behind Mr. yer''s power is in his secret Cultivation Technique, which is called the ''yer''s Path''.

    To use this technique, one must have a weapon of their choice. Once they made their choice, they then have to carve a Blood-Drinking Seal on a said weapon toy down the foundations.

    After that,es the ying part. As the name suggests, the seal must drink blood, preferably fresh from the source, in order for this technique to grow.<sub> </sub>

    A single Blood-Drinking Seal can drain the blood of 50 targets. Once it''s full, the seal will then take effect and will improve the lethality of the weapon it''s attached to by 10% against the targets that the seal drank blood from.

    For example; if the Blood-Drinking Seal consumed the blood of 50 Demon Imps, it will improve the weapon''s lethality against Imps by 10%. Additionally, one can have as many seals as they want, and their effects can also stack to a ridiculous level.

    The Blood-Drinking Seal has a limited time of effect. A seal that''spletely filled willst for 100 days before fading away. In order to remedy that, one has to change their Specialization to ''yer'' so that the seals won''t have a time limit.

    This is why it is stated that this technique is centered around Specialization.

    The higher the quality of blood is, the lesser number of victims required for the seal to be full. Mr. yer was able to condense a total of 999 Blood-Drinking Seals, all filled to the brim, from his victims. It allowed his weapon - which is a Scythe, how fitting, to be so deadly against both Celestials and Hypogeans that it is said that they could see a sea of blood on which their kind drowns, appearing whenever he''s near.

    Mr. yer was truly a scourge, a nightmare, for both races. If it weren''t for his age catching up to him, he would''ve probably done more damage to them, making their lives even more miserable.

    Mr. yer exined that, while the yer''s Path is indeed formidable, it is far from being perfect. He personally said that this is an iplete technique because ultimately, the seals have to be attached to a weapon, which bes an obvious weak point and fatal w.

    Had the Celestials and Hypogeans used their brains, they would''ve noticed this and made his life difficult.

    Plus, the yer''s Path isn''t an easy road to traverse. If one wants to excel in it, one must constantly throw themselves in danger. ughter would be a constant thing in one''s life and that does things to an individual''s mind.

    That being said...

    ''I know how to fix this...'' Ashton mused to himself.

    Indeed. Evidently, this technique was an old one. Mr. yer''s terror had long since faded from the minds of the invaders due to the erosion of time. Since then many discoveries were found, some found their way into the public while a select few ended up here at the Grand Archives.

    The Blood-Drinking Seal was something that was ahead of its time. Back then, seals, arrays, and formations weren''t a thing yet. These are something that the 201st Hero discovered.

    So really, Mr. yer was way ahead of his time. As a result, there is plenty of room for the mages of today to improve the Blood-Drinking Seal. And it just so happens that this falls into Ashton''s specialty as well.

    It had to be known that before the tragedy of the Mystic Academy and City M, Ashton was already learning Senior-level Inscriptions because of his genius-level intellect.

    Aisha, his Professor on that subject, gave him advanced materials. The contents of his exams were way beyond what his peers are taking so he''s a special case.

    In Ashton''s hands, this technique can experience rebirth. He already discovered 10 ways to improve this thing the first time he saw it. He might even be able to solve the Time Limit of the seals with the knowledge he possesses, that way he doesn''t have to switch his Specialization anymore.

    ''Yes, maybe I''ll work on this.'' Ashton mused to himself. ''It''s worth the shot at least. With my experiences so far, I''d have to deal with crap tons of enemies anyway so I might as well use them to strengthen myself directly.''

    With a discernable grin on his face, Ashton no longer hesitated. He grabbed all the research materials he needed, told Aria that he''d be locking himself up in the Grand Archives for a while, and started his mission.

    To be Humanity''s Strongest Backer, he''ll need more than just resources. People won''t listen to him if he''s not strong enough so to remedy that, he has to be stronger than most people.

    The biggest advantage he has was time. Ashton wasn''t in any hurry right now. He could take his time umting resources so that when the timees that he''s needed, he''ll be more than ready to face the music.

    ''I wonder, how dense a Blood Drinking Seal would be if it absorbs a Demon Prince as its first meal?''

 Chapter 114 Decisions, Decisions...

    Inside the Simtion Zone...

    Ashton and the simted figure of Demon Prince Lu dashed around each other, turning into mere blurs of motion with how fast they were moving.

    With guns zing and smoking, Ashton constantly fired shots that transforms into streaks of light, leaving devastating aftermath in their wake. Meanwhile, Demon Prince Lu looked horrifying in his true form.

    Demon Prince Lu''s true form is that of a Leech Abomination. Due to his Noble Bloodline, he has a Domain that moves with him. Inside this domain, Demon Prince Lu''s physical parameters are boosted. In addition, he releases a maic field that attracts living beings with blood towards himself. His mere touch is deadly for he can instantly drain his target''s blood if they''re not careful around him.

    That''s not a fun experience, Ashton would know, after all, he''s experienced that a couple of times by now.

    Demon Prince Lu''s body wasrge, though, despite his size, he''s incredibly swift. His flexibility also gives Ashton a ton of problems, the way he can twist his body at an impossible angle to casually evade Ashton''s attacks was seriously grating on the gunslinger''s nerves.

    So far, nothing''s still working on the Demon Prince. This fight is yet another defeat for Ashton. His spells and skills aren''t enough to kill the demon so it''s still a dead end.

    That being said though, his progress is nothing to scoff at...

    Currently, Ashton''s at Archmage Rank Lv.9 (8th Refinement). He''s closing in on another breakthrough. It''s astonishing how fast his progress has be, though it made sense in the end. After all, he''s quite literally squeezing out his potential to improve his skills and promote his strength.

    Anyone who has the same aptitude as him, thrown in a situation like this, would probably experience something simr. If anything, their progress might even be faster since Ashton''s cultivation technique forcibly slows him down.

    Needless to say though, the fact that he can now force this Demon Prince to reveal his true form signifies Ashton''s progress. Before he couldn''t evenst a few rounds from this guy but now, he''s able to corner him properly.

    Ashton''s Basic Firearms Proficiency had reached 3-Star Phenomenon Rank too. Which meant that his Gunslinger skills are more terrifying and devastating. His casual shot can probably topple a mountain at this point. Plus his range was constantly increasing too.

    As for his Spells, well, they''re still on the grind. The cost of the grind was hurting Ashton''s pockets but honestly, it''s fine.

    The depressing thing about this is that he did find some good White Magic Spells in the Grand Archives, he wanted to learn them so badly and add them to his arsenal but his curse prevents him from doing so.

    Most of the White Magic Spells that he saw were of the Offensive Type, and Ashton''s Curse of Mediocrity prevents him from learning those at all. He wanted to cry but had no tears.

    Still, it''s okay. Thanks to his Sub-Artifact: Mortal Reminder, he doesn''t need them for now anyway. He could just convert his Support Spells into Offensive ones through his guns and it''s working so far.

    The sad part about the Mortal Reminder is the fact that the Blood-Drinking Seal doesn''t work on it, which was a bummer since Ashton was looking forward to it too.

    Whether it''s the original Blood-Drinking Seal or its improved version, the sub-artifact wasn''t having it. That sucks...

    This meant that Ashton had to apply it to another weapon, preferably something that''s not considered an Artifact Weapon. Ashton had been thinking about this for a while now and he still hasn''t made a decision.

    ''I mean...I do have the Staff and the Basic Staff Technique.'' Ashton logically thought to himself, ''It''s there...I have the foundations for it, it is avable to me and it is a viable option.''

    ''It''s just...boring, I guess.''

    ''I kind of want to remind the Invaders about the terror of Mr. yer, ''cause it might be fun to see their faces when they realize what''s going on, but...I don''t have a scythe.''

    Ashton pursed his lips and brought something out of his Inventory.

    ''Well...there''s this.''

    [Scythe 101 - Manual (Consumable)]

    From its description, Ashton could tell that this book would teach him everything he needs to know about wielding the unorthodox weapon that this Scythe.

    The only thing that''s making him hesitate right now is the fact that he has way too many things to train and adding this would spread his attention a little too thin.

    ''Is it worth it?'' He asked himself.

    Thinking about what Mr. yer achieved made him feel good about this decision, that being said, the Hero had a one-track mind, Ashton shouldn''tpare himself to him because they''re different from one another.

    Ashton''s goal lies elsewhere, he''s nning to be the next in line to be martyrized. He wanted to be the Bigwig that calls the shots and be thest line of defense against the invaders.

    Yes, this requires him to be strong but Ashton''s already on his way there, he already had a good foundation for himself. With his Gunslinger Arts, his Spells, the System, and his wits plus his knowledge and experience. This is already way more than anyone else could have.

    If he add another thing to cultivate, wouldn''t that just slow him down even more?<sub> </sub>

    ''But...yer''s Path.'' Ashton groaned.

    It only took him one week topletely revamp the Blood-Drinking Seal. With his genius level of intellect, he made it so that the seal will no longer have a time limit, expanded its previous capacity to almost limitless, and made it so that the seal will refine the weapon it was attached to until it reaches the upper limit.

    Ashton made it so that he no longer has to swerve into the otherne just to experience the benefits of the yer''s Path. He had worked so hard for that and it''d be a shame if he didn''t at least give it a try.

    This dilemma makes him sigh in uncertainty...

    He''s in a bit of a pinch right now to bepletely honest. His needs and wants are somewhat shing and he doesn''t know what to do.

    Ashton stared at a nk space for a bit before eventually cursing: ''You know what? Fuck it.''

    He clutched the [Scythe 101 - Manual (Consumable)] a little too hard on his clutch and it suddenly turned into a streak of light that shot to his head.

    Ashton was momentarily dazed with the wave of information he received from the book all of a sudden, the next thing he knew, he was staring at the System''s notification floating in front of him...

    [Scythe 101; Consumed.]

    [Added; Basic Scythe Arts (Lv.1)]

    [Sycthe Arts - Lv.1]

    Increases familiarity when wielding sickles or Scythes by 5%

    Attack boost when using Sickles or Scythes: 10%

    Chance to ignore defenses: 2%

    "Yep, I did it..." Ashton petntly whispered to himself. Now that the skill was added to his list, there''s no way he can ignore it anymore.

    He has made his decision, since he had taken this, he might as well see this through to the end. So what if he''s a little too loaded? He''ll just make it work. He has the foundations to do so anyway.

    He stood up from his seat and walked towards Aria''sb.

    Because of his upgraded authority within the library, he could add additional rooms here. He made a separateb for his girlfriend since the previous one was too small and was running out of space for her experiments.

    "Hey, Babe." Ashton approached her with a smile.

    "Oh, hey." Aria kissed his cheeks and asked: "You look constipated, what''s wrong?"

    "Why must you say it that way?" Ashton feigned tears, which caused Aria to giggle. "Well, I did something that I might regretter on but I did it anyway..."

    He then told Aria what he did and supplied them with his thought process. Aria listened to him attentively, which she always does that''s why Ashton''s so in love with her, and told him:

    "Hey, I don''t think it''s a bad thing." She stated, "I mean, yes you might have a lot but you have time. You''re a genius, you''d learn this fast."

    Ashton could seriously just ''reward'' her, right here and right now because she said that. But he remained calm.

    "Well, the problem is...I got the skill to start training with a Scythe, but I don''t have a Scythe."

    Aria''s eyes suddenly shined like the sun as she asked him: "Can I make you one?"

    "I''d love that, actually." Ashton nodded with a smile.

    "Great!! Ooh! I''m fired up. I''m gonna make you the best Scythe ever!!" Aria balled her fist in excitement. Then she gasped and said: "Wait! Didn''t you have the bones of the Undead Dragon from the next before? Also that the ded Mantis limbs? Gimme those! I''ll use it to create your Scythe!!"

    "Ooh!!" Ashton liked that idea. "I like the sound of that. Tell you what though, I''ll give normal batches of materials first so that you can practice, once you''re proficient enough, I''ll give you those materials. How does that sound?"

    "Deal!!" Aria jumped on his arms and kissed him. Ashton chuckled and handed her some materials before leaving herb so that she can work in peace.

    Seriously, he''s so in love with her...

 Chapter 115 Learning, Entertainment, And Breakthrough?

    Scythes are difficult to use...

    That should be expected since they''re not considered an orthodox weapon, they''re mostly used for harvesting crops and other things, the one who invented it probably never intended for it to be a weapon.

    s, humans can be creative. Sometimes, they''d just make do with what they have. A single moron who used a Scythe to kill some beasts is enough to make it a trend, things can snowball from there.

    Ashton was currently in the Simtion Zone, practicing the basics of scythe-wielding. Most of the time, it looked like he was harvesting some invisible crop which makes him look stupid but he did anyway.

    That''s what the manual told him to do and he''s following it. The manual came from the System so it wouldn''t lead him astray, he wouldn''t suffer a loss if he followed it faithfully.

    The Scythe he''s using is one of the better ones that Aria crafted so far within the past few days. Her skills were steadily climbing and it wouldn''t take long before she creates a Scythe worthy of the materials that were given to her. For now, though, Ashton has to make do with the simple ones.

    Scythe wielding can be a bit dangerous. The curved edge still gives him the chills whenever they spin a little too close to his body. But, giving credit where credit is due, Scythes are mildly intimidating to face.

    When even he feels nervous as he did the basic drills with the Scythe, how can his enemies stay calm?

    Unlike other Mages, Ashton''s body was far stronger and more fit. It''s something that he had to have if he wants to survive on his own in this cruel world.

    <o>,m Naturally, this converts into him knowing how to control his strength to his advantage. Whenever he swings his Scythe, he could feel the air being split apart by the curved edge. It''s like he''s cleaving something invisible in front of him.</o>

    The cold gleam of the Scythe''s edge brings chills to one''s soul. Despite this though, Ashton''s far fromying down a solid foundation for his Scythe-wielding art.

    Believe it or not, his Basic Staff Technique, which he hadn''t touched for quite some time now, actually helps with his improvement of his Scythe wielding.

    Both can be considered as pole/long weapons, which meant that the Basic Staff Technique was helpful enough since it is the ultimate basis for those anyway.

    Still, there are many differences between the Basic Staff Technique and the Basic Scythe Art. The former may help Ashton in a way but in the end, his focus will ultimately be on thetter.

    To help with his progress, Ashton fights against a simted version of himself with a Lv.10 Basic Scythe Arts. It does feel a little depressing to have a clone of himself killing him in a cold-blooded manner but well, it''s for the sake of the greater good is it not?

    Currently, Ashton''s Basic Scythe Arts is Lv.5. On three days passed since he had gotten this skill but his proficiency over grown considerably. s, don''t be fooled by this...

    The reason why he managed to level this up this fast was due to the assistance of the Basic Staff Technique, his constant sparring with a simted version of himself, and his natural aptitude. No matter what, the moment he upgrades this to the Unity Rank, his speed of improvement will naturally slow down.

    ***

    Aside from practicing his Scythe, Ashton also didn''t forget to get his daily practice with his guns and physical conditioning. He added a 5-star Training Room just for the sake of that so it''d be a shame to not use it.

    With Spells to help him alleviate his muscle pains and help him recover faster, Ashton''s training causes his progress to skyrocket. He is both talented and hard-working, this is the reason why he''s able to survive this long so far.

    Aria''s locked up in theb. Madly refining her skills in crafting so that he can create a Scythe worthy of Ashton''s ever-growing skills. Her pride is also at stake here so there''s no way she''ll ck off when her boyfriend''s doing all the heavy lifting.

    Ashton regrly takes breaks now and then. Of course, he would! Especially when he has a never-ending source of amusement which is Demon Prince Lu.

    If anyone would think that he''d let a chance slip by ruining that demon''s day, then they must be out of their damn mind.

    Why would Ashton let go of such precious entertainment? Those are hard toe by nowadays! Hell, he''d even kill for a new movie right about now since he and Aria are stuck watching reys. How the hell could anyone expect him to let go of an entertainment source that easily?

    The satisfaction he gets whenever he ''honks'' at the demon at some ungodly hour is just immense. The exhration that fills his body whenever he spits at the demon''s drink without thetter being any wiser is addicting.

    There''s no way he''d give this up this easily. Hell, he''s even considering spreading his pranks to the rest of the demons in this city. The only thing that''s stopping him is the invisible threat that they may run away if he went too far. He doesn''t want that to happen of course.

    But in all seriousness, just from a single nce, Demon Prince Lu is already getting used to the chaos he brings to his life. On some days, he just looks absolutely done with everything and couldn''t care less anymore since he''s so god damn tired.

    This is what Ashton wants. His n was working well and that''s a good thing for him. The more this demon''s sanity gets eroded with the chaos he ensues, the better the ending of this whole n would be.<sub> </sub>

    Demon Prince Lu is still unaware that all of the Ghouls he''s raising are now severely ill from Ashton''s ''poison''. He''s also unaware that the production of Ghouls was also at an all-time low.

    Ashton still has no idea as to why he''s raising too many Demon Ghouls but there''s still time to spare. Whether he discovers it or not, it''ll hardly matter at the end of his n anyway.

    Ashton would blow this whole ce up, regardless of whether there''s an ongoing scheme behind this whole operation or not. He''s way past the point of giving an inch to Demons and Angels. Their debt piled up so high that it can only be repaid with blood.

    In the grand scheme of things, whatever he does here might not affect the foundations of Celestials and Hypogeans but for Aston and Humanity as a whole, this is the first sign of retaliation.

    Although he''s acting upon his wishes right now, it wouldn''t be a mistake for Ashton to say that he''s not alone in this sentiment...nor he''s alone in this war he''s waging.

    Well, it''s a little too early for him to call this ''waging war''. After all, his foundations are non-existent at this point. Truth be told, Humanity does not hold any reputation yet for others to treat them seriously.

    However, all of that will change the moment Ashton begins to make his move.

    But for now...this would suffice.

    Torturing a Demon Prince to the brink of insanity is enough to keep him distracted for now.

    ***

    "...it''s time," Ashton muttered to himself.

    His perception traveled to the depths of his body where his Mageroot is located.

    The appearance of his Mageroot had seen drastic changes as he progressively grew stronger.

    Now, the rainbow-colored te which served as the foundation of his cultivation and represented his Mageroot, is surrounded by a single yet ever-soplex magical formation that was refined countless of times thanks to the Treasure zed; Nine-Refinements Sutra.

    On the te itself, there''s an image of a tree carved on its surface - which represents his Fae Bloodline, at the core of the tree carving, there is a chained book - which represents his Magical Artifact - the Cursed Book of Infinity.

    Andst but not the least, hovering at the center of this ce was a crystallized core, shining with a rainbow-colored splendor and revolving on a designated pace and axis.

    This is Ashton''s Mage Core, something that he condensed upon his breakthrough to the Archmage Rank.

    A Mage Core is the source of a Mage''s Magical Prowess. It is the crystalization of their Mana infused with their Willpower. This is what allows Mages to cast moreplex and more demanding spells.

    Currently, Ashton could already feel the beckoning of the Warlock Rank. He''s just a shy step away from that stage but he just hasn''t made a move during the past few days.

    Ultimately, he''s waiting for something...

    ''A Mage''s pursuit had always been the Absolute Truth.'' This is something that has been consistently ingrained in all Mages the moment their magical studies begin.

    In a sense, Mages are the schrs of this world. Researchers hoping to uncover the truth of this world. In their pursuit of tracing the existence of Magic down to its roots, they will inevitablye across the Laws of this world.

    And if a Mage wants to continue with their path, they will eventually have to study Laws as well.

    To reach the Warlock Rank, Ashton must make contact with the Laws of this world. He hasn''t been able to feel its presence before so he didn''t push it.

    ...but now, the time has arrived and he felt the beckoning of the Laws.

    ''This might take me a while...'' Ashton mused to himself.

 Chapter 116 Warlock - Child Of Mana

    The Warlock Rank can be considered a watershed for most Mages...

    To reach this stage, one must have an unshakable foundation and, more importantly, theirprehension must not becking.

    See, at the end of the day, Mages are just Schrs who can use Magic. Using Magic requires high-intellect andprehensive ability. It''s safe to say that most Mages who reached a high realm in their cultivation are intellectual geniuses of their own kind.

    As a Mage, it is their duty and desire to trace the existence of Magic back to its roots and forge their path, it is only through this that they won''t just have sufficient ability to protect themselves and their loved ones, but also allow them to understand the secrets that the world has.

    This is the ultimate pursuit of knowledge...

    Warlocks are Mages that forged a deep connection with the world they live in - amunion of sorts, this allows them to sense the Laws that govern the very world they''re living in and adapt to their lives, allowing them to use it.

    Mages call this process ''Enlightenment to Virtues'', and this is what every mage had to experience before they step into the Warlock Rank to make sure that their connection to the world is as stable as it can get.

    This is also what''s currently happening with Ashton...

    At this point, he barely knew a thing about himself. Only that he''s name is Ashton and he''s undergoing a breakthrough, that''s it. He''s so immersed in this new kind of sensation that he''s slowly losing himself.

    Ashton was currently making contact with the world for the first time, experiencing some kind of baptism and seeing the world beneath all the pretenses.

    Colorful lights mesmerized him. Lines, nodes, diagrams...all sorts of mysterious shapes swam through his vision.

    With eyes hodded as if drowsy, Ashton watched everything like it had nothing to do with him, yet at the same time, he felt like he could subtly understand everything and nothing at once, which is bizarre if you ask him.

    His physical body turned illusory at this point. If one could see him right now, they''d see that Ashton''s entire cultivation was on full disy. His Mageroot, magical array, and rainbow-colored core, it manifested outside of his body in response to thismunion.

    A rainbow-colored splendor radiated out of his body. The room he''s in got submerged by a rainbow-colored cloud. A sharp buzzing hymn could be hearding from Ashton''s body. Each tone contained a distinct profundity in them.

    Out of nowhere, the Cursed Book of Infinity emerged from the depths of his body. It rose just above Ashton''s head, pausing in there before releasing a faint yet murky ck radiance.

    That and the rainbow-colored cloud seem to be in disagreement. The ck light was trying to suppress the auspicious rainbow radiance but thetter wasn''t fazed in the slightest.

    The Cursed Book of Infinity was trembling, it was visibly struggling against the chains that bind it shut, it is clear that it is seeking freedom, unfortunately, the chains bound to it were a little too strong.

    Nevertheless, the chain was feeling the pressure as well. As the chain represents Ashton''s curse, this image meant that the curse was starting to feel threatened. Both the rainbow-colored cloud and the Book of Infinity were putting up a strong resistance.

    The rainbow cloud even went as far as to fuse itself as a sacrifice to weaken the hold of the chains on the book. As the rainbow cloud dissipated, the chain suddenly turned illusory for a moment.

    The Book of Infinity them ceased this chance. It released a strong pulse and forcibly shattered the chain''s hold on it. The book opened and its infinite pages began unfurling.

    It stopped at some point, on a page where there''s a drawing of an eye with a strange symbol on the iris.

    ''Purity'' is what it meant...

    The eye drawing then suddenly disappeared, just in time until the chains materialized once more and wrapped themselves around the book, sealing it tightly. The Book of Infinity didn''t struggle since it finished what it was supposed to for now anyway.

    The chained book disappeared inside Ashton''s body, all that happened just now, Ashton''s unaware of them.

    But in his right eye, a change quietly urred. With his unfocused gaze, the change was barely noticeable. Deep in his iris, an ancient character emerged. A character that meant ''Purity''.

    As soon as that change took effect, Ashton''s body suddenly jolted. He suddenly felt like he had just woken up from a deep slumber.

    All of a sudden, he can remember everything. He could now remember that he''s in the middle of a breakthrough and he''s wasting a valuable chance to seize a good amount of fortune because he dropped his guard.<sub> </sub>

    Ashton''s gaze turned focused. Once again, in this dream-like space where nothing made sense to him, he focused on a single aspect that was somewhat familliar to him.

    ''Mana.'' His mind supplied. ''Something that all living being has. An intrinsicposition that is shared throughout everyone, no matter which race.''

    ''Mana, in a sense, represents life. All living beings have Mana. In a way, it is Mana that started everything, to begin with. With Mana, an individual can do a lot of things, without it, only death and destion remain.''

    ''The idea of cultivation ultimately came from understanding how Mana behaved in the first ce. By understanding how Mana operates on a natural basis, one can figure out ideas to sessfully harness it and use it to elevate themselves.''

    ''Mana is not a weapon but it can be on the right hand. Mana cannot heal but it can be if a proper process was followed. Mana can enhance, weaken, hurt, heal, revive or impose death to everyone so long as one knows how.''

    ''In conclusion, Mana is the basis behind everything. I am a Mage, my pursuit of the Ultimate Truth starts with the Virtue of Mana!''

    As soon as Ashton made this deration, his vision swarmed violently and he felt the world-shaking. Nevertheless, no matter how chaotic everything might seem, Ashton remained unmoved.

    He focused and maintained his connection with Mana, eager and determined to forge his firstmunion with it.

    In the physical world...

    Ashton''s body was shaking like a leaf. His brows unknowingly furrowed and his expression was a little ugly. Nevertheless, he was unmoved. He held on and maintained his connection with Mana.

    A vortex with him at the very center suddenly appeared. Mana surged and circled him as if they were curiously observing him.

    Aria, who was in herb not too far from Ashton''s training room, sensed the violent surges of Mana inside the library. She was shocked for a bit and became nervous.

    ''He''s breaking through.'' She mused to herself, ''And it seems like he has chosen the Virtue of Mana. Babe, your appetite is too damn big. Please, you must seed in this. You have to hold on.''

    As a Sorceress, Aria understood the implications of Ashton''s choice. Choosing Mana as the first Virtue was a bold move. The idea is not foreign since many Mages had the same idea as before but 9 times out of 10, it leads to failure.

    The consequences of failure could range from a simple injury all the way to death. Aria of course hopes that, if Ashton failed, his injuries wouldn''t be too bad. But more importantly, she''s hoping that he actually seeds.

    Having the Virtue of Mana as his first one would set the most stable foundation for his path. Aria understands this and she knows that Ashton''s goal was very demanding.

    If he seeds, Ashton will be considered as the Child of Mana, and to any Mage, this is no doubt an extremely noble title. Mana is the foundation of everything therefore if someone bes the favored child of Mana, they''re practically setting up themselves with a bright future.

    But again, this isn''t a simple feat to aplish. The world wouldn''t just simply allow any Tom, Dick, or Harry to be hailed as the Child of Mana. Especially if it''s the first step? The process would be even more demanding.

    Ashton feels like he''s bearing the weight of the world. He can feel his body so close to caving in due to the sheer weight pressing him down. It doesn''t make sense since he was linking to Mana and not Earth, yet it''s still so damn heavy.

    Nevertheless, Ashton held on. He refused to give up because of this hardship. He had made a decision, a vow. No one can expect him to easily turn his back from that.

    After what felt like an eternity, Ashton felt light of a sudden. The weight pressing him down disappearedpletely and he could now breathe just fine.

    It was then followed by a drowning sensation of euphoria and lightness. Ashton felt sofortable that he unconsciously let out a groan of pleasure.

    He could feel every cell on his body voraciously devouring the endless surge of mana.

    Slowly but surely, a crest formed in front of him. A marine-colored orb manifested and etched itself on Ashton''s mageroot.

    That is the sign that he seeded and became a Child of Mana.

 Chapter 117 Right Eye Of Purity, New Form

    [Congrattions Host, you''ve broken through your previous limits and reached the Warlock Rank Lv.1]

    [You''ve established your firstmunion with the world.]

    [You''ve chosen ''Mana'' to be your first ''Virtue''. Due to your choice, the world deemed you as a potential candidate for the ''Child of Mana'' title. The trial will begin shortly, good luck Host.]

    [You passed the Trial of Mana.]

    [Congrattions to Host, you are now the Child of Mana.]

    [Title: Child of Mana]

    Massively expands the title-holder''s Maximum Mana Capacity.

    Increases title-holder''s Mana Purity.

    Authority over Mana - there is a 30% chance that you can nullify, interrupt or return any Mana-based Attacks.

    Elementary Mana Physique - A type of physique that only Children of Mana possesses. Enables the title-holder to refine their Physique using Mana.

    [Condition Met: Achieving Warlock Rank.]

    [Cursed Book of Infinity grants the Host another power.]

    [Right Eye of Purity]

    Completely Nullifies all kinds of Negativity targeted at the user.

    Can be used 3 times per day.

    No mana cost.

    [Mortal Reminder unlocks another form!]

    ? Mortal Reminder 5th Form - Rocket Launcher.

    Ashton was stilling down from the high of his breakthrough that he barely noticed the numerous System Notifications swimming in his vision.

    Obtaining a new level of strength always felt good. Ashton felt that his body was so light, his mind felt refreshed and his thought process was clear.

    He was silent as he felt the changes in his body. He could feel the strong pulse of mana in his Mana Circuits,pared to before, it''s as if his mana was a river coursing throughout his body, it felt magical.

    At the core of his Mana Circuits, his Nexus, or Dantian, feels full yet also bottomless. He had a feeling that his mana supply was nearly limitless but he knew that this is just an exaggeration of his brain due to the high.

    His new title: Child of Mana, indeed raised the quality and quantity of Mana he possesses but it''s far from being limitless.

    The good news is that Ashton''s Mana was so dense that all of it turn liquid at this point. Due to the ceaseless refinement of his cultivation and the several boons he received which purified his mana even further, it turned denser and denser until all of it was liquified.

    Obviously, this is a piece of good news since usually, this process had to be done once one starts considering breaking through past the Sorcerer Rank, yet Ashton achieved this early.

    This meant that for Ashton, going past the Sorcerer Rank isn''t just a dream but only a matter of time.

    As Ashton finally returned to the present and acknowledged the System''s notifications, he was somewhat baffled.

    ''The gains this time were generous...'' He muttered to himself.

    His breakthrough, his new title, the new power he got from his magical artifact, and the sub-artifact''s new form.

    Receiving the [Right Eye of Purity] was something that he was not expecting at all. Reading its effects, Ashton gaped at how ridiculous that sounded.

    Nullifying all kinds of Negativity? Moreover, he gets 3 chances per day to do that? Oh, yes please! What''s a trump card? This, is a trump card!

    Ashton conjured a mirror to look at his reflection and as expected, he could see that his right eye changed. In his iris, there''s an ancient character which means Purity embedded in there.

    He could feel his connection with it, which instinctively told him how to use it. This might be based on his life of sight, and that''s not so bad in his opinion. Plus, it has no mana cost so it''s truly a decent thing to have.

    The new form of Mortal Reminder was exciting, he already knew that he was going to have some fun using that pretty soon.

    Aside from that, Ashton''s sensitivity to mana was at an all-time high. His new title on top of the effects of his Providence - Fey Emperor''s Grace, dialed his senses up to 20, he thinks.

    His perception of the world changed, it''s weird butforting, it''s like sensing everything for the first time. There''s so much rity around him, so much so that if someone said that he was blind not too long ago, he''d probably believe them.<sub> </sub>

    Now that he has reached this stage, Ashton had no doubts that he''d be in here for a while.

    See, he now has to cultivate the 4th Chapter of the Treasure zed; Nine Refinements Sutra.

    In the 1st Chapter, he had to refine every single one of his 9 arrays around his Mageroot, a total of 9 times. He did that with patience and some difficulty.

    For the 2nd Chapter, he''s required to not only fuse those arrays one at a time, but he also has to refine them 9 times after everybination in order breakthrough. He had done that as well.

    And the most recent chapter, he had to not only form his Mage Core - as this was the requirement for all Archmages, he had to refine his core a total of 9 times which caused it to not only be as solid as it can get but also has its axis for its revolution.

    Now, in the 4th Chapter well...

    It requires him to condense 9 Virtues and refine each one a total of 9 times.

    It''smon knowledge that Mages could only have a single Virtue that they''d follow. Having two or more is a sign that the Mage is capable and a genius. However, there hasn''t been a single mage who managed to condense a total of 9 Virtues throughout the history of mankind.

    9 Virtues trantes to gaining knowledge of 9 Laws. As if learning a singlew wasn''t time-consuming already, now Ashton was required to have 9? And he''s expected to refine each one a total of 9 times?

    How absurd is that?

    And yet...despite this being so demanding, Ashton would still do it. Why? Cause this is the path to solidify his foundations so that he can achieve his goals.

    This is why Ashton thought that he''d be in this stage for quite some time. He shouldn''t have any major breakthroughs in a while so he might as well enjoy this kind of high since he won''t be experiencing it anytime soon.

    Now though, Ashton has already calmed down. He stood up and exited his training chamber. He could hear his joints popping as he move, he stretched for a bit just to loosen them up. When he felt that it was enough, he went out and saw Aria already there waiting for him.

    A smile appeared on Ashton''s face as he greeted: "Hey, Babe. Did I make you wait?"

    "Your breakthrough took three days from start to finish. It wasn''t that long but you did make me nervous." Aria replied.

    Looking at her, it''s obvious that she hasn''t slept during these past few days. Herplexion wasn''t too bad. She wasn''t frightened that much at the thought that Ashton might fail, she was just nervous.

    Ashton cooed and gave her a right hug, he burrowed his face in the crook of her neck and said: "My bad, but I''m fine and well, see? I''m here."

    "I know. Congrattions." Aria chuckled as she returned the hug. "You''re bing stronger and stronger. In no time, you''d surpass me in terms of strength."

    "Isn''t that good?" Ashton tilted his head, "The stronger I am, the faster we can go back home."

    "Yeah but..."

    "But you''re afraid that I''ll leave you behind, worse I''ll rece you with someone else? Is that what you''re thinking?"

    Aria didn''t say a thing because Ashton was right on the nail on that one.

    He smiled and cupped her face, he then proceeded to pepper her with kisses until she groaned in annoyance.

    Ashton chuckled and said: "Believe me when I say that, that will never happen."

    Aria bit her lips as she saw Ashton''s direct and sincere gaze piercing through her.

    "Whether you''re stronger than me or not, I never cared about that. I also never cared whether you''re a human or an Immortal Library Spirit. You''re enough for me, Aria. If I have to tell you this every single day, I''d do so, just say the word."

    Aria would cry but at this point, she could only feel Ashton''s unwavering honesty and love for her. Honestly, it''s scary but she doesn''t mind getting drowned in this.

    "We''re bound together anyway. You can''t escape me." Aria mumbled through his shirt.

    Ashtonughed and said: "Yes, that''s right. I''ll never get rid of you and I''d never do that even if I died. So stop worrying your pretty head over this, yeah?"

    "Okay..."

    "Come, let''s eat. I''m famished." Ashton picked her up like she weighs nothing and Aria allowed him to handle her.

    Though she did pull his sleeves for a bit to say: "You don''t wanna see the Scythe I made for you first?"

    Ashton paused and smiled at her, "We have enough time for thatter, Babe. That Scythe won''t run away. Let''s eat first, I''ll take a lookter."

    Aria didn''t refute that. Instead, she smiled and allowed herself to be carried to their private room.

 Chapter 118 Bone Scythe

    Inside the Simtion World...

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Two blurs shed at a speed barely visible to the naked eye. One was a huge creature that looked like an utter abomination while one was a person that has donned a white cloak and wielded a wicked-looking scythe doused in white mes.

    Each time they shed, space itself trembled. The impact of their fight caused the earth to rupture, winds to howl, and the sky to darken.

    These figures were none other than Demon Prince Lu in his Leech Abomination Form and Ashton who is now wielding the scythe that Aria created for him.

    Both are locked in a deadly melee and refused to retreat from this challenge. Everywhere they shed, a pool of toxic blood was sure to appear.

    None of it was Ashton''s though. Due to the unique function of his Cloak of Apparitions, so long as he could react before it was toote, he could apparate and evade, what normally would be, a fatal blow for him. He could even use that as bait, drawing the demon prince in, tond a decent hit on him.

    Ashton would sometimes pull out the Mortal Reminder on its base form to restrict the movements of the demon prince but most of the time, he is using that scythe to deal with the abomination.

    It is unknown how many times Demon Prince Lu brushed off a fatal attack like it was nothing but Ashton knew it well. Even though it doesn''t look like he''s doing much, he knows that he''s pushing the Demon Prince to the brink of death every time the scythe cleaves a part of the demon prince''s body.

    The regenerative power of this bitch is off the charts. It sucks that Ashton doesn''t have a spell that can mitigate that but he''ll make do with what he has.

    Admittedly, Ashton''s proficiency with Scythe wielding isn''t too great yet. Especially that now he''s more sensitive to the world itself and the existence of profound things such as ''Laws'', Ashton literally winces due to how bad he is.

    Nevertheless, he still presses on. After all,bat is the best teacher. It doesn''t matter if he dies in the Simtion World anyway, he could just boot it up again and he''s set.

    As he grew stronger, Ashton''s sense ofbat grows as well. Along with the experiences he''s umting thanks to his consistent effort, these factors allowed him to challenge beings that should normally be way above his pay grade.

    It is challenging but Ashton has to rise to the asion. After all, if not him, then who?

    Zing!

    A strong fluctuation was released from his scythe. Ashton held it using both hands, grunted, and performed a clean jerk which sent the scythe cleaving the space in front of him diagonally.

    Arge white projectile appeared, it is so sharp that it cuts through the air like a hot knife through butter. This projectile was Ashton''s mana concentrated and blessed with White Magic.

    The projectile sliced the air and passed through the Demon Prince''s body without any problems. The Leech Abomination paused on its tracks, shortly after, it busted into white-hot mes and a diagonal, gaping wound appeared on its body.

    Toxic blood sttered everywhere, Ashton evaded most of it as he pulled out the Mortal Reminder - Rocket Launcher Form to his hands and proceeded to load it with 10 spells he Memorized before this battle began.

    A shell formed and Ashton aimed. Pulling the trigger, he fired and jumped so far back to escape the impact as soon as the shell exited theuncher.

    BOOOM!

    An explosion so strong that it left a stadium-sized crater urred. Ashton could feel the aftershocks even with how far he retreated. A huge mushroom cloud appeared one that can be seen from a mile away.

    Ashton paused for a moment and thought that instead of a rocket shell, he might''veunched a nuke instead.

    ''Well, but if it works, then it works. Got noints here.''

    That''s what he thought when he heard a crisp jingle on his ears and he felt his surroundings changing back to its default setting.

    ? He did it. Ashton killed Demon Prince Lu.

    A Demon Prince that not even Sorcerers dare to mess with, died in his hands. Well, it was a simtion yes, but granted that this simtion was so realistic, this might as well be counted as him actually doing it.

    If he could kill Demon Prince Lu in the simtion, he could also kill him in reality.<sub> </sub>

    ''Whew...'' Ashton heaved a sigh, ''Out of 344 matches against this motherfucker. I finally won one. Damn.''

    That''s a bit embarrassing to admit out loud but it''s no foul considering that he basically did something deemed impossible through regr standards.

    Now that he won once, he could do it again. It doesn''t necessarily mean that his next move should be to replicate this victory in real life. There''s no harm in making sure that he can actually defeat the demon prince but doing it some more.

    If there''s a way he could eliminate his enemy most efficiently, why wouldn''t he do that? It doesn''t hurt to be sure.

    ''Plus...'' Ashton lifted the scythe and looked at it in a meaningful way. ''I still haven''t applied the improved Blood-Drinking Seal into this thing, so more tests are needed.''

    [Bone Scythe]

    : Created by an experienced Artificer using the spine of an Undead Dragon, w-des of a Demonized Mantis, and several other Demonic Trinkets, this scythe is durable and possesses extreme sharpness that would never fade.

    : It could extend its reach ording to the user''s will due to the unique materials it was made out of. It could also conduct mana smoothly, allowing the user to enhance their attacks with it.

    The Bone Scythe - the name that Ashton just casually came up for the damn thing, was 110 inches long, weighs around 100 kilograms, and has a de that is just a shy away from reaching 50 inches.

    It is one hell of a wicked scythe if Ashton had ever seen one, he doubted if Mr. yer''s scythe was anywhere near as ridiculous as this thing was but he digresses, this thing is massive and looks sick as fuck...

    This means he absolutely loves it...

    How can he not? First and foremost, his lovely girlfriend was the one who made this for him with all the love and consideration she has. Secondly, although it''s a little bit unruly to use, having this thing cleavingrge swathes of enemies was extremely satisfying.

    The way he has to drag it with a controlled force which causes a wide range of death and chaos felt awesome. Yes, it''s a little scary to give this thing a twirl since he could shank himself with it if he''s not careful but it''s fiiiine...he''s a white mage, surely he can heal himself and walk off any idents.

    Moreover, this thing just looks wicked. He still remembers facing a hoard of thousands of demons in this Simtion Zone with this thing. The feeling he got when demons themselves felt so afraid of him, shaking like a lead as he starts walking towards them as he held this thing, was thrilling and addicting.

    Screw him for being petnt but it''s fun to reverse the roles sometimes so he doesn''t mind the difficulty of using this thing.

    Well, his [Basic Scythe Arts] was at the 1-Star Unity Rank already. It''s still far from his Firearms Mastery but it''s getting there.

    Now that he knows that he could kill the Demon Prince with his skill, it''s about time he weaved the Blood-Drinking Seal into this thing.

    Ashton''s mind retreated from the Simtion Zone. He stood up and stretched his body for a bit, feeling phantom pains here and there but nothing that a healing spell couldn''t get rid of.

    Once he''s good and all. He went to a nearby table and ced the Bone Scythe on it. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and briefly recalled the procedures on how to create the Blood-Drinking Seal.

    Once his memory was refreshed, he took out a dagger from his Inventory and sliced his wrist, drawing out a good amount of his blood.

    He let the scythe be drenched in it for a few seconds before he began chanting something unintelligible. The sounds he made caused a weird fluctuation to ur around him. He poured mana on his fingertips and began drawing aplex inscription in the air.

    His hands blurred as he drew the lines needed for the inscription. The fluctuation became stronger and stronger until the blood staining the scythe reacted to it.

    "Fuse!" Ashton roared out an order and the seal suddenly let out a blinding crimson brilliance as his blood fused to it.

    Ashton kept his attention on the process. He watched as the seal condensed and fused into the Bone Scythe.

    All of the blood he drained from himself earlier was gone, they fused perfectly with the seal.

    It was when he felt his connection with the Bone Scythe bing closer that he confirmed that he seeded.

    Now, he just has to secure a few more rounds of victory for himself against the Demon Prince and he''d be ready to kill that thing once and for all.

 Chapter 119 Self-Battle And Turning Point

    With the Blood-Drinking Seal now etched to the Bone Scythe, Ashton felt that his connection with it go deeper.

    After a couple of rounds of testing, he found out that this was certainly the case. Wielding the ridiculouslyrge scythe became much easier for him than before.

    He also discovered that there were some major changes in the scythe now...

    [Blood-Drinking Bone Scythe]

    : Made from Demonic Remains. Flexible can extend and possesses sharpness that will never dull.

    : Blood Thirst - This scythe can consume the blood of opponents who fell under its de. The more blood this scythe consumes, the stronger it gets.

    Killing multiple enemies of the same kind increases this weapon''s lethality against that enemy kind. Stacks infinitely.

    Killing enemies that are stronger than the weapon''s wielder and having their blood absorbed by the seal will have a small chance of raising the weapon''s quality.

    These changes were weed of course. Since Ashton modified the Blood Drinking Seal to be better than its previous form, its effects will be more terrifying considering how many methods Ashton has in his repertoire.

    He rested for a bit after engraving the seal onto the Scythe. Once he was well rested, he went back into his training, but this time, instead of fighting Demon Prince Lu, he chose a different opponent.

    And that opponent was himself...

    See, this is something that Ashton thinks he should take advantage of more. Testing his skills against himself sounds like a redundant idea but in truth, this will have a greater effect on himpared to fighting other enemies.

    At the end of the day, his goal was to be stronger each day if possible. And the one who pressures him the most and squeezes the most potential out of him could only be himself.

    The Simtion Zone can''t be used to pass down enlightenment, but he still could experience it so long as he''s fighting someone who has skills.n

    Ashton set his simted avatar to be around the same strength as he was. The parameters were set strictly for Scythe uses only, spells are forbidden as so were guns. Ashton will have to fight against himself with nothing but pure sycthe skills.

    Mana wasn''t restrained though, meaning that he and the simted avatar can use mana to fuel their attacks, making it deadlier than usual.

    Once everything was set, Ashton started the battle, and immediately, he was rmed by the fact that he needed to dodge, pronto.

    He followed his instincts and narrowly dodged the tip of the scythe from poking a hole through his skull. He twirled the scythe to retaliate, but it was stopped by the avatar''s foot mming down heavily on the scythe''s de.

    Ashton felt the impact of the stomp coursing through his body, causing his grip on the scythe to loosen. It was then followed by a wide swing aimed at his neck.

    Pupils dting and coldly sweating, he swiftly ducked and tugged at his scythe to pull it off from the avatar''s restriction. This caused the avatar to lose its bnce so Ashton followed up with a wide swing, also aiming at the avatar''s neck.

    The avatar leaned back and narrowly dodge the attack, then the avatar retreated while spinning the scythe in front of them.

    Ashton held his scythe and watched the avatar warily. The avatar suddenly raised its scythe and shed diagonally using its scythe. A wide projectile suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It was sharp and could certainly slice Ashton in half.

    Ashton countered this by performing an upward slice, which was then followed by arge, shark''s fin-like projectile. It sliced the diagonal projectile in half, leaving just enough gap for Ashton to fit and be unharmed.

    The avatar side-stepped Ashton''s projectile before running towards him again.

    The start of this battle was abrupt, Ashtonpletely lose the initiative and was forced to retaliate and respond to the rhythm the avatar made for their battle.

    This is no good of course. Ashton knows that if he''s being swept by the enemy''s pace, he''d lose this match fast and quite miserably. Trust him, he''d know. After all, where else did the avatar learn this kind of thing?

    The intense fight continued, and for the first time ever, Ashton finally felt what it was like to deal with his own tricks and schemes.

    It''s annoying. Especially since he knows it''s happening yet once it starts happening, it''s difficult to upset the rhythm at all. What''s more is that this is just a battle with purely scythe skills. No spells, no guns, only the skills and he''s losing.

    That''s quite depressing actually...<sub> </sub>

    Nevertheless, Ashton managed to cinch victory over his avatar despite the difficulty. He won by the skin of his teeth though so it didn''t make him overly happy.

    The only reason why he won was because of the momentary mishap on the avatar''s part. Ashton managed to chip the avatar''s skin with the edge of the scythe and leave arge wound on their chest. He followed it with another swing that avatar fell.

    Still, though he won, Ashton felt like that battle was even more difficult than fighting the Demon Prince itself. Plus, the avatar was clearly holding back due to the stiptions Ashton ced for the match.

    But this proved to him that his decision was indeed correct. He has to fight himself more since he could feel more pressure this way than using the other method.

    For now, he''d retain those stiptions; strictly for Scythe skills. It''s because he could feel himself improving faster at this rate. As time went on, he wouldn''t mind going all out with his avatars but again, for now, this would suffice.

    He also attempted to fight Demon Prince Lu a couple more times. He could win against him now but in some rounds, he''s still losing so he reckoned that it''s not yet the time for confrontation.

    Needless to say though, this should only take a few more days. Eventually, when he could win all his mock battles with the Demon Prince, he''d have to confidence to enact the final part of his ns.

    "Actually..." Ashton mused to himself as he spied outside of the library''s walls. "Maybe I can start it now..."

    Ashton did some calctions in his mind and felt more convinced.

    He needs to set the stage properly for the showdown anyway, and that will take some time to do.

    ording to his n, he could probably beginying off in tormenting the poor Demon Prince and hisckeys.

    The past few days and weeks were the most horrible ones that the Demon Prince experienced in his entire life.

    The previously dignified, cold, and aloof Demon Prince Lu is now reduced to a haggard, tired, and extremely vexed demon who''s on the verge of a mentak breakdown.

    At this point, Demon Prince Lu was convinced that this must be some kind of karma at y. Not even his sincere worship of the Demon God allowed him to escape these vexing events.

    The pranks continued and nothing can be done to stop them. Demon Prince Lu was already starting to forget what a good sleep was like since it''s been so long since he had one.

    ...we can say that he''s being very dramatic about this since it''s only just weeks but still, for a royal demon like him, a proud and privileged one, this kind of torture is just inhumane.

    At this point, he''s just so done with everything. He stopped trying to figure out who was doing this and stopped bothering him altogether. He neither had the energy nor the time to pay attention to that anymore.

    All he wanted, was for this damn mission to end, yet even that''s vexing him because for some reason, the production of Ghouls was at an all-time low these past few days and he seriously has no idea why.

    All he could do right now is to endure and just stretch his patience a little bit more since he was close. Very close to being done with this mission and this god-forsaken ce altogether.

    Unbeknownst to him though, thanks to the mercy of whoever it was, he''ll have some reprieve.

    Within the next few days, Demon Prince Lu was a bit surprised to discover that he suddenly felt well. He felt light and airy as if he was treading on clouds. He then discovered that during the past few days, he''d been getting some really good sleep. Long and uninterrupted, which is why he felt good and at peace.

    His morning drink tasted different, like something''s missing, but also normal at the same time. His documents were no longer all over the ce. His shampoo was no longer being reced by some weird substance. The hot tub was once again working properly. His food no longer tastes like soil and so on.

    He felt slightly confused but pleased by this sudden turn of events. He even found himself smiling at one point, thinking:

    "Huh, maybe the Demon God finally heard my pleas and drove away the scourge guing thisnd."

    But just as soon as thought about that, one of his servants entered his office with a panicked expression, saying:

    "Y-your Majesty, Demon Prince! I-It''s bad! All the Ghouls are dead!"

    "WHAT!!!"

 Chapter 120 Confrontation; Beloveds Spine

    Nothing but blood stains remained on the nursery where the Ghouls were supposed to be staying...

    Demon Prince Lu''s expression looks twisted as he stared at this. The sheer anger radiating off of his body was freaking the servant demons out, making them unable to even breathe loudly.

    The worst part about this is that Demon Prince Lu had no idea where to begin with his search. He couldn''t see any traces of the killer anywhere, not even a strand of hair, footsteps, or remnant aura. There''s nothing except blood stains and a few bits of flesh.

    Demon Prince Lu felt myriad of emotions but the most prominent of all was, of course, anger.

    He couldn''t believe this...years, nearly a decade of work, gone just like this. And he couldn''t even find out how it happened.

    How could he expect this? How can anyone expect him to remain calm when he had to be stuck in this god-awful ce, looking after these lesser demons for this and enduring the boredom and droll environment toplete a mission that wasn''t originally his business, to begin with just for all of it to disappear like smoke?

    Raising the Ghouls was never his responsibility, to begin with. This was supposed to be looked after by his Older Brother. Unfortunately, Demon Prince Lu needed his Older Brother''s help with something, his brother agreed but in exchange, he has to do this.

    Demon Prince Lu didn''t want to agree at first but he did anyway. To ensure that his wedding with his beloved will be secured and they''d live happily ever after, Demon Prince Lu decided to make the sacrifice.

    God knows how much he would rather spend time lounging around the capital but no, he went here and looked after this mission like his life depended on it.

    And now, you''re telling him that all of the sacrifices he made, enduring everything on his lonesome, were gone just like that?

    How can he be willing to ept that kind of nonsense?

    Demon Prince Lu never felt so angry in his life. All decorum on his face and his noble presence disappeared. Reced by the savageness of a real demon on the verge of going feral.

    "RRRAAAAAAGGGGHHH!!!"

    Demon Prince Lu howled at the sky, his voice filled with resentment and anger. The aura of a Noble Demon exploded, causing the nursery to shatter into bits.

    The servant demons near him directly turned into blood mist due to the sheer pressure he released but he couldn''t care less anymore. This anger bubbling in his chest needs to be released or else he''ll die because of it.

    The explosions continued, and the city legitimately quaked under the Demon Prince''s anger.

    It''s like a disaster struck the city. Explosions urred here and mes swept the buildings, demons turned into blood mists, and so on. Demon Prince Lu continues roaring at the sky in resentment yet he knows that this wouldn''t be enough to calm him down at all. He''s way too angry and unreasonable in this state.

    Yet, despite the anger and resentment, he felt for this unfair situation, some parts of Demon Prince Lu''s brain retained some semnce of rity. This allowed him to notice that the explosions in the city were a little bit weird.

    Yes, he''s angry but he has control over his strength. While he did kill some of his subordinates just now, he wasn''t the one who caused the other explosions rocking the city just now.

    He is angry but he''s not angry enough to demolish this entire city...

    This got him to realize that there is something else going on here. And that woke him out of his stupor.

    The next thing he knew, he was floating above the city and looking at it with shock on his face. He was indeed correct. Something else was going on. The Demonic City waspletely covered in mes, and not just any mes, it was white mes.

    Demon Prince Lu couldn''t tell where these white mes wereing from but he can feel the deep threat it poses to him and his kind upon seeing them. He had never encountered anything like this before, so what was going on here?

    That''s when Demon Prince felt a presence that somewhat rmed him.

    It came from the opposite side of the city. The presence was quiet and faint, yet when the Demon Prince felt it, it gave him all kinds of unpleasant sensations.

    He then saw someone. A person wearing a pristine white cloak walks toward the city at a brisk pace. Demon Prince Lu tried to take a good look at that person''s face but his senses were repelled by something.

    The person was wearing a in white mask with slots big enough for their eyes to see through. What unnerved the Demon Prince was that this person knows that they were already seen but they did nothing to stop in their tracks or their actions.<sub> </sub>

    Demon Prince Lu watched as that person suddenly lifted a cylindrical item and lodged it on their shoulder. They aimed at the city and all of a sudden, Demon Prince Lu felt rm bells warning him to dodge.

    He did at the veryst moment, just barely enough to dodge the swift projectile heading towards the city.

    Gobsmacked, Demon Prince Lu watched as the projectile pierced the sky and opened a gaping hole in the clouds. Then, a literal rain of boulder-sizedets rocked the Demonic City, destroying everything in sight.

    Demon Prince Lu hadpletely forgotten about the Ghouls and his anger. All he knows right now is that this person needs to be stopped as soon as possible.

    Demon Prince Lu flew like a ck star, heading towards the stranger in hopes of stopping him. Yet the stranger calmly regarded him. The long and cylindrical item lodged on the stranger''s shoulders turned into a streak of white light and changed into something smaller.

    <o>,m The stranger raised his arm and fired a projectile at the Demon Prince, forcing him to dodge abruptly, interrupting his momentum.</o>

    "Firearms?" Demon Prince Lu recognized it now as he stared at the smoking barrel held by the stranger. He frowned and asked: "Who are you and why are you destroying my city?"

    "...your city?" He heard the stranger ask in a weird tone. It''s as though the stranger couldn''t believe the words that he uttered just now.

    "Your City huh..." the stranger repeated, sounding a little doubtful and cocky. "The gall of you ugly bunch is seriously skewed huh?"

    Demon Prince Lu felt insulted by that, nevertheless, he still demanded: "State your identity, Stranger. And why are you destroying my city?"

    "Oh, shut the fuck up, will you? Don''t use that kind of tone on me, we both know that you''re not all that." The stranger scoffed and crossed his arms in front of him. "As for why I''m destroying your city? Well, let''s just say that I find it unsightly. I don''t like the fact that you ugly things are here so I might as well do the world a favor and get rid of it."

    "How...how dare you!!!" Demon Prince Lu was initially shocked by the audacity of this stranger then as they continued talking, he was angered by the sheer arrogance they held.

    Unable to swallow any more grievances today, Demon Prince Lu''s patience ran out. Without wasting any more words with the stranger, he charged and started the fight himself.

    A wicked trident appeared on Demon Prince Lu''s hand, he brandished it and prepared to stab the stranger to death but to his overwhelming shock, he was repelled by a strong force countering his momentum.

    He then saw a ridiculous scythe appearing in the stranger''s hand. With dawning horror on his face, it didn''t take long for the Demon Prince to realize that the scythe was made out of his kin''s remains.

    What''s more, is that he could feel a familiar aura on that scythe. It was the lingering aura and resentment of someone close to him.

    "M-my beloved!?" Demon Prince Lu stuttered, "Speak!! Where did you get that bone from!!"

    "Ah, this?" The stranger asked in a tone that anyone could recognize as foreboding, "I saw a mean dragon back there, you see. I didn''t like its mug so I killed it and ripped its spine out while it was alive. Oh, that was the best."

    "H-HOW DARE YOUUUUU!!!!!"

    Demon Prince Lu lost all semnce of logic after hearing the stranger''s words. His body instantly inted and transformed into its true form, a Leech Abomination.

    "I SWEAR TO THE DEMON GOD THAT I WILL KILL YOU!! I WILL FEAST ON YOUR FLESH! DRINK YOUR BLOOD AND SUCK YOUR MARROWS CLEAN! YOU WILL PAY FOR KILLING MY BELOVED!!!"

    "Ooh, damn. Sorry, bro. I don''t swing that way."

    "RAGGGHHHHH!!"

    With a maddened roar, Demon Prince Lu no longer had the patience to waste words on this person. He was charged with an overwhelming desire for murder.

    Meanwhile, the stranger - who happens to be Ashton, smiled behind his mask and whispered:

    "Alright, it''s time to get naughty..." he gripped his scythe as he stared at the mad demon charging at him.

 Chapter 121 Slay!

    The earth quaked, the winds howled and space trembled...

    Amidst the burning city, two figures could be seen shing against each other at speeds faster than the eye can see. On one side, there''s the deranged Demon Prince Lu, and on the other was Ashton whose expression was currently serious behind his mask.

    Had the Demon Prince retained even the slightest bit of sanity right now, he''d discover to his shock that his enemy looked like he was able to predict every single one of his moves.

    And in a sense, that is true...

    ''Left, left, up, overhead swing, low sweep, an attempt to grab here, a kick there, alright he''s gonna snarl at me next, hit him twice there, dodge here, duck to avoid that swing...''

    Ashton''s thoughts were solely focused on the battle right now. And again, to say that he could predict what the Demon Prince will do isn''t really a wrong assumption. But of course, this so-called ''prediction'' is just a product of the experience he umted so far.

    He had fought this demon quite several times already. He was familiar with the Demon Prince''s battle style and habits that he could easily predict what he was going to do next.

    ''Oh, he''s going to vomit tons of blood now, I should keep my distance.'' He mumbled to himself as he cast Blink to retreat around 100 meters away from the demon.

    The Leech Abomination''s body wriggled disgustingly before it threw up a flood of toxic blood that doused the entire city.

    In this state, being close to Demon Prince Lu is a disaster. The toxic blood he was spewing was incredibly potent. Additionally, the maic field around him that attracts blood towards him bes stronger in this state.

    Even with Ashton''s recent breakthrough, he could risk being close to him while he''s in this state since all of his blood will be drained by the Demon Prince.

    In addition to pushing all the aggressors away from him, this attack of the Demon Prince also heals his injuries, making this more annoying to deal with.

    That being said though, this doesn''t necessarily mean that Ashton could only stare as this happens. Since he couldn''t damage the Demon Prince up close, then he''ll do it at a distance.

    He has guns...why wouldn''t he use them?

    And that''s precisely what he''s doing right now. The Mortal Reminder appeared on his hand while the scythe was firmly tucked behind him.

    Using its second form which is the sniper rifle, Ashton took aim and shot piercing bullets that not only hurts the demon prince but also dealt with the flood of toxic blood he was releasing.

    shes of colorful light descended out of nowhere, the most prominent one was white. The sh between corruption and purity generated a chaotic reaction on the battlefield, causing a cacophony of explosions.

    And just for good measure, Ashton''s circted his mana and directed it to his right eye, activating the effect of the Right Eye of Purity.

    A clear blue radiance shone on Ashton''s right eye, it released a buzz and suddenly, the Demon Prince choked.

    Demon Prince Lu snarled as he felt pain all over his body.

    Having his skill abruptly interrupted by some mysterious force was not a pleasant experience. Now, the Demon Prince wasn''t just injured on the outside but also the inside thanks to the bacsh.

    Ashton''s gaze hardened as soon as he saw the Demon Prince kneeling over in pain, without even a shred of hesitation, he drew the scythe and threw it in the Demon Prince''s direction.

    The Bone Scythe spun like a deadly buzz saw as it flew towards the Demon Prince. The demon sensed this and lifted his head and his arms to defend against the attack but before the scythe hit, a surprising thing happened.

    Ashton suddenly appeared at the end of the scythe as if he flew with it when in truth he just appeared there out of nowhere.

    With him holding the scythe in mid-air, he added more force to the momentum of the scythe and drove the tip in with a grunt.

    The Demon Prince Lu''s defense was weak due to him being caught in a surprise attack. Due to that, the tip of the scythe pierced his chest, causing the Demon Prince to falter.

    Ashton''s wasn''t done of course. He wasn''t satisfied with just piercing the heart of this demon since he knows that this injury is far from enough to kill it.

    Borrowing the momentum of the pierce, he slid and nted his foot on the air itself. He then hoisted the scythe upwards, cleaving the de up until it bisected the demon''s upper body.

    Ashton cast Blink just in time to avoid the spray of toxic blood from hitting him. He reappeared not too far from the demon and watched as its bisected parts started regenerating at a speed visible to the naked eye.

    ''He can''t move while healing. Now''s the time toy down the pain.'' Ashton dered inwardly.

    He then summoned the Mortal Reminder in its fourth form - the Rocket Launcher Form, in his hands.

    Normally, the time it''ll take for him to load up a shot by converting spells wouldn''t be enough to guarantee that the shell will hit the demon. Thankfully though, Ashton could use the third benefit that the Cursed Book of Infinity gave him - Memorize, to instantly form a shell.<sub> </sub>

    Ten Memorized Spells, all instantly converted to a shell for the Mortal Reminder to use.

    He lodged theuncher on his shoulders, aimed and fired at the still healing demon.

    Boom!!!!

    The shell flew like a streak of light, crashing through the demon and causing yet another earth-shaking explosion.

    That shell just now was formed by using ten High-Order Spells, of course, it''d be devastating.

    Ashton retreated by casting a blink backward. The Mortal Reminder disappeared from his hands and he was once again holding the Bone Scythe.

    The rocket shell didn''t just cause an explosion though, that''s way too simple for something made out of 10 High-Order Spells.

    Above them, the dark clouds parted, allowing the entire city to bask in heavenly light. From beyond the clouds, thick chains doused in blessed-golden light suddenly came down and pierced the skin of the Demon Prince.

    The demon snarled like never before. An unbelievable pain, seeping through his very soul, coursed throughout his body. The injury that got healed just now didn''t do much to lessen the pain of being pierced by these Heavenly Chains at all.

    Ashton could see the demon''s body being roasted by the chains. ck smoke emerged from his body, representing the corruption being burned away by the chains.

    No amount of pain could ever bepared to what Demon Prince Lu was feeling right now. All he could ever think and feel was the deep-seated pain mercilessly coursing on every single inch of his body.

    As the chains mercilessly pinned him down and burned the corruption out of him, Ashton gathered his mana at the edge of his scythe. Condensing itpletely until the entire de turned white.

    Ashton slowly marched to where the Demon Prince was. He eased up his breathing but didn''t dare to let down his guard. He observed how the Demon Prince was reacting and discovered that he has nothing to worry about.

    This shell he called: Heavenly Chains Descent, not only summons phantom chains thatpletely suppress Demonic Corruption itself, but it also won''t disappear until he wills it or the corruption waspletely gone.

    He''s initially afraid that the Demon Prince will be able to struggle against this since there were cases when he was able to during Ashton''s attempts at the Simtion Zone.

    But seeing as how the Demon Prince was acting right now, he was confident that this battle was over. There''s no way this thing will be able to resist the pain of the Heavenly Chains right now.

    The fight felt longer but in truth, only a few minutes passed since they started. Everything happened so fast and Ashton waspletely concentrated which is why it felt long to him.

    Ashton eventually arrived at where the Demon Prince was. Still, chained up, snarling in pain, unable to even struggle due to how much pain he''s in.

    Taking a deep breath in, Ashton raised his scythe and cleaved the demon in half. With thest, unwilling roar from the demon, it died.

    The crimson seal on the scythe let out a faint brilliance. All of a sudden, all the blood of the Demon Prince coalesced at the seal, turning into a single orb which the seal absorbedpletely.

    Ashton felt the thrumming of the seal and the scythe in extension as he breathed a sigh of relief.

    [Notice! Demon Prince was in! Cleptomancy took effect! You received...]

    ***

    Somewhere far at the extreme opposite of the Blue...

    A demon wearing a regal cloak with its hood covering most of their facial features, suddenly felt their heart sinking to their stomach. They took out a piece of rock from their pocket and watched in horror as the rock turned into dust!!

    "BROTHER!! NOOOOOO!!!"

    "WHO!? WHO IS SO AUDACIOUS TO KILL MY LITTLE BROTHER!!!"

    The demon''s expression warped out of sheer anger and despair. They then red in a specific direction before turning into a streak of light and disappearing.

    Later, they''d find out that the Demonic City where his Little Brother was stationed was now reduced to mere rubble. It waspletely dested, and there were no traces left of his brother or the killer.

    The demon roared at the heavens and swore:

    "Lu...I swear I will avenge you. I will find who your murderer is and I will make them regret what they did to you..."

 Chapter 122 Handsome Rewards

    Ashton rubbed his eyes for a bit before opening them.

    He stared at the ceiling for a bit, still feeling quite drowsy. He then felt a weight pressing down on his chest and was greeted by an auburn mop of hair.

    A smile wormed its way on his face as he raised his arms to wrap them around Aria, feeling snuggling closer to him as if seeking his warmth. They''re wearing nothing under the sheets, limbs tangled together due tost night''s passionate activities.

    Ashton didn''t move much because he didn''t want to disturb her rest, additionally, he''s feeling a bitzy today so it wouldn''t be too bad to spend some more time in bed with her.

    He then heard a whirring sounding from outside the door. He watched as the door opened slowly and quietly, Jerry''s head poking in to see if anyone was awake.

    Ashton let out a silent chuckle at the bot''s antics. He gestured for Jerry toe in silently. The bot waddled inside, trying his best to not make as many sounds as he does.

    Instead of speaking, Jerry disyed words on his monitor face, asking: ''Good Morning Master, would you like me to prepare breakfast in bed for you and Mistress?''

    Ashton used signnguage to reply, saying: ''That would be wonderful, Jerry. Please do. You may also proceed with your regr tasks after that, I''ll take care of the rest.''

    ''As you wish, Master.'' Jerry replied as he waddled away silently out of their room.

    Once Jerry closed the door behind him, Ashton closed his eyes briefly and enjoyed the warmth he was experiencing.

    ''Yep, let''s be idle today. I''ve worked hard these past couple of months, I deserve a short vacation.''

    Aria shifted in his embrace, climbing a bit higher to nuzzle on the crook of his neck. Ashton smiled, he turned sideways and pulled her closer, noticing the unconscious hum of satisfaction she lets out when he did.

    Ashton started showering her with kisses until she woke up. At first, Aria frowned in confusion but as her consciousness was gradually roused, she opened her eyes only to be greeted by a blinding smile from him before he proceeded with his ministrations.

    Aria groaned softly but made no effort to stop him. She even found herself smiling.

    "Good Morning. Jerry''s preparing breakfast for us." Ashton said before kissing her again.

    "''M up..." she yawned and stretched for a bit before subconsciously seeking his warmth again.

    "I feel sticky..." she groused when she scanned her body. She then saw that mischievous smile on Ashton''s face, causing her to immediately blush. "Don''t you rogue!!"

    "What!?" Ashton raised a brow, still smiling knowingly. "I didn''t say anything."

    "But you were thinking about it, pervert!" Aria huffed as she gently pinched him.

    "Ow, Babe. Not my nipples..."

    "Shut-up! I didn''t pinch you there!! Oh my god!"

    Ashtonughed and snuggled with her a bit. After that, he said: "Go take a bath then, I''ll wait for Jerry here."

    "M''kay..." Aria then slipped out of his embrace and walked toward the bathroom. She didn''t even bother covering herself up.

    Well, it''s not like Ashton hasn''t seen all of her already, what''s the point of covering up now? Plus, this isn''t something for her to be embarrassed about.

    If she took the things Ashton tells her in bed and regrly to heart, then there''s no reason for her to be ashamed of her body.

    As Ashton would say; ''Your ass is so big that it''s enough to feed three families. Don''t be shy about it.''

    And really, she quite liked the scorching gaze locked onto her body as she strutted her stuff to the bathroom. It really makes her feel appreciated.

    As for Ashton himself, well...he could only smile wryly and looked down between his legs. Sensing the familiar stiffness down there, he muttered: "Oh well, good morning to you too I guess..."

    Shaking his head, he sighed and unmuted the System''s notifications. He remembered muting this as soon as battle yesterday was done.

    He didn''t feel like checking any of that yesterday since he''s exhausted, but now that he''s well rested, he might as well see what he got.

    [Notice! Demon Prince, in! Cleptomancy took effect! You received: Experience Ticket (10 years) x1, Blossoming Blood Origin Fruit x5, Fragments of Divine Gunslinger Soul Card x6, Demonic Crown (Prince) x1, Noble Demon Remains x10]

    ''Ooh, jackpot.'' Ashton whistled to himself. But that wasn''t the end of it.

    [Strategic Demon Base; Demonic City - neutralized. Rewards: System Skill - Omnilingual. 100 years Resource Ticket (City) x1]

    [Today marks the anniversary of your crusade back home. Quest Updated! Reward: Randomized Trait x1, ready to use. Do you want to spin the Trait Wheel now?]

    "Oh..." Ashton blinked in surprise.

    Time was starting to elude him. Due to his busy schedule, he wasn''t even aware that today was the first anniversary of his being thrown out into this dangerous world.

    Sighing in mncholy, he was lost in his thoughts for a bit before he eventually shook his head and gave out the order:

    ''Spin the Trait Wheel.''

    [Spinning...]

    Ashton watched as the System disyed a color-coded wheel in front of him, spinning and spinning...he waited for a bit since he was unsure if he had to give out an order for it to stop or if he could just let it do its thing.

    Thetter turns out to be the case. The wheel gradually spun slower until itnded in the ''Gold'' section of the wheel. He was startled when he saw some confetti out of nowhere before he got the new notification...

    [Congrattions! You received the ''Purity'' Trait.]

    Ashton frowned upon seeing that. But before he could say anything, the System flooded his vision with new notifications.

    [Notice! Synergy Detected...]

    [The ''Purity'' Trait is resonating with your ''Right Eye of Purity''!]<sub> </sub>

    ''Yep, it does. I can sense it.'' Ashton winced as he felt his right eye hurting, ''What does this resonance bring then?''

    [A mutation urred! ''Purity'' Trait ascended! It has now be your Second Virtue!]

    ''What!?'' Ashton was gobsmacked.

    This was totally unexpected. It hasn''t been long since he broke through to Warlock Rank and condensed his first Virtue which is the Virtue of Mana. He hasn''t even refined that once, yet there''s already a second virtueing in? How can he not be shocked?

    [Due to the Host''s unique circumstances, the Virtue of Purity would be locked for now. It will be unlocked after you finished refining the Virtue of Mana 9 times.]

    ''I didn''t even get to see what the Purity Trait could do before it was gone.'' Ashtonined.

    [Don''t worry Host, your Right Eye of Purity remains functional. As for the synergy caused by the trait, since it has been upgraded, it''ll naturally bring you more surprises. You''ll eventually unlock it anyway, do your best, Host.]

    Ashton sighed and made peace with that for now. Well,ining won''t really get him anywhere right now so he might as well not trouble himself with it.

    After that small fiasco, the notifications gradually calmed down. Since there''s no new one anymore, Ashton decided to check the harvest he got so far...

    [Experience Ticket (10 years)]

    Gain enlightenment for anything you have in mind. Can be used sparingly.

    While in use, the perception of Time is warped. A total of ten years will pass in enlightenment while in reality, only a day passed.

    ''Oh damn...this will be very useful. The problem is that I have way too many things to use this item for. Which one should I choose?'' Ashton mused, but he decided to not think about this for now.

    [Blossoming Blood Origin Fruit]

    A Nature''s Heavenly Treasure that can be used to refine one''s Bloodline to a higher degree.

    Raises Bloodline Purity by 10%.

    No consumption limitation.

    ''Ooh!'' Ashton''s eye shone. ''My Fae Bloodline''s around 45% right now. I have of these so consuming all will take me to 95%? Damn! A good drop! I just need a small push before I transform into a true Fae! How exciting!''

    [Divine Gunslinger Soul Card]

    Use to change one''s Specialization to Divine Gunslinger.

    Requirements: Gunslinger Specialization and Sorcerer Rank.

    ''Alright! Finally got all the fragments needed to condense this thing. Sorcerer Rank huh? Well, at least I have Soul Card prepared for myself already. This saves me time.''

    [Demonic Crown]

    A powerful Demonic Trinket. Its uses are unknown.

    ''That''s not helpful at all...'' Ashton frowned. ''Oh well, I''ll discover it eventually.''

    [Noble Demon Remains]

    A set of demonic trinkets that are leagues above the regr ones.

    Has many uses.

    Ashton just sighed upon reading this. He guessed that both he and Aria would have to explore those uses themselves instead.

    [System Skill - Omnilingual]

    You can understand all knownnguages of the Blue.

    Passive Skill

    ''I can finally understand thenguage used by the ''ARC''s creator. Mn! This will be very useful.''

    [100 years Resource Ticket (City)]

    Use to receive hefty amounts of resources enough tost an entire city''s consumption for 100 years.

    ''Ooh! Damn, okay. My pockets just got immensely fatter with this. I''ll keep this one for now.''

    Ashton couldn''t help but feel jubnt with everything he has gotten. He never expected that he''d be rewarded this much when he decided to kill that Demon Prince and destroy the city.

    All of his efforts were worth it.

    "Babe..." Ashton raised a brow when he heard Aria calling for him.

    "Yes, Babe?" He replied.

    "Uh...I can''t reach my back...can you help me?"

    Ashton blinked upon hearing that. And if that familiar stiffness in between his legs returned when he realized what Aria was insinuating, then that was nobody else''s business.

    He closed all the notifications and walked toward the bathroom with a mischievous smile on his face.

 Chapter 123 Bloodline Synergy

    Bloodline Refinement is painful...

    Usually, it''s the most painful during the start and the finish, a person can develop some sort of resistance against it during the mid-refinement stages but at the final stages, the pain will escte all over again.

    This is due to the process of re-writing the physiology of a person to correct it ording to the requirements of the bloodline they''re integrating into their system. In the awakening stage of Bloodline Refinement, a person would usually rouse the slumbering potential of the bloodline deep in their bodies to activity. This will provoke the initial changes in a person which are undoubtedly caused by the bloodline itself.

    As the refinement went on and bloodline purity and density be purer, the more intense its effects are, and at the final stages of the refinement, the pain increases because the body is now making these changes permanent and deeply seated into their gics.

    This is what''s currently happening to Ashton...

    Seated in the middle of a training room, Ashton looked like a frozen crimson statue, unmoving and unaware of everything that was going on around him.

    His consciousness swam in a mystical space where he had no concept of self or anything in particr. He''s just existing, to say the least, unaware of everything but alive and there.

    Consuming all the Blossoming Blood Origin Fruits he received from the System caused this to happen to him. It had to be known that this item is considered a Nature''s Heavenly Treasure - something that is extremely rare even for nature itself to produce.

    The Blossoming Blood Origin Fruit starts as a seed, growing into maturity until it develops some form of sentience. At that point, it starts absorbing the energy of heaven and earth, using it to promote its growth.

    It takes 10 years for the seed to germinate and grow into a tree, 50 years of absorbing Heaven and Earth Energy to condense a bud for its fruit, and another 100 years for that bud to gain enough nourishment to be ripe.

    Due to it being a part of the nt kingdom, it naturally has little means to protect itself from predators, which in turn makes it even more difficult for them to survive. Ashton has never even seen a single one of these trees himself, he only knows this information because of the books he read in the past.

    And currently, Ashton consumed not just one, but five of these fruits. One can just imagine how potent the energy he just swallowed in his body.

    In hindsight, this might''ve been a stupid move...you know, consuming all five fruits in one sitting? But in reality, Ashton had thought about this and he still went ahead and did it anyway?

    Why? Well, he''d survive anyway...that''s mainly his reasoning.

    Compared to other Mages, hell, let''s even include some Knights at this point, Ashton''s physique is just way better.

    Not only was he fit due to the amount of training he does, but the blessings and encounters he had also had a part in strengthening him.

    Ashton''s physique is already better due to him having the Fey Bloodline. He''s lean but could explode with enough strength to triumph against other Knights even, in just pure physical capabilities alone.

    <o>,m Not to mention that recently, due to him gaining the ''Child of Mana'' title, his physique transformed again because he got the Elementary Mana Physique - allowing his body to not only be more suited to harnessing mana, it also allowed him to store mana on his skin, making it more durable.</o>

    The potency of consuming all five Blossoming Blood Origin Fruit would hurt him but it is far from enough to kill him.

    Right now, Ashton looks like a crimson statue sitting in a meditative pose.

    This red tint is solidified blood that got pushed out of his body due to his bloodline refinement. The process was agonizing since the potency of his bloodline was rising too quickly, but Ashton managed to endure it.

    Right now, his body is undergoing aplete transformation under the solidified blood that''s encasing him. It''s like he''s experiencing rebirth actually. His physique was being constructed again by a mystical force as his consciousness floats somewhere.

    Ashton''s getting closer and closer to bing aplete Human/Fey Hybrid.

    Yes, despite aiming to reach 100% purity of his Fey Bloodline, Ashton wouldn''t be a full Fey whether he likes it or not. His origins were that of a Human and that''s something that he can''t escape. Still, this is for the best actually, all he wanted from the bloodline was their natural attunement to nature and mana anyways.

    After who knows how long, Ashton started returning to the present. He could feel himself plunging slowly to somewhere until he starts gaining his bearings back.

    The more self-aware he bes, the more he found himself amazed and awed. His transformation was nearly done, just a couple more adjustments and he''ll regain full control over his body.

    ''Oh wow...'' Ashton eximed inwardly as he paid attention to the changes on his body. ''This is ridiculous! The amount of Mana I possess practically doubled in size!''<sub> </sub>

    ''My Mana reserves are already quite absurd due to my cultivation technique, yet now it doubled even more? Doesn''t this seem like I have a reservoir or a dam for my mana reserves?''

    ''And it doesn''t stop there either.'' He mused to himself, ''Mana is literally weaved in me on a cellr level! Like, every single cell on my body has been refined by mana itself. This is absurd!''

    ''My Elementary Mana Physique must''ve evolved after this right? It should be at peak Intermediate Stage or mid-Advanced Stage Mana Physique. There''s no way this is the Complete Mana Physique since Mana can''t reach my soul yet. I''d be aware of that it that''s the case.''

    Mana Physique, one of the benefits he got for having the Virtue of Mana as his first Virtue, is divided into; Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, and Complete Stages. Each stage is divided into sub-ranks such as; early, mid,te, and peak grades.

    Having the Mana Physique is already a great blessing for a Mage, but refining that physique even further is something that is not easy to do, but if it''s achieved, then the strength of the said Mage was destined to rise explosively.

    Mana flowed in Ashton''s body like an unstoppable tide. Every cirction grants him an astonishing amount of vitality and energy. Additionally, due to Ashton''s repeated refinements of his Mana, its quality was unmatched.

    His mana took on a pristine azure hue, a sign of its sheer purity, it is also in its liquid form which is a sign of its density.

    ''My core is absorbing the excess mana on my body, but due to how much there is, it''s taking some time. Well, that''s fine. It''s a good problem to have, at least now, the least of my worries is the running out of mana in the middle of a fight.''

    ''Hell, on sheer mana density alone, some Sorcerers might not even be my match.'' Ashton pursed his lips as he thought of this.

    After waiting for a bit more time, Ashton finally got a reaction. He instinctively knew that the process was done.

    Ashton released the weakest pulse of mana from his body, one that is strong enough to st the solidified blood casing on his body away, reducing it to dust particles.

    Ashton''s new body, in its naked glory, was revealed...

    Fresh out of his transformation, his skin was tender pink, it looked soft but make no mistake, ordinary cold weapons would only leave a white mark on it due to their durability.

    Ashton got taller again, he''s 6''5 feet tall at 16 years old, which is a little absurd. His physique is still lean but packed in strength.

    The sad part about this is that Ashton lost all hair on his body. Yes, he''s bald, got no eyebrows, and has no pubes either. All of it was gone. It went away with all of the solidified blood that encased himself earlier.

    Nevertheless, Ashton didn''t mind any of this. If anything, he just feels at ease and extremely serene at this point.

    He opened his eyes, revealing his heterochromatic pair of eyes. One gold and the other blue with an ancient character meaning ''purity'' written on the iris. He stared at the System''s Notification ring in front of him.

    [Fey Bloodline Purity reached 95%]

    [Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings (Grade ???), greatly boosted!]

    [Synergy Detected!]

    [Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings synergizes with Title: Child of Mana]

    [Synergy Results: Mana Physique upgraded to mid-Advanced Stage!]

    [Congrattions Host, you''re only a step away from bing a true Fey-Human Descendant.]

    Ashton took a deep breath and clenched his hand, feeling strength coursing through his body. Honestly, this sensation was kind of addicting. No wonder many people chase after the path of strength so much.

    On top of that, he felt like he could sense something transcendent. It''s like he''s now existing on a different peakpared to other people. It was bizarre yet a weed change.

    ''Well, I just hope that Aria will still love me even though I''m as hairless as a newborn baby...'' Ashton mockingly thought to himself.

 Chapter 124 Outside World: The Forgotten Ancestral Lands

    [Signed-in at the Grand Archives. You received: -50% Grinding Slot Duration Ticket.]

    ''Ooh, nice.'' Ashton mused to himself as he sat down on his station. He kept that ticket in his Inventory for now since he doesn''t have any immediate uses for it.

    Before reading anything from the Grand Archives, Ashton summoned his Profile Page to inspect the recent changes he experienced.

    ***

    [Profile]

    Host: Ashton West

    Title: Child of Mana

    Race: Human, Fey (95%)

    Aptitude:

    Mageroot: Mysterious Rainbow

    Magical Artifact: Cursed Book of Infinity (Legendary)

    Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings (Grade ???)

    Specialization: White Mage (Main), Gunslinger (Sub)

    Rank: Lv.1 Warlock (1st Virtue) (2nd Refinement)

    Cultivation Technique: Treasure zed Nine-Refinements Sutra (4th Layer)

    [Spells: (Omitted)]

    [Traits: Purity]

    [Inventory:]

    [Grinding Spots: 100/100]

    [Sign-in Opportunities: 0]

    [Mission Board: 1 (Iplete)]

    [Simtion Zone]

    ''Hmm...'' Ashton pursed his lips and began inspecting the details deeply. Like what was stated, it''s been a while since he checked his Profile with much scrutiny. Who knows? Maybe something changed here and there that might give him some important clues.

    The first few inspections were fine, nothing much to see really. Though now, since his Fey Bloodline is officially disyed on his Profile Page, additional information about it became avable to him.

    [Bloodline: Fey]

    : A race beloved by the Heavens that once walked this very world. The Fey Race is considered the Darling of Heavens, even more so than humans, some tales even said that Humanity was modeled after this race.m

    : Their history is a long and glorious one, due to their natural inclination towards Mana and Laws, they were able to prosper and their glory expanded through many eons. It is even rumored that they were able to expand their influence beyond this world.

    : Details about their extinction are unknown. Some say that it''s the natural decline caused by the relentless siege of time while others told stories about how they incited the envy, and in extension; the wrath, of other races who banded together to eradicate them.

    : But, even as they faded from existence, traces of their glory persisted in the present time. You, who awakened this bloodline, are not yet strong enough to know more. In time, you will...

    Ashton couldn''t help but raise a brow. He ran his hand on his still rtively bald head and sighed.

    ''Ey, no need to stress myself out over this. If I''m not strong enough to know, then I won''t know. It''s as simple as that.'' He stated inwardly.

    His gaze then moved down and checked his Aptitude, trying to see if there were anything note-worthy here.

    Well, his Mageroot: Mysterious Rainbow, is still mysterious. And Magical Artifact and Providence justpiled the recent updates it had due to the elevation of his strength.

    [Magical Artifact: Cursed Book of Infinity (Legendary)]

    Unique Skills:

    [Aspect of Infinity] - Removes the lock of Spell Proficiency Limits per Cultivation Rank. (Spells Level Infinitely)

    <o>,m [Mortal Reminder (Sub-artifact)] - firearms that can change forms. Current forms avable: 4. This sub-artifact can also be used as Spell Medium.</o>

    [Memorize] - A skill that allows the User to Memorize a total of 10 Spells. Activating this Spell will instantly cast all Memorized Spells without any additional Mana Cost.

    [Right Eye of Purity] - An ocr technique that allows the User to neutralize any ill intent directed at them. Can be used 3 times per day. (Synergy with ��Purity��Trait: Locked until the formation of 2nd Virtue

    Curse: [Hex of Mediocrity]<sub> </sub>

    Forbids the user to learn any Intermediate Level Offensive Spells and above.

    [Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings (Grade-???)]

    : You have been blessed by the Fey Emperor, granting you numerous benefits such as;

    [Fey Bloodline] - Increases the effects of Blessings below depending on the bloodline''s purity and potency.

    [Focused Mind] - The rate of failure for your Spellcasting is abysmally low.

    [Fey Emperor''s Majesty] - increases your beauty and charm, raises your Physical Strength, and greatly increases your familiarity with Mana. (Synergizes with ��Child of Mana��Title.)

    [Darling of Elements] - boosts the effectiveness of any elemental-based spell.

    [Empyrean] - Affinity towards Laws greatly increased.

    Just as he expected, there was indeed new information added to them. The details of his Profile Page have expanded due to the recent changes in himself.

    ''Such as shame for the ''Darling of Elements'' though...'' Ashtonmented, ''Can''t utilize it properly because of the damned curse.''

    It is indeed a shame...and that curse is to me for everything.

    Initially, Ashton thought that he''d be able to learn even the weakest Fireball Spell, unfortunately, he couldn''t since ''apparently'' that''s considered an Intermediate Level Spell.

    The true Basic Level Spells are ones made out of Pure Mana such as Mana Bolt, Stun Bolt, Force Push, etc.

    Pure Element Based Spells are considered as Intermediate Level Spells in this world so that means no Fireball, no Aqua Orb, Ice Shard, Wind de, or anything of sorts for him. Such a shame really, if could have even the weakest Element Based Spell, he could just Level it up to beyond the norm and he''d truly be unstoppable.

    And White Mage, surprisingly, isn''t a Pure Light Element Specialization either. It''s more profound than that since it weaves not only light but Life Magic in it as well. So, the effects of the ''Darling of Elements'' don''t have many effects on it.

    Well, he couldn''tin much. After all, he had other things in his arsenal that covers up his shorings, such as the Mortal Reminder and the Bone Scythe.

    ''But yo, that [Empyrean] thingy though.'' Ashton clicked his tongue in wonder. ''How nice.''

    Indeed. Having more affinity toward Laws is a good thing. This will make cultivation easier for him. Considering that has to condense 9 Virtues and refined each one a total of 9 times before he could even think about bing a Sorcerer.

    Aside from this, there''s not much for Ashton to see that he hasn''t seen before. The Grinding Slots are still working on the background, leveling up his spells to Lv.50 and above despite his dwindling amount of Mana Crystals.

    His Inventory is still fat with so many resources than what he personally needed.

    He now has a new Sign-in location which is steeped in History and Providence, which is the Grand Archives. So long as he continues signing in here, he''d receive more and more benefitspared to what he''s getting outside or even at the Grand Library itself.

    "Okay..." Ashton took a deep breath. He stretched his neck and walked towards the bookshelves of the Grand Archives.

    Today is still his idle days, he doesn''t n on getting out to resume his journey just yet, he wants to rx for a bit and continue reading the rest of the books that he hasn''t touched yet.

    Rest is much needed. After all, his next location would be quite a conundrum for him.

    ''Ooh, speaking of which, I remember there is a map here. Let me check that out.'' Ashton swerved into a differentne and began searching the bookshelves for the ones he was searching for.

    After a brief scan of his sense, he found it. A smile reached his face as he read the title of the book:

    [Outside World: The Forgotten Ancestral Lands]

    The author of this book is called: Bruce Warner. He''s one of the martyrized heroes but more importantly, he was a passionate cartographer who possessed a wanderlust unmatched by any.

    His dream was to travel the entire world and map it out. He thought that this will be the biggest service he could ever do for his Race and more importantly, for himself.

    Bruce was one of the few who were brave enough to walk thends popted by danger itself. He endured loneliness, fatigue, and many things on his journey.

    Despite that though, this madman did it. He indeed managed to travel the world and mapped it outpletely.

    Oh, yes! Bruce was also one of the ''expeditioners'' in the records that Ashton was tracing back. Actually, Bruce was that same guy who manage to leave and return to Last Bastion, dying shortly after returning.

    The records he read with Aria before were a cover-up story by the Morning Sun Federation under the strict orders of the Revenants.

    The truth is, Bruce was the only one on this journey, he alone mapped out the world and returned to the Last Bastion. He only had enough time to discretely hand out the map to his most trusted friend before offering himself to the Revenants.

    Bruce handed out three copies of his map. One was an iplete one that was publicized; the one that Ashton and Aria used as a reference. The 2nd one was a semiplete one, which he revealed under the urging of the Revenants, which got destroyed because the Revenants will not allow Humanity to have such a thing.

    And the third one, theplete map, ended-up here, unknown to the Revenants and for Ashton to use for his purposes.

    Ashton flipped through the pages of the map and saw the route he was in. Seeing it with his own eyes, the headache was starting to form now. The next area that he has to pass through was particrly troublesome.

    ''Chaotic Warzone.''

 Chapter 125 Chaotic Warzone

    The friction between the Celestials and the Hypogeans cannot be resolved unless they specifically did something to settle it down.

    While there are the Revenants; a group of chosen Celestials and Hypogeans who could tolerate each other and work together for something both races want, at the end of the day, the two races hated each other at the very depths of their heart.

    It could even be said that there will be no peace so long as these two races are at the same ce at the same time.

    The Chaotic Warzone is an area where the Celestials and Hypogeans fight to the death to settle down their grievances. It is a ce of unrest and constant ughter and destruction.

    Bruce, the one who mapped the entire world, and Mr. yer, both arrived at this ce and saw it with their own eyes. Both Demons and Angels kill each other wantonly. It is a battlefield reserved strictly for them.

    Bruce just scouted the area and hid as he mapped it out while Mr. yer downright jumped into that ce and thrived in it.

    Currently, Ashton has no idea if other humans had reached this ce aside from those two. Though he knows that now, it is his turn to do so.

    The Chaotic Warzone is an area that he had to pass through because beyond it, is thest stretch towards the Last Bastion.

    Ashton...he''s so close to returning home with Aria. So there''s no way he''d skip this part.

    That being said, anxiety cannot ovee him now. It shouldn''t. For it will only make him do reckless decisions. He had to remember that he was carrying a burden that was far too important and beyond himself, he cannot die here. He has to calm down and do this as methodically as he could.

    ''It''ll probably take me years to...no, it ''has'' to take years.'' Ashton dered to himself. ''Just like Mr. yer, I have to thrive on this battlefield. Coming and going as much as I want without being obstructed.''

    ''I need to reap as many of their forces as I could.'' He mused to himself, ''The Blood-Drinking Seal needs its thirst to be sated and this mission that the system gave to me, has to be cleared before I return home.''

    Ashton blinked as he stared at a nk space.

    ''If I survive out here for 5 years in total, the final reward will be a pill that can help me remove my curse. I can''t let that chance go. I need to have that if I want to achieve my goals.''

    ''Since the Chaotic Warzone is a battlefield for both Celestials and Hypogeans, then for the first time, I''d encounter an Angel...somehow I''m not looking forward to it.''

    Ashton smiled wryly. He finds it funny that, even though his old world was gone now, its influence still stuck with him even now.

    The first time he heard about Angels, an image of a humanoid with multiple pairs of pristine white wings and a golden halo emerged in his mind. This is funny because that''s far from what Angels were supposed to look like in the bible itself, or this world even...

    ''Don''t be afraid'', these were the words that all angels tell humans the moment they appear before them, and there''s a reason behind that.

    Angles, to summarize, are wings and eyes galore. They take on weird shapes and just looks...wrong and freaky, but since, ording to the bible at least, they were serving god, they were supposed to be the ''good guys''.

    In this world, that somehow remains the same only, Angels couldn''t care less about humans. If anything, they see Humans as rare delicacies and nothing more. Their main concern here is to stop the demons from conquering this ce since they want to conquer it instead. That''s all.

    ''I suppose most of them are just ''benevolent-Lovecraftian-abominations'' minus the tentacles and teeth. Though, I''m pretty sure they do take on a humanoid form since they have no originality.'' Ashton chuckled to himself.

    He could remember his first lesson on History back at the Mystic Academy. Their old Professor activated a projection for the ss to experience. There they saw the ''unofficial'' start of the invasion which urred at the opposite poles of the world.

    Ashton could clearly remember the ''golden shadows'' which represented the Celestials, taking on a Human Form after killing some Human tribes. That is why Ashton said that they have no originality...

    ''Anyway, I have to prepare for this...'' Ashton shook his head to get rid of the unimportant thoughts of his. ''At the Chaotic Warzone, I won''t just deal with the Demonic Corruption, I''ll also be introduced to the Golden Corruption.''

    The so-called Golden Corruption was the golden trail that Celestials leave behind to terraform thend into a ce more suited for their needs. Simply put, they turn the ground they''re on into Golden Sand which could ''consume'' those who weren''t Celestial.<sub> </sub>

    Back at the Mystic Academy, Ashton''s White Magic Professor once showed him samples of soil corrupted by both races. He could still remember the repulsion he felt back then. He could also remember how the ck soil eroded the material they tested and how the golden sand swallowed itpletely.

    Ashton doesn''t have any reason to be afraid of the corrupted ground. If he could survive the demonic corruption, there''s no way the golden corruption would be a problem for him.

    Right now, he could safely say that he''s probably the most powerful White Mage that Humanity has. Just the levels of his White Magic alone could easily make him an extremely respected White Mage, not to mention the sheer amount of mana he possesses and the other things in his arsenal.

    That being said...

    ''Would White Magic even be effective against Celestials?'' He couldn''t help but ask himself.

    Cause White Magic was extremely effective against Hypogeans/Demons. Even the faintest hint of purity was harmful to them, but could the same be said for Angels?

    ''...I don''t know.'' Ashton pursed his lips, ''I guess I could only see it for myself. Well, whether it''s effective or not, I should be fine. It''s not like I neglected ck Magic all this time anyway...''

    Yes, that''s right. White Magic isn''t the only branch of Magic avable to Ashton. He also knows a few ck Magic Spells as well. In fact, he ground them up as well since they might be useful in the future.

    That being said though, Ashton''s Specialization is White Mage, and the benefits he got from this were strictly applied to White Magic only. His ck Magic Spells were destined to be just a tad bit weakerpared to his White Magic because of this little disparity.

    Either way, whether they were useful or not, will ultimately depend on Ashton''s further inspection. And in order for him to start the said inspection, he has to arrive at the Chaotic Warzone first.

    The Chaotic Warzone is about 2.5k kilometers away from the Demonic City. With Ashton''s pace, it shouldn''t take him long before he reaches the edges of the zone.

    Since his promotion, Ashton could use the library as some sort of a vehicle to go where he needed to go. He didn''t need to go out anymore to do so which was safer and more convenient. That being said, traveling this way is slower.

    Doesn''t matter though, Ashton wasn''t in a rush. Plus, he could multitask so it''s better this way for both him and Aria.

    Right now, he''s driving the library towards his destination while he''s also deciphering the ''ARC'' blueprints with Aria.

    Thanks to his new System Skill - Omnilingual, he could nowpletely understand thenguage used on the blueprints. Don''t be mistaken though, knowing how to read thenguage is different from knowing whatnguage it is.

    Although Ashton could indeed read thenguage now, he still has no clue what was the name of thisnguage at all. But that''s not really important now, is it?

    ''Surprisingly, weck some materials for ''The Core''. What a scam!'' Ashton chuckled to himself.

    It is indeed surprising, considering how many resources Ashton umted by signing in every day and harvesting loot from his victims. The materials theyck were Angelic Remains; bothmon and rare ones, as well as a few high-end Demonic Trinkets like the Demonic Crown.

    ''Also, more Soul Bones like the Undead Dragon''s Skull Bone. We need more of this toplete the core.''

    Thankfully, he hadn''t fused with the Undead Dragon''s Skull Bone yet. It turned out that he''d find more uses for the bone rather than recing his own skull with it.

    Well, the idea of turning part of his skeletal system into a Demonic one didn''t really sound particrly inviting for him to begin with so he might as well use it for ''The Core''.

    ''Just as well...'' Ashton red his nose and swept his hand on his head which is now filled with some stubbles of hair, ''The Chaotic Warzone should be crawling useful pests that I intend to get rid of anyway.''

    ''By the time I''m done with that ce, we''ll have everything we need to construct an entire city.''

 Chapter 126 Petty

    ''...oh wow.''

    Ashton''s senses bled past the walls of the Grand Library and saw the scenery outside which surprised him.

    What a sharp contrast that was...

    <o>,m As it turns out, the Chaotic Warzone is split in two.</o>

    One side was filled with dark and gloomy clouds, Ashton could even see the ck Fog in there which strengthens the demons as so long as they stayed within it.

    On the other side, was a golden dessert. The skies above it were clear and open, golden light poured down making the whole area appear holy and divine. Ashton could also see several abodes carried by clouds, and for the first time, he also saw Angels...

    ''Yep, they''re just as creepy as the demons...'' Ashton dered in his mind.

    An amalgamation of halos, wings, eyes, and whatever else greeted his vision. Seeing this, he couldn''t help but think that Angels just looked...wrong. not that the Demons looked right to him. Both races looked weird but that''sing from him, a human, so of course, his opinion was biased.

    But just as it was stated earlier, the Chaotic Warzone is split evenly between these two forces.

    From where Ashton was, he could see the base of both races and could also see how they openly red at each other as if they couldn''t stand the opposite''s existence...

    Ashton didn''t have any ns of doing anything right now. His priority was to gather as much information as he can before he makes a move.

    As he surveyed the battlefield, he couldn''t help but notice that a group from each race was bound to make contact. He focused his attention on them with interest cause he wants to see what was going to happen next.

    "Ah look at what we have here..." someone from the Celestial Race scoffed upon seeing the group of demons not too far from them. "Some losers from the Filth Race. How unlucky must we be to encounter such abominations."

    ''Uh, hello? When was thest time you looked at yourself in the mirror?'' Ashton reacted inwardly.

    The Angel who spoke was a floating head that had the face of an old man. This one has three pairs of wings, had a 9-inch halo floating above its head and its body and wings were covered with numerous sets of crimson eyes which were ring at the demons.

    Really, this one doesn''t have any leg to stand on (not that it had one, to begin with) when ites to appearances.

    "And here I thought I was the only one who could smell the foul stench of a hypocrite, as it turns out there really is one around. My, how are you floating head? I see that you''re all healed from the injuries you suffered from me. Had a good time in the infirmary I hope? What''s with the face? Ah, did that pretty sister of yours rejected your marriage proposal again? Tsk, just ept it at this point fat head, you''re ugly as fuck. Don''t even think about it."

    ''Oooh...'' Ashton made a stank face upon hearing how the demon ruthlessly roasted the angel, ''Dayum Sir! Hold yourself back for the poor thing! Look at it! It is so close to crying.''

    "You''re going overboard!!" The angel roared in fury, and just as Ashton thought that those eyes couldn''t get any redder, he was proven wrong. "Don''t you dare utter Sister Nono''s name with that filthy mouth of yours!!"

    "Or else what, fat head? Or else fucking what!?" The demon stepped forward and brought out a pitchfork that was doused with pure corruption and demonic intent. "You''re going to fight me? Go ahead then! I fucking dare you. But know that this time, there''s no fucking way that I''ll let you live, I''m all out of mercy after all."

    "Hah! As if I need mercy from filth like you. Do you worst I guess!" The Head Angel (?) looked at his team and roared, "Come, Brothers! This time, we eradicate the filth before us!"

    And just like that, a battle erupted...

    Ashton who was observing from a distance had a pensive look on his face as he thought:

    ''It didn''t take much for them to start a fight at all...they really couldn''t stand each other that much huh?''

    Themotion caused by their fight alerted the others who were patrolling the area. Ashton watched in interest as he saw the others fidgeting where they stood.

    ''Oi, oi...don''t tell they-''

    "RAAAGGHH!!!"

    Ashton couldn''t even finish his thought when another roar echoed on the battlefield.

    He watched, mouth widening, in surprise as the patrolling groups recklessly abandoned their posts to jump in on the battle.

    Battle cries erupted everywhere. A chain reaction urred and before Ashton knew it, the battlefield became extremely active.

    Light and dark shed, and the previous split disappeared. Above the battlefield, dark clouds loomed and asional sparks of thunder swam threatening to strike down at any given moment.

    Nevertheless, the war raged on. Everything started with a little scuffle yet the time it took for it to escte was too short, almost a blink of an eye even.<sub> </sub>

    Ashton was speechless. Seriously are they this petty?

    There was no reason for a whole-ass war to erupt just from that little scuffle. At this point, he''s thinking that both of these races were just finding a reason, no matter how big or little, to fight each other.

    At some point, he could even see Noble Demons and Angels of the Upper Echelon duking it out. He heard no arguments whatsoever, they just appeared out of nowhere and started fighting.

    Again, how petty can both of these races get?

    The war raged on for an entire day. Ashton remained inside the library, watching the whole fiasco y out with a baffled face.

    As they fought, Ashton realized that the day and night cycle waspletely skewed in this area. Well, kind of...

    You see, the side where Angels reside never turned dark. In other words, it didn''t matter how much time passed, night didn''t dim the side where angels reside at all. As for the demons'' side, it''s the opposite.

    Ashton had no idea how this was happening and frankly, he couldn''t care less right now since all he could think about was the surprising event in front of him.

    At some point though, the battle died down. Ashton was so distracted that he didn''t see who won between the Head Angel (?) and the Pitchfork Demon. So much has happened that hepletely missed it.

    And then, the war died down just as fast as it happened. Which again, did not make any sense at all.

    ''I didn''t even hear a retreat call. They just kind of stopped sending more reinforcements and it''s done. How?'' Ashton was really confused.

    He was baffled for that whole day, he even missed his meals because he was so bothered by what he just witnessed. Why did neither Mr. yer nor Bruce finds this unimportant that they didn''t bother writing it down at all?

    Honestly? Weren''t they curious about their behavior?

    ''Maybe they were curious but nothing made sense so they just didn''t bother themselves or they just didn''t care in the first ce.''

    It could be either of those, to be honest, but since those were already dead, he couldn''t ask them anymore. Anyhow, it''s not important.

    What he should focus on is how he should deal with this.

    In the end, Ashtoncks more information. Currently, all he had were his initial guesses. Nothing concrete or proven yet. He figured that he had to observe the battlefield more just to be sure.

    If there''s something that upsets him, it''d be the wanton destruction of the territory.

    This ce had endured so much abuse from the war which rage almost every single day. The soil doesn''t even know what color of form it should take on any more. Was it even possible to rehabilitate this ce at all? Ashton was afraid that not even his Lv.55 Purify could do anything for this ce.

    There was a period of calm that followed that very abrupt war. Though not too long after that, Ashton could, once again, see that both forces were sending teams to patrol their domain.

    Ashton observed the routes were taking and couldn''t help but had a change in his expression. For some reason, there was this foreboding sense in his heart and right away, he felt a headache iing...

    The routes of one group of demons and another group of angels were bound to meet once again. The closer they got to each other, the worse Ashton''s premonition got.

    And then, they eventually meet.

    The group paused in their tracks and red at each other. The atmosphere turned tense. The elected leaders of both groups eyed each other, gripping their weapons tightly in their hands.

    "The fuck are you lookin'' at, huh?" The Demon asked.

    "Nothing much, just wondering why a filth would suddenly appear in my vision, that''s all." The angel replied.

    "You wanna go huh?"

    "Bring it on bitch! You think I''m afraid of you!?"

    "RAAAGGHHH!!!"

    ''Jesus tap-dancing Christ!'' Ashton''s mouth was gaping. ''Seriously? Again?''

 Chapter 127 Killing Heist

    Ashton sighed for the nth time today...

    He''s once again, watching the ridiculous battle ongoing at the Chaotic Warzone. And just like the previous ones, it all started from sheer pettiness.

    At this point, Ashton''s convinced that the reason why Mr. yer and Bruce didn''t say anything about this ce is that they don''t understand it themselves. Honestly, this is just ridiculous.

    Aria justughed at his dilemma too, how cruel.

    Needless to say, Ashton can''t get a solid read from these opposing camps. They fight for the smallest reasons possible. They just can''t stand each other that much, is what Ashton concluded.

    This is why, instead of searching for a reason why these things are fighting here, he chose to n for his move. After all, he''s already here. He just can''t stand here and watch as this all happens right?

    Ashton kept observing. Thinking of ways to cleverly take advantage of this situation. In his observations, he noticed a few things that were weirdly happening as the two sides fought...

    The most obvious one for him was the fact that, even though the Celestials and Hypogeans here fought a lot, nobody really died.

    Sure, they''d attack each other with a heavy hand and all, but none of them actually manages to kill each other. It''s either the injured sessfully retreat or reinforcements will arrive in time to cover for them.

    The other thing he noticed from his observation was tied to this as well...and that is, there''s no coincidence here.

    No, that demon/angel just didn''t happen to be there at the right ce at the right time. Ashton refuses to believe that when he specifically saw how they waited and acted just in time as if everything was rehearsed.

    Normally, it''d be difficult to see everything on such a chaotic battlefield but Ashton''s senses could not be fooled. He is far too observant for things like this to escape him.

    It''s because of this that Ashton truly finds this whole fiasco interesting and suspicious.

    But, once again...he''s clueless for the most part.

    Actually, does it even matter? Why was he paying so much attention to understanding the ''whys'' and ''hows'' of his enemies'' thought processes? What''s the point? Especially when his goal remained the same in the end anyway?

    ''I just need to kill them, then they won''t bother me anymore...''

    Yes, it''s as simple as that at the end of the day. No need toplicate things for himself. It''s not worth having a headache for anyway. All he needs to do is to kill everything on sight and there would be nothing barring his way from returning home.

    That''s it, in and simple.

    Because of this, Ashton forgot about reading too much between the lines. He''d still pay attention though because that''s just him, but he wouldn''t ce too much importance on that anymore and he instead, would focus on what he has to do.

    As Ashton continued his observations, he was gradually increasing the count of enemies he can recognize on the battlefield. In turn, this also updates his mission in real time but he won''t clear it unless he kills them all.

    He was lucky that there''s a book on the Grand Archives left by another martyrized Hero that''s about the Celestial Race and Hypogean Race. This book contained all kinds of demons and angels, and it''s extremely detailed which was of great help for recognizing them.

    After two weeks of doing nothing but observing the Chaotic Warzone and doing some simtions. Ashton was finally ready to make a move...

    Today was that day.

    He stood in the mirror, silently looking at his reflection. He was once again wearing the exosuit which could defend him against all types of harm. He wore the Cloak of Apparition on top of that which hid most of his features, especially with the hood on.

    He wore a mask that prevents senses from capturing what he looks like and minimizes his presence even more. The Mortal Reminder was holstered on his belt in their base form and he''s holding the wicked scythe made by Aria for him.

    After admiring his get-up, he kissed Aria before he turned around to cast all sorts of Support Spells to prepare him for the battle.

    And just like that...he''s ready for war...

    Ashton disappeared from the library and appeared in the humid and foul vicinity of the Chaotic Warzone.

    His chosen spot was somewhere that''s usually missed by the patrols of both angels and demons.

    Due to the stack of spells he ced on himself and the various paraphernalia that he''s got, his presence was minimized to the maximum. Even though he struck out like a sore thumb due to the uniqueness of his attire, he blended with the surroundings so much that nobody was rmed by his presence.

    Instead of moving, Ashton remained in his spot. Casually standing there like he''s rooted in ce. No, of course, he''s not afraid nor frozen in fear. He didn''t feel anxious or excited. He''s just calm. Like this day''s just another work day for him.<sub> </sub>

    The reason why he''s not moving is that there''s no need to yet. He''s perfectly isted and unseen for so long as he stood still. Nothing was going on yet so there''s no need for him to do anything right now.

    Although, not for long...

    Ashton spread out his senses and covered a 5-mile distance around him. Everything here couldn''t escape his senses. He observed in real time and watched the patrolling units in anticipation. He mumbled ''soon'' in his heart, because he already predicted that the usual will happen not too long from now.

    ...and just as he expected, a few hundred meters away from where he stood, he could see two units, one from each side, about to cross paths.

    "Fuck off, Filth." An angel spat.

    "Make me, you bald Pidgeon." The demon spat back.

    "RAAAAGGGHHH!!!"

    Ashton rolled his eyes and snorted softly. Yeah, he just can''t with that anymore. It''s whatever at this point.

    Nevertheless, the event he was waiting for finally happened. But he didn''t move right away. He waited patiently until this esctes and turns into a full-scale sh between two sides.

    He didn''t wait for that long either...

    Not even ten minutes after that, the whole battlefield''s in chaos once more. Streaks of gold and ck light shed and big explosions urred everywhere on the battlefield.

    Ashton looked up and saw the big leagues appearing one by one. He counted in his heart and once he was done, he saw the Noble Demons and First Sphere Angels duking it out beyond the clouds.

    His eyes shone as he muttered: ''It''s go time, I have 10 minutes before theye down.''

    Ashton took a mighty step forward and disappeared from his position. He turned into a streak of light which passed through several foes at once.

    Demons who are Young Adults or fully Matured ones...

    Angels of all ages and sizes, be iting from the 3rd Sphere or the 2nd Sphere...

    Ashton wasn''t picky. By the time he reappeared, he was already holding his scythe which was bathing in their blood. In his trail, a river of blood appeared and bodies exploded.

    Ashton snapped his fingers and instantly, a rainbow cloud appeared. Nobody noticed the cloud though, before they could do so, they already inhaled it and were already hallucinating about something.

    This Spell is called ''Rainbow Fantasy'', a peak High-Order Spell he learned at the Grand Archives. It causes everyone who inhaled the cloud to hallucinate. The hallucination was realistic enough that their brain ispletely convinced that nothing was amiss, but with this, Ashton can make small adjustments to what he wanted them to see to keep himself hidden from in view.

    Once he saw that most of the shing invaders had dull eyes and moving mechanically, a smile appeared on his face which was hidden behind a mask.

    He brandished his scythe and went on a killing spree. Freely slices and feeds the scythe as much as he wishes. The river of blood followed him as it was being absorbed by the weapon.

    Ashton could feel the sheer jubnceing from the scythe, it was urging him for more. More blood, more victims, more death, and more, more, more...

    He wasn''t moved nor disturbed by the vicious intent his weapon was sent to him. Despite it sounding enticing and rather sinister, Ashton''s spirit was far stronger than that so he wasn''t affected.

    Ashton paid attention to how much time he has left before the big shots returned. When he only has a minute left, he ced the scythe behind his back so that it can keep drinking the blood of his victims while he loaded a shell on his Rocket Launcher.

    Once the shell condensed, Ashton hopped into the air, casting Blink to reach an even greater height, then as he fell, he aimed below and fired the shot.

    As soon as the shell exited theuncher''s chamber, Ashton disappeared entirely from the scene.

    But he left a massive gift before he disappeared.

    It was a huge explosion that resulted in a massive mushroom cloud appearing on the Chaotic Warzone.

    And by the time the bigshots returned, all of them were horrified to see the corpses of their men littered across the ground...

 Chapter 128 Prayer And Ritual

    "WHO!!! WHO THE HELL CAUSED THIS!!"

    A roar filled with unbridled rage echoed in the Chaotic Warzone. It came from an Angel which Ashton recognized as a Cherub.

    Cherubim are Celestials that have wings with human, animal, or birdlike characteristics. This particr one had a Human head, its body was hidden behind one of the six pairs of wings it has �� which is of course lined with crimson eyes bulging out of sheer fury, and its legs were that of a pig''s...

    "YOU FILTHY HYPOGEANS!!! IT''S YOU, ISN''T IT!? ADMIT IT OR ELSE I WILL KILL ALL OF YOU!"

    "DO IT! I DARE YOU, YOU STUPID FUCKING PIGEON!"

    One of the Demon Princes stepped forward and fearlessly met the angel with just as much fury and confidence. The rest of the Demon Princes behind him also stepped forward and prepared for a serious sh.

    "Did you seriously think that it was us who did this? I know that you''re a bird and all but I didn''t know that brain of yours is simr to a bird as well! Seriously? How stupid can you fucking get? We were all fighting just now, when did we have enough time to do all of this? Huh?"

    Another Demon Prince stepped up and berated the Cherub, who was fuming still...

    "Oh? And is that your way of ming us?" This time, a Throne stepped up to support the Cherub.

    "Not really, but if the shoe fits..."

    "Ho? Then you just admitted that you''re also stupid." The Throne spat, "You said it yourself, we were all there, fighting our hearts out, and didn''t have enough time to do any of this. If you practice your preach, then you''d know that if it''s not you all then it isn''t us either!"

    The expression of Demons turned ugly at those words, the Angels didn''t feel so good either. They were at an impasse, not knowing who to me for this disaster.

    As for the culprit himself, well he''s sneering at the sheer stupidity he''s witnessing. Since his trail had gone cold at this point, Ashton''s extremely confident that none of these fools would trace this back to him at all. Therefore, he''s just going to watch how these invaders will handle what he caused.

    One of the Angels; an Archangel if Ashton''s guesses were correct, flew down and surveyed the battlefield closely with a solemn expression.

    Seeing dried-up corpses of both Angels and Demons, the Archangel''s face turned increasingly ugly.

    Smoke was still rising from the ground, and the foul smell of corpses and the blood-stained soil painted a horrible picture that neither the Demons nor the Angels here particrly liked.

    The Archangel walked around and suddenly, he felt something grabbing him on his ankles. He looked down and saw one of his men hacking and using thest ounce of their strength to get his attention.

    "My brother in arms, hang in there. I got you." The Archangel lowered his body and grabbed the arms of the death angel.

    The angel shook his head and rasped: "I-I''m afraid that it''s toote for me, Sire..."

    "We can heal you! It doesn''t have to end here!"

    "I-I''m tired, Sire..." The angel shook his head again and smiled sadly, "I wanna go back to Paradiso. I miss the embrace of my loving wife, please let me go."

    "..."

    "None of us saw what happened, Sire." The angel coughed out blood as he kept getting weaker and weaker. "I didn''t...notice anything strange...I just blink and all of a sudden...I''m dying..."

    "I understand..." The Archangel nodded.

    "Be...be careful, Sire...God be with you..."

    "And also with you. Have a blessed journey back home, Brother." The Archangel recited a prayer as soon as the dying angel drew hisst breath.

    Ashton who had been paying attention to this, raised his brow and watched carefully.

    He then saw a golden orb of light raising from the dying angel''s body, as the Archangel finished his prayer, more golden orbs appeared from the corpses of the angels around him.

    The archangel raised his hand and sent the golden orbs away with a tear-stricken face.

    Meanwhile, on the demon''s side, a Ram Demon was performing some sort of ritual dance. Unlike what happened to the angels, the corpses of demons were instead dragged by demonic hands that came out of the ground.

    Ashton frowned upon seeing all of this. He wracked his brain, trying to understand what was happening...then he came to a conclusion.<sub> </sub>

    ''Ah, so they don''t truly die in a sense. They just return from where they came from.''

    And that is exactly what''s happening here. The Angels, through the help of theirrades, can have their souls returned home �� which is Paradiso if Ashton''s guesses were correct.

    As for Demons, it''s basically the same thing, it just looks more sinister. Ashton doesn''t think that the Demons are returning to the Qlipoth though. He has no idea what their ''home'' is called but intuition told him that it isn''t the Qlipoth since that''s on the Blue.

    "We won''t hear the end of this when we report it back to the Council." One of the Demon Prince stated.

    His voice was loud enough to be heard by both Demon and Angels, causing Ashton to see how their faces warped in annoyance and irritation.

    ''Council, huh...'' Ashton took note of that term.

    "The trend was broken by an unknown variable." The same Archangel said in a t tone. "As much as I would like nothing more than to me you Demons, I''m afraid that I don''t have enough evidence to support my im."

    Unexpectedly, the Demons had nothing to say to that, they remained quiet instead of rebuking the angel which made Ashton frown since that''s somewhat out of character from what they disyed so far.

    "We will report this as it is." The Archangel stated, "As much as I despise to say this, I hope that you all will do the same. I don''t need to speak of the consequences should you''ve proven guilty of lying to your Council."

    "Tch. No need to remind us." One of the Demon Prince sneered, "Do you fools think we want to be stuck here with you? Please..."

    Ashton''s brow furrowed even more upon hearing that.

    After that brief exchange, both camps snorted at each other before retreating to their own sides. There seems to be an unspoken truce between them for now, but hell would freeze over first before either of them admits that.

    Once they''re tone, the Chaotic Warzone had some peace. Eerily, it doesn''t seem to fit this ce at all. But Ashton''s actions this time were too huge to be ignored.

    Ashton kept on observing though. After an hour and a half, he saw both camps releasing their patrolling groups, which made him a little bit confused.

    He watched as they went on their usual routine until one group on each side came a little too close to each other.

    This time though, no fight broke out.

    The groups didn''t even seem to see each other and just followed their routes, which was highly uncharacteristic from what Ashton observed so far.

    This somewhat solidified his belief that was indeed an unspoken truce for now. And that he shouldn''t be expecting any kind of sh happening within the next few days.

    ''Which works for me...'' He mused to himself, ''I can use this time to do more preparations and organize the intel I received so far.''

    Since there''d be no show to watch, Ashton withdrew his senses and started thinking.

    He came out there originally to issue a ughter. And ughter, he certainly did. As it''s shown by how his Bone Scythe still thrums with power due to how much blood it consumed a couple of minutes ago.

    ''So Celestials and Hypogeans don''t die that easily. At least not in this ce.'' He mused to himself, ''So long as their superiors are with them, they could be brought back home �� whatever that means, I guess...''

    ''...a little bit unfair, no? Do they have unlimited resurrections? That''s cheating...''

    ''Though I can counter that...'' Ashton smiled despite himself.

    Judging by the expressions of the Demons and the Angels when they saw the dried-up corpses of his victims, he could easily tell that those won''t be resurrected at all.

    For some reason, the Blood-Drinking Seal neutralized their resurrection. He firmly believes this since when he was observing the prayer and ritual, no souls emerged from the corpses of his victims. The scythe didn''t grow weaker either.

    With this information, Ashton knew that his decision of staying here had merits. His presence is indeed needed here since there are things for him to learn and more victims for him to kill...

    ''There seems to be a deeper secret in this ce.'' Ashton kept musing to himself, ''There are secrets that I need to uncover first. I can''t leave unless I learn that first. I also want to kill as many of the invaders as I could to make them regret evering here.''

    All of this will take some time, but Ashton wasn''t disheartened. He''s prepared for a battle of attrition anyway.

    He wille out on top of this. That, he swears...

 Chapter 129 One Year Later...

    One year passed by like it was nothing...

    Ashton remained stationed at the Chaotic Warzone, hidden behind the invisible walls of the Grand Library, always watching the events happening like a hawk observing his prey...

    Two years...it has been two years since he was taken out of civilization and was forced to survive the harsh environment of the Forgotten Ancestral Lands.

    Ashton hade a long way and had transformed into apletely different person. He was no longer a kid, he was a battle-hardened man that had seen and knows way too much.

    Despite how much he''d prefer not to be tangled in these matters, he had be a key yer which will determine the future of this world. It wasn''t his choice, it was forced upon him...

    Thankfully, he had all sorts of means to even out the odds. This allowed him to survive and even thrive in this foul environment.

    Currently, Ashton''s cultivation has reached the peak of 9 Refinements of Lv.1 Warlock Rank. His Virtue of Mana had been refined a total of 9 times, reaching its perfected state. Now, he''s just waiting for an opportunity to break through and condense his 2nd Virtue.

    Aside from his cultivation rank, Ashton also received several boons on other aspects of his arsenal.

    Take the Bone Scythe for example...

    During the past year, he had gone out on a killing heist more than once. Each time he appeared, rivers of blood followed his wake. When he leaves, utter destruction remains as well as a sea of pure white mes.

    The Bone Scythe had drank so much blood. The Blood-Drinking Seal reveled and thrummed in happiness each time he fed it. As a result, the Bone Scythe had been refined again and again. At this point, it has upgraded into a pseudo-Sub-Artifact, just a step away from bing a genuine Sub-Artifact much like the Mortal Reminder.

    Also, his Scythe Arts entered the 1-Star Phenomenon Rank...

    Whenever Ashton swings his scythe, he reaps lives like wheat and cabbages. He could sever heads from a mile away, he could split rivers and uproot hills if he desires to.

    On top of this, his Firearm Proficiency reached the 4-Star Phenomenon Rank as well. Making him a deadly being to cross in thisnds.

    And this isn''t even stating the list of spells he can dish out as well as his unknown means ofing and going unobstructed in this Chaotic Warzone,

    Sufficed to say, if Ashton went all out in his current state, he could probably destroy a country or two before getting tired...

    The Celestials and Hypogeans that were stationed in this ce had suffered greatly because of Ashton.

    The way he just appears out of nowhere to start ughtering their kind...nobody even notices when he appears nor when he makes a move. The killing just happens without them knowing how or when, they''d only notice it when it''s done.

    It was terrifying, especially considering that they never even had a chance of capturing him. Hell, even getting close to him was impossible.

    So far, they''ve only seen a single glimpse of his visage...

    It was when he stayed a second too long before disappearing. A demon and an angel saw his white cloak with the hood on, they saw his face hidden by a in mask and that wicked-looking scythe held in his hand, dripping with blood.

    That image was harrowing for those who saw it. To them, Ashton was a ruthless ghost. They wanted to capture him and make him pay for what they did to them but they couldn''t do so.

    Due to his mysteriousness and his means, they came up with an appropriate title to refer to him.

    ''The White-Cloaked Reaper.''

    ''...so let''s summarize.'' Ashton sat at his desk and gathered the intel has gathered so far.

    ''As it turns out, there is indeed a reason why this ce is like this.'' He stated to himself, ''I initially thought that these two camps just can''t stand each other that much, and while there''s some truth behind that, there is a deeper secret beneath this ce.''

    ''The Celestials and Hypogeans were suppressing something here. Whatever it is, I have no idea. But that''s the reason why they''re stationed in this ce and forces themselves to fight again and again despite their obvious dislike for it.''

    ''Escting the fight into a full-scaled scuffle because of the simple reason was just an act from both sides. In a way, they''re cooperating to achieve a goal. As for what that is...I don''t know. And that bothers me so.''

    Ashton pursed his lips in irritation. He truly underestimated the secrecy of these invaders. He couldn''t believe that he almost got fooled by them.

    Now, he''s even more determined to know their secret. His instincts scream at him that he has to know this or else he''ll regret it.

    ''It must be tied to the Blue.'' Ashton mused, ''Which in turn, also ties to Humanity as well.''<sub> </sub>

    ''They''re suppressing something here to prevent Humans from discovering it.''

    ''The fact that they stationed a good chunk of their forces here personally to that...''

    ''And the fact that, even after an entire year of suffering from jy indiscriminate ughter, they still send new blood to be spilled here despite knowing that I will alwayse, tells me that whatever it is that they''re suppressing here, was extremely important.''

    ''How can I prevent myself from being curious with those clues in mind?'' Ashton grumbled as he bit into the steak his girlfriend made for him.

    As the future Boss Man of Humanity against the Invaders, how can he ignore this?

    Even though it was irritating him to no end that he still hasn''t figured this out yet, there''s really no way he could just leave here without knowing this. In fact, he''s even more determined to know now more than ever.

    ''I think it''s time for me to switch tactics.'' Ashton decided. ''I''ve exhausted all avable tools in my torture tool kit, yet I didn''t get much from it. Some of my captives would rather die than tell me anything.''

    ''It''s somewhat admirable and annoying at the same time.'' Ashton snorted. ''I guess it''s time for me to take the risk and invade their camps.''

    Yes, this was Ashton''s next move...

    <o>,m He scanned the outside surroundings and saw that there was a scuffle ongoing right now. Ashton didn''t join since he won''t get much anymore from doing so.</o>

    Now, he has to choose which side to infiltrate first...

    After some deep thought, he chose to go to the camp of the Celestials.

    The reason being is that Celestials are creatures of Order. They have a strict hierarchy and are serious about their duty to their god. They follow the orders of their superiors down to the dot and never ask questions.

    Seeing this, Ashton believes that his chances of getting more solid intel about their mission here would be higherpared to his chances with the Hypogeans

    ''The annoying part of this ce is that I have to fly in order to enter their camp since it''s being carried by the clouds.''

    Yes, this is indeed the case. The camp of the angels was floating above the clouds.

    While Ashton can drive the Grand Library like a vehicle, he doesn''t know if he could fly with it just yet as he had never tried it before.

    Ashton could use the Spell: Flight, to go there, but there are risks in doing that, mainly traps...

    He doesn''t know whether the camp had traps that prevent those who weren''t of the Celestial Race froming close to the camp. Ashton wouldn''t be surprised if there was, to be honest, but that would make things difficult for him.

    ''Hmm...I guess I''ll wait until their scuffle is over. Then I''ll try if I could fly while inside the Grand Library.''

    Ashton pursed his lips and kept observing the fight happening outside.

    Judging from the wary faces of the invaders, he can easily tell their hesitation and unease. They were surely on the lookout for the White-Cloaked Reaper. They were on the lookout for him.

    He can''t me them, really. He doese unannounced and leaves simrly, none of them could tell when he''s there or not.

    Even the Noble Demons and the 1St Sphere Angels were watching instead of fighting since they want to get rid of him.

    It''s kind of ttering to know that they''re afraid of him. But what they''re doing right now doesn''t really help them. Not at all.

    ''If you guys can''t even sense me here, how can you ever hope to find me?''

    Ashton shook his head and no longer paid attention to this. He withdrew his senses since he was disinterested in how this was going to go. He knows that already anyway.

    Ashton decided to rx on his couch, waiting for Aria to arrive when all of a sudden, he felt a buzz at the very depths of his consciousness. His eyes shed and he immediately stood up.

    He marched towards the training room and locked himself in. Hey down t on the floor and took a deep breath...

    ''It''s here! My breakthrough opportunity is here!!''

 Chapter 130 Virtue Of Purity, Aether Purity Heart

    [Congrattions, you have condensed your 2nd Virtue �\ The Virtue of Purity.]

    [Synergy unlocked between the ��Right Eye of Purity��and the ��Trait: Purity��...]

    [Congrattions, you''ve unlocked the ��Aether Purity Heart��! ]

    [Your Curse: ��Hex of Mediocrity��, had been suppressed greatly. You can now learn Intermediate-Ranked Offensive Spells!]

    Inside the training room, Ashton groaned infort.

    Laying t on the ground, his body was emitting a pure white brilliance that covered him from head to toe. His Magical Constitution appeared as a visage within his surroundings; his Mage Crest, Core, and Virtues, all releasing their own blinding brilliance in response to the changes happening to him.

    Inside his body, his heart transformed. It has turned crystal clear as if it was made out of ss. Every time it beats, not only was it aiding the cirction of blood on his body, but it is also releasing a small dose of Aether to nourish his body.

    Aether Energy is the origin of Mana itself. It can be said that Mana was derived from diluting Aether first since absorbing pure Aether could potentially kill a regr human being.

    It had to be known that, the regr Mana Reserves of a Sorcerer are only enough to condense a handful of Aether Energy. Considering how an Aether Purity Heartes to being, that is far from enough.

    ��Aether Purity Heart��

    ? An organ steeped in Aether Energy for 9,999 years. It has been thoroughly purified by Aether and gained the ability to convert Mana into Aether.

    ? Only those who possess the Purity Trait may be able to possess this Heart.

    ? As it is the crystallization of Purity, this Heart is incorruptible by any curse. If the holder of this heart was touched by a Curse, this Heart will help them suppress it.

    The appearance of the Aether Purity Heart did not meet any kind of resistance. Not even the curse that''s been guing Ashton''s body was strong enough tobat it.

    The heart firmly reced his old one and already started nourishing Ashton''s body while also suppressing the curse, allowing Ashton to learn Intermediate-ranked Offensive Spells in the future.

    Aside from condensing this thing, having Purity as his 2nd Virtue allows Ashton more security as he walked the dangerousnds of the outside world. At this point, Ashton can walk barefoot on the corrupted grounds and still remain safe due to this.

    Ashton''s practically immune to being corrupted. His Will became extremely firm and unable to be influenced without his consent. He''s also Immune to all kinds of Negative Status Effects thanks to the Virtue of Purity.

    Additionally, the limitations of the ��Right Eye of Purity�� disappeared. Before, he could only negate any ill intent targeted at him 3 times per day. Now, he could do that as much as he wants considering that he has enough mana for it.

    Well, Ashton is a Child of Mana, so this shouldn''t be a concern to him...

    Ashton eventually woke up from his breakthrough. When he scanned his body and noticed the changes, a wide smile appeared on his face.

    ''That''s good...I''m a bit lucky this time.''

    Although he''s expecting that having Purity as his 2nd Virtue will provide him with some good things, he still underestimated his gains.

    ''...this is absurd. My body is now producing Aether Energy itself.'' He mused to himself. ''I believe this will further improve my Mana Physique all the way to Perfection. Hell, It might even evolve further!''

    Just thinking about the possibilities makes Ashton extremely excited. At this point, who could refute him when he said that he had the best foundations for pursuing the Ultimate Truth?

    No mages or Knights of this present era can bepared to him. By right, Ashton has all the qualifications to be a Hero Candidate! But...

    ''Why would I do that?'' Ashton shook his head, ''I agree that this world needs a Hero. It needs more than one Hero.''

    ''Even though I have the qualifications for it, I don''t want it. That''s just not me. It can''t be me.''

    ''I want to be Humanity''s Strongest Backer instead. I think that fits me more.''

    He stood up and dusted his robes. His cultivation base was already consolidated. He feels much strongerpared to before. He could also sense Laws better as he felt closer to them.

    While standing up, Ashton noticed that the Cursed Book of Infinity �� his Magical Artifact, was out, and has visible changes in its appearance.

    Previously, the book was always sealed by thick pitch ck chains around it. Now, the chains are gone, only the lock remained. He could also feel more familiar with his Magical Artifact for some reason.

    ''...it''s probably caused by the Aether Purity Heart.'' He mused, ''That''s good. With the restrictions loosened up, I can now y with intermediate offensive spells.''<sub> </sub>

    ''So long as I finished all of my mission, I could have that pill which will allow me to get rid of the curse once and for all. By then, I can achieve my dreams of raining down meteors on my foes. How exciting!''

    Ashton shook his head and stepped out of the room.

    Now that he had made his breakthrough, his future battle should be lighter and easier. He can probably go toe to toe with a couple of Noble Demons and 1st Sphere Angels at the same time.

    That being said, Ashton''s not looking for a fight right now. What he needs is more information.

    ''I only had a small realm promotion in strength.'' Ashton then proceeded to bleed his senses past the walls of the Library to check if the battles were still ongoing.

    He didn''t see any Angel nor Demon patrolling around, the Chaotic Warzone was peaceful, which meant that the camps were resting currently.

    ''Alright, great. I can try it out now.''

    He sat down once more and focused on his intent. Right now, he''s attempting to lift the entire library off the ground.

    One thing to note is that Ashton himself can''t fly. Well, not without the help of a Spell. That trick is something that only Sorcerers can do.

    Lifting the Grand Library while he''s inside for the sake of infiltrating the Celestial Camp is something that he obviously wants to do if he wants to investigate most securely.

    And to his surprise...it is working...somewhat.

    He could feel the library rising as he focused. It wasn''t just his imagination either. His current method is a little stiff and awkward but it is happening.

    ''The mana drain is eptable...'' He hummed inwardly.

    He wasn''t rmed by the drain since he knew that will happen anyway. It''d be weird if the flight didn''t consume his mana at all.

    Since this was his first attempt, Ashton didn''t dare to lift the library too high. He made it hover at least several meters above ground before releasing his control and the mana supply as well.

    As a result, the library sharply fell and he, as well as Aria, felt that as they were inside of it. Nevertheless, he let it fall until it hits the ground just to see what the result will be.

    Again, to his absolute surprise, there was no sound nor anymotion when it fell. Ashton didn''t even feel any impact, it kind ofnded like a feather.

    That was really weird, though it''s a good kind since Ashton can certainly take advantage of that. Now that he knows that the library won''t make any sound even at the event where he loses control, he could just focus on control instead.

    But...just to be sure, he tested it again and again until he confirmed that it indeed won''t make a sound.

    When he made sure of that, Ashton focused on control instead.

    ''Hmm...'' Ashton hummed as he controlled the library. ''In a way, isn''t this simr to the Psychokinesis Spell?''

    The Psychokinesis Spell falls under the Study of Psionics �� which can be summarized as ''mind over matter. The Spells; Force Push and Force Pull falls under the same branch of Magic as well.

    Thanks to this inspiration, Ashton somewhat gained an idea of how to improve his control. And just as he expected, driving the Grand Library is just like using the Psychokinesis Spell.

    It didn''t take long before was proficient enough to ensure that he won''t fall. The more practiced, the better his control got. He could even do evasive maneuvers with it just in case he was sensed and attacked out of nowhere.

    The only downside of doing this is that they could feel the movement as he drove. It''s really like driving a vehicle. Ashton couldn''t afford to have the library doing a barrel roll in the air since that certainly makes a mess out of the library.

    Ashton used two days topletely familiarize himself with controlling the library''s flight before taking action.

    Once he made a decision, he willed the library to rise several hundred meters up in the air until he reached the clouds themselves.

    The moment he reached that altitude, the entire base of the Celestials became visible to his senses.

    A solemn expression appeared on Ashton''s face as he murmured:

    ''Okay, let''s see if I can infiltrate this ce safely.''

 Chapter 131 Infiltrating The Celestial Base

    ''...okay, great. I''ve been undetected so far...I hope it stays that way...''

    Ashton controlled the Grand Library to fly closer to the base of the Celestials.

    Their camp was beyond the clouds, built on the clouds too. On how that''s even possible, Ashton genuinely has no idea. If he''d venture a guess, he''d say they probably used something simr to Gravity Magic and Transmutation.

    Either way, the how isn''t really important right now. Ashton has a mission here and that''s what he should be focusing on.

    ''Okay, let''s be careful now...'' Ashton bit his lips and felt tense. He flew closer to the base before stopping just far enough to use his Identify on the whole camp.

    [Celestial Warzone Base]

    A ce where Angels/Celestials gather to confront their enemies.

    Consists of 1 Pce, 2 Halls, 10 rooms and 50 Camps.

    [Notice! Three Super-Imposed Formations detected!]

    ''Scan and Identify the Formations.'' Ashton ordered.

    [Scan and Identification,plete! The 3 Formations were: Heavenly Eye Formation, Holy Land Formation, and Divine Heart Formation.]

    ''What are the functions of these formations?''

    [Heavenly Eye Formation]

    A Defensive-type Formation that detects intruders and also serves as a trap. Those who are not of the Celestial Race will be identified as an intruder and would automatically be imprisoned and trapped within it.

    Note: Even Sorcerers will have a headache trying to escape this Formation.

    [Holy Land Formation]

    An Auxilliary-type Formation that converts Aether into Heavenly Energy that Celestials use for cultivation. With the Formation in ce, the cultivation of the Celestial Race will see drastic improvements.

    Note: This Heavenly Energy is harmful to humans, even more so than the Golden Corruption. Nevertheless, the Host should be fine thanks to the ��Trait: Purity��

    [Divine Heart Formation]

    A long-distancemunication formation that allows this batch of Angels to send and receive orders from Laguna �� the capital city of Celestials on Earth.

    Note: This Formation is harnessed in this area for some reason. Host is greatly encouraged to investigate why that is.

    Ashton frowned upon receiving that feedback. He''s d that this System Skill had been maxed out, the only thing that annoys him sometimes is the fact that, at times when it matters the most, the remarks of System are rather cryptic.

    ''...I should get used to this. After all, I can''t expect the System to spoonfeed me just like that. I need to show some effort too.''

    Ashton shook his head and looked at the clues he''s gathered.

    As expected, there really was a formation here. Moreover, they''re superimposed, meaning that they''re connected and/or function as one.

    Thankfully, he was careful enough to consider his security with everything he does. With him suspecting that there might be a formation here it allowed him to move on rtively safe and hidden still.

    ''These formations shouldn''t be able to detect the grand library, after all, it is hidden behind the enchantment of the System, which means that I''m also hidden as well. The rms shouldn''t be triggered once I drove this thing in there.''

    While it still remains absurd how Ashton can control the library while it''s ''technically'' inside his Inventory, Ashton didn''t dare to question it that much. So long as it''s working properly, then that''s all that matters.

    ''Okay, let''s try this...''

    Ashton took a deep breath and controlled the library toe closer to the base of the Celestials.

    The moment he felt the membrane where the Formation begins, Ashton slowed the flight down to a crawl. He pushed it just a bit, this was him testing the waters.

    Seeing as there were no reactions, he did it again, and again...until he felt the sensation of passing through a thin film.

    Once he was inside, he waited for a bit. As expected, the rms weren''t triggered. Ashton felt a little more confident because of that.

    He tried cing down the library onto the clouds, just to see if the clouds can support it. And to his surprise, it could! It didn''t even dent when hepletely parked it there.

    Understanding that he could treat these clouds like solid ground, Ashton went back to driving the library regrly like and vehicle.

    ''Thank god the actual size of the library doesn''t matter when it''s inside the Inventory, else it''d be troublesome to get inside the regr-sized doors with a whole-ass tower.''

    As he controlled the library, Ashton discovered some Angels roaming and patrolling around in an orderly fashion. Some were just taking it easy and talking to each other while others were treating their duties seriously.

    None of them sensed the library nor Ashton at all, which makes sense considering how the formations didn''t even notice him, but Ashton could tell that the security here is quitex andcent.

    The strictness shown was merely semantics. Ashton could tell that from the route which was decided rather haphazardly, there were no thoughts behind it. It''s like those who were in charge of this ce were whole-heartedly convinced that there wouldn''t be any intruders daring to go here,

    Which works beautifully for Ashton...

    He could practically swagger in here undetected, do his mission, and leave like he was never here, to begin with. It couldn''t be any better than this.

    ''Okay, if I were an important piece of document, where will I be?'' Ashton mused to himself as he studied theyout of the base.

    This ce has 1 Pce, 2 Halls, 10 Rooms and 50 camps. From this, Ashton''s initial guess would be at the Pce, cause of course that is the most obvious thing...

    He could check those 50 camps one by one since he has time, but really...would any important intel end up there? He might find Porn Magazines in there but anything rted to his mission? That''s very unlikely.

    ''The 1st Sphere of Angels seems to be permanently stationed at the Pce though.'' Ashtonmented to himself. ''I don''t know if they''re sharp enough to sense if something''s amiss or not.''<sub> </sub>

    1st Sphere Angels are: Seraphim, Thrones, and Cherubim. They are roughly equivalent to Demon Kings/Queens. It is said that these angels were the ones closest to God.

    Of course, 1st Sphere Angels are extremely strong! Ashton hadn''t fought with any Seraph or Demon King just yet but he knows that he''d be in trouble if he meets one in person.

    In his vision, the resplendent golden light representing the holiness of this ce was reflected. Scanning his environment warily, he could tell that there were some scary beings inside the pce.

    Going in there would be dangerous, moreover, Ashton could absolutely not step out of the library at his will since the formation will obviously notice him.

    Dong!!

    Ashton''s thoughts were shaken by a loud church bell echoing across the base. He looked around in rm, only to see that almost all of the angels were suddenlying out of their abodes.

    They gathered at the za in front of the Pce and waited for something. Then, a couple of minutester, Ashton felt several strong aurasing out of the Pce.

    It was the 1st Sphere Angels...

    ''System, Scan and Identify the 1st Sphere Angels...''

    The system released an invisible and untraceable wave of energy that enveloped the targets he chose, not long after that, the profiles of his targets were disyed in front of him...

    [Ulver]

    Type: Throne

    Title: Punisher of the Condemned

    Celestial Bloodline Purity: 55%

    [Neon]

    Type: Seraph

    Title: Usher of Worth

    Celestial Bloodline Purity: 60%

    [Adul]

    Type: Cherub

    Title: Bard of Worship

    Celestial Bloodline Purity: 50%

    [Joel]

    Type: Seraph

    Title: Observer of Liars

    Celestial Bloodline Purity: 70%

    [Bea]

    Type: Cherub

    Title: Darling of Aesthetics

    Celestial Bloodline Purity: 59%

    ''2 Seraphim, 2 Cherubim and a Throne.'' Ashton clicked his tongue, ''This is going to beplicated.''

    Ashton kept watching since obviously these five have something to say for the rest of the angels that are gathered here.

    "Alright you all, it is that time again." The Seraph��Neon spoke to them, "As usual, be on the lookout for the White-Cloaked Reaper. The moment you suspect that he''s around, don''t hesitate to summon us using the feathers and stall him long enough for us to get where you are."

    "Sir, yes Sir!" The army of angels replied vigorously.

    "Great, you may now descend and begin the act. Do your best everyone. The sooner we stomp this ce t, the sooner we can return to Paradiso."

    "Sir, yes Sir!"

    "May God be with you." The 1st Sphere Angels said.

    "And also with you!" The army replied.

    As soon as that was over, the angels flew in groups and descended to thend below. Meanwhile, the 1st Sphere Angels flew above the skies as if they were overlooking the whole world.

    Meanwhile, Ashton was a bit dazed.

    He heard the cryptic words that the Seraph said that could gleam some clues with them. He wasn''t really focused on the fact that they had a trap prepared for him. What bugs him, is what they meant by ''stomping this ce t''.

    ''Stomping this ce t? What do they mean by that? Where is ''this ce that they''re referring to?''

    ''Ah! Whatever. I can''t miss this chance. Since the 1st Sphere Angels are out, I might as well infiltrate the pce now.''

    Once he''s decided, he controlled the library and infiltrated the Pce.

 Chapter 132 Going In

    Even with the 1st Sphere Angels gone, Ashton still didn''t recklessly barge inside the Pce...

    Being careful inside an unknown territory is, after all, never a bad thing. He didn''t want to trigger any traps or rms if he could help it.

    Earlier, none of the angels noticed him. This meant that so long as he remains inside the Grand Library, he''ll remain unseen and undetected, therefore he''d be safe.

    As he went in deeper into the pce, Ashton kept a decent pace.

    The Pce was obviouslyrge and very extravagant. Gold and white are the most dominant theme of this ce. There are hints ofvishness and nobility everywhere he went. Even the simplest candleholders looked rather expensive in Ashton''s eyes.

    He also saw some portraits hanging on the walls, which painted a hint of vanity in this rather luxurious ce. It seems that the angels aren''t immune to these sorts of things either. In fact, they''re full of it, honestly.

    Another thing that Ashton noticed was the fact that there were no doors inside the Pce. The only door he saw was the one at the entrance, beyond that, there was nothing.

    In ce of doors, the angels hung white cloth to separate the rooms, which is rather odd. The cloth looked like silk, Ashton couldn''t touch it to confirm but that''s not really important.

    ''Well, this makes things easier for me. I can just go straight in.'' He mused.

    He didn''t detect any traps or spyware around him even after using the Scan and Identify, which made him feel emboldened and think that there were none, to begin with.

    He went through several rooms and didn''t trigger anything which made him feel even more confident about his guesses.

    1 Pce, 2 Halls, 10 rooms and 50 Camps...

    The 2 halls and 10 rooms were inside the Pce itself, as for the 50 camps, those were stationed outside.

    The rooms inside were themon rooms, each of the 1st Sphere Angels he saw had their own room which also served as their office. Aside from that, their rooms for other things such as Meeting Room, Research Room. Healing Room and so on...

    As for the 2 Halls, there''s the Mess Hall �� a ce where military rations are given out, it also serves as a ce to rest and rx. And the Briefing Hall �� where the 1st Sphere Angels receive orders from their superiors back at Laguna.

    Ashton hasn''t toured the entirety of the Pce to know that, he just came across ayout printed on one of the columns of the Pce which also provides direction.

    ''The Omnilingual Skill is really helping me out here.'' Ashton rejoiced since, without it, he probably would be clueless on how to proceed from here on out.

    The first thing that Ashton decided to do was to infiltrate the personal rooms of the 1st Sphere Angels.

    Since their rooms serve as their own office as well, he figured that he should be able to find some documents in there that will give him some insights into their secrets here.

    The first room he infiltrated was that of the Seraph �� Neon. He''s the one who gave the army some briefing earlier.

    His room was clean and orderly, as expected. There were neat stacks of unfinished documents on his table, all of which are steeped in the Aura of the Seraph.

    ''It''s probably a bad idea for me to recklessly disturb these files. The Seraph might notice it since his Aura is in them.''

    Granted, he wasn''t really thinking about going out when he said this. He knew that he could probably use his magic in the same way as how he controls the library to go through the files here but he didn''t do so for now since he might leave some fluctuations behind and the Seraph could easily use that to track him down.

    So, he peeled his eyes away from the documents even though it pains him. He wanted to look at them but he can''t so he could only ce his focus elsewhere.

    He looked at the desk and saw that it was rtively safe to fumble with it since it has no locks nor aura of the Seraph.

    He saw some drawers so he pulled them out and scanned their contents. He found some trinkets and gadgets that were of no use to him. Once he went through every single drawer, he pursed his lips and looked elsewhere.

    After a couple of minutes of fumbling here and there, Ashton didn''t find anything useful at all.

    His eyes locked on to the stacks of documents. He really want to take a look at those but he controlled his desires. He can''t risk it.

    So, even though it pains him, he left the Seraph''s room and proceeded to infiltrate the other rooms.

    30 minutester, Ashton groaned as he exited thest room.

    ''Useless...'' He muttered to himself, ''The only thing that looked somewhat important was the stack of documents he found at Seraph Neon''s desk, but even that was useless since he couldn''t take a look at it lest he risks his safety.

    ''This won''t do.'' Ashton shook his head, ''I need to figure out a way on how I can investigate further with fewer risks. Hmm...''<sub> </sub>

    ''...wait! How can I forget!?''

    Ashton''s eyes gleamed. He looked at the time and thought that he still have some time left before the angels return.

    He swiftly drove the library at each room of the 1st Sphere angels. He went into their bathrooms and discovered a trash bag filled with their feathers.

    Ashton rubbed his palms and stole a handful of feathers from there. He did this for the other angels that lived here as well.

    Once he gathered sufficient materials. He parked the library at the obscure corner of the pce and withdrew his control. He stood up and marched toward Aria''s Lab to ask for her help.

    "Hey, Babe!" Ashton called-out.

    Aria looked up from her desk and smiled at him. Ashton went closer to her, leaned down, and kissed her. He then saw that she was working on ''The Core'' and said:

    "Can I trouble you for a bit?" Ashton then brought out the batch of feathers he stole. He also gave her the Cloak of Apparition and continued: "Can you use these feathers to modify this cloak? And if possible, can you also make me some gloves with the feathers?"

    "Oooh!" Aria''s eyes sparkled upon hearing his request.

    "I need them to blend in with the camp. You know, it''s like when I asked you to modify the safehouse to blend with the demonic territory?"

    "Yeah. I remember. Sure! I can give it a try. You''d also probably want to alternate between Demonic and Angelic coating so I''ll try to do both. Leave this to me."

    "Thanks, Babe." Ashton smiled and kissed her again, "I''ll give you 15 roundster to show my gratitude."

    "Perv!" Aria looked offended by that, then she said: "Make it 20 instead and you have a deal."

    "As you wish, my Mistress." Ashton winked at her mischievously.

    Aria just giggled and said: "Scram."

    So, scram he did...

    He only needs to wait until Aria figures out a way to make that happen and he could continue his investigations. For now, he went back to the ''driver''s seat'' and controlled the library again.

    This time, he inspected the Mess Hall. More specifically, the rations that they''re distributing to their army.

    Ashton doesn''t have any thoughts here aside from wanting to figure out if he could poison their rations using some demonic corruption. He had umted a lot of demonic trinkets so far, he can probably ground them up to dust and scatter them with the rations to poison the angels.

    The Mess Hall is, after all, just arge, open-space, cafeteria. Something that the Angels probably shamelessly copied from Humanity as well. It is a ce where angels can eat and socialize.

    There''s someone here, an angel who''s probably the Chef in charge of this ce.

    [Lloyd]

    Type: Guardian Angel

    Title: Savior of the Famished

    Celestial Bloodline Purity: 20%

    ''Savior of the Famished, eh?'' Ashton mused to himself, ''Indeed, this one might be their Chef.''

    ording to what Ashton found out so far, only the 3rd Sphere Angels and above have titles. Moreover, their Title seems to have a connection with their personal skills.

    ''Poisoning the Angels might be a bad idea if there''s a supervisor here.'' He mused to himself, ''This one might see me doing it. Even if he didn''t, there''s no way this one would deliberately poison hisrades so the 1st Sphere Angels might discover that there''s an intruder here.''

    ''That''d be bad for me.'' Ashton shook his head, ''Unlike previously, I''m dealing with five 1st Sphere Angels here, which is equivalent to Demon Kings.''

    ''Demon Prince Lu isn''t stupid, he only be one when I drove him to madness. I couldn''t replicate that scenario here so the same method won''t work.''

    After abandoning the idea, Ashton controlled the library away to go to the other Hall which is the Briefing Hall, leaving the Guardian Angel still painfully unaware of his presence...

 Chapter 133 Eavesdropping

    The Briefing Hall was smallerpared to the Mess Hall, which makes sense considering that this isn''t a ce where many angels would go anyway.

    This Hall is only essible to the Commanders/1st Sphere Angels, it is also where they receive direct messages and/or orders from their superiors back at Laguna.

    As Ashton controlled the library towards the Briefing Hall, he stopped just mere inches away from it. He used Scan and Identify just to be sure that he won''t encounter any traps.

    [No traps detected.]

    After receiving this feedback, Ashton no longer hesitated. He went in and parked the ''vehicle'' at some corner of the room.

    ''I don''t have much time left.'' Ashton murmured to himself, ''They''re bound to return anytime soon. I need to make sure they won''t sense the library being here.''

    ''This corner is just fine I guess. So long as I park here and I''m inside the library, they won''t notice me. Plus, I can see the entirety of the hall from here.''

    Since he had made a decision, Ashton made a point to follow it. He couldn''t afford to take any risks now since he didn''t want to be exposed this early on.

    Now that his ''vehicle'' is already parked, Ashton went ahead and scanned the hall.

    Much like the Mess Hall, the Briefing Hall was an open-space hall as well. He noticed that there are a lot more curtains herepared to other rooms though. Also, the ceiling is really high for some reason.

    There''s a round table at the very center of the hall. He saw five chairs in there which corresponds to the number ofmanders they have here. Atop of said table was a bunch of trinkets that Ashton wasn''t familiar with and arge crystal ball floating at the center of the table, emitting a faint golden brilliance.

    [Transmission Crystal (Celestial)]

    A crystal that is linked to another. This allows effectivemunication for the holders of the Cyrstal despite great distances.

    Owned by Celestials and can only be used by them.

    Ashton nodded upon reading that. It seems that he had found the item they use tomunicate.

    His first instinct was to crush that thing to smithereens but he threw that idea out of the window. Even though it''s tempting, he shouldn''t do that.

    It''s not yet time for that kind of chaos...

    He continued observing the room and discovered several lockers in there �� again, something that they probably pirated from humans. Though the sight of which piqued his interest since they might hold some necessary information for what he wanted to know.

    ''Oof, they''re here.'' Ashton mused to himself. He minimized his presence and senses just to ensure he wouldn''t be found out.

    The next thing he knew, droves of angels suddenly returned to their next like a group of migrating birds. A loudmotion ensued. He could hear some shouting, talking, and so on. He also felt several senses passing by where he''s parked but none discovered him.

    A couple of minutester, Ashton felt several presencesing closer, he became alert and prepared just in case but he did so calmly.

    As expected, five figures stepped inside the hall. It''s the Commanders. Ashton felt them scanning the room several times as they marched towards their seats. As soon as they sat down, he heard them sighing in relief.

    "No mishaps today either, praise be to God." The Seraph��Neon, groaned as he sat improperly at his seat.

    "Praise him, Indeed." Bea herself looked tired as well, "It''s stressful to be on alert every single time. Do you think he''s gone?"

    "Well, we can''t be so sure of that." Ulver grimaced. "He cane and go as he pleases. The worst part is that we couldn''t even sense his presence. We don''t know when or where he will strike. We will only know once he''s done. Which sucks if you ask me."

    "Right? This is why I don''t understand why the Boss Man wants us to be on the lookout! We already said we can''t sense that guy...or girl, the White-Cloaked Reaper I mean! But Boss Man still wants us to search for him." Joelined.

    "Stopining." Adul red at the former, "It''s not like we can defy his orders. If we do, he''d just be shameless and petty again. He might extend our sentence here if he hears you."

    "Ah shit, you''re right." Joel looked as if he was about to cry.

    "Alright, that''s that I guess." Neon interjected. "We''d just have to get used to this. I mean, it''s not really that bad. After all, it doesn''t hurt to be careful. We just have to do a better job at supervising. At most for five more years, then we''re out of here. Endure it, everyone."

    "I''m really envious of the way you can stay positive." Bea sighed, "Had I known that I''d get thrown here, I would''ve yed nice while I''m still at Laguna."

    ''Hmm...'' Ashton, who had been eavesdropping at their discussion, hummed in an interested tone. ''That further confirms my theory that they''re not doing this out of spite.''

    ''It seems that this is a punishment for something they''ve done. They used the term ''sentence'' after all. It''s exiled or something but it''s not permanent.''<sub> </sub>

    "I mean, don''t we all?" Ulver smirked helplessly, "Geez, all I did was sleep with women and I was thrown here. That''s not even a sin."

    "It is when we factor that you already have three wives. Seriously, three are not enough for your horny ass? You even stretched your hand to married women as well." Neon shook his head in exasperation.

    "Hey...rude." Ulver pouted, "Listen, brother...you know me. I love me some women. How can I refuse when they were actively lifting their skirts up for me? If that ain''t an invitation that I don''t know what is."

    "...disgusting." Bea spat in his direction.

    "Hey now, don''t you think you''re going too far? I saw you admiring my abs yesterday, don''t think I didn''t notice that."

    "You wanna die, bitch?" Bea red at him.

    "Ooh, don''t threaten me with a good time. I might just say yes." Ulver winked mischievously at her.

    ''Now, where the hell did I put my ''Bonking Stick''...'' Ashton mused as he watched this extent.

    Their behavior was a little bit different from what he expected. He didn''t expect an ''Angel'', of all things, to be this much of a pervert. He''s not even hiding it.

    ''But how does sex work for them? I mean, they must be doing it while in their humanoid form right? Right? If not then...I don''t think my imagination is that colorful enough to fill in the nks.''

    Ashton shook his head since he knows he was being distracted...

    "Ulver, man. Seriously, stop it. It''s not cool, Dude. Bea''s not even a quarter of your age. It''s creepy as fuck." Joel frowned in his seat.

    "Age is just a number." Ulver sagely said.

    "And my sword is just another stick that I want to shove up your ass. I swear to god if you don''t shut up right now, I will ruin you." Bea harshly spat while ring intensely at Ulver.

    Ulver just mimicked a zipping motion on his lips. Smirking as he leaned back on his seat.

    "Okay, that''s enough you two." Neon interjected. "Ulver, behave. Refuse to cooperate and Boss Man will hear about this."

    Neon''s t warning caused Ulver''s face to nch, he looked at the former with a pleading gaze but Neon was unmoved.

    "Behave." Neon just repeated. To which Ulver nodded. Neon then turned to Adul who looked like he was falling asleep already and asked: "Adul, don''t sleep yet. We''re at a meeting for crying out loud."

    Adul looked startled, he then coughed in embarrassment and corrected his posture.

    Neon shook his head in exasperation. Ashton did so too. It seems that Neon''s the only responsible one here.

    "Alright, we don''t have much to talk about here so I''ll just do as usual." Neon stated, "The White-Cloaked Reaper didn''t appear which is nice. No real casualties on our side which is a ''yay'' for me."

    "We can continue with the act here. Tussle with the ''Uglies'' for the sake of pretense and we can suppress the providence of this ce just like what we''ve been instructed to do."

    ''...huh?'' Ashton raised a brow.

    "We only need to keep this up for five more years and we''re out of here. Everyone, hold on just a little more, we''re at the final stretch. When the next batch of sinners is sent here to take our ce, we can return to Laguna and have a nice time. That''s what we want right?"

    "Right." The rest of the Commanders replied.

    "Also, just further reminding you to be mindful of your things." Neon added, "Even though the White-Cloaked Reaper is MIA, we can''t just simply think that he already left this ce. Who knows? They might''ve infiltrated our base, again it doesn''t hurt to be careful."

    "Understood." The rest of themanders replied once more.

    ? "Okay, that''s about it. Meeting adjourned. Let''s gather, here again, tomorrow." The Commanders stood up and left the Briefing Hall.

    ''So I guess they''re not as dumb as I thought they''d be but...''

    ''Suppressing the Providence of this ce? Now what the hell is that all about?''

 Chapter 134 Strength Of The 1st Spheres

    Ashton can''t sit still...

    After hearing a glimpse of what these races might''ve been doing here �� a clue as to why they''re stationed here, he couldn''t just simply ignore it.

    ''Suppressing the Providence of this ce...''

    While this isn''t much to work with, Ashton''s mind buzzed consistently due to its terrifying implications.

    ording to what he knows, Providence represents the rich history of a ce. Through the marvelous wonders of Laws and Fate, Destiny is born and the umtion of Destiny serves as sustenance for Providence.

    Hell, this is the very idea behind this Sign-in System Function! It is through this that Ashton gathered so many resources that are either unique to the area or one of a kind.

    To top this off, every Human has innate Providence values. It is one of the Aptitudes that decide how smooth or how thorny a cultivator''s future would be.

    The idea of suppressing a Providence... freaks him out.

    The fact that two races thatpletely abhor each other, went out of their way to station their people here to suppress this ce''s Providence tells him a lot and also tells him nothing.

    Was it fear that pushed them to do this? What exactly is the reason why they''re suppressing this area and its Providence? What does it have to do with them? Better yet...what does it have to do with this world? With Humans?

    This...doesn''t sit well with Ashton.

    As someone who hade across such a thing, there''s no way that he could simply just walk away from this and leave it all behind.

    He feels responsible all of a sudden. It hase to a point where he has to know or else he''ll never be at peace.

    Still, that will have to wait until he has better gear...

    Aria''s still not done modifying his equipment. He can''t go out yet. But that doesn''t mean that he''ll just sit still and wait.

    During these past few days, Ashton had been stalking the Commanders. He was paying attention to their habits, behaviors, and schedules. His observation caused him to get a firm grasp of their personalities and find gaps that he could take advantage of.

    When he''s bored, he sinks his consciousness into the Simtion Zone to fight them.

    Well, it went about as he expected it to be. He could put up a good fight but in the end, he loses or dies.

    The 1st Sphere Angels are just that powerful.

    While most of the time they appear in their humanoid form, the Commanders will immediately revert to their original form during ''office hours''. Simply put, when it''s time to put on airs, they show their creepy forms for everyone to see.

    The seraphim share a simr trait: their main body is arge eye with six pairs of wings, which are also lined with eyes. They also have a wide Halo. The difference between Joel and Neon is that; a pair of Joel''s wings were golden while all the eyes on Neon''s body are golden.

    Cherubim have an animal head and a human torso. They too have six pairs of wings with the bottom pair folded inwards to hide their lower bodies. Of course, there are eyes all over their wings too. The difference between Bea and Adul is that; Adul''s head in his true form is that of a Hawk and Bea''s a Swan.

    Thrones remind Ashton of Astrbes for some reason. They''re an amalgamation of rings on top of rings which rotate in different directions. Of course, how can we miss the eyes? Thrones have eyes lined on the rings! The weird thing about Ulver is that his body was constantly throbbing.

    It''s as if something was pulsing strongly under that body of his and it is frankly disturbing...

    As a result of fighting them during the past few days, Ashton practically confirmed that their Title indeed has something to do with their abilities...

    [Ulver]

    Type: Throne

    Title: Punisher of the Condemned

    Celestial Bloodline Purity: 55%

    Simply looking at Ulver causes Ashton to remember things that still haunt him to this day...

    While it''s not really his fault, somehow he still mes himself for the destruction of City M. And the fact that deep down, he still feels this way, grants Ulver more power over him.

    Since Ulver''s title is the Punisher of the Condemned, and Ashton still condemns himself for not trying his best despite being faultless and meless for what happened, Ulver''s attacks are more painful and more difficult for Ashton to receive or evade.

    [Neon]

    Type: Seraph

    Title: Usher of Worth

    Celestial Bloodline Purity: 60%

    Neon''s title just makes him perverted ��bat-wise, that is. The more people that Neon ''enlightens'' �� converted to devout believers of their God, the more power he gets. In a sense, he''s somewhat simr to a broker who receives a cut for every customer he brings in.

    Judging from what Ashton saw so far, Neon is at least as strong as a Peak Sorcerer �� Sorcerers who have Heroic Potential.<sub> </sub>

    [Adul]

    Type: Cherub

    Title: Bard of Worship

    Celestial Bloodline Purity: 50%

    Adul is annoying. He''s like an off-tune singer whose songs reach the top 10 of the Music Charts for some reason. Yes, his songs are that bad.

    Yet, what makes him terrifying is specifically those songs of his. Each song he ys could literally invoke some sort of effect.

    Ashton had experienced the battlefield turning into hell at one point before it turns into a silent field of destion. Adul also managed to invoke the wrath of the elements, his hums could also be hypnotic, and so on.

    Long story short, he is a pain in the ass to deal with.

    [Joel]

    Type: Seraph

    Title: Observer of Liars

    Celestial Bloodline Purity: 70%

    Nothing can hide from Joel. Well, somehow one would expect that considering how many eyes angels do have but not all Angels have eyesight that is as sharp as Joel''s.

    It''s like the Seraph can see the future itself. He just knows what Ashton would do. Granted, it''s not all the time and Ashton can somehow do something that could injure the Seraph but still, it''s annoying to deal with this kind of bullshit.

    Plus, lying Joel can get talkative during battle. And if you respond to him with a lie, he''ll turn you into a statue. That happened a couple of times to Ashton and it wasn''t fun.

    [Bea]

    Type: Cherub

    Title: Darling of Aesthetics

    Celestial Bloodline Purity: 59%

    Femme Fatale at its finest. Her title allows her to mesmerize those who oppose her and perceive her as the most beautiful thing they''ve everid their eyes upon.

    Those with weak willpower will instantly turn into willing ves that will do everything that she pleases, even if it means killing themselves.

    Of course, her so-called beauty is ineffective against Ashton since he has a surprisingly firm Willpower. On top of that, he learned that Bea''s power is ineffective to those that are already devoted to someone else.

    And for Ashton, that someone else is of course none other than Aria.

    But even with that said, Bea''s still a tough one to crack. She''s seriously skilled with that sword of hers. She''s even scarier than Ulver.

    Fighting them one on one was already a nightmare so Ashton didn''t even dare to face them all at the same time.

    Since he cannot defeat them for now, then Ashton would just bide his time until he''s able to do so. He had done it before so he can do it again.

    Plus, he''s still undetected so far. With him practically gone on the battlefield, both the Angels and the Demons were already dropping their guard.

    They''re still searching for him, still on guard just in case, but since he''s not appearing anymore, they''re starting to think that he had gone somewhere else, probably far away from this ce.

    That''s a good sign for Ashton. He reckoned that within a few more days or weeks, they wouldpletely forget him altogether, and that works perfectly for him.

    Aside from stalking the Commanders and fighting them in the Simtion Zone, Ashton had also been touring the Celestial Camp as he pleases.

    At this point, he had already visited all corners of there are in this ce, he had memorized the pce, went into the halls, infiltrated the rooms, and observed the camps.

    Due to the ''routine'' of both angels and demons, Ashton would always have some time to freely explore the ce undetected so long as he doesn''t go out.

    He kept his ears open just in case he could receive some more clues from the others but so far, no such luck. All he had so far was that clue he got from Seraph Neon and nothing more.

    Ashton stuck into these activities until one day, Aria barged into their room carrying his upgraded gear.

    With the Cloak of Apparition now having two modes: Angelic Mode and Demonic Mode, he can freely switch them to blend in with his surroundings. And with the gloves, he can touch things out here without leaving a trace of his aura.

    With this new gear in hand, Ashton''s just waiting for the right opportunity to continue his investigation.

 Chapter 135 Secret Room

    ? Year 5, 2nd Month, 4th day.

    : An ident urred today. We started the day as usual. We woke up, did our Morning Worship, had a meal, and prepared to spar with the demons to keep up pretenses.

    : Things were going out great at first, nothing seems fine or weird, we didn''t sense anything amiss and the spar went on as intended. However, something terrible happened at the end of it.

    : A mysterious variable appeared and spilled the blood of ourrades, sending them back to Paradiso. Even demons weren''t spared.

    : This has never happened before so we were greatly disturbed. We don''t know who''s responsible for all of this. We want to think that it''s the Demons but it is very unlikely that it is them, after all, we are somewhat working with them to keep this pretense up. They wouldn''t dare to mess up like this since they will face severe consequences.

    : We have already reported this incident to our Comrades back at Laguna. Right now, we''re in a state of alert. We are waiting for orders on how we should proceed.

    �� Seraph Neon

    ***

    ? Year 5, 4th Month, 5th Day.

    : We decided to call him (we thought the culprit is a ''he'') White-Cloaked Reaper.

    : He''s very mysterious. Nobody knows when he appears nor when he leaves. He just lets us find out once he''s done with the deed. He''d ''graciously'' leave us strewn corpses of our men behind as proof.

    : This is troublesome. None of us knows when or where he is. We couldn''t tell from which side he''lle in. Hees and goes as he pleases and we could do nothing to stop him. Whoever he is, his methods are extremely mysterious.

    : The elders are chewing us out. Even though we said that we''ve tried all kinds of ways to track the culprit down only to be met with failure, they''re still pressuring us to find a way. What can we do?

    : And they dare to tell us that we''re cking off. If they''re so capable, then why note here and disy that ''superiority'' then? Why don''t they try to track him down instead of forcing us?

    : At this point, I think that they''re trying to make this more difficult for us.

    �� Seraph Neon.

    ***

    ? Year 6, 2nd Month, 9th Day

    : Those old fogeys are seriously messing with me. I swear to god once I return I will yank their beards down so hard!

    : Like, if you want us to stop the White Cloaked Reaper from sending ourrades back to Paradiso, then freaking help us! Send us something! Anything! To help us track him down! Don''t just sit there and get mad at us. Seriously, even if you old people die from anger, nothing will change if you don''t help us track him down since we don''t have the right equipment here!

    : Damn! I swear, scold us one more time and I kill all of you the moment I return to Laguna.

    �� Seraph Neon.

    ***

    ''...ah, so this is his diary I think." Ashton mused as he ced the booklet back to where he took it. Making sure that he returned it the exact way he picked it up.

    With his new gear worn, Ashton didn''t need to be afraid of being discovered. Since the materials he procured and got Aria to use came from the Commanders themselves, the formation covering the entire camp wasn''t triggered when he appeared.

    Right now, he''s rummaging through the documents and any other thing that would help him discover what''s going on. And since he''s wearing gloves made out of Angelic Feathers, he wouldn''t leave any of his aura behind.

    So far though, no luck for him...

    As it turns out, the documents on Neon''s office table were just permits. It came from the angels who were proposing some additional things to be added to the camp to make their stay a bit more ''homey''.

    Some asked for a pool, some asks for fighting rings, and the brave ones downright asked for a whole-ass brothel to be made.

    Neon, as the Head Seraph, was the one who handles these things. That, on top of overseeing the entire operations as well.

    Still, this isn''t what Ashton was looking for...

    Frankly, he didn''t care about what the angels decided to have for breakfast or what their current needs are. They can all go to hell for all he cares. All he wanted to know, is more information about what exactly is the meaning of them being here.

    Why was there a need for them to pretend as if they were going to war against demons every single waking moment? What do they mean by suppressing the Providence of this ce?<sub> </sub>

    These are what Ashton wants-no, needs to know.

    He had spent a lot of time in Neon''s room to no avail. He didn''t find anything strange or interesting there. Since that''s the case, he could only move on.

    Next, he chose Bea''s room since it''s right next to Neons.

    When he didn''t find anything there either, he went to Ulver''s room...

    To his absolute dismay, he didn''t find what he wanted. In the end, he could only return to the library with a clouded expression.

    ''That can''t be right?'' Ashton mused to himself, looking quite upset. ''There has to be a lead somewhere. But why didn''t I find any? Surely I must be missing something important here.''

    He didn''t believe that there was no lead here. That just doesn''t make sense. For these people to devote their time and effort to do this as best as they could, there''s no way they''d do it without knowing what exactly is going on behind the scenes.

    He refused to believe that these Commanders were just mindless beings who just follow orders. Their personalities are too colorful to be like that.

    In his distressed state, Ashton controlled the Library in each room once more. He didn''t go out anymore since the angels are bound to return anytime soon.

    He scanned each room, trying to find out if he missed some clues leading to a secret or something. He did to every single room but in the end, he didn''t find any. Which made him even more upset.

    He was about to leave when all of a sudden, he felt someoneing toward this room. He immediately parked the library and stayed still. He minimized his perception to make sure he won''t get caught.

    Not long after that, Angeles into his view. It was Neon.

    He actually didn''t notice that he came back here once more. Now, he''s kind of trapped here.

    "Errgghhh!"

    Neon made a strangled sound as he stretched. He walked towards his table and slumped into his chair, looking dead as he stared at the neat stack of documents in there.

    "...I''m being overworked. I demand a raise. Except wait, I''m not actually being paid to do this. Oh, how sad. I wanna go home." Neon whined as he mmed his face on his desk.

    Ashton wouldugh, to be honest. Except, he couldn''t since he''s not really in the mood.

    He watched as Neon gradually mustered the courage to pick his documents back up. He went through them like a possessed man, eyes glowing red as he madly stamped the papers.

    When he''s done, he looked like a corpse. Ashton actually pitied the guy a bit. He somewhat finds it ironic that not even Angels could escape the terror of paperwork.

    He then watched as the Seraph stood up and pushed his table away. His body suddenly emitted a strong golden brilliance as his lips uttered strings of prayers.

    Under Ashton''s astonished gaze, apartment suddenly opened up on the floor. His mind whirred and suddenly, everything started making sense.

    There''s indeed a secret, he didn''t manage to find it since he''s not an angel and it was hidden by foreign mechanisms.

    Neon unceremoniously went down with stacks of documents in hand. Ashton made a decisive decision to follow him since who knows when he''ll get another chance.

    He wasn''t met with any obstructions nor he triggered any sorts of rms. He already scanned the ce before he went in so he was sure that he wouldn''t be found out.

    What he saw down there was an underground bunker that had a lot of foreign trinkets. He didn''t know what their purpose is but looking at them makes him feel horrible.

    Ashton watched as Neon unceremoniously threw the stacks of paper into therge trash bin before leaving the ce. Before he left, Ashton heard him say:

    "Time for a good nap."

    And just like that, the entrance was sealed and Ashton was trapped inside of here.

    But, he didn''t mind that. Now that he came across a secret room, he was ready to make yet another round of investigation.

    Ashton felt sure about it. Sure that this room holds the thing which will tell him the secrets of their operation here. He didn''t mind that he was trapped here for now since he had ways of getting out if pushes to shove.

    Once he stepped out of the library, he began his investigation anew.

 Chapter 136 Hidden Floor

    ''...no rms here, no traps either. Perfect, I can move as I please.''

    Ashton exited the library after a brief scan of the room. Once he stepped outside, his nose was immediately assaulted by a foul stench.

    ''Smells like a pigsty here, what the hell?'' Ashton was disgusted.

    Corruption never smelled good to him. It didn''t matter whether it came from Demons or Angels, both of them are foul in his sense. This is one of the times when that foulness reaches another level.

    p Ashton''s senses are so sharp that it''s backfiring sometimes. The problem is that his mask doesn''t filter any scent. Showing a piece of skin here would be risky so he couldn''t expose half of his face to wear the respirator he created before.</anda>

    ''...though, the smellier it is, the more suspicious it gets.'' Ashton reminded himself.

    The deeper the corruption influence is in the area, the more suspicious it is, for there is no reason for such strong corruption to exist out of sheer coincidence. This made him even more confident that what he was looking for might be here indeed.

    ''...I''ll handle the paperworkst since there''s a lot of them.'' He mused to himself, ''Let''s check what these items were for.''

    As soon as he thought about that, he gazed at the trinkets that were kept away in this underground bunker. He used Scan and Identify on each one to see if he could get some clues.

    [Old Seraphim Totem]

    A Totem that absorbs faith energy. Used to hasten the healing and recovery of injured Celestials.

    [Broken Cherubim Bow]

    A Broken Bow that only Cherubim were allowed to wield.

    True Aim �� Any arrow shot from this bow will never miss its target.

    [Cracked Orb of Thrones]

    A cracked orb that uses Faith Energy as fuel. Raises the morale and fervor of Celestials when lit.

    [Archangel''s Flying Swords (Shattered)]

    A deadly set of flying swords that Archangels could manipte.

    Holy Sword Intent �� Lethality increases to 200% when they are used against Demons.

    [Tattered g of Dominions]

    A g that raises morale, heightens the fervor and defenses of Celestials when in battle.

    [Rusted Sword of Powers]

    A sword that was once bathed in golden light. Now rusty and unusable.

    Holy Sword Intent �� Lethality increases by 200% against demons.

    [Dulled Spear of Virtue]

    A Spear that was once wielded by Virtues.

    Transcendent Pierce �� ignores all manner of defense.

    [Shattered Mallet of Principalities]

    A Mallet weighs 108 kilograms in the hands of Principalities and turns into 10,800 kilograms when used against others.

    [Muted Trumpet of the Angels]

    An artifact used to signal the start of a Holy War. Now, forgotten and left unusable.

    Ashton pursed his lips as he read the descriptions of these things. His first thoughts were to steal all of them since, he could bet his sweet ass that, Aria could definitely find a way to fix these old artifacts and make them suitable for Humanity to use.

    Aria does love a good challenge...

    But since it is kept here, he couldn''t touch these for now. The Commanders were probably aware of them and if they suddenly went missing, that would mean that someone infiltrated this ce. Ashton wasn''t in that much of a hurry to expose himself, thank you very much...

    Ashton continued scanning and found some more old or broken artifacts stored in this ce. Armors, shields, weapons, trinkets, and so on...

    The foul stench of golden corruption wasing from these things, which makes sense considering that they were once used multiple times by the angels, causing them to be steeped in golden corruption.

    But again, this isn''t really what Ashton came here for.

    He gazed into the other side of the room to survey what was in there. He saw some sort of a holy altar, possibly used for Angelic Worship. He used Scan and Identify, and this is what he got...

    [Altar of 12 Saints]

    An Altar bathed in the prayers of 12 Saints for 9 years. A Holy Artifact that was once used to suppress a Fallen Angel for 900 Years.<sub> </sub>

    Note: The blessings of the 12 Saints are almost dried-up, at most, this altar can only be used onest time to suppress something for a year.

    ''...huh.'' Ashton raised a brow upon reading that.

    Many thoughts emerged in his mind, but most of them were just spections. In the end, unless it was proven, these thoughts would just remain as such.

    He moved on to another location, still scanning the items until he saw something weird from the System''s Prompt.

    [Detachable Brick]

    ???

    As his vision was usually flooded with all sorts of descriptions whenever he focused on something, he nearly missed this one. Previously he''s just seeing descriptions of ordinary bricks until this one came.

    He crouched down and reached for it. It says that it''s detachable so he tried to detach it. But before he did so, his senses red and his instincts warned him.

    He stopped in his tracks before pulling his hand away. He looked around and scanned the entire room using his senses just to check if Neon wasing down. Even when he didn''t feel anything, Ashton didn''t let his guard down.

    ''Silence...''

    A weak fluctuation escaped from his lips. He cast a fairly simple Spell �� Silence. The fluctuation covered the entire bunker and made it so that any noise will not escape this room so long as the spell was in effect. This spell was Lv. 40 andsts for 40 minutes.

    After casting the spell, Ashton released a breath and crouched down again. This time, he pried the brick out of its ce and something happened.

    As it turns out, the brick was pressing down on a pressure te. Removing it revealed a passage that goes even deeper underground.

    The reveal made a loud sound, which got contained inside this bunker thanks to the Silence Spell. Ashton controlled his perception to check what was downstairs. Not finding any danger or ill intent, Ashton decided toe down, still Scanning and Identifying everything that hees across.

    Downstairs, he found a shocking scene. Before he did anything, he first used the Psychokinesis Spell, he controlled the brick and ced it back to press on the pressure te, sealing himself on the lower floor of the underground bunker.

    Once the entrance behind him was sealed shut, Ashton casts the Illuminate Spell to brighten up the ce. He saw torch scones in there so he split the orb of light into smaller ones and ced them in there to light up the entirety of this ce.

    "...what the hell..." Ashton was gobsmacked and speechless.

    This room was not thatrge. If it weren''t for him lighting up the ce, it''d pitch ck in here.

    In front of him, there''s arge ritual circle that was drawn using, what looked like, blood and bone ash.

    Each corner of the pentagram had a smaller ritual circle that had an ancient character seal etched within. Thanks to his Omnilingual Skill, he recognizes those seals as Fire, God, Blessing, Life, and Heaven seals.

    There''s also a simr ritual circle that''s etched at the ceiling, the difference is that the seals on this one were of the antithesis of the seals mirroring them; Water, Demon, Curse, Death, and Hell.

    Sandwiched in between these two ritual circles, impaled by 13 blood-stained golden stakes, a very naked girl could be seen chained up at the center.

    She had dull golden hair, and pale white skin, looking extremely malnourished, and pretty much dead. Yet Ashton''s senses could not be fooled...

    Even with 13 stakes stabbed in this woman''s body, she''s still very much alive...although barely.

    ''System, Scan and Identify.''

    [Pr Suppression Seal]

    An extremely powerful formation, it can suppress just about anything and everything. Escaping this seal is exceedingly hard and being trapped in it would be extremely torturous.

    [13 Burning Saint Stakes]

    12 Stakes that were used to entrap a Saintess. Drenched in her blood, they turned into a Unique Artifact.

    [Golden Haired Maiden]

    She''s nearly dead but her will remains tenacious. She can still probablyst for a decade before turning into dust.

    "...Uhm." Ashton was really speechless. He didn''t expect this at all.

    He didn''te down here expecting to see a naked woman impaled by golden stakes and suppressed by a nefarious seal. He was expecting something like a clue perhaps or records which could lead him to the information he seeks, not this!

    What does he even do with this information? Was he supposed to free her or something? Is that even worth it?

    Unable to think anything, Ashton stayed rooted on the spot, failing to notice when the woman''s fingers suddenly showed signs of movement.

    He only took notice of it when all of a sudden, the woman''s neck and head began twitching and turning simr to that of a zombie.

    Ashton''s understandably freaked out, he even took out his scythe and guns just to be sure.

    Then, the maiden lifted her head and looked straight into his eyes. Ashton''s breath hitched when she uttered the words:

    "Mysterious Rainbow?"

 Chapter 137 Hilda And The Dragon Vein

    "Really?" Ashton didn''t look impressed.

    While he''s still a little bit freaked out by the rather freaky way how this woman talked to him, it''s her first words that somewhat triggered him.

    "That''s the first thing you say? Mysterious Rainbow? Out of all things, that is what you say?"

    "...what happened to ''Hi?'' ''Hello?'' ''My name is?'' What happened to that?" Ashton said in an exasperated tone. "And could you please not look at me that way, try to consider what your current state is and imagine how that looks in my view. Only then you''d understand why I''m babbling too much."

    A woman, looking pale and very dead, impaled by numerous stakes dyed in her blood, suddenly lifts her head and starts talking to you. If that''s not freaky then Ashton doesn''t know what is.

    "...oh, right."

    Thankfully, the woman seems to have a little bit of hermon sense left. Ashton could see that she felt rather embarrassed when he pointed this out rather bluntly.

    "Sorry, not like I can help it." The woman replied, "As you can see, I''m some sort of a prisoner here. Those pigeons outside are rather rude, they don''t know how to take care of ady."

    "...fair, I guess." Ashton shrugged, "I suppose I couldn''t get close to you to give you something to cover up, could I? This formation seems rather dangerous from what I can tell."

    "Oh, yeah." The woman nodded, "Definitely not. Unless you''re into pain, I would suggest not stepping in here. Plus, I assume that you don''t want to be discovered so walking inside the formation is definitely a no-go."

    "Yeah, I thought so too." Ashton sagely nodded,

    ''I love how we just casually fell into a conversation despite this rather ridiculous set-up. It''s like I''m just casually talking to one of my friends or something. How quaint.'' Ashton mused to himself.

    Ashton''s expression then turned solemn, he sat down so that thedy wouldn''t have to look up to him. She''s already in a difficult spot, he didn''t want to make it worse for her since she looks pitiful enough already.

    "My name''s Ash. You?"

    "...I can''t recall." She replied, looking a little bit lost. "It''s been a while since I felt the need to introduce my name to someone. The freaks outside don''t refer to me by my name either, they just call me ''wench'' and whip me."

    "...oh." Ashton looked apologetic.

    ''Shit, that got dark real quick.'' He mused.

    "...hmm, it''d be rather rude to refer to you as ''girl'', ''woman'', or just ''you''. Well, even ruder to call you ''wench''."

    "I''ll call you Hilda, I guess."

    ''Hilda'' looked quizically at him, asking: "Why this name?"

    "You look like a Hilda to me." Ashton tly replied.

    "What does that mean?" Hilda frowned, looking a bit offended.

    "Shit, I don''t know. I can''t exin it. You just look like a Hilda to me, that''s it." Ashton smiled wryly.

    Hilda looked pensive for a bit before sighing, seemingly epting her fate.

    "Okay, Hilda it is I guess." She shrugged and then winced.

    "Yeah, shrugging with...all of that, impaled in you, isn''t a good idea."

    "Oh really? Didn''t notice that, thanks for the reminder, Genius." Hilda rolled her eyes at him.

    ''Ah, so she has an attitude too.'' Ashton noted.

    "Okay, all kidding aside." Ashton wiggled his body to getfortable, then he asked: "Can you tell me why you''re...like this?"

    Hilda looked down at her body and a weak smile emerged on her face, she then replied: "Before I answer that, can I ask you two questions first?"

    Ashton pondered for a bit, studying Hilda''s facial expressions to see if she was plotting something.

    He did have some guesses but in the end, he still replied: "Alright, shoot."

    "You''re a Human, correct?"

    "Mhm." Ashton nodded. He then saw Hilda''s eyes brighten up upon hearing that.

    "And, you''re the current bearer of the Mysterious Rainbow, correct?"

    "If you''re talking about the Providence, then yes I am."<sub> </sub>

    Ashton''s guesses were mostly on point, she indeed asked him about his race and the mysterious rainbow. He already pondered whether he should answer her truthfully or not.

    He decided to tell her the truth since she doesn''t look like someone he should be wary about...for now at least.

    Ashton didn''t feel any ill intent from this woman. Maybe it''s because she is weak and imprisoned here, that he didn''t see her as a threat at all. But it could also be that she truly doesn''t mean any harm.

    Either way, this isn''t much of an issue to Ashton. If she''s plotting something, Ashton could neutralize it byying out ns to ensure his safety first. If her intentions are pure, then even better.

    After confirming these two things from Ashton, Hilda looked relieved. Ashton then heard her whispering:

    "...good, good. At least Sister''s gamble didn''t end up for naught. There''s hope. This is good."

    Ashton made sure to remember what she said just in case ites into y in the future. On the surface, he looked expressionless but inwardly, he was starting to feel confused.

    Hilda then cleared her throat and started exining:

    "I am a...unique existence, I suppose." She started, "I may not look like it but I am not a human. I can appear as one through a simple trick. In truth, I am a Spirit, probably thest of my kind."

    Ashton blinked. Surprised by that sudden revtion.

    Well, he certainly wasn''t expecting that at all. He couldn''t help but look at her more closely and sure enough, she''s indeed not a Human. She had the wisp of aura that felt simr to what Aria had.

    The difference is that Aria �� even though she''s intact and unharmed, her aura felt weakerpared to what Hilda had.

    ''...there''s probably a difference between an Artifact Spirit and a genuine Spirit.'' He mused to himself.

    "As for why I am imprisoned here. It''s because they''re preventing me from doing my job." Hilda revealed.

    "And your job is?"

    "To usher the rise of Humanity." Hilda then looked straight into his eyes.

    Ashton''s pupils constricted upon hearing that. Her words implied a lot of things and it was confusing for Ashton to just simply guess what exactly she meant. Thankfully, she was willing to borate on her own...

    "There''s a Dragon Vein at the very depths of thisnd." She stated, "If youpare this world to Cultivator''s Body, then the Dragon Vein would be its meridians, more specifically, an Extraordinary Meridian."

    "I am born from the split consciousness of the World, my body was created using the first breath of Spiritual Energy Origin and my existence is tied to the Dragon Vein."

    "My job is to tend to the Dragon Vein. I am to allow Blessed Children tomune with the Dragon Vein for this world''s Fate to y as it is intended."

    "Humans are the core of this world. They are the destined rulers and owners of this world. They should be building dynasties, empires, and such across thesends, reaching for the stars and beyond."

    "The existence of Celestials and Hypogeans prevented that from happening though." Hildamented. "They''ve taken root on this world, and like leeches, they started plundering this world''s fate and luck to improve theirs."

    "They treat humans as delicacies due to their innate Providences �� which serves as great nutrition for them."

    "They were made aware of my presence. I tried to hide but they managed to dig me out and imprison me here."

    "They can''t kill me, lest they provoke the absolute wrath of this world �� which they''re still unprepared for, so they could only chip away at my longevity."

    "As for the Dragon Vein, it is firmly suppressed." Hilda pursed her lips, "The idiotic y that they have outside? You know, them feigning war against each other? In truth, that is a ritual, a scheme yed out by those two hateful races."

    "So long as they perform that ritual, their corruption will continue to bleed into the Dragon Vein. Said corruption turns into impurities that block the Dragon Vein from releasing its true purpose."

    "It''s true purpose? It''s to awaken the Children of Fate and have them answer to their Destiny."

    "So long as I am remained imprisoned here and the Dragon Vein remains blocked by corruption, Humanity will never get the chance to rise as a race."

    "This world''s and Humanity''s Luck, Fate, and Destiny will be ceaselessly plundered by the Celestials and Hypogeans. Once it runs dry, they won''t hesitate to truly descend here and plunge this world into their world-ending war."

    "Who wins or loses...will no longer matter. This world will not survive past that point. It''s over for both Humans and this World. As for the Celestials and Hypogeans, they''d just search for another world that''s rich in Luck, Fate, and Destiny to plunder again."

    "...the sad part is, so far? If nothing changes, then our ending will be just that." Hilda concluded and looked as if she lost most of her energy.

    As for Ashton...he''s feeling many things right now but one thing''s for sure...

    Oh, he did not like what he just heard.

 Chapter 138 Plans For The Future

    Despite the tumultuous emotions pressing down on Ashton''s chest, he did not vent.

    His face only looked twisted in rage for about a few seconds before regaining its calm. After taking a few deep breaths, neutrality resumed on his visage.

    Those emotions aren''t gone, oh no. They''re not being suppressed either. They''re controlled. Secured within the depths of Ashton''s heart.

    Now is not the time for him to release them. Neither, this is a ce to rampage. The time for that wille in the future. Not now...

    "...I never thought that our race was supposed to be the Lords of thisnds. Certainly doesn''t feel like it." Ashton lied as naturally as breathed.

    Well, it isn''t exactly a lie per se...though he might sound sarcastic, there''s a certain truth in his words. After all, if humans truly have such a destiny, then why are they corraled in a measly bubble?

    He''s already aware that the invaders had deeper plots, yet this is the first time he heard what exactly their ns were.

    Hilda''s existence as well as her job and story...now that came as a surprise to him.

    "Humanity is the children of this World." Hilda sighed, "In a sense, you all have the entitlement for the things this world has."

    "The two races discovering this world is something that we never knew possible. Their methods transcend our understanding as well and because of that disparity, the current status quo was formed."

    "You said ''we''..." Ashton pointed out, "I assume you''re referring to other Spirits?"

    "Yes." Hilda nodded, "We were once a Tribe of Spirits. Birthed by this world with a purpose in mind. Each of us was created to perform a task. We came around the same time as Spiritual Energy Awakened in this world."

    "Most of us fulfilled our duty and passed away. It''s been so long that I can''t recall some of them anymore. My long imprisonment here also affected my memories. I can only recall of my sister �� Gaia, she''s called. She''s the Spirit, the consciousness of this world."

    Ashton was shocked to hear that but he hid it on the surface. His thoughts ran for a bit and he asked:

    "You said something about your Sister making some sort of gamble earlier...how does that rte to me?"

    When Hilda asked him if he was the bearer of the Mysterious Rainbow Providence earlier, Hilda whispered something along those lines. Ashton took notice of that since he felt that he had a connection to that.

    After all, why else would Hilda refer to him as the ''Mysterious Rainbow'' the moment sheid eyes on him? Why would she ask her if he''s a human and the bearer of said providence if he does not have any connection with it? Seems counter-intuitive for her to ask that when it has nothing to do with him, no?

    "...as much as I would love to tell you everything I know. I''m afraid I can''t." Hilda shook her head weakly, "I am not the right person to tell you all about that."

    "It is my sister, Gaia, who should inform you about those things. Not me."

    Ashton sighed. Of course, he''s not gonna get answers when he needed them the most.

    "Your Sister''s alive? I thought you said that you''re thest of your kind?"

    "She''s still here, I''m sure of it." Hilda replied, "But her situation on the other hand...it''s dire. Due to her identity, being the Spiritual Consciousness of this world, what the Celestials and Hypogeans do to this world, harms her too."

    "I reckon that she''s in a much more dire state than I do. I don''t even think that she could wake up with how weak she is currently so in a sense, she''s no different than dead. Hence, I said that I ''might'' be thest of my kind. One that''s still conscious and can still talk at least."

    "...you''re not gonna ask me to save her?" Ashton raised a brow.

    "I don''t know, can you?" Hilda refuted, "Saving her means ughtering masses of Celestials and Hypogeans. It also requires an astronomical amount of resources to stabilize her. Even then, since she''s experienced so much abuse, I don''t know if she''llst."

    "Would there be consequences if we let her die just like that?" He couldn''t help but ask.

    "There is." Hilda nodded, "The production of Spiritual Energy will slow down to a crawl. That means that it''ll get harder and harder for Humanity to produce people strong enough to oppose the invaders. A race without an army to defend itself is done for."

    "...she''s not truly going to die though." Hilda added, "If somehow, your kind canst until the day she''s reborn, Spiritual Energy will spring forth again and who knows? Maybe Humanity''s destiny will resume that time."

    ''...it seems that Spirits are the kind of race who just ''vibes'' along.'' Ashton mused to himself.

    Hilda''s out here like; ''Oh, I''m dying and I can''t perform the one job I was supposed to do. Oh well. That''s sucks I guess, better luck next time! And oh, my sister''s dying too. Lol. Anyways...''<sub> </sub>

    It''s like she''s not treating anything seriously. She just spits out what she knows and does what she could.

    Hilda also never asked Ashton to free her. She just answers his questions as best as she can. It''s like she doesn''t care what happens to her or this world.

    She gives off this sense of; ''If I could do it, I would. If I can''t, then oh well.''

    And honestly, Ashton doesn''t know what to feel about that.

    "Say, can I take you and the Dragon Vein away from this ce?"

    Hilda looked bewildered when he asked that to say the least. She looked at Ashton directly in the eyes, her gaze seemingly piercing through his soul, wondering if she should answer his question or not.

    "...I suppose there is a way." She replied.

    "I''m listening." Ashton nodded at her.

    "I must be out of my mind to make you do this but...well, I guess you won''t be the bearer of the Mysterious Rainbow for nothing..." Hilda whispered, yet it was heard by Ashton.

    He didn''t say anything and pretended he didn''t hear anything. He just waited until she tells him the method she had in mind.

    "Looking at you...mn, you''re Physique is suitable enough. If you want to take the Dragon Vein away from this ce, one you must cleanse it first, and two, you can absorb it into your body."

    "...what?"

    "You heard me," Hilda stressed. "Absorb it to your body and nurture it with your Mana and the Mysterious Cloud to keep it alive. The Dragon Vein will immediately wither when it''s cut off from the Spiritual Network of this world."

    "No treasures can seal it away to keep it from dying. Plus, cutting the Dragon Vein off, even when you''re just relocating it, will hurt this world a bit. If you let it die, then it will spell disaster for this world and, in extension, my sister as well."

    "So, you need to take it inside your body. You have to personally nurture it if you want to take it away." Hilda stated.

    Ashton went silent for a bit. His thoughts ran a mile per second as he considered the pros and cons of this. Yet in the end, he didn''t say a word. Instead, he asked:

    "And, you? How do I free you?"

    "Oh, that''s easy." She stated, "The moment you absorb the Dragon Vein in your body, I''ll instantly be transported next to you. I will then reside tp your consciousness until you find a proper ce to relocate the Dragon Vein."

    Ashton went silent again. Just like before, his thoughts ran wild and he began considering all factors and implications of this proposal.

    "...I don''t know if you notice it yet but, I am a bearer of a Curse. The Curse of Mediocrity, to be specific." He stated, "Will that affect you and the Dragon Vein should we proceed with this n?"

    "...a curse huh?" Hilda pondered for a bit. Then she said: "That may indeed be a problem. But that''s strange...why would you have a Curse? As far as I know, the Mysterious Rainbow would''ve never appeared in you if you were born with a curse."

    ''Now that soundsplicated.'' Ashton inwardly smiled wryly, ''I can''t tell her the existence of the system now, can I?''

    He can''t tell her that he received the Mysterious Rainbow using a Providence Re-roll Stub from the System. Like, who would believe that? Plus, the System was Ashton''s ultimate trump card. He can''t just recklessly expose its existence to others.

    "...okay, how about this? You see, I happen to be umting enough strength to break free from this curse. It just so happens that I''m close to doing that. I reckon within the next five years, I''ll be free of it. By then, maybe we can safely move on with this n. Can you wait for that?"

    "I should be able to." Hilda replied, "The pigeons outside don''te here anymore anyway. They all think I''m dead and they don''t have ns on stepping inside the formation to confirm that. They''re kind of just waiting for me to return to dust."

    "So long as I can keep up with the y and not rm them, I should live until you''re free of your curse," Hilda confirmed,

    "Alright, that settles it then." Ashton got up, "Don''t worry, I''m confident enough to get rid of this curse. I''ll also visit you from time to time to keep youpany. But for now, though, gotta dip. Someone''s waiting for me."

    Hilda nodded at that and lowered her head to y dead again.

    Ashton then disappeared and left the room she was imprisoned in.

 Chapter 139 Planning And More Training

    Ashton no longer had any reason to stay within the Celestial''s Camp. Well, he didn''t have a reason to stay there permanently at least.

    Since he already knew what he wanted to know, there was no reason for him to stay there. He could just visit from time to time to check on Hilda.

    He returned to the ground and parked the library at an inconspicuous spot within the Warzone, then he stopped worrying about it for now.

    Admittedly, there were things that Ashton wanted and needed to do but none of them are achievable right now. He need to be a little bit stronger first before he even dared to take action.

    Ashton was tempted to go out and go on a killing spree again. He wanted to remind both enemy camps of his presence since they''ve had their guards down already but in the end, he prevented himself from doing that.

    Maybe he could do thatter, for now, he had to organize his thoughts...

    He made a promise to Hilda that he will free her and take the Dragon Vein out of this ce.

    Knowing what the Celestials and Hypogeans wanted to do by specifically targetting this area allowed Ashton to see everything clearly. He knows that this can''t continue on and that he needs to take action.

    The plot of Celestials and Hypogeans was quite sinister. Stealing the luck, fate, and destiny of Humanity for themselves before leaving them with a broken world? How cruel!

    The fact that they''re quite confident that they could juste and go as they pleased, pissed Ashton off. Seriously, what did Humanity ever do to them? Why would they do something like this?

    Then again, those questions don''t really need answering. In fact, even if nobody answers him, Ashton already knew the answer. It is something that would infuriate him if he hears it but it''s also obvious.

    There''s no reason why. They simply did it because they could and Humanity couldn''t stop them. It''s that simple.

    Weakness wasn''t originally a sin but now that it hase to this, it might as well be...

    If things continue this way, Humanity could only watch as the Celestials and Hypogeans drain the vitality of this world, leaving nothing behind but a deste and dying world. Humanity will perish as a whole and there''s nothing they could do to stop it.

    Thankfully though, all hope is not lost.

    There''s a chance for them still and right now, it depends on how patient Ashton was...

    There''s no way he could rush this. Even if he could, he wouldn''t. Even more so than now, Ashton had to be careful. He absolutely cannot die. So long as he''s alive and he couldplete his mission, there will be a chance for Humanity.

    He''s aware that alone, he couldn''t possibly do much. He needed allies, Heroes, to answer to their destinies. He would stand behind them but ultimately, this isn''t a battle that he alone could wage.

    He already has enough capital. He''s amassing more and more as days passed. And even when he returns to his home, this won''t stop. If anything, it''d just be faster.

    What he needs to focus on right now, is promoting his strength and making ns for what he eventually needs to do.

    Aria was already made aware of Ashton''s discoveries. At this point, nothing was truly hidden between the two of them.

    p She realized just how much burden Ashton must be carrying right now and that just made her even more determined to help him.</anda>

    As for the matter of her knowing that there were other Spirits around...well, it didn''t cause her any concerns. In a sense, she''s different from the kind of Spirit Hilda was.

    She was once a Human whose soul was bound to this library, making her a Library Spirit/Ghost. Hilda and her kind are created by the world itself. There''s a huge difference between them and she didn''t feel particrlypelled about that.

    So what if her origins weren''t as morous as theirs? What''s important to her is that she''s with her beloved and the fact that he needs her help.

    Just like Ashton, Aria never became idle. Ever since she decided that she wanted to share his burdens, she worked just as hard as he did. Often holing up inside herb, sometimes even falling asleep there due to how focused she was.

    It was exhausting but also rewarding at the same time. She wasn''t discouraged especially when she could tell that her progress was nothing short of amazing.

    ''The Core'' is already up and working. This crystal ball which was as big as a volleyball could essentially support an entire city. Throughout their tests so far, it was working as intended and as it is right now, it has already begun charging.

    At this rate, it''ll take about a year before it is fully charged. Considering that this thing could carry the burden of an entire city, that''s not that long. Not to mention, they could just have it absorb more resources to expedite the process so there''s no need to worry about it for now.<sub> </sub>

    Making the entire ''ARC'' isn''t possible right now. They simply don''t have enough space for it. That is something they could only do once they returned to Last Bastion.

    That being said though, Aria''s already confident enough that so long as she met the minimum requirements to start the project, she could definitely make the ''ARC'' possible.

    Of course, her work didn''t stop there...

    Aside from her growing discoveries about Demonic and Angelic Trinkets, she''s also making improvements to Humanity''s technology.

    Since Ashton could ess the Grand Archives, he could also borrow some books there to lend to her. One of the books there was aption of theories that could potentially lead to technological breakthroughs. Aria had been studying them and testing them out.

    This is what''s making her busy these past few days.

    As for Ashton...

    Well, he''s also working hard as well. Nothing new about that.

    As days passed, he could feel his responsibilities getting heavier. When they said that; ''Sometimes, knowledge is a curse'', Ashton was convinced that they were telling the truth.

    Had he remained ignorant about all of this, perhaps he could still live easily andxer, but fate had other ns for him, he supposes. And there''s nothing he could do but follow the pathid out in front of him.

    To get his mind out of it, he threw himself into Simtion Battles, fighting the Angels and Demons to his heart''s desire.

    The more he fought, the more refined his techniques got. His utilization of his Virtues was also getting finer the more he trained.

    Recently, he had been having fun wrecking Angels using ck Magic.

    Right, just like how White Magic was harmful to Demons, ck Magic is just as harmful to Angels.

    Even the most simple debuff like, say: Blind, could produce a deadly effect when he used it in conjunction with his guns.

    The Blind Spell causes him to fire a homing shot that will automatically seek Angel''s eyes. The more eyes the Angel has, the deadlier this Spell bes.

    Discord is a ck Magic Spell that makes the enemy''s mana turbulent, thereby increasing their spell-casting failure rate. Though when he used it as a bullet, it makes it so that the targets he hits will instantly turn hostile to theirrades.

    These are just simple examples of what ck Magic does to Angels. It''s a little bit strange but Ashton wasn''tining.

    Sadly though, he didn''t have many ck Magic Spells. He was a White Mage and when he enrolled in the ck Magic ss, it was only to discover a way how to be freed of his curse. That resulted in him not learning as many ck Magic Spells. Heck, he doesn''t even have a single High Order ck Magic Spell!

    Still, it doesn''t mean that he''spletely helpless. He had other ways to kill Angels despitecking ck Magic.

    There''s still his Bone Scythe, you see.

    Even when his ck Magic Spells don''t work, he could always hurt them using the Scythe. And the more Angels he kills, the deadlier this scythe bes against them.

    As for his Cultivation, he''s reached the 2nd Refinement of 2nd Virtue, he''s still an Lv.2 Warlock and he''d be one for quite some time.

    His progress had slowed down to a crawl at this point, but Ashton didn''t mind. Even if this meant that it''ll take him nearly a decade or more before he breakthrough into the Sorcerer Rank, that''s fine with him. It''s not like he''s weaker than normal Sorcerers anyway.

    Plus, he''s still young. Even if, say, he used a decade to go from Warlock to Sorcerer, he''d just be 28 or 29 years old by that time. That''s still very youngpared to other sorcerers out there and his cultivation could still be considered fast.

    In short, Ashton wasn''t worried. He''s taking his cultivation step by step, he''s not in a hurry since time was on his side.

    The fact that he''s carrying this much burden is even more of a reason for him to not hurry his progress for the sake of immediate gains.

    Slow and steady wins the game. So long as he''s alive, there will be hope.

 Chapter 140 Apostle And Sin Demon

    ''...how annoying.'' Ashton mused as he watched, ''I didn''t know that Diamond Dust Blizzard and Golden Sandstorm could happen at the same time.''

    Within the safety and warmth of the Grand Library, Ashton sat on the couch and silently watched the absolute chaos that is happening outside.

    A mixture of silver and gold particles mixed outside, bringing down the visibility to zero.

    He watched as thend itself bled due to the sheer cruelty of the disastrous weather. What was happening wasn''t just one but two natural cmities: a Diamond Dust Blizzard and a Golden Sandstorm.

    The Diamond Dust Blizzard is a deadly cmity that happens once every five years. It reces winter and instead of snow, it hails down Diamond Dust that''s extremely lethal to all living beings.

    A simple exposure during a Diamond Dust Blizzard could cause someone to disintegrate where they stood. The dust will whittle away at their flesh until there are no traces of them left.

    As for the Golden Sandstorm, this is simr to the ck Fog in a sense. The Golden Sandstorm is a natural cmity that is brought forth by the appearance of Celestials, it is basically a mobile Golden Corruption, it could also strengthen any Celestials within it and make them undying so long as they remain at the eye of the sandstorm.

    Needless to say, going out while these cmities rage on would be a horrible idea.

    Even with Ashton''s numerous life-saving methods, he didn''t feel confident about staying alive in the middle of that. Thankfully, he didn''t have to since he could just stay here.

    It''s been roughly a year since he had made contact with Hilda. Roughly a year since he had hisst breakthrough in terms of his cultivation.

    He had kept his promise and visited Hilda from time to time to apany her. On top of that, he also went out on a killing spree a total of two times during the past year, making both the Celestials and Hypogeans curse him to death.

    While he still remains a headache for the Celestials and the Hypogeans, Ashton''s improvement truly slowed down considerably ever since.

    Well, he''s still a Lv.2 Warlock. And for a 19-year-old cultivator, that''s already too damn fast. Besides, even if his progress seemingly slowed down, it doesn''t necessarily mean that his potential was already exhausted.

    At this point, his 2nd Virtue: the Virtue of Purity, is now refined a total of 9 times. This made it so that no corruption would ever have any effect on him.

    Even if Ashton went and traveled the outside world buck naked, neither the Demonic nor the Angelic Corruption would im him.

    Actually, forget about iming him. Any corruption wouldn''t even dare toe close to him. With Nine Refinements Virtue of Purity, Ashton releases a force-field of 300 meters where all kinds of corruption wouldn''t be purified. He can toggle this force field on and off at any time he pleases.

    Now, he''s just waiting for another spark of inspiration to gain enlightenment on his 3rd Virtue. So far, it hasn''t happened yet.

    There were a few things that happened during the past year which turned memorable for him...

    The first one was the birth of ''The Core''. Even now, Ashton still couldn''t believe that Aria did it. The orb''s been fully charged at this point and could now be used by an entire city.

    Well, there''s no city yet so right now, ''The core'' is temporarily useless, but it wouldn''t be long until then.

    The next memorable thing would be the fact that some big shots made an appearance in the Chaotic Warzone. One was an Apostle and the other was a Sin Demon.

    ording to what he discovered from the books back at the Grand Archives, the true big shots of Paradiso and Inferno were neither the 3rd to 1st Sphere Angels nor the Demon Princes/Kings/Emperors.

    The 12 Apostles of God and the Seven Deadly Sins were the ones who hold the title of True Big Shots. They are the most powerful forces of both races. Now, one of each came here with a shared purpose in mind...

    To hunt the White-Cloaked Reaper down. Oh, how ttered Ashton must''ve felt when he first learned about this.

    Thanks to his meticulous preparations and his unpredictability, the invaders'' station in the ce couldn''t do anything to him. Ashton freely tramples in their operations,ing and going as he pleases.

    He leaves no tracks behind, nobody knows when he appears, and when he leaves, they only see the results of his massacres and it just gets worse as time goes on.

    It is due to that, that they employed the help of their superiors. Inviting them to personallye here to monitor the situation.<sub> </sub>

    But see...here''s the funny thing.

    That Apostle and Sin Demon couldn''t track him either! Oh, how embarrassing.

    Ashton could still remember the day when they arrived, actually. It still puts a smile on his face whenever he recalls it.

    They came, carrying some semnce of absolute confidence and power on their gate. They stood at the sky, peering down like they were some kind of god or something.

    Hell, they even openly mocked him, the White-Cloaked Reaper, calling him the White-Cloaked Pussy or simply White Bitch. They dared him toe, saying that if he''s truly capable, then he should dareunch a massacre under their presence.

    Ashton was all things...a coward might be one of those but stupid is certainly not. If they thought that those childish provocations of theirs would taunt him enough to expose himself, then he might as well forget about being Humanity''s Strongest Backer.

    But that doesn''t mean that he would just lie down and ept it either. Of course, he tested the waters first. And when he found out that those two couldn''t sense him either, and that his illusions were working on them as well...

    Let''s just say that stinging ps in their faces were served.

    They dared him toe. So he did.

    He even left them a present �� a strewn up corpses of their men, arranged in words saying: ''Bring it on, bitch.'' And ''Catch me if you can.''

    Oh, how their cheeks must''ve hurt upon seeing his present. They were so touched that they were moved to tears. Ashton''s cheeks hurt too...fromughing that is.

    And to further push the idea that provoking him was the worst idea they could think of, Ashton also left presents for them in their camps.

    On the Celestial Camp, he mercilessly plucked all the feathers and eyes of one of the Angels he caught. Arranging them in a soul-stirring disy for them to witness as soon as they returned.

    At the Demon''s Camp, he caught a Ram Demon, broke off all of its horns, and impaled them onto its body, chaining up the demon using magic that looked like Holy Arts that Celestials use.

    Him doing this not only disrespected the Celestials and Hypogeans, but it also acted as a message that, if he really wanted to, the massacre wouldn''t just be limited to the warzone, it could also extend to their camps as well.

    The Apostle and the Sin Demon had been silent ever since.

    With them being publicly humiliated like this despite their standing, it was understandable that they were mad. Their faces were pped mercilessly and they couldn''t do anything other than ept it.

    Since then, they remained vignt. They increased their security and issued strict orders. They were truly determined to catch him.

    Yet still, even with their arrangements, nothing they do could stop Ashton from doing what he wants.

    At this point, Ashton was already starting to believe that they were stupid. Forget about catching him, the fact that they''re still arguing whether the reaper was an Angel or a Demon, baffled him.

    They''re so caught up in their racial supremacy that they haven''t even thought about him being a human at all. Plus, they''re using the wrong method to catch him. They already know that he cane and go as he pleases so seriously? What''s the point of increasing security?

    They could just simply stop the fighting and none of them would die! If they scrammed back to where they came from, then they wouldn''t have to worry about him killing them, it''s that simple yet none of them thought about it.

    Well, their stupidity isn''t Ashton''s problem at all so no need to bother too much about it.

    Right now, he''ll just follow his own pace. So long as he remained a mystery to his foes, then there''s no real risk for him. He''ll continue with his operations and would be a steady nuisance to the invaders.

    So long as he keeps them on their toes, they would never let down their guard. If they remain in a state of alert for too long, that will tire them out. Once they were tired, they''d let their guards down, and Ashton will strike again. That''s the gist of his operation,

    It doesn''t matter even if they call out for their Big Boss, so long as he''s undetected, what''s there for him to fear?

 Chapter 141 Lv.3 Warlock

    "...are you serious? Not even the Gem of True Sight can see him?"

    "Yes!" A man d in white silk robes nodded, his expression was wretched.

    It was obvious that he was displeased and quite angry.

    "Greed can''t see him either?"

    "Yes! Greed used almost all of the spyware but none worked! What do I do? I can''t let that White-Cloaked Reaper continue like this! He will seriously fuck this whole operation up!"

    "Calm down, Matthew��"

    "Calm down!?" The man red harshly at the figure in the mirror, "What do you mean ''calm down''? You can only say that since it isn''t your ass who''s at risk here, Luke! If I don''t resolve this messy shit then I''m done for!"

    "Still, don''t panic too much." The man who''s talking on the other side of the mirror, the one named Luke, tried pacifying Matthew.

    "Stop trying to pacify me, Luke. What I need is help, not a therapy session." Matthew snorted, "You and I both know that if I fail this task, it isn''t just me who''d be implicated. All of us Apostles will be grilled ''hard'' by ''The Son''. I don''t need to remind you what the guy''s like when he''s upset, right?"

    "...shit!" Luke cursed softly under his breath. He then took a deep breath and said: "Alright, fine! You win. I''ll talk to them. Whether they agree or not doesn''t depend on me, you hear?"

    Matthew took a deep breath and nodded: "Yes, yes I understand. Just try your best. I''ll wait for your good news."

    "Let''s hope that it''ll be good news you hear," Luke replied before cutting off the connection.

    Once themunication link was cut-off, Matthew slumped into his chair, looking haggard and stressed. It looked like he aged a couple of years within the span of a few seconds.

    "...damn it! Fuck you, White-Cloaked Reaper." Matthew cursed angrily, "If only you didn''t fucking exist, I wouldn''t be in this mess."

    This Matthew guy is one of God''s 12 Apostles. He was the unlucky one who got sent here to deal with the White-Cloaked Reaper and to manage the overall situation of the Chaotic Warzone.

    He left Paradiso thinking that he''d be back in a jiffy. He was so confident that he''d take care of the problem within a month at most that he didn''t even bother canceling his other appointments back home.

    Sadly for him, the White-Cloaked Reaper''s methods far exceeded his imagination. Forget about dealing with him, Matthew couldn''t even guess when the White-Cloaked Reaper appears!

    Even though he was using a Treasured Artifact made from Paradiso which specializes in locating the unseen, he still didn''t discover anything.

    He even lowered his pride and asked for the Sin Demon��Greed''s help, yet even then, it was useless. They couldn''t even catch a shadow of the reaper much less see what he looks like.

    This vexed Matthew so much. The White-Cloaked Reaper, that slippery loach, had made him eat numerous losses which left him wanting to tear his hair out.

    How many times had he been scolded by his colleagues due to ipetence? Matthew had lost count already. Hell, he could even sympathize with Greed since he''s on the same both as him.

    The worst part of this all is that his position is seriously threatened if this continues. If he got demoted because he failed to catch the slippery culprit, all of the resources and riches he used to enjoy will be gone like a cloud of smoke.

    Matthew couldn''t live without that. He couldn''t imagine himself meddling with themon angels and paying attention to these mundane activities. Hell, he didn''t even want to be here on the front lines yet here he was.

    Being an Apostle, all he had to do is to sing endless praises to God. Doing that at least four hours a day is enough and the rest of the day could be decided ording to his whims.

    How easy what that kind of lifestyle?

    His task is only to worship God for a few hours and he could enjoy all sorts of privileges and resources to his liking. Not to mention, he could also enjoy extremely high authority within the hierarchy. Who in their right mind would let go of such life?

    Unfortunately, right now his title was being threatened by some random barbarian who likes to act mysteriously and couldn''t keep their bloodlust in check. How can he not be irritated and angry?

    Dong!

    Hearing that obnoxiously loud sound of the church bell ringing at every corner of the camp, Matthew sighed and stood up from his seat.

    <o>,m He looked at his reflection in the mirror and wore a stoic look on his face. He grabbed his walking stick from the corner of the room and stepped out of his quarters.</o>

    It is time for another ritual. Matthew secretly prayed in his heart, hoping that the obnoxious White-Cloaked Reaper wouldn''t be around this day, or else he might just actually lose it.

    Matthew closed the door behind him and walked inrge strides towards the meeting area.<sub> </sub>

    What he didn''t know is that...

    Back in his room, the root cause of his headache had been mocking him all this time.

    ''Give it up, Old Man. You all will never find me, ha!'' Ashton gloated as he hid behind the safe walls of the Grand Library.

    Ashton was of course, aware of what transpired just now. He was watching when Matthew asked for hisrades'' help in dealing with him.

    He shook his head since the guy was obviously getting desperate. He doesn''t have any idea what they have in mind to deal with him so he could only wait and see.

    Once he felt that the Celestial Army was once again performing their nonsensical ritual below, he stepped out of the library and opened the secret passage in Apostle Matthew''s room.

    Right, Matthew kicked Neon out of this room. The former is now using it for himself. The poor Seraph though...

    Anyways, he''s here to visit Hilda. It''s been a while since hisst visit and she might be feeling bored down here.

    Sealing the entrance behind him, Ashton went down to where Hilda was sealed, finding her there looking dead still.

    "Hey, still hanging in there?" He greeted.

    "Haha, very funny." Hilda raised her head and rolled her eyes.

    Ashton scratched his nose, feeling a bit clever himself.

    "Seriously, you have guts of steel." She stated, "To think that you won''t even hesitate to infiltrate the room of an Apostle..."

    "See? Aren''t I such a good friend? Risking my all and shit." Ashton unceremoniously sat down not too far from her.

    Hilda rolled her eyes again. Then she said: "Weren''t you supposed to be cultivating? Howe you have so much free time to visit me like this?"

    "It''s cause I miss you, bestie." Ashton winked at her, causing Hilda to re at him. Ashtonughed and said: "Nah, I''m kidding. I broke through that''s why."

    "Oh..." Hilda looked surprised for a bit, "You already condensed the Virtue of Life?"

    "Yes." Ashton subconsciously nodded, then he blinked and frowned, asking: "Wait, how did you know I condensed the Virtue of Life? I don''t remember telling that to you."

    "..."

    Ashton sighed and said: "You know what? Forget that I asked. For all I know, the next thing you''d say is something that has something to do with the Mysterious Rainbow, and if I ask more, you''d say that your sister has to tell me, not you."

    "Honestly, just don''t bother. Whatever, I guess." Ashton shrugged and Hilda still had it in her to look apologetic.

    Truth to be told, Ashton just doesn''t understand why this Spirit is so obstinate and wanted to stick to their ancient rules too much. This makes her think that the reason why the Spirit Race didn''t flourish was that they were too inflexible.

    The Virtue of Life was indeed Ashton''s 3rd Virtue, meaning that he was now a Lv.3 Warlock.

    Setting aside the mysteries of the Mysterious Rainbow...Ashton thinks that the reason why he gained an affinity and enlightenment on the Virtue of Life was probably because he was a White Mage.

    At this point, Ashton''s life expectancy practically doubled, thanks to the blessing of this Virtue. Warlocks had a lifespan of 500 years old normally, but Ashton''s maximum lifespan increased to 1000 years old thanks to the Virtue of Life.

    It also allowed him to retain his youthful appearance permanently which is nice while also boosting his recovery speed.

    3 down and 6 more to go. The road''s still long but Ashton''s getting there.

    He apanied Hilda for quite some time, informing her about what was currently happening outside. She''s already aware of the Apostle''s presence here since she has sensed it the moment Matthew arrived.

    Strangely enough, the Apostle didn''t even bother visiting her at all. It''s like he wasn''t aware of her existence. This made them calm down since at least, Hilda''s life wouldn''t be in danger.

    Ashton talked to her some more, still unable to save her since his abilities are still inefficient. So, he couldn''t only bide his time and take it to step by step.

 Chapter 142 5th Year! Curse Removal

    ''Today marks the 5th Anniversary of me being thrown out here...'' Ashton mused to himself.

    He sat on his desk at the Grand Archives, his senses bled out of the walls, allowing him to peer outside. He watched the deste and utterly corruptednds surrounding him as well as the ongoing fiasco that is happening between the Celestials and Hypogeans.

    Ashton felt proud to say that he survived despite the odds being against him. Granted that he had the capital to ensure his safety, to begin with, it sure hasn''t been easy to endure the loneliness and bleakness of everything out here.

    ncing at the floating System Prompt in front of him, Ashton felt a bit of excitement coursing through his veins...

    ***

    [Quest: Survive!]

    : Host has been forced into an upromising predicament but hope is not gone. Survive the horrors and dangers of the Outside World for as long as you can.

    Survive for 1 month - Rewards: Bloodline Purification Pill x5 (Complete)

    Survive for 3 months - Rewards: Mobile Safehouse x1 (Complete)

    Survive for 6 months - Rewards: Exosuit x1 (Complete)

    Survive for 1 year - Rewards: Randomized ''Trait'' x1 (Complete)

    Survive for 3 years - Rewards: Specialization Soul Card (L) x1 (Complete)

    Survive for 5 years - Rewards: Curse Banishment Pill x1 (Complete)

    ***

    On the 3rd anniversary, he received...

    [Specialization Soul Card (L)]

    Use to gain the most suitable ''Legendary-grade Specialization'' for you.

    Requirements: Sorcerer Rank

    With this and the Divine Gunslinger Soul Card, Ashton was set for when he reaches the Sorcerer Rank in the future. Though, what excited him the most was not this...

    It''s the reward that he received as soon as he woke up this morning...

    [Curse Banishment Pill]

    A miraculous pill that can remove a Curse from the consumer.

    Hint: Adjust your mental state and muster up your willpower before consuming this pill to ensure its sess.

    With the Curse Banishment Pill, Ashton can finally get rid of this damned curse that has been making his life difficult.

    One could only imagine how excited he is right now. He almost couldn''t wait to begin the curse removal but he controlled himself. He''s way too excited right now. The hint says that he has to chill first so that''s what he''s been doing.

    Aside frompleting this quest, Ashton alsopleted the mission.

    ***

    [Mission: Investigate]

    : It''s a long way home from here. Where even is ''here''? Well, why don''t find out? Plus, aren''t you curious as to what the Outside World looked like? The more you discover, the more rewards you''ll get.

    Discover where you are - Time Limit: None. Rewards: New System Function unlocked. (Complete)

    Find a way back home - Time Limit: None. Rewards: Randomized ''Trait'' x1

    Discover and Study Hostiles - Amount: 200/200. Rewards: New System Function unlocked. (Complete)

    Path to Enlightenment - Time Limit: None. Rewards: System Overhaul. (Complete)

    ***

    Completing the ''Discover and Study Hostiles'' rewarded him with the [Party] System Function which allows him to add people to his Party and give them the most basic functions of the System like an Inventory with Limited Spaces, allowing the use of the ''Identify'' function and so on...

    Ashton hasn''t tested it much since he hasn''t used it yet. He tried it with Aria but it wasn''t working, maybe it''s because she''s a Spirit or something but since he couldn''t add her in, he couldn''t explore all of its functions right now. The system''s exnation for what it can do was vague too.

    Besides, now that hepleted the mission as a whole, the final reward which is the ''System Overhaul'' is currently in effect. And under the overhaul, the Party Function might change even more.

    Ashton could still see the timer ticking down in the corner of his vision...

    [System Overhaul In Progress: 29 Days, 13 Hours, and 45 Minutes left...]

    Right, it''s going to take at least a month before this finishes.

    Most of the System''s Functions are offline as of now. The Grinding Slots, Mission Board, Sign-in, and even the Simtion Zone won''t work unless the System''s done with the overhaul. As for the Party Function well, it''s practically useless for now so he didn''t pay much attention to it.

    Though, he could still call out to his Profile Page...

    ***

    [Profile]

    Host: Ashton West<sub> </sub>

    Race: Human

    Aptitude:

    Mageroot: Mysterious Rainbow

    Magical Artifact: Cursed Book of Infinity (Legendary)

    Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings (Grade ???)

    Specialization:

    Main: White Mage, Sub: Gunslinger

    Rank: Lv.5 Warlock (2nd Refinement)

    Virtues: Mana, Purity, Life, Death, Water

    Cultivation Technique: Treasure zed Nine-Refinements Sutra

    [Spells:(+)]

    [Inventory:(+)]

    [Grinding Spots: Offline]

    [Sign-in Opportunities: Offline]

    [Mission Board: Offline]

    [Simtion Zone: Offline]

    ***

    Ashton isn''t essentially crippled without the System.

    If he wanted to, he could still take a stroll outside and ruffle the feathers of the Angels and y with Demons, just to annoy them. He''d still be undetected and he''d still go on a killing spree since hisbat abilities weren''t controlled by the system.

    The System did help in making him strong but he worked hard to own what he received. It wasn''t the System who created the White-Cloaked Reaper, it was Ashton.

    With his Mortal Reminder �� the transforming firearms, his quasi-Epic Artifact that is the Bone Scythe, the list of Spells he learned and raised to at least Lv.50 with constant grinding, as well as his sheer experience in dealing with the invaders through trial by fire and countless of simtions, Ashton is a true powerhouse who can fearlessly walk and survey the dangers of the Forgotten Ancestral Lands.

    Being the Child of Mana pretty much ensures that he''ll never run out of his Mana Supply. Having the Purity Trait and Virtue plus the ''Aether Purity Heart'' ensures that he will never fear any kind of corruption the invaders could think of.

    With the Virtue of Life, not only was his longevity extended, but he could also recover from injuries faster and could even bless the corruptednds with Life once more to restore them to their former glory.

    He could also impose the causality of Death on his targets through the Virtue of Death. Granted that it''s not always certain and could be countered by several methods, the fact that he could use this to heavily injure all who crossed him was worth it.

    And most recently, the Virtue of Water...

    Frankly, except for the Virtue of Mana, the rest of the Virtues Ashton condensed came naturally to him. All he needed to do was to wait for the signs and he would naturally gain insights about them. The more he refined it, the deeper his connection to them became.

    The Virtue of Water is something he did not expect to gain enlightenment from. It was unprompted, like the others before it. And what if does is to boost the power and effectiveness of all Water Based Spells he had, making them easier to cast and so on, except...he did not have any Water Based Spells so it''s useless.

    Well, not entirely useless...at the end of the day, should he ever run out of water, he can use this Virtue to drain moisture from the atmosphere and increase the amount of water he could gather so that he can satiate his thirst. At least there''s that...

    Ashton truly has no idea why it''s like this. He bets that it has something to do with this Mysterious Rainbow or whatever.

    After all, Virtue was something that is earned through Heavenly Communion. If a Mage doesn''t have a pre-established connection with something, i.e. water, then it shouldn''t be possible for them to gain the virtue corresponding to that.

    Yet here he was...

    Mana, Purity, Life, and Death...Ashton can understand why those would appear. But Water? Now that''s weird...

    But, oh well...it''s there and he can''t remove it. It''ll be a problem since refining it would be much harder since he hadn''t invested in it. This might dy his cultivation too.

    Ashton shook his head to get rid of the unnecessary thoughts.

    "It''s about time I leave this ce." He mused to himself, "But before that though...I made some promises which should be honored."

    Feeling calm and determined, Ashton held the bottle which contained the Curse Banishment Pill in his hand and left his desk.

    He went downstairs, entering the Training Room and sealing himself inside.

    Ashton adjusted his mental state and soon, he swallowed the pill.

    The effect was immediate. His expression twisted as he could feel the strong resistanceing from the very depths of his soul.

    He could sense a particrly nasty and evil aura writhing and screaming as the pill''s efficacy took effect. Yet, Ashton''s will was strong and steady. His determination resonated and beckoned the mysterious power to billow from within him.

    A brilliant rainbow-colored radiance erupted from his soul, seeping out to his physical body. When the rainbow touched the curse, it was singed and fled. It was chased out from Ashton''s soon and soon...out of his body as well.

    The moment it was flushed out of his system, it let out one miserable shriek before dissipating into nothingness.

    As if an unknown burden was released, Ashton sighed and felt light. A book flew out from his body and the chains and lock that bound it shattered and disappeared, allowing it to be released from its long imprisonment.

    [Curse Removal: sess! Magical Artifact: Book of Infinity, unsealed.]

 Chapter 143 Dragon Vein

    Ashton stared at his Magical Artifact...

    The Book of Infinity was levitating in front of him, it was open and its pages were constantly unfurling due to an invisible force and its pages were seemingly endless.

    It shone with a deep dark golden coating, it had an ancient air into it as if it had existed since immemorial times...

    From his connection with it, the book was seemingly screaming ''Freedom!''. He could feel some kind of jubnce and excitement from it which was rather strange.

    Well, the curse did lock this book up for quite some time, it''d be understandable for it to feel this way. Though what was strange, is the fact that it could feel something...Ashton didn''t know that was possible.

    Could the Book of Infinity possess some kind of intelligence?

    It might be a good idea for him to investigate thatter.

    Nheless, since the curse ispletely gone, Ashton is now free from it. He''s free from the Curse of Mediocrity �� which prevented him from learning High-Order Offensive Spells. He''s no longer restricted in his magical studies.

    He can achieve his dream of summoning a freaking meteor!! Awesome!

    But sadly, now''s not the time for that. He doesn''t even know even the basic Fireball Spell, so he''s nowhere near the level of Meteor Summoning...

    With the Book of Infinity unsealed, Ashton no longer has to be afraid of the curse''s bacsh in his future advancements. He now has more freedom to explore and find out which Magical Path truly suits him.

    White Magic is something that he learned and coincidentally Mastered somewhat, due to his unique circumstances. In short, it was the only thing avable to him before. But now, that''s no longer the case, and that makes Ashton truly happy...

    Because beneath his battle-hardened visage, and past the mask he wore whenever he brings out the White-Cloaked Reaper alter-ego, Ashton is a schr who genuinely wanted to pursue his magical studies.

    Without the burden of the curse, Ashton felt light-hearted and carefree. He didn''t even mind that the invaders outside were currently frantically searching for even the smallest sign of his presence.

    He felt content like this. But then again, just as he mentioned previously...he had been in this ce for far too long.

    It''s about time for him to return home. But before that, he had other matters to take care of first.

    "...is today ''that'' day?" Aria asked while staring at Ashton who was gearing up.

    "Yep," Ashton replied, gingerly holstering his guns at his belt and cing the scythe on his back. "It''s time to leave this sted ce behind. I''ll pick up the Dragon Vein first, then we''re off."

    "Would it be dangerous for you to absorb the Dragon Vein in your body?"

    "Hilda said that it might be painful but not entirely dangerous." Ashton recalled, "She said that my physique, despite me being a mage, is top-notch. Hosting the Dragon Vein temporarily shouldn''t be too much of a burden for me."

    "Be careful alright? I know that you''ve be strong enough to go anywhere in this world but please, pay attention to your safety." Aria reminded him.

    Ashton smiled at her and said: "Yes, Ma''am. I''ll take care of myself, I promise."

    At this point, it doesn''t matter how strong Ashton gets, Aria would always be worried for him. It isn''t necessarily a bad thing and Ashton didn''t hate it either.

    He actually feels touched that she cares this much. It''s sweet.

    Once Ashton double-checked his attire and made sure he got everything ready. He nodded to himself and told Aria:

    "Well, I''m off. See youter. Love you"

    "Mn. Love you too."

    Ashton then disappeared from the Grand Library and reappeared outside of the Chaotic Warzone.

    Currently, it''s deserted. Still corrupted, but nobody''s fighting right now. They''re on break and Ashton timed his exit with that.

    He''s not out here to carry out yet another killing spree. If he was, then he''d exit when they''re in the middle of their ritual, not now.

    Ashton''s out here to receive the Dragon Vein since that''s the only thing that''s holding him up here.

    Releasing a pulse of mana, his senses prated the ground he walks upon. Going about 3 kilometers deep. It wasn''t hard for him to locate where the Dragon Vein was as it immediately appeared in his mind''s eye.

    He walked until he was practically standing on top of it. Then, without any hesitations, he used the unique ability of the Cloak of Apparitions to phase through the ground like a ghost.

    With the current rarity of the cloak. He can use Apparate a total of 100 times. He can also use it multiple times in a row, making his descent rather easy and most importantly, quiet.

    There was a naturally formed pocket dimension where the Dragon Vein was. Still, despite its natural istion, Ashton could still see traces of corruption leaking inside. In fact, the corruption seeps even deeper underground due to whatever ritual the angels and demons used in this ce.<sub> </sub>

    Phasing within the pocket dimension, Ashton turned corporeal and didn''t feel any repulsion. He already went down here before so he already knew about this.

    Within the pocket dimension where the Dragon Vein was, Ashton could now see the thing he had to take.

    The Dragon Vein, in truth, looked just like the roots of a massive tree. Thick, windingwork of veins that stretches as far as the eye can see. Each vein was at thick as a normal women''s waist.

    Due to the corruption, thework of veins looked utterly dead, decaying even.

    It''s dry and ckened by the heresy of the invaders.

    p Hilda once told him that the Dragon Vein, in its natural form, should be bathing in violet-gold radiance. It was supposed to be awe-inspiring, majestic, and had an ancient air in it.</anda>

    Not like this...

    She also said that those whomune with the Dragon Vein will receive its blessing. They will be the favored Children of Heavens and Fate itself. Destined to pioneers or leaders of the future generation of Humans.

    Such a thing was something that the Celestials and Hypogeans didn''t want to see, which is why they made it a mission to suppress the Dragon Vein and vite it with their corruption.

    Without it, Humanity''s providence will remain stagnant. They will never improve and will never grow strong enough to match them.

    This, on top of them, actively plundering the Destiny, Luck, and Fate of Humanity and the Blue, they''re practically dooming this world and its citizens.

    It is such a sinister plot. One that needs to be stopped, no matter what the cost.

    Well, Ashton''s here to do just that.

    sping his palms in front of him, Ashton sang a sincere prayer from the bottom of his heart while simultaneously circting his mana.

    "By my name, as a Great Warlock and the Child of Mana, I call upon the Virtue of Purity to make its presence known and eliminate the sphemy rooted in front of me."

    "Miraculous Light of Purification!"

    Ashton pushed his palms forward and released a blinding sh of white radiance.

    The light which came from him immediately filled the entire pocket dimension. Wherever the light touches, all sorts of impurities sizzled and disappeared.

    The Aether Purity Heart drummed on his chest, resonating with his heartfelt prayer. It released waves upon waves of power that thrummed on Ashton''s meridians and flowed out of his body.

    Ashton looks utterly divine at this moment. Without a doubt, he was the True Pure One, unblemished and untouched by any form of corruption.

    The light he released prated thework of veins in front of him. The traces of corruption that seeped into the very roots of the Dragon Vein dissipated like snow under summer''s heat when exposed to the Miraculous Light of Purification.

    But Ashton didn''t stop there...

    Halfway through the cleansing of corruption, Ashton uttered yet another heartfelt prayer.

    "Life, I call upon thee." Ashton''s archaic voice echoed within the pocket dimension. "Grant me your aid! By my name as a Great Warlock and Child of Mana...Life Return!"

    Life Return, a High-Order Healing Magic. It doesn''t necessarily fall under the White Magic tree but it''s close. It''s basically a Ressurection Spell. It has limitations of course but as long as the caster''s capable, those can almost be ignored.

    The Spell: Life Return, in conjunction with the Virtue of Life, will restore the Dragon Vein''s vitality. With its vitality restored, the Dragon Vein will start acting against the corruption itself, making the healing process faster.

    Ashton was casting two High-Order channeling Spells at the same time. Even though he''s an experienced mage, this is still rather difficult to do, nevertheless, he''s holding on.

    Thankfully though, his efforts weren''t wasted. He could feel the Dragon Vein''s vitality being restored at a pace visible to the naked eye. It''s returning to its former glory which is rather gratifying.

    This processsted for an entire hour. Meaning that Ashton was dual-channeling High-Order Spells that entire time without any pause.

    Such a feat might not even be easily replicated by Sorcerers yet Ashton did it as a mere Warlock.

    With his mana reserves at halved and his entire body aching, Ashton came down and rested for a bit. In front of him, the restored Dragon Vein was releasing faint draconic roars and awe-inspiring glory.

    But even with the Dragon Vein resuscitated, Ashton knows that it isn''t over yet.

    "The moment I start absorbing this thing is the moment that everyone above me will be rmed. I have to make preparations."

 Chapter 144 Fusion

    Ashton drank a Large Mana Potion as he created a formation that sealed the pocket dimension.

    His attainments with Inscriptions are high, unfortunately, it isn''t high enough topletely seal a pocket dimension. He''s nowhere near strong enough to make something like that, nor did he have any materials to create a formation like that.

    But, if it''s just temporarily blocking outside influence, he could do it. And that''s what he''s doing right now.

    "...it''ll take...at least half an hour, for me to absorb this thing." He muttered while looking at the Dragon Vein. "This formation mustst for that long or else this will be a huge problem."

    Try as he might, he wouldn''t be able to prevent the fluctuations from escaping and alerting the enemies above. Since the Dragon Vein was the real reason why they were here in the first ce, it''d only make sense for them to have something that can monitor its activities.

    Ashton did some investigations in the past, and while invaders did have a way to monitor the state of the Dragon Vein, they actually couldn''te down here themselves to see it personally.

    The pocket dimension wouldn''t simply let them in. It''d take them a good amount of effort if they want to barge in and most of them don''t think that it''s worth it. They have no use for the Dragon Vein anyway since it''s not for them.

    But if something were to happen to the Dragon Vein, i.e. it suddenly disappeared, they would instantly be alerted.

    Ashton tried to sabotage the tools they have but it was no use. He couldn''t do it. To even touch the apparatus, he needs his blood to be scanned, a fresh one at that. If he were to test his blood, he''d alert everyone about his presence and that''d spell disaster for him. That is why he''s unable to do anything about it.

    It''s fine though...he''s geared for a direct sh anyway. So what if they were alerted?

    "...it''s already a miracle that they still weren''t alerted by the sudden revival of the Dragon Vein." He mused to himself, "Can''t ask for more I guess."

    And after a couple of minutes, Ashton was doneying down the formation. Colors shed within the pocket dimension before disappearing. Ashton could now sense the invisible presence of the protective formation thanks to his connection with it.

    With this ready, it is time for the next step.

    ''My mana''s full again.'' He muttered inwardly, ''I don''t need a warm-up. After all, I just channeled two High-Order Spells for an entire hour. The formation''s ready to block those who''d try to barge in here.''

    ''Okay, let''s begin...''

    Ashton stood up and walked towards the Dragon Vein. sping his hand and focusing his intent, his archaic voice sounded from within the pocket dimension.

    "O, ye pulse of the mighty earth, blessed by the heavens. Ye who are blessed by the Great Spirit of this World and the Keeper of Destiny."

    "I beseech thee, find sce within my body, so that I might ferry thee to thend where the lost children of fate canmune to thee and have them answer to their destiny."

    Ashton then knelt on one knee.

    Silence pervaded the space. Not even the sounds of cricket can be heard. Such silence was deafening but Ashton didn''t feel worried nor he was in hurry.

    He continued to kneel, his mind was free from distractions and his heart wasid bare. Nothing to keep, nothing to hide.

    And such sincerity moved the Heavens and the Earth...

    The Dragon Vein answered the call. The archaic aura exploded and thends of the pocket dimension suddenly quaked, its aftermaths could even be felt above.

    The thickwork of roots covered with a violet golden brilliance moved. They are like an entire poption of Dragons rising from their slumber to amaze the world with their power.

    Ashton''s figure looked like an ant in front of the Dragon Vein. But that didn''t cause any ripples in his heart at all. He remained in position, silently waiting. Feeling neither excited nor impatient.

    At this point, the movement underground can no longer be concealed. It caused such arge disturbance and it was immediately perceived by the invaders who are, at this current moment, patrolling the Chaotic Warzone.

    Amotion rose amongst their ranks but none of this was any of Ashton''s concern at this current moment.

    The Dragon Vein hovered in front of the kneeling Ashton, eyeing him like some sort of a snake, deliberating whether to bite him or not. A momentter, the Dragon Vein lurched and took the plunge on Ashton''s chest.

    Ashton felt as if he got hit by a cannonball. A stuffy cough was ripped out of him but he immediately suppressed it. He forced himself to maintain his position despite the pain he was feeling.

    The process of him absorbing the Dragon Vein into his body already started. Once it started, there was no way to stop it. Ashton couldn''t be disturbed now since this process is delicate. One wrong move and he''s risking not only his life but also the Dragon Vein �� and in extension, Hilda''s life as well.<sub> </sub>

    The absorption was painful of course. Ashton could confidently say that he has never been in such pain before.

    The initial impact was one thing but what followed after that? It was in torture...

    It felt like his flesh was being carved out piece by piece while he was conscious. His nerves felt like they were doused in mes in one second and frozen to an absolute degree during the next.

    His head felt as if it was being hammered again and again and he was starting to wonder if his skull was that tough. His joints were creaking like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

    And to top this all off, his mana was being consumed at an rming pace. The process isn''t even halfway there but 50% of his mana was already spent just to support the absorption of this thing.

    What made things difficult for him is that Ashton can''t move. Not even just to take a mana potion out of his inventory. He had to stay in this position and concentrate on this ritual while bearing the weight being passed down to him.

    Thankfully though, he was prepared for this...it''s a time like this when his over-preparation shines.

    "Here you go, Babe. Hang in there."

    Aria''s silhouette emerged from out of nowhere, holding a Large Mana Potion and assisting Ashton to drink it. Once she was done, she smiled despite her worried expression and returned to the Grand Library.

    Due to her being the Artifact Spirit of the Grand Library, the time and distance she has away from it were extremely limited, especially in this ce seeped in corruption which is extremely harmful to her. But if it''s only for a few seconds though, there''s no problem.

    It''s these few seconds, caused by Ashton''s slight paranoia, that saved him from even more pain.

    With his mana being replenished as the absorption went on, the process continued without a hitch.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Through his connection with the formation, he sensed themotion outside. The invaders were trying to barge in as expected. They''re trying to destroy the formation he built but it''s proving to be a challenge for them.

    The process continued and it felt like a lifetime to Ashton. With every single second seemingly stretching for an eternity due to how much pain it caused him, Ashton''s will was being tested.

    Still, he persisted. He remained in his position like an immovable statue. His concentration never faltered despite the torturous pain being inflicted on him.

    The efforts of the invaders to barge in were escting. Ashton guessed that they were probably using some artifacts now to deal with the formation. He could feel some cracks in it but he wasn''t worried cause...

    With the tail end of Dragon Vein disappearing into his chest, the process of absorbing the Dragon Vein waspleted.

    In his sea of consciousness, sheltered within his Mage Crest, was arge Wood Dragon who''s coiled in itself, appearing to be slumbering. On its head, a figure could be seen, looking around as if she were in a daze.

    "...you did it." Hilda''s awed voice sounded in his mind.

    "I made a promise didn''t I?" He replied.

    Looking at Hilda''s silhouette that''s still naked and her body is filled withrge gaping holes from the stakes, Ashton said:

    "Rest and recuperate for now. You''ve suffered enough. Let me handle the rest for a bit."

    Hilda had aplicated look in her eyes before eventually conceding to him. She nodded and closed her eyes,ying down on top of the Wood Dragon''s head.

    It''s unknown how much time she''d spend slumbering topletely recover from her injuries but at least here, she''s safe.

    With his promise being settled, Ashton''s consciousness returned to the present and he opened his eyes.

    He stood up and looked at the crumbling pocket dimension around him. Since the Dragon Vein is gone, the pocket dimension lost its purpose, therefore there''s no reason behind its existence anymore.

    And while the formation he created is still under siege by the invaders trying to barge in, Ashton''s eyes narrowed dangerously as he silently drew the scythe on his back, muttering...

    "Alright, you freaks. No more hiding this time. Since you want death, then I''ll give you death."

 Chapter 145 Battle (I)

    "Hurry up you useless fools! Break it!" Neon bellowed at top of his lungs, ring at the army of angels who are clearly doing their best to break the restriction that''s barring their way.

    The Seraph''s expression was one of distress, anxiety, and anger. His calm disposition disappeared entirely the moment he felt themotion happening down here. Behind him, the rest of the 1st Sphere Angels felt mostly the same.

    ''God damn it! Why now!? Why now of all days!?'' Neon roared within his heart, he was extremely vexed.

    How can he not be? Just a few days ago, Apostle Matthew returned to Paradiso to get something that would help them solve the problem that is the White-Cloaked Reaper. But, more importantly, he returned there to sign off the transfer documents for those who were stationed here!

    This was a big thing. It had to be known that both the Angels and Demons who were stationed here didn''t want toe here in the first ce, they were sent here as a punishment. They''ve longed toe home to Paradiso and resume their regr lives, not spend their time in this deste world where there''s nothing for them but boredom!

    They were about to go home! They were so close to going home and never returning to this ce ever again! Yet there''s this!

    Something just ''HAS'' to happen just when they''re about to leave! How can Neon and hisrades be calm about this? How can they not be curious?

    If this were to be another one of the White-Cloaked Reaper''s killing spree, it would''ve been fine. Neon doesn''t care if others were killed permanently under the hands of that reaper. So long as he can go home, it was fine. He doesn''t care!

    But this! This isn''t something he can ignore! What''s down here was the main purpose of their stay here! This is what they''ve been guarding. If anything were to happen to this, then Neon and the rest would be fucked! They can kiss their freedom a bitter goodbye!

    "Come on,e on! Breakthrough, you idiots! Where''s your energy? Are we not feeding you enough? Break this shit! God damn it!" Ulver angrily cursed on the side.

    His face was one of irritation too. He''s anxious, just like the others were. He prayed in his heart, again and again, for the Dragon Vein to remain the same. All for the sake of theming home smoothly...

    It wasn''t just the Angels too...

    The Demons were at it as well. They too looked anxious and scared. It''s as if someone had taken their most precious someone as a hostage. They too were doing their best to barge inside the pocket dimension to check the status of the Dragon Vein.

    In this, they''re in the same position as the Angels. If something were to happen with the Dragon Vein, they''re fucked.

    "Who are you!?"

    "What are you doing!?"

    "No! Stop him!"

    "Foul creature! Stop for me!"

    "Pest! Don''t you dare!!"

    The First Sphere Angels and the Noble Demons were startled when all of a sudden, they heard a loudmotion above the surface.

    "Bea, check it out." Neon ordered stiffly.

    The Cherub nodded and immediately flew up to the surface using the tunnel they used toe here earlier.

    The moment she arrived at the surface, rm bells suddenly went off in her mind. Instinctively, she took out her sword and defended against an attack that she predicted tond on her.

    ng!!

    "Oh, good instincts..." a deep and gritty voice sounded in her ears.

    Bea''s expression was twisted. Inwardly, she couldn''t help but exim inwardly: ''Shit! How heavy! Who''s this guy?''

    It was only now that she had the time to inspect who attacked her.

    The wicked edge of arge scythe swam in her vision, its gleam caused palpitations to rise in her heart. Shifting her vision, she saw a silhouette covered in a white cloak, wearing a in white mask with holes for the eyes, nose, and mouth.

    A pair of heterochromatic eyes locked on her, the right eye was blue silver, and the left eye was emerald. That gaze held contempt and a mild amusement in them.

    The visuals screamed at Bea, all of it pointed to the mysterious being that had been the subject of their vexation during thest stretch of their sentence here...

    "White-Cloaked Reaper?" Bea asked using an incredulous voice.

    A crisp and raspy sound ofughter sounded in her ears, causing her to reel back in shock.

    "Correct! Sadly, there''s no prize for you."

    "Shit!"

    Bea suddenly felt an exertion of pressure. She was blown back by an invisible force. Whilst in flight, her instincts warned her again.

    She focused and saw that the White-Cloaked Reaper held something in his hand and it was pointed at her.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    "Firearms!?" Bea was rmed.<sub> </sub>

    She watched as three streaks of light swiftly caught up to her. She could feel the killing intent behind those bullets, causing her to nch mildly.

    ''What a potent killing intent!'' She eximed.

    Pink mes erupted from her sword. She raised her sword and kicked her legs back to stabilize herself, just in time for the bullets to arrive.

    She did three shes, one for each bullet. The sharpness of her sword easily dealt with the bullets, slicing them in half like a hot knife through butter.

    But, when she looked at where the White-Cloaked Reaper was, she discovered that he wasn''t even paying attention to her.

    She watched in horror as the White-Cloaked Reaper swung his scythe diagonally with such strength that space itself was ripped.

    A wide diagonal scar could be seen on the battlefield. It caused a suction force that the nearby Angels and Demons were pulled into it, dying miserably without being able to do anything.

    "Stop!!!" Bea was horrified.

    She could feel her blood running cold after witnessing that strike. And although she tried herself to stop him, even shouting at him using her Holy Voice, it did nothing. The man wasn''t even fazed at all.

    She could only watch as the blood of the angelic and demonic army stained thend, the majority of it was absorbed by the wicked scythe of the reaper.

    Seeing this, Bea was shocked.

    "Their blood...no! Their souls too! He''s absorbing them into the scythe! Is this how he permanently kills them?"

    "You''re right again! How smart of you!"

    Bea couldn''t even react. He''s just all of a sudden right in front of her, scythe raised high, amidst in the act of swinging down at her.

    In her horror, Bea lost control over her body. Golden light exploded out of her body. Under extreme stress, she was unable to remain in her humanoid form and reverted to her true form.

    Head of a swan, the torso of a human, six pairs of pristine white wings lined with pink eyes, her lower body was covered by the bottom pair of her wings, a pink and golden aura covered her entire body as three pairs of ritual swords hovered around her body.

    This is Bea''s true form as a Cherub.

    "Ooh, finally revealed your true ugliness huh? Nice."

    The mocking voice of the reaper sounded on her mind this time, causing endless vexation to fill Bea''s heart.

    As the Darling of Aesthetics, hearing this man refer to her beauty as ''ugliness'' might be the most offending insult she could ever receive. One that she could and would not tolerate at all.

    "Die for me!!"

    Typically, Bea''s voice, especially in this form, would sound like honey, an irresistible suggestion that would cause her enemy''s will to be greatly shaken. In fact, everything that she does, even her mere presence alone, should''ve been enough to melt, even the heart, of a battle-hardened warrior.

    Sadly, it does not affect Ashton since there''s already someone who''s upying his heart. Therefore, her voice to him sounded wretched instead. Which is the ugly truth, anyway.

    Ashton snorted. He pulled out the Mortal Reminder and swiftly condensed shot, shooting six times in quick session, urately aimed at the swords flying towards him.

    Once he was done shooting, he didn''t stop. He ced the guns back in the holster, he drew the scythe and immediately charged toward Bea.

    As he flew past, the flying swords and bullets shed. Neutralizing each other and kicking up a cloud of dust that obscured one''s vision. This obstruction was of course, not enough to screen Bea''s senses.

    Unfortunately though, she''s nowhere near fast enough.

    While she could indeed follow his movements, her body was just a tad bit slower to respond to hermands, which resulted in her failing to guard herself in time.

    Shank!

    A piercing shriek was violently ripped out of her when the sharp edge of the wicked scythe prated her body. A gaping wound appeared on her body, and her golden blood was spilled eagerly, and voraciously drank by the scythe.

    She tried to resist but she couldn''t. In the dawning horror of her death, she could only say:

    "Curse you, White-Cloaked Reaper!! I hope your bloodline withers and you die a very miserable death!!"

    Her anguished voice sounded across the entire Chaotic Warzone, even reaching the ears of herrades who were still down below.

    Ashton snorted and ruthlessly yanked his scythe, cleaving the Cherub in half.

    Thest words Bea heard were...

    "This is just the start of our payback, bitch. Now, obediently be nourishment for my scythe."

    This battle, is far from over...

 Chapter 146 Battle (II)

    Ashton could feel the Bone Scythe shivering in mad glee whilst in his hands and it greedily drank the blood of a Cherub.

    This was the first 1st Sphere Angel that died under its de and became a supplement for its growth. Additionally, it isn''t just the blood of the angel that got absorbed. In a sense, her Soul was also being devoured by the scythe.

    The blood of the Angels, from their own words, was holy and divine. Their very essence is contained in the blood that ran through their veins, so in a sense, if someone or something were to devour their blood, they would also devour their soul.

    This is the reason why Ashton''s victims couldn''t be resurrected by others...

    ''Hmm...still pretty far from another upgrade I guess.'' Ashton mused to himself while casting a short look on his scythe.

    He then stared at the ground beneath him and said: "...good thing there''s more on the way."

    As soon as he finished saying that, thend in front of him exploded, kicking up arge dust cloud that obscured his silhouette.

    From there, a group of demons and angels appeared. Looking around frantically.

    "Bea!? Bea!? Where are you? Where''s the White-Cloaked Reaper?" Neon asked in a distressed manner.

    Truly, this one''s having the worst day of his life. First, there''s the matter about the Dragon Vein and now, the sudden enemy attack. Seriously, they just can''t catch a break! And all of this just ''has'' to happen when the Apostle and the Sin Demon were away.

    It''s almost like this was all nned all along!

    ...well, he doesn''t have to know, right? Maybe. Just maybe. It''d be better if they remained ignorant about the truth.

    "Stop looking for her." Joel, the other Seraph uttered stiffly. "She''s dead."

    "What!?" Ulver''s eyes widened in disbelief. "You''re kidding, right? This is Bea we''re talking about!"

    "Ulver, her Life Sphere has shattered!" Adul retorted with a pained voice. "That means she''s truly dead. I would know, I am a Cherub like her."

    "Damn! Damn! Damn!!" Neon cursed angrily, stomping in the air as he pulled his hair out.

    How horrible can this get for them? He wondered. Why must things like this happen? They''re supposed to be celebrating theirst day here. Not feeling despair or mourning for the loss of arade.

    Some of the Noble Demons snickered not too far away from them. Though, they didn''t say a word.

    If they''re inwardly gloating, that''s just due to their natural aversion towards their rivals. Still, even with that in mind, they do feel some form of pity for them. This day is stressful for everybody, and if angels could die, demons definitely could too.

    One person from the Noble Demons scanned the battlefield with his senses. Frowning upon the sheer chaos and smoke covering it. As his senses spread out, he came in contact with a figure hidden behind a dust cloud.

    The demon''s eyes narrowed when he received the feedback.

    "...white-cloak and...that scythe!" He eximed. His voice was low but it was heard by the others around him.

    They all looked at him with questioning gazes but the demon suddenly chilled.

    The sensation of being stared down by an apex predator caused his expression to nch. In his senses, he saw that the person in that white cloak was staring straight into his eyes which held mild amusement in them.

    Even behind that mask, the demon could make out the mad grin on that person''s face. The demon''s pupils dted when he realized that something was aimed at them.

    "Not good! Duck--"

    Psssht!

    BOOM!!

    The others barely reacted to the demon''s warnings. That Demon Prince himself was barely able to pull hisrades back to retreat when a shell wasunched towards them, causing a stadium-sized explosion to ur, rocking the entire warzone.

    One just has to hand to Ashton...he certainly doesn''t like wasting time.

    In that short lull when the 1st Sphere Angels and Noble Demons arrived, he instantly minimized his presence and took out his rocketuncher, condensing a single shell whilst they wondered about what was going on.

    It was amusing to him how there''s only a single one from this group who''s smart enough to scan the battlefield, instead of yapping. And that guy has to be a demon too...how ironic...

    "Shit! What the hell was that about?" A Demon Prince spat while sweating coldly.

    He held out both of his hands, casting a technique that erected a barrier that covered him and hisrades, protecting them from the st.

    "That was too fucking close!"<sub> </sub>

    "What the hell?"

    "Who did that?"

    The other Demon Princes recovered as well after discovering that they were safe.

    On the Angels'' side, they too managed to stay safe from impact. It was Ulver who made a move.

    "Are you guys okay?" He asked.

    "Yeah, we are. Thanks." Neon replied after checking out the state of the others.

    They all then looked at where that attack came from with solemn expressions on their faces.

    It was then that they saw him...

    "Hey, guys. What''s up?" He greeted them with an amused tone. "How are you doing?"

    A person who was wearing a White-Cloak with a hood on stood before them. He wore a mask that hid his facial features, and there was also a tall and wicked-looking scythe that could be seen behind him as he held the rocketuncher that was still emitting smoke from the shell itunched just now.

    "You!!" Neon growled like a rabid animal at him. "It''s you!! White-Cloaked Reaper!! What did you do to Bea? Answer me!?"

    "...that dude just literally told you that her Life Sphere was shattered. What else do you think I did to her? Sent her on a vacation?" Ashton retorted while rolling his eyes.

    Neon sputtered and turned wretched in anger. The demons who saw that couldn''t help but snort in disdain.

    "Neon, get a hold of yourself," Joel advised. "I get it, you''re mad. We are too, but now is not the time to let your emotions take over you."

    "That''s right, Neon," Adul interjected. "This person is capable. He''s leading you to a trap, don''t fall for it. If you do, we''re all dead."

    "Wow, camaraderie. How nice." Ashton sneered. "I suppose you all aren''t just wings and eyes."

    "How dare you!" Ulver roared. His eyes turned full-on red out of sheer anger. "It''s because of you that everything is a mess here!"

    "No. It''s because of ''you guys'' that everything''s a mess here!" Ashton snapped back. "Seriously, if you guys didn''t exist, then would any of this happen? No, right? So that means this is your fault, not mine. I am the one cleaning up your mess! Not the other way around!"

    "You!!"

    And Angels and Demons were instantly incensed. This person...how infuriating was he...

    The reaper was implying his disgust about their existence. How can they ept such an insult?

    "Why!? Why did you have toe here and do all of this!" Neon was losing grip of his sanity. His silhouette was flickering, it was as if anytime now he''d revert to his true form.

    "We didn''t offend you! We did nothing to you! You just have to appear and ruin everything we worked so hard for! How can you be so ruthless!?" Neon howled in grief.

    If it were someone else, they might feel moved by the emotions Neon expressed. Unfortunately, he''s facing Ashton -- a guy who''s aware of all of their schemes and knows the very reason behind this ''grief'' they''re feeling.

    "Ruin everything you worked so hard for?" Ashton sneered. "Please. Spare me the theatrics, you freak."

    "Hard work? Do you mean that meaningless disy of muscle and brawn you and the demons usually perform in this ce? You call that hard work? Bitch, please!"

    "You''re fooling anybody. I know that the reason why you''re crying was that this day was supposed to be the day you all could finally return home. You''re just throwing a tantrum after the idea that your stay might be extended because of your uselessness. That''s all."

    "Don''t make it sound like you''re doing something meaningful here. In my eyes, all of you are just clowns dancing in front of a bonfire. You all are a joke."

    One ruthless remark after another pierced their hearts. There was absolutely no filter whatsoever in Ashton''s words.

    "Hell, let''s include that balding Apostle and that gross Sin Demon. You all are the same. Disgusting creatures that need to be culled. There''s no meaning behind your existence. Why don''t you obediently sit there and wait for me to kill you, yeah?"

    Nobody could endure those words anymore. They didn''t even bother replying to him...well, nothing intelligible for the most part at least. They just let out roars of fury and attacked him rabidly.

    Ashton sneered and used Blink to evade their attacks. Holding the scythe firmly in his hands, he issued a mighty swing, grunting in the process.

    In their eyes, it''s as if Ashton turned into a giant. They watched as his scythe cleaved down with a horrified look on their faces because they didn''t just feel the threat of death...

    They also saw the image of their kind drowning in an endless chasm of the abyss, reaching out to them and calling out their name.

 Chapter 147 Battle (III)

    The scene was soul-chilling...like a cold bucket of water sshing directly on their soul.

    That horrifying image branded itself in their minds, it is something that would truly haunt them for the rest of their lives.

    It was hard to tell whether that was an illusion on not. It felt so real yet unreal at the same time. As horror gripped their hearts, every part of their instinct screamed at them to evade and run...

    Run as far away from here as possible...there''s no way for them to win against the man in front of them, he will kill them if they don''t do something.

    Such a feeling was like a primal fear...something that, theoretically, they would only feel when facing the wrath of their creators, yet it''s what they felt from the White-Cloaked Reaper''s attack.

    What they saw, in truth, is just an illusion caused by the thin film of Death Energy oozing from Ashton''s scythe.

    Using the Virtue of Death, he can impose ''Certain Death'' on the so-called ''Immortals''. After all, even though the Virtue of Death is only a glimpse of what truly is the Law of Death, it is still inexplicably a part of it.

    This much is enough topletely bypass their False Immortality...

    Ashton''s scythe cleaved down mercilessly, leaving a horrible scar on the space in front of him. The thick stench of Death instantly permeated the surroundings. Causing the hearts of those who barely avoided it, to clench tightly.

    Faced with the idea that they could truly die in this ce, right here and right now, dampened the fighting spirit of the Angels and Demons.

    And while themanders of both camps managed to haul their asses away from the scythe''s trajectory, those who were standing behind them, unfortunately, could not.

    They were cleaved cleanly in half, and blood gushed out from their bodies, forming puddles on the ground. Something that the Bone Scythe didn''t shy away from drinking.

    Mournful groans and screams of death echoed in the Chaotic Warzone. Themanders stood and watched in horror as theirrades'' soul was greedily devoured by the foul weapon of the White-Cloaked Reaper.

    Adul, the Cherub, their his best to save them but ultimately failed. His power didn''t have any sort of effect on the situation. Neither did the Demons themselves were able to stop that from happening.

    As they watched how the blood of their kind formed a sea trailing behind the scythe, they were rmed when they realized that the White-Cloaked Reaper was gearing up for another attack.

    They hurriedly used their moves, calling upon their titles and using their divine abilities to fend for themselves.

    All of them faced horrible suppression due to the White-Cloaked Reaper''s relentless attacks. Each time he swung that scythe, they could only evade and run away. There''s no way they could defend against it since their defenses were a joke under the sharp edge of that wicked scythe.

    If it were just that though, they''d still be fine. After all, they were somewhat working together to resist him. It''s one against many, so in that logic, they shouldn''t find it difficult to deal with him.

    Sadly though, that''s not the only thing Ashton has going on for himself.

    Aside from his overbearing and horrifying Bone Scythe, he also has the Mortal Reminder that he uses to cover his openings.

    Salvo after salvo of bullets wasunched, making this battle turn even more chaotic. Streaks of lights flew, explosions rocked thend and countless of deadly attacks were thrown one after another.

    The leading forces of the Chaotic Warzone were thoroughly suppressed in all manner of ways. Little by little, their injuries were piling up and they became more and more miserable as time goes on.

    It was such a puzzling thing for them...how can a single person have so much power? How was this guy able to do all of this by himself? It truly didn''t make sense to them.

    "Neon! We can''t hold on! He''s too strong! Have you contacted Apostle Matthew yet?" Joel asked while dodging yet another streak of light which nearly severed his head from his shoulders.

    "I can''t!" Neon looked wretched and panicked. "I have been trying but it''s not going through!"

    "What!?" Ulver was shocked.

    "Hey, you all! Can you ask your Supervisor toe here? We need reinforcements!" Adul hollered at the Noble Demons.

    "We can''t either!" One of them replied, "I''ve been trying to send a distress call but it isn''t going through!"

    "Shit!" Neon spat as he readied himself to evade once more.

    A sharp crescent-shaped projectile passed by where they previously were, missing them by a hair''s breadth.

    Neon didn''t speak, he just let out a string of curses inwardly...

    He wasn''t that stupid. He knows that somehow, the White-Cloaked Reaper anticipated this. And if he could realize this, the others could too.

    "We''re gonna die if this continues like this!" Adul stated, he sounded tired and panicked. "We have to do something!"<sub> </sub>

    "Neon, go ahead and work with Demon Prince Tul. Find a way to locate whatever it is the White-Cloaked Reaper did to cut off ourmunication line. We will keep him busy."

    "But--!"

    "There are no buts!" Joel snarled at him, all of his eyes turning crimson as he red at Neon. "You either do it or we all die!"

    Neon gnashed his teeth as he spat: "Fine! Come here, you! Figure this out with me! I refuse to believe that a single person can deal with all of us!"

    "You guys talk as if I don''t exist..." Ashton chuckled in amusement while shaking his head.

    But shockingly though, he did nothing to stop this from happening. He allowed Seraph Neon and Demon Prince Tul to retreat and find a way to send a distress signal to their Supervisors.

    With two gone, Ashton faced against the remaining 7; three from the angel''s side and four from the demon''s side.

    "Come, receive your death White-Cloaked Reaper!" Ulver roared in fury as his body writhed, bringing forth endless waves of agonized souls to swarm him.

    Ashton snorted in disdain. He didn''t even need to personally deal with the souls Ulvermanded. He just held out his palm and casted his Lv.60 Purify Spell topletely eradicate all of them in one go, much to the shock and horror of Ulver.

    His Purify didn''t stop there either, it also cleansed a wide area around them, getting rid of the corruption that stained it. This inevitably brought down the strength of both angels and demons by a notch.

    Swiping the guns from their holster, he fired off a wave of salvo which left a burning trail of pure white mes on his surroundings, dousing everything with its scalding heat and cleansing properties.

    Both the Angels and more importantly, the Demons, felt the suppression of those mes despite them not being close to it.

    And just to even out the scale, lest this brings up the idea that he hated demons more than angels, he casted a string of ck Magic Spells which caused immense agony to the angels, this is to let them know that he both hated them equally.

    The ''holy'' visage of 1st Sphere Angels was defiled by ck tendrils that sprang from the ground, rooting them in ce and preventing them from moving around, while the Demons felt the sickening ''cleanliness'' that repulsed their very existence.

    Gripping his scythe once more, Ashton used Blink and appeared behind an unsuspecting demon while their busy trying to get rid of the problems he unleashed upon them.

    "Shit! Gaol, duck!!"

    "No-!!"

    Sshkkt!!

    Like a hot knife through butter, the edge of the scythe easily tore through the protective essence and tough flesh of the Demon Prince, he was cleaved diagonally from the left shoulder down to the right waist.

    Ashton spun the scythe and also severed the head of the Demon Prince, catching it in the air as the demon''s body copsed lifelessly on the ground.

    Demon Prince Goal''s mouth still tried to utter words but had no voice. Thest thing he saw, was the cold pair of heterochromatic eyes staring down at him.

    As the warmth of life disappeared from his corpse, the Bone Scythe greedily devoured the demon''s blood and the sea of white mes burned the corpse.

    Others watched in horror as the reaper stored the head of the demon away before disappearing again from their sight...

    At this point, nobody could me them...

    They have certainly tried their best. s, they were weak.

    Honestly, they should''ve known this from the very start. They could do a thing to him when there are still 9 of them so what could they do with just 7?

    The White-Cloaked Reaper culled them one by one. It only got easier the more he killed.

    Some tried to resist, others begged for mercy...yet none were spared. All were killed.

    In the face of death, it didn''t matter if they were low-ss Angels or Demons, nor a high-ranking ones. Faced with the horror brought forth by the White-Cloaked Reaper, status did not matter.

    As the sea of white mes drowned the Chaotic Warzone, Ashton raised his head and looked over to a certain spot. His eyes gleamed as he murmured:

    "...it''s just the two of you left."

 Chapter 148 Battle (End)

    "...fuck! Fuck! God damn it all!!"

    Neon ruthlessly threw out an attack after another. He looked wretched and furious as he repeatedly mmed his body into the invisible cage they were imprisoned in until it was stained with his blood.

    It isn''t just him...Demon Prince Tul was in a simr state. In his true form, Demon Prince Tul is a Hawk Demon, yet despite having those fierce wings that could reap lives like wheat, it didn''t give him any freedom to escape their predicament.

    They''re all out of options. They tried all they could but they couldn''t escape.

    They did discover why theirmunication was cut-off, it''s because there is an invisible cage here that isted them from the outside. None of them knew when it appeared nor how big it was exactly, all they knew is that, if they want to flee and live, they have to break this invisible cage.

    Unfortunately, that''s proving to be challenging.

    At this point, these two couldn''t be bothered to check the state of theirrades. Simply put, they couldn''t care less anymore.

    Neon and Tul wanted to live. Who cares if theirrades couldn''t make it? At the end of the day, living is living, they didn''t care if the rest resented them in the afterlife. As long as they live, they could give up everything.

    Besides, there has been a tacit understanding, no? Else, why would theirrades send the two of them away if they didn''t want to allow them to retreat and live? Wasn''t that the point?

    But...oh how despairing this was...

    No matter how much they tried. No didn''t matter which method they used. They''re trapped here and there''s no going out, whether they like it or not.

    "...ah, there you are..."

    Chills ran down their spine as they heard that deep and raspy voice. Both Neon and Tul mechanically turned around, only to see the White-Cloaked Reaper marching at a steady pace toward them.

    ''No way...it hasn''t even been ten minutes.'' Neon howled in despair inwardly.

    Upon seeing him, Neon felt thest plume of hope disappearing within his heart. He choked, feeling suffocated as if Death itself was gripping his neck.

    Demon Prince Tul copsed on the ground, staring nkly at the marching figure. It was obvious that he had given up as well.

    "Thanks for making my job easier by the way. You did me a solid. I appreciate that." Ashton chuckled as he dragged his scythe.

    To Neon and Tul''s ears though, his words and his voice sounded so ominous that they felt their souls shivering from it.

    "...I see you didn''t manage to break it. My, that''s sad." Ashton sneered in disdain, "And to think that yourrades tried to buy you time to escape. You two are really useless. You can''t even do such a simple thing."

    "..."

    Neon and Tul didn''t say a word. There''s simply no reason to. They''re cornered either way. It''s not like wasting words to a madman will miraculously give them a way out.

    They''re not that stupid. They both know that this person is determined to kill all of them today, and no amount of pleading will stop him.

    "Well...seeing as the two of you already epted your fate, I guess I can be generous." Ashton stated, "Do you have anything to say before you die? Do it now while I''m still in a good mood."

    "...what did you do to the Dragon Vein?" Demon Prince Tul asked hollowly. It was hisst attempt at doing something meaningful as a Demon.

    "What Dragon Vein?" Ashton tilted his head and asked in a confused manner, lying as naturally as he breathed.

    Neon and Tul were stunned. They both thought to themselves: ''It wasn''t him? Who was it then?''

    "Hey, I asked you two a question." Ashton shook them out of their stupor. "What is a Dragon Vein?"

    In their ears, the White-Cloaked Reaper sounded genuinely curious and confused.

    "Hmph. What''s the point of telling you? You''re going to kill us anyway." Tul sneered. Neon did so too.

    Ashtonughed in disdain inwardly. Feeling very proud of himself.

    ''Yep, they''re stupid alright. I can''t believe that worked.''

    Yes. There''s no need for them to know. Let them be ignorant til the day they die. It''s better this way.

    "Whatever then..." Ashton shrugged. Looking and sounding unconcerned. "Anything else you want to say? Or ask?"<sub> </sub>

    "Why kill us?" Neon asked. "It doesn''t make sense to me. Be it you''re an Angel or a Demon, why do this? Even if you didn''t know what exactly our mission is here, why kill? It''s ourst day here! Why did you have to go and mess this all up?"

    ''...wow.'' Ashton was mildly speechless. ''Are you for real? They honestly still don''t know that I''m a human. Didn''t I show them my guns earlier? I also casted several Spells in front of them, yet they still didn''t get the clue?''

    ''Wow...just...wow.''

    Ashton truly didn''t know what to feel about this. On one hand, he''s a bit offended since the freaks truly didn''t put humans in their eyes. On the other hand...

    ''Well, I guess it works this way too. If they didn''t know that I''m human, then they wouldn''t me humans for the disaster I caused them.''

    ''...but still, they did really not think that I could possibly be human too?''

    ''Ah, it''s because I''m speaking theirnguage isn''t it? Yeah, that might be it.''

    Thanks to his Omnilingual Skill, he could understand and speak all kinds ofnguages hees across. The invaders probably never met a human who understood theirnguage which lead to this situation.

    "I have no desire to return home." Ashton shrugged, lying once again as naturally as he breathed, "There''s nothing for me there. Nobody''s left. I grew tired of being a mindless doll for your amusement I suppose."

    "Therefore I say...fuck it. Salvation? Eternal Glory? None of those mean shit to me. I''d rather go out with a bang rather than return to being a mindless puppet."

    Ashton was talking out of his ass here, but looking at the wonderful expressions that colored the faces of both Neon and Tul, he''d say that whatever he said must''ve rattled them badly enough that they looked thoroughly offended.

    "Heresy!" Neon spat.

    "Mhm. Sounds about right." Ashton confirmed semi-consciously. "Anyways, that''s enough living for the both of you. Pick. I kill you or you kill yourselves. The timer starts now. Five..."

    Neon and Tul looked at each other and nodded. They then ignited their bodies and exploded into bits before Ashton could even finish his countdown.

    "Whoa, synchronized suicide. How rare. How nice of them, making my job so much easier." He giggled as he stretched his scythe forward.

    The scythe then greedily absorbed their blood while the remains of their corpses were burned by white mes.

    Ashton looked around to see the sea of white mes raging around him. A smile appeared on his face as he mused.

    ''Good thing I set up an istion zone earlier, else I would''ve been forced to flee by the Apostle and the Sin Demon.''

    The Invisible Cage which isted the entire Chaotic Warzone was something that urred when Ashton shot the rocket shell he fired off earlier. More specifically, it''s a side effect of that thanks to the form of spells he used in conjunction with the Mortal Reminder''s conversion.

    The cage is a fearsome trap that willst for half an hour. It is indestructible and invisible. Only Ashton cane and leave as he pleased, everyone else who was caught up in it will be trapped, whether they liked it or not.

    Of course, there are limitations to the toughness of the cage, but since he''s only dealing with the 1st Sphere Angels and Noble Demons, then it''s more than enough.

    He mixed up at least 10 High-Order Spells to make this happen so he was thankful that it worked as intended.

    Once the scythe was done absorbing the blood, he sighed in relief.

    He then flew like a streak of light to the camps of both Angels and Demons. There was no hiding this time, he didn''t care whether he triggered an rm, everyone was dead anyway so what''s the point of being careful?

    He plundered the treasures they have. Although they were usable for Humans, he can leave them for Aria to study so that she might improve her skills. Who knows, maybe she can make them usable for humans one day.

    Ashton also collected a lot of Angelic and Demonic remains like; halos, eyes, crowns, horns, bones, feathers, etc. Those would be extremely useful so he stored them in his Inventory.

    Looking at the Dragon Vein - which took on a form of a Wood Dragon, and Hilda who were both slumbering in his consciousness. He felt at ease.

    He fulfilled his promise and demolished the Chaotic Warzone. As a bonus, his identity was neverpromised so his actions wouldn''t be tied to Humanity.

    A job well done, if he does say so at least...

    "Alright..." Ashton whispered as he turned his back to the sea of white mes.

    "Time to go home."

 Chapter 149 Edge Of Madness

    ***

    [A/N: Ashton would be rewarded for taking down the Chaotic Warzone and for killing the 1st Sphere Angels and Noble Demons, once the System goes online again.

    ...this is mainly a reminder for myself, lol.]

    ***

    Location: Edge of Madness

    Date: 3rd of March, Year 9027. (One week after Ashtonid waste to the Chaotic Warzone.)

    Time: 11:07 am

    Under the harsh re of the sun and the decrepit air of their surroundings, several soldiers marched with stern faces.

    They wore military uniforms that made them stand out. They also held weapons in their hands as they vigntly surveyed their surroundings. The group consists of two males and two females. They moved in a formation that allowed them to pay attention to the four cardinal directions.

    "...smells bad here, it''s too hot here, it''s too bleak here, I hate it here." One of the male soldiers grumbled as he surveyed south, covering the backs of hisrades.

    The others rolled their eyes upon hearing his words and refused to say anything.

    They''re used to this guy''s whining at this point so they didn''tment. Plus, paying attention to hisints would just stress them out, and being out in this rather dangerous ce, any disturbance that would put their guard down would prove fatal, so they do their best to not let themselves be swayed by this guy''s mood.

    "It''s about time when the usual sightings were reported." The one who''s marching up front, leading the team, spoke. "Any of you see something? They say it''s around here."

    "Negative, Captain." Both the female soldiers replied.

    "It''s no for me, Cap." The other guy replied, his voice sounding rather yful.

    The captain sighed and shook his head. Yeah, he really doesn''t have the energy to scold that guy so he might as well not say anything.

    "We''ll hold this position then." He stated, "Jane, Olivia, help me with setting up the concealing formation. Harry, you stay on guard. Please do your job properly."

    "Aye, aye, Cap." The man named Harry saluted before doing his job. Meanwhile, the girls helped the captain toy down the formation.

    Their mission lead them to survey the sightings reported at the Edge of Madness -- the area that separates the Last Bastion from the rest of the world.

    This ce is steeped in both kinds of corruption; ck and golden ones. Barely any life exist here and those that do, are mutated beyond recognition. As this ce was very close to Humanity''s territory, this area was often patrolled by Federal Soldiers to maintain order and respond to emergencies should the need arise.

    From the orders of their supervisors, it is said that some sightings of demons urred around the vicinity where they''re currently in. They were then sent to investigate whether those ims were true and they''ve been given orders on how to respond based on the situation they''d find themselves in.

    Once they were done setting up the concealment formation, all squad members entered it and took a moment to rest. They sat down and began drinking from their canteens, wiping off the sweat that umted from their journey here.

    "...hail military uniforms." Harry yfully whispered as he made himselffortable. "Thank you for being resistant to corruption, allowing little ol'' me to sit down and rest my pitiful legs. Ah..."

    "Harry..."

    "I know, I know." Harry cut off the woman named Olivia before she could continue, "Stop being so dramatic, yes I get it. I know...I just don''t feel like doing it."

    "Inconsiderate asshole." Jane sneered on the side as she bit off a portion of her military rations.

    "Honest, is the right word, sweetie." Harry clicked his tongue as he retorted, "I am irritated and I''m not ashamed to say it. If you three are easily bothered by my honesty, then I guess our supervisors hadn''t instilled enough military discipline in you all. That''s not my problem."

    "Harry." The captain gave him a hard look which made Harry stiff, "Shut it. This isn''t about our military discipline, this is about you being an obnoxious asshole which is not helping. Now, shut the fuck up before I report you for insubordination."

    "Tch." Harry''s unconvinced but he shuts up anyway.

    Judging by their captain''s attitude, Harry didn''t doubt that he''d definitely do what he said if his patience was tested. Typically, Harry wouldn''t be afraid of this threat but nowadays, since the world has gone to shit, this threat is as effective as a death threat, and dying is something Harry doesn''t want to experience anytime soon.

    Captain Dennis sighed inwardly. Truth to be told, he didn''t like using his position to discipline his squad members. Due to the nature of their work, he wanted to have a rather amicable rtionship with hisrades to promote teamwork.

    Unfortunately, there would always be people like this guy who are a little full of themselves. The best way to deal with them, from his experience, of course, was to let them experience the weight of thew pressing down on them. So far, it''s been effective. Though it isn''t something that Dennis liked to do, he had responsibilities to fulfill. He can''t mess this up or they''re all going to die.

    After their short break, Dennis gathered them up and they went into a formation once more. This time though, instead of walking aimlessly, they just held their current positions and observed their surroundings, keeping a lookout for anything that might be worth mentioning.

    This is generally what they came here to do. They''re not here looking for a fight, they''re just here to observe and report their findings. If they see anything worth mentioning, they''d report it back. If they didn''t see anything, then they''d report it as is.<sub> </sub>

    Either way, so long as they return home alive, they''d be paid for their services. So in truth, this mission should be easy.

    "Captain, I have a question," Olivia asked whilst in position.

    "What is it?"

    "What exactly was ''sightings'' supposed to be?" She said, "I mean, ''demonic sightings'' are pretty cryptic, no? Did they not give us any descriptions or...anything helpful at all?"

    "They did, but it''s not helpful at all," Dennis replied, sighing ever so slightly as he did so. "They said that they saw a ck silhouette moving extremely fast. This silhouette apparently likes to dart all over this general area we''re in. That''s all they said..."

    "My, how detailed..." Harry sneered from where he was.

    "That''s...they sent us just because of something like that?" Jane sounded bbergasted.

    "I believe they did, yes." Dennis sighed, sounding tired and so done. "Alright, let''s stop talking about this. Let''s just do what we''re supposed to do."

    The others groaned but said nothing in the end. Dennis was just as helpless in this. Truth to be told, if it weren''t for the promised reward, he wouldn''t waste his time here.

    This mission sounds rather mundane, to be honest. It''spletely below their caliber so it felt like they''re just wasting time here. Yet again, since the rewards are rather attractive for such a mundane mission like this, Dennis still ended up applying for it anyway.

    He can''t be med, he needed some supplies and resources. The others do too.

    Then, about an hour passed by when all of a sudden...

    "Possible Hostile alert." Olivia suddenly said. "I think this is what has been reported."

    Dennis moved from his position and arrived next to Olivia, meanwhile, Jane and Harry remained in their position since they weren''t given orders to move yet.

    Dennis and Olivia started at the target and just as it was reported, it is indeed a ck silhouette darting all over the ce like it was possessed.

    "What does it look like to you Olivia?" Dennis asked.

    The girl squinted, looking closely, a faint film of light was noticeable in her eyes.

    "...I could barely make it out but...it looks like a Beast Demon. A Sabertooth Cat, I suppose."

    "Eh? How did something like that end up here?" Harry''s inquiry sounded in their ears. "Usually all that we see here are just Skeleton Demons or Flesh Biters. How did a Beast Demon appear?"

    "How are we supposed to know?" Jane retorted.

    Harry clicked his tongue and murmured: ''Whatever.''

    "Are you sure it''s a Sabertooth Cat Demon?" Dennis looked rather pensive.

    Olivia nodded and said: "More or less. It was moving too fast for me but I could still make out most of its body. I''ve seen them on records before so I shouldn''t be mistaken."

    "Okay, things just got moreplicated." Dennis released an exhausted sigh. "Just to be clear, you only see one right?"

    "Yep. Just one."

    "How many horns?"

    "Three pairs," Olivia replied. She could feel everybody stiffening up because of that.

    "Okay. Then I guess we just leave it be for now." Dennis decisively stated.

    "...would that be okay?" Olivia looked at Dennis with aplicated expression.

    "It should be." Dennis nodded, "This is above the missions'' pay grade. We can''t deal with a fully matured Beast Demon with what we have. It might seem a little cowardly to stay behind cover but -- shit!!! Be careful everyone!!"

    Out of nowhere, the Sabertooth Cat Demon suddenly swerved and appeared like a ghost not too far from them and pounced.

    The squad was barely able to react when it sank its maws onto the formation, shattering it in one bite, leaving the squadpletely exposed and forced to fight for their lives.

 Chapter 150 Bad Kitty

    Dennis grunted as he felt the impact rippling through his body. It''s like he got hit by a cannonball.

    Thankfully though, his shield was rather sturdy and he was experienced enough to know how to disperse the impact so that it won''t injure him too badly.

    The Sabertooth Cat Demon, however, was relentless. It raised its fearsome ws and swiped down at Dennis.

    Dennis felt the threat of deathing for him so he immediately responded by casting a skill:

    "Bulwark!" He roared.

    His shield lit up, it seemingly formed severalyers on its surface just as the demon''s ws struck down.

    Sounds of shattering ss could be heard when the attacknded, and the Sabertooth Cat Demon''s ws broke through severalyers of the shield before stopping.

    Dennis felt the ground beneath him shattering because of the sheer weight behind that attack, forming webs of cracks that spread out around him. He could feel his insides rattled by that as well.

    Blood trickled down Dennis'' lips as he red hatefully at the demon. As the two measured gazes, a streak of light suddenly entered their vision.

    That streak of light turned out to be Jane.

    Holding a spear and wearing a solemn expression on her face, she charged toward the Sabertooth Cat Demon with the intent of piercing its body with her spear.

    The Demon reacted in time though, it pawed on Dennis'' shield, using it as a tform to tumble backward, avoiding Jane''s attack and putting distance between itself and the humans.

    Janended next to Dennis and ced a hand on his back, without taking her eyes away from the demon, she asked: "You okay?"

    "Yeah, just injured slightly but I''ll be fine. I''ve experienced worse." Dennis replied.

    "Warmth!" Both of them heard from behind.

    It was Olivia who cast it. An orb of golden light appeared beside Dennis. It radiated a sense offort which alleviated the pain Dennis was feeling.

    "Thanks," Dennis told her.

    Olivia nodded, inwardly she sighed in relief. ''Thank god I learned some White Magic or else we''d be in a tough spot.''

    Suddenly, an orb of packed heat whizzed past them and flew toward the demon.

    The Sabertooth Cat Demon saw this and growled. It raised its paws to strike down the Fireball.

    Harry saw this and sneered. Before the demon''s w hit the fireball, Harry snapped his fingers. The fireball exploded and engulfed the demon.

    "Got you, bitch!" Harry grinned as he re-grouped with the team.

    Seeing Harry making a move caused the rest to feel relieved. This guy might be obnoxious at times but at least he''s willing to help when the need arises.

    "...I don''t understand. How did it see us through the Concealing Formation?" Olivia asked nobody in particr. "We''ve checked it before, there was nothing wrong with the Formation at all. So how could this demon sense us?"

    "...isn''t it kind of useless to ask such questions right now?" Harry said, "What''s done is done, it saw us and now we need to fight it. It''s either we kill or it kills us."

    "I''d hate to agree with him but he''s correct, Ollie." Jane chimed in. "Heads-up everybody, it''s not over yet."

    The group went into formation as they warily paid attention to the Sabertooth Cat Demon �� who was now done rolling on the ground, mostly unharmed by Harry''s attack and royally pissed.

    Dennis, as the leader of this group, stepped forward and readied his shield, he also held a broadsword in his other hand. His fighting spirit was roused as he made a threatening howl which caused him to release a pulse of red light that covered not only his but also his allies'' bodies.

    This was a Guardian Knight''s support skill: Battle Cry, which causes his and his allies'' attack power to receive a 20% boost for the next 10 minutes.

    Seeing their leader buffing himself up, the rest also cast their spells which empowered them.

    "Energize! Focus! Mana Armament!" Olivia cast three support spells which also empowered the team as a whole.

    Energize temporarily raises everyone''s Mana Reserves by 10%,sting for 30 minutes. Focus enhanced their senses for the next 15 minutes and Mana Armament enchanted everyone''s weapon with Mana, making them more effective for the next 15 minutes as well.

    As soon as they were done powering up, the demon recovered. It wasted no time and immediately turned into a flurry of shadows, moving like a ghost around the team.

    If this was before, then everyone wouldn''t be able to follow its movements, but now that they''ve powered up, they were able to see the demon clearly despite its swift movement.

    Roar!

    The demon released a threatening roar as it suddenly pounced toward them. Its target was Harry, obvious by the way how its eyes never left the guy who threw a ball of fire at it.

    "I''m here you freak!!!" Dennis howled, his voice was amplified by the Provocation Skill.<sub> </sub>

    The Demon couldn''t ignore the skill''s effects so it immediately switched targets and went for Dennis who was ready for it this time.

    Releasing a battle cry, Dennis kicked his legs and mmed his shield at the charging demon, striking square in its face.

    The Demon was stunned and started seeing stars when Jane appeared from above, she stabbed her spear so fast that it left afterimages in its wake. Sadly, instead of poking holes in the demon''s body, her spear only left white gashes on its skin.

    This meant that the toughness of this demon''s skin was quite absurd. That caused Jane to feel unconvinced so instead of targetting its body, she attacked the demon''s weak spots... its eyes for example.

    But just as she was about to pierce the demon''s eyes, the cat demon reacted and stood on its hind legs, borrowing the momentum, it then kicked and tumbled backward, putting some distance between itself and the humans again.

    "Damn it!" Jane cursed as she caught herself.

    "Vine Growth!" Olivia uttered, releasing an emerald glow from her wand which was pointed toward where the demonnded.

    From below the ground, several thick vines appeared, entangling the demon''s body and locking it down on the spot. The demon struggled fiercely, biting and wing down the vines but Olivia wasn''t done.

    With another wave of her wand, she cast Briar Growth �� which caused thorns to appear on the vines, making it more painful and more difficult for the demon to escape its bindings.

    Harry then came through and cast: "Poison Haze!"

    An orb of purple smoke flew toward where the demon was before exploding into a poisonous cloud.

    The cloud obscured their vision of the demon for a bit of how it struggled fiercely against the bindings, they figured that it should at least inhale a good amount of haze which could hopefully weaken it and slowly kill it.

    However, the reality is often disappointing...

    Roar!!!

    The beast, instead of sounding weak, became even more energized and almost berserk.

    Within the purple haze, they saw a pitch-ck light enshrouding the figure of the Sabertooth Cat Demon and the pair of red eyes ring at them.

    "Not good! It escaped!" Olivia immediately warned her teammates. As the one who cast the vines which held it down, naturally, she could also sense if it was still bound or not.

    The demon easily ripped apart the Vine Growth even with briars covering it. Just from the aura of the demon beast alone, they could easily tell that it wasn''t weakened. If anything, it''s even stronger nowpared to before.

    Harry hastily condensed several awls made out of ice and sent them towards the demon but those didn''t even hit the demon.

    The speed at which the demon ran around went to a whole new level, leaving the team breathless and greatly rmed. Even with the buffs they had, they couldn''t follow its movements.

    "Dennis! Behind you!"

    "RAAAGGHH!"

    Thankfully, Dennis managed to turn around in time to block the demon''s attack. He coughed out blood due to the sheer impact of that strike, his pupils dted a bit when he felt how suffocatingly stronger the demon got all of a sudden.

    Dennis gnashed his teeth and pushed back. He then mmed his sword on the side of his shield, allowing him to cast the skill: Vengeful Return �� a skill that reflects the force of thest attack he receive back to his enemy, twofold.

    The demon let out a pained yelp when the skill went off. Props to Dennis for being the first one to cause some real injury to the Sabertooth Cat Demon, though. Albeit, he didn''t get out unscathed.

    The Warmth spell that Olivia cast earlier was still around but it couldn''t keep up with Dennis'' injuries.

    Despite being injured though, the demon beast was still vigorous enough. It stood up once more and turned into a mere blur.

    Everyone''s heart tightened as they felt their backs against the wall. They clumped up together, forced to wait in suspense until the demon choose to attack once more.

    They''ve lost the initiative this time and this demon certainly isn''t something that they could handle.

    All of a sudden, they heard the demon growling again, causing their hearts to clench.

    Then, without any warning, the demon appear right in front of Olivia who was a beatte to notice it.

    As Dennis and the rest hurriedly tried everything they could to rescue her, something happened that wentpletely beyond their imagination...

    The Sabertooth Cat Demon froze mid-attack, unable to move even a single muscle.

    The team then heard footstepsing towards them and the words:

    "Tsk, tsk. Bad kitty."

 Chapter 151 That Name...

    Everybody was shocked and confused, including the Sabertooth Cat Demon itself.

    As they turned around to see who was the one responsible for this, they saw a tall man walking towards them at a brisk pace...

    He had short green hair and heterochromatic eyes -- one was blue-silver while the other was emerald in color. His ears were a bit pointy and he was lean.

    He''s wearing some kind of uniform that nobody from the squad recognized. It was blue with golden linings and a hood. It fitted him perfectly, emphasizing his lean but muscr figure...

    When the humans looked at him, they couldn''t help but feel mesmerized for some reason. To them, it''s as if this man causes lotuses to bloom at every step he took. His mere presence brought peace and serenity to their minds and it''s actually rming.

    ? He''s like a fresh spring breeze in this putrid environment.

    To the Sabertooth Cat Demon, however, this man was the epitome of a true nightmare.

    From his shadow, the demon could somehow see the endless abyss where his kind drowned and cried out for help. It was a horrifying sight, something that struck true and primal fear into the beast despite its demonic upbringing.

    The demon was frightened, and rightfully so. And as the man got closer and closer to where they were, the overwhelming feeling of dread started drowning the demon beast.

    "W-who are you, Sir?" Dennis asked nervously.

    He couldn''t remember seeing someone like him in his experience as a Federal Agent. This man looked important, he gives off an air simr to that of the President.

    "Call me Ash..." he said in a friendly tone, walking past them and arriving in front of the demon beast. "Don''t refer to me as ''Sir'' though, I am a nobody and most probably younger than you all think."

    Dennis and his team looked at each other in confusion.

    "U-Uhm, I...I don''t think that it''s wise for you to be so close to the demon cause it can--"

    Ashton raised his hand and mercilessly yanked the fangs of the demon using his bare hands.

    "...hurt you...yeah, sorry my bad, I should''ve known better." Harry deted from embarrassment and looked away.

    Ashton didn''t seem concerned about what he said, he just smiled at them and proceeded to skin the demon beast, alive, and using only his bare hands, under the shocked gazes of the squad behind him.

    When they heard the pitiful whimpering of the demon beast, the team felt like their entire lives were a lie. Nobody told them that Demons could emit those pitiful sounds before yet here it was.

    If anything, this is the closest they could get at seeing a whole-ass demon beast, begging for mercy, and that just makes this even crazier.

    "A piece of advice just in case you all encounter a Demon Beast again..." Ashton spoke as he continued with his ministrations.

    "Demons'' bodies are tougher than what they look like. Compared to us humans, their physical parameters are way stronger. This is even more evident to Demon Beasts."

    "Go for the weak spots. There''s no shame in doing that especially if it means that it''ll get the job done." He continued, "Eyes, mouth, nose, ears, tail, underbelly, joints, fangs, wings, and especially, their horns...these should be your targets."

    "If a certain part of their body looks like it could kill you, chances are, it probably could. Either you target that or you take it away so that it couldn''t hurt you. That''s the best way to deal with them."

    "Druid Girl (Olivia) and Elementalist Dude (Harry), next time, don''t use Green Magic against Demon Beasts. Not only will it not work, but you''re also just making it more difficult for yourself and your team. Thebination of Vine Growth, Briar Growth, and Poisonous Haze worked as a Berserk Drug that caused this thing to go ballistic."

    "If I wasn''t here, then you all would''ve already died by this very second. Your corpses will be eaten by this thing, making it stronger. Also, you didn''t cover up your scent, this demon would''ve most likely used that to track you down or worse, lead it back to where the Last Bastion is. It is also your scent that exposed all of you earlier, allowing this thing to attack you even while you all were inside of the formation."

    Ashton''s words were like resounding ps delivered across their faces, causing them to turn red from embarrassment.

    Unbeknownst to them, Ashton was already being nice by telling them their mistakes in such a gentle fashion. If he was being honest, the only reason why he made a move was that their performance was too painful to watch and excruciatingly disappointing.

    "...well, the biggest mistake you probably did is taking on this mission without bringing a White Mage with you," Ashton murmured this part, yet everybody was still able to hear him.

    Dennis wanted to exin, probably to preserve some of their dignity, but that''s when Ashton held out his hand.<sub> </sub>

    Suddenly, his palms glowed with pure white light. Under their amazing gazes, the demon suddenly faded into dust particles. It couldn''t even make a sound when it died. It just disappeared. Simple, direct, and effortless.

    "...chant-less and paperless casting!" Harry gasped softly, his words were only heard by Olivia, the other Mage in this team, who was also shocked by the astounding disy of pure skill in magic casting.

    ''He used White Magic to kill a Demon! How was that even possible? Who is this man?'' Olivia screamed inwardly.

    As for Dennis, he''s feeling quite ashamed that he could only smile wryly. It was a little difficult to ept that a Demon who almost demolished all four of them, was easily handled and dealt with by a single person.

    Of course, he also noticed the fact this man used only used his bare hands and White Magic to kill a Demon, plus whatever that was that this man used that froze the demon mid-air. Not just any random Demon at that -- a fully matured Sabertooth Cat Demon.

    Initially, he felt a little unconvinced when they were being lectured by a stranger but such a gap in strength was something he simply couldn''t ignore.

    In short, they were outssed by the man. He''s better than all four of thembined. Just like that, in and simple.

    After dealing with the demon, Ashton dusted his hands and turned around to face them. He wore a friendly smile on his face which puts them at ease.

    "Pardon me for interfering. Things were starting to look bad before that so I stepped in. Either way, since that''s a done deal, can I ask for a little bit of your time? I just want to ask some questions."

    Dennis looked at his teammates and saw them nodding at him. He then faced the man and said: "Sure, what do you want to know?"

    Ashton smiled but didn''t say anything just yet. Instead, he snapped his fingers. That caused everything within a hundred meters around them to be cleansed of all types of corruption.

    And if that wasn''t enough, Ashton suddenly released a green pulse of energy which not only restored the energy of the team and healed them at a very rapid pace, but it also promoted life to bloom in their surroundings.

    Under the team''s dumbfounded gazes, grass started growing..flowers too. The bones of small animals that were littered around them suddenly grew flesh once more and came back to life. All of a sudden, there were butterflies, squirrels, and tiny insects around them.

    The scene was so miraculous that was akin to the work of God. The team was so shocked by the disy of power that they didn''t notice when Ashton took out a table, a couple of chairs, and some piping hot tea. They just turned around and saw him sitting down, gesturing for them toe and take a seat as well.

    Props to Harry though...the man didn''t shy away from the invitation. Even before Dennis gave out the go signal, he was already sitting down and making himselffortable.

    Helpless, the rest could only follow and subtly apologize for their teammate''s shameless behavior.

    To this, Ashton just waved a hand, a way of saying that he doesn''t mind.

    "Okay so, may I know your names?" Ashton asked after they sat down.

    One by one, the team introduced themselves. Dennis is the captain, Olivia, Harry, and more specifically, Jane.

    Jane who had been staring intently at Ashton so far like he owes her money.

    "Okay, first of all. Why are you staring at me like that?" Ashton looked at Jane, who looked taken aback by the sudden question. "Yeah, you''ve been staring at me so heatedly. I don''t think we know each other so what''s the big deal?"

    "Oh! Uh..." Jane blushed in embarrassment as she cleared her throat to exin. "Sorry about that. I must''ve made you ufortable. It''s...well, your right, we don''t know other. But I think I have seen you before."

    "...that shouldn''t be possible." Ashton shook his head as he lifted his teacup. But then, Jane said this...

    "Uh, I have a friend whom I share a room with. She has this photo of herself along with her friends, she framed it and sometimes I would catch her looking at it with mncholic eyes."

    "One of the people in that picture looked like you. You are even wearing that same school uniform."

    Ashton''s hands trembled upon hearing that, he looked at Jane and asked: "What''s the name of this friend of yours?"

    "Mary..."

    "Her name is Mary..."

 Chapter 152 Home

    ''Babe...'' Aria''s voice sounded in his ears.

    Ashton nodded to himself and replied: ''I know, Babe...I know.''

    Mary...damn it''s been a while since he heard that name. An overwhelming sense of nostalgia struck Ashton out of nowhere, causing his eyes to turn misty.

    "She''s still alive...good, very good." Ashton muttered. He had to put down his teacup due to how shaky his grip was.

    The rest were a bit surprised by how he reacted. They silently looked at each other. Jane shrugged, signifying that she doesn''t understand it either.

    "...just to be clear, your friend''s name is Rosemary Summers right?"

    "Yes, that''s right." Jane confirmed.

    Ashton drew a sigh of relief while nodding to himself once more.

    "Great. It''s her. Yes, it''s good that she''s still alive." He muttered, "And what of her other friends? Like, ke Reed and Alice Chrome?"

    "Their both doing fine. Big Sis Alice just got recently conferred the title of a Ruby Knight by the Federation since she became a Grandmaster Knight. As for my brother well...he''s struggling a bit but he''s happy where he''s at."

    "...brother?" Ashton stared at Jane. "ke''s your brother?"

    "Adopted, yes." Jane supplied, "A few years back, when the disaster of the City M urred, he as well as Big Sis Mary and Big Sis Alice were the only ones who managed to escape. ke stayed with us for a time and my parents took a liking to him so they adopted him, hence he became my foster brother."

    "...I see. Good for him." Ashton smiled despite himself. He took a sip of his tea and his expression turned distant for a bit.

    The others conversed through their eyes once more, not really knowing how to deal with this situation.

    At this point, they all have their suspicions but none of them voiced them out just yet, instead, they just let Ashton simmer in his memories for a bit.

    "...sorry, I got lost in my own thoughts there for a moment." Ashton smiled and shook his head. "Can you guys update me about the current situation of the Last Bastion? Like, what were the big things that had happened during the past five years? It''s been a while you see."

    "Sir, you..." Jane hesitated.

    Ashton then waved his hand and said: "I''m sure you all realized it at this point so there''s no reason to hide it anymore. Indeed, I am someone from City M as well."

    "I was teleported along with the ruins of the City M. I''ve been stuck, wandering the outside world on my own for five years, trying to find a way back home. You all are the first group of humans I see during the past five years so excuse me if I''m being a little bit dramatic."

    Ashton chuckled but all of them could feel the strong sadness and loneliness behind his tone.

    And although they indeed had guessed it, for the most part, it is still rather surprising to hear iting from him.

    Surviving all on his own for five years in the Outside World? The mere fact that he''s still alive and well is a miracle in itself! How difficult must that have been? Constantly being surrounded by all kinds of danger while navigating the way back home? That sounds like an impossible thing to do.

    Yet, here this man was...

    "...it wasn''t just City M." Dennis muttered softly, but it was heard clearly by Ashton, causing him to focus on the captain.

    "At this point, City Divisions are no more, meaning that there''s no City A, City B, and so on...during the past five years, every six months, there''d be a City that would just suddenly disappear from the map."

    "First it was City M. Next was City B, then City Z, City P...it went on and on until a total of 12 Cities were lost and millions of people died," Dennis recalled in a somber tone.

    Ashton''s eyes darkened but he didn''t say anything. He maintained a t expression and allowed Dennis to continue his story.

    "Because of that, the Federation''s hands were tied. In the end, the solution they came up with was to merge all the city in one ce tobine our strength so that we can defend against the invaders."

    "We entered a Warring State." Harry supplied, "There was an announcement that the invaders defied the Peace Treaty or something...nobody truly understand what that meant but what was clear is that we''ll be preparing for war."

    "Every abled body was expected to contribute to the war efforts. There hasn''t been peace since then. Now and then, we would see several teams and squads braving the dangers outside. Some returned, others didn''t. There''s also frequent news whenever an intense sh happens between our kind and the invaders. The harassment never stopped since it began."

    "That''s mostly how we ended up here." Olivia said, "Recently, there had been many sightings of Demons and Angels around here. Our task is to observe originally but we didn''t expect that we''ll fall into a difficult position. Fortunately, you came to our rescue."

    "In summary, the situation isn''t looking so good. I''m afraid you returned at a bad time." Dennis smiled wryly as he said this.

    Ashton nodded and sighed.

    It seems that no matter where he goes, there will always be conflict. He didn''t expect that the invaders had gotten so bold during his disappearance.<sub> </sub>

    ''...it''s not that the Invaders broke the Peace Treaty since there was no treaty, to begin with. The so-called leaders of Humanity just failed to ''submit their quota'' in time, that''s why the Invaders taught them a painful lesson.''

    ''...I probably shouldn''t tell them any of this. After all, I wasn''t supposed to know any of this, to begin with.''

    ''Still...12 Cities, millions of people. I will remember this.'' Ashton thought frigidly to himself.

    "So, if all the cities were merged as one, what''s it called now?" Ashton asked.

    "Fantasia," Jane answered. "It''s originally City F''s name but since the merge, City F became the heart of the entire city. To honor that, the federation decided to name the new city: Fantasia."

    "Fantasia, huh..." Ashton mused to himself, "And because of the merge, this new city must be as big as an entire country."

    "More or less..." Dennis replied, "It''s packed with people and there''s not much space around, but it would suffice for now. The situation''s dire anyway."

    "Thanks to the efforts of inventors, there is now a more reliable way to defend the city against the invaders. People had lost faith in the bubble the moment City M disappeared so a new one was built."

    "That makes sense." Ashton nodded.

    "...that''s pretty much it, really. There''s nothing much to see back there. Actually, you''ll most likely be drafted in this war as well if you choose to return now." Dennis stated while looking at him.

    Ashton understood the underlying meaning behind his words. Nevertheless, he just smiled and didn''t mind it. This guy doesn''t understand anything anyway.

    "Thank you for telling me all this." Ashton smiled at them and felt a little bit at ease.

    Hey, the situation might look rather dire but it''s better than nothing! He''d rather return to a rather tense home rather than see nobody at all. At least there''s still hope on the horizon.

    Ashton can totally work with this.

    "Can I tag along with you all? I want to see the new city for myself." He asked them.

    "Sure. If that''s what you want." Dennis shrugged, "However, do note that you might be taken for questioning by our supervisors there. We''re at war, after all, we can''t be careless."

    "I understand." Ashton nodded.

    They then stood up and Ashton took all of his things away. They then began walking south of where they were.

    "...are we not flying there?" Ashton couldn''t help but ask.

    The team look at him with weird expressions and suddenly Ashton understood.

    "Oh, you guys don''t know how to fly?"

    Nobody answered. Well, they really don''t need to. The answer was written on their faces.

    Ashton smiled and shook his head. He then thought: ''There are 2 Warlocks and 2 Master Knights in this team, yet none of them knows how to fly.''

    For a team that was supposed to be scouting the immediate vicinity of their base, this was uneptable. Yet Ashton didn''t say a word.

    Instead, he just waved his hand and all of sudden, everyone was swept off of their feet. They started floating several meters above the ground. They looked at Ashton with sparkling gazes which caused him to chuckle and ask:

    "Point where I should go, I''ll take us there."

    Instantly, all four of them pointed south -- which, he should''ve known since that''s where they were heading earlier, but oh well...

    Ashton then flew there, taking the team with him. He flew at an astounding speed, causing everything to turn into a blur. The team was encapsted with some kind of invisible barrier which protected them from the air currents as they flew.

    After a couple of minutes, Ashton paused in the air and looked at the ce in front of him.

    A deep sense of nostalgia and familiarity struck him. Once again, he couldn''t help but tear up at the sight of that unreliable bubble and tense yet bustling city beneath it.

    Whispering to himself, he said:

    "I''m home..."

 Chapter 153 Reunion

    "...look, it''s not like we don''t believe you. It''s just that our situation is currently sensitive so we''ll have to trouble you like this."

    "If what you say is indeed the truth, then you''ve been through a lot, this temporary detention shouldn''t bother you much. We just need to confirm everything first before we let you pass. We only ask for your cooperation and we''ll handle the rest."

    "Alright, I have no problems with that." Ashton shrugged and allowed himself to be escorted to a separate room.

    His homing was a little more bizarre. He was expecting that he''d be taken for questioning given that he''s supposed to be dead ording to logic but here he was, what he wasn''t expecting is that, the soldiers stationed in the borders will fire at him due to the simple fact that he was flying.

    As it turns out, flying at an rming speed toward the Last Bastion was a bad idea since whoever did that would automatically be treated as a hostile force that will be handled with some level of prejudice.

    If it weren''t for the fact that he had Dennis'' squad with him, he''d probably still be under heavy fire up until this point...

    As expected, his identity as a survivor of the lost City M isn''t something that these soldiers would easily believe. He didn''t me them, he''d be the same if he was in their shoes.

    Ashton was separated from the squad and was taken to a private room to wait for further instructions. Jane volunteered to call Mary over here to confirm Ashton''s identity. In turn, Mary might also call for Alice and ke while she''s at it.

    After all, who could prove his identity better than those he knew personally and, like him, also survived the destruction of City M?

    "So, Mary was a bit shaken when I told her that you came back. I asked toe here and she said she will, though it''ll take her at least a day before she arrives." Jane stated, "She said she''s also going to bring my brother and Big Sis Alice with her."

    "Thank you for doing that." Ashton smiled at her.

    "Don''t mind it." Jane waved her hand. "You''re their friend. I''m sure they''d be happy to see that you''re alive and well."

    Ashton nodded and didn''t say anything. Somehow, he felt surreal right now. He''s back. He''s truly back home.

    He doesn''t even mind the fact that he''s essentially a prisoner right now, all he could think about is that he''s finally back home.

    It is rather strange, the warmth and activity of Last Bastion. It felt foreign yet oh so familiar to him. He could feel himself harmonizing with his surroundings as if he was the missing piece of a giant puzzle. It was inexplicably heart-warming.

    Unfortunately, Jane couldn''t be with him for long. She has duties she needs to fulfill so she has to leave. Ashton didn''t mind that of course and even told her that he''d be fine on his own. And since she already called Mary here, it was alright for her to leave.

    Now, Ashton was alone once more. He''s in arge white room with only a single entrance which is a door. There were no windows, the is an air vent and it is located near the door as well.

    Ashton could sense several people watching him beyond the right wall. Although nobody told him this, he knew that the right wall was see-through on the other side. They were keeping close watch of him, scrutinizing him like he was some sort of ab rat or something.

    It is a ratherpromising position to be in but for now, Ashton didn''t mind. They haven''t tried anything funny yet so there''s no need to do something drastic.

    To entertain himself, Ashton brought out a set of chairs and a table, he also took out his tea set to enjoy some tea as he waited for his visitors.

    This rather easy-going behavior of his perplexed the observers on the other side of the wall. They looked at each other in confusion.

    "...he has a spatial ring I guess, why are you looking at me?" One said to the other.

    "Well, nothing." The other replied, adjusting his sses. "For some reason, I was expecting him to be a little bit more...high-strung? I guess. I mean, he said that he traveled the outside world by himself as he searched for a way back home. With how dangerous it is out there..."

    "You were expecting him to act a little more ''uncivilized'' -- like a ''savage'' even, is what you''re trying to say, right?"

    "You know what? Yeah. Yeah, I was expecting him to be like that. I know that''s rather judgemental of me but well, what can I say? He''s constantly exposed to danger so I figured that his mental health should be greatly affected by that. But it would seem that I''m wrong."

    Ashton, who''s on the other side of the wall, wanted tough upon hearing that.

    Well, what the made said indeed makes sense. If he hadn''t had Aria with him, Ashton might''ve already lost it at this point. Thankfully though, she was there to constantly ground him and help him stave off the loneliness he felt.

    Speaking of Aria...

    ''...how is it, Babe? Can you get out?'' Ashton asked her through telepathy.

    ''I should be able to.'' She replied, ''But not right now. I don''t know how they''re going to react about me though.''

    ''Oh, don''t worry about that. Didn''t we already have ns should ite to that?''

    ''Yes, I know. But you can''t me me for feeling like this.'' She grumbled, ''It''s all tooplicated.''<sub> </sub>

    Revealing Aria''s existence would be more difficult to exin than Ashton''s situation to bepletely honest.

    He couldn''t exactly reveal the fact that Aria is the artifact spirit of the Grand Library -- which also coincidentally serves as the house for the Grand Archives, he couldn''t expose the Grand Library directly, and as soon as he came back since that will prove as a great risk for his ns.

    Therefore, his only choice was to twist the truth a little bit. He could say that Aria is a Spirit that haunts the Mystic Academy back then and that she got teleported with him.

    Due to her being a Spirit, it is rather difficult for her toe out whilst Ashton travels the outside world, which is why she resides in his consciousness.

    This excuse should work. After all, there are far too many strange things in here that adding one more wouldn''t hurt. Whether they believe it or not, that''s none of his concerns. They just have to take that as it is and move on.

    If they try anything funny, then Ashton wouldn''t mind teaching them a lesson.

    Time passed idly like this...with Ashton just existing and taking it easy, behaving as if he was unbothered by anything.

    He could still hear the discussions of the observers beyond the wall but he didn''t put too much attention to them. Their discussions are rather menial and mundane anyway.

    But then, it came to a point when the visitors he''d been waiting for finally arrived.

    "...that''s him, over there." Ashton heard Jane''s voice on the other side of the wall.

    "...I don''t remember his hair being green." Said a guy, the voice was deep and sounded somewhat exhausted and uncertain.

    "Me neither. But that uniform...how nostalgic. Look, it even has the badge of a White Mage. Ash was a White Mage." It was a girl who said this, she sounds strong and imposing a bit.

    "His appearance changed but make no mistake, that''s him." This one...yes, Ashton knows who this one is. "That easy-going air is so like him, I can''t believe it! He''s really alive. Thank god. Thank god!"

    ''They''re here.'' Ashton muttered inwardly. He could hear Aria sobbing from within the Library.

    "Master, how is it? Is he tainted? An impostor?" The other girl''s voice asked.

    "...no. Don''t doubt this man anymore, he''s the real deal. He is your friend and he''s back so don''t make him wait anymore." An aged voice of a woman sounded in reply to the inquiry.

    Ashton does not know who the owner of that voice is and how she''s able to tell that he''s not an impostor but he''s notining.

    He felt movementing closer to him. The next thing he knew, the door in the room he was in opened widely, and three people walked in while looking at him.

    Ashton raised his head and smiled at them.

    Mary, ke, and Alice were dazed before feeling a strong sense of nostalgia. They all thought to themselves:

    ''Ah, it''s really him.''

    Then, a visage emerged from within Ashton which somewhat surprised the three.

    A girl with golden locks, wearing a pair of sses and the same uniform as Ashton appeared before their eyes. Her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying she''s been doing.

    The moment she appeared, all three of them were stunned. Then, the girls eximed:

    "Aria!? Is that you?"

    Aria nodded while her hand shook. Mary and Alice couldn''t hold it in anymore and flew towards Aria, hugging her tightly while bursting into bitter tears. They held her as if their afraid she was going to leave them again.

    Meanwhile, ke walked towards Ashton, saying: "Hey there, Smart Guy."

    "Sup, Dumb Jock."

    The two of them burst intoughter and the corners of their turned misty.

    "Wee home, Man. We missed you."

    "d to be back. I missed you all too..."

 Chapter 154 Changes For Them

    The only students who survived Mystic Academy''s Batch of 9022...

    Saying it like this makes them somewhat even more miserable. To think that such a prestigious school like that would meet an end so abrupt was practically unthinkable yet it still happened.

    Seeing them once more was a bizarre feeling for Ashton. To him, they were the proof that time still passed despite him being away, which is given of course, but still...it was weird.

    They''ve changed a lot.

    They''re taller and no longer had that naive air of youthfulness in them, unlike thest time he saw them. Just like him, it would seem that the past years hadn''t been so kind to them.

    Mary showed up looking like an officedy for some reason. She was also wearing sses like Aria but not because her vision had any problems, they were for protection against harmful lights due to her work, Ashton presumed.

    ke looked like he aged so much. He looked haggard, especially with that messy beard of his. Plus, he was no longer the guy who usually had too much energy and adrenaline. He looks tired and he had a tumbler filled with jet-ck coffee with him that never left his hands.

    And finally, the one who changed the most was Alice.

    Ashton could still remember how Mary introduced her to him. She used to be the ''timid'' one. But that timidness is nowhere to be found in her right now.

    She was gant, her spine was ramrod straight and she could now look at Ashton in the eye �� something that past Alice could''ve never done. She wore some kind of uniform which followed the same theme as the military uniform. The only difference is that hers was red.

    She exuded confidence, grace, and strength with every move she did. It was surprising for Ashton to bepletely honest.

    As they caught up with each other in this rather nd room, Ashton silently used Scan and Identify to each of them to know more about the changes that happened to them.

    Back then, he didn''t really see much due to his skill not being maxed yet, but now that it does, everything wasid bare for him to see.

    Saying that what he saw surprised him, would be an understatement...

    ***

    Name: Rosemary Summers

    Age: 19

    Race: Human

    Bloodline: None

    Cultivation Rank: Lv.9 Warlock

    Specialization: Magic Archer

    Aptitude:

    Mageroot: Ancient Heavenly Arc (Pseudo-Ancient Rank)

    Magical Artifact: Sky Trampling Heels (Cursed-Legendary)

    Providence: Divine Feather Empyrean (Rank: Heavenly Emperor)

    Remarks:

    : She''s being emotional again, which is bad for her due to her curse but it is what it is. She couldn''t really help it when someone who she thought dead suddenly appeared out of nowhere right?

    : ''Aria''s with him too. Who could''ve thought that she was a spirit? Nevertheless, this is good. At least they had each other while they were out there. The journey back home must''ve been difficult for both of them, especially Ashton. I should help him adjust to civilization once more. I hope they don''t make things difficult for him.

    ***

    Name: ke Reed/Richards

    Age: 19

    Race: Human

    Bloodline: None

    Cultivation Rank: Lv.8 Grandmaster Knight

    Specialization: Shield Seigneur

    Aptitude:

    Physique: Fiendgod Battle Body (Legendary Adamantium)

    Battle Spirit: Mountain and Sea Fiend Turtle

    Providence: Reincarnation of the Shield Hero (Awakened)

    Remarks:

    : ke looked tired because he is tired...tired of living that is. After awakening histent potential, he also stirred up the slumbering memories of all of his past lives. This is his 9th reincarnation, and if he''s beingpletely honest, he''s damn tired. He just doesn''t understand why this world keeps calling him back.

    : ''I need stronger coffee.''

    ***

    Name: Alice Chrome

    Age: 19

    Race: High Human

    Bloodline: Heavenly Human

    Cultivation Rank: Lv.9 Grandmaster Knight<sub> </sub>

    Specialization: Sword Saint

    Aptitude:

    Physique: Skyborn Heavenly Body (Legendary Adamantium)

    Battle Spirit: First Sword (Legendary)

    Providence: Reincarnation of the Sword Empress

    Remarks:

    : Alice is a Heaven''s Chosen if that''s not obvious yet. The trauma and pain of losing so many people triggered her awakening which caused her to change so much. Her awakening was also noticed by the Federation so she was lured in and now, she''s being raised as the current era''s Hero.

    : ''He changed so much. I can''t gauge how strong he is, which is rather rming. But Master said that he''s the real deal and looking at it, it should be true. Nevertheless, it''s best to keep an eye out for him and Aria. I don''t want to doubt him but considering how chaotic this current situation is, we need to be on guard.''

    : ''Still...I am happy that they''re back. They even got together despite their difference. How envious. Sigh, Why must I fall for such a blockhead?''

    ***

    There''s a lot that was revealed to him, and honestly, Ashton needs a few days to digest all of this.

    Though in all seriousness, who could''ve thought that two of his friends would be famed Heroes of the past eras?

    The strange part was that, somehow, the Federation noticed Alice but not ke. Ashton thinks that it''s thebined experience of all of his lives that allowed him to escape their radar but he could always be wrong.

    Besides, knowing that Alice is next on the tter to be sacrificed for the invaders wasn''t something he could just ept.

    ''...ke must''ve known the schemes of the Federation which is why he''s prepared. As for Alice, I could think of a few reasons.''

    ''Her being the Reincarnation of the Sword Empress doesn''t necessarily mean that she was a Hero in her past life. Her aptitude reached the peak now, yes, but that might''ve been due to the umtion of luck and destiny.''

    ''If she''s not aware of the schemes, then it isn''t her fault for exposing her talents for the sake of iming more resources.''

    ''Still, I can''t just sit still after knowing that she''s next on the line on the sacrificial altar.''

    ''...I wonder if ke was doing something about this.''

    Ashton didn''t show any signs of his inner thoughts as he freely conversed with his friends. Even Aria was unaware of his current musings. He''d tell herter, not now when she''s obviously enjoying their little reunion here.

    Time passed and the day eventually ended. The visiting hours had long since passed, the only reason why the three of them were able to stay this long was because of Alice''s unique title as a conferred Knight of the Federation.

    Still, even with her status, they can''t stay here. Moreover, she can''t bring him and Aria out of here. There are still some procedures that need to be observed and followed, this isn''t something she can bypass.

    "...don''t worry, we''ll try out best to get you out of here as soon as we could. Just cooperate, for now, they shouldn''t make things difficult for you." Mary told them as they were leaving.

    "Don''t worry, we''ll be good here." Ashton nodded in reply.

    "...not like they could handle him if try something funny anyway," ke grumbled as he emptied his tumbler.

    His voice was faint but it was heard clearly by both Ashton and Alice.

    "ke, you''re grumbling again. Has your insomnia made things difficult for you?" Mary asked in concern.

    "...I guess. Don''t worry, I''m fine." ke waved his hand and brushed off the topic.

    "We really have to leave. We''ll visit again tomorrow." Alice told them, to which both Ashton and Aria nodded.

    They bid their farewells for now and left the room.

    Once they left, Aria rested her head on Ashton''s shoulders. They enjoyed a peaceful silence with just the two of them.

    That''s until something suddenly shimmered in existence in front of them in a form of an old woman.

    Neither Ashton nor Aria reacted in her presence. No, it''s not that they didn''t notice her because they did. In fact, Ashton predicted that she wasing. And Aria well...so long as Ashton''s with her, there''s nothing for her to be afraid of.

    "...may I sit here, Young Man?" The olddy asked in a kind tone.

    Ashton raised his head and looked the olddy directly in the eye. There''s this certain measurement behind their eye contact for a bit which left the old woman reeling.

    ''This child...!''

    Ashton smirked after seeing how the old woman was sweating. He then said: "Go ahead, Ma''am. And don''t be shy, all of you on the other side of the wall can join too. I don''t mind."

    The olddy froze upon hearing how Ashton just casually exposed her hidden allies even though this room should be made of something that could dampen the senses of those inside of it.

    Those on the other side froze as well. They looked at each other in dismay, wondering how they should proceed with this...

    ***

    [A/N: Here are the Aptitude Rankings.]

    Knight Ranks: Trainee, Fighter, Warrior, Master, Grandmaster.

    Physique Ranks - Iron, Bronze, Secret Silver, Profound Gold, Mystic tinum, Fierce Titanium, and Legendary Adamantium.

    Mageroot Ranks - Human (5 tiers), Mystic (3 tiers), Treasure, Earthen, Heavenly, Ancient, Mysterious Rainbow.

    Battle Spirit/Magical Artifact Ranks: Simple, Rare, Profound, Epic, and Legendary.

    Noble Warrior, Illustrious Saint, Mysterious Sage, Glorified King, Perfected Champion, Heavenly Emperor, Legendary Hero.

 Chapter 155 Oracle

    The old woman was freaking out on the inside...

    Despite having lived long and seeing many things in her life, Ashton was an existence that she couldn''t easily fathom.

    Sure, the child was calm andposed. It''s as if he''s a sage that had long since freed himself from mortal fetters and is calmly observing the world beneath his feet.

    For someone so young, such air shouldn''t be easily cultivated, much less disyed. Yet this young man didn''t look like he was faking it. It''s as if he truly exists in a different nepared to them.

    ''I have lived for so long and seen all kinds of personalities...I even discovered and raised Heroes myself, yet none of them gave me this kind of intimidation at first nce.''

    ''Who in the world is this child?'' The old woman thought to herself.

    In their brief exchange of nces, the old woman saw a visage of a long and seemingly endless river next to an iparably tall tree.

    The river was crimson red like it was a river of blood instead. She saw countless arms emerging out of it as if they were drowning. She heard the pained and desperate gurgles from its depths. The sounds were harrowing, it gave her chills that seeped directly into her soul.

    The roots of the tree were submerged in that water like its using it to promote its growth. In stark contrast with the river of blood though, the tree was iparably majestic.

    Its roots were thick and solid, seemingly expanding in a never-endingwork. Its trunk was massive, it painted an unshakeable sturdiness and foundations that couldn''t get any more solid.

    It stretched out as far as the eye can see, it was so big that it was seemingly enshrouding or recing the heavens themselves. Each branch stretched far and each leaf seemingly contained endless vitality.

    Sat at the very top of it, was Ashton with Aria right next to her. His position painted him as the God in this image, and when his heterochromatic eyes met the old woman''s measuring gaze, her mind seemingly exploded which caused her to harshly return to reality.

    ''I should tread carefully around him. A person who sessfully wed his way back from hell isn''t someone that can easily be offended.''

    The old woman might never truly understand just how to sound the decision she made just now.

    "You all, join us." She hollered at the unmoving people beyond the walls. "Bring in food as well. Our guest here had a long day, don''t be impolite."

    Despite her initial freak-out, she managed to recover and maintain her seniority. She sat on the table, still wearing an amicable smile on her face as she waited for the rest.

    Ashton, seeing the old woman acting this way, refused to say anything. He doesn''t mind. He already knows what this woman was here for anyway.

    Name: Felicia Seres

    Age: 843

    Race: Human

    Bloodline: None

    Cultivation Rank: Lv.5 World Sage

    Specialization: Oracle

    Aptitude:

    Physique: Heavenly Weaver Fiend Body (Legendary Adamantium)

    Battle Spirit: Oracle''s Heavenly Eye (Legendary)

    Providence: Nanny of Heroes (Heavenly Emperor)

    Remarks:

    : She is considered one of the pirs of humanity. Despite her misgivings and her questionable actions, her influence and contribution towards humanity as a whole cannot be denied. She came here at the behest of her youngest disciple and it just so happens that the visions she received from her patron happen to match with this child as well.

    : ''Patron, why do want to meet with this child? Who is he and what does his return mean for you? I hope that nothing bad happens.''

    Ashton could guess some things on his own but right now, he just wants to take it easy. Hell, this was his first day back home! His jubnt mood shall not be disturbed too much by work stuff.

    "Pardon my sudden intrusion, Young Man." The old woman said: "My name is Felicia Seras, I am Alice''s Teacher."

    "Nice to meet you, Ma''am. My name''s Ashton West, and this is my girlfriend Aria. As you probably made aware by now, I just returned from a long journey from the Outside World so pardon me if I seem too stand-offish. I''ve been under constant pressure you see."

    "Ah, no. I don''t mind. I''m sure that anybody in your position would feel the same."<sub> </sub>

    The two of them exchanged pleasantries. And if Felicia was beingpletely honest, she was expecting him to be more snobbish than this since that was her first impression of him, especially after what she just saw when she peered into his soul.

    But no, he remained calm and polite. He respected her seniority and treated her with respect. Whether this is him faking it or not, she can''t tell. This child is a bit difficult to read, and that''sing from an Oracle like herself.

    Shortly after that, several men came to the room, bringing in food.

    Under Felicia''s orders, they sat down and began a small feast. Ashton and Aria didn''t shy away from the food.

    Dinner was awkward though. Only Felicia, Ashton, and Aria were eating while the others sat in front of the table stiffly, looking so out of ce. They were ignored by the three as they casually talked about the most random things as if they''d known each other for so long.

    Once dinner was finished. The others used this chance to leave the three of them alone in the disguise of cleaning up dishes. Ashton didn''tment about this, and neither did Felicia. Both of them knew that what happened just now was just some kind of a pretense.

    The real purpose of her visit happens now that the nuisances were out...

    "...alright, now that it''s just us, I think it''s about time we talk about the real important stuff here." Ashton unceremoniously dropped as soon as the others went beyond his senses. "Will you tell me the real reason behind your visit, Ma''am?"

    Felicia nodded and released a sigh, then she said: "My Patron wants to see you, Child. That''s why I am here."

    "Patron?" Ashton tilted his head, acting as if he doesn''t have an idea what she was talking about.

    "It''s..plicated. Alice told me that you''re a schr, yes? Then you must''ve heard about Oracles before."

    "Oracles..." Ashton sounded nostalgic here, "They''re people who can ''see the future''. They follow the movement of the stars and peer through the veil of Heavenly Secrets to contribute to Humanity''s longevity."

    "Textbook definition, not entirely false but it''s very pompous. In summary, they''re people who wanted to be ''spoiled'' about everything about their particr interest." Ashton concluded.

    Feliciaughed after hearing his description: "Indeed. That''s an urate way of describing us."

    "You''re Oracle!?" Ashton feigned shock.

    "Indeed. But don''t worry. I don''t mind you describing us that way. As I said, it''s urate." Felicia waved her hand. "Though, you see, Oracles have different ways to do what they do."

    "Let''s say Oracles are news reporters; I have a superior who gives me a call and hands me an assignment, then I research that particr subject and do a news report about it."

    "This superior of mine is my Patron. And my Patron wants to see you. For what purpose, I have no clue. She just sent me here to invite you to see her. Coincidentally, my youngest disciple also wanted to see you in person which lead us to now."

    "Ah, I see..." Ashton nodded.

    He was somewhat expecting this. And frankly, he had no qualms about it. Also, this might expedite his clearance from this inspection so he might as well take the bait.

    "I understand. I''lle with you. When do we leave?" He asked.

    "Tomorrow if that''s fine with you."

    "No problem." Ashton readily agreed, "I am well rested anyways."

    "Very good. Then I shalle back tomorrow and take you to see my Patron. Don''t worry, she cane too." She referred to Aria in thest part.

    At least she''s polite enough to not slight her existence...

    "I''ll leave you two here for now. If there''s anything you need, don''t hesitate to tell the staff around here. They should be able to amodate you."

    After saying that, Felicia then started walking out of the room, leaving Ashton and Aria behind.

    Once she left, she appeared in front of the staff of this ce and said:

    "Ashton West, the one held and the nk White Room, do not and I mean ''DO NOT'' offend him. Try to amodate him as much as you could for this night. I''ll be taking him away tomorrow."

    "Again, I am reminding you. Do not offend him or the girl with him. I will not be held responsible for the sheer destruction he will cause if you all decided to test his patience. You won''t die if you don''t court death. Consider yourself warned."

    After saying her piece, she disappeared like smoke, leaving the dumbfounded people behind to grasp the weight of her words. And after looking at each other in dismay they all thought...

    ''Great! This is bound to be the longest night shift ever...''

 Chapter 156 Gaia

    The Southern Border Patrol Office was a ce that normally doesn''t experience any action.

    Most people who work here either love it or hate it. Some find this ce dull while others just adore the simplicity and quietness of it all.

    That being said though, despite them not being an active bunch, they have enough firepower to vaporize an invader thates a little too close forfort to their home. Well...most of them at least.

    Sometimes, there are stronger invaders out there thatpletely go beyond their capabilities which makes them helpless against them, like the Revenants...

    In fact, most of the people who work here are being med for the disappearance of the cities and the deaths of millions of people. It''s the reason why they''ve been tense ever since.

    The peacefulness and quietness of this ce have long since disappeared.

    Fortunately for them, Ashton broke their expectations. He cooperated and never raised a fuss about the procedures he needs to go through. They initially thought that he''d made things difficult for them but surprisingly, he didn''t.

    When he was asked if there was anything he wants, he just shook his head and said that he was fine just like this.

    Everybody remained tense but as time passed, Ashton didn''t cause trouble. Eventually, the night passed and Oracle Felicia as well as the Ruby Knight and her friends returned to visit Ashton.

    The Oracle told them that he was taking Ashton away and signed the papers for his release. Due to her unique status and position in the Federal Government, Ashton was cleared just like that.

    The staff at the Southern Border Patrol only sighed in relief once they were no longer in sight. In their hearts, they hoped that something like this wouldn''t happen again or else they might just copse in stress.

    ***

    ''...a flying sword mount. How nice.'' Ashton mused inwardly as he felt the air blowing past his face.

    As expected, Felicia and his friends returned for him, and this time they took him away. Apparently, Felicia already informed the three of this so none of them were surprised.

    Now, they''re riding Alice''s flying mount which is a huge sword, toward their destination.

    As they flew, Ashton couldn''t help but look down and see Fantasia as a whole.

    In the past, he never had the chance to fly within the skies of the Last Bastion, but he did see a map that showed him to locations of each city. The map he saw also came with pictures so he had a good sense of what the old structure of Last Bastion looked like.

    However, it''s not the same anymore...

    Instead of separated cities connected by subways and stuff, the new city �� Fantasia, is a sprawling metropolis.

    The modernized atmosphere and the familiar bustle of people remained the same. Ashton noticed that others were flying like they were.

    This scene reminds him of the first time that he entered City M while inside the flying bus, back then he was ignorant about the world. He was bright-eyed and bushy-browed, wanting to learn so much more about his surroundings.

    Now...he had seen way too much. He''s still young but he had seen and learned about too many things. He''s no longer innocent.

    Somehow, he wished he still was innocent. Unfortunately, that''s not how the world works sometimes...

    Theplicated emotions Ashton felt caused a reaction to ur around him.

    It wasn''t that strong, he just released some fluctuations, very faint ones but due to the close proximity between him and the people he was with, they all felt it.

    ''...wow, this kid''s absurd.'' ke thought to himself, controlling his reactions.

    ''This is...Heavenly Resonance!? No way, he''s this talented? Is he aware of it?'' Alice was shocked.

    ''This child...'' Felicia narrowed her eyes, and her thoughts became moreplicated.

    "Ash, what''s going on?" Mary asked, confused about what she just felt from Ashton.

    That somehow woke him out of his stupor, so he said: "Nothing, just got a little bit too absorbed in my thoughts. Don''t worry about me."

    "Do you wanna talk about it?" She asked.

    "I''m fine." Ashton shook his head and replied. "It just feels weird. That''s all."

    Ashton didn''t want to burden her with his emotions. He could still remember what Mary''s curse does to her so he didn''t want to make it worse.<sub> </sub>

    Mary just nodded and the rest didn''tment on it. The rest of the trip went silent until they arrived at their destination.

    They stopped at a rtively recluse spot within the city. This ce is hidden behind the hills and a river. It feels peaceful here, quiet as well.

    "Ash, I''ll leave you with Master for now. I''ll just escort these two back to their home. I''ll return here soon."

    "Got it." Ashton nodded.

    The three of them got separated again but this time, the mood wasn''t anxious. Since Ashton has already returned to the city, it wouldn''t be too difficult to find him, plus they''re sure that they''ll meet him pretty frequently from this point forward so they''re not in a hurry.

    "Follow me, Child." Felicia said to him. Ashton nodded and followed her.

    They walked by the riverside, following the shore at a brisk pace. None spoke since there was no need to.

    Ashton was marveling at the quietness of this ce. It''s not silent per se, he could hear activities going on around him but those sounds seem to be in harmony with this ce so they don''t feel out of ce.

    As he slowly immersed himself in his surroundings, everything faded away.

    He didn''t know when it started happening, he just know that it happened. All of a sudden, he found himself standing on the surface of the water. Felicia was nowhere to be found and his surroundings werepletely and utterly silent.

    Ashton didn''t panic. He looked around and scanned his surroundings. At first nce, it felt like he was inside an illusion but not quite.

    If this was an illusion, he would''ve already broken through it at this time. Him possessing the Purity Trait and Law, meant that outside influences cannot easily exert their control over to him so this means that this ce isn''t entirely an illusion.

    And because this phenomenon didn''t raise an rm at him which caused him to fall into it, this probably means that whoever was responsible for this probably didn''t mean him any harm. They just extended an invitation.

    ''...weird. It feels like I''ve been here before.'' Ashton mused to himself.

    There was a twinge of nostalgia when he looked at his surroundings but that was confusing since he couldn''t remember himselfing to this ce before, so what''s with the familiarity?

    Then, out of nowhere, he felt movement from beneath.

    He could see the water beneath his feet churning, not in a vite manner, but strong enough to make his footing slightly unstable.

    Ashton took a few steps back to re-position himself. As he did that, he could see a figure emerging from the water.

    It was a woman wearing a yellow-gree dress. Her skin was dark, she has long and curly ck hair, her eyes were hazel in color and butterflies never stopped emerging from her shadows.

    A deep sense of peace and trust was what Ashton felt when he stared at this woman. This was something that shocked him for a bit, but then again, looking at how this woman appeared to him, his guesses were mostly confirmed.

    "Wee home, Bearer of Providence. I am Gaia."

    "...I''ve dreamt of you before," Ashton replied, somewhat sounding strange.

    Hearing her voice not only confirmed his guesses but also reminded him of the dream he had way back before...

    It was a dream when he walked into a very deste battlefield. He heard many voices in there like they were in the middle of a war. He could remember feeling a lot of pain in that dream before then, he heard the same voice saying that it wasn''t his time to be there just yet.

    It seems that Gaia was the one who saved him back then by removing him from that dream.

    "Indeed." She nodded gracefully in reply, "Back then, you were too young and unprepared. Because you were chosen to be the bearer of Auspicious Rainbow Cloud, that automatically linked you to me, and where I was at before...was something harmful to you, that''s why that happened."

    "...Auspicious Rainbow Cloud." Ashton repeated, "Is that what the Mysterious Rainbow truly is?"

    "Indeed it is." Gaia nodded once more. "It is and so much more. But before we proceed with that discussion, may I first inquire about the situation of my Sister, Acacia?"

    "Acacia?" Ashton blinked, "Oh! Oh, so that''s her name. I was calling her Hilda all this time. She...should be fine. She''s slumbering here."

    He pointed at his head, "...along with the Dragon Vein. I don''t know how long she''s going to be like that though."

    "I see. That''s fine. At least, she''s with you and safe for the time being. I reckon that she''d need at least a month or two to fully recover even with the Dragon Vein with her."

    "Oh, cool. At least it''s not that long." Ashton shrugged. "And oh, why did you summon me here by the way?"

 Chapter 157 High-Evolutionary Ranks

    "...I''m sure that by now, you''ve learned about a lot of things about this world." Gaia stated, "Most of which is information about the truth behind the current dynamics of this world."

    "Whether that pleases you or not, doesn''t change your involvement in all of this now." She continued, sounding slightly saddened and a bit apologetic. "I invited you here to tell you things that might help you. As for how you''ll use what I''ve told you, that solely depends on you. But I do hope that you would do the right thing."

    Ashton stared at Gaia as his thoughts whirred.

    Despite looking fine, for the most part, it is rather difficult to ignore the fact that Gaia looked extremely weak. She looks and sounds exhausted. Looking at her, it seems that staying awake is already taking most of her energy.

    It''s very easy to forget that Gaia, is the collective consciousness of this world given form and intelligence �� turning her into a Spirit. What happens to this world also happens to her. And given that at least 90 percent of the world out there had been vited by the invaders, it shouldn''te as a surprise to know that Gaia must be hurting really badly right now.

    Yet despite that, she did not force Ashton. She didn''t beg but calmly asked him to do the right thing. Ultimately, the decision falls under Ashton''s considerations so whatever happens after this depends on him.

    "What''s the Auspicious Rainbow Cloud?" He asked after a brief silence on his part.

    "The Auspicious Rainbow Cloud is an amalgamation of history, luck, and fate. In short, it is Providence given form." Gaia answered.

    Lights shed in his surroundings, probably due to Gaia''s influence. He watched as the lights intertwined,bined, and formed a small puff of cloud that grew bigger as more time passed.

    While watching this, Gaia''s words continued echoing inside his mind...

    "Due to the profoundws that govern this world and basically all things, all life had a purpose for their existence. No matter how small or big something is, it can and will contribute towards the overall betterment of this world. This is how destiny works and how fate and luck umte."

    "The Auspicious Rainbow Cloud is the amalgamation of the never-ending cycle of life and death of all things. Every time someone serves their purpose or made outstanding contributions that surpass their fate, they will be remembered and a little bit of their essence will be imprinted in these clouds."

    "At the same time, the Auspicious Rainbow Cloud also benefits from absorbing the prosperity of this world. The more advanced and more prosperous the current era is, the more umtion the cloud can receive."

    "...okay so, in short, the Auspicious Rainbow Cloud is a stockpile of Providence?"

    "Yes." Gaia nodded, "More specifically, it is a stockpile that we once thought lost forever until it appeared on you."

    "Lost?" Ashton frowned.

    "Yes. We initially thought that the Auspicious Rainbow Cloud was already captured and refined by the invaders. We also thought that the only reason why they''re still here is that they still have time and they still wanted to continue feasting on Humans."

    "So, imagine my surprise when I suddenly felt its presence on you. I used to be its caretaker, you see. I was the one who kept it safe and the one who would unleash it when pushes to shove. However, it suddenly disappeared. After a couple of decades, it appeared once more. It''s in you."

    "How this happened, is something that I might never understand but considering that you and the Auspicious Rainbow Cloud seem to be in harmony, I don''t see it as a bad thing."

    Ashton went silent for a bit. He wasn''t expecting this all too. He could still remember that the only reason why he had the Auspicious Rainbow Cloud, was because he used a Providence Re-roll Ticket.

    Then, like a domino effect, the rest of his aptitude changed too. As for why that is, he still doesn''t know to this day.

    "Okay, so cool. I have the stockpile of Providence from ancient times until today. Cool, cool. But what that does mean for me?"

    "What does ''My Providence'' being the Providence of all things means for my future?" Ashton asked.

    This is his main concern more than anything. The Mysterious Rainbow has always stumped him and now he''s finally getting answers so you best believe that he will try to rify as much as he could while he still has the chance.

    "Don''t you already have the answer for that?" Gaia replied with a helpless smile on her face. "Think about it clearly. Remember what you have encountered as you slowly made your way back home."

    Ashton thought to himself a little bit before his eyes shimmered in understanding. He then eximed:

    "Huh...how bizarre."

    It wasn''t that hard. After all, he already had the answer to himself since it was the one realization he made during this his journey back home.<sub> </sub>

    His fate is to mold Humanity''s future. That''s one of the few ways his Providence can be interpreted. It also resonates with his goal of being Humanity''s Strongest Backer anyway.

    "Unfortunately, it is way too early for you to exert influence over the Auspicious Rainbow Cloud." Gaia stated, "You''d have to be at least a World Sage expert to do that."

    Ashton grimaced upon hearing that. He''s nowhere near that rank which meant that he''s also nowhere near strong enough to do what he wants with this Auspicious Rainbow Cloud.

    After the Mortal Stages of Knights and Mages, the path of cultivation converges into one which is called the ''High-Evolutionary Stages''.

    <o>,m The High-Evolutionary Stages are divided into several ranks, which are: Void, Star Child, Star Lord, Star King, World Sage, Cosmic Emperor, and Divine God.</o>

    Ashton is just a mere Warlock. Yes, he''s no ordinary Warlock but a Warlock nheless. World Sage is a but a pipe dream for now so he shouldn''t even think about it.

    "Well, since I can''t do it just yet. I''ll just do what I can to build up foundations for what I''m supposed to do. By the time I be a World Sage, I should have enough funding to raise new Heroes." Ashton stated.

    "If you need help with anything, don''t hesitate to call for my disciples." Gaia added, "I already informed them about you so they shouldn''t make things difficult for you."

    "Mn. I appreciate that." Ashton nodded, "Right, I have another question. What''s up with my Virtues? Is this because of the influence of the Auspicious Rainbow Clouds as well?"

    "It isn''t..." Gaia shook her head. She didn''t need to know what Virtues Ashton had apparently since she could already sense it. "Virtues, albeit being derived from Laws themselves, are only a facet of it."

    "Virtues are just a portion of Laws. What you get from your enlightenment depends on what resonates with you the most. The Auspicious Rainbow Cloud doesn''t influence that."

    "As for why the arrangement of your Virtues seems strange to you, then that is a puzzle that you must solve on your own. Ponder on it more and the answer shall reveal itself to you in time." Gaia advised.

    "...I see." Ashton nodded, he then sighed and said: "You know, if your sister could''ve just told me all of this before then it would''ve saved us time."

    "Indeed." Gaia sighed, which surprised Ashton, he wasn''t expecting her to agree. He then saw her cing a hand on her cheek as she grumbled, "Acacia has always been strict with others and herself. She does her best to stick to rules which makes her extremely boring sometimes."

    Ashton was speechless. This woman just roasted her sister in front of him. He wondered what Acacia would''ve said if she heard all of this.

    "Well, it''s been nice meeting you but I need to leave now. I still need to update my living status on the government files and find a new ce to live." Ashton told her.

    "I understand. Felicia already helped you with your new Profile so don''t worry about that. As for your new address, I believe I can leave that up to you."

    Ashton gave her a thumbs-up and then turned around to leave. It felt weird to talk to Gaia for the first time but in truth, meeting her didn''t change a thing for him.

    If anything, his goal is much clearer now. Especially when he was quite literally chosen to do it.

    As he walked away, the fog around him started clearing. After a while, he saw the shore and saw Felicia already there waiting for him with aplicated expression on her face.

    Ashton couldn''t help but ask: "Why the long face, Ma''am?"

    "...I''m just wondering. I mean, seniority-wise, I am older than you. But status-wise, yours is higher than mine. So how am I supposed to address you now?" She stated.

    "My status?" Ashton wondered.

    "Yes. In terms of status, yours is at the same level as Patron Gaia. Which roughly meant that you''re a Human National Treasure. In simpler terms, even the Federal President has to show some respect whenever he sees you."

    Ashton blinked a couple of times before looking back in the direction where he met Gaia previously. Felicia heard him muttering:

    "...how troublesome."

 Chapter 158 Shopping?

    "...it''s been a while since we had an actual home." Aria mused as she looked at the ceiling.

    She''s resting her head on Ashton''s chest, basking in the peace and warmth they have after being outside for so long.

    "Yeah, it feels rather weird." Ashton added, "I could feel myself still tense as if I''d be in a battle at any given moment, even though we''re already out of danger. This is going to take some time..."

    Adjusting will be hard, both of them know this. The exposure Ashton had as he trod the dangerousnds of the outside world honed his instincts to react to all kinds of danger with extreme prejudice. This mighte off as a problem so he made a conscious decision that might help him out in this area.

    First of all, the new home he chose for the two of them was rtively far from themercial streets, meaning that there were not many people around them. Ashton chose a quiet and nice little area for them to live in and start a new chapter of their lives.

    Now and then, Ashton will go out and try to socialize. He wants to adjust back to civilization and granted that he''d want to work with people in the future, he needs to make sure that he''sfortable enough to at least carry out a conversation.

    In reality, Ashton''s just waiting for the System to finish updating before starting his ns. He could definitely start now but he figured that waiting for the System first would be better.

    "Hey, do you think that they''d make things difficult for us?" Aria asked, sounding slightly nervous.

    "By ''they'' do you mean the Morning Sun Federation?" Ashton asked back.

    Aria nodded faintly and Ashton hummed. He started at the ceiling of the bedroom, going through his thoughts before saying:

    "Hard to say..." He sighed, "I did tell the Oracle to keep quiet and don''t tell anyone about me. But I don''t think that it''d be enough to keep the rest at bay. Gaia really made things moreplicated for me."

    Smiling wryly, Ashton felt a bit helpless.

    Truly, he wasn''t expecting to be pushed under the spotlight in this rather abrupt manner. He was in no way prepared for it really, nor did he ask for it in the first ce.

    He understood that Gaia just wanted to help, but raising his status on the same level as the President of the Federal Government is a bit excessive, no?

    If he was being honest, Ashton doesn''t know what to do with this information, for now at least, since admittedly, he''s still shocked by everything that has happened.

    As for what the Federal Government will do with this information? Well, that depends on them. For now, Ashton couldn''t be bothered to think about all of this.

    "Let''s rest for now, yeah? We can always tackle these things next time." Ashton told her and Aria agreed.

    He kissed her and they slept. Admittedly, both of them were tired. Since they could afford to rx now that they''re in a safe environment, they should be taking advantage of it.

    Fantasia is a sprawling metropolis which the size of at least 10 citiesbined.

    Compared before, aside from the protective bubble, there is a giant wall that stretched around the whole metropolis. There are border patrols at the four cardinal directions and there''s an additional dome that protected the air space of Fantasia, it is invisible to most people but Ashton could clearly make it out.

    Due to the sensitive times, cultivation had be the main focus of Humanity. Moreso than before, especially since information about cultivation isn''t being filtered anymore.

    Due to the merging of all remaining cities of humanity has, there was a great shuffle that urred to the hegemons as well. Organizations,panies, markets...there had been great changes in them as well but it is mostly focused on the current state of war.

    Ashton could tell all of these even without consulting someone. As he casually walked around the busy streets of Area 5 and listened to the gossip of people around him, his knowledge base is being refilled as he goes.

    Walking around, he could see stores who are apparently selling medicinal pills that could improve someone''s cultivation. Some vendors were pretending to be mysterious, saying that they have a Magic Spell avable that has been passed down from an ancient family. They even put an exorbitant price on it, when in truth it''s just a measly methrower Spell.

    Back in the day, you wouldn''t see such audacity from merchants thanks to thew which prevents that from happening. But since it''s gone now, then it''s all about profits for them it seems.

    Thankfully though, it looks like they''re not fooling many with their tricks. There were even kids who are deliberately trying to expose their schemes which is nice.

    Beep! Beep!

    Ashton''s smartwatch notified him of an iing call, this smartwatch is a brand new one, by the way, he bought it yesterday. Apparently, the old money he had before City M was destroyed was still eptable to this day.

    "Yo." ke greeted on the other side. "Out on a walk, eh?"

    "Yeah, grocery shopping." Ashton replied, "It''s weird to do this again but well...anyway, what''s up?"

    "I''m going to fetch Mary, wannae with us?" He asked.

    "She works at the Federal Center, yes?"<sub> </sub>

    "Yep." ke nodded, "She''s babysitting Alice there."

    "Yeah sure, I''ll tell Aria."

    "Alright, cool. See youter."

    ke cut off the call, Ashton then hid the watch in his sleeves and sent a telepathic message to Aria. She''s with him of course, just inside the library which is stored inside his Inventory.

    After informing her about it, Ashton continued with his grocery shopping until he felt something that rmed him greatly.

    He froze in his tracks and closed his eyes for a bit to spread out his senses. When he received the feedback, his eyes turned cold as he started marching towards a certain destination.

    ''Right, someone''s tailing me. Gotta deal with that first.'' Ashton mobilized his mana at his fingertips and sent an invisible fluctuation toward the person who had been following him ever since he stepped out of his new home.

    The stalker turned dazed for a bit before turning around. They then entered a shop while Ashton fled towards the location he sensed earlier.

    Almost phasing through the crowd, Ashton''s feet eventually led him to a spot where he felt the familiar stench of corruption.

    Granted, the corruption was faint and almost unnoticeable. Anybody could be fooled but not Ashton who spent half a decade being exposed to that shit constantly.

    Ashton''s pupils glimmered as he scanned the area in front of him.

    ''This looks like...an Apartment Complex.'' He mused to himself, ''the corruption ising from the basement but some of it is already scattered across the building itself.''

    ''Its influence is still weak so there are no visible changes in the building but it doesn''t mean that it isn''t rotting on the inside. Though, my biggest concern here is those who live here.''

    ''Any kind of corruption from the invaders is incredibly dangerous for regr human beings. But the real question is, how the hell did it end up here?''

    The glint in Ashton''s eyes turned shinier as he inspected the apartmentplex even closer. He was hiding in a spot while minimizing his presence as best as he could.

    ''Red hoods, purple clouds...and is that an Undead?'' Ashton was bbergasted, ''Again! How did that end up here? Weren''t there better security?''

    ''Anyways, this is them, right? What Alice told me yesterday, the Cult of the Skydemon? I can''t believe that there are actually morons who would follow them.''

    The Cult of the Skydemon was a fairly new hostile force that emerged from within Humanity''s ranks. They are a group of fanatics who worship demons to be as strong as they are one day.

    Alice, as a newly conferred knight of the Federation, had been tasked to search for these maniacs and deal with them. She said this yesterday when Ashton asked about what her responsibilities were as an official Knight of the Federation.

    ''Hmm...'' Ashton pondered for a bit. Then an idea crossed his mind.

    With one silent leap, he appeared inside the apartmentplex like a ghost. Turning on the recording function of his smartwatch, Ashton began recording his journey inside.

    He even pointed the camera at himself and shed a peace sign while standing behind an Undead Demon.

    After roaming the majority of the Apartment Complex as if there were no demons there, Ashton ended the recording and sent it to Alice.

    He then returned to where he was before, even waking up the stalker from the illusion he cast on him before pretending to do some grocery shopping once more.

    Beep! Beep!

    Ashton answered the call and immediately, Alice''s dumbfounded face greeted him.

    "Uh, Hi?"

    "How?" She asked, "How the hell did you immediately find something like this when you literally just returned?"

    She sounded stressed and exasperated. Ashton chuckled and shrugged. Alice huffed and said:

    "Don''t go anywhere, we''reing to get you."

 Chapter 159 Cultists

    Alice, ke, and Mary swooped down from above,nding in front of Ashton who was nonchntly chewing on a piece of garlic bread.

    "...wow," Alice said in an unimpressed tone. "Are we perhaps disturbing your meal, Sir?"

    "Nah..." Ashton chuckled. "Do your thing, I''m just a passerby, don''t mind me."

    "Geez, dude. Seriously? It hasn''t even been a day since you officially integrated back into society and you already encountered something troublesome?" ke frowned as he peered in the general direction where the cult''s base was.

    "Can''t help it...I''ve be quite sensitive to corruption. It''s everything that I could see not too long ago so, of course, I will notice it. Especially in this ce? It sticks out like a sore thumb." Ashton exined while still eating.

    "So, how are we going to do this?" Mary asked Alice and ke.

    "Let me handle it." Alice suggested, "It''s my responsibility anyway. You two can just secure the perimeter, make sure that the civilians wouldn''t be harmed just in case shit hits the fan."

    "Roger that," ke replied as he casually took out arge shield. Mary nodded as well and armed herself.

    "As for you..." Alice looked at Ashton, "Just stay put I guess."

    "Okay." Ashton readily agreed.

    ''They''re strong enough to handle this little cult. They should be fine without my help. But I''ll keep an eye out, just in case.'' Ashton mused to himself.

    Once they made their initial ns, the three of them scattered and moved toward their position, leaving Ashton where he was, watching in an interested fashion.

    Alice turned into a streak of sharp light that instantly appeared within the cult''s base. ke threw arge Tower Shield high up in the air which formed an invisible dome to cover everything within a mile''s radius. Mary jumped and instantly reached the top of the tallest building in this area, she stayed there to observe the surroundings, watching like a hawk on a hunt.

    ''Hoh...'' Ashton was mildly impressed. He could tell that these three were used to moving like this. Clearly it wasn''t the first time that they''re been working together.

    Calmly resting his back on his chair, he opened his palms and caught an earpiece thrown to him by Mary who was on top of a building.

    Linking the earpiece to his smartwatch and epting the connection request sent by Mary, he ced the earpiece on and heard her voice.

    "I wish I can be as easygoing as you are."

    "Yeah, I''m jealous too." ke''s voice interjected.

    "Now, now..." Ashton replied, "You were the ones who told me that I should be resting, and I''m doing just that. Plus, I''m not part of your team, I''m just a bystander, a concerned citizen if you will. Good luck, Heroes."

    Ashtonughed when he heard an exasperated sigh from Alice on the other side. He shrugged and continued watching while enjoying his meal.

    The crowd was mostly unaware of the current operation taking ce within their immediate vicinity. Alice seems to have done that on purpose.

    ''Maybe she doesn''t want to stress out people when there''s no need to.'' Ashton guessed, ''Well, it isn''t a bad idea but she''s also risking their safety. She should at least have asked ke to clear out the area before they started this operation. At least, in that way, should there be any casualties, it''d be minimized.''

    ''...well, if she''s skilled enough to clear the entire cult stealthily all by herself, then there shouldn''t be any risks of casualties at all.''

    He watched as Alice moved like a venomous python inside the apartmentplex. She''s like a ghost that flickers in and out of existence. She was moving very fast. Ashton could see how she was referring to the video he made earlier.

    Unlike Ashton though, some cultists could vaguely sense Alice''s presence. They know that there is an intruder but they don''t know where she is. Stoll, they were rmed.

    Unlike Ashton who was undetected despite making questionable things, Alice wasn''t as sneaky as she thought she was. There were already a few moments when she was forced to neutralize a target as quietly and as quickly as she could.

    ''Stealth isn''t her greatest suit...she''s making a lot of noise.'' Ashton judged.

    "Alice, stop pretending to be an assassin. Just stab ''em!" kemented on thems.

    "Shut up! Don''t tell me what to do." Alice replied, but even though she said that it was obvious that she heeded his warnings and sped up her killing.

    Ashton could hear Mary chuckling on the other line too.

    ''Oh?'' Ashton was intrigued especially when he saw Alice''s sword moves. ''As expected of a Sword Saint. Her Sword Arts is at least at the Phenomenon Stage.''

    Alice turned into a streak of light, merging with her sword as she sliced through several enemies all at once, slicing space itself to shorten the distance she needed to cover.

    This was a clear disy of her Sword Art reaching the Phenomenon Stage. She mowed through several cultists like they were nothing...granted, it''s not really much of a fight, it''s more of an assassination than anything.<sub> </sub>

    Alice never asked questions herself, she just jumped in and started killing. In Ashton''s eyes, that is both a good thing and a bad thing.

    Ashton continued watching calmly. And while Alice, ke, and Mary constantly talked in thems, Ashton didn''t say a word. He''d only speak if someone directly referred to him. Other times, he''d just watch.

    There were a lot of cultists around in disguise as renters within the Apartment Complex. Going through one room after the other was particrly tedious even though Alice is a Grandmaster Knight, it''s also time-consuming as well.

    Time passed by and eventually, Alice did manage to kill all the cultists within the Apartment Complex without raising any public rms.

    "Good job." Mary said over thems.

    "It''s not over yet." Alice stated.

    "Hm? There''s still a cultist alive?" Mary asked in a confused manner.

    "Yes! Uh...yeah, kind of. I''m not sure actually." Alice bit her lips in confusion.

    "I feel it too. Something''s still wrong here." ke interjected.

    "Well, what could it be?" Mary asked, sounding nervous.

    "I don''t know. I just feel like I am missing something incredibly important. But I don''t know what it is." Alice sounded frustrated.

    ke didn''t say a word and continued to search for whatever it is that they felt amiss.

    "Well, at least you''re still clean." Ashton butted in at this point. There''s a clear trace of sarcasm in his tone.

    Honestly, if it weren''t for him speaking all of a sudden, they would''ve all forgotten that he was here.

    "Clean? What do you mean by that?" Mary asked.

    "I mean, look at her!" Ashton stated, "She''spletely spotless. Not even a hint of blood can be seen in her uniform. Which is weird if you ask me since I can clearly remember her going through enemies so I thought, surely, there should be some bloodstains and some guts all over her but nope, can''t see any of that shit."

    "It''s probably the uniform." Ashton continued, pointedly ignoring the dumbfounded faces of his friend. "I mean, your uniform does look fancy so it must have a couple of enchantments."

    "...it''s not the uniform," Alice whispered.

    "Yeah, no shit it''s not." Ashton snorted. Dropping the sarcasm in his voice. "Look closely around, woman. Where''s all the blood and corpses of your victims? You went through all the trouble of killing them so where did they all go?"

    "..."

    Ashton rolled his eyes and once again, adopted a sarcastic tone: "Oh, no! That can''t be! Surely that''s not it."

    "All of those blood and flesh couldn''t have possibly ended up in one of the ritual altars that we have decisively selected to ignore earlier when we were doing the so-called ''nning'' of this entire operation, right? There''s no way! That''d be so obvious and we would be so stupid to forget such a simple thing."

    "We couldn''t have possibly ignored such a simple thing since clearly, we''re using Spiritual Sense �� a trick that has been taught since high school, constantly, so something like that shouldn''t have escaped our senses!"

    Ashton rolled his eyes as he audibly took a sip of his juice. Ignoring the blushing faces of both Alice and Mary due to embarrassment.

    "...must you be so sarcastic about it." ke uttered softly in thems.

    "I wouldn''t be if it weren''t for the fact that you guys'' ipetence will cost the lives of the civilians." Ashton t out told them, "Speaking of civilians, ke you might wanna do something about an explosion that''s about to happen in the next two minutes. Countdown starts now."

    "...Shit!" ke immediately panicked.

    At this point, none of them dared to ignore Ashton''s words anymore. Clearly, he''s betterpared to them so it would unwise to doubt him.

    Alice tried her best to locate the ritual altar that Ashton was talking about but when she arrived there, it was already toote.

    Ashton was correct, all the blood and flesh of the cultist she killed ended up here.

    He''s also correct when he said that this entire Apartment Complex is going to explode within the next two minutes.

 Chapter 160 Bioweapon?

    A purple mass of pulsating flesh hovered in the air, right above a demonic ritual circle.

    Alice watched solemnly as thought about any possible way to eliminate this threat without causing mass casualties. Unfortunately, she doesn''t have enough time since it is clear that an explosion will ur and it is in her best interest to get out of there as soon as she could.

    Meanwhile, over ke''s side...

    He just finished gathering up enough energy. Raising his shield high, he let out a strong yelp before a strong light instantly flooded the whole street.

    "Heavenly Fortress!"

    Dark Golden light erupted and all of a sudden, all people vanished from the vicinity of the Apartment Complex. The young, old, men and women, even pets included...all of them were transported somewhere else safe.

    They''d probably find this a little bit confusing but it doesn''t matter. What''s important is that they''re safe and it better stay that way.

    ke''s spell didn''t just shift all uninvolved people out of the area, it also erected a massive barrier that would contain all the damage in one ce. This way, no matter how strong the explosion would be, it will all be contained here.

    And as it turns out...ke''s timing couldn''t be any better because as soon as he was done casting that spell, the explosion urred.

    Boom!!

    Shockwaves could be felt from miles away. A huge mushroom cloud could be seen as well. Many people jumped in surprised upon feeling the impact of the explosion.

    It was contained and nobody was hurt, still, it was rather rming for them since it''s not every day that they experience such a violent thing...

    "Girls, you good?" ke asked as he hid behind his shield.

    He heard coughing on the other side.

    "I''m good, I was far enough from the explosion." Mary replied.

    "I''m fine." Alice tly stated. It was obvious that she was upset.

    How could she not? This was her fault. If it weren''t for Ashton''s timely warning, how many people would''ve died because of this explosion?

    This is her responsibility as a Conferred Knight, yet not only did she fail, but she also risked so many lives because of her recklessness. This was just uneptable.

    On the other hand, ke feels a little bit upset about himself too.

    Granted that he''s someone who lived 9 lives so far, he should be more experienced when ites to this. He had fought hordes of demons before in his previous lives, in theory, he should''ve been able to notice that something was amiss the moment he arrived there.

    But instead of noticing anything, he was caught unprepared. Such a thing was uneptable for someone like him.

    As for Mary, well...she''s fine. There wasn''t much that she could do anyway. She was outssed and nobody mes her for that.

    Ashton on the other hand was still as easygoing as ever.

    He remained seated on the chair, resting his back against it and watching the events unfold.

    That being said though, his eyes remained critical. He surveyed the surroundings closely and saw something which made him slightly solemn.

    "...Mary, I lost sight of the target. Anything on your side?" Alice said through thems.

    "Negative." Mary reported after scouring the vicinity from her spot.

    "I don''t see anything either," ke reported.

    "Crap!" Alice felt anxious.

    Ashton sighed and said: "Mary, don''t look down. Try in front or above you."

    "...what the fuck is that!?" Mary''s freaked-out voice sounded on thems.

    ke and Alice didn''t say anything, instead, they unhesitatingly went towards where Mary was to help her.

    When they arrived there, they saw Mary looking pale and shaken up. She was staring above and didn''t even react when they reached her side.

    ke and Alice followed Mary''s gaze and then they saw it.

    A ck-skinned giant hovering above the air.<sub> </sub>

    It stood about 15 feet tall, it emanated a strong stench of corruption that it was downright skin-crawling. Its eyes were crimson red and its muscles looked like they were made out of coils of steel.

    The demon was an avian. It had a bird''s head, a crow to be more specific, a human torso, the lower body of a cattle including a tail, and a pair ofrge wings pping behind its body.

    Aside from corruption, the demon released a faint intimidating pressure. Everyone who looks at it feels their soul being shaken as primal fear takes over their body.

    Alice and ke were fine. Their willpower is strong enough to easily resist something like this. Mary, on the other hand, she''s in a bit on the weaker side and her curse is certainly not making things easier for her.

    "Is that a Skydemon? It looks...strange." Alice wondered out loud.

    "Yes and no." Ashton answered using thems.

    "What do you mean?" Alice inquired. But before Ashton could answer, ke interjected by saying...

    "It is a faux demon, I think. It doesn''t have a demon''s signature horns."

    And that''s when Alice was finally reminded about that important detail. Now it made sense why she felt that something was amiss when she looked at this thing.

    "It''s a Bioweapon." Ashton added casually. "I don''t know what moron was stupid enough to create such a thing but it is highly unstable. It''s nearly awake so you guys better are prepared for that thing''s rampage."

    "...here, have some buffs. This shouldst until the end of the battle. Do humanity a favor and vaporize that thing immediately." Ashton stated as he, once again, casually weaved 10 buffing spells on the three of them in the span of five seconds.

    "...holy shit!" ke couldn''t help but exim, looking back at Ashton in disbelief. The same could be said for Alice as well.

    To summarize what they feel right now, it''d be ''Invincible''.

    Mana Weapon, Divine Protection, Holy Blessing, Font of Life, Hymn of Courage, Absolute Immunity, Vigorous Rage...the list of buffs goes on and on...

    The sheer power and confidence they felt coursing through their veins were incredible. It felt like their bodies were bursting with power and it was insane.

    Ashton''s buffs also cleansed fear out of her system, allowing her to recover herposure. She observed her and her friends'' glowing bodies, feeling the strength they possess, albeit for a limited period.

    "...what''s the level of your Spells?" Mary couldn''t help but ask.

    "Don''t worry about it." Ashton replied, refusing to answer that for now. "Instead of focusing on the level of my spells, you have better things to do. Like focusing on the Bioweapon that''s going to wake up in the next five seconds."

    That got them going. At this point, nobody really doubted Ashton. He hasn''t been wrong so far, so if he says that the enemy is about to wake up, then it is about to wake up.

    And seemingly supporting this im, the Demonic Bioweapon twitched and suddenly screeched at the sky, shattering several ss windows while it was at it.

    The screech could be heard from miles away, at this point, there were already some people who couldn''t contain their curiosities anymore and were headed toward this ce. Fortunately, though, the barrier that ke created earlier was strong enough to prevent them from going any further.

    "ke, youe with me. Mary, we''ll try to make openings for you. Go for the head if you can." Alice immediately reacted and charged ahead followed by ke.

    The Skydemon noticed them and didn''t hesitate to attack them. It was fierce and really strong. ke could clearly feel the weight being its attacks when he tried to intercept the blow with his shield. Nheless, ke remained stable.

    Alice used that chance to poke holes into the Skydemon''s body, but its flesh was exceptionally durable and her attacks just left a white scar instead.

    She frowned and decisively used more mana to sharpen her sword. Compiled with her sword arts and Ashton''s buffs, she was able to leaverge wounds on the Skydemon''s body.

    ke suddenly stepped in and used the Provocation Spell to shift the attention of the demon to himself.

    Just in time to receive another strong attack from the Skydemon.

    Mary was off at a distance, her bow was fully drawn to a perfect arc. Her shot was primed and ready, all she needs is the signal and she would definitely punch a hole in the Skydemon''s head.

    Alice and ke continued to harass the Skydemon until finally, it slipped up. Both Alice and ke noticed this so they signaled Mary who released the shot she was holding right away.

    Because of Ashton''s buffs, that shot was more powerful than any of them was expecting, even Mary herself underestimated her strength greatly. It was clear from her surprised expression when she saw how the Demon''s head directly exploded just from a single shot of hers.

    The Skydemon fell to the ground, its body turned lifeless and dissipated into dust. ke and Alice were still recovering from the shock.

    Somehow, they were expecting that fight to be much harder than that but they really underestimated just how strong they''ve be thanks to Ashton''s assistance.

    "Alright, good work everyone. Nowe down here and rest, you deserve it." Ashton''s yful voice woke them up from their stupor.

 Chapter 161 Their Thoughts And Ashtons Plan

    "...are you sure that it was Bioweapon and not a real one?"

    "It doesn''t have any horns." ke stated to the person he was talking to. "It required at least a hundred-plus people to be sacrificed for that thing to appear, even then it was unstable. That wasn''t a genuine one, that''s for sure."

    The guy on the other side of the call visibly grimaced and said: "Damn, how troublesome."

    "Indeed it is. And if this isn''t enough to put the Skydemon Cult up to your list, then I think it''s time for those old folks to resign." ke snorted.m

    "Hey, shh!! What if someone hears you?"

    "I said what I said!" ke stressed out. "You''re not stupid. We both know what this entails! If they could create one, then we must assume that they already have an army of it!"

    "This ritual requires a lot of people to be used as a sacrifice! You weren''t here so you wouldn''t understand. We nearly failed in this! If it weren''t for some timely reinforcements, we three wouldn''t have been able to stop that thing! How many innocent people would''ve died because of that?"

    "I''m tired of sounding like a broken record to you guys so do me a favor and tell those geezers to start doing something or else I will do something instead."

    "At least, if I do something, then some people can be saved. I just can''t guarantee that those old folks wouldn''t get in between the crossfire." ke coldly spat as he terminated the call.

    "Tch." He clicked his tongue and copsed on the couch.

    He reached out to his pockets and bit on a cigarette, lighting it up by using the lowest level of fire emission spell in ce of a lighter. Taking a deep huff, he sighed and ruffled his hair out of irritation.

    "Damn it, what the hell has gotten to me?" He mused to himself.

    It''s times like this that his mood drops to the lowest level. He''s stressed out, that much is obvious.

    Carrying the burden of 9 lives filled with nothing but bleakness and fighting, ke is understandably very exhausted.

    His exhaustion is one that prates him deep to his soul, hell that might even be where the exhaustion wasing from in the first ce...

    Sometimes, he just wishes that he could just rest. Unfortunately, he couldn''t. Whenever he starts thinking that he could, something will happen which will force him to interfere.

    ke had gotten so used to it that sometimes, he feels as if he was just a walking corpse instead.

    Nevertheless, even though his sheer desire to rest easy and sleep all day long, he still ends up doing something since something must be done so that he can rest. That''s the idea basically...unfortunately, some people just don''t get it. And that annoys him the most.

    It''s hard to believe that there are people who had gottencent and had already epted the current status quo. The same people already epted their fate and chose to live under this false sense of peace and security.

    Living 9 lives so far desensitized ke so this illusionary peace couldn''t fool him. What''s worse is that, no matter what age he got reincarnated in, the problem was still there.

    How can he rest easy knowing that?

    "...damned geezers." He cursed under his breath, "The invaders don''t give a fuck about that ''treaty'' or whatever, hell they might not even know what you guys are talking about yet you all are still serving them lives of Heroes on a silver tter. How is that any good?"

    Of course, he knows about this too. Why else would he stick beside Alice still if it weren''t for this? ke is still ke, after all, he''s here to protect Alice just in case those Geezers dare toy a finger on her.

    He hasn''t told Mary about this yet, and he doesn''t know if he has the heart to ever tell her. As for Ashton...

    ''...that kid.'' ke narrowed his eyes. ''He''s strong. He''s hiding a lot of things from us and I wouldn''t be surprised if he knows some information too.''

    ''The sheer fact that he was able to survive out there, by himself and with a burden with him...returning in one piece and still sane, is nothing short of a miracle.''

    ''...I would know, I''ve been there after all.''

    Unpleasant memories reyed in his mind, he shook his head and fought the wry smile that was making its way to his lips.

    ''His spells were really strong though. Plus, he bears the crest of Gaia now. Did he be her agent? Well, no problem if he was. That''s Gaia after all.''

    ''I don''t know what he''s nning to do from this point onwards but I should watch him closely.''

    And just like that, ke delved into his thoughts more and more until he fell asleep on the couch.

    Thwack! Thwack!

    In the middle of arge open yard, under the direct re of moonlight, a girl with long ck hair could be seen swinging her sword with a stern expression.

    Her face wore a strict expression. Her arms trembled and her clothes were drenched in sweat, causing it to stick to her body. Still, she didn''t stop swinging her sword despite the clear exhaustion she felt.<sub> </sub>

    ''What a roller coaster of events.'' She mused inwardly, ''First was a rookie mistake, then a timely intervention which ultimately saved the day.''

    ''Conferred Knight, my foot! Ruby Knight, my ass!'' Alice berated herself. ''Uneptable! I nearly caused the death of so many people today! Totally uneptable!''

    ''It seems that I became toocent because of my rapid increase in strength. I can''t let that happen. I must work harder. Be even more stronger.''

    ''Stronger than everyone else! That way, we won''t have to live in fear anymore! This war has gone on for far too long! This must end now or it will never be over!''

    Unbeknownst to Alice, her desire was causing her Providence to react. In a mystical way, or as Ashton would say �� through the power of the Plot Armor, her potential is being unearthed even more and her destiny was shining brighter than ever.

    Alice is bing fitter and fitter for the role of this Generation''s Hero.

    If Ashton was to know this, he would be torn between feeling jubnt and feeling bad.

    On one hand, the stronger Alice is, the better. At least she''d be strong enough to protect herself and make a difference.

    But on the other hand, since she''s being groomed as the next Hero on the silver tter, the stronger she is, the juicer she gets for the starving invaders who are already salivating for her flesh.

    ''...Ash has be strong.'' She mused inwardly. ''Although he didn''t answer Mary''s question, it''s clear that his Spells must''ve reached at least Lv.50 and that''s the minimum.''

    ''Adding the fact that he was a White Mage, ''Hell'' wouldn''t even begin to describe how the experience must''ve felt for him during the past five years.''

    ''...''

    ''...should I also make a trip there?'' She thought to herself, ''If he became stronger by being exposed to danger 24/7, then I should be too, right?''

    ''But Master probably won''t let me.'' Alice clicked her tongue upon remembering this.

    Yes, it is most likely that Oracle Felicia wouldn''t allow her to venture outside even for a noble cause. As for why that is, Alice doesn''t know.

    So, since she couldn''t do anything about it right now, she might as well focus on what she could do right now.

    Meanwhile on Ashton''s side...

    What happened this day was a bit enlightening for him.

    Seeing his friends in action gave him a rough understanding of the disparity between the invaders and fellow humans.

    Sufficed to say, he wasn''t too happy about it for now. In his eyes, there are tons of things to improve upon.

    And such improvements are something he''s definitely keeping an eye out for.

    "...is it done?" He asked Aria whose hands were on her side, admiring her masterpiece so far.

    She then replied: "Yep. Isn''t she a thing of beauty?"

    "Yep." Ashton t-out agreed.

    Both of them looked at ''The Core'' from ''ARC'' Blueprints, hooked into a bunch of neatly arranged and hidden electric wires. Those wires are connected to a room that is being powered by ''The Core''.

    "Good job, Babe. I knew I could count on you." Ashton kissed her and Aria swooned.

    "Now, I only wished that there is a Copy and Paste function in real life so that we can mass produce this." Aria sighed.

    "So long as you already drew the schematics for it, we can just hire people to create more. People in this part of the city are desperate for work anyway."

    "Yeah, I noticed that too." Aria nodded.

    "Anyway, since ''The Core'' has been proven to work, then we can start the n: HSB, for real."

    "...you''re about to get busy again," Arai stated softly.

    "We still have time though. And I promise I''ll try my best to not neglect you. Plus, there''s still at least two weeks until before the System returns online."

    "Fine with me..."

 Chapter 162 Learning And Gifts

    [System Overhaul ends in: 1 day, 12 Hours, and 20 mins.]

    Roughly three weeks passed since Ashton returned to Last Bastion, and ever since then some kind of normalcy returned to him. He was able to rx and return to his roots, briefly setting his goals aside as he gathered more knowledge.

    His friends had been of great help to him during these past few weeks. They were constantly there and made it easier for him to adjust back to society. Sure there were some hindrances here and there due to them being adults now and having responsibilities but overall, it''s fine.

    What surprised Ashton was the fact that he was able to have a genuinely peaceful time...

    The Morning Sun Federation hasn''t sent anyone to make contact with him. He also didn''t feel any spies around his new home so he guessed that there weren''t one. If there was, then whoever that person is must be extremely capable to escape his senses.

    All that aside, for Ashton at least, his return has been rather peaceful so far.

    The same cannot be said for Alice, ke, and Mary though...

    These three are a team with Alice named as their Leader. Alice herself is a Conferred Knight of the Federation �� meaning she is well known and her reputation spreads out to every corner of the metropolis.

    She is pressured to perform due to this and she couldn''t fail. The moment she does, it''ll be over for her.

    Honestly, if it weren''t for the fact that she gets more resources, Alice wouldn''t even be bothered with this, sadly her cultivation demands plenty of resources so she has to fight for them.

    During the past few weeks, the Skydemon Cult became more and more audacious.

    They were mere cultists before but now, they''re a bonafide terrorist group.

    ke''s hunch was correct. The cult has an army of Bioweapons. They mainly took the form of a Skydemon, though they have slight deviations from one to the other which made them unique.

    The army had been harassing humanity en masse since their initial exposure. Nobody was able to keep the news of the Bioweapons, a close secret. In the end, the public learned of it and demanded exnations.

    The Federation handled it well, the public wasn''t happy about the cult but seeing that the government was trying its best to keep them safe cated them for now.

    Due to this, all of the conferred knights are busy nowadays.

    The situation was horrible. Humans were supposed to be safe within its walls but that''s not the case currently.

    This time, the problem came from within. It was traitors who caused it this time and many people got dragged into it.

    Alice, ke, and Mary had been in patrol nigh-constantly. They only have enough time to eat, rest and sleep. Ashton personally saw how they wilted more and more as time passed.

    He couldugh, honestly. It was clear that this situation was stressful for all of them yet they can''t do anything about it.

    They couldin all they want but they can''t run away, they''ve sworn a promise. They''re bound to their responsibilities.

    At this point, they''ve gotten used to dealing with Skydemons that they don''t need Ashton''s buffs anymore to save their asses. They still ask for it of course, in case of emergency.

    Also, due to their efficiency and swift response, many people began recognizing their efforts. The more famous they be, the more resources they could receive, which in turn will help their cultivation.

    In the middle of all of this chaos, Ashton started nting the seed for his sess.

    He had been around, visiting ces of interest. He also asked for the help of Oracle Felicia so that he can learn more spells.

    Now that the curse is gone, Ashton isn''t limited to basic tier Spells. He could now learn intermediate and above. He''d be a fool to not take advantage of this!

    Sadly though, the System was still offline so he couldn''t put the spells in the Grinding Slots. So for now, he could only practice on his own.

    He started simply with a few Control Spells from the School of Elements such as Fire Control, Water Control, and so on...

    Of course, he also learned about the few offensive spells White Magic has such as Smite, Will ''o Wisps, White Nova, and Pure White sh.

    He also learned more ck Magic and explored other schools of Magic such as Green Magic, which is also known as Nature Magic, Psionic Magic, Enhancement Magic, Divination Magic, and so on...

    Ashton reverted to his true passion as a schr and he couldn''t be any happier. If he could just go on like this, researching and learning more magic, that''d be perfect. Sadly, he had his responsibilities too.

    And now might just be the right time to start contributing...lest some people start thinking that he''s just a burden.

    "...you guys look horrible." Ashton tly said as he served them some coffee and snacks.<sub> </sub>

    The way how they didn''t have the energy to respond to that, proved Ashton''s point.

    They look like zombies. It was obvious that they hadn''t had a good sleep in a while. They were dragging their bodies around like it was fighting against them. Ashton could see their hands shaking when they reached out for their food and drinks.

    Ashton sighed and pitied them a bit. So, he released the tiniest pulse of Life Virtue on top of the Spell: Invigorate, which helps the targets to recover from their fatigue.

    With the Virtue of Life''s effect, the spell was more potent. In mere seconds, it''s as if these three experience rebirth. They all collectively released a groan offort.

    "God, you are such a blessing to humans." ke groaned. "Seriously, join us will you? Be our White Mage. I''m willing to give half of the resources I earn to you if you''d just join us."

    "Seriously." Alice chimed in. "This whole mess would''ve been much easier to deal with if you were with us."

    Ashton looked at Mary, expecting her to have something to add but he was met with a shrug.

    "I am still tired, I wanna sleep." She said, coiling to herself on the couch.

    "...fair." Ashton shrugged too. "Anyways, quitining you two. You speak as if you don''t disturb me enough as it is. I am helping by buffing you guys up all the damn time. What more do you want from me? I''m just a White Mage you know? I''m very weak and vulnerablepared to you guys."

    Ashton didn''t miss the fact that they were looking at him in disdain.

    Yeah, as if they would believe that shit. Weak and vulnerable? Says the man who literally crawled his way out of hell? Come up with a more believable lie, please?

    Ashton pointedly ignored those. Instead, he said this: "Alright, where''s the stuff? Take it out."

    Alice waved her hand and instantly, three corpses of Skydemons appeared in front of Ashton. Judging from the way she took this out so casually, it''s obvious that this isn''t the first time she did this.

    Ashton inspected the corpses and nodded to himself. He held out his palm to cast Purify on the Skydemon corpses. The resentment and foul aura of Demonic Corruption disappeared as soon as he was done. And from the corpses, a skull, spine, and pelvic bone were left.

    "Perfect." Ashton nodded to himself.

    That earned a raised brow from ke, then he was asked: "You know, you never told us why you suddenly started collecting these Purified Remains of Demons."

    ''Well, it''s not like we knew that this was possible, to begin with. Who could''ve thought that Demons left things like these if their corpses were purified? I believe this was something Ashton discovered by himself.'' ke mused to himself.

    Alice also had simr thoughts.

    "...well, you''re not strangers so I guess it''s fine to let you know," Ashton murmured loud enough for them to hear. He then stood up and said: "Come, follow me."

    They then stood up and followed Ashton towards the elevator, but instead of going up, they went down. And judging from the time they spent in their descent, they were definitely going deep down.

    When the doors opened, the three were shocked to see ab.

    A rather messyb with a messy Aria fiddling with something on her table.

    "Hey, Babe. We have visitors." Ashton greeted casually.

    Aria looked back and smiled at them. Her face was dirty but her charm never dissipated. Ashton endearingly cleaned her face when he reached and then handed her the remains he purified just now.

    Aria then said: "Ooh! They''re perfect! Just what was missing. Hold on, give me three minutes at least."

    Ashton nodded and retreated toward where Alice, ke, and Mary were.

    Mary, ever so intrigued, asks: "What is she doing?"

    "You''ll see." Ashton smiled.

    And under their shocked gazes, Aria released a strong pulse of mana. Several tools flew around her, sparks ensued and harsh noises echoed around theb.

    As soon as the three minutes were up, Aria faced them again with her face dirty once more. She had a brilliant smile on her face as she presented three items in her hands to them.

    One sword, a pair of round shields, and a bow.

 Chapter 163 New Weapons

    A sword, a pair of round shields, and a bow.

    This was what Aria created from the purified remains of the Skydemons just now using an unfamiliar forging technique.

    The sword was three feet long. It looked like an ordinary sword save for the red groove in the middle of the de. It gleamed sharply and looked weighty.

    The pair of round shields were small, there was a skull in the middle of each one and they were slightly curved.

    As for the bow, its arms looked like it was made out of a spine, which is correct, it is indeed made out of two spines from skydemons, the string was a tendon and it also came with a quiver.

    Before handing them to their owners though, Ashton carved a rune into them first. For the sword, the runes he added helped it be more flexible and prevent it from turning dull.

    For the shield, he installed a ''couple rune'' which will allow ke to call the shield back to where he is if he dropped it or he threw it somewhere far.

    As for the bow, he left a rune that will give Mary assistance when ites to aiming. The quiver is also blessed to carry more arrows than the disyed amount.

    "...here." Ashton handed the items to their new owners, who were inspecting them with a critical gaze. "If you want to give them a spin, there are training rooms around here. Feel free to use them."

    None of them refused, they went inside the training rooms and did some simple tests using their new weapons.

    ke threw the round shields like frisbees. With just thought of his, the shields curved and bounced around the room despite them not hitting the wall or anything.

    This was ke''s doing though, not the shields. But even if that was the case, the shields were nice.

    ''The curvature allows them to cut and glide through the air easily and effortlessly. Due to that, I need not to throw them so hard, I can save energy that way too.''

    ''The shield''s toughness is unbelievable, though.'' ke judged, ''I can confidently say that this was built tost and to protect.''

    ''...what makes it even better is that I can recall it to my hands with just a thought.''

    ''I can already tell that I''m going to have so much fun with this thing.'' ke mused to himself, ''Still, I wasn''t expecting that something valuable can be made out of Demonic Remains! My horizons broadened greatly this day.''

    On Mary''s side, she''s struggling but also shocked.

    The bow was unique. Because the arms of the bow were made out of spines, it boasts phenomenal flexibility. Whenever Mary pulls the string to shoot, she is met with resistance that gets stronger the more vertebrae she releases.

    And with each vertebra released, the speed and power of the shot she just loaded increases by a lot.

    ''There are 33 vertebrae on each spine. When I pull, at most I can only release 10 of each spine, but even with that, the shot loaded was already as strong as my fully charged shots before.''

    ''I want to pull more but I''m not physically strong enough to do that just yet. Still, this is an awesome weapon! I can''t believe Aria could make something like this!''

    It was obvious that Mary liked her new bow. Just this alone boosts herbat efficiency by a lot. Plus, despite the bow looking bulky, it is light. She did not have any trouble carrying it around.

    As for its durability? There''s no need to be worried about that. Remember, this weapon is made out of purified remains of demons �� creatures that are at least 10 times stronger than humans when ites to physical parameters.

    Alice was also liking her new sword a little too much.

    This new sword is shorterpared to what she''s used to, but it was perfect for her. Despite its rather nd appearance, it is extremely sharp and it''s weighty which Alice really liked about it.

    It had to be known at this point that all of these weapons are great conductors of mana, meaning that performing a skill using this weapon would yield twice the result with half the effort.

    ''...weird, it''s clearly made out of Demonic Remains but the corruption was totally harmless! My mana flows in it too smoothly, even my sword intent is humming in delight! What''s going on? Are these weapons truly that magical? How in the world did the two of them discover this?''

    ''No...I shouldn''t pry. Everyone has secrets, Ashton and Aria are entitled to theirs as well. What''s important is that they made it with us in mind, it was clear that they just want to help.''

    "I''ll put this to good use." Alice mused to herself.

    And just like this, the three of them got a little bit carried away in ying with their new toys that they forgot the passing of time.

    "It''s been two hours, you three. That''s enough testing for now. Come back here." Ashton''s voice sounded on the speakers which woke them up from their stupor.<sub> </sub>

    Keeping their new toys away, they exited their training rooms and rode the elevator back up to meet with Ashton. When they arrived, they saw Ashton rxing on the couch, eating some potato chips while watching a movie.

    "Where''s Aria?" Mary asked as she plopped down on the other side of the couch.

    "Resting." Ashton tly replied. "She hasn''t slept for three days straight. Making those weapons did her in so I tucked her to sleep. Don''t worry, she''ll be fine. In fact, she''d be sleeping better knowing that you all are armed properly now."

    "Thanks for those by the way." ke said, "I love those cuties a lot. Wish my other shields are like them too."

    "You''re wee. And if you want more, just talk to Aria next time. Tell her what you need and she''ll tell you the materials you''d be needing for that. Once you have them, bring them to her with a forging fee and she''d make it for you."

    "...well, I''ll keep that in mind, but let''s let her rest for now," ke stated.

    "Right. Is this what you two will be doing from now on? Creating weapons using Demonic Remains?" Mary inquired.

    "...it''s part of it." Ashton replied, "I n on doing something much bigger though. Right now, I''m still preparing for it."

    "What is it exactly?" Alice curiously asked.

    "Well, don''t be impatient. You all will know soon." Ashton smiled in a mystified manner. "Anyway, don''t spread out Aria''s talents just yet. I don''t want customers for now."

    "Sure. No problem." ke readily agreed.

    "...can you tell me something, Ash? How did the idea of using Demons, of all things, to make weapons, came to you and Aria?" Mary asked, unable to hold her curiosity to herself.

    "..."

    "If it''s a trade secret, I get it. I''m just curious you know. I know you''re a studious guy��"

    "You mean a nerd?" Ashton interjected with a snort.

    "...sure, whatever you say I guess. But yeah, I''m just curious."

    Ashton chuckled and dusted his fingers. He peeled his back off the couch and said:

    "First of all, how bold of you to assume that we''re only using Demons for crafting..."

    As he said that, he took out a pair of gloves. It was pure white, yet it couldn''t fool the senses of Alice, Mary, and ke. The corruption is strong in that gloves but it is a controlled and safe corruption. It is stable and contained.

    "This is nice pair of gloves she made for me. I don''t know if you are aware of this but in the outside world, nights are longer than days. The sun rises yes but by the time the clock hits 1 pm, dusk already begins."

    "It''s dark and cold out there. Plus, during the night time demons are extremely active. If I hadn''t found a ce to hide by the time the sun waspletely out, I''ll be in deep shit."

    "On the territory of Angels though, it''s the opposite. There, days are longer than nights. However, it''s basically the same deal. I need to hide before they be active or else I''d be in danger."

    "Our technology won''t work. I don''t have any offensive spells that are powerful enough to deal with them. There are way too many of them and I''m really getting sick and tired of running away from my problems."

    "Well then...what do you think I did next?" Ashton looked at Mary while smiling.

    But make no mistake. Despite that seemingly amicable smile of his, all of them could sense the grave danger behind it. His words might sound calm but how can it be that simple?

    It must''ve been maddening.

    "...long story short, I ended up with the spine of some demon in my hands. I didn''t know what to do with it at first but it did feel good using it to bash the skulls of other demons in."

    "That''s basically where the idea came from. I was being resourceful I guess."

    Ashton shrugged and pointedly ignored the dumbstruck and mildly horrified gazes of his friends.

 Chapter 164 System Overhaul: Complete! New Functions!

    Ashton was excited for today...

    He hasn''t slept at all but he''s still energetic, well at this point in his life, especially with his current cultivation rank, losing a night of sleep isn''t a big deal at all. Plus, there is a legitimate reason for him to look forward to this moment.

    [System Overhaul ends in: 2 mins...]

    After a month of being offline, the System''s overhaul was about to be done. Ashton had no idea of what this had in store for him but he was still looking forward to it.

    To make sure that he wouldn''t get disturbed, he told his friends that he''d be busy today, locking himself inside thebs to prepare for something. They didn''t pry and acknowledged it so none of them should being today to bother him.

    Well, if there''s an emergency, that might change but for now, this shall do.

    The two-minute wait was long...well, it felt long for him at least. He just kind of sat in his chair, anxiously fidgeting while staring at the countdown timer.

    Eventually, though, the countdown ended. The message window disappeared and he saw a bar loading up in front of him. He waited for that as well. Once that was finished, he heard that familiar pinging sound in his head and several floating messages filled his vision.

    [Wee to the Idle System v2.0!]

    [Since your wish, is to be Humanity''s Strongest Backer, the System Overhaul went along with the Host''s ambitions. Please explore the System''s New Functions during your own time.]

    [Idle System v2.0 Functions]

    Profile

    Inventory

    Simtion Zone

    Mission Board

    Party (New!)

    Beneficiaries (New!)

    Benefactor''s Returns (New!)

    "...the Grinding Slots and the Sign-in Opportunities are gone?" Ashton frowned. He was rmed by this and wanted to ask the system why this function got removed but he held off.

    Instead, he first asked for exnations about the System''s new functions.

    The ''Profile'' function was rtively the same, it just disys his current information. It looks like this...

    [Profile]

    Name: Ashton West

    Age: 19

    Race: Human

    Bloodline: Human/Fey(95%)

    Cultivation Rank: Lv.5 Warlock (5th Refinement)

    Virtues: Mana, Purity, Life, Death, Water.

    Specialization:

    Main: White Mage

    Sub: Gunslinger

    Aptitude:

    Mageroot: Auspicious Rainbow Cloud

    Magical Artifact: Unsealed Book of Infinity (Legendary)

    Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings (Grade: EX)

    Spells Learned: 129

    Skills Learned: 4

    "...those four skills, ah! The Basic Staff Proficiency, Basic Scythe Arts, Footwork, and the 13th Army Fighting Manual! It''s those four."

    "And my actual Providence''s rank is now revealed. EX rank? That should be high right? The highest rank I know is the Legendary Hero Rank, so what does the EX rank represents?"

    [It''s a Unique Rank, Host. Only a few people are entitled to Providence such as yours.]

    "...that, didn''t really answer my question."

    [...]

    "Fine, I''ll figure it out on my own." Ashton grumbled as he checked the other functions.

    The ''Inventory'' still remains the same. It''s a bag with infinite space in it, he still can''t put living things inside but that''s fine.

    The ''Simtion Zone'' got an improvement. Now, aside from him being able to pull his consciousness inside, he can also pull others in.<sub> </sub>

    Letting others use this though has a requirement, a medium per se, which came in the form of a VR Helmet. Ashton received 5 helmets for now and those could automatically allow the user to ess the Simtion Zone.

    "...there''s presets installed already. Oh, these ces are the ones that I''ve been through before, huh, that''s interesting."

    "There''s also a list of the Celestials and Hypogeans that I fought and in in here as well. How inclusive. Hmm..."

    Ideas were starting to flood Ashton''s mind but he decided to park those thoughts for now. He had other matters to attend to, he can alwayse back to those anyways.

    The next function is the ''Mission Board''. It rtively remains the same. Only now, he could also create missions for his future subordinates.

    The ''Party'' function. Now, the System was kind enough to exin what it does to him this time around.

    Basically, he can invite people to join his party. Before they join though, they must first sign an NDA file to keep the existence of the System a closely guarded secret.

    To ensure that the NDA will be implemented, every Party Member will bear an insignia etched on their tongue. Receiving it wouldn''t hurt. In fact, none of them would even notice it, but if they tried to reveal information that they shouldn''t be revealing, they will feel it.

    First offense and their tongues will feel like it''s on fire. A second offense and the System will forcefully take over their bodies, they''d be incapacitated for at least three whole days.

    The third offense is the final one. The system will not only seize their bodies, but it will also take everything that has been given to the party member and will erase their memories of everything they knew about the System before kicking them out.

    Although it sounds cruel, it''s not asking for something impossible. All the party member needs to do is not say anything to unrted people. If members want to discuss it with themselves, that''s fine.

    Eavesdropping also wouldn''t work since all unrted parties will hear gibberish from the Party Members. So again, it''s not really that hard.

    The reason behind the strictness is that the Party Members will have ess to some of the System''s Functions, albeit to a lesser degree. Like, for example, the Inventory.

    Party Members will have a limited Party Inventory Space of 50 Slots. That''s already a lot.

    They will also have a Party Chat, the difference between this and the normal one is that the Party Chat can work on the outside world.

    Party members can also register for missions that Ashton posts on the Mission Board. They also release a distress signal that will alert Ashton of danger.

    With all of these being added to the mix, the NDA makes sense and the punishment for its vition can be justified. Again, it''s not that hard to keep this a secret. It''s for the greater good anyway.

    Now, for the ''Beneficiaries'' and ''Benefactor''s Return'' functions. This is the one that resonates with his ultimate goal.

    Basically, Ashton can be a ''Sponsor'' for someone (i.e. his friends, people that asks for his help, or someone he''s interested in) or something (i.e. businesses, markets,missions, and so on.)

    When they signed the NDA, they''ll be registered as ''Beneficiary'' of Ashton. Their information will be avable for him and he can then affect their future depending on what he ns for them.

    The more resources he invested and the more he ''takes care'' of them, the bigger his returns will be. The ''Benefactor''s Return'' function will give him rewards depending on his investments.

    The rewards, as the System says, are random. Ashton would just have to receive them after making investments.

    "...ah, so that''s why those old functions are gone." Ashton mused to himself, "With the Benefactor''s Return, I can receive rewards such as Spell/Skill Points, which allows me to upgrade Spells or Skills. I can receive money, Spirit Stones, and pretty much every resource I can think of so long as I invest."

    A smile bloomed on Ashton''s face.

    "Now, this is more like it." He looked at the System''s Prompt and saw that there is already someone listed as his Beneficiary.

    And to his surprise, it was actually Jerry!

    ''...I guess it works that way, huh?''

    He then viewed Jerry''s information...

    Beneficiary: BB Jerry

    Role: Butler Bot

    Upgrades Avable: Body, Core, Tools

    Growth Potential:

    A) EX Butler Bot

    B) Task Manager

    C) Formless AI

    Remarks: An adorable and reliable little helper. He''s just happy to be where his Master is.

    Ashton couldn''t help but be more curious. He checked the upgrades and the growth paths. In the end, he''s surprised.

    ''Jerry has had some upgrades in the past. The first is with the chip that System gave to me. I used that to allow him to speak vocally instead of speaking through a screen.''

    ''When disaster struck, he was destroyed but I managed to recover his core and restore him with his memories intact. During that, I also upgraded his body to be stronger.''

    ''In front of these System aided upgrades though, the ones I did look like child''s y.''

    ''If I upgrade his body to the max, not even Sorcerers could put a dent in him. If I upgraded his core, he''ll never have to charge again and could even produce his own energy resource, and if I upgraded his tools? He can probably work as fast as a whole damn factory all by himself.''

    ''If I make him an EX Butler Bot, I''m basically giving him tools to fight alongside me. If I make him a Task Manager, he''ll be linked to the System and can monitor things for me. Make him a Formless AI and I could probably monitor Fantasia as a whole!''

    The choices he got were overwhelming, he didn''t know that his little helper has so much potential! All of it is being wasted by having him look after books and such!

    With a fiery gaze, Ashton looked at the materials he needed to change Jerry''s growth path and swore that he was going to show everyone how awesome Jerry truly is!

 Chapter 165 Upgrade Chips And Rewards Distributed

    Of the three growth paths avable for Jerry, Ashton liked the idea of him being a Task Manager.

    Based on what he read from the System''s description, Task Managers are linked to the System, they do possess some form of individuality but ultimately they are extremely loyal to the System''s Host, which is him of course.

    Don''t misunderstand, Ashton isn''t doubting Jerry''s loyalty. The little helper has been with him through thick and thin so there''s not even a shadow of doubt in his mind about Jerry''s loyalty.

    Ashton just thinks it''s best that Jerry was to be linked with the System. Who knows what possibilities may ur if this was to happen?

    But of course, changing Jerry wouldn''t be so simple. Before he could even consider making him a Task Manager, Ashton has to upgrade everything about Jerry first.

    Looking at the System''s Prompt in front of him, he could see the list of materials needed for Jerry''s upgrade.

    To upgrade his body, he would need the following: 1 ton of Sapphire Silver, 10 kilograms of Emerald Copper, 50 grams of Titanium Alloy, and 10 grams of Sky Wrought Iron.

    These metals are extremely rare, which also means that they''re expensive. A ton of Sapphire Silver costs at least 1 million Federation Dors already, and the rest are just as expensive.

    The material that would''ve been a pain in the ass to get his hands on would be the Sky Wrought Iron. A metal this rare couldn''t be bought with just money anymore, he needs to apply for it and that''s a troublesome process in itself.

    Thankfully, he already has a good amount of it. He received it from Signing in back then.

    For Jerry''s Core upgrades, it''s simple yetplicated at the same time. He needs one material to rece his core and that would be an ARC Core.

    Yes, that same core that almost took them a year to create. The one that could supply enough energy for an entire city and could absorb Mana and convert it to use as a power supply. That''s what''s needed for Jerry''s core upgrade.

    Ashton has one avable, however, he is a bit hesitant to use it for Jerry''s upgrade. He also felt torn, wondering if he should ask Aria to create another one despite how time-consuming and demanding the project is.

    ''I''ll think about itter...'' he decided, then he looked at the required materials to upgrade Jerry''s tools.

    The tool upgrade basically wants him to prepare a Tool Kit for Jerry to use. He needs a wrench, screwdrivers, hand drill, hammer, scalpel, chisel, and a tactical knife.

    Ashton has all of this and he could certainly proceed with the upgrade now. And that''s precisely what he did. He called for Jerry and proceeded to confirm with the System that he was going through with the Tool Upgrade.

    The System gave him this:

    [Toolkit Upgrade Chip]

    Install it to Jerry''s System and the upgrade will ur.

    And since he''s already at it, he also produced all the necessary materials for Jerry''s Body upgrade as well. He received a [Frame Upgrade Chip] from the System which could be used the same way as the previous upgrade chip.

    "What are your orders, Master?" Jerry asked while tilting his head.

    Ashton smiled and patted the bot''s head. He then walked behind him and opened the port where he could ce the upgrade chips.

    "I have some upgrade chips I recently bought. I''d ce it in your port so that we can check how long it''ll need for them to take effect."

    Jerry made some whirring sounds as soon as the upgrade chips were inserted. More whirring sounds urred and Ashton curiously waited for Jerry''s response.

    "ording to the data I received from the chips, it seems that the upgrades could be installed overnight." Jerry stated.

    "Is that the suggested time of installment?"

    "Yes, Master."

    "Very well. Finish your duties for today and go with the upgrade. I''m sure it''ll be fantastic."

    Jerry made a cheerful sound before he waddled away to continue with duties.

    ''System, the Benefactor''s Return will trigger the moment the upgrade''s finish right?''

    [Yes, Host.]

    ''Alright, cool. I can wait.''

    [Notice! Since the System''s Overhaul was already over, all of the functions are now fully resumed along with the changes.]

    [Notice! Discovered that the Host''s reward for sessfully taking down the Chaotic Warzone and rescuing both Acacia and the Dragon Vein, was withheld due to the System''s Overhaul, the rewards are now being distributed.]

    [Congrattions Host! You received the following: Beyonder''s Astrbe.]

    [Cleptomancy''s rewards for killing hordes of invaders including 5 First Sphere Angels and 5 Demon Princes, superimposed! You received: Blue Marble Grotto-Heaven.]

    Ashton''s eyes resplendently shone as he received those notifications. He''d admit that he almost forgot about all of this due to how crazy it has been. Thankfully, the System didn''t cheat him and still distributed the rewards.

    He might''ve just received only two items are this point but both are extremely useful, especially for what he''s set out to do.

    [Beyonder''s Astrbe]

    A Transcendent Artifact with mysterious origins.

    With this artifact, the user can shroud all types of fate/destiny scrying from specified targets.

    This artifact can also misdirect unwanted people from infiltrating a specified area.

    In case of emergency, this Artifact can cast an Absolute Protection Spell that can defend against anything for an entire month. Afterwhich, this Artifact will be damaged.

    The Beyonder''s Astrbe is extremely useful, especially considering the position they are currently in. It''s basically a life-saving artifact, and based on the description of the item, he could totally use it to protect Last Bastion as a whole!<sub> </sub>

    ''Damn!'' Was all Ashton could truly say about that.

    As for the other item...

    [Blue Marble Grotto Heaven]

    Size: 150,000km2

    A pocket dimension with life where the owner can do everything he pleases within the limits of the Grotto Heaven.

    That is a rather simplistic description of the item but the implications are immense. Ashton basically has an entire ind all for himself to use. In there, he might as well be worshipped as a god. If he wanted rain, there will be rain. If he wanted any specific season to start, then it shall start.

    ''This is a strategic ce for me to experiment and use for many other things.'' Ashton mused to himself.

    ''I can ce it within my inventory too, much like the Grand Library! This is insane! I can do so much with this!''

    Ashton felt giddy. He didn''t expect to be rewarded this heavily for doing what he was supposed to do. He''s thankful for it of course, but the items he received were a bit overwhelming for him to process.

    Nevertheless, Ashton soon calmed down.

    Now more than ever, his confidence in his goals was stronger. It was obvious that he had the System''s support in his endeavors.

    He kept all the items inside his inventory first. He''ll find a use for themter but for now, he needs to re-organize his ns.

    ''...I should talk to Aria about the core. Wait!''

    ''System, is it possible for me to make Aria my beneficiary as well?''

    [System needs a visual of the target to confirm.]

    Ashton raised a brow and thought to himself: ''You''ve seen Aria before.''

    Unexpectedly, the System replied:

    [Indeed, the System had seen mistress Aria before, but that is before the System''s Overhaul. The System needs to calibrate the target''s potential based on new parameters.]

    ''Ah, that makes sense.'' Ashton nodded to himself and began walking toward their shared room.

    Upon entering, he saw Aria still wrapped in a thick cocoon of duvets. A smile formed on his lips as he asked the System: ''How is it?''

    [It is possible, Host.]

    Then, the System disyed Aria''s current information to him.

    Name: Aria

    Age: omitted

    Race: Spirit

    Bloodline: Sprite

    Specialization: N/A

    Cultivation Rank: Sorceress Lv.9 (Bottleneck)

    Aptitude: N/A

    Potential: S-grade

    Remarks:

    Once a Human, this usually timid and soft-spoken girl dedicated her life to exploring the depths of her imagination. She died and became an Artifact Spirit of the Grand Library, making her pseudo-Immortal.

    It wasn''t until the chance encounter with her now beloved that her life changed and her hidden talents started blossoming.

    She''s currently dreaming of a nice open field filled with grass and flowers where she and her beloved are locked in a passionate activity...

    Ashton blinked and felt rather shy when he read thest part. Unknowingly he started thinking to himself...

    ''Right, it has been a while...things had been rather hectic so we just kind of slept beside each other.''

    ''She must''ve been feeling rather lonely so she threw herself into her inventions again until she waspletely exhausted.''

    Ashton cleared his throat and decided to lie down next to her. He didn''t even need to do anything. His mere presence was like a beacon for Aria and she began unconsciously seeking his warmth.

    It didn''t take long before he too was wrapped in that same cocoon of duvets. Ashton stared at the ceiling and thought to himself.

    ''...I''ll deal with the Beneficiary thingter. Right now, I have other matters to attend to.''

    At some point, Aria woke up. Ashton didn''t waste time pampering her in all ways he could think of.

    Thankfully, nobody disturbed them this day so they were free to spend all day and night tangled in between the sheets.

 Chapter 166 100x Benefactors Return!

    The first rays of dawn shone inside their room, gradually rousing Ashton''s consciousness awake.

    Eye fluttering to the brightness around him, he frowned and yawned, stretching his arms only to feel resistance on his arm. Well, to be more specific, it''s actually a weight that''s pressed down on his right arm, preventing him from stretching it.

    One by one, his senses returned to him, and memories of what happenedst night also returned as well.

    Ashton groaned softly from the stimting memories, he looked down and saw a mop of hair resting on his chest. He sighed and snuggled closer to Aria. Feeling their very naked bodies under the sheets pressed together was also quite stimting for him but Ashton just reveled in it. He didn''t act or thought about it too much, he just enjoyed it.

    Aria was still sound asleep and that''s fine. She doesn''t have much to do anyways.

    Last night, apart from the long intimate activity that lead to this. He discussed the changes in the System with Aria and even asked her if she was willing to be a Beneficiary of him.

    Of course, Aria had no reason to decline such an offer so she epted. She signed the NDA and became a Beneficiary of Ashton.

    Ashton didn''t have the chance to check out her profile again after she became a Beneficiary since his focus was on something else, but now that it''s over and he''s wide awake, he decided that he might as well see if something changed.

    [Beneficiary]

    Name: Aria

    Age: omitted

    Race: Spirit

    Bloodline: Sprite (Can be Upgraded)

    Specialization: N/A

    Cultivation Rank: Sorceress Lv.9 (Bottleneck)

    Aptitude: N/A

    Potential: S-grade

    Remarks:

    Once a Human, this usually timid and soft-spoken girl dedicated her life to exploring the depths of her imagination. She died and became an Artifact Spirit of the Grand Library, making her pseudo-Immortal.

    It wasn''t until the chance encounter with her now beloved that her life changed and her hidden talents started blossoming.

    Dreaming about rainbows, candies, and teddy bears...

    ording to what he saw, Aria''s bloodline can be improved massively.

    Sprite is actually the most basic form of a Spirit. With that as a base, there are a few paths avable for her to follow...

    Aria can be an Elemental Fairy, a Ghost, or a True Spirit.

    Elemental Fairies are beings that were born from Nature. When a certain Element reaches a point of concentration and was bestowed with Spiritual Intelligence, an Elemental Fairy is born.

    Ghosts are even more simple, they are born from lingering attachments that roam the area where they died. Their strength depends on the sentiments left in their hearts and their sheer desire to manifest. Ashton has no ns of choosing this at all.

    And finally, there''s the True Spirit. If he chooses this, then Aria can be like Gaia and Acacia.

    In the end, Ashton was only left with two choices. Well, there are three but he knows that even if he were to tell Aria about all of it, he''s sure that there''s no way Aria would choose to be a Ghost so there''s no need for him to even consider that at all.

    So, their choices are down to her being an Elemental Fairy or a True Spirit. Both had pros and cons, making it hard to choose...

    In the end, Ashton decided that he should let Aria decide on her own. After all, it would be her who would be transformed, not him.

    Bing an Elemental Fairy would need a concentrated elemental essence of any certain Element she wants. For example, if she wants to be a me Fairy, she would need an Earth me. If she wants to be a Water Fairy, they would need a Spiritual Spring, so on, and so forth...

    The future paths of an Elemental Fairy grow stronger as well, and so long as Aria remains as Ashton''s Beneficiary, her growth could be limitless.

    Of course, there are cons to this as well, such as her losing her ''immortality'', her needing to cultivate from the very beginning again, and of course, gathering the necessary resources to maintain her growth since it is guaranteed that it''d be expensive.

    True Spirit works basically the same. The difference is that True Spirits are bound to a specific duty. Once that duty is set, they live and die by it. Their lifespans are extremely long, they can even be ''immortal'' as well.

    But the cons are, they are weak. Once their duty waspromised, they essentially be cripppled. Take Acacia, for example, the Dragon Vein was taken forcefully, and ever since then, she was weakened and unable to fight back.

    Just like the Elemental Fairy, the path of True Spirit could go far. It is possible that choosing this wouldn''t be a bad idea but at this point, Ashton left that for Aria to decide.

    Knock Knock<sub> </sub>

    "Come in..." Ashton responded subconsciously and he heard the doors opening.

    What he didn''t expect was for a foreign-looking robot toe in. Ashton honestly felt rmed and nearly attacked on sight, but then the robot spoke and said:

    "Good Morning, Master. Shall I prepare breakfast for you and Mistress?"

    The 6 feet tall robot tilted his head and asked. Its body was sleek a d shiny. Hell, it even looked so close to the body structure of a real human. If it weren''t for that mechanical head and voice, Ashton would''ve thought that this was some stranger.

    But now, this isn''t some stranger. This is Jerry who seems to have experienced overnight puberty. With the upgrades chips installed, he''s now looking and sounding like a fine gentleman.

    "I didn''t know that this is what you''re going to look like when the upgrade took effect." Ashton rxed back on his bed as he inspected Jerry.

    "To answer your question, yes, that would be lovely Jerry. If you would, please, and thank you."

    ? "Understood." Jerry let out those familiar whirring sounds which were adorable.

    Though, Ashton noticed that Jerry wasn''t making any noise when he moves at all. Not even the sounds of his footsteps could be heard actually. He would only make a sound intentionally at this point.

    Once Jerry exited their room, the message window appeared in Ashton''s vision.

    [Notice! Beneficiary: BB Jerry, received Body and Tool Upgrade Chips from you. It has been installed overnight and it massively improved his performance while also making him extremely happy!]

    [100�� Benefactor''s Return, triggered! Congrattions! You received: Doppelganger!]

    Ashton''s brow rose as he saw that reward. He immediately checked out its effects and to say that he was shocked would be an understatement.

    [Doppelganger]

    Creates a perfect copy of the user who could act independently.

    The Doppelganger is extremely simr to the user that nobody would be able to point out the difference. Even the user''s memories would be copied.

    The Doppelganger would be absolutely loyal to the user, it has its own intelligence but it is only smart enough to follow the intent of its owner.

    The Doppelganger can instantly be summoned to the user side with just a thought and its mind is linked to the user as well.

    "...oh wow." Ashton couldn''t quite believe what he was seeing.

    Now, this isn''t just simply doubling his strength. It goes way beyond that.

    If he''s reading this correctly, his Doppelganger can pass off as him and nobody would be able to notice. This opens up a lot of opportunities for him to explore.

    Plus, it can act independently and since it is linked to his memories, it will never misunderstand his orders at all.

    And if he ever goes outside for a hunt again with the doppelganger on his side? A massacre wouldn''t even begin to describe what he''ll cause to the invaders!

    The idea of this excites Ashton a lot. He can do so many things with this. Having a Doppelganger is just the perfect thing to have now.

    Right now though, Ashton didn''t activate the doppelganger just yet. He''ll do itter.

    ''...so that''s how the whole Beneficiary thing works. I get it now.'' Ashton mused to himself.

    It was truly unexpected, yet this suits him the best. Investment returns! Even though the amount is random, it''s still good.

    He has no idea if he could control the probabilities so that he would also get the best value off of his investments but right now, it''s not important.

    What he needs to consider is who he should be adding as his Beneficiaries next!

    Cause if he''s understanding this correctly, there should be no limits to this! Be it an individual or a whole damnpany, he can be their sponsor, and so long as he''s investing, he will always receive something in return!

    More investments mean more rewards! And since the returns seem to be set to be a higher quality than what he originally invested, the only way for them is up.

    It''s mutual benefit to the highest level! This was the way to go!

    Yes, there is hope here! He can certainly make this work!

    And since the new functions of the System appear to be in line with his ns then he could certainly continue on like this.

    So, with renewed vigor, he got up from the bed, leaving Aria to sleep more as he took a bath to start his productive day.

 Chapter 167 West Two, Foundations And NDA

    ''System, use the Doppelganger please.''

    Ashton watched as lights converged in front of him, coagting into a single mass that formed an approximation of a man.

    A little bitter, the light transformedpletely and turned into a mirror image of himself.

    It was bizarre for Ashton. Having a Doppelganger felt like he stood in front of a mirror and then all of a sudden, his reflection greeted him. A bit freaky but also cool.

    His Doppelganger was expressionless. Just from a single nce, anyone who knows him would be able to tell the difference. Still, from the fluctuations he could feel from his Doppelganger, it was the real deal.

    Just like him, the Doppelganger is also a Warlock with 5 Virtues. It doesn''t have ess to the system without his permission but it could use its Magical Artifact and its sub-artifact has ess and can cast the spells he knew and also had a copy of the Bone Scythe.

    Truly, it was impable. No wonder the System said that this one could pass as him.

    "Greetings, Boss." The doppelganger said.

    "Hello. How do you feel?" He asked.

    "Weird." It replied, "There''s this subconscious thought that I am you but not really. It''s wild."

    "That should be normal, after all, you are a doppelganger." Ashton stated.

    "Right." The doppelganger nodded. "Anyways, what do you need me to do?"

    "First, I''ll call you West Two, you know, for ease of mind."

    "West Two." The doppelganger repeated, then shrugged. "Cool. I dig it."

    "Great. Now, I''ll give you some construction materials. You get inside the Grotto Heaven and startying the groundwork for our foundation."

    "Oh, we''re starting that already?"

    "Mhm!" Ashton nodded. "Since the System is back online, it''s time for us to start with this. The n hasn''t changed much, only, we need to focus more on Human Resources. The more we have, the faster our progress will be."

    "Right, changes in the System, got it." West Two nodded, "So I''m guessing that the Grotto Heaven will be your main base?"

    "Yeah," Ashton confirmed. He didn''t feel the need to keep it from his doppelganger. After all, it''s connected to his thoughts. "That''s why I need you to start cleaning up the ce and start building the foundations for our future ce."

    "Understood. I''m ready whenever you are."

    Ashton then handed a pouch to West Two. That pouch is a Storage Bag which is somewhat simr to the Inventory but its space was limited. It is big enough to carry all the resources needed to build the foundation they were talking about though, so this should suffice for now.

    After handing him the resources, Ashton opened a portal that would take West Two to the Blue Marble Grotto Heaven. West Two walked inside the portal and disappeared.

    Ashton scanned the Grotto Heaven''s interior and saw that West Two was already doing something. Subtly, he adjusted the time flow where 1 day in the real world was 10 days inside the Grotto Heaven.

    This is as much as he could go for now since the Grotto Heaven was still young. However, since the Grotto Heaven was linked to him, it will also grow with him so as he bes stronger, it will naturally get bigger and would produce more resources for him to use.

    That''s far in the future though, for now, building the necessary foundations for Ashton''s ns were enough.

    Leaving West Two to finish his tasks, Ashton got up and went to Aria.

    He told her that he was going out for a short trip and left her at home. Since he doesn''t n on staying out for too long, there''s no need to take her with him. And it''s not like she''d be in danger here so he could leave her behind.

    Taking a flying bus ride, he sent a message to Oracle Felicia and went to where he met Gaia before.

    Gaia''s home is located at the heart of Fantasia. It''s at the corner of the Capital City called Little Green Valley. It is a rather inconspicuous ce, not a lot of people lived there and it''s exceptionally peaceful.

    Once we arrived at his destination, he got off the flying bus and walked the rest of the way.

    <o>,m There is a gate that filters out people. They were being segregated properly to minimize the risk, after all these are sensitive times, and there''s no way of knowing when an attack will happen.</o>

    However, this little inconvenience didn''t bother Ashton at all. Due to him being given a new badge which made him a 5-Star Citizen, there''s no ce in this whole metropolis he couldn''t go.

    5-star Citizens are basically VIPs. Their authority is practically at the same level as the Federation''s President.

    Gaia bestowed this to him as a gift. Ashton didn''t expect it nor wanted it, but it''s nice to have so he uses it anyways.<sub> </sub>

    However, knowing that Gaia has this much authority over their political standing was something Ashton kept closely in mind.

    It didn''t take long before Ashton arrived at the Little Green Valley.

    The first time he was here, this whole ce was just as quiet and peaceful. He could feel his soul being at peace in this ce which is rather nice.

    He went towards the foggy sea and started walking on the surface of the water. It didn''t take long before Gaia eventually manifested before him.

    "Hello, I wasn''t expecting you today." She said.

    "I wasn''t expecting to be back here this early either but things happened and I need your help." Ashton stated.

    Before they could say anything, Oracle Felicia arrived.

    Ashton nodded to her and said: "Good Morning, Oracle."

    "Good Morning to you too." She said amicably greeting back. "You said you needed mine and Patron''s help?"

    "Indeed." Ashton then took out something he stored in a separate Storage Bag. It was the Beyonder''s Astrbe.

    [Beyonder''s Astrbe]

    A Transcendent Artifact with mysterious origins.

    With this artifact, the user can shroud all types of fate/destiny scrying from specified targets.

    This artifact can also misdirect unwanted people from infiltrating a specified area.

    In case of emergency, this Artifact can cast an Absolute Protection Spell that can defend against anything for an entire month. Afterwhich, this Artifact will be damaged.

    "...that is! A Transcendent Artifact!?" Oracle Felicia was shocked. Meanwhile, Gaia just stared curiously at the item.

    "Its name is ''Beyonder''s Astrbe''." Ashton stated, "It is a Transcendent Artifact that could shroud all of Fantasia from Fate/Destiny Scrying."

    "It could also form a zone which can misdirect all unwanted creatures and in case of emergency, it can protect us for a whole year before being damaged." Ashton exined.

    Felicia and Gaia were shocked beyond words. They stared at the astrbe with heated gazes as it was the rarest piece of treasure that they everid their eyes upon.

    How can they remain calm? One has to know that an artifact that could avoid fate/destiny scrying was incredibly rare! There are only two of these and it''s both being used by the Morning Sun Federation!

    More importantly, those two artifacts can only be used by one person at a time! The Beyonder''s Astrbe though? It can shroud the entire Fantasia with it! So how can they remain calm?

    And it wasn''t just that! The misdirection and the protection were incredible functions too! They could hardly believe that something like this exists at all!

    "If we can use this...it can bring us hope. We will no longer have to watch and raise the next generation to..." Oracle Felicia''s voice was trembling.

    The reason why the Invaders could casually pinpoint who the next Hero Candidate was because they could scry the fate of humanity.

    Humans don''t have anything to escape that and before they could even know who the next candidate is, the Invaders already know and would sometimes even tell them directly.

    It''s no different than knowing who the next fat sheep would be and already calling dibs for it. Such a thing was downright humiliating but Humans had no way of preventing this.

    But with this Artifact, that might change from now on...

    "I called you here because I know I could trust you both." Ashton stated, "However, trust is one thing. I have my own reservations too. Therefore, before I use this, I want you two to sign an Oath, more specifically, an NDA."

    Ashton briefly discussed what the NDA does. It will leave a mark that would prevent them from disclosing anything about him and his operations. They''d have three chances, the moment they vited the uses of the NDA three times, they''d lose all their memories about everything about Ashton and his matters and also all the benefits they received from him.

    "Just from this alone, making you a 5-star Citizen is well worth it." Gaia stated, "I will sign the NDA."

    "If my Patron is okay with it, I have no problems with it. I will sign too." Felicia stated, "Also, I swear that I will do my best to raise Alice well. I know that you know a lot of things, and I''m thankful for you being reserved so far."

    "...you''re wee. However, that reservation is about to end." Ashton sighed as he passed on the forms for the NDA. Then he said...

    "It''s about time for a counter-attack. I''m afraid that all of us will be busy in the next couple of years."

 Chapter 168 Disappointing!

    Gaia''s home was more than just ake surrounded by a thick fog...

    In truth, this sameke was the very firstke that was naturally formed with Spiritual Energy way back then. It is this veryke that springs forth astonishing life energy within this little valley, creating this tiny yet peaceful ce where anyone could rx and feel their souls cleansed from all troubles.

    Gaia chose to stay here because she likes it here, at the same time, she''s also guarding this ce since raw Spiritual Energy is abundant in here that many would covet.

    This littleke is one of the few remaining natural treasure bowls left of this world, and being the collective consciousness of this world and nature itself, Gaia felt responsible for keeping this ce safe.

    And today, there''s even more reason for her to guard this ce closely...

    At the bottom of theke, there is a circr disk that spun in an erratic manner. It released a gentle and ancient golden light that pulsed every now and then...

    This is the Beyonder''s Astrbe, active and serving its purpose.

    After signing the NDA, both Gaia and Felicia bore a seal on their tongue which prevents them from revealing information about this without Ashton''s permission. In exchange for their silence, however, was a great opportunity for Humanity to rise up.

    The activation of the Beyonder''s Astrbe didn''t cause too much fuss. There were no over-the-top shing lights or any violent reaction that rmed the entire metropolis.

    Instead, it was gentle and subtle. A soft fluctuation covered the entire metropolis silently, protecting them from prying eyes now and in the foreseeable future.

    Both Gaia and Felicia doubted if it was working as intended since they too were expecting something big to happen but there was none. Yet after a few tests, they both found out that the obstruction was there.

    As long as Ashton wants it, he can even suppress Felicia''s ability to see the future of someone. Her being an Oracle meant nothing in front of this Transcendent Artifact.

    Knowing this, both Gaia and Felicia were relieved from the bottom of their hearts. With this artifact in effect, they will no longer have to worry about the unwanted attention of the invaders.

    From now on, things will change. Ashton says so too. He hadn''t exined anything to them yet but both of them knew that Ashton has ideas to improve the situation himself.

    At this point, neither Gaia nor Felicia doubted Ashton''s allegiance. Just letting them use this kind of artifact alone was enough for them to thank him for generations.

    Due to the NDA''s effect, they can''t disclose any information about him without his permission, which meant that they can''t tell anyone that an artifact like this was present and is taking effect.

    Even so, it''s fine. They have time for now.

    After installing the Beyonder''s Astrbe and handing it to Gaia for safekeeping, Ashton left and was nning to return home. He had other matters to attend to so he can''t stay.

    Unfortunately, his return trip didn''t go smoothly.

    "I''m very sorry, Sir! It''s been reported that there were a bunch of Skydemons sighted not too far from here. All transportation connected to that area is suspended to ensure everyone''s safety."

    "We''re very sorry for this inconvenience, please ept this stub. This will give you amodations in hotels near this ce. As we''re not aware of how long the dy would be, this is the best we can do for now. Once again, we''re sorry for the inconvenience, and thank you for your understanding."

    His trip was dyed because of Skydemons. It was mildly annoying since he told Aria that he''ll return as fast as he could but this happened.

    <o>,m Don''t get him wrong though, this inconvenience wasn''t enough to stop him at all.</o>

    Skydemons? So what? Those little pests are not enough to bar his way at all. He had in real demons before, there was no way fake ones could faze him.

    Ashton went into a corner and used all of his spells that minimized his presence. At this point, this is no different from him vanishing from the face of the earth.

    He tested it for a bit and noticed that nobody could see him. Even when he''s breathing down someone''s neck, no one noticed him.

    After confirming that he was good, he easily went past the barricade and walked back home.

    On the way there, he could see some zones of corruption which displeased him but nothing he couldn''t deal with though. He would cast Purify on each one he encounters along the way to help with the cleanup.

    Boom!

    Ashton''s head sharply turned towards the sound of the explosion. Just in time to see a whole skyscraper being blown out into smithereens. His eyes narrowed as he flew straight there.

    When he arrived, he saw a couple of injured people lying on the cold pavement unconscious. He also saw several groups fighting the Skydemons that raided this ce.<sub> </sub>

    Ashton looked around to see the devastation of his surroundings and his mood instantly dropped.

    Bridges were broken, several buildings were destroyed, and demonic corruption ran rampant everywhere. There were people injured and crying for help, civilians and cultivators alike.

    The Skydemons were like rabid dogs, they wantonly attacked and destroyed as they pleased. They didn''t care, nor they were aware of what they were doing. They just did what felt natural to them and Ashton hated it.

    But what really brought his mood down was the fact that the responders to this attack were weak. Awfully weak!

    They needed an entire squad consisting of four to five people to deal with a Skydemon. Their cultivation ranks weren''t that far from his too!

    Well, using himself as a standard might not be fair since he''s just built differently but still, this was awful.

    Not only were they failing to contain the damage, but they were also failing in their duty to protect the citizens. He could even see some deliberately using civilians to save themselves from harm which infuriated him.

    It was such a disappointing sight. It was clear from his perspective that these people were waiting for reinforcements too, which doesn''t make sense to him. There were enough people here! They can totally take all Skydemons here on their own! Why wait for reinforcements?

    The longer he watched, the more disappointed he became. It then came to a point where he can no longer watch, he has to do something.

    Ashton dropped some of his obscuring spells, allowing himself to be visible enough but not outright revealing his identity.

    Everyone saw him dropping down from the sky, startling them greatly.

    Some people were about to warn him to be careful but his next move stunned all of them to speechlessness.

    "Smite!" He uttered.

    From beyond the clouds, thin golden bolts shed down to smite every single Skydemons there was in the area.

    Smite is one of the advanced offensive spells avable to White Mages. Anyone who at least had some knowledge about magic could easily recognize this.

    This single spell alone was enough to kill all ten Skydemons in here. They didn''t even manage to touch the hem of his robes at all. They were killed before they knew what killed them.

    Everyone was speechless as they stared at the mystery man with a face obscured by ayer of fog.

    After killing the Skydemons, Ashton raised his hand to cast a wide-ranged Purify which cleansed everything within 5 kilometers around him off of corruption and he still wasn''t done.

    While he''s at it, he also used a healing spell for everyone that was injured here. Everyone who had at least a single breath remaining in them was healed to their peak state in a matter of mere seconds.

    All cultivators stared wide-eyed at this man. They couldn''t believe that a White Mage was the one who rescued them! A very powerful White Mage that eliminated all of their enemies with just a single spell!

    Moreover, that potent healing power was something unheard of! At that range too! He did all by himself things that many of them were unable to do!

    This man, could he be a legendary saint?

    Said man though turned around to look at them. Nobody needs to see his face in order to tell his mood. For some reason, all cultivators here understood his bodynguage.

    Their guesses were confirmed when Ashton suddenly said this:

    "If it were me, I''ll have all of your licenses revoked." His voice was cold and strict. "You all were sent here to minimize the damage, not spread it. Yet you guys are so useless to even do such a simple thing. The money the Federation spends to pay you all is wasted."

    "Go home and be better."

    As soon as he said his piece, Ashton disappeared from their vision, leaving everyone shocked and unable to refute him at all.

    Unbeknownst to Ashton nor all of the cultivators around, someone from the civilians managed to catch all of that and recorded it using his smartwatch.

    This person would then upload this anonymously on the inte and it will be the hottest topic of tomorrow and the rest of the week even...

 Chapter 169 The Vein Awakens

    [Who is this Mysterious White Mage?]

    -- If you, my dear readers, hadn''t been living under a rock this whole time, then you would know that the past few days had been especially hectic and dangerous inside the Last Bastion.

    A terrorist group who called themselves the Cult of the Skydemon is a group of traitors who sided and worshipped the demons, sacrificing their very own kind to create replicas of said Skydemons to plunge the world into chaos.

    As well all know, Demons are horrible creatures. They are strong and spread a deadly corruption that could consume all life it touches. While the products of the Cult might not be genuine Skydemons ording to the authorities, it doesn''t make them any less dangerous than real ones.

    Fantasia had suffered in multiple areas because of Skydemons, people died and were sacrificed. Even with the abundance of Conferred Knights at our disposal, our forces are stretched thin which leads to more deaths and idents.

    Yesterday at Area 6, it was originally a calm and serene afternoon when all of a sudden, Skydemons appeared. They wreaked havoc and injured many civilians in their mad rampage.

    The Federation responded by sending part of its forces to contain the Skydemons and eliminate them.

    Yours truly, was at the same venue when this all happen as you can see from the photo below:

    (OP selfie amidst the destroyed street, there''s also a Skydemon in the background.jpg)

    I''m fine, thank you for your concern but my well-being isn''t the highlight of this article.

    The responders arrived and engaged the Skydemons in a bitter battle. I hid amongst the rubble and watched from a distance, taking pictures here and there.

    Many licensed cultivators came, including well-known ones, however, the Skydemons were far too difficult for them to take down.

    Not only did they fail in minimizing the area of damage, but the responders themselves were also being beaten ck and blue by the demons.

    All was looking bleak and as such, I thought I was going to die. But then, someone arrived, and they made quite an entrance. Do watch the video below.

    (Insert a two-minute video where Ashton came during thest 30 seconds to kick ass before leaving them all speechless.)

    As you saw from the video (please ignore my bitchy whimpering, I thought I was legit gonna die so cut me some ck will you?) it didn''t start all that great.

    Everyone was struggling to fight against the Skydemons and it was obvious that reinforcements were needed. Just as we were about to die, that person came and dealt with everything in mere seconds.

    All he did was to cast three spells as far as I know...

    The spells were Smite, Purify and Heal. All of this points to the obvious sign that the person we saw was a White Mage.

    Quite surprising isn''t it? As far as I know, we''re aware of a White Mage like that. I did my research after returning home but nothing came up!

    What nearly killed other cultivators was killed by this guy in mere seconds. Hell, his speech was even longer than the time it took for him to not only kill the Skydemons but also Purify the vicinity, ridding it of corruption and healing everyone who needed medical attention!

    Honestly, who is this person? Why have never heard about him before?

    And please...I can already hear some of you saying ''He''s not that impressive, he just took them by surprise nyeh, nyeh, nyeh...''

    No. That person is strong. Period. Other people used the spell Smite in the clip yet it didn''t do shit to the Skydemons at all. Bet it didn''t even tickle them.

    Plus, the Skydemons were aware of him, in fact before the cultivators sensed him, it was the Skydemons who noticed him first. Some of them even tried something but ultimately, all of them were struck down and were reduced to mere ashes.

    Also, from what I gathered from the others after asking, they said that that person was a Warlock or a Sorcerer at best. There were at least ten of those who came earlier yet they didn''t do shit yet when this person arrived, they dealt with everything once and for all.

    If that isn''t strong, then I don''t know what is.

    Anyway, towards the end of the video, he reprimanded the other cultivators there. Saying that the Federation''s money was wasted on them since they failed at the simple thing they were tasked to do.

    I''m not going to say anything about that. I''m just happy that I was saved.

    Whoever you are, Mysterious White Mage, thank you for doing something and saving us. -- Fredbear

    300.5K Forwards

    801.2K Likes

    10.3K Replies

    ***

    ***<sub> </sub>

    ''...I''m famous?''

    Ashton stared ndly at the article that Aria showed him this morning. Apparently, someone recorded a short video of what happened yesterday and posted it on the inte, gaining many interactions as time went on.

    Curiously, he read the replies on the post and was greeted by typical inte toxicity such as people downgrading his achievements, faking their identities to scam others, forging stories about him that weren''t true, and so on.

    He shrugged and ignored it after reading most of it. He somewhat exposed his identity but his privacy wasn''t breached at all. His face was obscured by the fog, not even the camera was able to catch his true appearance so he had no worries here.

    An important note is that the other cultivators in the video are now facing some serious heat after their disappointing disy. Hell, Aria said that they were even discussing this on live television! Which is rather absurd.

    Still, Ashton had no intentions of taking back his statements. First, because it was true. And the second was because nobody knows it was him anyways?

    His friends shouldn''t tie this up to him and even if they did, he could always just lie about it.

    Ashton truly doesn''t want to be disturbed now. He didn''t want to be the focus of everybody''s attention right now since there was a lot for him to do. In fact, if he could''ve avoided making a move yesterday, best believe that he wouldn''t do anything at all.

    Leaving the keyboard warriors to continue their Holy War, Ashton ced his attention elsewhere.

    "West Two, what do you have for me?" He asked his doppelganger.

    It''s been roughly more than ten days for West Two inside the Grotto Heaven. Surely he has discovered many things at this point.

    "This Grotto Heaven is blessed. It''s just the perfect spot for your ns. No need for any terraforming, its current shape is perfect for us to continue."

    "I''ve alreadyid down the groundwork. Give me a few more days and I can begin the construction."

    "Great, then I''ll leave you to it. Aria''s working on another ARC Core so go ahead and do what needs to be done."

    "Sure thing, Boss." West Two replied before cutting off the connection and returning to his work.

    ''...the materials needed for Aria''s improvements are also prepared by now. I''m just going to wait for her to be ready and I''ll probably receive some more rewards this time around.''

    As Ashton was musing to himself though, he felt and heard a loud rumble from somewhere deep within his consciousness.

    He hurriedly sank to his mind, just in time to search for and witness the source of this rumbling.

    It wasing from the Dragon Vein...

    Finally, after a month-long slumber, it has been healed and recovered to its peak. It''s also about to wake up soon.

    Hilda, or Acacia more urately, was also rousing from her slumber as she and the Dragon Vein were connected.

    Ashton waited patiently for it to happen but then something surprising urred.

    From the depths of Ashton''s soul, a rainbow-colored gas started leaking. It flowed out of his orifices and waspletely out of his control.

    Said colored gas coagted into a tiny fluffy cloud that flew above where the Dragon Vein and Acacia were.

    It crackled and produced rain which doused them both. It even left a rainbow arc encircling the two of them as if it were a blessing of some sort.

    Under his gaze, the Dragon Vein which took on the form of a Wooden Chinese Dragon uncoiled itself and raised its head.

    It let out a piercing roar that causes a buzzing and ringing sensation in Ashton''s ears. The Dragon Vein then flew with Acacia on top of its head andnded in front of him.

    Ashton and the Dragon Vein ended up staring at each other, after that, the Dragon Vein closed its eyes and lowered its head, butting its head onto Ashton''s palms.

    Surprised by this, he held on. And that''s when the light was produced at the point of contact which blinded him for quite a bit.

    Images shed past his eyes, making his vision cloudly for a brief moment there.

    When his consciousness returned, the first thing he saw were several message windows, saying:

    [Congrattions on making the Dragon Vein and Acacia your Beneficiaries!]

    [You received: Fate Seizing Hand and Aether Soul Arts.]

 Chapter 170 New Home For The Dragon Vein

    Ashton pointedly ignored what he just received from the System due to the surprise he felt.

    He stared at both the Dragon Vein and Acacia with a confused gaze, seemingly wanting some answers. What was that all about?

    "Don''t look at me, this one has a consciousness of its own." Acacia said in a helpless voice, "I''m just coteral."

    Ashton rolled his eyes at her and sighed. Well, since the contract was made, he couldn''t just remove it. He might as well see what he''s working with here.

    [Beneficiary]

    Name: Auspicious Dragon Vein

    Type: Earth Spiritual Vein

    Remarks:

    ? As one of the Spiritual Veins where the world''s vitality flows, Dragon Veins not only bring forth a tremendous increase of Spiritual Energy but also bestow fortune and luck to those whomune with it.

    ? Humanity has beencking the blessings of the Dragon Vein which caused their destiny to be suppressed. Now that it has recuperated, it is ready to fulfill its part.

    ? ''I might be the only one left. I hope this human can help me.''

    Upgrade Routes:

    ? Auspicious Golden Dragon Vein �� Requirements: 10 Favored Children of Heavens''munion.

    Name: Acacia

    Type: Companion Spirit

    Remarks:

    ? A Spirit born with the duty to guard and interpret the desires of the Dragon Vein. The Dragon Vein''s duty is her duty as well.

    ? While she may have reservations about certain things, in the end, her duty takes priority.

    ? ''When was thest time I felt thisfortable? Hopefully, it all goes well from this point onwards.''

    Upgrade Route:

    ? N/A �� as a Companion Spirit for the Dragon Vein, any upgrades the Dragon Vein receives will affect her as well. They are a unit.

    Ashton blinked and understood what he has to do. He then returned his attention to the two of them and said:

    "As you might already guess, I''m back at the Last Bastion. I''ve already met Gaia. Do you want me to take you to her?"

    "No need." Acacia shook her head. "What''s important is to immediately find a location for the Dragon Vein to take root. Preferably somewhere private and essible."

    Ashton got into thinking right away. He had been studying the map of Fantasia since he returned since he knew that it will eventuallye to this. Unfortunately, he hadn''t truly seen any ce that was suitable for the Dragon Vein to settle down.

    He felt ufortable leaving them to fend for their own even though he knew that they could handle themselves. Thankfully though, there are other options.

    "I have a Grotto Heaven. It''s small for now but it''ll grow biggerter. I have means of hiding it from the senses of the Invaders so the two of you should be safe there."

    "I''m also nning on establishing a force under mymand so I''ll be bringing people in there too tomune with the Dragon Vein. Of course, that''s only if you agree."

    The Dragon Vein shifted and growled softly. Acacia looked at it and sighed, she then said:

    "The Dragon Vein epts your proposal. It said that it will follow your arrangements from now on and extension, I as well."

    Ashton smirked and said: "Very well."

    He then withdrew from his mindscape and descended to the Grotto Heaven in one fell swoop.

    There, he saw West Two working hard. He''s using Psionics to do some construction and stuff. Sensing his arrival, West Two looked at him, and since their minds were connected, West Two immediately understood why he was there.

    He pointed in a certain direction and said: "I think you can ce them somewhere deep down there. That''d be the core of the infrastructures in the future and coincidentally, the center of the ind as well."

    Ashton nodded to West Two''s suggestion and phased through the ground.<sub> </sub>

    He decided to release the Acacia and the Dragon Vein at the center of the ind since it''d be best for everyone involved. Once he felt that was deep enough underground, he materialized and used Earth control to make space for the new tenants.

    At the same time, he also began inscribing a formation that will attract a good amount of energy down here. He also established some nodes which lead to many spots within the ind. This is to make sure that the cirction of Spiritual Energy across the entire Grotto Heaven was bnced so that it will grow faster.

    With the Dragon Vein at the center, this should be amplified even more. With the abundance of Spiritual Energy here, life should also flourish and this ce would one day be a genuine Holy Land for cultivators.

    Once he was done with the initial setup. He then stood in the empty space and closed his eyes.

    Then, spreading his arms wide with his chest out. Light suffused from his core until strands of wooden vines crept out of his chest.

    Ashton''s expression turned a bit ugly due to the difort he felt but he held on. The Dragon Vein slowly crept out of his body and started rooting itself on the spot he carved for its new home.

    Acacia also flew out of his body, watching this entire process as it went.

    A surge of ancient air flooded the space around him. He could feel something special as the Dragon Vein terraformed this ce.

    Flora and fauna started growing around him. Thick roots started traveling underground, spreading all over the ind.

    The sky above turned dark as clouds covered the sun. Out of nowhere, it started raining hard. This is no ordinary rain, of course, every droplet of this rain contained Spiritual Energy which reinvigorated the Grotto Heaven.

    The vitality in there wasn''t bad, to begin with, but with this Spiritual Energy Rain? It rose to a whole new level.

    This was a baptism of some sort, and it was meant for the nourishment of the Dragon Vein �� who greedily drank this rain up and hastened its rooting process even more.

    In under an hour and a half, the process ended. Ashton sat on the ground, panting and slightly pale. Nevertheless, his eyes remained bright even when he felt weak.

    Releasing the Dragon Vein from himself was a taxing process but one that has to happen. And now that it has a new home, it can resume its task. Of course, it''s up to Ashton now to find some Heaven''s Chosen and have themmune with the Dragon Vein, but at least they don''t need to worry about its safety anymore.

    [Notice! Your Beneficiary, the Dragon Vein and its Companion Spirit, now has a new and secured home thanks to your efforts. Both are feelingforted with the idea that they won''t be in harm''s way anymore.]

    [50�� Benefactor''s Return, triggered! You received: 100 Spell Points and Skill Points!]

    Ashton smiled and dismissed the message window. He looked at his surroundings and feltforted by the sight.

    The Dragon Vein terraformed this space to be a little paradise underground. Itpletely transformed it into a pocket dimension that only those that are worthy could ess.

    It''s beautiful here. The Dragon Vein is now slumbering once more, this is its way of familiarizing itself with the new home. Once he rested enough, Ashton got up and went back to the surface.

    There, he saw West Two continuing with the constructions. The big difference is that the whole ind is covered with a thick mist right now.

    This is a representation of just how thick Spiritual Energy here is. Anyone who''s here can cultivate with twice the speed using half of the effort. And since there are only two of them here right now, this density will just increase even further.

    Ashton didn''t bother with West Two''s work. He returned to the real world where only a few seconds passed due to the time dtion.

    Acacia was with him when he went out, which made him raise a brow.

    "What are you doing out here?" He asked.

    "The Dragon Vein is in a deep slumber, it''ll be like that for most of the time unless you start bringing in people. Don''t worry, it''s perfectly healthy, it''s just the way how it is."

    "As for me, it''s boring there. I''m gonna go visit my Sister." She said.

    "You know where she is?"

    "Yes." Acacia nodded, "I can go anywhere within the Last Bastion. I can also return to the Dragon Vein''s side in a snap."

    "Alright, do as you please then." Ashton shrugged. He doesn''t really mind.

    So just like that, Acacia disappeared from his vision.

    ''She didn''t inquire about the contract the Dragon Vein made with me, which also included her.'' Ashton mused, ''Was it intentional or she just didn''t know?''

    He was curious of course. After all, he too was surprised when the Dragon Vein took the initiative, he doesn''t remember revealing the System''s function to them so it made him wonder how the hell the Dragon Vein knew,

    Did they have ess to his memories? No, it can''t be. They wouldn''t do that without rming him. Maybe they didn''t really know and just kind of did it?

    ''Ah, whatever then. I''ll just think about itter.'' Ashton shrugged and went to the kitchen to get something to eat.

 Chapter 171 2nd Trait, New Perk And Ascended Art

    "...alright, time to check the things I received from taking those two in." Ashton mused to himself as he gorged on a sandwich.

    He opened his Inventory to check the description of the items he received. They were two techniques that came in form of a book.

    ***

    [Fate Seizing Hand]

    Type: Killing Technique

    Effects:

    Those who are affected by this technique will be judged ording to the desire of the caster. There are three oues for them: Benevolent End, Harsh Punishment, and Certain Death.

    Can only affect those who are weaker than the caster.

    [Aether Soul Arts]

    Type: Aether Conjuration and Controlling Spell

    Effects:

    Ignores all manner of defenses.

    Attacks the soul of its targets to deal the maximum amount of damage.

    ***

    Ashton stared at these two things for a good while. He wondered to himself: ''Why did I receive good things from those two when I didn''t get any from Jerry nor Aria when I got them as my Beneficiaries?''

    He hasn''t done anything to benefit Acacia and the Dragon Vein just yet. Hell, he didn''t even think that they''d be his beneficiaries before they became one!

    But, thinking about it some more, maybe it''s because they''re a special case. After all, the Dragon Vein is extremely valuable for Humanity as a whole, and Acacia as its interpreter is just as important.

    Maybe that''s why? The System''s new functions were derived after his dreams after all, so maybe that''s the reason behind it.

    Anyhow, since he received benefits from them, he wouldn''t turn them down.

    The Fate Seizing Hand was a ridiculously useful skill. Granted, he can only use it for those who were weaker than him, its uses were limited but it''s still useful enough.

    The three oues when he uses this skill were exined to him as he hovered his finger over them.

    Benevolent End is ''mercy'' to those affected by this skill. He could either spare them or free them from their suffering.

    Harsh Punishment is for those who refuse to admit their wrongs or those who offended him/vited his orders. Through this, he could administer intense pain that prates their very soul, causing extreme agony.

    And if they still didn''t give in or if Ashton couldn''t bring himself to forgive them, then he could use the Certain Death oue, which will kill them in body, mind, and spirit. This is the cruelest oue since there will be no reincarnation once he uses this.

    It''s why this skill is called Fate Seizing Hand, to begin with.

    Again, this only works for those who are weaker than him, no amount of upgrading can change this ording to what he discovered. Yet even though that''s the case, this is still useful.

    Aether Soul Arts, on the other hand, was something he liked. Aether Magic is one of the most mysterious schools of Magic ever established, the reason behind its profundity is because of its elusiveness.

    Throughout history, only a handful amount of people were able to freely wield the power of Aether. Forget about using it, most people couldn''t even catch a single glimpse of Aether in their entire lives.

    Aether is the ultimate form of Mana. It is different from raw Spiritual Energy for Aether represents true neutrality. It doesn''tpete nor does it go on its own flow. It behaves in a unique manner which stumped many people who were researching it so far.

    The School of Aether is the least developed school of magic established due to this. This is why Ashton, as a self-proimed schr of magic, was extremely happy to receive this technique.

    It just so happens that Ashton was one of those few people who already received the blessings of Aether.

    He has the Aether Purity Heart, which not only increases the volume of Mana on his body but also allowed him to produce Aether little by little. It has been quite some time since he received it and ever since then, his mana has been silently being converted in the Aether which rested inactively at his Mageroot, nurturing him and making him more powerful.

    With the Aether Soul Arts in hand, he could advance the research towards Aether Magic on his own. Maybe he could even create Aether Spells himself! Who knows?

    On top of this, Ashton also received 100 Spells Points and Skill Points.<sub> </sub>

    With the Grinding Slots gone, this is the way for him to level up his spells and skills moving forward. So far, he still thinks that this is an unreliable way to level up his arsenal but this was his best bet.

    He could always level up the spells ording to how one should usually do it, by practicing of course, but that''s slow.

    Well, if the Spell Point and Skill Point rewards are always this much, then it shouldn''t be a problem.

    Anyway, with this many Spell Points, Ashton didn''t immediately use them. He had way too many spells to upgrade, making it difficult for him to choose. He had to think about this for quite some time and he didn''t feel like doing it right now.

    As for the Skill Points though...

    He used ten to upgrade the Fate Seizing Hand to Lv.10, then he used the rest to upgrade the Basic Scythe Arts to 1-star Ascended Rank.

    Boom!

    Ashton was caught off-guard by the sudden burst of insight flooding his mind, his pupils turned dull and lifeless as he hurriedly disgested the information he was receiving.

    There''s a phenomenon urring in Ashton''s body. His mana was bing turbulent and invisible sharp gales erupted from all over his body, causing everything around him to be covered with long scars.

    It was then that light blossomed from the depths of his soul. A green radiance that looked gentle andforting appeared, calming down themotion.

    With this light, the speed at which Ashton absorbed knowledge increased by at least ten-fold. This is what ultimately calmed the sharpness he''s releasing.

    This light and the increased speed ofprehension were the product of Ashton''s new perk: ''Concentration''.

    Concentration was a Synergized Perk. It was brought forth by the synergy between Focused Mind �� a perk from his Providence, Memorize �� a perk from his Magical Artifact, and the second trait he received from the 5-year Quest, which is the ''Schr'' trait.

    [Trait: ��Schr��]

    : You are a studious person. Your passion when ites to the pursuit of knowledge causes you to understand it even more. The more time you invest in your research, the more natural answerse to you.

    Synergy: Focused Mind + Memorize + Schr Trait = Concentration.

    [Concentration]

    : Forget about everything else and focus on the sole thing that you are deeply interested in. This perk increases yourprehension speed by at least 10-fold. The effect ends when the topic is fullyprehended.

    : Can be activated once per week.

    This was the first time ''Concentration'' was triggered ever since his return. Since he had no experience with it, he didn''t know what was going to happen.

    In hindsight, he should''ve at least picked a different spot to increase the proficiency of his Scythe Arts. He admittedly underestimated its effect even though he knows that he put 90 Skill Points into it.

    He should''ve known, really. Transitioning from a 5-star Phenomenon Rank to 1-star Ascended Rank on the Scythe Arts was bound to cause amotion. Ashton was kind of out of it today it seems because even though he knew this, he didn''t realize it until it waste.

    As a result, much of the furniture around the room was destroyed by the sharp energy he was releasing. It was unintentional but the damage was still there.

    That scene onlysted for five seconds at most, plus it is the weakest pulse of his Scythe Arts, yet this room was nearly destroyed. This shows the sheer power of the skill now that it has reached this stage.

    It took at least 30 minutes for the whole process to finish. The sublimation of Simplicity and Complexity had fully melded together. Now, even a single point of Ashton''s finger can disy the might of an Ascended Rank Skill.

    One has to know that not even Grandmaster Knights can achieve this level in their Martial Skill. High-Evolutionary Cultivators could of course, after all, it is one of the requirements to reach the level they''re at.

    But Ashton did it as a Warlock Mage, not a Sorcerer, but as a Warlock. He''s not a Knight, he''s a Mage. And that''s saying a lot.

    As he woke up from his stupor, Ashton released a long sigh. His mind was reeling a bit but he was okay. Concentration doesn''t have any side effects but still, his mind went into overdrive so there''s bound to be an effect on him. Maybe he''ll get used to it in the future but for now, he''s fine with this.

    He looked down and immediately saw that except for the chair he was sitting on, everything else inside the room was ruined.

    A wry smile appeared on his face.

    "I''m gonna have to demolish this entire room and rebuild it."

    Thankfully, he owned this house, or else he wouldn''t have any idea how to exin this to thendlord.

 Chapter 172 Terrible News

    "...Babe we need another fridge." Aria stated after putting the things they just bought inside a storage bag. "Let''s go to the appliance store next."

    "You''re the Boss..." Ashton replied as they walked hand in hand towards the next store.

    Both of them are currently out on a trip to rece the furniture and appliances that Ashton ruined during hisst breakthrough. While they''re out here, Jerry was left there in the house making repairs.

    With Jerry''s recent enhancements, he''s perfectly capable of doing the reconstruction on his own, in fact, he''d even be faster than ten people working together so they might as well leave it to him.

    As they shopped for supplies, Ashton took this chance to get a general feel of how things usually go from a regr citizen''s perspective.

    Lately, he has been busy with things that he didn''t have time to do this but since they''re already, he might as well start.

    This is some kind of market research if you will. Ashton wanted to see how society is currently faring,paring it to what the inte was showing. He knows that ultimately, what he sees on screen and what he sees in person were bound to be different.

    He wants to broaden his horizons since the state of society would be important for his goals too.

    As they went from one store to the other, Ashton kept his eyes peeled and observed the crowd.

    Due to his sharp senses, he could see and feel many things that other people pointedly ignores.

    For one, there is a trace of uncertainty and anxiety within Fantasia brought by the recent events, more specifically, because of the Cult.

    He could sense everyone''s unease. If they were given a choice, these people would''ve preferred to stay home and wait until the entire Cult was dealt with before going out again. Unfortunately, time waits for no one.

    The majority of people here have responsibilities to shoulder. Be it feeding their family, paying bills...survival in general, so even though they want to just stay at home and be safe, they couldn''t. They have to go out and risk their lives for the sake of survival.

    Add the fact that everything is quite strict at this point due to how sensitive these times are, people are in distress.

    Ashton has yet to see one genuinely happy person out here so far. And that is rather rming.

    There is discontent in the air, and if this continues to fester, who knows what could happen?

    Humanity is already at a disadvantage, being divided won''t do them any good at all but looking at where the trend is heading, it seems that they wouldn''t be able to avoid it.

    It really makes one wonder...does the Morning Sun Federation knows this?

    If they do, then why aren''t they doing anything to prevent it? And if they don''t know anything, then how the hell are they managing everything that is happening so far? It wouldn''t happen to be chaos there wouldn''t it?

    ''...well, no use in thinking about this for now. Not like I''m going there anytime soon anyway.'' Ashton mused to himself.

    There wille a day when he''ll visit the Federation, but today is not that day. He still had other matters to attend to.

    ...like making sure Aria wouldn''t empty their bank ounts due to how many things she''s buying. Seriously, half of the things she bought so far weren''t something they needed, some don''t even fit the room being rebuilt yet she still bought them.

    He better takes control or else they''de home without a single penny left to their name.

    Alice, ke, and Mary had been put through the wringer these past few days.

    They''ve been dragged left and right, trying to respond to the sheer volume of Skydemons pestering the metropolis. They were tired and hadn''t had any good sleep in a while.

    Somehow, they''re still kicking which is a miracle on its own. Alice started getting suspicious of ke. She has no idea what he''s putting in that coffee but it is shockingly effective. Hell, she''s even starting to get addicted to it as well.

    But no seriously, they''re tired. They need some sleep and preferably, some good food as well. They''re getting sick of consuming military rations.

    Of the three of them, Alice is most concerned about Mary''s sake.

    Compared to her and ke, she''s weaker and isn''t used to prolonged fights like this. It''s clear that this has been difficult for her, obvious by how she easily loses consciousness the moment her back hits the bed.

    She''s a mage after all. Even if her talent lies in Archery, she''s not as durable physically as ke or Alice. She didn''t receive enough training to be that way. Honestly, it''s already impressive that she couldst this long.

    In the end, it wasn''t just them. Other teams like hers are also suffering the same fatigue. None of them were having a good time, that''s for sure but what can they do? This is their responsibility to bear.<sub> </sub>

    "...can we really not pull Ash into this?" ke asked out of nowhere while they were resting. Alice looked at him with a t gaze as he continued: "Hey, I know we''ve said that we''ll leave the decision up to him, but still...you know."

    "This would be a hell of a lot easier if he was here with us. Just saying." He shrugged.

    Alice rolled her eyes at him and closed her eyes. She wondered to herself why, of all people, why this guy? Why does it have to be him that captures her attention?

    Anyway, she can''t really refute what he said. She knows how valuable Ashton is to anyone. Ashton might remain discreet about it but she can tell he''s formidable.

    Those buffs alone were enough proof of that. A White Mage with powerful supporting spells like that could easily double�� no, triple, or even quadruple any team''s efficiency!

    Hell, the reason why the three of them have been racking in tons of merit points recently was because of Ashton''s buffs. And he was kind enough to not take any points away from the, hell he even made them weapons that are seriously useful to them nowadays.

    Alice herself couldn''t afford to part with this sword now. Seriously, it was one of the best ones she had ever had in her hands. It''s lightweight, stays sharp, and could easily slice through Skydemons'' flesh like a hot knife through butter.

    Still, it''s a matter of respecting the guy''s choice. Ashton clearly wanted to have a peaceful time...well, rtively ''peaceful'' supposedly. And they couldn''t fault him for that. After all, the guy''s had rough the past 5 years out there.

    "Yo, you guys look dead. Good for you?"

    Speak of the goddamn devil and he shall appear, Alice thought to herself.

    The three of them looked up and saw Ashton peering down at them, looking as fresh as a morning breeze, eating some ice cream with Aria by his side. Hell, the fucker''s even wearing sunsses as if he''s in the middle of a vacation.

    Jumping down from where he was, hended close to them, softly like a feather. He and Aria started walking toward them when Ashton lifted his hand and produced a golden orb of light which he pushed toward them.

    He just used the Warmth Spell which restores their stamina and heals them over a set time.

    The moment the golden orb of Warmth went to them, they instantly felt their spirits being lifted. They couldn''t resist letting out groans offort.

    And Ashton, feeling generous today, also used the Reinvigorate Spell which restored their energy and their mana. Just these spells alone were enough topletely restore the trio to their peak state.

    "Work''s kicking your ass I assume? Geez, you guys need some sleep. Seriously." Ashton unceremoniously sat down next to them as they rested.

    "Oh, we would love that actually." Mary snorted, "Unfortunately, we don''t have that kind of luxury here. We''ve signed our lives away. We''re essentially ves here. Help us please."

    "I can''t be med for the consequences of your actions, Sweetheart. Sorry, you''re on your own on this one." Ashton shrugged while Aria chuckled.

    "What are you doing here?" Alice asked, "We didn''t call you...did we?"

    "We didn''t." ke answered here.

    "Right, you didn''t." Ashton confirmed as well. Then he looked past them and said: "But she did."

    They looked over and saw Oracle Felicia walking toward them at a brisk pace.

    "We were in the middle of shopping for supplies when she suddenly called." Aria stated, "She told him that it''s urgent and wanted us to go here. That''s how we ended up here."

    Nobody said a word after that, they just waited until the Oracle arrived.

    The moment she came, she didn''t even say a word to her disciple. Instead, her focus was on Ashton. Her expression was grim, making the others feel mildly concerned.

    Then, she said: "A ck Fog is heading here."

    Hearing those words, Mary and Alice were confused.

    ke and Aria''s eyes constricted, their faces paling several shades up.

    And Ashton...well, he released a long and exhausted sigh as he spat...

    "God damn it!"

 Chapter 173 Suspicions

    "You''re not kidding, are you?" Ashton asked, just to be sure.

    "Oh, believe me. I wish I was kidding too..." the old oracle sighed in frustration as well. "Unfortunately, the five of us saw the same vision and that''s saying a lot."

    "...shit!" Ashton cursed as his expression turned ugly.

    Mary and Alice looked at their frustrated faces with confusion. So far, they have no idea what they were talking about but they could tell that it was not something good.

    Meanwhile, Aria held onto Ashton''s arms worryingly. She bit her lips and was feeling quite afraid.

    ke, on the other hand, looked lost. It''s as if he was remembering something he rather not remember at all. The mood of his surroundings wasn''t helping either.

    Ashton could vaguely sense their distress, it was the strongesting from ke. He guessed that ke must''ve remembered some traumatic event that happened during his past life.

    He sneakily adjusted the power of the Warmth Spell to affect ke even more. This should help alleviate some of his internal struggles without revealing things he didn''t want to tell anybody for now.

    And, as expected, it worked. ke shook out of his stupor and returned his attention to the present. He looked around and was convinced that nobody saw his distress just now which made him feel relieved.

    Well... it''s okay, he doesn''t have to know.

    "This isn''t the ce where we could freely discuss something like this." Ashton said, "Let''s get some privacy."

    He then stood up with Aria by his side and started walking somewhere.

    "Follow me, I''ve booked a room for us."

    Ashton doesn''t really have any idea where to go. He''s at a barracks right now where some of the responders were stationed, the fact that he was given entry was only because someone wanted him here, otherwise, no one would find him there.

    Thankfully, the Oracle was prepared. She reserved a room for them to temporarily use.

    Once they arrived there, Ashton immediately ced several spells that isted the room from the outside. He was just being careful, he didn''t want whatever they''d be discussing here to be leaked outside, causing mass paranoia.

    Once he settled that, he immediately talked to the oracle.

    "You said all five of you received the same vision? Can you tell me more in detail?"

    Felicia nodded and said: "As you know, there are four Oracles like me who also share the same duty as I have."

    "The vision came to us without any warnings. It was a pitch-ck fog and at its very depths, countless maddened creatures'' eyes were glowing crimson red. We saw this fog slowly making its way towards the Last Bastion and we heard faint cries of our people."

    "All of us saw the same vision. This kind of event only happened a few times in the past but all of which, undoubtedly happen. After some careful research, we found out that the possibility of a ck Fog arriving here is around 99%."

    "That''s all? There''s no Golden Sandstorm?" Ashton asked.

    "Thankfully, no. But still...knock on wood on that one." Felicia replied.

    "Wait!" Alice protested out of nowhere, "I''m sorry, I''m a bit lost here. But what is this ck Fog or this Golden Sandstorm that you are talking about?"

    "I would like to know that too." Mary interjected on the side.

    Ashton was about to exin when all of sudden, ke''s voice sounded...

    "A ck Fog is considered as one of the Natural Cmities of this world that became deadly due to Demonic Influence."

    "Imagine a tsunami of fog, swallowing the entire Last Bastion. Within that fog, all sorts of demons are present. Not only that, but while those demons are within the fog, their strengths are doubled and they cannot die. Furthermore, as the ck Fog takes its course, it will naturally attract more demons to its parade. That...is what a ck Fog is."

    Without fail, everyone in the room stared long and hard at ke. Making him a bit ufortable with their stares.

    On the other hand though, now that the girls finally received an exnation, they finally understood just what kind of disaster they are facing. And as expected, their expressions weren''t too good.

    "...no, that''s..." Mary paled and took several steps back. "Is that true?"

    "I''m afraid it is." Ashton replied to her. "I would know, I''ve encountered one back then."

    ke looked at Ashton, stunned by the sudden revtion. He couldn''t help but think:

    ''He encountered a ck Fog and lived? How in the world is that possible? I��''

    ''...we''ve lost so many back then! All are way stronger than him right now so how in the world��?''<sub> </sub>

    "I said I encountered one, I didn''t say I fought the entire parade. Ease down your imaginations." Ashton snorted as he added this. He was targeting ke by saying this cause the guy was being so obvious right now.

    ''Your mask is slipping, Buddy. Careful now.'' He reprimanded ke in his mind. ''Look, Alice is now looking at you strangely.''

    ke looked relieved, he was thinking to himself: ''Ah so he hid. I see. Honestly, I can''t me him. After all, that''s also what I did back then...which is why so many of us were ��''

    ''No, ke...it''s been so long. Let it go. It''s not your fault.'' ke shook his head as his thoughts went into a dangerous tangent just now.

    Meanwhile, hearing thising from ke''s mouth made Alice a bit suspicious. She starts thinking to herself:

    ''How does he know all about that? Ashton, I could see. But him? Why does he know when I don''t? As far as I know, something like that hasn''t happened recently right?''

    Sensing the emotional turmoil of these two, Ashton decided to step in and distract them from another topic.

    "A Golden Sandstorm on the other hand is the Angelic version of a ck Fog."

    "As you can tell, these two disasters are extremely dangerous. I was lucky that found a decent ce to stay during that time. I stayed underground for almost an entire month because of a ck Fog."

    "Yes, ck Fog canst that long. It moves extremely slowly after all. However, slow it might be, it leaves undeniable destruction and corruption to anything it touches."

    "The Golden Sandstorm is also the same. Hell, I even saw those two shing against each other in real-time. I was cataclysmic, to say the least."

    His words because the focus of everyone''s thoughts and nobody dared to refute his ims. It might sound a little unbelievable but so was the concept of someone crawling his way back home from hell, yet Ashton was here wasn''t he?

    Ashton then turned to the Oracle and asked: "Can''t anybody from the Federation do something about this?"

    "I''m afraid they have their hands full at the moment." The Oracle smiled wryly, "I don''t know if you know this, but most of our strongest are keeping the stronger ones in check to buy us more time."

    ''Right, I almost forgot about that.''

    The Moening Sun Federation, rotten at its core as it might be, still has its principles and ultimately desires for the longevity of Humanity.

    The High-Evolutionaries of the Federation is keeping the stronger foes under their surveince to respond as quickly as they could when they make a move. To put it simply, they are too busy and cannote to Fantasia''s aid.

    They probably could in case of emergency but unless ites to that point, they won''te.

    "Fine...I''ll think of something."

    "Actually, I was wondering if we could use ''that'' instead..." she said cryptically.

    "It''s risky. And that''s the only one we have. It hasn''t been long since it was used so I don''t think it''s a good idea." Ashton shook his head.

    Of course he knew what she was referring to. The Oracle was suggesting using the protective ability of the Beyonder''s Astrbe.

    This was a feasible n. Since the barrier couldst for an entire year, the artifact could potentially keep everyone safe without risking anyone''s life.

    Sadly, that''s a little bit of an optimistic view of things. The artifact''s effect might be strong but it''s in no way invincible.

    In addition, Demons are incredibly persistent too. It''s most likely that they wouldn''t stop attacking until all of them are dead or if all humans were gone.

    The movement speed of the ck Fog depends on the marching parade of Demons it''s nurturing within. Simply put, it''s the demons'' march that''s moving that fog. If all demons stay in one ce, then the fog will never move.

    So, if they stopped just outside of the barrier, if they refuse to move, then one year of protection isn''t going to cut it. If anything, that''s just dying the inevitable.

    "What do we do then?" Mary asked in a distressed manner. "We can''t possibly relocate an entire metropolis easily, could we? How long until it arrives anyway?"

    They all looked at the Oracle and she regretfully said: "We have one week before the ck Fog could be seen from where we are."

    Everybody''s expression turned grim at this point. As expected, this is truly going to be difficult to deal with.

    At some point, Ashton stood up and said:

    "Focus on the cult, for now, I''ll think of a way to deal with this."

    After he said that, he grabbed Aria and left the room.

 Chapter 174 Contracts?

    Even though Ashton said that he will try to think of a way to help with this cmity they''re about to face, his friends weren''t so convinced that he could do something on his own.

    This isn''t them questioning Ashton''s abilities or resolve. It''s just that the situation was far too vtile that they didn''t think that a single person can contain it.

    That being said, they''re a bit helpless too.

    Nobody could really say that they will be able to handle a ck Fog well. Hell, none in the generation even encountered one except Ashton. And Ashton certainly didn''t confront, he hid instead, that''s how he survived.

    So knowing this, the likelihood of him concluding his im was extremely low.

    Nevertheless, something must be done. They couldn''t just sit still after knowing this. A lot of lives are at stake. Humanity as a whole was being threatened by this disaster.

    Stopping it isn''t an option, it''s a must. Even if it means throwing their lives away at it to halt its march.

    But, in reality, what can they do in a mere week?

    They don''t have that long, that''s for sure. And as much as they would like to seek the assistance of experts, it''s very unlikely that they will receive one, after all, they are preupied.

    One might say that them not being able to respond to this defeats their purpose. After all, if Last Bastion falls under the siege of the demons under the influence of a ck Fog, then what are they guarding for?

    However, time and time again, Oracle Felicia told them that the High-Evolutionaries of the Federation aren''t allowed to make a move unless the situation turns dire.

    Something about a pact or something...it wasn''t really exined to them so they could only ept that as is.

    What upsets them even more so is the fact that the Federation still insists for this event not be publicized. They weren''t rallying the troops to take arms and prepare for the worst, which is something that they all should do but apparently not ording to the Federation.

    Oracle Felicia doesn''t have a say in this, her hands were tied too. It was a collective decision from their council and one that they will be sticking to, most likely.

    Alice and ke don''t understand why it''s like that. Both of them think that it''s better to inform the public so that everyone will be prepared.

    Mary, on the other hand, kept mime about the decision. Deep down though, she had an idea why a decision like that was made.

    Alice and ke were probably blinded by fear and panic but to Mary it is obvious...

    People are tired.

    The recent spike in the activities of the Cult did a number on Humanity''s Morale. Throughout the years of harassment; with millions of people dying and cities being destroyed and getting wiped out off the map, the people of the Last Bastion don''t have that many high hopes for their situation.

    The tense atmosphere was suffocating, so much so that a lot of people are starting to give in.

    In their immediate vicinity, the responders to the cult''s activities are present, and every single one of them looked tired and just about done with everything. They were in pain, some were mourning, and others had been under the wringer for so long that their bodies couldn''t keep up anymore.

    Maybe this is a side-effect of her curse, but Mary is more perceptive when ites to the well-being of herself and others. She feels everything twice as muchpared to other people, maybe that affects others too? She doesn''t have a clue but still...

    She knows that the decision to keep from spreading might be a wise choice.

    After all, nobody knows what will happen once somebody just gets fed up with everything, being besieged from both outside and inside might break their spirits thoroughly and might cause them to embark on a path of no return.

    As much as she would like to help, her abilities are limited. In fact, she''s weakpared to Alice and ke. She might as well include Ashton and Aria in that list while she''s at it.

    She''s left behind in terms of strength, and it would be a lie to say that this wasn''t affecting her since it does. Unfortunately, she couldn''t risk thinking too much about this since her curse might be triggered and that will certainly send her spiraling to a dark ce where she couldn''t recover.

    Beep! Beep!

    Mary raised a brow and checked her smartwatch. She then saw a message sent to her by Ashton, telling them toe over.

    She stood up from her bed and began fixing herself. She still felt tired even with a good night''s sleep. At this point, she''s thinking that she might just get used to this exhaustion even though shepletely dreads it.

    After wearing something light andfortable, she video-called Alice and ke. They answered and she saw them also preparing to leave their homes to answer Ashton''s invitation.

    They decided toe together as usual, like how they''ve always done it ever since the disaster of City M.<sub> </sub>

    After an hour and a half, they all arrived at Ashton''s home. Mary knocked on the door and opened it shortly.

    Then, they were greeted by someone who they couldn''t recognize aside from their voice.

    "Wee to Master''s abode, he''s waiting for you at his office. Please follow me."

    "Who the hell...wait! Jerry!!?" Mary sounded incredulous. ke and Alice were a bit freaked out too.

    "Ah, oh! Yes, it is I! Please do not be afraid, Master installed some recent upgrades to me, that''s why I look like this now." Jerry smiled wryly and scratched his head in embarrassment, acting every bit like a human which caused them to feel rather estranged.

    "...how did he even�� you know what? I''m not gonna ask, it''s not I''m going to understand it anyway. Please, lead us to him." Alice replied.

    Jerry simply nodded and went inside with the three following him behind. The trio looked at each other and simply shrugged. They couldn''t really exin what was going on so they might as well roll with it.

    The butler bot lead them to where Ashton''s office was but he didn''t get in, he just gestured at the door and told them to knock before he scurried off to somewhere to do something else.

    Mary knocked on the door of Ashton''s office and they heard him say: "Come in!"

    They entered and saw a humble-looking office. Ashton sat behind a desk at the far corner of the room, shuffling through several documents that piled up like a mountain.

    "Ah, you''re here. That''s good. Have you guys eaten yet?"

    Mary and Alice nodded while ke shook his head. Ashton then said; "Make yourselvesfortable first, let''s talk over some snacks and drinks. I''ll be within a while."

    So, they sat on the nearby couch. Mary nced at Ashton from time to time, seeing him filing through documents with one hand while holding a really thick book in the other. She assumed he was cross-referencing. As for what the subject is, she doesn''t know.

    After about ten minutes of waiting, Jerry entered the room with a pushcart. The cart has trays of food and snacks with it. They heard the bot whistling a tune while arranging the food on the rather bizarre table.

    "Master, lunch is ready."

    Ashton peeled his eyes away from his documents and smiled at Jerry: "Thank you. You may continue with your other duties."

    Once he said that, Jerry happily exited the room. Ashton got up from his desk and plopped on the couch next to ke. He gestured for them to help themselves with the food as he himself reached out for his lunch.

    "You haven''t slept at all did you?" Mary asked Ashton out of the blue.

    To this, Ashton merely nodded and said: "No big deal, it''s just a night''s sleep. I can go for an entire month without that and still be able to function normally."

    "Where''s Aria, by the way?" Alice asked.

    "Lab." He replied, "She''s busy with her inventions and can''t be disturbed right now."

    Mary and Alice nodded at that. Then ke asked: "So, what''s up? Why did you call us here?"

    "Ah!" Ashton acted as if he just remembered something.

    That was when he suddenly took out neat stacks of paper inside an envelope and handed it to them.

    "This is?" Alice raised a brow.

    "Contracts if you will," Ashton replied as he ate. "It states there that I''ll be your sponsor from now on. Anyway, read it first and carefully, please. I know you guys aren''t new to those, and feel free to ask me any questions."

    "Whether to sign it or not, will ultimately depend on you. But whatever your decision is, it won''t affect our friendship I promise."

    Mary, ke, and Alice looked at Ashton as if he just grew a third head. He looked at them and asked: "What? Come on, read it first before you say anything. The contents will exin everything."

    The trio looked at each other before nodding.

    Well, it''s just reading, isn''t it? There''s nothing to lose here so they might as well see what Ashton has in mind.

 Chapter 175 Signing And Bountiful Rewards

    The contents of the contracts were mostly for NDA. It can even be said that instead of contracts, these were NDAs instead.

    It is stated there that Ashton would be their sponsor, he would provide them with materials and resources needed to make them stronger in exchange for their loyalty.

    It''s a mutually beneficial agreement, one that is well thought out and pretty detailed as well.

    "...why this, all of a sudden?"

    ke''s question encapsted what Mary and Alice were thinking as well.

    "Right, I thought that you invited us here to discuss something...you know...important." Alice added, "We weren''t expecting you toe forward with these."

    Mary chose to stay silent, but inwardly, she too was confused.

    "I mean, I kind of already have a solution for the ck Fog problem," Ashton stated as he ced down his utensils. "Those are just a nice addition to the form. Either way, I can''t really say much unless you sign those. But again, that''s up to you."

    "Really? You have a way to deal with the ck Fog?" Alice asked in an interested manner. "Can you tell us more?"

    "I''ll handle it." Ashton waved his hand, almost dismissively. "Listen, I can''t say much. And even if I could, you all won''t probably believe me, so don''t ask too many questions."

    His dismissal caused them to feel disappointed. They couldn''t help but wonder what was up with this much secrecy. What''s the point of it when Humanity as a whole was under a massive threat?

    Then again, they can''t really force him to say anything. If Ashton doesn''t want to exin, then he won''t exin. This is something that all of them know about him.

    That being said, how can they be convinced of this? Is he joking with them? He will handle literal hordes of demons all by himself? How can they possibly believe this?

    Then again, those thoughts just basically confirmed what Ashton just said didn''t they? He said that they probably won''t believe him whether he exins or not and would you look at that...they were doubting him now.

    They couldn''t be med for that of course. After all, the notion of a single man defending an entire metropolis, hell, entire humanity as a whole at this point, was ridiculous to them.

    "...you know what? Why the hell not?" Mary decided to sign in anyways. ke and Alice looked at her strangely.

    She grinned at them and exined: "I mean, this doesn''t mean shit if the Last Bastion was to be wiped off from the face of the Earth next week. But if we survive, hell the benefits are generous so why the hell not right?"

    Ashton smiled upon hearing that but didn''t say anything.

    "I mean...she''s a got a point." ke said to Alice.

    "Yeah, but...we have other matters to�� ah, screw it. Whatever, I guess." Alice gave in halfway through her sentence and signed it too anyways. ke did as well.

    Ashton nodded upon seeing them all sign, he inwardly sigh in relief as the contracts turned into motes of light.

    Said lights formed a seal and the three of them were forced by an invisible force to have their tongues out. Once the tongues were out, the seal branded itself into their tongues, forming a tattoo that represented their participation in the NDA.

    The process wasn''t painful, at most their tongues just felt warm for a brief second before the feeling disappeared.

    "That seal is the sign that you are forbidden from telling others about me and the contents of the contracts without my permission." Ashton stated just to reiterate the idea to them.

    After he said that, several message windows full of alerts popped out from his vision.

    [Congrattions for taking 3 Children of Destiny as your Beneficiary. You now have ess to their Profiles and could determine their growth paths!]

    [You are rewarded with the ff: ��3 Ancient Blueprint, Vorpal Steps, Millenium Cloud!]

    Ashton quietly received these rewards to his Inventory, he''s going to check themter but for now, he had other matters to attend to.

    "Come with me." He told them after a brief pause.

    Waving his hand, the trio felt space warping around them and they were unable to resist. The sudden transmission made them feel dizzy but overall it wasn''t so bad.

    When they opened their eyes, they discovered that they were at a different location altogether.

    The trio was shaken of course. They all looked at Ashton incredulously with questioning gazes but he refused to say a word.<sub> </sub>

    "Focus and feel your surroundings." He said to them.

    His voice had a certain push to them which made them listen. They paused and focused on their surroundings.

    This made them discover something rather bizarre. All three of them felt as if something or someone was calling out to them, telling them toe closer.

    The pull was incredibly enticing. Hell, even ke who had experienced multiple lives was having trouble resisting this call. It was then that Ashton''s voice sounded in their ears again, saying:

    "This will be my first gift to you as your sponsor. You can hear the call right? Don''t be afraid, follow it. Answer to it. Trust me when I say that this is good for you. Go on...I''ll wait for all of you here."

    With Raven''s encouragement, they couldn''t possibly ignore the call anymore. They might not know this but deep down in their hearts, Ashton was someone they''d trusted with their lives. Possibly because he''s a good and loyal friend but it may also be because of the contract.

    Either way, they don''t believe that he will intentionally harm them so they followed his suggestions. Actually, even without it, they''d be unable to resist the call of the Dragon Vein anyways.

    ''With the three of them here, I only need 7 more Children of Destiny tomune with the Dragon Vein before it can be upgraded.'' Ashton mused to himself.

    Ashton took them inside the Grotto Heaven of course since that''s where the Dragon Vein currently resides. Thismunion process will take some time but it''s fine, he doesn''t have to wait that long anyway.

    Meanwhile, he used this time to check the rewards he got from epting those three as his Beneficiaries...

    First, the three Ancient Blueprints he received are: ''Rejuvenation Hot Springs Blueprint'', Trial By Fire Training Yard Blueprint'', and the ''Room of Reflection Blueprint''.

    The Rejuvenation Hot Springs was extremely useful since soaking in it will not only heal injuries but also recovers their stamina very quickly. Allowing those who use it to get back in action within a short time.

    The Trial By Fire Training Yard is basically the materialization of the Grinding Slots. Inside this Training Yard, the proficiency of Skill or Spell Grinding was doubled. This boost can be increased up to five times with Spirit Stones.

    Andstly, the Room of Reflection. This is a pretty interesting room for it tests the challenger''s Spirit. It has the benefit of training one''s willpower. The process, however, will prove rather difficult but so long as they can persist then the benefits they receive will be well worth it.

    The next reward is Vorpal Steps...more specifically, it''s the instant mastery of the Skill: Vorpal Steps.

    Again, this reward is straight up 5-star Ascended Rank: Vorpal Steps.

    Vorpal Steps is a technique that allows the user to practically y with the very fabrics of the Space itself. Using this, Ashton could practically teleport to absurd distances in just a single thought.

    It had to be known that merely discovering something that could meddle with the Laws of Space is already rare. Let''s not even consider mastering those which would take an absurd amount of time.

    Yet Ashton, thanks to the System''s assistance, managed to receive something this strong just like that. Handed over to him on a golden tter.

    There''s a lot to say here but you won''t hear himining...

    And if that isn''t enough, then how about thest reward, which is just as, if not even more absurd, than the previous reward? The ''Millenium Cloud''.

    The Millenium Cloud is a spell that allows him to produce a rainbow-colored fog to imprison his targets. Once they''re inside, the power of time will be imposed on them.

    The cloud will forcefully age them the longer they remained trapped within, it won''t cease unless Ashton runs out of Mana or if he stops it willingly. The process will be instant too.

    And if this couldn''t get any more absurd, this Spell came to him as an instant mastery as well, meaning that it''s already at Lv.100! Giving him full control over it!

    ''Holy hell!! What kind of luck is this!?'' Ashton eximed inwardly as he swallowed hard. ''Is this what happens whenever I make Children of Destiny my Beneficiaries?''

    It was really absurd. He couldn''t believe that something like this was possible!

    And it doesn''t end there!

    [Beneficiaries: Rosemary Summers, ke Richards, and Alice Chrome had all made contact andmuned with the Dragon Vein under your guidance.]

    [The first batch of the Children of Destiny can now answer to their fate. Their Providence was greatly boosted!]

    [None of this would''ve been possible without your hard work. Critical Hit, triggered! ��1000 Benefactor''s Return, triggered! You received: Four Extremities Array Disk, Hymn of Enlightenment, Ex-Rank Specialization Soul Card, ��500 Spell Points, and Skill Points, 3 ARC Cores.]

 Chapter 176 Wealthy Ashton

    Experiencing what happened to them would take longer than it actually took...

    The trio had no idea where Ashton took them and how. They might have some guesses but no concrete answers so it''s just that. Plus, with the strong pull of whatever it was that was calling for them, they were too distracted to care.

    When Ashton encouraged them to go and chase after the call, they didn''t even hesitate to do it. It didn''t matter how tough and indomitable their wills were, there was no way for them to resist this call.

    The trio''s experiences varied as well...they didn''t even head in the same direction, much less had a chance to talk once they went after the call.

    They''ve seen visions of their life, the two reincarnators; Alice and ke, saw vicissitudes of their past lives merging with their current ones. They watched it y side by side until it eventually concluded.

    This made them ponder about their current situation and gave them insights into what they''re supposed to do. It also increased their determination and illuminated the path forward that they have to follow.

    Mary, on the other hand, saw remnant echoes of her locked potential. She saw a reflection of herself that showed her everything about her that even she didn''t know before.

    More importantly, these images showed her the light at the end of the tunnel. It gave her insights into her curse and how she should proceed to remove it entirely from herself.

    The path wasn''t easily given to her entirely. It only showed her hints, but even those were already enough to make her incredibly thankful for this chance.

    God knows how much she had suffered because of her curse. The fact that she always had to pay attention to her emotional well-being while also maintaining distance from people just so that she doesn''t hurt herself immensely was torturous for her.

    She felt even more hopeless after the destruction of City M since along with it, the Mystic Academy also disappeared. Meaning that the chances of her getting rid of her curse turned abysmal.

    Now that she received an idea on how to remove her curse entirely, she would of course do everything in her power to be freed from it.

    Aside from this, anothermon feeling the trio shared after themunion was the feeling of rity and a sense of responsibility.

    It was such a bizarre feeling too. They could sense it deep within themselves, that they have a clearer sense of purpose now. Like, they were always meant to do something and it was only now that it became clear to them that they do.

    It''s unexinable, but it''s a feeling they all shared.

    Then, they woke up pretty much at the same time. Finding themselves standing in a middle of a wide clearing.

    The air around them was dense and fresh, the breeze was cool andforting, the sky was bright and the rays of sunlight warmed andforted their bodies.

    They felt light and airy as if there were springs to their steps. It''s like an invisible burden was removed from them just now, allowing them to breathe more easily.

    "...so, you guys are awake." Ashton''s voice sounded within their ears.

    They all turned around and saw him sitting on a nearby rock formation, casually flipping the pages of a book.

    "Right. What happened by the way? What was that all about? And where is this?" Mary asked, unable to hold in her curiosity anymore.

    "Woah, chill." Ashton chuckled, closing the book closely. "I''ll exin those and what happens from now on the road. For now, follow me."

    He stood up and began walking off to somewhere with the trio following him.

    "...who are you?"

    This question asked by Alice, caused Mary to pause. She turned around and saw ke and Alice looking at Ashton suspiciously and on guard. Mary looked back and stared at Ashton''s back in confusion.

    "What''s going on, you two?"

    "Mary, that''s not the Ash we know. Use your senses carefully." Alice said, which was followed by Mary.

    She scanned the man carefully and discovered that, indeed, something was amiss.

    This person might look like Ashton for the most part, his aura included, but this one''s ultimately different for reasons she couldn''t exin.

    "Heh...good senses there." The man turned around and said to them: "Well, the cat''s out of the bag now, I guess. I am called West Two, I am Ashton''s Doppelganger. Nice to meet you all, I guess."

    "A doppelganger?" Mary was shocked. So were Alice and ke.

    They have heard about doppelgangers before but this is the first time they''ve encountered one. Plus, this one was a little different because he''s eerily spot-on. If it wasn''t for that inexplicable difference between the real one and the doppelganger, the trio might not notice anything different at all.

    "Just think of it this way...I am a living puppet being controlled by Ashton. I answer to his will and that''s something impossible for me to defy so I''m not an enemy, okay?"<sub> </sub>

    "Where is he anyway? The real one, I mean." ke asked.

    "Back to the real world. He said he had other matters to attend to so he left you three to my care. He gave me some orders and every second counts so can we please be on our way?" West Two asked while smiling wryly.

    After that exnation, the trio finally lowered their guard. They first looked at each other, seemingly conversing using their eyes, after a short while, they nodded and gestured West Two to move along.

    West Two sighed in relief and began walking again with the trio following closely behind him.

    "You said he''s back in the real world..." Mary said, "I''m guessing that we are in some sort of a pocket dimension then?"

    "Close." West Two replied, "This, is the Blue Marble Grotto Heaven, Ashton''s personal realm if you will. Don''t ask how he got it, he''s not gonna tell you and I''m not allowed to say. Just know that you''ll be in regrly from now on."

    "A grotto heaven...as a personal belonging? Damn, he''s he rich then!" ke mumbled to himself but it was heard by both Alice and Mary.

    Well, they couldn''t really refute what he said anyways. They know what a Grotto Heaven is but this is the first time they''ve seen and been in one. Ashton owning this grotto heaven meant that everything they see in there was his and that itself represents how wealthy their sponsor was.

    "Alright, so can you exin now what just happened to us?" Mary pressed on.

    "Youmuned with the Dragon Vein." West Two revealed tly, shocking the living daylights out of Alice and ke.

    "A Dragon Vein? What''s that?" She asked, wholly unaware of the emotional turmoil her two friends were feeling right now.

    "Long story short, it''s a blessing of some sort..."

    West Two then exined how the Dragon Vein was formed and how the majority of them are now suppressed by the invaders. He fabricated some stories of how Ashton managed to get a hold of this Dragon Vein and how it might be thest of its kind.

    He also implied their status of being the Children of Destiny and how they are now responsible to follow their own paths.

    Mary listened intently and understood just how great of an opportunity Ashton just casually handed to them. To her personally, the insights for breaking her curse were a favor enough to her to sign her life away.

    "Well...in a sense, he kind of owns us, by now. We did sign the contract so..." Mary mumbled to herself.

    "Funny you should say that..." West Two chuckled, giving Alice and ke a bad premonition. But before they could say anything, West Two interrupted them.

    "We''re here."

    West Two and the trio arrived at what looked like a warehouse built in the middle of nowhere. He pushed the doors open and what greeted them was a wide room with some types of equipment readily avable.

    "This room is...?" Alice was confused.

    "Your prison for the next two and half months or so..." West Two softly said.

    "Huh!?" The trio all looked rmingly at West Two.

    "Hey, don''t re at me. This wasn''t my idea." West Two sweated nervously. "Let me exin first."

    "1 day outside is 10 days here, meaning that you all have 70 days or roughly 2 and half months to prepare before the ck Fog eventually shows up in the real world."

    "This room is called the Trial By Fire Training Yard. Here, you can practice with increased efficiency. The rate at which your Skill Proficiency or Spell Level increase is doubled here at a minimum but for your sake, Ashton charged Spirit Stone to increase that to 4 times."

    "4 times!?" The trio was shocked. They were having a difficult time epting this.

    "Yep. That''s why I said every second counts here." West Two stated, "Also there''s this..."

    He hands them what looks like VR Helmets and said:

    "Wear that and enter the Simtion. There are presets in there which will allow you to fight the demons Ashton encountered during his journey in the outside world."

    "Do note that the simtion is incredibly life-like, if you die there, you will feel that sensation in real life as well. These helmets are connected to this ce so the effect stacks."

    "Go on, try it!"

 Chapter 177 Their Training Starts

    The three Ancient Blueprints were of the ''instant-build'' types where so long as the materials necessary for them are prepared, the building will instantly bepleted.

    Suffice to say, the Trial By Fire Training Yard, the Rejuvenation Hot Springs, and the Room of Reflection are all built-in blink of an eye thanks to this. These facilities are the first ones among the many that will be built in the Grotto Heaven to prepare for the future.

    And since the Ancient Blueprints were given by the System, of course, they are made to have everything flow together in an inclusive cycle, this is why the VR Helmets used to ess the Simtion Zone could be connected to these ces and their effects could stack.

    Right now, Alice, ke, and Mary were lying down on a bed wearing the VR Helmets. West Two was there supervising their state as per the instructions of Ashton.

    West Two knows that these three were skeptical about all of this, and frankly he couldn''t me them. After all, technology that is this advance doesn''t exist before. Ashton was someone who just came back from a 5 year long trip from the Outside World, how the hell was they supposed to believe that he could have such technology that not even the inventors of Last Bastion have ess to?

    Still, though, it wouldn''t hurt to try. Ashton had already exceeded their expectations by allowing them tomune with the Dragon Vein, although they still haven''t recovered from that, something tells them that they should get used to ridiculous thingsing from Ashton.

    And this Simtion Zone is certainly nothing different.

    They were still shocked by how life-like everything was in there. As they were experiencing it for the first time the doubt was starting to disappear from their hearts.

    At first, they arrived at an empty white space that was seemingly boundless. Here, West Two''s voice sounded around them.

    "Wee to the Simtion Zone, I guess." He said, "Before you start fighting Demons in a life-like manner, first I think you all should get used to the environment of the Outside World."

    "I''ll pull up the environment temte for the Edge of Madness, the zone that''s just right outside of the Last Bastion. Take some time to adjust to that first."

    After saying that, the world around them disappeared. Note, they weren''t together. They are all in separate yet extremely simr virtual worlds.

    There is a safe zone for them, it''s a 50-meter-wide clearing where corruption doesn''t appear, they could stay here for now.

    For the rest though, it changed.

    Dark clouds loomed above, painting a very depressing sight. Putrid stench wafted to their nose, causing them to feel nauseous. The ground was stained with ck and golden streaks which appeared to be shing against each other.

    An overwhelming sense of difort rose to their chests. They could all tell that they weren''t supposed to be here yet here they were. It felt stifling and it made them want to back out instinctually.

    Only ke was hardly affected by this sensation. If anything, he just felt surprised due to how on-point this simtion is. It has been a while since he was surrounded by the corruption of the Invaders. It certainly wasn''t his first time out here, technically.

    Alice and Mary, however, were different, even Alice as a reincarnator, haven''t stepped foot on the Outside World before. She had fought demons before and is no stranger to corruption but being out there? That hasn''t happened before...

    Mary on the other hand froze. She didn''t know what to do. Her back was against the wall. She couldn''t advance nor retreat, the safe zone had a respectable size but Mary felt that it was too small.

    Every fiber on her body wants her to stay as far away as possible from this ce. The farther she is, the better. Unfortunately, she can''t.

    "...this is so pathetic, this is just the surroundings yet I''m already freaking out! What happens if I face a demon then?"

    Mary took a deep breath...something she regretted right away since he had kind of forgotten the horrible stench of her surroundings. Nevertheless, she forcibly calmed herself down.

    She psyched herself up. Telling herself that it is fine, she''s fine. There''s no need to rush. She should thank West Two for looking out for them, had he decided to throw in a demon right away, she probably wouldn''t even be able to condense an arrow to defend herself.

    "Go at your own pace, tell me where you''re ready to test your mettle against a real demon." West Two''s voice sounded in their ears once more.

    Hearing that, Mary wasforted. Still, she felt some pressure.

    Since West Two was Ashton''s doppelganger, his words were practically Ashton''s words as well. She knew that he was trying to make them stronger by doing this, and while 2 and a half months was long, it was probably not long enough to get them used to everything.

    Still, it''s the thought that counts, and that''s why Mary felt like it is her responsibility to achieve a positive result.

    ke and Alice felt the same. All of them knew what Ashton was expecting from them by doing this and honestly, they didn''t mind.

    As many said before: There is no free lunch in this world.

    If they want to achieve something, then they have to do something about it first.

    Ashton left West Two to supervise his friends while he started to get busy.

    He received the following from the System after allowing his friends tomune with the Dragon Vein: Four Extremities Array Disk, Hymn of Enlightenment, Ex-Rank Specialization Soul Card, ��500 Spell Points, and Skill Points, 3 ARC Cores.

    ��1000 Benefactor''s Return was probably the highest hit that has been triggered so far. And as expected, the rewards were extremely generous. Those the 3 ARC Cores alone were enough to make that all worth it, but there''s more!

    [Four Extremities Array]

    Type: City-Sized, Protection Array<sub> </sub>

    Effects:

    Extreme North: Release a Frost Law Mist which will freeze everyone who was trapped inside.

    Extreme South: Release an Elusive Yin Mist which will befuddle and confuse everyone trapped within, making them travel in circles.

    Extreme West: Release a Withering Beam which will rapidly decay and age everything touched by it.

    Extreme East: Release a Congration Zone that burns everything trapped inside the formation.

    [Hymn of Enlightenment]

    Type: Auxiliary Tool

    Effects:

    Increases everyone''s perception within a 100-meter radius. Lasts for 4 hours.

    Cooldown: 24 hours.

    [Aether Sage Soul Card (Ex-Rank)]

    Type: Specialization Soul Card

    Effect:

    Authority over Aether Energy

    Aether Comprehension doubled.

    Aether Spell/Skill might doubled.

    Requirements: Lv.1 Sorcerer Rank

    These generous rewards are truly mouth-watering. Every single one was useful to him!

    Although unfortunately, the Four Extremities Array wasn''t big enough to cover Fantasia, it was fine since he could always use it as a basis. For now, it would be a fitting array to use for his future ce.

    The Hymn of Enlightenment came in a form of a record yer. He can use it for four hours straight to boost everyone''sprehension. It''s a perfect tool for raising geniuses which was something he''ll definitely find himself doing soon.

    And finally, that Specialization Soul Card basically solved one of his main concerns. With the Aether Sage Soul Card and the Divine Gunslinger Soul Card, he doesn''t have to worry about his future path.

    To top this all he also have that 500 Spell Points and Skill Points to use, plus those three ARC Cores.

    For the ARC Cores, he already reserved one for Jerry''s final enhancement before his upgrade. This ARC core will rece his power core which will make him be a self-sustaining existence.

    As for those Spell and Skill Points, he used them ording to how he thought best...

    He raised Purify to Lv.100 first a foremost, making this his first skill to ever reach the maximum level. Such a feat like this was rare, especially for his current rank and all, but he did it.

    At Lv.100, there''s nothing Purify can''t deal with. Furthermore, everything he purifies will develop a resistance to corruption. The level of resistance varies, but it should make it harder for corruption to spread easily like before.

    Heal also reached Lv.100. Now, so long as someone still has a sliver of breath remaining, Ashton can instantly heal them back to peak state. Not even a trace of injuries, both external and internal, will remain once he''s done. And it will only take seconds for him to do this.

    After that, he spent the rest of his Spell Points on his buffs, allowing them to reach Lv.70 at least.

    And for his Skill Points, he poured them all to the Scythe Arts. Unfortunately, 500 Skill Points was barely enough to raise its rank to 2-star Ascended Rank.

    In hindsight, he probably should''ve used it to his Firearm Proficiency instead but Ashton wants what he wants so he didn''t do that.

    Still, considering how high Ascended rank already is, that''s still a frightening thing. And to think that he''s still a Warlock at this stage...

    Now, it seems that he had to do some personal training himself.

    [A/N: Poll is over! You chose ''He who praises the Sun'' as our next champion. I''ll try my best to deliver.]

 Chapter 178 Three Days Later...

    One month passed inside the Grotto Heaven, which meant that three whole days passed in the real world.

    Inside a very spacious room, ke could be seen sitting on a stool, absentmindedly chewing on a piece of bread when all of a sudden...

    Boom!

    ...an explosion urred, ruthlessly startling him, pulling him back to the present. He looked at the door past this one and sighed.

    "God, they''re at it again..." he shook his head and ignored themotion.

    Beyond that door, was another spacious room. It''s filled with things that can be used for training. Here, two figures could be seen sparring against each other. These are none other than Alice and Mary.

    shes of light illuminated the ce. Mary''s figure could be seen streaking across the air as she shot several arrows imbued with potent magic.

    Alice red at those arrows as if she had a personal vendetta against them, slicing away at the projectiles as they enter her range. The arrows explode upon shing them but Alice clearly doesn''t mind that at all.

    Alice, then stomped forward, gripping her sword using two hands and grunting, performing an upward sh that seemingly cleaved an entire zone in front of her.

    This sh was performed with her prediction of Mary''s movement, startling thetter. Nevertheless, Mary didn''t lose ground.

    And instead of evading, she confidently met the attack. Her body started spinning diagonally as she repeatedly strummed her bow, releasing a weak shot that magically spun with her.

    Mary became a projectile herself with astonishing piercing power that broke through Alice''s attack.

    Alice was rmed, greatly so as she has never seen this one before. Plus, Mary''s speed reached an unprecedented pace at this point which greatly caught her off guard. And let''s not even mention the power behind that attack since there was a lot.

    Like aetnding, the whole room shook from the impact of her attack. Alice herself barely managed to defend against it by stabbing her sword at the ground and erecting a barrier made out of her energy to steady her.

    Surprisingly enough, nobody was harmed. Not even the ce itself. Apparently, it is strong enough to tank that attack, only shaking and nothing more.

    "Was that how you defeated a fully matured demon?" Alice asked enthusiastically, speaking with her eyes sparkling.

    "Thest ditch effort, more like." Mary sighed as she crouched down and massaged her toes, wincing ever so slightly because of the aftermath. "It''s either I kill it or I get defiled right then and there. It''s practically a kamikaze attack."

    "Hey, stop downying your achievements! Just so you know, you created that skill by yourself. And if it works, then it works. We''re against demons, after all, it''s all fair." Alice convinced her.

    Mary smiled and nodded, saying: "Yeah, I guess you''re right."

    The month they spent here was enough to change them in some ways. For one, they no longer doubted Ashton or West Two for that matter since what they said was true.

    Their growth here was unprecedented. With the Simtion Zone being as life-like as it was, everything felt real. What they achieve in the simtion could also be replicated outside of it, meaning that if they were able to y a demon in the simtion, then they can certainly do so in real life as well.

    Ashton prepared everything for their training, from food down to the facilities. All they needed to do was to use them properly and they will see results, which was awesome.

    The constant battles hone their instincts properly. Their bad battle habits were being corrected especially since the majority of the time, death would be the result if they didn''t do so.

    Oh yes, the three of them experienced death in any way within the Simtion Zone. Oh, it was a chilling experience, one that haunted him even in their waking moments.

    With everything feeling incredibly life-like in the simtion zone, of course, death would feel the same way.

    They''ve been maimed, eaten alive, defiled, etc. by the demons which caused them to harbor deep resentment against them.

    And ording to what Ashton said, these are how they behaved in real life. Meaning that should they stumble and fail, their deaths wouldn''t be pretty at all.

    This behavior really puts them at the edge since it paints a horrible picture...one where the ck Fog ushers endless hordes of demons,ying waste to Last Bastion where they are forced to witness how their people experience ugly and miserable deaths under the Demons'' ws.

    That''s something that chilled them to the core. And if you''re thinking that the Angels would be better, that''s wrong. In this matter, they''re just the same.

    The ugliness and terror of the real world outside of their ''safe zone'' was nothing new to ke.

    He had experiences of his own in his previous lives so he''s not surprised. Mary and Alice on the other hand...

    This is probably the reason why they''re working harder than usual. They''re stillrgely unaware of the real truth behind the machinations of the world but they''re starting to have their thoughts.<sub> </sub>

    Ashton was keenly aware of this, but he decided to let them be. Now''s not the time yet but that should be enough to keep them on their toes. As for ke, Ashton''s certain that he knows so there''s no need to worry about him.

    The girls were resting after their spar, they were quiet, lost in their thoughts.

    That was disrupted by ke entering the room, yawning as if he just came back from a nap. He''s even scratching his stomach as he approached them. Seeing this, Alice had a strong urge to kick his face.

    ke acknowledged the two before unceremoniously lying down on the bed, cing the VR Helmet on, and entering the Simtion Zone.

    Mary and Alice looked at each other and smiled wryly. Suddenly, Alice had an idea.

    "Hey, West Two, are you there?"

    "I''m here. What do you need?"

    "Can you tell us what ke has been fighting recently?" She asked.

    She doesn''t really know why but she''s curious. ke doesn''t spar with them very often, preferring to just sit back and watch. Alice have no idea how much he improved and that got her really curious.

    "Hmm..." West Two hummed.

    He''s debating if he should tell them or not. He''s actually watching some reys of ke''s fight in the Simtion Zone since it was entertaining.

    "He chose a Tormentor, a teenage one." He casually said.

    But his words were like a bomb drop for Mary and Alice.

    "A Tormentor!? Are you serious? Is he mad?" Mary was shocked.

    Tormentors. It''s a kind of demon that they never thought was real until they saw it avable in the choices. Previously, they were believed to be fiction, the boogeyman if you will. But Ashton proved to them that they''re as real as it gets.

    And they are extremely dangerous foes, so much so that the girls didn''t even think about fighting those yet.

    "Hmm, I wouldn''t say so. At least not yet...I mean, he died a few times but he''s getting there." He replied.

    "Getting where?"

    "I meant that he''s fighting back...with every death he learns and he''s nearly beaten the thing. Once he''s beaten that, he''ll then fight an Adult version, then a Mature one. After that, he moves on to another demon. That''s how he does it." West Two exined.

    "Oh..." the girls were speechless.

    Well, it''s not like they haven''t thought about that before. It''s just that, they were fighting the same thing over and over again, and clearly, their progress was slowerpared to ke''s.

    "He must''ve died a lot...right?" Alice softly inquired. Feeling a bit dejected.

    "Well, I don''t have a death counter but yeah...he did. Probably thousands of times by now. But he''s a tough guy, he can handle himself. Don''t worry about him." He replied.

    ''Death isn''t a foreign thing to him anyway. But I can''t say that to them since it''s not my secret to tell.'' He added inwardly.

    The girls digested those words in silence for a bit. West Two watched them while working on stuff.

    Shortly after, the girls stood up andid down to put their helmets on as well. West Two could clearly see the determined look on their faces.

    This can be interpreted as them rising to the challenge. Not wanting to be left behind by ke. Obviously, the guy didn''t want topete against them but for West Two, and Ashton in extension, this isn''t a bad development.

    But, more so thanpeting against him, Ashton believed that they didn''t want ke to carry all the weight, which is why they''re spurred on by ke''s unwavering march.

    ke just looks like he''s taking it easy but in truth, he''s working harder than the two of thembined, and clearly he''s getting results by doing so.

    Their pride as geniuses wouldn''t let this matter go but more than that, aspanions and friends, they didn''t want ke or Ashton to do all the heavy lifting by themselves.

    ''That''s right girls...you''re just as capable as that guy is. im your spot and prove that you too are Proud Daughters of Destiny.''

 Chapter 179 Almost There

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Strings of explosions were triggered, plunging an entire battlefield into chaos.

    shes of colorful lights illuminated the field, giving brief images of the sh that was going on.

    In the middle of the field, three figures could be seen with their backs against each other. Of course, these are none other than Alice, ke, and Mary.

    They''re in a middle of a fierce fight against demons, this time though, they are with each other and are fighting against a massive horde that shows no signs of ending.

    The atmosphere around them was grim. It was dark, depressing, and hopeless. A seemingly never-ending fog epasses the field. As they surveyed their surroundings, all they could see was a sea of crimson eyes ring at them from the dark.

    These are demons who entered their berserk state under the influence of the ck Fog, and this ce is a Simtion of what mighte to thest bastion soon.

    They''re at thest stretch of their training...

    At this point, they''re honing their teamwork through these simtions. Their teamwork wasn''t that bad, to begin with, but it certainly has a lot of room for improvement. Well, what better way to hone that than being on a battlefield, yeah?

    Seeing the hair-raising sight before them, Alice took a deep breath.

    These past two months that they spent fighting against these things forced them to get used to this kind of environment that doesn''t bother them anymore.

    She had certainly grown during these tough times. This isn''t some random boasting either, Alice isn''t someone who unts her strength like that. She meant it when she says that she had grown so much after these past two months of constant fighting.

    She stepped forward, holding her sword firmly, she hoisted it up and signaled the start of the battle by attacking first.

    This is no ce to retreat. It''s fight or die. There''s nothing in between. If they take a step back here, the innocent will suffer and as a Knight, she couldn''t possibly allow that to happen.

    The moment she attacked, all hell broke loose.

    Madness descended and the three of them were immediately swallowed by the hoard.

    It''s such a horrible sight. The fact that there are only three of them fighting against all of this was rather absurd, thankfully though this is just a simtion in the end.

    That being said, these three certainly didn''t act as if they were inside a simtion. They''ve treated every scenario as real as it could get and it''s not hard to do so given how realistic the simtion was.

    Although they were overwhelmed by the number of demons they were facing, the three of them didn''t back down. They met aggression with equal aggression. They fought tooth and nail, taking down as many as they could.

    They''ve grown numb from the pain, sometimes they wouldn''t even know they''ve lost a limb until it hinders them.

    They fought with their lives on the line and with everything at stake. Simply put, they fought as they should fulfill their duty.

    Ashton himself was here to witness all of this happen. And he was nodding in appreciation.

    This kind of ferocity isn''t something that the three of them possessed before all of this happened. Instead, it was nurtured by the environment that they were exposed to and they used it to survive.

    The tough battles squeezed out their potential, allowing them to ovee their shorings and improve at an unprecedented rate.

    Ashton could see himself to them. And that isn''t so bad. At least they''re bing stronger and stronger.

    He watched until the battle was over. As expected, the three of them died by igniting their cultivation base and going out with a loud explosion. Their death weakened the ck Fog so that it started dissipating slowly and demons within it were greatly lessened as well. The simtion ends there.

    Well, it wasn''t a clean victory. The results were fine for training standards but for real life? That won''t do.

    The number of demons left behind by them is still enough to wreak absolute havoc on Last Bastion. And while Ashton would be there to make sure that doesn''t happen, it''s not fair to always rely on him.

    If anything, Ashton doesn''t want them to develop a reliance on him unless it''s thest resort. He wants them to be self-sufficient.

    But since this is just the beginning of their long journey, it''s fine. This is already a good result.

    "Damn it, it didn''t kill them all." Alice cursed after removing the helmet.

    "Sorry, I didn''t kill that Provocator fast enough. If I did then it should''ve been a wipeout after our ignition." ke sighed.

    "It''s alright guys, don''t sweat it too much."

    "But Mary...the ck Fog should be visible by now. We don''t have much time." Alice sounded worried.

    "I get that, but do remember that we''re fighting without Ash." She said, "His buffs are strong, if we have them then our performance should be better. Plus, he''s more experienced than we do, I''m sure he could think of something."

    "I envy your positivity sometimes." ke mumbled on the side, massaging his neck due to difort.

    "Good work there, you three..."

    The trio turned around and saw Ashton standing behind them. They shifted their positions to face him.<sub> </sub>

    "Hey, how''s outside? Are we still fine?" Alice asked, concern evident in her voice.

    "Peachy." Ashton replied, "I already made a trip outside to check the situation. The ck Fog wille from the west."

    "How about the cult? What''s the status?" ke asked.

    "They''re keeping a low profile. No Skydemons were spotted ever since you three started training." Ashton replied.

    "That''s good." Mary sighed, "I just hope that they won''t take advantage of the ck Fog."

    The worst scenario is that, while they are fighting against the march of the ck Fog is also when the Cult of the Skydemonunches a full attack against Fantasia.

    Although they''ve be strong enough to deal with demons, they can''t be on two battlefields at the same time. If the cult attacks while they''re absent, then Fantasia is in deep trouble.

    "Well, don''t worry too much about that. Oracle Felicia was handling the matter personally so the damages shouldn''t be too high."

    "Ugh, even if you say that there''s no way I can sit still like this. Come on guys, let''s return to the simtion. This time we''re gonna clear it!" Alice held on to the helmet but Ashton pried it away from her hands, giving her a stern gaze.

    "What!? Why?" Sheined.

    "Woman, you''re tired." Ashton reprimanded. "And so are they."

    He pointed at ke and Mary who looked like zombies at this point.

    "You three haven''t had a good rest this past week and it''s taking a toll on you." Ashton added, "Your performance is alright, even if you use the rest of the time you have in a constant grind, you won''t see much improvement."

    "What you need is proper rest." He stated, "You won''t be doing any simtions anymore during the remainder of your stay here. Instead, you''d use this time to rest, cleansing your body from all sorts of fatigue so that you can perform at your peak state when I need you. Are we clear?"

    "Yes, Boss." Alice deted.

    "Good." Ashton nodded.

    He then waved his hand the three suddenly started levitating in the air. He''s using Psychokinesis to carry all of them.

    They also just noticed that Aria was also there, floating with them.

    "Oh, hey. What happened to you?" Mary asked after seeing Aria''s grime-filled face.

    Aria was too embarrassed to answer so Ashton did it for her: "She''s overworking worse than you three do. I needed to forcibly pry her from her seat because she just won''t stand up. She even forgot what it''s like to shower I think."

    "I did not forget how to take a shower! I was just too absorbed in my inventions, okay!?" Aria protested.

    "Doesn''t change the fact that you''re smelly." Ashton tly replied.

    He eventually arrived at the doors of the Rejuvenation Hot Springs. It''s divided into male and female sections. He threw the girls in the female section of the course and said:

    "Clean yourselves and soak in the Hot Springs. You can sleep in there just fine, that should haste your recovery."

    After saying that, he closed the door and brought ke into the male section with him.

    "Thanks. You saved me from walking here myself."

    "You''re wee, I guess." Ashton sighed as he brought him down.

    Then the two of them headed to the showers to clean themselves first before soaking in the hot springs.

    "Whew...damn, this is nice. I should go here more often." ke said.

    "I honestly don''t know why none of you did. I mean, didn''t lock this ce off, you all could''ve gone here to try it yourselves." Ashton said in a confused manner.

    "...I guess we''re too caught up with the situation. Things aren''t looking good and we''re pressed for time so it didn''te to us."

    "True, but I did say that I''ll handle the situation if things go south didn''t I?"

    "Well, you can''t expect us to just believe that you know?" ke sighed, "What was your n anyway?"

    Ashton talked, ke stared...

    "Are you kidding me?"

    "No?"

 Chapter 180 Its Here...

    "Ugh, Bruno! What is wrong with you? You''ve been whimpering non-stop since this morning, I don''t know what to do with you anymore."

    "Oh, Brother Cole? What''s up?"

    "Oh, Justin! Nothing much really...it''s just that my dog has been acting weird since this morning. It seems afraid of something but I don''t know what is!"

    "...it does look like it. Have you checked if there are other animals around?"

    "I did already and there was none! I even tried to gauge his reaction to certain things in my house but none of those seems to be the culprit."

    "Maybe it spotted a Skydemon then..."

    "That''s absurd! This ce has been untouched by those abominations! I saw no shadow of them here, it''s not like they could turn invisible!"

    <o>,m "Right...that''s weird then..."</o>

    "Isn''t it? I don''t really understand why he''s being like this."

    It''s a well-known thing that animals are more sensitive than humans, especially when ites to danger. What these two gentlemen failed to notice was that it wasn''t just this dog who was reacting this way.

    The birds were oddly silent since this morning as well. Usually, some of them would choose to migrate somewhere else, preferably somewhere far from danger but they don''t have anywhere to go beyond this ce, the Outside World is far more dangerous than what''sing here.

    Other animals are also in a state of panic or preparation for the uing danger. They could feel it in their bones, the marching dreading closer and closer.

    The skies were dark and gloomy, those who are attuned to their surroundings would notice the faint killing intent in the air, it was noting from the metropolis, but instead from outside and it was seeping here.

    It''s as if something dreadful wasing that will ultimately swallow the entire metropolis whole.

    Oracle Felicia walked through the streets, unseen by most and silently observing the surroundings. She looked at the state of people and saw that they could feel fear on an instinctual level.

    Some of them don''t even know that they''re afraid, because practically nothing has given them any reason to panic just yet, even so, they could subtly sense something wrong on the horizon and it is affecting them on varying levels.

    The animals are more straightforward and followed what their instincts told them to do...

    ''...how unpleasant.'' She mused to herself as she looked at the west, where the ck Fog was prophesized to appear.

    It''s not visible...yet.

    But it''s definitelying. There''s no mistaking that since they could feel this kind of difort from this far.

    The situation is a bit dire, to bepletely honest.

    They are horriblycking in manpower to deal with all of the things happening in Fantasia. The Cult of the Skydemons might''ve turned inactive during the past couple of days but knowing better, she knows that they''re just waiting for something.

    ''Those fools are also not answering any of my calls...'' she angrily pped her walking stick on the ground upon being reminded of that.

    She''s been requesting backup from the higher-ups of the Federation but all she got was that they''re busy and they''re all upied right now. They couldn''t afford to send a person here to help since it''s going to risk a lot of things.

    Even as she exined that their actions would be useless if everybody dies, they still remained adamant about their decision, much to the Oracle''s disappointment.

    Unfortunately, her hands were tied as well. That''s why she could only rely on Ashton and the rest.

    It was he who came forward and said that he will stop the march of the ck Fog. He said he has a way. He didn''t exin but at this point, this is already better than nothing.

    Thinking about this, she sighed and eventually arrived at her destination.

    She''s at the barracks. She will station herself here to make sure things wouldn''t go awry.

    The moment she arrived, the staff were already assembled and were waiting for her instructions.

    "Listen up." She said in an authoritative tone. "Today might be a rough day for all of us. Be on alert all the time. Expect an attack at any given moment and be ready to deploy our forces should the need arise! Do not hesitate, for every time that you would, people''s lives are going to be at stake."

    "Our forces might get stretched today but that''s fine, this is going to be a tough battle. I am expecting that the Cult of the Skydemon will do something huge today. So again, I want you all to be ready. Am I clear?"

    "Yes, Oracle!"

    "Alright, go do your duties." She then waved her hand and entered her office.

    Once she sat down, she sighed and looked out of the window. She perceived the horrible air surrounding the metropolis and couldn''t help but feel worried.

    ''Children...you all must seed...''

    "Damn...so that''s what a ck Fog looks like." Mary swallowed nervously as she stared at the looming darkness slowly crawling its way toward the Last Bastion.

    Alice and ke also stared at the thing, their faces looking solemn as they did so.

    There''s still some distance between them and the fog itself, but they could already feel the suffocating killing intent brewing within. The creepiness and the aversion they felt towards it was skin-crawling.

    This was also the first time they willingly left the Last Bastion. Well...the ''willingly'' is debatable since Ashton took them out here from the Grotto Heaven so they didn''t have a choice but at the same time, they''re not running away since they couldn''t.<sub> </sub>

    If they ran, then what did they train so hard for?

    Still, nobody could me them for being afraid. After all, everything here was out to get them. And they just so happen to be facing a Natural Disaster no less, of course, they''d feel some sort of fear and hesitation.

    However, their desire to ovee this was stronger in them, and that''s what kept them grounded.

    In stark contrast to his friends, Ashton was rxed.

    Don''t misunderstand, he''s ever vignt to his surroundings. In fact, the things he could notice and are paying attention to were probably more than what his three friends altogether could handle.

    Nevertheless, he appears like he was in the middle of a vacation. Slurping in a smoothie as he casually stood there looking greatly unbothered by his putrid surroundings.

    He looked out of ce, especially since he was wearing a white cloak. This also makes it difficult to believe that this same guy was the most experienced out of this group.

    ''...oh, it seems that the perverts took the bait. Time to reel them in.'' Ashton mused as he casually tossed the container of the smoothie back into his inventory without the three noticing it.

    He then nced at the bottom left corner of his vision and saw a list of names as well as their HP and MP bars.

    [Party]

    [ke Richards]

    HP: 100%

    MP: 100%

    [Mary Summers]

    Hp: 100%

    MP: 100%

    [Alice Chrome]

    HP: 100%

    MP: 100%

    This is yet another function of the System that was introduced to them; the Party Function.

    Well, Ashton didn''t reveal the System to them. He has no ns to, honestly. He just added them here and told them to not ask any questions. He exined how it works and forced them to ept it how it is.

    Through this, he should be able to monitor their situations better since it''s going to be more chaoticter.

    "Arm yourselves...they''reing." Ashton casually pointed out.

    This, however, startled the living daylights out of them. The trio immediately took out their weapons and went fully on guard.

    A few seconds of tense silence urred and then, they heard a hair-raising moan from the depths of the crawling fog.

    That was akin to a fuse lighting up as it sparked everything to motion.

    Suddenly, several blurs leaped out of the ck Fog. They ran in a fast and erratic manner toward them, making it hard to make out what they truly were.

    "Shit! Ghouls!!" Mary cursed as she hurriedly plucked the string of her bow to shoot at the running menaces.

    That''s right, the animalistic and horrifying moan they heard earlier was the battle cry of a Ghoul Demon. Now, at least six of them could be seen running towards them with tongues wagging, scattering acidic spit everywhere.

    Mary continued shooting but her uracy was horrible. Alice and ke were sweating coldly while holding their position.

    They didn''t expect that out of all things that wille out of that ursed fog, it''ll be a Ghoul first and foremost.

    It had to be known that none of them managed to win against a Ghoul during their simtions. That''s likely why they''re panicking right now.

    Ashton, of course, saw all of this and shook his head. He mumbled something unintelligible which none of them heard.

    It was then that they heard this...

    Pew! Pew! Pew!

    Strings of projectiles flew from behind them, urately piercing the skulls of the demons running them down. The impact caused their heads to explode before catching on pure white mes which disintegrated the rest of their bodies.

    The trio looked at Ashton with wide eyes.

    More specifically, they are all staring at the pair of firearms he''s holding. One of them was raised and smoke was rising from its barrel.

    "Calm down, will you? We haven''t even started yet."

 Chapter 181 Black Fog (I)

    "Y-you have a gun? And it works here?" Mary asked, feeling as if she has been lied to all of her life.

    "Yes, but now is not really the time to exin. There are more important matters for us to attend to."

    Roar!!

    "Like those...so focus, you guys yeah?" Ashton told them.

    And as much as the trio wanted to know more, what he said was correct. They don''t have time for that. What should happen is more demon ying rather than QnAs.

    Ashton waved his hand and released a string of buffs whichnded on his friends.

    The familiar feeling of pure strength and limitless adrenaline pumping through their bodies urred. This has always been an exhrating experience for them and it instantly made them feel better.

    Now, they didn''t mind the putrid environment even more. If anything, with Ashton''s buffs, they were able to focus on the matters at hand and start fighting in earnest.

    "Go do your thing, kill as many as you could. I''ll watch your back."

    He didn''t just provide support but also an encouragement to them. This made the trio feel more confident as if they were being influenced by Ashton''s confidence as well.

    Worry disappeared from their hearts, now they faced the enemy and raised their weapons. Their minds became focused on what must be done and nothing else.

    With Ashton supporting them from behind, they felt like they could do anything.

    Emboldened by confidence, the trio marched forward and began meeting the enemy.

    Just in time to see more Ghouls jumping out of the fog, heading straight toward them.

    Mary pulled the string of her bow and condensed a shot which flew as she released it. The projectile then multiplied halfway through its trajectory and tracked the ghouls like they had heat sensors.

    The projectiles were swift, the Ghouls were barely able to avoid them. Mary didn''t mind that she missed some. Instead of berating herself, she just tried it again by shooting another shot.

    While Mary was busy raining down arrows at the enemy, Alice and ke walked by her side to cover her. They were observing the movement of the enemy.

    They made sure to pay close attention just in case an unexpected event urs. Mary was agile and alert but in front of a horde, she could only do so much on her own.

    The team has to remain in a formation so that they could fight morefortably. They didn''t mind that Mary wasn''t able to kill all that was heading their way since they could certainly deal with it.

    What''s important is to pace themselves, since this is going to be a long, long battle.

    Ashton, who''s marching at a slower pace than they are, nodded upon seeing this. It seems that they''ve calmed down considerably and are now in battle mode. They should''ve been like this since the beginning but it''s fine, betterte than never in the meantime.

    ''This should be a good trial ground for you three.'' He mused to himself. ''Only through the pressure of a real-life or death battle will your potentials truly be squeezed out of your bodies.''

    ''You will learn and thrive in this ce. After all, you guys are destined to be the Heroes of this world.''

    ''To others, I might not be willing to ce so much burden. After all, that might force them to their deaths. But for the three of you, this is a perfect ce to be stronger.''

    ''Go, kill to your heart''s desire. It will be tough but I''m right behind you.''

    The whole reason why he''s providing them all kinds of resources and training was for the sake of this anyway. This world is in dire need of Heroes. Sadly, Ashton isn''t that person. He wouldn''t be and he doesn''t want to be.

    But, even if he couldn''t be a Hero, it doesn''t mean that he can''t create one...or 100. He had all the things needed to do just that so why not right?

    He watched in satisfaction as Alice timed her strikes perfectly to when a demon was about to reach them. By doing this, not only was she ensuring to use less energy than she needs, but she was also staying calm throughout.

    The three of them know that they''re in for a long haul.<sub> </sub>

    So far, only Ghouls appeared but there''s no doubt that there''s more in the depths of that ck Fog.

    More importantly, just because they''ve killed the demons who attacked them, it doesn''t mean that they won''t be seeing them again.

    Just a reminder, Demons are semi-immortal under the influence of the ck Fog. Even if they were killed, so long as the ck Fog is nearby, they''d just be resurrected inside at the peak state, ready to pounce again.

    This resurrection does have a cost, and it''s the density of the Fog itself so technically, so long as their killing speed is faster than the mobbing of the horde, then they will be able to drain the fog until it disappearspletely.

    That, or if they could use Offensive White Magic tond the killing blow to Demons, then they could cut this false immortality directly, nipping it in the bud. Once the demons are all dead, the ck Fog would be stuck in one ce until it eventually disappears.

    These are the two ways how this might go. Well, there is a third one but that''s a failure, and that is something that nobody would even consider at this point.

    The trio worked seamlessly together. ke provoked and tanked many demons. He wore a shield on each hand and bashed the skulls of the demons as he marched like a madman.

    Alice turned into a streak of light which sliced through demons, circling ke and Mary to provide timely assistance. As for Mary, she focused on sniping the ones at the back, more specifically those who preferred to shoot projectiles at them as a form of harassment.

    There were times when an unexpected event will happen which will force Ashton''s hand but that''s fine. He didn''t mind that nor pointed it out. He just dealt with it while allowing the three of them to hone their skills in the middle of the battle.

    "The basics are your best friend here. You have to conserve mana so try relying on your basics." He told them via telepathy.

    As a result of that, the trio''s rhythm changed as they began honing their basic skills. They weren''t forbidden to use their skills or spells, they just have to know that by using them regrly, they will run out way before the main event happens �� which is still far from now.

    And it''s awesome, how a simple instruction like that, turned out to be what they needed in order to be stronger.

    Ashton witnessed geniuses in their natural habitat. They fought, learned, and adapt at a very ridiculous pace.

    He could tell that they are improving at an rming rate, something that they don''t even realize.

    It hasn''t even been 10 minutes since he gave that advice yet here they were, increasing their killing rate even more despite mostly relying on their basics.

    ''Was I like them back then?'' He asked himself.

    Honestly, for him, it feels like it''s been so long. He couldn''t even recall how he performed against his first horde. s, that''s not really important since he''s alreadye this far.

    ''Hmm?''

    Ashton raised his brow as he felt something amiss. He looked at his friends were too focused on killing demons when he suddenly saw a thin film of light covering their skin.

    Due to circumstances, the film of light was barely visible. If it weren''t for his excellent eyesight, he would have probably missed it.

    He analyzed that light for a brief moment and felt a resonance from within. It wasing from the Dragon Vein.

    ''Ah! It must be because of theirmunion! Since they''re been rightfully acknowledged as the Children of Destiny, everything they do that has something to do with their destiny will cause a reaction.''

    ''Them killing demons is an example. Every time they killed demons, they are stripping them of luck. The amount is minuscule but considering how there are in here and the unique circumstances, this will umte fast.''

    ''It could be nutrients for the Dragon Vein, which will make it stronger and produce more lucky chances for Humanity. Mn, not bad! This is good! Great, even!''

    Ashton was of course very supportive of this development. In fact, he even highly encourages this. He couldn''t do something like this himself and since Providence is an extremely important thing for Humanity as a whole of course he''d want more.

    ''Unless it''s absolutely necessary, I won''t interfere. The more of these abominations they kill, the better. That means more luck for us. And more luck means more good things!''

    ''In the event that they''re injured, I could always cast Heal on them anyway. So long as they have even a faint breath in them, I can surely resurrect them. Mn sounds like a n.''

    ''Good luck guys, kill as many as you can. I''m rooting for you.''

 Chapter 182 Black Fog (II)

    ---

    The Ghouls were just the beginning, the appetizer if you will...

    Deep within the chasm of the ck Fog, the other demons were getting restless too.

    How can they not be? Four humans are akin to jeweled pieces of meat running circles in front of them as if purposefully whetting their appetites. Demons aren''t ones to be patient, and seeing treats like this, of course, their patience was being tested.

    Soon, some couldn''t endure the allure anymore. It only took one close whiff of humans and they couldn''t hold themselves back anymore.

    "Herees more of them." Mary warned without pausing her shots.

    Her eyesight was a tad bit sharper than Alice and ke so she was able to peer through the fog. She couldn''t see everything of course but she could see enough to tell that some demons from within were starting to move.m

    And as if on cue to her words, more demons leaped out of the ck Fog, barreling straight towards them with just as much ferocity and drool.

    They Imps, beast demons like; crows, hounds, and boars. Insect demons like; centipedes, beetles, ants, flies, etc.

    This was such a hair-raising sight, a literal horde of demons was straight at them, and there was more beyond that fog too!

    Nevertheless, the trio is way passed the point of panicking at this point. There''s no room for them to retreat here. If they fell here, the innocent behind them will be done for.

    Thus, mustering every ounce of strength in their bodies, they braced for impact.

    It was then that Ashton came through once more...

    "By my authority as a Child of Mana! I grant thee, Ceaseless Energy Replenishment!"

    His archaic voice sounded in their ears. What followed that was a great rush of energy as well as Mana flooding their bodies. It was so potent that they were literally having a difficult time trying to contain it.

    The trio is aware of this spell. The Ceaseless Mana Replenishment is a High-Order Spell that will give the target a literally endless supply of mana at the expense of the caster''s own.

    It''s like Ashton was personally channeling his mana over to them from a distance. The spell helps him mix his own mana with the energy of the world to multiply the supply. This was how the spell works to put it simply.

    "Go bonkers, I got your back." Ashton encouraged them once more.

    And in this scenario, that''s more than what the three of them needed to do their thing.

    Mary took a deep, deep breath and condensed a great deal of mana at her fingertips. Her bow released a resplendent light, akin to a lighthouse amidst a foggy ind.

    She tilted her body upwards and aimed at the sky. Her eyes were focused and her concentration was at its peak. Inwardly, she didn''t feel any panic or worry, which is a regr thing for her usually whenever she tries this spell.

    This attack was something she had never sessfully done before. Each time she did, she''d always fail causing her to scold and berate herself.

    Truthfully, she never had any thoughts of trying this out now out of all times, but for some reason, she feltpelled to do so.

    ''I wonder why...'' she asked herself, seemingly feeling mncholic.

    To her, the world seems to have slowed down as if time just went to a screeching halt. She never felt this kind of sensation before and quite frankly, she doesn''t even realize that it was happening now.

    She was immersed in herself. The way she held her bow, her thoughts...even the sheer amount of demons that are making their way towards them, she was acutely aware of them all.

    But at the same time, she felt disconnected from everything. It''s as if nothing has anything to do with her. All she cares about right now was the bow on her hand and the concentrated energy at her fingertips.

    Years seem to have passed by as she held that position. She never once moved, nor did her stance give way. She remained like a statue, still aiming at the sky with her body leaning backward.

    At some point, she felt that the moment hase.

    After what seemed like years for her, she finally felt that the energy she has been umting for that long was finally ready to be released.

    A sigh escaped from her lips, and when she released that arrow...<sub> </sub>

    ...her heart flew with it.

    That shot...broke through several barriers of sound, warping space itself due to its speed and trajectory. That shot was like�� no, it was a Shooting Star!

    It streaked to the sky, it made a lot of noise which caused everyone''s attention to be focused on it.

    At the peak of its flight, it stopped.

    It then exploded into a literal starry sky that enveloped everything within a 2.5-kilometer radius.

    The silver beads in that sky shook, and then, one by one, they started falling at the same speed as the shooting star Mary released earlier.

    After that, was chaos...

    Streaks of light rained down and punched several holes into the bodies of the demons. Even the ones who were still at the ck Fog didn''t escape this fate. The area covered by the attack surpassed the size of the marching ck Fog.

    Mary who released this shot felt quite drained. She was pale and her arms were trembling, she was also panting. Even so, there was a smile on her face as she witnessed the pouring rain of projectiles making the demon horde suffer tremendously.

    "Perpetual Rain of Light...I seeded!" She quietly eximed to herself.

    She felt proud and exhrated at this achievement, she didn''t expect that Warlock like her could seed in casting a very demanding spell like this.

    The Perpetual Rain of Light is a High-Order Spell exclusive to Magic Archers. As the name suggests, it is an endless rain of fire to an area in front of the caster. This rain will never cease until either Mary stops it or she runs out of mana.

    Mary''s mana reserves aren''t that huge, to begin with, actually this is the main reason why she hadn''t seeded in her attempts before. Nothing changed much now, but with Ashton''s buffs and constant supply of mana, she was finally able 5o cast it now.

    She knew that this wouldn''t have been possible if Ashton wasn''t around so half of the credit goes to him, to be honest.

    The demand for this spell doesn''t just end with how tough it was to cast and the absurd mana requirements. It also forces her to temporarily sacrifice her bow, her main way of attacking.

    Right now, her bow was missing for her. It''s not gone, it''s just something that happens when using this spell. Once the spell ends, the bow will materialize back into her hands.

    Additionally, any damage dealt to her during the time she''s casting will forcefully halt the rain of projectiles. Of course, that is quite the risk, but it''s one that she''s willing to bear if it means she could deal with this many demons.

    She has other means of protecting herself, but her priority right now, is to make sure this rain of fire won''t stop. Meaning she can''t be hurt by anything.

    Still, even with the steep requirements of the spell, its effectiveness couldn''t be denied.

    Agonized cries of demons echoed throughout the battlefield. The pure rain of pain was incredibly vexing for them. It didn''t matter whether they were fast or slow. They will be hit due to the sheer volume of projectiles raining down at them.

    It also didn''t matter if they had tough hides or were fragile. The rain of fire doesn''t discriminate, it brought an equal amount of pain to their kind and this will not show signs of stopping unless they figure out the stiptions of the spell itself.

    ...well, demons had never been the bright ones so good luck with that.

    Mary''s mana was being drained still by the spell but with Ashton''s spell, it became stagnant. It''s neither being replenished nor being drained. She still feels the sensation of the drain but she''s not really running out of mana herself.

    If things continue on this way, this rain of fire will truly never end.

    Still, while this spell is awesome for what it does and became even stronger due to the synergy between Mary and Ashton, all it did was slow down the march of the ck Fog.

    It''s an inconvenience to them. Not really a roadblock, just enough to irritate them even more.

    Don''t forget that the demons here are under the influence of the ck Fog. All of them are blessed with false immortality. Even if this rain of projectiles kills a lot of them, they''d just be resurrected at their peak state inside the ck Fog as if nothing happened.

    However, this bes a battle of attrition now, since the false immortality of the demons wasn''t permanent either. Each time they''re resurrected, the ck Fog loses some of its density.

    Now, it''s just a matter of who''s going to run out of juice faster. Would it be thebined efforts of Mary and Ashton or the ck Fog and its horde?

    Of course, this is all under the premise that ke and Alice stay put. And in a situation like this, how likely were the chances of that happening?

 Chapter 183 Black Fog (III)

    ke stared at the ceaseless rain of light pouring down on their enemies, feeling momentarily dazed.

    A wave of nostalgia hits him, causing a flood of memories to drown his mind.

    This wasn''t the first time he had seen this scene. Mary wasn''t the first Magic Archer he knew that could cast this spell. In fact, the one he knew could do this spell better than her and they did it on their first try.

    Not that this person was a genius though, it''s because this spell was theirst resort to keep everyone safe.

    Having said that, this situation is almost no different from what he had in the memories of his past life �� the fifth one to be more specific. It was also one of the most painful memories he had.

    Back then, he was a Hero too. He had a loyal team of soldiers whom he shared his deep ties with. They were a unit, ke raised them to be the ultimate protectors of Humanity.

    This was during his fifth life and back then, he still harbored some hope that maybe, he''ll be able to change a lot of things.

    Unfortunately, they were met with a nasty ambush. Somehow, they''ve got evicted from the outside world and that''s when things go out of hand. They''ve be surrounded by both Demons and Angels.

    They fought so hard but in the end, it was all useless. He couldn''t anything other than watch as his men died under the ws of the invaders one by one.

    There''s this one particr soldier, a female pretending to be a man, whom he shared extremely close ties with. He treated her like a sister and she confided her secret to him. She joined their ranks because she wanted to fight and ke admired her for that, so he trained her.

    She wasn''t talented, she was average at best. But she was determined to make the world a better ce even if it means she needs to sacrifice herself for it.

    For him and the rest to live, she ignited her cultivation base and released the Perpetual Rain of Light, the very same spell raining down on their enemies right now.

    She only read this spell that very same day, she didn''t have time to practice it or even attempt to do so because of the surprise ambush. But despite all odds, she managed to cast it, at the cost of her own life though.

    She smiled at him as ke''s men dragged him away from the battlefield to escape. She sacrificed everything for him and he couldn''t even do anything for her.

    This memory always haunted him. It''s also one of the things that made him crestfallen now at his 9th reincarnation.

    He was tired. Really, really tired.

    All he knew was constant war and battle all of his life. For some reason, in each of his life, something will happen that forces him to do something.

    As a result, he will try once more. Try his hardest, mind you, to end this once and for all. Fail at the veryst moment and then reincarnate again.

    Rinse and re-fucking-peat.

    ke is really tired.

    That''s why in this life as well...he didn''t have high hopes either. In fact, on most days, he doesn''t even know why he''s here.

    For what reason does he raise his shield? Who was he defending again?

    Too much has happened and he was so incredibly tired that he doesn''t even know where his conviction lies anymore. But because all he knew was to fight, again and again, a habit that has been ingrained in his very soul, he still ends up being here again.

    Why is it so difficult to achieve peace for his race? Why is it so difficult to remove the threat of the invaders once and for all? Was he doing something wrong?

    And more importantly, why is it always him who gets called back? Why does he keep being reincarnated again and again? Why can he never have peace and remain dead?

    Just...why?

    But at the end of the day, nobody can answer this for him. Not even Gaia herself could. So, he could only guess that his cycle of reincarnation has something to do with the invaders.

    This was his only option left. If he could destroy them once and for all, maybe he''ll be free from this cycle. Maybe, he''ll finally know what peace is like and maybe, he could finally rest.

    Sadly, doing just that would prove extremely difficult. Of course, he''d know, hell he''d been trying for approximately 9 lifetimes by now.

    But...for some reason, today, on the very chaotic battlefield, facing a deadly horde of demons, a scale that he has never seen or experienced before...he found himself hoping.

    There are only four of them here, yet here they were, effectively fighting against something that could easily trample a whole metropolis down.

    He found himself recalling this life. Noticing the slight nuances here and there. More specifically, everything that has something to do with Ashton.

    He has technology that nobody has ever seen before. He has methods that are unheard of and he was strong enough to be a pir they could rely on despite being the same age as they were.<sub> </sub>

    Ashton was mysterious and there are definitely tons of reasons why they should be wary of him. That being said, one thing''s for sure.

    His hatred against the invaders was probably greater than all three of thembined.

    Ashton isn''t a threat to humans, he''s an ally. He only bes a monster to the invaders.

    Frankly, that''s enough for ke to put some level of trust in Ashton. And with his support, hope sparked within ke''s heart.

    Deep down, he is scared to hope for something good once more because the few times he did all turned into disappointment, causing a great deal of pain to him which followed him throughout his reincarnations.

    That being said, he had no control over this. So, however, this might turn out...

    ''Fuck it!''

    "RAAAAAGGHHHH!!!!!"

    ke released a battle cry. One thates from the very depths of his soul. It was apanied by lifetimes of grief, aggravation, and fury.

    He mmed his shield together repeatedly, gathering the attention of all demons within this battlefield to be focused on him.

    Feeling the sharp gazes of the demons gathering on his body filled him with power. Then, under everybody''s astonished gazes, ke''s body started to grow.

    Before they realize it, he turned into a giant.

    He turned into 30 meters of hulking mass that towered over everyone. All eyes were on him as he lifted his foot and stomped the crawling ck Fog beneath him.

    This is a skill that ke created. He called it the ''Giant''s Resolve''.

    It is a skill that imposes provocation on everyone he targets. This skill then converts their aggression into power which he could then use to increase his size. The more their focus was on him, the more aggression he harvest, therefore prolonging this skill.

    This skill slows him down of course but in exchange, it turns him into a destructive giant who could pretty much tank all manner of attacks. He could only use this skill once a week though so he must be careful.

    But yes, this skill is a product of numerous lifetimes of experience. Only a few people are aware of this spell, most of them should be dead by now.

    He didn''t think that he''d ever use this skill again but here he was. ke was moved by the hope he felt and decided he might as well try his best once more in this lifetime.

    Whether he''s met with sess or failure...ke truly didn''t care anymore. Since all he knows was to fight, then he will fight.

    He''s tired of thinking at this point. Might as well go with the flow. If it''s a fight they want, then it is a fight they''ll get.

    Boom!

    To ke who''s now a literal giant on the battlefield, all demons were akin to ants to him. This includes his allies of course but he doesn''t n on hurting them.

    Mary''s skill wasn''t hurting him, nor any of her allies, it was just passing through them so naturally, ke was safe too.

    Using his enormous size, ke rampaged on the battlefield, swatting demons like annoying flies.

    Each move he does shakes the battlefield fiercely, and since he''s directly attacking the demons who were still hiding within the ck Fog, he''s effectively reducing their chances of being resurrected.

    In fact, each of his attacks visibly reduces the size of the ck Fog, so as long as he kept doing this, he will eventually get rid of the ck Fog by himself.

    Ashton who was on the ground looked up at the titan who was rampaging in front of him with a smile on his face.

    ''You madman...you actually did it.''

    As the keeper of the Grand Archive, of course, he''s aware of ke''s achievements, he even guessed the direction he was going with his discoveries by tracing his previous lives.

    He doesn''t know the name of this spell but he knows that ke actually has it. And now, he actually disyed it, which of course made him extremely jubnt.

    ''Go on then, my guy. Rampage all you want, I''ll be right behind you.''

 Chapter 184 The Black Fog Ends But...

    "...damn!"

    Alice looked at ke who was rampaging as a 30-meter-tall giant and couldn''t help but feel awed.

    And while she does feel happy and amazed that her friends had certainly be stronger, she can''t help but feel a little bit inferiorpared to them.

    She knows that she''s invaluable to the team. And technically, ke and Mary were her subordinates in the eyes of many. That being said, she never really felt as if she was that special, and this is even though she is a reincarnator herself.

    ke has a one-track mind, but even if that was the case, he always excels at the things he chooses to do. Mary, on the other hand, was effortlessly sensible and smart. She knows herself more than any other and she always carried herself with such grace and dignity which made her a little inferior.

    And Ashton...well, he''s a wild card. One can never truly guess what he''s up to.

    Her friends held such uniqueness in them that she felt a little bit nd. Aside from being good with the sword, what else could she offer?

    She''s not as pretty and elegant as Mary, ke''s obviously much stronger than she, and Ashton is...well, Ashton.

    It''s these things that made her feel out of ce somehow. Not to mention, she will always remain different because she''s a reincarnator. Even if her intentions were good, things will just be different when ites to her despite her ndness.

    Pew! Pew! Pew!

    Alice jumped in rm, just enough time to see at least three demons being reduced to ashes before getting to her. She looked back and saw Ashton''s guns smoking.

    "...sorry." she said.

    "Now''s not the time to be distracted. Just do what you can. Stop thinking that you''re a burden and focus on proving that you are not."

    ''Clear and concise. A little bit painful to hear but it was necessary. As expected of Ashton, I guess.''

    Alice pped her cheeks and removed the distractions from her mind. Ashton was right, now''s not the time for this. There is too much at risk here.

    What she must do, hasn''t changed. The training she received back then was all for this, and now''s the time to apply what she learned.

    Gripping her sword with both hands, Alice took a deep breath and dashed forward.

    Gone were all the distractions from her mind. All that''s left is her duty to uphold.

    Kill all demons out here, and make sure that the ck Fog never reaches the Last Bastion even if it kills her.

    Letting out a war cry, Alice shed forward, leaving a wide gash in the air which turned into a projectile.

    She sliced through demons with such a ferocity that matches theirs. A sharp Sword Intent hummed from her, causing the demons to feel a distinct threat whenever they see her.

    Alice whizzed past through waves of demons, leaving them bisected as she danced with her sword.

    Even though some demons had powerful vitalities which allowed them to regenerate even after being sliced in half by her, that didn''t matter. Alice would just cut them away again if they dared to stand back up. It''s as simple as that.

    In her focused state, she didn''t notice the sheer rate at which she was growing.

    Ashton however, could see it all.

    Alice was fighting with just pure technique at this point, the only skill she was using was ''Mana de'' which made her sword sharper. That''s it.

    He could see how slowly but surely, her techniques were being polished until they became second nature to her. By the looks of it, she doesn''t even realize that this was happening either.

    Her surroundings were starting to get affected by her swordy. Little by little, as the fight went on, she was growing.

    At some point, the distance was slowly beginning to lose its meaning for her since all she needed to do was to ''want'' something to be cut by her sword, and so long as they were within her line of sight, that was usually enough.

    At one point, Alice discovered that ke''srge size was somehow working against him.

    The smaller and more agile demons were able to crawl into his body and prate his defenses to hit him where it hurts.

    Noticing this, Alice of course went and did something about it.

    Her eyes glowed blue and all of a sudden, she could see past his armor, allowing her to see the bugs and cricket that are making ke incredibly irritated.

    She gripped her sword and with unparalleled confidence, she swung at ke.<sub> </sub>

    She didn''t hurt him. She never would. Her targets were the insects that made their way inside his armor.

    With precise shes, she sliced them all in half, effectively killing them in the process and not hurting ke at all.

    She didn''t even stop to consider just how ridiculously difficult that was to pull off. She didn''t feel like it was such a big deal even though she did that on her first try.

    Instead, she immediately dashed to Mary''s side and killed the demons who were trying to harass her.

    Just a reminder, Mary didn''t have a bow right now. Her only means of attacking was with her fists and legs, her bow wouldn''t return unless she purposefully stopped the Perpetual Rain of Light Spell.

    Mary could of course fight barehanded. And to bepletely honest, she has mean legs, especially with those heels on. They''ve seen her kill some demons with a single kick, meaning that she''s notpletely helpless.

    But Alice knew deep down that she needed help. Mary didn''t have to ask cause she could tell at just a nce. They''d been friends for so long that she memorized her bodynguage.

    Plus, she''s sure that Mary wouldn''t mind. After all, she''s not fighting alone here. She could depend on them.

    Like a phantom, Alice appeared by Mary''s side, slicing away at the demons who were out to get her. After making quick work of them, she nodded at Mary before leaving her behind to kill some more demons around.

    It''s been roughly an hour and some minutes since the battle started, at this point, Alice had grown considerably stronger and she could wipe outrge groups of demons with just a single sh of her sword.

    Ashton could tell that she broke through in her Sword Arts and her new realm has been consolidated.

    1-star Phenomenon Rank.

    For someone who had never been in such arge-scale battle like this in the past and barely had any resources to use for cultivation, it is quite an achievement for her to reach this far. And her growth is simply just starting...

    She might not know this but as a Children of Destiny and a reincarnation of a literal Hero, she still has so much potential dormant in her. There''s still arge room for her to grow, and only by facing pressure like this would that potential be squeezed out of her.

    It also had to be known that Alice had already made her way to the depths of the ck Fog.

    In there, she ughtered demons again and again while remaining agile, elusive, and energetic. It''s as if she doesn''t know the concept of exhaustion at all.

    It''s also here that her Sword Art was being continuously polished and herprehension of Sword Laws was deepening.

    And knowing that she''s not fighting alone, of course she''s aware whenever ke would once again attack the ck Fog directly, killing even more demons while he''s at it.

    Through everybody''sbined efforts, slowly but surely, the ck Fog was bing smaller and smaller.

    Alice was like a well-oiled machine with a limitless energy source as she kept killing and killing demons. She has killed so much that the demons were starting to be afraid of her.

    Mary and Ashton, who''s hanging out at the back could see this.

    "Wow...I didn''t know that was possible." Mary was amazed at the sight of some demons visibly cowering at the sight of Alice.

    Ashton just whistled. He was impressed too of course, but it wasn''t new to him. After all, he had seen such a scene before.

    He had terrorized demons before too and it was such a glorifying feeling. It''s a pity that Alice was too focused to notice this.

    With thebined efforts of the trio; Mary''s endless rain of light arrows, ke being the rampaging giant that he is, and Alice slowly turning into a demon ughtering machine, the ck Fog was nearly gone.

    At this point, it couldn''t support the resurrection of most demons it nurtured on the way. In fact, only a few demons are lurking around and they''re certainly not a problem anymore.

    ke had returned to his original size and was helping Alice clean up the remaining demons left.

    And then...once thest demon present fell to Alice''s sword. The threat was over. No more demons resurrecting and no more ck Fog. No more threat to Last Bastion.

    p! p! p!

    "Good work everyone!! You certainly showed them who''s Boss, huh?"

    At first, they thought this was said by Ashton but they''re wrong. The voice didn''te from behind...

    It came from above them...

 Chapter 185 Unfriendly People

    The group looked up only to see several silhouettes hovering above them.

    All of them wore cloaks that hid their features, but judging from the aura radiating from them, it is very unlikely that they showed here just to congratte them for dealing with the ck Fog.

    "Who are you and what do you want from us?" Alice stepped forward and asked.

    From the way she stood, it was clear that she was on guard. Deep within her heart, she could tell, these people - whoever they were, weren''t friendly at all. This isn''t her being judgemental, every cell on her body screams danger whenever she looks at them.

    Unfortunately, they''ve just been in a long and arduous fight. They weren''t in a state for more battle. Alice herself feel exhausted, she could barely feel her legs and her arms. She knows that it''s the same for the rest, save perhaps Ashton. That is why if she can solve this diplomatically, then she would.

    The silhouettes dropped to the ground, gently like a falling feather. One took a step forward and removed the hood covering their face.

    What greeted them was a face of a woman with bizarre looks. Her tinum blonde hair was braided into thick locks which looped around her head, like some sort of a crown.

    Her face was pale, her eyes were pure white as well as hershes. Her lips were covered with a silver tint and underneath her cloak, she was wearing a rather provocative outfit. She has tribal tattoos across her face and all over her body.

    Alice and Mary had never seen this woman before. On the other hand, ke seems to be remembering something as Ashton watched with rapt interest as the scene unfolds.

    "Don''t be afraid, child." She said using a sweet and alluring voice. "We do not wish to harm you or any of you for that matter. We merely wish to have an audience with you."

    "If it''s an audience that you want, then you have it. There is no need toe any closer."

    It was ke who said this, stepping in front of Alice. His stance was too defensive and protective as if he truly doesn''t take kindly to these strangers.

    From the group, someone else stepped forward with a grunt, seemingly offended by ke''s tune. However, the white-eyed woman prevented that, giving a silent side gaze to send her message.

    She then looked at them once more and said:

    "We do not wish to harm any of you. We simply wanted to talk. If you could give us a chance, then that would be much appreciated."

    "Speak then, what is it that you want from us?" Alice asked. Earning a subtle re from ke.

    Alice was a bit surprised by that. She didn''t understand why ke was being so defensive all of a sudden. And why does it seem like he didn''t want her to entertain their requests? Mary was at a loss too.

    However, despite ke''s obvious objection, Alice had already given her word. And that was enough for the white-eyed woman to continue speaking.

    "We simply wish to bring you back to our ce, our elder sent us here toe and get you. I promise you no harm, we can even swear to the very heavens that we will not cause you nor your people any harm at all so long as you fulfill our request."

    "Yeah, that''s not happening." ke grunted.

    "ke!" Alice held his arm, fearing that he was being too forward and aggressive.

    "Don''t listen to them. This is a trap, can you not see that?" ke looked at her and said this with a frustrated tone.

    "We do not wish to harm the child, kind gentleman." The white-eyed woman iterated.

    "Say that again once you stop salivating over her flesh!" ke stressed out.

    "Do you take me for an idiot? How am I supposed to believe any of you when I could clearly see you drooling as you look at her? ''We don''t wish to harm the child'' my foot!!" ke gnashed his teeth due to the overwhelming shamelessness of these people to spout such bullshit in front of them.

    Alice and Mary looked distressed, as it turns out, ke''s words were true. The white-eyed woman�� no, not just her, everybody in their group, was staring at Alice while drooling. Eyeing her like a delicate piece of meat.

    The worst part is that they''re not even trying to hide it. Even after ke pointed that out, they didn''t make any effort to appear even remotely embarrassed at all. They were still staring at her, which caused Alice to feel disgusted and defiled by the way they were all looking at her.

    "We truly wish the child no harm��"

    "Oh shut the hell up, Sister!"

    Someone from the cloaked group interjected, stepping forward in the process.

    "Jigs up, anyway! Let''s not bother with pretenses anymore. I''m starving! It''s been so long since I''ve tasted some fresh delicacy like this one!"

    This one aggressively peeled off the cloak hiding their face. And what greeted them, was the face of a demon with horns and all.

    This one has three pairs of eyes, it''s horns were big enough to form a crown on top of its head. It has fangs protruding out of its mouth and was clearly drooling.

    All of its eyes were traced on Alice as if she was all it could see.

    "Hey, girlie. Come with us. Don''t make this difficult because it will not turn out well for any of you. Though if you insist...I do enjoy hunting for my prey, they always turn out tastier after a good chase, hehehe..."<sub> </sub>

    The others didn''t bother with their cloaks anymore. As this one said, there''s no need for pretenses anymore. They''re already exposed so they might as well own it.

    "Girlie, if I were you, I''de peacefully while the chance is still there. Our promise still stands. So long as youe with us willingly, no harm shall befall your people. I''d advise you to think fast because unlike me, my siblings are running out of patience."

    Another one from the same group said. Her words were a bit misleading, especially since this one was also openly drooling at Alice as they said that.

    Alice felt so disgusted that she felt her skin wanting to crawl out of her body. She never felt so defiled in her entire life.

    She doesn''t understand. Why is this happening? Why are they eyeing her like a piece of delicacy? What did she ever do? And why her specifically?

    "I call dibs on the breasts."

    "Dibs on the thighs."

    "Reserve the feet for me please."

    "Ribs for me."

    "These sick fucks!" ke cursed angrily as they shamelessly continued their disgusting act toward Alice.

    He was not actively shielding Alice''s body with his, trying to hide her from their perverted gazes. Mary also stepped forward despite looking pale herself. She too couldn''t endure such disrespect towards her friend anymore.

    "Hey, you two! Move out of the way, will you? Don''t make me do it, you''ll get hurt!" The six-eyed demon angrilyined.

    "Fuck you!" ke red at them.

    "Enough of this!" Someone from the hostile group snarled. "I can''t endure it anymore. I''m so hungry!"

    All of a sudden, that one appeared right next to them, standing so close to Alice with arms stretched out.

    "Shit!" ke cursed as he was one step toote to react.

    shes of his miserable past shed before his eyes as he slowly saw the arms reaching out to grab Alice. He roared in his heart desperately, wanting, wishing for time itself to stop just so that he can intercept this.

    Unfortunately, that didn''t happen...

    BOOOM!!

    A shockwave suddenly urred, causing the ground to shake. The impact caused the trio to fly back several meters away from the st.

    When the cloud of smoke cleared, they finally saw what happened.

    It was Ashton to made a move. Intercepting the demon''s stretched-out hand with a hand of his own.

    "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." Ashton clicked his tongue three times while shaking his head. "That''s not the proper way to treat ady, you naughty one."

    "Hmm? What''s this? Human? Let me go, I don''t have time to bother with you."

    The demon attempted to pull his hand away but surprisingly, it couldn''t. Ashton''s grip was way too tight and he was surprisingly sturdy despite the demon being bulkier in framepared to him.

    "My, an impatient one too. I believe that this kind of attitude deserves some good spanking!"

    Ashton chuckled as he clicked his fingers toward his friends, whispering: "Stasis."

    There was a sh of light and then, the trio suddenly turned into golden statues. Unable to move even a single muscle but still aware of their surroundings.

    "Human! What did you do!? Answer me!?"

    The demon in his gripined as if greatly inconvenienced.

    "Oh, that? Nothing much really. Just some protection spell to prevent your crusty hands from touching them."

    "You dare to interfere!? Human, I will kill you!!"

    "Ohe on, don''t be like that. I just wanted to y with you, big guy. Don''t be mad!" Ashtonughed despite the obvious threat.

    "Now, would any of you Revenants care to tell little ol'' me who leaked our schedule?"

 Chapter 186 Ready?

    ''What is he doing?''

    This is the question that Alice, Mary, and ke have the moment they saw Ashton ying the ''good-guy'' card and being friendly with these...creatures.

    They don''t understand what he''s trying to do by acting this way but as they are now in the form of a golden statue and couldn''t even move a muscle, much less talk, they could only watch and witness as the events unfold.

    "Well, aren''t you a brave little one, human? Are you sure that you want to interfere with our operations?"

    Someone from the Revenants, as Ashton kindly revealed just now, said.

    "Gee, thanks for thepliment I guess. But calling this...act of yours an ''operation'' is a bit misleading, no? A ''hunt'' is more like it, and you all are like some starving hyena''s out in the wild. Wait, do you guys even know what a hyena is?"

    "Fucking let go of me!!"

    The demon in Ashton''s grip ran out of patience. It cocked back its fist and punched him.

    But before the blow evennded, its fist stopped on its track, as if there was a mysterious force that was holding it in ce.

    The Revenants looked surprised as they do not feel anything at all. Logically, they should feel something since they''re not the ''run of the mill'' angels or demons out on the field.

    They''re the Revenants, a group of select individuals from both races that are powerful enough to have a say within their respective councils, they''re not necessarily the strongest out there but given time, they''d grow into one.

    The demon Ashton had in his grip is a genuine Demon King, not a Prince, a King! The fact that he could trap it with barely an effort on his side while hiding the method he used to do so, is something that truly caught the Revenants on guard.

    "Hey now. I thought we were having a moment here. I do not appreciate you punching me all of a sudden. That''s rude you know." Ashton yfully chided the Demon King despite his obvious dislike of it.

    "I''m afraid that we''re going on a tangent here." Ashton shook his head, "Now, care to answer my question? Can someone tell me who leaked our schedule? I promise a hefty reward for the one who can tell me."

    "You''re not in any position to demand anything out of us, Human. Now, be a good boy and release our brother."

    The six-eyed demon took an aggressive stance, ring at Ashton.

    "Ohe on, please? Just tell me who leaked our schedule. Let''s not get violent here ''cause I guarantee that it will not be pretty."

    Ashton met the threat with a smile on his face and a threat of his own.

    "Release him!!" The six-eyed demon demanded once more.

    This time, Ashton sighed. He looked at the Demon King in his grip, feigning a sad expression, and he said:

    "Your siblings are just as stupid as you are. How sad. Well, I tried to do this the humane way since you know...I''m a human and all, haha get it?"

    The demon king looked unimpressed.

    "Man, you''re no fun." Ashton clicked his tongue, "Well, I don''t have a choice now, do I? You forced my hand after all."

    Ashton beckoned with his other hand and the Demon King''s bulky figure was bent down by a mysterious force, bringing its head low enough for him to reach.

    cing a hand on the demon''s head, Ashton whispered:

    "Bad things happen when you lot don''t listen to me. And if you''re going to me anyone, me your siblings. They made me do it."

    "AAARRRRGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

    A painful and agonized roar was ripped out of the Demon King''s throat as Ashton forced his will into his mind. The Demon King writhed and wed but the invisible force kept him rtively still.

    If one was to describe the pain the Demon King was feeling right now, it would be akin to several needles sinking into its brain and injecting it with some kind of acid that''s causing it to melt. The worst part is that instead of feeling numb, the pain was even more excruciating.

    The Revenants were clearly distressed by this scene, and believe it or not, they tried to do something to stop Ashton but they found out they couldn''t move.<sub> </sub>

    It''s as if they were trapped in a quagmire, they don''t feel restricted when they don''t resist but if they do, then it bes even more apparent.

    "Stop!!" The six-eyed demon struggled fiercely but felt so restricted. It became even angrier when Ashton was clearly ignoring its demands.

    As such, the Revenants were forced to watch as one from their group was tortured to death. To make matters worse, the demon''s death wasn''t pretty at all. They watched as their sibling bled through all of the holes in their body before turning into a ck goo.

    It was gruesome and chilling. And as the cherry on top, Ashtonpletely negated all chances of this demon king ever reviving but casting a Lv.100 Purify on it. Turning it into ashes which he scattered in the wind as the Revenants watched in abject horror and anger.

    "Man, that''s one really stupid. Its brain didn''t have the thing I want." Ashtonmented with a regretful tone. He then looked at the rest of the Revenants and asked: "Alright! Do we have any other volunteers?"

    "Human!!! How dare you! I will kill you!!!"

    "...alright, I''m guessing that''s a no." Ashton sounded disappointed. "Well, at least I''ve got me another Noble Demon Crown so it wasn''t a total loss."

    The trio watched in amazement. One could only wonder what kind of expressions they''d be making had they not been in stasis.

    They''re not dumb. They know that the current them arepletely outssed if they were to fight against the Revenants. Even if they were at their peak state, there''s no way they''d win against them. Which is why they initially felt miserable and hopeless when they suddenly showed up.

    The hope in ke''s heart that was just ignited felt severely threatened when he recognized them. A few minutes ago, he was prepared to die again just to save Alice but he didn''t expect Ashton to interfere all of a sudden.

    Well, this goes beyond interfering at this point, to be honest. He legitimately humiliated them and even killed one so easily like they weren''t a big deal, to begin with.

    ke felt really shocked since his memories had been gued by fear of the Revenants and their ruthlessness. So, seeing one die just like that felt almost surreal to him.

    Were these really the group that terrorized and suppressed Humanity for so long? Why does it seem like they were nothing short of a joke now?

    Alice on the other hand felt better. The verbal harassment she felt earlier was now rewritten by Ashton turning them into a joke. The way he acts says it all. He''s not treating any of them seriously. If it''s out of arrogance or just an borate act, either way, it''s fine.

    Mary could sigh in relief now. She thought that now Ashton''s on the move, everything will be fine. She doesn''t really know where this confidence came from but it''sforting nheless.

    "You know...in all seriousness, I thought your Revenants were better than this." Ashton''s tone changed into a t one this time around. "I thought that I''d least expected you guys to be more difficult to handle than this. But...huh, I guess you weren''t all that."

    "It makes me wonder how the hell did you do all the things I''ve heard about when you all are just pushovers in reality."

    Ashton inspected the Noble Demon Crown he got from the Demon King he just killed before putting it in his pouch. He then gave them an unimpressed stare meeting their ''looks that could kill''.

    "You nearly had me there actually, I''ll give you that." He looked at the white-eyed woman and continued: "When you flew down like some sort of a fucking goddess, using that false dignified tone, I nearly believed you all were some sort of Divine Beings."

    "But then, you just had to drool." Ashton snorted. "Of all the things that could keep under control, drooling apparently isn''t included in that. Damn!"

    "And here you were, treating us like lesser creatures that you all are, yet it is you lot that couldn''t even keep your drool from escaping your mouths whenever you saw a delectable prey. Honestly, what makes you different from animals? At least we humans have some decency even if we were starving. You all, apparently don''t have that. So who''s the lesser creature now?"

    The Revenants gnashed their teeth and openly snarled at him.

    "See, that! That''s not helping your case at all. Seriously, what''s the use of having intelligence when you''d all revert to your predatory side anyways?"

    He stared at them and sighed...

    "Oh well, I digress. I''m bored so let''s have some fun shall we?"

    Ashton pulled his hood on and his heterochromatic eyes shone with giddiness.

    "Within the next minute, I will get rid of your suppression. When I do that, you can alle at me. I''m sure you all want to rip me into shreds, well I''m bored so I''ll give you that chance because that''s entertaining."

    "If you can kill me, then you can take her. If you couldn''t however...I''ll leave your oues to your own imaginations."

    "Are you all ready?"

 Chapter 187 Getting Serious

    ''Shit! What is he doing now?'' ke screamed in his head.

    Clearly, he found Ashton''s actions very questionable and somehow disagreeable. He had no idea what he was trying to achieve by doing this. If anything, isn''t this just a massive risk? Hell, he''s putting everybody in grave danger by ying around.

    Unfortunately, he can''t do anything about this. He can''t even move a single muscle. Neither could Alice or Mary for that matter. Due to that, they have no choice other than to watch how everything unfolds.

    Ashton could tell that they were worried. He didn''t need to look at them to know that. More than that, he could also tell that he''s being resented since he''s putting them at risk.

    However, he decisively ignored this for now. There''s no use exining anyway so he decided to just show them instead.

    He sat on the air and stared at the Revenants with a provocative gaze. He lifted his hand, showing it to everyone. Then, he slowly waved toward the left.

    This action caused the weight pressing down on the Revenants to disappear. The instant they felt that all of them stood up and red hatefully at Ashton who said:

    "Haha! Come, let''s y!"

    Boom!

    The six-eyed demon disappeared instantly from his spot and appeared right behind him. It moved so fast and so suddenly that nobody was able to follow its movements.

    The Six-eyed Demon King punched using all of its strength and with a feral glint in its eyes. Feeling his fist hit something solid, a wave of satisfaction swerved up to his chest, draining a little bit of the resentment that umted when he saw his Brother''s death.

    However, when the cloud of smoke disappeared. A shocking scene wasid in front of them.

    Ashton''s back was still facing the demon king, and the demon''s fist was still wedged within Ashton''s body, touching the ground in the process. But what really confused them was theck of blood.

    And under their dumbstruck gazes, Ashton turned around nonchntly, something that shouldn''t be possible with the arm of the demon wedged through him and he did it with barely an effort.

    That''s when the Demon King realized that the solid hit it felt earlier didn''te from his fist making contact with Ashton''s body, it came from the ground below.

    Its arms passed through Ashton''s body as if he was a ghost.

    "My, quite eager are you? I appreciate the enthusiasm at least." Ashton chuckled as he unceremoniously slid out of the demon''s arm.

    "An illusion?" All of its eyes narrowed as it looked around.

    Ashton then raised a brow, he jumped and smacked the head of the demon, earning a loud thump and causing the demon''s face to be deeply embedded in the ground from a casual p.

    "Does that feel like an illusion to you?"

    The six-eyed Demon King snarled while getting up, throwing yet another punch that caused the air to scream. Ashton giggled and casually stepped out of the way, evading the attack in a fluid motion as if he was expecting it already.

    He then skipped merrily toward the Revenants, earning their hatred even more. That''s when they decided to attack together and that''s also when the chaos ensued.

    The trio watched in silent amazement as Ashton legitimately turned all of them into a joke. He dodged attack after attack, something delivering aical counter-attack now and then to piss them off even further.

    He will make them work so hard to try and catch him, only to ruthlessly dash their hopes away by remainingpletely fine even when the attacks hit him.

    He was like a literal ghost, everything just passes through him, failing to hurt him at all. It didn''t matter how hard or how fast they tried to hit him, nothing worked at all, causing them to feel dismayed.

    They pursued him, staying close and hot on his trails but Ashton has never been touched even once. He always just shrugs it off like it was nothing.

    Somehow, they''re starting to pity the poor things. Ashton was just straight-up clowning them. Even when they nned out their attacks and all, Ashton remained fine and they could tell that it is making them more and more irate with each passing moment.

    At some point, Ashton paused in his tracks. As he looked back, he saw his ymates huffing and miserably puffing behind him. He pouted and said:

    "Damn, tired already? What are you? Old people? Come on, where''s all the bravado earlier? Don''t you want a piece of me? I''m right here you know?"

    None of the Revenants replied, instead they just red at him before looking at each other.

    They seemed to have a silent conversation as, after a few seconds, they nodded to each other and all of a sudden, they released extremely fearsome energy fluctuations.

    "Ho..." Ashton looked at this with stars in his eyes.

    And under their gazes, the Revenants finally showed their true forms.

    The white-eyed woman from earlier turned into a Seraphim with 10 Wings. The six-eyed Demon King turned out to be a Beast Demon - a crow to be more precise.

    There were also some Cherubim, Thrones, more Beast Demons, Insect Demons, etc. All in all, they were ten of them originally...it''s 9 now after Ashton killed the dumb one earlier.<sub> </sub>

    "Ooh, finally treating me seriously huh? Scary, scary..." Ashton mused out loud.

    "Human!! You''re done for!" The six-eyed Crow Demon King cried out as it took to the skies and started raining down huge droplets of a jet-ck liquid filled with concentrated corruption.

    Others also started making their respective moves, bombarding Ashton with all they''ve got.

    But, just as ke, Mary, and Alice were starting to worry about Ashton, he surprised them again.

    Pew! Pew! Pew!

    Hail of bullets flew everywhere, shocking them to the core. Each bullet flew at an rming speed, causing the Revenants to feel surprised to do some evasive maneuvers.

    There were explosions of colors all around Ashton. Hell, so much was going on that they couldn''t even see where he was at right now.

    Bang!!!

    "Urgh!" The Crow Demon King faltered on its flight, searching everywhere for the source of his injuries.

    That shot pierced its left wing, causing its flight to be hindered. Fortunately for the demon, its regeneration kicked in swiftly and closed the wound.

    The trio was gobsmacked, on the other hand, they could see where Ashton is and they couldn''t help but ask:

    ''Is that a fucking Sniper Rifle?''

    Yes, it is. Ashton would answer if they could ask. He is indeed using a sniper rifle to shoot at the annoying crow blotting out the sun above them.

    Due to itsrge frame, he didn''t need to put much thought behind aiming since 9 times out of ten, he would hit it.

    And while he''d be more than happy to run around in circles while also punching holes through the wings of the Crow Demon King, sadly that''s not his only concern. There are also other enemies around who are out to get him.

    It''s really strange to see Angels and Demons working together against amon foe. One could clearly tell how ipatible they are since even the corruption they cause were shing against each other.

    Ashton however, could tell that they also know how to take advantage of that. The sh of their corruption could cause sufficient chaos and destruction that''s harmful enough for him to be mindful of.

    Unfortunately for them though, Ashton waspletely unafraid of corruption as he''s immune from it.

    "Take this!!"

    Ashton turned his head and saw a swarm of insects flying toward him. He grinned and his right eye shed with a faint blue light. Then, all of a sudden, the swarm of insectspletely disappeared as if they never existed.

    "What!?" The one whounched the attack, a Broodmother Demon if Ashton recalls correctly, uttered in pure stupefaction.

    She couldn''t believe that her insect swarm just disappeared like that. The worst part is that she didn''t even know how it happened.

    "Enough of this!!" The white-eyed Seraphim shouted.

    Suddenly, she glowed with a glorious golden brilliance as if she was the sun''s reincarnation.

    As the golden brilliance oozed out of her, the demons around flew away as if terrified.

    Ashton watched as several creatures manifested out of thin air. Angels with rotting flesh and dull expressions groaned and twitched as they appeared. There must be at least thousands who appeared here.

    ke, Mary, and Alice felt their hearts sinking to their stomach when they saw this. Ashton was now facing a literal horde on top of dealing with the revenants.

    On the other hand, though, Ashton himself didn''t look worried. If anything, he just looked impressed, he even whistled and mused out loud.

    "Wow, an Angel who uses Necromancy. Never thought I''d see the day this happens."

    And even as he speaks, the number of summoned creatures was still increasing. At this point, he''s already facing at least double the amount the Trio faced when they were against the ck Fog.

    "I never thought that I''d be angered by a mere pest like you either, but here we are." The white-eyed Seraphim replied. "You were a valiant warrior, Human. But your fight ends here. Obedientlyy down your arms and join my undead army."

    Facing this threat...Ashton didn''t speak.

    Instead, he just silently drew his Bone Scythe from his Inventory.

 Chapter 188 Trapped

    It was as though time itself ceased when the Bone Scythe was out...

    Everyone, and yes this includes the trio who are in stasis, felt their blood freeze the moment they saw the scythe.

    It was wicked, sinister, and soul-chilling. The thing was big, making one wonder how was it supposed to be wielded yet it rests perfectly still within Ashton''s grip like a proper tool.

    The scythe might also be causing them to see things.

    There seemed to have been an endless sea of ck river where thousands and thousands of Celestials and Hypogeans drowned in agony.

    This image was even more striking to the Revenants since they could feel these poor tormented souls reaching out to them, begging and screaming at them for help.

    This scene was so shocking that the white-eyed Seraphim lost all momentum.

    She had been so confident a few seconds ago, even going as far as respectfully informing Ashton that he had lostpletely. Yet now, her face was frozen in fear. Her summons could even be seen so badly terrified that they were shaking like a leaf.

    At this point, all of them are looking at Ashton in fear and trepidation as he stared at them with a t expression. He didn''t look mad or excited. One could even say that he looked bored.

    The Revenants felt their souls trembling whenever his heterochromatic eyesnded on them. It''s as if those pair of eyes could see through all of their thoughts and intentions.

    "L-Lu? My precious little brother Lu!?" The six-eyed Crow Demon King cried out, ruining the chill silence of the surroundings.

    Ashton blinked. He swiftly sifted through his memories and finally remembered.

    ''Ah, Demon Prince Lu. The Leech Demon Prince. It seems that they know each other, huh? Small world.''

    "Lu!! Lu!! Big Brother ising! I''ll save you, just hold on for a bit longer!" The six-eyed Crow Demon King then red fiercely at Ashton. "Y-You monster! What did you do to him? How dare you touch him! Let him go!!"

    Ashton pursed his lips and took out something from his Inventory before throwing it at the feet of the demon.

    What he threw was a Noble Demon Crown.

    "What''s this?" The Crow Demon King asked.

    "Didn''t you want to see him? There you go then! That''s him...well, what''s left of him at least."

    "..." the Crow Demon King looked as if he just lost a soul.

    He stared at Ashton, the scythe where he could see the visage of his poor brother being tormented and the Demon Crown in his hands.

    "...ah, he was a fun guy you know?" Ashton recalled wistfully. "He gave me some trouble at first but eventually, he turned out to be a good source of entertainment."

    "He was even more stupid than the one I killed earlier. I tortured him for months until he was terrified to even sleep and not once he managed to catch me! Hah!"

    "But eventually, he got boring. And I have somewhere else to go so well...you don''t need me to tell what I did next right?"

    Ashton''s smile was sickening, everybody felt chills running down their bodies as he told the story.

    The Crow Demon King took it the hardest though. He howled like a mad animal and recklessly threw away all caution to the wind. It flew towards Ashton with every ill intent it could muster.

    Sadly, that''s the single most horrible thing he could''ve done at that very moment.

    Ashton grinned and flicked a finger at the Bone Scythe''s edge. The sound trickled into everyone''s ears. Nothing seems to have happened but all of a sudden, the Crow Demon King fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

    Under everybody''s horrified expression, they saw that the Crow Demon King''s body was sliced cleanly in half.

    The chilling part is that nobody saw what happened. All they saw was Ashton flicking the edge of the Bone Scythe using his fingers. Isn''t it a little ridiculous for that to be the culprit of the Demon King''s death?

    Sadly though, that is indeed the case.

    Don''t forget that Ashton''s Scythe Arts has reached 2-star Ascended Rank. That means that even the most mundane thing he does with his scythe could cause an irreversible effect on his surroundings so long as it''s within his intentions to do so.

    The Demon King''s body fell not too far from where Ashton was. Smiling, he dragged the scythe with him as he walked closer to the corpse.

    The sound of the scythe being dragged around made them ufortable, yet none could even utter a word of defiance since they''d grown too scared of him.<sub> </sub>

    When Ashton reached the corpse. He hoisted the scythe and poked the Crow''s head with the tip. Then, under everybody''s horrified gaze, the scythe eagerlypped up the blood of the fallen Demon King.

    Some could even see the soul of the Demon King trying to crawl out of the suction but it failed in the end.

    And like the others who came before him...the Crown Demon King has now joined that endless ck river of a tormented soul. Never to surface ever again.

    "Y-y-you''re him!" A Cherub from the Revenants stumbled backward and uttered out of sheer terror, seemingly recalling something.

    "You''re the White-Cloaked Reaper!! The White-Cloaked Reaper is a Human? Of course! Now it all makes sense! You fooled us all! Ahah! Hahahahaha!!"

    A sick smile appeared on Ashton''s face as he asked: "Oh, it seems that I''m famous among you. I''m surprised."

    ''The White-Cloaked Reaper?'' The trio asked inwardly. Sadly, they can''t ask questions right now since they''re in stasis.

    "Y-you! Let us go! In exchange, we will never bother humans again! Don''t make me call for reinforcements! I''m telling you, I''m acquainted with an Apostle! An Apostle you hear me! If you kill me, then Humanity is done for! Let me go and I promise I won''t call them!"

    ''You started with ''we'' and ended up with ''I'', you don''t even realize how much of a coward and piece of shit you are.'' Ashton inwardly shook his head.

    He then wore a teasing smile and said:

    "Really? You''re close with an Apostle? I''d like to see it then. Go on, call them." He said in an amused tone.

    The Cherub froze on the spot.

    "...well, what are you waiting for? Call them. I''m giving this chance, take it while I''m still feeling rtively generous." Ashton encouraged.

    The pressure on to the Cherub then. It looked at Ashton, trying to guess his intentions. But seeing that it couldn''t even tell from his expression, the Cherub turned wretched.

    It procured a stone from its body and poured energy onto it. The stone glowed for a few moments before dimming again. The Cherub was shocked. It poured energy into it but was met with the same result.

    "Damn it! Why won''t it work!? Work, god damn it!! I don''t want to die here!"

    The Cherub was panickingpletely now. This stone was supposed to be itsst resort. It was an Oath Stone given to him by an Apostle. This was a reward given to him back then and ever since then, it became his most prized possession.

    Sadly, when it needed the most, the stone failed. And it couldn''t understand why. Could it be that the Oath Stone was fake? But that can''t be! An Apostle will never stoop that low!!

    It was then that they heard Ashton''s crispughter in their ears. They all looked over to see him almost copsing on the floor and in tears due to how much he wasughing.

    "Oh, that''s the best." He wiped his tears away as he slowlyposed himself. "You all should''ve seen your faces. It was priceless. God, it''s so fun to mess with you guys."

    "W-what did you do?" The Cherub asked-- no, demanded.

    "You''re an idiot." Ashton ruthlessly remarked. "Did you honestly think that I didn''t take that into consideration?"

    "..."

    "All while you all were busy drooling and harassing my friend over there, I have set up a formation that trapped all of you in," Ashton revealed. "And you idiots didn''t even notice it. Hell, I wasn''t even trying to deliberately hide it, yet you all fell for it still!"

    Ashton hoisted his scythe to his shoulders and said:

    "Currently, this formation is feeling false signals to your camp. I know you all have Life Jades back at your respective camps, allowing your allies to check your life signals. Well, those are useless now."

    "They will all think that you''re still alive even after you died. You cannot ask for any reinforcements since I specifically prevented that from happening."

    "Why else do you all think that I''m taking my time to make you miserable? It''s because it doesn''t really matter."

    "The moment you all showed up here, you all signed your death certificates."

    Ashton wore a soul-chilling smile as his grip over the Bone Scythe turned a bit tighter.

    "Suffice to say, you are all dead the moment you appeared before me. And even after I killed you all, nobody from your camp will be alerted."

    "So if I were you, I''ll cooperate. Who knows? Maybe you can appeal to my human side which might let me let go of you..."

 Chapter 189 All In A Days Work

    Hubris... is what ultimately caused the downfall of the Revenants...

    They grew too confident and arrogant in their power that they started thinking they were infallible. And when someone came to remind them that they''re not, they don''t believe it. Once proven, they don''t know what to do.

    In hindsight, the Revenants never thought that humans could grow as strong as Ashton. Though even this, ties back to Hubris as well. They''ve always thought that humans could never amount to anything. Yet it was also they who ordered certain things to be erased from Humanity''s history since they deem it too dangerous for their race.

    Such ironic creatures, these things are...

    In Ashton''s opinion, the reason why they''re like this is that they had been alive for so long. False Immortality may have some side effects after all, especially when nobody was around to challenge that very idea.

    This is why it is so refreshing to see these fools suffering beneath him...

    Seeing these so terrified and traumatized scratches a deep itch within him that he can''t exin. It''s truly something else.

    They thought themselves to be oh-so powerful but Ashton was there to show them what true power is like.

    Their reactions when Ashton used a casual swing of his scythe topletely eradicate all the summon of the white-eyed Seraphim, were priceless.

    There must''ve been at least 15-20,000 creatures in there, but all of them fell when Ashton swung his scythe once. This kind of power was something that they''d never witnessed before. Something that chilled them to their very core.

    Ashton then kindly reminded them to cooperate peacefully. But they remained stubborn. They tried to run away even after knowing that they were trapped there.

    Well, they didn''t manage to go very far. At some point, they arrived at the edge of the formation, and no matter how much brute force they tried to use, the invisible barrier didn''t falter. It remained strong and stable.

    Ashton and his friends watched as they went increasingly desperate, doing anything they could think of in order to save themselves.

    Their fear of Ashton had truly grown to an unprecedented level, so much so that their thoughts are filled with nothing but the threat of dying miserably under Ashton''s hands.

    Truly, this was a side of Ashton that the trio never saw before.

    Back when he returned from Outside World, they were thinking of ways to help him get used to being in civilization again.

    Yet, it''s like he never left. They werepletely expecting him to be a little bit...unhinged. And it was surprising that he wasn''t.

    As it turns out, Ashton is indeed unhinged, but he hasplete control over it. He only shows this kind of animosity towards the invaders.

    And now, they also saw a glimpse of how powerful he had truly be. But even with their initial guesses earlier, they were still shocked by how far off they were.

    Ashton''s power was way beyond their understanding for now. He''s so powerful that they''re starting to think that he isn''t just a Warlock, he''s just concealing his cultivation level.

    They had many questions for him, mainly about how he got so powerful and all that, sadly they''re still in stasis.

    Ashton, after pushing the Revenants into a state of desperation, used the benevolent card and appeared to be a saint. Offering them freedom in exchange for information.

    Some took the bait while others didn''t. It didn''t matter though since it was already enough that there were some who participated.

    He asked them some questions like, who was giving them information, how far is the next encampment from the Last Bastion, and so on...

    Ashton also asked them to name several important figures in their ranks. He made sure tomit these names to his mind for now.

    Since they participated, he made a show for the rest who didn''t. With a wave of his hand, those who followed his orders disappeared from everyone''s sight.

    He then told them that he had released them, that now they are free to return to theirirs so long as they never set foot in thisnd and never talk about it ever again.

    But of course, this was not true...

    Why the hell would Ashton free the very same creatures that had tortured humanity for so long? Wouldn''t he be a traitor to his race if he had done that?

    The truth is, he didn''t let them go...

    West Two created a special prison for them within the Grotto Heaven. There, he''ll be free to do anything he wants without their kind knowing anything.<sub> </sub>

    To the outside world, the Revenants just disappeared out of nowhere but still alive. But in truth, there''s no guarantee whether they''dst by the end of this month.

    Still, the act was enough to cause everyone else to turn desperate as well. They didn''t want to fight anymore, especially when there was a way out. Of course, Ashton was more than happy to con them into thinking that he was letting them go.

    He asked them for more information about their respective races, the more sensitive information.

    The Revenants are somewhat high-up in the hierarchy after all. Surely, they''d know a thing or two right?

    Ashton noted their answers. There were some who deceived him but that''s fine. They''ll get their due punishmentter for doing that.

    Once he had gotten all that he wanted to know, for now, he took them all within the Grotto Heaven and in their special prison. West Two was already there to get them ready so he stopped paying attention to them.

    He removed the formation heid down and Purified the entire battlefield. Once every ounce of corruption was gone, he blessed thend with the Virtue of Life to regain its lost vitality.

    The trio watched as the once wretched and corruptednd transformed into a beautiful and picturesque little forest, all thanks to Ashton''s doing. Once he was done with this, he removed the Stasis Spell on them, freeing them from inactivity.

    The long period of inactivity caused the trio to feel stiff. They had to stretch their bodies so that they''ll function properly again.

    Ashton looked at them and he could tell that they didn''t know how to talk to him anymore. Somehow, this new side of him was a stranger to them and they didn''t know how to deal with it.

    He chuckled and said:

    "My fangs only bite those who asked for it. Don''t be afraid. I''m still the same guy you''ve been hanging out with."

    The trio looked at each other, Mary then stepped forward and said: "Well, even if you say that it''s still...weird you know."

    "Yeah, we had no idea that you werepletely overpowered." keined, "I mean, we guessed that you must''ve grown strong when you were out here trying to survive, but we weren''t aware how far off we were still."

    "Hey, I can''t be med for that." Ashtonined as well. "In order to defeat hordes of monsters, I have to be a monster as well. I was out here for five years just to remind you all. Oh, and Alice?"

    "...?"

    "I know there are certain things that you find difficult to understand right now. Trust me, you''ll soon get your answers. For now, you all did well in your first invader fight. We staved off the disaster, the Last Bastion still stands thanks to yourbined efforts. Go get some rest in the Grotto Heaven, I''ll take us back home."

    Ashton didn''t wait for them to say anything before taking them into the Grotto Heaven. West Two would be there to look after them.

    Ashton sighed in relief once he was all alone. It was then that Aria''s voice sounded in his ears.

    ''You did well too and deserve some rest just like them.''

    ''I know.'' He replied, ''But this isn''t enough, nowhere near enough. The Revenants were the first casualty of our counterattack. There are many things that can still go wrong so we still have to be on guard.''

    ''You won''t be fighting alone, that''s for sure. Even if all others turn their back on you, I promise that I''ll be here by your side. I''ll fight with you if necessary.''

    ''Thanks. Hopefully, it doesn''te to that. I''ll be there soon, just have to fly back home.''

    After saying that, Ashton rose to the air and started flying back to the Last Bastion. While he was in the air, he was looking through the System''s Prompt around him.

    [Congrattions, you and your beneficiaries worked together to stop a cmity that could potentially destroy Humanity.]

    [You have trained and lectured your Beneficiaries, making them much stronger. Allowing them toplete this monumental task.]

    [In the process, you also dealt with an age-old tormentor of Humanity - the Revenants. Your Beneficiaries saw your strength and their confidence in you was bolstered even further. Now, they truly see you as a Leader.]

    [��1000 Beneficiaries Return, Triggered! You received: Instant Transmission Blueprint ��1, ve Seal ��100, Mentor''s Halo, 500 Skill Points, and Spell Points.]

    ''All in a day''s work, I suppose.''

 Chapter 190 Visit

    [Instant Transmission Blueprint]

    Type: Transport Blueprint

    Uses Left: 8/10

    Effects: Use to learn how to create Instant Transmission Port.

    [ve Seal]

    Type: Imprinting Tool

    Amt. Left: 100/100

    Effects:

    Those who are branded by this seal will turn into the most loyal ve of the user. They will retain their intelligence but will never think of betraying their new Master.

    The Master has full autonomy over the well-being of the ve.

    [Mentor''s Halo]

    Type: System Perk

    Effect:

    Your Beneficiaries''prehension rate increases by 50% with your presence and guidance.

    The system was truly generous by giving him these rewards. He had truly hit the jackpot when he decided to turn his friends into his Beneficiaries as well.

    The items he received will prove useful, especially the Instant Transmission Port and the ve Seal.

    The Instant Transmission Port does with the name says. It allows instant transmission from Point A to Point B without any dy, no matter the distance. Granted, it''s going to be expensive thanks to the materials needed to build it and the maintenance costs but the essibility it would give, on the other hand, was worth that price.

    He even let Aria learn the blueprint right away so that they can start with it.

    As for the ve Seal, well he had the Revenants as prisoners didn''t he? Then it should be obvious what he''s nning to do with these.

    Truthfully. He was nning on torturing them for more answers but with the ve Seals on hand, he only need to work until their resolve and faith were broken before imprinting them with a ve Seal.

    Once they were turned into loyal ves, Ashton would then have more tools in his arsenal to keep the invaders in check. Plus, since he''s gaining their loyalty, they''d be more than willing to tell him all he wants to know.

    Still, though, that is a matter for the future. It will take some time before the remaining Revenants are mind-broken so he needs to wait before nting the seal on them.

    Aside from those two, the Mentor''s Halo was also useful, and even more so the 500 Skill and Spell Points he received as well.

    All in all, Ashton received yet another boost in his strength and he barely did anything actually.

    And now, since the crisis has been averted, Ashton returned home and allowed his friends to have some time off.

    Upon returning, he sent a transmission to Oracle Felicia, saying that the ck Fog has been dealt with.

    The old woman couldn''t even express how relieved she was to hear that. She was worried since they were severely understaffed but since the four of them were able to handle it, then it felt like a boulder was lifted from her chest.

    Ashton forgot to tell her that the Revenants had also been dealt with but he felt toozy to send another transmission message so he''ll just tell her next time he remembers to do so.

    While at home, Ashton scanned Fantasia as a whole and discovered that it was rtively peaceful.

    Surprisingly, the Cult of the Skydemon still hasn''t made any movements yet. Mages and Knights were patrolling everywhere to raise the security of the metropolis but no attacks happened.

    Of course, he''s relieved that the metropolis didn''t turn into ruins when they returned, but still, he finds the inactivity of the cult rather intriguing.

    Then again, that''s none of his business anymore. The cult wouldn''tst for long anyways.

    Considering how strong Alice, ke, and Mary have gotten thanks to their recent training, coupled with the experience of dealing with true and living Demons not too long ago, the fake Skydemons the cult raises are nothing but a mere joke to them.

    He didn''t need to worry since the trio would most likely wipe the cult out if they dared to do something now.

    With this in mind, Ashton went to rest with Aria.

    "Good morning, Oracle. What can I do for you today?"

    It''s the next day and Ashton woke up with Jerry notifying him that Oracle Felicia hade to visit. He doesn''t have any clue as to what she wants from him but he couldn''t exactly turn her away.

    "Good morning to you too, Ashton. I''m sorry for disturbing your rest."<sub> </sub>

    "Oh no, it''s fine. What do you need?" He asked again.

    "Ah, I''m actually here to invite you to the Federation''s Headquarters. Some people are eager to meet you."

    Ashton raised a brow as he heard that. He stared at the Oracle for a bit to gauge her intentions. Eventually, he didn''t feel like she''ll do something to upset him, especially after what he just did for Humanity, so this invitation should at least be genuine.

    "...sure. I guess it''s time for us to finally meet." He mused to himself. He stood up and left the old woman in the room by herself.

    He changed his clothes and made himself look presentable at least. He took all the necessary stuff with him before meeting the old woman back where he left her earlier.

    Seeing that he was ready, the oracle nodded her head. She stood up and walked out of the house.

    There was a flying carpet waiting for them outside, this is their transportation to where they were supposed to go.

    They rode the flying carpet in silence until they eventually arrived at the heart of the metropolis, the old City F which has been repurposed due to the changes that happened in the past.

    Here, the Headquarters of the Morning Sun Federation is located...

    After jumping off of the flying carpet, the guards greeted them before granting them entry.

    Ashton looked at the towering building in front of him and sighed inwardly. He had no idea what to expect from this meeting. Previously, he had a lot of things to say about the federation but as his emotions mellowed out and logic took over, he found himself realizing the more intricate details of the current government.

    Sadly, he still has mixed feelings about them until now. This view might result in a not-so-pleasant first impression...

    "We''re here..." Oracle Felicia said, stopping at arge door.

    She took out her badge and stood in front of the scanner to get her pupils checked for an identity scan.

    Once the security system confirmed her identity, the doors opened generously. She tapped the keypad avable several times to get a visitor''s pass which she handed to Ashton.

    Wearing it, they continued inside the room. And that''s when Ashton finally saw the current state of Humanity''s so-called ''Leaders''.

    The room he was in could be mistaken as a small indoor garden. In the said garden, there is a massive tree that seems to twist in itself. It has taken root in every square inch of this garden as well.

    There''s a specific air in here that Ashton couldn''t urately grasp. But instead of focusing on that, he focused on what he could see right now.

    At the trunk of the twisting tree, he saw several old people sitting in a meditative position.

    They sat in there like golden statues...

    "You''re not seeing wrong. They are indeed in stasis." Oracle Felicia informed, which shocked Ashton a bit.

    There must be at least 11 or 12 people here scattered around the twisted tree, all of them are in stasis.

    "Why?" He asked. He didn''t expect this at all so he wanted to know more.

    "I believe I can answer that question."

    A voice sounded behind him. Ashton turned around and his eyesnded on the statue right next to him.

    "You are?"

    "Call me George, I am the one who asked Felicia to bring you here."

    George sounded old and weary. He was sitting farthest from the twisted tree.

    "Nice to meet you, George. I''m Ashton." He introduced himself before sitting in front of George.

    Behind him, Felicia slowly withdrew to the corner of the room.

    "I''m aware." George replied, "I wanna express my deepest gratitude for lending aid when we need it the most. Felicia told me what happened to you, and for that, on behalf of the other elders around, I also express my sincerest apologies."

    "What''s done is done. I came back alive and stronger anyway." Ashton replied, he then looked at the statue in front of him and asked: "How did this happen to all of you?"

    "It''s because of that tree over there," George replied, causing Ashton to take another look at it.

    "We call that tree, the Twisted Heavenly Tree." He said, "What you see here is just the husk of that same tree. As what it does, it simply wraps around the Blue, sealing it away with a Rule which filtered the invaders."

    Ashton''s mind raced. He then said: "Ah, so the rumors are true? The real army of the Invaders isn''t even here yet. I''m assuming that this tree is what prevents them from descending? And you all are needed to be used to keep the status quo?"

    "Exactly," George replied. "As I am sitting the farthest from it. I am still able to remain awake from time to time. Allowing me to be the bridge between us. While we can extricate ourselves easily from this state, we couldn''t since that would pose a risk to our world."

    "...that''s rough, buddy."

 Chapter 191 Mr. President

    "...you said you were some sort of a bridge between us. Care to borate more on that?" Ashton asked.

    "Well, as you can see we turned into statues because of the Twisting Heavenly Tree. We sacrificed our freedom to seal the Blue and prevent the true army of the invaders from descending."

    "We''re not necessarily in slumber. We''re acutely aware of the real world still but we also are stuck in some kind of a special ne of reality, if you will."

    "In there, we could see each other and we could also talk. In there, we could see the seal we are powering and we could repair it in real-time should the invaders decide to damage it."

    "We could leave the ce at any time but it''s too risky. The invaders could attack the seal at any given moment and we don''t have a way of knowing how much damage they''ll cause so we have to be constantly on alert."

    "Me joining the others in this duty was fairly recent, and since I''m not as capable as the others are, for now, I could divide my attention and take care of the matters in this reality, allowing me to act like some sort of a bridge between you all and the others on the other side."

    "...huh." Ashton raised a brow. "How long has this been going on?"

    "Oh, geez. I don''t know...maybe 200-plus years already? We don''t have an urate sense of time here on the other side. Hell, I don''t even know what year is it now."

    "All I know is that...we must keep enduring. Humanity still has a chance."

    A tense silence happened between the two of them. Ashton stared at George, seemingly in deep thought, while George himself seems to be struggling with how to continue.

    Eventually, it was George who broke the silence...

    "I saw what you did to the Revenants." He said, "And we are also aware that you know more than what you''re letting on. I''m guessing that you must be the new keeper of the Grand Archives?"

    "..."

    "...I understand. No need to say more." George sighed, sounding extremely exhausted. "Look, we...we searched for ways. We have been trying for so long, we''re tired too. But for the sake of Humanity''s general well-being, we must endure."

    "I heard that you contributed a treasure that allowed Humanity''s fate to be obscured from the perverted visions of the invaders. We couldn''t thank you enough for your service and generosity."

    "You even wrapped up the Revenants for us, and you seem to be helping your friends to be stronger than ever." He continued, "I''m guessing that you have ns, and truthfully, nobody could stop you. In fact, we don''t really want to stop you."

    "I can tell that your goal coincides with us, so there''s really no reason for us to sh. Our ways might''ve seem questionable or downright disgusting to you, but know that we too felt remorse for our actions."

    "At this point, no amount of apology or repentance can absolve us from what we did. Believe it or not, we don''t seek salvation or anything of the sort. We just want to do what''s necessary to keep our race alive."

    "I know that you have your own method of carving a path for humanity forward. And we''re willing to lend you as much aid as you need. We only hope that you seed because frankly, it''s been so long...we have no idea how long we could still hold out."

    Ashton didn''t say a word. He only listened with an open mind to the plea of an exhausted soul.

    Believe it or not, Ashton didn''t exactly hate them.

    While it''s true that their decision was disagreeable for the most part and very immoral, it is what caused Humanity tost this long, no? So it did have some merit in it.

    And Ashton could tell how much it breaks them to make those kinds of decisions -- sacrificing one for the sake of the many might sound like a logical decision but in truth, it is extremely difficult to pull that off.

    They''ve suffered as much as the martyrs suffered. He won''t say that they did the right thing, after all, nobody could tell what would''ve happened if they continued tossing more and more bodies to fight against the invaders.

    This is the reality they have now, and like what George said, no amount of apology or repentance could absolve them from this.

    They more or less figured out what Ashton was set-out to do. They don''t have any idea how exactly he was supposed to achieve it but they are aware that he has his own way of doing so.

    George just gave him the go signal on behalf of the others. In a sense, this is nowhere different from making him the Federation''s new President, is it not?

    "I''d tell you to take your time, but I''d also like to remind you to not take too long." George helplessly said: "After all, we don''t know what the Invaders will do next."

    "Should you fail in your duty...don''t throw your life away. Sit among us and prolong the Enduring Victory. We will wee you with open arms."

    "But if you seed in leading our race in a new Hopeful Dawn, know that our blessings will always remain with you. All we ask, is at the day of the decisive war that will decide the ultimate ending for our world, don''t forget about us."

    "Wake us up, and let us fight to our heart''s content ''til we draw ourst breaths. We have been enduring for so long, at the very least, let us go off in a final sh of brilliance. Let us open up a path, for a brighter tomorrow."

    Ashton saw George''s eyes moving and looking directly at him.

    "This will be a heavy burden to carry, but I can see you already know that. Very well..."<sub> </sub>

    "I hereby dere, Ashton West, as the new President of the Morning Sun Federation! May he lead Humanity into a new age filled with hope and prosperity."

    Several System windows appeared in front of Ashton''s eyes, yet he didn''t pay attention to any of them. His attention remains focused on George who''s on the verge of disappearing.

    "...I thought I was here for a brief chat, not more work." He remarked yfully.

    "Well, what can I say...I''ve been looking for a suitable recement for so long. Can you really me me for doing what I must when I finally got the chance?"

    Ashton saw how the glow on George''s body was dimming even faster, therefore he didn''t waste any more time and said:

    "You got me, Old Man. You all win this time, now go ahead and do what you must do, leave this ce up to me."

    George didn''t even have enough energy to reply to that. But it was obvious that he was relieved before he left.

    Now, just like his predecessors, George will remain in slumber. His spirit will tend to the Twisted Heavenly Tree on the other side.

    Judging from how he acted in a hurry, he truly didn''t have much time left. And this will likely be thest time he''ll be able to interact with the real world.

    This leaves Ashton to fend for himself. Now, since it had been made official that he is indeed the new president of the Morning Sun Federation, he had a lot of things to do.

    Well, at least this way, he''s free to do what he deems necessary for Humanity''s development. This gave him freedom and authority, but it also ce a heavy responsibility on his shoulders.

    Now, every suffering, injury, and death will partially be med on him. Now more than ever, he had to be smarter towards each step he takes because he isn''t just risking his own life, the fate of an entire race rests upon his shoulders.

    [You have been elected as the new President of the Morning Sun Federation.]

    [Congrattions, you have taken the first necessary step towards your ultimate goal. Please work harder to achieve your dreams.]

    ***

    [Beneficiary]

    [Morning Sun Federation]

    Type: Governmental Office

    Enhancements Avable: 100+

    Upgrade Paths Avable: 5

    ***

    [The Morning Sun Federation had been registered as your new Beneficiary. ?��100 Benefactor''s Return, Triggered! You received: Federal Insignia.]

    "...right, it also works this way. Ashton mused to himself. He took a deep breath and checked out the item he just received.

    [Federal Insignia]

    Type: Insignia Design

    Effect: Double the Work Efficiency of all Employees who sees it.

    ***

    Ashton''s eyes sparkled a bit. He closed his Inventory for now though. He took another deep breath and withdrew from the Twisting Heavenly Tree.

    When he turned back, Felicia was there, respectfully waiting for him. When he got close, she handed him a badge that represented his new status. It even had on it.

    "Would you like me to show you where your office is?" She asked after handing him the badge.

    "Not for now." Ashton shook his head. "I''ll officially take office tomorrow but I''d still like you to keep this to yourself for now. I can still do my sworn duties even if the people who work here don''t see me at all."

    Felicia didn''t have any qualms with that, so long as Ashton does as he promised, then these little things don''t matter.

 Chapter 192 Tasks

    Being the new President of the Morning Sun Federation was equal parts exciting and horrifying for Ashton.

    Granted, only a few people are aware of his promotion, but it still felt rather weird for him. Knowing that he is now responsible for so many lives was frightening if he were, to be honest, but at the same time, having the freedom to basically do anything he wants now also felt liberating.

    So you see, he''s stuck in such a weird position.

    That being said, Ashton did his best to level his thoughts down. He might be the youngest president of the federation in history but he''s not a kid. He could tell the weight of responsibility he took over himself.

    Plus, this is just the first step of his overall ns, not just for himself but also for his race, so there''s no need for him to think too much.

    Additionally, Oracle Felicia would be there to act as his advisor, there''s also Gaia as well. So technically, he''s not alone in this.

    Right now, Ashton was currently brainstorming about some reforms he could do to increase the work efficiency of the federation as a whole.

    Currently, there''s at least a total of 10,000 plus employees under him. These people work in different sectors that make the Federation whole.

    He had spent the entirety ofst night reading through the documentation of the Federation''sst five years of work, and from what he could tell, there is much left to be desired in their current situation.

    First and foremost, Fantasia is in a state of war preparation. It has been for almost an entire year now without any further announcements. That, in addition to the recent terrorist attacks, had taken a serious toll on the citizens'' morale.

    There were a lot of people who were preparing for the worse, and due to the curfews and lockdowns, the economic status of Fantasia was dropping at an rming rate.

    Obviously, this can''t go on. Because from what he can tell, their supplies wouldn''tst that long.

    This meant that for his first move as the Federation''s President, he had to address this emergency. He needed to pacify the crowd to restore order and move on with his ns.

    Thankfully, he already made some pre-emptive arrangements.

    As of this morning, Mary, ke, and Alice reported back to work and had begun with the Skydemon Cult''splete extermination.

    Ashton kindly pointed out where the hidden camps were, and right now, every single one is being raided by the team. And considering the recent power-ups they''ve gotten, getting rid of the cultpletely shouldn''t be a problem.

    Cutting the roots of the Skydemon Cult is just the first step. Of course, unless he can return the confidence of citizens towards the Federation, then it''s very likely that more people will adopt the cult''s example and that''s something that can''t happen.

    To this, Ashton had ns. But for now, he had to focus on improving the workforce.

    Thankfully, with the several enhancements avable to him, he could do just what he wants to do.

    In truth, Ashton didn''t need to put the workforce under the wringer and pressure them if they want to keep their position. Ashton is aware that there are certain things that are too delicate for him to handle right now.

    He knows that there is a certain hierarchy being followed here and if people knew that he was the newly elected president, then it is very likely that it would provoke some intense reactions.

    Chaos is thest thing he wanted in this ce right now, so no thank you for that. That is why he specifically told Felicia to keep silent about this matter for now. Just as he said, these people don''t need to see him in order to work for him.

    A very good example of this is the enhancements he could purchase for the Federation.

    Let''s take the Bizarre Coffee Machine, for example:

    [Bizarre Coffee Machine]

    Type: Benefactor''s Enhancement

    Effect: Products bought from this machine improve the mood of the consumer and gives them more motivation to do good work.

    Another one would be the Indoor nts and Fauna, as well as the Intellectual''s White Board...

    [Indoor nts and Fauna]

    Type: Benefactor''s Enhancement

    Effect: All the surrounding nts and flowers (be it real or not), would be enchanted to drain stress from nearby employees by at least 50%.

    [Intellectual''s White Board]

    Type: Benefactor''s Enhancement

    Effect: Gives all those who interact with it, a boost in their mental capabilities by 15%.<sub> </sub>

    These are just small examples of what Ashton could do to improve the workforce under him, and all of this could be done without him needing to personally be there.

    Nobody has to know that the Status Quo has changed. They may freely think that the current president was still the old one, but he doesn''t mind. In fact, it''s better that way since that gives him more freedom and privacy.

    He can enhance the work efficiency of the Federation remotely while also paying close attention to how the citizens react to it. To him at least, this is the best move for now.

    "...oh, wee back you three. Are you done with your task?" He asked.

    "Yeah, nobody escaped. The officials of the cult are all dead and those who resisted were dealt with extreme prejudice, those who surrendered we sent to the Grotto Heaven." Alice reported upon seeing Ashton.

    "Very good." He nodded. "With this, I think the state of emergency can be lifted now."

    "Would they do that?" Mary asked, sounding somewhat skeptical. "Don''t get me wrong, I know that the cult has been dealt with but isn''t it too fast to lift the lockdowns? Wouldn''t that be dangerous?"

    From the way she speaks, it is clear that she doesn''t have any idea that Ashton is now the new President of the Morning Sun Federation. This isn''t surprising, after all, Alice, and ke doesn''t have a clue either.

    That''s right, he hasn''t told them yet. Ashton didn''t really feel like doing so either. He thinks that it should be fine, there''s nothing they could do with the information anyway.

    "Well, we''ll see what happenster or tomorrow I guess." Ashton shrugged, "For now, you guys are dismissed. Go home and rest, I have some task for you three tomorrow as well."

    The three then bid him farewell and left his home. Once he was alone, he took out his smart watch and called the oracle.

    "Good afternoon, Sir." Oracle Felicia greeted.

    "Oh please, don''t call me that." Ashton rolled his eyes when he heard the old woman''s mischievous chuckle. "Alright, Alice and her team just returned from their mission. ording to them, it''s a sess. Do you think we can lift the lockdowns now and remove some of the curfews?"

    "I suggest we do it slowly but surely." She stated, "Like, for tomorrow we will shave an hour off of the Curfew then remove the lockdown on the Central. Then, a weekter, we''ll shave another hour or two from the curfew, so on...this way it''s gradual and we have more room to maneuver."

    "Great idea. Then please go ahead and do that. Do you need my signature to go on with that?"

    "No. My authority should be enough for now. Once wepletely remove all the lockdowns and the curfew, that''s when we will need your signature." She replied.

    "Alright, understood." He nodded, "Ah right, can you connect me to the CEO of Crossford Tech? I have an offer that might interest him."

    "Oh, him." Felicia sounded sour when she said this.

    "...is that no, or?"

    "No, no. It''s...fine, I guess." She sighed, "I can arrange a meeting for you. But be warned though, that stinky old man is a hateful gremlin. If you offered him something that interests him to a certain degree, he will try his best to practically steal that away from you."

    "He''s a shrewd businessman and a mad inventor at the same time. Don''t expect him to be easy." She added.

    "Sounds like you know each other a lot." Ashton said while taking a sip of coffee.

    "Know each other?" Felicia snorted on the other line, "That guy is my ex-husband. Of course, we know each other."

    ...and there goes the coffee he just drank, spewing out of his mouth due to shock.

    "...are you okay? What happened there?" She asked.

    "Oh no, nothing much. I just spat some coffee. I uh..." Ashton trailed off, "I wasn''t expecting that at all."

    "Nobody does." She replied, "But oh well, such is life I suppose. Don''t worry, I can still tolerate him to a certain degree. Just be careful when you talk to him, alright?"

    "Noted."

    Ashton ended the call after that.

    Well, he truly wasn''t expecting that at all. Who would''ve thought that the Oracle''s ex-husband was a multi-millionaire and CEO of thergest technological empire to ever exist in Last Bastion?

    For some reason, he''s starting to think that this was a bad idea. However, he''s running out of options too. He needed people to help him with certain projects for his future ns.

    "Okay, let''s hope this goes well then." He said while cleaning the mess he created.

 Chapter 193 Manny The Tech-Guy

    Emmanuel Crossford, or simply Manny, is probably the richest man alive in Last Bastion.

    It is his genius that allowed him to discover how to use Mana Crystals in conjunction with modern technology to increase their performance. Through his work, many technological breakthroughs urred, increasing Humanity''s quality of life.

    His inventions had brought him so much money that he has enough tost for lifetimes. Yet, he''s still far from satisfied.

    There is much left to be desired in the current era''s technology. And he believed that the first step to making everything possible is by figuring out how to make them work outside of the Last Bastion first.

    That being said, doing that proved much harder than anybody could''ve guessed. Even Manny couldn''t figure out what exactly is that''s preventing them from crossing this threshold.

    The constant stress and repeated failure are what truly got to him. This caused his rtionship to fail and him to descend into the depths of madness.

    He felt even more pressured when he caught the news that the current state of the world was escting to a dangerous level. He felt a sense of urgency and it caused him to lock himself up in hisb, refusing toe out unless he discovers a way for a possible breakthrough.

    He was so consumed by the need to be sessful that he stopped paying attention to the things that mattered the most. His wife left him, and hispany was still there but it''s nothing worse than a cold machine factory at this point.

    He was alone, he doesn''t even have a kid. He''s been reduced to a sad, sad existence that most people wouldn''t even recognize at this point. And deep down, Manny''s aware of this.

    He isn''t stupid, he knows the sin hemitted, and he''s not really hoping for any kind of salvation or forgiveness. The reason why he still goes on with what he does was that is the only thing he knows how to do at this point. It''s the only thing he''s good at.

    That''s why...imagine his surprise when his ex-wife practically crashed his ce. Suddenly appearing uninvited and forcing her way in, not minding how much damage she caused.

    And to make things weird, he could feel that she still hates him to the core just from a single nce. She practically dismissed his wretched appearance and told him that someone wants to meet him and possibly work with him on a project that nobody has ever created before."

    His ex-wife didn''t even try to sugarcoat her words. She didn''t ask him toe, she demanded him to do so, threatening that if he didn''t, then the next thing to be destroyed was the entireb itself.

    Manny knew better than to ignore the naked threat of that woman since he knows she will do it if he dared to disobey. Especially after he already gave his promise, she will hold into that until the end of time.

    And thus, begrudgingly if he might add, he had no choice other than to emerge from hisb and learn how to be a human once more.

    ''This better is something important or else...'' Manny grumpily thought to himself as he scrubbed his filthy body, while silently wondering to himself about thest time he took a bath...

    "...good, at least you still know how to dress properly. This means you still have some sanity left intact. Good for you." Felicia snorted in disdain upon seeing hime out of the house.

    "Who am I meeting anyways? Is that person so important that they sent you of all people?"

    "Don''t ask silly questions like that, you might be a hateful gremlin but you are far from stupid." Felicia replied stoically, "Besides, do you truly think that there are other people who could peel you off of thatb of yours aside from me? None, right? So how about you stop scowling there and bring out your car, drive us to the HQ."

    Manny grumbled deeply but didn''t do much to protest. He silently threw a device on the ground which then turned into a flying car in mere seconds.

    Felicia didn''t bother with semantics and directly stepped inside the car as if she owned it. Manny sighed in defeat and took a seat inside as well. Once inside, he tapped his watch in a specific pattern, and then, the car suddenly started flying.

    As good as this car might be, it''s useless outside. At the end of the day, this is just for luxury and nothing more.

    The flying car was already programmed to arrive at the federation. It doesn''t need Manny driving since it''s fully automatic. The interior was spacious yet due to the strained rtionship between the two passengers, it was extremely cold and silent inside.

    Manny kept looking at Felicia, debating whether he should talk or not. He''s been out of touch for so long that he doesn''t even know what to do right now.

    And Felicia...well, she had nothing to say to him right now. To bepletely honest, she doesn''t even want to see this man at all. If it weren''t for Ashton needing the old man''s assistance, best believe that she wouldn''t even bother herself with him.

    She doesn''t want to get hurt again...

    Eventually, they arrived at the HQ. Felicia felt stuffed inside the car so the moment it parked itself, she immediately went out to depress. Manny followed suit.

    After keeping the car back in its miniature version, Felicia told him to follow her, and follow is what he did.

    Upon entering the building, Manny was somewhat surprised by what he saw.<sub> </sub>

    Many people were extremely busy and focused on their work. He could practically feel the enthusiasm and sheer activeness of this ce that it was making him dizzy.

    In his eyes, they seem to be working incredibly fast, yet after looking closely, that wasn''t the case. It was super weird.

    On her way, Felicia was greeted by the employees. Some even handed her some free coffee which she happily took, hell she even felt generous enough to give him one as well.

    And to his surprise, the coffee wasn''t bad at all. He could himself drink more of this if it was avable nearby.

    They passed through several security gates until finally, they arrived at the office where the meeting will take ce. Felicia left them there and told him to wait until someone arrived.

    ? Well, what else can he do then?

    The room he was in was neat and clean. It wasn''t that big nor does it have many decorations either. It''s in but nice enough for the eyes.

    There is a small shelf with books on the side, an office table up front, and chairs. There''s also a sofa and a wider work table at the very center of the room. It''s painted white with red linings at the top and bottom.

    It''s been a while since he found himself in a room that is not hisb. Theck of clutter was somewhat bugging him, making him unable to sit still. Plue, that coffee seems to be kicking in now so he found his thoughts rtively active.

    In his curiosity, he started walking around the room. Checking things out here and there...

    That''s when he saw the neat stacks of papers on the office desk and a rolled piece of a blueprint.

    Looking around him, Manny couldn''t help but be curious. Eventually, his curiosity got the best of him so he carefully took a piece of paper from the stash and read its contents.

    To his surprise, it seems to fall in line with technology as well, his expertise, yet he didn''t have the full context since he only saw thest page.

    Knowing this, there''s simply no way for him to hold back his curiosity now, could he? So of course, he expectantly took the stash of papers on the office table and started browsing through them.

    The more of its contents he read, the more he felt his mouth going dry and his hands trembled.

    "This...this is...!"

    A very ambitious project is what that is. In those papers, information about a huge andbor-intensive project was recorded.

    Every piece of information written in there sent his mind spiraling. He couldn''t believe what he was reading. Furthermore, he couldn''t believe that majority of the procedures written here were methods he never knew existed, and that''s saying a lot as he''s ''The Tech-guy'' in this ce.

    And although the procedures he read werepletely foreign to him, as an inventor, he couldn''t possibly ignore the merit behind them. Even from a single nce, he knew that all that was written in here were possible. Which was even more ridiculous!

    Then, his eyesnded on the rolled-up blueprint he left out.

    With trembling hands, he gently unfurled it as if scared he was defiling it.

    What greeted him was a detailed map of the entire project. Every single corner was filled with so much information that it was maddening.

    Amidst his heavy breathing and sheer greed to learn more about what''s written here, he failed to notice that somebody has been watching his movements.

    Just as he was about to sit down, he heard a voice from behind saying:

    "I assume that you are Mr. Crossford."

    Manny looked back and saw Ashton �� a guy he had never seen nor heard of before, looking at him with a friendly expression.

    "Hello, my name is Ashton West. Thank you foring here despite your tight schedule."

 Chapter 194 Pact With The Devil

    The old man at least had some shame in him.

    He was flustered as he slowly backed away from the office table, rearranging the stack of papers on the desk in his poor attempt of trying to make it look like he didn''t touch anything, though he also realized that this is useless since he was already caught red-handed.

    He lowered his head in embarrassment as Ashton walked past him. He saw him looking at the papers, then he said:

    "Oh, so you''ve read through the files I suppose? Great! This makes it easier for me. Please, have a seat."

    "I-I''m sorry for...you know..." Manny awkwardly said while sitting down.

    "Hm? Ah! No, it''s fine. I was supposed to show this to you anyway. Like I said, you knowing its contents makes this easier for me." Ashton replied, "If you don''t mind Mr. Crossford, can you let me know your thoughts about this certain project? Feel free to be candid, I specifically asked you here for a reason."

    "...it''s very ambitious," Manny said after a brief deliberation. He adjusted his sses and briefly recalled the contents of the papers, causing him to feel amazed all over again. "Very ambitious but also inspiring."

    "Care to borate on that?" Ashton leaned forward, showing an interesting expression.

    "This...''ARC City Project'', it''s something that I personally never seen before."

    "A City that can practically survive any climate and adjust to all kinds of environment while also staying strong and self-sufficient...pardon me but this sounds like a pipe dream to anybody that hears it, especially if they don''t know how this was supposed to be done and they haven''t read the files yet."

    "But...since I read through the files and I have a good background when ites to technical stuff, I can safely say that, while this project remains quite ambitious, it''s usible. I believe that it can be done."

    Manny paused and looked at Ashton who was nodding in encouragement for him to continue.

    "I''ve seen some methods in the files that I''ve never heard of before." He said, "Initially, I thought they were just some random scribbles but the more I look at them, the more I find them highly logical and inspirational."

    "What an innovative set of methods..." Manny softly eximed to himself, his mind turning back to when he was engrossed in learning more from the files. "Although I amrgely unfamiliar with the processes stated in there, I believe that each one has its own merits and could potentially work."

    "However, my opinion still stands." Manny sighed, "This is a highly ambitious project. Mostly because it is a construction of a whole city. It will bebor intensive and time-consuming."

    "Although it is appealing on paper, it''ll be extremely difficult to execute it. After all, we arecking the resources needed to build it."

    Manny''s expression turnedmentable by the end. Ashton on the other hand wanted to grin from ear to ear but he controlled himself.

    ''As expected, I''ve called for the right guy.'' He told himself inwardly.

    It had to be known that Ashton did not include the list of materials needed for the construction of the city. There''s nothing in those files that stated what kind ofposition should be used in order to ensure that the foundation of the city wouldst for an eternity.

    Manny guessed most of it on his own. While he might not necessarily know the exact resource that the project wascking, the fact that he could point that out just from the first nce at the files is a testament to his expertise.

    Now, Ashton was even more convinced that he''s got the right person. And he really wants to recruit him now.

    "I see." Ashton rested his back on his chair and maintained a t expression. He then brought something out of his pocket and ced it on the desk. "Check this out."

    Manny stared at the object on the desk. A frown appeared on his face as he adjusted his sses to take a better look.

    The object was a smooth ck crystal ball. At least externally, that''s what it looks like.

    It waspact and its surface waspletely smooth that one could even see their reflections in it. It''s also the size of a basketball.

    Manny looked at Ashton and asked: "M-may I...?"

    "Go ahead." Ashton gestured, "Just make sure to not drop it, it''ll be dangerous if that happens."

    Manny kept that in mind and then he began inspecting the ck crystal ball.

    He silently admired its appearance and even touched it a bit. Initially, he didn''t feel anything amiss. It seems like it was just an ordinary crystal ball, but for some reason, Manny felt that that was not the case either.

    There''s more to this than what it looks like. So he was determined to find out! Meanwhile, Ashton openly used his smartwatch to kill some time.<sub> </sub>

    A couple of minutester, when Ashton peeled his gaze away from his smartwatch to look at the old man, he was shocked to see what happened.

    Out of nowhere, a pile of tools appeared, forming a small mound beside Manny - who was ring at the crystal orb with bloodshot eyes. He''s holding a screwdriver so tight in his grip that Ashton felt wary that he might actually stab the crystal ball.

    "So uh...any luck? Tell me your thoughts, please." Ashton asked, startling Manny out of his stupor.

    And just like what happened before, he acted like a cat whose tail has just been stepped on. As if he was caught doing something illegal.

    He coughed in embarrassment and silently ced the screwdriver down. He then gingerly kept the tools he unknowingly took out just now, adding more to the embarrassment he was already feeling.

    It was only then that he remembered that Ashton just asked him a question...honestly, what a bonafide mess he is.

    "This crystal ball...may I know where did you get it?" He asked.

    "I believe I asked you a question first, Mr. Crossford. Do tell me your thoughts first and depending on what I hear, I might just answer your question too."

    Ashton firmly nted his ce in this conversation. He didn''t want to lose the initiative since he want things to fall in his favor. He doesn''t have anything against the old man but from what his ex-wife told him, this is the least he could do to ensure that he emerges as the overall winner of this meeting.

    Manny visibly hesitated at first but he relented in the end...he might want to gain some foothold here but his curiosity was getting the best of him.

    "...it''s something that, in theory at least, shouldn''t be possible. Like, this is a piece of technology from afar, far future which got sent back in time and somehownded in your care."

    "It is a power source..." he stated, "An incredibly potent one at that. The fact that it could also recharge itself by absorbing mana and other types of energy that already exist around it, makes this thing even more amazing. In theory, it should be a self-sufficient power source that can be installed and be forgotten about unless the situation specicially calls for it."

    After saying his piece, Manny looked at Ashton who was smiling down at him.

    "Do you know what I call that?"

    "..." Manny didn''t say anything but it was obvious from his face that he was interested to know.

    "ARC Core. That''s what I call it." Ashton stated.

    "ARC Core...wait! ARC��!!"

    Ashton smiled even wider when he saw the look of understanding on Manny''s face. He also saw how the old man''s hands trembled as he caressed the core with almost a worshipping gaze.

    From a certain standpoint, Ashton can understand what he''s feeling. The core resting on the old man''s hands isn''t just some random power source.

    It is a power source that could potentially run an entire city for ages with barely any maintenance.

    While it''s somewhat unbelievable that this tiny thing could do wonders like that, judging from the tests Manny had done with the core so far, he didn''t have a choice but to believe it.

    Actually, to think that he just used some crude tools to inspect and test this marvel of a thing felt like sphemy. That is mainly the reason why his hands were trembling, aside from the obvious awe and disbelief on top of that.

    The old man''s heart rumbled with this discovery. He felt as if he was having a heart attack but in truth, he just felt excited and hot-blooded.

    When was thest time he felt exactly like this? Manny couldn''t even remember anymore. He had been jaded with too many failures that he didn''t even realize how hopeless he looked.

    But now...this thing in front of him...it gave him hope.

    Hope that was brought on to him by this strange young man in front of him.

    "What do you need me to do to involve me in this?" Manny decisively asked.

    "Very simple, Mr. Crossford." Ashton took out a stack of papers and pushed it onto his desk. "All you need to do, is to sign this contract and you''d be the leading figure for this whole project."

    Sufficed to say that, on that day, Emmanuel Crossford signed a pact with the devil.

 Chapter 195 Busy Schedule

    [Beneficiary]

    [Morning Sun Federation]

    Type: Governmental Office

    Enhancements Avable: 80+

    Upgrade Paths: 5

    Statistics:

    Workforce Satisfaction: 75%

    Work Efficiency: +45%

    Security: Good

    Talent Development/Attraction: +50%

    Current Trend: Positive

    Subsidiary Force: Crossford Tech Inc.

    ***

    It''s been roughly a month since Ashton sessfully took in Manny, and hispany, as his Beneficiary. While he didn''t get any rewards for taking them in, this month had been very productive still.

    First and foremost, the cult waspletely purged. All of its believers had been arrested and imprisoned where doctors were working to neutralize their fanaticism.

    Free from the dangers of the cult, the curfews and lockdowns were lifted. It was a slow and tentative move but it worked and slowly improved the mood of the citizens.

    Now, it''s like nothing happened. Fantasia was active again and its people feel satisfied. It hasn''t been long since peace has returned but they have hopes that it''d continue from this point onwards.

    During this month, Ashton was extremely busy. He doesn''t even have time to sleep most of the time.

    With him modifying somews for a grand reform while also teaching all he knows to Manny when ites to the new technology, it''s to be expected that his schedule will be packed.

    Thankfully, their progress was noticeable. At least their efforts were going somewhere visible.

    By now, Manny was ready to take over the ARC City Project. Ashton had already given him the necessary tools and resources to start the project. As for the workers though, Manny would have to recruit people on his own. Ashton had ced his trust in him, hopefully, he knows what to do.

    It wasn''t just these two who had been busy though. Technically, everyone in the Federation was extremely busy.

    With the enhancements he bought so far, the work efficiency of his employees improved by up to 45%.

    The employees themselves couldn''t tell that things have gotten different. If anything, the most they noticed is the fact that recently, the office had been rather productive and that''s it.

    Ashton added a lot of system-enchanted stuff in the headquarters as well as the branch offices which unknowingly increased the employees'' work efficiency and workce satisfaction.

    It''s a little overwhelming to think that there''s still so much more he could add in due time.

    As a result of the increase in work efficiency, the operations, and processes that the federation was responsible for, also became much faster. In turn, this is hastening the improvement of Fantasia as a whole.

    The improvementse in tiny increments that are bound to stack up in time. So overall, the current trend would, of course, be positive.

    His other beneficiaries weren''t cking either...

    Mary, Alice, and ke are currently still training. Though they''re in it for a long haul.

    Recently, Ashton developed a ''Game'' using the VR Pods and the Simtion Zone of the System.

    This ''Game'' is based on his journey in the Outside World. From the moment City M was destroyed and transported to the opposite end of the world up to his return back home.

    He included a lot of his experiences there. The enemies are based on the real enemies he faces during his journey back home. He also left out information about the Status Quo of the world there. Of course, he filtered some information that could potentially expose the existence of the System but for the rest, he left them in there.

    And after hepiled all of this, he made the trio y in full immersion. Meaning that they won''t be waking up unless theypleted the game he prepared for them.

    This is his way of revealing the truth he knows to them. More specifically, Alice and Mary. ke doesn''t need to be reminded but since he already knew everything but him knowing that Humanity never forgot his achievements, thanks to the existence of the Grand Archives, might allow him to settle down his past regrets.

    So far, all three of them are still stuck in the very first area. He had seen their attempts and to bepletely honest, they are doing much better than he initially did. That''s understandable though since he was too young back then and too unprepared. However, this entire experience should still be extremely helpful to them.

    Ashton had no idea how long they were going to take but it''s fine, they can take their time, nurturing geniuses like they are was bound to be time-consuming anyway.

    The more important thing he should pay attention to was the development of his own force and the reforms for the Federation as a whole.

    In six-months time, Manny should be able toplete ARC City Project. By that point, the Federation should have all the avable enhancements avable, even better if it has been upgraded to a new state entirely.

    The five upgrade paths avable to the Morning Sun Federation are: Council of Saints, Roundtable Hold, Heavenly Thrones, 9 Guardian Pirs, and the Resplendent Dawn Council.<sub> </sub>

    Each upgrade brings out different pros and cons yet all of them will allow the Federation to be a better leading figure for Humanity in a while. Of course, the requirements for each upgrade were steep as well.

    Amongst the upgrades, Ashton picked the Resplendent Dawn upgrade path.

    ***

    [Resplendent Dawn]

    Hope never falls. Faith never wavers. Will never breaks.

    + 100% Work Efficiency and Workforce Satisfaction.

    + 100% Talent Attraction and Security.

    Trend always remains positive.

    Steadfast Domain - an all-protection dome that covers up the entire territory. Uses Hope and Faith of its citizens as fuel.

    Requirements:

    Mysterious Rainbow Mageroot Holder

    Citizen Satisfaction: 98%

    1 ARC Core

    System Dependent AI

    ***

    This upgrade path will essentially change the federation to its best form.

    The requirements are steep but Ashton believed that he could achieve all of this. Half of it, he already has �� the Mysterious Rainbow Mageroot and the ARC Core.

    As for the System Dependant AI, it''s referring to Jerry in particr.

    He won''t lie, he had totally forgotten about Jerry''s upgrade. He had been so busy that he didn''t have the time to look after him.

    Ashton already had the remaining materials needed for the upgrade and he promised himself that he''d get into it soon.

    Now, for thest requirement, which might also prove to be the hardest to achieve. The Citizens'' Satisfaction reaching 98%.

    That is a very tall order. Especially that currently, humanity is still in the process of recovery.

    In the meantime, the System had provided a way for Ashton to measure the current level of satisfaction of Fantasia''s citizens, and so far the results weren''t optimal.

    The overall satisfaction only reached a measly 35%, which might as well be nothing. In fact, a few days ago, this was at 20%, which is at a very dangerous level, borderline hopeless even. The only reason why it improved was because of the riddance of curfews and lockdowns.

    It says that the trend was on the positive side, meaning that it should rise a little bit more during the next couple of days, but honestly? That won''t fly.

    35% to 98% simply seem like a chasm, especially knowing that the higher it gets the harder it would be to increase it.

    This is why Ashton needed to develop new ways to pacify the hearts of his people and reforge their faith in the Federation''s power.

    He had a lot of areas to improve upon: resources, food, shelter, entertainment, security, and so on. He also has sufficient time on his hands so he could slowly make his movements.

    That being said, life hardly works in somebody''s favor.

    He should be expecting the unexpected. He knows that while his ns might be inclusive of many variables, something can still go wrong and he should be prepared for it.

    It wasn''t just him who was going to be busy. He shouldn''t expect the invaders to stand still. In fact, he should always remain wary of them because Humanity is far from being their match currently.

    Humanity''s development had been thwarted time and time again due to the simple fact that there is no leading figure strong enough to secure it. Now though, Ashton was here.

    And with him serving as thest line of defense, plus his several arrangements in ce, Humanity can resume its development once more and could even go faster than before.

    It''s still going to be difficult to catch up to the invaders but so long as Ashton was here, it will happen. They just needed time.

    Ashton was, of course, also looking for more talents to recruit. Again, the more Beneficiaries he has, the more rewards he will get. And the stronger they are, the better the rewards he will get, meaning that he could potentially get something so ridiculous to help with his overall goal.

    The Talent Development/Attraction stat on the Federation''s file represents the likelihood of employees developing talents toward their work or the Federation attracting Talented People to work there.

    He''s looking for diamonds in the rough who had a great attitude. So long as he deems them as having potential, he wouldn''t hesitate to offer them a contract. Again, this is all for his overall goal.

    All in all, he''d remain busy for the foreseeable future, and like many people use to say...

    Time flies when you''re distracted.

 Chapter 196 Announcement

    1 year passed by like a sh.

    Ashton turned 20 and had been the Morning Sun Federation''s President for an entire year now. He had gotten so used to being in the position that it felt natural for him already.

    Under his leadership, Last Bastion experienced numerous changes. Each change stacked up and changed the entire metropolis from the bottom up.

    Before, the security of Last Bastion as a whole was minuscule at best. That ''protective bubble'' which is said to contain the will of fallen Heroes was proven unreliable time and time again, and nobody believed in it anymore.

    Well, they''re not wrong for thinking of it that way. It is indeed a false protection.

    That being said, that no longer matters for Ashton produced something to rece it.

    When he became the President of the Morning Sun Federation, it became registered as his beneficiary. Through this, he could make some enhancements to it and even upgrade it to the next level.

    Well, the new protective measure that reced the old one was a benefit the metropolis received after he upgraded the federation.

    [Resplendent Dawn]

    Hope never falls. Faith never wavers. Will never breaks.

    + 100% Work Efficiency and Workforce Satisfaction.

    + 100% Talent Attraction and Security.

    Trend always remains positive.

    Steadfast Domain - an all-protection dome that covers up the entire territory. Uses Hope and Faith of its citizens as fuel.

    With this upgrade, the Steadfast Domain took full effect on the entire Metropolis. Actually, it has been tried and tested since fairly recently, a Golden Sandstorm urred nearby, bringing out hordes of berserk Celestials in its wake.

    But, instead ofying waste to humanity''s home, the sandstorm and the Celestials failed to even make a dent on the domain''s walls. In fact, Ashton didn''t even bother getting rid of the sandstorm, so what if it''s there? It can stay, it won''t be doing shit anyway.

    Plus, he has uses on these poor Celestials so they can stay.

    Of course, the Golden Sandstorm didn''t just bring Celestials to their gates, it also reduced the visibility of the area it covers.

    Again this would''ve been a problem but with the changes around, it didn''t even qualify as an inconvenience.

    Why? It''s because Fantasia turned into ARC Fantasia. Powered by two ARC Cores, a mere Golden Sandstorm isn''t enough to even be considered as an ant in front of it.

    ARC Fantasia could adapt and survive in any kind of hostile environment. Hell, it could even take advantage of foreign resources so long as it was properly analyzed.

    This Golden Sandstorm was in fact, helping the metropolis top-up with some premium energy thanks to it being stationed so near.

    All of this and more had been achieved under Ashton''s lead. And seeing that the Federation was doing a phenomenal job at pushing back the invaders, the citizens'' faith became even stronger.

    Security brought peace of mind and prosperity. Now, tomon people at least, peace was achieved. Since the big man in the office proved himself to be capable, then it''s better to let him handle the problems instead, that''s his job anyway.

    And with the new and improved Fantasia, the quality of life was simply way above the previous one they have. Which in turn, makes them even happier.

    The Federation''s dedication to their job was awe-inspiring, this in turn caused an influx of employees joining their ranks.

    Many talents joined, this in turn just boosted the Federation''s efficiency madly and the cycle continues.

    Gaia and Acacia had never felt so at ease in their entire lives until now. They thought to themselves that Ashton was indeed the gift that keeps on giving.

    In just a short year, hepletely changed how the entire territory functioned, creating a healthier and more efficient method that worked wonders.

    The trend of Humanity''s fate was going up, and their luck was umting fast. Yet somehow, even with all of this, they believed that Ashton was far from satisfied.

    And indeed, it''s exactly as they thought...

    Don''t get him wrong, the current progress was something he''s proud of, but it''s far from enough to contend with what the invaders have. But since time was on their side, he could go at his own pace.

    But right now, he has something that could potentially spark a wildfire in terms of Humanity''s future development.

    And it all starts with a city-wide announcement...<sub> </sub>

    During one idle afternoon, when many people were enjoying some time off work by chatting, eating, or taking a nap, an announcement urred.

    "Greetings Knights and Mages!"

    Two women with fiendishly stunning looks appeared on the huge screens all across the metropolis, catching everybody''s attention. These women are none other than Alice and Mary.

    "On behalf of the Morning Sun Federation, we are excited to announce the establishment of the Mystic Guild," Mary said.

    "What is this Mystic Guild you ask, well let us exin it to you." Alice stated as the background changed.

    "The Mystic Guild is almost like an organization exclusive for Knights and Mages. Joining us would not only give you ess to all sorts of rare and elusive resources needed to increase your strength, but you can also ess knowledge and all sort of tools that will allow you to sharpen your skills."

    "Let''s face it, our world is very dangerous." Mary continued, "With the consistent attack of invaders, it''s only natural that we would seek a way to secure our lives right? The Mystic Guild was created for this specific reason."

    "Cultivation was a gift discovered by our predecessors, ever since then, it became an integral thing closely tied to our survival. We have gathered sufficient knowledge about cultivation and created several tools which will help reach your true potential."

    "If you want to progress and achieve more than what you have now, then don''t hesitate to sign-up! We have schedules for 8 am-8 pm starting November 24, a minimum of 16 years old could sign-up. The venue would be at the Federation HQ so you won''t miss it!"

    "And for transparency, we''d like to say you won''t simply be given resources just because you attended and signed up. As the popr saying goes; ''With great power,es great responsibilities.'' Of course, we''d expect something out of you."

    "Plus, most of the resources would be locked behind missions anyways. So long as youpleted the mission, it''s yours."

    "Your growth will ultimately depend on your grit and determination. So if you want to be stronger for the sake ofpleting your personal goals, then feel free to join us."

    "Again, Mystic Guild''s recruitment will start on Nov.24 from 8 am-8 pm. We will only ept a total of 100 people initially so please be patient with us."

    "That would be it for today, thanks for tuning in, and have a nice day ahead."

    The announcement caused a sensation in the masses, many people started wondering if they should join while others are already raring to go.

    Meanwhile, the girls who did the announcement looked visibly exhausted. Their shoulders slumped and they couldn''t stand up properly.

    Ashton was near them when this happened, so Alice asked: "was this really necessary?"

    "Of course it is!" Ashton eximed. "You can''t seriously think that we could just build out a sect and just expect people toe and magically be interested! We''ve got to start somewhere."

    "...hate to be that guy but, he''s right you know." ke who was behind the camera stated.

    "Well, why didn''t the two of you do it instead?" Mary asked.

    "Oh, don''t ask questions you know the answers to." Ashton waved his hand dismissively.

    "Right, he''s using our sex appeal to fill out the number of people that''ll sign-up," Alice replied.

    "Why do you sound like I asked you to expose your naked body to the masses?" Ashton feigned a hurt expression. "Look, it''s just one time. Just a primer, if you will. So long as we bring in results, you girls won''t be needing to do that again."

    "Plus, you received your talent fees, no?" ke supported on the side. Which caused Ashton to give him a thumb''s up.

    The girls turned silent because they knew the boys were right.

    It''s not as bad as they''re trying to make it sound. If anything, they''re justining since they had to rehearse their lines a lot of times because they have no idea how to do this whole thing. And that''s mainly their problem.

    Plus, they indeed have a stronger pull on the massespared to the boys, as much as they didn''t want to admit it.

    "Alright, whatever. Let''s just hope that this works cause I''m never doing that again." Alice stated.

    "Yes, I''m hoping for positive feedback as well." Ashton replied.

    He''s probably more nervous about this than taking up office as the new president. It''s somehow understandable though since this was something he created on his own. His friends are only helping him a little bit.

    Nevertheless, the announcement has been made. There''s only a week before the registration urs.

    Ashton would be busy all over again but that''s fine. If anything, he''s very excited about what''s toe next. The

 Chapter 197 D-Day, Mystic Guild Recruitment

    Fantasia was set into motion ever since the announcement. It had practically be the talk of the town per se.

    It has been a while since the Federation did anything remotely close to a call for arms. Not that it''s necessarily a bad thing but some would be lying if they said they weren''t worried.

    However,pared to those who were overthinking, many people thought that the announcement came at an opportune time.

    There were cultivators around who weren''t affiliated with any organization, so seeing the announcement caused them to feel a little tempted. After all, it was said that they''ll be given ess to all sorts of resources, which they badly needed to advance.

    All of this happened while Ashton and his friends prepared for the reception.

    The venue would of course be the Grotto Heaven, a ce that had grown with Ashton during this past year and had been terraformed to make it perfect for a base. West Two worked really hard to transform the entire ce, now it is ready to be used.

    Time passed by and then, it was D-day.

    Today was Nov. 24, the scheduled recruitment for the Mystic Guild.

    Ashton could be seen standing in front of a ss mirror. He''s at his office where he has a perfect view of his surroundings. Peering down, he could see a long line of people waiting outside.

    These range from old to young, men to women, and everything in between.

    He won''t lie, he''s a little shocked by the number of people who wanted to join. He''s expecting some but not this many.

    Thankfully though, there is a limited amount of slots avable for registration. That being said, choosing from so many people might prove to be more difficult than he initially expected.

    ''Well, it''s a good thing I have ns for this specific event.'' He mused to himself.

    Indeed, had it not been for his thoroughness, this might prove more challenging to pull off. However, since he''s ready for this, then everything should turn out fine.

    ''Let''s see if someone interests me today.'' Ashton smiled and returned to his seat.

    While Ashton continued working in his office, his friends and girlfriend are busy trying to amodate all who appeared.

    There were some employees from the Federation who were helping them with the paperwork and the technical stuff but even still, they feel like their hands were always full.

    "...all of you who had passed the 3rd screening, please follow me." Aria yelled.

    A few people stood up and followed her to a separate room.

    Aria didn''t have to look at them to know that they are acting like kids who just entered a magical portal. Admittedly, the interior of the headquarters was a little bizarre, in a good way of course.

    Through the changes that happened fairly recently, the entire headquarters experienced a makeover. It lookspletely modern, hell it could even be described as futuristic!

    And this sight is only avable inside the HQ, so of course, some people were bound to be curious.

    Sadly, now isn''t the time for any of that.

    Eventually, they arrived at one of the vacant Rooms. Aria entered followed by the crowd behind her. Once their inside, she began talking:

    "Wee to the Morning Sun Federation''s Headquarters. The current president was kind enough to allow us to use this ce temporarily for our tests. I''m telling you this to set expectations, this ce isn''t where the guild will start. We have a proper location for our organization. The reason why this is taking ce here is that only those who pass all of the tests will be allowed to take a step there."

    "Right, my name is Aria. I am the Chief Artificer of the Mystic Guild. I''m here acting as some sort of an examiner for all of you."

    The crowd listened to her words intently, seemingly afraid to miss out on a single syble.

    It''s a bit hard to tell if they''re doing this because they truly want to listen or because of some kinky shit she rather not know.

    "You''ve passed the screenings we have set up so far, congrattions. However, you''re not out of the woods yet."

    "The first three screenings were ced to filter out a bad batch. Since you passed that, then that means you have some promise, we just don''t know how much. Well, the following test will let us see if you truly have what it takes to be one of us."

    "Jerry, your turn."

    "Yes, Mistress."

    The crowd was stunned and alert. They looked around searching for the source of the voice only to find no one.

    "Eyes in front please, all of you." The robotic voice sounded once more

    Then, to everyone''s amazement, they discovered that the wall in front of them turns out to be arge screen which is now disying Jerry''s avatar.<sub> </sub>

    "Good day to you, Ladies and Gentleman. My name is Jerry, I am the Bulter AI of the Mystic Guild." He said, introducing himself. "Please pay attention because I am about to reveal the contents of your next examination."

    The crowd wasn''t given any moment to let their guard down, it seems. They weren''t even allowed to think too much about this AI that was talking to them right now.

    They then saw Jerry swiping his hand and revealing a scene in front of them.

    The video was a little bit fuzzy and barely had any visibility. There seems to be some sort of sandstorm happening, which somewhat confused them.m

    Then, they heard a low and gritty growl. The surroundings cleared out for a bit and the form what just made that sound was revealed.

    "What is that?"

    "Some kind of a monster it seems? But it has the same shape as a human."

    "That''s an Angel. Technically, it''s not wrong to call them monsters since they''re very dangerous. At least that''s what I heard."

    "It looks mad, did something happen?"

    That''s when the video suddenly zoomed out and disyed a horrifying scene that they''ll never be able to forget.

    As it turns out, there wasn''t just a single one on the video. There were more than they could. The worst part is when the video zoomed out enough to reveal that there were still more and this horde was currently bashing on the invisible barrier of Last Bastion.

    None of them could believe what they were seeing, that scene was so horrifying that it made their skin crawl.

    And then, arguably the most horrifying part of it all, was when the video started zooming in until the perspective changed and disyed them on the screen.

    The crowd panicked for a bit, but before they could protest, Jerry cuts them off.

    "What you saw, is a real-time disy of what the status of the world beyond our walls was like. Don''t worry, despite the seemingly horrifying number of invaders outside, they wouldn''t get it. They''ve been trying to for weeks now and they haven''t seeded yet so it''s safe to assume that they can''t."

    "Okay, if that''s the case, why show us this?" One of the participants asked.

    "I was about to talk about that, actually." Jerry politely replied. "We showed this to you because it has something to do with your next exams."

    "Don''t tell us..."

    "If you''re thinking that we are asking you to kill those things, then yes, that is indeed our intention."

    "Dude! No way! That''s suicide, there''s way too many!" One of the participants protested.

    "Did we say that we''re asking you to kill all?" Jerry tilted his head while asking, causing them to be silent. "Please wait until I''m finished exining. Then you can ask questions."

    "..."

    "This will be your final trial." Jerry continued. "Your task is to kill one angel or a demon. If you''re going after an angel, do bring back the halo, eyes, and wings as proof. If you''re going after a demon, bring back their horns, eyes, and bones. One set for each of you."

    "You can either do this as a group or individually, it''s up to you."

    Jerry waved his hand again, and then apartment popped up from their seat.

    In thatpartment, a box could be seen. Then, Jerry continued talking...

    "That box contains a badge that you must wear if you decide to participate in this test. It will record your journey as additional proof. Bring it back to us along with the set of your chosen bounty and you''dplete the final task."

    "Should you find yourself in grave danger, please do not hesitate to crush the badge. That will release a barrier that could teleport you directly back here. Do note that should you do that, you are also forfeiting from the final trial."

    "Of course, if you can collect a set first before crushing the badge, then you''d still be qualified. Please refrain from any form of cheating because we''d also be monitoring your actions in real-time."

    "And should you find yourselves a little bold, then feel free to hunt more than one set of the requirements. The excess can be exchanged for resources listed here."

    A list of resources appeared on the screen along with their exchange requirements.

    "As we said from the announcement, we do notck resources to help with your growth, however, what you get will ultimately depend on how determined you are."

    "That''s basically all there is for you to know about the final task. Do you have any questions?"

 Chapter 198 Sword In The Stump

    "Justin! Hey, Justin! Come on, wait up, please! Can''t we rest for a bit? We''ve been walking for hours now."

    "Trust me, Doug. I wanna rest too, but we both know we can''t afford that kind of luxury. Just endure it a bit more. We''re nearly there."

    In the middle of a deserted road, under the harsh re of the scorching sun, two men could be seen walking down the road.

    Just from a nce, it is obvious that both of them were tired. Their clothes were drenched in sweat and they were panting so much.

    The heat of the sun was forcing them to consume their water supply at an rming rate. Even with the conscious idea that they should be conserving it, they just can''t help it.

    This road that they''re on, was a rather obscure path that has been unused for quite some time. Nobody really knows why but nobody uses these roads anymore. It''s not like it''s under construction or something, it''s still functional albeit a little dirty, and that''s mainly because nobody maintaining it anymore.

    "Are you even sure that we''re going on the right way?" The man named Dougined, "There''s nobody here? How are we supposed to go outside from here? Would we even find what we''re looking for here?"

    "Just trust me, Doug. I know this path, my Dad used to bring me here before regrly. I know it like the back of my hand. This will be worth it, I promise." Justin replied, trying to convince his friend to keep going.

    "...we should''ve at least brought a car or something. How did you even convince me to walk all the way there? It just doesn''t make sense!"

    "This road isn''t essible by any automobile, Doug. I thought I told you that earlier?" Justin replied, "Plus, I didn''t convince you. It was you who wanted toe with me. That''s why I don''t understand why you''reining too much."

    "Hey! I might....be a lot of things...but a deserter is not. Ain''t no way I''m letting you fight angels on your own."

    As it turns out, both of them were participants in the Mystic Guild''s recruitment.

    "And I appreciate that, truly. But please, stop whining. Save your energy for the uing fight instead."

    Justin and Doug were childhood friends. They grew up in City N with a rtively peaceful and normal environment.

    That''s until the disaster of City M urred...

    Being their neighboring city, all citizens of City N mourned for the loss of so many lives, but more importantly, they grew afraid of what wille next.

    A whole city, gone, just like that. Nobody even knew how exactly it happened, they just all knew that it disappeared from the face of the earth and that''s it.

    And as it turns out City N''s citizens had every right to be afraid. Not only because of the possibility that they are next on the list but also because nobody wants to die.

    Sadly, even with preparations on hand, they still couldn''t escape their fate. The disaster still struck and many lives were lost.

    Unlike City M though, City N didn''t disappear. It''s still there, but it''s destroyed beyond recognition. It has been burned down to the ground, and only rubble and scraps remains.

    Some people survived the disaster, and among these people, Justin and Doug were included. The rest of their respective family on the other hand...weren''t so lucky.

    The loss had been a traumatic event for both of them.

    Now that they''ve grown older, Justin vowed to be stronger. He didn''t want to be hopeless in front of those things anymore.

    This is why when he heard about this event, he didn''t hesitate to participate. He had been searching for a chance like this. Now that it''s here, there''s no way he''d miss it.

    Doug on the other hand, joined in because he didn''t want Justin to do this alone. They''ve known each other for so long that they''re practically brothers. There was no way that he''d let Justin go out there alone despite his fears.

    Right now, they are both on the way topleting the final task of the recruitment process. The weird thing is that Justin was so adamant that he was going to take this path instead of the widely essible roads avable to them.

    Doug has no idea what Justin was trying to aplish here, he''s just here for his brother.

    Justin on the other hand knows that this is where their chance lies. If the thing he was looking for was still here, then the task would be a breeze for the two of them.

    They walked for a bit more, nearly passing out because of the heat. Even still, they arrived at their destination.

    "We''re here!" Justin eximed feeling some of his energy returning to him.

    The ''here'' he''s talking about, was a dead forest. And frankly, Doug wasn''t impressed. He didn''t even find this funny at all.

    "Are you seriously telling me, that we came all the way here just for a dead forest? Justin..."<sub> </sub>

    "Shush..." Justin hurriedly silenced Doug. "Save it, just wait here and rest."

    Instead of exining, Justin instead chose to prove himself by going deeper into the dead forest.

    Looking around, this ce hasn''t changed at all. It looks and feels exactly the same in his memory.

    Justin wasn''t lying when he said that he knew this ce like the back of his hand. Even with his eyes closed, he could go in here and arrive at any location he desired.

    But that''s not really why he''s here for...

    At the very core of the dead forest, there is a lone and decaying tree house. Seeing that ce caused nostalgia to hit Justin like a truck, causing him to miss his family all of a sudden. But he shook it off after some time. He had other matters to attend to.

    With a nimble hop, hended on the balcony of the tree house. He then pushed the door open, causing a loud and eerie creaking sound to ensue.

    The interior of the tree house was worse than the exterior. Signs of rot and decay could be seen everywhere. It is covered in dense spider webs and it smells so bad in there.

    Justin didn''t mind any of this, he instead followed his memories.

    Suddenly, it''s like he could see his younger self and his father''s silhouette in front of him, re-enacting the moment when he first arrived here.

    Justin never really understood why his father brought him here all those years ago, and quite regrly too. After all, this City F previously, which is far away from City N. It just doesn''t make sense, whye all the way here just for a tree house?

    Well, he''d probably never know the answer to any of that. All he knows is that, as weird as this might seem, he was thankful to his father for taking him to this ce frequently because the time hase to take what was left for him here.

    Justin climbed down the stairs and reached the base of the tree house. Behind him, was the door that lead outside, around him was a messy clutter of rotting things, and in front of him was the trunk of the tree that supported all of this...

    And beneath him, was a creaking wooden floor which gives off an impression that it will give in at any moment now.

    Justin crouched down and patted away the umting dust on the floor. After a brief search, he finally found what he was looking for. A hidden contraption, which he twisted and pulled, causing parts of the floor to copse, revealing a set of stairs leading even further down.

    Without any hesitation, he took the stairs and arrived at the secret room that only he and his father knew.

    "...yes, it is indeed still here." He murmured to himself upon seeing the thing in front of him.

    It was an old and rusted sword, buried deep into a tree stump. It certainly didn''t look impressive or anything but Justin knows the truth.

    This sword contained immense power. His father told him that this sword belongs to their family and recognizes their bloodline.

    ''One day, when you''re old enough, you must return here and pull this sword out of the stump. It has already recognized you as its owner but you''re still too young and naive.''

    ''When the timees that you find a reason to fight, I hope that you''ll use this sword to uphold justice and protect what''s important to you.''

    Justin can still hear these words being said to him by his father. He didn''t understand it back then but now...

    "The time hase," Justin murmured to himself. "Come, Sword. There are enemies to kill."

    Justin seemed to have heard a faint crying from the sword. Therefore, he ced his hand on the hilt and pulled it out.

    The sword was then removed from the stump and changed its appearance on his hands.

    Justin felt an inexhaustible flood of power coursing through his body. And for some reason, he seems to have learned all there is to know about this sword.

    Raising it above him, he turned into a streak of thunder that broke out of the tree house. He thennded in front of the frightened Doug and said:

    "Come on, let''s finish the task."

    Back at the Morning Sun Federation''s Headquarters, at President''s office, Ashton watched this all with interest and said:

    "Huh...interesting."

 Chapter 199 Hysterical Warrior

    In Ashton''s office, there are at least 10 monitors that are disying numerous scenes.

    Each monitor is disying at least 10 participants, allowing him to see what is going on with their current situation. Each disy is a real-time recording and it automatically switches to each participant.

    Ashton had been observing everything since the start of the final trial. So far, only a few people caught his eye and one of them was the Justin and Doug pair.

    Their perspective was starkly different from what the other participants had. Instead of showing them on the way towards the Outposts stationed at the edges of Last Bastion''s territory, they were going somewhere else different which made their perspective stand out to him.

    Then, he witnessed Justin iming that sword. Which really made him interested in the young man even more.

    "...if my memory serves me well, that sword is the Heavenly Punishment Sword, wielded by the Lightning Sword Hero -- Alexis."

    "That sword was supposed to be his Battle Spirit (a Knight''s version of a Magical Artifact). How did it end up there? Maybe it''s a replica?"

    "No, it''s not a replica. Have you not seen the power that kid got from pulling it out? How can that be faked?"

    "Right, Ipletely disregarded that, huh?"

    Ashton wasn''t alone in his office. His friends were also there as well as several other people.

    His status as the Morning Sun Federation''s new President was already exposed to them. They were shocked at first but ultimately they epted it.

    "That''s the real deal," Ashtonmented from his seat. "What makes thete Sir Alexis from other Heros was the fact that he managed to break through his Mortal Shackles, stepping on to the 2nd Stage of Cultivation."

    "Because of that, his Soul sublimated and his Battle Spirit gained a corporeal form. Allowing him to leave it behind for his descendants along with his inheritance."

    Those who were listening to him hummed in understanding.

    It had to be known that his friends were already exposed to the Grand Archives. They finished the game Ashton created and learned about a lot of things.

    Of course, they reacted strongly to their new-found knowledge, but it didn''t take too long before they epted all of it for what it is.

    And since they''ve gotten ess to the Grand Archives, they''re learned about the biographies of previous Heroes, that''s why they could discuss this openly.

    "Still though...that''s a convenient way to travel." kemented, seeing how Justin turned into a bolt of lightning soaring through the skies at blinding speed with Doug on his back.

    "Sure, but I bet that consumes way too much Mana." Alice pointed out. "I mean, something has to bnce it out, yes?"

    "Well, if that''s true, then howe the kid could use it? He doesn''t have much mana at all. Hell, I''d even say that his mana reserves are pitifully low from what we scanned before." Mary was confused.

    "It''s the sword." Ashtonmented, "That thing was sealed with a considerable amount of mana. Plus, the tree stump it was plunged into previously was siphoning mana from its surroundings, causing the vitality to plummet. In turn, in all the years that sword remained in there, it was steeped in mana, so it won''t be running out anytime soon."

    "Should we consider that as cheating then?" Alice asked.

    "..it is kind of, isn''t it?" Ashton tilted his head. "But no, I don''t think we should."

    "The kid has potential. And considering that he now has the sword in his hand, he will only get stronger. He''s an asset to us." ke made his judgment.

    "Yes, what he said." Ashton nodded, "Plus, the kid''s got some heart in him. He''s worth nurturing."

    "Does this mean that you''re going to take him under your wing?" Mary asked.

    "...well, that really depends on him. It''s not like I could force him if he doesn''t want to."

    "What about his friend?"

    "Ah, that kid..."

    "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

    While Justin was having the time of his life, Doug certainly wasn''t.

    The plump guy was equal parts confused and horrified.

    Confused because of the suddenness of everything. To be honest, he couldn''t recognize his sworn brother anymore even though his appearance didn''t change in any way.

    Horrified because they were flying so fast, recklessly and so high up in the air.

    Doug was many things, and a coward is one of those. He has many irrational fears, hell he''s even terrified of going out sometimes.

    Honestly, he''d much prefer to just stay at home and in the safety of his room, his safety bubble. But he also couldn''t endure loneliness. It would''ve been perfect if Justin was like him but no, he just has to be the exact opposite.

    And he can''t just leave him alone, nor he was willing to be left alone. As far as Doug knows, they only got each other at this point. He''s been so used to that which is why everything scares him out here.<sub> </sub>

    But, the thing that scares him the most, was losing Justin. Therefore, even if it means that he''ll be facing his worst nightmares, he''s still going to follow him.

    The two of them flew for quite some time, and Doug just has to say that he was somewhat impressed in his own voice. He never knew he could scream that loud and long.

    With a surprising control of his newfound strength, Justinnded with Doug. It''s swift and gentle, Doug didn''t even manage to see how he''s able to stand on t ground again.

    "We''re going to start hunting here." Justin said, "Be ready, Doug."

    "O-oh...we''re already here huh?" Doug shivered as he started darting his eyes everywhere.

    It was then that the strong stench of evil assaulted his nose, along with the general feeling of difort and exposure started pressing down on him.

    Doug hurriedly took out a breathing mask to filter the air he breathed. As for the suppression, he''s feeling, he couldn''t do anything about that sadly.

    At this point, he''s starting to question his resolve. Why did he even think about joining Justin for this trial? Why did he even participate in this stupid thing?

    While he did say that he wouldn''t let Justin alone with Angels, he never said that he''d fight. Truthfully, he just wanted to tag along.

    Unfortunately, it''s toote now. He''s alreadye this far with Justin. He might as well give it a shot.

    Justin leads the way with Doug trailing behind.

    Doug kept looking around nervously, jumping at every pitched sound he hears due to how much of a coward he truly was. It waspletely different from how Justin carried himself.

    "..."

    Justin suddenly held out his hand, stopping in his tracks. Doug turned nervous upon seeing Justin''s hardened expression.

    It was then that they met their first hostile contact.

    "J-Justin, be careful!!!" Doug eximed as he was the first one to see it.

    The hostile creature was a mature angel. It has a humanoid form with six pairs of wings and a golden halo hovering above its head.

    Despite bathing in gold and white, the creature looked wrong and sinister.

    Justin tightened his grip on his sword and wasted no time engaging the enemy. He was fearless and valiant, unlike Doug who was cowering behind.

    He watched as the fight went on, worried about his sworn brother and rooting for him deep down. He didn''t want to yell since it might attract the creature''s unwanted attention towards him.

    As much as he didn''t want to admit it, Justin was leagues above him now ever since getting that sword, it''s just that Doug never had enough time to digest everything which somehow allowed him to remain in the present.

    As he freely cowed behind, he waspletely unaware that another angel was creeping behind him. This one looked more wretched and sinisterpared to the one Justin was fighting.

    Of course, this scenario was being watched in real-time by the crew and they couldn''t help but feel worried about the well-being of the fat kid.

    "Be ready to transport that kid." Alice sighed in disappointment. "Honestly, why would he even go all the way there if he''s just going to piss his pants."

    "...watch first, maybe the little fatty can surprise us." Ashton mysteriously said.

    And...Doug indeed managed to surprise them.

    Despite beingrgely unaware of what was lurking behind him, the kid managed to dodge at thest possible moment by diving into the ground.

    Then, beyond their wildest imaginations, the fat kid somehow took out arge Cast Iron Pan and proceeded to deliver a glorious counter-attack, causing a loud...

    DONG!!!!

    To be heard by Justin as well.

    Doug''s attack knocked the angel out cold. And in his screaming frenzy and hysteria, Doug then proceeded to repeatedly smack the cast iron pan into the fainted angel until it was reduced to a mere paste.

    This barbaric sight stunned Justin and the Angel he was fighting into a stupor. It''s even obvious that the angel who was watching was twitching in horror upon the sight of the ruthless murder of hisrade.

    "Oh my..." Mary whispered.

    "A cast iron pan? Really? That works too?"

    Doug was certainly many things...and apparently, a hysterical warrior was one of them.

 Chapter 200 Meeting The Guild Master

    "...you know, when my teachers told me a long time ago that Magical Artifacts or Battle Spirits could take on any form, I didn''t think this is what they meant." Mary stated as he looked at Doug, who was bowing his head in shame.

    It was the end of the day and most of the participants were already returning from their trip either sessful or defeated.

    Justin and Doug were the former of course. Though it may seem bizarre, Doug finished his task even faster than Justin. Though Justin did hunt more than one Angel.

    "Now, now. Don''t get me wrong. I''m not saying this to belittle you, I''m just...well, surprised. That''s all. Anyways, congrattions onpleting the Final Trial."

    "Both of you are now official members of Mystic Guild. Pass me your badges and materials you collected, and in the meantime, sign these papers. Only sign on the uses that you agree with, don''t worry too much, we''re flexible here."

    Justin and Doug surrendered their badges as well as the materials they collected. Then, they started reading through and signing the contract.

    The contents of the contract were an NDA and some important things that they more or less already expected. It didn''t take long for them to finish signing everything. Even after reading through every use repeatedly, they didn''t see any shady uses which made them relieved. At least these people didn''t stoop that low.

    "Done?" Mary asked, the two of them nodded and she said: "Let me see."

    They passed the signed contract to her and they saw her flipping through the pages. After a brief moment, she hummed and nodded, then she looked up and said:

    "Great. Wee to the family!" Mary greeted them. "My name is Rosemary Summers. You can simply refer to me as Mary. I am one of the founding members of this guild and also one of the Team Leaders.

    She then stood up and walked towards the door behind her, she held the handle and paused to say:

    "Come, the Guild Master is waiting for the two of you."

    Mary then pulled the door open to reveal a swirling portal that leads probably where the Guild was located. Mary stepped inside without any hesitation, leaving the two of them in the room.

    "...I already feel dizzy just by looking at it." Doug pursed his lips andmented.

    "Well, what else are we waiting for? Come, Doug. Let''s see what the Guild looks like."

    Justin was excited, he was like a kid whose parents told him that they were going to meet Santa. Meanwhile, Doug was exhausted.

    Understandably, it''s been a long day for both of them. He didn''t understand how Justin still has this much energy and frankly, he was too tired to ask.

    He might as well just follow so that this day finally ends.

    The two of them stood up and walked inside the portal. They felt their surroundings warping vigorously, causing them to feel nauseous. Thankfully though, that sensation disappeared as fast as it appeared, allowing them to catch themselves properly.

    What greeted them on the other side, was simply otherworldly...

    They stood in the vast expanse of a lush and vivid forest. The air was clean and cool, giving an extremely weing sensation to anyone it touched. The skies were clear and filled with a sea of silvery sparkles, forming a jaw-dropping visual.

    Even the moon itself felt extremely close by.

    At a distance, they could see a tall gate. Beyond that gate was a futuristic skyscraper.

    At this point, Doug''s sleepiness promptly disappeared. It was reced with shock and astonishment. He felt a gentle and seemingly inexhaustible supply of mana coursing through his body, energizing him and making him feel extremelyfortable.

    Justin couldn''t believe how dense mana was here, and they were not even inside the guild yet! This is the outskirts of the territory yet this mana density here was easily at least thrice of what''s outside.

    "Come on, let''s go inside. I''m curious."

    Doug was the one who urged Justin to move, this time around. With his drowsiness gone and his interest piqued, Doug marched forward with Justin behind him.

    On the way to the gates, they saw other people also appearing out of nowhere and experiencing the wonders of this ce for the first time.

    They continued on their way until they reached the gates. There, they had to be scanned first before they could enter. They passed through the security and stepped inside the guild proper and the moment they did, they felt the immense difference.

    "Oh wow." Doug couldn''t help but exim infort.

    There''s this certain sensation that assaulted his body, causing him to exim in exhration.

    Whatever that was, felt incredible. He hadn''t experienced any of that before in his life ever, sadly he doesn''t have any idea of what that was. So he turned to Justin for help, but...

    "Justin? Are you okay? What happened?" Doug felt rmed.

    He saw Justin wearing an expression of great difort on his face. It''s like he was hurting badly from the inside.

    Despite this, Justin gave Doug a thumbs-up.

    Really, Justin wasn''t in any sort of life-threatening danger, he just didn''t expect the intense quality of mana in his surroundings, making it difficult for him to suppress a breakthrough.

    Currently, Justin was a Lv. 9 Master Knight, which is roughly equivalent to a Warlock for mages.

    He''s been suppressing his breakthrough to create a solid foundation for his cultivation.<sub> </sub>

    But since receiving the sword anding here, it''s getting more and more difficult to suppress it further. Thankfully, it seems that Justin managed to postpone it for now.

    He breathed a sigh of relief and straightened his back. The pain already went away so he''s fine now.

    "Oi, you two. What''s taking you so long?"

    Justin and Doug heard Mary''s voice inside their head, they looked around in search of her but she wasn''t there. Justin then looked up and as expected...

    "Come up here, take the elevator up to the 20th floor." She told him.

    Nobody else heard this aside from Justin, so he patted Doug''s back and said: "Come, she''s on the 20th floor."

    "Ah? Oh! Wait how did you know?"

    "Cause I saw her there. Just follow me inside." Justin then walked ahead and entered the Skyscraper.

    Once inside, they were once again awed by their surroundings. The interior looked so modern and clean. There was aforting and refreshing scent wafting through the interior of the building too.

    They approached the elevator and rode it up to the 20th Floor.

    There, they were met with a ss door that has a guard stationed nearby. Before they could even say anything, the guard asked:

    "You two are Justin and Doug I assume?"

    "Yeah, that''s us." Justin replied.

    The guard bowed and said: "ID and Badge, please. Sorry for the inconvenience but this is protocol."

    Justin and Doug nodded in understanding, then they gave him their credentials. After confirming that it is indeed them, the guard opened the door for them.

    "Please proceed. Guild Master is waiting for the two of you."

    The two of them went silent upon hearing that. Again, they were reminded that they were meeting with the Guild Master now.

    This caused them to begin wondering all sorts of things about the Guild Master, such as their appearance, temperament, and so on.

    But all of those thoughts were silenced the moment they arrived in front of the Guild Master''s office. They were shocked when they heard a voice from behind the doors, telling them:

    "It''s open. Just push it."

    That voice sounded like it came from a man. The words sounded gentle and soft-spoken yet they rang loudly in their heads.

    Without hesitating, Justine push the doors open and stepped inside, somewhat startling Doug, but he followed him inside.

    There, they saw a normal-looking office. A somewhat ironic sightpared to everything else they saw so far.

    There was a couch, a desk, chairs, and more importantly, a man sitting behind the desk.

    They also saw Mary in there, but it appears that she was about to leave. Before leaving them with the Guild Master, Mary smiled at them and said:

    "Come on, don''t look so stiff. He doesn''t bite, I can guarantee."

    Somehow, her words did not give them anyfort at all, if anything she just made them even more nervous. However, it''s toote since she already left.

    Now, the two of them were left with the Guild Master.

    The man looked at them inquisitively and asked: "So? Do any of you interested to sit down? It''s prettyte you see."

    Right...being reminded that it is indeed past office hours made the two of them somewhat embarrassed.

    They then decide to get this over with and sit on the chairs provided for them. However, the weirdest thing happened the moment they sat down.

    Justin didn''t even see how his surroundings shifted. He just kind of noticed that he wasn''t in the office anymore. And instead of sitting down on a chair, he''s sitting cross-legged on the ground with the Guild Master doing the same in front of him.

    Before he could even say anything, the Guild Master was already talking.

    "You still have some unfinished business with that sword. Settle it down first, then we''ll talk."

    Justin only saw the Guild Master waving his hand before feeling a strange sensation that his new sword was taken out from its lousy scabbard.

    Then, he felt his consciousness being dragged somewhere else...

 Chapter 201 Spirit Cuisine

    "H-huh? W-where am I?"

    Doug looked around in confusion. Simr to Justin, he too didn''t expect to be transported to another location the moment he sat down.

    The difference is that, instead of sitting down in front of the Guild Master, he found himself sitting on a stool in front of a countertop.

    He seems to be inside some sort of a...kitchen? He could see cooking utensils here and there which made this his first guess.

    The Guild Master was there, his back was facing him and he seems to be cooking something as he could hear the hissing sound of a wok plus and could see the asional shes of fire lighting up.

    About a minuteter, Doug saw the Guild Master facing him. In his hands, was a te with a pasta dish.

    Doug caught a whiff of the phenomenal scent, which automatically made his mouth water. Now he just remembered that he hasn''t eaten lunch or dinner either. Both he and Justin took some time going to the frontlines that they''d forgotten to eat at all.

    "Help yourself, tell me how it tastes." The Guild Master told him as he served up the dish.

    On normal days, Doug would''ve been more restrained. He''d probably ask him questions first before digging in, but today he was exceptionally tired and hungry that he didn''t have that kind of mentality.

    As he took a bite out of the meal, his eyes practically shone.

    vor bursts into his mouth, giving him a heavenly feel. He could taste a faint sweetness and bitterness which worked in harmony, creating a unique taste. The pasta was firm to the bite, every strand was coated in that delectable sauce that he had no idea existed before.

    Doug was unable to help himself as he practically devoured the meal in mere seconds. Even staring at the te in emptiness since he couldn''t believe that he was all out of food.

    It''s clear that he''d like some more.

    "How was it?"

    It was only now that he was reminded that he wasn''t alone here. He felt embarrassed for a bit but he did answer the man''s question.

    "It was a phenomenal dish, Guild Master. I don''t know how exactly it was made but it tasted wonderful."

    "Hmm, of course. The taste alwayses first." The man nodded with his answer.

    Then, as if on cue. A strange feeling rose to Doug''s body.

    ? He could feel a certain heat pooling from his gut. It''s as if something was threatening to burst out and he had no idea what it was.

    The sensation became increasingly ufortable until he couldn''t endure it anymore. Whatever it was, it wentpletely out of his control.

    A burst of energy quite literally flooded his body. The feeling was so overwhelming that it caused him to gasp for breath. The weird part was, Doug felt exhaustion leaving his body when this happened. This time, it was no longer a concept, it was actually happening for real.

    Doug could sense a wondrous change happening in his body. It wasn''t a breakthrough, he''s sure of it, but whatever it was, it was making him stronger.

    "W-what...?"

    He''s confused, of course, he had no idea what just happened. Then he remembered the dish he just ate and somehow, he connected this to that.

    "Oh, as expected, it is very effective for those who ate it for the first time." The Guild Master said while drinking some brandy in a ss.

    "...so it was the meal! How? That''s..."

    Doug couldn''t believe it. Food that not only tastes amazing but could also make someone stronger? That''s unheard of! Yet he also couldn''t deny what just happened either.

    The Guild Master wouldn''t lie to him. Well, he shouldn''t be since there''s literally no reason to.

    But still, the fact that something like this was possible...Doug was starting to have some weird thoughts.

    "Spirit Cuisine..." The Guild Master suddenly said, causing Doug to look at him in rm. "It was an idea back then. Making use of high-quality food to make dishes that not only taste good but could also make someone stronger."

    "Sadly, this idea was met with a lot of roadblocks during the time of its foundation. Not only were ingredients expensive, but those who adopted the idea could also only be counted on one hand."

    "Back then, the situation of Humanity was dire, and because of a certain crisis, it became even harder to raise ingredients needed to establish the idea of Spirit Cuisine, resulting in it being shelved and forgotten by many."

    Doug was not a stranger to this tale.<sub> </sub>

    How can he be? This was something that was repeatedly told to him back then when he was still a kid!

    He had lost count of how many times his parents reminded him of their failed legacy, he also couldn''t remember how many times he had seen his father trying his best to re-create the dishes their ancestors invented a long time ago only to be met with failure.

    In fact, that was his father''sst unfulfilled wish. Something that he passed on to Doug before the disaster that killed them, happened.

    "...it wasn''t a sham? Spirit Cuisine was real? What?" Doug sounded incredulous as he said this to himself.

    "Well, I won''t me you if you think of it that way. You must''ve tried it yourself and were convinced that it wasn''t real since you never seeded, right?"

    It''s exactly as the Guild Master said. Doug, ever since the death of his parents, tried Spirit Cuisine many times. Thinking that if he somehow seeds then he would certainly make his parents and his ancestors proud in the afterlife.

    This was how he coped with the loss. Yet unfortunately, never even once did he seed in it. The food tasted amazing, yes. But theyck the punch. Theycked Spirit.

    He had tried and failed so many times that he had already given up on it. That''s why he couldn''t believe that, right now, someone whom he had never seen nor even heard of before, not only knows the history of Spirit Cuisine but also knows how to do it properly.

    "Can you teach me Spirit Cuisine, Guild Master? Please I-...I''d do anything, so long as it doesn''t cross my moral bottom line, I''m willing to do anything in exchange."

    Doug felt nervous when the Guild Master looked at him with a dull look on his face as if he was scrutinizing him. Each second that he didn''t say anything made him even more nervous.

    "Well, there''s nothing much to teach you really." The Guild Master sighed, downing the rest of the brandy. "As I told you, Spirit Cuisine never went too far before it got shelved."

    "I was already nning to teach you everything I know of anyway." He added, causing Doug''s expression to shine. "Not just because you are thest heir of Spirit Cuisine''s founder, but also because you have the proper tools already to seed."

    "The tools to seed are with me?" Doug frowned in confusion. "What is it?"

    The Guild Master shot him a nd look on his face, which somehow made it seem like he was severely judging him for his stupidity. He shook his head and said:

    "How you never even thought about trying to use your Magical Artifact to cook actual food, ispletely beyond me."

    And that''s when Doug felt the world crashing down on him.

    He lookedpletely floored. Losing his damn mind for something so simple and benign.

    Yes, how the hell did he never even try that out before? Heavens above! He was often teased about his Magical Artifact! Most of it went something like:

    ''How are you going to fight me? By stuffing me full of food? Oh, how scary?''

    The idea was literally there! Yet for some cruel and quite possibly stupid reasons, the idea justpletely went beyond his head! the Guild Master was right! howe he never even thought of this before?

    He felt so stupid right now that he could actually cry. The sad part is, he could never back in time to smack himself for not even entertaining this kind of idea.

    "As I said, I don''t have much to teach you since there''s not a lot there is to teach anyways. Again, I''ll teach you what I know and I''ll make sure that you''d actually seed this time around. Beyond that though, it''ll be up to you."

    "You''d be as much of a pioneer as your ancestors were in this path." Ashton stated, "Since you''ve signed the contract, then you have ess to all kinds of materials you''ll need for this purpose."

    "Whether you take this up or not, thatpletely depends on you."

    Doug shook himself out of his self-mortification and looked at the Guild Master.

    This has got to be the first time that someone has given him a chance and some measure of trust. The feeling waspletely foreign, and he doesn''t hate it.

    "I''ll do it. Please teach me."

    "Alright. We''ll start tomorrow in the afternoon." Ashton readily agreed.

    "By the way, Guild Master. Where''s Justin?"

    "Ah, him?" Ashton pondered for a bit before saying: "He''s doing some introspection. Don''t worry about him."

    But is he though?

 Chapter 202 Drawbacks And Starting Point

    [Beneficiary]

    Name: Dous Mcbeth

    Age: 17

    Race: Human

    ? Aptitude:

    Mageroot: Phantasmal Aurora

    Magical Artifact: Heavenly Wrought Iron Pan

    Providence: Gourmet Emperor (Sealed)

    Remarks: A loser with a lot of potential. Train him well and he might actually amount to something.

    ***

    [You''ve received Dous Mcbeth as your Beneficiary. You also showed him hope by showing him that Spirit Cuisine, a technique that was invented by his Ancestors, was real.]

    [As a result, Doug was now hopeful again and is willing to learn everything under your tutge.]

    [��100 Beneficiary''s Return, Triggered! You received: Heavenly Gourmand''s Secret Recipe Book, and 100 Skill and Spell Points.]

    Ashton nodded to himself. The reward wasn''t bad considering that he did the bare minimum.

    The Heavenly Gourmand''s Secret Recipe Book was a consumable so he used it, allowing him to gain knowledge of hundreds upon hundreds of ingredients that could be used for cooking.

    ''I told him that I don''t have much to teach him but here we are...'' Ashton pursed his lips in irony. ''Oh well, let''s just roll with it I guess.''

    After sending Doug away, Ashton shifted his attention to Grotto Heaven where Justin was currently in.

    There was a wretched look on the kid''s face as he sat there unmoving. Ashton could faint traces of blood leaking through the corners of his lips. It was obvious that whatever it is he was experiencing, it must be painful.

    Of course, none of the pain Justin was experiencing had anything to do with Ashton. In fact, Justin brought this all to himself, he''s just paying his dues, more or less.

    See, while it''s true that the Heavenly Punishment Sword contains immense power that could potentially destroy an entire city with a casual swing, this power has a price, even if the one wielding it was acknowledged by the sword.

    Half of the pain he inflicted on others will be his own torment. That''s the condition of the sword for him to use. Note that this only works when he''s using more power than he''s initially allowed to use.

    And since Justin went a little too eager on proving himself, it isn''t entirely wrong to say that he asked for this.

    Besides, he knew that this was going to happen. The sword informed him everything he needed to know the moment he pulled it out. Justine just kind of zoned it out because he got drunk in power, and now he''s suffering because of it.

    Still, though, the kid''s one hell of a talent and Ashton was d that he signed up with them.

    [Beneficiary]

    Name: Justin Willow

    Age: 17

    Race: Human

    Aptitude:

    Physique: Thunder and Lightning Physique

    Battle Spirit: Flowing Thunder War Banner

    Providence: Heavenly Sacred Illumination

    Remarks: an upright young man who lost his way due to the death of his loved ones. Has a strong sense of duty with unhealthy coping mechanisms. Train him well and teach him how to love being alive again and he''d most likely reach his full potential.

    Ashton appeared inside the Grotto Heaven, materializing in front of Justin and sitting there as if he never left at all.

    ''It should be over soon.'' He guessed.

    And just as he was expecting, Justin opened his eyes and wiped the blood from the corners of his lips a couple of secondster. When he re-organized himself, Justin bowed to him and said:

    "Maybe thanks, for opening my eyes, Guild Master."

    Ashton''s lips twitched for a bit before saying: "Loosen up, will you? You''re too stiff, this is why things like this happen."

    Justin looked a little lost when he heard that. Well, this guy might be one of those airheads too and frankly, it is toote to exin.

    "Whatever. So, do you understand now how to use that thing properly?"

    "Yes, Sir!" Justin nodded, "I''ll be careful from now on."

    "Yeah, you do that." Ashton agreed, "But also, don''t be afraid to temper your limits by exceeding your output little by little each day. Just be careful to not go overboard, you might fry up your brain when that happens."

    "Sir, yes Sir!"<sub> </sub>

    He even saluted this time, causing Ashton to sigh.

    "Anyways, here." Ashton passed down a Storage Pouch to him, "That contains the resources you requested plus your signing bonus. I''ve also included the book which contained the rules and regtions of our guild in there."

    "Read it up when you return home. Rest well tonight and report at Guild Lobby by 1 pm tomorrow afternoon. Bring Doug with you."

    "Understood, Sir. I''ll take my leave then."

    "Do you even know the way out of here?" Ashton raised a brow.

    That''s when Justin realized that he didn''t know where he was. And much to his embarrassment, he needed the Guild Master''s help to return.

    Ashton sighed due to his unexpected silliness and snapped his fingers. And just like that, they were back at Ashton''s office.

    "Alright, you may take your leave then. Use the map in that Storage Pouch to know where your dorms are. Your friend already went ahead without you."

    "Understood, thank you once again, Guild Master."

    Justin bowed to him and made his way to the door, leaving Ashton alone in his office.

    He finished some additional paperwork before leaving the office himself. Thanks to the Vorpal Steps, distance somewhat lost its meaning to him, using this footwork, he could practically appear anywhere within the Last Bastion in mere seconds.

    Once he returned him, he audibly sighed and loosened his tie.

    Aria appeared from the other room and smiled at him, helping him remove his coat and his tie. She then coerced him to sit down so she could massage his shoulders, making Ashton groan infort.

    "You''re like...seriously the best...ever." Ashton said in between groans.

    "You''re just tired and hungry." Aria smiled fondly while shaking her head. "Jerry''s already preparing the meal. Go get changed first."

    Ashton nodded and dragged his exhausted body towards their shared room to change.

    It was honestly surprising that Ashton felt tired from just this. It had to be known that he had experienced far worse than this. Back then, when he was still out surviving on his own, he used to get himself into battles thatsted for hours and hours, and barely felt tired.

    Hell, some of his battles evensted for days, which understandably tired him out. But now, simple office work was taking a toll on him like he just faced an entire hoard all on his own.

    He doesn''t get it, and he didn''t want to think about it anymore so he just ignored it for now.

    ''Justin and Doug still need some time to adjust to their new lives from now on. After that, maybe I''ll let themmune with the Dragon Vein."

    "And that would be 5/10 then. If this works, I''ll only need 5 more Children of Destiny tomune with the Dragon Vein before the requirements to upgrade it was reached."

    ''...

    ''Come to think of it, I didn''t receive any rewards from receiving Justin?'' He mused to himself and stretched his upper body.

    Now in his regr clothes, he dragged his body out of the room where he was taken to the table by Aria.

    "So? How many did you end up receiving?" She asked.

    "100 new members in total." Ashton automatically replied. "Wait, you were there! Why are you asking me?"

    "I was there for only half of the entire schedule." She giggled, "I had to return since I received an alert. I didn''t get to see the final results."

    "Ah, is that so?"

    Aria didn''t have to be with him all the time anymore. Since the security of Fantasia was increased. He felt confident to station the Grand Library to their house so that she could roam freely.

    "So, was it only those two you received as your Beneficiaries?" She asked.

    "Mn." Ashton nodded.

    Then came Jerry with their food.

    "Most of the ones who joined were still skeptical or not good enough so only two passed for now. Doesn''t matter though, there''s still time."

    "Right." She nodded, she then turned to Jerry and said: "Thanks, Jerry. Feel free to return to your tasks now."

    Jerry let out some eager whirs before waddling away.

    Ashton wasn''t really looking for any outstanding people to be his Beneficiaries. It''d be fine if they were but more than talent, he valued their morals and will first and foremost.

    He knows that at some point in the future, the people under him will face immense pressure like no other. If their determination was weak, then their talent doesn''t mean anything at all.

    Ashton wanted people who won''t fold or give in to despair easily. He''s notcking resources or methods to raise powerful people after all.

    The battle ahead of them will be long and arduous. There are still a lot of things that needed to be done before it all even began.

    The Mystic Guild is just a small pebble for now. Unable to cause any real waves to the real world, given time, Ashton could certainly turn into a hegemon that will shake the entire world.

    For that, he needed his men to be steadfast. That''s how they''re going to survive and how they''ll keep going.

    But as far as things considered...this isn''t a bad start. He could certainly work with this.

 Chapter 203 Moles

    The Mystic Guild was still in its early days so, of course, everything starts off small.

    The 100 people who got epted yesterday had all woken up from a good night''s sleep and gathered at the Guild Hall. There, they socialize, order food or just hang out if they want to.

    The Guild Hall was huge, it''s pretty much arge open space for everyone''s use. There were also bulletin boards in there where several posters were pinned.

    These are, of course, the mission that Guild Members could take should they need to earn Guild Points to exchange for the Guild''s resources.

    There are a lot of people who were already gathered in front of these bulletin boards, eyeing the missions in interest. Some missions required more than one person while others could be taken solo.

    The highest mission they saw so far was an S-Rank Mission, and that has something to do with the outside world. Some people were of course interested in this but they were informed that they don''t have any qualifications to take on that mission just yet.

    So far, all of them here are newbies, they don''t even have any mission records yet. Everyone here starts at the same starting line. If they want higher-ranked missions, then they should knock out more missions first.

    Some people already formed small groups for a mission. Even the lowest-ranked missions here, which is D-rank, had some pretty good rewards up for grabs so they didn''t feel any hesitation when taking it up. To them, these resources were practically being offered for free so who were they to say no?

    Registering for low-ranked missions was easy. They just had to scan the mission using their badge. If the mission required more than one person, then the one who scanned the mission should include everyone''s name on the list before epting the mission. Once that''s done, they''re good to go.

    For B-ranked missions and above though, they will have more options.

    The initial process for registration remains the same, only, before epting, they could choose if they want to receive the Guild''s Assistance or not.

    The so-called Guild''s Assistance was, in truth, Ashton''s buffs...

    Should they want to get a strength boost to increase the sess rate of their mission, then they must first agree to surrender at least 10% of the mission''s rewards to the Guild. If they ept that, then cool, they can get buffed. If they don''t, then they could continue on their merry way.

    In case of emergency, they can also ask for reinforcements. Everybody in the guild will receive the distress call and whoever''s closest to the members that are in danger will be requested to help out.

    Of course, aside from the missions, the Guild has still so much to offer.

    Training areas, libraries full of information, research rooms...hell they could even pay for coaching should they need it.

    But of course, a lot of these facilities cost resources to use. And resources are something that they could earn by going after missions. This cycle is simple and very predictable but it works. Even though some people already discovered this trend, so what? In the end, they''d have to do something if they want to earn right?

    And since there are only 100 of them here right now, they practically have all of these resources to themselves. Nobody knows when the Guild will start is recruitment again so while thepetition was still mild, they might as well take advantage of it.

    This kind of hustle and bustle was something that Ashton liked to see.

    The missions his guild members were doing right now might be mundane but it''s still an effective way to spread the reputation of the guild.

    Right now, they''re out there, making society better by helping out. And with how energetic they are due to the encouragement of rewards, many people would of course talk about it. Word will eventually travel until it reaches all corners of Fantasia.

    It shouldn''te as a surprise if, at the next recruitment, there would be more people who''d be eager to join.

    ''Well, here''s to hoping that there''d be more talented people by then...''

    Of course, even though Ashton took on several responsibilities that are too heavy for any single person to carry on their own, he made sure that he never cked off in his own training.

    Actually, raising powerful people is how Ashton gets stronger himself. The more talented people worked for him, the more he would benefit.

    As of the moment, Ashton''s strength was still steadily increasing even when his realm itself remained at Warlock Rank.

    His Spells are getting more and more ridiculous as time passed, with how many SP he''s farming every time he did something that benefits his Beneficiaries, he''s maxing out everything one by one.

    Previously, he estimated that it''ll take at least several years for him before he could eventually break through into the Sorcerer Rank, but with the recent changes around him, that time was shrinking.

    Maybe by the end of this year up to at least the first half of next year, he should be able to reach Sorcerer Rank.

    And this is with him barely doing any cultivation too.

    He''d love to do more but he''s incredibly busy. There''s too much paperwork on his desk that they''d start forming mountains should he take his eyes off of them even for the briefest moment.

    Most of this work is still up to him since Jerry is still learning to process the new workload he has.

    Right, since Jerry is now considered a System Dependant AI, his functions are a world of a differencepared to his old self. Jerry is still navigating his new functions and Ashton has to be there to support him.

    It shouldn''t take long before Jerry could handle this all on his own. By that point, Ashton should be freed from this paperwork and he could finally return to his precious research.

    Ding!!

    "Hm?"

    Ashton got startled a little bit. He looked at the system prompt that suddenly appeared in his vision and saw that he had an unread message from a party chat.

    He opened it up and saw a video posted. He yed it and saw that his minions recorded the moment they arrived at their destination.

    Ashton nodded in satisfaction and wrote: "Good work. Now, move on to the next n. I''ll be expecting great results from all of you."

    "It will be done, M''Lord." They replied.

    The members of this party...were none other than the broken and enved Revenants.

    During the battle back then, Ashton turned them into a joke before abducting all of them. He then received a couple of ve Seals from the System so he used them to nt moles within the ranks of both Hypogeans and Celestials.

    Now, he should be receiving news directly from the Revenants. The best part is that nobody should see the System''s functions aside from them. And due to the ve Seal, their loyalty shouldn''t be questioned.

    With this, Ashton should be able to react ordingly to any movement of their enemies.

    Now, what''s left would be the longest battle of attrition ever.

    Humanity was going in the right direction now. What it needs the most was time to develop. It''s a little bit hard to gauge how much time they have left since they didn''t have any clue about the ns of the foreign races.

    Despite that though, they have to hold on. This might very well be Humanity''sst chance. They couldn''t give up now.

    For this, Ashton heavily debated if he should relocate Fantasia or not...

    Ever since Manny and his men worked to fuse the ARC function to the metropolis, it gained the ability to relocate. And since it can adapt to any kind of terrain or environment, technically, it could be a decent idea to relocate Fantasia.

    They make it go underground, hide it behind the clouds or simply move to the other side of the map, just to stop the army of invaders from probing their general location.

    However, doing this has some consequences as well. Mainly in the form of rming the enemy of their movement.

    A whole metropolis'' relocation wouldn''t be a quiet affair after all.

    Perhaps, it would be for the best if they considered this as ast option. A trump card, per se. That way, the enemy''s army couldn''t prepare for it.

    Fantasia''s gone into hiding in their eyes anyway. They couldn''t probe the fate and destiny of humanity anymore. In fact, that''s the reason why there''s an increased volume of invader hordes,ing to their general vicinity.

    Their defenses could still deal with them so it''s fine for now. And the more the enemy tries to prolong humanity''s supposed agony, the more time Ashton could use to strengthen his race.

    This is a delicate gamble, one that Ashton fearlessly ys with. And so far, he is winning. Of course, there are a few factors that could easily flip the situation around. That is why right now, Ashton was trying to reduce the unstable variables.

    ...like the seal which prevents the stronger enemies from descending.

    Ashton felt the need to deal with that sooner rather thanter.

 Chapter 204 This Works Too?

    [Twisted Heavenly Tree]

    : A rare type of Heavenly Treasure, said to be the product of a world''s desperation. This tree twists around thw world, sealing it from within to prevent any Foreign Races from damaging the world it protects even further.

    : Due to the uniqueness of this treasure, the requirements to use it was steep. A total of 12 people who had broken through their mortal shackles are needed to keep the seal intact. Even a single one missing could seriously put the seal at risk.

    : This particr tree has been around for more than a millennia. Thanks to the sacrifice of humans, it''s been keeping the army of foreigners away from reaching the world.

    : Though it''s not going tost long...something must be done.

    This is what Ashton saw upon scanning the Twisted Heavenly Tree through the System''s Scan and Identify.

    From what''s stated above, it is obvious that this could be a serious problem if it was left like this.

    Ashton might have confidence in himself and his men, but even he would know that none of them are anywhere near ready for the real army of invaders.

    It is such a delicate situation they found themselves in...

    One wrong move and everything would be over. So far, this is a burden that Ashton has to carry alone. He''s trying his best and hoping that everything would go well.

    Needless to say, it is already stated in the description, something must be done to prevent the seal from malfunctioning.

    Right now, everything''s still fine, he still has some time but if he''s being honest, he''d much rather fix this now rather thanter.

    ''What are my options?'' He asked pretty much nobody but himself. ''There''s nothing stated in the description either so I don''t know how to proceed.''

    Looking at the husk of the Twisted Heavenly Tree and the Human Sacrifices used to fuel the seal, Ashton was at a loss for what to do.

    It also doesn''t help that, for some reason, he''s doubting if the Twisted Heavenly Tree was actually doing its job properly.

    "Gaia,e here if you can hear me. I have a few questions."

    It didn''t even take more than 30 seconds before a silhouette started manifesting before him. Gaia heard his call and appeared before him just as he requested.

    "How can I be of assistance?" She asked.

    "Right, I just want to ask...this tree, it''s blocking the real army of the invaders right?"

    "Yes." Gaia nodded, "It has been doing that for a long time now, why did you ask?"

    "Does it not prevent Apostles or Sin Demons froming down here?"

    Gaia looked startled upon hearing his question, then she replied: "It should be."

    Ashton frowned after hearing that.

    "The Twisted Heavenly Tree prevents all kinds of invading races that broke through their mortal coils from descending to the world itself." She continued, "The Apostles of the Celestials and the Sin Demons of the Hypogeans are creatures that fit that description so they shouldn''t be able toe down here at all."

    "Huh..." Ashton''s brows furrowed even deeper, "Weird, I specifically remember encountering them back then when I was in the middle of saving Acacia from the Chaotic Warzone."

    "How are you alive then?" Gaia asked in a baffled manner, which made Ashton look at her in rm. "Sorry, that was rather crass of me. But still, how did you survive the encounter?"

    "Don''t get me wrong. I am aware that you are strong, rmingly so. Even those who broke through their mortal shackles must be wary of you should they make the mistake of bing your enemy..."

    "However, the Apostles and the Sin Demons are in apletely different level of existence altogether. Suffice it to say, if they wanted to, they could potentially destroy this entire world within minutes."

    "To bepletely honest with you, I don''t see yousting even a single minute against them in your current level of strength. So the fact that you manage to encounter, not just an Apostle but a Sin Demon too,ing out alive to tell the tale, is somewhat unbelievable to me."

    Ashton could understand where she wasing from.

    Judging from what she said, it''s obvious that she has a clear grasp of how strong these supposed Apostles and Sin Demons were. And if that''s true, then he understood why she couldn''t believe he survived.

    If he were in her position, he''d be surprised too.

    So now, instead of doubting whether the Twisted Heavenly Tree was working or not, he was now doubting his encounter with those two.

    With how strong those two were supposed to be, he shouldn''t have made it out alive in their presence. Even though he could always hide within the Grand Library, there''s no way he could''ve had enough time to do as much damage as he has done back then.

    "...maybe they sent an Avatar instead? Like a doppelganger of some sort. Or maybe they crippled themselves to descend here instead." Ashton mused out loud.

    "It''s most likely the former rather than thetter." Gaia stated, "As far as I know, the Celestials do mess with cloning a lot. And Demons are naturally not too far behind them. I don''t see them purposefully weakening themselves just to descend here and wreak havoc. They''re too prideful for that."

    "...right, that''s also one of the secrets behind their false immortality. How can I forget?"

    Ashton shook his head and sighed.

    Well, that pretty much confirmed it. What he encountered back then was an Avatar of an Apostle and a Sin Demon. They weren''t the real deal and because of the limitations, he was able to do the things he did back then.

    That was a dodged bullet, to say the least though. Thankfully what he encountered were mere Avatars, if they were the real ones then he would''ve most likely died back then.

    "...still, them being able to send down an Avatar of those in that caliber, that''s a bit problematic. They managed to find a way to circumvent the rules of the Twisted Heavenly Tree."

    "I wouldn''t be surprised if all of the Apostles and Sin Demons sent an Avatar toe down here. They''d probably be at Laguna or the Qlipoth." Ashton pointed out.

    As much as Gaia hates to admit it, he''s most likely right. The sad part is that she can''t do anything about this.

    Giving birth to the Twisted Heavenly Tree already took out a lot from her world. She couldn''t exactly me the loopholes on the tree nor she could openly use the Invaders of cheating either cause really, what''s that going to do?

    "Well, we can only take this one step at a time. You may return." Ashton said, dismissing Gaia since he has nothing to ask her anymore.

    As soon as Gaia disappeared, Ashton was back to square one...

    How exactly was he supposed to help the Twisted Heavenly Tree? He couldn''t ask Gaia because that might force him to tell her about the existence of the System and he just doesn''t want to do that.

    He didn''t want to confirm it even if some people had their guesses, so he could only rely on himself at this point.

    "...I wonder if this would work." He mused to himself.

    He took out a Beneficiary Contract from his Inventory and showed it to the tree.

    "..."

    He blinked and started turning the page of the contract one by one as if he showing it to the tree.

    "..."

    Once he was done, he pointed at the spots where a signature was required and held out the contract by hand.

    "...shit, what am I doing?" Heughed hollowly. "I must''ve looked like a clown just now."

    He shook his head and was about to leave when all of a sudden, he felt movement around him.

    Ashton turned around, just in time to see a single vine of the Twisted Heavenly Tree rising from the ground and streaking toward him.

    He was caught off guard that hepletely forgot to defend himself. Thankfully, the vine didn''t intend to hurt him. Instead, it wrapped itself on the clipboard he was holding which contained the contract.

    Then, it squeezed out its own essence and smeared it precisely on the signature line.

    The contract then dissolved into a streak of light and fused with the tree. And under Ashton''s expression of disbelief, multiple System Prompts appeared before his eyes.

    [Congrattions on gaining another Beneficiary through...unorthodox means. The Twisted Heavenly Tree was moved (literally and metaphorically) by your intentions.]

    [��500 Beneficiary''s Return, triggered. You received: World Reflecting Mirror x1, Spell and Skill Points x250!]

    [Beneficiary]

    Name: Twisted Heavenly Tree

    Type: Nature''s Heavenly Treasure

    Remarks: A malnourished sapling, yearning for care and nutrition.

    Enhancements Avable: +10

    Upgrade Paths: +3

    Ashton couldn''t believe what he was seeing right now. His mouth was agape as he stared back and forth between the empty clipboard and the tree itself.

    Beyond everything else, all he could truly say at this point was:

    "Holy shit! This works too?"

    Truly, what a bizarre day this was.

 Chapter 205 Guidance

    "...how are they doing so far?"

    In his office, Ashton stood in front of the ss window with his hands behind him. Felicia, the old Oracle, was sitting down on the opposite side of his desk, saying:

    "Great so far." She stated, "The menial missions they''re doing was allowing us to maintain order and peace throughout the metropolis. A lot of work was being done each day. Estimates show that we might get most of them done ahead of the anticipated deadline."

    "Good. How are we managing our stocks then?"

    "Honestly, the drain isn''t that severe. Probably because there are only 100 people so far. They barely made a dent in the resource pool. Plus, with the amount we''re generating from other sources, we''re replenishing them as quickly as it''s being consumed."

    "I assume that we''re moving forward with the expansions then?"

    "Yes, it''s already under construction. We''re also starting another round of recruitment by the end of the week. We''re just waiting for your further instructions."

    Ashton frowned and faced her. He then asked: "Instructions for what exactly?"

    "The contents of the tests!" She stated, "We thought we''d use the same thing for the first few tests to filter out the participants but we''re at a loss for the final test. We were hoping that you could give us some suggestions at least."

    "Ah, that..."

    It has been three months since the Mystic Guild has been established. Three months where the first batch of guild members started bing active and changing Fantasia for the better.

    Though three months wasn''t a long time, it was enough to establish the Guild''s reputation with the masses. Due to the nature of the missions they have and the generous rewards it gives, a lot of progress has been done.

    It''s crazy how a small group of people could have that much effect on the entire poption. But the proof was right there in front of them, it''s something that can''t be denied.

    Now, that the guild settled down. It''s about the right time to recruit more people to join. With the recent expansions being done with the anticipation of introducing more people to the guild, they''re ready to start another round of recruitments once more, they just need Ashton''s final input that it''d be set into motion.

    "Well, feel free to use the captives. We caught them specifically for this purpose anyways."

    "...should we use the mid-tier Angels and Demons then?" She asked.

    "Let the participants choose." Ashton stated, "Make sure you tell them the risk first before you move on. If the participants still decided to do it, then allow them to pick how strong their enemies would be."

    "If they chose an Infant Angel or Demon, tell them they''re going to face three. If they picked teenagers, they''ll fight two. If they picked an Adult, they''d face it one on one."

    "To pass the trial, they''d need tost at least 15 minutes against their chosen enemy. Give them a bonus if they killed some or all. You all can decide about the rewards."

    "Alright, we''ll go with that." Felicia nodded after jotting his instructions down in her notebook. "How many should we recruit this time?"

    "Same as the first batch." Ashton replied, "Then, after the recruitment period, we''ll tighten up thepetition for resources. It''s about time they feel more pressure so that they grow faster."

    Ashton looked through the clear ss windows once more peering down on the entire Fantasia in this view.

    "We might need to send people off on expeditions soon."

    "...what am I doing wrong?"

    Justin grumbled as he slumped on the ground, panting in exhaustion.

    He didn''t mind the heaviness he felt as hey down there. He also didn''t mind how his hair was sticking to his forehead and how much he was drenched in his sweat.

    Justin can''t feel his arms anymore with how much training he has been doing. The frustrating part about this is that his training was for something he used to be able to do, but somehow, due to some mysterious reason, he had forgotten how to do it.

    "Why can''t I do the basic Sword Intent enhancement anymore? I used to be able to do it just fine back then. What in the world happened?"

    Justin truly couldn''t understand it. He didn''t know why his Sword Intent seemingly vanished out of nowhere. He used to be able to use it fairly easily back then.

    His Sword Intent was in its rudimentary form. Meaning that it''s nothing too impressive yet. He could only use it to amplify the sharpness of the sword he was holding.

    That being said, the fact that he was able to condense a Sword Intent this early was a testament to his talent. It had to be known that Sword Intent was usually something that Grandmaster Knights studied ''after'' reaching that level of cultivation.

    Justin had tried different ways to rouse his Sword Intent and it has been a month since he started, however, he''s still at a loss.

    "...I should ask Guild Master for help."

    "I''m here, what do you want?"

    "Shit!!!"

    Justin''s soul nearly jumped out of his body due to how badly he was startled. He held his sword in rm as he searched through the room only to find Ashton staring at him with an unimpressed gaze.

    "Geez, I can never get used to that." Justin sighed in relief after finding out that it was just Ashton.

    "I''ve arrived here more than a minute before I even spoke. You really need to work on your Field Awareness."

    "I know." Justin grumbled while sitting down.

    Seeing the dude''s defeated expression, Ashton didn''t continue making fun of him. Instead, he asked:

    "What got you so down?"

    "...I think my Sword Intent vanished." He grumbled once more.

    Ashton raised a brow upon hearing that, but he didn''t say anything just yet.

    "I don''t know what happened. Before I could rouse it just fine. I was even nurturing it pretty decently if I do say so myself. But now...I don''t know what happened. It became radio silent."

    "I tried all sorts of things already. It''s been a month but not even once did I ever manage to seed. I''m starting to think that it might''ve vanished altogether and I''ll need to re-discover it again."

    "..."

    "..."

    "...you''re an idiot." Ashton spat.

    "Hey! That''s mean." Justin protested. "I''m being serious here."

    "And so am I," Ashton stressed. "It''s like you never attended any of my public lessons so far. I specifically remember me discussing something about Sword Intents two weeks prior and if I remember it correctly, you were present there. If you were truly listening to my lesson, then there''s no way you''d think like that."

    Ashton does public lessons now and then to enrich the knowledge of the Guild Members about cultivation. During those lessons, he''d often be asked certain questions by the guild members and he''d try to answer them as truthfully as he could.

    "But...but...what else am I supposed to think in this situation? You said that it might be because I wasn''t taking care of myself. But I made sure I was and it''s still not working."

    "That''s because you only dealt with the first half of the problem." Ashton shook his head.

    "What does that mean?"

    "I did say that sometimes, obsessing over sword techniques and all might not be good for you and sometimes, the fact that your Sword Intent wasn''t manifesting was because you''re too exhausted and needed rest or your mental state was not in a good space."

    "You said that you have taken good care of yourself. I can see that! You''re obviously healthy and well-rested for the most part. You did well in that. But what about your mental state?"

    "..."

    "How long have you been marinating in this problem? Have you tried to at least forget this first ande back to itter? How far did your own stubbornness take you?"

    "..."

    "And more importantly, that sword in your hand, is yours or your Ancestor''s?"

    That was the straw that broke the camel''s back.

    Ashton witnessed Justin going through the five stages of grief in mere seconds.

    He wanted tough but he prevented himself from doing so, Justin might resent him to death if he did so.

    Honestly, for a publicly acimed genius, this kid was pretty stupid. All along, his problem was the fact that, even until now, he still hasn''t epted the sword yet.

    The Heavenly Punishment Sword had already acknowledged him as its new wielder, but Justin himself still thinks of it as his Ancestor''s sword. That''s the reason why his Sword Intent wasn''t willing to move despite his obvious call to summon it.

    A swordsman''s Sword Intentes from the heart. If the heart isn''t willing, then the Sword Intent will stay dormant.

    Seeing Justin collecting himself with an obvious rity in his eyes, Ashton decided to leave him to his own devices. He already pointed the way, the rest is up to him.

    ''Good luck, Kid. I''m expecting great things from you. Don''t make me wait too long.''

 Chapter 206 Laguna

    At the pr ends of this world, two opposing ces mutually contradict each other...

    The one in the South was an endless field of golden dessert. It''s a ce where the golden light never faded. Amidst the sprawling golden sands, some infrastructures carried a heavy gold and white theme. Marks depicting eyes and wings could be seen everywhere around here.

    Statues of a faceless yet dignified person could be seen as well. In fact, some of those who lived here could be seen actively worshipping the statues as they went about their day.

    But what truly sets apart this ce from other Celestial Camps all over this world, was the thing beyond the thick clouds looming above the ground.

    In thismunity, there is a saying that: ''Only those who were touched by the Divine Grace, could seek audience with the pce behind the clouds.''

    The Divine Grace refers to the Halos angels have, meaning that only angels are allowed to step foot into this ce.

    The ce is called ''Laguna'' �� the pce behind the clouds.

    This is the ''Headquarters'' of Celestials in this world. Not to be mistaken for ''Paradiso'' �� which is their birthce.

    The Celestials had long since imed the South Pole as the base of their operations on this world. This is the very ce where theynded and the first to fall under their control upon their descent.

    All sorts of things rted to the Celestials are in here. And despite the surface beauty and prosperity of this ce, it ispletely inhabitable by Humans at all.

    The Golden Corruption is at its strongest here, any Human who mistakenly ended up in this ce will immediately get swallowed by the corruption and will never leave a trace behind.

    Beyond the obvious corruption of this ce, this is also where the faith of the Celestials towards their god is at its strongest. Here, the ''Miraculous Grace'' was omnipresent, all of the worshipping they were doing was to maintain the strength of their fate which pushes them on to continue their Holy Crusade.

    Today, Laguna wees the return of its representatives. As their status was obviously special, they don''t need to bother with going through the tedious process of security since they have long since proven their loyalty. This gives them a ticket straight to the Pce behind the clouds, where the leaders of Celestials are waiting for any news they have to report.

    "We, Envoys of the Miraculous Grace, greet the Apostles."

    A man garbed in a long white cloak knelt in front of arge globe hovering above a long table.

    This man had tribal tattoos all over his face and body, his eyes werepletely white and his skin was deep bronze.

    Behind him, there were other people, bearing the same tribal tattoos and the same eye features, kneeling as well.

    The golden globe shone some light. It then turned into 13 smaller globes which moved and arranged themselves around the table. After that, a voice was heard:

    "Wee back, Envoys. How was your trip?" The voice that spoke sounded kind and gentle, making anyone lower their guard unconsciously upon hearing them.

    "It went as expected, for the most part, Dear Apostle. We thank you for your concern." The man replied, "Though it pains me to inform you that during our way back, we have met some tragedy which resulted in one of my sibling''s return to the Miracle''s embrace."

    "...do borate more, Dear Envoy." Another voice asked.

    "I wonder if the Apostles have heard about this mysterious rogue who calls themselves the ''White Cloaked Reaper''?"

    The Envoys heard a sharp inhale from the Apostles on the other side.

    "...as I have feared." One Apostle replied with a sigh, "Was this rogue responsible for the other Envoys'' temporary death?"

    The man wore a pain expression and nodded deeply, saying:

    "Indeed. We did not expect them to wield such strength. Despite ourbined efforts, he bested us through sheerbat. We barely managed to escape the encounter. We didn''t only lose a sibling but also arade."

    "So the Reaper indeed does not discriminate between us and the Demons." The same apostle sighed once more. "I wonder what that person''s deal is? Why are they making things so difficult for us? It doesn''t make sense."

    "In the beginning, they only killed from both sides, then their actions elevated until they caused the disappearance of the Dragon Vein itself. Now they''re even targeting our Envoys. My fellow Apostles, how shall we deal with this problem?"

    "Don''t we have anything we can use to track them down?" One of the Apostles asked.

    "We have but we can''t bring it here because it''s too risky. The Heavenly Son probably wouldn''t allow that either."

    "Then are we supposed to just let this little problem grow like this? What if this Reaper bes powerful enough to interfere with our Holy Crusade?"

    "We shall discuss it first with the Heavenly Son. I believe that we could reach a consensus." The Apostle who spoke first decided to put an end to the argument. "For now, we can only ask you Envoys to be careful with your mission."

    "Now more than before, your services are valuable. For some reason, the Heavenly Fate Silk Weaver started malfunctioning some time ago. We still don''t know what''s wrong with it but the workers are trying their best to fix it."

    "Without the Heavenly Fate Silk Weaver, we cannot pinpoint where the next appropriate Tribute will be, so you Envoys needed to maintain your ground within Humanity. Never let them know about this."

    "We shall obey your orders, Dear Apostles." The man replied.

    "As for your fallen brethren, it is fine to mourn for them. However, I do hope you findfort in the fact that they are not truly dead. They have just returned to the Miracle''s Embrace."

    "Someday, the Miracle will bring them back. And with their contributions to our Holy Crusade, the Miracle might even be generous enough to let them remember their past life. By then, I''m sure your reunion will be sweet."

    The men who kneeling down shed some tears but didn''t say anything.

    "Well, that''s about it really. You all may stay for a little while to rest. Let loose for a bit so that you can return to your duty with a light heart."

    "We thank you for your generosity, Dear Apostles."

    After saying that, the 13 orbs of light fused into a single globe once more which continued to float above the table. This meant that their meeting with the Apostles was done.

    The kneeling men rose and walked out of the room. They then went to the farthest corner of the Pce, choosing that ce to be their temporary resting spot before they eventually return to the ground.

    They chose their spots to lie down, closing their eyes to sleep.

    But in truth, they were not sleeping. In their minds, a System Prompt was present, showing messages.

    ***

    [Ashton''s Angels GC]

    Angel A: Damn, good thing we practiced crying before going up here.

    Angel B: Yeah, that''s a good call. I think that made the act more believable.

    Angel C: Hey guys, do you all think that the Miracle actually imed the others?

    Angel A & B: Hell no!!

    Angel A: Did you not see what Master did to them? Use that brain will you?

    Angel B: The Miracle ain''t shit! That''s a lie they use to tell us whenever they want to cover up the whole cloning thing. Nothing ''miraculous'' about that shit.

    Angel B: Oi, Cee! Quit snorting! They might suspect us here. Maintain the sleeping act. I swear if you cause this whole thing to fail I will literally strangle you!

    Angel C: Sorry, sorry! I couldn''t help it. Don''t worry, I''ll be careful from now on.

    Angel A: But still, I truly can''t believe that Apostles never suspected that Master could be Human. They still think that he''s either an Angel or a Demon who went rogue.

    Angel B: To be fair, they don''t even know that Master''s a ''He'' to begin with. This shows that they really don''t have a lot of information about him.

    Angel C: And that''s for the best, right? After all, Master needed this anonymity to buy Humans time.

    Angel A & B: Right.

    Angel B: So...how long are we supposed to stay like this again? Honestly, I would very much prefer to get out of here as soon as possible. This ce gives me the chills, it''s like I''m being stared at permanently.

    Angel A: For all we know, that might as well be the case. Let''s just keep it up for a day to keep the pretenses. Hang in there you two.

    Angel C: Honestly, even before we became Master''s ves, I never liked this ce because of that.

    Angel A & B: Same.

    Angel C: Well, let''s just keep it up. I''m just wishing that the Demons are doing just as well as us. As far as I could remember, Qlipoth is a more terrifying ce to be inpared to this.

    Angel A: At least here, they''re being subtle. I''m not sure if the same could be said about that ce.

    Angel B: I''m sure they''ll be fine. Demons could lie better than us angels anyway.

    Angel A & C: Right!

 Chapter 207 Qliphoth

    The Qliphoth...

    Home to Hypogeans in this world and serves as their base of operations. It is a ce steeped in dark corruption, sin and filth.

    Completely inhabitable to humans, the Qliphoth houses all sorts of nightmare-inducing Demons one could think of. The entire North Pole was their im, turning it dark, gloomy, depressing, and soul-chilling cold.

    Unlike Laguna, the Qliphoth runs deep underground. Some might say that its roots were touching the core of this world, drawing power from it, but nobody has proven that notion before so it''s just spection.

    In reality, the Qliphoth is just a rough imitation of Inferno �� the true home for Hypogeans.

    Inferno has 18 Layers while the Qliphoth that is on this world only has 6yers. Of course, there''s also a version of the Qliphoth on other worlds that the Hypogeans imed for themselves but those are not important for now.

    In lieu of Hypogean Culture, strength reigns supreme here. All manner of conflicts could be decided upon a simple battle to death. Whoever manages toe out alive, either by hook or by crook, automatically bes the winner. It doesn''t matter if they are right or wrong, nor if their actions were justified. If you''re weak here, then it is expected for you to bow down to the strong. It''s as simple as that.

    This is how the hierarchy of Demons works. And due to how many of them there are here, it''s understandable that chaos will always ensue thanks to this rule.

    Today though, it is strangely peaceful within the Qliphoth. The main reason was due to the return of their representatives.

    The Revenants �� or as their respective races would call them; the Envoys hold a certain reputation to their kind that demands respect. To others, the Envoys are just a step beneath the Sin Demons, therefore their presence calms down the chaos of the entire ce during their stay.

    Sufficed to say, the Envoys are respected as much as the Sin Demons here, and that is mostly because of their strength and reputation they held.

    The Envoys returned not too long ago. A ceremony was held to receive them but instead of showing up to the event, the Envoys went ahead and reported to the Sin Demons first before attending the event.

    Much like how it went with the Celestials, the Sin Demons basically heard the same thing from their Envoys.

    They too became worried about the existence of the White Cloaked Reaper, they wanted to know more about the rogue but they don''t have the means to do so.

    And just like the Apostles, the Sin Demons also expressed their confusion as to why they can''t use Divination on Humans anymore, but unlike the Apostles, the Sin Demons don''t look like they''re bothered with it too much.

    The Sin Demons too tried tofort them about the loss of their siblings, telling them the same thing like how their death was only temporary and they''ll experience rebirth once more.

    After they finished their report, they were dismissed and the Envoys attended a ceremony prepared just for them.

    In the ceremony a feast was prepared for them, a feast of both food and flesh. The weaker demons were prepared especially for them to use however they please. These weaker demons are not allowed to do anything that will displease the Envoys since that will certainly spell their deaths.

    Tonight, the Envoys are free to descend into wanton debauchery as much as they want. This is in exchange for their service. The Sin Demons themselves encouraged this behavior, hoping that by doing this, the Envoys will remain hardworking for their cause.

    [Sinful Trio GC]

    Demon C: Why did we even attend this party? Couldn''t we just...make an excuse instead? Honestly, it''s getting stale.

    Demon B: Hang in there Cee. This is for the sake of keeping up with pretenses. We can''t expose ourselves here since they''re legitimately watching us.

    Demon A: That''s true. They''re not even bothering to hide it. If you look at the ceiling, you see a Beholder''s Crystal installed in there. It''s clear that the Sin Demons are watching us.

    Demon C: Let me guess... it''s Lust, isn''t it? Only that pervert would stoop this low.

    Demon A: It could be Greed too.

    Demon B: Either way, the fact remains that we''re being watched. Be careful with your words and actions. Don''t give us away now.

    Demon A & C: Okay.

    ...- 10 minutester -...

    Demon A: Guys! I just discovered something! Holy shit!

    Demon B: ...

    Demon C: Bee is making out with someone right now, but what is it, Aye?

    Demon A: I heard a rumor that some unruly demons were nning to attack Humanity!

    Demon B & C: What!?

    Demon A: It''s true, and I have a reliable source this time around. Do you guys recall Farron?

    Demon C: Is he the avian that Sloth turned into his mount?

    Demon A: Yes. That''s him. This news came from him so it does contain some merit in it.

    Demon B: What exactly are they nning to do?

    Demon A: Oh, Bee. Done with lip-locking?

    Demon B: Shut the fuck up and answer the question.

    Demon A: Alright, geez. Well, ording to Farron, some Demons thought a little too highly of themselves. Thinking that they''re better than us. Their main gripe about us is the fact that we''re working with Angels, and for some reason, they couldn''t ept that.

    Demon C: Inferiority Complex at its best.

    Demon A: That''s what I said! And it''s not like we had a choice. Anyways, this group of demons thinks that they''re better than us and they nned on marching toward where Humans were to eradicate them once and for all.

    Demon B: Huh...that''s funny.

    Demon A: Right? Farron was also confused when Iughed. Don''t worry, I didn''t slip and told him everything. I was being careful you see.

    Demon C: Good! If you leaked Master''s identity then forget about the rest, I''d personally ughter you.

    Demon A: Oh believe, I''d let you.

    Demon B: Okay, stop kissing each other''s ass. What do you suggest we do to those rogues?

    Demon C: Do we even need to do anything? It''s not like those fools could actually do anything in front of our Master.

    Demon A: While that might be true, Master shouldn''t be bothered since he''s busy making ns for his race. We shouldn''t leave these tiny problems to him.

    Demon B: Ah, I know what to do!!

    Demon A & C: What?

    Demon B: We turn them like us! Didn''t Master give us a few ve Seals to y with? Why don''t we make use of that?

    Demon A: Woah, that''s actually not a bad idea, Bee. Clever thinking right there!

    Demon B: Thanks, I try my best.

    Demon C: If we use those, then not only we are making sure to not waste any unnecessary effort, but we can also increase the servants our Master have. Mn! I Support this idea!

    Demon B: I was thinking that we can use them to monitor what happens within themunity while we''re away, after all, we can''t stay here for too long since that''ll be suspicious.

    Demon A: Correct! If we don''t do this, then it''ll be harder for us to monitor the situation here. Honestly, I am half tempted to tell the Angels to do the same.

    Demon C: I don''t think this will fly in Laguna, Aye. The Pce Behind the Clouds is only housing the Apostles unlike here in the Qliphoth.

    Demon A: Ah shit, you''re right. I forgot how secretive those feathery bastards could get.

    Demon B: Now now, don''t go there. We need to remain calm, remember?

    Demon A & C: Right.

    Demon B: Anyway, it seems that the ceremony is nearly over. I suggest that you two bring back some people to have fun with you. It''ll be less suspicious that way.

    Demon A: Ugh, do we really need to?

    Demon B: Specifically you Aye. Back then you were the ones who beds more bitches than usbined. If you don''t do it now, then it''ll definitely raise suspicions. Especially since you didn''t even bother socializing ever since the start of the ceremony.

    Demon C: Well, Bee''s not wrong. Just y along Aye. Plus, it''ll be a while before we get our dicks wet again so just enjoy it.

    Demon A: Damn, okay fine! You convinced me. But how long do we n on staying here? Frankly, I hope not that long.

    Demon B: I suggest three days at most. That''s the usual length of our stay back then. Just being careful and shit you know? We can easily inform the angels about our n anyways.

    Demon C: Right, this chat room is seriously convenient. Master sure is resourceful.

    And just like that, the Envoys stayed for a few days in the Qliphoth, acting normally to avoid suspicions.

    For the most part, it worked. The ones monitoring them didn''t suspect anything at all even after a close inspection. This way, they left just as freely as they arrived.

    Later then, the Revenants will ambush a group of ambitious demons, turning them into Ashton''s ves as well and then sending them back to keep monitoring the situation within the Qliphoth.

    Slowly but surely, Ashton''s Spy Network will expand and will be useful in the future.

 Chapter 208 S-Rank Mission, DBD Project

    "...hey, have you heard the rumors?"

    "What rumors?"

    "They said that the Big 3 was taking on an S-rank mission today."

    "No way! Are you kidding me? Howe I''ve never heard of this before?"

    "I mean, how can you when you literally spend all of your free time in the Gravity Chambers?"

    "...you know what, I can''t even deny that."

    "I know. But I don''t know, so far this is just a rumor. Though if you ask me, I think it''s very likely that it''ll be true."

    "Well...the Big 3 wouldn''t be called as such if they didn''t have a reputation to hold. I think they''re strong enough to apply for an S-rank mission. The question is, which one are they picking?"

    "Yeah, I''m wondering about that too. The S-rank missions aren''t kept a secret. They are posted in the Mission Board for everyone to see and from what I''ve seen, each of them was crazy difficult."

    "All of them required going outside of Fantasia. Dude, exploring the world outside. Geez, the sheer idea gives me the creeps."

    "...but the rewards are phenomenal though. From what I can remember, there''s this one mission where, should it bepleted, the rewards were a chance to enter the ''Law Enlightenment Hall'' for a whole month, there''s also money and free coaching from the Guild Master himself. I''d say that the rewards are worth it, no?"

    "Oh it is, but that''s not something we newbies should bother ourselves with. I''d say that we should focus on upgrading our Badge Rankings so that we can apply for higher-ranked missions."

    "...I get that but still, this is a huge event. If the rumors were true, then this will be the first S-Rank Mission attempt! Aren''t you at least excited?"

    "More like envious, actually. Come on, let''s not crowd the Main Hall."

    Within the Grotto Heaven where the Mystic Guild''s base was located, all sorts of conversations like this were happening.

    Rumors of the Big 3 applying for an S-Rank Mission proliferated among the members and were discussed heatedly.

    With 200 members active and working hard to upgrade their Badge Rankings, it''s obvious that something like this will definitely garner some attention.

    As stated above, if the rumors were true, this will be the first S-Rank Mission application ever in the Mystic Guild''s history.

    Ashton made the missions public for everyone to see. He never had any intentions of hiding them since he thought that the harder missions could serve as some kind of motivation for the Guild Members.

    Because past the obvious increase in difficulty for each mission was a clear elevation of rewards. And that always bes the focal point of the Guild Member''s efforts.

    Clearing missions will reward them with resources.

    Resources that they werecking to be even stronger. Just this alone was enough to increase their enthusiasm.

    In the Mission Board, there are at least 15 S-rank missions, 7 SS-Rank Missions, and 3 SSS-rank Missions.

    Each mission was difficult, serving as a deterrent for the majority of the Guild Members, the rewards they give, however...is another topic on its own.

    Out of 200 members, half were just starting to upgrade their badges. The previous recruitment wasn''t too long ago so they''re still new to the Guild. As for the older members, they are divided into several groups and individual ranks.

    So far, there were a total of 5 established teams that reached B-Rank, and there are 3 teams of A-rank.

    There is no S-rank team at all...

    For the individual rankings, 30 people reached B-rank, and 15 people reached A-Rank.

    Again, no S-ranks.

    The Big 3 that everybody was talking about was none other than Alice, ke, and Mary. They are the senior members of the Guild who had joined since its foundation. They also have the highest records of missions cleared due to their diligence as well.

    Many of the Guild Members idolized these three because of how hardworking they were. Every day, most of the Guild Members could literally feel themotion they were causing because of their daily spars.

    To some, it even seem like they were legitimately killing each other due to how explosive each of their attacks was but after their spars, they''d always hang out together before going on missions on their own or as a team.

    The Guild Members are aware of the sheer disparity of strength between them and the Big 3. Even if they were to band together as a single entity, they wouldn''t be able to block a single all-out attack from any of them, that''s how strong they were.

    But the Big 3 never unted their strength at all. In fact, they remained humble and they freely socialized with the rest of the Guild Members. They were friendly and willing to help out those in need, earning them a higher and better reputation amongst the rest of the Guild Members.

    This is why any rumors that have something to do with them were being followed and monitored by the guild members.

    "Really? This one?"

    "Yes. Why, is there something wrong with our pick?"

    "No, no. I''m...ttered actually, that you picked this one out of everything there. This is going to be extremely challenging too."

    "Well, the rewards are tempting enough so it got our attention."

    "Alright, this will be it then? Remember, once I register this, there''s no turning back so make up your mind."

    "We''ve decided, this is it. Go ahead and register it for us."

    "Very well."

    Ashton nodded and updated the mission board.

    ***

    [Mission: Capture Demonic Beasts!]

    a��� Rank: S

    a��� Requirements: Minimum of 3 A-rank Guild Members. Go out to the Forgotten Ancestral Lands and capture at least 10 kinds of Beast Demons. Bring them back to the Guild to use for the ''DBD Project''.

    a��� Time Limit: 1 month - 6 months.

    a��� Rewards: Law Enlightenment Hall 1-month Seclusion Ticket, Residential Upgrade, 1 mil. Federation Dors for each team member.

    | Attempts Record: Big 3 -- ongoing. |

    ***

    As soon as Ashton updated the Mission Board, everyone who happens to be browsing it will be notified of the changes in there. It wouldn''t be long before everyone in the Guild is informed about this.

    The Big 3 also received the notification but they ignored it for the most part since they already knew what it was.

    "Alright, let''s do this! I''m hyped." ke psyched himself out and stretched his neck.

    The gloominess and exhaustion that gued him before were nowpletely gone. He had returned to his cheerful and optimistic side, which has been a weed change for his friends.

    Beside him, Alice and Mary were also showing subtle signs of excitement. For some reason, the dangerous mission was giving them a unique thrill, making them unable to sit still.

    "Did you all pack up your stuff? Tents, formations, and so on?"

    "Yes, Dad." Alice rolled her eyes and chuckled. "We already triple-checked everything. We''re ready to go anytime soon."

    "Okay, if that''s the case then stand on the Transportation tform. I''ll send you outside. Do be careful and return safely, you hear me?"

    "Yes, Boss." The three of them replied before Ashton activated the Transportation tform.

    The trio then disappeared from his sight. Ashton stood there for a bit before sighing and returning to his office.

    It''s weird to send people away just like that. He knew that this was bound to eventually happen and that he''ll eventually get used to it but for now, he felt rather nervous.

    ''They''ll be fine. I trained them well the moment I received them as my Beneficiary. They are strong enough to survive outside andplete this mission. If they encountered something they can''t deal with, they should be able to escape without being hurt. I shouldn''t feel too worried.''

    Ashton nced that the stream of messages flooding the Party Chats with the members reacting to the news.

    This particr mission that the Big 3 took was for an experimental project called the DBD Project.

    More specifically, the ''Demon Beast Domestication Project''. This is to potentially secure a new food source for Humanity that''s not only filling but also nutritious.

    With Spirit Cuisine being revived through him and Doug, the possibility of turning both Beast Demons and Beast Angels edible just increased. If Humanity could raise them well, then this could potentially increase their quality of life.

    Moreover, the invaders had been treating Humanity as a special delicacy, who''s to say that the role can''t be reversed?

    This is how the project came to Ashton''s mind, and from the theories, he''s been testing so far, the idea has some merit into it that it''s worth exploring.

    Seeing as how the Guild Members were raising a ruckus in the Party Chatroom, Ashton decided to step in and quell themotion.

    <strong>Guild Master</strong>: @all. Stop flooding the chat and behave. The Big 3 muted the chat because it''ll be dangerous outside.

    <strong>Guild Master</strong>: @all. Yes, the rumors you all heard were indeed true. The Big 3 did register for an S-Rank Mission. Stop disturbing them, if theyined that you were all distracting them when they return I swear I will punish all of you.

    <strong>Guild Master</strong>: If you all want to register for an S-rank mission as well, then work hard to upgrade your badges.

 Chapter 209 Re: Fanatics

    ''...the Medicine Garden is alreadyplete.'' Ashton mused inwardly.

    ''A temporal array had been installed around the garden to hasten the growth of the herbs. It is rather unfortunate that they have to be raised in a greenhouse but the density of Spiritual Energy in there should be enough topensate for that.''

    Raising Medicinal Herbs in a greenhouse makes them weakerpared to those that grew out in the wild naturally. They''ll need more care if they were to be handled as well.

    While Ashton could simte harsh weather to neutralize this, doing that would be a bit wasteful. It''s almost guaranteed that the ones who weren''t able to hold on will be thrown away in the trash. Ashton didn''t like the sound of that so they might as well just stick to the path that will give them the most optimal results.

    ''...the Man-Made Spiritual Mines Project is nearlyplete as well. All that''s left is to figure out how the formations should be set. Once that''s done, we''ll pretty much have a semi-inexhaustible source of various ores and Spiritual Stones.''

    The blessing of a dense Spiritual Energy could do wonders for thend and its citizens. Since Spiritual Energy was often referred to as the Breath of Life, a dense concentration of it was bound to cause some positive mutations.

    Ashton had unlocked the secret for umting dense Spiritual Energy Concentration to his targetted ce. With the help of a few Magical Arrays and Formations, he could easily achieve this.

    And since the ARC Project had been applied, Fantasia turned into a ce where Humanity can truly prosper. This gave Ashton plenty of room to experiment to improve Humanity''s quality of life.

    To top this all off, he also had the support of the Grand Archives. The previous Heroes'' works gave him plenty of inspiration to test out. Most of them lead him to discoveries that he''s now applying for the betterment of his kind.

    Sufficed to say, the development of Fantasia was on an upwards trend. And Ashton was just starting...

    Thankfully, his efforts weren''t in vain. Humanity itself was feeling the positive changes that are happening to their surroundings in real-time. And this did not only make them happier, but it also increased their faith in the new leader of Humanity.

    Speaking of which, Ashton''s identity as the Federation''s current President is still not known to many, only a select few. This was something that Ashton himself prevented from happening since he didn''t want any controversies for now.

    Plus, he knew that so long as he keeps churning out results, people wouldn''t be too pressed about it anyway, and that works fine with him.

    "Master, Party B-12 requests for aid."

    Ashton blinked as he heard Jerry''s voice. He then asked: "What happened?"

    "They were met with a strong resistance while doing their mission. They''re being pushed back as we speak right now."

    "Party B-12..." Ashton mumbled as he silently brought out the information for that team. "Ah, they are the ones in charge of quelling the rising fanatics. Alright, I''ll aid them."

    Saying that Ashton channeled his Mana into the System and immersed himself in it. This allowed him to not only cast his Buffing Spells to the Party but also allowed him to see what was happening in real-time.

    Party B-12 consists of three men and two women.

    They were rtively new to the Mystic Guild but they were amongst the hardworking fellows who went for mission after mission with the intent of upgrading their badge as fast as they could so that they can apply for missions that gives our more reward.

    Everyone on this team had seen some serious progress in their cultivation ever since joining the Mystic Guild, and the feeling of bing stronger day by day was addicting, this is what pushes them to keep on clearing out missions.

    Today''s mission was the first B-ranked mission they applied for since their promotion. Unknowingly, it was also the very mission that made them feel the esction of difficulty between the mission rankings.

    In ce of the Cult of the Sky Demon, other fanatics had been tempted by the invaders to betray their kind.

    Alice, ke, and Mary did their best to round up all the Fanatics when they destroyed them back then, however even though theybed through the entire metropolis, they were bound to miss one or two, especially if they were really good at hiding.

    Due to that, even though the Cult has been purged, the Fanatics who managed to escape the purge were able to go under the radar and start another cult in the name of Demonic Worship.

    Of course, this was immediately discovered by Ashton, and though he was displeased, he was too busy to personally deal with them, therefore he chose to send the Guild after them instead by posting a mission to deal with the Cult''s revival.

    "Hahaha. Die, you imbeciles! Be nourishment for the Demon Lords!"

    The fanatics screeched andughed eerily as they attacked with reckless abandon. Their bodies were covered with a cloud of thick ck smoke and their faces looked extremely wretched. It''s as if they''re turning into demons themselves.

    "Damn! Wake you fool! Do not fall into the temptation of the Dark Side! The Demons will never be your allies!"

    One of the two women from the party shouted, hoping that her voice will reach the maddened Fanatics.

    "E, stop wasting your breath in them. It''s useless, they will never listen, they''re in too deep." The other girl on the team who''s hanging out in the back told her.

    "But...but..."

    "She''s right E. Your intentions are good but I''m afraid that it''s of no use. Look at them carefully, it''s what we need to do is clear."

    The one called E looked at the fanatic that has been trying to bite her face off for a while now and couldn''t help butment deep down.

    She gritted her teeth and punched her shield inwardly, causing a strong shockwave to ur, sting off the crazed fanatic away from her. She then re-grouped with the team with a heavy heart.

    "Damn, we''re surrounded. I didn''t think that there''d be this many, sorry guys!"

    "...apologizing now is a bit...yeah. How about we focus on getting out alive first?" One of the guys calmly said despite feeling stressed. "Have you contacted Support? We could really use some right now."

    "I already did, it should be arriving anytime soon. Hang in there a bit."

    The party had their backs to each other, surroundedpletely by crazed fanatics that wanted to tear them to pieces.

    Their defender who happened to be a girl called E was under immense pressure. She was constantly harassed by the fanatics. The team behind her was doing their best to peel off an unnecessary load from reaching her but there were too many.

    Just as they were about to fail though, the clouds above their head parted and a column of pure divine light poured down on them.

    The Fanatics screeched in pain and hissed at the divine light while the party members basked in it as if they were taking a warm shower.

    At that instant, they felt fatigue receding from their bodies like a tide. Their injuries were all healed in a blink of an eye and pure power coursing through their veins.

    The difference was like night and day to bepletely honest. Just a few seconds ago, they were being pushed back, feeling immensely pressured from the constant harassment but now, all they felt was lightness all over their bodies.

    "A-awesome!! Whooo!!"

    Sounds of pure exhration came out of them involuntarily. At this point, they felt like they were invincible.

    "Ah, sacrificing 15% of our profits was worth it." The party leader mused to himself. "I can only hope that thissts for the entire day."

    Snorts

    ''You wish...''

    "G-Guild Master!?"

    "Yes, I''m watching," Ashton replied without showing himself. "Listen up, all of you. This mission will be upgraded to A-rank due to myck of foresight. I didn''t expect there too many."

    "I won''t tax you all so long as youpletely decimate this cult. Round them all up and destroy the relic they hid underground. Be careful since they ced a lot of traps in there. Once you''re done, return to the Guild with the prisoners so that we can convert them. Understood?"

    "Understood, Guild Master!" The entire party replied.

    The party leader then looked at his members and said: "Well, you heard the man. Let''s go. We cannot allow this riffraff to be an even bigger problem."

    And with Ashton''s Divine Blessings, the party rounded up all the heretics they could find. Due to the buffs, this went easier than they expected. They practically tore through the hundreds of fanatics without any problems.

    Some fanatics tried to escape once they saw that the situation was dire but under Ashton''s gaze, there was nowhere for them to go. They could only obediently wait for capture.

    Once the cult''s relic had been destroyed, the party rounded up all the prisoners and returned to the guild to hand them over so that they can be converted back to normal.

 Chapter 210 Spatial Fold

    [Profile]

    Host: Ashton West

    Race: Human

    Aptitude:

    Mageroot: Mysterious Rainbow

    Magical Artifact: Unsealed Book of Infinity

    Providence: Fey Emperor''s Grace.

    Traits: Purity, Schr

    Specialization: White Mage, Gunslinger

    Rank: Lv.8 Warlock (4th Refinement)

    a��� Virtues: Mana, Purity, Life, Death, Water, Fire, Earth, Space.

    Cultivation Technique: Treasure zed Nine-Refinements Sutra

    Skill Points: 549

    Spell Points: 0

    ***

    There have been changes to Ashton''s profile ever since he returned to Last Bastion.

    He managed to raise his cultivation to Lv.8 Warlock Rank and refined it up to four times within a short period of time. If anybody knew about this, they''d probably throw a fit since this cultivation speed was just unreal.

    If there''s one thing that Ashton doesn''t fully understand about his arsenal, that would be his Virtues.

    The first few...he could understand, after all, he was aiming for those. But from the 5th until the 8th Virtue, those are something that just came to him naturally during his breakthroughs.

    Now, he''s not saying that they''re unwanted nor is he saying that the Virtues heprehended were weak because truthfully, they''re not.

    Water, Fire, Earth? Anybody would be happy toprehend even a single one of these Virtues yet he had them all. Not to mention, there''s also Space too.

    The Virtue of Space is so incredibly elusive that only a handful of people in all of humanity''s history managed to be blessed by it, and all of them ended up being celebrated as legends of their own ord.

    So, really, Ashton couldn''tin about these.

    It''s just that...he didn''t understand why he has them.

    Back then, when heprehended the Virtue of Water, he was still cursed. But even with that, it still happened.

    Now that he''s not cursed anymore, it continued. Followed by Fire, Earth, and Space.

    As far as he knows, the likelihood of encountering a Virtue during a Breakthrough was already abysmal. Yet for some reason, it''s the opposite for him.

    He didn''t even need to do anything, it just happens. And it''s weird because, for some reason, he feels like he doesn''t deserve them, but he''s also not going to turn away an opportunity like that so he ends up getting them anyway.

    This seemingly simple yetplex array of Virtues made Ashton incredibly powerful. It allowed him to stand at the same level as those who already broke through their mortal shackles.

    Sure, the speed of his cultivation was bound to take a hit because of how ridiculously powerful he was getting but Ashton discovers more ways to neutralize that and progress at an rming speed that would leave people speechless.

    If things really continued this way, he''d truly step into the Sorcerer Rank by next year. Although he would have no way of knowing what would hisst Virtue would be, that''s fine. He''s strong enough anyway.

    Closing the Profile Page, Ashton sighed and rested his back against his chair. He looked at an empty space and couldn''t help but feel a little bored.

    ''What''s the use of having this much power if I''m going to end up as a paper-pusher anyways.''

    Another sigh escaped his lips. Paperwork was quickly turning out to be something that he''ll never miss once the development of Fantasia stabilizespletely and could be left with Jerry to manage.

    ''We''re nearly there...'' he mused to himself.

    There were many things that he still has to pay attention to for now, but it''s never piling up on him since he works fast.

    ''Perks of an enhanced intelligence and being able to multi-task, I guess.''

    But that''s exactly what makes it boring...

    Aside from his usual training routine to keep his instincts sharp enough, there''s no other action to be had while in here.

    Yes, this was his intention for the sake of many, after all, others can only take so much harassment from the enemy until they eventually break. But without anyone to y with, Ashton felt bored.

    Fortunately, this is a him problem...

    Peace and serenity were good for the territory since that was the perfect atmosphere for development to prosper.

    Ding!

    A system prompt appeared before him. It was a notification from the Party Chat, one that belongs to the Big 3.

    Ashton''s face turned serious as he opened the chat without any hesitation.

    [Batch 9022 GC]

    ke: Yo, Boss! We''re done with the mission.

    ke sent a photo.

    Mary: I hate here, please ferry us back home.

    Alice: Same, Ash take us back home pls.

    GM: Sigh, only because it''s you guys.

    GM: Find a ce where there will be no disturbance. Tell me when you''re ready.

    ***

    As soon as he sent this, Ashton left his office, appearing at the guild hall where the members are hanging out.

    He could hear some people saying how they can never get used to him appearing out of nowhere like a ghost but Ashton doesn''t have time to be bothered by these.

    Instead, he found a rtively spacious spot in the hall and waited.

    When he got the green signal from the Big 3, he initialized the Spatial Fold.

    Spatial Fold is a Spell that Ashton invented. After learning the movement technique: Vorpal Steps and gaining more insights about the Virtues of Space, Ashton could effectively fold space between himself and his target.

    Doing this allows him to shorten the amount of time needed for him to go from Point A to Point B. Simrly, he could also use this to shorten the trip of his friends back home.

    That being said, due to the distance, this process can be incredibly taxing for Ashton. Anywhere within the Last Bastion is fine since this is practically his turf, but the outside?

    The Outside World will actively make an effort to stop him. This is because of the Foreign Races'' influence on thend. Therefore, folding the space that doesn''t ''belong'' to him, will take a more considerable amount of effort.

    The Guild Members who happened to be there at that moment felt weird.

    Most of them knew who the Guild Master was, they''ve interacted with him and were even coached by him on several asions now.

    Aside from those heterochromatic eyes of his, nothing else stands out from him. That''s what most of them think. Sometimes, they are even wondering if he was truly the Guild Master or some imposter instead.

    Sufficed to say, none of them saw him in action yet. In fact, even though some people already received his buffs, they were still doubting him since they never saw him personally casting them. Justin, Doug, and the rest of the Guild Members never saw him fight or anything, he just appears here and now, sometimes he would make an announcement or two but that''s about it.

    Though now...now they could see why he''s the Guild Master.

    The sheer density of mana he was exuding was dominating, some people reckoned that he has enough mana to flood this entire guild if he wanted to.

    With his back facing them, his clothes pping due to the strong wind and that incredible pressure he''s exuding just from the way he stood. He had every look and feel of a true and experienced expert.

    They saw him holding out his hand in front of him. They saw how the space in front of him twisted and turned, seemingly being controlled.

    Then, they saw him performing a diagonal chop using his bare hand, and all of a sudden, the space in front of him distorted.

    It twisted and turned until it became a portal. A portal where Ashton called out: "It''s safe now, you can enter."

    Not even a few secondster, a leg popped out from the opposite side of the portal, followed by the torso and the head.

    "Oh, it''s the Big 3!" Someone from the crowd eximed.

    Now, the Guild Members finally understood what was happening, as it turns out, the Guild Master was ferrying them back home. Though, looking at how exhausted the Guild Master looked like, it would seem that this takes a lot out of him.

    "...are you okay?" Mary asked after seeing Ashton''s pale face.

    "I will be." He shrugged and waved his hand. "Anyway, let''s see the goods."

    The portal closed off and the space returned to its usual behavior. It was ke who took out a special bag with limited space which could contain living organisms.

    The Guild Members reeled back in rm as soon as the creatures were freed.

    10 Beast Demons immediately appeared and started growling everywhere. Their auras struck fear in many, they even started corrupting the Guild Hall. But how could Ashton allow them to do as they please?

    "Behave."

    This one word he said echoed in everyone''s ears, causing them to freeze where they stood. His voice was filled with unquestionable authority and power.

    And it seems that it was more effective to the Beast Demons, because the moment they heard his voice, they all collectively recoiled in abject fear and whimpered.

    Ashton just snapped his fingers and the corruption immediately vanished without a trace.

    They all saw how the Beast Demons cowered as Ashton started inspecting them one by one before nodding and telling the Big 3 that they did well in hauling these.

    Ashton then collected the Beast Demons before asking the Big 3 to follow him, leaving the Guild Members to collect themselves in their absence.

    Then, someone from the crowd said:

    "Phew! I guess he isn''t the Guild Master for nothing."

    The collective silence that went on after that was the subtle agreement of everybody who witnessed that.

 Chapter 211 Demon Zoo, Enlightenment Hall

    "...not bad. We can probably make this work." Ashton muttered as he observed the captures mingling with their new habitat.

    "Probably?" Alice raised a brow.

    "Well, the DBD Project is a theory so far." Ashton got up from crouching and faced them. "These things are the first sample for the experiment, you can''t really expect us to seed on our first try, right?"

    "So, there''s a possibility that this mission will be posted again?" Mary asked.

    "Yes." Ashton didn''t deny that notion. "But...these samples shouldst for a while. After all, they''d start reproducing once they getfortable. The habitat I built was precisely for that goal. Who knows? Maybe by the time we need more, there will be other teams who already upgraded their badges to S-rank. By then you three wouldn''t necessarily need to step forward."

    "That''s true. With how much the Guild Members eat up missions like madmen, it might be sooner rather thanter." ke added.

    "Alright, you all did well. You can rx for a bit, I already made deposits to your ounts. You can enter seclusion next week Monday."

    "Sounds good. See ''ya, Boss." ke saluted and started walking away.

    Ashton nodded and the Big 3 left him to do what he needs to do.

    Themotion raised by the Big 3 clearing an S-Rank mission was still a hot topic for the Guild''s Chatroom.

    Words of envy and wonder could be seen now and then popping out of the chat.

    Ashton pointedly ignored these and observed the habitat he built for raising the Beast Demons.

    He tried his best to mimic the environment of Demons to cate the beasts. Ashton could tell that these creatures will only breed once they found a suitable ce to do so, that''s why he did his best in an environment they werefortable with.

    He did it with the use of Controlled Corruption �� which is basically done by using the purified remains of demons he had in before. Controlled Corruption that came from purified demonic remains is safer for Humans to interact with.

    Moreover, since it''s already considered as a form of Corruption, it cannot be influenced by any other forms of corruption there was, i.e. the Corruption that Demon Beasts oozes out naturally by existing.

    ''It''s going to take some time but it should be fine. After all, the reproduction rate of Beast Demons is exponentially higherpared to other types of Demons.''

    Aside from the idea that Beasts Demons closely resemble the demons Humanity was familiar with, another reason why Ashton picked them as a potential source of food was because of the reproduction rate.

    The Big 3 had this in mind too, which is why they mostly went for Beast Demons that resemble Poultry, Cattle, Hare, and Crustaceans. Yes, they also considered a potential source of Seafood. And they didn''t just capture 10 of them like the mission stated. They captured at least 16 Beast Demons while they were out there, how considerate.

    The Habitat he built for them, which he calls the ''Demon Zoo'', wasrge enough for them to use. There shouldn''t be any conflicts of territories that might make them kill each other.

    It would, most likely, take a whole month before these Beast Demons get used to their new home and start reproducing. There wouldn''t be any experiments until then since he wouldn''t want to stress them out and make them feel unsafe when they''re about to reproduce, that''ll just dy it.

    The biggest problem here would be the fact that all Demons are connected to a single source.

    They''re not a hive mind per se. But the souls of the Demons will eventually return home thanks to their false immortality. And that mightpromise this project.

    He couldn''t expect that all demons here would live forever after all.

    But, considering how tenacious these creatures were, they shouldst for a while, which means that this isn''t a problem for now.

    ''Marking this for close monitoring...'' He mused to himself before disappearing from the ce.

    One of the most important buildings within the Mystic Guild will undoubtedly be the ''Enlightenment Hall.''

    The Enlightenment Hall is a ce where space was stretched out, making it expansive. The interior of the hall might as well be as big as the whole guild itself.

    Its importance lies in the ''Enlightenment'' part of its name. The interior of the hall might look rather nd and deste to an individual''s naked eye, but the sheer amount of Law Insights freely roaming around here was incredibly dense.

    This is the ce where Ashton conducts his lessons often. This is also the ce where he preaches the Law to his Guild Members and where the Hymn of Enlightenment always ys.

    Yes, that little record yer on the pedestal at the very forefront of the hall is the very reason behind the sheer density of Law Insights around here. Every time that little thing ys, it''s as if the world was singing with it. A miraculous little thing this was...

    Plus, Ashton made a formation that trapped all the unconsumed insights around here, making sure that they were not wasted. As result, this hall was slowly changing as time goes on.

    In fact, it wasn''t Ashton who stretched out the Space here. That happened naturally when he gained enlightenment on the Virtues of Space.

    Additionally, the hall didn''t look like this from the very beginning. It was a regr room with walls, polished flooring, and lights. The Hymn of Enlightenment sat on top of a small podium originally.

    But as the Law Insights roamed this ce, it gradually changed. Now it looked like a vast and deste ne. But even with this ce looking like that, Ashton made no effort of changing it.

    Ashton''s lectures urred at irregr intervals. He has no fixed schedule and just does it whenever he can. As a result, the Guild Members can''t enter the Enlightenment Hall as often as they wanted to.

    With the caliber of Guild Members increasing day by day, there was no way that they wouldn''t want to enter the Enlightenment Hall. It''s the most ideal ce to gain enlightenment about Virtues, why wouldn''t they want to go there?

    This is why a lot of people were jealous of the Big 3 gaining a chance to enter seclusion within the Enlightenment Hall for a whole month. That''s something that they could only dream about.

    Right now, Ashton and his friends were inside the Enlightenment Hall. It''s been a few days since the S-rank mission was passed and now, the trio was ready to begin their seclusion.

    "This ce is bing more and more unrecognizable as time goes on." Mary stated as they were walking around.

    "That''s because of the Law Insights here. They are the ones changing the terrain. I wouldn''t be surprised if one day this bes another Grotto Heaven." ke stated.

    "Oh, that would be the dream..." Ashton mused while walking ahead of them.

    "It might even surpass that, given time." Alice softly said.

    Eventually, they paused and Ashton faced them.

    "Alright, you all know the drill. Pick a spot where you can vibe and chill. I''ll y the Hymn and you digest as much as you could, copy?"

    "Copy. We''ll let you know when we''re ready." Mary said.

    The trio then split paths and searched for a spot that calls out to them.

    This wasn''t their first time here but it doesn''t mean that they have a ''regr spot'' they can im for themselves. It changes per session actually.

    For this, they followed Ashton''s advice �� and that is to leave it to their instincts. No need to search using their eyes, they can follow their heart for this one.

    While the others went ahead searching for their chosen spot, Ashton sat beside the pedestal cross-legged and waited.

    After what seemed to be an hour or two, the trio told them that they were ready to start.

    Ashton then activated the Hymn of Enlightenment and the small record yer began emitting profound sounds that filled the entire hall.

    A powerful yet soft and melodious rhythm thrummed in everyone''s ears, lulling them in a velvety sensation of lucid dreaming.

    Ashton was the least affected out of all of them since he made it so. He didn''t want topete with his friends for the Law Insights that the record yer was releasing, this was their prize so they were entitled to it.

    On top of that, Ashton also made sure to activate the ''Mentor''s Halo'' �� boosting his Beneficiary''sprehension rate by 50%.

    This effect doesn''t just apply when he''s personally guiding them, it can work in subtle ways like this as well.

    With the Hymn of Enlightenment rousing the Law Insights to dance around them and increasing their sensitivity tow, plus the effect of the Mentor''s Halo, the trio will certainly make great strides in their cultivation during this seclusion.

    The downside of this is that Ashton will have to spend this entire month with them like this. He can''t leave since they''ll be out of range for the Mentor''s Halo effect.

    Thankfully, he had West Two. He will be taking charge of all matters in his stead for the entirety of this seclusion at least.

 Chapter 212 Primal Virtue And Rich Rewards

    [Your Beneficiaries: ke, Mary, and Alice, had finished their one-month seclusionprehending Laws in a location that you prepared specifically for this purpose.]

    [ke had deepened hisprehension of the ''Virtue of Mountains''. His stability has increased tremendously. Not even an avnche could shake him.]

    [Mary''s ''Virtue of Visions'' deepened even further, now it gave her some pre-cognitive abilities which she could polish to make her even deadlier on the battlefield.]

    [And Alice exceeded her known limits. She has mastered the ''Virtue of the Sword'' �� which should be impossible for her current cultivation rank. This enabled her to see the road at an even grander stage, allowing her to gain insights about the ''Primal Sword Virtue''.]

    [These phenomenal achievements were all thanks to your meticulous preparations. And for that, a rare ��10,000 ''Benefactor''s Return''.]

    [You received: Mountain and Sea Artifact ��1, Stargazing Pagoda Blueprint ��1, Sword Pce Blueprint ��1, Primal Law Vinyl ��1, 1000 Skill and Spell Points, 1 Billion High-Grade Spirit Stone Ticket ��1, 10-year Resource Ticket (Metropolis) ��1]

    ''Oh my...'' Ashton was mildly speechless upon reading the system prompts just now.

    He stared at a nk space for a bit out of shock. He never expected such rich rewards to bombard him out of nowhere.

    Looking at the prompts, it is easy to pinpoint who was responsible for all of this. And that would be none other than Alice herself.

    See, mastering a Virtue without breaking through the shackles of mortality was previously thought to be impossible.

    Nobody, and it can''t be stressed enough that ''NOBODY'' in all of Humanity''s History managed to achieve something like this.

    Even Ashton, who''s repeatedly refining his Law Insights with the help of his cultivation technique, didn''t achieve something like this.

    ''Virtues'' could be referred to as the surface-level of ''Laws'' that governed the world and the universe atrge.

    Typically, human cultivators encounter the Virtues during the 4th stage of Cultivation (Warlock Rank for Mages and Master Rank for Knights). And in a typical fashion, they would only understand the Basic Level of said Virtues, which is the surface level of Laws.

    Throughout the 4th Stage of Cultivation, they will try to deepen theprehension of their Virtues so that they can use them as a foundation to break through to the next stage of their cultivation...

    So on and so forth until they eventually gain mastery of Law...

    It had been said that Laws aren''t easy toprehend, a cultivator can easily spend hundreds, if not thousands or even more years, just trying to trace a singlew down to its Origins and they might not even seed at all.

    This bes even harder depending on the particr Law an individualprehended. Take Ashton for example...

    He willprehend a total of 9 Virtues by the time he bes a Sorcerer. Nine! What kind of an absurd concept is that?

    What''s worse is that most of them are considered as a ''General'' Virtues �� meaning that they include a lot of concepts, making it hard to truly master them. These General Virtues were; Life, Death, Water, Fire, Earth, and Space.

    Mana and Purity are pretty straightforward...

    Take Water Virtues for example; Water includes the Virtue of Fluidity, Wavefolding, Stillness, etc. It can even be used as the basis to gainprehension of the Ice.

    With Fire, there''s the concept of Heat, Congration, Warmth, Light, etc.

    Any of these Virtues can be useful on their own and could take any cultivator far enough. Yet Ashton has toprehend at least 6 or 7 of these...epassing Laws which will seriously take a long-ass time.

    Hence the understandable decrease in his cultivation speed...but this was neutralized by the Hymn of Enlightenment.

    Alice managed to not only master the Virtue of the Sword but also gain insights about the ''Origin'' of Sword Law itself - the Primal Sword Virtue, was something that shouldn''t be possible yet it happened.

    Understandably, Ashton was speechless.

    ''As expected...this Era might actually be hers.'' He mused to himself.

    He was about to inspect the rewards he got but he got startled by something.

    BZZT! BZZZT!!

    Ashton frowned and looked up only to see a dense formation of pitch-ck clouds looming over where Alice was.

    ''A Heavenly Tribtion?'' Ashton was shocked. ''I guess I should''ve seen thising. After all, her achievements challenge the fundamental structure of this world.''

    ''Does she need my help in dealing with that?''

    As if to answer his question, a sharp Sword Intent filled with iparable nobility and ancientness swept through the entire hall. It carried a simple message to those who felt it.

    ''Don''t interfere. Yep, got it. Rooting for you bestie. Go get ''em!'' Ashton rolled his eyes.

    Suffice to say, the Tribtion Clouds didn''tst long. From where he was, Ashton saw Alice pointing at the clouds a needle of her Sword Intent flew.

    It pierced the cloud and cleared the skies in an instant with no fanfare whatsoever. After that, Alice just sat back down and consolidated her breakthrough.

    ''Man...she''s quickly catching up to me.'' Ashton pursed his lips. ''As expected of a Hero''s Reincarnation. Well, at least she''s not an enemy.''

    Ashton then looked at ke and Mary to see their reactions. And judging from their faces, he''s relieved that they''re just happy for her.

    Sure there might be a sliver of disbelief and jealousy mixed in with that but that''s normal. After all, ke and Mary are considered an Anomalous Geniuses as well. Their pride wouldn''t allow them to easily fall behind.

    At least there was no ill intent among those, or else it would''ve been a huge problem for him.

    ''Only a few hours left before the seclusion actually ends.'' Ashton reminded himself.

    He stopped paying attention to his friends and took this chance to check out the rewards he received from the System.

    [Mountain and Sea Artifact]

    Type: Cultivation Environment

    Description:

    ? This artifactes in the form of a door that can be installed anywhere, on the opposite side of this door is where the Mountain Sea Realm is located.

    ? Those who enter can either choose the Mountain Path or the Sea Path. The Mountain Path has a strong gravitational force and the Sea Path is unpredictable. Together, they are perfect proving grounds for any challenger who wishes to be stronger.

    This was simple enough, Ashton can just literally install this door anywhere and it''s good to go, how convenient. Plus, he can also relocate it just as easily.

    He already got a spot in mind for where he will put this, but that can be der.

    [Stargazing Pagoda Blueprint]

    Type: Instant Build Blueprint

    Description:

    ? A Pagoda that Wizards of the Old used to observe the movement of the stars. Allowing them to predict climate changes, observe the birth and death of the stars to gain inspiration for their magic, and even predict the future itself.

    ? Those who enter will be transported close to the Sea of Constetions. Allowing them tomune with their Birth Star.

    ''Astrology? Color me interested.''

    Ashton''s Schr side was provoked by this thing. Astrology is another branch of Magic that has been lost to Humanity. It is said to be the progenitor of Divination Magic and Ashton couldn''t wait to see if that''s true or now.

    He was actually itching to build it now but he has to wait.

    [Sword Pce Blueprint]

    Type: Instant Build Blueprint

    Description:

    ? An ancient gathering ce of Heroes where they can seek advice in particr to their sword-wielding. An otherworldly memory. Contains many Sword Legacies.

    ? Only those Sword Experts can enter this ce. Inside, they can draw their sword and seek advice. The Pce will evoke its memories and manifest a phantom that the challenger must defeat to pass.

    ''Aw man...I can''t exploit this.'' Ashton pouted.

    This thing was strictly for Sword Bearers. He wasn''t one.

    Well, he could be but... Nah, he already has a lot of things under his belt. He doesn''t need more distractions.

    But since the Artifact is here, he might as well let others use it.

    [Primal Law Vinyl]

    Type: Upgrade Material

    Description:

    ? A little something for that record yer of yours.

    ? Use this to upgrade the Hymn of Enlightenment, extending its ytime by 2 more hours and allowing it to y Hymns of the Primal Laws.

    "Okay, wow."

    Ashton will definitely use this. No questions asked. This reward was triggered by Alice for sure.

    The rest of the rewards were great too. 1000 SP of both kinds, 1 Billion Spirit Stones, and a 10-year resource supply for a Metropolis.

    The treasury sure has gotten fatter within this one sitting and he''s notining. He thanked the System for its generosity.

    All of this was something he got with just three genuises under him. Who knows how much more he could receive if he were to nurture more?

    ''I guess I have to go around and search for more Children of Destiny, huh?'' Ashton mused to himself.

    That can be achievedter though. For now, he could only wait until this seclusion was over so that he can make some more improvements for Fantasia.

 Chapter 213 New Things

    The Guild Members of Mystic Guild woke up to major changes that happened overnight.

    Suddenly, there were new infrastructures around, namely a pagoda, a pce, and a new door.

    Word spread real quick since all of them are curious as to what the new ces are. Thankfully, it didn''t take long before Ashton posted an announcement to the Guild Chat, discussing the new additions to the Guild.

    He posted the information he got from the system about the Mountain and Sea Realm, Stargazing Pagoda, and the Sword Pce.

    Along with the post, he also informed them that these facilities are free to use. They don''t need to pay merit points to enter these ces since they are meant for their training.

    Ashton himself had tested each facility before opening them for the Guild Members to use. He made sure to get an urate experience for each so that he can make full use of them.

    The Mountain and Sea Realm was the first. Upon entering it, he was transferred to a space overlooking a huge Mountain and Sea area. There, he was presented with a choice between the Mountain Path and the Sea Path.

    He tried the Mountain Path first and got transported to the foot of the Mountain. There was a safe zone at the foot of the mountain where gravity was normal. The moment he stepped out of that safe zone is when the challenge starts.

    The Mountain was at least 13,000 meters tall. It''s probably the biggest mountain one can every their eyes on.

    From 0-1000 meters up the mountain, gravity was doubled. 1000-2000 meters, it doubles again but it''s gradual. Past 2000 meters there will be weak pulses that will push the challenger back and they will get progressively stronger.

    From 5000 meters and beyond, those pulses will ripple, meaning that the challenger will start to get pushed from all sides. Upon reaching 8000 meters up the mountain, gravity will start to fluctuate from normal to ��10 of the normal gravity.

    The fluctuation happens every five minutes, making it hard for someone to adjust to the changes.

    And past 10000 meters, it will start to introduce zero gravity to the mix. Meaning that at some point within the climb, gravity will just disappear, causing one to just suddenly start floating.

    Then, from 12000 to 12999 meters, the gravity shift can increase up to ��100 of normal gravity on top of all the bullshit one needed to pay attention to...

    And finally, at the very peak of the mountain was...well, Ashton doesn''t know. He never reached the peak of the mountain. The farthest he went was 12000 meters before giving up and leaving, being teleported back to the safe zone at the foot of the mountain.

    The only reason why he was able to reach that far was that he was using spells to make the journey easier for himself. He wasn''t really there to train, just to test it out to gain some impression of it after all. He''ll leave whatever discovery there was at the peak of the mountainter or for the challenger who managed to reach that ce.

    Next was the Sea Path...

    Choosing the Sea Path, the challenger would open their eyes to a bizarre situation. They will find themselves standing on top of a tform with their limbs cuffed and chained to it.

    Then the sea will surge and waves will start hitting the tform with the person chained to it. These waves will continuously get even stronger the longer they persist. It''ll continue like that until the person chained gives up or is forcibly transported away for safety.

    Suffice to say, the Mountain and Sea Realm was meant to test the limits of the challenger and make them physically stronger. The longer one persists through the challenges, the more beneficial this ce would be for them.

    This ce was simply meant for Shield Bearers and the like. In fact, ke was having a field day in the Mountain Path right now.

    Next would be the Stargazing Pagoda...

    This ce is about 100 meters tall, which is pretty big still. It''s divided into 10 floors and painted with vibrant colors, making it difficult for one to miss it.

    Entering it causes one to find themselves in the middle of a void. Pitch-darkness will greet them first, drowning their senses until they lose all of it. Then a white light shes, turning brighter and bigger until its true appearance was revealed to the visitor.

    Ashton could assume that this will be their very own Birth Star. Sadly, Ashton had no sufficient knowledge about Astrology to name all Stars that he saw in there but he learned that his Birth Star was named...Arzule.

    Throughout his initial stay in the Pagoda, all he did was observe his Birth Star, he wasn''t in control of his own body or his senses but he could now remember every inch of what Arzule looked like before he was kicked out of the Pagoda.

    He tried entering again but he was barred from entering, it says that he could only enter once a week. Now, he didn''t know why was that a thing but he couldn''t really question it, especially because he didn''t understand what was going on.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Despite that though, his curiosity to learn more got even stronger. So much so that he already adjust his schedule within the foreseeable future, making sure that he will have time to research any records there was left of Astrology.

    Maybe, he can exploit it using the Simtion Zone as well to save some time, who knows?

    And then finally, the Sword Pce...

    This is a paradise for Sword Bearers just like he expected. It was majestic inside. Mostly empty but filled with dignity.

    The density of Sword Intent was thick within the pce. He even saw scars all over the ce which are oozing with Sword Laws.

    From his experience, the Sword Pce was divided into three parts; the Sword Garden, the Interior Pce, and the Throne Room. He of course started at the Sword Garden.

    There, he found a total of five spots where he saw tforms. Standing on one of those tforms gives him a chance to issue a challenge to the pce. The Pce will then rouse its memories and call upon the spirit of a Swordsman that will take on the challenge.

    Basically, you work your way up here. If you win, you get to move on. If you admit defeat, you can rest and try again up to three times. After that, the Sword Pce will kick you out.

    The challengers can experience death here, but not a real one. And if the memory of the Pce managed to kill you, that''s an instant kick-out from the ce. You may try again tomorrow.

    Ashton managed to reach the Interior Pce but since he''s not a Sword Bearer, the Sword Techniques he received were of no use to them. At most, he can use it as a reference, nothing more,

    He was just a shy step away from reaching the Throne Room when he met a gatekeeper. Suffice to say, he failed to reach the Throne Room but that''s fine, he knows he''ll eventually be able to someday.

    After testing out each of the new facilities, Ashton decided that it''d be better if he made it free for all to use since they are excellent tools to make everybody stronger.

    They can serve as strong stimtion for the Guild Members, and if it''s free then there''s practically no reason for them to not use it, right? So why not?

    And while it''s true that this might slow down the rate of mission clears, it''s fine. Fantasia is at a positive trend anyways. At most, the menial tasks of improving its state were slowly bing negligible. Plus, another round of recruitment was about to happen to make up for that.

    It''s about time to raise the quality of the Guild Members. The stronger they are, the better missions he could post, and more improvements could be made.

    ''Sharpening the axe won''t dy the cutting of wood'' so they say...

    Right now, he watched as the Guild Members crowded over the new facilities, thinking about what they should try out first.

    He made sure to be as transparent as he could to them to set their expectations properly, say for example, the possibility of them experiencing death if they choose the Sword Pce, and so on...

    Right now, the Big 3 lead on the charge. ke was already experiencing the pulses and fluctuations of the gravity within the Mountain Path.

    Mary and Felicia were at the Stargazing Pagoda, testing it out to gain more intel for him. Theysted longer than he did so far so their insights will truly be appreciated.

    And finally, there''s Alice and Justin, having a field day at the Sword Pce like maniacs, issuing challenges left and right.

    Their initiative spurred on the rest and slowly but surely, they''re bing brave enough to try. And this is something that he liked to see.

    "Guild Master...I''m here for today''s lesson."

    He hears Doug in the training kitchen and nodded to himself.

    ''Alright, time to get busy...''

 Chapter 214 Bloodline Evolution

    "...are you ready?"

    "Babe...that''s like, the 10th time you''ve asked me that question. Yet I''m still going to answer it. Yes, I am ready. Get on with it." Aria replied, sounding a little exasperated at this point.

    Today...was destined to be a frightening day for Ashton it seems. Not for Aria, just him.

    It''s because today, Aria decided to evolve her bloodline to turn into a True Spirit.

    Ashton scratched his head and looked really hesitant, it was as if he was on the verge of having a meltdown.

    Just a reminder, this man never even felt nervous nor scared when he faced literal hordes of Angels and Demons. Yet right now, he was reduced to a bonafide mess due to sheer nervousness.

    Well, he can''t really help it. After all, this has something to do with Aria. Understandably, he''d feel nervous and uncertain.

    "Babe..." Aria sighed.

    She walked closer to him and caressed his face. She pointedly ignored how he was sweaty even though the AC in the room was sting. He was like putty in her hands though, he held onto her hand and kissed it, looking at her with a gaze that was seeking something...

    "...I trust you." She said, "It will be fine. Your System has never failed you and it won''t start now. Have faith in us, please?"

    Ashton groaned and whined a little bit, saying: "I know but..."

    "It will be fine." Aria cuts him off. "I will be fine. Let''s begin, alright?"

    Ashton knows that whenever she''s like this, there''s no use in trying to change her mind. She wants this to happen and that''s final. There''s no use trying to change her mind.

    He sighed and gave up. He relents because he knows that this will happen anyway. What he needs to do is to make sure that this shit will go down the way he expected it to.

    ''System, are you sure that the bloodline evolution will be safe?''

    [Yes, Host. The most she would feel would be a strong difort throughout the process and that''s it.]

    ''And how long would the process take again?''

    [5-6 hours, Host.]

    If the System was any human, it would''ve certainlyined too. Ashton has asked this question about 20 times now and every single time, he was met with the same answer.

    Ashton felt that 5-6 hours was a long time. And with the system telling him that she would feel strong difort for that long, Ashton was even more hesitant. In fact, this was the main reason why he dyed this for so long.

    His mind was going crazy with overthinking. His brain mostly feeds him the idea that something can go horribly wrong during the evolution process and Aria will be put into a horrible situation. And that is something that he doesn''t want to happen.

    He would resent the System...and even more so himself if anything happens to Aria. If there''s one person in this entire world that Ashton truly cares about, it''s her. The sheer idea of losing her drives him nuts.

    This is why he''s not taking his chances.

    But at the same time...Aria''s not some fragile ss that always needed a gentle hand to handle her. She is perfectly capable of handling herself and she does it well enough to lessen his worries.

    She is strong, and Ashton needs to have some faith in her if they were to move forward with their rtionship.

    Aria already said that she didn''t mind the difort, she''s not afraid of pain. She can handle this, and Ashton needs to believe in her.

    "Okay...okay. We''ll begin shortly. Let me prepare." He said, finally relenting to her.

    Aria smiled at him and he took a deep breath. He held her hand and he employed his movement technique, instantly transferring them to the private bunker that was built several meters underground.

    This ce was an emergency bunker. It was built in case shit hits the fan but right now, he couldn''t care less about why it was built. He will use it how he pleases and nobody could stop him.

    Once they were there, he immediately gave out a string of orders.

    "Jerry, I need your attention."

    "I am with you Master." came Jerry''s voice right away.

    "Notify West Two to cover my shift for the rest of the day. Cancel his schedule because this takes precedence."

    "Done."

    "Good. Route all the uing calls to him and give him my schedule, will you? Also, mute all notifications that were supposed to be routed directly to me, I can''t be disturbed for the next few hours. I''ll let you handle it ording to how you see fit."

    "Understood."

    "Alright, that''s all. Don''t disturb me unless there''s aary-level threat."

    "Yes, Master. I shall retreat now."

    After giving out orders to Jerry, Ashton immediately muted all the Party Chat. He also noticed that West Two was already taking up his work for today which is nice.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    With all of that out of the way, he stomped his feet and released strong fluctuations.

    In that instant, the Space around them expanded and warped. Ashton''s body thrummed with Mana and all sorts of spectacle urred.

    Before long, the underground bunker turned into something like an indoor greenhouse. Even the lights looked like they wereing from the sun itself due to his influence.

    Ashton wasn''t pulling his punches here, if it meant increasing the chances of Aria smoothly going through this process, he will do it.

    After setting up the environment to be as friendly and secure. Ashton took out the Grand Library.

    This has to be here since Aria''s still connected to it. This thing is what''s keeping her glued to this realm, without it, she''ll dissipate. So it needs to be here.

    After making sure that everything was in ce, he carefully took out a casket.

    Said casket was wrapped inyers of seals, keeping it sealed shut. He turned around and said:

    "Babe, I... never mind."

    He was about to tell her that she needs to meditate a bit to adjust her mental state so that she can be in her best form when the process begins. But Aria was already doing that even without him telling her.

    Seeing her meditate, she calcted the time and figured that she''d be done by the time he finished unsealing the casket, so that''s exactly what he did.

    He went through 100yers of seal, to unseal the casket. Only to reveal a box inside �\ which is also sealed by moreyers of seal.

    This box is made out of Ancient Oakwood, something he received from the System way back then. It''s iparably sturdy for it could even tank a full-powered blow from him and only sustain a scratch.

    Ashton chose this to store the materials Aria needed not only because it will keep it safe, but it will also keep its freshness intact.

    Before he unwrapped thest 5yers of seal, he felt Aria''s gaze at the back of his head and knew that it was time.

    ''No more hesitating, I guess.'' He whispered to himself.

    So, without any further ado. He unsealed the boxpletely and took out the materials she needs toplete the evolution.

    Handling them with absolute care in the world, Ashton disyed his sheer expertise with his magic.

    He extracted the essences of each material down to the veryst drop, he then mixed them ording to directions the System provided to him until he was left with a handful of golden soup that carried an aurora.

    Ashton gently went closer to her, Aria cupped her hands and received the elixir.

    She was strangely reminded of jelly when she felt the consistency of the soup but she didn''t care. With a brief nod to Ashton, she drank it all, down to the single drop, and closed her eyes.

    Ashton felt restless because he doesn''t know what was supposed to happen after that. He felt as if he was sitting on pins and needles.

    Then, Aria''s expression changed. And that was enough to make Ashton feel like his soul was leaving his body.

    He wanted to immediatelye to her aid, ask her how she feels, and do anything he could do to make it better yet his foot remained rooted in the ground.

    "Babe,e on. You gotta chill. You look constipated."

    Ashton was incredibly startled when he heard Aria telling him this. That''s when he felt that his mobility returned to him. He crouched down in front of her and asked frantically:

    "H-hey, how do you feel? Are you okay?"

    "Yes, Babe. How about you? Do you need to lie down?" She asked in return.

    "Wha�� no! No. I''m �� is it working?" He asked in confusion.

    "Oh it is, alright." Aria scrunched up her face, "My tummy aches. Feels like I''m on my period, which is rather refreshing. Haven''t felt this in a while."

    "...y-your on your period?" He asked, sounding incredibly baffled.

    Aria cackled and said: "It feels like it, at least."

    "..."

    "I think when the System told you that I''d feel ufortable, it was mainly referring to this. But see, I''m a girl. Cramps at this level are practically nothing to me."

    ''...system?''

    [Host, periods are horrible.]

    ''God fucking damn it.''

 Chapter 215 True Spirit, El-Realm

    [Congrattions, your Beneficiary Aria had sessfully evolved her bloodline through your help. She has now be a True Spirit, no longer bound as the Artifact Spirit of the Grand Library.]

    [Her lifespan has increased tremendously. She no longer has to experience death and rebirth every 100 years. And she can stay by your side as long as you treat her well.]

    [��5000 Benefactor''s Return, triggered! You received: Fey Atavism tform, El-Realm Shard, and 1000 Skill and Spell Points.]

    Ashton looked at the system prompts floating in his vision. He sighed in relief knowing the meaning behind this.

    Since the system gave him these prompts, it means that Aria''s bloodline evolution waspleted.

    This also means that her stomach cramps have also ended...

    He still resented the system, just a little bit, for trolling him. He never expected that something like that was possible.

    Not that he was saying that the system was wrong or anything...he knows what periods are, he never experienced it himself but from what people have told him, it is indeed extremely ufortable.

    There''s also the fact that most females cultivate for the sole purpose of getting rid of menstruation altogether as their main reason, which tells him how unwanted it was...

    But still...he felt as if his anxiety episodes were unnecessary and that''s just not a good feeling overall.

    That being said...everything turned out well. His worries were for nothing since all that ever happened was Aria feeling as if she was on her period. She then fell asleep and started glowing like a fluorescent light. The glow faded and the evolution was over. That''s it.

    Again, this entire process made all of his preparations seem unnecessary but it''s fine. So long as Aria was okay, he would do it all over again.

    It''s also nice that she''s no longer bound to the Grand Library. This gives her a bit more freedom after all. Previously, due to her situation, she can''t go far away from the Grand Library without risking her safety. Now, she could go anywhere within the metropolis without Ashton needing to take the library with them.

    The cycle of death and rebirth being stopped was also nice. Aria told her how she never liked those at all. Experiencing real death only to open your eyes a few dayster, then realizing that you are helpless since you''ve turned into a literal infant, was not a fun experience at all. So she''s d that it''s gone.

    As for the evolution process itself, it didn''t change Aria too much. She still retained most of her prominent features...

    Her long ck hair still looked gorgeous, herplexion look a tad bit better, and her slim body looked rtively the same...yes, this was still the same Aria that he knows.

    But on top of this, she now exudes an aura of aloofness. Not in an ''ice-princess'' way, more of like an ''ethereal'' vibe. An ''elusive'' allure that wasn''t there before.

    These were the same qualities that both Gaia and Acacia (Hilda) have. Both of them were true spirits and Aria is now like them, only...

    ''What''s her mission then?'' Ashton asked himself.

    As far as he could remember, True Spirits are entities that were born with a purpose. Gaia was literally the collective consciousness of the world and therefore tasked to look after it, while Acacia''s task was to tend to the Dragon Vein.

    If Aria bes a True Spirit, what was her mission then?

    ''Maybe I can ask herter.'' He muses.

    Right now, he chose to leave to her rest. It''s incredible how can she sleep through all of her cramps, though. Girls really are built differently sometimes...

    ''Let''s have a look shall we?''

    [Fey Atavism tform]

    Type: Ritual Awakening Tool

    Description:

    ? An artifact of the extinct Elven Race. Used to rouse Fey''s Bloodline. This same artifact was the same one that they used. Refurbished and repurposed by the System.

    ? Can be used to Awaken an individual''s Fey Bloodline or convert a non-human creature into Fey.

    [El-Realm Shard]

    Type: Realm Fragment

    Description:

    ? A shard of El �� what the Fey used to call the world they live in. The History of El and Fey Race had been washed by the relentless stream of time. Any attempts of discovering what happened to them might just end up as a fruitless endeavor.

    ? This shard is the veryst of its kind. It contains the essence of El-Realm, albeit iplete since it''s a mere shard. Can only be fused with Pocket Dimensions or Grotto Heavens.

    ''Okay, resentment''s gone. We''re good again.'' Ashton said inwardly, mostly referring to the system.

    These are some seriously useful tools, he didn''t expect to receive them just by helping Aria to improve her bloodline.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Ashton''s Fey Bloodline has been stuck at 95% all this time. He had been missing thest 5% toplete it. Granted, he doesn''t really know if he will end up with sharp ears or not after hepleted it but looking at that ipletion felt icky to him which bothers him a lot.

    Now, with the Fey Atavism tform, he can finally fix that. Still, he had no idea what was going to happen to him, but he does know that even as hepletes his Fey Bloodline Awakening he''d still be half-human, so his allegiance wouldn''t really change that much.

    The gripe about this is that...it seems that he couldn''t use it on other Human beings to convert them to half-Fey. It would seem that, for other human beings to use this, they''d need to have some concentration of Fey Bloodline first.

    And as far as Ashton was aware, there''s only him in this entire world, who has this bloodline. So, no other Fey for the time being.

    Fey Beasts on the other hand...that''s possible.

    The requirement of having a Fey Bloodline doesn''t apply to the conversion of Beasts. Meaning that he could potentially use this to create an ecosystem for Fey Beasts.

    Additionally...Fey Beasts sound more ediblepared to Demonic Beasts now, does it? So maybe, a change of ns was needed. Because so far, the DBD Project wasn''t having phenomenal results.

    Maybe Fey Beasts are the way to go...but more tests are needed so that idea should be parked for now.

    As for the second reward he received, he figured that it was the system''s way of flexing on him.

    A Shard of a whole-ass Realm...given to him as a reward for doing the bare minimum. If that''s not a flex then Ashton doesn''t know what is...

    Also, this is the System''s way of telling him to stop giving himself headaches. The El-Realm, the home of the Fey which Ashton just learned at this very moment despite his research for a while now, is gone!

    The System was politely telling him to drop it, and leave the idea behind. But then it''s also like: ''Aspensation, here''s the shard of the very same world.''

    Contradicting much?

    Anyways, he now has a Realm Fragment. Just by looking at it, he could feel the dense Laws sealed within. He could feel the strangeness and difference of the Lawspared to the ones that he was used to but his Fey Bloodline recognizes them.

    Studying them might be useful, it''s just that, he doesn''t know if it would be wise to fuse them with the Blue Marble Grotto Heaven, where the Guild Resides.

    He''s thinking that the Fey Laws might sh with the regr Laws of this world and that might cause the Guild Members to suffer. This isn''t something that he wants to see so he would need to do some thorough research first.

    "Mnh..."

    He might''ve given himself a whish with how fast he twisted his head to look behind him upon hearing that sound.

    Aria was waking up. And because of that, everything that he has been thinking about was automatically thrown away to a box in his memoriesbeled ''Later''.

    Ashton reached her side before she even opened her eyes. And when she eventually did, he was the first one she saw.

    She got up and stretched her neck for a bit. She looked around and reached out to Ashton, who wasted no time in closing the distance.

    "Good...afternoon, I guess. How do you feel?" He asked.

    "Weird." She replied, "But in a good way."

    She looked lost for a bit before saying: "I feel strangely light like I lost weight or something. Despite that, I also feel stronger."

    Aria then looked back at the Grand Library and said:

    "I''m not linked to it anymore. That feels...strange. It''s new for me to feel this...free. That might take some time to get used to."

    "You have all the time in the world, Babe." Ashton said, pulling her closer to his chest.

    "...you can''t get rid of me anymore." Aria said, sounding like she was making a statement.

    "Good, I never have ns on doing that anyway."

    "That''s sweet. But also, that''s quite literal." She said, looking at him. "True Spirits have a purpose, right?"

    "..."

    "Well, my purpose is to apany you as long as you live. I am tied to you now, even without us getting married."

    Ashton smiled sweetly at her and said:

    "Sounds perfect."

 Chapter 216 Fey Emperor

    The Fey Atavism tform looked like a solid block of rectangr stone carved with runes and rugged by time.

    Ashton stood in front of it, feeling a sense of familiarity deep in his bones which he knew wasing from the Fey Bloodline coursing through him.

    The tform was pitch ck and covered in a dark golden sheen. Its surface was smooth, there were no bumps whatsoever. The runes were golden in color, making a beautiful contrast with the dark color of the tform itself.

    There''s a sense of nobility in this tform which he found inexplicable. It''s probably because this was once a sacred item to the Fey which is why it has this kind of aura.

    Underneath the obvious awe he held for the tform, Ashton could also feel a strong pull from it.

    It''s as if it was calling out to him. Which would be normal, given that he''s part Fey, and this is the sacred artifact of Fey.

    Ashton had already vacated his schedule for today. He made the same preparations he did during Aria''s bloodline evolution but now it''s for himself.

    If he were to be honest, he truly has no idea how long this was going to take. The system didn''t give him anything at all, so it''s up to him to figure it all out on his own.

    He wasn''t feeling scared or anything. He just felt peaceful, strangely enough. He had been looking forward to this so he was expecting to feel a little more excited or nervous but that''s not what''s happening right now.

    And he''s perfectly fine with that...

    ''Alright...let''s get this over with.''

    Ashton decided to dy this no longer. And just in case, he took off all of his clothes and his belongings, cing them far away from him. This is just to prevent any unforeseen incident from happening.

    Down to his birthday suit, Ashton stood on top of the tform.

    The moment he did, he felt as if his entire body was set aze. His blood thrummed in his veins, he felt dizzy and hot.

    An unknown force pressed down on him and made him sit down. Due to how intense how he was feeling at this very moment, he had no choice but to acquiesce.

    He sat down there and crossed his legs. He closed his eyes and his consciousness was immediately pulled into another realm.

    Here, he wasn''t able to sense it properly. His senses were dulled to the point of numbness. He could feel something touching his arms and legs, and whatever was happening in there was prating deep into his muscles.

    He didn''t feel any sort of pain, he just felt it happening.

    Ashton couldn''t see shit properly either. Everything was a blur to his vision. He could see some kind of a shadow looming or fussing all over him, it would also seem that this shadow was telling him something, but just like his other senses, his ears were also not working properly at this point.

    This happened for a while it would seem since his perception of time was going all over the ce as well. After that though, he began feeling a sense of difort urring to his whole body.

    It started weak and negligible, but as time passed, it turned into a burn that seeped through his soul.

    This gave him some mixed signals actually. He initially thought that his senses were numb but why is he feeling a great deal of pain now? What exactly was going on here?

    The pain became the sole thing he could think of at one point since it was incredibly agonizing. It was like someone was roasting him alive, it was awful.

    Then, visions started shing past his eyes.

    At first, they were blurry thanks to his numbed senses but as time passed by, they became clearer and clearer but he still can''t make out the faces he was seeing.

    The visions seem to have been snippets of memories. From who? Ashton had no idea. But one thing''s for sure, these memories came from someone incredibly powerful.

    In those visions, he saw a beautiful, vast, and peaceful kingdom. He felt the harmony of this kingdom with its environment. The Environment provides them with what they need and the people protect it. Vice versa applies.

    The most eye-catching thing about his visions was the incredible tree they worshipped.

    Ashton was cognizant enough to catch what they were calling it; El Holy Tree. This is probably this world''s version of Yggdrasil.

    He didn''t see it technically, he only saw it from the scroll that he saw from the vision and its massive roots that could put the Dragon Vein to shame.

    Ashton could feel a strong and intimate kinship between him and that tree but it confusing for him since he didn''t know if he was the one who was feeling that connection or if it was just the visions affecting him in ways he couldn''t understand.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The visions kepting and going until they arrived at an apocalyptic scene. There, he saw how that same kingdom got reduced to mere rubble. He had seen tons of lives being wasted thanks to the great disaster that urred.

    There were fires everywhere, he heard the agonized cries of loss and grievances and it was profoundly affecting him. It was heartbreaking.

    The owner of these visions chose to sacrifice their very life to ignite the roots of that majestic tree. Burning it from there. He didn''t understand why this person made that decision but he wasn''t in control so he had no say.

    Thest visions he saw were ashes flooding the entire kingdom, burying it deep underground until no traces of it were left. Then, it ends there.

    Ashton felt his consciousness returning to his body, he felt his senses returning to him and he could feel the pain receding.

    Slowly but surely, he opened his eyes.

    From the moment he did, he felt the world spinning around him. A flood of new insights swarmed him mercilessly, wanting to drag him to the depths that might overwhelm his brain.

    Thankfully, ''Concentration'' was triggered. His mind went into overdrive and his rate ofprehension was massively boosted, allowing him to digest everything that was being force-fed to him.

    What Ashton hadn''t discovered yet since he hadn''t had the time to do so, was that his appearance changed a lot thanks to the activation of his bloodline.

    Now that he''s half-fay, he got taller.

    Ashton was already taller than most people his age but even more so now after the transformation. Before his hair only had faint traces of verdant but now, they turnedpletely into a deep verdant color.

    His left eye turned hazel, forming an incredible contrast with the Right Eye of Purity which was blue. He was slender and fairer, his features became sharper as well.

    His ears didn''t get pointy unlike what he was expecting, but that was fine. In fact, it''s better that way. At least he doesn''t need to worry about this at all.

    Sensing deeper around him, one could sense how attuned he was naturally to his surroundings effortlessly. He just blended in, he also had this refreshing atmosphere around him, making it look like he was easy to talk to.

    Mana adores him, not just because he''s the Child of Mana. It''s that and many others things. Even more so now that he had transformed. They seem to be dancing around him as if they wanted to catch his attention.

    To top this all off, even the Laws adore him.

    Flowers bloomed around him, each flower was unique and swayed left and right as if they were singing to him.

    Tiny golems made out of the earth, fires that shaped various creatures, and tiny whirlwinds surrounded him, acting like children and guards at the same time.

    It''s as if they''re celebrating, weing the arrival of their wise ruler.

    Then, the System Prompts flooded in...

    [Fey Atavism, achieved. Your Fey Emperor Bloodline thrums in activity and nature rejoices at your glorious awakening.]

    [Synergy Detected: Providence �� Fey Emperor''s Blessings reacted to your Atavism! Changes applied.]

    [Providence: Fey Emperor''s Blessings (Reworked)]

    ? Nature''s Blessings: You will receive a scaling increase in your power depending on how much vitality nature has around you. Current Boost: 10%

    ? Empyrean Fate: Your Rule attracts the blessings of the Laws themselves. The more prosperous your nation is, the more powerful you are.

    ? Ruler''s Privilege: Your Luck is massively increased.

    Ashton woke up shortly after the Concentration State was over. Once he opened his eyes, a vibrant verdant glow exploded from his body. Flora and fauna grew at an unprecedented rate around him, and before long his seclusion site turned into an indoor greenhouse with the sheer vegetation around.

    He looked at this all with a pacified expression. With a swipe of his hand, his belongings flew to him and he changed into a new set of clothes.

    An otherwordly aura rose from him, he stood amongst nature and felt a deep sense of belonging. A silhouette of a jeweled crown appeared on top of his head, and his subjects knelt before him.

    This brought a deep sense of satisfaction within him.

 Chapter 217 Dinosaurs And Stargazing

    100 more people just joined the Mystic Guild, making it a total of 300 people.

    The recruitment urred a few days ago and the newbies are now going out there clearing missions like their life depended on it.

    As usual, Ashton weed the new arrivals and watched over them. With the new wave of members entering and being introduced to new facilities that they''ve never seen before, the activity within the guild obviously cranked up.

    Still, this was the least of Ashton''s concerns right now.

    It hasn''t been long since hepleted his atavism, bing a half-fey. He''s still adjusting to the new things within him, though he''s not in a hurry, he wanted to enjoy them.

    The sensation of being close to nature was inexplicable. He felt like life would bloom at every step that he took.

    He didn''t want to be eye-catching. He wanted to remain being the big wig in the shadows. Thankfully, that''s just an expression. Grass didn''t actually bloom wherever he goes and alright with that.

    The changes in his Providence though, are what really shocked him.

    He didn''t expect that something like that would happen. At this point, he had changed his Providence for the 2nd time.

    Back then, his Providence was average at best. Then he got a ticket from the System which allowed him to essentially re-roll his Providence. It was also because of that, that his Mageroot and Magical Artifact changed as well.

    And now, his Providence changed again. Though it''s still called the same name, what it doespletely changed.

    This is a little ridiculous since he specifically remembers learning that the innate aptitude of a person was impossible to change. Yet here he was.

    Anyhow, this is all the System''s doing so he can''tin at all. If anything, his reworked Providence worked with his style.

    So long as he kept doing what he was doing now, he''d be more and more powerful. This is what really gives him the confidence to continue his work. Even the System itself seems to be encouraging him.

    Chirp!

    "Oh, hello there..." Ashton smiled and greeted the little friend thatnded on his shoulders.

    It was a small bird. Its feathers were a mixture of green and yellow. Its beady eyes looked around in curiosity and chirped happily.

    This bird is the first Fey-beast he converted using the Fey Atavism tform.

    Do not be mistaken by the bird''s seemingly innocent look, for it can instantly shift into, what Ashton would describe as a Velociraptor in an instant. He had seen it happen and it was glorious.

    It''s only looking like this because it judged that the environment was safe, that''s all. The moment it senses even the vaguest hint of danger, it will shift to its true form without any hesitation.

    The development of this Fey Beast stunned Ashton though. He certainly wasn''t expecting something from his old world to show up in this world. It''s like a dreaded crossover now that he thinks about it.

    He initially thought that maybe his thoughts influenced the evolution process.

    Ashton experimented with a tiny swallow, one that was weak and on the verge of dying. During the conversion process, he thought to himself that it would be nice if this ritual can make this little swallow be something big and strong, just so that it will know what it was like...

    Lo and behold, it turned into a freaking dinosaur that shapeshift. How incredible right?

    Yet now, he isn''t really sure if his thoughts actually affected the evolution process or if it''s just the way it is.

    Because right now, he''s watching as Boar turns into a Triceratops and an injured dog turning into a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

    All of which, can shapeshift as this bird could...

    ''They did say that animals of modern times were descendants of Dinosaurs but that was on Earth, not here. So why is this happening?'' He mused to himself.

    ''And it''s not like they''re like ordinary Dinosaurs either too...''

    ''This little fe can fly at Mach 5 speed and has Sound Based abilities. The Triceratops had detachable scales all over its body that it can use to either attack or defend.''

    ''And this T-rex is just an absolute unit. It''s pretty averagepared to the two so fact but its stamina, endurance, and persistence are off the charts. Plus, those jaws are nothing to scoff at either.''

    ''Were the Dinosaurs of Earth able to do this? Well...I probably would never know, but the Dinosaurs of this world certainly can.''

    ''Hell, maybe they can even stand toe to toe against the invaders!''

    Truth be told, Ashton had other ns...

    The Fey Beasts were supposed to rece Domesticated Demons to, hopefully, be Humanity''s new source of food and nutrition.

    Well...they can be edible. It''s not like they are corrupted or something.

    The problem with the DBD Project was mainly corruption. It''s hard to maintain the integrity of a Demon''s Flesh while getting rid of its corruptionpletely. That''s what''s costing them so far.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Fey Beasts, or in this case Dinosaurs, don''t have that problem. It''s just that, it''s already obvious that their sinews would be extremely tough due to how they were built. While there are ways to work around that issue...this isn''t really what he had in mind.

    ''No rush, I guess. We''ll eventually figure it out.'' He thought to himself.

    For now, Ashton gave these guys a temporary home. He doesn''t really have anything nned for them right now so they can just chill.

    [Sir, Oracle Felica, and Mary wish to speak with you.]

    He heard Jerry''s voice through the System''s interface, notifying him.

    ''I''ll be right there.'' He replied.

    "Alright you three, stay here and behave. I have somewhere to be."

    The dinosaurs replied to him in their ways and went to their territories. Thankfully, this ce wasrge enough to amodate them without risking any aggression, allowing him to leave peacefully.

    He took a step forward, and space warped around him, allowing him to shorten the amount of time needed for him to arrive at his destination.

    It took him mere seconds to arrive at his office, the one at the Federation''s Headquarters. There, he saw Felicia and Mary waiting for him.

    He took a second to register their expressions and boldly guessed that what they were about to say wouldn''t be good.

    "Alright, spill. What happened?"

    "Which first? Good or bad?" Mary asked in return.

    "Huh, didn''t know that you came bearing good news with the look on your faces." He pointed out, "Alright then, humor me with the good news first."

    "We pretty much understand how the Stargazing Pagoda works now." She replied.

    "Okay, tell me more." Ashton was intrigued.

    "The Stargazing Pagoda is indeed a tool for Astrology It shows us the movement of the stars and allows us to study it, mimic it, etc. The movement of the Stars can be deciphered to learn about certain aspects of this world and predict the future. Meanwhile, mimicking it allows us to basically develop the lost Branch of Magic which is Astromancy."

    "I already know that..." Ashton stated, "What''s new?"

    "Among the things that we can observe through Stargazing, it includes the Providence of this World." Felicia stated.

    "..."

    "Through you, we''ve learned that the Providence of this world was being preyed upon by the Invaders. It wasn''t until both of us saw it, through Stargazing, with our own eyes that we started understanding the weight behind your words."

    "...you saw it?"

    "Indeed." Felicia said, "It felt...extremely vexing. Their reckless plundering of our Providence was slowly killing our world. But there''s a silver lining in this."

    "The Providence of those who are staying within the Last Bastion isn''t affected. For now at least..." Mary continued: "The rest of the world is still dying but at the very least, we''re not losing much Providence as before. In fact, we saw that there was a positive trend rising sharply since a few days ago."

    "Cool..." Ashton said, "The rise of Providence means that Humanity is prospering. That is a good thing. Now, what''s the bad news."

    "It wasn''t just us who noticed this." Mary replied somberly.

    And oh how Ashton hated how that instantly clicked in his mind. He didn''t even need them to borate on who the other party was since he immediately realized who it is. But he did ask them this...

    "Are you certain?"

    "Very certain." Felicia replied.

    "...we have some measures preventing that from happening, right? Are they working properly?"

    "Those measures are only limited to this world," Mary replied this time. "It''s only blocking those who were already here. As for the those that don''t...meaning the real force that is being blocked by the Twisted Heavenly Tree, they notice it for sure."

    This dampened Ashton''s mood instantly. He sighed and went silent for a bit.

    "It seems that even with our meticulous preparations, we still underestimated their ways." He said, "Any other discoveries?"

    "Yes." Felicia nodded, "Since they have discovered that their subtlety isn''t working the way it was. They are now attempting to force their way in."

    "..."

    "We learned that they mobilized to make further attempts onnding. We''re afraid that within the next couple of days, the Twisted Heavenly Tree''s barrier will be under heavy assault."

 Chapter 218 The Blue Planet

    The Blue...

    A jewel amidst nowhere. Surrounded by a vast nket of velvet nket filled with silvery sparkles.

    What makes this ce unique is the fact that it has its own sun and moon that revolve around it. Compared to Earth, it is definitely many times bigger.

    This world used to be a marvel when seen from Outer Space. A mixture of green, blue, and white used to be the most prominent colors it had.

    The Blue used to look like a piece of art.

    That is until they came...

    Now, the Blue was divided into two main colors; ck and Gold, taking half of the''s face for themselves.

    There are certain parts where these colors shed, signifying the two camps of invaders going at each other''s throats. Because of this, it was incredibly difficult to determine if there were truly other creatures living on this aside from those who painted this world with these colors.

    Also, back then, the Blue only has a sun and moon. Now, it has additional things hovering at its poles.

    One looked like a golden beacon of light while the other looked like a pool of dark mass that wriggles as if it were alive.

    Both are just as sinister as the other in reality, for they wanted nothing more than topletely paint this with their color and annex it under their rule.

    From an outside perspective, it would seem that nothing was stopping them fromnding on the and performing their mission, but in reality, there is a great wall that prevents them from doing so.

    This wall was invisible, it could not be seen by the invaders at all, but for any humans who were born on the Blue, it is visible.

    It takes on the form of a bark, a shell thatpletely encapsted the entire within. Protecting it from any further harm.

    Unfortunately, this barrier isn''t wless.

    The most it could do is to prevent those who had enough power to deal some serious damage to the. Those who don''t meet that requirement, are given free ess tond to be dealt with by the''s citizens.

    This is how the Twisted Heavenly Tree works. And even though there''s much to be desired out of it, the fact that it''s still serving its purpose makes it still important.

    Because of what it does, the invaders hated it a lot.

    To them, this was the main thing that was stopping them from doing their mission. The one preventing them from deciding on whom this world truly belongs to,pletely disregards the existence of the locals.

    Still, just because they hated it, that doesn''t mean that they''re unable to do something about it.

    The Celestials and the Hypogeans are races that are even older than this world itself. They''ve been at each other''s odds longer than Humanity''s existential history.

    Their developments are far more advancedpared to Humanity. Not to mention, they are inherently strongerpared to Humans. These are the main reason why they canpletely disregard Humanity as a whole. They will never believe that Humanity will be able to amount to anything, especially not to them.

    That''s why, at best, these races consider Humans are food. A rare delicacy that is only found in this world.

    At least, that''s how it was supposed to be...

    "...how peculiar." A voice murmured to itself.

    "When was thest time something like this happened?" It continued, "My, it''s been so long that I can''t remember it anymore for the life of me."

    The shadow peered below him. Its pale golden pupils which appeared like slits reflected the scene it was seeing.

    A small lump of earth, shining with a colorful aurora. Like a dazzling pearl amidst the endless sea of sand,peting against the brilliance of the sun.

    There''s something marvelous about it. Giving off an impression of beauty, aloofness, and uniqueness. The sight was alluring, eye-catching, and praise-worthy.

    Something that irks the shadow a lot. Triggering its twisted heart, making it want to crush it to smithereens until it''s reduced to nothing but mere sparkles.

    "Mnh..." the creature moaned in arousal.

    The sadistic thought definitely fed its desire even more. Yet despite this, the creature''s eyes remained intelligent.

    It might be feeling a twisted desire for destruction but it is patient and smart enough to undstand that nothing could be done for now.

    "My, how vexing..." the creature muses. "I could distinctly remember not liking the aftermath of something like this happened in the past. But for the life of me, I could not remember what exactly happened back then."

    The creature then sighed mournfully and said: "this is one of the downsides of being an immortal I guess."

    It then peeled its gaze away from that lump of earth and turned its head to the side. It lifted one of its limbs and wrapped it around a silver bell. The creature shook it, causing the bell to make a sound, before putting it back to where it was before.

    Shortly after, a hulking figure appeared behind where the creature sat. A pair of bright crimson eyes emerged from the shadows. It knelt down in reverence and said:<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "My Liege..."

    "My Dear Labs..." the Creature stated, "How have you been? I haven''t seen you for a while."

    "I am well, thanks to your grace, My Liege."

    A limb crept up to the hulking figure. Thetter took initiative to take the limb and pressed a chaste kiss on it, filled with reverence and fealty.

    "Mnh...I''ve almost forgotten what you feel like, my dear. Thank you for reminding me."

    "Use me however you like, My Liege." The Hulking Figure said with a hurried breath.

    A tense silence erupted within the room, the limb of the Creature then started doing inexplicable things to the Hulking Figure called Labs.

    "Oh, my dear Labs..." the Creature called out in a sultry manner, "I know I could count on you. It''s for that reason that I decided to keep you by my side. Shall I share my burdens with you?"

    "It would be an honor for one such as I to be of use to you, My Liege." Labs replied.

    "Very well..." the Creature said, withdrawing the limb wrapped around Labs. "Seek warmth in my embrace, my faithful soldier."

    Labs wasted no time and dove into the embrace of the creature. Sinking into a vast well of an abyss that swallowed the hulking figure whole.

    Strings of indecent sounds echoed across the room, the Creature writhed unspeakably on its throne. Thissted for a good while before it spat Labs out, covered in sticky goo and limping as if it was injured.

    Despite this, Labs obediently knelt in front of the creature and waited for further orders.

    "..."

    "..."

    "...the locals of this world are up to something." The Creature stated after catching its breath. "The movement of the stars shifted greatly that I couldn''t urately decipher it anymore."

    Labs remained silent.

    "This happened before, I know it. And I also remember not liking what happened next, so before history repeats itself, I want you to figure out a way tond in this world and stop whatever it is that its locals were nning. Can I trust you to do this, My dear Labs?"

    "Your wish is mymand, My Liege." Labs replied.

    The Creature removed its gaze from Labs and peered at the glowing lump of dirt once more.

    "The protective barrier of this world might pose a challenge to your mission. For that, I am allowing you to use the Eclipse Drill."

    "My Liege, using the Eclipse Drill might alert our enemies."

    "Let it be then..." the Creature stated, "Besides, I''m not the only one who had discovered this, anyway. If anything, I''m pretty sure that the opposing camp was already nning something like this, so it''s no use worrying about it."

    "Understood."

    "Also, I heard that the locals of this world had a peculiar taste. It has been the rave of the minions and I''ve got to say that I''m certainly interested to find out whether that''s true."

    "..."

    "So if you could, try to capture some for me, yeah? Who knows? Maybe it will allow me to feel alive again."

    "Rest assured, My Liege. I will only bring you nothing but the best." Labs replied.

    "Mn, I''m looking forward to it, My Dear Labs. Go on, I await your glorious return."

    Labs nodded and withdrew from the room as a shadow.

    Silence pervaded the room once Labs was gone. The creature''s gaze remained stuck in that lump of mud that was emitting a wonderful array of colors, sticking out like a sore thumb.

    The creature licked its mouth subconsciously in anticipation. Saying:

    "I have no idea how you pests are doing this."

    "But the luck of your world belongs to me and only me. It doesn''t matter how hard you try, at the end of the day, you will fall as many did in the past."

    "But I suppose...a little bit of a dy wouldn''t hurt. I do love watching hope drain from you. Until then, I shall be here, patiently waiting."

    The creature then blended into the darkness until itpletely disappeared.

 Chapter 219 Prelude To Another Chaos

    Ashton wasn''t having it today...

    He hasn''t slept for almost a week now. Typically, this shouldn''t be a problem since sleep doesn''t really do much for people like him at this point but the stress is what makes it worse.

    Ever since Felicia and Mary brought back the news that the Celestials and the Hypogeans noticed Humanity''s development despite the preparations he made, Ashton hasn''t been able to rest easy.

    He won''t lie, yes he is indeed afraid. He won''t deny that.

    This mostly stems from the unknown factors all around him. For one, he didn''t have any idea just how many enemies were there. He knows that there''s a lot but he wants to know exactly how many.

    Though, does that truly even matter? If there was so much then what''s the point of counting? Aren''t they screwed either way?

    At this point, he knows that he''s just making it even more stressful for himself. But he can''t just stop worrying about their situation.

    He, of all people, knows that Humanity is nowhere near ready to receive the army they''re up against. There has been too little time for them to prepare. They needed more.

    And just as he thought that things were starting to look up, this happens.

    Ashton was aware that the history of the Celestials and Hypogeans is richer than Humanity, he''s also aware that their technological advances are greater than theirs thanks to their rich history.

    What gave him confidence was Humanity''s innate traits. Their sheer desire for progress and innovation will eventually ovee these obstacles. Yet without time, that won''t happen.

    It''s clear what must be done. He needed to buy more time for Humanity to develop even further.

    Time that hopefully, he will have once the Twisted Heavenly Tree''s upgrade is finished...

    He had epted the Twisted Heavenly Tree as his Beneficiary not too long ago. It worked somehow and he was able to see the further enhancements and upgrades he could apply for it.

    For the enhancements, he made it so that the durability of the tree increases by at least 50%. There''s also an enhancement that allowed him to add a reflective effect on the barrier, causing a portion of the damage it received to be reflected to its sender.

    And for thest enhancement, it was called the Last Stand, which triggers when the damage it umtes goes to dangerous territory. Once triggered, the Twisted Heavenly Tree will be invincible for a whole week. But once that week was up, the barrier shatters, allowing whatever was on the other side ess tond in this world.

    Today was the 7th day of that week...meaning that during the next couple of hours, if his ns doesn''t work, Humanity was over.

    Now, does it finally make sense why he''s stressed?

    "Damned foreigner dogs..." Ashton cursed under his breath.

    The worst part was that he could feel their attempts of forcing their way in.

    It''sing from the opposing poles of this world. He could feel the tremors rippling all the way to Last Bastion. Both the Celestials and the Hypogeans sent somebody to force their way in and snuff out Humanity. He doesn''t need to know how exactly their conversion went, the fact that these creatures were doing their best to invade said enough for him.

    "Master, all protocols are online. Say the word and it will immediately take effect."

    Jerry''s voice sounded in his ears.

    "Good. Activate the ''Royal Reception Protocol'' please."

    "As you wish, Master."

    With his perception covering the entire metropolis, Ashton saw how five obelisks rose from the ground. These pirs were so tall that they were eye-catching. One could see them in any part of the metropolis.

    Once they settled down, these obelisks lit up and projected a beacon of light that connected to each other. The Central Obelisk that stood on top of the Federation''s Headquarters became the focal point.

    Then, an expansive curtain of light covered Last Bastion as a whole.

    This was something that was built along the overall enhancement of the metropolis. It''s an integral part of the ARC Project. A defensive protocol that will hopefully help them survive whates next.

    Once the defensive protocol was activated, it definitely caused strong reactions from everybody. The majority of the people had no idea what was going on, but those who were part of the guild knew exactly what just transpired.

    His friends and consultants arrived at his side shortly after. With them knowing that the protocol was activated, means that they know that a problem was about to ur.

    "Is it unable to hold on anymore?" Mary asked in a concerned manner.

    "We''ve got a couple of hours at best." Ashton replied, "I need you all to be ready. Whether we like it or not, we cannot avoid this. We will meet the enemy with the same ferocity."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Should I tell the others to prepare as well?" Alice asked. She''s referring to the guild members.

    "They''re already on the move. We did notck in our reminders." Aria replied for him, "Though, it is very likely that they''re feeling pressured right now, so a little bit of encouragement from you guys would be nice. If you can go there and be an example for them, that''d be better."

    "Let''s go then, standing here won''t do anything," ke stated.

    He then immediately disappeared from the room followed by Mary and Alice.

    Those who were left were Aria and Felicia.

    "I''m assuming that the Twisted Heavenly Tree is currently evolving?" Aria asked.

    Ashton nodded and said: "Yes. I almost didn''t make it since thest material needed for the process took a lot of time to be ready. But I manage to make it in time, though that dy will surely cost us."

    "You''ve done your best, don''t beat up yourself over this." Aria remarked.

    "I know but..." Ashton sighed, "I have this burden for a reason. It''s hard to remain stoic when I know that there will be risks involved."

    They couldn''t really say anything to refute that since it''s true. Being a leader is hard. This kind of responsibility could crush anyone who isn''t prepared for it, yet if not Ashton then who?

    He had made a vow that Humanity will flourish under him. It hasn''t been long since he made that vow yet something was already testing him.

    "Why don''t we focus on what we can do instead? Having a pity party doesn''t help anyway." Felicia stated.

    That caused Ashton to sigh and say: "Yeah, I guess that''s true."

    He opened up his System Interface and wrote a message for the whole Guild to see.

    [Guild Chat]

    Guild Master: @all. You''ve seen it right? The Royal Reception Protocol is in full effect. To all of you, we did notck when ites to lecturing so you should know what this means.

    Yes, we are in a perilous situation right now. I won''t go into detail since there''s no use for that anyway, but do expect that we will soon be under heavy assault.

    The Guild''s foundation was solely to respond to this kind of situation. All of you who made your vow know that we need to stand up against this. We are the protectors of Humanity. So go ahead and prepare, a long battle awaits us.

    Rest assured, I will be watching you.

    Ashton then waited and saw the flood of messages after his announcement. It was a mixture of hot-bloodedness and uncertainty. Not everybody was stoked to be in this position of course, despite that though, nobody refused the call to arms.

    From his perception, he could tell that all of the Guild Members were gearing up for battle.

    Hell, even the cowardly Doug was dishing out meals through Spirit Cuisine like a madman. Unlike the others, he cannot participate in the battle on the frontlines but that doesn''t make him useless.

    He''s preparing military rations in bulk. The kind that not only refreshes the stamina and endurance of those who ate it but also tastes like actual food.

    The other departments also went into full throttle. The Medicine Pavillion was currently busy restocking potions and handing them out to the Guild Members. The agents were deployed to keep the streets safe. Golems were activating for the first time to protect the metropolis, and so on...

    Most of the citizens were still baffled. Ashton signed off Jerry to start ying amercial to allworks informing the citizens of what was about to happen.

    With all of this in y, there''s only little for Ashton to do.

    There are only a few hours until the invincibility runs out. After that, the barrier will be broken. He could only hope that the upgrade of the Twisted Heavenly Tree finished before the damage esctes to an uncontroble level.

    Sitting down on his chair, Ashton sped his hands and looked somber. Aria was there to massage his head, anything to make him feel rxed since he was really feeling the burden now.

    "We will be fine." She whispered.

    Ashton wanted to believe that oh so badly. But he didn''t say anything. Instead, he just rested his back against the chair.

    The only thing left for him to do was to wait until the chaos erupts.

 Chapter 220 Descent Of Chaos

    Labs had an overview of the entire operation.

    He gathered up an army of Hypogeans to Operate the Eclipse Drill, using that to break the pesky little barrier this had.

    The Eclipse Drill was one of the sacred treasures of the Hypogean Race. It has seen a lot of activity since the day it was created. It also has destroyed many worlds since then.

    ''I still don''t know why My Liege brought out this thing for such a petty thing like this.'' Labs thought to himself as he watched the humongous drill do its job.

    ''Well, my job has never been to think so I guess it''s alright.'' He snorted as another round of sacrifices was sent to fuel the Eclipse Drill.

    Labs, as one of the generals of the Demon Lord, was one of the most powerful demons to ever live. He also has the longest tenure, he had conquered many worlds under the banner of the Hypogean Race and he also is someone who does their job properly.

    He didn''t care even though the Eclipse Drill used living sacrifices as fuel. He didn''t bat an eye since he knows that those who died will eventually be brought back anyway.

    And to him, dying this way was more meaningful rather than dying of old age. So truly couldn''t care less.

    ''But all things considered, this is taking so long...'' He groaned audibly, causing the lesser demons around him to tremble in fear.

    He wasn''t expecting the puny efforts of this puny world to hold out this long. But he wasn''t concerned too much. He had seen something like this before, at the end of the day, this world will fall too, it''s just a matter of time.

    Labs peeled his gaze away from the Eclipse Drill and peered over the horizon. His pupils constricted to the point that they turned into a needle-like shape.

    His vision warped and extended very far, reaching the opposite end of where their camp was. He then saw the repulsive scene of pure gold which made him feel a little bit irritated.

    It took a while for his vision to adjust to that golden light and make sense of what he was witnessing.

    ''As expected...'' he mused inwardly. ''These bastards calcted My Liege''s decisions again and purposefully drew out this bastard to test my patience.''

    A faint growl escaped from his throat, causing the lesser demons to feel even more terrified.

    He watched as the Celestials did the exact same activity on their side; forcing their way in using their own sacred treasure. The one heading the operation was a familiar face to him.

    And speaking of the goddamn pigeon, his rival sensed him and returned his gaze. It''s the sheer audacity of this bastard that triggered him the most, shamelessly winking at him as if they were close or something.

    ''You damned bird...test me and I swear I will fold you in half.''

    The name of this rival was St. Francis. One of the most annoying thing he had ever encountered.

    He had lost count of how many times this guy was sent whenever he was on a mission. It''s like they are purposefully shing the two of them at any chance they get.

    Labs didn''t like St. Francis if that''s not obvious yet at this point.

    He doesn''t understand. Out of all people in the Celestial Race, why did they pick this guy and thought that he could match him? What were they trying to say by making this guy his rival?

    Either way though, Labs hated St. Francis so much that even the tiniest thing he does was offensive to him.

    If it weren''t for the fact that this guy has some respectable abilities, be probably would''ve killed him for real by now.

    Labs withdrew his gaze from the Celestial Race, he couldn''t endure looking at St. Francis'' ugly mug for that long or he might actually lose it.

    He closed his eyes and calmed himself down. He reigned in his temper and buried it under a calm visage. He decided that instead of doing things that aggravated him, he might as well focus on the operation.

    Labs looked at the Eclipse Drill, he could hear the sacrifices screaming in pure agony as they were ground up into a paste which was then used to fuel the drill.

    He could also see the sparks flying as a result of the drill''s attempts to punch a massive hole for them to enter andnd.

    This continued until his patience ran out. Rolling his eyes, Labs stood up from his seat and walked out.

    "Put the drill away, damn it..." he cursed the lesser demons as he walked out.

    The lesser demons scrambled to fulfill his orders and told the others to put the Eclipse Drill away. By the time they ryed the order, Labs was already waking on the spatial vacuum, standing not too far from the spot they were trying to drill out.

    With arms crossed, his eyes glowed with a dark crimson hue. Pure demonic light pooled in his eye sockets before a crimsonser began searing the surface of the barrier.

    He had met some resistance but he didn''t mind. He lifted his foot and stomped hard at the spatial vacuum, creating a condensed force that rocked the barrier.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    This kept going until everybody heard something...

    Crack!

    Ears perking up, Labs took that as a sign that he was doing something right. He focused even more and strengthened his blows until a visible web of cracks was seen all over the.

    The breakdown of the barrier was gentle yet inevitable. Everybody watched as it fell like snowkes on thend beneath as if the sky had just fallen.

    "Finally..." Labs groaned, "It turns out that the Eclipse Drill was never needed. Hey, you lot. Get ready! We will descend shortly!"

    Actually, he wasn''t the cause of the barrier''s breakdown. Not even close, really. It disappeared because its invincibility period was over.

    But there''s no need to tell them that. They don''t have to know. Let them be proud of themselves for an achievement that was never theirs.

    It didn''t take long before the army was ready. Labs of course only took a select few of the army and not everybody.

    His task was to snuff out Humanity and bring back some Humans for his Liege to sample. Labs thought to himself that he alone was enough to aplish all of this, but just in case, he decided toe with a small group of lesser demons.

    Once the lesser demons were ready, Labs handed out the order for their descent.

    Demons who were stationed at the Qlipoth had been waiting for this. Ever since they felt the gaze of Labs peering down on them, they were already aware of what was about to happen.

    That''s why as soon as they saw the sky falling down, they knew that Labs wasing.

    It didn''t take long for Labs and his army tond at the Qlipoth, where they were warmly weed by the demon army that was stationed there.

    As soon as they saw Labs'' hulking figure and felt the frightening density of his bloodline, everyone immediately knew that he was the solemanding figure of this operation from now on.

    "Mn?" Labs'' eyes narrowed.

    Before anything could even happen, something urred which shocked everybody.

    They felt the heat from miles away, causing them to look at the sky. They were then greeted with not one, not two, but ten...

    Ten Meteors, aze with white mes, flew down in their position. The Demons were horrified.

    The same thing was happening at Laguna as well...

    "Huh...that''s new." Labsmented softly.

    Being greeted this way was a first for him. Nobody from the many worlds he conquered under the Hypogean Banner was this creative.

    As everybody scrambled to take cover, Labs pointedly ignored the meteors. Instead, he brought his army and left the Qlipoth right away.

    His mission was to destroy humanity and bring back humans with him. Whatever happens to the Qlipoth was none of his concerns.

    Labs strode out of there with his army, each stride of his brought him hundreds of miles closer to Last Bastion. His mere presence was a natural disaster to this world since a ck Fog emerged out of nowhere and it got thicker and thicker with each stride he took.

    Peering beyond the horizon, Labs could see that a Golden Sandstorm was heading their way, and if he continues this way, they will eventually sh with it.

    Well, Labs wouldn''t be him if he were to retreat because of this. The thought of clearing a path or retreating never even urred to him so the inevitable happened.

    The ck Fog and the Golden Sandstorm shed, and the result was devastating for this world.

    Huge chunks ofnd exploded into rubble. War cries erupted from the opposing sides and a fierce sh ensued when the Celestials and the Hypogeans met.

    The most devastating sh was of course between the rivals;

    "Labs..."

    "Francis!!"

    And just like that, a destructive sh between ck and gold continued, causing the world to tremble due to its sheer intensity.

 Chapter 221 Clashing Chaos

    The sh of Celestials and Hpogeans rocked the itself.

    Strong shockwaves rippled across the continent, causing tectonic shifts and earthquakes. The worst part about this is the fact that these invaders couldn''t be bothered to care about the damage they are causing to this world.

    To them, this is just another battlefield they can use to determine who''s truly the superior race. If they happened to destroy this world in the middle of that, so be it.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Explosions shook the continent, the ones who were causing the real destruction were the two rivals fighting up in the air; Labs and St. Francis.

    Labs sprouted raven wings on his back, flying at sonic speed as hissers razed everything in his vision, his target was mostly St. Francis but there were some casualties here and there because of hisck of control and care.

    St. Francis on the other hand, dodged thesers in a daredevil-like manner, barely avoiding them with grace and elegance that seemed natural to him. Even though it almost seem like he was going to get hit, he calmly dodged everything as if he couldn''t be bothered with them.

    Every time their bodies shed, a strong shockwave ensued, forming stadium sized-craters in their wake while also causing their armies to suffer from the aftermath.

    Still, the intensity of the rivals'' fight didn''t deter the heated battle of those who were fighting on the ground. They recklessly threw their bodies forward as if they couldn''t care less about their lives.

    This stemmed from their belief that they are eternal. Even if they were to die here, they will be reborn in their respective homes once more so they didn''t have to worry about anything.

    They''ve becent to the point that they failed to notice a few things that should''ve been obvious.

    Jagged spikes rose so suddenly to impale their bodies, a chilling wind that stalled some of their movements long enough for a devastating attack tond on them. A random orb ofpressed heat explodes on impact when it hits them. Thick vines popped up from the ground to restrict them and so on...

    Things like these happened now and then across the battlefield. They''re infrequent enough for them to notice but effective enough to add to the pile of their casualties.

    Normally, they would''ve noticed this by now. They might not care about their deaths too much but that doesn''t mean that they won''t react to them. The strange urrences around the battlefield were surely causing some casualties so somebody should''ve noticed it by now.

    However, their sh is too intense and too heated for them to pay attention to anything else.

    Those weird urrences? They could just me that on the lousy tricks of the enemies. Even if they noticed it, so what? That''s not important to them right now. What matters is that their leaders are fighting in earnest, and as followers, they should do the same.

    Thinking can be postponed, right now they need to kill.

    Because they pointedly ignored this one obvious sign, they failed to see the bigger picture.

    If they had just paid attention now, they would''ve realized that the casualties caused by the strange urrences were weird. However, since they couldn''t be bothered to pay attention, they would remain ignorant about this untilter.

    Boom!

    Another strong shockwave ensued. Up in the air, Labs and St. Francis shed.

    Their auras were so strong that their bodies weren''t even touching. The sheer repulsion of their corruption caused violent reactions strong enough to change the topography of their environment.

    "Still persistent as ever, I see." St. Francis smirked stiffly as he kept pushing Labs back.

    "And you are just as annoying as I could remember. Die for me!" Labs hollered.

    His throat thrummed in power, sending out a strong andpressed sonic blow toward St. Francis but it failed to hit him.

    Labs sensed the space warping in front of him and tried to change the trajectory of his attack but it was toote. The sonic shout was redirected to him but he was unharmed since he was able to control his wings to take the blow for him.

    Meanwhile, St. Francispressed several needles of pure golden light. All of which danced around him as he elegantly ranps around Labd, warping the space around him to elerate his movements.

    This is what Labs hated so much about St. Francis. The fact that this guy had this much talent that he even mastered Spatial Abilities is what makes him extremely difficult to do this.

    That''s also the main reason why St. Francis became his rival despite the obvious gap in their status and experience.

    Labs was one of the fiercest generals of the Hypogean Race. He was so strong that his full-powered blows could shatter space itself. With St. Francis around, some of Labs'' abilities are effectively neutralized since Francis can reinforce Space.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Still, Labs holds a definite advantage against St. Francis thanks to his experience...

    With a stomp of his foot, Labs emitted a strong force that reverberated to space itself, causing a ripple that destroyed golden needles that St. Francis sent out before they could even touch him.

    Pushing this advantage, Labs kicked the air and close the gap between him and Francis. He felt some resistance due to thetter reinforcing space to constrict him but Labs'' strong physique was only inconvenienced a bit.

    Still, that was enough for Francis to dodge another strong punch from Labs.

    Their fight was truly like cat and mouse. One was always chasing while the other was trying to escape and aggravate the other party.

    St. Francis knew that he was no match for Labs in a straight-up brawl. He would lose, 9 times out of 10. So, he could only use clever tactics to work his way around him.

    Onecking aspect of Labs was patience. He''s also suffering from severe anger-management issues. The more Francis annoys Labs, the more reckless he will be. Once Labs had gone mad, he will leave himself wide open for surprises, and that''s what he''s aiming for.

    Woosh!

    Labs leaned so far back to avoid something that his body bent to a 90�� angle. He then kicked back and put some distance between himself and Francis, observing him for a bit.

    He couldn''t see it but he could sense it. A tiny sharp thing whizzed past Francis'' body hiding behind the fabric of space, weaving through it like fish in the water.

    ''He brought it out...'' Labs pointed out in his mind.

    That little thing he''s referring to was called Space Sewing Needle. It is St. Francis'' most prized possession.

    This needle was telepathically linked to his mind, it was only visible to him and those that could sense the Space Element. This tiny thing might look harmless at first nce but make no mistake, an untold number of demons fell to this needle under St. Francis'' control. Even Labs is wary of it.

    The reason why was that this needle can open up Spatial Tears. And because of its size and mobility, it can do this anywhere; outside or inside the enemy''s body. The point is, Spatial Tears are extremely deadly and everybody should be wary of them.

    With St. Francis bringing this out, it means that he''s finally getting serious. He isn''t nning on running away from this fight and that also meant that he isn''t letting Labs go either.

    This fight won''t be over until one of them retreats to where they came.

    In response to this, Labs'' expression turned rigid. If it''s a fight that St. Francis wants, it''s what he will get. Labs has never been one to retreat from a direct challenge.

    The tension between them was so thick that it felt heavy. After a round of measuring gazes. They twitched at shed once more...

    This time, their movements were so fast that nobody could follow their movements anymore. Who knows how many times they''ve exchanged blows within a short moment?

    Their figures streaked across the sky like shooting stars. Everywhere they met, the environment around them suffered greatly. They were so focused on their fight that everything else was a blur around them.

    They''re in their own world and had forgotten about the real one that actually mattered. They had temporarily forgotten about the real reason why they were here and it wasn''t just them.

    Their respective armies also forgot about their mission. They were so focused on proving their superiority through violence that theypletely ignored one variable that should''ve been the key to this whole operation.

    Humanity...

    They''re so into the racial supremacy bullshit that theypletely failed to notice that the sky was repairing itself.

    So into their sh that they disregarded the idea that Humanity might''veid down a trap for them.

    They didn''t notice that not only was the sky being repaired, but it also seemed to be strongerpared to before.

    None of them felt the obvious fluctuations around them that restored the barrier that once prevented them from descending. By the time they eventually realized this, it will all be toote.

    The trap wasid down and they unhesitatingly fell for it. It''s already toote to regret.

 Chapter 222 Approach Of Chaos

    The earth trembled, winds howled and space itself kept getting destroyed due to their sh.

    It has been a few hours since Labs'' Army and St. Francis'' army shed against each other and it showed no signs of stopping at all.

    Labs and St. Francis reverted to their true forms due to the intensity of their battle.

    St. Francis looked close to what a human but with multiple sets of golden wings and a bright golden halo hovering behind him. He looked like a statue that can move with how pale he was and of course, his entire body and his wings were covered with eyes that shot outsers.

    Labs was an abomination through and through. He had the body of a four-legged beast and its massive, his pelt was pitch ck with bright crimson stripes. He has two heads, ced on top of each other. He also has massive fangs jutting out of his mouth. The raven wings on his back becamerger and of course, he also has numerous horns that formed a crown on top of his head.

    Their fight already escted to a personal level at this point and they''ve stopped paying attention to everything else that doesn''t have anything to do with them.

    Then again, they wouldn''t be known figures from their respective race if they were not experienced enough to know that something wrong was going on.

    They already had a sneaking suspicion deep down that the situation was weird. It''s as if they''re forgetting something incredibly important. However, due to their natural repulsion from seeing their rival race, this instinct became a lesser priority to them.

    Boom! Boom!

    More craters appeared on the ground. Labs and St. Francis shed again and again. They''ve spent a considerable amount of energy in their battle and they''ve injured each other already.

    At some point, their sh came to a brief pause. Initially, it was to measure each other''s gazes first but St. Francis felt something that triggered his instincts.

    He frowned and looked around him with mild confusion, he then looked at his army with a perplexed gaze, earning curiosity of Labs.

    "What''s wrong Francis? Tired already?" He taunted.

    "Be quiet for a bit." Francis flipped him off and paid close attention to the battlefield.

    Labs didn''t like that attitude at all, he was about to do something about it but he calmed himself down and waited. He kept his guard up just in case but he also paid attention to whatever Francis was looking at.

    "Who''s doing that?" Francis asked.

    ? "Doing what?"

    "That..." Francis point down.

    Labs followed his gaze and saw an orb of pure white mes exploding on one of his men, causing them to dissolve into nothingness.

    Something in him felt chills when he saw that happening. He initially wanted to suspect someone from the Celestials but he saw something that stopped him.

    He saw another orb of pure white mes, this time it struck a Celestial and to his surprise, the same thing happened. The Celestial that was struck by the mes disintegrated into nothing.

    Now, Labs felt what Francis was feeling. Confusion and suspicion. This was certainly weird, howe their army was experiencing this?

    "Is iting from this? Like some sort of self-defense?" He mused to himself.

    "Unlikely. This is a backward. It''s hard to believe that it''s capable of doing something like that." Francis replied to him.

    Labs didn''t say anything to that, but the gears in his brain were already working.

    Without uttering another word, he descended from the sky. He was followed by Francis of course.

    When they touched down, the war stopped. Their respective armies went to their side and waited for further orders. They had an unspoke truce temporarily, it seems.

    The weird part was, even when the battle stoppedpletely, the mysterious source of danger didn''t stop.

    Someone got stabbed by a jagged spear made out of the earth by just standing there. Another guy looked as if he got hit by something big and hard, causing him to fly back like a broken kite.

    The unlucky ones straight up died due to those orbs of white mes dissolving them.

    Seeing these urrences happening with their eyes shocked the majority of them. If they haven''t paused just now, they would probably never notice this at all.

    "...t-they''re noting back? Eh?" Someone from the Celestials spoke a little too loud.

    All eyes were on him, but the guy didn''t even notice it. He kept looking at the spot where hisrades stood previously. He had been waiting for them to be fixed by the Golden Sandstorm.

    Usually, it will take no longer than a few seconds for them to be fixed, it''s been minutes since they died and they still haven''t shown up yet. This wasn''t a good sign of course so he started panicking.

    "It shouldn''t take that long for them to be repaired right? The Golden Sandstorm is still in effect. So why is it taking so long? Ce on you fool, get up now! You''re making me nervous."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    His words caused the atmosphere in the environment to change. It triggered something in them that had fallen into a deep slumber.

    Everyone waited for it but it never urred. Those who died didn''t get fixed, they didn''t return even after they''d waited.

    St. Francis himself observed it personally and was confused too. He wanted to deny it so badly but he couldn''t deny what was obvious.

    "...their souls are no longer here." He muttered softly after a thorough inspection.

    His words elicited some violent reactions from both armies.

    "They''ve returned to the embrace of the Miracle." He added, but when his gaze met Labs'' he knew that the other party didn''t believe his lies.

    Nobody from their side returned to anything. They''re gone for good. Francis just said that to minimize the impact of the strange urrences around them.

    "Oi, you stupid brats! Come with me!" Labs roared.

    "Sir, yes Sir!" The Hypogean Army under him didn''t ask any questions, they were conditioned to listen and follow orders.

    As they started marching out of there, Francis called out to them, asking: "Where are you going?"

    "To the Ant Hill." Labs snorted. "Some pesky creatures needed to be reminded of their ce."

    Francis frowned. He knows what Labs was referring to when he said ''Ant Hill''. With that guy''s superiorityplex, he''d deem any race that is not Hypogeans to automatically be lesser creatures.

    This was him saying that he was going where Humanity made their camp. He''s nning on snuffing out Humans once and for all to stop this nonsense.

    Labs might hate Francis and the Celestials in general, but beneath that hate lies a certain amount of respect.

    He hates Francis and everything he stands for, but he knows that Francis will never make an excuse to stop fighting him. He also knows that Francis would never stoop so low to the point of relying on petty tricks to gain an advantage.

    So, as much as he didn''t like him, he knows that Francis truly had no connection to whatever bullshit this was. And that leads him to suspect Humans cause who else would it be at this point?

    Labs hated the fact that these lesser creatures dared to interrupt them and kill his men. That''s why he''s nning on going there to make sure that they will never be a problem to them anymore.

    Francis had no choice but to follow Labs. Don''t get him wrong, he doesn''t hold any negative feelings toward humanity. They simply never mattered to him.

    And while he was indeed instructed to do something about them, it doesn''t change the fact that he just doesn''t care about them at all.

    He followed Labs since he had the same mission as him. That, and he''s also curious as to how Labs was nning to quell humanity''s puny attempt at defending their world.

    It''s a weird sight to see these rival races walk as a unit. Even weirder was that they were dragging the Golden Sandstorm and the ck Fog as they went. This rarely happens.

    As they marched toward the Last Bastion. They came across a weird sight on their way there.

    Someone was blocking their path. This caused them to halt their march temporarily.

    Labs stepped forward and asked:

    "What are you? Human perhaps?"

    That someone stood up from his seat and looked at them.

    "I am. What about it?"

    "Good," Labs replied. The fact that this human just replied to him using theirnguagepletely went over his head. "Tell us where your camp is and you will be spared. Disobey me and I''ll make sure you die a horrible death."

    Unexpectedly, the Human snorted and broke into a fit ofughter. It almost seemed like this human just heard the best joke of the century with how hard heughed. He even keeled over and almost copsed on the floor due to how hard he wasughing.

    "Oh, you guys are the best." The human replied, drying the tears that pooled at the corner of his eyes.

    Then, he turned around and pointed to the north. Saying:

    "If you wanna meet Humans, their base is that way." He said. He then turned back to them and said: "But be warned. They''re not fond of you guys."

    "Still...you guys should''ve stayed where you were. However, it''s toote now."

    The Human then disappeared out of thin air, leaving them guessing as to what those words meant.

 Chapter 223 Against The Chaos

    The march of ck and Gold continued despite that strange encounter.

    From a single nce, it is obvious that nobody truly heeded the strange words of that stranger they met.

    Eventually, they arrived at a point where the Last Bastion was visible to them.

    Labs was mildly surprised by what he saw, though he would never admit this out loud even if hell froze.

    When was thest time that a lesser race made an impression on him? Labs couldn''t recall anymore. But this time it''s different. Still, that doesn''t mean anything.

    To him, it''s just an impression, nothing more. And Francis might say the same.

    This was also the first time that they''d seen the locals of this world. They saw them in a battle formation, waiting outside their territory as if they were anticipating their arrival.

    Labs felt a strange sensation pooling in his guts the moment he saw Humans for the first time. He couldn''t tell what it was though so he ignored it. Again...

    Then, a force swept past them. Causing them to unknowingly halt in their tracks.

    Tension immediately rose between the forces. The armies of Humans and the invaders stood tall against each other in a tense atmosphere.

    It was then that someone from the Humans stepped forward and bravely met their gaze.

    "Invaders of this world!" She yelled with a strong voice. "Return from where you came from. This ce does not wee your kind!"

    Labs and St. Francis were shocked. Mostly because of the audacity of this woman.

    "Well...this is new." St. Francis muttered in amusement. "When was thest time somebody showed this kind of audacity in my presence? It''s kind of refreshing, not gonna lie."

    "Woman," Labs grunted. "Are you the chosen one of this race? Are you their voice and their Champion?"

    "Indeed. Now, gather your army and go back from whatever forsaken ce that your kind came from." She replied.

    "Hoh..." Labs snorted in disdain. Francis chuckled on the side because he knew that this woman had just thoroughly angered this madman.

    "As expected of some pesky race. To think that they would have a woman as their leader." Labs sneered and shook his head.

    "How our race operates isn''t something that abominations, like you all, canment on. The likes of you have no authority in this ce so be silent and withdraw your troops. Now!"

    Bzzt! Boom!

    Aser shot out from Labs'' eyes sockets, its target was of course the woman who had just spoken.

    His attack kicked up a cloud of dust, momentarily lowering their visibility of the opposite army. So, they waited until it disappeared.

    To their surprise though, nobody was harmed. The woman still stood there like a mighty pir. Not even a scratch could be seen on anybody.

    "Tch. Some vile beings you are..." the woman spat venomously. "You don''t even know some basic decency. Just some fucking locusts going from one world to another, all you know is destruction. I should''ve known that you all will act this way..."

    If her words earlier hadn''t angered them already, then these new ones certainly did. This woman just cursed their entire race, and the worst part is, they couldn''t deny it since it was true. Yet nobody would dare to admit that.

    "I will say this onest time." The woman red at them, releasing a dense pressure that pressed down on them. "Leave! Go back to where you came from. This world doesn''t want any of you."

    "Leave while you still can. The holes that you''ve made to enter this world is still there, use that to leave this and never return. This is thest time that this option will be avable to you, and I strongly suggest that you listen to me, or else, you all will experience nothing but endless pain and suffering if you remain here."

    "Hey, Francis." Labs called out through gritted teeth.

    "Yeah?" St. Francis'' voice was strained too from anger.

    "That woman is mine, don''t fight me on this."

    "Sure, I''ll aim for their homes then."

    Their conversation wasn''t a mum so everybody heard it. Labs and Fracis'' aura started rising to the skies as if it were responding to their anger.

    It wasn''t just them. Even their minions felt angry too. They''d never met any race that had insulted them this much so of course, they were triggered by those tant words of disrespect.

    On the other hand, Humanity''s army didn''t even look remotely fazed by what they were seeing. They stood alert and solemn, but not afraid. Such behavior was highly unusual. Nevertheless, that doesn''t change anything.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Since they''ve angered the superior race, then they shall be extinct from this point onwards. They will all die and their history will be removed and forgotten, just like those who had tried before them.

    ...or at least, that is what they thought will happen.

    Before any of them could move, a strange force swept past them, keeping them still despite their obvious resistance.

    Then, the sky parted, revealing a divine light from beyond. From there, numerous chains descended, shooting down to cuff both Labs and St. Francis.

    "AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!"

    Each chain glowed with a sh of pure divine brilliance. They wrapped themselves around both Labs and St. Francis'' bodies. The moment it made contact with their skin, they felt an intense amount of pain that made them cry out in agony.

    The chain singed their skin, digging to their flesh and bones. It was so painful that both of them writhed in agony. They couldn''t even make any attempts of taking the chains off since they were in too much pain.

    Their respective armies were shocked by this sudden development. They couldn''t believe what they were seeing and hearing right now.

    It had to be known that they''d never heard these two cry out in pain like that. They never even thought that they could make these sounds but they were proven wrong today.

    Seeing them writhe on the ground in sheer agony made them feel nervous. It was then that they heard the woman say:

    "Don''t say I didn''t warn you. I''ve given you all a chance, it was you all who chose to ignore my words. Whatever happens next, just remember that you all asked for it."

    "Mages! Give our visitors a warm wee!"

    That was the moment that the real sh began. When Alice gave out that order, all manner of things rained down on the opposing army; zing meteors, hailstorms, razor-sharp winds, jagged spikes of earth, floods, and so on...

    Spell after spell was unleashed by the mages, causing the enemy army to suffer greatly.

    Just a reminder, the Celestials, and Hypogeans never understood how Martial Arts and Magic worked at all. They never bothered learning more due to their superiorityplex. Meaning, they don''t have a clue about how to handle Humanity''s counterattack at all.

    Sure they could do their best to evade it or ignore using their strong physiques, but that can only go far. Not to mention, they were still dibobted by what happened to their respective leaders that they were caught off guard by this sudden chaos.

    As their army endure heavy fire from Humans, Labs and St. Francis continued to suffer from the chains.

    They were trying their best to take it off. However, the chains have singed their bodies to their bones, making it impossible for them to do that.

    The pain they felt reached their soul, they can for sure say that they''ve never experienced this kind of pain in their entire lives.

    What''s more, they could feel their strength draining from their bodies. It''s as if the chains were siphoning their strength while also making the experience agonizing pain.

    "You imbeciles!" Labs roared through the pain. He stood up shakily but failed, nevertheless, he still said: "What the hell are you all panicking for!? Meet the enemy!! Kill them!!"

    His orders pped them awake. Both the Celestial and Hypogean army regained their wits and began properly assessing the situation.

    "Knights! Charge! Show them that they''re picked the wrong people to piss off!"

    War cries erupted and the two massive forces shed together in a chaotic war that shook the earth and darkened the skies.

    While that was happening, Labs and St. Francis were still writhing on the ground in pure agony. The pain was too much for them to handle it was muddling their senses.

    "Shit! Shit! Why is it not working? Come on! Get this shit off me!" Francis repeatedly cursed and roared as he tried his best to get rid of the chains.

    "So, tell us, O'' Mighty Generals, how do you like our present?"

    Both Labs and St. Francis lifted their heads to re at the speaker.

    "You wench!" Labs roared, "What did you do?"

    "Oh, nothing much." Alice tucked her hair behind her ears before saying: "We just put you both on a leash, we were afraid that you two will start going rabid if we let you do as you please."

    Alice then crouched down and leaned close to them, not minding their res and threatening roars.

    "You all really should''ve listened when somebody told you to return from where you came from. Unfortunately, it''s all toote now."

 Chapter 224 Twisted Heavenly Bulwark

    "Raaagghh!!!"

    "Brothers, kill!!!"

    "Kill!!!"

    "Do not let them through!"

    "Kill them all!"

    "We are the protectors of our home! Invaders, die for me!!"

    War cries erupted. The great earth trembled before the sh of Humanity and the Invaders.

    From a single nce, things aren''t looking good for Humanity. They are severely outnumbered so they were getting swarmed by the invader army. That being said, Humans showed a surprising level of tenacity against them.

    Divine light surrounded each and every single one of them as if the Heavens themselves gave Humanity its blessing to drive the invaders away.

    And in a sense...that isn''t far from the truth.

    The divine brilliance surrounding them was the result of Ashton''s Divine Blessing. Ashton is the most powerful White Mage to ever exist in the annals of Human History.

    So, despite being severely outnumbered, Humanity was neutralizing their advances, not allowing them to pass through.

    Justin looked at his surroundings. His ears rumbled with the many sounds going off around him. The war cries of his kind rumbled in his chest, igniting a ze in his heart that he never thought possible.

    As a personal student of the Guild Master, Justin learned all about the outside world from Ashton. He heard his story and his excerpts back when he has transported away from Last Bastion.

    And just like ke, Mary, and Alice, he too entered the Virtual Reality based on the experiences of Ashton.

    The memories were still fresh in his mind. The amount of humiliation and anger he felt when he learned about what the invaders thought of Humanity in general, was immense.

    This event just strengthened his resolve to be even stronger. And if there''s one thing that was etched in this his mind during that experience...

    It''d be the fact that; no one hates the invaders more than the Guild Master does.

    And he''s clear with his intentions. Ashton never deceived him or anyone. Justin was aware that Ashton was raising warriors to fight against the invaders.

    Those warriors included him, of course. And, just as how Ashton never hesitated to use all resources avable to him to raise them, Justin too shall not hold back in fulfilling his sworn duty.

    Bzzzt! Boom!

    Pale lightning and thunder rumbled from his body. Justin''s hair turned tinum blond and his eyes turned all white. Pythons made out of lightning slithered around his body, some coiled into his sword.

    His sword intent screeched and made itself known. His gaze swept past the horde of invaders threatening the safety of their home. A sneer escaped from his lips before his body leaned forward and promptly disappeared.

    He turned into a lightning bolt, flying with a blinding speed and passing through several enemies, leaving some gaping and burning holes in their bodies.

    Justin reappeared and pointed his sword to the sky, what followed were several pirs of pure lightning purging the invaders, reducing them to mere ashes.

    Due to his effectiveness at killing enemy troops, he attracted the attention of both his allies and the enemy.

    In mere seconds, the enemy started swarming him, attempting to drown him into oblivion.

    As a response to this, a wide electrical field emerged with Justin at its center. Enemies who came too close were fried to crisp. This prevented the rest from stupidly trying to get close to him.

    Justin also didn''t have any problems in dealing with ranged attackers, his speed was to fact and his reaction time was even faster. This is the result of Ashton''s heavy training and his personal effortsbined.

    Truly, Justin was raised to be an absolute menace to the opposing army. Especially since his lightning wasn''t any ordinary lightning. It is the Heaven Punishment Lightning and Thunder, which has the same purifying qualities as Ashton''s white mes, albeit more painful for the invaders.

    To top that off, Justin was also talented with the sword. In the entire guild, he''s only second to Alice when ites to Sword Supremacy.

    He had spent a good amount of his time challenging at the Sword Pce, therefore his swordy had seen some drastic changes.

    And while his battle might be a decisive battle for survival, it''s also an opportunity for most people.

    This is a live battle, a do-or-die fight. They''re not experiencing mere pressure, it''s an outright threat to their lives. Due to that nature, thetent potential that is slumbering from their bodies will be forcibly roused into activity.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Justin''s growth won''t stop here. In fact, not only will it not stop, it will be even faster. That''s the perk of being young and talented.

    ''Those who threaten the peace of my home deserve to die!''

    Back in the Morning Sun Federation''s Headquarters, at the President''s office...

    Ashton sat on his chair, leaning back while watching the windows.

    Said windows are, in truth, functioning as CCTV''s, monitoring the state of the war and providing real-time feedback to him.

    Seeing how Justin danced around the battlefield while brandishing his sword covered in lightning, puts his heart at rest.

    ''...the hesitation in his eyes finally disappeared. That''s good.'' He mused inwardly.

    Ashton grabbed a vial right next to him and downed its contents in a single gulp. The vial contained a blue liquid which didn''t look safe at first but in truth, it was a Mana Potion, so it was fine.

    While Ashton might be a Child of Mana, supporting this many people was still burdensome for him.

    Yes, he is supporting an entire army even though he was way back here. The ARC Fantasia is conductive, and since this is his domain, his influence here is the greatest. There are several tools here that helped him extend his casting range, allowing him to support people at any time possible.

    They were indeed being held just outside of Last Bastion but that was not a problem since the distance was just far enough for him to reach them.

    Aside from Ashton, Aria, Felicia, Doug, and other consultants are also present in the room. They too were watching the war unfold. As a matter of fact, Fantasia as a whole was watching everything unfold since this is bring broadcasted on allworks avable.

    Ashton decided to sign off the broadcast due to a few reasons. But for the most part, he just thought that there was no reason to filter the information anymore.

    The citizens had every right to know what was happening around them. There''s no point in hiding the existence of the invaders since that benefits nobody.

    Plus, it''s just overall better for the morale of Humanity as a whole to see that they have a fighting chance.

    Ashton momentarily peeled his gaze away from the monitors and looked at his side. There, he saw a System Prompt that he had yet to close.

    [The Twisted Heavenly Tree''s evolution, happened and seeded because of you, it has now be the ''Twisted Heavenly Bulwark''. ��500 Benefactor''s Return, triggered! You received: Horace the Golem, and 250 Skill and Spell Points.]

    [Twisted Heavenly Bulwark]

    Type: Defensive Tool (World-ss)

    Description:

    : An evolved form of the Twisted Heavenly Tree. It has the same qualities as one but with massive improvements across the board.

    : It no longer needs sacrifice for maintenance. Instead, it now absorbs Law and Aether Energy and uses them as fuel.

    : Heavenly Bulwark �� a protective barrier that encapstes the entire and preserves its natural state. Highly durable and reflects 150% of all manner of attacks it receives back to its sender. You as its master can also determine the shape of the bulwark.

    : Last Stand �� Activate this effect to turn the Heavenly Bulwark invincible for an entire month. Heavenly Bulwark enters a swift recovery mode while it''s invincible (recovery speed depends on the vitality of the world and the richness of Laws). Can only be used once a year.

    : Twisted Heavenly Chains �� Those who aren''t born of the world that the Twisted Heavenly Bulwark was protecting, will experience a massive suppression. Invaders who possess enough power to threaten the world will be struck by chains that cause them immense pain and agony while also draining their strength.

    ''Thank the heavens the gamble paid off.'' He muttered inwardly.

    With the new and improved protective measures for this world, the army of invaders should face an even more difficult time forcing their way in the future.

    And since he could now determine the shape of the bulwark, he could also create openings from it, which might prove useful in the future.

    When Alice told the invaders to fuck off, that was his intention. Alice very much wanted to end them right then and there but Ashton had his reservations.

    Well, it ended up being useless anyways since Labs and St. Francis were too arrogant to back down.

    Due to that, he had no other choice than to make them suffer for underestimating them. The Twisted Heavenly Chains surely made quick work out of them.

    Ashton closed the System Prompts and continued monitoring the war. He could still feel mana being drained from his body due to the sheer amount of healing he needed but that was fine by him.

    ''Go on, everybody. Continue with your work. I am and will always be watching over you.''

 Chapter 225 End Of Chaos

    When was thest time that Labs felt that he fell into a disadvantageous battle?

    The memory he has of it was vague, but he could clearly remember it being awful.

    As far as he''s aware, it happened back in the day when he was still young and new to his work, back when the Hypogean Race was still in its early development.

    He remembered how he almost lost his life back then. How he was so close to being brought down to his knees and begging their enemies to spare his life.

    Labs, the mighty General of the Hypogean Race, would undoubtedly deny this memory ever happening. It''s his closely guarded secret that not even the Demon Lords know. And he would choose to die instead of outright admitting it.

    He hated that memory so much that he did all he could to make sure that it will never happen again. He repressed these memories deep down until they gradually faded. He dumped an absurd amount of victories in it so that he could rewrite this memorypletely.

    Unfortunately, his efforts never mattered at all. Even with everything he did to forget about that memory, in the end, it only took one act of carelessness and he''s reliving it all over again.

    Withbored breaths, he instinctually caught himself from falling to the ground for the nth time. He dove to the side to avoid a sharp slice that threatened to split him in half.

    He raised a paw and struck the earth, releasing a shockwave strong enough to cause earthquakes.

    His eyes sockets were bleeding profusely. The main reason being is that his eyes were no longer there, and this applied to both of his heads.

    A pesky woman with a bow shot all of his eyes with deadly uracy earlier. Rending his eyesers useless. And while he could still perform that attack, doing so would riskier since he can''t see anymore.

    The only reason why he''s still alive is due to his ability to keenly sense vibrations around him. This is what he relied on to know what was happening in his surroundings.

    Swish!

    Labs once again had to evade, allowing him to dodge yet another terrifying slice that could''ve cut him in half.

    Cursing inwardly, he wondered how the hell this swordswoman was raised. How the hell was she this terrifying with that toy in her hands!? That never made sense to him.

    As far as Labs could recall, his body was impervious to all kinds of weapons. Hell, even if someone were to use the Eclipse Drill against him, at most, all they could give him was a minor wound, which he can heal in a blink of an eye.

    ''Curse these chains!!'' He eximed angrily inwardly.

    Yes, he knows that these chains were the primary source of his suffering. Ever since these chainstched onto him, they caused him immense suffering and made him lose the strength he umted after a long period of service.

    He could feel weakness and fatigue burdening his entire being. If it weren''t for these chains, he would''ve already ttened down this puny civilization of lesser beings.

    Buzz!

    Labs received feedback from his senses, causing him to retreat a couple of steps back, barely missing an arrow that was aimed at his temples.

    That pesky female archer was really getting on his nerves, it''s like she could predict his moves at all times and it was aggravating. She''s undoubtedly the one that''s been making his life miserable ever since this battle started.

    His two heads opened their maws and fired a concentrated st of corruption toward where he thought his enemies were. And because he developed some kind of vendetta against that swordswoman and that female archer, he naturally aimed his attack at them. But...

    Boom!

    He received yet another feedback from his senses, rying to him how his attack did absolutely nothing. It was blocked by that foolish guy who was wielding shields in both arms.

    Labs hated this man too. He hated how sturdy and firm he was. This man never failed to protect those two pesky women no matter what kind of attack he did. He will always stand before them to raise his shield and protect them from all manner of harm.

    Such a tant disy of camaraderie sickens him.

    To Labs, camaraderie is an act of weakness. It makes breeds reliance and dependence on others, therefore weakening a soldier''s mindset and preventing them from getting the expected results. He hated that concept so much that if he saw any of his men showing signs of it, he will kill them with his own hands.

    What made this ever more hateful for him was the fact that this concept, which he refused to acknowledge, was working.

    These three lesser creatures are showing him what camaraderie does, and he absolutely despises it.

    Swoosh!

    Labs attempted to take flight but was immediately shot down by that female archer. Now, there''s a gaping hole on his wings and his regenerative ability was somewhat neutralized so that won''t heal anytime soon.

    Oh, the things he would do just to kill this pesky archer...

    Sadly, they''re working too perfectly in sync that it''s practically impossible for him to hurt them.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    ''...would''ve been so fucking nice if Francissted just a bit longer. That idiot got himself killed because of his huge mouth.''

    Yes, St. Francis has indeed been in. Bisected cleanly in half by Alice.

    The idiot had much to say. Thinking that he could fight this battle with words instead of his fist. He thought that their enemies were dumb and stupid to fall for his trap yet it was he who died miserably in the end.

    Francis didn''t even know how he died from the expression he had before being sliced in half.

    Labs also hated the fact that this was thest scene he had witnessed before the archer shot him in the eyes.

    It''s also somewhat embarrassing for him. Just a reminder, Labs had been struggling to kill Francis for a good while now, yet it only took one simple act of deception and that guy died miserably. Worse, he died not in the hands of Labs, but in the hands of a lesser creature.

    And judging by how this battle was going on, it''s also very unlikely that he too would suffer the same fate.

    ''...I never thought that I would have to use this in here of all ces. But I''m all out of options. My Liege, I leave the rest to you.''

    Labs erupted with the veryst ounce of his strength. He released enough pressure to force his enemies back.

    This gave him enough time to raise his paw and dig his heart out.

    He grunted in pain but the feeling was quickly numbed. He also plucked a section of his horns and used it to stab his own heart while chanting a solemn prayer.

    This was a ritual to summon his master to deliver punishment to his enemies. This move was ast resort, a final act of defiance since this ritual will kill him if it seeds.

    Labs never knew that he''d be pushed to use this move but here he was, chanting a heartfelt prayer for his lord to descend into this puny world.

    A dense crimson light bathed him. Labs felt the warmth of his master, protecting him from all manner of harm. Inwardly, he heaved a sigh of relief while continuing his heartfelt prayer. However, he probably shouldn''t have felt that way...

    Woosh!

    Labs felt a massive distraction, forcing him to open his eyes. And to his horror, he saw a pure and divine brilliance looming over him.

    He felt an existential crisis in the face of this brilliance, it''s as if he met someone who waspletely out of his league.

    Secondster, a thick pir of white-gold re encapsted Labs. Under its influence, he felt the same pain that these ursed chains brought to him earlier.

    The warmth he felt from his master was there for a second and go on the next. He wasn''t even given enough time to enjoy it.

    The ritual failed,pletely neutralized through means that he will never be able to understand.

    Hisst resort amounted to nothing. He dug his own heart for absolutely nothing.

    He came here with his head held up high and chest filled with jaded confidence and certainty, yet in the end, it was all for nothing.

    Labs...no.

    All of the invading races of this world,pletely and utterly, underestimated the abilities of this so-called Lesser Race.

    As the gaping hole in his chest continued to spill his foul blood...

    As he felt strength slowly leaving his body and every inch of himself breaking down into pieces...

    A lone figure resurfaced in the depths of his memories...

    It''s that guy they met earlier. The one who was hidden behind a White Cloak.

    Ironically, in hisst moments, he remembered the words that the man told them before pointing them to their permanent resting ce...

    Smiling ruefully to himself, Labs thought:

    ''Ah...we should''ve really listened to him.''

    ''We should''ve stayed where we were...maybe if we did that...we''d still be alive.''

    And just like how St. Francis died, Labs'' withering body was split in half by that girl''s sword.

 Chapter 226 Clean Up

    Cleaning up the rest wasn''t difficult.

    After all, once they witnessed how their Generals died, their morale pretty much took a solid hit and they copsed entirely. On the other hand, humans were even more energized after the deed so killing the rest didn''t turn into a huge problem.

    Sufficed to say, Humanity won this sh. They proved that they could survive the relentless assault of the invaders and could continue to flourish.

    This victory was celebrated by everybody, but underneath the celebratory mood, many people knew that this isn''t the end. If anything, the real battle just started.

    But that''s a matter forter. Right now, they should just feel relieved that they didn''t suffer much damage.

    There were casualties on their side too. Some people died even with Ashton''s blessings. It is disheartening but this is an expected oue, after all, the invaders are strong, and that much is proven from what everybody saw in the broadcast.

    Ashton tasked Jerry to prepare arrangements for the family of the deceased. He also prepared a burial to honor them. Their service to Humanity won''t be forgotten or ignored.

    As much as it pains him to lose people, he knows that this is something that will always happen whenever they''re up against the invaders.

    While the memorial was being prepared, Ashton recalled his men back home. They were received with loud cheers and praises. Everybody saw how they fought bravely against the enemy, risking their lives for the sake of keeping their homes safe.

    As for Ashton, he used this moment to go after the corpses of the fallen invaders.

    Bringing out his scythe, he allowed it to consume the rivers of corrupted blood that umted just outside of Last Bastion.

    If he left it here like this, it may attract some unwanted attention. Perhaps it might even be used to breed new forms of invaders. He obviously didn''t want that to happen so he allowed his scythe to consume everything.

    Plus, doing this helps in preventing from being reincarnated ever again. Their souls will be trapped in the scythe and unless Ashton willed it so, they won''t escape that ce. Given time, all of these souls will be digested by the scythe and turn into its nutrition, thereby making it even stronger.

    Ashton eventually reached the corpses of both St. Francis and Labs.

    Holding his scythe that''s still siphoning the blood around him, he looked sternly at Labs'' corpse.

    "Huh...it looks like they missed something. Fortunately, I decided toe here."

    Ashton then crouched down and pushed the carcass to the side, revealing the underbelly of the great beast. His eyesnded on the corpse''s reproductive organ and saw something spasming in there.

    Using Psychokinesis, he ripped whatever it was from the corpse and hovered it before him.

    "Ugh, you look disgusting..." he scowled.

    Looking at it closely, it seemed to be a writhing and rotting flesh that contracts as if it was a heart. Its body was covered in putrid ck goo andrge veins too.

    It just looked eerie, uncanny, and just downright wrong. Not to mention, it releases some seriously threatening levels of corruption.

    Ashton couldn''t bear to look at it any longer than he already have so he took out his gun and shot it with a Purifying Shot.

    The organ...or whatever the hell it was, released a piercing shriek that nearly sted his eardrums. Ashton never expected that at all so he was caught off-guard.

    And Surprisingly, whatever this was, showed some serious resistance against his purification, which piqued his interest.

    ''...this isn''t Labs'' heart.'' Ashton mused, yes he knows this demon''s name.

    ''I''m certain that I melted that down when I shot him with a rocket earlier. So what in world is this? And howe it didn''t die when Labs died?''

    Also, he ripped this thing out from the reproductive organ of Labs so there''s no way that it''d be a heart.

    ''...don''t tell me his dick is alive? If so, then I think another rocket shell should solve this problem.''

    Ashton''s eye twitched when his brain fed him this ridiculous notion. But honestly, what else should he think?

    Technically, the thing doesn''t look like a dick. It doesn''t evene close to it. But one could truly never know, you see. After all, the biologicalposition of the invaders is different from what Humans have.

    "Hu...man!!!"

    ''Oh shit! A talking dick! Wait, no!!''

    Ashton shook his head and ignored his intrusive thoughts. He focused on whatever the hell this thing was since he was pretty sure that the voicee from it.

    "You will...die, Human!!"

    Peng!

    Ashton shot it again. He wasn''t thinking of shooting it to bepletely honest but his hands just moved on their own.

    He winced when he heard the piercing shriek of this thing again. To be fair, he caused that so he shouldn''tin. But still, this thing looks so ugly that he would very much like it to disappear forever.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I...will...kill you, Human!! Remember me! You...will pay...for what you did to my beloved pet!!"

    ''Oh...ooohhhhh.'' Ashton gets it now.

    This thing was supposed to be an Avatar or a Clone of whoever Labs pledged his loyalty to.

    It''s a parasite that was nted on Labs'' body, possibly without his prior knowledge or participation. Whatever its purpose was, Ashton couldn''t care less.

    All he knows is that this thing cannot be left alive in this world. Or else it might pose some serious problems for him.

    Peng! Peng! Peng!

    Ashton shot it with his guns again, this time he did it intentionally. The creature shrieked painfully as the white mes gnawed at its being from the inside out.

    The creature cursed him again and again, repeatedly threatening him to no avail. Ashton on the other hand just watched with cold and calcting eyes as the creature slowly died.

    "Man, it would be nice if your true body was feeling this too." Ashton thought out loud as he unloaded more shots into the creature.

    Ashton made sure to watch over the creature. Not even once did he peel his gaze away from it since he doesn''t want it to escape. Despite looking bored, in truth, he was prepared for anything that this creature might do.

    He had already resolved himself into ensuring the death of this creature. Not even the arrival of god could prevent him from killing this thing.

    Ashton saw as the creature gradually turned weaker and weaker. It was still cursing him to death but its voice was bing hoarse and its breaths are bing morebored.

    "...I will...make sure...you die a horrible...horrible death...one day...we wille and I will...make you regret...living!!"

    "Sure, sure. Whatever you say I guess." Ashton shrugged, it was clear that he wasn''t taking these threats seriously at all.

    Ashton lifted his scythe and hacked the creature down. The de of the scythe, which was steeped in the many virtues he gained enlightenment from, sliced the creature in half.

    With one final shriek, the creature died. The Bone Scythe voraciously drank the corrupted blood of the creature while also trapping its soul in there.

    Once the deed was done, Ashton heave a sigh of relief. He then turned around and started healing thend using the Virtue of Life.

    All manner of corruption melted like snow under the summer''s heat. Grass, trees, and flowers started growing en masse.

    It didn''t take him long before hepletely restored life around this area. Due to his bloodline, the vegetation here possesses an inherent quality to resist corruption, so they would be fine even if he left them like this.

    Once he was done with everything, he nodded to himself and said:

    "All ording to n. Now, it''s time to take it easy for a while and let further developments happen on their own."

    Outer Space �� Hypogean Camp (Main), Imperial Pce of Lust.

    "Damn! Fuck! Shit! ARGH!!!"

    The entire pce shook visibly, scaring all of the guards and servants tending to it. That being said, none of them thought about doing anything reckless. They obediently waited for whatever was going to happen next, hoping that their lord wouldn''t release his anger on them.

    Boom!

    The Pce shook again fiercely after they heard a loud explosion. Others were pretty sure they saw smoke and fire somewhere but they didn''t dare to move.

    Somewhere deep in the pce, a shadow twisted and writhed, twitching ever-so-slightly out of sheer frustration.

    Numerous pairs of scarlet-tinted eyes red at a space which is now smoking.

    Everything went silent for a bit, and if one looked closely at this shadow, one would notice that there is a missing piece of flesh on its chest that was now sewing itself close.

    There were traces of tiny white mes there previously that this creature snuffed out.

    "...I swear, I will kill that Human!!" The creature snarled as it stomped out of its room.

    Once it was out, everybody was still. The creature red at pretty much everybody around and then it released several tentacles out.

    The tentacles grabbed as many people as they could, dragging them into a room that was forcibly closed once they entered.

    As the creature ravaged its servants, the image of the human that offended it gued its mind.

    And now, the creature was plotting this human''s death.

 Chapter 227 Rewards

    Sessfully defending against the invading army not only brought relief into Ashton''s entire being, but it also provided him rich rewards.

    From the System, he received the ff:

    [Jester the Courageous]

    Type: Companion Beast

    Description:

    : A loyal friend and protector. Takes the form of a dog but could instantly transform into arge predator, standing about 15 meters in height. Has the body of a lion, the head of a dragon, two pairs of wings, and could breathe hellfire.

    : No upgrades or enhancements avable. Jester grows stronger alongside its owner.

    [Heavenly Spring Chalice]

    Type: Heavenly Treasure

    Description:

    : A tool that gathers energy from its surroundings, condensing them into something called a Heavenly Dew. Based on current parameters, this tool can condense a drop of Heavenly Dew once a week. Improvements are avable.

    : Heavenly Dew -- a liquid condensed from the concentration of energies. It''s a consumable Aether that could rid of physical impurities and remove mental demons. It also washes one''s mana, thereby increasing its purity.

    [El-seed]

    Type: World ss Treasure

    Description:

    : Seed of the lost El Tree of the Fey Race. It is rumored that this tree can grow astoundingly in height, piercing the very heavens itself. ording to the Fey Race, this tree allows them to connect to other worlds, but so far, that''s nothing but a rumor.

    On top of these three, Ashton also received 3 ARC Cores, 1000 Skill Points and Spell Points, a resource ticket, and Spirit Stone Mines.

    Overall, he had hit the jackpot. There are a ton of things that he could do with these rewards.

    Ashton decided to bind Jester the Courageous to Aria. He already has West Two so he doesn''t need apanion beast. Since Aria is a Spirit, Jester would prove to be a good choice for an additionalyer of protection for her.

    As for the Heavenly Spring Chalice, he left it in one of the restricted rooms of the guild. He installed an Energy Gathering Array in there and nted several herbs that could improve the density of energy inside of it.

    This way, the chalice can condense Heavenly Dews faster. He ns on giving out Heavenly Dews as an additional reward for missions to strengthen his men.

    And finally, there''s the El-Seed.

    He hasn''t nted it yet. That''s because there''s a requirement before he could do that.

    To nt the El-Seed, one must first have the bloodline of a Noble Fey or above. Well, Ashton''s Bloodline is of the Fey Emperor so this wasn''t a problem for him.

    What stopped him was the fact that this seed also needs the assistance of Fey Laws. More specifically, he needed to use the El-Realm Fragment he received way back then so that the seed germinates. Without it, the seed is no less than an ordinary stone.

    There''s also this one reward he hasn''t checked out yet since he has been upied. It''s the one he received when he sessfully helped the Twisted Heavenly Tree to evolve.

    [Horace the Golem]

    Type: Guardian Golem

    Description:

    : Horace is an Ancient Golem created for the sole purpose of defending one''s home. He had once be the beacon of safety for many people even though he was in slumber on most days. Horace only awakened twice throughout his entire life. Once to push an invading army back, and once during a great war that destroyed the world of his creator.

    : Duty Bound -- Horace will never wake up unless the territory he''s protecting encounters something that could seriously threaten it. Horace will also never fall into slumber unless the threat he sensed waspletely neutralized. His strength and durability will always be set a realm higher than the threat that awakened him.

    : Golem Alpha -- Horace, as an astounding golem himself, has authority over other Golems. Should he need any assistance, he could call on all nearby Golems to eliminate the threat he''s facing.

    : No upgrades or enhancements avable.

    An impressive one, isn''t he? Ashton didn''t expect to receive something like this.

    Horace looked like a statue in his slumbering state. He''s built like the depictions of Spartans back in his old world. Wearing full body armor with a spear and a shield, he also has a sword on its sheath dangling on his belt.<novelnext></novelnext>

    An imprint was made the moment he touched Horace. Ashton immediately knew that Horace was already bound to Fantasia and Last Bastion as a whole. Now, it doesn''t matter where he ced him, for Horace will awaken from his slumber once he sensed a threat to his new home.

    That''s another trump card for thisnd, giving Ashton more hope and confidence to keep going.

    With the new arrangements in ce, Humanity should encounter a brief period of peace. Something he could certainly use to improve their living conditions even more.

    He could also be bolder and send more men out for exploration. After all, he did leave some gifts to the Qlipoth and Laguna before the attempted invasion began.

    Both the Qliphoth and Laguna should be suffering still from the White Meteors he called down. They should be in a weakened state for a good while and he may capitalize on that.

    But that''s a matter forter...

    Right now, he''s tending to the family of the deceased.

    He paid a visit to the family of his fallen men, bowing his head in apology and extending his sincerest condolences for their loss. Of course, he also handed outpensation for their deaths. This is included in the contract they signed and Ashton honored it.

    Some families thanked him despite feeling heartbroken for their loss. Some tried to neutralize the grief they were feeling by saying that at least they didn''t die in vain.

    Of course, some people hated him. One even chased him out, cursing the hell out of him and saying all kinds of nasty remarks.

    Ashton didn''t mind. He epted their anger and hate. He was prepared for this kind of burden. Of course, he''s still disheartened but in all honesty, this is to be expected.

    For the sake of the many, he must continue. The casualties will not end here, but that doesn''t mean that their sacrifices will be in vain. Ashton swore that the fallen will be remembered and honored.

    After he paid a visit to the families of the deceased. Ashton went back home.

    The Mystic Guild was in a celebratory mood. Of course, they''ve already sent off their fallenrades too.

    Ashton joined the festivities just for a bit before going back home. He allowed everyone to get drunk and celebrate this victory for now. Tomorrow, things should go back to normal.

    Once he''s home, he met Aria who''s already ying with Jester. He smiled as the cute husky yipped at him, wagging its tail in excitement. Jester''s duty might be to protect Aria but it recognizes both of them as its parents.

    Ashton picked Jester up and kissed Aria on the cheeks.

    The two of them had an intimate date night because they hadn''t done so in a while.

    It''s peaceful, quiet, and serene. Just the way Ashton likes it.

    How nice would it be if he could spend the rest of his days just like this? Not worrying about any invaders, not nning out anything big, not feeling any pressure to do well or to do something.

    Just rxed, and peaceful...

    Sadly, those days are too far-fetched for their current situation. What he''s experiencing now is just a temporary thing, and that''s not what he wants.

    Ashton was greedy. He doesn''t want temporary peace, he wants it permanent. And he swore that he was going to do his best to achieve that not only for himself but also for the people close to him.

    It''d require a lot of effort for him to do just that. Hell, he might even trip and fall, causing everything to go tumbling down, wasting all of his efforts.

    That being said, staying afraid of everything wouldn''t get him anywhere. Everything has risks and he understands thatpletely. He''s aware of what he put himself onto from the very beginning.

    Also, he needs help. More than what he already has. He couldn''t do this alone and he''s aware of that.

    Don''t get him wrong, Ashton won''t hesitate to finish the battle he started alone if he must. It will be hard of course but he''s the one who rose to the challenge and thus, he must be responsible and see it to the end.

    But he won''t deny that he needs help. In fact, that''s why he''s raising people to help him, no?

    And the people he chose, understand him. He never hid his intentions from them, they are aware of what he''s trying to achieve. He had given them a choice to walk out and stay on the sidelines to watch but the majority of them chose to apany him.

    These people are the ones he could share his burdens with, therefore he will nurture them to the best of his abilities.

    This battle...

    This war...

    Is just the beginning. There will be tougher storms heading their way. The only thing Ashton could promise is that he will do his best to prepare them for everything.

 Chapter 228 Consultation

    ''... things have really changed since he returned.''

    This is what Gaia thought to herself as she hovered above Fantasia, looking over it with a fond expression on her face.

    From where she was, she could feel the blooming prosperity of this ce. She could see people with smiles on their faces, she could tell they werefortable since all their needs are being met and more, they were also safe from harm as well.

    It hasn''t even been that long since Ashton sat in his current position, yet he already made so many improvements for Humanity''s sake.

    His biggest achievement was probably the most recent one, where he, among his loyal followers, prevented a huge army of invaders from destroying their homes and killing them all.

    Gaia wondered to herself; when was thest time that something like that happened?

    As far as she could remember, all Humanity could ever do before this, was to endure the tant humiliation being forced upon them. The invaders constantly forced their hands to sacrifice their most powerful warrior to be food for the invaders in exchange for their safety.

    How many heroes had fallen because of that? Gaia couldn''t remember anymore. All she knows is that there was a lot.

    But all of that stopped when Ashton took the mantle of Humanity''s leader. From the moment he returned home until this very day, he neverpromised with the invaders.

    His hatred of them was the strongest out of all of them. And he hasn''t even lived that long. He hasn''t experienced what those abominations could truly do. But even so, he understands. He knows that the status quo must change.

    ''I am healing, thanks to him...'' she thought to herself.

    Before Ashton''s return, Gaia always suffered tremendous pain that gnawed on her flesh incessantly.

    Due to her being the personification of this world''s consciousness, its soul, whatever happens to it, happens to her as well. Such is the fate of a True Spirit.

    She had gotten so used to it that she somewhat learned how to function despite the agonizing pain. It''s all she knew from the moment she was born. She did try her best to get rid of it, but alone there was only so much she could do.

    That all changed when Ashton started making moves though...

    She could still remember when Ashton visited her for the first time, asking her to guard an artifact that could mask the Providence of Humanity from the invaders who were already here.

    Gaia initially thought that it was too good to be true yet he proved them wrong.

    When that artifact was deployed and took effect, Gaia felt as if she has regained some sense of peace. The sensation of being stared at all the time disappeared.

    One could easily imagine how shocked she was...

    Then, he began reforming Fantasia slowly but surely. He had gotten rid of the cult, he brought back her sister and the Dragon Vein. He started restoring Humanity''s providence, he improved Fantasia''s living conditions, and so on...

    Then he started raising people to help him with his sworn duty. He cultivated nature, purified thend they carved for themselves, he brought all sorts of treasures to assist with his purpose and everything paid off.

    For the first time since then, Humanity won something. They''ve sessfully eliminated those who were trying to threaten their peace and safety.

    Gaia has absolutely no idea where he''s getting all this stuff from. And to bepletely honest, she didn''t feel the need to ask.

    From the very moment she received visions that this man would be the catalyst that this world so badly needed, she decided to leave everything in his hands. Even more so when he started producing results.

    Who cares where he''s getting all this technology from? So long as he''s using them to aid his purpose, it''s fine. Everyone is entitled to their secrets, there''s no need to pry.

    Gaia''s healing started hastening after the recent event. She had no idea what Ashton did but she could feel that the corruption gnawing at her was beginning to fade ever so slightly.

    It was still there and she could still feel it, however, it was not as painful as before.

    She found herself smiling at this without her knowledge. This might be the very first time that she felt thisfortable. Hell, she just woke up from a nap. She never slept or napped before because of these tiny things gnawing at her, but she just did now.

    If that wasn''t a miracle on its own...

    Additionally, Gaia could also feel some semnce of strength returning to her body. This was mostly because nature was recovering.

    Ashton not only purified Last Bastion and its immediate vicinity, but he also restore life in it through the Virtue of Life.

    The ce where Humanity and the Invaders had shed recently has now turned into a sprawling jungle that has also started breeding life.

    This is the source of Gaia''s energy since she''s the personification of this world.<novelnext></novelnext>

    And from what she can tell, Ashton was just starting. He still has more up on his sleeves and he''s just waiting for the right moment to do so.

    "...Gaia, if you can hear me, pleasee to the office. I have something to show you. Oh, bring Acacia as well."

    It seems that this time was one of those moments she was thinking about. Ashton would never request her presence out of boredom as far as she knows.

    Sending a brief message to Acacia, Gaia teleported to Ashton''s office. She and Acacia showed up around the same time.

    "What can we do for you?" Gaia asked once they arrived.

    Ashton didn''t speak. Instead, he snapped his fingers. Gaia and Acacia noticed that the space around them started warping and numerous formations activated the moment he did that. Ashton then said:

    "Don''t fret, this is just a precaution. I''m about to take out something sensitive and I want your opinions about it."

    Gaia never felt threatened by Ashton''s sudden actions but she still appreciated the rification. Acacia seems to be thinking the same too.

    Then, Ashton took out a clear jar that has some kind of broken shard of ss in it.

    The jar itself was covered withyers uponyers of runic seals, firmly sealing it shut. The shard of ss seemed to be floating in the air while it was on the jar.

    Gaia involuntarily gasped when she saw that shard of ss though. The reaction was instant so there''s no way that she could''ve prevented herself from doing it.

    "This is...a realm fragment?" Gaia leaned forward to have a closer look. Acacia was doing the same as well.

    "Yes, it is indeed a Realm Fragment," Ashton confirmed. "More specifically, it''s the El-Realm Fragment, the same one where the Fey Race lived."

    "The Feys." Acacia murmured, "None of us were born back when they were still here so we don''t know much about them."

    "I was just an idea back in their heyday." Gaia added.

    "...well, I wasn''t expecting to hear any stories about them from you fortunately enough." Ashton stated, "I brought this out for a different reason."

    "How did you even get your hands into this?" Acacia asked. Gaia smacked her arms slightly and red at her.

    Ashton saw that but he just chuckled and said: "I''m half Fey. Not just any Fey though. I am from their Imperial Bloodline. Last of my kind probably. This showed up to me when my bloodline awakened."

    Now, that''s one hell of a surprise, isn''t it? Why did he only tell them this now?

    A Fey in this current Era? And not just any Fey but one from the Imperial Bloodline? Hell! He''s even rarerpared to True Spirits!

    "That''s...how?" Gaia was bbergasted so she was unable to prevent herself from asking.

    Ashton shrugged and said: "It just happened. I was in distress when I was fighting for my life back when I was still out there and that might''ve been what triggered it."

    "From that point onwards, I started having visions. I also started improving at an rming rate. It wasn''t until recently that I''vepletely awakened my bloodline, and then this appeared."

    For some reason, Gaia felt skeptical about that story. She guessed that he might be hiding something more but honestly, that was none of her business so she didn''t ask.

    And fortunately, Acacia seems to have understood that as well...

    "Well, what are your ns with it?" Gaia asked.

    "I was nning to fuse it with the Grotto Heaven." He stated, "Do you think that it''d be safe to do that?"

    "...I don''t see any problems with that. After all, the Fey Race once walked thisnd. Their home was once a part of this world too so there shouldn''t be anyplications." Gaia replied.

    "Yeah, if anything, you''d just be returning something that this world has been missing since the ancient past." Acacia added.

    "Oh, that''s good then." Ashton sighed in relief. "Because I also received the El-Tree Seed, you know, the tree that they''ve once worshipped. I really wanted to nt it but it needed the Fey Laws to work��"

    "I''m sorry. What now?" Both Gaia and Acacia asked in surprise.

 Chapter 229 El Sapling

    In hindsight, he knew that telling them would surprise them.

    The matter of him being half-fey plus him owning a realm fragment of the El-Realm and the El-Tree Seed are all huge matters. So their reactions were to be expected.

    Gaia and Acacia have yet to close their mouths from shock though, making him feel a little weirded out. While he knew that they were going to be surprised, he didn''t expect it to this extent.

    "...it came with the Realm Fragment. I figured that it''d be nice to nurture it since it might help our situation." He said.

    "No, because...you know what forget it. Just hurry up and nt it already. Do what you must." Gaia said, sighing and sitting down on a nearby chair to calm her emotions down.

    "Is it the real deal? Like, the real El-Tree? It''s not a replica?" Acacia asked, somehow still unable to believe it.

    "It should be the real deal." Ashton replied, "It gave me visions when I received it."

    The spirits were unable to say anything to that. Instead, they just sent him off with their gazes. He assumed that they were too stunned to speak. He really doesn''t get it but since they gave him the go signal, he might as well do it now.

    He bid farewell to them and appeared in the same pocket dimension where the Dragon Vein slumbers. This ce is somewhere deep within the Grotto Heaven.

    Acacia didn''t follow him here, and neither did Gaia. He assumed that they both stayed behind and let him do this alone.

    Once he was there, he took out the jar containing the Realm Fragment. The shard was emitting a soft brilliance in his grasp. He carefully unsealed the jar to release the shard and fuse it with the Blue Marble Grotto Heaven.

    After he unsealed the jar, the shard jumped out of it like a yful dolphinnding on his hands.

    He could feel it humming in delight while it was in his hands as if it was a child saying hello to him. A soft smile appeared on his face as he gently touched the shard.

    The shard trembled in his touch like it was ticklish or something. Then, Ashton said:

    "Do your thing, I guess."

    And as if it was responding to his words, the Realm Fragment disappeared from his hands. Turning into specks of light that floated up in the air beforepletely disappearing from the naked eye.

    Although he couldn''t see it anymore, Ashton could still feel its presence. In fact, he could even sense it better like this.

    He attuned to his surroundings, observing the changes around him through his senses. He could feel the movement of mana and the surge of unfamiliarws baptizing him and his surroundings.

    Around him, nature hummed in glee. They danced as if celebrating the changes that are happening around them. For some reason, it seems like they''re gaining some form of consciousness because of the fusion. But it''s too early to tell so Ashton decided to pay attention to itter.

    The fusion unexpectedly took three hours before it settled down.

    The changes weren''t that obvious at first nce, it''s subtle just impactful at the same time.

    Ashton discovered that the rate at which Aether formed around him increased at an rming rate.

    The Spiritual Energy of this ce is already very rich because of his arrangements. The formations, the runes, and so on. Due to those, Aether naturally formed here and nurtured it even further but it''s slow, really slow. And it made sense since Aether is both Raw Mana and Spiritual Energybined.

    Yet with the fusion of the El-Realm Fragment, the density of energies here increased tremendously, and the rate at which Aether formed increased as well.

    What''s even more shocking was that this doesn''t just apply here. It applies to the entirety of the Grotto Heaven. Meaning that the Guild will experience an environment that has rich energies they can use to further improve their cultivation.

    "...there''s also these mysterious Law Insights." Ashton hummed as he gently released his perception.

    He could sense the elusive and unfamiliarws that are now appearing around him thanks to the fusion. These must be the Laws El-Realm had before its destruction.

    Ashton could feel that thesews are somewhat evading him even though he''s half-fey. He wasn''t bothered though since Laws were a fickle thing, to begin with.

    He retracted his perception and took a deep breath. Now that the fusion was done, it should be safe enough for him to start nting the El-Tree Seed.

    Unlike the Realm Fragment, the El-Tree Seed was encased in a see-through crystal ball.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This crystal ball isn''t some ordinary crystal either. It''s an Aether Crystal �� something that''s only formed when Aether reaches an astounding degree of concentration, forcing it to solidify.

    Not only that, this Aether Crystal is enchanted with Time Laws. It''s faint but it''s there and it''s enough to put the seed into suspended animation. This Aether Crystal is in fact, food for the El-Tree Seed so that it won''t wither.

    With a wave of his hand, the earth in front of him parted. A hole was formed, one that was big enough to fit this whole thing in. ording to the System''s instructions, the moment this thing was burrowed, the Aether Crystal will dissolve and turn into nutrition so that the seed germinates.

    After settling it to its proper ce, Ashton wave his hand again and the seed was not burrowed under the ground. He gave it a few minutes to react and then...

    Fwoosh!!

    Ashton felt the winds swirling around him, and shortly after a strong suction could be felting from where he nted the seed. Mana, Spiritual Energies and Laws were all being sucked by the El-Tree Seed to catalyze its germination.

    He didn''t do anything to prevent this from happening. He just watched and waited until it was over.

    ''If the umted energy here isn''t enough, I''ll throw in some Spirit Stones. I just hope that it works.'' He mused to himself.

    What he wasn''t expecting at all was that the Dragon Vein was roused from its deep slumber.

    He didn''t think that it''d matter if he nted the seed here since as far as he knows, the Dragon Vein only wakes up when it''s going to baptize new geniuses. But as it turns out, that wasn''t the case.

    The illusory head of the Dragon Vein slithered out from its densework of veins, staring at him and then looking at themotion in front of it.

    Its ancient and wizened eyes gazed at the seed for quite some time before it opened its maws and spat out a cloud of golden light that the seed unhesitatingly devoured. The visage of the Dragon Vein looked at him intently and that''s when Acacia''s voice sounded in his mind:

    "It''s asking you to hold our your hand forward."

    Ashton was surprised but he did as he was told anyways. He held out a hand and suddenly, he felt restricted.

    A wide magic circle erupted beneath his feet, shocking him. The magical circle clearly reflected his Mageroot �� it has the mark of a tree, and book and it''s dominated with the color of a rainbow. There were a singr formation circle at its edge and a total of eight orbs that represented his Virtues.

    Once that magical circle appeared, Ashton felt a tightness in his core, making him heave deep breaths. Then, he noticed that fog started forming around him. This fog was rainbow-colored as well.

    The moment that the fog reached a certain level of thickness, the El-Tree Seed devoured it all in a blink of an eye.

    Ashton felt weak all of a sudden, his mind was still reeling in shock but he was cognizant enough to watch what happened after that.

    The Dragon Vein went back to its slumber as if nothing happened. The El-Tree Seed''s suction weakened to a drain, it looks like it was almost over.

    Then, as he slowly caught his breath, recovering from an unexpected episode of weakness, he saw a slight change in the seed.

    It wasn''t much, in fact, it''s so tiny that it''s almost negligible. But it''s there.

    A single strand of grass that is a cut above the rest. It is an inch high but it was extremely noticeable because its color was the brightest yet also the deepest shade of verdant covered in a pale golden sheen.

    It''s beautiful. Extremely eye-catching and mesmerizing as well.

    Then, out of nowhere, this strand of grass shook. It then released a clear buzzing sound so loud that it was heard by everyone and echoed to the skies.

    He felt its jubnce and tion for being born, which put a wide smile on his face despite his knowledge.

    That was when numerous System Prompts showed up in front of him...

    [Through the assistance of the El-Realm Fragment, dense Aether, Mana, and Spiritual Energy, plus the baptism of the Dragon Vein and Auspicious Rainbow Cloud. The El-Tree Seed sprouted into a sapling!]

    [Its sessful rebirth wasrgely thanks to your preparations. For that, a ��10,000 Benefactor''s Return was triggered!]

    [Congrattions, you received: Fairy Queen Natasha, as your loyal subject and advisor. You also received the Verdant Veil of Discord and 1000 Skill Points and Spell Points.]

 Chapter 230 Fairy Queen

    "Greetings, Your Majesty."

    Standing in front of Ashton was a tiny creature wearing a regal outfit. She''s about ten inches tall and has blue butterfly wings that scatter golden specks of dust whenever it flutters.

    Her skin was fair, her eyes were all green and antennas were protruding from her forehead. She''s also wearing a golden crown as well as a bright scarlet dress that hugged the figures of her body.

    This is Fairy Queen Natasha, the loyal subject and advisor he received from the system as a reward for helping the El-Tree with its rebirth.

    [Fairy Queen Natasha]

    Type: Direct Subordinate/Advisor

    Description:

    : She is born of the El-Tree, sworn by a duty to protect it and assist the Imperial Fey Bloodline. Natasha''s life is linked with the El-Tree so whatever happens to it, happens to her as well.

    : Non-Aggression Pact �� one of Natasha''s authorities. While in the presence of her and the El-Tree, no form of aggression shall transpire.

    : Fairy Garden �� Natasha can bless a plot ofnd, granting it a unique form of sentience, allowing her to give birth to her subordinates.

    : Lost Paradise �� At the expense of her own life, Natasha can rewind time up to a certain point. All who died will be revived once the spell was cast and everyone who''s affected by this spell and is considered Natasha''s ally will retain their memories before the rewind.

    ''Damn, she''s one hell of a gift.'' Ashton mused to himself.

    He cleared his throat and dismissed the System''s description.

    "Wee to this world, Fairy Queen Natasha. How do you feel?" He asked.

    "Strange." She replied, looking around her with a curious yet calcting gaze. "This world feels familiar yet also unfamiliar to me."

    "Do you remember anything from your past?"

    "Only blurry snippets, which might as well be none at this point." She sighed, sounding a bit regretful. "It is of no importance to me anymore though. Whatever it was that happened back then, it already happened. It''s no use clinging to it. Let bygones be bygones."

    "...I see." Ashton nodded. Well, at least she had no lingering attachments. This should allow her to tend to her new life with all of her being.

    Natasha looked behind her and saw the sapling of the El-Tree. Ashton saw how her eyes lost focus for a bit.

    She flew towards it subconsciously. Right now, the sapling was even smaller at her, yet Natasha still worshipped it like its holiest thing in here. She touched it gently and the sapling leaned into her touch.

    A smile appeared on her face before she withdrew her hand and flew back to where Ashton was.

    "My deepest apologies, Your Majesty. I was unable to help myself when I saw the young sapling of the El-Tree."

    "It''s fine. I am aware that you''re intrinsically linked to it so I don''t me you for reacting this way." He replied.

    "Thank you, Your Majesty." Natasha bowed to him again.

    "I know that you don''t recall much from your previous lives but I am curious, how do I help the El-Tree grow faster? Like, what do I need?" Ashton asked.

    He asked because the System won''t tell him. Yes, this is the first time that this has happened.

    [El-Tree Sapling]

    Type: Supreme World-ss Treasure

    Description:

    : A tree that possesses Innate Divinity. Worshipped by the Fey Race as their omnipotent god and benefactor. This tree is capable of many things, but most of its abilities are sealed right now due to it being a mere sapling still.

    : Nature''s Domain �� a 500-meter field that naturally forms with the sapling at its core. Within this field, nature will surely thrive and life will always be abundant.

    : Natural Filter �� within the same field of Nature''s Domain, the sapling could also filter all sorts of foul energies into something beneficial not only for its growth but also for the benefit of those around it.

    : (Sealed)

    Usually, at the end of the description for his Beneficiaries, he will see what are the avable upgrades and enhancements for them. If he focused on it, the system will show him the resources he needed toplete each upgrade.

    That''s not what''s happening here. There''s nothing for him to see other than the path itself. The System didn''t tell him what he needed to make those happen so he could only hope that Natasha could tell him something useful.

    "Your Majesty, the growth of the El-Tree depends on the status of this world. The healthier this world is, the faster it will grow. Of course, supplements containing a dense amount of nutrition could be used to assist with its growth."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "The first method will be a little tricky to achieve while the other method could be expensive real quick." Ashton nodded to himself.

    Well, good this he expected this much.

    He wasn''t surprised since he''s already prepared for this kind of reply. After all, the El-Tree isn''t simple. How can it be easy to nurture it to full maturity?

    "Pardon me, Your Majesty. But something has been bothering me for quite some time now." Natasha said.

    "What is it?" Ashton asked.

    "I...I can sense some foul presence. It''s putrid and repulsive. I wonder where it''sing from?"

    "Ah, that..." Ashton understood what she was feeling. "That''s because of the invaders."

    Then, Ashton began telling her a simplified story of who the invaders were and their purpose. He also told her what he''s been up to ever since and also revealed his intentions to her, all in one go.

    "...and that''s pretty much it."

    "I see...so that''s why I can only sense you. I initially thought some Feys survived but it turns out that you''re thest one left." Natasha sounded somber.

    "That''s also why I said that making this world healthy would be tricky since it had been descrated by the invaders for a very long time. I am trying to help Humanity to reach its golden age so that we can eliminate the invaders once and for all."

    Ashton didn''t mind telling her all about this. From the System''s description of Natasha, she''s to be his advisor, thus she''s entitled to information he knows if he wants her help.

    "...this battle, this war...it mightst for an eternity, Your Majesty."

    "I don''t mind." Ashton firmly replied. "I''ve sworn an oath to myself. If I have to wage this war all by myself, I would do so. I don''t want them here. I don''t want them to continue existing. I want them gone. And if achieving that means that I will die on this hill, then I wee it with open arms. I don''t want my life to be meaningless."

    Natasha was stunned. It was only now that she truly felt the pride of an Emperor from Ashton.

    Deep down, she initially held some reservations against him. It''s mostly because of his impure blood and his youth. But after hearing his deration and his goals, feeling the regal pressure of a ruler and the gair of an Emperor emanating from him, all of her doubts disappeared.

    His Imperial Fey Bloodline thrummed within him in response to his ambitions. That''s enough to force anyone, and yes even the Ancient Fey included, that he is indeed the sessor of the Fey Emperor.

    "I''m willing to lend you my aid, Your Majesty. Rest assured." Natasha said.

    "Thank you. I appreciate that. But for the most part, you can just attend this ce. I don''t know if you''ve noticed it yet but this location is going to be really importantter on. After all, the El-Tree Sapling''s neighbor is a Dragon Vein."

    Natasha scattered her senses for a bit and discovered that what Ashton said was indeed the truth. There is a Dragon Vein here.

    "I see. Then, may I ask Your Majesty to give me some plot ofnd so I can give birth to my children?"

    "Sure. This pocket dimension is prettyrge. Just pick a spot and im it."

    "Thank you, Your Majesty. And please, don''t hesitate to look for me should you need another perspective. I''d always be here, tending to the El-Tree."

    "I will." Ashton nodded and watched as Natasha flew towards a spot where she can establish a Fairy Garden.

    Once she was out of sight, Ashton opened up his inventory to check the other item he received from the System.

    [Verdant Veil of Discord]

    Type: Territorial Defensive Formation

    Description:

    : A formation that distorts the visions of the Truth-Seeking Fiends.

    : Dissonance �� Distorts the visions received by those who have ill-intent to you and your territory.

    : Plunder �� Once Dissonance was triggered, you will receive the visions instead. The visions you will receive will be about them.

    : Sacrificial Hex �� the sacrifices your enemies needed to calcte your and your people''s fate will be doubled.

    Ashton''s eyes started shining when he read the description of this new item. Now, this is something that he could truly use. He''s confident that with this, the invaders will startying off on their sneaky methods.

    ''I might as well install this as soon as I can.''

    This is what Ashton thought before disappearing from the pocket dimension.

 Chapter 231 Casual Trip To Hell

    "...Babe, I''m going."

    "Okay, be careful out there."

    "I will."

    Ashton kissed Aria before pulling the hood of his cloak over his head. He disappeared from his office right after that.

    Today, Ashton decided to once again venture outside of Last Bastion. This time, he''spletely alone.

    He chose to not take Aria with him since he was not nning to be out for long. He just wanted to take a peek at the situation of their enemies so that he can modify his ns ording to what he sees.

    Ashton also didn''t tell anyone of his departure aside from Aria. West Two knows it too of course since he''s his doppelganger.

    He moved like a phantom in the night, contracting space at each step he took. With the enchantments he applied to himself, nobody should be able to sense him.

    It didn''t take him long before he was out of the Last Bastion''s territory. He arrived at the sprawling jungle that grew right outside of Humanity''s territory thanks to his influence.

    He paused there for a bit. Silently admiring how he was able to see life flourishing here despite the obvious corruption not too far from here.

    Ashton could see some small insects around like crickets, bugs, flies, and so on. He also saw a squirrel, a fawn, snakes, and even a boar.

    Usually, these animals and insects could only be seen inside Last Bastion since they can''t live with the corruption brought by the invaders, yet now there they are.

    ''...the Virtue of Life is protecting them from the corruption.'' He mused to himself as he continued observing them.

    Well, there''s that and also the fact that he was already Half-Fey when he blessed thisnd, making the life force here extra durable. The corruption was trying to dominate this ce but thanks to his blessings, thisnd gained some resistance against it.

    Seeing this made Ashton a little bit proud of himself. Knowing that he had a hand in this, that he caused some positive changes to this world, makes him happy.

    He released a pulse of Life Virtue, scattering them to the nearbynd. This should stave off the corruption for some more time.

    While he could indeed just cleanse the corruption off of thisnd, he knows that unless all of the invaders were gone the corruption won''t go away, so he felt that it was going to be useless if he cleanses them now.

    Moreover, life can adapt to that. By letting corruption be a constant threat to it, life will have no choice but to evolve to survive. That''s what he''s aiming for. It needs a delicate bnce, yes, but it''s worth it.

    After blessing thend again, Ashton left this ce. His next destination is the North Pole where the Qliphoth was.

    Since he was no longer in the presence of anything he cared about, he didn''t have to be careful anymore. He deployed the full strength of his movement ability, allowing him to travel long distances in just a step.

    He''s making a lot of noise, yes. He''s also attracting the attention of some stray Demons on his way but he doesn''t care.

    Imps? Tormentors? Bone Wheels? Beast Demons? Avians? Cryptids? Ghouls? Ashton had outgrown them all. He could kill them with just a stare, to be honest.

    He could ignore most of them, they wouldn''t even be able to touch the hem of his cloak, so why the hell should he be careful around them?

    This goes the same for Angels as well. It doesn''t matter if they''re from the 3rd Sphere or the 1st Sphere...

    The real enemies he''s worried about being stuck outside of this world, pulling their hairs out in finding a way to create an opening to invade this world.

    So long as those things remain where they are, he has nothing to be afraid of here.

    It took him around three hours to get to the North Pole. He wasn''t even panting when he arrived. He''s still just as energetic as he was before leaving Last Bastion. Hurray for being the Child of Mana...

    Anywho, he''s in a covert operation here. Although he''s not afraid of anything here, he saw no point in picking a fight either so, stealth it is.

    He didn''t bring the Grand Library with him. He still owns it but it also belongs to humanity now. He can''t just take it wherever he pleases.

    Nevertheless, he''s still fine out here. All of the spells necessary for him topletely erase his presence were maxed out at this point.

    In fact, all of the spells he learned so far are all maxed out thanks to the abundance of Spells Points he received from the System.

    If he doesn''t want to, nobody in this world will ever sense his presence.<novelnext></novelnext>

    With all of the necessary arrangements in ce, Ashton began infiltrating the Qliphoth.

    The Qliphoth''s entrance was a gaping maw of abyss, leaking with a perverted amount of demonic corruption. Entering it was bound to be an experience because it forces everyone to take a leap of faith.

    This is Ashton''s first time here so he''s a bit nervous to bepletely honest.

    His moles, the Revenants, had told him enough information about it, and since they are bound with the ve Seal, they cannot lie to him so it''s safe for him to believe whatever they said.

    Well, this isn''t going to be much of a problem anyways. Ashton can fly and hover in the air, therefore he could control the speed of his descent.

    He''s a bit ufortable with the darkness swallowing him whole, it''s like sinking underwater. He could feel that the darkness was trying to numb his senses but honestly, it should just stop, corruption no longer threatens Ashton, especially after bing Half-Fey.

    ''It feels like they''ve truly dug a hole that reaches all the way to the core of this world.''

    He thought about this to himself since he''s been sinking for a while now and he still had yet to see where he was supposed tond.

    Finally, after what seemed like an hour of sinking, he saw a glowing tform that had numerous demonic ritual circles in it.

    From what the Revenants told him, this was supposed to be a sign, like an actual street sign, saying that: ''Hey! This is where the 1styer of Hell is,e here if this is your stop.''

    Ashton hovered in the air and gently changed directions. He followed the flock of demons who were going here to see for himself what this ce actually looks like.

    The tform leads to a tunnel that everyone follows until they reached a massive cave system that loops on itself.

    Demonic Civilization here was thriving. He saw all sorts of nasty and inexplicable things that he would very much rather not talk about. The Revenants told him that the 1st Layer of the Qliphoth could bepared to the slums.

    This is where most of the Stray Demons stay. It''s violent and chaotic here,pletelywless as well. It''s not rare to see a massive fight breaking out of here all of a sudden.

    It''s less crowded here than he expected though. Ashton remembers the Revenants telling him that this ce is absolutely packed with stray demons but from what he had seen so far, there wasn''t a lot.

    ''...hmm.''

    Ashton observed the 1st Layer for quite some time. He memorized itsyout, he even painted it just to be sure. After that, he flew out and went to the 2ndyer.

    ording to the Revenants, this Qliphoth in particr had 9 Layers. The further down one goes the stronger demons they''de across. And for the most part, that''s true from Ashton''s observations.

    "Darn! This ce is a shithole now! I don''t like it anymore, I''m going back to Inferno!"

    "Man shut the fuck up. Do you honestly believe that you, of all people, could just return there whenever you please? Be for fucking real will you?"

    "Shut up with your shit! Unlike you, I know how to stand up for myself. I''m not a pushover! Ever since those meteors fell here, we''ve lost so many people! What did those sons of bitches do? They shut us out! They didn''t care, so why the hell should I? I''m not staying here."

    Ashton raised a brow when he overheard the conversation of the demons guarding the 5th Layer.

    ''I guess the damage was bigger than I expected. But to what extent exactly?'' He mused to himself.

    "You say some real hot shit with that mouth of yours huh? Well, breaking news buddy. None of it matters. We''re stuck here whether you like it or not."

    "And how would you know?"

    "Cause our dear Head Officermitted suicide. He hoped that by doing that, his soul will drift back to the Yellow River which leads back to Inferno. Unfortunately for him, the Yellow River didn''t appear. His soul is now stuck down there at Torture Chambers, they''re punishing him for trying to escape his duty. Do you know what means?"

    "..."

    "Yep, that''s right. We''re irrevocably and undoubtedly stuck in this backward with no means of getting out whatsoever."

    "Fuck!!"

    ''Well, I guess that answers my question.'' Ashton mused to himself.

 Chapter 232 Plans And Inspiration

    That''s not all Ashton got from eavesdropping.

    From their conversation, he also discovered that the hierarchy of demons was plunged into some serious trouble because of what he did.

    They were supposed to be in a celebratory mood because the famous General Labs arrived at this camp, and that''s something that usually doesn''t happen.

    All of them thought that, since Labs arrived, the days of this were numbered. They thought that another great sh between the Celestials and Hypogeans will once again ur.

    They were certain that this backward cannot endure that kind of sh and therefore, it will be destroyed, just like what happened to others. Once the was destroyed, they will have no reason to remain here and they coulde back to thefort of their home.

    But s, that''s not what happened.

    Labs hasn''te back since, and neither did the army he brought. What''s more is that, instead of helping this camp defend against the meteors that fell, Labs outright ditched them, leaving them to fend for themselves.

    On any other asion, they wouldn''t have said anything, but it just so happens that their way back home was cut-off because of what happened.

    They were stuck here, and none of them knows for how long. They can''t contact the headquarters, and the figure that had the most authority over them was missing.

    Add the fact that Demons were already unruly creatures from birth, it''s already a miracle that there''s still some semnce of order here.

    Ashton''s weing gift for both Labs and St. Francis caused tons of problems with the camps that were stationed here. And even though weeks have passed since then, the situation still hasn''t stabilized.

    Once he got a general idea of this ce''s situation and visited allyers of the Qliphoth, Ashton left right away.

    He had seen enough to know and predict what was going to happen.

    After that, his next destination was Laguna, the Pce Behind the Clouds.

    It took Ashton at least 6 hours to go from the Qliphoth to Laguna at his top speed. He passed through and alerted hordes of enemies along the way but none of them could catch up to him so he ignored them.

    Upon arriving there, he essentially did the same thing. He suppressed his presence and sneaked in to check the state of the angels.

    And just as he was expecting, they are just as screwed as the Demons.

    His meteors truly did a number on their morale. But unlike the Demons, the Angels are aware of St. Francis'' death. That''s because all of them felt his disappearance the moment he died.

    They absolutely couldn''t believe that there was something in this world that could kill their beloved saint, yet his missing grace was proof that it was real.

    And it''s not some random death either. St. Francis'' death is a permanent one. He didn''t return to the embrace of their Great Miracle, he cannot be reborn. He''s gone, permanently.

    The idea that same could happen to them...scared the living shit out of some angels here.

    And thus, with fear clouding their mind, their true colors are shown. With their interest and survival shing with the mandated order around them, chaos was bound to ensue.

    Hence, Laguna is in dire straits right now.

    Ashton noted all of this and left without being seen even once. His mind whirred with ns upon ns on how he can take advantage of this.

    For one, their situation wouldn''t stabilize anytime soon. In fact, due to the friction between their ranks, this might even explode into a whole new mess in itself.

    They''d be focused on themselves for a good while, just to regain some semnce of peace, and that will take time.

    Time that Ashton could certainly use to increase Humanity''s strength.

    Ideas flooded his mind. He wasted none of them by writing every single one in his journal on the way back home.

    Back in Fantasia, where Humanity keeps on getting more and more prosperous as time goes on...

    A certain teenager was inside his room, watching tv while panting.

    The teenager had a head full of short ck hair. He had small eyes, hiding his hazel-colored pupils. His nose was round, he had fair skin and a ripped body.

    He was shirtless and was sweating all over. Panting as he watched the show on his little tv, right next to him was a rack of DIY weights which looked like they''d survived the test of time.

    The teenager''s house looked humble. It''s big enough for him and has everything a home would need, it even has one of those security ai which made him feel safe.

    The show he''s watching was a rey of something he recorded a few weeks ago. It''s a broadcast of the Mystic Guild''s battle against the forces of the invaders.

    Even though weeks already passed since then, the teenager still couldn''t move on from this.

    ''They''re just so fucking cool!''<novelnext></novelnext>

    Is what he repeatedly found himself saying.

    Seeing those people bravely standing there, risking their lives to defend their homes just lit up a fire in his chest.

    He''s already been a fan of the Mystic Guild ever since its creation. He watched them starting with humble jobs, going around themunity, and helping whenever they could.

    Their efforts made Fantasia a better ce and won the hearts of the citizens.

    He''s already resolved to join the guild but what solidified it even more, was this broadcast right here.

    When he watched these people bravely step out of theirfort zones and risk their lives to do the right thing, his view of them changed.

    To him, these people are all Heroes. And since they all came from the Mystic Guild, that means that the Mystic Guild is the home of Heroes.

    For a kid like him, nothing is cooler than bing a Hero. So from that point onwards, he had decided that no matter what, he will join the Mystic Guild so that he too can be a Hero.

    He had been working hard since. Practicing his Skills, working out to make himself stronger, and even going as far as recing sleep with meditation. All that, just so that he can perform well on the next recruitment exams of the Mystic Guild.

    The teenager lifted his wrist and checked his smartwatch. He brought up the announcement he found online on the official site of the Mystic Guild and saw the date of the next recruitment.

    "Three days left..." he mused to himself. "Not enough time for a possible breakthrough. I should use that time to get some good rest so that I can be at my peak state when the exams start."

    Grabbing a towel nearby, he stood up shakily from his seat. He winced in pain, feeling the consequences of leg day, but he endured it and dragged his body to take a cold shower.

    After showering and putting on a new set of clothes, he ced his dirtyundry in the washer and went out to grab some food.

    "Oh, Dn! Over here!"

    The teenager blinked in surprise. He looked at the person who called him and started walking towards him.

    "What do you want, Fred? And please don''t ask me to treat you again, I am struggling, my guy."

    "Hey, am I that much of a nuisance to you?"

    "...do you want me to answer that truthfully or...?"

    "Aish, you rude little shit!"

    Dn deftly dodges a yful punch heading his way while chuckling.

    "No, really. What brought you here?" He asked.

    "To pay for my sins." Fred replied, "My dad finally returned my card. I''m no longer piss poor!"

    "Congrats. Treat me to lunch then, I''m hungry."

    "Lead the way boss man!"

    The two of them then went into a nearby restaurant to order some food. Dn didn''t hesitate to order some good food for himself since Fred was the one paying for it.

    And Fred didn''t mind obviously, if anything he even urges Dn to order more if he likes it, making it really obvious that he''s a rich kid.

    "...you know, I never understood why you like this ''minimalist'' lifestyle of yours." Fred stated, his face showing genuine confusion. "You''re notcking money, you and I both know that."

    "You are entitled to the inheritance of your parents plus the support of the Federation with you, so why are you still living in that...house, if you can even call it that."

    "Old habits, I guess," Dn replied, sipping his tea. "My parents got me used to this kind of lifestyle. Plus, I am nning to join the guild so I''m saving money to support myself."

    "...saving money my ass, money doesn''t mean crap in the guild. You can''t even use it to exchange for merit points." Fred shook his head, "But, speaking of the Guild, man I''m nervous."

    "You better be." Dn snorted, "I''d be appalled if a cker like you isn''t nervous."

    "...is there really a need for you to hurt my feelings?"

    "Yes." Dn rolled his eyes and dodge a ping his way.

    "I hope you fail the exams."

    "Oi, that''s foul!"

 Chapter 233 Recruitment Exams

    Hundreds, if not thousands of people, are gathered at arge stadium today.

    All of them are wearing theirbat gear or something that they think is appropriate for the event that''s about to unfold.

    Some people were nervous and fidgety, others were trying their best not to show it. People of all shapes and sizes were around, there were men and women, there were also some feminine men and masculine women around as well as androgynous-looking people.

    All of them went here on this day for the same purpose, to register for the examination held by the Mystic Guild.

    With the prestige of the Mystic Guild, any move they make causes a stir in the popce. Everyone here is hoping to join their cause and enjoy the benefits of being with the guild.

    Amongst these people was the calm-looking Dn, who''s sitting on a chair while ying games with his smartwatch to distract himself, and the very nervous-looking Fred, who doesn''t know what to do with himself.

    Thump!

    "Ow!" Fred hissed, bringing his knee towards his chest while wincing.

    "Dumbass." Dnmented without looking away from his game.

    Fred was so nervous that he was subconsciously bouncing his legs. Well, the table in front of them was low so when his legs bounced a little too high, they identally hit the table.

    "You''re not helping." Fred red at his friend.

    "You don''t wanna be helped so why should I bother?" Dn snorted, "I told you to y a match with me so you could calm down but you didn''t want to so don''t me me."

    Fred pouted and continued nursing his knee. He hit it pretty hard so it did hurt a lot. Now, this just adds to his worries, what if his knees start to hurt when he''s in the middle of an important test? Wouldn''t he fail then? That''s bad, if he fails now, he''d have to wait for at least a year before he could try taking the exams again. But what if the guild decided that they already have too many people and won''t recruit anymore? Does that mean that he''s wasted his chance? What if��

    Thud!

    "Ack!" Fred nearly bit his tongue with the sudden pain he felt. He clutched his other knee and red intensely at Dn.

    "You bitch!"

    Dn was unfazed by his re and just said: "There, now it''s even."

    Fred was unaware that his anxiety was getting out of hand, so much so that Dn could actually see it. Dn doesn''t really know what to do so he just did what he thought was a good idea.

    He kicked Fred''s other knee, it hurts Fred just as much as his other knee felt because Dn''s wearing shoes with iron soles, and it somewhat worked cause now, Fred was no longer simmering in his anxiety.

    "I swear to god, one of these days I will deck you in the face." Fred huffed while nursing his knees.

    "Looking forward to it." Dn nonchntly replied.

    Ding! Dong!

    A crisp jingling sound alerted everyone in the stadium. All of them watched as the lights started dimming, focusing their attention on a single spot.

    A massive screen blinked to life and disyed an Android. It bowed to them and said:

    "Greetings, everyone. I hope you are all doing great today. My name is Jerry, I am the AI tasked by the Mystic Guild to watch over today''s recruitment exams."

    Dn turned off his smartwatch already focused his attention on Jerry. Everyone else did the same. This was the moment they''d been waiting for, finally, it was starting.

    "Based on the list we gathered, there are a total of 4,037 people who registered for this year''s examination. The age bracket we set was 16-35 years old, it''s due to this that we have this many people around."

    "Unfortunately, as much as we would love to have everyone here to be a part of the guild, I''m afraid that our resources wouldn''t be able to support you all. Hence, we will only be epting 100 people this time."

    The mention of that caused people to once again feel nervous. There are more than four thousand people here, yet the guild will only allow 100 people to join.

    It''s a bit harsh but that''s just the way how it is. Nobody med the Guild since they are clearly being responsible for every action they make.

    "Same as the previous examinations, there will be a ranking system which will determine whether you''d be chosen as a member or not."

    "Written Exam, Practical Exam, and Spiritual Exam. These will be the tests all of you needed to go through. Each exam gives a set of points depending on your performance, the total amount you receive will be the basis on whether you''ll get epted or not."

    "..."

    Silence pervaded throughout the stadium. The atmosphere was tense and everyone was holding their breaths. Even those who were pretending to be calm now looked somber.

    "Well then, I won''t prolong the agony." Jerry said.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Then, under everyone''s surprised gaze, the stadium''s ceiling started parting, causing sunlight to flood the entire ce.

    After the ceiling parted, the walls began falling slowly, revealing an even more massive field that stretches as far as the eyes can see.

    "This is Field Alpha, it will serve as testing grounds for all of you." Jerry''s voice returned them to the present.

    Then, a series of green LED lights in the shape of arrows pointing south appeared.

    "Everyone, please follow the Green Arrows. Those should lead you to the ce where the Written Exams take ce."

    After saying that, Jerry disappeared from their view.

    While most people still stood rooted on the spot, Dn tapped Fred''s shins with his shoes and gestured for him to stand up.

    Fred was initially startled but he didn''tin. Instead, he followed Dn''s lead and they started walking away from the initial area they were in.

    Their movement caused ripples in other participants, causing them to start moving too. Before long, everyone got up and started walking toward the direction of where the Written Exams will take ce.

    Things were initially calm, after all, they were just going to another area. However, at some point, someone couldn''t hold it in.

    Nobody knew what this person was thinking but they decided to run ahead, leaving behind the mass of people who were calmly walking towards the examination site.

    This person''s action was questionable, but it was enough to spark a reaction from others. This was apetition, after all, so even though they didn''t know why this person suddenly decided to elerate their speed, they instinctively reacted and followed suit.

    One person started it and it didn''t take long before thousands began doing it as well.

    Things became chaotic so fast that people started fighting each other because their egos were shing.

    Fred watched all of this happen and his anxiety was being triggered once more. He subconsciously started increasing his pace, darting his eyes left and right as if on the lookout. He was subconsciously anticipating that someone wouldunch an attack at him so his body was preparing itself to react.

    Thud!

    "Oof!" Fred yelped and tripped, causing him to fall face-first on the ground.

    He didn''t mind this though, instead, he picked himself up and started looking for the person who kicked his butt.

    "Calm down, you idiot. You''re getting swept away by the crowd. Take deep breaths."

    "Why did you kick me!?" Fred red at Dn.

    "Cause you''re letting your stupidity ruin you again. Seriously, where did all that stress training go, huh? It''s like you never learned anything."

    "But...but they''re getting ahead!" Heined.

    "Getting ahead? In the Written Exams or on the way there? Are they getting bonus points by eliminating other participants or they''re just wasting time? How about you tell me? Didn''t you study how previous recruitment exams went?"

    Dn''s barrage of questions got Fred thinking. He then realized that he was indeed acting stupid.

    Did Jerry give them a time limit? Obviously, not.

    He said that they will earn points on each exam they took and the total amount they receive will determine if they will be chosen as a new guild member.

    Jerry never said that they have toplete their examination within a certain amount of time, so why was there a need for him to hurry?

    ''You''re getting swept away by the crowd.''

    This sentence repeated itself in his mind. Mostly because it''s true. He wasn''t able to think clearly because he was nervous thus allowing him to perceive the crowd and go along with them instinctively instead of focusing on what he knows.

    Dn stretched out a hand and he took it. He patted his behind and took a deep breath. How many times has he embarrassed himself at this point? Well, that''s no longer important.

    What matters is how he performs on this exam.

    Seeing that his friend calmed down, Dn sighed in relief. At least Fred now has his head on the game. Hopefully, he''d be like this for the rest of the exams as well.

    After all, nobody could truly predict what was going to unfold due to the seemingly simple actions of people around them.

 Chapter 234 Practicals

    For most people, the Written Exam was a freebie.

    The contents of the Written Exams were things that one should know already, so most people see it as a way to gain a good amount of points which may possibly change the oue of their final results.

    It wouldn''t be surprising if many participants gain high scores on this part. The real challenge for them begins at the Practical Exam.

    Dn and Fred arrived at the venue where the written exams were taking ce. Since they kept a low profile on the way there, they weren''t tired or hurt, unlike some people.

    And just as Dn expected, there was literally no reason for anyone to be in a hurry. The venue wasrge enough to amodate all of them and the number of stations avable was enough for everyone to take the test in peace.

    Dn would be lying if he said that he wasn''t gloating at those idiots who fell at the rhythm of that one dude. After all, they were all hurt or injured for absolutely nothing. Their actions may affect their performanceter and they couldn''t me the staff for any of that.

    It didn''t take long for him and Fred to finish the Written Exams. Like what''s mentioned earlier, the contents of the Written Exams were stuff that every participant should already know.

    As a matter of fact, Fred finished earlier than he did, and that guy wasrgely unprepared for the exams so that says something.

    Once they were done, they were told that their results will be revealed when they have gone through all the exams. They were then told to follow the yellow arrows that leads to where the Practical Exams were taking ce.

    On the way there, Dn noticed that the other participants had already learned their lesson. Nobody was in a rush anymore nor looking for a fight. Everyone just went to the next venue as quietly and as peacefully as they could.

    He saw some people nursing their injuries on their way there. Shaking his head at the sight, he chose to just move on with Fred. He''s not responsible for their actions anyway.

    The Practical Exams are being held at a small building that looks a lot like a Federal Center. There were chairs and consumables outside of the ce that participants can use while they wait in line.

    Fred told Dn to reserve a seat for him while he took some snacks for them. Once they were seated, they just needed to wait for their turn.

    The waiting line progressed at a swift pace. Once he and Fred were done eating their snacks it was almost their turn.

    "Next 20 people please." The man who''s working for the guild called out.

    Dn and Fred stood up since they were included in the next batch. They went inside the building and were mildly surprised when they saw that it was bigger than it looks.

    They fell into a line and one by one, they were asked to step into a tform that scanned their bodies.

    It didn''t take long before it was Dn''s turn. He stood on the tform and felt a tingling on his skin creeping up. He then heard a beeping noise which made him look down at the screen disy. What he saw somehow surprised him...

    [Participant #490]

    Name: Dn Trager

    Age: 16

    Blood Type: AB

    Aptitude:

    ? Martial Spirit: Trish

    ? Physique: Boundless Sea Physique

    ? Providence: Sea God''s Blessing

    Participant Rating: A+

    ''...how?'' Dn was baffled by what he saw printed on the paper. But before he even had the time to think, the staff already told him to move on to the next part of the Practical Exam.

    Dn didn''t expect this, what was written on this paper was very different from what he knew all this time.

    As far as he knows, his Martial Spirit was a Trident, his Physique wasbeled as Water Sprite Physique and his Providence was called Sapphire Illumination. He was repeatedly told that his aptitude was just ''alright'', nothing impressive but not disappointing either.

    So what the hell is this? Trish? Boundless Sea? Sea God? What are these? Why was it different?

    And what''s up with that ranking? Would that affect his practicals?

    "Dee, I''m confused. Why the hell is my aptitude different here? Did they make a mistake?"

    Fred''s voice took him back to the present. And judging from what he said, it seems that he too received a different aptitude description from what he knows.

    "Mine''s different too." He replied.

    "Really? Can I see it? Here, you can look at mine."

    They exchanged papers and saw what Fred''s results were.

    [Participant #491]

    Name: Fredrick Rocher

    Age: 16

    Blood Type: O<novelnext></novelnext>

    Aptitude:

    ? Martial Spirit: Wind Chasing Dagger

    ? Physique: Void Shattering Roc Physique

    ? Providence: Symbol of Freedom

    Participant Ranking: A+

    ''It really is different.'' He mused to himself.

    From what he can remember, Fred''s Martial Spirit was simply Dagger, his Physique was Giant Eagle Physique and his Providence was Sky Beacon. His remarks were the same as Dn''s, not impressive but not disappointing either.

    "I doubt that the guild would make a mistake like this." Dn stated after looking through Fred''s results.

    "...it did happen to both of us so the chances are minimal yes." Fred sighed, "But, I''m quite upset. Doesn''t this mean that our situation could''ve been better?"

    "Yes, but it''s not like we could turn back time and correct them." Dn felt a little bummed too. "Let''s just focus on doing well in the exams. We can talk about thister."

    They took their respective result papers and went to the testing grounds.

    There, they could see five rooms where participants enter. Dn''s hunch was right, the Participant Ranking does indeed affect the practicals.

    Since both his and Fred''s ranking were A+ their practicals will take ce in the furthest room to the right, one that doesn''t have many participants waiting in line.

    It didn''t take long before it was Dn''s turn. He was requested to enter the room without any further instructions. He took a deep breath first and then stepped inside the room.

    Dn felt the world warping around him upon entering. Before he knew it, he found himself standing in the middle of a vast clearing.

    He then saw a floating screen of light in front of him, it has words saying:

    [Practical Exams for Participant #490.]

    : Conditions for passing �� Survive the fight against Angels for 15 minutes

    : No consumables allowed. Feel free to use any method you know of to survive.

    : Bonus Points for eliminating the enemy.

    : Say ''I''m Ready!'' To begin the assessment.

    Dn''s face turned somber when he saw the requirements for passing. He never expected that he''ll be facing off against the Angels this early.

    He has no prior experience fighting those. All he knows of them were things that he had seen in the media and were told to him by other people.

    There were many kinds of angels out there,ing in all manner of shapes and sizes. He had no idea what he was going to face nor how many of them would appear, making this a real conundrum.

    Dn took a deep breath to center himself. He brought out his Trident and warmed up with it first. Once he was satisfied, he threw all caution to the wind and yelled:

    "I''m ready!"

    He heard a hymn out of nowhere which nearly caused his expression to twist. Then, the clouds parted from there, and three angels appeared.

    All three only had a pair of wings, which was a good sign since they were infants. They had small halos hovering above their head and their bodies were filled with a fuck ton of eyes.

    ''Yep, they''re as creepy as I''ve seen on the tv.'' He mused to himself.

    Then, he saw one of the angels aiming at him with its bow. Dn wasted no time, he used his movement technique to dodge and close the distance.

    As he was running, Dn brandished his trident and stabbed it, aiming at the angles. He wasn''t close to them yet but he had a skill he could use that was considered ranged.

    Sharp projectiles wereunched at each stab of his trident. They carried enough force to make the angels dodge them and break their formation.

    Dn continued to harass them, barely giving them time to breathe while he closes the distance.

    When he got in a range that''s morefortable for him. He wasted no time and used his most powerful skill...

    "Wind bes Lightning!"

    Dn turned into a streak of light, flying so fast and carrying so much momentum that he directly blew a hole in the angels'' bodies. His mana consumption was high but he didn''t mind it if it means he could finish this battle as fast as he could.

    Each angel received three gaping holes from his barrage of attacks. When he deactivated the skill, Dn was looking pale but mostly fine.

    Beep!

    As the angels fade away he received a notice that he had sessfully eliminated his enemies, therefore receiving bonus points on top of passing the test.

    He felt the world warping around him again and before he knew it, he was in an empty room with a man smiling at him.

 Chapter 235 Spiritual Exam

    "...it seems that we have good seedlings in this batch." Marymented as she watched the live feedback on the recruitment exams.

    "Indeed. Though I must say, some of them have particrly worrisome issues." Alice pointed out.

    "Issues like?" ke raised a brow.

    Alice moved a screen that showed a particr participant undergoing their practicals.

    "This one has too much killing intent."

    She then reced that with another participant and said: "This one''s too afraid."

    "This one''s timid."

    "She''s a bit of an airhead."

    "And these two didn''t receive proper guidance in their cultivation."

    "...I mean, I don''t think it''s that bad. The people you''ve pointed out are performing well. So long as there are no idents, then they''ll be a part of the guild. It won''t be toote for us to help them fix their issues." ke stated.

    "ke''s right." Ashton chimed in. "Additionally, these people you mentioned are young and impressionable. Being exposed to the guild should correct their issues even if we don''t do anything."

    "...I guess you guys have a point." Alice conceded.

    Just like in previous recruitment exams, all of the integral members of the Mystic Guild were watching the performances of each participant.

    They are looking out for potential talents that will join their guild so that they can n.

    Ashton briefly focused his attention on the participants that Alice pointed out.

    These kids were certainly talented, however because of their ring issues, their brilliance was dimmed. Some work is needed to fix their issues and just like he said, being exposed to the environment of the guild should suffice for that.

    It''s difficult to find talented people who genuinely want to fight for Humanity''s freedom. They couldn''t force anybody to do it since that''s just not the right way to do so.

    They could only wait for those people toe to them instead. Only then they''d be able to groom them.

    ''If these kids all managed to pass, they should be enough to upgrade the Dragon Vein.'' Ashton mused to himself. ''Of course, I''d only take them there once their issues are fixed.''

    ''I wonder what kind of rewards I''ll get from them?''

    "Dee! I passed the practicals! Holy shit, I passed!" Fred eximed while shaking Dn in the process.

    Dn looked nonchnt as this was happening, it was as if he was used to Fred acting like this already.

    "Congrats, I guess. Come, let''s go to the next venue." Dn started walking, this time they were asked to follow the red arrows.

    "You passed too, right?" Fred asked.

    "Obviously. If you could pass then why the hell I couldn''t?"

    "Good, that''s good. Come,e! This is the final exam. If we pass this too, then I should pretty much guarantee our membership!"

    Fred practically dragged Dn towards the final venue of the exams where the Spiritual Exam will take ce.

    Dn had no idea what he should expect for the Spiritual Exam. All those who participated in it previously told nothing about it when they were asked. They were prohibited by the guild from saying anything and for a good reason at that.

    Eventually, the two of them arrived at the final venue for the exams. There, they found another Federal Center.

    Unlike the previous area, there''s no line here. The practicals took a lot of time for others so most of them were still there. There weren''t many people here so there was no waiting period.

    They entered the Federal Center once they arrived. They were greeted by a woman who guided them to a room.

    Inside said room was numerous man-sized capsules or pods, arranged in a neat line. Dn saw people getting inside it.

    Thedy asked them to basically do the same. Any valuables they have can be ced on a basket provided to them right next to the capsule they chose. They''re also free to either go in with clothes or without them.

    "What''s the difference?" Fred asked.

    "Your clothes getting wet or not." Thedy answered.

    Dn snorted and said: "She''s not wrong you know."

    He shook his head and started undressing. He noticed that thedy pointedly turned around the moment he started doing that.

    She advised them that once they were ready, they could just lift the capsule''s door upwards and lie down inside it. The capsule will then automatically close and their Spiritual Exam will start. After exining that, she left.

    At this point, Dn was already down to his birthday suit. He neatly folded his clothes and ced them in the nearby basket. He didn''t hesitate to open up the capsule and get on it, not even bothering to wait for Fred.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Good luck, Dee." He heard Fred say as the capsule slowly closed on him.

    "Mn. You too." He replied.

    As soon as the capsule closed, a bright light shed in his eyes, momentarily blinding him.

    Everything then turned silent.

    After an unknown period of time, Dn found himself waking up in a different ce.

    He felt weird. It''s as if he was forgetting something very important and it''s gnawing at the back of his head.

    Dn looked around. He saw his room which made him feel at home yet it also pricked at his heart for no apparent reason.

    "...must be a bad dream." He mused to himself.

    He got up and went towards the bathroom. He sshed some water on his face and brushed his teeth. After that, he took a quick shower, dried himself, and got a new set of clothes.

    Dn''s actions felt strange to him for whatever reason. He can''t really point it out but if anything, he felt as if his body was on autopilot. Like he''s just watching himself do things without his conscious input at all.

    He didn''t understand why he was feeling this way. In the end, he just coined it to be whatever his nightmare was that he forgot. He thought that maybe that was the reason why he was feeling weird.

    Once he was ready, he exited his room and went down to eat breakfast. There, he saw his parents.

    ...he also felt that familiar prick in his chest when heid eyes on them. Something he, once again, ignored.

    His parents greeted him and he greeted them back, they shared breakfast on the table and he listened to them as they rambled away.

    Despite this rather nd morning, Dn''s chest feels full, so much so that it''s hurting.

    He could feel a sense of longing for some reason, he truly didn''t know what was up with him and why he was being so sensitive but he did his best to not show any of it.

    And then, out of nowhere, a strong foreboding feeling of dread swarms his entire being all of a sudden, making him feel incredibly alert and panicky. He was confused, he was feeling too much yet nothing was happening.

    His chest started hurting as if he was experiencing painful heartburn. He could hear his parents asking him what was wrong but he couldn''t speak. No matter how much he tried, he couldn''t.

    Then, out of nowhere, he heard a whistling sound. All of sudden, Dn''s entire body seized up.

    Boom!!

    A massive explosion rocked his world after he heard that whistle. He felt pain in every square inch of his body.

    He tried opening his eyes but he couldn''t since the smoke around him was too foul. He could also hear mes crackling nearby, he could even feel their heat so close to his skin.

    "Dn? Dn! Oh my god,e here son."

    "You saw him?"

    "Yes! He''s here but he''s trapped under the rubble!"

    "Let''s get him out,e on! We don''t have much time!"

    ''Mom...Dad...'' Dn called out.

    He tried to move but he couldn''t. All he could truly do was to try and open his eyes and make whimpering sounds to let them know that he was still alive.

    Dn hated this. The pain he was feeling in his body was one thing, but to relive this memory again? That''s even worse.

    Yes, Dn remembers everything now. He now knows that he didn''t wake from a nightmare, he woke up to it.

    The worst part is that that''s it. He''s just aware of everything.

    All he could truly do is to watch as everything happened before him without him being able to change anything. He''s as helpless as he was back then.

    He was forced to watch as a ming pir fell into his father''s back, yet the man remained standing, enduring the pain and the burden as his wife scrambled to take Dn''s body out of the rubble.

    He watched as his mother nearly made it out only for another ming pir to fall, this time on both of them. He watched as his mother made a split-second decision to save him instead by throwing him away from the impact.

    Dn watched as his parents got swallowed by the fire, he heard himself whimpering pathetically as they said their final ''I love you'' to him.

    Most importantly, he saw those hateful figures again. The ones responsible for all of this. The reason why he lost his parents early on.

    And beyond all odds, he found himself breaking through this bullshit to utter a painful roar towards the skies, his voice carrying deep grief and sadness.

    A brilliant light shed out of nowhere and Dn lost consciousness.

 Chapter 236 Well Played

    He didn''t get up even when the capsule opened. Dn kept lying down in there, looking lost and defeated.

    That certainly wasn''t pleasing at all. He had thought that he moved on from that memory, that it doesn''t have a hold on him anymore, that it doesn''t hurt anymore.

    But, truly, has anybody ever moved on from the loss of a loved one?

    At this point, Dn''s convinced that he might never will and he just has to make peace with that. Losing his family will always hurt and not even revenge will grant him peace.

    If anything, exacting revenge on the ones responsible for his parent''s death will only make him feel empty inside. Dn didn''t think that his parents would like that for him.

    As he slowly sat up from the capsule, Dn couldn''t help but wonder; what''s the purpose of this test? Why did he have to be reminded about the most painful memory of his life? Why was it necessary?

    While he''s putting his clothes back on, he subconsciously looked at the other participants who just finished their Spiritual Exams too.

    He noticed that their reactions were simr to his. They first stayed inside the capsule looking absolutely lost and defeated. He had even seen some who were bawling their eyes out.

    Dn could almost feel their despair and suffering. He even heard some mumbling about not being able to continue this anymore. Some just gave uppletely.

    He''s pretty sure that they''d encounter something simr to him. And truly, he couldn''t me them for reacting this way.

    Dn then noticed the capsule right next to his opening up.

    There, he saw Fred, looking a bit lost. Their eyes met and Fred got up. No words were said between them. Dn just waited until Fred was done putting his clothes back on. Then, they left the venue.

    The staff there didn''t tell them their results, all they said was to follow the white arrows that lead to the ce where they could see their results.

    Dn and Fred wordlessly followed the instructions and now, they are headed to the next ce.

    The silence between them was both awkward andforting.

    As they traveled to the next destination, Dn couldn''t help but recall his past.

    Before Fantasia was even a thing, Dn lived with his family in City G.

    He was bright-eyed and bushy-browed back then. Looking at the world through rose-tinted sses. He spent his youthful days dreaming about a nice and peaceful life.

    His family was rich but preferred a minimalist lifestyle. His parents didn''t raise him through conventional means. At a very young age, they told him to never put so much emphasis on money''s worth. They thought him to discover the simple things in life that has so much more value than counting paper bills.

    Dn thought that once he grew up, he will be like his dad. He''d take over the farm, maybe find a nice spouseter down the line, and have a small family when he decides to settle down. He dreamed about this simple yet peaceful life however, fate had other ns for him it seems.

    He lost his family during the attack of the Revenants. And just like what happened to City M and other cities, City G was also erased from the map, never to be seen again.

    The memories he relived just a few moments ago, that was thest memory he had before he woke up at City F. Miraculously, he survived. He''s injured, defeated, and mourning the loss of his parents, but he lived.

    It took him almost a year before he even started showing signs of emotional recovery. He was disassociating from reality so many times that he had given a lot of doctors some serious headaches.

    He received ample support from the Federation due to his loss, and he also received the inheritance of his parents, though none of it made him feel better. Back then, he thought that the road to healing would be a long and arduous one, and he doesn''t necessarily think that he''d be able to make it.

    This was when he met Fred, a guy who experienced a simr event just like him.

    Fred also lived in City G and they''d met before the disaster struck but that''s about it. They didn''t have any verbal contact with each other until the aftermath of the disaster.

    And this might sound silly and wrong, but they became close simply because they experienced the same traumatic events. They bonded through trauma if you will.

    Somehow, that helped Dn. It helped Fred too.

    As they sorted out themselves and continued with their lives, Fred was adopted by a lovely couple. The adoption was extended to Dn as well but he refused it, choosing to live on his own and learn how to be independent.

    Since the loss of his parents, Dn once thought that he had to be a cultivator. He wanted to be strong so that he can protect not only himself but also those who are important to him.

    Vengeance never became his drive, he had thought about it of course, but he never allowed it to rule over his life.

    Throughout the years he spent training, trying to achieve something for himself, he had genuinely thought that he was over it. As it turns out, he wasn''t.

    And looking at Fred now, it would seem that he also felt the same way.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "...I''m all out of tears at this point, I think." He heard Fred say.

    "You too, huh?"

    "Don''t get me wrong. It''s still painful as fuck. I''m definitely not over it yet but...I think I''ll be fine."

    "We just have to make sure that it never happens again. I''m not gonna lose anyone like that, ever again." Dn stated with a hardened expression.

    "Yeah, same." Fred replied.

    Then, out of nowhere, a brilliant orb of light exploded in front of him, blinding him in the process.

    It happened so fast that Dn couldn''t even react to it. He felt the world spinning fast around him, making him feel really dizzy.

    And then...he opened his eyes...

    Only to see that the top of the capsule was dislodging.

    He could feel himself submerged in water, he felt the coolness of the water and silently marveled at the way how his body floated in it.

    Dn blinked several times, trying to differentiate between fake and real. He shifted his weight and sat up, and the swirling sound of water entered his ears.

    He looked around him and felt a sense of deja vu. He saw other people waking up in a simrly confused manner like him. Hell, he even saw Fred getting up as well.

    It was then that it finally struck him. The idea was so bizarre that it caused him to release a hollow chuckle.

    ''An illusion on top of an illusion, huh? Well yed, Mystic Guild. Well fucking yed.''

    It was so ridiculous that he couldn''t even be mad about it. He hadpletely and irrevocably fallen for it. He found it funny actually and somehow, he could understand why the Guild Members were refusing to say a word about it.

    He got up from the capsule and started putting his clothes back on. Weirdly enough, he didn''t doubt his reality anymore. He was somehow convinced that the Mystic Guild wouldn''t put anotheryer of illusion on the trial just to piss them off.

    He finished putting his clothes back on around the same time as Fred, once they took all of their stuff, they went out of the room and they were greeted by the staff working there.

    They then brought them their results and we told them to wait until they receive an e-mail about the final results.

    Looking at his exam sheet, Dn''s results were:

    Written Exam: 98% (Passed)

    Practical Exam: Passed with Bonus Points

    Spiritual Exam: Passed

    It looked simple and he appreciated it. Plus, it came directly from the examiners themselves so it shouldn''t be falsified.

    He did well and chances are, he''d actually make the cut. Still, there were tons of people here, meaning that he has a lot ofpetitors too. The final results are still being decided so he shouldn''t celebrate just yet.

    "I can''t believe that they fooled us twice with that..." Fred huffed, feigning anger despite his obvious amusement.

    "I mean, the second one definitely felt real. I even saw you there." Dn said.

    "I did too, actually." Fred looked at him with surprise coloring his face. "Wait, did I say something along the lines of ''I''m all out of tears?'' "

    Dn blinked in surprise and said: "Yes. Did I tell you that I''m not losing anyone again?"

    "Yeah you did!" Fred''s eyesically widened. "Holy shit, are you thinking what I''m thinking?"

    "That the second illusion might have some reality mixed in it? Then, yes." Dn said in a disbelieving tone.

    "Damn," Fred mumbled. "How the hell did they even do that? Was it Magic? It''s gotta be Magic right?"

    "I honestly don''t know." Dn replied, "Let''s just hope we get epted so that we can figure that outter."

 Chapter 237 Initiate Transfer!

    Dn''s initial worries were for naught it seems because he got in. Fred, too.

    His final results weren''t bad. He was 20th on the ranking, and Fred was in 38th ce. Not bad considering that this was their first try.

    He was excited, of course. Finally, he''s considered a member of the Mystic Guild, this is remarkable progress for his future goals.

    Dn already packed his thingsst night. Since he got epted, the Guild will be providing him with a new residence. He liked this house despite it looking a bit run down and he will miss it, but of course, that sentiment wasn''t enough to prevent him from following the guild''s arrangement.

    He didn''t sell it though, instead, he had it renovated into an apartment. He used a bit of money to transform the house into a modern one and he was nning on renting it out. Doing this was simpler nowpared to before. He could finish all the arrangements online which helped out a lot.

    Ding Dong!

    Dn stood up from his chair and went to the door to open it. He met who introduced himself as the architect and engineer he contracted. He allowed the man into the house and they began talking about the finer details of what he wanted to happen for the house.

    After a couple of minutes, they ironed out the remaining details...

    "...yes, this ce is indeedrge enough to divide into three apartments. Two would be avable for rent while thest one will be kept for your use in case of emergency."

    "Great, once the renovation isplete, I assume that you''ll inform me about it?"

    "Why, of course! But just to make sure, the contact details you provided before our meeting are your current ones, right?"

    "Yes, it is."

    "Perfect, then we''ll use those to regrly send you details about our progress. Additionally, you can also hire someone from ourpany to manage the property for you."

    "I''ll consider it." Dn replied.

    "Great. I guess that''s all for now. Thank you for your patronage, Good Sir."

    "I leave this ce to your capable hands."

    The two men shook hands and the architect/engineer bid him farewell. The renovation of this ce will begin tomorrow.

    Dn took onest look at this house. He smiled yet he was feeling a little bitplicated about leaving.

    Shortly after, he shook his head. He had enough of the mncholy, it is time for him to move on.

    He stood up and walked out of the door, not knowing if this would be thest time he''ll be there or not. He already has his stuff with him, the ones left in the house held no importance to him so he''s fine getting rid of them.

    Once he was out of the house, he noticed a car stopping in front of him. He raised a brow and watched as the windows panned down, revealing Fred who was grinning at him like a fool.

    "Get in!"

    Dn leaned down and saw Fred''s foster parents in the front seats of the car, smiling at him as well. He nodded briefly to greet them and then he looked at Fred.

    "You have a weird sense of timing." He remarked as he made his way to the other side of the car to get in.

    Once he got in, Fred''s foster father reminded him to wear his seatbelt and proceeded to drive.

    Their heading towards the nearest Federal Center in this area, which is approximately an hour and a half away. Dn could''ve walked there by himself but he wouldn''t refuse a free ride.

    He and Fred talked about their expectations for the guild. Fred was basically vibrating in his seat due to his excitement.

    In the corner of his eyes, he notices Fred''s foster parents looking at their child with a mixture of happiness and sadness-filled gaze.

    Dn wanted to kind of smack Fred for being so insensitive about this but he couldn''t bring himself to do it.

    Plus, he''s not really good at handling ''drama'' either so he decided to just shut up.

    Time passed and eventually, they arrived at their destination. Fred excitedly got out of the car, causing Dn to mentally curse him. He thanked Fred''s foster parents before leaving the car himself.

    He saw Fred looking at the Federal Center as if it was his first time being there, (it''s not), he whispered out some profanities before marching towards and him and giving him a crisp p on the head.

    Pak!!

    "Ow!! What the hell? What''s the big idea? Why''d do that?" Fred asked in quick session while clutching his head.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "You insensitive idiot! Are you not even nning on bidding farewell to your foster parents? Have you seen how sad they were because you''re leaving them without any idea if you''ll evere back!?"

    "They apanied you all the way here and you''re not even going to say goodbye? Do you want me to hurt you even more, huh?"

    Dn''s anger faded a bit when he saw Fred internalizing his words. In the end, he sighed in exasperation before saying:

    "Go." He urged him, "Go give them a hug a least. Show some filial piety before I punch you in the face. I''ll wait for you at the entrance."

    Fred didn''t need to be told twice because he knows that Dn would actually do that. Plus, his words made Fred realize how much of an insensitive fool he had be so he quickly made his way back to his foster parents so he could bid them a proper farewell.

    Dn didn''t stay to watch the drama, he doesn''t know how to handle those properly anyway.

    He made his way into the entrance and waited for Fred. Around ten minutester, he saw him still drying his tears.

    Dn didn''t say anything tofort him or to coddle him. Fred has to learn to be responsible for his actions since they''re on their way to bing one.

    "Ready?" He asked.

    Fred finished drying up his tears. He took a deep breath and nodded at him. They then entered the Federal Center, making their way to the front desk to ask for assistance.

    "Excuse me, can you tell us where the Mystic Guild is?" Dn asked.

    "New Guild Members, I assume?" Thedy at the front desk asked.

    "Yes." Dn nodded in confirmation.

    "May I see your Citizen ID and the eptance e-mail you received from the guild?"

    Dn and Fred brought out the credentials she asked for. Thedy inspected them for a minute before returning it to them. She then asked them to give her a minute.

    She crouched down to take something from the drawers of her desk. When she stood up, she pushed metal badges to them saying:

    "These are your badges. This one''s for you, and this one''s for you. Please don''t develop a habit of switching them up, the Guild Badges are personalized for each members, and there are punishments for not taking care of them properly."

    Dn and Fred took their respective ones. Taking note of how their respective badge has their initials embedded on them.

    "Please wear them at all times inside the guild. That essentially works as an ID there. Plus, you''ll need it for most of your transactions anyway." Thedy advised.

    Dn and Fred followed her suggestions and pinned the badges on their clothes. They were surprised when the badge automatically melded into the fabric of their clothes.

    "That function is added to make sure that the badge won''t fall off. If you want to remove it, just tap it ten consecutive times. This method only works on your badge, not others so please be careful." Thedy warned.

    "Now, is there anything else that you needed to do? If there is, then I suggest you finish them all before the day ends. Because once you arrive at the guild, your schedules will automatically be full."

    Dn and Fred looked at each other before shrugging. Then they said that they''ve settled everything.

    Hearing that, thedy didn''t dy them anymore. She asked them to follow her.

    They arrived in a room at the far end of the Federal Center. When they entered the said room, they noticed that it wasrgely empty save for a lone stone tform emitting a mystical light.

    "Is this..." Fred trailed off.

    "It''s a Transfer tform. This will take you two to the Mystic Guild. You will also find yourself in this very same room if you were sent out on a mission that happens to be in this part of the metropolis." Thedy supplied.

    "Please step on the tform, you two. Once you''re ready, press a finger on your badge and say ''Initiate Transfer''. You''ll arrive at your destination before you know it."

    "Thank you for your assistance." Dn replied while the two of them stepped onto the tform.

    Thedy just smiled at them and watched as they pressed a finger on their badge. She then bowed at them when she heard them say:

    "Initiate Transfer!"

    A bright light enveloped the two and they disappeared from the room.

 Chapter 238 Blue Marble Grotto Heaven

    Awe would be an understatement for what Dn was currently feeling now that he arrived at Mystic Guild.

    Well, he isn''t in the guild yet but he''s near. Though that doesn''t stop him from being amazed and speechless by what he has been seeing and feeling so far.

    The vibrant bounty of nature is what greeted him the moment he felt the world spinning around him. It''s as if he had appeared in a different world entirely. The colors around him were so vivid that they made him almost believe that he has been blind before.

    And then, he felt the warmth of sunlight caressing his skin. It was gentle andforting, next he felt the crisp and cool breeze of air, making him unconsciously take in a deep breath. He could swear that this was the freshest air he had ever taken in his entire life.

    But what blew him away in this ce, was the sheer density of Mana.

    Dn felt as if he could just hold out his hand and touch Mana itself with how dense it was. Hell, he could feel his bottleneck loosening up just by being here! This ce is that marvelous, no wonder the Guild Members are all so strong!

    "Are you two done admiring your surroundings?"

    Dn twisted his neck so fast that he might''ve nearly given himself a whish. He hadpletely failed to notice the presence behind them, how long has she been here?

    "Chill, I don''t bite. Don''t be so tense." The girl chuckled softly when she saw Dn and Fred''s mildly rmed and defensive stance.

    "May we know who you are?" Dn asked, trying to be as polite as he could to not offend thisdy.

    Because if his instincts are still serving him right, then they absolutely couldn''t offend thisdy at all.

    "My name is Aria." She replied to his inquiry. "Chief Artificer of the Mystic Guild, I''m also one of its Founding Members. I assume the both of you are Dn and Fredrick?"

    "Y-yes, that''s us," Fred replied, looking a little too nervous. "Refer to me as Fred, though. Fredrick sounds a bit too tacky."

    ? "As you wish." Aria shrugged at that. "Well, you guys will be given more time to admire this ce, for now though, follow me. I''d show you around."

    Aria didn''t wait for them, she started walking away as soon as she said this. She''s making it clear that she''s not forcing them into this, if they want to explore the guild on their own, then they are free to do so.

    But of course, how could Dn and Fred even think about that?

    Aria was one of the Founding Members of the Mystic Guild, and someone of her status shouldn''t bother ying games with them, she knows this ce like the back of her hand and if she''s willing to spend her valuable time to help them out, how the hell could anybody expect them to waste that?

    So, they scrambled to follow her...and of course, Aria noticed this.

    "Every time you make a trip outside you''ll end up in one of the Federal Centers scattered across Fantasia." She said, "Simrly, if you want to return here, then you can use the same method as well, and you''ll find yourselves being transported around this general area."

    "One day, when you''re strong enough and made a decent amount of contributions to the guild, you might get the chance to have a personalized Transfer tform that you can install in your homes here. By then, you can just use that instead since it''ll be more convenient."

    Dn and Fred listened and remembered the words she was telling them.

    "The Mystic Guild is in that direction." Aria pointed forward.

    The two behind her craned their necks to see where he was pointing at. They then notice some kind of a beacon over where she''s pointing.

    "That light is an indication of where the guild is. Just follow it and you''ll arrive there. This ce is a bit on therger side so we made that light really noticeable and pretty high up there so that wherever you all ended up in this ce, you''ll know where to go. That light never fades, even when it''s nighttime."

    "...why would anyone even be out here if they have homes in there?" Dn couldn''t help but ask.

    "I''ve heard of several reasons before, and they differ based on who you ask." Aria replied, "Some would say that they venture around here to unwind. Some say that it lot quieter here and therefore more peaceful."

    "People who are working on their anger issues go to the more barren parts of this ce to release frustrations by allowing themselves to rampage all they want."

    "The more secretive ones say that they''re training in private, which I findme since there is a formation in their homes that gives them enough privacy, but who am I to judge?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Others just like to camp outside they can and they want to, but the ones who use this excuse are couples who wanted to fornicate like rabbits or skinny dip by the river over in that direction." Aria pointed out.

    Dn and Fred were speechless by what they heard.

    "...we''re not that strict you know? On the contrary, we allow the members to have as much freedom as possible. Our responsibilities are heavy and the need to unwind from time to time is non-negotiable."

    "If it helps you rx and allows you to keep your productivity high while also not harming the morals the guild stands for and its interest, by all means, feel free to do so. We will not stop you, hell we might even encourage you if the situation calls for it."

    ''Okay, that''s like, the coolest shit I''ve ever heard.'' Dn inwardly remarked. He''s not even aware that he''s smiling and his eyes were shining as if he''s a kid in a candy store.

    "What are the rules and regtions of the Mystic Guild?" Fred asked.

    "d you asked." Aria smiled as she continued walking, "It''s fairly simple really. At its core, you just have to remember that we founded the Mystic Guild because Humanity needs it."

    "Our actions, our missions, our very existence, all are dedicated to improving Humanity''s condition and its protection."

    "We are the protectors of our home, and one day, when we''ve grown strong enough, we will challenge the invaders and chase them out of our world. That is the purpose of the Mystic Guild''s foundation."

    "If you want to get a more detailed version of the rules and regtions, you can read the guidebookter. You will find that in your homes. But whatever happens, never forget what I said, and don''t misinterpret it. Understood?"

    "Yes." Dn and Fred audibly replied.

    Hearing all of that firmly solidified Dn''s belief that he indeed made the right choice by joining this faction.

    The stuff he heard about the guild before wasn''t all just for show, all of it was true. They exist for the betterment of this world. And the fact that they are willing to risk their lives for their ideals moved Dn.

    Aria talked about some more information about the guild as they walked towards it.

    From her, both of them discovered that this ce is called the Blue Marble Grotto Heaven. It''s like an alternate dimension that has simrws as the real one. Also, this ce is just as huge as Fantasia, and all of it was just for the Guild''s use for now.

    Aria said that there were ns for expansion but even with that, the guild was far from utilizing every single square inch of this ce. Plus, ording to her, the guild was alreadyrge enough to cater to a thousand people, so the expansions aren''t their priority.

    Eventually, the three of them arrived near the guild itself.

    For a second there, Dn and Fred had forgotten to breathe. They haven''t entered yet, they''re just close to arriving in front of the gates, but the fact that they could almost see what''s beyond it excites them to their core.

    They just caught a glimpse of something magical and they already couldn''t wait to see more.

    When they reached the gates, both of them saw that there was nobody around. Instead, there''s a statue of some soldiers lined up before the gates. They paused and Aria spoke to them:

    "Don''t be fooled. These statues are alive. They''re Golems." She said, "If someone managed to infiltrate this ce and arrive here, they will activate to apprehend them. I''d have you know that each of these golems is enough to thrash a Sorcerer or a Grandmaster Knight. They''ve never been activated before and hopefully, it stays that way."

    Dn and Fred involuntarily inhaled sharply when they heard that.

    "If you want to pass by them safely, you must arrive here with your badges in you. One that is yours of course. Let them scan you and they shall open the gates and allow you entrance. Go on."

    Dn and Fred looked at each other before nodding. They then stepped forward and felt the golems'' gaze roaming their body.

    When the feeling went away, the golems suddenly moved and cleared a path for them. The gates automatically parted and for the first time, the two of them witnessed the magical scene behind the gates.

    Aria walked ahead of them before turning around to face them. Then, she said:

    "Wee to the Mystic Guild, kids."

 Chapter 239 Mystic Guilds Dramatic Irony

    The world inside the Blue Marble Grotto Heaven was already vivid yet it still pales inparison to what Dn and Fred saw beyond the gates.

    The sheer visual phenomenon proved to be a little too astounding for them to digest properly, making them speechless the moment they saw it.

    As they took one step inside, they could almost feel every single cell in their body squirming in joy for whatever reason.

    The tall buildings, the colors, the boisterous noises, the impressive sights, everything in here was phenomenal to them that it left them gaping.

    Because there''s too much going on around them, everything seems chaotic, but beneath that was a certain mark of prosperity and peace that not even Fantasia had.

    "Oh, shiiiiiit!!!"

    Dn and Fred were rmed when they suddenly heard a scream nearby. They looked towards it and saw a guy cursing at top of his lungs while holding for dear life as his flying broom streaked through the air.

    "Shit! Look out, below!!" The man screamed as the flying broom suddenly dropped its altitude around the same level as where both Dn and Fred were.

    Of course, this rmed the two so they proceeded to duck but it turns out that they don''t have to.

    Aria stepped between them and held out her hand. Surprisingly, that was enough for the flying broom to stop cold in its tracks. Its sudden pause wasn''t beneficial for the man riding it though since that caused him to be flung away to the opposite side.

    "Shit! Ow! Fuck! God damn it!" The man cursed as he bounced on the ground due to his fall.

    Dn and Fred were speechless. They were too caught off guard by the sudden event that they were unable to say anything. They looked at Aria who was now holding the Flying Broom in her hands.

    "Are you okay, Erwin?" She asked.

    "Peachy!" The man replied, but his pained expression says otherwise. "Sorry, you had to see that. I have no idea why it suddenly started malfunctioning."

    "Erwin...of course, it would malfunction because this one isn''t yours." Aria sighed exasperatedly.

    "Um, what?"

    Aria rolled her eyes and said: "You''ve taken the wrong Flying Broom again. Didn''t I say to personalize yours so that you could recognize it?"

    "....haha, so uhm, funny story...I Uhm..."

    "You forgot, again."

    "...yes." Erwin eeked out while scratching his head bashfully. "Sorry, I promise I''d personalize mine as soon as I...figure out where I ced it."

    Aria just shook his head and waved Erwin off. The man chuckled nervously before bowing at her. Before he left, he smiled at Dn and Fred meaningfully.

    "Alright, since that distraction is gone, we can now proceed with the tour." Aria stated.

    Before that though, she held out the Flying Broom parallel to the ground and patted it a few times. With a slight push of her hand, the broom then flew away, streaking across the sky once more.

    "This ce is the Residential Zone of the Guild." She said as she continued walking down the road with the two behind her. "As you can guess by the hustle and bustle of this ce, this is where our members live."

    "The Residential Zone forms a ring around the Guild Property, this makes it easier for everyone to have ess to the guild''s services no matter where they are."

    "We will pass by your homester, for now though, let''s get you acquainted with Guild itself."

    The three of them followed the road until they eventually exited the busy area. After passing through another gate, where they saw the Mystic Guild''s headquarters.

    It was a goddamn castle. That''s what the Mystic Guild''s Headquarters looked like.

    From where they''re at, the castle gave off an impression of piercing the sky itself. It''s probably the biggest infrastructure they everid their eyes on.

    It was easy to tell that this ce is the focal point. Colorful lights blessed its surroundings, Dn could swear that he could see some strange figures appearing and disappearing out of nowhere around this ce.

    The ce was awe-inspiring as well, bringing forth a feeling of a need to worship it.

    But not even their wildest dreams could''ve ever prepared them for what they saw inside that castle.

    "... Uhm, plot twist?" Fred remarked reflexively.

    "Mood." Dn added.<novelnext></novelnext>

    They gawked as they saw the interior of the castle looking straight out of a sci-fi movie. Everything was modernized from the tiles of the floors to the elevators and wide-screen monitors embedded in the walls.

    It''s like they entered a mall or an electronic shop. The irony of the guild''s exterior to its interior made them feel like crying but have no tears.

    "You''ve gotta get used to this dramatic irony." Aria chuckled after hearing and seeing their reactions. "It applies to pretty much everything within the guild''s premises."

    Aria continued walking with the two trailing behind her.

    The boys looked around them fervently like kids in a candy store. They took in the sights around them, still reeling and marveling at the dramatic irony that the Mystic Guild brought to them.

    On their way, Aria told them where the important ces were. She always made sure to point out every detail they needed to know so that they won''t get lost.

    She showed them where the Missions'' Board was, a ce where they can register for missions to earn Merit Points, which they could then use to purchase things from the guild or use for the unique services the guild offers.

    Aria also showed them the Guild Market, where they could buy resources for their cultivation needs. Aside from that, they could also buy weapons here or mundane things such as clothes, groceries, etc.

    After that, she showed them the unique services the guild offers to help them be stronger.

    First were the cultivation environments. By paying a certain amount of merit points, they could use this service to enter a ce that harmonizes with theirtent element.

    Volcanic zones, waterfalls, grand canyons, mountains, iron keeps, boundless forests, and cial fields, these are just a few of the presets they could use to mimic an environment to boost their cultivation.

    She also brought them to the Gyms, where they discovered what double gravity feels like for the first time as soon as they took one step inside.

    Dn was fine but Fred nearly folded, eventually though he managed to endure the pressure to keep going.

    Since it''s called the Gym, there was workout equipment here of course. Aria then exined that be it a mage or a knight, training the body will never be a bad decision.

    2�� gravity is the norm here, but if someone wants to, they could rent a rune which could increase that even further as they worked out here.

    Sufficed to say, Dn was looking forward to visiting this ce on his own.

    Moving on, Aria introduced them to the Simtion Zone, where they could simte a real battle against invaders. She also took them to the Healing Hot Springs, amunal bath that everybody in the guild loves.

    Then, she introduced them to the more unique services of the guild, such as the Sword Pce, the Stargazing Pagoda, and the Mountain and Sea Realm.

    By the end of the tour, Dn and Fred were having a hard time digesting everything they saw and learned, they were also a little exhausted but their eyes were still shining.

    It''s obvious that they couldn''t wait to try out the things they''ve seen so far. Unfortunately, they have to wait for a little bit.

    They don''t even have a single Merit Point to their name, they have to earn some first by doing missions first before they could. Still, this didn''t dampen their excitement at all, if anything, it encouraged them even more.

    Since Aria finished giving them a tour of the guild, she is now escorting them to their homes. On the way there, she said:

    "...you need to pay 5 Merit Points each month to stay in the Residential Zone, no advance payments allowed, and dyed payments will only go as far as three months."

    "This means that you have to budget your Merit Points because you won''t just be worrying about rent, there''s also stuff like food, supplies, clothes, etc."

    "Ultimately, what you must do is simple. Do missions to get paid. If you perform well enough, your badge will be upgraded, allowing you ess to missions that are more challenging but also pays more. It might get hectic at first but I trust that you''ll eventually fall into a routine, just like your seniors did."

    "Alright, we''re here." She said, pausing in front of an apartmentplex.

    She then faced them and handed them the keys to their apartments.

    "Your rooms are right next to each other. On the 5th floor, rooms 507 and 508. Dn is at 507 and Fred on 508."

    Dn and Fred epted their keys and bowed to Aria.

    "Thank you for giving us a tour." Dn said.

    "Your wee, kids." Aria shuffled their hair. "Ah, that reminds me. By 10 am tomorrow,e to the Guild. Your batch will have a special lecture with the Guild Master."

    "Alright, that''s about. Sleep well, kids. And enjoy your stay here."

    And before knew it, Aria had already disappeared from their view.

 Chapter 240 Conditions; Met

    A hundred kids sat in front of him, all sitting cross-legged with their eyes closed.

    Mana swirled around then, caressing their bodies and fondly dancing around them. Their breathings were in sync as if rehearsed, an expression of rxation and deep immersion was obvious on their faces.

    This batch of results just received their first lecture from Ashton.

    He discussed nothing but the basics of cultivation with them, breaking the false stigmas they developed due to misinformation and the bad habits they unwillingly adapted.

    To Ashton, this might not mean much since he had given this kind of lecture a couple of times already, but for the kids, it''s a whole different story.

    It is a fact by now that the Mystic Guild is the most popr organization that cultivators can join. Other organizations tried copying their style to attract people for profit but none of them could ever hold a candle to the Mystic Guild.

    The difference was akin to a grain of sand beingpared to the sun itself. There''s just nopetition at all.

    Admittedly, even with the rising prosperity of Fantasia, the quality of knowledge in cultivation was still rtively low. And that''s even with the Filtering Law for cultivation being lifted.

    Ashton was already rectifying this of course, but it is going to take some time before he could see any results. After all, the road to cultivation is extremely long.

    That being said, since cultivation is now a public thing, many people had taken some selfish ideas. Sadly, spreading false information about cultivation became a ring problem. And even with the establishedws punishing the perpetrators of these activities, the human heart will remain a fickle thing.

    It is for that reason that a lot of young cultivators took the winding path or thepletely wrong path at the very start of their journey.

    With Ashton rifying things for them and providing them with ways to rectify these mistakes, it was obvious that they will experience what it is truly like to cultivate in earnest.

    Sure, all they learned so far is how to fix their foundations, but whoever said that it stops there?

    This was Ashton''s first lecture for them. Meaning there would be moreter down the line. The Guild Master''s guidance will always be avable to them.

    Time passed and one by one, the kids started waking up. Those who did stand up as silently as they could so as to not disturb the rest, they bowed to him before making their way out.

    Ashton had already opened up their mind and provided them with options, the rest is up to them. His guidance only stretches this far.

    As the number of people dwindled down over time, the Lecture Hall became quieter and quieter. Eventually, only a few kids left.

    Some asked for his opinion and he didn''t hesitate to give them more advice to help them out. Their inquiries differ from each other but it alles into y for the betterment of themselves so Ashton didn''t mind.

    More time passed and before he knew it, only two people were left at the Lecture Hall, and these two were Dn and Fred, the ones that he has his eye on.

    He watched as they woke up from their introspection around the same time. He saw how they reorganized their thoughts and saw how their expressions turned particrly troubled.

    Eventually, they both looked at him and Ashton didn''t hesitate to invite them closer. The boys walked towards him with confused expressions.

    "You both seem particrly troubled. Care to tell me why that is?"

    Truth to be told, Ashton didn''t need to ask, he knows precisely why they were making these faces, but he wanted to hear it from them.

    "...I guess both of us have the same problem, Master." Dn sighed as he said this, "We''ve started cultivating on the wrong foot. Based on your lecture, our options aren''t much. The best method for us to rectify our problems is to void our current progress and start all over again but..."

    "...but starting all over again would set us far behind our peers." Fred continued. "Besides, we haven''t earned sufficient Merit Points to exchange for the resources we will need for the switch. What should we do?"

    Ashton smiled. Their concerns lined up with his estimations. And while he did feel bad about what''s he going to do next (since it could be morally questionable), he knew that these two will be key figures in the future, so he just have to suck it up.

    "There is an option for the both of you, but I''m afraid that it would require you to...well, practically sell your freedom to the Guild."

    The boys looked at him in surprise. They probably weren''t expecting him to be blunt with his choice of words.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Ashton then took out a set of contracts, one that would officially make them his direct subordinates, Beneficiaries if you will...

    "This is a contract that will bind you to the Guild. Signing this means that your loyalty would remain with the Guild. Viting a use included in this contract will hurt you a ton, do that three times and it will literally kill you."

    He could tell that the two were reeling with the words he was saying, sadly he wasn''t done yet.

    "But of course, there''s a benefit to signing this. For one, signing this allows you to take a Merit Points loan, which you can then use ording to how you see fit. Of course, there are plenty more benefits included here. Take your time and read it. Once you made your decision,e to me."

    Dn and Fred looked unsatisfied with how he answered their inquiry, nevertheless, they took the contract and started reading it. As for Ashton himself, he left the Lecture Hall.

    He would give them time to ponder about it. Of course, he''s not forcing them to be his Beneficiaries, it''d be cool if they could but he''s not gonna throw a tantrum if they chose otherwise.

    With them settled, he had already handed out contracts to the kids he has his eyes on. He''s just waiting for their decisions and he can then proceed ordingly.

    The day passed just like this, and on the next morning, Ashton was once again back at the Lecture Hall, this time, he was faced with the five kids who apparently made their decisions already.

    "I offered the same contracts to all of you here, you told me that you''ve made your decision. Well, who amongst you decided to sign the contract?"

    And without any hesitation, he saw five hands raised, meaning that all of them decided to sign the contract to be his direct subordinate.

    Dn read the contract very closely, and to bepletely honest, it was too good to be true.

    All the contract needed from them was their loyalty and a promise to aid the Guild''s cause, that''s about it. Should they agree to that, they will quite literally be showered with benefits, directly from the Guild Master himself.

    He had tried to see if there were any loopholes in the contract but he found none. The contract was clear and concise about what it wanted, and it had given him a vivid idea of what to expect.

    All that being said, he and Fred decided to go along with it. They didn''t see any harm in doing so, they were even excited about it.

    "Since all of you have made your decision, go ahead with them. Smear a drop of your blood in the contract and you shall receive a sigil."

    They didn''t need to the told twice. One by one, they pricked their finger and smeared their blood on the contract.

    It then turned into tiny specks of light which coagted into a sigil.

    The sigil then fused with their bodies and from that point onwards, they are bound to the guild.

    But of course, that''s not all...

    With a wave of Ashton''s hand, all five of them got transported somewhere else. The kids didn''t know what was happening, all they know is that the moment they appeared in...wherever this ce was, they could feel a strong attraction towards a certain direction.

    It''s as if something or someone out there was calling for them...

    The urge was so strong that none of them were able to resist the call. And so, they started going towards it in hopes of receiving an answer.

    None of them noticed that Ashton was right there, watching over them and prepared to take them back once theirmunion with the Dragon Vein was over.

    While he did say that the kids here have their fair share of troubles, so long as they became his beneficiaries, all of those will be rectified so he didn''t hesitate to have themmune with the Dragon Vein already.

    They''re already bound by the System''s Contract. He didn''t have to worry about their betrayal after that.

    [Congrattions! You have epted five Heaven''s Chosen as your Beneficiaries. ��1380 Benefactor''s Return Triggered! You have received...]

    [Conditions to evolve the Dragon Vein has been met. Proceed with the Evolution? Y/N?]

 Chapter 241 Rewards, Evolution, More Rewards

    [Congrattions! You have epted five Heaven''s Chosen as your Beneficiaries. ��1380 Benefactor''s Return Triggered! You have received the Heavenly Catalogue, 10,000 Beast Scripture, and the Ster Runic Catalogue. You have also received 750 Spell Points and Skill Points.]

    [Heavenly Catalogue]

    Type: Knowledge Consumable

    Description:

    : An item that contains immense knowledge about the movement of the Heaven, Earth, and the Celestial Bodies. The information contained in this book is profound and could lead to numerous oues.

    [10,000 Beast Scripture]

    Type: Knowledge Consumable

    Description:

    : A book containing knowledge of 10,000 types of beasts. Every page of this book contains all information about certain types of beasts.

    [Ster Runic Catalogue]

    Type: Knowledge Consumable

    Description:

    : Contains information about all manner of runes, seals, and inscription that applies to this universe.

    Ashton was disappointed at first when he read the descriptions of the items he received from the System.

    He was expecting something more concrete. He was hoping to receive a cultivation scripture or something, one that he can use to help out his new beneficiaries. Because currently, there is none that the kids could use.

    Sure there are options for them but they aren''t exactly the most suitable for them. If he gives them those, then they will never reach their full potential so he gambled with the system...and he lost.

    But...did he really lose?

    Since the kids will take some time in theirmunion anyway, he thought that he might as well use this time to figure out what these items are truly all about.

    So without any further ado, he retrieved them from his Inventory and started consuming them. One by one of course. He''s smart enough to notice the subtle hints of the System to him. He wouldn''t be reckless in adopting an immense amount of new information since that might break his mind.

    He started with the Heavenly Catalogue first.

    The moment he consumed it, he could feel his mindscape being rocked by the sheer amount of information he needed to process. He didn''t even know when his Schr Perk reacted and ced him in Concentration Mode.

    Thanks to that, processing the tsunami of new information became more bearable for him.

    The Heavenly Catalogue contains endless profundities. Even as he processes the information from it, he isn''t confident enough that says that he had an urate grasp of them yet.

    One thing''s for sure though, the profundity of the Heavenly Catalog resonates with the Cultivation System humanity has adapted.

    And, in a certain perspective, that makes sense.

    The cirction of Mana, which differs with each cultivation technique, was originally derived from observing the movement of the world and its behavior. This also applies to skills, spells, runes, etc.

    And now that Ashton received the knowledge about this fundamental movent, in theory, Ashton could start creating cultivation techniques based on what he needs!

    The Heavenly Catalogue itself mostly solves his current dilemma. Now, he just needed inspiration and he could probably chuck out cultivation techniques like a machine.

    While he''s still in Concentration State, Ashton consumed the 10,000 Beast Scripture, followed by the Ster Runic Catalogue.

    The 10,000 Beast Scripture turns out to be more helpful than he originally gave it credit for.

    Sure, most of the beasts recorded there don''t exist in this world. Hell, it doesn''t even contain any information about the invaders. But even though that''s the case, the detailed information about every single beast contained in this book was useful enough, especially if he wants some inspiration.

    There are a lot of people whose Martial Spirits/Magical Artifacts fall under the Beast Category, be it bearing its form or just having a slight connection to a certain beast, all of it counts.

    The 10,000 Beast Scripture helps him understand those dynamics, in turn, it allows him to create a better cultivation system that could help that certain demographic.

    And then, there''s the Ster Runic Catalogue...

    Same as the Heavenly Catalogue, the Ster Runic Catalogue contains all information about runes, seals, and inscriptions that applies to this universe.

    From the very basic up to the mostplicated seal there was, Ashton knows of it now. And as a Mage who developed a particr fondness for Runic Magic, Ashton couldn''t be any happier.<novelnext></novelnext>

    All in all, the items he received practically solved his problems for his new kids. In fact, he wouldn''t need to worry about giving them a cultivation technique that''s suited to them since, if he doesn''t have it, he could just create it.

    Additionally, this benefits him too since with so much information added to his brain, he could spot the ring ws in his current cultivation technique and rectify that.

    ''I guess I should start brainstorming now, huh?'' Ashton mused to himself.

    As people would say; strike while the iron is hot. Since he''s having a ton of inspiration right now, he might as well create the basis for the kids'' cultivation techniques.

    ''For Dn, the motif would be the Sea. Sky Roc for Fred. Darkness and Shadows for Carlos. Nature and Guardianship for Celine. Domination and Destruction for Troy.''

    Ashton''s mind went into overdrive as he built five cultivation techniques at the same time. He followed their respective motifs closely to ensure that the result will be something that was most suited for them, allowing them to reach their full potential.

    ''I probably won''t be able to finish this all today, but I can at least give them the First Chapter per se. That should buy me enough to timeplete them.'' Ashton nodded to himself to that idea.

    He continued working until he had a rough outline for each cultivation technique he ns to give to them. He doubled checked each one though, making sure that there will be no harmful side effects or anything before condensing each on a seal that he could give to themter.

    [Notice! Your Beneficiaries havepleted theirmunion with the Dragon Vein. ��2000 Benefactor''s Return, triggered! You have received: El-Realm Shard (��5), Ancient Blueprints (Instant Build ��5), 500 Spell Points, and Skill Points]

    [Conditions to evolve the Dragon Vein has been met. Proceed with the Evolution? Y/N?]

    ''Yes, proceed!''

    Ashton transported the kids off to somewhere else first before proceeding with the evolution.

    Once it started, a divine light exploded from the pocket dimension where the Dragon Vein was. Themotion was so strong that it rmed Fairy Queen Natasha as well.

    Majestic arrays of light shed numerous times, the sight of the Dragon Vein''s evolution was awe-inspiring, to say the least.

    Out of all the colors that appeared, only violet-gold remained. Eventually, themotion stopped and everything returned to its peaceful state.

    The Dragon Vein looked different after its evolution. Before it looked like a messywork of giant roots that started and ended nowhere. Now, it adopted a coiling pattern and grew a blossoming flower at its very core.

    Ashton inspected it, and this is what he saw...

    [Empyrean Dragon Vein]

    Type: World ss Numinous Treasure

    Description:

    : the sole Dragon Vein this world has. Thanks to its benefactor, it was saved from a certain horrible fate. Said Benefactor also helped it evolve into its current form.

    : Empyrean Providence �� its production and distribution of Providence are now better and more powerful. And so long as the Empyrean Dragon Vein remains, Humanity''s Providence will no longer be drained by parasites.

    : Plunder �� Creatures that aren''t from this world will have their providence absorbed and refined by the Dragon Vein, making it stronger in the process.

    Ashton calmly looked at these changes. He felt satisfied with himself actually. With the new effect of the Empyrean Dragon Vein, Humanity''s chances against the invader army received a direct boost as well.

    [You have helped the Dragon Vein to not only survive but also evolved. ��5000 Benefactor''s Return triggered. You have received: Sacred Magical Index.]

    Ashton noticed that there were no further enhancements or upgrades avable for the Dragon Vein. Meaning that this was its final form. He was fine with that of course. It''s a bit of a bummer that it''s thest of its kind but still, better than nothing.

    "I didn''t think that a day like this will ever happen."

    Acacia''s voice echoed in his ears. Looking at her, Ashton could see that she also changed along with Dragon Vein''s evolution, which makes sense since her existence was linked to it.

    She doesn''t look like a ghost anymore, nor does she look unhealthy. She''s like a real human being now, like Aria. She was beautiful of course but hers is more of an untouchable and noble beauty.

    Acacia performed a solemn bow towards him and said:

    "Thank you. Words aren''t enough to exin just how much you did for me and the Dragon Vein. Rest assured, so long as we exist, our loyalty will always remain with Humanity."

    "You''re wee."

    Ashton didn''t need to say much, neither does Acacia. Her promise was enough for him and it also made his efforts worth it.

    Now that he had settled with this, it was time for him to take care of the kids.

    There''s still much work to be done after all.

 Chapter 242 Lv.9 Warlock

    "Since you all decided to sign the contract, there''s no backing out now." Ashton sternly reminded. "You read its contents and agreed with it, you will be responsible for your actions now so I hope that you uphold your end of the bargain."

    The kids nodded at him. Thankfully, none of them looked like they were regretting their decisions.

    "You all will receive a 1000 Merit Point loan as per the agreement. When you start doing missions, you can elect to deduct a portion of your earned Merit Points to pay the loan. The lowest deduction will be 10% with the highest being 50%."

    "Here, you can have these." Ashton gave each of them a box. "That box contains the monthly resources ording to the contract. Those boxes should include pills, elixirs, supplements, resource tickets, and a cultivation technique tailored for you."

    "Check the names in the box, don''t take the one that''s not yours since its contents are personalized. Also, the cultivation technique there is still iplete. I''ll tell you how to get the rest when you''ve mastered what you have."

    "Is this all clear to you?"

    "Yes, Guild Master."

    "Very good. Now, you may go. Train well. I''m expecting great things from you all."

    The kids bowed to him before making their way out of his office.

    Fortunately, he did manage to finish the initial parts of their cultivation techniques on time. With those being handed to them, they should be making great strides in their cultivation.

    The kids would have to dissipate their current cultivation progress to switch with the ones he gave, meaning that they''d have to start all over again. Which is fine since he made sure to provide them with enough resources topensate for that.

    And since they''ll be using cultivation techniques that are tailored for them, their progress should be fast. They might even be stronger when they return to their previous cultivation ranks.

    With the kids settled, Ashton can now inspect the items he received...

    He received five El-Realm Shards, an unexpected reward if he''s being honest but he''s notining.

    There are also the five Ancient Blueprints; Sky Anvil Blueprint, Melting Sun Crucible Blueprint, Cosmic Hammer Blueprint, Heaven''s Weave Blueprint, and the Star Carving Knife Blueprint.

    He got these even though it is said that the blueprints will be randomized. Each and every one of these had something to do with crafting so somehow, he''s doubting that.

    Well, not like he''sining though. He had no use for these but Aria certainly has. Her being a Spirit did not diminish her fondness for crafting, she''s still the Chief Artificer of the Guild after all. Ashton believes that she could make full use of these blueprints so he nned on giving this to her once he gathered the resources needed for them.

    Then, there''s the Sacred Magical Index.

    [Sacred Magical Index]

    Type: Knowledge Consumable

    Description:

    : A lost treasure that contains all known magic of this universe.

    : Warning! Contains a great load of information, please make sufficient preparations before consuming it.

    This item certainly excites him. Knowledge about all known magic of this universe? A gift like this for him? A person who''s practically obsessed with all things rted to magic? Oh, system you shouldn''t have.

    Ashton wasn''t in a hurry to consume this of course. The system''s warning was clearly telling him to be careful so that''s what he''s doing.

    He will consume this tomorrow since he''d have a better chance by then.

    For now, he decided to collect the resources needed for the blueprints so that Aria can start using them and he''s also going to use the El-Realm shards to help with the growth of the El-Tree Sprout.

    The day finally arrived.

    No, this has nothing to do with him being ready to consume the Sacred Magical Index. Kind of...it''s important and he''ll certainly do itter but it''s not as important as Jerry being fully autonomous.

    Yes, that day finally arrived.

    Jerry had learned everything he needs to know to properly manage not just the federal affairs but also the guild affairs. And while in-name, Ashton''s still the President and the Guild Master, Jerry will be the main guy who''s running the scenes from now on.

    Of course, he''ll be following strict protocols and would still need Ashton''s permission on certain affairs but for the most part, Jerry can handle it by himself now.

    This means that Ashton''s schedule was nowrgely vacant. He can now sit back and rx while doing the bare minimum and everything will go ording to how it should be.

    Of course, this puts him in a celebratory mood. It also felt somewhat weird watching Jerry aplish the tasks cleanly and methodically. Ashton hasn''t even lifted a finger since he entered his office, Jerry did everything for him.

    He felt immensely proud of course.

    Now, Ashton can freely put his attention to other things besides managing an entire race.<novelnext></novelnext>

    And what better way to celebrate this than learning more about magic? So that''s what he''s about to do.

    Entering his private training room, he set up a cozy cultivation environment before sitting down to regte his breathing.

    He cleared his mind from distractions, even going as far as taking supplements in order to achieve an optimal state of mind.

    Once he''s achieved that. He took a deep breath and took out the Sacred Magical Index from his Inventory.

    He applied pressure on it, causing it to dissolve into specks of light that fused with his head.

    Immediately after that, he felt a sharp headache and a tsunami of information rocked his mindscape.

    The system''s warning severely downyed what was actually happening. This wave of information was bigger than all three books he consumed yesterdaybined!

    Fortunately, he waited until today to do this.

    With the unique effect of his Schr Perk being activated, digesting the wave of information became bearable.

    Being in Concentrated State and Deep Meditation, practically shoved Ashton into a state of Enlightenment.

    He wasn''t aware but his Mageroot suddenly appeared. His virtues shone brilliantly and made space for the 9th one. Meaning that he''s making a breakthrough at this very moment.

    Ashton''s consciousness returned to the mysterious fog of Laws, being lost in it and being carried away.

    Too much and nothing was happening. It was extremely bizarre and he had no control over it.

    Ashton''s physical body released a blinding light that illuminated the entire room. Visual phenomena urred around him, each representing the culmination of his achievements so far.

    Then, something new urred...

    Ashton''s body suddenly grew taller, his shoulders turned broader and he grew thick facial hair, but it didn''t stop there.

    After a few seconds, he went from a man in his prime straight into an old man who''s barely clinging to life. His hair turned white, his back bent and his skin wrinkled.

    The magic didn''t end there either...

    With a sudden poof of smoke, Ashton went from an old man to an infant baby. A baby who grew up at a speed visible to the naked eye, up until he reached his original state. That''s where the phenomenon ended.

    His surroundings also went along with his changes as if influenced by whatever was happening to him. When the changes on him stopped, theirs stopped too.

    Ashton gradually regained consciousness as time passed. It happened slowly but steadily.

    With all information about magic being etched into his brain, endless discoveries were presenting themselves to him, giving him numerous inspirations forter experiments.

    After some time, Ashton''s consciousnesspletely returned to his body. It was only then that he was made aware of what happened to him.

    Opening his eyes, he saw a new crest floating in front of him.

    It''s grey in color, changing shades at every single second. He only need a single nce to know what this crest was.

    "Crest of Time." He mused out loud. "The final Virtue I got is the Virtue of Time."

    And what a Virtue this was. With this, Ashton can exert influence over Time itself. He can stagnate it, rewind or fast forward. That''s the power of time.

    Now, he has no idea why Time presented itself to him just like most of his Virtues. But you won''t hear himining.

    His cultivation has reached the Lv.9 Warlock Stage (1st Refinement). He''s just a few steps away from bing a sorcerer and breaking the shackles of mortality. Of course, this is still going to take some time but he''s okay with that.

    Additionally, he already knows everything that he needs to know about Magic thanks to the Sacred Magical Index.

    He wouldn''t fumble his way to it anymore, in fact, he had a solid clue of what the most optimal path there is avable for him. One that is perfectly suited for his achievements so far.

    Looking at the nine crests hovering around him made Ashton feel a little sentimental.

    He gently retrieved his mageroot, causing it to quietly return to his body. After that, he stood up and stretched.

    Feeling good about himself, he deactivated the cultivation environment temte and walked out of his personal training room while whistling a merry tune.

 Chapter 243 Sin Demon Lust Descends

    A year passed and Humanity just kept on prospering.

    Fantasia experienced many changes during the past year. There has been an expansion in its territory, now it''s covering the expansive jungle that had grown just outside of its bubble previously.

    The metropolis looked as beautiful and progressive as it was under Ashton''s rule. With Jerry being fully autonomous, many procedures were passed on schedule, making the entire civilization of humanity prosperous.

    There were hardly any invader attacksst year. There was no ck Fog nor Golden Sandstorms either. There were some stray demons and angels who ventured a little too close to the Last Bastion but they were swiftly dealt with.

    The security of Humanity was closely guarded by the ever so watchful Mystic Guild, which now has 1000 members actively going out on multiple hunting missions.

    Mystic Guild has seen a rise in quality over this passing year. They raised the bar for their recruits since the overall state of Humanity was turning for the better.

    The guild also raised the bar of the missions it has. Previously, most of the missions there had something to do with helping the society but due to how active the members were in partaking missions, the needed workload was met and the necessary changes were applied so these kinds of missions disappeared slowly.

    They were now reced with patrol missions or ones that required them to hunt angels and demons for materials.

    Speaking of the Invaders...

    Ashton made multiple trips to infiltrate their bases, just to see how they were faring so far, and from what he saw, they were certainly not faring well.

    They weren''t used to oveing difficult situations like the one Ashton presented them with. They were used to being the dominant one, winners by a massivendslide that they''vepletely discarded the idea of them experiencing a setback, and thus, they don''t know how to handle the concept of failure.

    This caused a massive rift in their rtions, and because their connection with their superiors was severed, their situation became even more chaotic.

    Because there''s no semnce ofw and order in their ranks, many of them entertained the idea of doing whatever the hell they want.

    Some demons and angels migrated from their homes in search of a ce they can im for themselves. Ashton would then discover that these creatures proimed themselves as Kings, Emperors, or Gods of their own ord.

    This resulted in manyirs popping all over the map.

    Believe it or not, this has never be a big deal for Ashton. If anything, this works perfectly for his ns.

    Having moreirs of demons and angels all over the map allowed him to have more missions to give to his men. This mission allows them to hone themselves in realbat against invaders and nine times out of ten, Humans win the confrontation so it''s all good.

    As for Ashton''s ves, the Revenants, they''re not in this world anymore.

    They''re not dead, they just returned to the main fleet of the invaders under their respective camps to provide intel for Ashton.

    Back then when Labs and St. Francis descended into this world, Ashton took advantage of that and send the Revenants away. They got out just before the Twisted Heavenly Tree evolved and now, they''re constantly giving him updates about their discovery.

    Apparently, the Celestial and Hypogean fleets were experiencing a conundrum. They have been trying, nonstop, to punch another hole into this world''s barrier so that they could send another wave of soldiers to deal with the pesky locals.

    Unfortunately for them, their attempts all ended up in failure so far. Even when took out their stash of Sacred Treasures, nothing ever came close to breaking the barrier.

    This of course stumped them out so badly that they''re starting to question their stay here.

    ording to his Demon Spies, one of the leading figures of Hypogeans, the Sin Demon Lust, was willing to escte things to an extreme level just to have a chance of descending on this world.

    Apparently, Labs was a valued pet of the Sin Demon and its death angered its master so much to the point that they''re foaming in the mouth, nearly turning rabid even.

    This also goes for the master of St. Francis.

    And judging from what his spies were telling him, there was a possibility that the fleet would make contact with their headquarters to ask for aid.

    While Humanity had certainly grown stronger, they''re not ready for the main course just yet.

    That brings us to the next phase of Ashton''s ns.

    "Brace yourself, Jerry. We''re hosting the ''Concert'' protocol."

    Amidst the vast and expansive nket of outer space, the Grand Fleet of the Hypogeans was stationed on top of a backward.

    In the past, no Hypogean would ever believe that this small and underdeveloped would ever be a problem for the fleet. And for the most part, that is indeed the case.<novelnext></novelnext>

    However, through unknown means, the locals of this world suddenly dished out several means to triumph despite their weakness. They managed to present a huge problem for them that it''s not even funny anymore.

    Somehow, this world was able to block their attempts of invasion. Not only that, but they also managed to kill the undefeated General Labs through unknown means.

    This certainly provoked their ire and now, they wanted nothing more than to eradicate these petnt locals and teach them a painful lesson.

    Unfortunately, their attempts were constantly brushed aside by this pesky barrier of theirs. None of their sacred treasures worked so far and because of that, some people are starting to entertain some weird ideas.

    Today though, they were bound to be surprised...

    Weng!

    An rm red throughout the entire fleet, catching the attention of the Hypogeans working there. Shortly after, a short yet clear message from the pilot echoed in their ears.

    "A small hole was seen in the barrier of the world."

    Those words were enough to send the entire fleet scrambling onto their feet. They essed their terminals and saw a recording of the said breach.

    Just like the voice said, it was a small hole indeed.

    It wasn''t big enough for anybody to use but as they spent time gradually observing, they became aware that the hole was slowly expanding.

    Also, it wasn''t just them who were made aware of this hole. The Celestials also discovered it.

    This roused everyone into activity.

    That hole gradually bing bigger as time passed meant that they have a way of infiltrating the world again. And since they are holding to the grievances that happened not too long ago, this was their chance to avenge the death of their mighty general.

    "Disciples of the Pce of Lust, this is your Lord speaking." A shrill voice echoed within the fleet. "Arm yourselves and make sufficient preparations, we will depart for the destruction of these pests."

    The Sin Demon Lust announced his orders and the activity within the fleet just got even more intense.

    How long has he waited for this? The death of Labs still haunts Lust until this day. Not a day passed that he wasn''t reminded of his pet''s death. And every single time, he found himself losing his temper.

    It didn''t matter what he did, his anger never subsided. In fact, it was fueled even more when he discovered that this pesky dared to resist them.

    Now that a chance finally presented itself, how can he hold back? Revenge for his fallen pet was right there! How could he ever stay still?

    Lust already flew out of the fleet before he even recognized what he was doing. He was already standing above the gradually widening hole which will be their entranceter on.

    He had to fight every ounce of impatience simmering within him to prevent himself from just barging his way in. Because his activity was driven out of his personal vendetta, doing it anyway was pushing the rules of the fleet.

    Lust had to bring forth an army if he wants to do this so that he can justify his activitiester. So, even though he was already raring to go, he waited for his disciples.

    And to grant credit where credit is due, his disciples were aware of their Master''s burning impatience, which is why they hauled their asses off and got ready within the shortest time possible.

    It only took them 10 minutes to prepare and set off. Now, they''re waiting for their master''s orders to apany him in his descent to let these pests who they''re truly dealing with.

    "Lust to the Fleet. Give me a clearance, now."

    "Fleet to Lust, a message from Pride: ''You know that what you''re doing is illegal right?'', waiting for a response."

    "Lust to Fleet, message to Pride: ''Shut up, Pride and give me a clear. I know what you want. I''ll give it to youter when I return."

    "Fleet to Lust, a message from Pride: ''I''m looking forward to it.'' Pce of Lust private operation, clearance granted. May the Demon God guide your way."

    Lust wore a feral smile as he addressed his disciples:

    "Ready yourselves! Today, we ughter!"

    Roar!

 Chapter 244 Humans Vs. Angels

    Killing intent loomed over the horizon.

    Everyone could feel the tense atmosphere. It''s like the air was prickly for some reason. It was ufortable and repulsive, just like the corruption that''s still guing this world.

    The Mystic Guild was already informed about the situation. Every single one of them is currently waiting for the arrival of the invaders.

    Today, just like always, the Mystic Guild is here to fulfill their purpose. They''re here to defend their home from the creatures that sought to destroy it.

    For a certain group of guild members, this was nerve-wracking. Unlike the others, this is their first time being drafted into the frontline so it''s understandable that they''d be nervous.

    Yet even though that''s the case, none of them backed down. They answered the call and mustered up their courage to go out because they have to do so.

    Some only hoped that their training was sufficient for the battleing up.

    "Hooo..."

    Dn released a deep breath that he was holding. His grip on his trident tightened as he anticipated the arrival of their enemies.

    He won''t lie, he''s nervous too. Anyone would be in face of a deadly threat. But he didn''t entertain any thoughts of backing down.

    All of the training he subjected himself to within the past year was all for this moment.

    Fred and the rest of their batch of Beneficiaries were standing by his side too. They were probably feeling the same way as him.

    Nothing happened for a good while. Everyone just stood there, watching and waiting for something to happen yet nothing urred so far. Some already started thinking that maybe it was a false rm but before they could even raise a ruckus, a blinding golden brilliance appeared out of nowhere.

    Instantly, their surroundings were submerged with a golden radiance, which is beautiful but deadly.

    This was pure Golden Corruption and it was poison to humans. So even though it was pretty and gives off a graceful and divine presence, it is harmful to any humans exposed to it.

    "Peace be with you."

    These words were uttered in Celestial Language. And from beyond the clouds, they came.

    An army of Celestials with their golden theme, wings, halos, and eyes for days.

    They were led by a humanoid who wore a silky white robe with tanned skin, a thick beard, and golden tribal tattoos all over their body.

    The humanoid''s appearance was holy and divine, yet it did not bring anyfort to humans. If anything, all they felt from this man was a great fear and trepidation as well as a strong repulsion to his existence.

    "Do not be afraid." The humanoid says, "Lay down your arms and allow the Gracious Miracle to show you the way to salvation."

    "Yeah, no thanks, Dude. We''re good. Why don''t shove whatever that miracle is, up your ass and leave? We don''t wee your kind here." ke''s voice echoed across the field.

    "Insolence! Thou shall not speak to the Beloved Apostle like that you��!"

    The angel felt a hand on its shoulder. Then like an obedient pet, in retreated and allowed the Apostle to speak his words.

    "Child, we mean you no harm."

    "Yeah, we neither." ke scoffed.

    "We just want to save you from the madness that''s encroaching upon thisnd. That darkness is deadly for you. It will swallow you all into nothingness."

    "Yeah, like this golden shit around us isn''t doing the same thing already." ke rolled his eyes as he replied.

    "Listen, child��"

    "No! You fucking listen to me!" ke roared.

    In an instant, he turned into a 50-meter-tall giant, ring at all of the invaders and releasing a faint yet suffocating pressure.

    "We both know why you all are here." He grunted, "And it''s certainly not because you wanted to lead us to some salvation bullshit of yours."

    "You''re here for revenge. in and simple. And while we understand why you feel that way, let us remind you that we never asked for any of you toe here and disturb our lives."

    "St. Francis received the same warning before. Had he left us be, he would still be alive, but since he died, then you all know what choice he made."

    "I don''t care if you believe me or not, we are giving you the same options not because we''re afraid, it''s because we''re willing to do it all over again."

    "Now, choose! Leave our world and remain alive? Or stay and face certain death. Don''t make us wait too long."

    ke''s imposing stature and words steeled the hearts of the army behind him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The Apostle looked incensed. His face warped and turned ugly due to the arrogant words of the lesser creature before him.

    What made the Apostle even angrier was the remembrance of what happened to his dear subordinate, St. Francis. This human didn''t deny anything, they were indeed the ones who had in St. Francis.

    And that...that won''t do.

    Unable to hold his temper anymore, the Apostle let out a derisive snort and said:

    "You don''t know the weight behind your words, child."

    "And you all don''t know how to mind your damn business, yet here we are." ke scoffed in reply.

    "I''ve had enough of this." The Apostle said, "Men, it''s time to fulfill our duty! Commence the Holy Crusade!"

    "Yes, Dear Apostle!"

    "Tch. Holy Crusade my ass. You lot are no different from the Hypogeans." ke mumbled as he held out his hand, signaling the army to meet the enemy.

    And just like this, the battle for survival had started again.

    Arrows made out of golden light rained down on Humans but none hurt them. Thanks to their training, the majority of the guild members here know how to fight angels and demons. This kind of attack won''t be enough to put them out ofmission.

    Explosions, projectiles, and screams of agony, hatred, pain, and empowerment all urred on the battlefield.

    ke, Mary, and Alice joined their efforts to hold down the apostle. Their battle was happening in the sky.

    As for the ones on the ground, their sh was just as intense as one would expect.

    Amidst this chaotic battlefield, Dn surfed on the water he produced. Rising his trident, he summoned massive tidal waves to drown his enemies. With another wave, he turns it into a deadly whirlpool that twisted them to oblivion.

    Armed with knowledge on how to deal with Angels thanks to the Simtion Zone, Dn expertly weaved through his enemies, harvesting their lives like wheat.

    He could see Fred runningps all over the battlefield. A pair of tinum wings emerged from his back, his hands also transformed into sharp talons. Each p of his wings gives him a boost in his speed, allowing him to blitz through the entire field within seconds.

    Dn could also see his friends, doing rtively well.

    Despite being severely outnumbered, their side was steadily pushing the Celestials back.

    Dn has yet to feel any kind of fatigue too. Even with how many skills he used so far, his mana reserves are still rtively full.

    This is all because of the Guild Master''s blessings.

    He may not be here with them but his presence could still be felt. He''s watching over all of them, making sure to provide timely aid when they needed it the most.

    The Celestials did not expect this. Seeing how they were still losing even with their sheer numbers, horrified them.

    They''ve never been in such a horrible spot before. They''ve never suffered anything like this before.

    They werepletely outmatched. The humans were reaping them like they were some sort of cabbages on the field, free for anybody to take.

    It was clear that they''d severely underestimated what Humans could do. Now, ke''s words suddenly echoed in their mind. At this point, nobody dares to say that he''s bluffing.

    The Apostle also didn''t expect this. He also didn''t expect that he might actually face some real threats in his life in this world. s, it''s a little toote for regrets now.

    Three against one is hardly a fair battle but there are no rules to follow anyway so it wasn''t exactly forbidden.

    The giant was certainly misleading, despite his hulking size, he''s surprisingly nimble. Then, there''s this bow wench who could somehow predict his next moves.

    The deadliest one, however, was the one who expertly wields her sword. She was the one who inflicted pain on him so far in their exchange. She was extremely dangerous.

    The Apostle never expected something like this to possibly ever ur. To think that he''s actually being pushed back by these lesser creatures? How hateful! Yet somehow, this also made him understand how St. Francis died.

    Amidst the explosive showdown between these forces, The Apostle somehow felt as if something was amiss.

    ''Why is Lust not here yet? Does he not n on avenging his disciple?'' The Apostle thought to himself.

    Knowing the temper of that demon, the Apostle could never imagine him having this much patience. Which is why he''s puzzled as to why that demon isn''t here yet.

    s, this is not the time to be distracted. Right now, he has to focus, or else he will die here.

 Chapter 245 Apostles Death, Lusts Arrival

    Several hundred meters above the ground, the sky rumbled.

    Thunder, lightning, and explosions of varying sizes urred, sending aftershocks to thend beneath.

    Streaking across the skies were several figures, three small ones, and one huge silhouette.

    They moved at blinding speeds as if distance has no meaning to them.

    Therge silhouette was ke in his Titan Form, despite his hulking size, he was moving at an rming speed, something that even the Apostle didn''t seeing.

    Mary and Alice used ke''s size to their advantage in this fight. Hiding behind him sometimes to break the line of sight and make the Apostle guessing their next move.

    Alice red at the Apostle with thick killing intent coloring her gaze. Repeatedly brandishing her sword in an attempt to slice the Apostle cleanly in half.

    The Apostle doesn''t even dare to receive her attacks because he knew that it is going to hurt, badly. The Apostle knew this woman wasn''t ying around. She is dead set on pushing him to a corner, wanting to end him as soon as possible. And he has no doubts that she will truly kill him if the chance presents itself.

    What makes this worse was the wench with the bow, Mary. This woman was the one who was making it extremely difficult for him to do anything.

    At this point, the Apostle doesn''t need to be convinced. He knew that this bow wench has the gift of Foresight for she has been predicting his next moves without fail several times in a row now.

    The woman''s purpose was to narrow his movements, making it extremely difficult for him to have breathing room to evade the sword wench''s attacks.

    And with that hulking giant blocking his attempts at dealing with these movements, the Apostle found himself really pushed into a corner.

    ncing at the situation below didn''t make the Apostle feel any better either. He could clearly tell that despite being outnumbered, the locals are pushing his army back and they couldn''t even retaliate.

    How did thise to be? How did this all happen?

    Wasn''t this supposed to be a backward? Howe it''s local were good at putting up a fight?

    Did the reports lie? Were they really downying the strength of these lesser creatures?

    Hell, referring to them as lesser creatures doesn''t even sound right anymore. If these lesser creatures were strong enough to defeat them, then what does that say about them?

    ''Damn it. I should''ve asked those in Laguna about them.'' The Apostle cursed inwardly.

    Dodging yet another certain death from the sword wench, he once again tried tounch a counterattack. But before he could even do that, he noticed a projectile heading his way.

    "Damn it!" The Apostle cursed as he was forced to cancel his attack. The bow wench predicted his next move again. Seriously, how was he supposed to deal with someone who can see the future?

    Roar! (Provocation!)

    "Fuck you!" The Apostle''s eyes turned red from fury after hearing the giant''s loud holler.

    He began charging at them but found something amiss, he stopped halfway in his charge as he realized that he had fallen into another trap.

    The Apostle has no idea what kind of sorcery these creatures used to force him to act recklessly, all he knows is that he did not like it.

    Because now, even though he only fell for it in just a couple of seconds, he had given them enough time to arrange an inescapablework of intricate attacks that he had no way of escaping.

    Woosh!

    "Argh!!" The Apostle roared in pain.

    An arrow punched a gaping hole in his body, two of his wings were sliced off, and he suffered from a bone-shattering blunt force from being hit by a massive shield.

    This could''ve been way worse. These people were dead set on killing him. Had he not twisted his body in such a way that minimized the damage he will suffer, he would''ve been dead by now.

    Yet, even though he was smart about the way he allowed himself to be injured, the injuries he suffered still puts him at an even greater disadvantage.

    ''Whatever sorcery they''re using, it''s making the Grace of the Miracle ineffective.'' The Apostle winced after noticing that his natural healing wasn''t taking effect.

    Typically, he could''ve just brushed off these attacks. That''s if his healing kicks in. Unfortunately at this time, it''s not. And this...this truly causes him to feel despair.

    "O Holy Creator of mine, hear my heartfelt prayer and devotion to you." The Apostle chanted while nursing his injuries.

    "Your loyal subject is ready to embrace the Grace of the Divine Miracle. I beg of you, allow me to sink into its embrace and deliver salvation to the sinners around me."

    Spreading his arms wide as if embracing the sky, The Apostle''s words resonated with the world.

    The clouds parted and a divine radiance basked thend. A wide smile appeared on the Apostle''s Face. He even started shedding tears as he weed the arrival of the Miraculous Grace.

    ''It''s over for you Humans.'' He stated inwardly.

    It was then that beams of pure divine light shot down from beyond the clouds.<novelnext></novelnext>

    At first, he thought that wasing from his enemies, but to his utter surprise, the light flew past them without harming them as they stared at him like he was some bumbling fool.

    The pure divine light struck him instead, turning into pure white chains, shining with the power of runes.

    "AAARRGGGGHHHH!!!!"

    A scream of pure agony and misery was ripped out of the Apostle''s throat as the chains singed him down to his flesh and bones.

    He could hear the sizzling sound of his flesh being seared due to the sheer heat of the chains wrapped around him.

    And as he kicked and struggled in attempts to free himself, the Apostle found that, to his horror, the chains weren''t loosening up, if anything his bindings were getting tighter.

    ''What''s going on!?'' He yelled to himself, sadly nobody bothered to answer him. ''Why is the Miraculous Grace punishing me instead of this sinners?''

    And just to drive the idea home to him, ke''s gigantic foot came stomping down on him like he was some sort of a pest.

    As he bled through his orifices, the Apostle could only ask why this was happening to him.

    "Did you seriously think that your Creator or that Miraculous whatever had any power over this world?"

    The giant who''s now back to his miniature form scoffed at him. From his gaze, the Apostle could tell that he was feeling nothing but contempt for him.

    If this was any other moment, the Apostle would''ve been upset and would start tosh out. But now, he couldn''t do any of that. All he felt was weakness and confusion.

    "Allow me to let you in a little secret about this world." The man leaned down and whispered to him.

    "From the very moment that you and your kind were given a pass from this world''s barrier, any means ofmunication you have to the outside will be rendered ineffective with or without your consent."

    The Apostle''s eyes widened in disbelief.

    "Didn''t you find it weird? Thisdy had been predicting your moves all this time, yet she didn''t make any effort on stopping you to pray for your god. Wasn''t that strange to you?" ke sneered at him.

    With the realization dawning upon his face, the Apostle finally experienced true despair, horror, and hopelessness.

    "Yes, that''s right. What responded to you wasn''t your god." keughed coldly, "It''s ours. And he''s not happy with you trying to create problems for us."

    "This is his way of telling us to end you right away. And frankly, we''ve had our fun with you a lot and it''s getting boring so it''s time to end this."

    ke lifted his foot from the Apostle''s body and took several steps back. Then, the sword wench came into his view with her sword pointing at the sky.

    The woman looked at him like he was a dead man and said:

    "Anyst words?"

    "Please no...I-I''m willing to do any��"

    Alice swung her sword down and decapitated the Apostle. His final words fell on deaf ears and he died in a horrified manner.

    Seeing the death of their leader broke the fragile unity and bravery of the Celestial Army he brought.

    Alice swung her sword again and killed the remaining ones with a single attack. Formally ending this battle.

    After she did that, the three of them started returning to the Last Bastion while checking up on the Guild Members.

    Pa! Pa! Pa!

    A resounding apuse echoed in their ears, causing them to turn around.

    There, they saw another horrific sight. A sea of ck and crimson stretching as far as they could see appeared out of nowhere.

    Leading them was a man who was wearing close to nothing except for a cloth hanging by his private parts. It''s also this man who gave them a round of apuse.

    "My, what a show that was! I wouldn''t have believed it if I hadn''t seen it with my own eyes."

    "I know right?"

    Another voice replied to him. This onees from a man who''s wearing a pristine white cloak, walking past the exhausted army of humans.

    "That voice..." the almost-naked man narrowed his eyes, ring at the man who replied to him. "It''s you!!!"

    He found him! His pet''s killer!

 Chapter 246 World Ending Cleave

    "Is that...Guild Master?" Dn was shocked.

    The way that person strides and his voice matches the Guild Master from his memories, he just wasn''t sure if it was really him because the man was wearing a hooded white cloak.

    "Yep, it''s him," Mary replied. Dn jumped a bit since he didn''t sense her approach at all.

    "What is he doing here? Wasn''t he supposed to be stationed at the headquarters?" Justin asked.

    Most of Ashton''s younger Beneficiaries knew each other and worked together in the fight just now. They kind of stuck together due to their connection to the Guild Master.

    "Don''t worry. Knowing him, he wouldn''t leave his post without making absolutely sure that it''s safe." Mary stated, "Plus, he wasining about being boredtely so let him have his fun."

    Fun? Dn was a bit taken aback by that.

    "Will he be alright?" Dn asked, somewhat unconvinced about the fact that they were letting a single man handle the sea of demons.

    "He''ll be fine." Mary replied, "You know him, he wouldn''t do something he''s not confident about. Plus, if you look at the state of our army, you can already tell that we aren''t in any optimal state to continue fighting so we might as well let him handle this for now."

    "Correct me if I''m wrong but..." Justin hesitated, "Guild Master is a Sorcerer, yes?"

    "Actually, no." Mary chuckled, much to their surprise. "He''s a step short of it. But he''s nearly there."

    "That''s...isn''t that terrible then? Those demons are tough! What if��"

    "Have you seen him fight before?" Mary interrupted Justin before he could finish.

    Justin looked shocked for a split second before he started recalling things. And to his surprise, he realized that the answer is...

    "No. I haven''t."

    "Then you''re in for a treat." Mary chuckled again. "Whatever happens next, I suggest you, kids to pay close attention to it. Don''t blink too much, you''ll miss out on a lot if you do. Also, don''t worry about your safety. Just know that as long as he''s on the battlefield, nothing can hurt you."

    Mary left them be, causing Dn and Justin to look at each other in confusion.

    They were mostly puzzled but decided to just pay attention instead. It wouldn''t hurt anyway.

    "IT''S YOU!! THE MURDERER OF MY PET!!"

    The almost-naked man roared in fury as he pointed at Ashton. Killing intent and corruption exploded from him and attempted to drown the exhausted army of humans.

    But before the corruption could even touch them, they dissipated like snow under the summer''s heat. It didn''t evene close to them at all. Moreover, the killing intent was treated as if it was just some air. Nobody felt threatened by it at all.

    "Aww, what gave it away I wonder? Was it the outfit?"

    They heard Ashton reply. He sounded sarcastic and annoying, it''s as if he was doing it on purpose.

    "HOW DARE YOU!? HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE BEFORE ME!! DIE, PEST!!!"

    With purely unadulterated rage, the Sin Demon Lust fired a thick stream of pure demonic energy at Ashton.

    The scale of the attackpletely horrified the humans. That kind of attack is enough to obliterate Fantasia as a whole, yet it was being used to kill a single person. Just from that alone, one could tell that this goes beyond misunderstanding, this is a vendetta.

    Dn and Justin felt nervous. And seeing as how the Big 3 weren''t doing anything to help, they felt even more afraid for the Guild Master.

    Yet, despite their worries, he remained standing there like nothing was worth his attention.

    As the beam was about to hit him, they saw him raise a hand and he snapped his fingers.

    Under the dumbstruck gazes of the crowd, the concentrated beam of corruption turned into a mass of blue butterflies which immediately dispersed into several clusters, flying away.

    Dn''s eyes went so wide that they nearly fell off their sockets. He blinked several times in a row, rubbing his eyes even just to make sure that he didn''t see that wrong.

    He didn''t. And neither did Justin nor the other beneficiaries either.

    "That...that was..."

    "Transmutation Magic!!" One of the Beneficiaries who''s a Mage eximed with eyes shining brightly. "One of the hardest and mostplicated Branches of Magic known to man! And he did it with such ease and expertise! Shit, that was beautiful!"

    "Moreover, he didn''t rely on Mana or Dimensional Energy to do it. He used pure Aether. Holy shit!!"

    They weren''t wrong. Ashton did just use Transmutation Magic using purely Aether. To Knights, his performance was cool at most but for Mages, it was absolutely mind-blowing.

    Their Guild Master just transcended the Magical Theories and performed something that was deemed ''impossible'' right before their very eyes! How can any Mage calm down upon witnessing that?<novelnext></novelnext>

    "What Sorcery is this!?" Lust frowned in confusion. The butterflies that fluttered even too close to him immediately died due to the sheer corruption he was releasing.

    "Sorcery, huh..." Ashton mused, "Good enough I guess. Anyways, are we gonna fight or what? I''m getting a little bit bored you see."

    "Insolence!" Lust quipped in fury. "Men! Bring this pest down for me! Don''t damage him too much! I want him intact so that I can make him suffer as Labs did!"

    "Kinky, but sorry I''m not into Demons." Ashton sneered as waved his hand.

    The horde of Demons wasing after him, there were so many that they almost formed a sea. Despite this Ashton didn''t look afraid, he didn''t even feel the need to move.

    As soon as he waved his hand, all manner of chaos ensued.

    Magical circles lit up beneath his feat, forming an intricate array of doom.

    Everyone felt the world quaking. Volcanic eruptions happened, sharp spikes to earth impaled the demons from below, there was a frigid hail of snow, sharp gusts of wind that sliced through multiple targets, and thick pythons of lightning struck down, making the entire battlefield look like a real warzone.

    "Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!"

    The mages who were watching this were almost foaming in the mouth due to sheer adrenaline and stimtion.

    They watched as their Guild Master weaved spell after spell expertly like he had been doing it his entire life. What''s more, is that he casts at least five spells at once and it''s different each time.

    Both Knights and Mages couldn''t follow what was going on precisely because everything was happening too fast. But, if anything they know this...

    The Guild Master was holding off an entire horde of Demons on his own. And that''s enough for them to see the Guild Master in a new light.

    The Mages were practically worshipping him at this point. Oh if they could do even just a fraction of what he could, they''d be set for life.

    While it was fun to watch as Demons screamed in confusion and agony as they suffered the intricate wave of spells, some were afraid that their Guild Master was forgetting something really important...

    Ashton''s barrage of spells eventually stopped at some point. He didn''t look like he was running out of mana, and he also didn''t look exhausted either. He just stopped for whatever reason.

    "I''ll admit, you put up a good resistance, pest." Lust narrowed his eyes at Ashton. "But if you think that this is enough to deal with my disciples, then you are gravely mistaken."

    The dead bodies of the Demons around Lust suddenly began twitching. A vortex of corruption covered their bodies before disappearing. In a span of mere seconds, the sea of demons was back to their feet, looking as of nothing happened.

    The atmosphere suddenly turned cold. Although the majority of them know that both Angels and Demons have se Immortality, seeing it ur in real life was still a chilling experience that gives a hopeless impression.

    "This is what makes us different from you, pests." Lust boasted. "We are eternal! Death has no meaning to us unlike yours."

    "Oh, really?" Ashton scoffed audibly in a challenging tone.

    With eyes gleaming coldly, light condensed on Ashton''s hands. When a shape appeared on his hands, Alice''s eyes gleamed. She immediately sent out a voice transmission to everyone, saying:

    ''Knights! Listen up! Pay real close attention to what''s going to happen next. This is a rare opportunity.''

    Dn and Justin stiffened and steeled their gazes.

    They then noticed that their Guild Master was now holding a rather peculiar weapon. A scythe made out of bones.

    Before anybody could even admire the craftsmanship of that weapon, their breaths hitched when they saw Ashton raising it.

    As if the world held its breath for his next move, time stopped and all they could truly do was watch as Ashton nted a foot forward and cleaved the world diagonally.

    "World Ending Cleave!"

    Shing!!!

    A cold moonlit cleave performed with utmost perfection shone briefly shed before their eyes. Time stopped when it happened and resumed when it was over.

    ck blood then erupted like a geyser as all demons, except for Lust, lost their heads. Their bodies erupted in pristine white mes while their blood and soul were eagerly devoured by the Bone Scythe he was holding.

    As Lust''s eyes constricted upon witnessing this massacre, he heard the haunting voice of the culprit before him.

    "How were you different from us again? You guys are what? What concept doesn''t have meaning to you all again?"

    "Come on. Look at my eyes and repeat those words again. Don''t be shy."

    Lust swore that he had never seen such a chilling smile before.

 Chapter 247 Wrap Up

    "That...that''s..."

    Dn felt his mouth parched. Cold sweat trickled on his back and a shiver ran down his spine as his mind recalled the sheer perfection of that crescent arc.

    He had never seen such a masterful skill as that one before. The move itself was simple and basic but the expertise and mastery behind it wasn''t something that anybody could just replicate.

    How many years would it take for him to reach that level? He couldn''t help but ask himself this.

    With a single move, Ashton showed them what it''s truly like to stand at the top of this world. He had greatly broadened their horizons, allowing them to gauge that gap between them and the peak.

    Ashton killed at least a million demons with a single cleave, and he doesn''t even look spent. He''s as rxed as ever, he even has enough energy to mock the leader of the demon army.

    "That doesn''t make sense..." One of the Beneficiaries mumbled, "Isn''t he a Mage? A White Mage to be precise? How did he have enough time to perfect both Skills and Spells? What heaven-defying talent is this?"

    Dn could agree more with the kind of insanity the others were feeling, cause he too felt it.

    Of all the times he had seen the Guild Master, he was either spending it managing an entire race or teaching. How in the world did he have the time indeed to master all of this? It doesn''t make an ink of sense at all and it''s driving them nuts.

    s, now is not the time to ask questions like this. If anything, they should just be d that Ashton was an ally, not an enemy.

    "W-what did you do!! What did you do to my disciples!?" Lust roared, demanding answers from Ashton.

    "Mm...now, that would be telling." Ashton scoffed softly in reply.

    "Y-you! HOW DARE YOU! KNOW YOUR PLACE, PEST!!"

    Air exploded from Lust kicking it, his figure then shot like a shooting star toward Ashton. But before he could even go far, a strange phenomenon urred.

    The speed of Lust''s flight visibly slowed down...at least in a grand perspective, it did.

    In truth though, his speed did not change. He''s still as fast as he initially went but Ashton did something to make it look like he''s slowing down.

    Ashton was generating and looping Space around Lust, which made it seem like he''s slowed down to a halt but in reality, he was still flying.

    It was a bizarre scene nheless. Lust felt like the gap between him and his target was ever so expansive. He knows that he''s mustering everything in his power to go faster but it didn''t look like he was wearing an inch.

    "This is..." One of the Mages of the guild sounded incredulous, "Virtue of Space? Guild Master has that too?"

    Not many people would be able to confirm those ims since there weren''t many people who recognize Virtue in the first ce. Still, the fact that someonee up with this conclusion meant that it''s most likely true.

    Eventually, Lust discovered that whatever he did was useless so he stopped flying.

    Not even the Demon God could properly exin how much dismay and vexation Lust was feeling at this very moment.

    The fact that he couldn''t even reach the hem of his enemy''s clothes almost caused him to pop a blood vessel or two. He absolutely has no idea how this human was doing this and he doesn''t care.

    All he wanted to know is that...is there anything he could use to defeat this guy? Because frankly speaking, he''s losing hope here.

    He just needed one chance. One chance to turn the situation around. Unfortunately for him, Ashton wouldn''t let him have that.

    A cautious person like him would never be careless in a situation like this.

    Ashton looked up and all of a sudden, the clouds parted once more. And under Lust''s growing horror, he saw how chains dropped down from the heavens to bind him.

    "AAARRRGGGGHHH!!!!"

    A scream of pure pain and suffering was ripped out of Lust. The chains singed him, burning his flesh and bones.

    Lust has never experienced pain like this. It was worse than what he was expecting.

    How ironic too...not too long ago, he was apuding Humans for managing to kill a Celestial Apostle, yet now he''s experiencing the same pain and agony that Celestial suffered from.

    If things were to continue like this, it would spell his death. So, just like any other would do in this situation, he resisted.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He resisted and he resisted, mustering energy time and time again, thrashing around in attempts to get rid of the chains that bound them.

    Unfortunately, no matter how much he tried, nothing worked.

    Lust could feel the strength draining from his body. The pain was akin to little maggots that gnawed on his flesh and bones, causing him extreme pain and suffering.

    He tried resisting it using the Sin he embraced, the Sin of Lust, yet not even his authority over that sin helped him in this situation. If anything, it felt like he just made it worse because he felt even more pain when he tried doing so.

    Lust couldn''t truly understand how was this possible. How were these pests so strong? What happened? Howe the situation devolved into something like this?

    This human especially...the one who''s covered in a hooded white cloak and wields a scythe and strange sorcery, why was he so strong? Just what did he do to achieve something like this?

    Why was this power bestowed into a little creature like this one and not him? This Human doesn''t deserve such power yet he has it!? How can anybody ept this?

    Lust also didn''t bother asking for help at this point. He still recalls how the Apostle died. He knew that praying for the Demon God''s aid wouldn''t do shit.

    They were trapped the moment they decided to invade this world. Initially, he didn''t care about this since he was still confident back then that he could easily trample the locals of this world.

    If he had done that, then conquering this world would be easy as well. He didn''t see this trap as something harmful to him or his disciples at first, he even thought that this works out in their favor, yet now, he realized just how naive that line of thought was.

    What drove Lust nuts though, was the fact that this Human wasn''t only strong, he was exceedingly pure as well.

    This kind of purity was the real deal, not the bullshit that the Celestials ims to have. This human''s purity was undeniable and one of a kind. It makes him immune from all sorts of corruption, and sadly, that includes Lust''s very own Sin.

    Lust was used to all sorts of creatures going crazy for him on sight. He hadn''t met anybody who could resist the temptation of his sin. Hell, his Sin even affects his kind, driving them crazy for him and allowing him to convert them into his loyal subjects.

    Yet, this Human...not a single second passed in their entire interaction that he showed any form of attraction to him. All he disyed was contempt and disgust to him, and that angers him so much that it''s maddening.

    Unfortunately, there''s no use in getting mad if it gets him killed. Lust knew this but he still fell for it like the biggest idiot in the world.

    Lust felt like ages has passed since the beginning of his torture, but in truth, only five minutes passed in the real world.

    Ashton coldly watched as Lust writhes on the ground, suffering from immense pain. He didn''t feel an ounce of sympathy toward him. Hell if there was a way for him to add on more suffering for the demon, he would''ve done so even though it''s unnecessary at this point.

    As the pain subsided, it was reced by an overwhelming weakness that reaches all the way to his soul.

    Lust''s eyes were unfocused, he had been in so much pain that he couldn''t even think properly anymore.

    All he could recall was his perspective changing. At some point, he realized that he was on his feet again, though he had no memories of ever standing up. His legs were wobbling in weakness, he couldn''t even breathe properly.

    The next thing he knew, he was looking at two figures.

    One was the human he was facing, and the other one was...

    ''Oh, that''s my body...''

    Indeed it was. He saw his own body with a missing head. It erupted in white mes, just like how his disciples did moments ago.

    As the life drained before him, he felt a white heat submerging his sense. He was burning, that''s for sure, and it was probably the same white mes that burned his body.

    Just as Lust''s consciousness was fading, he had one thought on his mind...

    ''Coming here was a mistake.''

    And just like that, the Sin Demon Lust was gone. So as the entire army of demons and angels who threatened Humanity''s peace.

    Ashton raised his hand and snapped his finger. A pulse of vitality was released from his body, getting rid of all corruption that has tainted this area, and returning life to it as well.

    He then faced his people and said:

    "Alright! Good work everybody. Now let''s return to the guild, have a feast, and rest. We deserve it."

 Chapter 248 At Last, A Sorcerer

    Peace returned to Fantasia after another sessful defense from the invaders, thanks to the Mystic Guild''s efforts.

    The stock of resources was also refreshed thanks to their efforts. After all, the Invaders dropped some crystalized remains once they died. These materials were needed for many things and the guild obviously wants to have as much as they could.

    Just like what Ashton said, a banquet was prepared once they returned. The guild had a massive victory party thatsted for three whole days. A merry atmosphere descended into the guild and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

    Once that''s done, it''s back to business with them. But of course, there were some noticeable changes.

    Seemingly fired up with Ashton''s disy of strength, the Guild Members are now taking their training even more seriously than before.

    Their horizons were broadened to such a degree that they couldn''t help but want the kind of strength Ashton possesses. One that would qualify them to sit on top of this world and never be afraid of threats from the outside world.

    This goes especially well with Ashton''s beneficiaries except for Mary, Alice, and ke. Until now, memories of Ashton''s sheer power reyed in their mind from time to time, it''s even haunting them in their dreams.

    One against a million troops. The one wins and it''s not even apetition. ''Inspired'' would be an understatement of what they truly feel.

    Ashton was of course aware of what they were feeling. In fact, this was his goal all along.

    He disyed his strength to show them what one person could do should they really take their training and cultivation seriously. Words aren''t enough to simply drill this concept in their minds, that is why he stepped out and showed them how it''s done.

    Well, his intended results were showing, meaning that he made the right move. In time, his Beneficiaries would show simr results, hopefully.

    In the meantime, they still have a long way to go so it''s best for them to train some more.

    Currently, Ashton was taking it easy at his home.

    With Jerry being autonomous, most of the administrative work was passed to him. Ashton only has to check some paperwork from time to time, meaning that his schedule was mostly free so he could rx like this.

    He''s ying with some spells like a kid. Seeing what they look like and they feel, and thinking about certain scenarios where they could show their potential.

    Ashton already received knowledge about all manner of magic in this universe. So long as he has the required amount of mana to cast them, he could do it.

    The only reason that he''s not going through all of them at once was because of his specialization.

    Being a White Mage gives him a strong affinity towards White Magic, however in return, that dulled his affinity for other branches of Magic.

    This isn''t to say that he couldn''t perform them. He could but they cost at least twice or more the amount of mana it would usually take to cast them.

    And even though he is the Child of Mana, he could only have so much before he runs out of them. Which prompted the idea of figuring out what other branches of magic he could use in an actual battle, for now at least.

    As he sat down inside his training room, ying with all sorts of spells now knows, Ashton felt some movement in his Mageroot.

    He stilled and canceled all the spells he was casting. He blinked several times in a row and went silent.

    Then, he felt it again. This time, it''s even stronger.

    Ashton''s mind buzzed as he could feel a certain thing happening. Hurriedly, while he''s still conscious at least, he let out several strings of orders for the AI of the house and immediately secluded himself.

    He set up severalyers of formations around him, even going as far as to stretch out Space around him just to make sure that he wouldn''t destroy everything here.

    Once his set-up wasplete, Ashton closed his eyes and let go, releasing all reigns he had on himself, allowing his magic and cultivation free.

    As it turns out, setting up for this event was a wise choice. Because as soon as he released his control, a strong pulse rocked the world around him, sending everything rumbling and shaking. Without his preparations, these shockwaves would''ve been felt by everybody within Fantasia.

    His Mageroot presented itself and a man flooded the entire space. Stormy fluctuations raged around with him at its epicenter.

    As for Ashton himself, his consciousness detached from his body, arriving at a certain ce where he floated aimlessly. He was unfocused, unaware of everything happening around him. He didn''t have control of anything, he was like a leaf amidst a great storm, just existing and letting everything happen.

    This is yet another breakthrough for him. Finally, after all of these years of constant refining his Virtues, it''s happening.

    Speaking of Virtues, the crest that represented each of Virtues appeared around him, exerting some level of authority over the environment.

    Mana, Purity, Life, Death, Water, Fire, Earth, Space, and Time.

    Nine Virtues, all refined up to a certain degree of mastery, each disying their profundity.

    They started spinning around Ashton. And as their rotation speed increased, so did the intensity of the storm around him as well.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Ashton''s core hovered before his head, releasing a brilliant radiance. A rainbow cloud obstructed vision and the magical circles beneath him spun as well.

    The rotation speed of the crests became so fast that it has be difficult to distinguish which one was which. In fact, to a certain degree, they''re starting to look the same.

    As time passed, the crests turned small, but their spinning speed turned even faster. They also moved from their previous location, and now they''re spinning around Ashton''s core instead.

    The storm around him still rages without him knowing but Ashton''s consciousness recovered up to a certain degree, though he''s currently preupied with something.

    ''The Virtue of Mana...is of the bounty of energy. One which springs forth and disys generosity. Unceasing and nurturing.''

    ''The Virtue of Purity represents innocence. Unblemished by outside influence, remaining true to one''s roots.''

    ''Life and Death''s Virtue represents a cycle. What Life loses, Death gains. And what Death releases, Life nurtures. Together, they represent bnce in all things.''

    ''Fire''s Virtue is that of Ambition. The desire to be something greater. Something more than what it is now.''

    ''Water''s Virtue on the other hand is that of Fluidity. The aspect of not seeking outpetition and working out whatever it is that was given to someone.''

    ''The Virtue of Earth represents Stability. Steadiness no matter what the world throws at you. Being prepared and responsible for one''s actions.''

    ''Space''s Virtue is that of Boundlessness. There are no limits to a determined mind and horizons are meant to be broad. So does one''s outlook in life.''

    ''And finally, the Virtue of Time. It represents the concept of moving forward. Reminiscing the past and staying still in the present is okay, but one can never escape their own Future. Like or not, time will move forward and so are you.''

    The concepts of every single Virtue he had rified themselves in his mind. And as Ashton recited them, the spinning crest spun faster and came closer to his core.

    Ashton regained a certain level of control over his body. However, instead of taking the entire process by the horns, he chose to guide it instead. Coaxing it in the right direction instead of forcing it.

    Eventually, the Crests of Virtues fused with his core. And all of a sudden, everything stopped.

    Then, a massive suction urred. His core turned into a ck hole that swallowed everything around him. Ashton emptied his mind and allowed the process to do its thing.

    This phenomenon happened for a good while. Then, the ck hole swallowed Ashton.

    An explosion urred, divine brilliance flooded the entire ce and strange hymns were heard.

    When everything subsided, something appeared where Ashton previously was.

    A 99-foot-tall tower that seemingly flicked in and out of existence. Draped in dreamy mour and mystical air.

    Ashton could be seen hovering on top of this tower like he was the center of the universe. His eyes were wide open but his pupils were reced by a rainbow-colored gleam.

    This was Ashton''s very own Sorcerer''s Tower. A clear sign of his sessful breakthrough.

    After many years of patience and waiting, he finally reached this stage. He is now a legitimate Sorcerer.

    And this wasn''t enough to drive the idea home to him, the string of System''s messages should do it...

    [Congrattions on your breakthrough.]

    [You have sessfully fused your core with the Virtues of Mana, Purity, Life, Death, Water, Fire, Earth, Space, and Time.]

    [As a result, the Dream Laws recognized you and gave you reign over its profundities.]

    [Congrattions! You''ve acquired the Title: Dream Sorcerer!]

    [Title: Dream Sorcerer]

    : Gives you authority over Dreams.

    : Allows you to ovep a Dream to Reality, its effectiveness depends on your Mastery over Dream Laws.

    "...Dreams, huh?"

    This is what Ashton said the moment he regained full control over his body.

 Chapter 249 Dream Laws

    ---

    [Profile]

    Host: Ashton West

    Race: Human

    Bloodline: Human/Empyrean Fey

    Title: Sorcerer of Dreams

    Aptitude:

    Mageroot: Auspicious Rainbow Cloud

    Magical Artifact: Unsealed Book of Infinity

    Providence: Fey Emperor''s Grace

    Rank: Lv.1 Sorcerer (Unrefined)

    Specialization: White Mage (ss Change Avable)

    Traits: Purity, Schr

    Laws: Dream Law

    The Sorcerer Rank...

    If this was still Humanity in its previous state, Ashton could''ve been said to have reached the top of the world.

    ''Wielder of Laws'' that''s what Sorcerers are. Although Virtues are considered to be Laws as well, they''re just a part of its grand scheme, mere concepts if you will.

    Sorcerers weave Laws at every stroke of their hand. And since Laws are the fundamental cogs that make up the structure of this world, then Sorcerers could be said to have the power to shape the world.

    Well, that''s mostly an exaggeration so far. Truthfully, with how weak Humans were with the addition of the suppression from the Invaders, Humanity couldn''t wield that much power.

    ...but that''s not entirely the case at this point.

    Plus, Ashton was built differently. He had nine virtues that fused into one, earning the acknowledgment of Dream Laws. To say that he''s one of a kind would sound like an understatement at this point.

    Speaking of Dream Laws...that''s another thing that Ashton had to learn from scratch.

    Out of all the possibilities there are for the results of the fusion of his Virtues, he would''ve never expected to gain Dream Laws.

    Nobody from Humanity''s history had wielded the Law of Dreams, that''s for sure. Meaning that he doesn''t have anything that he could use as a guide.

    Dreams are different from Illusions or Mirages. Dreams are more mysterious and phantasmalpared to those two. And since nobody has it before, it''s obvious that it''s not included in any Branches of Magic. So he has to improvise from now on.

    In addition to him bing the Sorcerer of Dreams, Ashton also unlocked his very own Sorcerer''s Tower.

    A Sorcerer''s Tower is a unique phenomenon that urs when a Sorcerer fights with their honor in line. The tower is the representation of their magical excellence, their pride, and power.

    Once the Sorcerer''s Tower is out, it will generate a field. The size of the field depends on how strong the Sorcerer is and how deep their foundations were.

    This field is called the Sorcerer''s Domain, a field where a Sorcerer''s strength will be amplified by at least 50%.

    Ashton''s Sorcerer''s tower is 99-foot-tall. It''s practically a giantpared to other sorcerers. Simrly, his domain coverage is just as ridiculous, reaching 999 meters.

    This is the result of the many refinements he had as well as the number of his Virtues. To think that he had already reached this absurd height right from the start is already mind-blowing on its own.

    "I guess I might as well switch my Specialization now..." He mused to himself.

    Taking out the Soul Card from his inventory, he crushed it in his hand. It turned into specks of tiny light that fused with him. Ashton unconsciously closed his eyes and felt a wave of information rousing from the depths of his memories.

    Images of Aether and its forms showed themselves to him. This visionsted for around five minutes before Ashton''s consciousness returned to reality.

    [Specialization, changed. Congrattions, you are now an Aether Soul Mage.]

    [Aether Soul Mage (Legend)]

    : Grants absolute authority over Aether Energy.

    : All Spells and Skills using Aether Energy will deal double damage.

    : Aether Spells/Skills uses 50% less Aether and deal ��Soul Damage��.

    : Legend Soul Card Bonus Effect �� no penalty when using other types of Spells or Skills.

    Ashton raised a finger and saw how Aether automatically condensed into a tiny marble on his fingertips. He smiled to himself a bit before dispersing it.

    He had just gotten even more ridiculous at this point. Being able to wield Aether Magic this easily was already a boon. Not to mention, the fact that Aether Spells or Skills could deal damage directly to his target''s soul, is what really makes this Specialization broken.

    With this, he should be able to feel more confident about his chances against their enemies. And as Humanity''s final defensive line, the stronger he was, the better.<novelnext></novelnext>

    ***

    Right after stabilizing his new power, Ashton made his way out of his training room and went into the Fey Beast Garden.

    He was initially tempted to call this the Dinosaurs Garden but he ultimately ruled it out.

    Anyway, he came here to test out something and so far, he''s surprised.

    He''d admit, he wasn''t expecting anything special when he gained the Dream Laws. As it turns out, he had severely underestimated what it could do.

    Ashton initially thought that Dreams Laws were uncontroble. Like the ones many people would have where anything goes, and also forgettable once they woke up from it.

    But no, this wasn''t the case.

    Dream Laws gave him power over Lucid Dreams, one that is controble while retaining the freedom of anything being possible. Lucid Dreams are fuelled by his imagination, and Ashton being a Mage, he of course has a very broad and colorful imagination.

    Ashton can directly subject his target to a dream, and since the dream is under his control, anything he could imagine will happen to a certain degree.

    For example, he thought about giving wings to a T-Rex, and lo and behold, it fucking grew wings and started flying.

    He then thought about giving it clothes, and again, that happened. He changed its size, gave it human teeth at one point (which was oddly terrifying), elongated its arms, and so on...

    Without fail, all of his thoughts came to reality.

    In addition to this, Ashton could also sense the thoughts of his target. He could tell what they were thinking like they were an open book to him.

    The possibilities this opened up for him were immense. But more than that, Ashton realized one crucial point about Dream Laws.

    And that is the fact that it could modify reality to a certain extent...

    There are limitations of course. He just can''t suddenly turn the sun ck or something along those lines...yet at least. But still, the fact that it gave him the power to warp reality in a way somewhat frightens him.

    It''s a deadly tool to have...it''s a power than can easily corrupt its wielder.

    Anything that doesn''t conform with your beliefs or is just downright dislikable to you can be changed with a simple wave of a hand.

    Reality-warping blurs the line of a person''s morality, which is why it''s frightening to have.

    Nevertheless, if this was used sparingly and for the sake of the greater good, it is a very powerful trump card to have.

    That being said, it wouldn''t be easy to master this.

    Being the Sorcerer of Dreams gives him an edge of course, but still, he had to Master Dream Laws on his own.

    Mastering a Law is something that all Sorcerers must do. Ashton is no different. If anything, it''d be more demanding for him considering that he had to refine thisw a total of nine times thanks to his cultivation technique.

    Speaking of which, Ashton already improved the Treasure zed, Nine Refinements Sutra using the knowledge he acquired about cultivation. He had ironed out the ws and made it better so now, so he should be gaining better results from it starting now.

    As for the Dream Laws, it uses Aether Energy. Which thankfully didn''t be a problem for him since he had just be an Aether Soul Mage.

    He had a lot of room for improvement so he''d be using his open schedule to improve even faster.

    ke, Mary, and Alice already reached this rank before him. In fact, they''re at the halfway mark to breaking the shackles of mortality. Although he could still match them blow per blow if he faltered they''d leave him behind.

    Which is fine since they''re allies but it''s not good for his pride. He didn''t want to be left behind.

    Plus, it''ll be harder for him to match them once they broke through their mortal shackles, since he was considering himself Humanity''sst line of defense, then he obviously couldn''t lose to them, right?

    ''The invaders we will face from now on will be much stronger as well...''

    At this point, there''s no hiding their progress anymore. They killed important people of the Invaders, and those people weren''t weak. So that fact that they''ve fallen into this, as the invaders would call it, backward, then it''s obvious that its locals were something else.

    ''They would start taking us seriously from this point onwards.'' He thought to himself. ''I wouldn''t rule out the possibility of them calling for reinforcements too.''

    He could continue chipping their numbers down but eventually, they''d caught up in this strategy. He needed to n ahead if he wants to ensure their chances of survival.

    "Jerry, do you copy?"

    "At your service, Master."

    "Send out the notices. We''ll perform the Curse Expunging Initiative tomorrow."

    "Understood, Sir. Is there any time frame you''d prefer for this event?"

    "Afternoon is fine."

    "As you wish. The notice has been sent to the profiled people."

    "Thank you. You may return to your duties."

    "Understood."

 Chapter 250 Marys Salvation

    ? Don''t be too happy.

    Don''t be too sad.

    Don''t feel too much cause it will hurt you.

    Control your emotions. Keep a proper distance from things that might emotionally provoke you and you shall be fine.

    These are the words that Mary lived by for many years now ever since her curse awakened.

    She was one of the unlucky people who were cursed by the Invaders. She didn''t ask for it, nobody did. She didn''t do anything to warrant such a fate yet she couldn''t do anything to get rid of it either so she just learned how to live with it.

    Some people might say that her curse isn''t all that bad. But they weren''t the ones on her shoes.

    Her emotional sensitivity was cursed to be doubledpared to other people. Meaning that the normal happiness from other people is too much happiness for her. Sadness to them would cause an emotional breakdown for her.

    And whenever she feels too many emotions, she would be hurt. The pain ranges from a sting to downright paralysis depending on how much she allowed her emotions to go over her normal capacity.

    It is tiring to live like this. Constantly uptight and on guard of her emotions. She had to keep telling herself to be detached. To not be too close to people, to not feel for them to preserve her own sanity.

    She has to be reserved every single time because even something as simple as showing enthusiasm could hurt her.

    But of course, since she''s like this, detached and distant, it prevented her from forming deeper bonds with people. She couldn''t even enjoy normalpanionship since she has to be constantly aware if she''s being too attached to someone.

    This is also why she couldn''t let herself fall in love as well. Because if she did, she might as wellmit suicide since her curse wouldn''t let her live.

    However, despite the odds, Mary learned how to live like this.

    Well, she didn''t have much choice, to begin with. Plus, she was determined to get rid of this curse so this was her only option.

    She had been trying to search for ways to effectively get rid of her curse but so far, she had no luck.

    Initially, she had hoped that the Mystic Academy could help her with that. Unfortunately, the Academy...the entirety of City M was destroyed before she could even start.

    Hell, they haven''t even finished their first year in the Academy and it was already destroyed.

    She had lost so much from that disaster. Her parents, teachers, ssmates...she even thought that she lost Ashton as well. This was one of the events where her curse really made her suffer.

    But, despite all that suffering, she lived. And she had ke and Alice to thank for that. It was only because of them that she clung to life.

    She tried to search for ways to get rid of the curse again but she had no luck.

    The Mystic Academy was her best shot but it was destroyed. After learning that, she was at a loss. Eventually, she resolved to just live this way for the rest of her life.

    It is saddening yes, but that''s her only option. Well, dying was also a choice but she didn''t consider it. So living in a detached manner it is.

    At least, that was the n right until Ashton''s return.

    Everything changed the moment he returned.

    She watched all of it happen. She witnessed the miracles he performed at every move. She saw how everything around her turned prosperous because of him.

    More importantly, she felt hope.

    Hope that Ashton brought along with his return.

    He taught them how to fight. He defended them. He fixed the mess that was left behind by the invaders and carved paradise from it.

    All of this, got Mary hoping again.

    She thought that maybe, under his leadership, they would be able to destroy the invaders. And if they achieved that. She''d be freed from their curse once and for all.

    This was her reason for training so hard. The reason why she continued searching for ways to improve herself. It''s all because of that glimmer of hope. That''s all she needs.

    So...imagine her surprise when she received a notice from Jerry this morning, saying that Ashton wants to meet with all of the cursed individuals because he ''might'' have found a way to get rid of their curse.

    Mary felt her limbs seizing up due to how surprised she felt. Her heart pounded in her chest and she could tell that her curse was going to town torturing her but she could not care less.

    All she could think about was the notice.

    Oh, how she wanted to just run over there and demand answers from Ashton. She wanted to ask him if what he said was real. But she had to calm down first.

    Her curse paralyzed her due to her losing a grip on herself. She needed to regte her emotions first so that she could move again.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Well, that process took longer than she expected. She couldn''t help it. She''s feeling way too excited, enthusiastic, and hopeful. She''s feeling too much and struggling to contain everything, that''s why it took her so long to regain her movement.

    Eventually, she managed to contain everything. She had calmed down enough to function again.

    Soon, she made her way out of her home and flew into the venue where the notice told her to go.

    Upon arriving there, she saw that she wasn''t the first one to arrive. In fact, there was a dense crowd already by the time she arrived.

    It seems that she''s not the only one who''s excited about this.

    Ashton wasn''t there yet but Aria was, and so is Jerry.

    "You''re here. Calm down first, okay? You need to be in your peak condition once we start." Aria told her when she arrived next to her.

    "...did he really find a way?" Mary asked, her voice quivering as she spoke.

    "He did but, it''s not for certain if it will work for everybody, or at all to bepletely honest," Aria replied. "But he also didn''t want to wait until he achieved a method that will get rid of the curses for certain. He said that you all waited long enough already."

    Believe it or not, Mary wasn''t disappointed with this answer. She waspletely fine with this uncertainty. If anything, it helped to lower her expectations, which in turn made it easier for her to calm down.

    Aria then left her shortly after saying that they were just waiting for a few more people.

    Mary found a corner for herself which she used to meditate. Aria was correct, she needed to be in her peak condition when this all begins, so she might as well use every single moment she has.

    It didn''t take long before all of the cursed individuals arrived.

    Everyone was itching in anticipation and couldn''t wait to start. Thankfully, Ashton had no ns of making them wait any longer.

    He appeared on the podium like a ghost, startling some people but also signifying the start of this event.

    "Wee, all of you." He said. "You are here because of the notice we sent to you."

    The crowd went silent the moment he started speaking.

    "The Curse Expunging Initiative. This has been one of the priorities I personally paid attention to for years now."

    "I have researched many things in the hopes of them leading me to the solution for the one thing that the foul invaders did to us. And that is to get rid of their Generational Curse that had made many people suffer."

    "Today, I''ll perform a ritual. But before I do, let me premise this entire event by saying that this method hasn''t been tested yet."

    "I could not guarantee that this ritual will solve everything in one go. But I can confidently say that none of you will be in danger once the ritual starts and after you all went through it."

    "The reason behind my impatience is the fact that you all have waited enough. You all have suffered enough. If this ritual could alleviate that even just a little bit, then I would consider it a sess."

    "Don''t worry, if this fails, then I promise that I will not stop searching for a way to get rid of your curses while I''m still alive."

    "Then without further ado. Let us begin."

    A wide magical circle appeared beneath them, releasing a divine brilliance. Next, they all felt like they were soaking in afortably hot spring, bringing forth an immense feeling of rxation and satisfaction.

    When they opened their eyes, they saw that they were still at the venue.

    Everyone was silent until someone audibly sobbed.

    "I-it''s gone! Oh my god! It''s gone! The curse is gone!!"

    That was the spark that returned them to reality.

    Mary saw all of this happen and felt overwhelmed. Her heart pounded in her chest due to sheer anticipation and nervousness...but there was no pain.

    Her limbs didn''t seize up nor she felt a prickling sensation on her chest.

    She was fine.

    And that''s all she needed to confirm that the ritual indeed worked.

    For the first time in a long, long while...

    Mary wailed in happiness.

 Chapter 251 Memento Mori

    Although it was ironic that his talking took longer than the actual ritual itself, that''s mostly because everything was already prepared before they arrived.

    As Ashton said, he had been working on a solution to get rid of curses for quite some time now. Yet it was only thanks to his new well of knowledge that the was finally able to formte a concrete solution.

    With the usage of ck Magic, White Magic, Nature Magic, and inspirations from Transmutation Magic, Ashton formte the ritual that got rid of the curses that the invaders gave to Humanity since their arrival.

    He did say that there is a possibility that this might not work for everybody but that''s under the assumption of their curses being moreplicated than he initially expected. Thankfully though, the overall results were optimal.

    From this point onwards, Humanity will no longer suffer from Curses.

    He didn''t stay to look after them. He gave them space to shed tears of happiness andfort. He did leave Aria there to look after them though.

    Inside his private chambers, Ashton got into thinking. He''s wondering how the invaders will react to this.

    There was no way he could hide the fact that the curses were gone. The ones who cast them in the first ce would be the first ones to be rmed by its sudden disappearance.

    He knew that this might provoke their enemies even further. After all, it hasn''t been that long since they killed some important people from their side. He wouldn''t be surprised if they''re fuming in anger at this point.

    Ashton had time to spare though. The barrier ced in this world won''t be shaken that easily even if they were to send more men after it. He had confidence in this since even as of the current moment, their attempts are turning into miserable failures.

    But still, there is more room for improvement. Especially for himself.

    Opening up his Inventory, Ashton took out another Legendary Soul Card and crushed it in his hands. Its fragments turned into specks of light that fused with him.

    His consciousness blurred for several minutes but when he woke up, he gained new information. There were also some changes in his profile, mainly, the Specialization tab.

    [Specialization: Main �� Aether Soul Mage, Sub �� Divine Gunslinger]

    [Divine Gunslinger]

    : Perfect Aim �� Any of your shots will never miss.

    : Headshot (Divine) �� has a 15% chance of instantly killing an enemy.

    : Marksman''s Insight �� You could see very far. Also grants you some level of pre-cognitive ability.

    : Gun Mastery �� Grants absolute mastery over all kinds of firearms.

    : Infinite Rounds �� You can use anything at your disposal as ammo.

    [Synergy Detected! Sub-Artifact: Mortal Reminder is reacting to the new Specialization.]

    [Synergy Applied: Mortal Reminder > Memento Mori.]

    [Memento Mori]

    : Fatal Wounds �� Damage dealt by this weapon is immune from any form of healing or regeneration.

    : Kill Streak �� Every time this weapon kills an enemy in one shot, kill-streak applies. Using this active will spend the amount of kill-streak stacks avable, amplifying the gun''s power by how many stacks there were.

    : Divine Conductor �� this weapon is an excellent conductor of all sorts of energies.

    : No Clip �� Reload Function does not apply to this gun.

    There was an unexpected oue but one that he doesn''t mind.

    Inspecting his new gun, he noticed that the option to change its forms had disappeared. From now on, it will only take the form of a revolver. But that''s fine with him.

    Memento Mori was obviously a lot strongerpared to the Mortal Reminder. Besides, thetter was just a Sub-Artifact at most, while the former was a real Treasured Artifact. It''s almost close to being a true Magical Artifact even. The only thing preventing it from bing one was the existence of the Unsealed Book of Infinity.

    Anyway, he''s happy with this. And just like a little kid who just got a present, Ashton went on and tested it.

    Suffice to say, he had spent the rest of the day on the shooting range.

    Mary felt as if she was floating on cloud 9.

    There were springs on her steps, she couldn''t stop smiling and she''s loving every single second of being alive.

    When was thest time that she felt this happy? Honestly, she couldn''t even remember it anymore. All that''s important right now, is the fact that she is indeed happy.

    What made her even happier was thefort she felt.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It wasn''t painful anymore. Her heart doesn''t hurt anymore when she''s feeling too much of her emotions.

    It''s freeing, sofortable and nice. Being reminded that she''s finally free of that horrible curse still makes her want to cry out for happiness.

    The ritual was a great sess. Everyone''s curse was gone before they even realize it. Such a thing was obviously hard to believe but they couldn''t deny the results stered on their faces.

    She could still remember how long it took for Aria, ke, and Alice to make her stop crying from happiness. She''s pretty sure that she annoyed them at some point but she doesn''t care. They have to give this to her since it was a special day.

    With the curse finally gone and her being free, Mary feltplete.

    It''s like an invisible weight disappeared from her shoulders. She never felt so happy to just simply breathe and dowse herself from the wave of emotions she was feeling.

    This brought an immense impact on her mentality obviously, so much to the point that it''s also affecting her cultivation.

    The barrier that was stopping her from the next breakthrough was loosening up. It wasn''t that much but progress is still progress. If she were to capitalize on this, then there''s no doubt that she''ll eventually reach her goals.

    With a new chapter of her life opening before her, one would expect that Mary''s goal will change, and that''s understandable.

    After all, the main reason why she took up arms was to get rid of her curse. Now that it''s gone, it''s clear that she doesn''t have any reason to continue fighting anymore.

    She can rest. She cany down her arms and walk away from all of this. Seek a peaceful life under the protection of Humanity''s current leader. And if this is what she truly wants, Ashton wouldn''t stop her. If anything, he''d even support her.

    But...no, Mary didn''t think of it that way.

    She didn''t have any thoughts of quitting the fight now, or ever. Her freedom from the curse was nice, don''t get her wrong but so long as the threat remains there, the battle isn''t over.

    If she didn''t fight, there mighte a time when they would suffer all over again. With freedom tasting this sweet, how can she easily give it up? Of course, she''s not going down without a fight!

    Plus, it''d be a damn shame if she quits now. Not after reaching this far. She had invested way too much in this and she doesn''t want to waste it so, no she won''t be quitting.

    She will fight, not just for herself but for the sake of her kind as well.

    Ashton told them this once...

    ''Why rely on the next generation when we can end the war in ours?''

    Those words still resonated with her and she believed in them. Ashton wouldn''t say that if he didn''t feel confident about achieving it.

    There is no reason for them to pass down the torch if they could reach the exit during their turn.

    But of course, that''s something to pay attention toter.

    Right now, she could allow herself to take it easy and enjoy the current happiness she''s feeling.

    That means, she could finally watch the movies that she couldn''t watch previously!!

    Hey, it doesn''t take much for a girl like her to be happy. What''s more is that most of the popr movies in the past were tear-jerkers, and due to her curse, she wasn''t able to enjoy any of them.

    Now though, she could finally watch them without being afraid of getting paralyzed from head to toe.

    ''Movie Marathon it is...''

    To some people, it might seem a little weird for this to be the first thing they do after being freed from a repulsive curse but they''re not Mary.

    Movies are a way for her to feel emotions without getting personally attached or invested in someone. She had always wanted to enjoy them to the fullest and now that she can, why wouldn''t she?

    Who''d stop her from doing what she wants?

    And so, that''s what she did. She spent the rest of the day watching movies she couldn''t watch before.

    Sheughed, cried, got angry at certain characters, felt flustered and bothered, felt a longing, despaired, etc.

    This marathon went on for three days and nobody bothered her, she was on vacation anyway.

    Despite being on an emotional roller coaster. Mary loved every single second of it.

    It is mundane, but itpleted her in a sense. The pain was gone, she was not being punished anymore for feeling way too much.

    To the current her, nothing can get any better than this...

 Chapter 252 Mutation

    A month passed since the curses disappeared.

    Life in Fantasia had returned to its normalcy. Well, as normal as it could get. What''s important is that peace has returned for a while, and many people relish it.

    The disappearance of the Curses was a boon for Humanity. Ashton didn''t just free the people who had them, he thoroughly expunged the curse. Meaning that they wouldn''t return anymore.

    And as expected, the ones who were responsible for cursing Humanity were rmed by its disappearance.

    ording to the spies he nted, they were causing a storm in the Grand Fleet. The entirety of the invaders was already aware of this sudden development.

    That caused them to double down on their efforts of trying to infiltrate Blue''s surface again, but the protection of the Twisted Heavenly Bulwark was firmly stopping them. So there were no worries there.

    The Mystic Guild''s activity has increased up a notch during this month. More and more people are now traveling to the Forgotten Ancestral Lands to hunt down Stragglers.

    Stragglers are Angels and Demons who exiled themselves from Laguna and Qliphoth to build their respective forces. Dering themselves as royalties of this world.

    They are a joke in Ashton''s eyes but a decent source of experience for his Guild. That''s why he made missions to hunt them down.

    Of course, this is to also gather resources and purify the world slowly.

    Ashton figured that since it is no longer easy for the invaders to get into this, it was about time that they started healing this world, and at the same time, healing Gaia as well.

    He had already taught his guild members the Purification Art/Spell. All they need is the experience in performing it and in no time, this world will start recovering.

    Currently, Ashton''s in his private chambers. He''s training using his Dream Laws, Aether Soul Magic, and familiarizing himself with the Memento Mori.

    He had already adjusted to his new strength, he just wanted to develop some sort of habit so that it''d be easier for him to retain his skills.

    "Master, there is something that I need to consult you about." Jerry''s voice suddenly rang in his ears.

    "What is it?" He asked, wiping off the sweat on his body.

    Instead of answering, Jerry pulled up a Profile for him to see.

    [Lucas]

    G-ID: ######89

    Tenure: 1 year and 4 months

    Badge: Gold

    Aptitude: Above Average

    Remarks: Diligent, Observant, Loyal, and Strong Willed.

    Ashton raised a brow and said: "Why bring this up?"

    "Currently, Sir Lucas fell ill. From my diagnosis, it seems that something provoked a Mutation in one of his Aptitude Factors. He is in great pain and I can''t determine why."

    "Where is now?" Ashton finished drying himself up and putting his clothes back on.

    "Medical Bay-11, Room-22."

    Ashton promptly disappeared from his training room and appeared in the same room that Jerry told him.

    There, he saw several people fussing over a patient.

    The patient was clearly in pain, he was struggling and trying to get off of the hospital bed, however, but he was chained to it. Ashton noticed that the patient was going feral. His eyes rolled at the back of his head, showing on the whites. The veins on his face and neck were protruding out, almost close to popping.

    He''s growing fangs and is drooling. His growing ws on his hands and his hair were growing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Ashton could also hear the delirious sounds escaping from the patient''s lips. He could hear some intelligible words here and there but the rest are muffled.

    "Clear the area, people. Don''t crowd the patient." He said, announcing his presence.

    The nurses and rtives of the patient saw him and immediately made their way. Ashton walked past them and arrived right next to the patient.

    "Shh, it''s okay. I''m here." He whispered.

    "G-guild...Mas-...Master?" Lucas managed to utter some intelligible worlds despite his delirium.

    "Yes, Lucas. It''s me."

    "H-help...? Hurts...lots..."

    "Yes, Buddy. I''ll help you. Try to rx okay?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Mm-...m''kay!"

    And under Ashton''s hold, Lucas visibly sagged down as if relenting in control.

    Ashton''s hands released a soft white light which instantly covered Lucas. Under their gaze, the changes that Lucas showed previously were disappearing, he was returning to what he originally looked like.

    He had visibly calmed down as well. His breathing evened out and his expression became peaceful. The pain ebbed away within seconds after Ashton started his treatment. Lucas'' rtives and the nurses sighed in relief upon seeing that.

    "How are you holding up, Bud? Still in pain somewhere?" Ashton asked.

    "A-a little bit on my c-core..." Lucas replied, groaning in mild difort. "S-something''s...happening there. I don''t know...what it is..."

    "That''s because your Battle Spirit is mutating," Ashton informed.

    "Mutating?"

    "Yep, that''s right." He nodded, "Your Battle Spirit -- the sword named ''Gram'', is both a Holy Sword and a Demonic Sword. It''s one of the rare types of Battle Spirits ever recorded in Human History."

    "Gram is effective against Angels and Demons, and every time you kill them, a Gram absorbs a tiny speck of their essence into its body."

    "But you see, Gram is a well-bnced Artifact. And that bnce is sadly delicate. If you want to take advantage of Gram''s full potential, then you must work your way around this bnce as well."

    "You''ve killed a lot of Angels Stragglers recently didn''t you?" Ashton asked.

    "Y-yes..."

    "That''s what provoked this Mutation." Ashton informed him, "You''ve killed many Angels but not enough Demons. The Bnce of Gram was disturbed due to the high influx of Holy Properties being fed to the Demonic Traits of Gram, causing the bnce to be unstable, corrupting Gram and, by extension, you as well."

    "What happened just now is the result of Gram''s Demonic Traits being given too much power, forcing you to undergo a Demonic Transformation. And I believe that this isn''t the first you''ve heard about this, am I correct?"

    Lucas at least had the decency to show some embarrassment and shame when Ashton called him out.

    Indeed, Ashton had informed Lucas about the possibility of something like this happening before. And if memory serves him right, Lucas told him that he wouldn''t be careless. Well, that''s funny considering where they are right now.

    "Alright, I won''t chew you out since this is your first time." Ashton sighed, "You have some options right now to alleviate this pain."

    "One is to let go and allow the Demonic Traits of Gram to dominate the bnce. Its Holy Traits will disappear and Gram will be a pure Demonic Sword, which will be the bane of Angels."

    "Two is to redefine the Bnce of Gram. I''ll take you somewhere where you can kill enough demons to feed to the Holy Traits. Once you''ve killed enough demons, the pain will naturally subside."

    "As for your final option, it would be to choose neither. I can help you purify Gram so it would neither be a Holy Sword nor a Demonic Sword. This might make Gram weaker in a sense but at least you wouldn''t have to worry about this problem ever again."

    "So, what would it be?"

    Lucas went silent after that and neither Ashton nor the people around say anything to him.

    This was a tough decision that only he gets to decide. Other people had no right to interfere with his decision at all since this is his Battle Spirit at stake.

    Lucas weighed his options carefully. Each option he had had its pros and cons, making it truly difficult to decide which one was for the best.

    He was tempted to ask about the Guild Master''s opinion but he opted out. Lucas knows that Ashton would just bounce the question back to him if he did that, and understandably so since Ashton didn''t want to influence his decision.

    In the end, Lucas sighed and chose the 3rd option.

    It would be bothersome to fuss over his kills to make sure that his battle spirit will remain bnced. He also didn''t like the idea of injecting himself with demonic properties either so neutral it is.

    That''s why, even though Gram would be weaker in a sense, he still chose to get rid of these properties.

    Ashton operated right away once he got the go signal. He extracted both the Holy and Demonic Traits of Gram, which was only possible since it''s undergoing Mutation.

    The entire process didn''t take long, it wasn''t painful either. Lucas wasfortable throughout the operation and instantly felt a lot better once it was done.

    "Alright, I''m done." Ashton said, "The traits have disappeared on Gram but the Mutation still isn''t over. Don''t worry, you won''t be in pain anymore. You''d just fall asleep for quite some time. When you wake up, the mutation should be over as well."

    "T-thank you, Guild Master."

    "You''re wee," Ashton replied before turning to the nurses. "You can just observe him periodically for his vitals. If any incidents happen, follow the protocol, alright?"

    After receiving the affirmation of the nurses, he bid farewell to them and disappeared, returning to his training room.

    ''Well, if things go well, then Lucas might awaken the true form of his Battle Spirit.''

    ''The Legendary Runic Sword -- Gram. But that will depend on his luck. Oh, well...that''s beyond my control now...

 Chapter 253 Viral Mutations, Myths Galore...

    ''This...this is insane...''

    Ashton''s eye twitched as he looked at the several profile screens floating in front of him.

    It hasn''t been long since he had helped someone with an unexpected mutation of their aptitude.

    Lucas did end up awakening the Legendary Runic Sword - Gram as his new Battle Spirit. But what Ashton didn''t expect was that this was only the beginning.

    The mutation urred like a viral infection. In a span of a week, more and more people were admitted to the hospitals due to a sudden illness, yet after taking a diagnosis, all of them turned out to experience some form of mutations in their aptitudes as well.

    Some had their Providence increased, some had their Magical Artifact/Battle Spirits evolved, while others experienced some changes in their Mageroots/Physiques.

    There had been at least 300 cases of this happening just this week, and Ashton had been makingps around the hospitals since then, not even getting enough rest.

    He had no idea why this was happening. Since when did Aptitidue Mutations be somon? This doesn''t make sense at all! Yet he also can''t deny what''s happening in front of his eyes.

    What''s crazier is that some of these mutations were extremely familiar to him, and it''s not because he had gained knowledge straight from the fountain itself.

    It''s because these mutations used to Legends that his old world - Earth, had before its destruction.

    In hindsight, he should''ve expected that this might be possible. After all, Dn, one of his Beneficiaries, had Trish, Poseidon''s Trident, as his Battle Spirit. And not too long ago, Lucas had the Runic Sword Gram.

    But the recent mutations really opened his eyes to something quite overwhelming...

    G��e Bulg - the barbed spear that pierces with death, Houyi''s Mythical Bow, Odin''s Gungnir, Thor''s Mjolnir, Hephaestus'' Forge, Zeus'' Astrape, Hades'' Helm of Invisibility...

    Gorgon''s Shield, Grass-Cutting Sword, The Heavenly Jewel, the freaking True Spear Longinus!

    And the craziest thing he had seen so far, happened with Alice gaining the Sword of Promised Victory - Excalibur.

    ''What in the actual fuck is going on!?''

    This makes him want to pull his hair out. This is because of him, that''s for certain. Cause...who else could it be? As far as he''s aware, it''s only him who came from Earth.

    But if that''s the case, how the hell did these myths follow him? Why did they follow him? And why show up now?

    He had so many questions but had no answers, and it was seriously grinding on his gears.

    Don''t get him wrong, these mutations were good news for Humanity as a whole. The fact that many people are awakening this mythological prowess made it even more possible for them to have a fighting chance against the invaders.

    Ashton''s just peeved that he had no idea why this was happening.

    He thought that he was already over Earth''s Destruction. He had been livingfortably in this new world and epting his new reality. But how the fuck was he supposed to move on when things from his old world were still haunting him quite literally?

    Either way, he''s just thankful that so far, nobody had a bad mutation so far. They all turned out fine and in fact, bounced back even stronger.

    He just doesn''t have an idea of how long this will go on. The flow of patients hasn''t stopped yet so not any time soon he supposes.

    ''Still, ke awakened Athena''s Aegis. Mary received Houyi''s Mythological Bow and freaking Alice now has Excalibur!''

    ''...I feel jealous somehow but it''s okay. I mean, I''m still their boss at the end of the day, so I shouldn''t be so worried. If anything, I should be happy that they are bing stronger.''

    ''But seriously though, when will it stop?''

    Ashton''s looked a bit dead as he gazed upon the many patients still waiting for his help. His head hurts and he feels exhausted already. Unfortunately, he couldn''t ignore them like this so it means that he was practically trapped here.

    ''Hopefully, it ends soon...also, I hope no idents ur.''

    Two weeks...

    It took two whole weeks before the mutations died down. It left Ashton so exhausted because he had to personally attend to them, in the end, he slept for two whole days after the incident and only woke up just now.

    He had recovered enough to function properly. He felt a bit stiff but nothing that some stretching wouldn''t solve. Overall, he''s fine and could do administrative tasks again. Not that he had to since Jerry was already doing that for him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "...so, you''re saying that we can me the mutations urring on the sharp increase of this world''s Providence?" He asked Gaia after sipping his tea.

    "More or less, yes." She replied. Acacia also nodded beside her.

    "That''s...a fair assumption. Especially once we considered the recent evolution of the Dragon Vein." Ashton mused.

    It did have some basis, after all, Humanity was the locals of this world, meaning that they would be favored by the luck of this world as well.

    The only thing that wasn''t factored in this conclusion was the fact that the results of the mutations shouldn''t be possible. Myth''s from Earth shouldn''t appear on the Blue. This much was understandable, yet they somehow did.

    At this point, Ashton was prepared to just let this go. He''s tired of making assumptions. If this turns out to be something that he caused for some reason, then he''s prepared to take full responsibility for it.

    That''s all he could do, really. Plus, that''s practically what he''s been up to since he sat in this position anyways. So it''d be no different from the usual.

    The mutations didn''t happen to him though, and honestly, he doesn''t know what to feel about that.

    On one hand, he''s expecting that since he''s the one from Earth, he''d be the one who''d be affected the most, but no. He wasn''t affected at all.

    And on the asion that he was, what would the mutations be like for him? Well, the world might never know since it didn''t happen to him.

    On the other hand, he''s already satisfied with what he had so it''s okay that he wasn''t affected by the mutations. He did invest plenty of time mastering the usage of his current arsenal and it''d be a damn shame if that changes now.

    All in all, he''s quite fine with how everything turned out. And he felt that it was okay for him to just let it go like this. He''d just keep an eye out, just in case.

    He talked some more with Gaia and Acacia before excusing himself.

    Ashton had some paperwork to go through, they stacked up when he was still asleep and he thought that he might as well go through them now so that he can finish early.

    The paperwork wasn''t much, to begin with. It couldn''t bepared to the literal mountains he had to go through in a single day back then when Jerry''d still learning.

    After settling the paperwork, he mingled with the Guild for a bit.

    Judging by the atmosphere, it seems that the mutations provoked some status changes in the guild.

    Since the mutations happened randomly, nobody could predict who would experience them. Because of its randomness, some people who usuallygged behind the group were pushed to the front while others prayed to experience some form of mutation as well.

    There is tensepetition in the guild. The status quo will change, Ashton was quite sure about that. It''ll be chaotic for a while but that''s fine, he could always just handle it.

    ''I guess I should expect some more S-ranks to show up. I should prepare for that.'' He mused to himself.

    Since the mutations turned out to be good changes, the quality of some Guild Members increased quite a bit.

    Soon, some of them will eventually master their new set of skills and they''d be more powerful than who they were previously.

    ? Once they gain enough confidence, they''d start climbing the leaderboard. And to do that, they first had to be S-Ranks.

    ''There will be arge influx of S-Ranks in the future so he should prepare some missions for them just in case.''

    He created a reminder for that in case he forgot about it.

    After mingling with the guild for a bit, he attended a meeting with his co-founders to talk about future developments.

    They basically finalized the n for expansion after a couple of months. The engineers made a satisfactory n that would fully utilize the expansion efforts.

    The Blue Marble Grotto Heaven had greatly expanded due to his breakthrough recently, and the area that the guild utilizes was no longer enough to contain all the chaos happening inside so it''s about time they expanded.

    Plus, they are nning on taking in more members in the future. This expansion wouldn''t be thest one. Eventually, he hoped that one day, the guild could fully utilize all the space the grotto heaven has.

    For now, the minimal expansion should suffice. And since they could just issue a mission for the guild members to help out with this, then they have nock of manpower.

    The expansion should be done after a few days.

 Chapter 254 Idle Time

    Ashton sat in his office, watching a live broadcast of the guild''s expansion.

    Today was the day that the expansion ends. Thanks to the efforts of the Guild Members, it went faster than they all expected. Now, the guild territory has more room for members and a few other stuff as well. This will serve them wellter on.

    Once he saw that thest areas of the expansion were covered, Ashton turned the broadcast off and walked out of his office. Just like this, he''s free for the rest of the day.

    Ashton didn''t really have anything to do. He could obviously train but it wouldn''t make much difference today. Plus, he already mastered all of his skills and spells ording to his new power level so there''s no reason for him to hole up in his training area.

    As his mind wandered off, his foot took him to the Guild Hall, where he could see the members socializing or nning for a mission.

    He was greeted by the members as he walked past them and he returned their greetings. Due to his close rtionship with his guild members, he wasn''t estranged here, they treated him warmly and acted like how they usually do, which made Ashton relieved.

    He still have no idea what to actually do so he just sat on the bar stool and ordered some drinks while spreading his senses to eavesdrop on others'' activities.

    "It''s been crazytely. A lot of people have been applying for rank promotion." He heard one guy say.

    "Yeah, I heard about it. Apparently, a lot of people experienced some form of mutation in their aptitudes. Almost all of them received a boost in strength overnight, it''s crazy!"

    "Right? And somewhat unfair too. Like, I''ve been working my ass off, taking up missions like a madman, where''s my mutation? Hello?"

    "Do you think Guild Master had anything to do with it?"

    "Nah." One guy immediately disagreed. "If he did it, then all of us would''ve benefited from it. He doesn''t discriminate you know, so it can''t be him."

    ''This guy deserves a bonus.'' Ashton snorted to himself as he continued eavesdropping on their conversation.

    "The mutations are weird too." One guy pointed out. "My friend''s Battle Spiritpletely changed. Before it was just some sort of coiled headband that doubles his strength but now it turned into an awesome Staff."

    "Oh? If you said that it''s awesome, then it should be awesome. Did you ask what the staff does?"

    "Obviously!" The guy rolled his eyes, "Anyway, the staff could extend as far as the eye could see and could shrink as small as a toothpick. It could also clone itself and could be super fucking heavy to others."

    Ashton nearly spat out his drink when he heard that description. The corners of his eye started twitching as he continued listening to them.

    "Oh, that''s neat."

    Ashton nearly raged upon hearing that. Neat? That''s it? That artifact is just neat?

    "Did you know what it''s called?"

    "I did ask him, but I can''t recall it properly. It''s gibberish and didn''t make any sense. It''s ''Ruyo-Jangu-something'', I don''t know..."

    ''It''s fucking ''Ruyi Jingu Bang'', you imbecile. It means ''The Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod''. God damn it!'' Ashton grumbled inwardly.

    Thankfully he had mastered the art of poker face, allowing him to just exist there without being a menace to people around him.

    He''s not jealous, obviously.

    He''s just not.

    Why should he be jealous? He''s happy with what he has.

    It''s just a staff, nothing to be so crazy about. It''s not like it''s awesome or anything.

    It''s just a weapon...a weapon that the Legendary Monkey King used to wreak havoc on the Heavenly Court.

    He could do that with his scythe too if the chance presents itself.

    So there''s really no need to be jealous.

    ''...okay, maybe I am a little jealous too. I gotta get out of here now, or else I might just actually lose it.''

    Ashton has heard enough. Nothing is interesting happening in the guild right now it seems. It''s just the usual.

    He left after paying for his drink. Still having no idea what to do for the rest of the day.

    ''I could hang out with Aria...'' He thought to himself, ''Actually, no I can''t.''

    ''It''s work hours right now. She''s probably in the middle of forging something. She''d be mad at me for interfering with her work so I can''t go there.'' Ashton pursed his lips.<novelnext></novelnext>

    ''ke, Mary, and Alice aren''t here either. They went out on a date and I don''t want to intrude on their fun. They won''t wee my presence if I did so anyway.''

    Yes, ke is indeed dating both Alice and Mary.

    At first, it was just Alice. And she had to, ording to her own words, put her tongue in his mouth for him to finally get a clue. ke was oblivious to the clues she says so she did that to get what she wants.

    Alice also knows that ke always had a little crush on Mary when they were still young. But since she was cursed back then, ke stopped himself from pursuing her since he''d afraid that he''d hurt her.

    That was a long time ago and Alice didn''t know if that was still the case. She didn''t bring this up to him during their rtionship with him but Alice truly didn''t mind if he still does have feelings for Mary.

    In fact, to prove that she wasn''t against it. She outright told him recently that she''s okay with him pursuing Mary as well.

    ke was of course bbergasted by that but Alice ensured him that she was truly okay with it.

    And as it turns out, ke indeed still has the hots for Mary. He just tucked it away expertly that he convinced himself that there was none anymore.

    When he was given the go signal. It came crashing down on him so he wasted no time. Especially now that Mary is free from her curse.

    He said that it was better to strike while the iron was hot.

    Mary was one of the ''faries'' of the guild. If she were to announce that she''s looking for a boyfriend or a husband, the line of her suitors would be enough to fill the entire guild... post-expansion.

    She was shocked when ke suddenly came up to her like that. Even more so when she heard his confession and Alice''s part in all of this. She even went out of her way to confirm it with her and she got the same response.

    This concept was crazy to her but it''s something that she''s willing to experience.

    That''s how ke ended up dating both of them.

    ''That old man got some game, huh?'' Ashton chuckled to himself when he recalled that whole fiasco.

    Well, he called ke an old man because he is on. That guy''s on his 9th reincarnation. He is fucking old. And both girls he''s dating know that, so it''s consensual.

    Anyways...Ashton still doesn''t know what to do to pass the time so he started brainstorming again.

    ''Should I make more dinosaurs?''

    Now, that''s an idea. If only the zoo''s not filled to the brim of them yet, he might just actually do that. Unfortunately, this isn''t the answer either.

    He can''t create more of them because he ran out of space recently. If he created more, there will be a serious disruption in their ecosystem and chaos would ensue. Ashton didn''t want another headache of his own doing.

    ''I''ve watched all the movies and series that I like already. The rest there is are just in garbage.''

    ''I could tend to the El-Tree for a bit, except not at all since the Fairy Queen is already doing that in my stead.''

    ''Roaming Fantasia...I''ve done that pretty recently. If I do it again now, I''d just be seeing the same shit so it''s just a waste of time.''

    ''I could help out Jerry, but the little dude will resent me for taking away his fun. At the end of the day, working is Jerry''s sole purpose so if I interfere, he''d get mad at me.''

    Ashton sighed and sat on some random bench, staring at a nk space. He''s really not used to being this free.

    Unknowingly, he had turned into a workaholic without him knowing. If he''s not working, he feels like he couldn''t function properly.

    He could just go for a quick tour outside of Last Bastion. Maybe hunt some demons and angels on the way.

    Except...yeah, that''s right. He already gave that chance to his Guild Members to serve as field experience. And that is something that he can''t take away from them because it will hamper their growth.

    Releasing another frustrated sigh, Ashton got up from the bench and teleported to his and Aria''s home.

    He plopped down face-first on their bed and started getting rid of his clothes.

    Well, since he had nothing better to do today. He''d just sleep instead. Hopefully, by the time he wakes up, there''d be something for him to do.

    And so, Ashton closed his eyes.

    Not knowing that he''d be visited by someone he didn''t expect in his dreams.

 Chapter 255 Spiritual Journey

    Ashton dreamt of something, but he wasn''t in control of it.

    Normally, that would be fine. But see, Ashton''s the Sorcerer of Dreams, that''s literally his title. He had gained the ability to control and manifest dreams into reality. So for him to not be in control of his own dreams, was bizarre.

    In this dream, he traveled. He had no idea how long, and he also didn''t know where. All he knew was that he traveled for quite some time and arrived at a ce he was not familiar with.

    It wasn''t Fantasia, nor anywhere in the Last Bastion. Actually, he doubted if this ce was even on this.

    This ce was a lot more beautiful than Fantasia though. This is what he wanted Fantasia to be like in his mind, except this ce was a lot bigger and more prosperous than Fantasia could ever be.

    He''s aware that he''s dreaming. He has to be because this ce just doesn''t exist in his memories. He thought that he was either dreaming about the future of Fantasia or something else entirely. He has to see more to confirm though.

    And thus, he walked. He arrived at an empty field of trimmed grass. He could see an amazing sight on the horizon but something makes it incredibly blurry for some reason.

    He could see people around him as well, but what''s weird is that he could feel that they could see him.

    They''re acknowledging his presence yet they didn''t make any attempts to talk to him. What a weird dream this was, truly.

    So, Ashton walked until he reached some kind of barrier that''s separating this ce from the rest. He held out his hand and touched the barrier.

    He got surprised because, for some reason, the barrier felt...real.

    Ashton had never seen a barrier like this before. He literally has no idea how it works but the way it reacted to his touch felt so real to him that it almost gave him a whish.

    Pursing his lips, he touched it again. And to his absolute surprise, the barrier formed a slit big enough for him to fit in.

    It''s like an invitation for him toe in.

    He was skeptical at first, but he saw other people around him entering just fine so he thought, he might as well try and see what was on the other side.

    So he stepped in, and again to his absolute surprise. What was on the other side of the barrier was something he wasn''t expecting.

    See, he was expecting some form of perspective. A view of the ce that the barrier was hiding from him.

    What he got instead, was the view of a pce interior.

    It was grand, majestic, beautiful, extravagant, and ssy. It''s unlike any he had seen before, which further added to the idea that he might actually be dreaming about an entirely different ce. Cause he just can''t see something like that ever appearing in Fantasia even in the future.

    "Ah, you''re here...we''ve been expecting you. But certainly not this early."

    Ashton turned around and saw an old man wearing an elegant robe and exuding a noble aura and grace. The old man sported a majestic grey beard that he stroked while inspecting him. He''s also wearing a monocle for some reason.

    "My name is Edgar, Chief Butler of this Pce. It is my pleasure to finally meet you, Foreigner."

    "Foreigner...my name is Ashton, I''d prefer it if you call me that instead. And um...I really don''t how I got here? Ah, gosh what a weird dream this is." He practically whispered thest part to himself.

    "A dream you say." The old man apparently heard it. "Pardon me but, let me show you how you currently look right now."

    The old man then produce a mirror out of nowhere and had it face Ashton. And for the first time in this dream, Ashton saw his reflection.

    "What...?" He asked in a baffled manner.

    His reflection showed him a soul. An almost transparent being that somehow manifested into reality and managed to hold its shape despite not having a container. And this soul, had his face, his features, his voice, and his expressions.

    This soul was him...

    Unable to believe what he was seeing, Ashton looked down at his hands, and he saw that it was the same. He''s indeed a soul in this current environment.

    How did this happen? This doesn''t make sense! And why he hadn''t thought about checking this earlier himself?

    "Wait! So like...I''m not dreaming?" He asked because he was literally puzzled by all of this.

    "I suppose you''re not, by the looks of it." The butler replied. "Instead of Dreaming, I''d say that you''re here for a Spiritual Journey."

    "Spiritual Journey...okay, but how? Thest memory I had was getting on my bed to sleep. I had no thoughts about going on a Spiritual Journey whatsoever or even Dreaming. I just wanted to sleep. Wait, didn''t you say that you were expecting me somehow?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Yes, we are indeed expecting you."

    "But not this early."

    "Indeed, not this early."

    "Okay, I''m going to need a little bit more than that, old man. I need some exnation or something. I literally have no idea what''s happening and I think you know something since you said it yourself, you were expecting me, so spill! What''s all this about?"

    The butler adjusted his monocle before saying: "As much as I would like to tell you, I''m in the dark for the most part as well. But I know someone who can answer your question."

    "Who?"

    "Who else? The Master of the Pce, of course! Sadly, I''m afraid that it has to wait since Master''s currently entertaining a guest right now��"

    Ashton saw the old man turning frigid for a bit, making him feel weird. Then, after a few seconds, the old man adjusted his monocle again and continued:

    "Nevermind. Master will see you now...please follow me."

    Ashton blinked and started following the old man. Along the way, Ashton couldn''t help but think about his current situation.

    It was extremely bizarre. He had never expected something like this ever happening yet here he was. What exactly is going on? Ashton needs answers pronto before he starts losing his marbles.

    Thankfully, it didn''t take long. They arrived in front of a massive door. The Butler opened them up, struggling as he did so and only managing to part them just enough for him to fit.

    Wiping his sweat, the old man gestured for him to enter, signifying that he won''t be following him inside.

    Ashton steeled his nerves and stepped inside the room. And to his surprise yet again, he felt as if he entered another world entirely.

    He arrived at a garden filled with all sorts of flora and fauna he had never seen before. Light danced around him like they were alive and profoundws manifested before him, looking at him curiously like he was some sort of ab rat.

    He walked deeper into the garden and heard a faint voice which he followed, as he went closer, their conversations started ringing in his ears.

    "...outsourcing? Really? How in the world did you think of this idea?"

    "I mean, I certainly didn''t. I was just there at the right ce at the right time. I call that fate. Plus, we don''t have any for the Reality Marble anyway, so I thought I might as well give it to him."

    "...you know that ''he'' will make you miserable for doing this right?"

    "He doesn''t have to know."

    "Hah! Bold of you to assume that you can keep a secret from ''him''. Do I need to remind you what the words ''omnipotent'' and ''omniscient'' means, and how ''he'' is the literal embodiment of both? To be honest, I''d be surprised if he didn''t already know about this."

    "...I''ll worry about itter. For now, why don''t we entertain our little guest?"

    And just like that, two pairs of eyesnded on Ashton.

    The fact that he couldn''t get an urate read on these two, didn''t help at all. Just from a single nce, Ashton could tell that he was outssed. It wasn''t even remotely close, at all.

    "Ashton West, right?"

    The man with wild blonde hair and deeply tanned skin asked. He''s wearing a majestic brown robe with golden linings. From him, Ashton could sense the strength of a God Beast.

    Next to him was a man who had long crimson hair and a paleplexion. His red wine-colored pupils reflected a sea of blood that not even the phenomenon brought on by his scythe could ever match.

    "Y-yes, that''s my name."

    Ashton was cowed by their earnest gaze. For whatever reason, he feels extremely threatened and awed at the same time. He also felt like it was sphemous for him to look them in the eye but he also couldn''t peel his eyes away from them.

    He had never felt this kind of thing before. And to bepletely honest, he''s at a loss on what to do at this very moment.

    "You''ve grown up a little too quickly." The blonde man stated, sounding as if he was familiar with him. "I guess it can''t be helped, you did end up in a troubled world so you didn''t have many options avable for you."

    "I''m sorry...what?" Ashton was confused.

 Chapter 256 Gods Gift

    "What I''m trying to say is that you came here way too early." The blonde man said. "You''re nowhere near ready yet. You still have strong karmic ties binding you to that world."

    "I...don''t get it." Ashton groaned. "The butler said that same thing, but it''s not like I wanted toe here in the first ce. I don''t even know where this is, I just woke up in this world, thinking that I''m still dreaming but to my surprise, I''m not. I really don''t know what''s going on."

    The guy with the crimson hair snorted and sighed, he tapped the blonde man''s shoulders and said:

    "Stop running around in circles with the kid. Use the time wisely, we both know he can''t stay here for too long, or else his body will be harmed."

    Well, that was news to him. Add that to the list of things he didn''t know about.

    "Right." The blonde man nodded, he then faced Ashton and said: "Kid, there is a reason why you arrived here, be it on purpose or not. Right now, I can''t tell you anything because I don''t want to add another burden to the Karma that we share."

    "Had youe here at the right time, we could''ve had a long talk. I would like to exin everything to you since I owe you that much. But since that''s not the case, then the situation is different from what I imagine it would be."

    Yep, nothing''s making sense to Ashton right now. All he knows is that this deliberate mystification of his situation was pissing him off.

    "Basically...you''re in grave danger." The blonde suddenly spat out.

    "Huh!?" Ashton let out a scandalized sound.

    The crimson-haired guy snorted and said: "Way to go, dumbass. You''ve been alive for pretty much millions of years yet you still don''t know how to deliver a speech properly. Unbelievable."

    "Shut the fuck up!" The blonde man red at him before returning his attention to Ashton. "I told you there''s a reason why you arrived here despite you not being ready yet, right? Well, that''s the reason, you''re in grave danger. And by extension, the people you care about are also in grave danger."

    "That...doesn''t make any sense. I''m fine! Not just me but my people as well. What kind of danger are you talking about?"

    "The grave kind?" The blonde answered and the guy beside him snorted again due to his stupidity. Ashton on the other hand, felt like this man was just messing with him.

    "Okay, let me try this again." The blonde guy adjusted his position and suddenly looked as if he just got a bright idea.

    "You''re um...ah, what do you call it again? Um...System? Yeah, System! The one that rewards you with things out of nothing in exchange for doing certain tasks and shit?"

    "..." Ashton''s eyes constricted.

    "I''m the one who gave you that." The blonde man revealed. "I was also the one responsible for your transmigration to the world that you''re living in right now."

    And Ashton felt the world spinning violently around him.

    ''Holy shit!'' He eximed inwardly. He absolutely cannot believe that this is happening, yet he also couldn''t deny this reality either.

    For the longest time, he wondered just who was responsible for the System''s existence.

    He absolutely did not believe that this just urred out of nowhere and he just happened to be at the right ce at the right time, like what happened with MCs of the novels he read in the previous world.

    Ashton was convinced that there was a deeper exnation for what happened to him because it was all too coincidental if he were to bepletely honest.

    Yet even after receiving the answer, he still found himself shocked to his core.

    This man before him, this very powerful yet also stupid-looking man right here, was the one who was responsible for giving him a second chance in a new world.

    Honestly, Ashton doesn''t know what to feel about this.

    "That much, I can reveal at least. If you want to know more, you''ll have it once the time is right. But I digress...let''s return to the main problem."

    "Basically, using your jargon, I''ve installed an ''Emergency Panic Button'' on your System in case it senses a problem that the current you cannot solve. That button was triggered and that''s why you ended up here. Does that finally make sense to you?"

    "...yes." Ashton answered.

    "Good. Now, the world I put you in had some problems in it. Yes, I''m aware of it and there''s a good reason. Sadly, I can''t reveal my intentions to you just yet because that will deepen the Karma that we share, and trust me, you are nowhere near ready to handle that."

    "And yes, you can argue that I could''ve just solved the problem for you and allowed you to live a peaceful life, but honestly that won''t work."

    Ashton was about to subconsciously ask why when the crimson-haired man suddenly chimed in.

    "We''re too strong for your world, Kid." He says, "Even the faintest sliver of our aura could possibly destroy the world that you live in. In fact, we can''t even look at it directly since that would put it in danger too. The only way this doofus can observe your world is through your eyes."

    "He also can''t interfere much because of Karma. If he got you tainted with his, that''s enough to kill you. And that''s not something we want to happen."

    Ashton nodded faintly. Somehow, everything''s making sense for him now.

    "Be more aggressive, Kid." The blonde man suddenly said. "That''s the only advice I could give you to help with your situation."

    "Don''t get me wrong, you''re doing great. But it''s not enough. You already realized it haven''t you? Your enemies had a far richer historypared to you."

    "Your progress is fast, but it''s nowhere near fast enough to even out the deficiencies between you and your enemies. You need to be more proactive in your moves. n out for every single variable so that there will be no surprises for you and keep on moving forward."

    "Don''t be afraid of leaving people behind, it''s not your responsibility to make them catch up with you. If they want to, then they will. That''s out of your jurisdiction. All you need to do is to continue doing what you do with an even fiercer stride. That''s how you''ll ensure the safety and prosperity of those you care about."

    "Trust me, I would know...because that''s how that ''man'' raised us, allowing us to reach this point in our lives." The blonde said, almost whispering thest part.

    "Yep. That ''man'' was one hell of a schemer." The crimson-haired guy chimed in again.

    Ashton internalized their words.

    So basically, the System brought him here to ask for help. He didn''t know that something like this was possible but here he was. This blonde man in front of him was like his Patron or something because he was the one responsible for his transmigration and was also the one who gifted him the System.

    This man then tells him that he''s in grave danger because the System sensed something he couldn''t, do and brought him here to receive some help.

    And what he got was the advice that he needed to be more aggressive in his advances. Not to put too much attention on allowing the people around him to adjust because if they want to, they''ll be able to do so without his help.

    "I''m also giving you this..." the blonde man handed him a crystal which flew towards him and disappeared on his chest. "That crystal contains some goodies. You can open it once you return to your body. Hey you, give my kid something too."

    The crimson-haired man rolled his eyes and took out a piece of paper which he flicked towards Ashton, simrly, this also disappeared on his chest.

    "That paper contains a method on how you can properly refine the blood and spirits trapped on your Scythe. You''ll receive it when you wake up."

    "Oh, you''re starting to fade. It seems that you''re about to return." The blonde pointed out.

    And indeed, when Ashton looked at his hands, he almost didn''t see them because he was starting to fade away.

    "Do you have any questions for me before you leave?" The blonde man asked.

    "What''s your name?"

    The blonde man chuckled and said: "Refer to me as Beast God for now, and my buddy right here is the Death God."

    The Death God groaned in difort upon hearing that.

    "We can''t reveal our true names to you because that will endanger you. Don''t worry, you''ll know us more when the timees. Also, don''t be afraid, you''re a strong kid. Move forward and stay true to yourself. I''ll be expecting great things from you."

    Those were thest words Ashton heard before he felt a pull that took him away.

    The two watch him fade and were silent for a bit. Then, the Death God said:

    "You know, this ''Outsourcing'' thing that you do? It''s not a bad idea."

    "I know right?" The Beast God said before resting his back on his chair.

 Chapter 257 Soul Refinement

    ''They said that I''m in grave danger...but they didn''t even tell me what kind of danger they''re talking about.''

    This was Ashton''s first thought the moment he woke up on his bed.

    By now, he''s certain that what happened wasn''t a dream. He indeed went on a Spiritual Journey and met the person who was responsible for his transmigration to this world and the one who gave him the System.

    Even though they failed to inform him exactly what kind of danger he''s truly in, Ashton has some clues.

    They''re probably referring to the invaders. Because who else could it be? No humans could go up against him, and even though there are a handful of people who didn''t like him, there was no way they could pose even the slightest threat to him.

    The moment they do, Jerry and his Guild will instantly snuff them out so he doesn''t have anything to worry about when ites to his side.

    So if it''s not here, then it''s the invaders. That''s the only answer he could think about right now.

    ''In hindsight, I really should''ve seen iting.'' He groaned inwardly, ''We killed several important people from their side. And for their race that had been used to being the dominant one, a small world repelling them would certainly be rming.''

    ''I wouldn''t be surprised if the Head Figures are on their way here. Also, that would exin why the hidden protocol of the System was triggered and sent me to meet with the Beast God.''

    ''The Blue might be protected from the fleet stationed right outside of its space, but I can''t say for sure if the barrier will be effective against the Head Figures as well.''

    ''Beast God was right. I should''ve been more aggressive in terms of development.''

    Ashton sighed to himself as he got out of bed. It''s currently midnight and Aria''s still asleep on their shared bed. He was careful with his actions since he didn''t want to wake her up just yet.

    He went down to the kitchen to make some snacks for himself. Still being careful, making as little noise and mess as possible.

    Once he was done, he went to the living room to chill for a bit and drown in his thoughts.

    ''System, use the gift of Death God please.''

    [As you wish, Host. Loading information now.]

    Ashton closed his eyes mid-bite of his snack when a flood of new information assaulted his brain.

    Details about souls were imprinted on his mind, and their habits and behaviors as well as information about how to properly utilize them ording to the situation that fits him were included in this paper.

    The fact that Death God purposefully created this for him was incredible. It''s as if Death God were expecting to meet him in the first ce. He didn''t see Death God writing this on the spot so that means he already had it prepared beforehand. That, or Death God did write at the very moment and he just didn''t see it. The Death God was powerful after all so it wouldn''t be surprising if that''s what happened.

    [Notice! Skill: Soul Refinement has been created and added to the existing list of Skills.]

    [Soul Refinement (Learned)]

    : The ability to utilize Souls ording to one''s intended purpose. This skill came from a Divine Being and was created to perfectly suit the Host. It is intended to be used ording to how the Host thinks it should be utilized.

    ''...which basically means that this Skill is something I should use to refine the Souls I trapped in the Bone Scythe.'' Ashton added.

    This was on par with what the Death God told him in the first ce, and this is what he also intends to do anyways so it''s all good.

    And since Ashton has plenty of Skill Points umted so far, he immediately pumped them all into the Soul Refinement Skill, instantly making it a 5-Star Ascended Rank, putting it right next to his Basic Scythe Arts which was also at the same Rank.

    Another wave of information assaulted his brain but just as before, he was prepared for it. It only took him a couple of seconds to digest everything, he went from aplete novice to an absolute master at Soul Refinement in no time, and he didn''t even sweat in the process at all.

    ''Hallelujah...'' Ashton mumbled inwardly.

    He finished eating his snacks and took his Scythe out. If this was him before he learned Soul Refinement, he would''ve felt awed by the sight of it.

    But now that he had learned Soul Refinement, he couldn''t help but grimace at the sight of it.

    Frankly, the Scythe was a mess. The sheer poption of souls trapped in it was a sight for sore eyes. This must''ve annoyed the Death God when he saw it which ultimately made him decide to teach Ashton the Soul Refinement skill.

    Honestly, Ashton couldn''t me him. In his point of view as a Master of Soul Refinement, it is indeed trashy, but he could fix it now so it''s all good.

    ''With this many souls, I could condense at least 5 Traits for the scythe. Alright, let''s do this.''

    He hovered his hand over the surface of the scythe''s edge and used the skill.

    The way how he immediately heard the bombardment of shrill screams from the trapped souls nearly caused him to lose focus. Fortunately, he managed to hold on despite it.

    He gathered the souls and transposed their essences into something more tame and useful for the scythe itself. He got rid of their remaining consciousness and turned the souls into a condensed source of power.

    Ashton had a lot of souls to work with and by the time he was done, his estimates indeed proved to be true.

    [Blood-Drinking Bone Scythe]

    Type: Perfect Treasure Armament

    Description:

    : Once an ordinary scythe with the power to devour blood and soul to strengthen itself. It was once bloated with too many souls but its recent refinement solved this ring w. The souls were now used to condense traits that made the Scythe even more powerful than before.

    Traits:

    Unbreakable, Perpetual Sharpness, Ultimate Sync, Fatal Wounds, Bloody Resonance.

    There were no visible changes on the scythe, but there sure were in its aura. The traces of chaos in its bodypletely disappeared. It was reced by an unmistakable impression of a truly deadly weapon.

    This scythe will not allow just anyone to be its wielder. It''s picky now that it''s be like this. Fortunately, it''s cognizant enough to recognize Ashton as its creator and owner so it behaved like a child on his hands.

    Despite losing its chaotic aura, the scythe remains intimidating. In fact, it''s far scarier than before.

    The Unbreakable Traitunches the durability of the scythe to a nigh-indestructible level and the Perpetual Sharpness trait was self-exnatory.

    Ultimate Sync Trait makes it so that the Scythe will never be able to hurt him. It also allows him to instantly summon the scythe whenever he pleases and wherever it was. This scythe will only show its true power in the hands of people who got its recognition. Even more so in Ashton''s hands.

    The Fatal Wounds Trait makes it so that all injuries inflicted by this weapon against life will be almost incurable.

    And finally, Bloody Resonance was an upgrade to the Blood-Drinking Seal. This trait allows the Scythe to absorb blood more efficiently and extract more vitality and power from the source.

    With these traits all taking effect in the Scythe, Ashton practically received a massive boost in his strength.

    The scythe feels more familiar in his hands and is easier to use. He never realized how much the souls weigh it down until they were gone. Now, he could perform his skills with double the effect with less effort. It''s just better like this.

    Plus, the scythe had be a better conductor of all types of energy post-refinement. When he applied mana, the edge glowed with a pure sky-blue gleam. When he applied Aether Energy, the edge turned pristine white.

    And when he applied his Dream Laws to it, the edge glowed with a morous rainbow-colored light.

    This was a clear indicator that the Scythe indeed became a better conductor of energypared to before. Its overall quality was better and people would be hard-pressed to search for a better weapon even if they searched the whole world.

    This just puts a wide smile on Ashton''s face.

    Additionally, he no longer has to worry about the trapped souls. Before, he always had to be worried that someone from the invaders could potentially use the trapped souls against him. Which prompted him to always end the battle the moment he showed his scythe.

    Now, he no longer has to worry about that. The souls were now transposed into useful traits. And since he had learned Soul Refinement, it will never be a problem anymore.

    ''Alright.'' Ashton sighed after he was done admiring the scythe. He put it back and focused on the System once more.

    ''System, open the package that Beast God gave to me.''

 Chapter 258 Creators Gift Package

    [Creator''s Gift Pack, opened! You received: Mysterious Watering Can ��1, Cultivation Technique ��1, Beast Egg ��1, Protective Talisman ��1, and ''???'' ��1]

    Ashton frowned upon seeing these. He checked them one by one to take a look at their descriptions.

    [Mysterious Watering Can]

    : Creator''s Note �� ''Give this to your little Fairy Queen, she''d know what to do with this. I made this for that little sprout of yours.''

    Ashton was confused at first but then it hit him. A watering can that can be used by the Fairy Queen? That means this was made for the El-Tree Sprout!

    ''Of course, he''d know about it.'' Ashton muttered inwardly. At this point, he wouldn''t be surprised if the Beast God doesn''t just know his past and his present, but also his future as well.

    Ashton then unwrapped the cultivation technique and this is what greeted him.

    [Dream Soul Immortal Scripture]

    : Creator''s Note �� ''Switch to this instead, it suits the current you better. Don''t worry, this won''t require you to start from scratch.''

    ''The name sounds really pretentious.'' Ashton pointed out.

    And if he had seen this somewhere else, he probably wouldn''t have thought much of it, much less pay attention to it. But since this was given to him by Beast God, who''s his patron essentially, then he believed that it was worth the risk.

    Without any further ado, Ashton consumed the Dream Soul Immortal Scripture, and the knowledge it contains filled his brain.

    Because Ashton''s a Sorcerer now, the Mortal Ranks of cultivation weren''t included in the scripture anymore. But theck of that certainly did not hinder the greatness of the knowledge he just received.

    ''This is crazy...'' Ashton muttered inwardly with wide eyes.

    The sheer amount of details it has on the High-Evolutionary Ranks; Void, Star Child, Star-Lord, Star King, World Sage, Cosmic Emperor, and Divine God, wereplete.

    It had to be known that even though Ashton did know what the High-Evolutionary Ranks were, he was missing details about it.

    There''s just no helping it. After all, only a handful of people ever broke through their mortal shackles and left instructions behind. This current generation has to figure that out for themselves and with him in the lead, this was one of his duties as well.

    He could''ve asked for some advice from the ex-President of the Federation. Unfortunately, they all passed away now. With the Twisted Heavenly Tree''s evolution to the Twisted Heavenly Bulwark, it had let go of the Spirits of the old, letting them have eternal rest. He couldn''t even say goodbye to them, they just disappeared.

    Also, they already tabted their personal experiences on the Grand Archives, so they don''t have much to say anymore.

    Right now, the only High-Evolutionary Cultivator on Fantasia was Oracle Felecia. She''s a World Sage, which was admirable. Sadly, she doesn''t specialize inbat. Plus, her strength was mainly supplied to her by Gaia so she won''t be of much help.

    But now, with thisplete information about High-Evolutionary Ranks. Ashton got some more room to maneuver. This would be a serious boon in expanding their Cultivation Repository, and since he could create Cultivation Techniques now, then he could start creating them to encourage his allies even more.

    But of course, that''s all secondary for now. What''s important to him was the effect that the technique has on him.

    And boy, it did not disappoint. Not at all...

    Just like how the Soul Refinement Skill was tailored for him, the Dream Soul Immortal Scripture was that too.

    By cultivating it, Ashton would be even more elusive and mysterious. It allows him to amplify the structure and effectiveness of his Dream Laws which, as we all have learned, could exert an influence in reality.

    If he uses this, his Dreams would be even harder to recognize by others. Breaking it would be even more difficult.

    This technique also strengthens Ashton''s Soul, which is something that usually gets neglected a lot in cultivation.

    A person''s soul grows stronger as they cultivate, however even though that''s the case, the soul still remains vulnerable since there aren''t a lot of things out there that could be used to train it.

    With this technique, Ashton could eliminate that problem. In fact, he can even use it as inspiration to make something that would train others'' Souls too.

    ''I''ll definitely switch to this when I''ve reached Lv.9 Sorcerer.'' Ashton decided.

    He then kept this information at the back of his mind and check the rest of the items he received.

    [Beast Egg]

    : Creator''s Note �� ''This little guy''s a special one. A perfectpanion for you. Feed a drop of your blood to it for 100 days straight and it will hatch. You''ll find out what it is by then.''

    ''Another mystery.'' Ashton sighed. He took out the Beast Egg to admire it a bit.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The size reminds him of an ostrich''s Egg, it''s heavy and its surface was smooth. The shell was white and there were no visible signs of what was inside of it.

    ''I might as well start it now.'' He mused to himself.

    He nicked his finger and smeared a drop of his blood on the shell. He watched in amazement as the egg immediately absorbed his blood. Glowing with a rainbow-colored radiance for a bit before fading.

    Ashton felt the egg tremble for a bit before returning to its dormant state.

    Oh, it''s alive alright. To be honest, Ashton was quite tempted to feed it some more but he prevented himself. The instructions were clear, just a drop of blood every day for 100 days straight was enough. He didn''t want to do more since it might turn out harmful for the creature instead.

    Plus, the wound he made on his finger already healed and he''s toozy to do it again...

    ''Alright, next.''

    Ashton kept the egg and took out the next item.

    [Protective Talisman]

    : Creator''s Note �� ''For insurance. Tear this apart once you find yourself backed into a corner. It contains an attack of mine that is strong enough to get rid of your problems temporarily.''

    Ashton''s eyes shone. This item was great. At least he had anotheryer of security for what was about to happen in the future.

    Though, if he were to be honest, it''s a bit difficult for him to see a scenario where he''d be pushed to that extent, it is nice to know that he had options if it truly boils down to that.

    And finally, thest item was...

    [???]

    : Creator''s Note �� Don''t bother with this. In time, you''ll know what it is. Just be patient.

    Yep, another mystery item. This one he couldn''t even take out of the Inventory because it wouldn''t let him. It''s just there, taking space on his inventory and causing him to feel bothered.

    Ashton''s not a fan of mystery so this really bothered him. Yet so far, the Beast God was nothing but helpful to him. Although he confused Ashton so much, thetter could tell that he did it for protection and care.

    The Beast God hadn''t given Ashton any reason to be on guard against him, so he''s choosing to trust the Beast God''s arrangements for now. If this fails, then hopefully it isn''t toote to change it up.

    Anyways, for the most part, the items he received were phenomenal.

    He went to the pocket dimension where El-Tree and the Dragon Vein were located to give the Fairy Queen the watering can.

    She looked mildly offended and skeptical when she saw the watering can but upon receiving it, her attitude changed.

    Apparently, that watering can was a tool that automatically condenses something called Life Essence Dew.

    Life Essence Dew was basically concentrated Life Energy. A drop of that could extend a mortal''s lifespan by 100 years and make them youthful. The fact that this odd-looking watering can has this kind of function was truly insane.

    Plus, the Mysterious Watering Can condense 10 dews of Life Essence per day. That''s more than what they expected but it''s a great thing.

    Without a doubt, this was the best nourishment for the El-Tree Sprout. By feeding it Life Essence Dew every day, its growth will seriously be boosted. Allowing it to unlock more of its abilities and greatness.

    Ashton and the Fairy Queen agreed to reserve at least 3 drops of Life Essence Dew every day. One would be given to her as payment for tending to the tree and the other two go to Ashton for future experiments.

    This meant that the El-Tree will be watered with 7 drops of Life Essence Dew every day. That should be enough to properly its growth.

    Once he made that arrangement, he left and returned home.

    Since he had basically checked everything he received from his meeting with the Beast God and the Death God, it was time for him to make ns and do something.

    He hadn''t forgotten about Beast God''s warning to him.

    Ashton was fine to face the threat to himself, but he''d be damned if he let that danger affect his loved ones too.

    ''Bring it on, bitch! Let''s see what you got for me.''

 Chapter 259 The Man And The Fisherman

    "...so, it''s this world, huh?"

    In outer space, just around the vicinity of the Blue where the Grand Fleet of the Celestials was stationed, a man could be seen walking in the vacuum of space seemingly fine.

    He looked like a human more than a Celestial. He''s about five feet and 9 inches tall, has bronze-tinted skin, he has light blue eyes that created a sharp contrast with his skin color. He had long brown hair that reaches his waist and he was wearing a pristine white robe.

    His appearance looks simple but it has a subtle elegance. The way he carried himself speaks volumes of his status, if that wasn''t already a sign, then perhaps the entire army of Celestials kneeling respectfully behind him would be enough.

    This isn''t just any other Celestial. This man is someone that is known by almost all Celestials, and Hypogeans as well, meeting him is considered a rare urrence because of his status, so for him to personally visit this backward, meant that things were really about to go down.

    "Such a small thing..." He mumbled to himself, "It certainly gives me an impression that I could just crush it with a simple squeeze of my hand, yet it''s surprisingly sturdy."

    The man''s expression was cold and dismissive, yet behind that coldness was a hint of curiosity.

    To think that such a small like this caused them some rather rming casualties is something that he would never dare to imagine before. Yet that''s precisely what''s happening now.

    "You all, go back to your jobs. I''ll go ahead and have a look."

    "B-but Sire��!"

    The one who tried to argue with his decision was met with a cold and soul-chilling re that caused them to freeze on the spot. The man didn''t need to say anything after that, his re already said what needed to be said.

    Unable to argue with him, the others had no choice but to follow his orders. They retreated and gave the man his freedom to move on his own.

    Of course, some were worried about the man. They couldn''t help it. They''ve seen this scene before where someone from their side felt a little too confident about their abilities and made a personal trip to that only to never be heard from ever again.

    They were worried that the same might happen to this man as well, but at the end of the day, they couldn''t go against the man''s decision to go alone.

    All they could do is to trust in his abilities and pray that he wouldn''t fall for whatever nasty trap that world has to offer.

    The man remained inconsiderate of their worries. He was fully andpletely convinced that this world doesn''t have what it takes to hurt him. He had absolute faith in his power to make him think so.

    And thus, he did not hesitate. He descended into the world.

    Its flimsy barrier trembled for a split second. A sh of rainbow-colored light shone on its surface, briefly surprising the man before eventually giving way for him to pass through.

    ''What were that colorful lights all about?'' The man was momentarily confused. Eventually, he decided to discard that thought and return to the present.

    The barrier didn''t break, which somewhat surprised the man but he paid it no mind. After all, this was the same barrier that none of their tools managed to prate.

    Still, the fact that it couldn''t handle him was a sign that he had nothing to worry about. If this was all this world could do to keep them from colonizing it, then it''s already failing miserably.

    The man''s descent was unhindered until hended on the ground.

    Hisnding was as soft as a feather. Despite its speed, hended without making any noise, disruption, or damage to the earth.

    He looked around uponnding, silently taking in the atmosphere of this world.

    Despite his obvious disdain for such a like this, he wouldn''t deny how peaceful it looked.

    Sure it can make do without the filthy trace of Hypogean Corruption but for the most part, especially thends untouched by neither the miracle nor corruption, it carried a sense of subtle beauty that he could admire.

    He walked barefoot on the''s soil. Experiencing everything it could offer. Its atmosphere was truly simple, making it obvious just how this world was certainly geared for mere mortals.

    ''It''s quite romantic, actually.'' He couldn''t help but think. ''It''d be nice if we could turn this into a province. I bet Father would like it here.''

    As he walked around, he could see some rather strange developments around.

    He saw the Strays: Demons, and Angels who broke off from the influence of Laguna and Qliphoth, acting like royalties around.

    The man scoffed in disdain upon witnessing this. Fools, all of them. To think that they even dare to think that they are worth that much to put a crown on their heads.

    They don''t know the immensity of Heaven and Earth. They''re frogs in a well.

    The man ignored them for the most part. He couldn''t be bothered to lift a finger to deal with these fools. It''s just not worth it. He could just ask his minions to take care of them.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He moved on to the real objective of his visit here, and that is the Humans. That''s what the locals of this world are called ording to the reports he received. And they''re also the ones who are giving them some surprising failures in their attempts to colonize this world.

    The man already knew the location of their little home. They''re like a tribe of barbarians. Holing up in a small portion of what this world has to offer.

    In his eyes, the fact that Humans don''t even have what it takes to fully utilize every single square inch of their home world was a clear sign of their ipetence.

    They don''t deserve this world without that kind of ability, so why don''t they just roll over and die? If they were to just hand the ownership of this world to the Celestials, then they wouldn''t need to suffer from any of this! Wouldn''t that be a much better use of everybody''s time?

    s, he might never really understand how the minds of mortals work. After all, his birthright automatically denies him that kind ofpassion.

    And then, he finally saw it...

    To bepletely honest, it was a bit impressive. At leastpared to other worlds that he had been through before. He could see some semnce of prosperity in this ce.

    If they were to be left alone for a couple of hundred years, then they might have what it takes for Celestials to take them seriously.

    Unfortunately, that can never happen now. After all, they''ve made too much noise and got his attention.

    And while the man was certainly up for a challenge, he''d be damned if he let some lesser creatures catch up to the progress of their race.

    They don''t need another rival, like the Hypogeans, in their long list of worries...

    Because of his appearance, and being close to that Humans, he didn''t receive that much attention, which was rather refreshing. He melded in with the crowd seamlessly, as if he belongs there.

    The gates were open wide and he just casually strolled inside, not triggering any sort of rm whatsoever.

    Walking around this civilization made him fully aware of just how backward this truly was.

    The mundanity of their problems gave him the impression that they were just mortals. There is nothing worth to be seen here.

    ...so how in the world did this world give his men some serious trouble?

    Out of nowhere, the man heard a whistling tune.

    Something about it made him pay attention to it. Unable to fight his curiosity, he followed the melody and it lead him to a rather obscure path leading to a smallke.

    There, he found a man wearing a white cloak. He''s sitting by the edge of theke with his fishing rod and whistling the same tune that leads him to discover this ce.

    The man felt emboldened out of nowhere and he approached this man with the intent of striking up a conversation. But it was then that the man somehow managed to sense his presence and looked over in his direction.

    Their eyes met and suddenly, he wasn''t able to speak. Then, the fisherman smiled at him meaningfully before saying:

    "Ah...so you''re here. I didn''t expect you to look like that but...mn, not bad."

    The man was confused about that of course, because the fisherman sounded like he was familiar with him, making the man question his memories.

    "I''d like to talk to you some more, but I''m afraid that this isn''t the right time or ce to do so. We''ll see in the future, I guess. Until then..."

    The fisherman suddenly reeled in his catch and all of a sudden, the world spun.

    The man was surprised by the sudden change and before he knew it, he found himself standing in the vacuum of space, beneath him was the world he could swear he was just in.

    He blinked in disbelief before hollowly asking himself:

    ''How much of that was real?''

    ''How much was fake?''

    A shiver run down his spine and a wicked smile appeared on his face before he startedughing uproariously.

    "It looks like I got myself an interesting new toy..."

 Chapter 260 Buying Time

    ''They indeed came...''

    Ashton''s guesses were on point. Important people from both the Celestial and Hypogean camps came. They practically arrived at the same time, much to his surprise.

    It''s as if they''ve talked about it beforeing here.

    ''If it weren''t for the Dream Laws, I might''ve been forced to confront the two of them at the same time. That surely wouldn''t end well for me.'' Ashton grimaced at the bullet he just dodged.

    The two additions to his headache were strong. Extremely so.

    No human, not even him, was strong enough to face them currently. He could feel the disparity right away the moment heid eyes on them.

    This made him understand why the System''s senses were triggered, which ended up with his meeting with the Beast God and Death God. He was indeed in grave danger. Those two were simply beyond the level that he could currently handle.

    If they managed to get close, Ashton wouldn''t even know how he died.

    The one from the Hypogean Camp was certainly a Demon Emperor at the very least. Demon Emperors are the direct subordinate of the Demon God and surely their strength wasn''t anything he could scoff about.

    On the other hand, there also came one of the Celestial God''s Miraculous Children, which was the one who just visited a few days ago.

    Both were extremely dangerous. Ashton sweated real bad once he discovered their presence. He did his absolute best to set up numerous ways to prevent them from hurting anybody. Thankfully, he seeded.

    Again, he had his Dream Laws to thank for that.

    Even though he was inexperienced with it, he still managed to utilize it well enough to make sure that the situation will fall in Humanity''s favor.

    When the Demon Emperor and the Miraculous Son visited, he sensed them approaching the Twisted Heavenly Bulwark. He used their confidence as fuel to make an illusion that the barrier was so flimsy that it tore apart the moment they approached it.

    That scene caused them to feel better about themselves, even if slightly, which was enough for them to lower their guard. And when that happened, that''s when he pulled them into a Dream and trapped them in there.

    He fed them visions of mixed truths and lies. And while they navigated the dream, Ashton nted a seed of suggestion in their subconscious mind, making them not attack humanity personally. It''s a suggestion to basically leave the fighting to their subordinates while they remain stationed where they are.

    Ashton did this for several reasons...

    The main reason was to buy time for Humanity. They absolutely could not handle a direct confrontation against those two just yet so they needed to stall for time.

    If the suggestion works and Ashton thinks that it will, then those two will start sending their stronger minions here by hook or by crook, which is rtively fine so long as it''s not the two.

    Humanity can use those stronger minions to temper themselves in battle, making them stronger. This is obviously what Ashton was gunning for.

    The longer the time he bought for Humanity, the higher their chances are for survival.

    Sighing in helplessness, Ashton rested his back on his chair and looked out the window. He gazed at the clouds that passed by as he marinated in his thoughts.

    ''The next passing years would be tense...'' he mused to himself.

    Alice stood in the middle of a Dojo.

    She''s wearing a training gi with her hair tied in a bun to keep it from being a nuisance.

    Her forehead was covered with droplets of sweat, pouring down on her face and drenching her clothes. However, she didn''t pay any attention to that.

    Instead, she gripped a wooden sword firmly with an expression of clear-cut focus. She expertly performed a series of sword stances. The way she connected it made the entire performance look like an artistic yet also very lethal dance.

    Others might not know but those who know a thing or two about swords would realize that this dance was, in truth, just the basic sword stances performed one after another.

    Alice was undoubtedly the strongest sword wielder in this era. Everybody acknowledges that. She owned that title without even needing to ask for it.

    Her expertise in her techniques was a subject of interest and inspiration to many. If she were to announce that she''s epting a disciple, there would be a very long list of applicants that would show up at her door in no time t.

    That being said, despite her achievements, Alice still felt ipetent. And this doesn''t just apply to her, Mary and ke felt the same way as well.<novelnext></novelnext>

    They were doing great. Truly, they do.

    Ashton has told them this multiple times already. In fact, if Heroes of the old were still alive in this current era, they would probably be the same because truly, they are a different breed.

    They are stronger, more experienced, and received more guidance and resourcespared to their predecessors. They are a cut above the rest and they should be proud of that.

    Unfortunately, the world sometimes likes making fun of people be it intentionally or not.

    The moment they started feeling confident and proud about their progress, something happened that made them feel like shit all over again.

    Ashton might''ve tried his best to keep mum about what happened but he''s not fooling them. He might be stronger than them but not by much.

    They felt the arrival of two monsters too, and their reactions to it were anything but heroic.

    They froze. Unable to move a single finger nor even dared to breathe out loud.

    The presence of those two overwhelmed them that easily, and they weren''t even trying. They came with the intent to see thepetition, not to kill, yet that apparently was enough for Alice, ke, and Mary to feel like all they could do was wait for their doom.

    All they did was stare as Ashton hurriedly used everything in his power to make sure that everybody was safe. He didn''t say a word, not even a cry for help.

    He did it all by himself, driven by sheer duty and responsibility, he was able to face something that was clearly beyond his pay grade and handle it beautifully.

    It took the three of them a whole hour after those two left to get their motor functions back. Even then, the weakness they felt didn''t allow them to feel relief or peace.

    They hadn''t talked about that incident yet, but was there a need to?

    The fact that they all threw themselves in training, immediately, after they recovered and hadn''t looked back, was enough to say what they wanted to say, right?

    Whatever strength she might possess right now? It''s nowhere near enough to confront the monsters she just saw. She''s gonna more strength if she wanted to be useful.

    Sadly, she''s met with a bottleneck right now. This was normal of course, after all, she was attempting to break her mortal shackles to transcend her current form. No matter who you ask, they''d say the same thing, that it''s going to be extremely challenging to do that.

    But Alice was already a the cusp of enlightenment. She could see the light at the end of the tunnel, she could practically feel the thin film that was preventing her from advancing.

    Whatever she was doing was obviously working. She just needs a little more push and pressure, then she''d cross that stage.

    It might take her months at best, or years at worst, but she''s gonna do it damn it! She''d be damned if she was caughtcking like that again.

    The three of them thought the same thing. They''re still relying heavily on Ashton, especially for things that should''ve been their duty.

    Ashton has said it before. He''s Humanity''sst line of defense. His duty is to run the world behind the scenes. He''s a trump card so he can''t show himself often.

    They are the main force of Humanity. The ones that the spotlight should focus on. They will be the named and famed Heroes. Not fake ones obviously since they have the strength thates with the title and responsibility.

    When the invaderse, it is their duty to be there and face them, not Ashton''s.

    They signed up for this. They were made fully aware of what was expected of them before they signed the contract. They know that this is something that they must do and they didn''t hesitate to take it.

    If they had the audacity to consume all the resources given to them, then they should also have the same energy when confronting those who threatened the safety of their race.

    Admittedly, they''re in this for the long haul. There''s a chance that they will die on duty but that''s a risk that they have learned to ept.

    ''Finish this war in this era...end it once and for all.''

    These are the words that fueled them now, it also represents their overall goal. And if they happen to fall while tending to their duties, so be it.

    For the sake of Humanity''s future, their lives are a small price to pay.

 Chapter 261 Developments

    Ashton hovered above the Fantasia, spreading his senses far and wide to monitor the world around them.

    His expression was solemn as he observed the current activity happening all over the map.

    Spatial Tears appeared here and there, a development that he and the Orackes certainly weren''t expecting. Said Spatial Tears are now pouring in hordes upon hordes of Celestials and Hypogeans.

    ? Upon counting, there were ten of these Spatial Tears that opened all at the same time. They are scattered all over the world, seemingly at random but there was a pattern.

    The Celestials that came from the Spatial Tears did not end up in any territories that are not considered part of the Celestial Territory. The same could be said with the Hypogeans as well.

    Those who just arrived saw the Strays and immediately handed out heavy punishment for them. However, that is as far as this aggression goes. Meaning that these visitors didn''t n on invading Humanity''s territory for now, at least.

    ''It seems that they''re trying to restore some semnce of control over the current camps for now.'' He mused to himself.

    Humanity''s constant victories previously shattered the confidence that these camps have, resulting in a conflict of interest which resulted in an imbnce of control.

    Now, it seems they''re trying to repair that first before shing with Humans again.

    ''At least they''re taking us seriously now.'' He continued to think. ''But still, to think that they have a way to bypass the barrier of the Twisted Heavenly Bulwark.''

    To be honest, the surprising development wasn''t as bad as it sounds. Although they indeed managed to bypass theyer of protection this world has, that doesn''t make it useless. After all, preventing the invaders from descending isn''t the only function it has.

    From what he had sensed so far, the strongest amongst those who just came was equivalent to a Star-Lord Ranked Cultivator.

    And while Humanity doesn''t have anybody strong enough to match those creatures, they''re notpletely helpless against them.

    Even the Demon Emperor and the Miraculous Son weren''t able to escape his special abilities...what would a mere Star-Lord amount to?

    ''Oh?'' Ashton raised a brow. He saw another unexpected development happening.

    It seems that the elected leaders of this batch of invaders nned to meet each other. They seem to be nning something.

    Well, Ashton couldn''t just leave them be now, could he? So of course, he promptly left his post, blending in with the world and vanishing in all sorts of senses.

    He arrived at the ce where he expected them to meet based on their route and speed. He also instantly covered that territory with his Dream Soul Domain.

    Inside this domain, they couldn''t hide anything from him. Their thoughts, habits, intentions...all of them are visible to him.

    He finished his setup just in time before they arrived. And from there, he just listened.

    A total of ten figures showed up. Five were surrounded with a holy light, d in full sets of golden attires while the other five were shrouded inplete darkness.

    ''Apostles and Sin Demons huh?'' Ashton mused to himself.

    Upon their arrival, it was clear that there was friction between the camps. It was somewhat hrious for Ashton to see how they resented and hated those from the other camps.

    The hostility in their gazes made the atmosphere tense. It''s as if they were about to fight at any given moment.

    Sigh

    A deep sigh was heard from one of the Apostles. It nearly caused the fuse to be lit but in the end, nothing happened.

    "Let''s not fight." The apostle who just sighed said. "Frankly, I''m tired. We were all fighting before we even came to this world. I haven''t even had a good rest before I was sent here."

    "We''re all tired to fight so let''s just not." The apostle continued, "Let''s just talk, yeah?"

    Both camps seem to agree with the apostle''s words, albeit unwillingly. It''s funny how they just couldn''t seem to stand the sight of each other.

    One of the Sin Demons, Ashton assumed that it was the Sin of Greed from its aura, stepped forward, and said:

    "Only while we''re here, Apostle Matthias. After we finished our shit here, I''ming for your neck."

    "Greed!" One of the Sin Demons looked perplexed by Greed''s sudden decision.

    "Get a grip on yourself, Wrath." Greed red at Wrath. "We received clear instructions from the Demon Emperor. We have no choice. If you cause yet another failure because of your impulsiveness, the Demon God will never forgive you anymore."

    Those words seemed to have been more than enough to pacify Wrath''s mood. Greed snorted and looked back at Apostle Matthias before saying:

    "Again, this truce onlysts here. Once wepleted this mission, don''t be surprised."

    "That''s fair." The Apostle now named Matthias, nodded in agreement. "I''ll agree to that on behalf of my fellow Apostles."

    The two of them shook hands for the briefest of moments before going back to their respective sides.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It was clear that they still haven''t discovered Ashton''s presence yet. He''s this close to them yet they didn''t feel a thing.

    "Alright so basically, we will restore order in our respective camps first. Once we''re ready, we will destroy these locals once and for all." Greed stated.

    "How many soldiers do you have?" Matthias asked.

    "Around 3.6 million troops. How about you?"

    "3.5 million. There''s moreing ording to the Miraculous Son."

    "Same with us." Greed replied.

    Ashton''s eyes darkened, upon hearing that. He didn''t like that at all. That many troops will instantly tten Fantasia even if they tried to resist it.

    "So that''s around 7 million troops plus more." Matthias hummed, "With the reinforcements, I assume that we will be looking at around 10-15 million, yeah?"

    "Yeah, that sounds about right." Greed replied.

    "And we''re all mobilizing them in a single go?" Matthias frowned, "Isn''t that an overkill?"

    "Well, the Demon Emperor wants the locals gone right away. Plus, it''s faster this way." Greed shrugged.

    When the Sin Demon said that, Ashton decided that he has listened enough. It wouldn''t take a genius to realize that if this truly ends up happening, Humanity was done for.

    It''s at this very moment that he utilized his power and plunged every single one of them into a Dream.

    None of them expected it to happen. They didn''t even realize that they''d lost consciousness right away, making thempletely defenseless against Ashton.

    Ashton waved his hand and a morous rainbow-colored haze appeared. The haze then turned into tendrils that wormed their way deep into the minds of every single one here.

    He had read their memories and saw some interesting things about the current situation.

    For starters, the Demon Emperor left the Sin Demons to decide how the mission would go. He only expects results for them, and that is the decimation of the locals by the time they''re done.

    The Demon Emperor did not specify any time limit for them, meaning that Greed lied just now.

    The same could be said for the Miraculous Son ording to Apostles'' memories. He didn''t give them any time limits nor dictated what they should do. He left it for them to figure out, expecting simr results to the Demon Emperor.

    Well, if this was the case, then manipting these fools should be easy.

    After nting the suggestions, Ashton disappeared once more. He then watched in interest how things y out now.

    All of them blinked a couple of times and then Greed started talking...

    "Yeah so, basically, we could just slowly tire them out. After all, we severely outnumber them." Greed said, "The Demon Emperor didn''t give us any time limit anyways. Plus, it''ll be more fun to see them shatter bit by bit by slowly draining hope from them."

    "Okay, so we will send a batch of troops continuously until they crumble?" Matthias asked in rification.

    "Yes. That''s the n at least. I''m open to suggestions if you have any."

    "No, that sounds good. We''ll go with that. Plus, this way at least, we can take it easy for a bit. I''ll just think of this as a vacation or something."

    "Sounds good." Greed shrugged. "Anyways, are we done here?"

    "Yeah."

    "Alright, we''ll go back now. Smell youter I guess."

    And just like that, the Apostles and the Sin Demons left, returning to their respective camps.

    Ashton who was still hidden from everything smiled semi-wickedly to himself.

    ''Worked like a charm...'' he hummed in satisfaction.

    He had sensed that both groups were carrying an artifact that could negate illusions and maybe rm them when it senses some. But those artifacts were never triggered since Ashton''s Dreams Laws are way above mere Illusion.

    It was truly a good thing that he had decided toe here. If he hadn''t, then he''d probably be forced to resort to some drastic measures in the future. But since he managed to interfere, the situation once again fell in Humanity''s favor.

    ''It seems that we should prepare for a Tower Defense from now on. Because that''s essentially what will happen because of my interference.''

    After musing about that thought, Ashton decided to return home.

 Chapter 262 First Batch Of Ascendants

    A few months passed without any attacks on Humanity.

    Those who arrived through a special method that bypassed the Twisted Heavenly Bulwark did in fact choose to round up their troops in the meantime, not bothering humans at all.

    There were activities all over the world. The Strays were basically punished and dealt with by the new arrivals, not allowing the Mystic Guild Members to do in their stead.

    As a result of that, there were frequent times when teams that went out to hunt returned empty-handed.

    Although they failed their mission, Ashton was just happy that they managed to return in one piece. After all, the invaders who just came into this world were a lot stronger than the ones they''re used to and more experienced as well. He''s just d that they haven''t had any heavy casualties so far.

    That being said, they couldn''t really avoid a sh forever. Eventually, they wille and disturb Fantasia''s peace again.

    Thankfully though, the Guild Members were briefed about the current situation. They were already informed that there were more invaders that came and they were a lot stronger.

    This caused the guild to double down in their efforts to be stronger since their home needs them.

    The situation caused the Guild to see drastic improvements in its strength. Not only that, but they''ve also recruited more people recently and they too are working hard to catch up.

    While his men were busy, Ashton was also fully booked.

    He had fully internalized the Beast God''s advice and doubled down on his aggression when ites to development.

    Ashton had moved forward some certain ns that he had in order to prepare for the worst. It''s been a while since he has been this busy but he''s fine with that.

    He also epted more Beneficiaries as well. Adding more to the potential revenue he could receive from the System by raising them. Of course, he didn''t forget about the ones he already have as well.

    Ashton made sure to spread out his attention to each of them, fully understanding what they need and guiding them in the right direction. This way, they wouldn''t be too dependent on him without giving them the impression that he''s useless either.

    He also made sure to periodically go out to spy on their enemies.

    Recently, he discovered that there had been some scouts sightings within the vicinity of the Last Bastion. They used weird methods to catch any relevant information about Humanity and it''s safe to assume that if they got some, they will instantly report it back to their headquarters.

    Sadly for them, Ashton discovered them early.

    So before they could even start their attempts in gathering information about them, Ashton already ced them under his control. He didn''t even need to try that hard.

    Now, he''s got a new set of spies doing work for him.

    But Ashton didn''t rely on them for everything. He knew that his methods aren''t going to affect him every single time. There wille a time that his machinations will be discovered and once that happens, he couldn''t use those methods anymore since the enemies will be prepared for it.

    This is why he still goes out himself to spy on them periodically. At least this way, he''ll know everything in real-time.

    So far though, nothing much has changed in the situation of the Celestials and Hypogeans.

    They''re still in their preparatory stage after all this month, though he''d give to them, they are surely efficient.

    It only took them a short time to settle down the chaos that he left previously and make it all work again. If it weren''t for the fact that they''re enemies, he''d admire their efforts without a doubt.

    But since they were being too efficient as enemies, then this isn''t something he could be happy about.

    That''s why he decided to impede their progress in an attempt to slow them down for a bit.

    Really, Dream Laws were amazing for these kinds of operations.

    The fact that he could invade their dreams and nt a deep-seated suggestion in their minds without being discovered was phenomenal. He only needed to ''convince'' them with words like:

    ''You can sleep some more, it''s okay.''

    ''It''s okay, you can finish that task tomorrow, no need to be in a hurry.''

    ''Eat a little more, you''re hungry and you deserve it.''

    ''You''ve worked hard today, you can rest, it''s fine.''

    ''Drink some more.''

    ''It''s not cking if you''re not caught.''

    And so on...<novelnext></novelnext>

    Ironically, he feels like the bad guy here for manipting them like this but he won''t lie and say that it wasn''t fun to mess with them because it was.

    He giggled to himself as he saw their productivity take a sharp dive with his machinations. He rejoiced inwardly in celebration knowing that he was buying Humanity even more time to prepare themselves for the eventual sh.

    No invader could resist his temptations. They weren''t immune to his maniptions so long as they were dreaming. And because of how clean he operated, nobody could trace this back to him.

    Although it may not seem much for now, these little things are weakening them. It''s not obvious but that much was the point of it all.

    He wanted them confused, bbergasted and puzzled until the day they died.

    Ashton didn''t care if this was considered dirty y because this was war, everything was fair game. He''s not to be med for them not having anything to protect their dreams from him.

    In his solo missions, he also discovered that both the Miraculous Son and the Demon Emperor were really hands-off about this whole operation. All they''re expecting was positive results eventually, they didn''t care how it was done or how long it takes.

    So long as they seeded, they''d be happy.

    And to this, Ashton thinks that his ''suggestions'' to their subconscious mind were a little too effective. Well, since it''s working he couldn''t reallyin.

    He would continue his impediment of their progress to buy more time. He just hoped that his efforts would be worth it when the timees.

    ***

    Today, Ashton just finished another meeting.

    He just signed off on some new projects, if there were no interruptions then another massive upgrade will happen for Fantasia as a whole. But that''s obviously going to take some time.

    Ashton''s schedule was empty for the rest of the day, but this doesn''t mean that he''s free.

    He cannot ck off, so even though he''s a bit tired already from all the things he had to think about, he still dragged his body to the cultivation chambers in order to practice a little bit. He inching closer to the next realm so he needs to exert more effort.

    On the way there though, Ashton was interrupted by a sudden fluctuation. He paused in his tracks for a bit before his gaze sharpened. He disappeared from wherever he was and appeared in front of Alice whose eyes were closed in deep focus.

    With a wave of his hand, he teleported her to a ce where there was an abundance of Aether. He also did the same for ke, and Mary as well.

    Once they were here, he smiled wryly and said to himself: "Unbelievable, even in these, you three are in sync!?"

    Sharp fluctuations interrupted his train of thought and the surroundings darkened considerably.

    A phenomenon urred where everything seemingly vanished. Suddenly, he couldn''t see, hear, or feel. He can''t smell or taste anything either.

    There came a feeling of emptiness that seemingly drenched his soul into a bucket of cold water, causing him to violently flinch and freeze up.

    Ashton shook his head and managed to extricate himself from this phenomenon. He should''ve expected that to happen yet he still fell for it. But it wasn''t a bad thing to experience that, he could certainly remember that sensation and used it as an inspiration when it was his turn.

    Anyway, back to those three...

    Previously, ke and Alice were disying their physiques while Mary had her Mageroot visible. Now though, it''spletely gone.

    What remains is an empty field of nothingness around them. In there, they''re the only thing that''s allowed to exist.

    That nket of nothingness surrounding them was called the Void Shroud, a clear sign of someone who had broken through the Void Rank.

    This meant that the three of them managed to break their mortal shackles and truly ascend.

    From here on out; Alice, ke, and Mary are no longer considered Mortals. Their lifespans are too long and they are too powerful to be considered as one.

    Just like that, this era just weed the birth of 3 Ascendants. And if the trend continues like this, there would be more in the future.

    As the three of them worked their way to consolidate their new ranks, Ashton nced over the list of System Prompts that appeared before his vision.

    [Beneficiaries; Alice, ke, and Mary had broken their Mortal Shackles and Ascended, stepping into the Void Rank.]

    [Their achievements werergely thanks to your help, without your advice and the resources you provided, this would''ve been nearly impossible for them.]

    [��10,000 Beneficiary Return, triggered! You received...]

 Chapter 263 Great Returns!

    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

    Explosions rang out within a vast space. The earth shook, the sky darkened and the wind screamed. The scene looked apocalyptic but in reality, it was not.

    These changes were caused by two people fighting with all intentions of severely injuring each other. Theirst sh nearly caused this entire area to copse due to how intense it was, thankfully they still have the decency to stop before they damaged this ce beyond repair.

    "That''s mildly annoying and reassuring, ironically." One of them said, "I''m already at the Void Rank yet I still can''t defeat you. But it''s also good to know that you won''t just flop over and die in case somebody with the same strength as I confront you."

    "...I''ll take that as apliment." The other said. "This is a tie, though."

    These two were Alice and Ashton who just sparred.

    Ashton wanted to test their strength after their breakthrough just to see it in action. Overall, he was pleasantly surprised. Getting rid of one''s mortal shackles truly makes one a different breed.

    He also sparred with Mary and ke earlier. The results were the same, a tie in a one-on-one match. If the three of them worked together against him, he''d surely be defeated.

    "Alright, we''re done here. You guys can go back, I''ll stay to repair the ce."

    "Okay. See youter." Alice said before promptly disappearing from where she was.

    Since she became a Void Rank expert, she also unlocked the ability to teleport. She doesn''t know Space Laws enough but she has gained a slight awareness of it, and with her current strength, folding it was a simple task for her.

    Ashton sensed that Alice left with Mary and ke. They''d probably take it easy for a few days since they''ve been cultivating harshly during these past few months. They needed to rx for a bit to dpress.

    After they left, Ashton gazed around the ce they used to spar and shook his head briefly. It''s damaged way beyond his expectations but it''s fine.

    He released his Dream Soul Domain and started his Lucid Dreams.

    The scene of utter destruction and destion instantly vanished, reced by the image of what this ce looked like before they decided to use it as a sparring arena.

    It was clean, organized, and peaceful, just the way he likes it. Ashton ovepped this image in his Lucid Dreams to reality, holding it up for a few seconds before retrieving his domain.

    After the domain disappeared, they no longer looked like a bombing zone. It reverted to its previous form just like that. Ashton didn''t even need to try.

    He could''ve done this in front of his friends but he chose not to. Although they knew that he gained awareness of Dream Laws, he told them that utilizing it was more difficult than he expected and he was still experimenting with it, which was a White Lie.

    Dream Laws are indeedplicated, but it''s not something that would stomp him. He lied not because he didn''t trust them, it''s more so because he was being careful.

    Ashton had no idea what kind of abilities or methods their enemies might use, especially now that they are taking Humanity semi-seriously. He needed to keep as many trump cards as possible without his close friends knowing. He could only hope that they understand why he has to do this in the future.

    The results of the spar were also somewhat staged. He fought them to a tie without utilizing his Dream Laws as much. He used it enough to hopefully fool them but in reality, if he used them right away, the fight would''ve been over before it started.

    He could just forcefully pull their consciousness into a dream, trapping them and leaving their physical body defenseless. Ashton has the freedom to not walk in and out of his dreams, and since his enemies'' physical bodies were defenseless, things can only go worse from there.

    From this, it''s clear that Ashton''s Dream Laws were incredibly powerful, and it deserves to be treated as a trump card.

    After he overwrite reality for a bit using his dreams, Ashton sat down on the ground and opened up the System.

    He received some hefty rewards from the Beneficiary Returns but he has yet to check them. Now that he was done with testing those three and waspletely alone in this ce, it was time for him to see what he got.

    In total, he received 6 Items, and a hefty amount of Skill Points and Spell Points as well.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The items he received were: Immortal''s Bonfire Bluprint, Utopian Fountain Blueprint, Mountain Deity''s Statue, Stairway to Heaven Blueprint, Lake of Blood Blueprint, and the Slumbering Immortal King''s Bed Blueprint.

    Each one of these items was extremely useful not just for him but also for Humanity. Most of them are blueprints but it''s fine since they''re the Instant-Build kind. He just needed enough materials and the infrastructure woulde to life.

    For the first one, the Immortal Bonfire was a World-ss Treasure. If he were to build this, the bonfire will immediately know that he was part Human and Fey.

    The Immortal Bonfire gathers the emotions and thoughts of the people around it. At first, it doesn''t do much and it also takes a very long time for it to be able to do something, but when it does, it will terrify even the Immortals.

    The second one, the Utopian Fountain is also a World-ss Treasure. Upon its construction, it will automatically filter water for an entire area while also making it immune from any kind of corruption. This treasure''s influence was big enough to cover the entire Last Bastion.

    With this, Ashton could remove people from the task of purifying the water, giving him more manpower to move things around. Plus, they will never have to worry about potentially using foul water.

    The Mountain Deity''s Statue is basically the Utopian Fountain but for Land. It covers up Last Bastion as a whole, making it immune to any kind of corruption. It also improves the vitality of thend within its territory, allowing for more bountiful harvests.

    Stairway to Heaven and the Lake of Blood are infrastructures that could only be used by Ascendants.

    Both are training grounds for Ascendants to improve. The Stairway to Heaven is a giant flight of stairs. It is blessed by Divine Presence which would press down on those who attempt to climb it. The higher they were, the heavier the pressure they''d feel.

    They would also experience terrifying visions once they reached the higher steps, making it extremely dangerous but also beneficial for Ascendants.

    The Lake of Blood on the other hand is where Ascendants could not only temper their mental faculties but also forge their bodies even stronger.

    For starters, the Lake of Blood looks very sinister. It was a boilingke of blood, it has a sharp stench that could make anybody grimace in disgust.

    Taking a dip in it would instantly make any Ascendant feel like they''re being boiled alive. It would be painful yes but also beneficial for them since it will temper their bodies, making them even stronger.

    What is scary about the Lake of Blood is the Heart Demons that will attack those who are submerged in it. The closer they are to the core of theke, the more terrifying these visions would get.

    Still, despite the risks, confronting these Heart Demons will illuminate an Ascendant''s ws, allowing them to fix them and, by extension, make them stronger.

    And finally, there''s the Slumbering Immortal King''s Bed.

    This is something for Ashton''s personal use it seems. The Slumberin Immortal King''s Bed is a treasure that could amplify someone who''s acknowledged by Dream Laws.

    If he were to lie down on it, the bed will amplify his Dream Soul Domain by at least 10 times, allowing him to practically cover this entire easily. He could stretch it into a single direction to affect those who were stationed just outside the''s atmosphere.

    The most terrifying aspect of this bed was the fact that it allows him to easily descend into anybody''s dream.

    Dreamwalking is an ability that Ashton unlocked when he gained awareness of the Dream Laws. It is the power to visit someone''s dream and influence them from there.

    He couldn''t just do it to everybody though because of hisck of experience. Plus, the stronger his target was, the harder it is for him to infiltrate their actual dreams.

    But the Slumbering Immortal King''s Bed makes that easier for him. Now, he could check the Miraculous Son and Demon Emperor''s Dream whenever he wants.

    He didn''t need to lure them into a trap anymore. He could also just do it in thefort of his own home, considering that he has this bed with him.

    Overall, Humanity just received a phenomenal boost with these items. He could surely buy more time with them to make Humanity even more stronger for the eventual sh.

    Nodding in satisfaction upon seeing these items, Ashton stood up and left to gather resources to build them.

 Chapter 264 Stairway To Heavens Pressure

    ''...damn, it''s heavy.''

    ke had his brows furrowed. He felt sweat pouring down on his face as he endured immense pressure.

    He and his girlfriends are currently testing out the new training grounds that Ashton just opened up. He called it the Stairway to Heaven.

    The training area was located in a pocket dimension where there was nothing but a seemingly vastnd and an endless-looking flight of stairs that reaches the sky. Actually, the stairs pierced the sky of this realm. It could make anyone wonder what''s the scenery just beyond the clouds.

    Unfortunately, though, they still have a long way to go before they could evene close to seeing what''s beyond the clouds. The pressure they felt just by standing at the first few steps was already enough to stop them dead in their tracks.

    Mary was on the 3rd step, Alice was on the 5th and ke was on the 9th.

    He''s doing much better than them since his physique was more used to endure this kind of trauma. Still, going from the 9th step to the 10th feels like surmounting the heavens itself.

    The pressure was too damn heavy, and it wasn''t just any kind of pressure either. It was something that could ignore all kinds of built-up defenses they have. The pressure presses down to their soul, making it more difficult to endure.

    ke has never this kind of pressure before. It feels horrible but also encouraging ironically.

    He initially thought that he''d do much better than this, but he was quickly humbled. What''s crazier is that the one who introduced them to this training ground �� Ashton himself, couldn''t go with them since, ording to him, this was specialized for Ascendants only.

    That''s kind of absurd, now that ke thought about it.

    It''s safe to assume that it was Ashton who made this thing, because if not him, then who right? But why would he make something that he couldn''t use?

    He understands that Ashton probably made it with the three of them in mind, but still...it doesn''t make sense why he must limit it to Ascendants only. Shouldn''t he know some finer details about this thing which will enable him to use it? Why wasn''t he doing that?

    That being said, ke couldn''t really tell what Ashton could and could not do. If he''s not using this, then that''s his decision.

    ke took a deep breath and attempted to move up another step.

    The steps of the stairway wererge. Each one was big enough to have at least 50 people at the same time. There was plenty of room for ke to do something else, he could even lie down here if he wants.

    He was on the edge of the 9th step, and in front of him was the 10th step. It looks so simple and so easy to cross but in reality, it''s not.

    Even approaching this ce already took a lot out of him. Not to mention, the instant shift in pressure that was palpable when his foot touched the 10th step.

    It feels like his foot turned into a patty the moment itnded, causing him to retrieve it in shock. Just from this, it was sufficiently clear that he was not ready for the 10th step, not anytime soon anyway.

    That sucked a bit, but not enough for him to throw a fit. If he''s not ready for it yet, then he''s not ready. in and simple. There was no need to force it, he was just gonna hurt himself if he did.

    ''Stuck with the 9th step it is...'' he mused to himself.

    And against all expectations, ke took a couple of steps back, feeling the gentle retreat of some pressure on him before proceeding to lie down t on the ground.

    Yes, hey down on the ground. Spreading his arms and legs wide like a starfish.

    This was a stupid idea, mainly because doing it this way would make the pressure feel even heavier than it actually was. However, it''s precise because of that, that ke did this.

    ''Damn, this is harsh.'' He groaned inwardly, ''It feels like I''m stuck between a rock and a hard ce.''

    It felt quite literally like that for him, but this was what he wants. The pressure was spread evenly at every inch of his being. He found it difficult to even breathe but he''s hanging in there.

    As hey down there, he moved Aether Energy around his body. Its cirction was obviously affected by the pressure it was also allowing him to more easily prate his body.

    This in turn nourishes his physique even more effectivelypared to his usual cultivation. Obviously, this trantes into a faster cultivation speed.

    Aether was abundant in this ce anyway. Its purity was top notch too. This was intentional since this was meant to be a ce for training Ascendants in the first ce.

    ke released his senses to check on his girlfriends. He then saw Mary sitting down on the 4th Step just now and Alice training with a wooden sword on the 6th step.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Shortly after, Mary began looking up the flight of stairs, looking forlorn and stuff. Her eyes gleamed with a peculiar brilliance as if she could see something that they can''t.

    She was mumbling something that ke couldn''t decipher. To others, this sight would appear weird but for ke, it was strangely adorable. Well, she is his girlfriend so sue him.

    Anyway, this was a sign that Mary was doing her kind of training while enduring the pressure from the flight of stairs. It doesn''t have to make sense for him or Alice, after all, everyone interprets cultivation differently.

    ke retrieved his senses and went back to focusing on himself. They were no need for him to worry about the girls since they were safe here. If anything happens, Ashton told them that there are some emergency protocols set up within this ce to respond ordingly to that.

    If someone couldn''t endure the pressure anymore and has no further energy to retreat, they will instantly be teleported to the base of the stairs where there''s no pressure at all.

    Down there, there were Medical Bots stationed, ready to provide help to those who would need it. So all in all, it waspletely safe here.

    ke continued circting his energies while watching the clouds.

    He wondered just how this ce came to be. How in the world did Ashton create something like this?

    This was a pocket dimension, yes. It wasn''t anything new to him since he knows that Ashton could easily mold space like it was y-dough.

    But considering the size of this ce...that ability bes a little questionable if he were to bepletely honest.

    This was aplete mimicry of an entire world. He could see a sun on the horizon and a few stars as well. All elements that were required to make up a habitable world were also present here too.

    Not to mention, this crazy flight of stairs that goes beyond the skies itself.

    It truly made him wonder how in the world Ashton was able to create something like this. And why did he say that he can''t train with them since he''s not an Ascendant when he obviously was powerful enough to create all of this?

    Really, it''s confusing. To be honest, ke didn''t want to think too much about it since Ashton obviously has his secrets and he was entitled to those.

    But he can''t help it. He has too much time to marinate in his thoughts. And believe him, if he could he would distract himself by doing something else. But what he''s doing now was the most optimal form of training for him so he truly couldn''t help it.

    ''I''m being too nosy, am I?'' He chuckled to himself.

    There really wasn''t much to say about that. He is indeed being a little too nosy.

    He wasn''t like this before. Perhaps he became like this because he''s feeling a little toofortable about the situation.

    ''Oh well, this is what happens when I have nothing better to do.'' He thought to himself.

    ''Oh yeah! Didn''t he say that there was another one of this kind of training grounds?''

    ''What was it again?'' ke tried to recall for a bit before remembering it.

    ''Ah! He calls it the Lake of Blood.''

    The three of them had yet to experience that ce. Ashton made them experience this ce first since ording to him, the Lake of Blood needed some time to charge, whatever that means.

    Frankly, the name of that ce sounded a little too sinister. The images that pop up into his mind for his expectations of the ce were also a little too concerning.

    Why in the world would Ashton name and create something sinister-sounding like that? Hell, the world might never know.

    But if there''s something well-known for everyone who knows Ashton. It''d be the fact that his ideas might be weird but in the end, it was for the sake of the greater good.

    Besides, who knows? Maybe his expectations would end up drastically different from reality.

    Unfortunately, his senses tell him that he might end up not liking that ce a lot.

    ''Oh well, I guess I''ll find out tomorrow.''

 Chapter 265 Lake Of Blood

    ''You''re a slut. How can you stomach joining a healthy and stable rtionship with your friends? Isn''t it ironic that that''s the first huge thing you did the moment you got rid of your curse?''

    ''And you dare tell yourself that you''re not like other girls? Be for fucking real! You''re just like them, cut from the same mold, you''re no different. You''re the worst type of woman, a homewrecker.''

    In the middle of a dark and gloomy sky, ake that consists of a dark and viscous crimson substance could be seen.

    From a nce, it is obvious that theke was hot. Wisps of steam could be seening off it. It''s even bubbling a bit. Its stench was almost unbearable too. Like that of a sewer that hadn''t had any maintenance for at least a decade.

    No one in their right mind should have any idea of going into thatke, much less submerging in it.

    Yet right now, three people could be seen doing just that.

    They soaked at the edges of theke, not daring to go any further. This isn''t just because of the stench, it''s because something was stopping them from progressing. Until they confronted the things that are blocking them, they couldn''t move an inch closer to the center of theke, which was the goal, to begin with.

    These three people were none other than ke, Mary, and Alice.

    Yesterday, they have tried the Stairway to Heaven, now they''re experiencing the effects of the Lake of Blood.

    If yesterday, ke was the one on the lead, this time it was surprisingly Mary.

    She''s the one who had made a decent amount of progress here. Being ahead of ke and Alice. She''s also the one who has been hearing these, frankly, harsh judgments.

    The worst part was that the voices she hears mimic her voice, making it seem like these were her thoughts, to begin with, but it was obviously not.

    "My, certainlying off strong are we?" Mary smiled derisively to herself.

    ''Isn''t it almost poetic? The moment you were freed from your curse, your first instinct was to fuck your friend? Admit it, you are a slut, a whore through and through. You are a sick and pathetic excuse of a woman. I pity you to bepletely honest.''

    Mary didn''t have a choice but to listen to those destructive words. Not even cutting off her hearing would silence these voices since they will pierce her very soul.

    And if someone were in her position right now, it wouldn''t be a surprise if they are already on the verge of a breakdown.

    These words cut deep into someone''s psyche. The worst part is that it sounds like their voice, giving the illusion that they''re the ones telling these words to themselves.

    This was the frightening aspect of the Lake of Blood. It doesn''t just temper their physiques, it also tempers their heart and soul through harsh trials like this.

    Having said that, Mary wasn''t affected that much by these words.

    "It almost feels like I''m cheating, to be honest." She mumbled to herself as shepletely detached herself from the voices that were ringing in her head.

    The mental demons that manifested out of theke had little to no effect on her, so far at least.

    ? Unlike how it is for Alice and ke, Mary could clearly distinguish which one was her thoughts and which one was being fed to her by the mental demons. The rest gets easier from there.

    Since she knows that it wasn''t her telling these hurtful words to herself, it''s not causing her to spiral into a mess. She''s not being confused and not being carried away by these thoughts, allowing her to ground herself, and keeping her stable.

    Additionally, Mary''s eyes were weird. She could see things that normal people couldn''t. This allowed her to perceive the Lake of Blood differently from others.

    Other people might see this ce being just a disgusting and undesirable area. It''s just a pool of blood in the middle of nowhere, under a dark and gloomy sky. What else was there to see?

    But to Mary''s eyes, it''s more than that. This ce contained a unique charm that isn''t present in Fantasia, she''d even dare to say that she could see something here that is not present in the Blue.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Thiske isn''t just filled with a blood-like substance. If anything, in her eyes, it contains a unique system that tied it all up together.

    It''s like this entire ce was built with the purpose of nourishing the Lake of Blood.

    And this isn''t really blood either. It''s something else entirely, unfortunately, Mary has no idea what it was.

    The mental demons'' manifestations aren''t what it seems either. These mental demons aren''t trapped souls filled with resentment. They''re not creatures who wanted to make everyone else suffer the same fate as them. Hell, they''re not creatures at all, period.

    They are reflections of a person''s thoughts. They''re mere constructs born from a person''s insecurities and ws given substance. They were meant to be a reminder, a test, and a cure for whoever was the reason for their birth.

    In short, the Lake of Blood is more like an advanced mirror for Ascendants to use for introspection. The more they confronted and realize their shorings, the smoother their progress would be in cultivation. If they manage to reach the core of theke and surmount the final challenge, then that means they achieved their true self.

    This was the magic behind the Lake of Blood. And also the reason why Mary''s fascination with it was growing more and more as time passed.

    Only Mary could see this so far, maybe Ashton as well but she had no way of telling. After all, it would seem like he''s mostly unaware of what his creation actually does, which was weird if you ask her but she was not one to pry.

    Mary didn''t need to endure the hallucinations just yet because frankly, they were ineffective to her right now.

    Yes, it feels like she was cheating but she couldn''t really help it. Even deliberately impeding her senses made no difference. Her mentality was just that different from other people and that''s something that she can''t easily undo.

    However, Mary knows that this will only take her so far. Eventually, she''lle across something that would bypass her defensespletely, making her suffer the same fate. And she was prepared for that. She''s not afraid of being tested.

    Mary could''ve moved on from this point but she couldn''t. Unfortunately, even though the mental demons were ineffective against her so far, the physique tempering aspect of the Lake of Blood waspletely different.

    It''s what keeps her from moving forward. Unless her physique improves to the eptable level that the Lake of Blood requires for the next step, she''d be stuck here for a while.

    Her situation was the exact opposite for ke and Alice though.

    In terms of physique, the two of them were clearly way ahead of her. That can''t be helped since they were Knights prior to being Ascendants. Their foundations were mostly spent on strengthening their physique as opposed to Mage like her who focused on Mana and knowledge.

    However, those two struggled more with mental demons. If Mary were to bepletely honest, they seem to be having a lot of trouble actually. She didn''t expect them to struggle this badly in here.

    ke was the one who struggled the most. He''s still close to thekeshore and hasn''t moved an inch since then.

    His eyes were closed in concentration and focus, but he mostly looked as if he was experiencing physical pain.

    Mary knows that that''s not the case, ke had the strongest physique out of them, the pain he''s feeling is nowhere near physical, it''s mental and spiritual.

    She has questions...a lot of them actually. But she didn''t feel like it was appropriate to ask. In the end, it seems that she just needed to show that if he wants to tell her, then she''s ready to listen and give him her full attention.

    Mary knows that there are certain things that ke still keeps from her and she understands why. She promised herself that she was not gonna hound him over those because frankly, she didn''t want to be a toxic girlfriend to him.

    She''s curious, yes. There''s no denying that of course. After all, it''s normal for her to want to know more about her boyfriend. But what''s more important to her was to make sure that he knows that he matters to her and that he''sfortable with this rtionship.

    If he wants to tell her, he would and she will obviously listen. He can take as much time as he needs. If it neveres down to that, that''s fine with her as well.

    She doesn''t need to know everything about his past to tell that he''s a good person deep down. And that dating him wasn''t a mistake on her part.

    And to further solidify that belief, the voices that she''s hearing promptly disappeared.

 Chapter 266 Skylar

    Ashton was a bit nervous today.

    He sat in the middle of his personal training room, staring at an egg intently as if it was going to fly away at any given moment.

    It''s been 100 days since he received the Beast Egg from the Beast God. It''s also been that long since he had been feeding it his blood. Today was the day that it was scheduled to hatch and Ashton was watching it like a hawk.

    He knew that it was going to hatch not only because that''s what its description said but also because the egg was releasing a soft brilliance for a while now.

    Usually, this only happens for a couple of seconds before fading away. However, today was obviously a little different.

    Ashton could now feel the vitality of the life inside the egg. He still has no clue what it was though. He couldn''t even see its shape past the eggshell.

    Thankfully, he didn''t have much to do today, allowing him to pay close attention to this. Now, he''s just patiently waiting until the egg hatches and reveals the creature that was meant to be hispanion beast.

    Crack!

    Ashton''s eyelids twitch the moment his ears picked up that sound. His eyes immediately searched for the crack on the egg''s surface and he located it. From there on, his attention was fully focused on it, waiting in anticipation for what was toe next.

    The web of cracks spread all over the top part of the egg. Ashton could hear some shuffling from the inside of the egg but no sounds from the creature just yet.

    Its hatching felt painfully slow, Ashton was whispering some encouraging words to it, not even thinking if the creature could actually understand him at all in hopes of helping, even just for a bit.

    Crack!

    Then it finally happened. Ashton saw a limb for a split second, pushing the eggshells away, leaving a small hole as it did.

    He then saw it again, this time it wasically reaching out to the eggshell it just pushed to no avail.

    Ashton blinked and pushed the eggshell with his fingers so that the creature could feel it and take it. This also gave him the chance to see the limb properly.

    It looked like a wrinkled chicken, a very tiny one though. That wasn''t much to work with but he thought that he wouldn''t have to wait long for the grand reveal anyway.

    He heard from shuffling this time with the addition of crunching, the creature must be feasting on the eggshell, taking it as its first meal.

    Ashton watched in interest as, slowly but surely, the hole got bigger and bigger until it was enough for him to see what it was hiding.

    And to his surprise...it''s a chick.

    Unlike normal chicks though, this one has strands of feathers already. It wasn''tpletely bald.

    It was small, fitting just right on his palms. It looks so innocent and fragile that he''s almost scared to touch it.

    The chick had big and doe-like eyes that looked around curiously. It sat on its butt, using its tiny talons to munch on the eggshells. It then saw Ashton and their gazes met.

    There was a strange connection there, Ashton could sense it. And he guessed that the chick sensed it too since it tilted its head and chirps crisply at him.

    A fond smile unknowingly appeared on Ashton''s face. But he didn''t touch it yet. He didn''t want to disturb it while it was still eating its first meal.

    And the chick was going at it, seemingly having no intentions of sharing. Not that Ashton would like to taste its eggshell in the first ce.

    After a few minutes, the chick finally finished its meal. It let out a loud chirp and stared at Ashton.

    They held eye contact for a bit before eventually, the chick stood up.

    Ashton unknowingly held his breath. He watched as the little thing took its first few steps.

    Standing itself was challenging to the chick at first, but it was determined to do so and it eventually seeded. It then started taking its first steps toward Ashton.

    Heid his hand t on the ground, indicating that this was the chick''s goal. The chick seemingly understood that as it started walking towards this palm.

    It fell a few times, but it didn''t give up. It stood up again and continued its path. Eventually, it managed to climb Ashton''s palms.

    The chick then let out a chirp of celebration, causing Ashton to smile fondly at it once more.

    This would''ve been much easier if he just reached out to it and picked it up the moment it started standing. But Ashton could sense the chick''s intentions, probably due to the connection they share.

    He knew that the chick wanted to do this by itself, and who was he to deny that kind of chance?

    Ashton then brought up his palm close to his face with the chick on it, to closely inspect it.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It was then that a System Prompt showed up...

    [Beast Companion]

    Name: ???

    Age: Newborn Chick

    Species: Dream Weaving Songbird

    : A beast born out of a methodical conception. It is one of a kind since it has taken its owner''s essence to achieve its current form. In other words, this Beast is a miracle of its own.

    : Due to its uniqueness, it has no known abilities, skills, or abilities. The Beast''s potential is also unknown due to simr reasons. It is highly encouraged that the Host explores this part on his own.

    ''So it''s a unique type of Beast huh?'' Ashton mused to himself.

    This isn''t something that he expected but it was fine. He likes surprises anyway.

    Moreover, since the Beast followed his temte, he could safely assume that its abilities work somehow simr to how he does it. Of course, this is just a theory for now since it''s still a chick, but he''s convinced that it wouldn''t be too difficult to find out in due time.

    Chirp!!

    "Mn? Ah, right. You still don''t have a name. Hmm..." Ashton furrowed his brows as he started brainstorming for names.

    He inspected the chick''s body and it would seem that it was androgynous. Somehow, he thought that its name should be gender-neutral for that matter.

    "Skr."

    Chirp?

    "Mn! Skr. That would be my name from now on." Ashton smiled.

    The chick was silent for a couple of seconds before it let out a couple of celebratory chirps on his palms. It seems happy with its name.

    It moved so much that it fell on its butt, seemingly tired. Ashton chuckled, he was thinking of where to put it when all of a sudden, a surprising development urred.

    Skr turned into a streak of light that shot straight into his head. It happened so fast that he was caught off guard by this.

    He then heard Skr''s cheerful chirp inside his mind. This forced him to use his inner sight to find where the chick was and to his surprise, he found Skr chilling on his Mageroot.

    More specifically, it is inside his Sorcerer''s Tower.

    He was honestly surprised. Thankfully, he had a connection with Skr. If it weren''t for that, then the enchantments on the Sorcerer''s Tower might''ve already killed the poor chick.

    Strangely enough, Skr seems to be at home here. It has mistaken his Sorcerer Tower for its nest.

    This idea wasn''t too bad if you ask him. At least in here, Skr''s safe. Plus, he could already tell that Skr needed his Mana for sustenance, and wouldn''t you know it, his Mageroot is where all of that Mana is at. So, Skr did end up in the right ce after all.

    At this point, Ashton would like to think that Skr''s growth is somehow linked with his. For now, Skr was dependent on him. The chick can''t help him just yet with anything but eventually, it''ll earn its keep.

    ''At least I don''t need to make a home for it anymore. This way, it''ll be with me at all times. That doesn''t sound too bad.''

    Skr''s drain of his mana wasn''t too much anyway. In fact, he could barely feel the difference. Ashton could recover absurd amounts of mana in each second so this was nothing to him.

    He observed Skr''s behavior in there for a few moments until he saw it feeling cozy. It then sat on its legs and closed its eyes, sleeping peacefully in no time.

    Ashton watched as not only Mana but Aether itself started being absorbed into Skr''s body.

    The tiny feathers on its body started releasing a faint rainbow-colored light, the same colors that represented his Dream Laws.

    He thought he might''ve seen him wrong but it wasn''t. Skr was growing at a visible speed due to this nourishment.

    Ashton continued watching for a couple more minutes before he eventually withdrew from his Mageroot, leaving Skr there to rest and grow.

    He''s looking forward to the time when Skr starts showing him what it could truly do. For now, though, the chick could take it easy. It''s a newborn chick and Ashton didn''t want to take that away from it this early.

 Chapter 267 First Wave

    A rumble was heard over the horizon.

    Everybody in Fantasia felt it in varying degrees. Themon folk mostly thought that there was a weak earthquake for a bit, something that was not enough to impede their mundane activities.

    Cultivators on the other hand felt it was much more than just an earthquake.

    The fluctuations of mana around them won''t lie, and that was enough to send them on full alert.

    That being said though, it was quite surprising for the Mystic Guild and the Morning Sun Federation to not warn them about this.

    Usually, anything weird that was about to happen to their territory was being observed and predicted by those two organizations. Their duty includes informing the public about it no matter how light or tragic it would be. However, for some reason, they are slow today.

    This makes a couple of people wonder if there''s something wrong on their side.

    Unfortunately, they won''t be given much time to ponder about that. And it''s because of the surprising development that was bound to disrupt the peace that they fought so hard to achieve.

    "Hey! Up there! What are those!?"

    These words were enough to spark the fuse and light it up.

    Many people looked above them only to see numerous spatial tears opening. Evenmoners could feel the sinister aura of those portals, certainly, they weren''t good news at all.

    Then, without any theatrics whatsoever, they came.

    Angels and Demons appeared in the skies of Fantasia. Their numbers were so great that they almost blotted out the sky itself.

    Mass hysteria and panic ensued in the crowd at the sight of invaders. They were understandably terrified since the appearance of invaders meant that their lives were threatened.

    It had to be known that this was the first time that most of these people saw this many invaders up close to them. Previously, they could only see them from the broadcast of the Federation, and the authorities were usually there to defend them.

    Right now though, they managed to bypass the walls that they built to separate their home from them. The invaders are here and they are attacking them directly.

    "Fear not, my people. The Mystic Guild has this covered."

    That voice was familiar to every single one of them. It belonged to the man who established the Mystic Guild itself and lead it to its resplendent reputation today.

    It was Ashton West. And his words alone were enough to appease their panic.

    "Please go to the nearest Federal Center to you. There are people in there that will keep you safe. Don''t mind the invaders, they won''t be able toy a single finger on any of you, I promise that."

    And just like that, order returned to the masses. They picked themselves up and began walking towards the nearest Federal Center.

    Once the fear was eliminated from their systems, curiosity began taking root. Ashton promised that they won''t get hurt but what exactly was his n to resolve this situation?

    The answer was quite simple actually. In fact, it was being carried on at this very moment.

    Kill with extreme prejudice. That''s his order. And the Guild Members didn''t need to be told twice.

    They appeared and began ughtering the invaders who dared to intrude in their homes.

    The invaders weren''t even able to descend properly because they were immediately engaged by the Mystic Guild Members.

    Colorful lights exploded from the sh, numerous shouts could be heard all over Fantasia due to the intensity of the sh.

    There were at least a million invaders here, and frankly, the Mystic Guild was outnumbered but that doesn''t mean that they were beaten.

    This isn''t the first time that they''ve handled this many invaders. And it certainly wouldn''t be thest.

    As Ashton promised, the citizens of Fantasia won''t be harmed in any way, shape, or form. Each time something remotely dangerous was headed their way, a golden barrier would appear around them, protecting them from any type of harm.

    Nobody even saw his shadow yet he was able to protect this many people. This speaks volumes as to why Ashton was an extremely popr and important figure in Fantasia, and why he held so much authority and power over people.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This wasn''t just the extent of Ashton''s method to protect his people though.

    The moment the invader horde stopped appearing from the Spatial Tears, he immediately forcibly closed every single one of them and used the same thing to initiate aplete Spatial Lockdown on Last Bastion.

    This way, he effectively cut off the invaders'' room to retreat, trapping them here and making this ce their grave. Don''t forget that he had taught his men the way how to kill the invaders permanently so that sentiment isn''t meant to be taken lightly.

    Fortunately for everybody, Ashton had seen thising.

    The moment they managed to bypass the Twisted Heavenly Bulwark, he knew that their walls had essentially be useless. That''s why he immediately made a couple of ns to counter that.

    Boom!!!

    Ashton who had been observing the situation from thefort of his office saw a marvelous streak of golden light zipping across the skies. He raised a brow and looked at it closely.

    To his absolute surprise, he saw a creature that was tearing clusters of invaders in mere seconds before immediately going to the next.

    "Jeeves!?" Ashton blinked in disbelief. "Right, I''ve almost forgotten about you."

    Said creature was, in fact, a golem named Jeeves.

    Jeeves was a System Reward he got. A protector golem that is usually inactive. It will only move when it detects a threat to the ce it''s protecting.

    This was the first time that the invaders happen to arrive this close to their home so Jeeves was never seen them active before. It''s different now of course.

    ? Jeeves doesn''t need orders, it understood the assignmentpletely and carried it out faithfully. The golem''s strength scales with the threat it senses, meaning that Jeeves was always meant to be stronger than the threat it''s facing. Hence it is able to crush clusters of invaders with little to no effort.

    ''Well, it seems that I wouldn''t need to send the Big 3 after all. Jeeves has this covered.''

    Ashton stopped observing Jeeves because he knows that it will do its job properly anyways. With it being active on the field, it''s practically over for the invaders.

    The guild members are doing a good job rounding up the invaders. Most of them are clearly experienced already. Those who were still rtively new to the guild were being guided on the field by their seniors.

    This became a good time to teach the newer kids what it''s like to fight invaders on the live battlefield. This sense of pressure was a good grinding stone to temper them.

    Of course, Ashton had his eye on them. Nobody was dying on his watch. He might''ve be an Aether Soul Mage recently but that doesn''t mean that he lost his skills as a White Mage.

    So long as someone has even the faintest pulse on their body, he can bring them back to life. Ashton wouldn''t be proimed as Humanity''s Greatest White Mage for nothing.

    Plus, he didn''t like the idea of people dying on his watch. If he could help it, he would make it so that nobody dies until this war waspletely over. Unfortunately, that goal is a little too steep even for him to achieve so that''s very unlikely.

    All he could truly do is to minimize the casualties as much as he could.

    Humanity was already severely outnumbered. If their numbers dwindled even more from this harassment, then it would seriously affect their efforts on fighting off the invaders. This is why it''s important to minimize the casualties.

    Just as he expected, the invader army didn''tst for long. With Jeeves being active and the overall efficiency of the Guild, the threat waspletely neutralized before severe damages took ce.

    Some parts of Fantasia were damaged but it was fine, it could still be repaired. In fact, the moment the battle was over, Ashton immediately issued missions to help out with the repairs.

    The citizens would be kept in the Federal Centers for a little bit longer. Just until the repairs were done. They could go back once everything was the way it was before the invasion happened.

    After issuing the missions, Ashton got into thinking.

    Since this happened once, there is absolutely no doubt in his mind that it would happen twice and it wouldn''t stop there.

    He had a firm grasp of the invaders'' n. After all, it was he who manipted them into doing it this way in the first ce. If there ever came a time that he was not sure? He could just quickly visit them in their dreams to have a refresher.

    Since this would be a normal urrence from now on, he had to adjust some ns to match their current situation. Thankfully, he had seen thising and alreadyid down the foundations to do so.

    Now, they just needed some time and they would be ready for the next wave of invaders.

 Chapter 268 Time Skip

    A year passed ever since the seconding of the invaders.

    During this time, Fantasia entered a new norm. Last year, Spatial Tears opening out of nowhere was something that didn''t happen regrly but it is now.

    Sometimes, Humanity''s ability to adapt and adjust to its surroundings was incredible. The fact that they have gotten used to these changes so fast could give anyone a whish.

    Spawn Portals, that''s what they''re calling these types of Spatial Tears that vomit out invaders. They had be a norm for Humanity''s lifestyle. At this point, nobody would be surprised upon seeing them.

    Most people are tired of it, that''s for sure. But they couldn''t really help it if there was no avable method of preventing them from urring.

    The truth is, yes there is a way to prevent Spawn Portals from appearing, but it was Ashton''s choice to not do anything about it.

    Although constantly dealing with threats was annoying, it also has its advantages.

    For one, the constant fighting has given the Mystic Guild plenty of experience. Said experience allowed them to flourish even more and be much strongerpared to before.

    Now, most of the time, the task of exterminating the invaders that show up falls to the rookies. The seniors were there to make sure that nobody dies.

    Jeeves went active a couple of times but at some point, it didn''t anymore. Since Humanity had grown stronger and used to this kind of event, it no longer qualified as an existential threat to humanity anymore, that''s why Jeeves no longer wakes up to help.

    Fantasia changed to adjust to the new norm of course. The Federal Centers now serve as evacuation spots. All of them received an upgrade to make sure that they were doing what they were supposed to do.

    The infrastructure of Fantasia had also received some upgrades to make them more durable so that there wouldn''t be a need for constant repairs every time the invaders attacked.

    Suffice it to say, Fantasia and its citizens had adjusted wonderfully to its new norm, and all of that was because of Ashton''s foresight. If it weren''t for him increasing his aggression toward Humanity''s developments, they might be in a dire situation right now.

    But of course, this is far from sufficient.

    Ashton still has a lot on his sleeves, he justcks the time and manpower to achieve his grander schemes.

    There''s still a long way for Humanity to go before they could sh head-on with their enemies.

    ***

    Whistles!

    Ashton stood at the rooftop of the Morning Sun Federation''s Headquarters. He was wearing a suit which mostly meant that he was doing office work, but right now there wasn''t much for him to do.

    The longer Jerry handles the administrative work, the more efficient he gets. At this point, Ashton''s schedule was bing more and more vacant. Which was of course a great thing for him.

    He''s at the rooftop, whistling sharply at the horizon. After that, he ced his hands in his pockets and waited silently.

    After around three minutes, a creature suddenly appeared on his shoulders.

    It was a bird, one that resembles a swallow, for the most part, however, its feathers werepletely mesmerizing. It was rainbow-colored, the way how the colors blended smoothly and how they behaved waspletely ethereal.

    This was Skr, thepanion beast that hatched from the Beast Egg a year ago.

    Skr had grown so much within the past year. It went from a bald chick to a majestic avian beast that even peacocks would be jealous of.

    The beast had been nurtured by Ashton''s Mageroot directly so it got nothing but the best. Along with its growth also came the varying levels of its innate skills.

    And just as Ashton expected, Skr''s abilities were top-notch. Skr''s a natural at them too.

    Skr loves to sing, and being a Dream Weaving Songbird, Skr could instantly drag someone into a Dream the moment they heard Skr''s voice.

    The songbird''s voice isn''tpletely auditory either. Even deaf people would be able to hear Skr''s voice. So long as the songbird''s target didn''t have a strong spiritual defense, Skr could easily drag them into a dream and make them suffer.

    Additionally, Skr also could phase from Reality to a Dream. Meaning that the bird had the same ability as Ashton where so long as he didn''t want anyone to see him, they would never be able to.

    Skr could grow asrge to serve as a flying mount for Ashton and this wasn''t the bird''s limit at all. Remember, Skr''s a year old. It will grow stronger alongside Ashton''s progress so Skr had the potential to be something incredibly terrifying in the future.

    Ashton petted Skr for a bit before it turned into a streak of light. Skr has returned to his mageroot to rest.

    With Skr''s abilities, Ashton had trained it to do some tasks for him. Nothing too crazy though, just some errands if you will.

    See, there had been some sightings of Invader Spies around the vicinity of Last Bastion. This was nothing new of course, they were a regr urrence for a while now.<novelnext></novelnext>

    They were sent here to obviously gather some information about Humanity while also attempting to infiltrate their home. They never seeded of course but Ashton wouldn''t lie, they were getting annoying at this point.

    So, Ashton decided to send Skr out once in a while to drag those fools into a Dream. Since they have nothing better to do, they might as well serve as training dummies for Skr''s practice.

    And so far, the training was bearing fruit.

    He could''ve ordered Skr to kill them directly but where is the fun in that? Plus, he didn''t want to raise any rms for the invaders in the meantime since he has some important things to do that needed to be kept a secret from the invaders specifically.

    Ashton left the rooftops and teleported to his personal training area.

    "Jerry, I''d be in seclusion for a bit. Have West Two cover for me in the meantime."

    "Are you preparing for your Breakthrough, Sir?" Jerry asked.

    "Yeah." Ashton took a deep breath to calm himself down.

    "Should I send a message to Mistress Aria?"

    "Yes. But tell her that I''d be fine. She can''t be beside me while I''m making a breakthrough for obvious reasons."

    "Understood. Message sent. I wish you good luck, Sir."

    "Thanks, buddy."

    Ashton then activated the formations in the training area which immediately isted him.

    Now, he was in a closed space. It was stable enough to hold up to some serious abuse...hopefully. Ashton can never really predict what''s going to happen in his breakthrough.

    Before sitting down to start, he called out to Skr, saying:

    "Buddy, things might get hectic in there. Come out for a bit and hide, just until I finish my breakthrough."

    Skr obediently followed his orders. After settling that down, Ashton began his breakthrough.

    Waiting for an entire year to finish all 9 refinements of his current realm was exhausting for him. But in truth, this speed was already incredibly fast.

    Refining a Sorcerer Rank 9 times in total should''ve taken years or decades at most. But he did it in a single year. He shouldn''t beining like this.

    But see, Ashton felt jealous. ke, Mary, and Alice are now entering thete stages of their current cultivation rank, which is the Void Rank. In fact, there had been more people who had managed to reach the same rank as well.

    He felt left behind, even though none of them still managed to defeat him cleanly whilst he held back for some.

    This might be a power trip or something but he''s not reckless enough to skip stages just to make a breakthrough.

    Ashton mightin a lot but he''s not stupid.

    But now, it''s time for him to catch up. He had waited for this, it was finally happening.

    The moment he started circting his Aether Energy, something deep within him buzzed in activity. Ashton''s focus instantly gathered that spot because that is where he needed to be to make his breakthrough.

    Gathering his consciousness at that spot allowed him to sense the barrier that was preventing him from moving forward.

    He took a deep breath and collected his energy. He controlled it precisely to be like a drill and started attacking the barrier with fierce intent.

    The activity caused his body to tremor physically. Ashton felt a sharp pain that made him wince but he maintained his focus. He absolutely couldn''t lose that focus now since that would spell his failure, and he obviously could not afford to fail.

    Despite his preparations, Ashton still felt immense pain in this process. This was the downside of refining his current cultivation rank repeatedly; the bottleneck also got refined.

    Ashton was sweating. Wisps of blood seeped through the corners of his lips. His brows were furrowed deeply and Skr was worried about its master.

    Still, Ashton pushed through. He did his best to endure the pain and focused on the act of breaking down the bottleneck. Unfortunately, even his calcted method of breaking through the wall proved to be a little more difficult than he initially expected.

    ''God damn it! Why must you be this fucking hard!?''

 Chapter 269 Breakthrough! Ascendant

    It''s been three hours since Ashton started his breakthrough and he''s still not done.

    Skr hovered in the air, hidden in a Dream watching its master worriedly. Ashton was bathing in his own blood. In fact, blood dried out on his skin, causing it to harden and form a thickyer of coating all over his body.

    Ashton was still alive, but his breath was faint. His aura was incredibly weak. If it weren''t for the fact that Skr could still feel the connection they had, it would''ve thought that master was already dead.

    Within Ashton''s consciousness though, a different scene was ying out.

    Ashton found himself still stuck in that same ce where he sensed the barrier.

    He was there, battered and bruised. He was weakened, meaning that he was nearly losing consciousness. Yet despite his current state, his expression never faltered at all.

    If anything, his will to seed burned even fiercer with opposition.

    This is probably the first time that Ashton had this much difficulty with a breakthrough. It was humbling and enlightening at the same time, but this isn''t the time to be distracted by that.

    He was so close. The barrier had thinned out a lotpared to what it was before. He could almost feel victory at his grasp so he couldn''t rest now.

    Summoning the remaining energy he had, thepressed it to its utmost limit, even though this was hard for him to do in his current state but he didn''t care.

    He was determined to see this through so he did it and sted the wall that was preventing him from advancing with a loud yell.

    Boom!!

    A fearsome impact resonated throughout his entire body. Ashton felt that in his guts. Ashton felt extremely weak at this point, there was no doubt that he wouldn''t be able to perform that kind of attack in this state again.

    Thankfully though, he had seeded somehow.

    He almost missed it since he was nearly fainting, but he sensed that he blew a hole in that wall.

    A wisp of foreign energy seeped out and fused with his consciousness. It felt like a shot of pure adrenaline, causing him to instantly feel energized and woke.

    When gained some rity back, he discovered that he was not hallucinating. There was indeed a small hole in the wall where the energy of that same kind wasing from.

    He got close to it and absorbed as much of that energy as he could. Then, he used that same energy to st the wall, making that hole bigger.

    To his amazement, the wall was like a paper against this new type of energy. There was no resistance at all. The wallpletely crumbled down in his next attacks.

    As a result of that, more and more of that same kind of energy flooded into Ashton''s consciousness, elevating him into a state that he had never felt before.

    The sensation felt overwhelming and incredible. It''s like he had the world sitting firmly in his grasp. It was maddening yet also humbling at the same time.

    With his newfound strength, Ashtonpletely got rid of the wall until not a single block of it remained. Once he''s done with that, there was nothing stopping him from crossing the threshold.

    So, he stepped forward and crossed the boundary.

    That''s when Ashton''s body began emitting a milky white radiance in the real world.

    Like snow under the summer''s heat, the thick coating of hardened blood dissipated from his body, same goes with his clothes.

    The re illuminated the entire room and brought about a solemn atmosphere.

    Ashton''s consciousness was further elevated upon crossing that threshold. He could literally feel himself Ascending from his previous state.

    His senses were spreading farther than before, the mysteries that had puzzled him before became clear to him now. The sheer power coursing through his veins was addicting, it was like he could alter this world''s orbit with a single punch.

    Ashton''s Magerootpletely changed. His Sorcerer Tower extended up to a certain point before transforming into a streak of light just like the rest of his Mageroot.

    It then became an orb of light that began sucking every kind of energy presents around him. It behaves as if it was breathing, sucking everything in blowing everything away, rinse, and repeat.

    That''s until a nket of nothingness seeped out of it. Forming a null field around Ashton where only he was permitted to exist.

    This is Ashton''a Void Shroud, a clear sign that he had indeed broken through his mortal shackles and reached the Void Rank in cultivation.

    His Void Shroud covered a mile. It''s much biggerpared to others but that''s mostly because his foundations are that deep.<novelnext></novelnext>

    With the Void Shroud, nobody from the Mortal Ranks could ever hope to injure him unless he permitted it. Additionally, the Void Shroud will also gnaw at foreign attacks on him. And with howrge Ashton''s Void Shroud was, it''d be extremely difficult for him to be injured.

    Aside from attaining the Void Shroud, Ashton''s Dream Laws were also elevated.

    The things that had puzzled him before about it had be crystal clear to him now. He could utilize hisw even better than before so his enemies best be prepared for that.

    But what really blew Ashton away from all of this, was the freedom he felt.

    He never knew how incredibly restrictive his mortal shackles were until they were gone. It''s just a world of difference for him.

    The influence of time over him was greatly loosened, meaning that he would still age but it will happen slowly. His lifespan was boosted immensely as well and he''d have no problem living for thousands of years.

    He even has this sensation of being able to exist in ces that people would normally deem inhabitable. He could exist in the vacuum of space without needing any kind of apparatuses and he''d be just fine.

    It was only now that Ashton truly understood why being a Mage or a Knight doesn''t matter upon reaching this stage.

    The path of cultivation bes linear from this point onward. All of them would be pursuing Life Evolution now.

    He''s no longer a simple creature that depended on the world to provide for him. He had grown past that. In fact, it wouldn''t be wrong to call him a Heavenly Body at this point.

    Mana and Aether had lost their value for him. They no longer fit to be on his body when there''s obviously something better, that being Ster Energy, the very energy that Heavenly Bodies had.

    This was the same energy that revived Ashton''s consciousness and allowed him to continue his breakthrough.

    Skills? Spells? There was no difference between them past this point. Especially when even the smallest gesture from him could be interpreted as something very profound by mortals.

    The parameters of his Aptitude no longer matter since they have be simple tools for him to use.

    The Unsealed Book of Infinity and the Auspicious Rainbow Cloud turned into simple tools for him to utilize ording to how he pleases at this point.

    His Providence which also gave him the Fey Bloodline stayed with him of course, his breakthrough affected that as well.

    The virtues he learned and his Laws were his main arsenal now. And because of his familiarity with them, he didn''t need a refresher to adjust.

    Ashton''s consciousness returned to his body and he opened his eyes.

    He could immediately sense the difference just by existing. He had a feeling of omnipotence for a brief moment there but he hold on to that since he knew that it was false.

    Still, Ashton is a real Ascendant now. This is an irrefutable fact at this point. He had caught up and managed to make it safely to the other side.

    Chirp!!

    "Oof!" Ashton made a sound whilst catching Skr who came barreling towards him. He chuckled and said: "Sorry for scaring you buddy, but don''t worry it''s all over now. I''m fine and I seeded."

    Skr looked at him as if wronged before letting out a few chirps. Ashton pacified his pet for a few moments until it calmed down.

    After that, Skr excitedly dove into Ashton''s consciousness where the changes urred.

    To Ashton''s surprise, Skr immediately fell asleep in there.

    ''Must be having another growth spurt because of my breakthrough.'' Ashton guessed to himself.

    He shrugged and let it be. It''s not like that''s a bad thing anyway.

    It was also then that he noticed that he waspletely naked. His clothes must''ve turned into ash for some reason since he couldn''t see them anywhere anymore.

    Thankfully, he had clothes in his Inventory. He brought a new set out and wore them, feeling a sense of normalcy returning to him.

    Then, Ashton spent some time stabilizing his new realm and grounding himself. The sensation of being an Ascendant was somewhat addicting so he needed to center himself before his ego intes too much.

    ''This is just the beginning.'' He said to himself. ''I still have a long way to go if I want to ensure Humanity''s safety.''

 Chapter 270 Great Timing

    Ashton''s breakthrough not only affected himself but also Aria as well.

    Since the two of them are closely connected to each other, especially after Aria evolved into a True Spirit, they essentially became a unit.

    Aria wasn''t a mortal since she was a Spirit but that doesn''t mean that she didn''t benefit from Ashton''s breakthrough.

    She''s not abatant but that doesn''t make her useless. If Ashton was the leader of Humanity then it is Aria that armed them. She''s an artificer and a cksmith. Any weapon that she touches automatically raises in value. Her reputation might not be as resounding as Ashton''s but she''s quite well-known herself.

    Skr was also affected by Ashton''s breakthrough. Currently, the songbird was slumbering in his consciousness, experiencing a growth spurt due to the sudden increase in its master''s strength.

    Ashton has no idea how long Skr''s hibernation would be but he didn''t mind. There''s not much for the bird to do anyway.

    Now that he had broken through his mortal shackles, Ashton existed on a different ying field.

    It just feels really different for him now that he hade to this. There''s justparing his current self to the previous one.

    Right now, he''s experiencing the Stairway to Heaven and the Lake of Blood for himself. And so far, he''s doing quite well.

    He had reached the 20th step on the Stairway to Heaven on his first try. He couldn''t move on to the 21st since the pressure practically tripled past that point. His body couldn''t endure it.

    On the Lake of Blood, he managed to leave the shore since the Mental Demons didn''t have any effect on him for now. Just like Mary, he could distinguish his thoughts from foreign ones. He also discovered the profundity hidden beneath the disgusting appearance of theke, allowing him to appreciate it and move further.

    Based on experience, Ashton was d to say that those two realms were really helpful in training Ascendants such as himself.

    He held some doubts over them before but that''s gone now that he experienced them. He doesn''t need to worry about theck of proper training material for the Ascendants with these two being here.

    Of course, if he could have more, that would be great. Sadly, he''s yet to receive anything. The system didn''t reward him for his breakthrough, it only does when he helps somebody else achieve their breakthrough instead. It''s quite biased but that''s how it works so he can''t reallyin.

    Speaking of the System, his Profile in it had experienced some overhaul with his breakthrough to Void Rank...

    [Profile]

    Name: Ashton West

    Race: Human

    Bloodline: Human/Fey

    Title: Sorcerer of Dreams

    Life Rank: Lv.1 Void Rank

    Law: Dream Laws

    AP: 1485

    His new Profile was simplified to this. It''spact and doesn''t have a lot of details.

    This was mostly because he''s no longer being rated as a Mortal. His Aptitude section was gone, reced by Life Rank which refers to his current cultivation ranking.

    At this point, the goal of all Ascendants was the evolution of Life. Bing an advanced lifeform that transcends even the naturalws themselves. Hence, Life Rank.

    Additionally, his Spells and Skills don''t have a distinction anymore. Now, they''re referred to as Abilities. Simrly, Skill Points and Spell Points lost their distinction as well, they are now called Ability Points (AP) instead.

    He likes this change, it made his profile neat andpact. Not filled with anything unnecessary.

    For the most part, the System didn''t change though. Its functions remain rtively the same even after his Ascension to the Void Rank. He still needs to gain more Beneficiaries to gain more sources for his rewards.

    On another note, he was unbeatable once more.

    While he didn''t seek out his friends for a friendly spar, he did simte a fight between them. And the results were his overwhelming victory on both one on one and one versus three.

    Alice and her Excalibur paired with her, admittedly perverted, Sword Intent came really close. With those, she could cut through anything she disliked, she even managed to slice his Void Shroud for a split second. s, Ashton was just a different person once he had broken through so she still lost.

    Against the three of them at the same time caused him to sweat profusely though. The trio was deadly when they are working together. Sadly, not even Mary''s eyes could pierce through the Dreams he weaved so they lost in the end.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This result gave him his lost confidence. At least this way, he could confidently say again that he is Humanity''s Trump Card, theirst line of defense.

    Of course, he still has to tread carefully. While he might be strong right now, his enemies aren''t pushovers either.

    He still falls a little bit shortpared to the Miraculous Son and the Demon Emperor. That''s why he needs to buy more time if possible.

    With enough time, he could continue progressing. With progress, he''d be able to catch up to them, and with strength, he could continue protecting his race against them.

    The matter of his Breakthrough is considered a secret. Only a handful of people knew about it, and the majority of them signed a contract of confidentiality so he could trust them.

    On the surface, nothing had changed and that''s what he wanted. So long as their enemies are unaware, then it means that the secret remains deadly.

    At the Hypogean Grand Fleet, the Demon Emperor sat on a throne made out of ivory.

    The Demon Emperor looked like a human male with a murky maroon skin tone. He had tribal tattoos all over his body. He''s extremely muscr and is wearing a thin silk-like cloth that only covered his private parts.

    There was a sea of bodies scattered around the throne. Some are slumbering peacefully while others were still panting and quivering from the recent activity they held. There is a thick stench ofsciviousness and filth coating the entirety of the throne room but it didn''t bother the Demon Emperor too much.

    He''s frowning for an unknown reason. He initially thought that he might just be feeling some loneliness and carnal desires so he ordered his subordinates to take care of that, however now that it''s done, the feeling was still there and he just couldn''t understand why.

    ''Something''s wrong...'' the Demon Emperor''s browed furrowed even deeper.

    He couldn''t help. Something at the back of his mind was gnawing at him and it was starting to get irritating. It''s like he''s forgetting something important but for the life of him, he just can''t recall what it is exactly.

    Pursing his lips, he closed his eyes and started to introspect.

    He delved into the deepest parts of his psyche, trying to discover what exactly it was that was gnawing at him.

    At the first scan, he didn''t find anything weird. Usually, this would''ve been enough but for some reason, the Demon Emperor wasn''t convinced.

    He trusted his gut feeling this time and decided to get down and dirty,bing his psyche, checking through every nook and cranny to see what exactly it was that he was missing.

    The Demon Emperor had been at it for a while when all of a sudden, he saw something unfamiliar.

    Deep in his subconscious mind, he saw an orb of light, shing with a wide spectrum of colors. The sight was mesmerizing, he almost forgot to breathe when heid his eyes on it, but he managed to catch him before he fell for it.

    ''What is this?'' The Demon Emperor thought.

    This orb of light was obviously misced. The Demon Emperor''s psyche was akin to a sea of murky blood under a ck sun and gloomy clouds. A sight like this shouldn''t exist amidst that kind of environment but here it was.

    The Demon Emperor cautiously approached it. He doesn''t know what it is but since it''s here then it must be something that needed to be handled with care.

    This was his psyche, if this turns out to be a parasite or something else, then he''d be at great risk. So he needs to handle this with utmost care.

    As he slowly approached the thing, the Demon Emperor had to physically fight the mesmerizing sight that it was. The closer he got, the more difficult it was for him to extricate himself from it.

    Eventually, he arrived at arm''s length from the orb of light, but before he could even do anything to it, the orb suddenly transformed into a man who certainly does not look anything remotely close to a demon or an angel.

    The figure looked perplexed for a bit before it saw him. It then smiled widely at him and said:

    "My, what timing indeed. Good thing I can do this remotely now, or else things might''ve gotten moreplicated."

    The Demon Emperor couldn''t get a word in before he was blinded by a sh of an aurora.

    The next thing he knew, his consciousness was back in the throne room. Raising a brow, he thought to himself:

    "I must''ve fallen asleep."

    Then, he felt his pulse hastening upon the sight of naked bodies all over him so without further ado, he began the fuck-fest again.

    Back in Fantasia, Ashton could be seen smiling as he peacefully slept on the Slumbering Immortal King''s Bed.

 Chapter 271 Wraths Madness

    Wrath, Envy, Sloth, Greed, and Pride.

    These are the five Sin Demons who arrived upon the orders of the Demon Emperor.

    Previously, it was theirrade - Lust, who was originally stationed in this world. He was supposed to be the one who will put this ce under their control but to their surprise, he met his fall here.

    ? Nobody truly expected that this world will put up a fight against them. This backward was so small and puny that it''s hard to believe that it was possible, yet here they were, called reinforcements to bring the same backward under their heel.

    When they arrived here under the orders of the Demon Emperor, they didn''t expect themand line to be in a mess.

    There was no semnce of authority when they got here. Almost all of their soldiers who were trapped here started minding their own business, acting like someone that they were not.

    Such ipetence was unforgivable, hence they were sentenced to eternal damnation right away.

    It took the five of them a good while before they restored order to the Qliphoth, and now their army is united again.

    Recently, they had begun whittling down Humans. They kept sending hordes upon hordes of their army to their home, and from what their spies told them, Humanity was barely keeping itself safe.

    To break Humanity''s spirit bit by bit, was their goal. Pushing them into a corner until they couldn''t endure anymore and crumble from the inside, just like what they did too they did to them.

    It''s almost poetic, actually. If only all of this was real...

    The downside of this n was that it was going to be boring for the Sin Demons.

    Since they decided to chip away at Humanity''s spirit, this meant that they wouldn''t experience much action for a solid while. This agreement was also shared with the Celestial Apostles so this applies to them as well.

    They will inevitably feel bored.

    Yes, indeed, they all arrived here exhausted. After all, they were fighting each other before they were ordered toe here. The truce worked out for them since it''s clear that they were all exhausted to the core and it also worked in the grand scheme that they have for humans.

    But now, they''ve had enough rest. They rested so much that they began feeling antsy.

    The boredom was unbearable, and they staved it off by doing something unique based on their personality.

    Envy managed to get a hold of Humanity''s entertainment things. They call it ''Movies'' or something. He was watching a y that portrayed different scenarios and whether he''d admit it or not, he was hooked on it. Hell, he has even repeated his favorites about 10 times by now.

    As for how he''s able to make this work, well that''s his business. Everyone knew well than to pry on Envy''s things.

    Sloth was a closepany of Envy, however, she''s just there to exist. She''s still hibernating. She''s probably the one who''s least affected by boredom since all she does is sleep anyways.

    Greed developed an interest in this world''s nature. He began collecting samples of uncorrupted soil, roots, nts, flowers, and even animals. Nobody truly knows why he was suddenly interested in them but again, just like with Envy''s business, the rest knew better than to pry.

    As a result, Greed mostly spends his time locked up in hisb, busy studying these things to stave off the boredom.

    Pride went into non-stop bragging. He became the life of the party. Every single day, he drinks and parties with those he liked hanging out with.

    During the parties, Pride will brag about his adventures nonstop, sometimes even making up scenarios for theatrics. When he doesn''t feel like talking, he''d start fucking. Sometimes even both at the same time.

    A multi-tasking King indeed.

    And then...there''s Wrath.

    If Sloth''s the least unaffected by the boredom, then Wrath was the one who suffered the most from it.

    He was antsy. The urge to break something and wreak havoc everywhere burned fiercely in his heart, but due to this pathetic agreement, he had to quell his instincts.

    It was so difficult for him to sit still and do nothing. He was well rested, he''s good to go so why can''t he go? Why can''t he start a fight? Why can''t he fight? That doesn''t make sense to him.

    His whole identity is for the sake of creating chaos. He is the Sin of Wrath, a weapon of Mass Destruction. Inactivity to him was akin to a sentence of slow death.

    It''s quite literally killing him.

    The Demon God knows just how much Wrath wanted to let himself wild. To release all of this pent-up stress and anger to relieve himself. Yet, because of orders, he couldn''t. And it''s really stressing him out.

    He tried his best to get his mind off it. He did try ways how to distract himself from unleashing everything all at once. But sadly, it''s only making things worse for him.

    Wrath was so close to the point of spontaneouslybusting. And if he didn''t do anything about it, things will surely turn bad in an instant.<novelnext></novelnext>

    After tapping his foot for the nth time today. Wrath decided that he has had enough.

    He stood up and marched toward''s Greed''sb.

    Wrath was so agitated that he quite literally tore the door open to hisrade''s Lab just to see him. What greeted him, was the confused and, quite frankly, displeased Greed.

    Unfortunately, Wrath''s so consumed with his thoughts and instincts that hepletely missed that.

    "Send me out." He said, looking at Greed with his eyes burning fiercely.

    "No."

    A t-out rejection from Greed really pushed Wrath to the edge of madness right then and there.

    "Why not!?" Wrath''s tone demanded answers. "Haven''t we waited long enough? We''ve rested well enough already! Just let me out, I promise I won''t eradicate them all! I just need to be out!"

    "Youe into myb almost breaking it down and still haven''t apologized for it. Now you''re using that tone to me? Wrath, it seems that you''re forgetting something here." Greed''s eyes narrowed into slits.

    His words carried enough venom in them that could intimidate anyone but right now, Wrath was just not having it.

    He couldn''t articte it properly but in truth, this is a cry for help. Wrath isn''t doing this because he was being petnt. He needed to go out since he was quite literally dying from boredom.

    "Greed, let me out. I need to be out there. I need to fight like crazy." Wrath said, gritting his teeth out.

    "I said no, Wrath. Stay put where you are. And if you dare to take even a single step out of this ce, the Demon Emperor will hear about this."

    "To hell with you!!!"

    That was thest straw. Wrath was unable to hold it anymore. His Sin, amplified by the frustration he felt, exploded out and ruined every single thing in Greed''s Lab.

    Wrath panted after his sudden outburst, then it was followed by a rush of adrenaline. His Sin howled in delight when he finally broke something. He couldn''t help but smile since he truly needed that.

    Greed, on the other hand, felt incredibly vexed. And it didn''t help that he saw Wrath looking happy with what he just did. Years'' worth of research, gone just because of a bufoon that couldn''t keep it in his pants.

    How can Greed not feel annoyed?

    Raising a hard, a pitch-ck orb appeared on Greed''s hand. Before Wrath could even sense it, the orb already exploded in his chest, sending him flying away.

    Wrath could feel himself crashing into several walls but his mind wasn''t focused on that. Instead, he reached out of the deepest recesses of his mind where he could hear his thoughts...

    ''This feels good, doesn''t it?''

    ''The pain, the exhration, the rush, the adrenaline. Isn''t this what you wanted?''

    ''Your heart is pumping in excitement, do you know why that is? It''s because you''re finally fighting again. Isn''t that exciting?''

    Wrath felt the final crash and quite honestly, he was pained. He clutched his chest, looking down to see that it was smoking a little because of what Greed did to him.

    He looked at his surroundings and discovered that somehow, he ended up crashing where Pride and his men were partying til the sun drops. Pride was checking up on him but he couldn''t hear what he was saying.

    All he could hear was his heart pounding in his chest and that alluring voice, tempting him again...

    ''Oh look! Isn''t this you''re good ol'' friend Pride? He''s a nice guy, unlike Greed. Maybe he can help you out with your problem.''

    ''Cause you know...he''s here. Why look for humans? They''re fragile as fuck! It''s not fun to fight them because they will break easily.''

    ''Pride on the other hand...well, why don''t you figure that out yourself? Plus aren''t you always disappointed when they say Pride''s stronger than you? This is your chance to prove them wrong. What are you waiting for?''

    "Hey, Pride!"

    "Huh? Yeah, what''s up Wrath?"

    "Fight me!!!!"

    "HUH!!?"

 Chapter 272 Wrath Vs. Pride

    "Wrath!! Are you out of your damn mind!? Cease this!"

    "Raaagghhh!!!"

    "Damn it!!"

    Pride cursed under his breath as he hurriedly defended himself. Judging by the thick coating of crimson aura around Wrath, he could tell that his words wouldn''t reach him.

    He had no idea why Wrath was suddenly acting like this. Not even five minutes ago, he was enjoying his free time with his men when all of a sudden, Wrath crashed into his turf.

    Pride was worried, of course, he initially thought that somebody attacked them out of nowhere and did this to Wrath, but now, he''s doubting that was the case.

    Wrath suddenly lost his marbles and started attacking him. It was purely intentional and by the looks of it, he won''t stop unless he teaches him a lesson.

    "How fucking troublesome!" Pride gritted his teeth as his bare fist met Wrath''s great sword.

    Sparks flew from the sh, it also caused a massive shockwave that blew everything near them away. The impact sent the two of them flying back, but Pride could see that Wrath bent his body to cushion the impact and time it perfectly so that he could bounce back again.

    If there''s one thing that''s incredibly annoying about Wrath, it''d be the fact that he''s incredibly flexible and athletic. His battle intuition was unmatched, making him an absolute nuisance to fight with.

    Wrath may be consumed by his Sin right now, but it didn''t make him any weaker. If anything, that just makes him even stronger since he''s resonating with it.

    But Pride is a Sin Demon too...

    The fact that Wrath chose to pick a fight with him of all people, disregarding all pretenses and not even showing a spark of respect, triggers Pride''s Sin.

    A deep sea blue aura erupted from Pride''s body, his eye shed dangerously as he cocked back his fist and threw a seemingly simple straight jab at Wrath.

    The way his fist cuts through the air without any resistance only to explode with a massive impact the moment he reached the limits that his fist could travel, caused a pocket of vacuum that sucked everything in before shredding everything in front of him.

    Wrath who was mid-flight was unable to defend against that.

    Pride''s punch was filled with so much force that itpletely blew everything away, including Wrath.

    In an instant, Wrath was covered with cuts and bruises, the impact reached his internal organs as well, causing him to take a knee.

    But it didn''t take him long, in a second, all of Wrath''s wounds closed up. He has healed right away and is ready to sh once more.

    Just in time when Pride arrived in front of him, seemingly teleporting.

    Wrath twisted his body to avoid direct contact with Pride''s fist, Wrath could sense the packed strength in Pride''s closed fist and he immediately judged that it''d be a bad idea to sh directly with that.

    After dodging, Wrathnded nimbly on his feet and brandished his enormous sword, hacking away at Pride however thetter just dodge his attacks like they were a minor inconvenience.

    Pride raised his palms and deflected Wrath''s sword, causing thetter to reel from the impact that traveled to his body. Pride then twirled and got into Wrath''s zone, delivering a direct punch on his abdomen, sending the maddened fool flying away once more.

    Wrath crashed through several structures before stopping. He coughed out ck blood and red fiercely at Pride. Then, Wrath heard that alluring voice yet again...

    ''Is he looking at you pitifully? How daring!''

    ''Like, it''s understandable that he''s arrogant since it''s Pride, but even that is too much you know?''

    ''He''s belittling you. He knows that he''s strong and that you''re beneath him. He''s not taking you seriously at all. How can you stomach that?''

    ''Don''t forget who you are.''

    ''You are the Sin of Wrath. The embodiment of anger, a weapon of Mass Destruction.''

    ''You''re way stronger than this...''

    "RAAAGGGHHH!!!!"

    Wrath''s war cry echoed through the entire Qliphoth, shaking it to its foundation.

    The horned crown adorning Wrath''s head grew several inches and red with a dangerously red gleam.

    Wrath''s aura skyrocketed. Veins bulged from his body, his muscle mass increased and his killing intent swarmed his surroundings.

    Pride''s eyes widened in disbelief. The fact that he felt threatened by Wrath''s sudden outburst was shocking to him.

    He had never seen Wrath so consumed and so absorbed into his Sin that it transformed him. This is the first time and it''s intimidating.

    In his shock, he didn''t even notice when Wrath tapped his foot. He realized it toote that Wrath was already up in the face and he was a little toote in defending himself.

    Wrath paid him back for what he did to him earlier by sending him flying away.

    Pride was hurt, and the injury prated his inner body and his Sin as well.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Did Wrath just seriously injure him? Him? The obviously stronger one? How in the world was this possible? This can''t be!

    Pride tapped into his Sin even deeper. He was healed from his injuries but the damage was already there, he''s the Sin of Pride and he was hurt. There''s no way he can let this be.

    And so, the two of them shed once more...

    Their fight rocked the very foundation of the Qliphoth. It also injured the bystanders who were trying to flee as far away as they could from them.

    To Pride''s growing surprise, Wrath was evenly matching him blow per blow. In fact, as they shed even more, he gets this feeling that Wrath was getting used to him.

    Wrath''s battle intuition was kicking in, he was essentially growing stronger as the fight goes on.

    He''s learning Pride''s attack patterns, allowing him to predict them and punish him for making mistakes.

    Wrath wasn''t consciously doing this. In fact, he''s not conscious of anything, period.

    This was his subconsciousness doing everything for him, his Sin took the wheel and his body was just a puppet that did as he told. But even so, he was incredibly deadly and hard to deal with.

    Both of them injured each other so much that their regenerative abilities are working in double time. Pride gritted his teeth harshly as he did his absolute best to suppress Wrath to no avail.

    This rampaging monster was an utter nuisance. He hated him so much that he''s genuinely wishing that Wrath dies right here and right now.

    Time passed and the two of them were still fighting. Pride was seriously hurt to the core. He wasn''t able to suppress Wrath, in fact, it''s the opposite that happened.

    Wrath suppressed himpletely...

    They shed long enough that Wrath''s intuition bridged the gap between them. Wrath read Pride like an open book and proceeded to beat the living shit out of him.

    Wrath firmly nted his foot on Pride''s face and roared like a mad beast. Pride''s pride was hurt so much that he could cry.

    He absolutely couldn''t believe that this was happening. There was no way that Wrath bested him. He will not ept such a reality.

    ''Pride, Pride, Pride...''

    ''Oh, how the mighty had fallen...''

    ''So? How long do you n on staying on the ground?''

    ''Just an hour ago, weren''t you preaching about your heroic deeds on other realms in front of your men?''

    ''Well, they''re watching this right now. Ask yourself, is this the Heroic Deed that you''ve been boasting about? It doesn''t seem so glorious after all don''t you think?''

    ''Are you seriously going to let Wrath do this to you? Humiliate you in front of everybody?''

    ''Remember who you are...''

    ''You are the Sin of Pride. Wrath thinking that he defeated you is a sign of Pride, something that''s under your jurisdiction.''

    ''Make him remember his ce. This isn''t how it''s supposed to be, no?''

    "Raaagghhh!!!"

    Pride heard his voice talking to him. Reminding him of who he truly was and encouraging him like no other.

    An explosion of deep sea blue aura appeared around his body, in that instant, his and Wrath''s position switched with him being on top of Wrath yet again.

    Pride stomped on Wrath''s face again and again, his actions were akin to reminding Wrath of his proper ce, always beneath him.

    Wrath managed to extricate himself from what Pride was doing, only for them to sh harshly again. This time, Wrath is now faced with an empowered Pride, and he was once again struggling to keep up.

    But Wrath could endure it. His was built to destroy and he could endure all kinds of abuse. So long as he''s alive, he''ll be able to catch up to the empowered Pride and beat him into submission again.

    Unfortunately, that wasn''t meant to happen today.

    Because of their sh, they disturbed someone they shouldn''t have.

    A long and exasperated yawn could be heard on the battlefield. The bystanders saw a woman who was walking like she was dragging her entire body approach the two fearlessly.

    She then disappeared and popped up clutching both Pride and Wrath''s head to her bosom. She then whispered to them, but her voice was heard by everybody who was near them.

    "You two are being annoying, disturbing my beauty sleep and all."

    After saying this, the three of them copsed on the ground, snoring loudly as they slept.

 Chapter 273 Aftermath

    Pride and Wrath''s fight wasn''t kept a secret.

    How can it be a secret when almost everybody in the Qliphoth sensed their fight? Many soldiers got injured because of their fight, of course, word of it will spread.

    If it weren''t for Sloth''s interference, they might''s destroyed the entirety of the Qliphoth, and that''s something that can''t happen right now.

    Greed, the one who had a hand in this fiasco, felt some level of responsibility. After all, he was the one who sent Wrath flying away, crashing into Pride''s territory.

    He may not have been the one who gave Wrath the idea to fight Pride but it was he who sent Wrath there knowing that something was wrong with him.

    To Greed''s defense, Wrath pissed him off first. Wrath destroyed years worth of research. Greed was having a great time discovering things about this world and Wrath ruined his fun so he punished him a bit.

    But of course, he was never expecting it to go this far. And he''s regretting it quite frankly.

    However, hell would freeze over first before he admits that he''s wrong. So instead of taking responsibility and admitting that he fucked up, he''s now standing in the same room where Wrath and Pride were recovering, exuding an authoritative manner like he''s about to scold them for acting so childish.

    Unfortunately, this bravado was for naught. That''s because upon waking up, Wrath was acting a little different from what everybody expected him to.

    "...run that by us again, Wrath. Why did you pick a fight with Pride?" Greed asked for a third time already.

    "I don''t know..." came his reply.

    The Sin Demons expected Wrath to go nuts the moment he woke up. Since his fight with Pride abruptly ended, they were expecting him to throw a fit or something because that''s how it usually goes.

    They knew that Wrath loves a good fight, and he absolutely hates when his fight was interrupted by something. He liked seeing the battle through, he wanted an oue for each battle he participates in...

    So the fact that he''s acting so strange and out of character raises a level of doubt among them.

    "I don''t know how to describe it." He says, "All I can clearly remember was that I asked you to let me out and you didn''t let me. I was barely hanging on to my sanity at that time and your rejection upset me a lot."

    "Then you sent me flying. I ended up where Pride was and all I could think about is to have a good fight. That''s when I started attacking him. The rest is nk for me after that."

    Wrath''s exnation caused Greed to inwardly curse the guy. Without even meaning to, Wrath med him for everything that happened when it was clear that he had no intentions of taking responsibility.

    "Ah, so this was your fault." Envy gave him a deadpan stare which truly annoyed Greed.

    "How can that be? How am I supposed to know that? He didn''t tell me that he was about to go insane. I rejected him because I was trying to stick to our n, isn''t that what we''ve all agreed upon?"

    "...you sent him there since he destroyed yourb."

    Greed stilled and slowly looked at Sloth who was covered in a makeshift bed. She hit the nail right in the head on that one, making Greed unable to respond.

    She''s probably the only one who could talk shit at Greed right up in his face without facing consequences.

    Envy fought the urge to smile upon this scene, but deep down he was quite curious about Wrath and Pride.

    He watched that battle...that madness.

    If he were beingpletely honest, he never expected Wrath to be like that. The strength he disyed was borderline immacte.

    It was maddening, consuming, destructive and chaotic...traits that makeup what a genuine Hypogean truly is. It was beautiful, poetic even. It''s disturbing but in a way that sent his spine quivering.

    The same thing happened with Pride too, and Envy could''ve sworn that he had never seen their aura so beautiful until that very moment.

    That piques his interest. He wants to know more but was unable to since Wrath himself doesn''t know how that happened either.

    "Alright...whatever." Greed gave up, and in the end, he truly can''t escape this. "My bad, I guess."

    "But next time, tell me whenever you''re feeling that way. Unfortunately, we really can''t risk you going out right now. It is way too early. If the Celestials knew that, then the whole n will be de-railed. We can''t be having that."

    "We''re already on probation due to the mess we made back on thest realm we''re at. We can''t disappoint the Demon Emperor anymore, especially now that he has given us a chance to prove ourselves to him again. Is that clear?"

    "Yeah." Wrath nodded.

    Judging by how clear his eyes were, Greed knew that he understood every word. They could reach him now since he untapped to his Sin.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "...do you really not know how you suddenly managed to resonate even deeper with your Sin?"

    Wrath looked over at Sloth, who was still snoring on her bed. She was the one who asked him this question, much to Envy''s delight.

    The demon pondered that question for a bit. Then, he released a frustrated sigh and said:

    "I really don''t know how..."

    "All I know is that...it''s quite addicting. I was so consumed by it and I didn''t mind at all. I didn''t know what I was doing but I was fine with anything."

    "It''s like I''m watching everything I do without having any ounce of control. It was freeing but it was also frightening. I couldn''t recognize who I was fighting. All I could think of was chasing after what my Sin wants me to, and that''s it."

    The rest were silent upon that. They could tell that Wrath wasn''t deliberately trying to hide this information from them. He''s not thatplicated. Wrath wasn''t a liar and he also couldn''t keep a secret for the life of him so they know that he''s telling the truth.

    "It''s exactly as he says..."

    All of them looked over and saw Prideying down on the bed with his eyes open, looking at the ceiling as if he was lost too.

    "He felt it clearer than me since he spent more time in it, I didn''t. But that''s more or less what it was. I don''t know how to do that either so don''t bother asking me."

    There was silence for a bit before Greed said: "Okay, that''s that I guess. You two can try doing it again once you''re healed. Of course, you''ve gotta tell us when because you two have to be supervised. We don''t want you fighting again anytime soon. You two really fucked up the Qliphoth you know?"

    Both Wrath and Pride looked quite guilty when they heard that.

    "But at the same time, that unique state that happened to you is a fascinating discovery. If you two can figure out how to do that by will, then you can teach us too. I believe that has the potential we need to finally trump over the apostles once and for all."

    "But for now, rest first. Don''t do anything weird, okay?"

    "Yes." Both Pride and Wrath replied.

    After that, the three left them here to rest. They have other matters to attend to and the two of them were obviously still exhausted from the fight. Their healing factors might''ve saved them from any injuries but that''s in exchange for their stamina and endurance, both factors needed time to be replenished.

    There''s an awkward silence between them, and frankly, Wrath couldn''t endure it.

    He''s guilty of course. He was now fully aware of what he did to Pride. He respected the guy, believe it or not, so the fact that he offended him made Wrath feel really guilty.

    Unfortunately, Wrath doesn''t know how to apologize properly. Nobody taught him how to. Plus, he was raised in a world where apologizing was a sign of weakness so he never bothered learning it.

    "The back of my head still hurts." He heard Pride say. "You''ve stepped on my head a little too hard, you asshole."

    "Ah...umm..."

    "My back hurts a lot." Pride continued, groaning ufortably as he shifted on his bed a little bit. "But it''s my ass that hurts a fucking lot."

    "Um...okay?"

    "I seriously can''t feel anything there at the moment. But my fat cheeks are still here so I guess we''re good."

    "..."

    "But just so know..." Pride continued, "I''m getting you for this. Once we''re out of here, you better prepare your ass ''cause I''ming for it. Consider it a payback of some sort."

    "I...okay..." Wrath relented.

    "Sleep, I know you''re still tired. I know I am."

    Wrath saw Pride turning his back to him and covering himself with a nket.

    He scratched his head and decided to do the same as well. He''s quite relieved, thinking that Pride didn''t mind what happened after all. Not long after that, he fell asleep since Pride was right, he was indeed still tired.

    Unfortunately, he wasrgely unaware that all of that was front after all.

    He didn''t see Pride''s darkened expression because his back was facing him.

 Chapter 274 Deceiver

    The aftermath of Wrath and Pride''s battle wasn''t limited to the Qliphoth. It has reached all the way to Laguna where it''s being discussed heatedly by the Apostles.

    Currently, all five Apostles sat at a round table, watching a rey of Wrath and Pride''s battle.

    Each of them wore a solemn expression. It was quite clear that they are taking this seriously. And understandably so. After all, even though they agreed to a truce, the Celestials and Hypogeans are still against each other.

    Seeing this unknown development would of course provoke a reaction from them.

    One of the Apostles, the one named Philip, looked at the corner of the meeting hall, precisely at someone who was covered with a ck robe and hood.

    "...do you swear upon the Miraculous Grace that this is real?"

    "I do, Dear Apostle. I dare not lie to any of you. I was there when it all happened. Everything that you see was all I captured during that moment." The person whose features were covered from head to toe replied.

    There was a tense silence for a bit, then Apostle Matthias spoke:

    "Thank you for your service, you may return to your duty. The Miraculous Grace with you."

    "And also with you, Dear Apostles." The mysterious person bowed deeply in reverence before leaving the meeting hall.

    Based on this, it is clear that this person was the one who submitted this recording to him.

    At first, the Apostles were surprised by this person''s sudden appearance. Nobody informed them about him. In fact, only a handful of people were aware of the mysterious person at all. The ones who knew were the previous leaders of Laguna.

    Apparently, they tasked someone who can shapeshift perfectly with the mission to infiltrate and spy on the Hypogeans of the Qliphoth. The guy''s mission was so discreet that only three people from the previous management of Laguna knows of it.

    And considering the valuable intel they received from the Mysterious Guy, or as he calls himself �� the Deceiver, it seems at the very least, the previous leaders of this ce did something good.

    "So, are we supposed to believe everything that we just saw?" Apostle Thomas asked his fellow Apostles. "Just to remind all of you, we don''t even know who that guy is. He didn''t even show us his face."

    "While I can see why you''re doubtful of that person, I''d say that the recording he brought to us was real. The mannerisms of Wrath and Pride were something that only us Apostles and those who are above us know." Apostle James replied.

    "Agreed." Apostle Jude chimed in, "It would be extremely difficult for anybody to just fake their attitude, especially in front of us since we would instantly notice it if something was amiss."

    "...point taken I guess." Apostle Thomas shrugged. "I''m still skeptical of that guy but for now, at least I''d trust him for now."

    "Okay, so we all agree that this recording is the real deal, correct?" Apostle Peter asked. And everyone nodded at that.

    "Well, if that''s the case, then I guess we should move on to the more important topic." Peter continued. "How in the world did they do that?"

    "That''s something we would like to know as well. But the Deceiver''s present to us only included this. He already told us everything that he knows so it''d be useless to press him even further." Matthias interjected.

    "Wrath so freaky in that." Jude pointed out, "I don''t care what anybody says, in my eyes, Wrath won that fight. He defeated Pride who''s stronger than him, and that''s quite rming."

    "Oh, it is rming, alright," Thomas grumbled in his seat.

    Jude pointedly zipped his mouth upon hearing him. He got a little too carried away just now that he had forgotten that it''s Thomas who usually engages with Wrath.

    In other words, Wrath was Thomas'' rival. And seeing as how Wrath may have suddenly be more powerful would of course trigger Thomas.

    It had to be known that their rivalry always ended up in a tie so far. But after seeing that? There is no doubt that Thomas would be suppressed in his next fight against Wrath should thetter decide to use that power.

    And this is something that Thomas wouldn''t be able to easily ept.

    "We also saw Pride managing to achieve the same thing but not for long since their fight disturbed Sloth''s sleep, causing her to interfere," Peter added.

    "Judging by the way they injured each other, we could say that they''d been bedridden for at least a couple of days." Matthias stated, "We can also assume that after they recoveredpletely, they would try to figure out how to master their powers as quickly as they can."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "If I were in their position, I''d do the same." James chimed in.

    "...I think we can safely assume that tapping to that power has some drawbacks, at least until theypletely harnessed it." Thomas pointed out.

    He then reviewed the footage and showed them to his fellow Apostles.

    "As you can see here, Wrath haspletely lost it. Well, that''s not entirely surprising. But this one''s different."

    "I fought him so many times that I have a clear grasp on what he''s like. This isn''t Wrath''s normal kind of...beastiality. He''s more brutal in this, and it''s clear that he''s actually trying to kill Pride as if he couldn''t recognize him."

    "Obviously, he is way more powerful in this state. But if that poweres with the side-effect that prevents him from recognizing friend from foe, I guess we can only hope that this side-effect stays even as gets used to this kind of state." Thomas concluded.

    The rest silently ruminated on his words for a bit. Then Matthias spoke, saying:

    "Currently, that''s just an assumption. We have no way of confirming if that side effect would be permanent or not. While we could hope that this situation would fall to our advantage, we still need to prepare for the worse."

    "Cause, if Pride and Wrath could do it. Who''s to say that the others can''t? Knowing Greed? He would undoubtedly push those two to harness that power properly and have them teach it to others so they can have a boost too."

    "If that happens, then we''re royally screwed. We will fail our mission here." Matthias looked at his fellow apostles. "That''s why I will need you to help me makes ns tobat this. We can''t let this development go out of hand. We cannot fail the Miraculous Son."

    The Apostles looked at each other and nodded. They all subtly agreed to do something about this. And thus, they started brainstorming ideas.

    To be honest, the Apostles would like to experience a simr thing in their own version. However, the blessing they got from the Miraculous Grace was already plenty enough that asking for more feels greedy and sphemous. That''s why most of them didn''t bring up that idea, no matter how they yearned for it inwardly.

    Plus, there are other methods they could use anyways. A direct power boost might be nice but this was fine too.

    They could just take this as a test of some sort. The Miraculous Grace is testing him by throwing them a seemingly unsurmountable challenge to test their fate.

    This wasn''t the first time it happened, and usually, those who passed the test will receive the love and attention of the Miraculous Grace. That is something that even the Apostles yearned for, so they decided they will partake in this challenge and pass it with flying colors.

    But of course, for this to work, they have to n ordingly. And this nning will need more intel so they decided to employ the Deceiver once more to gather more information for them.

    "...do you understand your mission, Child?"

    "Yes, Dear Apostle. I hereby swear upon the merciful Miraculous Grace that I will do my best to bring optimal results." The Deceiver solemnly swears.

    "Thank you, Child." Matthias replied. "Pay attention to your safety. Just give us an update whenever you can. Your mission will be a difficult one, but so long as you have faith in the Miraculous Grace in your heart, then I have no doubts about your sess."

    "Praise be to you, Dear Apostle. Praise be to the Miraculous Grace." The Deceiver replied.

    "Go on, Child. May the Miraculous Grace be with you."

    "And also with you, Dear Apostles."

    After that, the Deceiver made his way out of the meeting hall and Laguna altogether.

    He employed his tricks to remain hidden from view, as a result, nobody sensed him as he left, which also meant that nobody would suspect him at all.

    The Deceiver wasn''t in a hurry to leave, he traveled at a brisk pace until he waspletely out of Laguna''s vicinity.

    When he was sure that nobody was around him anymore, the Deceiver slowed down even more. As he did so, the Deceiver took off his hood, revealing a pair of heterochromatic eyes and a yful smile on his face.

    He briefly looked back in the direction of Laguna and said to himself:

    ''Miraculous Grace my ass...''

 Chapter 275 Developments

    Currently, Fantasia''s having another invader breakout.

    However, since this has been happening constantly within thest few months, people have gotten used to it and it doesn''t surprise them anymore.

    They''ve learned the drill now, they know how to keep themselves safe while the authorities took care of the problem. Thanks to Ashton''s arrangements, nobody has died from the invasion attempts so far so at this point, people treated it like it was just an inconvenience.

    Some people are annoyed by it, of course, but that''s pretty much unavoidable at this point...

    Ashton knew that some people were questioning his efforts and intentions. This was mostly because it was taking him a while to resolve the problem down to its root.

    They wanted him to do something topletely prevent the invaders from tainting the sanctity of their home. To stop them from entering Fantasia directly at least.

    In Ashton''s defense, he could absolutely do that.

    Recently, there had been additions to the ranks of Ascendants of Fantasia, all of which are his Beneficiaries so he got some niche rewards from the System. He got an item that allows him topletely lockdown the space around Fantasia and, by extension, the entirety of Last Bastion.

    If he uses this, he could stop the constant invasionpletely. He just chose not to do so for now due to the simple reason that he''s using these events to strengthen Humanity''s army.

    These constant challenges allow them to grow under pressure, something that''s not easy toe by even with the many training facilities he built. These battles allow them to experience real battles against enemies who will not hesitate to kill them.

    The pressure squeezes out more potential from them, allowing for elerated growth. Knowing that, how could anybody expect Ashton to let go of such a chance?

    Not to mention, their enemies are still mostly unaware of Humanity''s true progress...

    What their spies see are false truths that Ashton deliberately crafted for them. In their eyes, they see Humanity barely pushing back the constant invasion, in reality, however, it''s quite the opposite. Someone has yet to die from the invasion, so it''s safe to say that it''s not working as they initially thought it would.

    Not to mention, it''s also Ashton who wanted this to happen in the first ce. Everything was under his control, even the very thought process of his current enemies so there''s no surprise that everything was going well for Humanity so far.

    Ashton watched as his men rounded up another batch of invaders. He saw how they''ve gotten so used to it that they didn''t need his input anymore.

    Nobody dies, some people are injured but nothing fatal, no infrastructure was damaged from the entire battle and currently, Jerry''s leading the civilians back to their homes.

    All in all, another wless defense on their part. He expected no less after all of his investments so far.

    He got up from his chair and disappeared from the office. He doesn''t have any work to do for the rest of the day, Jerry can handle the rest.

    Ashton appeared at his home. Aria wasn''t here, she was probably still on the forge right now, supervising her disciples.

    With nothing better to do, Ashton sighed and decided to contact West Two; his Doppelganger.

    ''Any updates?'' He asked mentally.

    ''Hold on.'' came West Two''s reply.

    He waited for a minute or two, and after that, he felt West Two linking with him. He epted the connection and West Two began syncing his memories with him.

    Currently, West Two is at the Qliphoth, disguised as a Demon. He sent him out there to monitor the situation in real-time while he holds down the fort here.

    Because West Two is his doppelganger, he shares Ashton''s abilities. He could also use Dream Laws, he''s also an Ascendant but he''s weaker than Ashton. He could also use Ashton''s long list of Abilities on his own. Also, he could borrow the Bone Scythe should he need it.

    It was West Two who pushed Wrath to the edge of madness. The one responsible for giving him a power-up. He''s done the same with Pride as well.

    Additionally, he acted as a double agent. He crafted another identity; the Deceiver and informed the Celestials about something that he did in the first ce.

    He made them believe that he was on their side, even receiving their blessings in the end, hoping for him to seed in his mission.

    Ashton wanted tough at how silly this whole thing was, but he was not yet done so he saved it until then.

    Normally, this would be a questionable thing. Helping his enemies gain more power? Is he stupid?

    But Ashton has a n. A very borate n required this to happen. Although it looks like he''s setting himself up for failure, he had faith in himself and the process.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Eventually, everything will y out ording to what he envisioned...

    From West Two''s memories, he saw that scene where Wrath and Pride were being monitored strictly by the rest of the Sin Demons.

    They did it because they don''t want another fight to break out as well as to watch over their attempts on tapping into the power that they disyed thest time.

    As expected, the temptation of power isn''t something that they could simply ignore, and understandably so since this could be a game-changer.

    Unfortunately, Wrath and Pride have yet to seed in their attempts.

    It''s puzzling for them since they can''t seem to remember how to actually do it. The idea was just that elusive for them. Yet they didn''t doubt that they managed to do itst time since everybody around them saw it happen.

    The other Sin Demons gave them some suggestions but nothing worked so far. The numerous failures ended up disappointing everybody but they weren''t pressured since this was just the first day.

    They somehow had faith that those two will eventually get it. They just needed to try harder next time or figure out the trick behind it.

    ''Well, I didn''t think that they would be this slow. There are clues all over the ce yet they just can''t seem to notice it.''

    West Two didn''t erase the clues he left for them. If anything, he even emphasized it a bit but they still didn''t understand it.

    He''s not gate-keeping this new ability from them, it''s quite the opposite actually, Ashton wanted them to learn it and master it as soon as they could.

    ''They just need to let go of control. Allow themselves to sink further and further into their Sin, that''s the trick.''

    ''If the two of them would just sit down for a bit and just think about everything that lead up to that point, they would be able to see how it happened. Learning the trick wouldn''t be far from that, sadly they''re just so stupid.''

    And them being stupid isn''t his fault. Now, he could only wait until the ideaes to them. If it takes too long, then a little bit of intervention wouldn''t be so bad.

    Ashton ryed his n to West Two and received an affirmative response. He also told him what he should do for the Celestials.

    After updating the n, he deactivated the link for a bit to let West Two move autonomously. He wasn''t afraid of West Two betraying him since he came from the System.

    He wouldn''t have necessarily sent West Two there if he could help it. Sadly, he had no pieces left to use.

    His spies had moved on the to Grand Fleet. They''ve be his eyes there, informing him about any kind of developments that are out of ce.

    Sure, he could''ve just made more spies to monitor both the Qliphoth and Laguna, but there was no fitting candidate. Nobody was worth the effort and the ve Seal. It''s either they didn''t fit the criteria or they''re just simply too weak.

    Hence, he sent out West Two instead. With him out there, he could expect some good performance at least. West Two could ess everything that he has, if he couldn''t seed in his mission, then that meant that he was biting off more than he can chew.

    Well, that''s simply not the case so far, so Ashton could expect some good results from him.

    After receiving an update from West Two, Ashton was freed for the rest of the day. He used this time to remind himself of his schedule for tomorrow...

    ''Another public lesson to elerate the standardization of cultivation for Humanity.''

    ''Then a team meeting to arrange another recruitment for the Guild.''

    ''After that, I''ll be attending the opening ceremony of a School, another Medicine Pavilion, and the establishment of the cksmith Organization courtesy of Aria.''

    ''Then, I have another meeting to discuss the expansion of Fantasia''s territory. We''ll be upying more of Last Bastion after several decades since thest time it happened.''

    ''Maybe we could even salvage the cities that were destroyed previously. We have a lot of ARC Cores avable anyway.''

    Ashton''s schedule might sound loaded but in truth, it wouldn''t even take him half a day to finish all of that.

    Taking it easy as everything around him prospered, there might be nobody who could do the same as he does it.

 Chapter 276 Mysterious Companion

    Two months have passed since Pride and Wrath''s fight.

    The Qliphoth has recovered from the damages they caused and has moved on from it. Hardly anybody talks about it nowadays, but that doesn''t mean that they havepletely forgotten about it.

    Pride and Wrath used this time to practice. They tried numerous ties to tap into that well of power that they''ve disyed before but so far, they have yet to seed.

    This was frustrating for the two of them of course. They just don''t know what to do anymore, they''ve tried multiple ways but nothing worked. It''s not like all of this was just some kind of illusion either, it did happen! So it didn''t make sense for them to fail this much.

    They just don''t know what they were doing wrong. It doesn''t help that theirrades were also losing faith in them after numerous failures. Pride couldn''t handle that, neither does Wrath.

    This is why they are in a bad mood most of the time during these past couple of days.

    The lower-ranked demons were walking on eggshells around them. Afraid that anything they do might trigger their anger, causing them to take it out on themselves.

    Pride probably has it worse than Wrath.

    To Wrath, he''s just angry at himself because he thinks that he''s too stupid. Pride, on the other hand, was angry because this constant failure was tainting his reputation, and that is something he ces a lot of importance on.

    Pride could almost hear it; the jeers of the lesser demons, talking about how slow and stupid he was for not even being able to do this simple thing. It''s his power yet he doesn''t know how to use it.

    He is Pride, and his reputation is far more important than anything else. That''s why he''s nearly consumed by unstable anger each passing day.

    Pride never hung out with his men anymore. He just stayed in the training grounds, trying to tap into his Sin even deeper to no avail.

    After the nth time of failure, Pride looked up and saw that it was already past midnight in this world.

    He punched the nearby wall out of frustration once and did his best to calm himself down.

    After taking a couple of deep breaths, Pride sighed and left the training grounds. He thanked the Demon God that he was not sharing this ce with Wrath. If he did, then he would''ve probably already done something unforgivable.

    He left that ce and didn''t go to his quarters yet. Instead, he made his way to the liquor area where he used to hang out with his men.

    Pride wouldn''t be able to sleep without drinking so he went here to steal a barrel of liquor to bring it back with him.

    But when he arrived there, he was surprised to see that someone was still around.

    Pride froze in his tracks and debated whether it was a good idea to still go in there. In the end, he clicked his tongue and decided to go in anyway.

    Upon entering, he heard whoever it was,ughing. The one in question was a Lesser Demon who was having a great time by themselves, drowning in alcohol.

    "You..."

    "Hiiiikk!!!"

    The lesser demon made a sound that is a mixture of surprise and hups. They practically jumped out of their seat and stumbled to look at Pride, whose mouth was pressed into a thin line due to how ridiculous this situation was.

    "L-leader! I didn''t see you Hic! there. H-hello..."

    Pride stared at the lesser demon for a solid second, thinking of what to say.

    "What are you still doing here?" He asked.

    Inwardly, Pride tried to recall in his memory who this one was but he got nothing. This was probably the first time that he had seen this guy.

    "I-I''m...." the drunken demon hupped a few more times due to nervousness before seemingly losing energy. Their shoulders ckened and they said:

    "I-I was drinking...it''s been a long day for me and I couldn''t sleep so I thought about getting ck-out drunk so I can sleep better and have the energy to do tomorrow''s chores."

    ''...same.'' Pride responded inwardly.

    Pride then proceeded to make his way to the closest barrel of liquor, he then unceremoniously took it out and punched a hole in it. He then sat at some random corner and began drinking his fill.

    "D-do you need me to leave? Leader?"

    "No," Pride replied, much to his surprise. "You were here first. You might as well stay until you ck out from drinking. Isn''t that why you came here in the first ce?"

    "...right."

    What followed was an awkward silence between them, the only sound there was, was the asional gulping sounds from either of them as they drank their alcohol.

    Pride stared off into a nk space, his thoughts were practically empty at this point. Meanwhile, hispany was uneasy. Feeling as if they were sitting on pins and needles.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "You look...tired, Leader."

    That got Pride''s attention back to reality. He stared at hispanion and saw a pair of eyes with a rainbow-colored gleam in them staring through him.

    Pride was unnerved for a bit, it''s as if he was mesmerized by something just now but he can''t remember what. Then, as if he had no control over his voice, he started speaking...

    "I guess I am." He replied, "It''s been frustrating recently...I don''t know what I''ve been doing wrong."

    "Um...if...if you want to talk about it. I can listen." Hispanion said.

    Pride looked at hispanion and saw the instant panic exploding from their whole body.

    "N-not that you need to o-of course! It''s just um...a suggestion, yes! A suggestion. Haha. Y-you see, I heard from s-somewhere that talking to s-someone about your problems makes you feel better."

    "I-I don''t know if I''d be able to understand it of course. I-I may also not be able topletely sympathize with you, but I can listen. Maybe that would help somehow? Ehehe..."

    Pride just stared at hispanion with an empty head.

    He was quite surprised, to be honest. This was the first time that somebody tried to reach out to him and offer help. Even though this one looked unassuming and cowardly at a nce, they have some guts at least.

    And Pride didn''t hate that at all. Before he could even catch himself doing it, Pride was already talking...

    "I fought Wrath not too long ago, you know it. Everybody does. You all also saw what happened back then. We tapped into a certain state of our being that was never seen before."

    Pride sighed and furrowed his brows.

    "After recovering from the fight, the others practically tasked us to figure out a way to tap into that state of being again, but so far, none of us seeded just yet. That''s it...that''s why I seem exhausted and angry at all times recently."

    And what do you know, Pride felt instantly lighter after admitting all of that. Just from this alone, what hispanion said earlier was already proven right. But of course, it didn''t simply end there.

    "...I-I guess it''s hard to let go of control consciously."

    Pride''s eyes snapped wide open upon hearing that.

    "What did you just say?"

    "Uh, um! I-I...I guess it''s hard to let go of control consciously?" Hispanion repeated themselves hesitantly.

    "How did you arrive at that conclusion? What made you think it''s an issue of letting go of control instead of...well, pretty much everything else?"

    "Ah uh...."

    "Don''t be afraid. Speak freely, you''re not in trouble. I''m not gonna hurt you. I''m just genuinely curious." Pride couldn''t believe that he just reassured someone but he just did.

    "W-well...I-I was there. I saw the fight with my own eyes. Leader Wrath was angrier than ever and seemed to havepletely lost touch of...everything."

    "H-he couldn''t recognize allies from foes. He couldn''t even talk properly. All that wasing out of his mouth were grunts and roars. I-it''s like he was fully consumed by his Sin."

    "W-which made me think that um...maybe he had lost all sense of control and just gave in...to his Sin."

    "His Sin practically took over his body from that point in the fight, and it didn''t discriminate," Pride said to himself. "I also was fully consumed by it which allowed me to enter that state!"

    Pride stood up, his eyes were blown wide open as it finally dawned upon him.

    "If Sloth didn''t act too quickly, both of us might''ve attacked her as well. That''s it! That''s what I''m supposed to do! Let go of control!"

    Pride them gazed heatedly at hispanion. There was so much passion in his eyes that it was almost burning the poor thing.

    "I-I suggest that you don''t do it now..." hispanion said despite being ufortable. "Y-you know...it''s toote. The majority of us are resting. Y-you, look tired too. D-do it tomorrow instead."

    "...right." Pride thought that what they said made sense, so he decided to go with it.

    He was leaving at this point but he twisted his heel all of a sudden and decided to take another barrel of liquor.

    Before he left, he gave the lesser demon another passionate stare before huffing and leaving.

    As Pride made his way back to his quarters, he didn''t know that parts of his memories were already on the verge of being erased.

    Tomorrow, he will wake up. He won''t remember talking to anybody before sleeping. All he would remember would be the trick to entering that state of being.

 Chapter 277 Greedy

    Greed and Sloth stood by the side, watching a spectacle happening.

    They observed Pride who was currently standing in the middle of his training area with his eyes closed. His expression was warped as if he were in pain. They could hear asional grunts of difort.

    But what really got their attention was the deep sea blue aura ring on Pride''s entire body.

    Pride''s horn crown glowed with the same brilliance, his muscle mass increased and they could feel the sheer power coursing through him.

    "Incredible." Greed murmured.

    He watched in fascination as Pride disyed the power he unlocked purely by chance. A trace of desire welled up in Greed''s heart, he too wanted to experience what''s that like.

    Sloth, as usual, was sleeping on her makeshift bed that she always carries around. She can''t really help it, this was her thing. But beneath her slumbering appearance, she too was observing Pride.

    ''He told us to keep our distance.'' Sloth thought to herself, ''I''m guessing he did so because he''s aware of the possibility that he may lose his sense of self upon entering this state of being. He didn''t want to hurt us. Good for him.''

    She can tell just by looking that Pride was struggling to keep himself sane. The sheer amount of Sin oozing from his body could drown out a crowd. It''s probably not easy to handle.

    Yet the fact that he was able to figure it out earlier than Wrath did says volume. After numerous attempts and failures, he finally seeded.

    But as they expected, this increase in power has a downside.

    "Should we try to talk to him in this state?" Greed asked softly to Sloth.

    Sloth kept snoring despite being asked, but she didn''t need to answer at all.

    "....grrhh!! Mad! Dan-...dangerous! Grrrhhh! Stay....away!!" Pride growled loudly, seemingly replying to Greed.

    As it turns out, Pride could hear him despite the distance. That means that not only Pride got physically stronger upon entering this state, but his senses were also boosted.

    From Pride''s words, uttered with so much difficulty, it''s clear that he''s barely hanging on to his sanity. Getting close to him would be akin to a straight-up provocation. And driven by sheer instincts, Pride would attack anybody who dares toe close.

    "Can you deactivate it?" Greed asked curiously.

    Pride replied using several grunts and whines. Greed could see that he was trying to do so, but it was proving to be difficult for him.

    "Keep trying. You already seeded in entering that state, just do the opposite, I think." Greed suggested.

    Pride barked at him, which caused Greed to be taken aback but he didn''t mind it so much. He just alloted that behavior to Pride not being in a proper state mentally.

    A few minutes passed and eventually, they could see that the ring aura around Greed''s body fadedpletely. Once it was all gone, Pride copsed on the ground, panting and extremely exhausted.

    Greed took Sloth and started walking closer to Pride. It should be safe now, Pride''s already exhausted.

    "Good work." Greed said he gave Pride a bottle of Ambrosia which thetter down in a single gulp.

    Pride then sat down while still catching his breath, he then eximed, saying:

    "Hell...that felt so ufortable."

    "I''m guessing it''s quite different from what you felt during the first time?" Greed asked.

    "Not entirely." Pride replied, "The only difference is that now, I was stubbornly holding on to a piece of consciousness while I could feel myself drowning in my Sin. Thest time, I wasn''t putting up a fight at all so it just felt empty, but we all know the risks if it stayed that way."

    "Right. You wouldn''t be able to distinguish friend from foe." Greed supplied, it''s not hard to figure out what Pride was trying to say at this point.

    "You know, I just realized this now since I was more conscious, but entering this state really saps out one''s endurance. Holy shit, I''m fucking tired already. I think I will need to sleep for like, three days straight after this." Pride pointed out.

    "It''s that serious?" Greed frowned, then he saw Pride nodding in confirmation. "You don''t think that it''s just because you''re not used to it yet?"

    "...huh, yeah that might also be possible." Pride shrugged. He theny t on the ground again to rest. "I wanna sleep now, hey Sloth, help me out here."

    "...tell us how you did that first." Came Sloth''s reply to his request.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Right. I almost forgot." Pride scratched his head. "Well, as it turns out, the trick to entering that state was a lot simpler than we initially thought."

    "Oh? And how so?" Greed asked curiously.

    "All this time, we''ve been trying to see if there''s a trigger to it or something. We''ve been looking at this power like a tool that needs to be switched on. But in reality, the clue was already right up in our faces, we just failed to see it."

    "This is a state of being. You don''t switch it on, you allow it to consume you." Pride stated.

    "Which means?"

    "Letting go of control,pletely." Pride added, "By doing that, you''d be allowing your Sin to take over your body. Your consciousness will sink deeper into it."

    "Our Sin is like a well of water. Your consciousness is like the bucket that''s connected to a rope. You throw it down the well and let it sink deeper and deeper. The rope represents your sanity, it''s connected to your consciousness but it''s also affected by water in the well."

    "And your control is the force that will decide whether that bucket will only float on the surface of the water or sink to it deeper. That''s essentially how I see it right now."

    Greed looked fascinated by the logic that Pride used just now. Inwardly, he couldn''t believe that Pride''s mind was able to reach this conclusion, but at the same time, Pride''s more familiar with this state than he was so he guessed that he would understand it better.

    "It''sically so simple in the end, I couldn''t believe it took me this long to figure it out, especially when the clues were all over the ce." Pride chuckled to himself.

    "Sink your consciousness into the well of Sin deep within you and let go. Allow yourself to submerge into it, just beware of your sanity cause trust me, it would be hard to maintain it upon entering that state."

    ''Alright, at this point, this guy''s just bragging.'' Greed groaned inwardly, but he didn''t say anything since Pride had a valid excuse for that.

    "Did you feel strong when you were in that state?" Greed asked.

    "Not just feel." He said, "I knew that I was incredibly strong the moment I entered that state. There was just noparison."

    "But above that, I also felt pressured. You won''t believe this but in that state, you''d feel that the power of Sin, the power that was bestowed to us by the Demon God, was much greater than we initially expected."

    "It gave me the impression that I was just scratching the surface of my power all this time. What lies beneath that surface, was the real deal. The true power of our Sin lies at the very depths of that well."

    "But I can''t reach that far yet. The pressure was already too much for my body. I''m afraid that if I go deeper, my body would just copse from too much power."

    Pride put a stop to his monologue after saying that, leaving Greed mumbling to himself.

    He couldn''t hear what Greed was saying but judging from the way his eyes glowed, it seems that he was interested now.

    "Come..."

    Pride looked at Sloth and saw her opening her arms to invite him, her eyes were still closed but Pride didn''t mind.

    He didn''t hesitate and dove into Sloth''s bosom. He shamelessly parked his face in between her bountiful chest and hummed infort. Pride then felt Sloth caressing his horns as she hummed a tune.

    In mere seconds, Pride felt drowsy. Then he fell asleep just as fast as the drowsiness came for him.

    Now resting on top of Sloth, Pride was carried off somewhere. Since they were done here, there was no reason to stay.

    Sloth left Greed to mumble to himself. Now that she got her answers, she could give it a try whenever she feels like it. Not right now though since she''s feeling a little toozy to do that.

    As for Greed, his mind kept repeating Pride''s words just now. That part where he said that they''re barely tapping onto their real power.

    He couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed. His mind got into thinking that they; the Sin Demons, were destined for a greater purpose, yet because they werecking, they''re only finding that out now.

    Greed is greed after all. After discovering that there''s more to their power that their naked eyes couldn''t see, of course, he will bepelled to discover it.

    He is Greed, it is in his very being to want and need more because that is his identity.

    That is his Sin.

 Chapter 278 Progress

    Contrary to what one might expect, the Sin Demons didn''t start going all out to enter that empowered state.

    Even though Pride already established the method of how to do it properly, they still decided to wait out and allow them to get used to it first before the rest follow suit.

    Pride wasn''t the one who informed Wrath about the trick, it was Envy. He heard from Greed and he ryed the idea to Wrath to help him out. As a result, Pride didn''t need to tell Wrath how to do it himself.

    Of course, Pride felt a little proud of himself for figuring this out. Pretty much everyone was expecting Wrath to be the first one to figure out the trick since he was the one who stayed in that state longer, but it was Pride who seeded first.

    Pride felt a little smug about this little achievement. Now, he didn''t feel like bashing Wrath''s skull in whenever he sees him since this little victory dissipated some of his remaining resentment.

    The method that Pride discovered, worked well with Wrath as well. And just like Pride, he too mocked himself for not seeing the obvious clues. Wrath felt that he was too stupid for not noticing it earlier. But that doesn''t matter anymore. At least they grasped the trick now.

    The Sin Demons decided to call this process the Sin Takeover.

    Knowing what it does and what it feels from both of theirrades who were able to do it, that name sounds fitting.

    And just like what was stated earlier, the others haven''t attempted to enter the Sin Takeover state just yet.

    Greed thought that it''d be a good idea for both Pride and Wrath to get used to this new skill first, just so that, in the chance that any of them went fully berserk, losing control over their instincts, Pride and Wrath could work together to stop them.

    This idea was supported by others. It''s just a good idea in general. If they do it that way, it''d be safer and smoother so why not, right?

    So, they did just that. Pride and Wrath continued training each day to get used to entering the Sin Takeover State. And much to their delight, the two were showing progress faster than they expected.

    After an entire month of practicing, Pride and Wrath could now enter the Sin Takeover State at will. It''s already like second nature to them. They also built up sufficient tolerance from their practice that they are now able to remainpletely conscious while still in that state.

    Of course, they haven''t gone deep into that state yet. This was just their initial dive, there''s still a long way for them to go before they reach the true depths of their Sin.

    But knowing that they could get used to it meant that the terrible side-effect that they initially expect isn''t as scary anymore.

    With enough practice and time, they would be able to get used to it so that they won''t worry about going mad anymore.

    But now, since both Pride and Wrath were skilled enough, they could move on slowly with the others.

    Envy had been waiting so long for this, so when they were ready, it was he who decided to participate first.

    If Wrath''s Aura was deep crimson while Pride''s was deep sea blue. Envy''s aura was a striking purple.

    And as it turns out, Greed''s foresight saved them from potential harm. When Envy dipped into the Sin Takeover State, he did lose control and started attacking them.

    Thankfully, Pride and Wrath stepped forward and neutralized him right away, pulling him out of that state by beating the hell out of him.

    Upon waking up, Envy realized just how difficult it was to do that. That sensation that Pride and Wrath described whenever they''re in that state was, in fact, that serious.

    He regretted not taking their words seriously before but now, he''s better at it. He knows what to expect so this shouldn''t happen again.

    And just like this, one by one, the Sin Demons experienced what it''s like to enter the Sin Takeover State.

    This was the new thing that distracted them. They poured their attention into mastering the new depths of their power that they''d never explored before.

    It''s quite enlightening and ironic, that out of all the ces where they would discover this, it just has to happen on this backward.

    If someone were to tell that about this before arriving here, they''d probablyugh at their faces. They wouldn''t even spare it a thought, to be honest.

    A few more months passed and the Sins had basically shifted their focus. The risk of them losing control upon entering the Sin Takeover State waspletely gone so they went off and trained at their own pace.

    The atmosphere around the Qliphoth had be quite lighter since then. The tension was diffused since there was no longer any friction around their leaders. No more surprise fights as well.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Through this, none of the Hypogeans, and the Celestials by extension, realized that they havepletely forgotten about Humanity.

    The Sin Demons and the Apostles still regrly checked with their spies ritually since that''s their job, but since the reports that they''ve been receiving are quite the same every time, they more or less ignored it.

    To them, Humanity wasn''t a pressing problem that they have to deal with. The Hypogeans had a discovery that upied their attention while the Celestials caught news of that and are now making preparations to counter it.

    None of this had anything to do with Humanity at all. In their eyes, Humanity held no value to them.

    It''s quiteughable considering that they have agreed to a temporary truce upon arriving in this world. Yet despite that, they continue to scheme against each other in order to take advantage. They were truly rivals, through and through.

    If only they knew how fast Humanity''s progress was, especially when they are given time to focus on their developments instead of fighting for their lives. They would most likely think that it would be better tomit suicide instead of giving them that much freedom.

    "Blessed Apostles, a courier came delivering an important package for all of you."

    In a castle beyond the clouds, a dull looking celestial respectfully entered the Apostles'' Abode, delivering an unopened package that he had gotten this morning.

    "ce it on the Altar child and be on your way." The voice of an Apostle echoed in the Celestial''s ears.

    And like an obedient errand boy, he followed their orders and left the package at the altar before leaving to do his duties.

    The package was then summoned by Apostle James and taken to the meeting hall where the rest of his fellow Apostles would be going as well.

    James didn''t look surprised upon receiving this package, nor was he wondering what was inside. And upon arriving in the meeting hall, the rest of the Apostles more or less looked the same.

    They didn''t need to guess what the content of the package was, because there was only one person who would give them such a package.

    James opened it carefully and took out the contents.

    The thing inside the package was a normal-looking stone. Others would be confused by this but not them. They have learned the Deceiver''s unique way of protecting information.

    This stone was indeed ordinary, and that''s because this was not the real gift that the Deceiver gave to them.

    The true gift was on the packaging, which is also why James was so careful about opening the package.

    Through the packaging, they discovered some unique inscriptions. James then arranged it in a way that made sense and suddenly, it lit up and started disying scenes that were captured by the Deceiver from the Qliphoth.

    The scenes that were captured weren''t much but it was more than enough for the Apostles to interpret on their own.

    They understood that the Deceiver couldn''te too close or else he will be discovered so he could only do this much. Actually, the fact that he could still gather this much intel under their noses was already an incredible feat on its own.

    The Apostles couldn''t possibly ask for more after seeing that the child already did amazing, so they just took it from there.

    From what they saw this time around, it would seem that they were indeed at a great disadvantage.

    They had hoped that the side-effect of the Sin Takeover would be a permanent thing, but unfortunately for them, it is not.

    But this isn''t enough to deter them. Even though their enemies discovered a way to increase their power, the Apostles wouldn''t back down from them.

    They never went idle upon discovering this. They have made sufficient preparation, all of which are being updated still every time they received intel from the Deceiver.

    The Apostles aren''t afraid of staking it all against the Sin Demons. Even if their defeat was certain, that doesn''t necessarily mean that they would just lie down and receive that.

    The merciful Miraculous Grace is with them. That is all the strength they need to do their mission.

 Chapter 279 Start Of The Clash

    Today started as any other day would for the Hypogeans.

    The sun was up signaling daybreak. Most of the Hypogeans got up from their beds and started the day on their terms. After finishing their morning routine, they''re off to work.

    It''s a rtively simple routine altogether but it''s one that most of them are used to at this point. The fact that they started the day like this means that it''s going to be boring but peaceful still.

    That being said, not everybody feels this way. The majority of Hypogeans do but definitely not all of them.

    For some reason, the Sin Demons weed the morning with a heavy and foreboding feeling flooding their bodies.

    It''s so strange. They couldn''t help but think that something was off. But they don''t remember doing anything wrong at all to have this kind of feeling.

    "You all could feel it too, don''t you?" Pride asked the rest of hisrades as they met up in the meeting hall.

    Nobody replied to him, but judging from their looks, Pride knew the answer already. He didn''t need to borate even further cause he was sure that they understood what he was trying to say very well.

    "How vexing...for some reason, I feel like we messed up or something, but I just don''t know how exactly. What did we do to warrant this kind of thing? I''m so confused." Envy mumbled softly as he sat on his chair.

    "Could it be that the Demon Emperor is mad at us?" Wrath asked. He too looked confused about this sudden feeling they were having.

    "It shouldn''t be." Greed replied, "If he was, he would''ve summoned us directly. You all what the Demon Emperor''s personality is like. I''m sure he would''vee to us directly if he had something to say."

    "Right, so I guess we can rule that out." Pride sighed, "But still, what is this then? If not the Demon Emperor, then who?"

    "It couldn''t possibly be Humans...right?" Envy threw that one out there.

    Greed went silent for a bit but he did check up on the records that they''ve been receiving so far and based on what he can see, nothing seemed off.

    "No, it''s not them. Our spies are still monitoring them closely. They said that Humanity''s still barely hanging on to its existence. They couldn''t possibly spare the time to scheme against us."

    "So it''s the Celestials then." Envy pointed out. "I mean, who else is there left? It could only be them."

    "But that doesn''t make sense. We''ve agreed upon a truce!" Pride reminded them. "The Celestials wouldn''t go back in their word, would they?"

    "In most cases, I would agree with you," Sloth said as she slowly got up from her makeshift bed, still looking drowsy as hell, barely opening her mouth to talk.

    "But what if...what if they have a good reason to go back in their word?" She asked them. "The example is the knowledge of something that could seriously jeopardize their Holy Mission in their world. Would you still think that they would keep their words to us, their mortal enemies?"

    This was probably the longest speech that they''ve heard from Sloth ever since arriving on this. And it''s also why they have to take her words seriously.

    Sloth is way toozy to even talk sometimes, even moving around was bothersome for her and this is something that she can''t really help with. It''s her Sin that''s causing this. She''s forced to bezy, and she could force someone to feelzy and unmotivated just like her.

    So the fact that she went out of her way to say something to them despite the irresistible influence of her Sin, speaks volumes about her intentions.

    "...you seriously think that they''ve learned about our Sin Takeover?" Greed asked after musing about her words for a bit.

    "This world''s too small. Secrets of this scale couldn''t possibly be hidden for too long. The truce just stop us from fighting each other. Keeping each other in check isn''t included in that agreement." Sloth replied, yawning and visibly struggling to keep herself awake.

    The rest of the Sin Demons had warped expressions. Sloth''s words were like crisp ps on their faces, waking them up from their stupor.

    They have indeed messed up. Out of all the things they could''ve missed, it''s this. It''s such a rookie mistake too.

    "Don''t beat up yourselves too much. That wouldn''t help us now. Plus, I also just realized it now, so we''re all in this together." Sloth stated.

    To their surprise, Wrath suddenly stood up from his seat.

    Before they could even say anything, he entered his Sin Takeover State, flooding the whole meeting room in a deep crimson glow. In that state, Wrath closed his eyes and started sniffing around.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Greed didn''t n on stopping Wrath this time. If anything, he was about to suggest this himself.

    What Wrath was currently doing, was sniffing out spies or any possible traitors. This was something that Wrath''s good at. Especially in this state where his senses were practically dialed up to 11.

    Suddenly, Wrath''s eyes snapped wide open. He then exploded into activity, bursting out of the meeting hall like a provoked beast. Pride trailed closely behind Wrath, leaving the rest of the Sins in the meeting hall.

    Pride followed Wrath who was flying toward the edge of the Qliphoth. When he surfaced from its depths, Pride instantly felt something amiss, and the foreboding feeling he got since this morning felt heavier.

    He haven''t seen anything yet, but he felt that this was a good time for him to call the other to where they are, just in case. And that''s what he exactly did.

    After that, Pride noticed that Wrath stopped in his tracks. ring at the skies as if it offended him.

    "What''s wrong?" He asked.

    "Fucking pigeons!" Wrath snarled. "They trapped us here."

    Pride''s eyes constricted as he hurriedly looked over to where Wrath was looking.

    He couldn''t see what Wrath was seeing and it upsets him, but it didn''t take him long to realize that he might be able to sense it better once he entered the Sin Takeover State, so he did that. Lo and behold, he did see it.

    A vast golden dome, filled with mysterious glyphs that were obviously created by the Celestials, was covering the entrance to the depths of the Qliphoth.

    In the Sin Takeover State, Pride could smell that putrid Golden Corruption oozing from that formation. It was repulsive and offensive. The fact that this was made right under their noses made him feel worse.

    Not too long after witnessing this, the rest of the Sins arrived as well. Simrly, they too figure out what Pride and Wrath were angry about. Soon, they''ve all seen it and their killing intent practically exploded.

    This is when the clouds suddenly parted, revealing numerous golden rays of light.

    From beyond that golden light, came the horde of Celestials, dotting the skies with their sheer numbers.

    The Sin Demons gripped their fists, judging from their numbers, it''s clear that they practically brought all of the abled men they could gather just for this ambush.

    Behind that army of Celestials, they saw the Five Apostles who obviously lead them here.

    Oh, how the Sin Demons hated their current position. It is obvious that the Apostles were doing this on purpose. They''re looking down on them, literally and figuratively. The Sin Demons hated that idea so much that they risked losing control of their emotions.

    "Stay still, everyone. Get a grip on your emotions. If they''re here, that means that they know what''s going on. They''re trying to make us lose control in hopes that we start attacking each other. Don''t give them that chance." Sloth''s voice echoed in their ears, giving them much-needed rity.

    The Sin Demons collectively took a deep breath to contain themselves. But that doesn''t mean that they weren''t upset.

    "Well, at least we tried." They heard Matthias say.

    His words were seemingly a reply to what Sloth said, and if that was true, then Sloth isn''t wrong. Somehow, the Celestials indeed learned about their Sin Takeover.

    "Let''s not bother with the pleasantries, yeah?" Apostle James stated, "We all know that this isn''t going to be pleasant anyways."

    "As much I''d like to disagree with you, I truly can''t." Greed coldly remarked as he summoned his weapon. "You''ve got us, I''ll admit that. But for what it''s worth, I do hope that you''ve made sufficient preparations for this."

    "We will see about that, Greed. We will see." Matthias solemnly said as he too summoned his weapon.

    With a wave of his hand, Mathhias signaled the start of the fight.

    The Sin Demons were immediately bombarded with all sorts of Celestial Miracles. All of which melted like snow under the re of summer''s heat when it made contact with their aura.

    Wrath being in tune with his Sin deeper, took charge and carved a path for hisrades. With a loud shout, he raised his great sword into the sky and cleaved it down, slicing the whole formation with enough power topletely shatter it.

    As pieces of the formation fell from the sky like snowkes, the battle between the Hypogeans and the Celestials raged on...

 Chapter 280 Cards Drawn

    ''Well, it''s a good thing that we weren''t banking for that formation to work in the first ce.'' Apostle Matthias thought as he watched the formation crumble from a single blow from Wrath.

    Judging by the expressions of hisrades, it is clear that they too expected something like this to happen and they weren''t surprised at all. This allowed them to remain calm under the great pressure that they were feeling.

    Matthias watched as the maddened dog Wrath cleaved a path for the rest of the Sin Demons. He harvested the lives of lesser Celestials like he was reaping wheat.

    It was clear that their numbers were useless against the Sin Demons. Killing one lesser celestial or killing hordes of them makes no difference to them. The lesser celestials aren''t fit to be cannon fodders in this fight.

    Fortunately, though, the Sin Demons barely paid attention to the weaker celestials. Thetter couldn''t harm them in any way, shape, or form so they could essentially ignore thempletely.

    Those who died by their hands were the ones that are on their way, that''s the consequence of their stupidity and audacity for thinking that throwing their bodies would do anything against the Sin Demons.

    The lesser hypogeans had been alerted by their ambush and are now showing up to defend against the celestial army. It was an explosive sh that shook the very foundation of the Qliphoth.

    Wrath and hisrades reached the Apostles. And from the very first sh against them, it was painfully clear to the Apostles how unfair this battle would be.

    The Sin Demons in their Sin Takeover State were obscenely strong. The Apostles couldn''t evene close to them. Two of them in that state was enough to cause all five of the Apostles to sweat, not to mention all five of them.

    Matthias and hisrades already knew this thanks to the intel they received from the Deceiver, but it''s still a bitter pill to swallow.

    Not even a year before, in this world''s time, the rival group were evenly matched, then by a stroke of luck, the Sin Demons suddenly discovered a way to tap into more power, leaving the Apostles behind by arge margin.

    The Apostles would lie if they said that they weren''t jealous. Why did they not have something like this too? Did the Miraculous Grace abandon them? This was so unfair and difficult to ept. Is this the Miraculous Grace''s way of telling them that their mission was over?

    If it is so, then why do they feel unwilling? It just doesn''t make sense.

    But, what can they do, really? Asking for more power was sphemy. ording to their faith, the Miraculous Grace treats everybody fairly. They should be happy with what they have. They''re already blessed enough to have this much power and authority, they shouldn''t ask for more.

    Moreover, it''s also possible that this is a test from the Miraculous Grace. A test of their faith and loyalty, to determine their true intentions and their willingness to see this mission through.

    This might be a chance for them to prove themselves to the Miraculous Grace. If they seed, then they might be given a chance to be embraced by the Miracle again. That alone was enough for them to risk their lives to fulfill their duties.

    But of course, seeding in this would be extremely difficult. That is being proven at this very moment.

    It hasn''t even been five minutes since their sh urred and the Apostles were already gravely injured.

    The Sin Demons were relentless and obscenely strong. They''re fast, perceptive, and extremely aggressive. The Apostles could clearly tell if the Sin Demons wanted them dead.

    "You dare set up an ambush when you''re this weak." Greed sneered as he hovered above the Apostles. "I''ve seen you all do something stupid before but this? This one drives it home. I can''t believe that you''d be this reckless Matthias."

    Matthias spat some blood and coldly red at Greed, saying:

    "Not reckless at all. It''s a calcted risk."

    Matthias then retreated, joining his fellow apostles. He then produced a wooden cane which he then pointed at the sky. He whispered a solemn prayer and yelled:

    "Shepherd''s Will!!"

    The wooden cane emitted a strong golden brilliance that enveloped the entirety of the Qliphoth.

    Then, the souls of the fallen celestials appeared, sucked by a mysterious force and forcibly fused to the Apostles evenly.

    Each soul the Apostles gained, the stronger they get. The Sin Demons tried stopping this process but they failed. As it turns out, once the ritual started, nothing could interrupt it.

    Just like that, the Apostles have healed from their injuries and their strength skyrocketed. It reached a point where they were able to match the energy that the Sin Demons were radiating.

    The ying field evened out once more. But with a dire cost for the Celestials'' side.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "You resorted to sphemy to even out the ying field. Wow, I never thought you bald donkeys had it in you." Envy mocked as he watched them.

    "As I said, it''s a calcted risk," Matthias replied. "And this isn''t sphemy. We merely joined efforts to defeat you."

    "Once all of you are dead, we will lead our fallenrades to the embrace of the Miracle. We will personally escort them to the Door of Reincarnation and we will celebrate their birth once more." James chimed in.

    "You and your flowery words. Just admit it, you were pushed into a corner so you decided to sacrifice the lives of your men to increase your power. It''s that simple. Don''t make it sound so noble because it''s not. ''Escort them to the Door of Reincarnation'' my ass! You won''t do shit like that!"

    Pride sneered.

    "Do you all honestly believe that we would believe that?" Pride continued, "Did you honestly think that this temporary increase in strength would be enough to match our Sins?"

    "While we still have no idea how you managed to learn about our Sin Takeover, I would confidently say that even if you were to sacrifice every single man you brought in here to strengthen yourselves. It will never be enough.

    "If you want to me someone, then me that Miraculous Grace of yours for not believing in your abilities and not giving you sufficient gifts, unlike us."

    "I''ve had enough of you disrespecting the Miraculous Grace! Face your death filthy Sins!" Apostle Matthias roared.

    "Bring it on bitch!!!" Wrath snarled as he, once again, took the lead in the aggression.

    Their sh this time around was far more explosive than thest.

    Even though they fought in the skies, the shockwaves of their sh were still strong enough to cause immense suffering for the ones that are fighting below them.

    At a nce, it seems that the Apostles and the Sin Demons were evenly matched, but in reality, the Apostles still fell a little bit short.

    The Sin Takeover State was just too strong. And as it turns out, Pride''s words were proving themselves to be correct.

    Even if they were to absorb the souls of every single man they brought in here for this ambush, it wouldn''t be enough. The Sins in this form were too strong and this isn''t even their limit.

    As they were pushed back still, Matthias and his fellow apostles were forced to reveal another trump card.

    Matthias brought out a giant cross from out of nowhere and prayed to it, then he yelled:

    "Crucifixion!!"

    At that instant, holes appeared in the center of the Apostles'' hands and on both of their feet. The hole burned with a golden fire which hurt them but the Apostle endured it.

    Crucifixion is a unique ritual that doubles the current strength of a worshipper in exchange for their lifespan. It''s an equivalent exchange if you will.

    This was an Apostle''sst resort since, even though they are technically immortal, they could only use this ritual once in a while it saps all of their energy once the duration was over, leaving them extremely vulnerable.

    But with this, the Apostle managed to snatch the advantage. Since their strength practically doubled in no time, it''s the Sin Demons'' turn to fall into a disadvantage.

    Yet still, even with that, the Apostles failed to kill a single one. Even as they got stronger and unmatched in this form, the Sin Demons still managed to fend off their attempts.

    The Sin Demons were growing as they fought. The initial advantage that the Apostles held through the power of their ritual was bridged by the explosive growth of their enemies.

    It''s like the Sin Demons were using them as a sharpening stone to elerate their growth. The very idea caused the Apostles to feel endlessly vexed but unable to do anything about it.

    They continued fighting, exchanging injuries, and recovering in the next instant. Both parties were tired. This was obviously the hardest fight they''ve been on and it was exhausting.

    Eventually, Matthias couldn''t prevent it anymore. He tried his best and hisrades did so as well. Unfortunately, it still wasn''t enough.

    They only have onest option left, but it was something that he''d like to avoid if he could. Sadly, he had to.

    "May the Holy Spirit be with us..." Matthias whispered to himself as he took out their final trump card.

 Chapter 281 Conclusion?

    ''Shit, here we go.'' Greed braced for the worse as he focused on where the Apostles were.

    He and the other Sin Demons watched closely as a milky white radiance enveloped the Apostles. A mysterious hymn rang across the Qliphoth causing all the Hypogeans to suffer a sharp screech in their ears.

    On the other hand, the Celestials who heard this hymn closed their eyes and seemingly went into full worship. It''s as if they just heard the voice of their god and everything else became unimportant.

    The Sin Demons were sweating. They might have the advantage now but once again, they''re about to lose that because of what''s happening. The worst part is that they''ve been using the Sin Takeover for quite some time now.

    In the Sin Takeover State, they experience a sharp increase in strength and all other parameters in exchange for the rapid consumption of their stamina and endurance.

    Normally, the Sin Demons can tussle with the Apostles for days on end, but in the Sin Takeover State, they couldn''t fight for an entire day without risking their lives.

    In fact, only two hours passed since the start of the fight and the Sins were already anticipating the aftermath of this whole thing. They''d probably fall into a longa after this and that''s something that they''re not looking forward to.

    But they can''t stop. Especially not now.

    The Apostles had gone ahead and thrown all caution to the wind. They were serious about taking them down even if it means their death.

    They went ahead and sacrificed their immortality in exchange for power. The Apostles will only live until they finish what they needed to do and with how valuable their sacrifice was, the power they receive from the exchange will of course be immense.

    If it were possible for the Sin Demons to prevent this from happening, then best believe that they would. Unfortunately, they couldn''t so they could only prepare themselves for the worst.

    "I''m sorry guys, now that it hase to this, I think I would need to sink in deeper. Watch over me."

    "Wait, Wrath...!" Greed was about to stop him but Pride prevented him.

    "Don''t stop him." Pride said, "This is our only option left. Even I''m tempted to do the same. Wrath would be fine. Let''s just get out of his way."

    Greed felt frustrated by this but he couldn''t deny Pride''s logic.

    In truth, Greed was also thinking about it. He was just hesitant since it is extremely difficult for them to pull anybody out of the depths of the takeover. But as Pride said, this was their only option left.

    Wrath was the perfect candidate to do this. He''s the one who experiences an astonishing growth rate in this form. Wrath''s also a battle genius, he might turn rabid the moment he sinks further into the takeover but they could trust him to do the job just fine.

    Without wasting time, Wrath closed his eyes and sank further into the well of his sin.

    He tried resisting, keeping control of his sanity and all, but it was useless. The power he held was too vtile and it prevented him from grasping his sense of self.

    The others felt Wrath''s aura ring even harder. His horns got bigger and the madness was practically oozing out of his body.

    Pride signaled the others to retreat. Sadly, they can''t be close to Wrath when he wakes up in this state or else he will start attacking them. And with how much power Wrath''s currently releasing right now, it''d be difficult, even for the four of them joining efforts, to contain him.

    "...ggrrhhh."

    They could hear the gurgling soundsing from Wrath''s mouth. They can''t see his face anymore but they don''t have to. Just from the way he stands, they could tell that he''s already awake and shit''s about to go down.

    Around this time, the Apostles also finished their transformation. Now, they''ve grown wings, tons of eyes, and hoops of halos. They''vepletely lost their immortality in exchange for the power to defeat the Sin Demons.

    Unfortunately, even this might not be enough to secure victory over their foes.

    As soon as they made the slightest hint of movement, Wrath took that as a sign of aggression.

    Through sheer speed alone, he seemingly teleported and appeared right in front of the Apostles who were still basking in their newfound power.

    Matthias'' eyes constricted upon seeing this, but before he could even lift a finger, Wrath already grabbed his skull and bashed it into another Apostle, sending them flying at sonic speeds.

    The others tried to react but Wrath disappeared from his spot. He showed up behind another Apostle, the others hollered some warnings but it was toote. Wrath already clipped the wings of his target before they could even utter their warning.

    Wrath then proceeded to take all five Apostles, who have transcended, all on his own. And he was winning.

    The Apostles could barely keep up with him, much less hurt him in this maddened form of his. Wrath was moving through sheer intuition. A crazed beast who desired nothing more than to kill and destroy all life. Holding a special and deep-seated grudge against the Celestials.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The Sin Demons watched as Wrath did what he was best at. They didn''t interfere nor even dared toe close. They flew out of the Qliphoth''s vicinity since Wrath imed it as his domain.

    That''s the whole battlefield, and Wrath was King in there. The others could tell that Wrath wouldn''t appreciate their presence there so they made this conscious decision.

    They watched as Wrath pressed his heels down on the Apostles'' throat. He was unmatched in terms of fighting capabilities, they don''t evene close.

    Wrath clipped their wings and devoured their eyes and their halos. He had dismembered them several times and if it weren''t for that boost on their powers, the Apostles would''ve probably died at this point.

    ''Damn it! Damn it! God damn it!''

    Matthias snarled inwardly as he wiped away the blood dripping down on his face to focus on defeating Wrath.

    How humiliating was this? They''ve sacrificed everything but it''s still not enough. They haven''t even enjoyed what it''s like to be in this state!

    The worst part is that there''s only a single crazed dog that''s beating the living shit out of them.

    It was so unfair. How was this allowed? Why are the Sins so incredibly powerful? It doesn''t make sense!

    He couldn''t stomach the idea that their rivals turned out to be more powerful than they initially thought. Matthias thought that they were created to counter the existence of the Sin Demons. To make it fair.

    But what''s all of this? Why were they given this much power? And why was it only them?

    If they, the Apostles, were created to counter the Sin Demons and make it fair, then why did they not have this power as well? Why must there be a need for them to sacrifice their immortality in exchange for power? It''s not even effective against one crazed Sin Demon!

    It''s so unfair. So vexing and frustrating as well.

    Matthias and the other Apostles really tried their best. They did. If the Miraculous Son were to be here, he would say the same.

    But in the end, they couldn''t fulfill their purpose. They failed in this mission even with the sacrifices they made.

    As Wrath severed his head, Matthias did nothing. His eyes just look empty. All he could think about...was how unfair everything was.

    He didn''t even have the time to bid farewell or utter hisst prayers as Wrath chewed on his skull. Hisst thoughts were about the Miracle abandoning them.

    The fall of the Apostles happened swiftly. Wrath''s rampage was intense, they weren''t able to handle him, much less defeat him.

    As Wrath devoured thest Apostle, there was a tense silence on the battlefield.

    The Celestials were defeated, and the death of the Apostles also caused the deaths of the men they brought over here. The Hypogeans retreated as far as they could from Wrath, afraid that they might be his next target.

    But contrary to what they expected, Wrath didn''t attack anybody after that.

    They all watched as the ring crimson aura of Wrath weakened at a speed visible to the naked eye.

    Wrath then turned around and smiled at them, causing the other Sin Demons to heave a sigh of relief. Their auras too faded as well, and soon as they did, they all felt a wave of exhaustion that almost caused them to lose their ability to fly.

    The others flew close to Wrath with the intent of discussing their next move, but out of nowhere...

    Shink!!!

    The Sin Demons froze on their spot. Their eyes constricted as they saw a metallic thing piercing Wrath''s chest, drenching his whole chest with ckened blood.

    Wrath''s brain seemingly short-circuited, he attempted to pull the sharp metal object out but he ran out of energy before he could do so.

    Then, he got devoured by pristine white mes.

    "Well hello there." A female-sounding voice echoed in their ears.

    "Sorry, I just couldn''t resist it. All that action made my blood boil you see."

    "HUMAAAAANNNNNSSSS!!!!"

 Chapter 282 Dream Reveal

    Sloth couldn''t believe what she just witnessed.

    A female human just suddenly appeared on their turf and inflicted a fatal injury on one of herrades. The human wasn''t alone, there were at least a hundred of them here.

    It truly makes one wonder how they were able toe this close without them noticing it...

    But that''s not the important thing she should be focusing on right now. Pride and Greed hadpletely lost their marbles, and Envy''s furs were bristling from sheer anger too.

    She too felt some trepidation and fury for the sheer audacity of humans but inwardly, she was very hesitant.

    They are in no shape to fight now. They are too tired. The battle against the Celestials took more than what they initially expected.

    Sloth tried entering the Sin Takeover mode but she couldn''t, that''s because her condition is nowhere near optimal to be in that state. And if she''s like this, then it should be expected from the others too.

    This was the greatest source of her worries...

    "Greed, Envy, Pride! Be careful, don''t underestimate them!" She hollered, but to her surprise, it seems that her voice wasn''t reaching them.

    ''They''re most likely too consumed by anger. This is bad.'' Sloth pointed out to herself. She clicked her tongue and prepared for the worst.

    "How very daring of you, you pest!!!" Greed snarled as his entire body quivered from sheer anger.

    "Yes, indeed. I am very daring, thank you for noticing." The female human winked, mocking Greed even further.

    She then stared at their soul as she harshly pulled out the weapon that she embedded in Wrath''s chest.

    As she did so, they witnessed how Wrath''s body turned into ash before dissipating in the air. They saw some remains of him, his skull to be more specific, but the woman took it away before they could say anything.

    Sloth felt shivers down her spine as she watched this happen.

    Wrath was dead. There was no way they could ever deny that. His immortality was nullified through some unknown means. She couldn''t even feel his soul anymore.

    He was gone. Completely, and utterly dead.

    She couldn''t help but feel a wave of sadness in her heart. Even though she mostly spent her time asleep and unmoving, she still cares about herrades.

    They are her siblings. They''re born from the same mold, raised through simr means, and had been together since the dawn of their creation.

    To see her brother dying unjustly like that, and through dishonorable means too, really pricks her heart, and the pain was maddening.

    And if she could feel this, then the others surely feel the same. And to prove that point; Pride, Envy, and Greed simultaneously attacked once their mobility was restored.

    It looked like they moved before they could even register what they were doing. And even if they did, they wouldn''t stop it.

    These dirty humans killed their kind right in front of their faces. That''s a sufficient reason for them to go mad and attack the ones responsible for it.

    Sloth watched as her brothers recklessly attacked the humans. She saw how they fought and suddenly wondered to herself;

    ''What am I doing? Why am I standing still?''

    It''s as if she was frozen all of a sudden. She wanted to move, she wanted to fight. She wanted to send those humans to hell for doing that to her brother.

    She wanted to kill them. But for some reason, she couldn''t.

    "Sloth!! Wake the fuck up! They killed Wrath! What the fuck are you standing there for!?" Pride snarled at her.

    "I-I can''t move! I don''t know why!!" She yelled back at him.

    "...Sloth!! What is up with you!? We need you here! Come on!" Pride hollered as well while defending himself against an attack.

    "I told I can''t--"

    "Sloth!! Say something!!"

    Envy''s shout paralyzed Sloth. His words rang in her ears like loud church bells.

    "Y-you can''t hear me?" She said, clearly cognizant that she was indeed speaking out loud just now.

    "Damn it, Sloth! Say something or move! Don''t be so useless now! We''re in the middle of a crisis!"

    "Man, you guys are slow." A human malemented all of a sudden.

    The Sin Demons looked at him and saw him brandishing his shield before saying:

    "Isn''t it obvious at this point? She can''t hear you. And you can''t hear her either. That''s that."

    "What do you mean!? What did you filth do to her!? Answer me!?" Pride attacked the guy with the shield but his blow was easily deflected by thetter.

    "Well, it''s not really us. It''s someone else who''s taking good care of her right now. As for who, well...only she would know I suppose." The man with the shield replied.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "What is he talking about?" Sloth confusedly asked herself.

    "It''s more like who actually." She heard from behind, causing her instantly jumped as if she got electrocuted.

    "And that ''who'', is me obviously." Said the man who mysteriously appeared behind her without her knowing.

    The man she saw was wearing a white cloak. It has a hood but he wasn''t wearing it, allowing her to see his facial features.

    The first thing that struck her was those heterochromatic eyes of his. Sloth has never seen something like that before. His skin was fair, his hair was ck and short with some hints of verdant color on the edges.

    He was sitting on the air, yfully smirking at her as if he was some jester or something. Just from a simple nce, Sloth could tell that this guy was up to no good.

    "Who are you?" She asked, feeling slightly concerned and concerned.

    "My name is Ashton West, Sin of Sloth. A mixed Human and Fey, at your service, I guess?"

    Just from that alone, Sloth has already decided that she did not like this guy.

    "What did you do to me?" She asked in a demanding tone.

    "Oh, so you haven''t caught on?" He asked in return, his tone slightly mocking her. "You''re slower than I initially thought."

    He shrugged as if shaking away the hostility she was sending his way.

    "Look carefully around you and guess. That shouldn''t be hard right?"

    Sloth was so tempted to not fall for it, but in the end, she got curious.

    She looked around to figure out what she was talking about and it turns out that he was right. It didn''t take long for her to realize what was going on.

    "T-this...I''m dreaming?"

    "Spot on!" Ashton replied. Chuckling as she made her realization. "You''re in a ce and a state where your thoughts are alive but it does not influence reality. You''re quite familiar with it since you''re you, I suppose. But isn''t it great?"

    "How is this possible? This has never happened before. I didn''t know I could do something like this!?"

    "Well, that''s because it''s not you who''s doing this, Mistress of Crippling Depression. It''s me, yours truly."

    Sloth nearly gave herself a whish from how she quickly turned her head to face him. She searched his face for any lies or deceit but found nothing.

    "How? And why me?" She asked.

    "Hmm, aside from my name, I also go by the monicker of the Sorcerer of Dreams. This is my thing, you know. That''s how."

    "And why you? Well, you see...you''re the most problematic out of your siblings." Ashton stood up and suddenly went close to her.

    "The Sin of Sloth could take away one''s motivation and desire to improve themselves. This sin could snuff out the mes of inspiration and the well of development to anything it touches, causing it to be stagnant."

    "As they say, stagnant water might turn poisonous." He added, "The Sin of Greed, Envy, and Pride? We can handle that with no problem. But you, the Sin of Sloth and the Sin of Wrath? Both of you needed a special kind of attention. That''s why I''m here."

    Sloth took a deep breath to calm herself down. From his words, she could tell that they didn''te here without any ns. It''s pretty fucking obvious at this point that they''ve severely underestimated Humans, and now they''re paying for that.

    "And you''re certain that what you''re doing right now is enough to contain me?"

    "Contain? Well, I guess you can say that. But you see, I didn''t just merely contain you."

    Ashton then snapped his fingers, and instantly Sloth''s brain was assaulted by memories.

    Memories of what was supposed to happen from the very moment they arrived here and what went wrong. By the time she digested all of it, she returned to the present with a pale face.

    She looked at Ashton as if he was some horrifying monster...

    Ashton wore a Cheshire grin on his face as he stated:

    "From the very moment younded on this world, you were already dancing on top of my palms."

    "You, the Sin Demons..."

    "The Apostles..."

    "Even that Demon Emperor of yours and that perverted Miraculous Son of the Celestials..."

    "Every single one of you was dancing to the tune that I was producing."

    Ashtonughed and said: "See? I wasn''t just containing you."

    "I turned all of you into my puppets! And it''s been he'' fun ying with all of you. Sadly, the curtain calls..."

    "You all should''ve never stepped foot in this world."

 Chapter 283 Humanitys Revenge

    Was it dishonorable to take advantage and kill the enemy while they''re weakened?

    It may be so, but they still went ahead and did it.

    See, why fight a losing battle? Humans are already painfully aware that they''repletely outssed in terms of prosperity. Both the Celestials and the Hypogeans are old existences. Their foundations run deeper than humans could ever imagine.

    Humanity was still in the process of catching up, and it will take a very long time for them to stand at the same level as the invaders. Unfortunately, they need to deal with them now so they could only resort to underhanded tactics to cinch victory.

    Well, other people would call this underhanded, Ashton on the other hand calls it being smart.

    Why send people to their deaths? They have more value in being alive than dead, so why not deliberately stage everything to sharply reduce the casualties?

    While the weaker cultivators kept the lesser demons in check, preventing them from interfering in the fight happening above, the Big 3 was obviously handling the weakened Sin Demons.

    ke, Mary, and Alice worked as a team to confront them. Judging from their expressions, it''s clear that they don''t have thoughts of leaving this ce without killing the Sin Demons.

    Pride, Greed, and Envy tried their best to resist thebined efforts of the Big 3, however, they are slipping up.

    The Apostles took out a lot from them and they''re obviously weakened. They can''t enter the Sin Takeover State due to their exhaustion.

    What''s worse is that Sloth could''ve seriously made this a lot easier for them. Her Sin allows her to take away their motivation and cause them to lower their guards, killing them would''ve been so much easier if she helped, but for some reason, Sloth was unresponsive.

    They don''t know what''s happening to her and they have no time to help her out either. Their hands were full trying to handle the relentless killing intent of Humans.

    What didn''t make sense for them was the fact that their Sins did not affect their enemies. Pride, Greed, and Envy. It''s as if these three people didn''t have those at all, rendering them ineffective.

    The Sin Demons are the personification of their Sins, not only do they have authority over it, but they could also release their full weight to their chosen target, and usually, that''s enough to make their enemies mad.

    But like what''s stated earlier, their Sins are ineffective against these humans. It either has immunity over it or they have something thatpletely nullifies it.

    In truth, it''s the former.

    The Big 3 had developed a certain level of immunity against the Sins all thanks to their rigorous tempering at the Lake of Blood.

    Those mental demons that tormented them tempered their hearts, allowing them to easily resist outside influence.

    They''re notpletely immune per se, it''s more like they''re developed some resistance against it.

    And since the Sin Demons are severely weakened, their powers are also in a simr state, making it easier for the Big 3 to resist it.

    As the fight intensifies, Sloth could do nothing but watch as her siblings were slowly pushed to a corner.

    Within her, she held hope that Pride, Envy, and Greed would be able to do it. She hoped that, even in their weakened state, they could sessfully kill the humans that invaded them and teach them their proper ce.

    Unfortunately, the situation looked extremely grim no matter which angles to look at it from.

    Sloth never thought that Humanity could reach this level of strength, and within a short period too. If they have been just a bit weaker than they are right now, then their chance of sessfully driving them away would be greater. Sadly, that''s obviously not the case at all.

    As time passed, Sloth felt hope draining away from her body. She saw how her brothers got wounded. Due to their exhaustion, their healing factors could no longer keep up.

    She watched as they lost a limb, she watched as they bled and gritted their teeth, not giving up until the veryst moment.

    And finally, she also watched as the humansnded a killing blow to them, lighting them up in pristine white mes, just like what happened with Wrath earlier.

    Sloth felt a sharp pain in her chest as she witnessed their deaths. She also felt angry but mostly, she felt helpless.

    She did try her best to get out of this ce. She tried waking herself up or shattering this dream to take control over her body once more. The Demon God knows she wanted so badly to help her sibling fight, however, nothing mattered.

    Sloth was kept here, forced to watch with her own eyes as her siblings fell one by one. She had lost count of how many times she had cursed this mystical cage and tried to attack the one who put her there to no avail.

    The man named Ashton was untouchable in this ce, he was omnipotent and omnipresent here. He''s like a God here. The power he holds over this domain could easily squash her down like she''s some sort of a bug.

    But Sloth...she remained tough even through the end.

    Her siblings are dead and she''s the only one left. She knows that there''s no that she''s going to survive this. But even so, she kept up her dignity. She will not bend, not beg, nor she will ever betray her kind to keep herself alive.

    She doesn''t have the time to mourn the deaths of her siblings, but that''s fine. They will see each other again, she''s sure of it. The Demon God won''t abandon them.

    "...I wouldn''t be so sure of that If I were you." Came in the devil''s voice echoing in her ears.

    Sloth red harshly at Ashton, if looks could kill, he would''ve been dead a thousand times over by now.

    "Oh, you poor thing. Do you honestly think that you Sin Demons hold that much value to your God? That is some serious devotion you have right there." Ashton sneered, "Your God doesn''t even hear your prayers right now, what makes you think that he cares about you?"

    "Isn''t that because you''re deliberately cutting off our connection from the outside?" Sloth fired back.

    "Mn! That may be so but...are you telling me that a mere barriering from a backward is enough to stop your all-powerful god?"

    That rhetoric silence Sloth.

    "If that''s so, then your Demon God isn''t that special after all. If your God''s that incapable, then I guess I could turn him into a puppet as well. What do you think?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    "You''re sick and arrogant! There wille a day when you will pay for all that you did to us!" Sloth snarled.

    To Sloth''s surprise, the man suddenly bursts into explosiveughter, the kind that shook the very fabrics of the dream itself.

    "Shit, that''s a good one! I didn''t know that your kind has a sense of humor! How incredible!" Ashton continuedughing as Sloth continued ring at him.

    "You, a Hypogean...the so-called locusts of worlds and rival of the Celestials, are calling me, us, sick and arrogant? Oh, how ironic! It''s almost as if we''re the ones who begged you toe here..."

    Sloth was once again silenced by that.

    "We call your kind often as Invaders here, instead of differentiating you from Hypogeans and Celestials. That''s because, in our eyes, you all are the same."

    "Demons? Angels? The only difference those two have is their appearance, nothing more."

    "Your purpose ofing here was practically the same. To harvest the Providence of this world and turn it into a battlefield suitable for your races to use. Whoever wins that fight, gets the right to decide which one will take custody of this world. Isn''t that so?"

    "..."

    "Not even once did you ask us, Humans - the locals of this world, about our opinion about that. Not even once did you respect us! Hell, you lot never even recognized us as proper intelligent species."

    "In your eyes, were nothing but food. A rare delicacy that could only be found in this world. Now, who''s the sick and arrogant one?" Ashton raised a brow as he asked this question.

    "And missy, the day when I pay for all the things that I did to your kind will nevere." Ashton sneered, "You wanna know why?"

    "It''s simple really. This is just the start of everything. I''m nowhere near close to being done with all of you."

    "You killed way too many of my kind. Your kind threatened us, disrespected us, humiliated us, and denied this world from us, just to satisfy the sick and twisted desire of yours to fan this petty rivalry you have."

    "Your sins against my kind are stacked as high as the heavens could get. And I n to settle it all one by one. I''d wage this entire way by myself I have to, and I refuse to die until I achieve my goals."

    Ashton stood in front of Sloth, staring down at her like a furious deity.

    "Our revenge started the very moment I was born on this. What makes you think that there will be anything left of you once I''m done, huh?"

 Chapter 284 Future

    The Celestial Apostles are dead...so are the Sin Demons.

    Ashton''s grand scheme yed out well, everything fell within his expectations and Humanity went home with another victory under their name.

    The Qliphoth and Laguna were still there. Ashton made a conscious decision to not destroy either for now since they still have a purpose. However, its citizens no longer had freedom.

    Before he left the Qliphoth with his men, Ashton pulled every single demon and angel into a dream.

    A dream that he fabricated to make them believe that everything was just fine. He erased their memories of the battle. He fabricated a memory for them which made them believe that the Apostles and the Sin Demons entered solitary seclusion to prepare for their attack against Humanity.

    He even delegated tasks for them to follow in the absence of their leaders, which will mostlye from him.

    In short, Ashton had taken over the Qliphoth and Laguna without them knowing. He will continue to mask the disappearance of the Apostles and the Sin Demons for as long as he can to let Humanity prosper even further.

    Their recent operation was rather covert. He made sure that neither the Demon Emperor nor the Miraculous Son would notice it. And since those two are still under the influence of a dream, they wouldn''t do anything to ruin this chance for Humanity.

    Ashton just bought several years of peace for Humanity pretty easily. With this, they have enough time to develop more, expand their territory even more, and be stronger overall.

    They walked out of this fight with a massive victory, and it''s all due to Ashton''s meticulous schemes.

    At his office, Ashton sat in front of his desk. He just finished today''s tasks pretty early and he''s now thinking about his next moves.

    There''s already a list of things that should be done right away, but of course, it''s never enough. The time was ripe for a more aggressive advance of progress so he must add more to that list.

    He quickly listed several things that should be added to the priorities for Humanity''s development. He then left it for Jerry to analyze and give him feedback before he ultimately decides if they should go for it.

    After doing that, Ashton left his office and made his way back home.

    Aria was waiting for him there. It was kind of surprising since usually, she''d still be at herb, busying herself with work.

    "You''re home early. What''s the asion?" He asked.

    "Nothing much," Aria replied as she served a freshly cooked meal to him. "I didn''t have much to do. My students had already grown big enough to handle themselves. My presence there isn''t needed for now so I just went home instead."

    Ashton smiled and pulled her to hisp. He pressed a kiss on her cheeks and buried his face in her bosom. This way, he just basked in the silence they both shared.

    Moments like this are rare. If he''s not busy then Aria would be. Although they still make time for each other by the end of the day, oftentimes they''re just too tired to even do anything other than sleep.

    This is why Ashton treasures these rare moments with her, he grabs onto it and holds it for as long as he could, because he''ll never know when they''ll have time to be like this again.

    "Come, eat up. Food''s getting cold." Aria chuckled while blushing.

    She still couldn''t get used to Ashton''s little antics but that doesn''t mean that she hates it. If anything, she adores this too so she just lets him do as he pleases.

    They ate in peace for a bit before they moved onto the couch to chill. They''re both free for the rest of the day but don''t feel like going outside. So, they decided to just watch movies indoors and cuddle.

    Later then, the mood between them became hot enough for them to be bothered. So they did something about it.

    Both of them felt relief upon knowing that they still want and need each other even after this long. Proof of this could be seen in how they yearn for each other on a daily and especially in bed.

    But if Aria were to bepletely honest, she wants more. She wants so much more than what she has right now.

    She doesn''t have the heart to ask the question yet...to ask Ashton to give her a child. And there are a ton of reasons as to why that is...

    The most important reason was that the world is still too chaotic for both of their liking.

    Aria personally doesn''t want to raise her child in this kind of world, where at any given moment, their freedom might get taken away from them. And while yes, Ashton is there to prevent that from happening, the man himself isn''t infallible just yet.

    He''s just as vulnerable as any Human being out there. If anything, he''s at very risk of being in danger due to his role in this whole thing.

    As much as having a child sounded so good for her, she couldn''t bear the idea of causing her child any pain, especially if they could do something about it.

    Their environment is nowhere near safe for the two of them to start their little family. And unless ites to that point, Aria knew that both of them would prefer to be by themselves.

    So, even though it was so tempting to just drop the question sometimes, she couldn''t do it.

    It helps that Ashton seems to have understood what she feels as well. She wants to think that his thoughts are on the same wavelength as hers because that will justify why he''s pressed about ending the threat once and for all.

    Ashton works harder and smarter than anybody else. His role in this whole thing was something that only he could do.

    ''To my future child. Please forgive us. We''re still a little preupied with something rather important. Please understand that this is for your sake as well. Don''t worry, we will meet soon. Just have some patience.''

    In a gxy far, far away from where the Blue was...

    A ce that was bathed in white ivories and gold could be seen.

    This ce was so unique that its presence could easily be noticed from far away.

    There were hordes of winged creatures and eye freaks here. There are also a lot of infrastructures that don''t make sense here. Still, just from a single nce, anybody could recognize the sheer prosperity of this gxy, not to mention, its might.

    This, is none other than the real home of the Celestials; Paradiso.

    At the very core of this gxy, there is a majestic ind. This ind is something that cannot be seen through normal means. Its very existence is a closely-guarded secret of this race.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This ind didn''t look any special at first nce. It has a bountiful nature. Flora and fauna thrive here, and there were also small animals around here, living and enjoying the peaceful environment of this ind.

    This is what the Celestials refer to as; The Garden of Eden.

    Somewhere around here was a straw hut. It looks shabby and not special at all. In its vicinity, there is a garden that''s obviously looked after. There are tilled fields and fruit trees around.

    Inside the straw hut, was an old man. He wore in white robes which looked rather dirty and loose. He''s also wearing a pair of straw sandals.

    There were strange tribal marks all over his body. His eyes were featureless, just in white just like the hairs all over his body.

    This old man was humming a tune while rocking back and forth on his rocking chair. He''s also feeding an apple to a little white worm on his palms.

    Out of nowhere, the rocking motion of his stopped. And when he stopped, the worm stopped eating the apple as well.

    The old man then looked straight ahead. The walls of the straw hut were blocking his vision but his gaze gives the impression that he could see through that wall.

    It''s as if everything went still the moment he did, which was rather bizarre.

    The old man kept acting strangely like this for a good while. He was also tapping his fingers on the armrest of the rocking chair, possibly out of habit.

    Shortly after that, a sigh escaped from his lips. And everything seems to resume its movement once he did so, the rocking motion was back as well.

    The old man wore a kind smile on his face, and his gazended on the little worm he was feeding. The little thing looked at him and tilted its head as if it were asking him a question.

    "Oho...everything''s alright little one. I just had a rather unpleasant feeling."

    "..."

    "Well, I''m not so sure. It''s quite distant you see. What I''m certain of is that it''s just an impression. It shouldn''t be harmless."

    "..."

    "Yes, worsees to worst, I could just lift a finger, and the problem will solve itself. So don''t you worry about it anymore. Just keep eating, you''re nearly done."

 Chapter 285 Time Skip

    Five years passed since the death of the Apostles and the Sin Demons.

    Peace prevailed in Fantasia within those five years. Since the invaders were severely weakened, no more breakouts were happening. This meant that nothing was stopping Humanity from progressing at a very rapid pace.

    Humanity''s territory expanded greatly, and the Last Bastion itself became bigger through Ashton''s lead. Additionally, there were artificial inds in the sky powered by ARC Cores that expanded the territory even further.

    A lot of Ashton''s ns to improve society were now in effect. Public knowledge of cultivation has been established and almost everybody in the younger generation is cultivating now, greatly strengthening Humanity''s longevity.

    Breakthroughs after breakthroughs urred, spanning all manner of things. With this many people working together for the betterment of society, the speed of progress will of course be swift.

    The overall strength of Humanity has risen immensely, but of course, it''s still not enough for them to go toe to toe with their sworn enemies.

    Still, it wasn''t that bad. Void Rank experts are prettymon nowadays, and that''s saying a lot.

    Five years ago, there was only a handful of them but now, there''s a whole bunch of them, working to improve Humanity''s chances as a whole.

    Of course, those who are leading the charge aren''t allowed to fall behind.

    ke, Alice, and Mary are World Sages now. The same rank as Oracle Felicia, the only difference is that the Big 3 arebat-oriented, which makes them more lethal.

    They''re the strongest Humanity had. They don''te out often nowadays but whenever they do, they will always be explosive.

    The other Beneficiaries of Ashton aren''t so bad themselves. All of them are at least Void Rank experts by now. Even those who had joined pretty recently were also catching up.

    Ashton himself was a Lv. 5 Star King Ranked expert. His cultivation rank was just a realm lowerpared to the Big 3 but in terms of strength, nobody could hold a candle to him.

    His cultivation was slower, yes. But that''s because he''s preupied with administrative tasks most of the time. At most, he could only schedule his training to keep up, but he''s still bound to be slower since he has a lot of things to do that requires his focus and all of his attention.

    Still, though, Ashton was pervertedly strong. He could take on the Big 3 along with his other beneficiaries and still win. He is proof that cultivation rank isn''t everything when ites to a person''s strength. Cleverness and the depths of the foundation are also key factors to a person''s strength.

    It wouldn''t be wrong to say that Ashton runs the world by now.

    Not only does he have control over Humanity, but he''s also in control of the operations for both the Celestials and Hypogeans who remained in this world.

    The enemies don''t know this of course. They still believe that their leaders were still alive, just in seclusion to prepare for the ultimate sh.

    Some of them wondered if there was truly a need for this kind of preparation, which makes sense since in their eyes, Humanity isn''t all that. They''re not worthy of this kind of treatment, but in the end, they couldn''t say this out loud since it could possibly anger their leaders.

    Ashton of course ignored it. So what if that''s what they think? He didn''t need to exin himself to them so why bother?

    Let them wonder. Let them guess and let them doubt. If they get impatient enough to do something about it...well, they won''t. After all, it will only take a snap of a finger to change their minds.

    The poor fools... absolutely had no idea they''d be puppets of Humanity''s leader. He''s already sending them to their deaths in order to raise Humanity''s strength, yet they''re still following his orders ever so faithfully.

    As for the Grand Fleet stationed just outside of this? Well, they''re still there, but they were stuck.

    The Miraculous Son and the Demon Emperor didn''t do anything other than waste time on debauchery and intoxication. They''re treating this mission as if they were in the middle of a vacation.

    Ashton has spies in there who informed him about the situation regrly. Plus, at his current level of strength, he could probe his senses into the fleet without the need to get close to them, so he knows that this was truly the case.

    Every meticulous level of nning that Ashton made and sessfullyid out, lead to the prosperity of Humanity, allowing them to catch up to their sworn enemies at blinding speeds.

    Nobody aside from him could pull off something like this. He''s the only one throughout Humanity''s entire history that took them this far.

    At this point, his story will be a legend. Songs of his acts will resound for eras and he will forever be Humanity''s legendary figure.

    But if he were to bepletely honest, Ashton didn''t do all of this for glory. He simply did it because he could do so. And if not him, then who?

    This was his second chance at life. He was given a tool that he can use to make a difference so why not use it?

    Moreover, he''s doing all of this for the sake of his peaceful retirement. Yes, he''s still hanging on to that.

    Doing all of this is extremely exhausting. Even though he had a lot of people who are helping him, the pressure was still heavy.

    He just wanted this life to be a peaceful one. But that can''t happen unless they get rid of the problem at its roots. This is why he had taken upon this mantle since it was he who had the ability to end it all, once and for all.<novelnext></novelnext>

    All for the sake of his peaceful retirement. This is one of the many things that keeps him going.

    Along with Humanity''s expansion, there were also tons of improvements in terms of their livelihood.

    Ever since Ashton became the Federation''s President and the Mystic Guild''s founder, Humanity had never suffered from poverty.

    They nevercked food, water, clothing, and other necessities since that was the very first among his priorities.

    He secured resources, established a detailed healthcare n, improved the efficiency of all working bodies, etc.

    Additionally, he also opened up the path for Humanity to gain even more strength through cultivation. That was a slow process but eventually, they achieved it.

    Cultivation 101 is now a mandatory course for all schools in Fantasia. Of course, whether the students did well or not in that course isn''t something that he could control, nor their interest in the subject in that manner. But, since it''s an option, humanity''s longevity was improving day by day and providence was rising.

    Many guilds have been established at this point. This is due to the Mystic Guild''s influence. That being said, the Mystic Guild is still the greatest guild to ever exist simply because it had the most resources and materials that will help cultivators be stronger.

    With the list of his Beneficiaries getting longer as time goes on, it''d be a surprise if Ashton was stillcking something to help them grow even stronger.

    Actually, because of the increasing strength of Humanity, the standards of the Mystic Guild when ites to its new members are also steadily rising.

    At this point, they''re nowcking talent anymore. But there can never be too many protectors for their race, that''s why the guild''s still recruiting every now and then.

    As the protectors of Humanity, the Mystic Guild was of course doing its best to cure the world. The missions that are being issued to the guild are all for the sake of this world''s betterment.

    Gaia had been healed greatly thanks to their efforts. Since most of the corruption in this world had been cleansed thanks to the effort of the guild, the pain she felt before was slowly disappearing.

    She''s far healthierpared to before. She''s more active and could sleep more peacefully than ever. Again, all of this was thanks to Ashton''s efforts.

    The El-Tree was also growing nicely thanks to Ashton''s constant care which includes the Fairy Queen as well.

    Really, everything was going well. The developments had been rather aggressive but nothing that his men couldn''t handle. And since they''re just as enthusiastic to work with him as he was with them, then they hardly had anyplications when ites to projects.

    Ashton has given Humanity all he could to help them stand up on their own. The resources, tools, etc. And with his sharing his knowledge, the overall situation was improved greatly.

    They''re ying the long game now, because, despite all of this, Humanity still falls greatly behindpared to their sworn enemies.

    Ashton still needs to buy more time for them to progress even further. And for that to happen, he needs to be more meticulous. He needs more schemes and ns.

    And that shouldn''t be too hard for him. After all, isn''t that what he''s basically doing all this time?

 Chapter 286 Broken Hypnosis

    Unease...

    This feeling was something very rare for a person like him to experience.

    It''s be such a bizarre thing that it made him ask; when was thest time that he felt it?

    The Miraculous Son couldn''t recall anymore. It''s been so long that having this feeling feels like a new thing for him.

    He wondered why, of course.

    In his current state, things like emotional surges held far more meaning since he usually doesn''t get them that often. Why did he suddenly feel uneasy? Did he do something to provoke that kind of reaction?

    The Miraculous Son started recalling his activities as ofte. And to his confusion, he couldn''t recall anything too important that he might''ve ignored.

    He just went on about his day, just like how he does it usually.

    If anything, his every day was very mundane. And today started in the same way as well. So really, what could''ve caused this reaction?

    The Miraculous Son started walking around the fleet.

    He doesn''t really have any goal upon doing so. There are just some things that are weighing down on his mind and he had no answers for them, so he took a walk to clear his mind off a little bit.

    It was noticeable how tense everybody was around him. He could tell from a single nce, he also noticed how stiff their movements are, especially when he was looking at them.

    To this, he could only sigh. Sometimes, his status was a bit restrictive. He wasn''t even doing anything yet he was being avoided like he carries some kind of illness.

    He hates it, but there''s nothing he could do about it.

    The Miraculous Son continued on his way around, trying to not stay in one ce for too long. He then found himself leaving the fleet, walking barefooted in the vacuum of space.

    He looked around him and admired the boundless velvety nket of space dotted with stars. He sighed and felt small for a split second.

    How long has it been since they started all of this? How many worlds have they conquered so far? How many have they lost from the Hypogeans?

    They''vee far, that''s for sure. But along that alsoes the question; when will it end?

    Is this something that their race would do for as long as they exist? Is this the true purpose of their creation?

    Well, for others that might be fine, but for him, that''s a bit undesirable.

    Still, even with his status, the things he could do was very minimal. The one that has the biggest say in their development will always be the Heavenly Father.

    ''There it is again...'' he murmured inwardly.

    The Miraculous Son felt that unease again. This time, it''s a lot stronger than before.

    A deep frown could be seen on his face. He didn''t like that at all and he still couldn''t identify where it ising from.

    It was then that his gaze unconsciouslynded on the small yet rather peaceful world beneath his feet.

    Like a man possessed, the Miraculous Son heard loud church bells echoing in his eyes.

    No, he still didn''t understand why but he was convinced that it has something to do with this.

    ''Just, what in world is it?'' He gritted his teeth as he red fiercely at the backward.

    He scanned it using his senses but its protective barrier deflected his senses. He was unable to see anything past the clouds.

    Something within him burns, causing him to feel incredibly impatient. It''s as if he was forgetting about something extremely important.

    But how can that be? He hasn''t done anything differenttely, in fact, every day was mundane and boring to him so why would he suddenly think that way?

    Then...it hit him.

    The Miraculous Son''s thoughts froze once he realized the issue.

    Right, he had totally forgotten about something. There''s no doubting that by now.

    What made him confident about this was the fact that he was sent to this location.

    Out of all the worlds that they have colonized so far, this backward isn''t that much. There were other important things that he could be doing right now instead of being here, yet he''s here.

    The Heavenly Father wouldn''t send him here for nothing.

    So what in the world did he forget? He now knows that it must be extremely important, yet he just can''t seem to remember any of it.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This lead him to search for his own memories. He willb every single thing in there until he remembers what it was that he''s forgetting.

    And that''s precisely what he did. It didn''t matter if he was in the middle of nowhere and very vulnerable. What he was doing was more important than his safety.

    Yet, even after going to such lengths...he found nothing.

    He couldn''t recall what it is that he was forgetting and it frustrated him to no end.

    His mood hadpletely shifted at this point. In this state, the Miraculous Son bes quite scary.

    He felt the urge to vent out. And his way of doing that was to gather as many followers as possible and take them to his room. The reaction felt instinctive at this point as if he had done it numerous times already.

    The urge to remember was slowly being reced with the urge to fuck, and he was not even aware of it.

    Or at least, that''s what should''ve happened...today, however, was bound to be different.

    Wake up!

    Boom!!

    His mind was rocked by an intense impact that he didn''t even senseing. It quite literally came out of nowhere and rumbled his brain.

    The Miraculous Son staggered a bit before coughing out blood, but this was the least of his worries.

    A wave of, frankly, unfamiliar memories came rushing in like an unstoppable tsunami.

    He recalled memories of himself visiting the small beneath him to personally see it with his eyes. He judged its worth and even met someone very interesting there.

    Along with that, he also remembered being tricked by an adorable prankster, who he quite frankly took an interest too.

    He then remembered calling for the Apostles here and sending them to a mission, and that''s when things started getting blurry for him.

    The Miraculous Son gave them a rather questionable mission. He told them to perform the cleansing of this world, a holy mission, but one without any time limit.

    He remembered telling them to take their time, which was rather unusual for him since he was a busy person.

    And judging from the looks of it, the Apostles had taken his word and followed it to the dot. He had yet to hear anything from them ever since sending them there.

    It''s either they''re faithfully doing the task he has given them or they''re dead.

    What made him even angrier was the fact that he had practically thrown himself into a fit of debauchery from that point onwards.

    He spent his days here like he was in the middle of a vacation. At this point, he had slept with pretty much everybody that was in the fleet with him, and that angered him so much since he''s never been that kind of person.

    Ultimately, this led to him discovering that he had been under hypnosis ever since he visited that world. That''s why things got severely absurd.

    If it weren''t for the Heavenly Father''s assistance, he would''ve probably remained hypnotized by whoever it was that did it to him.m

    But, beneath his anger, the Miraculous Son couldn''t help but apud whoever it was who did it.

    There was nothing for him to say, he lost this round, and quite handily too. He became a puppet without him knowing. He did questionable things that nearly jeopardized this mission here.

    But that ends here.

    The Miraculous Son won''t fall for it anymore. He waspletely guarded against this point onwards. The trickster, whoever it was, will never be able to put him under control starting from now. That, he vowed.

    More importantly, the Miraculous Son remembered his purpose here. And he already judged that, although this backward wasn''t all that impressive, its locals aren''t so bad.

    Maybe, there is worth it to subjugate thempletely. Convert them to loyal followers of their faith and have them fight their battles.

    With that in mind, the Miraculous Son went back to the fleet and quickly released a string of orders to get them moving.

    Too much time has passed. ytime''s over. Now, these pests called Humans will experience the real might of the Celestials.

    Around the same time that the Miraculous Son broke free from the hypnosis, Ashton could be seen arranging documents in his office.

    When the hypnosis was broken, Ashton felt it happen. He froze all of a sudden before taking a deep breath.

    He slowly stood up from his seat to look out of the window. His eyes held a strange look in them as he got immersed in his thoughts.

    After that, he let out a sigh and told himself;

    ''...at least itsted for a couple of years. I wasn''t expecting it tost forever anyways.''

    ''Let''s do this. There''s no need to fret. Our preparations are enough.''

 Chapter 287 It Begins

    The Twisted Heavenly Bulwark is under attack.

    The Celestials were already on the move. Their activity couldn''t be hidden due to how big it was. Moreover, they do not have any intentions of keeping their movements hidden.

    They were trying to punch a hole into the world''s barrier. Such activity was bound to cause a hugemotion. Of course, since the Celestials weren''t deliberately trying to hide their actions, the Hypogeans were also alerted by their movements.

    It''s not surprising that the Demon Emperor would know it right away.

    And much to everyone''s surprise, the Demon Emperor chose to follow suit instead of confronting the Celestials first.

    There were a lot of demons who doubted the Demon Emperor''s intent but didn''t dare to say anything to not provoke his ire. Because judging from the aura he''s released pretty recently, it is as clear as day that he''s in an awful mood.

    In truth, it wasn''t just the Miraculous Son who woke up from the hypnosis. The Demon Emperor woke up from it too. It happened around the same time as the Miraculous Son.

    Being an entity formed by malevolence itself, it''s understandable that the Demon Emperor would feel angry about what happened to him.

    He got yed like a fiddle. He wasn''t even able to resist at all. That is a straight-up punch to his pride and dignity. And to someone of his status, it''d be illogical if he didn''t dare to return that favor.

    Which is what lead him to his recent decision...

    He''d be damned to let the Miraculous Son get a hold of those pesky locals first. He has to be the one to get them first so he can have his revenge.

    And thus, the hugemotion began...

    After a couple of years, Blue is about to get rowdy again. The peace was short but sweet, it''s rather unfortunate that it wasn''t permanent but since Humanity had tasted it, they will try their best to make it permanent.

    Fantasia was already alerted of the activities that are happening. The Morning Sun Federation as well as the Mystic Guild were already on the move.

    Nobody was backing down from this. Even if they want to, they couldn''t. The Last Bastion is the only remaining habitable ce for Humanity.

    Sure, the overall situation of the world got a lot betterpared to the previous decades, and that''s thanks to thebined efforts of the Guild and the Federation.

    However, most of those ces are still not optimal for Humans to live in. It''s still a work in progress so for now, the Last Bastion was all they have.

    Now, once again, their home will be facing an existential threat thanks to the invaders. Now''s a perfect time for them to show how far they''vee. Humanity''s situation was far betterpared to what it was in the past.

    As Ashton said, the preparations they''ve made and their progress was enough. It will be enough.

    Humanity will not fall this time. Just like always, they will win this battle and they will continue to do so until all the invaders are gone.

    Ashton stood at the rooftop of the Morning Sun Federation''s HQ.

    He had a perfect view to see what exactly was going on above them.

    Nothing was visible to themon eye. Only dark clouds and faint rumblings here and there. But for someone of his caliber? Everything was visible.

    He could see how both the fleets of Celestials and Hypogeans used their ships to fire away at the protective barrier of their world.

    Their energy consumption was immense but they didn''t seem to care. It was obvious that they are truly determined to force their way in here.

    Ashton can also feel the resentment and killing intent that the Miraculous Son and the Demon Emperor felt toward him.

    Well, they haven''t truly seen his face before so they don''t have a proper target. Nheless, he knows that it''s him.

    Chirp!

    Ashton blinked and looked over his shoulder to see Skr perched in there. The songbird was in its tiny form so he didn''t feel any weight from this.

    "It''s alright...I had nned for this oue anyways." He said, seemingly replying to Skr.

    "..."

    "Yes. It would''ve been better if it happenedter or if it didn''t happen at all. But what can I do? Even as I am right now, I can''t be certain about what tomorrow would bring. All I could do is to prepare for it."

    "..."

    "That''s right. Our soldiers are ready for this. All I have to do is to watch over them."

    Ashton kept on watching over the skies. He could see the frantic efforts of both races to shatter the world''s barrier.

    His eyes narrowed as he whispered:

    "Here we go..."

    Crack!

    It all started with that sound. It was faint, and only High-Evolutionary Cultivators could hear it. But even though it was weak, it enough for them to feel a sinking feeling in their stomachs.

    Webs of cracks could be seen across the skies. It didn''t take long before it covered the entire world itself.

    "Jerry,unch the protective barrier for Last Bastion."

    "Launching in five...four..."

    Light climbed over the Last Bastion, this was the protective formation that has be built for this specific moment. They can''t let the civilians suffer from this whole thing, much less allow those vtile creatures to enter their homes, so this formation was crucial.

    And as soon as the formation was raised, the Twisted Heavenly Bulwark caved in.

    This time, Ashton didn''t prolong it nor he did do anything to stop it from happening. He knew that they couldn''t escape this so they might as well wee it with open arms.

    After the destruction of the world''s barrier, the sky visibly darkened.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The sun disappeared and the clouds were gone. It was reced by hordes upon hordes of invaders blotting out the sky.

    Such as scene was nearly apocalyptic. It painted an image of sheer horror and brought despair to many civilians. Just their numbers alone made this incredibly unfair.

    "Aria, do your thing." Ashton said.

    "Right away, Babe." Came in her reply.

    Shortly after, a rumble was felt throughout Fantasia. While a lot of people were searching for the source of it, an unbelievable sight was happening throughout the entirety of Fantasia.

    The Federal Centers that are scattered across the metropolis suddenly morphed into something that nobody could recognize.

    Aria who had eyes all over the world, wore a cold expression as pulled a lever, which immediately caused all of those transformed Federal Centers to go wild.

    They frantically firedsers. Eachser vaporized the invaders that were approaching the Last Bastion mere seconds after they passed.

    This was Humanity''s warm greeting to the invaders. One that they certainly didn''t expect at all.

    They couldn''t even defend themselves properly against that. It was scary as well since thosesers seem to be enough to actually kill them for real.

    The movement of thesers was unpredictable as well, and as frantic as they were going, they weren''t harming anything that belongs to Humanity. They''re only harmful against the invader army.

    Aria wasn''t done though.

    On top of thesers that are still going crazy. Sheunched rocket shells and salvos at their ships.

    Explosions rocked thends beneath them, and the ships that the invaders were using, suffered from the shells that Ariaunched.

    The invader army could barely believe this scene. They didn''t expect the locals of this world to be so fierce.

    It was super rare for those going against them to even put a scratch on their ships, much less destroy them. But humans? They''re a different breed.

    They lost their aircraft as soon as they came a tad bit close to Humanity''s territory. They were destroyed so badly that there''s no hope of salvaging them at all.

    As a result of that, the invader army panicked. This was the first time that they met some seriously freaky creatures. Ones that are not afraid of them at all and didn''t hesitate to attack them.

    "HUMAANNS!!!"

    BOOM!!

    An explosive shout filled with rage and resentment echoed across the skies. What followed was a streak of ck falling stars heading towards Last Bastion at supersonic speeds.

    "BRING ME THE TRICKSTER!!!"

    It was the Demon Emperor who could no longer hold his temper. He directly abandoned his seat to head straight to the locals in search of his target.

    "!!!"

    But before he could evene close, he felt a strong sense of trepidation stemming from the depths of his ckened heart, which caused him to swerve to the side, seemingly avoiding something.

    And that was a smart move, for if he didn''t do so, he''d probably end up bisected at this point.

    A sharp light streaked past him. He turned around and saw to his shock that the sky has been parted behind him.

    That was meant to be him if he didn''t manage to avoid it. And that was akin to the cold water being sshed on his face, causing him to calm down and reign in his temper.

    "Come on, Big Guy." The Demon Emperor heard someone say not too far from where he was. "Don''t scream like that next time. Some people don''t like it."

    The speaker was a crimson-haired beauty holding a golden sword.

 Chapter 288 Crimson-Haired Beauty Vs. Demon Emperor

    Even those who were nowhere near the Demon Emperor felt the existential threat that he experienced.

    If they were in the same position as him, they wouldn''t have survived that. The attack was silent and untraceable. It started and ended in a blink of an eye and it carried a soul-chilling lethality that caused everyone''s heart to palpitate.

    The crimson-haired beauty whounched that attack, calmly stood in the skies, holding her golden sword. Her long hair was being scattered by the wind.

    She stared stoically at the Demon Emperor. Her bodynguage exudes absolute confidence and nobility. It was quite obvious that she was not afraid nor even the slightest bit intimidated by the Demon Emperor.

    "...you dare stand in my way, Wench!?"

    "You know, I don''t appreciate thatnguage. Especiallying from a Freak like you." She replied while gently tucking her hair behind her ear.

    The Demon Emperor gripped his fists and gritted his teeth. His temper was ring once more. He couldn''t stand the absolute audacity of the pest in front of him.

    "I will say this once more." The Demon Emperor stressed. "Bring me the Trickster, and I might spare the rest of you. Continue this resistance and I''ll make sure that your puny race ceases to exist from this day onwards."

    "...huh, that''s amusing." She scoffed. "I''m pretty sure I''ve heard that before. Oh yeah, everyone that you Freaks sent here said the same thing! But oh, how weird is that? Where are they, I wonder? Why do we still exist if that''s true? Hmm, how strange."

    "You talk too much, Wench! Do you wanna die!?"

    "That''s riching from someone who quite literally announced his presence by shouting really loudly. Be for fucking real...and maybe I do want to die, but the question is, can a Freak as you kill me?"

    Boom!!

    The sound barrier shattered, startling a lot of people on the battlefield. The Demon Emperor suddenly disappeared from his spot and appeared right in front of the crimson-haired beauty.

    With fists cocked all the way back, the Demon Emperorunched a devastating punch that has enough force to wipe out an entire civilization.

    There was a manic expression on the Demon Emperor''s face, meanwhile, Alice wore theplete opposite expression.

    She was calm, unflinching, and unbothered. It''s as if she was getting bored waiting for his attack to arrive.

    As the fist of the Demon Emperor got closer to her, Alice let out a disappointed sigh before proceeding to reverse her grip on her sword.

    To the Demon Emperor''s surprise, Alice deflected his punch that carried a civilization-wiping force, using the pommel of her sword. And she made it look so easy.

    The force that umted on his fist got dispersed throughout the sky. In fact, it even hit one of the Hypogeans'' remaining aircraft, destroying it once and for all.

    Disbelief was stered all over the Demon Emperor''s face as he realized what happened. He watched as the aircraft crashed which was a mistake that he realized when he heard Alice calling out to him.

    "Eyes on me, Big Boy."

    Before he could even turn around, the Demon Emperor felt something hard and heavy sink into his stomach, causing his expression to twist in pain. He was sent flying at a speed that broke the sound barrier several times.

    The Hypogeans nearby watched this with a gobsmacked expressions. They couldn''t believe it.

    Someone made the Demon Emperor eat a fat loss at the initial exchange, and there wasn''t even apetition.

    This was something that they''d never seen before. It''s also something that they never thought would be possible, especially on this backward. It felt like everything they knew was a lie.

    The Demon Emperor dislodged himself from the mountain he crashed into. His heart pounded in his chest as he let out a stuffy cough. He spat on the ground and noticed that it contained blood.

    There was no way he could deny it. That wench''s attack hurts. He couldn''t remember when was thest time that someone injured him, it felt quite refreshing for him actually, but at the same time, it also irks him so much.

    He couldn''t forgive himself for letting a pest hurt him. And thus, he decided that from now, he will hunt this wench as if his life depended on it.

    The trickster can wait. This wench, on the other hand, has to die for her sins.

    He red at the woman who was still in her initial position with hatred. He didn''t need to be close to her to hear her say:

    "Ooh, you pissed. Finally taking me seriously, eh? About damn time."

    She corrected her grip on her sword and beckoned at the Demon Emperor with her fingers.

    The Demon Emperor snarled in anger andunched himself toward her, obliterating the mountain that he crashed into earlier... what was left of it at least.

    A wriggling dark mass crept up on the Demon Emperor''s body, covering his lower body and his fist. It didn''t take long for it to smoothen out.

    The Demon Emperor threw another punch at Alice which she received using her sword.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Sparks flew from the friction of her sword and his fist. The Demon Emperor snarled again and again, continuing to throw out punches that escted in strength.

    But every single one of them was calmly received by Alice. From the looks of it, she''s not even struggling at all.

    She was reserved. She''s wary enough but not pressured. She never took the initiative so far, yet she''s able to match him blow by blow without being injured.

    Thepressed strength of the Demon Emperor''s punches wasn''t hurting Humans either. It was being scattered in a way that only harms thend near them and the invaders, not the Humans.

    Of course, the Demon Emperor was aware of this, but at this point, he absolutely couldn''t care less. He''s more focused on returning the favor earlier. He wants...no, he needs tond a punch on her body and send her flying back as well.

    Only then would he feel the slightest bit of satisfaction in this battle.

    "Ugh, how dull..." Alice said.

    Boom!

    The sensation of hitting flesh registered on the Demon Emperor''s brain. He felt quite giddy and happy at first, only for that to be ruined by what he saw.

    Alice was still standing in front of him, now wearing a bored expression on her face.

    The sensation he got earlier came from his fist connecting with Alice''s palms.

    In other words, she received a full-forced blow of his with her bare palms and she didn''t even look remotely shaken by it.

    "Come on, this seriously couldn''t be all you got right?" Sheined. "I mean, you''ve got so much bravado earlier, telling me that you will kill me and all that crap, but you haven''t evennded a clean punch at me."

    "Hell, I''m not even trying here!" She continues toin. "I''ve been waiting for you to do something but so far? All you managed to do is bore me. I''m starting to think that you''re just all talk and no bite."

    Alice clicked her tongue in annoyance.

    "Ah! I know!" Her face suddenly lit up. "How about I give you a demonstration on how to actually hurt someone? Watch carefully alright?"

    Schwing!!

    "AAAAARRRGGGGHHH!!!!"

    Out of pure instinct, the Demon Emperor retreated but it was toote.

    Like earlier, the crimson-haired beauty''s attack started and ended before anybody could even register it.

    It took the Demon Emperor a solid second for his body to register that it was hurt for him to realize that his arm got sliced from his shoulders. L

    ckened blood spurted out of his shoulders. The Demon Emperor''s face paled and twisted due to sheer pain. His arm was cleanly sliced that not even a stump remained.

    As he clutched his missing arm, the Demon Emperor red hatefully at his enemy, only for her to say:

    "See? That''s how you hurt someone. At least, it''s one of the most effective ways to do it. Come on, your turn I guess."

    The Demon Emperor was so angry that all he could utter were grunts and snarls.

    His regenerative ability kicked in shortly after that. The injury closed up and his arm started growing back. It didn''t take long before the Demon Emperor recovered his missing arm but that doesn''t mean that the pain waspletely gone.

    He could still feel the tingling sensation on his shoulder joint. It sent shivers down his spine and he didn''t appreciate it.

    At this point, he hadpletely forgotten about his initial reason foring here. He had forgotten about the tricksterpletely.

    His focus is now on this woman who managed to cause him so much pain. The pain he received from her was far greater than all of the injuries he suffered during the past millennia.

    And because of that, he finally did the thing that he should''ve done from the very beginning.

    The ck mass that covered his lower body and fist, wriggled once more and encased his entire body.

    He was morphing into aplete abomination, and the Hypogeans were scared.

    Alice, on the other hand, wasn''t. If anything, she got even more excited.

    "That''s what I''m talking about...bring it on, Big Boy."

 Chapter 289 Bow Lady Vs. Miraculous Son

    As Alice faced the Demon Emperor, a different match was happening on the opposite side of Humanity''s Territory.

    A gold streaked through the skies apanied by several projectiles.

    From a simple nce, it would seem that this gold was just flying around, not really having a clear destination in mind nor it was falling on the ground any time soon.

    It was almost as if it was evading something...

    The Celestials watched this happen with gobsmacked expressions. Just like the Hypogeans on the opposite side, they too felt like their whole life was a lie.

    They stared fearfully at the woman who was standing in the air. She had long obsidian hair that poured like a waterfall behind her. Her eyes had a crystal clear gleam in them, making anybody who stares at her feel drawn to it.

    In her hands, she held a long bow with ancient ornate patterns. There was a visible quill of arrows in her person but that doesn''t mean that shecked ammunition for her bow.

    They had seen her draw her bow, producing an arrow along the process. They watched her release volley after volley, shooting at her chosen target which happened to be the Miraculous Son.

    The projectiles that are apanying that golden streak of light? Those were her shots trying to home in on the target. The golden streak of light was the Miraculous Son trying his best to avoid them.

    Just like the Demon Emperor, the Miraculous Son abandoned his post and chose to go straight into Humanity''s territory in search of the Trickster. He''s just used a calmer approachpared to the Demon Emperor, that''s all.

    But of course, he was also met with resistance.

    While Alice took care of the Demon Emperor, it was Mary stepped out and confronted the Miraculous Son.

    The fact that it was her and not someone else, is already fortunate for the Miraculous Son since she''s willing to be more civilized about this. But of course, the Celestial wouldn''t care about something like that. If anything, knowing this might even be offensive to the Miraculous Son.

    Mary went on her way to warn him. She told him to go no further and go back to where he came from. If he did notply, then she would start attacking him.

    As expected, the Miraculous Son didn''t appreciate her tone and choice of words.

    Just like the Demon Emperor, the Miraculous Son held no respect for Humanity. In his eyes, they''re no more than naivembs pretending to be wolves. They know nothing about true power, something that he didn''t mind showcasing.

    But that bravado was quickly snuffed by Mary, sadly.

    It only took her a few shots to turn the Miraculous Son into a fleeing dog.

    The Miraculous Son didn''t like this either, but he had no choice. His instincts screamed at him to not get hit by her arrows because it will cause him immense pain that he had never felt before.

    He didn''t believe it at first but when he actually got shot and experienced it? The Miraculous Son almost swore to never get hit again.

    What makes this difficult is the fact that Mary was quick on her aim and quicker with her draw.

    She hasn''t missed it so far. Her arrows are still chasing after him like they have eyes and they''re persistent as fuck. Her other shots were blocked but that counted as a hit.

    He would''ve liked to continue blocking them but he couldn''t since her arrows seemingly had consciousness in them. After blocking a couple of shots, the other arrows automatically adjusted their trajectory to find another way to get to him.

    Those shots were already fired before he even thought about blocking them, meaning that Mary''s influence over them should''ve ended already, but for some reason, it appears that her shots had a will of their own, allowing them to make a decision.

    Or it could be that Mary just predicted all of this already...

    Either way doesn''t make her any less scary.

    The Celestials never knew that locals from a backward like this one could be this freaky. They have been through a lot of battlefields at this point but this was the first time that they were severely threatened by the locals.

    Forget about thatdy with the bow, even the foot soldiers of Humanity were kicking their ass.

    They were outnumbered, sure, but that doesn''t matter to them. If anything, it actually gives them more freedom to rampage because no matter where they aim, they would probably hit an enemy or two.

    The abilities that Humanity showcased were unique to themselves. It wasn''t something that Celestials nor Hypogeans could recognize or even hope to copy. The worst part is that their skills were created for the sole purpose of opposing them.

    Their skills are incredibly effective against nullifying their immortality. Humans have killed a lot of them by now and they haven''t shown signs of stopping anytime soon.

    Neither the Celestials nor the Hypogeans could retreat from this. After all, they''re the ones who chose to pick a fight with Humans, and now that they desecrated their territory, letting them go unpunished is of course, impossible.

    While the weaker Celeastials fought for their lives, the Miraculous Son kept fleeing from the arrows.

    As he flew, he gritted his teeth and felt humiliation burning his entire existence.

    Nobody has reduced him to this state before. Many tried but they all failed. Hell, he had met strong opponents before but none managed to get a reaction like this from him.

    He felt as if all of his dignity as the Miraculous Son disappeared. His status, nobility, his birthright, reputation, fame, etc. All of it was gone the moment he decided to flee from this woman''s arrows.

    If there was a way for him to regain some of his dignity, best believe that he would. Unfortunately, his opponent doesn''t seem too concerned about this.

    She''s more concerned about actually ending him, instead of giving him a chance to fight back.

    At this point, the Miraculous Son had forgotten about the Trickster. His mind was focused on this current fight...if you could even call it that.

    He searched for a way to avoid the projectiles that are persistently homing in on him, but couldn''t find any.

    This made him think that he should just man up and receive the blows and prepare himself for the next volley. He was sick of running all over the ce, it was exhausting him swiftly too while his opponent barely moved from the spot.

    The Miraculous Son was so immersed in his thoughts that he hadpletely missed the time when Mary drew her bow once more.

    This time, a crystal javelin appeared as her arrow. She closed one eye and aimed. She inhaled and calcted the trajectory of the shot as well including all the variables that might affect it.

    Then, with an exhale, she released her shot.<novelnext></novelnext>

    BOOM!!

    The impact caused by her release caused her to skid back a couple of feet as if she justunched a rocket.

    Her shot flew so fast that it seemingly tore through space itself. Arriving just in time as her calctions.

    As a result, the Miraculous Son was caughtpletely off-guard by this. He wasn''t able to defend himself at all, much less think about it.

    He got hit by the shot, it pierced him right through his chest and nailed him away but it didn''t end there.

    The arrow she shot hit another target which was none other than the Demon Emperor himself.

    Both of them got nailed right in the chest and crashed through several mountains before stopping. They were buried in the rubble, clearly in pain and suffering from a bruised pride.

    It turns out that Mary included Alice''s fight along with her calctions. She saw how things were going wild on the other side and the two were about to enter the zone where she and the Miraculous Son were fighting.

    So, she thought that it''d be a nice idea to basically include the Demon Emperor in her shot as well. Alice wouldn''t mind that, if anything, she''d say that Alice was already expecting to do that in the first ce, so she went for it.

    "He''s holding back isn''t he?" Alice asked her when she arrived.

    "Yeah. I''m assuming that yours too?"

    "Well, I''m trying to provoke him into going all out. But I don''t know. It seems that he''s being difficult about it. It''s getting boring like this." Alice sighed as she said this.

    Both of them could tell that their opponents are still hiding arge portion of their true power in this fight. As for why they have no clue of course.

    Mary wasn''t as concerned as Alice. If her opponent chose to die without going all out against her, then it''spletely fine.

    Alice on the other hand wanted a good fight. And since asions like this rarely happens, she''s looking forward to it of course. But so far, her opponent only continues to disappoint her.

    It was then that both of them felt a rumble from a distance. It was followed by arge explosion that revealed both the Demon Emperor and the Miraculous Son looking royally pissed.

 Chapter 290 Malevolence And First Miracle

    The Demon Emperor coughed up ck blood. His facial expression twisted in pain.

    His chest got pierced with something that he did not seeing. He wasn''t even able to sense it, much less defend against it.

    What''s worse is that the Miraculous Son got impaled by him. He could literally smell and feel the putrid holiness he was exuding and it was making him sick.

    Thus, even though it pained him so much, he forcibly dislodged himself from the crystal arrow that pierced his chest.

    It left a gaping hole in there. He''s pretty sure that the arrow destroyed his heart. But thanks to his regenerative ability as well as his false immortality, he survived this blow even without a heart.

    The Miraculous Son is also at the same...

    Coughing out more blood, the Demon Emperor heard white noise. He felt nauseous for a bit and his vision blurred.

    The healing process was taking a lot out of him, but what really stung was the humiliation he felt.

    He could still clearly remember it, after all, it hasn''t been long since it happened.

    The Demon Emperor couldn''t even harm the hem of that woman''s clothing. She was untouchable and extremely fierce. She did the bare minimum and it was enough to threaten him so much.

    It''s not like he wasn''t trying. He is. But that woman was just on another level entirely.

    And judging from the looks of it, whoever the Miraculous Son was fighting was also kicking his ass.

    He couldugh at the sheer absurdity of this situation but he couldn''t. He was so used to being the domineering one that he hadpletely disregarded the idea that he''d be in this position one day.

    Life can truly be ironic at times. But now is not the time to get distracted. If he didn''t do something about this, he''d most likely die here.

    He took out something from a pouch he was keeping. The item looked like a crystal ball that was packed with nothing but pure Demonic Corruption. The Demon Emperor swallowed and hesitated for a bit. That''s when he heard the Miraculous Son say;

    "Wow, you''re that desperate huh?"

    The way he red at the owner of that voice was purely instinctual. Normally, he''dsh out at him, provoke him, or purposefully pick a fight with him, but he chose not to do so at this time.

    "I don''t n on dying here." He merely replied as he continued to stare at the pill in his hands.

    "...same." the Miraculous Son replied as he gritted his teeth to slowly pull out the crystal arrow lodged in his chest.

    The Demon Emperor saw golden blood spill out of the Miraculous Son. He also saw his face going pale from blood loss but despite this, he looked rtively fine.

    "Fucking pests..." he heard him say, "How in the world did they get so fierce? Oh, whatever...I just want them all dead."

    The Miraculous Son just waited until the wound on his chest disappeared before being brought out something that caused the Demon Emperor to smile wryly.

    It was a hammer and nails. They looked so ordinary that nobody would''ve guessed what they were for. But the Demon Emperor sure as hell knew.

    Before doing anything, the Miraculous Son turned to him and said:

    "Let''s have a temporary truce. We''ll kill them all first and after that, it''s fair game. How about it?"

    The Demon Emperor wasn''t in a hurry to agree. He searched the Miraculous Son''s face for any kind of deceit or lies, but all he saw was seriousness. He then sighed and said:

    "Fine. You have a deal. Normally I''d force you to sign an oath for this, but I''m afraid that we don''t have that much time on our hands. At least give me a heads up when you''ll be attacking us after we end these locals."

    "Deal. You get ready then."

    The Miraculous Son put distance between the two of them to take care of something.

    "Oh, our beloved Miraculous Grace. Please watch over your son for I shall now initiate this Holy Mission..."

    The Demon Emperor heard the Miraculous Son''s prayers and fought the urge to roll his eyes. As for what happened afterward, however, that''s something more serious.

    The hammer and nails that were in his hands suddenly floated. They bathed in holy light as they flew toward him.

    A mysterious force appeared that seemingly paralyzed the Miraculous Son. His body then started levitating.

    His arms were being lifted and his legs were crossed. Behind him, an image of a crucifix appeared. The hammer and the nails then arrived to crucify him in that stake.

    As the process went on, the Miraculous Son''s expression turned twisted from pain. As his limbs were nailed to the crucifix, the Miraculous Son started changing.

    The Demon Emperor peeled his gaze away from him. Although he felt incredibly ufortable with this sight and aura. He chose to ignore it and focus on himself.

    The Miraculous Son was going all out now. And he''d be a chump if he didn''t follow suit. Therefore, he stopped hesitating a directly swallowed the pill he took out earlier.

    He then proceeded toy t on the ground. In mere seconds, the pill settled on his stomach and began taking effect.

    An ufortable sensation began. His stomach churned and then burned. A dark mass wriggled on his core before spreading out to the rest of his body.

    The Demon Emperor looked as if he was being asphyxiated, he wanted to scream but had no voice.

    Demonic Corruption spewed out of his body, dying the rest of what little space they have here with it. His body was swallowed by darkness, not even a morsel of him could be seen.

    This process took some time but not that long. Eventually, both of their transformations ended.

    The Demon Emperor turned into a pure shadow. He breathes and oozes out pure evil. He had no mouth, no features, nor a voice. The only thing he had was a pair of dted white eyes. He took on a bipedal form but he could morph into any shape that he wants in this form.

    His thought process was still intact in this form, only his rationality had taken a hit. In this form, what he seeks was pure destruction.

    The First Malevolence �� this is the title that''s been given to the Demon Emperor in his birth. One could even say that this Shadow Form of his was his true nature.<novelnext></novelnext>

    On the other hand, there''s the Miraculous Son.

    He was still nailed to a crucifix, but his form hadpletely changed. He no longer looked like a tanned man wearing pure white robes.

    Simr to the Demon Emperor, he too took on bipedal form. Eyes with golden pupils appeared all over his body, at the center of each pupil, a tribal marking could be seen.

    He had lost the hair and also the majority of his facial features in favor of more eyes. He''s also now wearing a crown of thorns which appeared there pretty much out of nowhere.

    Just like the Demon Emperor, the Miraculous Son was still conscious for the most part, only he was more mission-oriented.

    Once his transformation ended, the crucifix disappeared and he regained some mobility. The hammer and the nails also disappeared, but the holes in his hands and feet remained even after their disappearance.

    The Miraculous Son exuded such a Holy Light that it makes one automatically feel the need to worship him. Everything that he does in this form can be taken as him interpreting the desires of the Miraculous Grace.

    That wouldn''t be far from the truth, after all, he''s the first Miracle that had walked their race. It is also for this very reason that he was known as the Miraculous Son.

    As the aura of these two skyrocketed, they faced each other whilst in the depths of this rubble.

    They had to physically stop themselves from fighting. They have to remind themselves that they''re agreed upon a truce. It was difficult to do that of course, since they''re mortal enemies, but they managed to do so.

    After measuring each other with a long gaze, the Miraculous Son looked up and lifted his hand.

    He then released apressed ball of divine light which blew away the rubble that trapped them down there.

    The force he used was strong enough to wipe out a city or two. It was excessive but neither of them cared.

    As the rubble cleared away, they were once again visible to everybody.

    The Celestials and Hypogeans who were having a difficult time trying to survive the fatal approach of the humans were given a chance to catch their breaths and feel hope returning to them.

    With their leaders being in that form, Humanity''s done for.

    At least...that''s what they thought. After all, nobody had ever survived to tell the tale once they witnessed this. They could feel the overwhelming strength radiating from them.

    "Hoh...is this it? Are you both finallying at us with everything that you got?" The crimson-haired beauty asked. From her voice, it''s clear that she was excited.

    The Demon Emperor and the Miraculous Son didn''t bother replying, instead, they simultaneously attacked.

    And just like that, another round of shes began...

 Chapter 291 Teamwork

    Nobody could follow their movements anymore except for a handful of people with most being Humans...

    This is a two versus two now. Alice and Mary are against thebined forces of the Demon Emperor and the Miraculous Son.

    They took the skies as their battlefield. This was a deliberate move that the women forced onto their enemies to minimize the casualties of their sh. And with how their enemies seem to stake it all against them, they followed this initiative without giving it much thought.

    Alice took charge of the fight. She was in between both enemies with Mary putting up enough distance between them.

    With her sword, she swung at her enemies with an equal amount of aggression. Judging from her expression, it is clear that she was enjoying this fight even more so now than before.

    The enemies prioritized aggression more than anything. They were trying their best to at least hurt her in their exchanges. They don''t defend or evade her attacks. In this current form of theirs, their regenerative aspects shot through the roof, allowing them to ignore most of the blows thatnded on their bodies.

    Alice hacked away at their limbs only to watch them grow back in mere seconds. Of course, she didn''t mind that. If anything, she finds that quite enjoyable.

    They were making her sweat, which was what she likes. It''s hard to find a good match recently so this was a wee change for her. Thus, she actively went after them, letting her wild side loose for once in a long while.

    Mary, on the other hand, covered Alice''s vulnerable side.

    She kept her distance. Most of the time, she''s just watching the battle rage on. And with her vision being able to urately predict what''s going to happen next, she knows when to interfere so that Alice wouldn''t suffer that much.

    But because the four of them are moving too fast, there wasn''t a lot of people who could urately tell what was going on. That''s why most of them preferred to pay the fight above no mind and just focus on what they needed to do.

    BOOM!!

    Explosions rang out in the skies. Alice brandished her sword to deflect several projectiles heading her way.

    The many eyes on the Miraculous Son''s body started shooting out bolts of golden light filled with corruption. It was so potent that even a single one could seriously devastate an entire civilization.

    Thankfully, Alice dealt with them just fine. And after she deflected it above her, Mary started shooting just as many arrows carrying a purifying spell to neutralize them.

    The shadowy form of the Demon Emperor silently appeared behind Alice, his right limb turned into a sharp de arching to sever her head. But before it even hit her, Alice disappeared from her spot with a surprising burst of speed.

    She reappeared facing him, her sword repelled the attack, sending a strong shockwave that rocked the Demon Emperor''s entire existence. Then, connecting her move with the previous, she swung her sword down at him, bisecting him in equal parts.

    ck blood spurted out of the wound, it threatened to fall on the people beneath them and spread out a nasty demonic corruption. Yet once again, Mary came through.

    She shot a volley of arrows that purified the ck blood before it even hits the ground. Making it disappear the moment it makes contact with the soil.

    The Miraculous Son reappeared above Alice. On each hand, he held an obscenely long bolt of golden lightning. This was condensed from nothing but pure golden corruption. It contained so much power that the world was screaming in fear witnessing that much corruption.

    Alice''s expression turned somber but not despair. She instantly knew that she couldn''t let any of those hit their world or her.

    Stepping a foot forward, she tightened her grip on her sword. A brilliant golden me red on the sword''s body. She then swung upward in a clean motion.

    Her move was so precise and urate that it sliced off Space cleanly. Then, the golden me that erupted from her sword was all focused on the tip.

    It''s as if she sliced off the concentrated orb of me, causing it to burst out explosively.

    A pir of golden me mixed with violet-gold radiance shot out, drowning the Miraculous Son entirely with its glory.

    This series of actions might sound time-consuming, but in reality, all of it happened within three seconds.

    With Alice being distracted by the Miraculous Son above her, she became vulnerable to whatever the Demon Emperor was thinking of doing.

    He appeared just a few levels below the Miraculous Son, low enough to not be included within Alice''s immediate line of sight.

    Then, he opened his mouth and condensed an orb of concentrated Demonic Corruption. With how much power he''s gathering, the impact it has will certainly be enough to severely damage this.

    The Demon Emperor''s target was of course Alice, he took advantage of the Miraculous Son''s distraction tond a, hopefully, fatal blow to her to defeat her.

    But just like before, he hadpletely disregarded Mary''s presence. Which was not only disrespectful toward her but also incredibly stupid.

    As if Mary would just stand by and do nothing when that''s happening...

    So before he could even release that attack, Mary did the logical thing to do and blew his head up with a focused shot.

    Again, with how impressive his regenerative aspects were, this wasn''t enough to kill him. But it did stop his attack, which was the point all along.

    The Miraculous Son also survived what''s supposed to be a lethal attack from Alice thanks to his pseudo-immortality. And just like Mary did, Alice also manages to stop the Miraculous Son''s attack from destroying this world.

    Alice then made a split-second decision this time. She went ahead and took the initiative instead of just waiting for something to happen.

    She brandished her sword and performed a cleave, which seemingly separated heaven from the earth.

    The lethality carried by her attack greatly rmed the enemies, causing them to scramble to evade it.

    And they did...barely.

    They still suffered from Alice''s sword intent which stabbed the very core of their existence, the ce which hurts them the most. But they''re still alive and that''s what counts. Sadly, it didn''t end there.

    With the ball now in her hands, Alice decided to keep it rolling...<novelnext></novelnext>

    She connected her previous attack into a vertical sh which parted the skies in half. Once again, both of her enemies scrambled to evade as she, yet again, connected that attack to the next one where she nullified spacetime itself with her Sword Art to stab their cores.

    Mary also did her thing by severely limiting the areas that the two could use to escape, forcing them to be ufortable in dealing with Alice''s rampage.

    With the remaining consciousness that the two of them had, they could tell that even in their current forms, they are losing this battle.

    It didn''t make sense to them. They thought that in this form of theirs, where they are staking everything they have, they''d be unstoppable.

    They haven''t been in a situation like this before, clearly. The time when they went into this form was also the same time that the battle ended.

    It was true that none had lived to tell the tale upon witnessing this. But that myth might just be busted today.

    What really makes this difficult is the teamwork these two were disying. Their strengths couldn''t be doubted, that''s for sure. But the fact that they could seemingly understand what the other needs to happen without even the slightest mum ofmunication was the thing that''s making this impossible topete against.

    The Demon Emperor and the Miraculous Son were rivals, they hated each other''s guts so much but they held sufficient respect for one another, allowing them to have some level of teamwork. But that didn''t amount to anything when they were faced with these women.

    One took charge while the other covered her back. One was strong and looked reckless while the other was just as strong but calm and collected.

    It was clear that these women have plenty of experience working together. And that is something that they can''tpete with.

    Them possessing this kind of strength was already ridiculous on its own ord, but add this to the mix? Then it bespletely absurd.

    Just how in the world did they manage to achieve this? What kind of existence were Humanity truly? How can they achieve such things so quickly when it took them eons?

    What does Humanity have that their race wascking?

    Thinking about this makes them even madder. They''ve already decided to end Humanity once and for all but now, they''re even more inclined to do so.

    It was at this moment that they knew that Humanity must not be given a chance to develop any more than this for the sake of their race.

    They''re no longer mere pests in their eyes, at this point, Humanity became a rival race as well.

 Chapter 292 Unexpected Development

    The fight continued...

    Humans versus the invaders. So far, Humanity had the upper hand. They had weapons and strange abilities that were extremely effective against their enemies.

    Although Humanity was greatly outnumbered at first, it didn''tst for long thanks to the swift reaction of the authorities.

    It was clear that the Federation and the Mystic Guild knew that something like this was bound to happen at some point. Therefore, they didn''t hesitate to pour in resources to ensure the safety of their home.

    In addition to this, Humanity had a deep understanding of the Invaders. Knowledge of them was practically being taught to everyone. Ways of handling them are also included in the curriculum so a lot of cultivators knew how to efficiently defend themselves.

    The number of people who gained practical experience fighting off invaders was a lot. This was thanks to the unstoppable progress that the authorities kept on pushing. All of it amounted to the sess of their defense against the onught of the invaders.

    Just outside the Last Bastion, multiple explosions urred. War cries erupted, there were colorful shes of light, several figures streaked through the air and the sh shook the very ground beneath them.

    The invaders; be they Celestials or Hypogeans, tried their best to survive. They did all they could to at least kill a few humans before they were killed. Unfortunately, Humans disyed an indisputable unity against them.

    They could get hurt, yes, but not for long. Someone will undoubtedlye to their rescue to either cover for them or heal their injuries. The previously injured ones will just bounce back in the fight with even more fervor than before. It''s as if they never got hurt in the first ce.

    As much as they hated to admit it, Humans are starting to scare them.

    The tenacity they''re showing was something that they haven''t witnessed before. Plus, they do have the ability to support their confidence.

    They could only helplessly watch as Humans tore through their numbers like they were reaping wheat...

    All of them came here with the thought of ending Humanity once and for all. They weren''t supposed to put up this much fight. They should be begging for mercy, not going to war with them.

    This was supposed to be a mundane thing; rounding up the locals and moving on with the real fight against their rival race. But no, Humans turned this into a battle for survival.

    The worst part is? They were the ones who were asking for it, not Humans...

    While the fierce struggle beneath continued happening, the battle above the skies still rages on as well.

    Ashton who was still observing everything with a keen eye watched the battle intently.

    From the looks of it, despite bringing out everything they got, the girls were still beating them by arge margin.

    Alice was having fun hacking them with her sword. Their regenerative trait made her even more active since anything she does wouldn''t end the fun early.

    Mary calmly covered her rear, only doing something when Alice is at risk of getting hurt.

    ''It''s going well...'' Ashton mummed inwardly. He sat on a chair, running a hand through Skr''s feathers.

    His expression remained still as he watches the fight. Unlike previously, there was no longer a need for him to interfere.

    He didn''t need to support his men with Buffs since there were a lot of people who could do that in his ce. He''s still monitoring the overall situation and wouldn''t be opposed to making a move in case of an emergency, but judging from the trend so far, everything''s fine.

    And it would''ve been better if it continued to stay that way. Unfortunately, it wasn''t meant to be...

    The hand that he''s using to stroke the feathers of Skr froze. A chill ran down his spine as his attention was suddenly brought to the skies above.

    With his vision warping to see the situation properly, he felt suddenly uneasy. And in times like these, Ashton was more inclined to trust his instincts...

    "!!!"

    Ashton heard something, he was certain of it. But by the looks of it, it''s probably only him who heard it.

    It was spoken in anguage that he did not understand. Which, in itself, was surprising given the fact that Ashton was Omnilingual.

    The voice of the speaker was unfamiliar to him as well. In fact, he didn''t even know where it came from.

    All he knows is that, around the same time he heard the voice, a change was bound to ur, and he could already tell that he was not going to like it.

    And surely, his instincts were right...

    The Demon Emperor and the Miraculous Son started acting weirdly. They stopped moving as if their bodies were ceased by an unknown force. This didn''t escape the sense of their enemies of course.

    But shortly after that, a surprising scene urred.

    The Demon Emperor''s body and the Miraculous Son''s body turned into a puddle.

    Both of them, flew together as if attracted to each other and started fusing.

    Ashton''s eyes narrowed dangerously upon witnessing that scene. On the other hand, Alice and Mary were stupefied.

    This certainly hasn''t happened before. None of them knew that it was even remotely possible in the first ce, so their reactions were understandable, to say the least.

    During the fusion, the mixture suddenly shot up into space, much to their surprise.

    Ashton reacted to that almost immediately. He linked to ke and said:

    "ke, go and support the girls. Follow that mixture into space. If you could, try your best to end it before it seeds."

    Not even a split second after giving out the order, ke was already leaving his post.

    ke was left to protect Fantasia just in case a stray attacknded on it. He was strong enough to protect their home from civilization-wiping blows, so that task was left to him.

    If this development didn''t ur, ke would''ve stayed hidden. But the situation calls for it, he needed to be with the girls since they''re the strongest that Humanity could offer.

    The girls also received orders from him, so the three of them followed the mixture out into space.

    They are World Sages, the vacuum of space wouldn''t be able to harm them.

    And just as Ashton ordered, they did their best to end whatever existence was that was meant to be born from that mixture.

    ke, Alice, and Mary stopped holding back and attacked using their full strength. They too realized the possibility by now and they too didn''t like the idea of it.

    Surprisingly, however, the mixture was extremely tenacious despite its looks. It tanked theirbined attacks like they were nothing.

    It''s being protected by a mysterious barrier that they just couldn''t break. It didn''t matter how hard they tried to hit it, not even a scratch was left.

    It didn''t take long before Ashton told them to stop and conserve their energy, while he was at it, he also provided them with buffs before he forgets to do so.

    The mixture had an invincible shield. It''s useless to continue attacking, it would just be a waste of time and energy. It''s better for them to just wait until the process was over and prepare for what''s going to ur next.

    Waiting for it was almost unbearable. They just watched as the mixture of pitch ck and gold wriggled and folded in itself.

    After a couple of minutes, the mixture started lighting up. Then, it took form.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The creature was bipedal. Its lower body resembled that of a horse, it has a torso of a human and the head of a horned ram.

    Specks of gray matter ked off from the creature''s body. They didn''t even need toe close for them to smell the putrid stench of corruption but this one was on an entirely different level.

    Chills ran down their spine as they saw the creature''s eyes. They were empty, soulless even. It''s as if it had no sentience whatsoever, but at the same time, its aura was something that even they feel intimidated by.

    Nobody thought that a Celestial and Hypogean could exist as one. Especially not with the status of these two.

    This creature was neither a Celestial nor a Hypogean. Although it''s a mixture of the two, it retained nothing of the traits which makes up both race.

    It''s a unique existence. Something that they''ve never seen before. And judging from the aura leaking from its body, it''s obscenely strong.

    The Big 3 doesn''t have time to wonder about its creation. They know what must be done. With the strength of this creature, they understand that they couldn''t allow it anywhere near their home or else there will be steep consequences.

    And while most of the people were leftpletely unaware of this development, Ashton looked extremely bothered by the creature''s existence.

    Although he sent the Big 3 after it, he still feels restless. The feeling was almost unbearable, especially since this development was something that he never even thought possible.

    Thus, while there''s still some time left. He opted to do something, just in case something happens.

 Chapter 293 Famine

    A mindless and thoughtless creature. Existing only to spread diseases and potent corruption...

    With what knowledge Ashton received throughout his years of existence in this mystical but equally fucked world, he knows what this creature was.

    Of course, he had never imagined that it''d be born this way. He never thought that the fusion of a Celestial and a Hypogean of high status would give birth to a Nephalem.

    The Nephalem was one of the myths of his old world. As far as he could remember, they were creatures who were bloodthirsty and insane. They exist for the sole purpose of causing ruin to everything within their sight.

    In hindsight, he should''ve seen thising...after all, the myths of his old world seem to follow him in this world; Angels, Demons, Eldritch Abominations, Magic, Martial Arts...hell, some of the notable mythological armaments even appeared pretty recently, so he really should''ve expected this.

    But he didn''t, and frankly, nobody could really me him for not having a n for this.

    Ashton didn''t need toe close to learn more about this creature. He could sense the putrid existence from where he was.

    Its existence reminds him of a certain myth that he had read in passing back in his old world.

    ''The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; Death, War, Conquest, and Famine. All of them happen to be Nephalems as well...''

    ''This one must be Famine...''

    Ashton can''t recall how the tale went specifically. He had forgotten a lot of things from his old world ever since arriving here. Besides, it doesn''t really matter now, does it? It''s not like the tale will happen word for word in his world. So there''s no use stressing himself in remembering how it exactly went.

    The Big 3 could tell that this was something that they absolutely cannot allow passage into their world.

    Their instincts were screaming at them, telling them to eradicate this creature as soon as they could or else they will all die.

    They didn''t need Ashton''s permit or input for what they needed to do next. They already know.

    That''s why the fight resumed. Now, with ke joining the girls and with their enemy being a lot stronger and more sinister than before. Also, their battlefield is now in space, but that doesn''t necessarily mean that the Blue was safe from their sh.

    They were throwing out attacks containing strength that could take off a decent chunk of the should itnd.

    Their battle is something that mortals couldn''t interfere with for it will only result in a useless death.

    Ashton watched the battle and recorded it in his memories. He too was learning more about the creature that, for now, he calls Famine.

    ''That disgusting aura is something else.'' He pointed out in his mind.

    The potent corruption that Famine was exuding was entirely on another level. So much so that it could easily gnaw at the attacks that were being sent at it.

    The Big 3 also can''t let Famine''s attacknd on their body because they would, for sure, suffer immensely from it.

    Famine reeks of illness and disease. And while the Humans that are fighting it were High-Evolutionaries, Famine can directly ignore their immunity against illness and diseases, making it difficult for them to fight against it.

    Thankfully, ke could cover for them now that he''s there. His techniques allow him to resist Famine''s influence for a short while, letting the girls escape in time to go back to safety.

    On top of its disgusting aura, Famine was also fast and furious.

    It has nothing but pure carnage in mind. It''s purely driven by instinct and wants nothing but to reduce everything it sees into ruin.

    The situation essentially escted so quickly that Humans were caught unprepared for it.

    Not too long ago, the girls could handle the Miraculous Son and the Demon Emperor on their own, but now that they fused into one, even with ke here, the fight suddenly became more difficult.

    Nheless, they had to give it their all. They''re the strongest Humanity has to offer right now. Sure, Ashton is there. But he always told him that he was Humanity''sst line of defense. He had told them multiple times to not rely on him all the time.

    That''s why they didn''t even think about relying on him now. He will help them if a need arises, that''s for certain. But for the most part, they''re on their own.

    Luckily though, the Big 3 had been through a lot.

    The bond they shared was practically unbreakable. They knew each other like the back of their hand, and this yed a big role in their teamwork.

    They fit into each other like puzzle pieces. They knew what the other wants without even the need to say anything.

    Against Famine, their teamwork is what''s saving them.

    Sure, Famine was strong, fast, durable, and incredibly deadly, but that''s about it.

    Throughout their tenure as Humanity''s protectors, they faced numerous existences that held the same qualities as this one. They fought hard and won in the end.

    This was nothing new to them. And much like the ones that came before this one. This thing too shall fall.

    Alice finally brought out her Primal Sword Domain. This was a domain that is essentially as big as the Blue Marble. Anything that is covered by her Domain was something that she can cut with her sword, and yes, that includes the very Laws that govern this world as well.

    This was a sign that Alice was truly going all out. In addition to this, Alice has lifted the restrictions she ced on her sword, which is the Excalibur.

    The restrictions were ced to prevent her from causing too much damage to her surroundings. The unsealed Excalibur in her hands could easily slice the Blue Marble in half, and that''s with her barely trying. That''s why it''s there.

    However, since they''re facing a threat to the world she''s protecting, she lifted this restriction for the sole purpose of killing it.

    ke also follows suit, going all out by releasing the restriction on his Aegis Shield.

    The Aegis Shield provided 9yers of protection, with eachyer being stronger and sturdier than thest. Additionally, the Aegis Shield has also steeped in the Law of Stagnation; a branch concept of Time Laws.

    ke''s priority is to prevent Famine from stepping foot on their. So he ced protection there. In addition to this, he also must protect the girls from whatever Famine has in store for them.

    He had been called the Invincible Shield of the Big 3, and he ns on being just that, even if it costs him his life.

    And of course, Mary had no reason to hold back at this point either.<novelnext></novelnext>

    She also lifted the restriction on her bow. Now, every arrow she shoots using it will directly pierce the soul of her target. She could ignore that Law of Causality with this, making her shots practically unavoidable. This bow could also ignore all kinds of defense, so whoever her target was in this state was bound to suffer greatly.

    In addition to this, Mary also unsealed her eyes.

    Her eyes, at the base, had the ability of Foresight, allowing her to predict what her enemy was going to do next. But with them unsealed, Mary can see way more than that.

    Their thoughts be visible to her, her Foresight turns unparalleled and it also allows her to ignore distance.

    With the Big 3 going all out against their foe, the battle became even more explosive and hectic.

    Ashton could still follow it of course, but now he''s no longer wary about Famine.

    It was clear that the Big 3 nned to kill Famine right then and there. And with them going all out, Famine was steadily being pushed into a corner.

    At first, Famine could go toe to toe with them quite easily. But as time went on, the Big 3 was gaining momentum.

    This is because they''re learning Famine''s battle habits. And it didn''t take long for them to adjust and get used to it.

    Slowly but surely, the Big 3 gained more and more advantages over the battle and took control of it. This caused Famine to be pushed into a corner.

    Now, it''s fighting like a caged beast. Normally, that would''ve made the enemy even more dangerous, but the Big 3 already knew that was going to happen. They''re no fools, and this wasn''t the first time they''d dealt with something like this.

    The fight went on, seemingly for days, until Famine couldn''t endure it anymore.

    It was severely weakened to the point that it failed to escape Alice''s finishing blow. As a result, it was bisected cleanly in half. It let out a final throe of unwillingness before dissipating into a cloud of heavily corrupted dust.

    This concludes the fight between the Big 3 and Famine.

    But as they were about to rx, Ashton''s instincts suddenly warned him of an existential crisis.

    Before he could even think properly, he already appeared in front of the Big 3, releasing his Phantasmal Dream Domain to protect not only them but also the Blue Marble as a whole.

    It was only he who reacted fast enough before a brilliant sh of gold swallowed them...

 Chapter 294 Interference

    Ashton opened his eyes and saw that he was standing in the middle of a vast and seemingly boundless white space.

    The silence was deafening. Not a living being could be seen on sight. He was the only existence here as far as he was aware, and clearly, he was confused.

    He could clearly remember what happened a few minutes ago...

    Ashton sensed a deadly threat unlike ever that he had encountered before. Before he even knew it, his body already moved on its own as if it knows what was going to happen.

    He tried his best to defend against whatever it was, but ultimately he nked out. Thest thing he could remember was being swallowed by a blinding re of golden light, and all of a sudden, he woke up here.

    Ashton took a breath and lifted a hand. He attempted to call on his abilities, his weapons, his Laws...hell, he even called out to the System but nothing responded.

    The weird thing was, he didn''t feel like he had lost them. Somehow, he could sense that he still has them, he just can''t use them for whatever reason.

    "What an interesting creature you are..."

    Ashton''s soul nearly left his body from shock. He swiftly turned around, only to see someone right behind him. He didn''t sense this man''s arrival or anything, he just came really close to him without him noticing it. And that''s dangerous...

    The man was old, sitting on a rocking chair. He noticed that the old man was feeding an apple to a worm in hisp. The scene was quite peculiar but also highly suspicious.

    "Dear me...I truly am getting old, aren''t I?" The old man chuckled all of a sudden. "For now, feel free to refer to me as Old Man. After all, that''s what I am. Can you tell me your name, Child?"

    "...Ashton."

    He debated heavily in his mind on whether he should respond truthfully or not. In the end, he bravely chose to tell the truth, but of course, not all of it.

    "I see." The Old Man mumbled, "You are quite younger than I initially expected. It really makes me wonder how you were able to achieve so much in such a short time."

    "..."

    He had chosen not to respond this time. Ashton''s mind was working overtime right now. And if he just followed his train of thought and the context clues he received so far, he''d conclude that this old man was not an ally.

    "Humans...eh?" Old Man mumbled, catching Ashton''s attention. "Suchtent talent is quite enviable if I do say so myself."

    "Paired with a desperate need for progress...no wonder your kind developed so fast in such a short period of time."

    "Had I chosen to remain still and ignore you all, you lot could''ve had the ability to wipe us all out."

    Chills ran down Ashton''s spine as he continued listening to the old man.

    At this point, Ashton was aware that this old man wasn''t just anybody. He''s no simple old man either.

    Ashton could tell that this man was someone who held real power. The hand that controls everything. He just doesn''t know for which race.

    "...if I had let that happen, then the prophecy might''vee true."

    rm bells rang inside Ashton''s mind as he saw the old man attempting to stand up.

    He went on guard obviously, but it felt useless. He couldn''t muster an ounce of strength in this ce. Not even a wisp of Mana was around. He''spletely and utterly vulnerable here, and he hated it so much.

    "A part of me died to warn me about that damn prophecy." The Old Man said after standing up.

    "My Child has been sacrificed for the sake of preventing the potential urrence of that prophecy. His body had been desecrated by sin to summon a horseman, yet not even his body remained for me to mourn over."

    "The worst part is that...even that wasn''t enough." The old man sighed, "In the end, I still have to be the one who finishes this, the snuff out the candlelight before it turns into a wildfire."

    Suddenly, the old man''s back straightened.

    Dignity seems to return to his body in full glory. His shabby clothes changed into a pure white satin robe that flowed like mercury. A golden curtain of light emerged from his skin, and tribal tattoos started showing all over his body.

    His eyes turned into gold, and a set of white wings unfolded behind his back, seemingly stretching as far as the eye can see, maybe even farther. And finally, a golden loop of light appeared behind him.

    "With this finger of mine, I shall snuff out the mes of mutiny." The old man''s voice sounded archaic, resounding throughout this vast expanse of white and nearly deafening Ashton.

    "I hereby dere that no prophecy shall end my reign as a Supreme Being. I denounce The Fool that questioned my supremacy."

    The Old Man then lifted a finger and pointed it to Ashton, and thetter could''ve sworn that his entire body suddenly felt a restriction so tight, that it was not even letting him breathe.

    "Let there be...light!"

    Golden light erupted from the Old Man''s fingertips, attempting to swallow Ashton alive for the second time in a row.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Ashton''s expression twisted in unwillingness. He wasn''t resolved to die like this, not even able to put up a fight.

    He desperately called out to anything...anything that he could use to resist this overwhelming power. Yet sadly, he couldn''t do much. Nothing was responding to him. He waspletely cut off from everything and everyone. And it truly vexed him to no end.

    As the golden light arrived, Ashton swore that even in death, he will continue to hate and denounce both the Celestials and Hypogeans. He will haunt them til the end of time if he needs to.

    His only regret is not being able to bid farewell to his friends and his lover before he died.

    "...well, can''t say I didn''t see thising at all."

    "Huh?"

    Ashton opened his eyes and was immediately stunned.

    To his absolute surprise, he saw that time had seemingly gone to a screeching halt.

    The golden light that was about to swallow him, paused just an inch or two away from him. Even the Old Man waspletely still, looking as if he wasn''t aware that time has stopped all of a sudden.

    He was able to move tho, and the restriction on him was removed all of a sudden. He then looked back and saw a blurry visage standing behind him.

    Ashton didn''t need to see that face to know who it was, he knew exactly who this person is...

    "Beast God..."

    "Yo! What a scene eh? Seems like you''re in some deep shit right now." The Beast God replied to him.

    "...but how? I thought..."

    "Oh, I''m not there, I mean here�� wait, no! Ugh, whatever! What I mean is, think of this as a voice transmission of some sort." He said, "I''m nowhere near you, that''s for certain, but I canmunicate with you just fine using this. Get it?"

    "...I guess. But still, how? Did the System call you?"

    "Well, it doesn''t have to." Beast God replied. "I gave two talismans, remember?"

    Ashton searched his memories for it and said: "Yes. One was a protective charm and the other...well, I don''t know. It was left as a mystery."

    "The Protective Talisman/Charm contains a hundred years of my cultivation. That should''ve been enough to protect you from certain harm and allow you to retreat safely and prepare for whatever''s going to happen next."

    The Beast God''s visage then walked around and paused right in front of the Old Man.

    "But then, this thing just had to show up..." the Beast God then looked at him and said:

    "The Protective Talisman I gave to you was triggered by this attack. However, it also sensed that it was not going to be enough. That''s why it also triggered the secondary talisman I gave to you."

    "One that contains 10,000 years of my cultivation..."

    Ashton''s eyes constricted with that. 10,000 years worth of cultivation. What kind of concept was that?

    "Oh, don''t think too much of it." Beast God says, "It''s just a unit of measurement. I can condense that much in an hour."

    "..."

    "But hey! Coming from someone of my status, that is way more than enough to deal with whatever fuckery you''re about to face! But...well, I couldn''t really give you something like that for free."

    "..."

    The Beast God stood in front of him and said:

    "I''ve told you this before. Someone like me can''t willfully interfere with the lives of people. That bacsh of Karma is something that I even need to be wary of."

    "Initially, I''ve given you the secondary talisman for an entirely different purpose. And that was to escort you personally to my pce once you''ve taken care of everything you need to settle in this world."

    "Sadly, fate has other ns for you. This will be thest time I can interfere with your life. After this, you''re on your own."

    The Beast God sighed and said:

    "I will imprison this Old Thing in his kingdom long enough for you to settle the debt of Karma. Settle everything before you go, and if you''re lucky, then you should be able to return before theye back."

    Ashton didn''t have enough time to understand any of that before he felt the surroundings warping around him.

 Chapter 295 Leaving

    Aria felt like her heart was sinking to her stomach...

    She doesn''t know why but she sure doesn''t like it. She''s feeling so scared all of a sudden when in reality, there was nothing to be afraid of.

    Ashton had this covered. This fight was going ording to their ns. Everything went ording to his calctions. Even the unexpected development was taken care of before it turned into a huge headache...

    All in all, this was another resounding victory for all of them. And with the scale of this fight they won, it''s guaranteed that Humanity will have a long period of peace and development.

    But for some unknown reason...Aria just can''t seem to feel good about it.

    Although they won, she didn''t feel happy about it. Something lies underneath the surface that just prevents her from enjoying this victory to the fullest, and she has no idea what.

    "Is Ashton here?"

    Aria was startled for a second upon hearing ke''s question. She looked at the Big 3 whose faces were starkly pale and felt increasingly nervous.

    "H-he should be around. Maybe on the rooftops? That''s where Ist saw him."

    "He''s not there. We didn''t see him there." Alice replied. Pursing her lips and feeling conflicted.

    "W-well, he should be somewhere around here. Maybe he''s in his office or...anyway, he should be here. Where else would he be? It''s not like he had to interfere or anything, so he should be nearby." Aria stated, but the look on their faces made her doubtful.

    "He interfered." Mary decided toe clean with it.

    And Aria could''ve sworn that her heart truly dropped this time around.

    "...what?"

    "We killed it...whatever that Abomination was. We certainly killed it. We were supposed to return but all of a sudden, something happened. We don''t know what exactly because it happened way too fast." Mary exined.

    "All of us were still on guard, but it didn''t matter at all. Before we knew it, we were about to be swallowed by golden light. That''s when he suddenly appeared. The next thing we knew, he was gone. Nothing happened to us, or this world. Everything happened so quickly that we''re tempted to think that it''s all just some hallucination."

    Alice added, feeling quite disturbed and nervous as well.

    Aria''s body trembled. She certainly didn''t like whatever she was hearing. She was feeling frantic and her thoughts were surely getting darker and darker.

    "Oh, you guys are here. I assume that you''re done with everything?"

    "Ash!!"

    Aria swiftly turned around and flew to his embrace. Ashton tilted his head in confusion but received her nheless.

    "Well, I guess someone missed that much. Hey, what''s wrong? Why do you look pale? Are you sick or something?"

    "No..."

    "Are you sure?" Ashton narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her and she shook her head adamantly.

    He then looked at the Big 3 and also noticed that their faces were pale but relieved as well. So, he smiled at them and said:

    "You guys must be tired. You can rest now, don''t worry about the rest, they can clean up after themselves."

    "...right." ke nodded in reply. "Oh by the way, where were you just now?"

    "I was at the Control Center." He replied. "I just prepared some stuff just in case. I also made an additional entry for the thing you just fought. By the way, we''ll be discussing that thing in the future so do try to remember everything you noticed about it. For now, though, you all can rest."

    The Big 3 stared at him for a solid while. They saw how he looked genuinely confused as to why they were staring at him so much.

    "Are you...worried that I''m not gonna pay you for this job, or...?"

    "No, no...of course not," ke replied. "Don''t mind us, we''ll go now. See youter."

    "Right...see you."

    After that, the Big 3 left the office, leaving the two of them locked in a tight embrace.

    Ashton made no effort to detach her from him since he was also enjoying this.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "You might''ve convinced them...but not me." Aria mumbled on his chest, causing him to chuckle ever so slightly.

    "Well, what can I say? Good for you?"

    Aria smacked his chest and looked at him pitifully. Ashton grimaced upon seeing that. He never liked seeing her this way but right now, there was no helping it.

    "You''re fading..." She pointed out. "Where are you going? Actually, you know what? It doesn''t matter. I''ming with you anyway."

    "I''d love that actually." Ashton let out a derisive chuckle, but it faded too soon. "However, I''m afraid that I have to leave you here."

    "No..."

    "Babe, listen to me. Please?" Ashton''s expression turned serious. He cupped Aria''s face and forced her to look at him. "I''m going to need you to listen to me carefully and remember my words."

    "Why?" Aria cried out, "Why do you have to leave? Aren''t we doing fine here? I don''t want this! I can''t do this without you."

    "I don''t want to leave either. But I''m afraid I don''t have a choice. I have to or else I''m going to die. I''m fine with dying but your life is linked to me, I can''t bear the thought of being the reason why you died as well."

    Aria sobbed. She could form words properly but it was clear that her heart was breaking.

    "Babe, listen to me." Ashton stressed. "This won''t be permanent, okay? I will return to you, to our home. I don''t know how long it''s going to take but I will certainly return. You know me, I always hold up to my promises. I need you to trust me on this, you hear me?"

    Aria nodded despite her tears.

    "To bepletely honest, I don''t know where this will lead me either. All I know is that, I was saved by someone, and by extension, that someone also saved our world. They interfered when the Celestial God attacked us just now. But that interference had a cost. I have a Karmic Debt to pay. That''s why I have to leave. I promise you, I am not dying. I will return to you."

    "..."

    "Here, take this." Ashton took out several items from his Inventory and passed them to Aria.

    These items were his cloak, his scythe, his gun, and his book artifact.

    "You''re the only one who can bring out the true potential of these items aside from me. When you find yourself in a bind, don''t hesitate to use them."

    "I am also passing my authority over to you. Just as long as I''m gone. Humanity still needs a leader, and since I can do it, you''re going to have to do it in my ce. Don''t worry, you can rely on our friends to support you in this. You''re not going to do it alone."

    Ashton then took a deep breath and said:

    "Me and that someone had an agreement. He will imprison the Celestial God in their realm for quite some time. I don''t exactly know how long but they said that it should be as long as the estimated time for me to settle down my Karmic Debt."

    "That sounds good actually, at least the Celestials won''t be a problem for us while I''m gone. But of course, we have no idea when a twist of fate happens."

    "If I''m still not done by the time that the Celestials are free, do not hesitate to initiate theary Relocation n. You will know if this happens, that''s for sure. You need to relocate the Blue Marble to save everyone. Don''t worry about me. I''ll have my ways of finding my way back to you."

    "As for the Hypogeans, they weren''t included in the agreement sadly. But that''s fine. If you continue to develop this way, the Hypogeans should never be a problem for you. But in case the Demon God arrives, the same n, relocate the. Do you understand?"

    "Mn..." Aria nodded, she bit her lips and forced herself to remember everything that he was saying.

    "I hate to burden you with my tasks, but you''re the only one I can trust here. I''d love to leave West Two with you to act as a link but I''m afraid that it''s not possible either."

    Ashton hugged her tightly and buried his face in her neck. Aria could feel his heat but more importantly, she could also feel his unwillingness and hesitation to leave.

    "I love you the most. Never forget that. I promise you that I will return to you. Just make sure to keep yourself safe and healthy when I return."

    "You better keep that promise, Mister." Aria huffed despite the sadness she felt. "And when you return, you better give me a child or two damn it. You must return before my womb dries out, you idiot."

    Ashton chuckled and said:

    "Babe, if you want to raise a battalion of kids then you will have it. I promise, when I return, we will start our family."

    Ashton truly wanted to hug her some more, but unfortunately, he ran out of time. He detached himself from her embrace and smiled sadly at her.

    "Take care of yourself, My Love. Wait for me."

    [Mission: Karmic Repayment, initiating in 3...2...1!]

    And just like that, Ashton disappeared from this world. Leaving a sobbing and heartbroken Aria behind.

 Chapter 296 Celestial Gods Failure, New World

    "...failure, huh?"

    The old frame of the Celestial God stared at the skies with a stoic expression on his face.

    He sighed and continued to rx on his rocking chair, still feeding the worm with an apple that doesn''t seem to run out despite being constantly bitten.

    This failure made him feelplicated. It wasn''t the first that he had failed at something, but this specific failure mighte back and bite him in the ass.

    The Celestial God has been alive for eons. From the moment he was born, he was destined to be a ruler, a creator, and a God. One could say that it was his birthright.

    If that was all, however, he wouldn''t have to go to lengths, scouring universes for something. The reason why he did so was that he was informed of a certain prophecy that spelled his downfall.

    It came from one of the Oracles he created. They predicted that someone wille and end the Celestial God''s life and reign.

    Normally, he would just ignore such nonsense, but he truly couldn''t since the Oracle who predicted that has never been wrong before.

    He never admitted this, but the Celestial God was consumed by his fears. He couldn''t imagine himself dying but the sheer concept of it scares him. He didn''t want to die. He wanted to live and rule forever.

    That''s why he created an army that would scour vast universes for him. He hid his intentions, saying that this was a Holy Mission to spread his gospel and bring other creatures to light. This way, his army wouldn''t question anything.

    He had also stolen the providence of the worlds that they conquered. He did so to increase his chances of survival. He basically used the power of luck to protect his life. And he had gotten way stronger than before.

    But despite his personal growth, the Celestial God just can''t shake the feeling away. The looming threat of death continued to hang over his head and he did not like it.

    He searched across time and numerous universes, but the fated child of prophecy continued to elude him. He initially started thinking that the prophecy might note true at all since he was not seeing signs. But his mind was already consumed by his fears, so he continued searching for it anyway.

    Eventually, his minions came across that backward. And the moment they did so, the Celestial God felt a jolt in his chest. He initially ignored it, but as time passed, he noticed that that backward possesses some uniqueness to it that he couldn''t exin.

    Moreover, the locals of that weresting longer than everybody expected them to.

    Eventually, they started fighting back. And in that same moment that he discovered that his Son got ced under hypnosis, the Celestial God finally realized that he had found what he had been looking for all this time.

    He was confident about it. No other race had put his minions under heavy assault unlike what Humans did. And through Karmic Reading, the Celestial God learned about the existence of the man who was responsible for the swift growth of Humanity.

    The moment he saw Ashton''s face, the Celestial God felt certain that he was the Child of Prophecy.

    He could feel the sheer disgust and hatred in Ashton''s heart. The child despises him more than anything else in this world, and he''s using that to raise an army that would match them in hopes of eradicating them.

    The fact that he nearly came close to doing so, frightened the Celestial God immensely. This is why, even though it goes against his honor and morals, he made a move to snuff out the threat before it was toote.

    He pitied the child. If he was more careful, then he would''ve been able to put up a fight. Unfortunately, the Celestial God didn''t like that idea either so he could only kill him.

    What he wasn''t expecting though, was for that child to possess a trump card that would save his life.

    He escaped certain death and even manage to imprison the Celestial God in the Celestial Realm; his very own world.

    The Celestial God tried to break the restriction but to his overwhelming surprise, he couldn''t do so. It didn''t matter how hard he tried nor how long he calcted. There was nothing he could do to break free from this imprisonment.

    However, the Celestial God knows that this imprisonment wouldn''t be permanent. He could tell that this was just made to buy time for the child. He couldn''t break it, yes. But it wouldn''t stay this way forever. Eventually, he will be freed.

    But until that timees, the Celestial God could only helplessly stay where he was.

    He wouldn''t stay idle though. Since the Child of Prophecy still lives, he will prepare for their eventual sh.

    The Celestial God will amass strength. He will do anything and everything to prevent the prophecy from evering true.

    "Do your worst, little hare. Next time, I will not hold back. I will kill you."

    ***

    Time has lost its meaning for Ashton.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He felt as if he had been traveling for such a long time that his thoughts turned blurry. He doesn''t know how long has passed since he began.

    His emotions had settled down by now. He was still emotionally wounded because of what happened but it was something that he couldn''t really prevent.

    If he should me someone, it could only be himself because it was he who didn''t do enough. If he just made sufficient preparations, this wouldn''t have happened at all.

    But it''s toote for regrets now. He still doesn''t know where this would lead him but he could only do his best. He made a promise, and he intends to do whatever it takes to uphold them.

    All of a sudden, he felt his entire world shaking.

    He felt dibobted for a bit, which was then followed by a sharp ringing in his head. His vision was spinning and he felt unbelievably weak.

    Then, he opened his eyes...

    A groan escaped from his lips as he got up. He took a couple of deep breaths to ease the pain he was feeling and he managed to feel better even just a little bit. His head was still throbbing but it was tolerable now. He just feels weak, that''s all.

    When he got his vision working properly, he began surveying his surroundings.

    He was in the middle of a lush and vast forest. The sky was being covered by tall trees creating afortable shade. The air was crisp and cool. He could hear the sound of crickets and running water nearby.

    Ashton was alone. There were some insects nearby but they don''t count.

    After surveying his surroundings, Ashton looked down at his body and discovered something unusual.

    He was wearing a rather fancy robe made out of animal hide. His body was weak...and smaller as well as thinner than what it was supposed to be. His skin was also several shades paler than he could remember.

    Ashton furrowed his brows and had a wild thought. Wanting to confirm it, he dragged himself towards the nearby source of water.

    He still can''t get over the feeling of weakness, but despite this, he managed to find the nearby water source. He went close to it, then he crouched down, looking at his reflection in the water.

    "I fucking knew it..."

    The image he saw was that of a teenager with pointed ears. He had waist-length faded silver hair with some sections in braids. Two doe-like eyes with obsidian pupils, a high-bridged nose, sunken cheeks, and a prominent jawline. The teenager was thin and sickly pale too.

    He couldn''t believe it, he was actually inhibiting another body.

    Ashton never thought that this would happen again, and judging from his starting point, he had every right to start overthinking, especially on how he was supposed to uphold his promise to Aria.

    That''s when he heard a loud beep in his mind, reminding him of the System''s existence.

    [Mission: Karmic Repayment, initiated!]

    [Mission Contents: Discover the truth of this world and your purpose here toplete the mission.]

    [Note: Usage of the System''s functions is extremely limited whilst this mission is still ongoing. Some of the functions are outright disabled. Please explore on your own, Host. Best of luck!]

    "Wow...so helpful. Thanks a lot, I guess." Ashton sarcastically remarked as he closed the system prompts.

    Really, he had the worst start here. He doesn''t know where he was, doesn''t know what his identity is, and can''t even rely on the System to help him.

    All he knows is that he''s alive. And that should count for something...

    "Whatever...let''s just see what I''m working with."

    Ashton scooped out some water to drink since he was parched. He also cleaned his face since he was dirty. After that, he found a smooth surface upon the stone formations near the river stream and sat down on it.

    He then proceeded to dive deep into the recesses of this body''s mind and memories. If the system can''t help him, then he would just help himself instead.

    After scouring the memories of this body''s original owner, Ashton opened his eyes out of sheer surprise...

 Chapter 297 Elstar

    The owner of the body he''s now inhibiting had the same name as him...

    What''s surprising was that this young man was a bonafide Fey. Not just any Fey either...despite his sickly and frail body, this one''s a Fey Prince.

    Well, what is a Prince without subjects, right?

    It should be given at this point that this world is popted by the Fey Race. He had confirmed this by scanning the memories left for him. The Fey Race were the most prominent people that could be seen in this world.

    This world is called Elstar as far as the memories of this body go. And the ones that govern this world were Forest Fey Race.

    Their home was within Nature''s Embrace, meaning that they live deep within forests and jungles. This world was vast ording to the memories he received but he had no clue just how big it truly was since the original owner of this body never even thought about going outside of his home to venture.

    Even if he wanted to, he couldn''t due to his sickly and frail body...

    What really irks Ashton was the fact that, despite possessing a Royal Fey bloodline, the original owner of his body was ostracized amongst his people. And it''s mostly because of his upbringing.

    The mother of this poor soul was a maid of the Royal Pce once. The current King had a drunken affair with her that resulted in the conception of this boy.

    In the strict and frankly conservative hierarchy of the Fey Race, his existence would be heavily frowned upon. Even if he did possess the blood of a monarch, the traditional ways of the Fey denounce him anyways.

    This boy had only been in the Royal Pce once in his life. And that''s during his birth. Once he was safely delivered, he and his mother got kicked out of there.

    His mother was severely weakened due to theplications of his birth. She was already sickly and frail during that time, it just got a lot worse when she gave birth to him.

    Nheless, she did her best to raise him. Unfortunately, she could only do so much until her illness took her away. Leaving this poor boy to fend for himself.

    Before she died, she informed the boy about his true lineage. She told him that whatever it was that he wants to achieve, she will always support him even though she will no longer be beside him.

    The boy took the death of his only parent pretty badly. He was leftpletely alone and afraid.

    And due to the traditional ways of the Fey, his being raised by a single parent makes him a lesser individualpared to others. Women who became mothers without being married to their partner was also another thing that''s frowned upon by the Fey Race.

    Suffice it to say, this boy had suffered a lot. Not many people were willing to even take a look at him, much less care about him.

    He had to figure out a way to feed himself, to survive on his own. He had been bullied a lot, and he faced discrimination and hate crimes wherever he goes.

    Some people were willing to help him but those people could only do it secretly. It''s debatable if they''re truly willing to help him or if they''re just feeling guilty, but either way, the boy never med them for anything.

    Unfortunately, that same boy is now dead...

    He went out of the vige he grew up in to hunt for food. He had done this many times before since nobody was willing to share their food with him so this was his only choice.

    The child was able to survive the previous ones but not the most recent ones which resulted in Ashton upying this body. The boy encountered a dangerous Fey Beast and somehow provoked it.

    He didn''t survive that encounter...thankfully, his body wasn''t eaten or anything. That allowed Ashton to safely cross over and fulfill his purpose here.

    ''I don''t know what''s going to happen to this body once I''m done here but...at the very least, it''s notpletely hopeless.''

    Ashton opened his eyes and epted his situation. He could already tell that this is going to take him some time. Frankly, he''s feeling restless because he truly didn''t want to be in this situation, however, there''s nothing he could do to change it.

    The only way he could make it back is bypleting his mission here. And if he could do that as soon as possible, then he could return faster as well.

    "First thing I have to solve is the hereditary illness that this body has."

    One of the key things that make this situation more bearable for Ashton was the fact that he retained the knowledge he has.

    Remember, Ashton was hailed as the Best White Mage that Humanity had ever seen. This was his first title before he became Humanity''s Leader.

    Identifying the illness this body has and curing it was a simple task for him. The best part was, everything he needs to cure this illness was already around him.

    ''Dragon''s Whiskers, Purple Rosemary, a stalk of Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, Verdant Apple Seed, five leaves of Skyscraping Tree...''

    The names of the ingredients he''s listing might sound absurd but in reality, they''re fairlymon around these areas. Not many Feys would even stop to consider them as valuable medicinal products. Ashton however, was clearly different.

    What this body was suffering from was an illness called: ''Dead Bone Pulse.'' It''s an affliction caused by ack of factors that encourages the production of blood in a person''s body.

    This causes them to feel exhausted faster than normal people would, lowers their immunity against harmful viruses, and weakens their bodies enough to prevent them from using Mana effectively.

    There is a known cure for this illness within the Feymunity, however, it is extremely expensive. His mother who was just a maid in the Royal Pce, could never evene close to buying that cure for herself.

    She tried to save as much money as she could to buy it for him, but she died before she could even umte enough.

    ''If I had taken over earlier than this...I might''ve been able to save her too.'' Ashton mused as he ground the ingredients he gathered.

    ''But I''m grown used to not having parents around. So I guess this works well for me. At least, it''s less of my worries once I return to where I''m actually supposed to be.''

    After reducing the ingredients into a paste and being satisfied with the consistency. He nodded to himself and started applying the mixture to his head and face.

    He had already surveyed the area and discovered that it was safe for him so he wasn''t afraid to finish up his recovery.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Not even a minute after applying it to his head and face, he could already feel a refreshing sensation prating his skull and brain. This was the medicine taking effect.

    After five minutes, Ashton felt strength returning to his body. The weakness that gued this body subsided once and for all. He felt an incredible amount offort from his improved physique.

    Once ten minutes passed, the refreshing sensation disappeared. Ashton knew that he had been cured. He rinsed the medicine off since it was starting to smell bad.

    Now that he was cured of his illness, Ashton felt much better than before. His body remained thin and frail still. After all, medicine can only cure the illness, not make him jacked.

    But at least, energy has returned to him. And alongside that, his Mana was no longer obstructed.

    Having experienced the benefits of being a Fey in his previous world, he knows just how much untapped potential this body has. Not to mention, this world caters to the Fey Race. This means that he has an overwhelming level of superiority here.

    With the knowledge he kept with him, gaining power would be a simple task for him. Ashton of all people would neverck ways to gain incredible strength.

    Sure, most of his System''s functions might be locked for now, but that doesn''t really stop him from achieving something great in this world. Not when obviously have something to work with instead. If anything, the System being unusable was just a minor inconvenience for him.

    ''me Control!''

    Fwoosh!

    A plume of bring orange me appeared on Ashton''s fingertips. It wasn''t that big but that''s to be expected. After all, this body has never practiced any form of magic before. For aplete beginner, this was already a phenomenal achievement.

    ''As expected of a race loved by elements.'' Ashton mused to himself.

    Now, he just has to increase his mana capacity for a bit so that he wouldn''t run out of it at an inopportune time.

    He sat down and decided to cultivate the Ruling Spirit Art right from the get-go.

    And since he was already out of the vige anyways, he might as well stay here for a few days. He needs to hunt for some food anyways.

    Plus, he was certain that nobody woulde looking for him in the vige. He was an outcast there anyway.

 Chapter 298 Temporary Shelter

    Sylvenvale...that''s the name of the forest that he''s currently in.

    To be more specific, this ce is called Sylvenvale Great Forest. Home to Forest Feys and is one of thergest forests in the Elstar.

    Currently, Ashton had no idea just how big Sylvenvale actually is. The previous owner of this body was never interested in any of that so there was no memory for him to work with. He only knew that it was big, that''s about it.

    Within Sylvenvale lies the Arvandor Vige, the ce where he lives. In his previous world, this would be considered a provincial area, away from the nobles and royalties of the Fey.

    And the ruler of the entire Sylvenvale ording to his memories, was the Elrond Imperial Family. The current ruler is named: dhwen Elrond - Ashton''s biological father in this setting.

    Truthfully, none of these were any of Ashton''s concerns right now. He doesn''t see that man as his father anyways. Plus, there are more matters that he needed to attend to right now, such as securing food for himself.

    ''Got no weapons, no training, no experience either.'' He muttered inwardly. ''Seriously, what was this boy thinking by going out here? It''s like he''s begging to die.''

    ''Hey, that''s actually not far from the truth! But still! He''d had a better chance if chose to steal food from the stalls in the vige, rather than going out here and searching for live ones.''

    The boy wasn''t even carrying a dagger! How the hell was he supposed to protect himself from the harmful creatures roaming around this massive jungle?

    Even though this world is popted by Feys, it doesn''t necessarily mean that there were no threats to them.

    These so-called Fey Beasts are roaming around the wild. They vary in shape and size, but for the most part, they are unkind towards Feys who stumble into their territory.

    That being said though, Fey Beasts are excellent sources of nutrition. Which is why the Feys are hesitant to wipe them outpletely. Their flesh wasn''t just tasty when cooked properly but also contains properties that could strengthen the physique of Feys, making them a lot stronger.

    The previous owner of this body never got a chance to eat Fey Beasts. The reason is it''s too expensive. The boy doesn''t even have a penny on his name, how can he even think about eating Fey Beast Meat when he couldn''t even buy anymon food?

    Because of his financial status, the boy could only be a vegan. And that even puts him in danger since he felt the need to go out here to find something to eat.

    Fortunately, though, that doesn''t have to continue anymore. Ashton had taken over. He''d be damned if he allowed himself to suffer under these ridiculous things.

    ''This much Mana should be enough...'' Ashton muttered inwardly.

    He silently marveled at the vigorous activity of mana pulsing under his skin. Converting that to amplify his strength should be enough secure a few weeks'' worth of food. Plus, with the abundant amount of Mana, Aether, and Spiritual Energy within this forest, escting his strength should be easy.

    ''Okay, time to hunt some food.''

    Ashton made enough preparations so the next thing was to obviously make a move.

    From scanning the memories of this body, Ashton could clearly remember there being a Wild Boar somewhere around this area.

    That same Wild Boar was the one that attacked the previous owner of this body, and Ashton was feeling slightly vengeful on the previous owner''s behalf, so he decided to hunt that one first.

    Crouching down and closing his eyes, he elevated his senses to begin tracking that Wild Boar. Not even three secondster, he opened his eyes and already located it.

    Ashton then proceeded to hop tree branches to maintain the high ground. With the assistance of mana, he was lithe and agile. There''s much to be desired from this body but for now, this will do.

    After a minute of jumping on tree branches, he stopped and muted his presence by masking it with Mana.

    He then peered down and saw his target. Spreading his senses around, he concluded that the area was clear. It''s only him and this Wild Boar.

    ''...still, haven''t seen a Boar this big.''

    Fey Beastse in all shapes and sizes. However, this Wild Board in particr was as big as a two-story house. From what he could remember, it hits like a truck too.

    Right now, the Wild Boar was resting under a tree shade. The same one he''s standing on. It waspletely unaware of his existence.

    Ashton took a deep breath and circted his Mana. He then drew a crescent arc in the air, leaving a trail of Mana which formed a Bow.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He held it and made a drawing motion, condensing an arrow made out of pure Mana. With his control and the purity of his mana, this arrow was bound to be deadly.

    Ashton then aimed and released the shot. The arrow streaked downwards, silent and almost untraceable with the naked eye.

    It prated the Wild Boar''s skull, killing it without even knowing how. It didn''t even manage to make a sound when it died due to how fast it happened.

    Ashton felt its pulse disappearing, and that''s when he jumped down from the tree. He touched the carcass and ced it within his Inventory.

    Yes, he could still use his Inventory. However, he''s only limited to 200 slots. Plus, the items that were previously in there were nowhere to be seen. So no infinite resources for him.

    Still, he could work with this. 200 Inventory slots were more than enough for him to use. And it makes his life a bit easier too.

    After storing the carcass, Ashton gathered some herbs and vegetables around the vicinity. He also used his magic to gather some firewood that was just lying around there.

    He also gathered some huge leaves, water, and hay. Everything that he needs to make a temporary shelter could be found all over this jungle.

    That Wild Boar was enough tost him for at least three days. And with the assortments of vegetables he found, he wouldn''t necessarily have to repeat the same meal. But of course, since he could do it, then why not hunt something else for variety?

    Ashton gathered fish, venison, chicken, and hares. He also gathered enough wood for his temporary shelter.

    He gathered everything he needed before the sun sets, and by that time, he only needed to arrange everything.

    With the assistance of Psychokinesis, making a temporary shelter was easy. He didn''t break a sweat. He also didn''t have to manually create fire since he could generate it at will.

    By nighttime, Ashton was rxing in the Tree House that he built and was now waiting for his food to finish cooking.

    His temporary shelter was of course secure from outside harm. He ced several traps and rms around. On top of this, he also created an obscuring formation around his home, making sure that he would have a good rest for this night.

    ''First meal in this unknown world...cheers, I guess...'' Ashton sighed as he took a big bite of the grilled meat.

    The taste was fine. He did not have seasonings with him sadly, if he did then this would be even tastier. The meat wasn''t as tough, nor did it taste gamey. It''s okay, Ashton had tasted better meals than this, but for something that he prepared in a hurry? It''s not bad at all.

    He also made some fish soup and fruit sd. He also had clean water to drink so overall, it was a good dinner.

    After filling himself, Ashton looked up at the sky and felt a great sense of loneliness.

    "I wish Aria was with me..."

    He misses her so much. Everything would''ve been better if she was right beside her. Unfortunately, he couldn''t bring her with him.

    Ashton wanted to go back to his original timeline already. He wanted toe home to Aria, he didn''t want to be here. Sadly though, he doesn''t have a choice.

    After sighing for the nth time. Ashton shook his head and stood up. He then hopped into the tree house and proceeded to lie down on the hey bed he created. It''s covered in huge leaves that he gathered earlier, making it morefortable.

    As hey down there, his thoughts started whirring...

    ''Next month, this boy will be 16.'' He mused to himself. ''In that same month, the Coming of Age Ceremony will begin.''

    ''Everyone at the age of 16-18 is required to participate. No exceptions are allowed. That means I have to return to the vige by then.''

    ''That should give me enough time to umte strength.'' He told himself. ''I can''t go back to the vige without possessing some level of strength or else they will never leave me be.''

    ''Plus, I''m sure that with my ugly reputation, there would be people who would target me during that event. I need to prepare for that.''

    ''I''ll be damned if I let some traditionalist freaks end me and cause my mission to fail here.''

 Chapter 299 Coming Of Age Ceremony (I)

    Ashton had left the Arvandor Vige a month ago to survive. He had spent the majority of his time training in the wild and his physique hade a long way since then.

    But as the time for the annual Coming of Age Ceremony approached, he knew he had to return.

    The ceremony was a tradition in which all young feys between the ages of 16 and 18 were required to participate. It was a rite of passage, marking the transition from adolescence to adulthood. This year, there would be at least 150 young feys taking part. Well, at least that''s the amount he estimated in his head.

    Ashton felt somewhat nostalgic on his way back, but he knew that this feeling originated from the familiarity of this body''s old owner. He had changed a lot since he had left. He had built up his muscles and cut off his long hair, which he had always kept tied in a knot. He knew he looked different, but he didn''t realize just how much until he arrived.

    As he walked through the vige, he saw familiar faces, but no one recognized him. He was used to being known as the skinny kid with the long hair, but now he looked like apletely different person. This works in his favor of course.

    At least this way, people wouldn''t treat him badly as they did so before.

    Ashton made his way to the center of the vige where the gathering for the Coming of Age Ceremony was going to take ce. He asked around and learned that the Supervisor was an elf named Lirien. She was tall and graceful with long, flowing blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She wore a white robe and carried a staff made of a pale wood that glowed softly in the sunlight.

    Lirien was known for her stern demeanor and strict adherence to tradition, at least that''s what he heard. She had been the Supervisor of the Coming of Age Ceremony for many years and was highly respected among the fey.

    When Ashton approached her, Lirien eyed him suspiciously. She didn''t recognize him either and demanded to know who he was and what he was doing there.

    ''Can''t she tell that I''ll be participating as well? There''s no way she can differentiate me from an actual Fey right?'' Ashton mused to himself but he was careful enough to not show any expression that will make him suspicious.

    Ashton exined that he was a member of the Arvandor Vige and that he had left for a month to explore the world beyond the forest. He showed her his family crest, hoping that it would prove his identity.

    He also told her about the false family history he crafted. He said that both of his parents died from old age and he''s an only child. He ventured outside of the vige to test his mettle and prove to himself that he could survive on his own.

    Lirien studied the crest for a moment before nodding. "Very well," she said. "But you must understand that you will be held to the same standards as every other young fey participating in the ceremony."

    Ashton nodded eagerly, relieved that he had been allowed to participate. He was confident that she hasn''t seen through him because if she did, there was no way she''d allow him to participate in this ceremony at all. If anything, she might turn hostile to him should she discover his secret.

    Over the next few days, Ashton trained alongside the other young fey, preparing for the ceremony. He didn''t do anything that would raise an rm among the other participants.

    He did the bare minimum like stretching, exercising, and shooting arrows alongside other Fey Youths around him. This way, he''d just blend amongst the crowd.

    No one recognized him or acknowledged his presence. It worked well for him because he had no ns on socializing either, but he knew that he had brought this on himself by changing his appearance so drastically.

    Finally, the day of the Coming of Age Ceremony arrived. Ashton and the other young feys gathered in the center of the vige, dressed in their finest clothes. Ashton was an exception of course since he had no money to his name, but he didn''t care.

    Lirien stood at the front of the group, her staff held high.

    "Wee, young feys," she said. "Today marks a significant moment in your lives. You have all worked hard to get here, and now it is time to prove yourselves."

    The feys nodded, and Lirien led them out of the vige and into the forest. They walked for what felt like hours, passing through fields of wildflowers and over bubbling streams.

    Eventually, they came to a clearing in the forest. In the center of the clearing stood a massive tree, its branches stretching up to the sky. The feys gathered around the tree, their eyes wide with wonder.

    "This tree is the heart of our vige," Lirien exined. "It has been here for centuries and has witnessed theing of age of countless feys. Today, you will each take a turn climbing this tree."

    The feys exchanged nervous nces, but Ashton felt a surge of excitement. That three was something that he had never seen before.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It looks a lot like a single piece of Bamboo, but not a normal one. This one''s girthy, it''ll take at least five people hugging it topletely encase it. It''s also incredibly tall, it almost pierces the sky itself.

    The surface looked smooth, it had a glossy texture that shimmered under the re of the sun. The sections were noticeable, a single section would be at least a meter from the next.

    "This is the Obsidian Tree Fortress. It''s the Guardian of the Arvandor Vige. For the first part of the ceremony, you must climb this tree as high as you possibly can. Don''t be afraid of falling, I''ll be here to catch you."

    ''Sounds easy enough, but I''d like to see how it goes for the others first.''

    Lirien motioned for the first fey to step forward. The fey was a young girl with bright pink hair and a determined look in her eyes. She stepped forward and began to climb the tree, her fingers and toes finding purchase to...well, nothing.

    There''s nothing to grab onto the tree. It was smooth and glossy, making it look slippery. It has no branches or anything that could be used to hold on to.

    The pink-haired girl struggled for a bit before she threw all caution to the wind. She ran up to the tree and manage to reach halfway across the first section before losing steam and falling.

    Lirien caught her and told her to wait on the side. Her expression remain stoic but Ashton could tell that she was somewhat disappointed with the results of that pink-haired girl.

    One by one, the other feys took their turns climbing the tree. Some of them struggled, slipping and sliding. Others climbed with ease, their movements fluid and graceful.

    Finally, it was Ashton''s turn...

    He could sense that some people were looking at him, trying to discover his identity and all that, but he didn''t pay them any mind.

    Pausing before the tree, he looked up curiously and touched it with his hand.

    He sensed the inner workings of the tree. To his surprise, he could feel a strong activity happening underneath the thick shell of the tree. It was highly unusual and strange. Sadly, he didn''t have enough time to admire or study the inner workings of the tree for now.

    ''This should work...'' he mused to himself.

    He nted his foot on the surface of the tree, much to the other youths'' surprise. Then, he started walking at the surface of the tree like it was a t surface.

    Forget about the other kids, even the adults who were observing the ceremony from afar were astounded by the unique method he disyed.

    The concept was really easy. He just released a thinyer of mana on his soles and controlled it in a way that will cause it to adhere to the surface of the tree.

    Then, it''s just a matter of keeping steady control over it and vi, tree-walking! It''s just demanding for beginners but nothing too difficult for him.

    Lirien who was observing him from the base of the tree looked at him with praise. There was a hint of a smile on her rather strict face.

    ''Not bad...'' She praised inwardly, ''Youths nowadays put so much emphasis on raw strength and Mana Quantity, they don''t put enough attention to purifying mana or even exercising sufficient control over it.''

    ''But this child is obviously different. Maybe it''s because he had to fend for himself out in the wild. Whatever it is, it might be worth keeping an eye on him.''

    Eventually, Ashton climbed to the top of the Obsidian Tree Fortress. He marveled at the sight beneath him and breathed in the crisp air before deciding to walk down the tree.

    Upon returning to the ground, he was met by bewildered stares but he didn''t pay attention to it, especially since the next part of the ceremony was about to start...

 Chapter 300 Coming Of Age Ceremony (II)

    The next stage of the Coming of Age Ceremony will take ce somewhere else.

    Lirien led the group of young feys out of the Arvandor Vige, their faces etched with excitement and anticipation. The next stage of the Coming of Age Ceremony was to be held at the ck Bamboo Jungle, and they were all eager to participate.

    As they made their way through the forest, everyone was talking about how excited they all were. They all looked at Ashton with a mixture of curiosity and admiration, impressed by his performance during the initial stage of the ceremony. Some of them even tried to strike up a conversation with him, but Ashton appeared distant and aloof, which only added to his mystique.

    Lirien, the female Elder who oversaw the ceremony, walked alongside Ashton and the other feys, providing guidance and answering their questions. She exined that they would be joined by at least four other groups from different Elven Viges, each bringing their own unique traditions and customs to the ceremony.

    As they journeyed deeper into the forest, the air grew thick with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant howls. The sky above was obscured by a thickyer of dark clouds, casting an eerie pall over the forest floor. The trees around them were tall and imposing, their ck bamboo trunks stretching upwards like the ws of some terrible beast.

    Ashton couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease as they traveled through the gloomy forest. He could sense the eyes of unseen creatures watching them from the shadows, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. The other young feys seemed to feel the same way, huddling together forfort and safety

    Ashton and the other young feys were making their way through the dense forest of ck Bamboo Jungle. The towering bamboo shoots cast shadows on the forest floor, creating a mysterious and eerie ambiance. The canopy above was thick, filtering the sunlight into faint beams that illuminated the path thaty ahead of them.

    The forest was quiet, save for the asional rustle of leaves and the chirping of crickets. Ashton felt a chill run down his spine as he realized that they were being watched. The eyes of unknown creatures were upon them, lurking in the shadows.

    ''This is where the next part of the ceremony will take ce?'' Ashton mused to himself as he continued to be alert. ''It seems that Fey Traditions were a lot more astringent than I initially expected.''

    As they pressed on, the scenery gradually shifted. The bamboo trees thinned, and the undergrowth grew denser. Strange nts with vibrant colors and unique shapes sprouted all around them. Some of these nts exuded a strange aroma, and their mere sight made Ashton feel uneasy.

    Lirien, who was leading the group, stopped and turned to face them. "Wee to the ck Bamboo Jungle," she announced. "This is where the next part of the Coming of Age Ceremony will take ce."

    Ashton gazed around, taking in the sight before him. He could see other groups of elves emerging from the thick foliage, representing the different Elven Viges that Lirien had mentioned earlier.

    He couldn''t help but feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of participants. He knew that the next stage of the ceremony would be even more challenging, and the people he was with were kids.

    Yes, they are kids in his eyes. Feys have a longer lifespan than humans do. 16-18 years old was nothing but ama to a life of a Fey.

    As they prepared to continue on their journey, Ashton noticed that many of the other feys were still staring at him. He felt a twinge of guilt, realizing that his aloof behavior might have contributed to their unease.

    But he knew that he needed to focus on the task ahead, so he pushed aside his doubts and readied himself for the challenges toe.

    As they journeyed deeper into the ck Bamboo Jungle, the group came across a clearing where they found the other groups that Lirien had mentioned.

    The first group hailed from the Starlight Vige, known for their exceptional archery skills and prowess in battle.

    The second group was from the Moonshadow Vige, where the elves were renowned for their magical abilities and affinity for moonlight.

    The third group hailed from the Sunflower Vige, where the elves were skilled in the art of healing and herbology.

    The fourth and final group was from the Shadowvale Vige, where the elves were known for their stealth and cunning.

    He learned of their identities through the gossip around him.

    Ashton was amazed by the diversity of the different elven groups, each with their own unique skills and talents. He felt a sense of nostalgia cause this reminds him of his people too...

    The ones he had to leave behind...

    Ashton shook his head and chased away those thoughts. Now''s not the time for that.

    Lirien led them to arge tform in the center of the clearing, where they would be performing the next stage of the ceremony. The tform was surrounded by towering bamboo trees that seemed to stretch up to the heavens. The sound of the wind rustling through the leaves was like music to Ashton''s ears.<novelnext></novelnext>

    A gloomy and harrowing music, but music nheless...

    The clearing was dominated by a massive stone altar, surrounded by a ring of ck bamboo trees. The altar was adorned with strange, esoteric symbols and carvings that seemed to writhe and pulse in the dim light.

    Ashton could feel a sense of anticipation building inside him as he surveyed the altar. This was the site of the next stage of the Coming of Age Ceremony, where they would be tested in a trial of strength and courage.

    But more than that, he was interested to learn more about those symbols and carving. This was his inner schr rearing its ugly head.

    The other groups from the different Elven Viges were there too. Just like his group, most of them feel frightened by the gloomy and depressive atmosphere of their current environment too.

    As the sun began to set over the jungle, Elder Lirien emerged from the shadows. She was an imposing figure, tall and regal, with long silver hair that shimmered in the fading light.

    "Wee, young feys," she said, her voice echoing through the clearing. "You have all made it this far, but the true test lies ahead."

    She gestured to the stone altar, and the group of young feys stepped forward. Ashton could feel his heart racing as he approached the altar, his eyes fixed on the symbols and carvings that covered its surface.

    The Elder Lirien began to speak in a strange, gutturalnguage. Ashton was able to understand her. Thenguage she was using was Ancient Elven Language, something that his Omnilingual Trait confirmed with him.

    The chants she was uttering sounded grim and harrowing but that was mostly because of thenguage. In truth, she''s just praying for their ancestors to bless this ceremony and watch over the Young Feys.

    As she spoke, the symbols on the altar began to glow with an otherworldly light, and the ground beneath their feet began to shake.

    Suddenly, the bamboo trees surrounding the clearing began to move, their trunks twisting and contorting as they came to life. The young feys gasped in horror as they realized that they were surrounded by a ring of giant bamboo monsters, each one at least ten feet tall and bristling with sharp, deadly thorns.

    ''Uh oh...'' Ashton blinked as he slowly retreated away from the monsters that appeared.

    Ashton could recognize Magic if he sees one. And these, are no different.

    They''re Golems made out of ck Bamboo. At the same time, they are also given a level of sentience and animosity through Magic.

    He analyzed the pattern of magic they used for these golems and discovered that these creatures are on a mission.

    The magic used was primitive. Wasteful, even. Ashton could do something like this too and he could guarantee that he would be more effective and efficient. However, now''s not really the time forparisons.

    The Bamboo Golems started attacking wantonly, great scaring the Young Feys.

    Ashton had long noticed that Lirien, along with the other supervisors from other viges, had gone into hiding. He couldn''t say exactly tell where they are right now, but he knows that they were observing them nearby.

    ''You all could''ve given us a warning or something...'' Ashton clicked his tongue in annoyance.

    They put the kids in a traumatizing situation without informing them beforehand. He knew that they strictly follow tradition but still, it is unnecessarily cruel to do it this way.

    Unfortunately, he couldn''t do anything about this for now. So in the meantime, he''d just perform ording to how he sees fit.

    Hopping into one of the bamboos nearby, doing it the same way he did back at the initial stage of the ceremony, Ashton surveyed the rest.

    As they scrambled away from the Bamboo Golems, Ashton took a deep breath and swung his hand into a gorgeous arc.

    And simrly, he killed the Wild Boar a month ago, Ashton shot a condensed arrow of pure Mana into one of the Golems, disabling it permanently.

 Chapter 301 Coming Age Ceremony (End)

    Perfect execution of a basic spell...yet it caught the attention and admiration of those who were hiding on the sidelines.

    Ashton felt the thrill of excitement coursing through his veins as he drew his bowstring taut and aimed his arrow at the looming figure of the Bamboo Golem. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing his mind on the mana that pulsed through his body. He felt it gather at the tips of his fingers, and with a quick flick of his wrist, he released the arrow.

    The arrow was made entirely of mana, a magical energy that flowed through the Fey folk like blood. It shimmered with an otherworldly light as it sailed through the air and struck the Golem in the chest. The creature let out a deep, rumbling roar and crumbled to the ground, defeated.

    Elder Lirien, who had been observing the youths'' training, nodded in approval. The other Fey Elders of nearby viges also watched Ashton''s feat with interest. They were impressed by his skill, and they wondered who he was and where he came from. But they did not ask. It was not their way to pry.

    Ashton released a breath, and the mana bow faded. He felt a sense of joy using that spell even if it was just a basic one, but he knew there was still much more work to be done. The Bamboo Golems were relentless, and there were many more of them to defeat.

    He turned to the rest and saw them looking at him with awe and admiration. Ashton resisted the urge to roll his eyes and said:

    "Rx and observe," Ashton uttered in a gentle yet certain tone. "They look scary but they won''t kill you. They''re just ying a game of Tag with us. Look down your chest. If you see a glowing orb of yellow, that means that you are the target of the golems."

    "If you''re a target, lure the golems away. They''re not that fast, you all can easily outrun them. As for the rest,bine your efforts in disabling them. Aside from their target, the rest is invisible to their eyes. Just dodge their attacks and you''d be fine."

    The other youths looked at him in shock. They instinctively look down at their chest and some confirmed that there was indeed a yellow orb in them, meaning that they were the targets of the golems.

    They didn''t have much time to think since there were still a lot of golems that wereing to get them. But since they''ve confirmed what Ashton said was true, then the rest were predictable.

    They worked together, using their various strengths to defeat the Golems. Some used magic, like Ashton, while others relied on their physical strength and agility.

    The targets lure the golems for a long chase while the rest essentially did everything they could to disable the golems, and for the most part, they were seeding.

    The Elders who were observing from a distance were mightily impressed by Ashton''s intelligence.

    They expected that someone will eventually discover what this trial was all about, but they didn''t expect it to be this fast.

    Hours passed, and the battle seemed never-ending. The Golems kepting, each waverger and more ferocious than thest. But the Fey youths refused to give up. They knew that they had to keep fighting until the Golems stoppeding.

    Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, thest Golem fell to the ground. The forest was silent, save for the heavy breathing of the exhausted Fey youths. They looked around at each other, their faces smeared with sweat and dirt, but their expressions filled with relief and pride. They had done it. They had survived this awful game that started without their consent.

    Ashton sighed and found a ce to rest. He didn''t do much, to be honest. He already helped a lot by telling them about the situation. But of course, he also yed a role. He provided cover for those who were about to be injured by the golems.

    He wasn''t tired at all, but he had to put up an act so that he won''t appear suspicious.

    The other Fey youths gathered around him, their exhaustion melting away as they shared in the triumph of their victory. Elder Lirien stepped forward, her eyes sparkling with pride.

    "You have all shown great courage and skill," he said. "Your vige is lucky to have such strong defenders."

    Ashton and the others bowed respectfully to the Elder, grateful for her praise.

    Together, they would protect their vige and their people with all the strength and magic they could muster. For they were the Fey, and they would never give up in the face of adversity.

    ''However, the ceremony is still not over...''

    Elder Lirien stood before them, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.

    "My young friends," she said, her voice strong and clear. "Today, you will awaken the power of your ancestors within you. This power will guide and protect you, and it will be a source of strength throughout your lives."

    Ashton and the others listened intently, feeling a mixture of excitement and trepidation. They knew that this ceremony was a rite of passage, and that it would change them forever.

    Elder Lirien led them deeper into the forest, where they came to a clearing surrounded by ancient stones. The stones were engraved with the symbols of the Fey ancestors, and they radiated with a powerful energy that made the hairs on the back of Ashton''s neck stand up.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Stand in the center of the circle," Elder Lirien instructed. "Close your eyes, and focus your mind on the power within you."

    Ashton did as he was told, feeling a surge of energy coursing through his body. He closed his eyes and concentrated, feeling the power of his ancestors awakening within him. It was like a rush of wind, filling his lungs and lifting him up.

    The feeling was strange...he wasn''t expecting to have the same experience as other Feys since, well he isn''t really like them, but currently, he could feel an ancient air slowly rising up from the tform.

    This air appears to have some sentience with them. It''s like a yful child that''s circling around him, looking at him with interest.

    The other Fey youths around him were doing the same, their bodies glowing with a soft, ethereal light. It was like they were all connected, sharing the same power and energy.

    Suddenly, there was a blinding sh of light, and Ashton felt himself being lifted off the ground. He opened his eyes and gasped at what he saw.

    The stones around them were glowing with a brilliant light, and the symbols etched into them were pulsing with power. Ashton looked down at his own body and saw that he, too, was glowing with the same ethereal light as the other Fey youths.

    And then he heard a voice. It was like a whisper in the wind, but it was clear and unmistakable.

    "You are the children of the forest," the voice said. "You are the guardians of thisnd. The power of the ancestors flows through you, and it will guide you on your journey."

    Ashton felt a sense of awe wash over him. He had heard stories of the Fey ancestors, but he had never believed that he would be connected to them in such a profound way.

    The ceremonysted for hours, and when it was over, the Fey youths were changed forever. They had awakened the power of their ancestors within them, and they felt a deep connection to thend and the forest around them.

    Ashton felt puzzled. There''s this weird sense of belonging between him and the people around him which raised mixed feelings in him.

    For some reason, he''s starting to think that, maybe, participating in this Coming of Age Ceremony, was a mistake. Unfortunately, he didn''t have enough time to think too much of it because Elder Lirien showed up in front of him...

    "You''ve performed well in this ceremony." She said, looking at him with a rather stoic expression.

    "I''m thankful for your praise Elder..." he replied, neither servile nor arrogant. "But...I wonder whates next after this?"

    "...your parents didn''t tell you anything?" She asked while raising a brow.

    "They died before they could." Ashton feigned a saddened expression. "And I was top upied on thinking of ways to cure them, however..."

    "I see..." Elder Lirien sighed and ruffled his hair. "I''m sorry for your loss."

    "As for whates next, that depends on you." She said. "Traditionally, we travel towards the Capital City of Sylvenvale, which is called Gdriel."

    "There, we search for opportunities for our future. Some might enroll themselves into a school where they can learn various skills, some might search for work, others might apply to join the military forces...it truly depends, you''re all seen as Adults from now on anyway."

    "Of course, you can also remain in our Vige. With your skill and qualities, you might have what it takes to be the next Vige Elder."

    Ashton pursed his lips and felt conflicted. Frankly, he had no idea how he should proceed.

    "But truth to be told, I came to you because I want to make you an offer that might fit your talents."

    Ashton looked at Elder Lirien expectedly and then she said something that triggered an intense reaction in Ashton''s heart...

    "I want you to apply for a Demon ying Squad."

    "Demons...!"

 Chapter 302 Galadriel

    Ashton walked through the streets of the Arvandor Vige, surrounded by the other Fey Youths who had passed the Coming of Age Ceremony. They had just been offered various career opportunities, but Ashton had already made up his mind. He was going to join the Demon ying Squad.

    Elder Lirien had suggested that he visit the library of the vige to learn more about the Fey Race''s history against Demons, and Ashton had taken her advice. He had spent hours poring over ancient tomes and scrolls, reading about the long and brutal war that the Fey had fought against the Demons.

    He learned about the Fey''s long and bitter struggle against the Demon Race, a struggle that hadsted for thousands of years.

    The Fey had once been a proud and powerful race, with magic coursing through their veins and an unbreakable bond with the natural world. But the Demons hade, bringing with them fire and darkness, and the Fey had been forced to fight for their very survival.

    For centuries, the two races had battled for dominance, with each side gaining and losing ground in turn. The Fey had used their magic to create powerful wards and defenses, but the Demons had always found a way to ovee them.

    In the end, it was the Fey''s sheer determination and indomitable will that won the day. Led by their bravest warriors and wisest elders, the Fey had driven the Demons back into the shadows, sealing them away in the depths of the earth where they could do no more harm.

    But the victory hade at a great cost. Many Fey had lost their lives in the battles, and the wounds of the war still lingered even after all these years. The Fey had never forgotten their bitter struggle against the Demon Race, and they had vowed to never let their guard down again.

    But their joy was short-lived. One Fey, consumed by envy and bitterness, betrayed their race and freed the Demons from imprisonment. The Demons poured forth from the realm of darkness, thirsting for revenge and destruction.

    The world was plunged into chaos once again, as the Fey battled the Demons in a war that was even more brutal than the first. The Demons had grown stronger during their long imprisonment, and they were now more powerful than ever before. The Fey fought with all their might, but it seemed as though they were fighting a losing battle.

    For decades, the war raged on, with neither side gaining a clear advantage. But the Fey refused to give up. They knew that if they lost, the world would be consumed by darkness and chaos forever. So they fought on, with courage and determination, never giving up hope.

    Finally, after many long years of conflict, the Fey managed to stabilize the situation. However, the Demons grew too powerful, they can''t imprison them again.

    The Fey Race can only seal their homes away in a protective bubble while gathering sufficient strength tounch a powerfuleback that would end the Demon Race once and for all.

    Ashton couldn''t help but feel a whish due to how simr the situation is to where he came from.

    As he read, he felt a growing sense of determination. He knew that he had found a clue for his mission in this world.

    He had decided that he will join the Demon ying Squad.

    After making up his mind, he looked for Elder Lirien and found her at her office in the vige. He told her about his decision and she said that she was d that he was brave enough to join.

    She gave him a detailed map that he can use to locate Gdriel. She also handed him 100 El-coins, she told him not to use all of it at once since he might need to pay to join the Demon ying Squad.

    After epting the gift, Ashton only stayed within the vige for a night. Then at the crack of dawn, he left for Gdriel...

    ***

    Ashton had been traveling for several days, making his way through the winding paths of the Sylvenvale Great Forest. He had heard of the magnificent city of Gdriel, the capital of the Fey Race, and was eager to see it for himself.

    The forest was lush and green, and Ashton couldn''t help but marvel at the towering trees and sparkling streams that surrounded him. As he journeyed deeper into the forest, he encountered a variety of magical creatures - from yful pixies to fearsome trolls.

    Despite the dangers that lurked in the forest, Ashton pressed on. He was determined to reach Gdriel and discover all that the city had to offer.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Finally, after several more days of travel, Ashton caught sight of the towering walls of Gdriel in the distance. The city was a marvel to behold - a sprawling metropolis of sparkling crystal towers and winding cobblestone streets.

    As Ashton made his way into the city, he was awestruck by the sights and sounds around him. Everywhere he looked, there were bustling marketces, soaring libraries, and grand pces.

    At the heart of the city stands the Royal Pce, a magnificent structure of white marble and golden spires. The pce is surrounded by lush gardens and sparkling fountains and guarded by an elite corps of Fey warriors.

    The city is divided into several districts, each with its own unique character and charm. The Market District is a bustling center ofmerce and trade, where vendors hawk their wares and merchants haggle over prices.

    The Library District is a peaceful enve of schrs and sages, with towering stacks of books and quiet reading rooms. The Entertainment District is a lively hub of music and dance, with performers of all kinds vying for the attention of the crowds.

    But amidst the glittering splendor of the city, Ashton also sensed an undercurrent of tension. He could see the wary nces that the inhabitants of Gdriel gave him as he walked the streets, and he could hear whispers of a looming threat to the Fey Race.

    Determined to uncover the truth, Ashton delved deeper into the city. He spoke with schrs and sages, listened to rumors and legends, and pieced together a story of danger and darkness.

    It seemed that an ancient evil had risen from the depths of the forest, threatening to destroy all that the Fey Race held dear. And while the inhabitants of Gdriel were doing their best to defend their city, they were vastly outnumbered and outmatched.

    ''Ah, they must be talking about the Demons.'' He mused to himself. ''But it would seem that throwing the word Demon carelessly might be punishable byw, that''s why they can only mask what they actually mean.''

    Ashton shrugged upon realizing this. He didn''t like the rule of filtering information even if its intentions were for the benefit of the people since he finds it restrictive. However, there''s nothing he can do about it.

    After walking for a bit, he arrived at the location marked on the map he received from Elder Lirien. The Adventurer''s Guild.

    The Adventurer''s Guild is a well-known and respected institution in Gdriel, located in the heart of the city''s Market District. The guild is housed in arge, three-story building of dark wood and stone, with a sign depicting a sword and shield hanging above the entrance.

    Inside, the Adventurer''s Guild is a hub of activity, with adventurers of all kindsing and going. The first floor is a bustlingmon room, where adventurers gather to swap stories, findpanions for their quests, and restock on supplies.

    The second floor houses the guild''s administrative offices, where guild officials oversee the day-to-day operations of the guild and manage the records of its members. Here, adventurers can sign up for quests, request guidance or assistance, and learn about thetest news and rumors from the surroundingnds.

    The top floor of the Adventurer''s Guild is reserved for the most elite adventurers - those who have proven their skills and valor time and time again. Here, they can gather in a private hall to share their knowledge and tactics, and receive special assignments and rewards from the guild''s leaders.

    On the surface, it would seem that the guild was just a random organization for bull-headed men. In reality though, this ce had deeper and more noble origins.

    This is where the fabled Demon ying Squad gathers.

    The Demon ying Squad is a highly skilled and specialized group of warriors dedicated to protecting the citizens of Gdriel and the surroundingnds from the malevolent forces of the underworld. Led by a battle-hardenedmander, the squad isprised of a diverse group of fighters with unique skills and backgrounds.

    ...at least, that is what Elder Lirien told him.

    However, since there seems to be a filter of information within Gdriel, it seems that the existence of the Demon ying Squad might also be a secret from the public as well.

    Ashton decided to see more for himself. As he was about to enter the guild, he paused just before the doors and pointedly decided to step to the side.

    Then, the doors blew open. Followed by a figure of a Fey who rolled out on the cobblestones while repeatedly groaning...

 Chapter 303 Joining The Squad

    As he approached the grand building that housed the guild, Ashton''s excitement turned to confusion as he saw someone being violently thrown out of the door. The figure rolled across the ground,ing to a stop at Ashton''s feet.

    Ashton looked down at the person, who was groaning in pain and clutching their side. It was a young man, with dark hair and a scruffy beard. He wore tattered clothes and had a wild look in his eyes.

    "Are you alright?" Ashton asked, offering his hand to help the man up.

    The man grunted and pushed Ashton''s hand away, struggling to his feet on his own.

    "I''m fine," he said, his voice hoarse. "Just a little disagreement with the guildmaster."

    Ashton frowned, looking back at the door of the Adventurer''s Guild. He wondered what kind of ce it was if they were so quick to kick people out.

    "Is the guildmaster always that harsh?" Ashton asked, turning back to the man.

    The manughed bitterly. "You have no idea. But if you''re looking to join the Adventurer''s Guild, you''ll have to deal with him sooner orter."

    Ashton hummed in understanding, this doesn''t really phase him but it''s good to know. He pushed the thought aside, and regarded the man with a casual reply:

    "Thanks for the warning," Ashton said to the man, who was now hobbling away. "I''ll keep it in mind."

    Ashton stepped into the Adventurer''s Guild and was immediately struck by the bustling atmosphere. The guild hall was filled with people from all walks of life, gathered together to seek adventure and fortune. As he looked around, he noticed a sign on one of the walls that caught his eye: "Demon ying Squad".

    Ashton''s heart skipped a beat. He then thought to himself: ''There''s no way that it''s this easy. Weren''t they supposed to be a secret?''

    Ashton wondered. He had no idea where to start, but the thought of approaching such a renowned group of warriors was something that he could work with.

    He decided to seek out the guildmaster and ask for guidance. Making his way through the crowd, he finally spotted a man sitting at a desk at the far end of the room, surrounded by paperwork and various other guild-rted materials.

    Ashton approached the man tentatively, the man looked intimidating alright, but he was just wary that his approach might offend the man. The guildmaster looked up from his work and regarded Ashton with a raised eyebrow.

    "What do you want?" he asked gruffly.

    Ashton took a deep breath and spoke as confidently as he could. "I''m here to join the Adventurer''s Guild, sir. And, if possible, the Demon ying Squad."

    The guildmaster raised an eyebrow. Ashton then supplied:

    "I have a rmendation letter from Elder Lirien. I was told it could help me join the Demon ying Squad."

    The guildmaster raised an eyebrow and took the letter from Ashton. He scanned it quickly before looking back up at Ashton.

    "Elder Lirien, eh? That''s not a name we hear around here very often," the guildmaster said with a hint of skepticism.

    Ashton nodded. "Yes, sir. She supervised the recent Coming of Age Ceremony at the Arvandor Vige that I participated in, and she rmended me for the Demon ying Squad."

    "A freshly turned Adult, huh?" The guildmaster looked at Ashton for a moment longer before nodding slowly. "Very well. I''ll take you to the trial grounds, where we''ll see if you have what it takes to join the squad."

    Ashton''s heaved a sigh of relief as the guildmaster led him through the guild and out into the city streets. They walked for a while until they came to arge open space, surrounded by tall walls. This was the trial grounds.

    Ashton looked around in curiosity as he took in the surroundings. The grounds were filled with various obstacles, targets, and training dummies, all of which were designed to test the abilities of aspiring adventurers.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The guildmaster led Ashton to a spot in the center of the grounds and turned to face him. "Alright, let''s get started," he said, his voice serious.

    Ashton nodded, ready to prove himself. The guild master exined that he would be tested on hisbat skills, his survival skills, and his problem-solving abilities.

    The first test wasbat. A group of skilled adventurers stepped forward to test Ashton''s fighting prowess. They were armed with various weapons and fought with incredible speed and precision. Ashton''s heart pounded as he engaged them in battle, but he held his own, using his quick reflexes and strategic thinking to hold off the attackers.

    He disyed enough skill to pass and not be suspicious.

    Next, Ashton was tested on his survival skills. He was dropped into the forest with nothing but his wits and his equipment, and he was tasked with surviving for three days. He had to find food, water, and shelter while avoiding dangerous beasts and other hazards.

    This was easy since Ashton was resourceful, using his knowledge of the forest and his survival training to make it through the three days. He managed to find a source of fresh water, build a sturdy shelter, and even catch a few fish to sustain himself. Of course, he didn''t dare to use the System since he was under surveince.

    Finally, Ashton was tested on his problem-solving abilities. He was given a series of puzzles and challenges toplete, each one more difficult than thest. He had to use his intelligence and creativity to solve each one and prove that he was capable of handling the mostplex tasks.

    Again, this was so easy that it nearly bored him. He didn''t hide his expressions much this time, he wanted to be perceived as an intelligent candidate so he made it look easy.

    Ashton worked his way through each challenge, using his quick thinking and his keen problem-solving skills toe up with innovative solutions. By the end of the test, he was mentally and physically exhausted, at least on the surface he was.

    Ashton waited as the guildmaster and the other adventurers conferred, discussing his performance.

    "Alright, Brat! Not bad. You pass. Here''s your Guild Badge, don''t lose it. You will be joining the Prepatory Squad starting tomorrow."

    "Prepatory Squad?" Ashton repeated with a quizzical expression.

    The Guildmaster then proceeded to exin to him that the Demon ying Squad had a more intricate system that was being followed since there are a lot of people who wants to join.

    ording to his exnations, the Ranking System looks something like this:

    Preparatory Team: This is the starting point for all aspiring members of the Demon ying Squad. Members of the preparatory team undergo rigorous training and testing to prove their skills and dedication. Those who pass the final test are eligible to advance to the next rank.

    Junior Member: Junior Members are the newest members of the Demon ying Squad. They have proven their worth as members of the preparatory team and are now full-fledged members of the squad. Junior Members are still considered to be in a training phase, however, and are expected to continue honing their skills and gaining experience.

    Senior Member: Senior Members have demonstrated a high level of skill and dedication to the Demon ying Squad. They are trusted to take on more challenging missions and to mentor Junior Members. Senior Members are also involved in training and evaluating new recruits.

    Elite Member: Elite Members are the most skilled and experienced members of the Demon ying Squad. They are often tasked with leading missions and are trusted to make critical decisions in the field. Elite Members are highly respected within the squad and are seen as role models for Junior and Senior Members.

    Captain: Captains are the leaders of the Demon ying Squad. They are responsible for overseeing missions, coordinating with other guilds and organizations, and making strategic decisions for the squad. Captains are highly respected and have earned their position through years of dedicated service and exceptional leadership skills.

    Guildmaster: The Guildmaster is the ultimate authority within the Demon ying Squad. They are responsible for setting the direction and vision for the squad, managing its resources, and making critical decisions that affect the entire organization. The Guildmaster is selected from among the most experienced and respected members of the squad and is seen as a leader and mentor to all members.

    Each rank within the Demon ying Squad is highly respected and carries significant responsibilities. Members are expected to continually improve their skills and contribute to the sess of the squad as a whole. Advancement within the ranks is based on abination of skill, experience, and dedication to the organization''s goals.

    After receiving an exnation, Ashton finally understood the inner workings of the Demon ying Squad. Additionally, he also asked the Guildmaster about the purpose of masking the squad with the Adventurer''s Guild.

    What he said was:

    "It''s a direct order from the Imperial Family. I reckon that they didn''t like the idea of causing unrest to the masses so they could only resort to this method."

    "If I''m being honest, I don''t like it. But what can I do? The Imperial Family runs Sylvenvale. Although I have a decent level of authority, it''s nothingpared to theirs."

 Chapter 304 Team 7

    Ashton woke up early, he was somewhat anticipating for the day ahead. He had joined the Demon ying Squad - well, the Prepatory Team at least, but it''s all the same and today was his first day on the job. He quickly got dressed and headed down to the Adventurer''s Guild, where the squad was based.

    As he entered the guild, he saw a group of people gathered around a table, talking animatedly. They looked up as he walked in, and one of them stepped forward to greet him.

    "Wee, Ashton," said the tall, muscr man. "My name is Roderick. I''m the leader of the Prepatory Team 7."

    Ashton nodded in greeting, taking in the man''s impressive physique and no-nonsense demeanor.

    "Nice to meet you, Team Leader," he said, his voice sounding neither servile nor arrogant.

    Roderick chuckled. "Don''t worry, you''ll do just fine. Let me introduce you to the rest of the team."

    He gestured to the others gathered around the table.

    "This is Kaida," he said, indicating a petite woman with short, spiky hair. "She''s our resident Fire Mage because specializes in fire magic, so she''ll be a big help in taking down any demons thate our way."

    Kaida smiled at Ashton, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

    "Nice to meet you," she said. "I''m looking forward to working with you."

    Roderick gestured to the next person.

    "This is Elias," he said, indicating a tall,nky man with messy hair. "He''s our tracker. He''s got a good nose, he''ll be able to lead us straight to theirirs."

    Elias grinned at Ashton, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

    "Hey there," he said. "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure we find all the best demons to take down."

    Roderick gestured to the final member of the team.

    "Andst but not least, this is Le," he said, indicating a young woman with long, curly hair. "She''s our Weapon Specialist. She''s got a way with toys that are made out of steel, she''ll be the aggressor of the team."

    Le smiled shyly at Ashton, her eyes darting away from his gaze.

    "Hi," she said softly. "It''s nice to meet you."

    Ashton took in the four members of his team, feeling a sense of camaraderie between them already. He then thought to himself:

    ''Huh, my addition must be an unexpected thing for them. Okay, let''s see how this goes then...''

    "And you four, this is Ashton. He just passed the Coming of Age Ceremony a few days ago but he''s skilled ording to what the Guildmaster told me."

    Roderick then turned to Ashton and asked: "Anything you wanna add?"

    "Hmm..." Ashton pondered for a bit. "I''ll take the role of a medic I guess since the team seems to becking one."

    "You know Healing Magic!?" Kaida eximed, practically jumping from her seat to get close to him, her eyes were sparkling with interest as she looked at him.

    "Basic ones...for now at least." Ashton replied, wincing as he leaned back to avoid Kaida''s heated gaze.

    Roderick cleared his throat, bringing his attention back to the task at hand.

    "Alright, team," he said. "Let''s get ready. We''ll be training together to prepare for the next trials. If you all want to begin ying demons, you all must be Junior Members first."

    The team spent the morning going over the basics of demon ying, with Roderick leading the training. They covered everything from identifying different types of demons, to the best ways to take them down.

    Ashton listened intently, taking notes and asking questions whenever he had one. He was determined to learn as much as he could, and judging from what he learned so far, it seems that the variety of Demons that have showed up here was practically the same as the ones in his memories.

    ''This familiarity is really giving me some conniptions...'' He sighed to himself.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Ashton was wise enough to not show his thoughts through his expressions though. He didn''t want to raise any suspicions so he skillfully acted his way out for now at least.

    After a quick lunch break, they headed out to the nearby forest to practice their skills. Elias led the way, using his tracking abilities to find a demonir.

    Well, it''s not exactly a real Demon Lair. It''s an imitation that the Guild formed for newbies like him to use...

    Ashton couldn''t help but feel a little nostalgic as they approached their. He had faced hordes of demons before, and most of it was dealt with by him alone.

    This situation triggered precious memories, causing him to miss home again. However, now''s not the time for that. He has to focus or else he''ll get an earful from Roderick.

    He took a deep breath and readied his weapons, waiting for Roderick''s signal to attack.

    The team sprang into action, each using their unique skills to take down the demon - an Imitation of an Imp. Kaida''s fire magic was particrly effective, causing the demon to recoil in pain. Ashton''s healing spells and timely assistance came in handy when Elias and Roderick were injured in the fight, and he was able to patch them up quickly.

    Le did her best to contribute, using her agility and speed to dodge the demon''s attacks and strike whenever she sees an opening. She was pleased to see that her Fey body gave her an edge inbat, and she was able to hold her own against the demon. Even though it''s only an imitation.

    After the demon was defeated, the team regrouped to assess their performance.

    "Not bad for a first try," said Roderick, nodding in approval. "But we still have a lot of work to do. We''ll continue training every day until we''re ready to take the test to be Junior Members of the Demon ying Squad."

    Roderick dismissed the team and they returned to their homes. ording to what he said earlier, there will be a Promotion Trial next month, and their Team ns on participating.

    When he heard this, Ashton discovered that his teammates looked rather nervous, and he could tell why.

    Compared to other Prepatory Teams, their team was obviously at a disadvantage. Not only do they have a newbie joining them, but they also have less time to familiarize themselves with each other.

    To top this all off, they weren''t as strong as the other Prepatory Teams.

    Their Captain, Roderick, was a Master-ranked expert. He''s strong of course, but this was the bare minimum requirement to be a Captain. (The injury he received earlier was intentional. He did it to increase the pressure the team faces even in a simted environment.)

    As for the Members, Kaida was the strongest, for she was an Adept-ranked Fey. The rest were just Novice-ranked.

    This is what the power-scaling of fey looks like:

    Novice - Fey who are just starting to cultivate Mana. They have little to no control over their abilities and can only produce weak magical effects.

    Apprentice - Fey who have started to develop their Mana cultivation abilities. They can produce slightly stronger magical effects and have better control over their abilities.

    Adept - Fey who have mastered the basics of Mana cultivation. They can produce moderate magical effects and have a good level of control over their abilities.

    Master - Fey who have achieved a high level of skill in Mana cultivation. They can produce powerful magical effects and have excellent control over their abilities.

    Grandmaster - Fey who have achieved a near-perfect level of mastery in Mana cultivation. They can produce extremely powerful magical effects and haveplete control over their abilities

    Ashton was certain that there was more but he hadn''t encountered anything about that information just yet so he could only drop it for now.

    Surprisingly though, his teammates never asked him about how strong he was. Maybe it was due to their nervousness or because he was new to the team and they didn''t want to make him ufortable. Either way, since they didn''t ask, he didn''t tell either.

    He already created an image of a Healer. So long as he''s doing his part properly, nobody shouldin about him.

    But in truth? Ashton can''t truly follow the power-scaling system of the Fey Race since he''s an anomaly here.

    He might not have a lot of mana right now but he still possesses a load of ways to deal with any kind of bullshit headed his way. Perks of being an expert and having a cheat, really.

    Still, this is nice. Being a Healer in a team takes him back to the good ol'' days. He doesn''t have a lot of memories of his Academic Days since a tragedy happened but still, this setting reminds him of that, and he really enjoys these slow and rather mundane days.

    However, this wasn''t enough to distract him from his goals. As nice as this was, he doesn''t belong here.

    Ashton hasn''t forgotten about his mission. Not even for a second. There''s still a strong sense of urgency within him but he could deal with it for now.

    Slow and steady wins the race. He''s already expecting to spend a long time here so he might as well use them wisely so that when the timees that an opportunity presents itself, he''d be ready for it.

 Chapter 305 Promoted

    A month swiftly passed after Ashton joined Team 7. He had trained with them and became familiar with their personalities ever since.

    Now, the day that they''d been waiting for finally arrived.

    Ashton had been waiting for the Promotion Trials, as it was his chance to prove their abilities to climb up the ranks. Of course, his reason was more personal but nobody has to know that aside from him.

    Today, almost all of the Prepatory Teams attended the Promotion Trials. From what he saw, there should be at least 15 teams in total who will be participating, meaning that thepetition might be tough.

    The Guildmaster was there along with the other Elite Members to Supervise the Promotion Trial. They didn''t waste time and exined how the trial will go...

    The trials consisted of a series of challenges designed to test the demon yers''bat skills, teamwork, and strategic thinking.

    The first challenge was a group battle against a pack of lower-level of faux-demons. Ashton and his teammates fought together seamlessly, each using their unique abilities to take down the demons efficiently. Kaida''s fire spells were particrly effective, causing the demons to writhe in agony as they burned. Elias and Le provided support, making sure their teammates were always in the right position tond their attacks.

    Roderick, as the captain, led the charge and provided strategic guidance.

    Despite a few close calls, the team emerged victorious from the first challenge.

    Their performance wasn''t so eye-catching, but it was enough to let them pass. It''s just as Ashton wants it to be.

    The second challenge was a one-on-one battle against a mid-level demon. Each member of the team was assigned a different demon to fight, and the matches were held simultaneously in different parts of the training ground.

    Ashton''s pursed his lips as he stepped onto the designated fighting ground for his one-on-one battle against a demon. He couldn''t help but feel a little bit frazzled. He knew that he should be appearing nervous and all, but in truth, he just can''t.

    He could kill hordes of demons without breaking a sweat back at the Blue. How can a mere demon phase him?

    His teammates were even more nervous for him actually, which made him feel odd. And he couldn''t really me them since he presented himself as a healer.

    After his teammates cheered him on, Ashton stepped foot in the arena.

    As he looked across the arena, he saw his opponent: a towering demon with ck scales and razor-sharp talons. This was a type of demon known as a Vraxion, feared for its immense strength and agility.

    ''Vraxion my ass.'' Ashton spat inwardly, ''This is a faux-Beast Demon of the Feline Family. Giving it a fancy name is such a waste of idea.''

    As the match began, the Vraxion charged at Ashton with incredible speed. Ashton quickly cast a basic mana shield around himself, blocking the Vraxion''s initial attack. The demonnded heavily on the ground, its talons digging deep into the earth. Ashton took the opportunity to strike back, unleashing a flurry of basic mana bolts at the Vraxion''s head. The demon shook its head, unfazed by the attack, and charged again.

    "Well, at least he''s calm enough." Roderickmented as he watched Ashton''s performance.

    "The spells he''s using are just the basic ones, but at the very least, he''s holding his ground. Tch, I should''ve taught him a spell or two." Kaida said.

    Ashton cast a quick spell, causing the ground to tremble and crack beneath the Vraxion''s feet. The demon stumbled, giving Ashton another chance to attack. He focused his mana and cast a basic mana de spell, causing a glowing sword to materialize in his hand. He charged towards the Vraxion, the de held high. The demon shed at Ashton with its ws, but Ashton parried the attack with his sword andnded a solid blow on the demon''s side.

    "Yeah, Ash! Get ''em! You''re so cool!!" Elias cheered on from the side.

    Le watched the fight closely, silently hoping that Ashton could continue evading the demon''s attack so that he won''t get injured.

    The Vraxion roared in pain, but it quickly regained its footing and charged at Ashton once again. Ashton dodged the attack and cast a basic mana bolt at the demon''s head, causing it to falter for a moment. He used this momentary distraction to cast another spell, this time summoning a burst of wind that knocked the demon off bnce.

    His way of seamlessly switching spells without any sign of struggle or inconsistency caught the eye of the Elite Members and the Guildmaster himself.

    Ashton took advantage of the demon''s unsteady state and charged forward, striking the demon''s head with his glowing mana de. The Vraxion staggered and let out an agonized roar. Ashton followed up with a barrage of basic mana bolts, striking the demon''s weak spots and causing it to fall to the ground, defeated.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The audience cheered as Ashton emerged victorious from the battle. He had faced a formidable opponent and emerged victorious using only basic mana spells.

    Ashton was calm from the beginning right to the very end. Not many people noticed that about him but that''s what makes it more impactful. For a Healer like him to be able to hold off his own against a demon was already impressive on its own.

    Of course, Ashton could''ve ended that battle before it even began if he disyed his true skills, but that would make him suspicious so he didn''t do so.

    The rest of the team had simr sess, each ying their respective demon with skill and determination. The third and final challenge was a surprise challenge, the details of which were kept secret until the veryst minute.

    The team was brought to an underground arena, where they were faced with their toughest challenge yet: a faux demon who reached full maturity, the likes of which they had never seen before. The demon was massive, with sharp horns and a powerful tail that could shatter rock. It breathed fire and summoned lightning bolts, making it nearly impossible for the team to get close enough tond a hit.

    Ashton and his team knew that they had to work together if they had any chance of defeating the demon. They strategized quickly, with Kaida using her fire spells to distract the demon while Elias and Le worked to weaken it with their arrows and throwing knives. Roderick provided support and guidance, making sure that the team was coordinated and in sync.

    Ashton saw an opening and provided cover from a distance. He struck it with a blow strong enough to cause its attacks to fail, giving his teammates enough room and opportunity to deal damage to it, and causing the demon to stumble and roar in pain.

    The rest of the team followed his lead,nding blows and attacks on the demon''s vulnerable spots. The demon fought back fiercely, but the team''s coordination and teamwork proved to be too much for it.

    After a long and grueling battle, the team emerged victorious, the demon vanishing in a cloud of smoke. Ashton and his teammates cheered and hugged each other, proud of their sess in the Promotion Trials. They had proven themselves to be a strong and capable team, ready to face real demons that threatened the peace and safety of their home.

    Ashton and his team emerged victorious from the Promotion Trials, proving their worth as demon yers and earning a spot on the Demon ying Squad as a Junior Team. They were thrilled at the news and couldn''t wait to start their new roles.

    As a Junior Team, they would have ess to more resources, training, and missions than they had as a Preparatory Team. They would also be granted certain privileges, such as:

    ess to the Demon ying Squad''s arsenal of weapons and equipment, including enchanted des, magic potions, and protective gear.

    The ability to take on more challenging missions, such as hunting high-level demons or protecting important locations.

    The opportunity to work closely with senior members of the Demon ying Squad, learning from their experience and gaining valuable insights into the world of demon ying.

    The chance to participate in specialized training programs, focusing on advancedbat techniques, magical spells, and strategic nning.

    The honor of wearing the official badge of the Demon ying Squad, a symbol of their dedication and bravery in the fight against evil.

    After being promoted, Team 7 celebrated by feasting and drinking. They partied along with the other Prepatory Teams who also passed the Promotion Exam. The partysted the whole night but Ashton didn''t stay for that long.

    He sneaked out once he discovered that the others were drunk. It''s not that he didn''t like the atmosphere, he was d that he passed too. It''s just that, things like this trigger his memories, causing him to miss home even more.

    Ashton didn''t feel a sense of belonging here. He wants to return to his proper ce but he couldn''t.

    And amongst all of the things that he can mask, his missing his home was one of the hardest things to hide, so instead of ruining the mood, he will just leave instead. That way, he wouldn''t burden those around him with his problems.

 Chapter 306 Escort Mission

    [AN: i uploaded the wromg shit, my bad, lol.]

    It was the next day after their promotion, Team 7 got up early because they have stuff to do today.

    Ashton and his team arrived at the Demon ying Squad''s guild treasury, eager to im their resources as Junior Team members. They were greeted by a stern-looking clerk, who directed them to the appropriate sections of the treasury to collect their gear.

    Ashton was assigned a long staff made out of Elder Wood, it has been soaked in a pool of dense and high-purity mana, making it an excellent medium for it.

    Kaida received a set of enchanted gauntlets, which amplified her fire spells and allowed her to unleash devastating sts of me.

    Elias was given a sturdy longbow, carved from the wood of a sacred tree and imbued with magical energy to increase its uracy and range.

    Le was given a set of throwing knives, each one honed to a razor-sharp edge and imbued with an elemental power to increase their lethality.

    Roderick received a massive shield, carved from the scales of a wyrm and enchanted to provide unparalleled defense against demonic attacks.

    In addition to their weapons, each team member was given a spell token, which granted them ess to a basic mana spell of their choice.

    Elias chose a spell that increased his speed and agility, allowing him to dodge and weave around enemy attacks with ease. Kaida selected a spell that increased the intensity of her fire spells, making them even more powerful and destructive. Le selected a spell that increased her agility and dexterity, allowing her to throw her knives with even greater uracy and precision. Roderick chose a spell that allowed him to project a force field around himself and his allies, providing an additionalyer of protection against enemy attacks.

    Ashton received an illusion-based spell, which is frankly useless since he had way better ones in his arsenal already. Still, he crushed the token so that he won''t appear suspicious.

    The team was also given a set of armor, tailored to fit each of them perfectly and enchanted with magical properties to increase their strength, agility, and endurance. They donned their armor with pride, knowing that it would protect them in battle and help them to seed in their missions.

    Finally, each team member was given an allowance, which they could use to purchase additional equipment, supplies, and potions as needed. They thanked the clerk and made their way back to their headquarters, eager to put their new gear to the test in the field.

    "Shall we register for a mission?" Elias inquired with the team.

    The team looked at each other and saw that they seem to be thinking the same thing. Indeed, they were eager to apply for a mission now that they became Junior Members, after all this is what their training''s all about.

    "We can, but let''s start with something simple first," Le suggested. "We''re new so we shouldn''t be aiming for something high. Let''s umte experience first."

    The team agreed to her suggestion since it made sense.

    Roderick then registered the team for a C-rank mission to guard the supply line connecting the Sylvenvale Great Forest to the Verdant Sky Rain Forest. Their task was to ensure the safety of the supply line up until the first checkpoint. After that, their task will beplete.

    It''s a simple mission, perfect for a newly promoted team like theirs.

    Roderick, as the captain, gathered the team in the briefing room to go over the mission details. He had received information that a group of rogue demons had been spotted in the area and were nning to attack the supply line in an attempt to cut off vital resources to the Verdant Sky Rain Forest. Roderick emphasized the importance of this mission and reminded the team that failure was not an option.

    Kaida was assigned to be the lookout, using her fire spells to scout the surrounding areas and alert the team of any approaching enemies. Elias and Le were tasked with patrolling the supply line, making sure that there were no weak spots that the demons could exploit. Ashton was assigned to be the vanguard, looking after their backs and healing them in case they get injured.

    After forming the n, the team set off to the borders to fulfill their duty.

    Roderick reminded the team to work together andmunicate effectively, as they were only as strong as their weakest link. He also advised them to conserve their resources and not engage in unnecessary battles, as they would need all the strength they could muster to face the rogue demons.

    The team set out early in the morning, making their way toward the supply line. The forest was quiet, and the team moved quickly and efficiently, making sure to stay alert for any signs of danger. Kaida used her fire spells to light up the path ahead, while Elias and Le patrolled the area, looking for any signs of suspicious activity.

    As they reached the supply line, Ashton took up his position at the vanguard. Kaida continued to keep watch, using her fire spells to light up the surrounding area and alert the team of any iing danger. Elias and Le patrolled the area, making sure that there were no weak spots in the supply line that the demons could exploit.

    At first, things were going well. The supply line was steadily progressing along its designated path. But when they reached a certain distance away from the border, Ashton sensed something wrong.

    He turned to Elias and said: "Can you scout ahead in this direction real quick?"

    Elias raised a brow at his sudden request, seeing Ashton''s serious expression caused him to notice the clues. Elias then looked a Roderick, who heard Ashton''s request, he nodded and Elias took off.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Not even a minuteter, Elias returned with a pale face...

    "Heads up! They''reing!" He eximed.

    Then, a group of demons suddenly appeared. They were led by a high-level demon, and it was clear that they meant business.

    "Shit! Didn''t you say there''d only be Rogue Demons?" Kaidained to Roderick after seeing the high-level demon.

    "Well, that''s what the mission said! And now''s not the time to me me!" Roderick fired back as he readied up his shield.

    The team was immediately on high alert, weapons drawn and ready to fight. Kaida conjured up mes, Elias readied his bow, and Le threw her knives. Roderick stood in front,manding the team with swift and precise orders. Meanwhile, Ashton stood back, observing the battlefield.

    The high-level demon charged toward them, its massive frame causing the ground to shake. Its minions followed close behind, snarling and drooling with hunger.

    The team fought fiercely, trading blows with the demons. Kaida''s mes were zing, Elias''s arrows were striking true, and Le''s knives were cutting through the air. Roderick was leading the team like a seasoned veteran, barking out orders and keeping everyone on the same page.

    Despite their efforts, the demons were relentless. The team was starting to tire, and it seemed like the demons were getting stronger with every passing moment.

    Additionally, there''s also the pressure of facing a real demon this time around. Only Roderick had some real experience here, the rest were new to this and frankly, a real demon was more ferocious than a faux demon.

    They were outnumbered and starting to get exhausted. Ashton knew that he needed to act, and act fast.

    He took a deep breath and began to chant under his breath. Suddenly, his eyes lit up with a bright glow, and his body was enveloped in a radiant aura. The demons halted in their tracks, unsure of what was happening.

    "No one will die on my watch." He dered in a strong and imposing voice.

    A curtain of light enveloped his teammates and suddenly, they felt energized.

    Strength coursed throughout their body, causing them to whoop in surprise. They stared at Ashton who was glowing with a radiant white light, looking like a saint who descended on the battlefield.

    "Holy crap! These Aiding Spells are insane!!"

    The buffs that Ashton gave to them were:

    Increased physical strength: Ashton enhanced the team''s physical strength, making their attacks more powerful and impactful.

    Enhanced agility: Ashton granted the team enhanced agility, making them more nimble and able to dodge attacks with ease.

    Improved resistance: Ashton increased the team''s resistance to physical and magical attacks, making them harder to take down.

    Faster mana regeneration: Ashton improved the team''s mana regeneration rate, allowing them to cast spells more frequently and with greater efficiency.

    Heightened senses: Ashton heightened the team''s senses, making them more aware of their surroundings and able to react more quickly to threats.

    These are just a fraction of the supporting spells that Ashton knew. But even so, they were enough to turn the tides of the battle in their favor.

    In addition to this, Ashton gave everyone, including the people who were in charge of the supplies, a thick barrier that can absorb damage and he also healed their injuries in a blink of an eye.

    With Ashton''s support, the demons stood no chance against them.

    Well, it''s what''s supposed to happen. After all, Humanity''s Greatest White Mage was the one supporting them. If they couldn''t kill these stray demons even with his help then they might as well forfeit their dreams of bing Demon yers.

 Chapter 307 Danger!

    Ashton sat cross-legged on the grassy ground, still catching his breath after the intense battle they had just finished. The other members of Team 7 gathered around him, their expressions a mix of relief and fatigue.

    "Wow, that was intense," Kaida said, wiping sweat from her brow. "I don''t think I''ve ever used that much magic before."

    "I know, right?" Elias said, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of lingering danger. "But we pulled it off. Thanks to Ashton''s massive support of course.."

    Ashton smiled modestly. "I only did what''s expected of me. After all, I can''t just stand there and watch you all die."

    Roderick grinned, pping Ashton on the back. "And your healing and your Aiding Spells were crucial. We wouldn''t have made it through without you."

    Le nodded in agreement. "Yeah, thatst demon was really tough. But thanks to you, we all made it out in one piece."

    Ashton blushed, feeling grateful for his teammates'' appreciation. "It was nothing, really. Just doing my job."

    "Speaking of which," Roderick said, pulling out a small bag of jewels from his pocket. "We should divide the rewards for this mission."

    They already finished their mission. They had safely escorted the supply line to the next checkpoint and Roderick already received the rewards for clearing it.

    Ashton whistled as Roderick handed each of them a share of the bounty. "Wow, this is more than I expected. Thank you."

    Kaida counted her jewels, a grin spreading across her face. "I''m definitely using this to buy some new spell books."

    Le looked thoughtful. "I might save up for a new weapon upgrade. Something with a bit more range."

    Elias tucked his share away in his pocket. "I''m just d we all made it out alive. That was a close one."

    Roderick nodded, looking around at his team. "We make a great team, guys. I''m proud of each and every one of you."

    Ashton smiled, feeling a sense of camaraderie with his fellow feys. "Yeah, we do. And I''m grateful to be a part of it."

    The group sat infortable silence for a few moments, enjoying the quiet of the forest around them. After resting for an hour or so, they got up and decided to make their way back home before the sun sets.

    Team 7 had been walking for hours, their fatigue and exhaustion from the previous battle beginning to catch up with them. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the forest floor.

    Suddenly, they heard a rustling in the bushes, and they all stopped in their tracks. They instinctively drew their weapons, their eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.

    "Everyone, stay alert," Roderick whispered, his voice low and urgent. "We may not be alone out here."

    Ashton clicked his tongue in annoyance but he didn''t dare to show it.

    As they crept forward, they saw a group of demons emerging from the shadows, their eyes glowing with a malevolent light. But these were no ordinary demons. They wererger, stronger, and far more dangerous than the ones they had faced before.

    Kaida gasped, her hand shaking as she reached for her spell book. "These are A-ss, at least. We''re not ready for this!"

    "But this is only the way back home, and we can''t be out here when it''s all dark because that''d be more dangerous for us!" Elias eximed softly.

    Le gritted her teeth, her grip on her weapons tightening. "We have to be ready. We can''t let them get the upper hand."

    Ashton was annoyed because he just wanted to go back to the guild to rest. Unfortunately, these things just had to make things more difficult for them.

    Roderick took a deep breath, steeling himself for the fight ahead. "Remember, we work together. We have each other''s backs. We can do this."<novelnext></novelnext>

    The team knew that they can''t escape this confrontation. The demons were making a camp on the very road that leads back to their home. They knew that they had to eliminate them not only because they want to go home, but also because that was their duty as members of the Demon ying Squad.

    The demons lunged forward, their teeth bared and ws extended. The battle was intense, with Kaida and Elias using their magic to keep the demons at bay while Le and Roderick worked to take them down with their weapons. Ashton did his best to keep up with the healing, but the demons'' attacks were too powerful. Thankfully though, Ashton had recovered enough mana earlier, allowing him to ensure his teammates'' safety.

    The sun had long since set, and the only light came from the fiery spells and glowing eyes of the demons. The air was thick with the scent of blood and sweat, and the sound of shing weapons and roars of pain echoed through the forest.

    As the battle wore on, Team 7 began to tire, their movements bing slower and less coordinated. The demons took advantage of their weakness, and one by one, the feys began to fall.

    Ashton could tell that his teammates were at their wits'' end. They were too tired and more demons lurked around than they initially expected.

    Of course, Ashton was still rtively fine. He stood at the back anyway and he was being protected by his teammates, however, this situation was really starting to get on his nerves.

    Then, something inside him snapped. Ashton didn''t want to prolong this battle anymore since he wants to go back to the guild, so he decided to reveal a bit of his true power.

    Ashton used a spell but none of his teammates noticed it. His eyes glowed with a soft rainbow-colored gleam and then he proceeded to re at the demons that are harassing his team.

    Each time he looks at them, it''s as if a mysterious force seized up their bodies, causing them to stop moving. In turn, this allowed his teammates tond some lethal attacks on the demons, allowing them to reduce their numbers steadily.

    The team noticed that for some reason, the fight became easier, but they didn''t think too much about it.

    Finally, thest demon fell to the ground, defeated. Team 7 copsed on the ground, their bodies heaving with exhaustion. But they had won. They had survived.

    Ashton looked around at his teammates, he felt a bit apologetic since he truly could''ve just ended everything in a snap of a finger but for personal reasons, he couldn''t, so he could only let them suffer like this.

    But at the very least, they are all alive. They were greatly exhausted and haggard from all the fighting but alive nheless.

    "You did great, guys." he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You really did."

    Roderick grinned, his face covered in dirt and sweat. "We make a pretty good team, don''t we?"

    The groupughed, feeling a sense of camaraderie and unity that they had never felt before. They knew that they had just faced a near-death experience together, and they would never forget the bond that had been forged between them.

    However, their celebration was short-lived as they realized that they were still in danger. The demons might return, and they were too exhausted to fight any longer.

    "Captain, I can still sense some foul presences around. I''m afraid that there are still some demons lurking around. We can''t fight them anymore. We need to call for reinforcements." Ashton suggested.

    Roderick nodded in agreement and quickly took out the distress beacon that they had been given by the Guildmaster. He activated it, hoping that someone would hear their signal ande to their aid.

    To their relief, help arrived in the form of the Elite Members of the Demon ying Squad. They swooped in, their weapons at the ready, and took down the remaining demons with ease.

    The Elite Members then helped Team 7 get to safety, guiding them through the forest and making sure that they were okay. They led them to a nearby safe house where they could rest and recover.

    As they sat down to catch their breath, Kaida turned to the Elite Members with a grateful smile. "Thank you so much for saving us. We couldn''t have done it without you."

    One of the Elite Members, a tall and imposing figure, nodded. "It''s our duty to protect and serve, especially our fellow demon yers. You did well out there, but remember, never hesitate to call for backup when you need it."

    Roderick nodded, his expression serious. "We won''t forget that. And we''ll work harder so that we can be stronger and more capable in the future."

    Ashton observed this interaction from the side. He sized up the Elite Members of the squad and discovered that they were all Grandmaster Ranked Feys.

    Judging from how they moved earlier, he could tell that they were skilled and experienced. Well, that''s expected from an Elite Member of the squad of course. Additionally, they seem nice and approachable too.

    Team 7 decided to spend the night in the safe house. It''s too dark and it''s unwise to force their way back home so they decided to rest here for now. After the night passed, the team returned home and had a three-day vacation to recover from everything they''d been through.

 Chapter 308 Prince Feanor

    A month had passed since theirst mission, and Team 7 had been busypleting numerous tasks. They had sessfully finished 10 C-rank, 5 B-rank, and 2 A-rank missions, and they were well on their way to bing Senior Members of the Demon ying Squad.

    The team had Ashton to thank for this, really. If it weren''t for his sheer expertise when ites to Aiding Spells and Healing Spells, the missions would''ve been more difficult and their progress would be a lot slower.

    Actually, Ashton had created a decent reputation within the guild already because of his skills as a Healer.

    Today was going to be different, though.

    Ashton arrived at the guild and discovered that the atmosphere was tenser than it usually was.

    As it turns out, a special guest had arrived at the guild, and it was none other than the 7th Prince of the Sylvenvale Imperial Family, Prince Feanor.

    When he asked around, he learned that the Prince had enlisted the help of several squads to travel with him to the Shadow Woods, a dangerous area where many demons were known to reside. The mission he had in mind was to retrieve a rare and powerful relic that was said to be hidden deep within the woods.

    Just hearing the location of the mission already caused him to dislike the Prince...

    The Shadow Woods is a ce of darkness and terror, known to be one of the most dangerous ces in the entire Sylvenvale Great Forest.

    The woods are shrouded in a thick, perpetual mist, which makes it impossible to see more than a few feet in any direction. The trees are gnarled and twisted, their bark ck and withered. The branches are gnarled and sharp, often resembling bony ws reaching out to grab passersby.

    The air is thick with the stench of decay and rot, and the only sounds that can be heard are the rustling of leaves and the eerie whispers of unseen creatures. The ground is slick with mud and covered in tangled roots that reach up like tentacles, waiting to trip the unwary.

    The Shadow Woods is home to all manner of malevolent creatures, from the smallest and most insidious of pests to thergest and most terrifying of monsters. Demons roam the woods freely, preying on any who dare to venture into their territory. Giant spiders with razor-sharp legs and venomous fangs lurk in the shadows, waiting to ensnare their prey. The very trees themselves seem toe to life, reaching out with thorny tendrils to ensnare the unwary.

    Navigating the Shadow Woods is a harrowing experience, and only the bravest and most skilled of adventurers dare to venture into its dark depths. Many who have tried have never returned, their fate unknown and their bodies lost to the eternal darkness of the forest

    Yet despite the harrowing destination, a lot of people seem to be thinking of joining the Prince. And frankly, Ashton couldn''t me them.

    This was the Prince of Sylvenvale. One small act of his can affect many lives, if he puts in a word for any of them, their future would be brilliant.

    Being part of the Demon ying Squad was cool and all, but nobody could truly me the others for pursuing an easier lifestyle. And if that means that they need to curry favor with the Prince, then they wouldn''t hesitate to do so.

    Ashton felt conflicted as soon as he heard the news. He remembered that the Prince was rted to him, but he knew that he had no love for his family. He was an outcast, exiled since infancy because of his impure blood.

    This dislike and irritation came from the depths of his being. It didn''t belong to Ashton. Instead, it''sing from the subconscious part of this body he''s inhibiting.

    ''Right, in some ways, I am a Prince too. I can''t believe I nearly forgot that.'' Ashton found this nearlyughable.

    He already expected that his team would be joining as well. Elias and Kaida looked eager to work with a Prince, and Roderick thought that this might be a chance to gather a sufficient reputation for the team, which will inevitably help them when they decide to apply for promotion.

    As they prepared for the mission, Ashton noticed that the Prince kept ncing his way a couple of times. It''s as if he recognized him or something, which shouldn''t be possible since Ashton was exiled the moment he was born.

    He felt annoyed by the Prince''s attention towards him but he quickly pushed it aside. He knew he couldn''t let his emotions get in the way of the mission.

    Once everybody made sufficient preparations, they didn''t waste time and immediately set out to the Shadow Woods.

    The journey to the Shadow Woods was long and treacherous.

    They had to pass through several dangerous territories, and the demons they encountered were much stronger than what they had faced before. The Prince seemed unbothered by the danger, and Ashton couldn''t help but feel uneasy around him.

    Ashton had worked with many people in the past, and that allowed him to develop a keen sense of a person''s thoughts. It wasn''t all that hard for him to notice that this Prince was just pretending to be nice to them.

    In short, he had an ulterior motive for bringing them here. And judging by the location they''re in, Ashton could only think of this being a bad situation for all of them.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Your Highness, we arrived at the ce marked on the map. However, we have yet to see the relic that you spoke of." One of the Demon yers said.

    That''s when the Prince suddenly faced them wearing a rather sinister expression. He waved his hand and all of a sudden, all of the Demon yers found themselves trapped by thick vines which greatly restricted their movement.

    "Prince Feanor! What is the meaning of this!!?" One of the Demon yers demanded.

    The Prince smirked coldly and said: "My dear demon yers, I have a confession to make. I never cared about that relic in the Shadow Woods."

    "In truth, there was no relic at all! My true intention was to strike a deal with a powerful demon who resides here."

    "What? You lied to us?"

    The other demon yers exchange worried nces.

    "Yes, I did." Prince Feanor sneered: "You see, I need an army to help me overthrow my own father, the king. I initially wanted to gather many from our kind but most of them are useless. An army of demons, however, they''re stronger and more loyal. With them, I can finally im the throne that is rightfully mine."

    "How dare you use us for your own selfish gain! You put us all in danger!" An outraged Demon yer said while struggling with their bindings.

    "I see you''re upset, but this is just how politics work. Sacrifices have to be made, and you demon yers are simply coteral damage." The Prince added.

    "We won''t let you do this. We can''t let you put the kingdom at risk like this."

    Prince Feanorughed and said: "Oh, but you can''t stop me. The demon has already agreed to my terms, and his army is already mobilizing. You''re outnumbered and outmatched. It''s toote for you to do anything."

    "We''ll see about that!"

    As the Demon yers struggled to free themselves, they suddenly felt the ground shaking violently. Then, they heard a sharp whistle followed by an intense impactnding near them.

    "Astaroth, you finally came." Prince Feanor greeted the demon who just arrived with all smiles and expectations.

    Astaroth is a towering figure, standing over 10 feet tall. Its body is muscr and covered in ck, leathery skin, withrge, bat-like wings sprouting from its back. Its head is that of a bull, with two long horns that curve menacingly towards its back. Its eyes glow bright red, and its teeth are sharp and jagged.

    He wields a massive, spiked mace in one hand and a fiery whip in the other. It exudes an aura of darkness and fear, causing all who stand in its presence to feel weak and powerless. It is known to be one of the most fearsome and dangerous demons in existence, feared even by other demons.

    "I see that you''ve held up to your promise." Astaroth''s deep and archaic voice echoed in their ears.

    "Why, of course! I told you that I want to work with you, didn''t I? It''s only normal for me to do this. After all, I''m expecting you to do the same."

    Astaroth snorted and said: "Don''t worry. Us, Demons never break our promises."

    "If that''s the case, then feel free and help yourself with these sacrifices." Prince Feanor chuckled coldly as he regarded the Demon yers he fooled.

    "Damn! God damn it!" Roderick snarled as he struggled from his bindings to no avail. "Not like this! This isn''t what I wanted! I can''t die knowing that I failed yet another team!"

    Elias, Kaida, and Le simrly struggled as well. Their expressions were painted with fear and desperation as they feel the demon slowly approaching them.

    "A Prince teaming up with a Demon, eh?" Ashton''s voice echoed across everybody''s ears, causing them to look at him. "I guess I should''ve seen thising way sooner. But, oh well..."

    Ashton''s body then glowed with a brilliant white light, and all of a sudden, he was freed from his bindings.

    "It''s not toote to punish a traitor isn''t it?"

 Chapter 309 Lunatic Prince

    Prince Feanor frowned as he saw Ashton break free from his restraints. He did not expect this from a mere healer, and judging from what he heard from him, it seems that this guy was delusional.

    "Well, well, well...if it isn''t the famous little healer." Prince Feanor sneered. "I''ll admit, I didn''t expect this from you. But what is it, that you''re trying to achieve by bravely stepping forward?"

    "You can''t possibly be thinking that you can fight us now, do you?" Prince Feanor''s eyes narrowed.

    "Fight you? My, you certainly think too highly of yourself." Ashton shrugged, "I know you''re a Prince and all but to be honest, you''re not all that."

    Ashton looked at the Prince and the Demon coldly, saying: "Make no mistake. This wouldn''t be a fight. It''ll be more like a lecture, really."

    Ashton stood in the clearing, his eyes locked on Prince Feanor and the towering form of the Demon Astaroth.

    He could sense the worry and disbelief of the people behind him but honestly, that was the least of his concerns.

    "You''ve made a big mistake, little healer," Feanor sneered, his sword glinting in the dim light. "You''re no match for me and Astarothbined."

    Ashton said nothing, his eyes fixed on Astaroth. The demon was massive, its body covered in writhing tentacles and jagged ws. But Ashton refused to be intimidated. Well, it''s more like he can''t be intimidated.

    He''s way too experienced for this. How can a mere Demon and Lunatic Prince phase him?

    Without warning, Feanor charged forward, his sword shing through the air. Ashton barely managed to dodge the attack, sidestepping and striking back with a st of raw Fey energy. Feanor stumbled backward, his body wracked with pain.

    Astaroth bellowed in rage, its tentaclesshing out at Ashton. But Ashton was too fast, ducking and weaving as he fired off magical sts at the demon''s body. The demon roared in fury, its tentaclesshing out in every direction.

    Roderick, Kaida, Elias, and Le watched from the edge of the clearing, their eyes wide with disbelief. They had seen Ashton fight before, but never like this. He was taking on two powerful opponents, and holding his own.

    "Is he insane?" Le whispered, her hand tightening around her weapon. "He can''t possibly win against those two."

    "He''s not insane," Roderick said, his voice barely audible. "Can''t you see it? He''s our best fighter! He knows what he''s doing."

    Without warning, the demon charged at Ashton with incredible speed, its massive ws outstretched. Ashton calmly lifted his hand and muttered a simple incantation under his breath, causing a burst of mana to shoot out and hit the demon in the chest. Astaroth stumbled back, surprised by Ashton''s quick reflexes.

    Meanwhile, Feanor had drawn his sword and charged at Ashton from the side. But Ashton was ready for him. He twisted to the side, dodging Feanor''s attack with ease, and then thrust his hand forward. A burst of mes shot out from his fingertips, engulfing Feanor''s sword and causing the prince to yelp in pain as he dropped it.

    Ashton dodged another attack from Feanor, his body moving with lightning-fast reflexes. Kaida watched in awe, her hands crackling with fiery energy.

    "He''s amazing," she breathed, her eyes fixed on Ashton. "I''ve never seen anyone fight like this."

    Elias nodded, his eyes fixed on Astaroth. "And he''s taking on an S-ss demon, no less. That''s incredible."

    The fight raged on, Ashton dodging and weaving as he unleashed wave after wave of Fey magic. Feanor was getting weaker by the moment, his body covered in cuts and bruises. Astaroth was struggling as well, its body writhing in pain.

    Ashton on the other hand looked as fresh as he ever was. He wasn''t even sweating, he was rxed and even looked slightly bored of this fight.

    Ashton''s team watched in awe as he continued to neutralize both Feanor and Astaroth with the most basic mana spells. They couldn''t believe that such simple spells could have such a devastating effect on two opponents as powerful as the prince and the demon.

    But as the fight wore on, Feanor and Astaroth began to show signs of despair. They had never encountered a fighter as skilled as Ashton, and they couldn''t believe that they were being defeated by such simple magic.

    "You can''t be this strong," Feanor gasped, his voice filled with disbelief.

    But Ashton only smiled coldly. "I am," he said. "And now you''re going to pay for what you''ve done."

    With one final burst of mana, Ashton sent both Feanor and Astaroth flying backward, their bodies crashing to the ground in a heap. The fight was over, and Ashton had emerged victorious.

    Ashton stood over the defeated demon Astaroth, eyes cold as the frigid north. He knew that he had to act quickly before the demon''s corruption could spread any further. He closed his eyes and focused his mana, drawing on the deepest wells of his power.<novelnext></novelnext>

    And then he conjured a spell that he hadn''t used in years - the Purifying White mes.

    This spell belongs to the White Magic Branch of Humanity, something that he revived and mastered. It''s also the most effective spell to use when dealing with demons.

    The spell burst forth from Ashton''s hands, a wave of brilliant white light that engulfed the demon''s body. Astaroth writhed and shrieked as the mes burned away his corrupt essence, leaving only a pile of ash in its wake.

    Ashton breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that Astaroth was gone for good and that the threat had been neutralized.

    But Prince Feanor watched in disbelief as his entire plot evaporated before his very eyes. He had spent months scheming and plotting to overthrow the King, only to have it alle crashing down because of this one young fighter. The realization that he had been defeated so easily drove him into a rage.

    "You!" he snarled, turning to face Ashton. "This is all your fault! You ruined everything!"

    Ashton regarded him coldly. "You brought this on yourself," he said. "You should have known better than to trust demons."

    Feanor red at him, his eyes filled with hatred and desperation. "You''ll pay for this," he spat. "I''ll make sure of it."

    But Ashton onlyughed and said: "What, did you honestly think that you''d regain freedom after colluding with demons? Are you nuts? Can''t you see the people behind me?"

    "The Demon ying Squad might not have as much authority as the Imperial Family, but they still hold some. Now that you''ve endangered most of us, even the King will have to personally step forward to appease our anger."

    "We won''t kill you or maim you. But I sure as hell can''t say the same when ites to your family." Ashton coldly nced at him. "I think the other princes would be ecstatic to finish you in our stead. That''d be one lesspetitor for them. A good deal if I do say so myself."

    "Moreover, you won''t remember any of this anyway."

    With that, Ashton turned and walked away, leaving Feanor to stew in his bitterness and defeat. He knew that the Prince would never stop plotting but as he said, there was little to no chance of that ever happening again.

    The fight for the crown is intense, or so he has heard. If the rumors were true, then Prince Feanor doesn''t have much time left.

    Ashton turned to face his teammates and the rest of the Demon yers, a determined look on his face. He knew that he couldn''t let anyone know the truth about his skills and power - not yet, anyway. So he reached deep into his magical reserves and summoned forth the power of his Dream Magic.

    As he focused his mana, he could feel the world around him begin to blur and warp. His teammates looked at him with confusion and concern, but he simply smiled and extended his hand toward them.

    "Sleep," he whispered, his voice carrying on the wind. And with that, his teammates'' eyes grew heavy and they slumped to the ground, unconscious.

    Ashton moved quickly, using his mana to alter their memories and rece them with a fake ones.

    This also includes the crazed Prince...

    In this new reality, they had all fought together to bring down the demon and neutralize the Prince. They were heroes, celebrated for their bravery and skill.

    Ashton''s mind was racing as he cast the spell. He knew that he had to be careful with his use of Dream Magic - it was a powerful tool, but one that could have dangerous consequences if not used correctly. He focused all of his attention on the spell, pouring his mana into it until he was sure that it had taken hold.

    Satisfied that his spell had worked, Ashton gathered his teammates and made his way back towards their kingdom, the crazed Prince in tow. The journey was long and treacherous, but they persevered, their spirits buoyed by their victory over the demon.

    When they finally arrived at the kingdom, Ashton felt a sense of relief wash over him. He had aplished his mission and protected his people from the Prince''s treachery.

    Now, they marched towards the Imperial Pce to seek justice for what Prince Feanor did.

 Chapter 310 Guildmasters Fury And Feanors Punishment

    The Guildmaster was royally pissed, and his anger could be felt by everyone close to him.

    The Guildmaster of the Demon ying Squad, Jericho, was furious. He had just received word from his men that Prince Feanor had plotted against them and tried to sacrifice them to the powerful demon, Astaroth. Jericho''s men had managed to defeat both the Prince and the demon, but the offense against their guild remained.

    Jericho''s rage boiled over as he shouted at his men to prepare for the march toward the Imperial Pce. They would demand answers from the Fey King himself - dhwen Elrond. This was not the first time the Guild had faced challenges from those in power, but this offense was particrly egregious. The Prince had betrayed their trust, and the Guildmaster would not let it stand.

    As the Demon ying Squad marched towards the pce, Jericho could feel the weight of his responsibility heavy on his shoulders. He was not just leading a group of skilled fighters, but he was also the voice of the people who relied on the Guild to protect them from the dangers of the demon realm.

    Finally, they arrived at the pce gates, and Jericho demanded an audience with the Fey King. The guards were hesitant, but they knew better than to deny the Guildmaster''s request. They escorted Jericho and his men through the pce grounds to the throne room.

    When they entered, Jericho could see the Fey King sitting on his throne, surrounded by his courtiers. While the King looked rather baffled by the sudden appearance of his visitors, the Guildmaster wasted no time in getting to the point.

    He recounted the betrayal of Prince Feanor and demanded to know how such a thing could have happened. dhwen Elrond listened silently and then stood up to address Jericho and his men.

    The Fey King stood up from his throne, his expression serious. "Prince Feanor''s actions were a grave offense not only to the Demon ying Squad but to the entire kingdom," he said, his voice echoing through the throne room. "I assure you that he will be dealt with severely."

    The Fey King called for his guards and ordered them to bring Prince Feanor to the throne room. Jericho and his men waited patiently as the Prince was brought before them. He was bruised and beaten, with a look of terror in his eyes as he faced his father.

    The Fey King''s gaze was cold as he addressed his son. "Prince Feanor, you havemitted a grave offense against the kingdom and its people. Your actions have caused great harm to the Demon ying Squad, who have been charged with protecting our citizens from the dangers of the demon realm."

    The Prince cowered before his father, but the Fey King''s voice was unrelenting. "Your punishment shall be severe," he said. "You are hereby stripped of your title and yournds. You will be banished from the kingdom and will never set foot in thesends again. Your actions have brought great shame to our family and to our kingdom, and you shall bear the consequences of your deeds."

    With that, the Fey King ordered his guards to take the disgraced Prince away. Jericho and his men watched as he was escorted out of the throne room, never to be seen again.

    "I am deeply sorry for what has happened," said the Fey King. "Prince Feanor acted alone, and he has already been punished for his crimes. I can assure you that the demon realm is not a threat to our kingdom. The Demon ying Squad has my utmost respect and support, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that this never happens again."

    Jericho nodded, satisfied with the Fey King''s response. He knew that the Guild would always face challenges, he was still upset by what happened but at least they had the support of their king, and they would continue to protect the people from the dangers of the demon realm.

    With that, Jericho and his men left the pce, their heads held high. They had stood up for themselves and for the people they protected, and they had won.

    Meanwhile, in a hidden chamber deep within the pce, six Fey Princes celebrated Prince Feanor''s downfall. They were the King''s other sons, and they had long resented their brother''s arrogance and entitlement. They had always believed that he was unworthy of his position and had long awaited the opportunity to see him fall from grace. As they raised their sses in a toast, they whispered conspiratorially amongst themselves, plotting their next move.

    They knew that their father was getting old and that soon it would be their turn to rule. They were determined to seize power and take the kingdom in a new direction, one that would serve their interests above all else.

    Prince Ardan (Crown Prince): "It''s a shame about Feanor. He had so much potential, but he threw it all away."

    Prince Ende (Second Prince): "I always knew he was reckless. It was only a matter of time before he got himself into trouble."

    Prince Cnthor (Third Prince): "But we must be careful not to becent. There are still those who would seek to undermine us."

    Prince Gwyh (Fourth Prince): "Indeed. We must be vignt, and always stay one step ahead of our enemies."

    Prince Tathariel (Fifth Prince): "But how can we do that? Our enemies are everywhere, and they''re always plotting against us."

    Prince Faeril (Sixth Prince): "We must use our wits, and our influence. We must build alliances with the other noble families, and gain their support."

    Prince Ardan: "And we must also make sure that our people are behind us. We need to show them that we''re the best candidates for the throne."

    Prince Ende: "But how do we do that? We can''t simply rely on our titles and our birthright. We must prove ourselves worthy."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Prince Cnthor: "The procession battle ising up soon. This is our chance to show our strength and our cunning."

    Prince Gwyh: "We muste up with a strategy that will outwit our opponents. We need something that will give us the edge."

    Prince Tathariel: "But we must also be careful not to reveal our hand too soon. We don''t want our opponents to catch on to our ns."

    Prince Faeril: "I''ve been doing some research on the procession battle. There are some tactics that we could use to our advantage."

    Prince Ardan: "What tactics?"

    Prince Faeril: "We could use decoys to confuse our opponents. We could have fake chariots and effigies, to draw their attention away from the real battle."

    Prince Ende: "That''s a good idea. But we must also be prepared for any surprises. We can''t afford to be caught off guard."

    Prince Cnthor: "Agreed. We must have contingencies in ce for every possible scenario. We must be ready for anything."

    Prince Gwyh: "But we must also remember that this is just one battle. We must stay focused on the bigger picture. We must continue to build our influence, and win over the hearts and minds of our people."

    Prince Tathariel: "And we must do it all without attracting too much attention. We don''t want Father to suspect that we''re plotting against him."

    Prince Faeril: "Indeed. We must be subtle, and patient. Our time wille, but we must bide our time until then."

    Prince Ardan: "Agreed. Let us continue to work together, and build our strength. One day, we will take the throne, and we will rule this kingdom as it should be ruled.

    Prince Ardan raised his ss. "To our family''s continued prosperity," he said, his voice filled with false sincerity.

    The other princes joined in the toast, but in their minds, they each mocked the others for their transparent pretenses.

    Oh, they''re not fooling anybody here. This conversation was fake, and so were their expressions and their words.

    They all have their personal motives, at best, these are all just pleasantries. The Princes don''t like each other that much since they all see themselves aspetitors for the Throne.

    Prince Ende thought to himself, "Ardan may act like he cares about the family''s prosperity, but all he cares about is securing his own position as the next in line for the throne."

    Prince Cnthor sneered inwardly, "And Ende may act like he''s above it all, but he''s just as eager to get his hands on the throne."

    Prince Gdriel rolled his eyes at the other princes'' hypocrisy. "They all talk about the good of the kingdom and the family, but they''re all just out for themselves. At least I''m honest about my ambition."

    With that, the princes finished their drinks and made their excuses to leave. As they each departed for their respective homes, they each plotted their next moves, knowing that theirpetition for power and status within the family was far from over.

    What the Princes don''t know is that there is another Prince...

    One that had been exiled the moment he was born. They also didn''t know that if this Prince wanted to take the throne, it''d be akin to taking a lollipop from a kid.

    They''re lucky that so far, this Prince had no intentions of participating in this silly little fight for the throne because he had other matters to attend to.

 Chapter 311 Joining An Elite Team

    It''s been a month since the incident of Prince Feanor''s betrayal of the Fey Race urred.

    Ashton, along with the members of the Junior Team 7 of the Demon ying Squad, continued to clear out missions eagerly to qualify for the Promotions.

    Because of their rigorous activities, Team 7''s strength improved overall. Kaida, Elias, and Le all broke through the Adept Stage of their cultivation. Roderick, their Captain, entered the Grandmaster rank. And Ashton, well he''s a unique existence. He''s a talented Healer and many teams were envious of Team 7 because they got him.

    Today, Team 7 received a request from the Guildmaster himself. He wanted to borrow Ashton from their team because some of the Elite Teams arecking apetent Healer.

    As the request from the Guildmaster was a rare one, Team 7 knew they had no choice but toply. Ashton, who had been silently listening, didn''t voice any opinions just yet, he just waited for the arrangement to ur. He had been hiding his true abilities from the team, but that was for their good as well. It''s not yet the time for him to reveal them anyway.

    The team exchanged nces, unsure of what to do. Roderick spoke up, "I know Ashton is a skilled healer, but he is also an integral part of our team. We can''t just lend him out like this without a proper recement."

    The Guildmaster nodded understandingly, "I understand your concerns, Roderick. That''s why I will send a recement healer to fill in for Ashton while he is away."

    Ashton felt a sense of relief at the Guildmaster''s words. At the very least, Team 7 can continue their activities even without him. They will need to adjust to their new teammate but at least, they can continue working.

    With a t look on his face, he turned to his team and said, "It''s alright, guys. I''ll go. Don''t worry about me, I''ll return in one piece. Maybe we can work together again after this."

    With a nod of agreement from the rest of the team, Ashton left with the Guildmaster to join the Elite Team. As he walked away, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of anticipation for what was toe.

    ***

    Ashton arrived at the private room where his new teammates were waiting. The Guildmaster told him to go in first since he needed to fetch the documents needed for the briefing.

    Upon entering, Ashton saw five people who were already looking at his entire being and seemingly judging him from head to toe.

    He can recognize these people, after all, there are only so many Elite Members of the Demon ying Squad. He started naming them one by one as he looked at them...

    The first one is Ember - A powerful pyromancer, Ember''s mes are known to be one of the hottest in the entire squad. She can manipte fire to create a wide range of attacks, from fireballs to firestorms. With striking red hair and bright green eyes, Ember''s appearance is almost as fiery as her powers. She stands tall with a lean yet muscr build, and her movements are as quick and fluid as the mes she maniptes.

    Zephyr - A skilled swordsman, Zephyr wields two long, slender swords with incredible precision. His movements are lightning-fast, and he can cut through almost anything with ease. Zephyr is a tall and slender Fey with long, flowing silver hair that falls to his waist. He has piercing blue eyes and a sharp jawline, giving him a fierce appearance. He wears dark leather armor that entuates his lithe figure.

    Luna - A shapeshifter, Luna can transform into any animal she desires. Her favorite forms are a hawk and a panther, both of which give her heightened senses and agility. Luna''s beauty is ethereal and otherworldly. She has long, ck hair that shimmers in the light and bright blue eyes that twinkle mischievously. In her human form, she stands at an average height, but when she transforms into an animal, her agility and grace are unmatched.

    Orion - A marksman, Orion is known for his incredible uracy with a bow and arrow. His shots are always on target, and he can take out enemies from a distance with ease. With a rugged and handsome appearance, Orion is an attractive Fey with a chiseled jawline and piercing green eyes. He has short, blonde hair that is always neatly styled, and his posture is confident and assured. He wears a quiver on his back and carries a longbow, making his archery skills evident.

    Terra - A powerful earthbender, Terra can control the earth and all its elements. She can create earthquakes, summon rock walls, and even turn her enemies to stone. Terra is a fierce and imposing figure with wild, curly hair that cascades down her back like a waterfall of earthy tones. Her eyes are a deep brown, and her skin is bronzed from years of working with the earth. She stands tall and sturdy, exuding power and strength with every movement. Her attire is adorned with gems and stones, reflecting her connection to the earth.

    Ashton was impressed with the team''s skills and knew that his own abilities would be put to the test on this mission. But at the same time, he also knew that whatever mission it is, it''d be challenging since the Guildmaster was clearly taking out the big guns for it.

    Ashton took a deep breath as he approached the Elite Team. He knew that his abilities as a healer were highly regarded among the guild, but he had never worked with a team quite like this before. He stepped forward and greeted them with a polite bow.

    "Hello, my name is Ashton. I''ve been sent here by the Guildmaster to assist with your mission."

    Ember stepped forward, eyeing Ashton skeptically. "What makes you think you''re qualified to work with us? We''re the best of the best."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Ashton smiled calmly, his confidence unwavering. "I understand your concern, but If you have any objections about my inclusion in this team, please take them to the Guildmaster himself, after all, he''s the one who ordered me to go here."

    Zephyr crossed his arms, still skeptical. "We''ll be the judge of that. We don''t have time for mistakes on this mission."

    Luna stepped forward, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Oh,e on, Zephyr. Give him a chance. Maybe he''ll surprise us."

    Orion nodded in agreement. "She''s right. Let''s see what he''s got."

    Terra simply observed from the back of the group, her expression unreadable.

    Ashton fought the urge to roll his eyes. He could see the mischievous glint in their eyes as they talked to him. He knew that they were trying to intimidate him. Sadly, they picked the wrong target.

    ''I faced a God before and was nearly killed by it. What makes you think that the likes of you could intimidate me?''

    "Alright you five, quit scaring the kid. You were the ones who begged me to borrow him so don''t bully him." The Guildmaster chimed in, appearing out of nowhere.

    The elites cleared their throat in embarrassment, clearly, their little game didn''t work at all. They didn''t get the chance to recover from it either since the Guildmaster didn''t waste time.

    The Guildmaster''s urgent message was ominous - there had been whispers of powerful demons moving in the shadows, and their intentions were unknown. The Elite Team had been tasked with investigating these rumors and discovering the demons'' true motives.

    The demons were known to be cunning and maniptive, and their whereabouts were shrouded in secrecy. The team would have to scour thend, tracking any signs of demonic activity and gathering intelligence from any sources they could find. But the demons were not to be underestimated - they had powerful magic at their disposal, and their minions were among the most fearsome creatures in the demon realm.

    The team would have to be on high alert at all times, constantly watching their backs for any surprises. They would have to be resourceful, using their unique skills and abilities to ovee any obstacles thaty in their path. Ember''s fiery powers would be crucial in taking down any demonic minions, while Zephyr''s agility and speed would help them evade traps and ambushes. Luna''s shapeshifting abilities would be useful in gathering intelligence, and Orion''s archery skills would be essential in taking out enemies from afar. Terra''s mastery over the earth would be necessary to create barriers and blockades to keep their enemies at bay.

    Ashton''s skills as a healer would also be put to the test as the team would undoubtedly face injuries and wounds during their mission. But of course, he''s way more than that.

    The mission would be a true test of their skills. If they failed, the consequences could be catastrophic.

    This mission isn''t just a simple investigation either. Should the team discover that the Demons are plotting something huge, they are expected to eliminate them with extreme prejudice.

    With no prior knowledge of how many demons would be around nor any clear indication of where to start, this mission was bound to be time-consuming and very dangerous.

 Chapter 312 Azazel

    ---

    The Elite Team he joined temporarily called themselves; Team Sapphire.

    After receiving the mission, Team Sapphire left to do their job. They would need to scour the entirety of the Sylvenvale Great Forest for this so they have no idea how long this mission will take them.

    The Sylvenvale Great Forest was vast and dense, with countless hiding ces for the demons they were searching for. They moved cautiously, wary of every rustle in the undergrowth and every shadow that crossed their path.

    For the first few days, their search yielded little results. The demons seemed to have vanished without a trace, leaving no clues behind. But as they pressed on, their persistence paid off. They began to uncover small signs of demonic activity - a trail of broken branches, a faint sulfuric smell in the air, and asional sightings of demonic minions darting between the trees.

    Ashton spoke up, "It seems like we''re making progress, we''re getting closer."

    Ember nodded in agreement, "But we have to be careful. These demons won''t go down easily."

    Zephyr added, "We also have to keep our eyes open for any traps they might have set up."

    Luna chimed in, "And we can''t forget about the possibility of ambushes. We need to be prepared for anything."

    Orion spoke up, "We''ll have to split up to cover more ground. But we should set up a rendezvous point in case any of us need backup."

    Terra agreed, "That''s a good n. Let''s stay in contact through ourmunication crystals too."

    Ashton said, "We''ll do all of that, but we do it tomorrow. The sun''s almost out, we need to make a camp somewhere to spend the night."

    The rest agreed with his words and they set out to find a suitable ce to camp out. Thankfully, they manage to find a ce that works well. The team then started carving out a space for themselves.

    As the team busied themselves, Ashton walked around the camp, leaving clear white runes behind. Ember and the rest of the team noticed him and asked what he was doing. He replied:

    "Making a runic formation with obscuring and isting functions, this way we can rest well without the need to be alert for any kind of ambush."

    Before they could ask him more questions, Ashton finishedying down the formation. The team immediately experienced what he was talking about. Of course, they were initially skeptical if this thing could truly do what Ashton imed, but after a round of testing, they discovered that it is indeed working as intended.

    "Damn, bringing you along might just be the best idea ever." Ember cheered as she gotfortable.

    "What she said..." Orion chimed in. "With this, we can always get a good night''s sleep even while we''re out here. Seriously, you''re awesome."

    "Hey, I wanna learn how to do this too! How much will you charge for a lesson?" Luna asked.

    "No need to pay. I was nning on teaching this to the Guildmaster for contribution anyways. I can teach you all for free." Ashton smiled as he joined them around the bonfire.

    The night passed uneventfully. With Ashton''s formation, everyone was able to sleep well and recover from their fatigue.

    When they woke up the next day, everyone was energized and ready to perform another round of patrols. After eating breakfast and doing their morning routines, they set off to continue their mission.

    As they continued deeper into the forest, the signs grew more frequent and more ominous. The minions became bolder,unching sudden attacks on the team and retreating just as quickly. The team was forced to fight back, relying on their unique abilities to defend themselves and push the demons back.

    Days turned into weeks, and the team pressed on, driven by their determination to uncover the demons'' true intentions. They came across hiddenirs, where they discovered dark rituals being performed and nefarious ns being hatched. They fought fierce battles with the demons, with Ember''s mes lighting up the darkness and Zephyr''s swift movements leaving the demons confused and disoriented.

    Ashton''s skills as a healer were put to the test time and again, as the team suffered injuries and wounds in their battles. But he also proved to be a formidable fighter, unleashing a series of attacks that left the demons reeling. But he still hasn''t shown everything yet.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the team stumbled upon a clearing deep within the forest. There, they found the demons they had been searching for - a group of powerful sorcerers who had been orchestrating demonic activity throughout the forest. The sorcerers were guarded by a powerful demon lord, who had been using his dark powers to manipte the minions andy the groundwork for a devastating attack on the nearby cities.

    Ashton spoke up, "That''s bad right there. Those ritual circles contain obscene amounts of force. If they all explode at the same time, it could potentially wipe out the entire Sylvenvale Great Forest. We need to stop this."

    Ember nodded, "I agree. But we need to be careful. These are powerful sorcerers we''re dealing with. Plus, there''s also a Demon Lord. This won''t be an easy fight."

    Zephyr added, "I''ll try to take out the minions first. If we can clear them out quickly, it''ll give us a better chance to focus on the sorcerers and the demon lord."

    Luna chimed in, "And I''ll use my powers to create a barrier around us. It should help protect us from any surprise attacks."

    Orion said, "I''ll stay close to Ashton to make sure he''s protected while he focuses on healing us and attacking when needed."

    Terra added, "And I''ll use my earth powers to create traps and obstacles to slow down the demons and give us an advantage."

    But before they could even move out, they heard a forceful grunting from the Demon King...

    "A bunch of rats has appeared...you all can''t possibly be thinking of stopping me, Lord Azazel, right?"

    The Demon Lord''s name was Azazel, a towering figure with jet-ck skin and eyes that glowed with an infernal light. His mere presence sent a chill down the spines of the team as they stood before him.

    "You are foolish toe here, mortals," Azazel snarled, his voice a deep rumble that echoed through the clearing. "You cannotprehend the power you face. Begone, before I destroy you all."

    But the team stood firm, their weapons at the ready. Ember stepped forward, mes dancing around her fists. "Calm down, hot stuff. We just want to tango a bit, it won''t take long I promise" she said yfully, her voice ringing out clear and strong.

    Azazel chuckled, a sound like a grinding stone. "You are all so confident," he said. "But confidence is no match for true power." With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a wave of darkness that washed over the team, engulfing them in a cold, suffocating void.

    The team fought desperately against the darkness, their senses dulled and their movements sluggish. Luna''s arrows went wide, and Terra''s earth-shaking attacks missed their marks. Zephyr''s agility was hampered.

    But of course, that didn''t take long because of Ashton. It only took a snap of a finger for him to remove the negative effects from his teammates.

    Through sheer force of will, his teammates fought back against the darkness, channeling their energy into a single, devastating attack. Ember''s mes zed brighter, Luna''s arrows flew true, and Orion''s bolts of lightning crackled through the air.

    Azazel roared in fury as the attack struck him, his body wracked with pain. But still, he stood, his power undiminished. "You are all so insignificant," he bellowed. "You cannot hope to defeat me!"

    And with that, he lunged forward, his massive form filling the clearing as heunched himself at the team, ready to crush them with his power.

    Ember used her mes to deflect the dark magic while Zephyr darted around, trying to find an opening to strike.

    Terra summoned the earth to her aid, creating massive boulders that she hurled at the demon lord. Luna channeled her magic into a powerful beam of light, temporarily blinding the demon lord and leaving him open for Orion''s arrow to strike true.

    Ashton remained at the back of the group, he closely monitored everyone''s condition as he continued to channel his spell. The demon lord turned his attention to Ashton, sensing the source of the white mes that were consuming his minions.

    "You dare to defy me, little healer?" the demon lord bellowed. "I am the lord of darkness, and no mortal can stand against me!"

    "How about you shut the fuck up and just die already? I think we prefer that more than you constantly pping that disgusting gums of yours!"

    Ashton raised the intensity of his spell and blessed all of his teammates with powerful Aiding Spells that energized them.

    He also gave them the blessing of the Purifying White mes, his specialty spell that can neutralize any demon''s false immortality and could purify the corruption they leave behind.

    With his unwavering and unparalleled support, the team managed to eventually y the Demon Azazel and put a stop to his nefarious ns.

 Chapter 313 Promotion And Realization

    Defeating the Demon Azazel wasn''t the end true end of their mission.

    Team Sapphire still has to clear out the ritual circles he ced around to ensure the safety of Sylvenvale. Thankfully, it wasn''t that hard to do that. After dealing with the ritual circles and making sure that there aren''t any left. The team decided to head back home.

    Upon returning to Gdriel, Ashton and the members of Team Sapphire entered the guild, feeling proud of their sess inpleting the mission. They headed straight to the mission board to report their sess and receive their rewards. As they approached the board, the guild master greeted them warmly.

    "Well done, Team Sapphire! I heard that you sessfullypleted the mission and defeated the demon. You have done our guild proud," the guild master said, his voice echoing throughout the hall.

    Ashton and the others bowed respectfully to the guild master, feeling honored by his praise. The guild master then handed them their rewards, which included a significant amount of gold coins and rare magical items.

    "In addition to these rewards, I have another surprise for you, Ashton," the guild master said, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Your bravery and skill in defeating the demon have not gone unnoticed. As a result, I am pleased to announce that you have been promoted to the rank of Elite Member of the Demon ying Squad."

    Ashton fought the urge to roll his eyes at the guild master''s announcement. Well, there goes his n of taking his time and umting strength. He had been pushed directly under the spotlight because of this, and he couldn''t do anything other than sigh and ept it.

    "Thank you, guild master! I will do my best to live up to this honor and continue to serve the guild with all my might," Ashton said, his voice filled with gratitude.

    The guild master nodded approvingly, then dismissed the group with a wave of his hand. His teammates left the guild hall, feeling ted and proud of their sess.

    Ashton was walking towards the exit of the guild hall when he heard familiar voices calling his name. He turned around and saw his old teammates Roderick, Elias, Le, and Kaida running toward him, their faces beaming with pride and excitement.

    "Ashton, congrattions on your promotion!" Roderick eximed, pping him on the back.

    Elias grinned and added, "See? I told you guys he''lle back safely."

    Le hugged him tightly and said, "We''re so proud of you, Ashton. You deserve this."

    Kaida smiled warmly and said, "You''vee a long way since we first met you. It''s an honor to have fought by your side."

    Ashton smiled because of their warm greetings and congrattions. He had missed working with them and was happy to see them again.

    "Thanks, guys. I couldn''t have done it without your support and guidance," Ashton said, feeling grateful for their encouragement.

    Roderick looked at Ashton with a hint of sadness in his eyes and said, "We''re happy for you, Ashton, but we''re also going to miss working with you. It won''t be the same without you on our team."

    Elias nodded in agreement and said, "Yeah, we had some good times together. It''s hard to imagine going on missions without you."

    Le wiped a tear from her eye and said, "We''ll always cherish the memories we made with you, Ashton. You''re a great friend and teammate."

    Kaida put a hand on Ashton''s shoulder and said, "We''ll still see each other around the guild, Ashton. And who knows, maybe we''ll work together again someday."

    Him being an Elite Member means that his responsibilities will be heavier as well. Ashton will be expected to clear high-difficulty missions as an Elite Member of the Demon ying Squad, which also means that his chances of working with his old teammates decreased greatly as well.

    Ashton smiled at his old teammates and said, "I''ll never forget the adventures we had together. If you ever need my help, don''t hesitate to look for me."

    ***

    His promotiones with a short vacation. It was expected since he just finished a rather stressful mission.

    As Ashton walked towards his small house on the outskirts of town, his mind was already racing with ns for the future. He knew that his promotion to Elite Member of the Demon ying Squad was a significant achievement, but he also knew that it was just a stepping stone toward his ultimate goal.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Ashton had always known that he didn''t belong in this world. He had been brought here to repay a Karmic Debt, but he had no idea what his role in this world was beyond that. He knew that he needed to find answers, and he can''t stall anymore than he already did.

    This desire lead him to visit the ce where he can read more about the history of the Fey Race. He thought that this would be an excellent starting point to pinpoint what exactly was his purpose here.

    Ashton learned about the history of the kingdom, its legends and myths, and the powerful magic that flowed through its veins. He studied ancient texts, learned arcane spells, and explored ancient ruins. He also made new friends along the way, people who shared his passion for knowledge and adventure.

    Eventually, Ashton arrived at the High Mage''s Guild and was granted ess to their vast library thanks to his status as an Elite Member of the Demon ying Squad. He spent many long hours pouring over ancient texts and tomes, trying to find any clues that could help him in his quest.

    After dedicating that much time to his research, Ashton finally got an idea of what the situation actually looked like...

    Ashton was stunned as he discovered that he was actually thrown into the distant past.

    Elstar, the world he was in, was not a separate world at all, but it was actually his own world, the Blue Marble, in the future. The Fey Race, who ruled over Elstar, was actually the evolved form of humans. Ashton felt like everything he thought he knew about the world had been turned upside down.

    As he tried to process this new information, Ashton''s thoughts went back to his patron, the Beast God, who had sent him to repay a Karmic Debt. He realized that the debt he was meant to repay was not to humans, but to his own bloodline. The Beast God had chosen him to help the Fey Race because Ashton used the Fey Race''s bloodline to increase his strength and providence.

    This formed a Karmic Link which transcended time and space, and Ashton had no choice but to repay that Karma. The Beast God only served as overseer of this agreement and the one who sent him here to repay that debt.

    [Mission: Cleared!]

    [The Host has discovered the truth about the Karmic Debt and his true purpose here. As a reward, some of the System''s restrictions had been lifted.]

    Ashton felt a rush of power flow through his body as his System came back online. He knew that with his new understanding of his purpose, he still couldn''t use his System to its full potential, but that was fine with him.

    Along with the realization of his purpose. Ashton also learned more about the Fey Race''s power scaling...

    The realm of the Archmasters and beyond represents a level of power that is rarely seen, even among the Fey Race. Those who have attained this level of power are said to be truly extraordinary, possessing a mastery over magic andbat that borders on the divine.

    Archmasters are individuals who have surpassed the level of a Grandmaster, possessing a level of power that is almost impossible toprehend. They can manipte reality itself, bending thews of physics to their will and creating powerful magical effects that can decimate entire armies.

    The realm of the Demigods is a level above that of the Archmasters.

    Demigods are entities of immense power and are often worshipped by mortals as divine beings. They possess godlike abilities, such as control over the elements, the ability to manipte reality, and incredible physical strength and durability.

    Above the Demigods are the Lesser Gods, who are even more powerful and are often associated with specific aspects of the world. For example, a Lesser God might have dominion over the sun, the moon, or the oceans. They possess incredible power and can manipte the world on a grand scale.

    Greater Gods are even more powerful than the Lesser Gods, possessing the ability to shape reality itself and control the very fabric of existence. They are entities of immense power, and their influence can be felt throughout the entire universe.

    Finally, at the very top of the power scaling chart are the Divine Sovereigns. These entities are the most powerful beings in existence, capable of creating or destroying entire universes with a mere thought. Their power is beyondprehension, and their existence is often shrouded in mystery and legend.

    Overall, the power scaling chart serves as a testament to the incredible power and mastery over magic andbat possessed by the Fey Race, and it is a testament to their incredible strength and prowess in battle.

 Chapter 314 Fey Kings State

    Some time has passed since Ashton''s promotion to an Elite Member of the Demon ying Squad.

    Recently, Ashton received an S-rank mission from the Demon ying Squad to act as a representative for the Forest Watch. Demonic activities have been on the rise in the surrounding forest, and there is a shortage of capable individuals who can ensure the safety of the area.

    Ashton is tasked with leading a team of demon yers to patrol the forest and root out any demonic activity. The forest is vast and dangerous, filled with all manner of treacherous terrain, deadly creatures, and powerful demons.

    Ashton''s team consists of seasoned demon yers, each with their own unique set of skills and abilities. The team will need to work together and use all of their resources to keep the forest safe and eliminate any demonic threats they encounter.

    Ashton and his team begin their mission, patrolling the forest and keeping a close eye out for any signs of demonic activity. They soon discover that the demonic presence in the forest is stronger than they had anticipated, and theye face to face with some of the most powerful demons they have ever encountered.

    The battles are intense and grueling, with each member of the team pushing themselves to their limits to take down the demonic threat. But despite the odds stacked against them, Ashton and his team are determined toplete their mission and keep the forest safe.

    After days of intense battling and patrolling, Ashton and his team finally manage to eliminate thest of the demonic presence in the forest. They report back to the Demon ying Squad, who are impressed with their performance and reward them ordingly.

    But, truth be told, this isn''t the highlight of this month for Ashton.

    Once again, Ashton received a new mission. This time, it came from the Guildmaster himself.

    The Imperial Family has requested the aid of the Guild''s healers. The Fey King has fallen ill, and they need skilled healers to help him recover. If the news of the King''s illness spreads, it could cause unrest among the Fey people.

    Ashton is chosen to lead a team of healers to the Royal Pce, which made him feel a bit strange.

    The current him doesn''t hold any kind ofpassion or rtion towards the Fey King, but that doesn''t really change the fact that the Fey King is this body''s biological father.

    What little connection they have remaining,pelled Ashton to ept this mission.

    Hence, he gathers his team and they make their way toward the pce, passing through the bustling streets of Gdriel.

    As they approach the pce gates, they are stopped by the guards, who demand to know their business. Ashton exins that they have been sent by the Guild to aid the Imperial Family, and after a brief inspection, they are allowed to enter.

    Ashton and his team are led through the pce, past the ornate halls and grand chambers, until they finally reach the King''s chambers. There, they find the Fey King lying in bed, his breathingbored and his skin pale.

    He approaches the Fey King, introducing himself and his team. The King weakly nods in acknowledgment before drifting off into a fitful sleep.

    Ashton examines the King carefully, noting the symptoms and recording them in his journal. He then turns to his team, assigning them tasks and delegating responsibilities.

    One healer begins to mix herbs and prepare a tonic to help ease the King''s breathing, while another begins to cleanse and dress the King''s wounds. A third healer works to create a poultice to draw out the toxins from the King''s body.

    Ashton himself begins to cast healing spells, his hands glowing with a soft blue light as he channels his magic into the Fey King''s body. He works carefully, using his knowledge of Fey physiology to pinpoint the source of the illness and heal it.

    As the hours pass, Ashton and his team work tirelessly to heal the Fey King. They take turns monitoring his condition, adjusting their treatments as needed, and keeping detailed records of their progress.

    After some rounds of healing attempts and observations, Ashton sighed as he realized the full extent of the King''s condition. He knew that he and his team had done everything in their power to heal the Fey King, but the truth was that his days were numbered.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Fey King was already at the end of his lifespan, and his illness was simply the natural course of life taking its ce. Ashton felt a sense of emptiness at this result but it didn''te from him. Instead, it came from the roots of this body''s origins.

    Ashton and his team were summoned to the Fey King''s council chambers to deliver their diagnosis of the King''s condition. The King''s wives and the Princes were also present, looking anxious as they awaited the news.

    Ashton took a deep breath and began to speak. "I''m sorry to say that while we have been able to improve the King''s condition, his illness is not curable. He is already at the end of his lifespan, and it is only a matter of time before he passes away."

    There was a collective gasp from the room as the gravity of Ashton''s words sank in. The King''s wives began to weep softly, and some of the Princes looked as though they had been punched in the gut.

    "How long does he have?" asked one of the council members, her voice shaking slightly.

    "As a healer, I cannot say for certain," Ashton replied. "But from what I have seen, I would estimate that he has a few months at most."

    The room fell silent as the reality of the situation sunk in. The King''s wives wept openly, and the Prince looked devastated.

    "What are we supposed to do?" the Prince asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

    Ashton cleared his throat and spoke gently. "I believe that the best thing you can do is to spend as much time as possible with the King, to make his remaining days asfortable and happy as they can be. And when the timees, to honor his memory and continue to lead the Fey people with the wisdom andpassion that he embodied."

    The Prince nodded slowly, his face etched with sadness. "Thank you for your honesty, Ashton. We will do our best to honor my father''s memory and carry on his legacy.

    Ashton and his team gathered their belongings and prepared to leave the pce, their missionplete. He ignored the way how the other Princes took the news and how they tantly plotted for the throne. As far as he knows, that''s none of his concerns. So long as they don''t touch Ashton''s bottom line, they can continue to exist.

    As they stepped outside, they were met with a mixed reaction from the crowd gathered outside the gates.

    Some Fey was relieved to hear that the King would recover, even if only temporarily, while others were devastated to learn that their beloved ruler was nearing the end of his days.

    In the end, they couldn''t hide this incident from the crowd. They still managed to discover it,

    Ashton and his team made their way through the crowd, answering questions and providing reassurance where they could. They knew that the Fey people would need time toe to terms with the King''s condition, and they were determined to offer whatever support they could in the days ahead.

    As Ashton and his team left the council chambers, one of the Fey Princes'' thoughts turned inward. He had listened carefully to the healer''s diagnosis, but his mind was already racing ahead to what woulde next.

    He knew that with the King''s passing, the battle for the throne would begin. As one of the six princes, he was keenly aware of thepetition that existed between them, each vying for the support of the Fey people and the chance to rule the realm.

    He felt a pang of guilt as he realized that he was secretly anticipating the King''s end, knowing that it would be the signal for the struggle to begin. He knew that he should be focused on mourning his father''s impending passing, but the allure of power was too strong to ignore.

    He wondered what his chances were ofing out on top in the fight for the throne. He knew that he was well-liked by many of the Fey people, but he also knew that the other princes would be vying for their support as well.

    As he walked back to his chambers, his mind raced with ns and strategies, each designed to give him the edge over his rivals. He knew that he had to tread carefully, though, as any misstep could cost him everything.

    He felt a sense of unease as he realized that he was already thinking of his father''s passing in terms of how it would affect his own ambitions. He knew that it was wrong, but he also knew that he couldn''t help the way he felt.

    As he closed the door to his chambers and settled down to rest, he resolved to honor his father''s memory by being the best ruler he could be, should hee out on top in the struggle for the throne. He knew that it was the least he could do to make up for his secret anticipation of the King''s passing.

 Chapter 315 Battle For The Throne

    Things escted in Gdriel while the Fey King was ill...

    The pce was in a state of chaos. The news of the Fey King''s illness had spread like wildfire, and everyone knew that he only had a few months to live at most. The air was thick with tension, and the atmosphere was charged with anticipation of what was toe.

    The six Fey Princes, Ardan, Ende, Cnthor, Gwyh, Tathariel, and Faeril, were all gathered in the throne room. They stood in a circle, each eyeing the other with suspicion and greed. The tension was palpable, and everyone could feel the weight of the power that hung in the air.

    The Fey King''s Council had gathered in the throne room, ready to discuss the Battle for the Throne with the Fey Princes. Ever since receiving the diagnosis of the Fey King''s health, they''ve all epted his fate. But as Elders of the Council, they needed to restore order and peace to the Pce and the citizens of Gdriel, and they could only do that by appointing the rightful heir to the throne.

    The six princes, Ardan, Ende, Cnthor, Gwyh, Tathariel, and Faeril, entered the room and stood before the council, each one sizing up the other.

    The atmosphere was tense as the council began to speak. "My Lords," the head councilman began, "as you all know, the Battle for the Throne is upon us. The rules are simple: each of you must enter the arena with your troops and fight each other, and thest one standing will be crowned the next ruler of the Fey Kingdom."

    Ende, the second eldest prince, spoke up with a note of caution in his voice. "And what of the schedule? When will the battle take ce?" she asked.

    The councilman replied, "The battle will take ce in one month. We have ensured that all preparations have been made, and the arena is ready to host thepetition."

    Ardan, the eldest prince, stepped forward with a look of determination on his face. "We are all aware of the stakes of this battle," he said, his voice firm. "But what of the consequences for those who do not emerge victorious?"

    The councilman replied, "Those who do not survive the battle will be honored in the Fey tradition, and their memories will be revered for generations toe."

    Cnthor, the third eldest prince, spoke up with a fierce glint in his eyes. "I, for one, will not leave anything to chance," he said. "I have trained my entire life for this moment, and I will emerge victorious."

    Tathariel, the fifth eldest prince, spoke with a note of caution. "We must all be mindful of our actions," he said. "Let us not let our ambitions get the best of us."

    The council nodded in agreement, and the meeting concluded. The six princes left the throne room, each with their own thoughts and strategies on how to emerge victorious in the Battle for the Throne.

    With that, the siblings began to exchange furtive nces, their wordsced with pretenses and hidden meanings. Each was aware of the other''s ambitions, and each knew that their siblings would stop at nothing to secure the throne for themselves. The air was thick with tension as they began to plot and scheme, their ns shrouded in secrecy as they vied for the ultimate prize.

    ***

    The Fey Princes dispersed to their own chambers, each deep in thought about their next move in the uing Battle for the Throne. Tathariel, the fifth eldest prince, retreated to his private chambers and began to study maps of the Fey Kingdom, trying to anticipate his siblings'' moves.

    As he was deep in thought, he heard a knock on his door. He opened it to find his brother, Ende, standing before him.

    "Tathariel," Ende said in a hushed tone, "we need to talk. The battle is only one month away, and we need to ensure that we''re not working against each other."

    Tathariel stared at him and nodded, his eyes locking with Ende''s. "I agree," he said. "What do you propose?"

    Ende stepped closer to her brother, his voice barely above a whisper. "We need to form an alliance," he said. "We are both strategic thinkers, and we can work together to outmaneuver our siblings."

    Tathariel''s eyes narrowed as he considered his older brother''s proposal. "And what of the others?" he asked. "What will they think if they find out?"

    Ende shrugged. "We''ll need to be careful," he said. "We can''t let anyone suspect that we''re working together. We can pretend to be at odds, but secretly help each other behind the scenes."

    Tathariel nodded slowly. "I see your point," he said. "But how can we trust each other?"

    Ende held out his hand, his gaze steady. "We''re family," she said. "We can trust each other. What do you say?"

    Tathariel took his sister''s hand, sealing their secret alliance. "I''m with you," he said. "Let''s win this battle together."

    The two of them discussed their ns for cooperation some more before Ende left Tathariel to rest.

    As soon as the door closes, Tathariel''s expression turned twisted in disgust. He inwardly sneered and said:<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''Alliance, my ass! I can smell Ardan''s perfume on him. I''m sure that the two of them are nning something against me.''

    ''They want to get rid of me first, huh? Well, then. Let''s see if you all have the ability to do so.''

    Tathariel didn''t sleep that night. He spent that time thinking of several strategies that will ensure his victory over his siblings.

    Now, only time will tell if his ns would bear fruit...

    ***

    The news of the Battle for the Throne had spread like wildfire throughout the Fey Kingdom, and themon folk was abuzz with talk of the uingpetition. In a small tavern on the outskirts of the capital city, a group ofmon fey folk gathered around a table, their voices hushed as they discussed the implications of the battle.

    "I heard that the Princes are all vying for the throne," said a young, doe-eyed faerie. "But what will happen to us if they start fighting each other?"

    A grizzled old centaur spoke up, his voice low and gravelly. "It won''t be good," he said. "When the powerful fight, it''s always the weak who suffer."

    A sprite chimed in, her voice high-pitched and worried. "What if the winner doesn''t like us? What if they take away our homes and our livelihoods?"

    A small, plump gnome spoke up, his voice surprisingly confident. "We must have faith in our new ruler," he said. "Whoever wins the throne will be the strongest and the most capable, and they will know how to lead us forward."

    The group fell silent, lost in thought as they contemted the possibilities of the uing battle.

    Just then, the tavern door burst open, and a group of rowdy faeries stumbled in, their voices loud and boisterous. They swaggered up to the table ofmon folk, sneering down at them.

    "Well, well, well," said the leader of the faeries, a tall, muscr brute with a wicked grin. "Looks like we have some worried little peasants here."

    The centaur stood up, his fists clenched at his sides. "We don''t want any trouble," he said. "We''re just talking."

    Just as the rowdy faeries were about to escte the situation, a tall, imposing figure suddenly entered their vision.

    It was a man who had stared at them icily, his gaze seemingly carrying a harrowing end to those who crosses him. Most of his features were covered by the hood he was wearing but the badge on his chest was enough to prove his authority.

    Themon folk breathed a sigh of relief when they recognized him as an Elite Member of the Demon ying Squad.

    Ashton strode forward, his sharp eyes locked onto the leader of the rowdy group.

    "You should watch your tongue," he said in a low voice, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "I won''t hesitate to arrest you if you cause any trouble."

    The faeries'' swagger faltered as they sobered up, realizing they had been caught in the act by an elite demon yer. "S-sorry," the faerie leader stammered, taking a step back. "We didn''t mean any harm."

    Ashton''s eyes flicked over to themon folk, and he gave them a reassuring nod. "Don''t worry," he said. "I''ll make sure everyone stays safe during the Battle for the Throne. It''s my duty as a member of the Demon ying Squad."

    Themon folk let out a collective sigh of relief, grateful for Ashton''s protection. They knew that the battle would be a dangerous time, but with someone like him watching over them, they felt a little bit safer.

    Ashton turned back to the faerie leader, his eyes shing with a grim reminder of what will happen if they challenge his authority.

    "Now, I suggest you and your friends leave before you cause any more trouble," he said. "And don''t even think about causing any problems during the battle. I''ll be watching."

    The faeries scrambled to their feet, quickly making their way out of the tavern. Ashton watched them go, his hand still resting on his sword hilt.

    He followed them out of the inn but didn''t go in the same direction as them. Instead, he was heading back to the guild with his thoughts unreadable.

 Chapter 316 Battle Of The Princes

    ---

    The day of the Battle for the Throne had arrived, and Ashton stood at attention alongside his fellow Elite Members of the Demon ying Squad. They were gathered in the Imperial Pce, having been hired by the council to serve as overseers and peacekeepers for the battle among the Fey Princes.

    Ashton''s eyes swept over the crowd present on the battlefield, taking note of their armor and weapons. He could feel the tension in the air, a palpable energy that crackled and hummed with anticipation. Each Prince here was vying for the throne, each one hoping to emerge victorious from the battle.

    Suddenly, the trumpets red, signaling the start of the battle. The crowd erupted into a cacophony of noise as the fey princes charged into the arena, their weapons glinting in the sunlight.

    Ashton watched carefully, his hand resting on the hilt of his staff. He could see that all of the Princes were skilled warriors, each one fighting with a fierce determination to emerge victorious. The ng of metal on metal echoed through the entire battlefield, the sound of battle filling the air.

    Ashton and the other Elite Members of the Demon ying Squad moved quickly through the crowds, hopping from one tree to the other, making sure that no one was causing any trouble. They were the peacekeepers, tasked with ensuring that the battle remained fair and that no one broke the rules.

    Ashton watched as one of the fey princes took a vicious blow, his armor cracking under the impact. He moved forward, his spells at the ready, prepared to intervene if necessary.

    But to his surprise, Ashton watched the injured Prince Tathariel being assisted by his older brother, Ende. He had expected the princes to fight with a cutthroat intensity, each one trying to eliminate the others in their quest for power.

    But seeing Prince Ende and Prince Tathariel work together to protect each other, Ashton realized that the situation might not be as cutthroat as he had thought. It was possible that these two princes had formed an alliance, agreeing to work together in order to ensure their mutual sess.

    Ashton''s mind raced as he considered the implications of this possibility. If Prince Ende and Prince Tathariel were indeed working together, it could mean that the battle for the throne was not as straightforward as he had thought. It would be much more difficult to predict the oue if the princes were working together, and it could potentially mean that the bnce of power in the fey kingdom was about to shift.

    ''Oops, I need to move on.'' Ashton inwardly hooted. His team had an agreement to perform rounds on the entire battlefield to ensure that they could see everything with a fresh perspective.

    This will allow them to pinpoint any strange urrences better and interfere when they are required to do so.

    Ashton then arrived at the other end of the battlefield and watched as the armies of Prince Gwyh and Prince Faeril shed on the battlefield.

    There were no onlookers aside from the Council, who were observing from a distance. Instead, the soldiers themselves hade out to fight, each one supporting their chosen prince.

    The battle was fierce and chaotic, with swords shing and magic spells flying through the air. It was clear that both sides were evenly matched, with neither gaining the upper hand.

    Ashton''s attention was drawn to Prince Faeril, who was standing at the back of his army, watching the battle unfold. There was something sinister about the way he was looking at the fight, something that made Ashton uneasy.

    Suddenly, Prince Faeril''s soldiers surged forward, their swords shing in the sun. They were moving with a speed and coordination that was almost supernatural, and it was clear that they had been given some sort of advantage.

    ''Ah! I see what''s going on here...'' Ashton reacted inwardly.

    As the battle raged on, Ashton saw that Prince Faeril had managed to bribe some of Prince Gwyh''s soldiers to switch sides. The treachery was brutal, with soldiers stabbing their formerrades in the back.

    Prince Gwyh himself fell victim to one such betrayal, struck down by a soldier he had once trusted. The prince''s death was a blow to his army, and they began to falter in the face of the enemy''s onught.

    ''Damn! What a sinister kid! I can''t believe that he''s the youngest out of them. He''s as sly as an old fox!'' Ashton once again reacted inwardly.

    ''I would kill for some popcorn and soda right now, not gonna lie. This is some really entertaining shit. The best part is I''m in the front seat too.''

    Prince Faeril approached the dying Prince Gwyh, who was lying on the ground, bleeding heavily.

    "You were a worthy opponent, Gwyh," Prince Faeril said, looking down at him with a mixture of respect and contempt.

    "Is this how you n to win the throne?" Gwyh gasped out, his breathing in ragged gasps.

    "By any means necessary," Prince Faeril replied coolly. "You should have known that, Gwyh. This is a battle for power, after all."

    Gwyh''s eyes flickered with anger and betrayal. "I thought you were different," he muttered, before coughing up a mouthful of blood.

    Prince Faeril knelt down beside him, his expression was unreadable. "You thought wrong," he said quietly, before standing up and walking away

    Prince Faeril''s army seized the opportunity and pushed forward, their soldiers fighting with ruthless efficiency. Ashton watched in horror as they cut down anyone who stood in their way.

    It was a decisive victory for Prince Faeril, who emerged from the battle victorious. But the cost had been high, with many soldiers on both sides dead or injured.

    Ashton could feel the tension in the air as the fey princes and their armies regrouped. It was clear that the battle for the throne was far from over, and that the stakes were higher than ever.

    ''Okay, that''s one Prince down.''

    ''Time to move to another location!''

    He followed the patrol route that his team agreed upon and ended up seeing another intense sh. This time, it''s between Prince Ardan, the eldest, versus Prince Cnthor.

    Ashton watched as Crown Prince Ardan led his army in a fierce battle against Prince Cnthor and his army. It was clear that Cnthor was at a disadvantage, as his army consisted mostly of inexperienced fighters.

    Ashton couldn''t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for Cnthor. It wasn''t his fault that he was born into a weaker position than his brothers. But at the same time, he couldn''t deny that Ardan and his soldiers were highly skilled warriors.

    ''It makes sense because he''d be alive for longer. He also has the best preparation out of all the Princes.'' Ashton mused to himself.

    The fighting was intense, with the sound of shing swords and battle cries filling the air. Ashton watched as Cnthor was pushed back, his army slowly losing ground to Ardan''s superior forces.

    It was clear that Cnthor was outmatched, and Ashton knew that if things continued this way, he would be eliminated with extreme prejudice.

    But then something unexpected happened. Prince Ende and Prince Tathariel, who had been watching the battle from a distance, suddenly intervened.

    ''Ohhhhh, shit!''

    Ashton watched in surprise as the two princes charged into the fray, their armies following close behind. It was clear that they were there to aid Cnthor.

    Ashton couldn''t help but wonder what the two princes were up to. Had they formed an alliance with Cnthor? Or were they simply trying to level the ying field?

    Either way, their intervention turned the tide of the battle. With the added reinforcements, Cnthor''s army was able to push back against Ardan''s forces.

    Ashton watched as the battle raged on, unsure of what would happen next. The atmosphere was tense, with everyone on edge as they waited to see who would emerge victorious.

    Ardan nced over at the grizzled veteran who had served as his advisor for years. "What do you suggest we do, old friend?" he asked.

    The veteran scratched his beard thoughtfully before replying, "Your Highness, I believe we should split our forces. Send half of our troops to take on Cnthor''s army head-on, while the other half goes after Ende and Tathariel. If we can take them down quickly, we can even the odds and turn the tide in our favor."

    Ardan nodded in agreement. "Good idea. But which half of the troops should we send where?"

    The veteran studied the battlefield for a moment before pointing to a group of soldiers. "Send those troops to take on Cnthor, Your Highness. They''re our strongest fighters and should be able to handle the challenge."

    Ardan nodded again. "Very well. And the other half goes to the conspirators?"

    "Yes. We will send them after Ende and Tathariel," the veteran said firmly. "Those two princes are not as experienced in battle as Cnthor. If we can take them down quickly, we can turn the tide of the battle in our favor."

    Ardan nodded once more, impressed with his advisor''s strategic thinking. "Very well," he said. "Let''s split our forces and go after them. We cannot let them defeat us!"

 Chapter 317 Ardans Struggles, Faerils Hustle

    As Ardan gave orders to his generals to split the army, he couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off. He had always been wary of Ende and Tathariel, and their sudden alliance with Cnthor seemed too convenient.

    As the armies separated, Ardan led a contingent towards Cnthor''s forces, while his other generals led the rest to face Ende and Tathariel''s army. The battlefield was chaotic, with magic and weapons shing in a deadly dance.

    Ardan and Cnthor met in the middle of the battlefield, their eyes locked in a fierce gaze. They charged toward each other, their weapons nging as they shed. Ardan knew he was the better fighter, but Cnthor was a master strategist, and he had nned for this battle for months.

    Meanwhile, As Ardan''s generals were struggling against Ende and Tathariel''sbined forces, they were outnumbered and outmatched, and it seemed like the battle was lost. Just as they were about to be overrun, a new force appeared on the horizon. It was Prince Faeril''s own army, led by his loyal generals and soldiers.

    They had secretly aligned with Ende and Tathariel, who in turn was helping Cnthor''s army, waiting for the opportune moment to turn the tide of the battle. With their powerful magic and deadly weapons, they attacked Ardan''s forces from behind, catching them off guard. Ardan realized toote that he had been outmaneuvered.

    As chaos ensued on the battlefield, Ardan and his generals fought valiantly, but it was clear that they were outnumbered and outmatched. Ardan knew he had to act fast if he wanted to save his army and win the Battle for the Throne.

    ''Damn, what a mess.'' Ashtonmented inwardly as he watch the chaos ensues.

    It''s clear that there have been some borate schemes that have beenid down here. None of it truly concerns him but as he and his team were here to act as...well, referees practically, these surprising developments are making it more difficult for them to do their jobs properly.

    But that doesn''t mean that it''s not entertaining. If he were to be honest, Ashton was greatly amused by these events.

    Back at the center of the battlefield, Ardan was struggling against Cnthor. He knew he couldn''t defeat him in a straight fight, so he had to resort to his wits. He feigned a misstep, and as Cnthor moved in for the kill, Ardan struck him with a powerful spell. Cnthor was thrown back, his body writhing in pain.

    Ardan realized that he had been outyed. His enemies had nned this all along, using his mistrust of Ende and Tathariel to their advantage. He knew he had to act fast if he wanted to save his army and win the Battle for the Throne.

    He was about to deliver the final blow to Cnthor when he heard a scream from the other side of the battlefield. He turned around to see that his army was in trouble again. He then saw what was happening and let out a string of curses.

    ''God damn it, Faeril! Why did you have to appear now!?'' Ardan cursed angrily inside his head.

    As the battle raged on, Ardan realized that he had to act fast if he wanted to turn the tide of the war in his favor. With his back against the wall, he took out a piece of jade that he had been carrying with him since the start of the battle.

    The Demon ying Squad saw that and startedmunicating with each other. Ashton, as the leader of his team, ryed words for them:

    ''Don''t interfere. Prince Ardan didn''t break the rules. He had jade registered when I and the Council inspected him earlier. It''s fair game still.''

    Ashton''s words were enough to pacify the rest of the Demon ying Squad. And when they checked the Fey King''s Council who was watching from a distance, they didn''t see them panicking or looking overly concerned, meaning that they indeed knew about the Crown Prince''s move.

    This piece of jade was a precious treasure that had been passed down through generations of Fey rulers. It was said that whoever possessed it could summon the blessings of the Ancient Fey, gaining immense power and strength.

    Ardan had never nned on using the jade, as he knew it was too valuable to risk losing in battle. But as he looked around and saw his army being pushed back by thebined forces of Faeril, Ende, and Tathariel, he knew that he had no choice.

    With a deep breath, Ardan raised the jade above his head and called out to the Ancient Fey for their aid. A bright light enveloped him and his army, and suddenly they felt their strength and power surge.

    ''Hoh...interesting.'' Ashton mused inwardly.

    He was no stranger to artifacts like this. And with his expertise in magic, Ashton could tell everything he needed to know about this relic.

    ''Is it going to be enough though? I guess we''ll see as the battle continues...''

    Thebined forces of Faeril, Ende, and Tathariel were taken aback by this sudden surge of power, and for a moment, they faltered. Ardan and his army seized the opportunity andunched a counter-attack, pushing back their enemies with renewed strength and vigor.

    As the battle continued, it became clear that Ardan''s decision to use the jade had been a game-changer. With their newfound strength, his army fought with renewed determination, slowly but surely gaining the upper hand.

    Now that his forces gained a significant boost in strength, Ardan''s worries lessened. He managed to buy time for himself. But before he could join his generals, he of course had to deal with the Third Prince first.

    Ardan approached Cnthor, he could see that the third prince was gravely injured, bloodied, and barely able to stand. Ardan raised his sword, ready to deliver the final blow and eliminate Cnthor from the Battle for the Thronepletely.

    But as he looked into Cnthor''s eyes, he saw something there that he had not expected. There was a look of resignation, almost eptance, that Ardan could recognize all too well.

    "Why are you fighting so hard for the throne?" Ardan asked, his voiceced with confusion. "Is it worth all this bloodshed and death?"

    Cnthor looked up at him, his eyes full of pain and sorrow. "You don''t understand, Ardan," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "This is all we have ever known. Our entire lives have been devoted to this struggle for power. To give it up now, to walk away...it is not so simple."

    Ardan felt a pang of sympathy for Cnthor, even as he knew that he had to deliver the final blow. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do.

    But then, he remembered all that had been sacrificed for this moment. All the blood, sweat, and tears shed by his army, his family, and himself. The burden of the crown was heavy, but it was one that he had to bear.

    With a heavy heart, Ardan raised his sword and delivered the final blow, ending Cnthor''s bid for the throne once and for all. As Cnthor fell to the ground, Ardan couldn''t help but feel a twinge of regret, knowing that this victory hade at a great cost.

    "Farewell, Dear Brother. I''ll cherish the memories we share together." Ardan whispered in the air along with Cnthor''s dying breath.

    ***

    As Ardan and his army secured their position, they could see that thebined forces of Ende, Tathariel, and Faeril were rallying for another assault. They could hear the sound of their war drums and the howls of their battle cries in the distance.

    Ardan knew that he had to act quickly if they were to have any chance of winning this battle. He rallied his generals and ordered them to gather what was left of their forces and prepare for a counterattack.

    "Together, we are stronger than any of them alone," Ardan said, his voice steady andmanding. "We will fight for our people, for ournd, and for our right to rule. We will not let them take that away from us."

    With that, Ardan and his army charged toward the enemy lines, their swords, and shields at the ready. They shed with End''s, Tathariel''s, and Faeril''s forces, exchanging blows and blocking attacks.

    But even with the blessings of Ancient Fey, Ardan knew that they were outnumbered and outmatched. They were slowly being pushed back, losing ground with each passing moment.

    Just when all seemed lost, Ardan saw a glimmer of hope on the horizon. The army of Prince Faeril, who had been holding back until now, suddenly did an expected move, attacking End''s and Tathariel''s forces from the rear.

    The sudden turn of events caught End, Tathariel, and their forces off guard. They were unable to mount a proper defense, and within minutes, thebined forces of Ardan and Faeril managed to gain the upper hand.

    ''Oh, damn! Damn! What a sinister kid!''

    Ashton wanted tough really. Prince Faeril continued to surprise him with his cunning and sinister strategies.

    Prince Faeril might be the youngest but he certainly had the fangs of a venomous snake. He''s leveling out the ying field by using his cards correctly and honestly, Ashton respects his hustle...

 Chapter 318 Foul Play

    The Battle for the Throne continues with things getting more intense and even more chaotic...

    Prince Ardan just finished dealing with Prince Cnthor. Making that two Princes down, with four left.

    Ardan used a relic to defend against thebined forces of Ende, Tathariel, and Faeril but even with that, Ardan was still at a disadvantage.

    But just as the tide of battle seemed to be turning in their favor, a sudden betrayal shook the ground beneath them. Prince Faeril, the youngest of the feuding princes, had turned on his former allies, plunging a dagger into the back of Prince Ende and leaving him to die on the battlefield.

    Prince Tathariel''s eyes widened in shock as he saw hisrade fall, and he turned to confront Faeril, his sword drawn. "You traitorous scum!" he spat, his voice trembling with rage. "How dare you betray us like this?"

    Faeril grinned wickedly, his eyes glinting with malice. "I did what was necessary to win," he replied, his voice dripping with contempt. "You and Ende were weak, and you would have led us all to defeat. Now, with your armies in shambles, I can im the throne for myself."

    Tathariel''s grip on his sword tightened as he prepared to strike, but he hesitated, his mind racing with conflicting emotions. He had known Faeril since they were children, and he had never suspected that his brother was capable of such treachery. But now, as he looked into Faeril''s cold, calcting eyes, he realized that he had been blind to the truth all along.

    "Very well," he said, his voice cold and controlled. "If it is a battle you want, then it is a battle you shall have. But know this, Faeril: you will pay for your betrayal with your blood."

    Tathariel was shaken by Faeril''s sudden betrayal. He had never expected this from his youngest brother, and the sight of Ende copsing to the ground with a dagger in his back filled him with a cold, sickening dread. But even as his heart pounded with fear and shock, a part of him couldn''t help but feel a sense of grim satisfaction.

    He had suspected for some time that Ende was working with Ardan and that he would eventually betray him as well. But with Faeril''s sudden move, Ende had been eliminated, lessening Tathariel''s worries. Now, he only had to deal with Faeril and Ardan, and then the throne would be his.

    As he charged at Faeril, his mind raced with calctions and ns. He knew that his brother was cunning and quick-witted, but he also knew that he had a weakness: his arrogance. Faeril had always believed himself to be the smartest and most powerful of the princes, and Tathariel knew that he could use that against him.

    Their swords shed again and again, sending sparks flying in all directions. Tathariel''s muscles strained with the effort of holding Faeril at bay, but he kept his mind focused on the prize. He would not let his brother''s treachery go unpunished, and he would not rest until he sat upon the Fey Throne.

    As they circled each other, Tathariel''s thoughts turned to Ardan. He knew that the eldest prince would be waiting for him, plotting his own moves behind the scenes. But Tathariel was ready for him. He had spent years preparing for this moment, studying the art of war and honing his skills inbat. And now, with Faeril''s blood on his sword, he was more determined than ever to im what was rightfully his.

    "Your time is up, Faeril," he growled, pressing his advantage. "Your treachery has sealed your fate."

    And with that, he struck, his sword shing in the sunlight as he aimed for Faeril''s heart.

    But suddenly, the youngest prince reached into his cloak and pulled out a small, ckened shard of stone. It glinted in the sunlight, and Tathariel felt a chill run down his spine.

    "What is that?" he demanded, his voice low and menacing.

    Faeril smirked, holding up the shard for Tathariel to see. "This, dear brother, is a piece of a Demonic Relic," he said, his voice low and ominous. "Simr to what Ardan used earlier, but far more...sinister."

    And with that, he plunged the shard into his chest, his body writhing in agony as ck smoke poured out of his mouth and nostrils. Tathariel stepped back in horror as he watched his brother''s form contort and twist, his skin turning ck and scaly as horns erupted from his forehead.

    "I am reborn," Faeril hissed, his voice now low and gravelly. "As a Halfling Demon, with the power of Necromancy at my fingertips. And you, dear brother, are no match for me."

    Tathariel felt a cold sweat break out across his skin as he saw the evil glint in Faeril''s eyes.

    Then, he saw how the dead suddenly rose. ck smoke surrounded them and a sinister aura started covering the entire battlefield.

    Even the fallen Princes couldn''t escape Faeril''s grip, for they too also rose up from the dead and became living corpses, seeking to devour all life in front of him.

    Tathariel trembled. He knew that his brother was lost to him now, consumed by the darkness that had overtaken him. But even as his heart pounded with fear, a small voice in the back of his mind whispered a warning: be careful what you wish for. For even, the most powerful demons could be destroyed, if one had the courage and the will to do so.

    Prince Ardan watched in horror as his brother transformed into a demon before his eyes. He had seen the darkness creeping into Faeril''s soul over the past few months, but he had never imagined that it woulde to this. Faeril was lost to him now, consumed by his own lust for power.

    Beside him, Tathariel was tense and ready, his sword at the ready. They were both determined to end Faeril''s reign of terror, even if it meant sacrificing their own lives in the process. But just as they were about to make their move, a figure appeared on the horizon, riding towards them on a white steed.

    It was a man wearing a white cloak and carrying a staff, with a gentle but stern expression on his face. He wore a badge on his cloak that identified him as an Elite Member of the Demon ying Squad. Ardan and Tathariel exchanged a quick nce, then stepped back, their swords still at the ready. They knew of the Demon yers, but they had never seen them in action. They were not sure what to expect, especially since the one who arrived was supposed to be a healer instead of abat specialist.

    The man dismounted from his steed and strode towards Faeril, his staff held out in front of him. "I''vee to deal with the demon," he said, his voice low andmanding. "Stand aside."

    Ardan and Tathariel hesitated, unsure of what to do. But there was something about the man''s presence thatmanded their respect. They lowered their swords and stepped back, watching as he approached Faeril.

    Ashton faced the halfling, his face was expressionless but his thoughts were loud.

    ''Well, I can''t say I didn''t see thising.'' He mused inwardly. ''The seed of evil in this kid''s heart has bloomed into a sinister sprout.''

    "Usage of Demon Relics are strictly forbidden, not just in the Battle for the Throne but also ording to Fey Traditions. Prince Faeril''s offense is unforgivable and he shall be eliminated with extreme prejudice." Ashton''s authoritative voice echoed across the battlefield.

    The demon prince snarled and lunged at the man, his ws shing in the sunlight. But Ashton was quick, dodging and weaving with the grace of a dancer. He parried Faeril''s blows with ease, then struck back with a fierce counterattack.

    He''s facing Faeril alone. The other Demon yers were dispatched to seal the entire battlefield to ensure that the demon won''t get away.

    The two figures circled each other, their weapons shing in a shower of sparks. Tathariel and Ardan watched from the sidelines, their hearts pounding with anticipation. They had never seen anything like this before.

    In the end, it was Ashton who emerged victorious. With a swift stroke of his staff, he dispelled the dark energy that had been consuming Faeril''s soul. The demon prince''s body dissolved into a cloud of ck smoke, his screams echoing through the air before fading into silence.

    Ardan and Tathariel stared in shock at the scene before them. They had lost a brother today, but they had also gained a newfound respect for the Demon ying Squad.

    With a swing of Ashton''s staff, he released a pulse of white light that also eliminated the corpses that Faeril raised earlier. When the white light touched them, the corpses turned into ash, scattering with the wind and not leaving a trace behind.

    The corruption that spread across the battlefield was also cleared by Ashton.

    After ensuring that there wasn''t a trace of the demon left, Ashton faced the remaining Princes and addressed them:

    "Pardon our intrusion. The demon is gone, he won''t be a threat anymore. You two can continue your fight. We will remain watching over the fight so that there would be no foul y after this."

    And with that, Ashton and the rest of the Demon ying Squad blended into the surroundings once more, leaving the Princes to figure out how they should continue their fight.

 Chapter 319 End Of The Battle

    The sun had risen high over the battlefield, casting long shadows across the barrenndscape. The armies of the two fey princes were lined up on opposite sides, each waiting for the signal to charge.

    Fey Prince Ardan, the Eldest, stood at the head of his army, his eyes locked onto his opponent across the field.

    Tathariel, the 6th Fey Prince, stood tall and proud at the head of his own army, his sword drawn and ready for battle.

    Ardan''s heart was heavy with the weight of the lives lost in this war. He had fought for so long, and still, victory eluded him. He took a deep breath and looked around at his troops. They were exhausted, but determined to fight to the bitter end. He knew he had to lead them to victory, no matter the cost.

    Tathariel was equally exhausted, but his mind was sharp and focused on the task at hand. He knew that this battle could be the one that decided the fate of the throne. His troops were ready and waiting, and he could feel the energy coursing through their ranks.

    Suddenly, the signal to charge was given, and both armies surged forward. The sh of swords and the sound of battle cries filled the air. Ardan fought with all his might, his sword shing in the sunlight as he battled his way through the enemy ranks. Tathariel was equally fierce, his sword a blur as he fought to defend his position.

    As the battle raged on, it became clear that victory was far from certain for either side. The sound of metal against metal echoed across the field as the two armies fought tooth and nail for control. Ardan and Tathariel locked eyes once more, both knowing that the oue of this battle would decide the fate of their people.

    The fighting continued for what seemed like an eternity, until finally, the dust began to settle. Ardan emerged from the fray, his sword stained with blood, and his eyes zing with triumph. Tathariely at his feet, defeated but unbroken.

    Ardan raised his sword to the sky, letting out a victorious cry that echoed across the battlefield. The war was over, and he had emerged victorious.

    But as he looked around at the devastation that surrounded him, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of emptiness. The cost of victory was too high. So many lives were lost, and so much pain and suffering were inflicted upon both sides. Ardan realized that there was no true winner in war, only those who survived and those who did not.

    As he looked at Tathariel''s lifeless body, Ardan felt a wave of sorrow wash over him. He had respected and even admired his opponent''s strength and determination. He knew that Tathariel had fought for what he believed in, just as he had.

    Ardan sheathed his sword and kneeled beside Tathariel''s body, paying hisst respects to the fallen prince. Suddenly, he heard a faint groan, and to his surprise, Tathariel stirred.

    "Tathariel?" Ardan called out, surprised by the sudden movement.

    The badly injured Prince opened his eyes and stared at Ardan, his gaze cold and filled with anger. "You," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "You won."

    Ardan nodded, his eyes filled with sadness. "Yes, we did. But at a great cost."

    Tathariel struggled to sit up, his expression twisted with pain and anger. "I was so close," he hissed. "I could have won, if only..."

    "If only what?" Ardan asked, his tone gentle.

    "If only I had been stronger," Tathariel replied bitterly. "If only I had trained harder, fought smarter. Maybe then I would have won."

    Ardan shook his head. "Strength and skill are important, but they are not everything. Sometimes, it is not enough to be the strongest or the most skilled. You fought bravely, Tathariel, and that is what counts."

    Tathariel red at him, his eyes zing. "Don''t patronize me, Ardan. I know what it takes to win, and I didn''t have it. I failed my people, and now they will suffer because of my weakness."

    Ardan sighed. "No, Tathariel. You didn''t fail your people. You fought for what you believed in, and you gave it your all. That is all anyone can ask for. The oue of the battle was not solely in your hands, and there is no shame in losing when you fought with honor and courage."

    Tathariel looked at him, his expression softening slightly. "You always were a wise one, Ardan," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I only wish I could have seen things as clearly as you do."

    The 6th Prince''s breathing turnedbored. Seeing that, Ardan knew that he doesn''t have much time left.

    He then felt Tathariel cing a hand on his shoulders. He gasped and stared at his younger brother, his expression was sorrowful but focused.

    "...be a Good King, and please, don''t forget about us."

    Those were Tathariel''sst words before he drew hisst breath, dying at the arms of his Eldest Brother.

    Ardan felt a deep sense of sadness as Tathariel took hisst breath in his arms. He had hoped that the fallen prince would recover, but it was not meant to be. Ardan closed Tathariel''s eyes gently, feeling regretful but knowing that he had done what must be done.

    He then stood up and turned to his own troops, many of whom were injured or dying. He knew that the road to rebuilding would be long and difficult, but he also knew that it was the only way forward.

    He raised his voice above the sounds of battle still echoing in the distance, calling for his troops toy down their arms and cease the fighting. They had won the war but at too great a cost. The fighting should stop now since he has won. He doesn''t want any bloodshed to happen today since there have already been too many.

    ''The rest of my brothers don''t even have an intact body that we can use for their wake.'' Ardan thought painfully. He med Faeril for this.

    If there''s something whom he wouldn''t miss, it''d be the youngest prince due to his sinister schemes.

    As the sun set over the battlefield, Ardan and his troops collected themselves. The remaining armies of other princes alreadyid down their arms and surrendered.

    The fight was over. Ardan won. And now, he and his troops stood before the Council of Elders.

    The Council of Fey Elders sat in solemn silence as Prince Ardan and what remained of his army stood before them. After a moment, one of the elders spoke up.

    "We have witnessed your victory, Prince Ardan," he said, his voice filled with reverence. "You have shown great courage and strength in battle, and we hail you as the rightful heir to the Throne of the Fey King."

    Ardan bowed his head respectfully. "I am honored by your words, Elders," he replied. "But I do not take this victory lightly. It was a hard-fought battle, and we lost many of our brothers in the process."

    Another elder spoke up, his voice grave. "We mourn the loss of our fallen brothers, Prince Ardan. But we also recognize the importance of this victory. You have proven yourself a worthy leader, and we have faith that you will lead our people with wisdom andpassion."

    Ardan nodded. "I understand the weight of this responsibility," he said. "I promise to honor the memory of our fallen brothers and to lead our people to a brighter future."

    The third elder spoke, his voice calm and measured. "It will not be an easy road, Prince Ardan. There are many challenges ahead, and our people are in need of a strong and just leader."

    Ardan looked at him steadily. "I am aware of the challenges we face, Elder. But I am also confident that together, we can ovee them. I pledge to work tirelessly for the good of our people and to lead with integrity and honor."

    There was a moment of silence as the elders looked at each other, seemingly in agreement. Finally, the first elder spoke again.

    "Very well, Prince Ardan. We trust in your leadership and pledge our support to you. May your reign be long and prosperous, and may the memory of our fallen brothers never be forgotten."

    Ardan bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, Elders. I will do my best to live up to your trust."

    As he stood there, Ardan made a solemn promise to himself and to his fallen brothers. He would be a just and wise ruler, and he would honor their memory by leading their people withpassion and strength.

    He then noticed the Elite Team of the Demon ying Squad gathered on the side. They were talking amongst each other, seemingly nning to leave as well now that their mission was done.

    The Prince walked up to them...to Ashton more specifically. Thetter discovered him and performed a curt bow.

    "Congrattions on your victory, Prince Ardan. And I''m very sorry about the rest of you siblings."

    "You did what you could, Kind Sir. I want to thank you foring to our aid earlier. If it weren''t for you, Faeril might''ve ruined everything."

    "I''m just doing my job, Your Highness." Ashton smiled.

    His eyes emitted a rainbow-colored radiance which Ardan noticed but didn''t point out. Then Ashton bowed to him once more and said:

    "I''m looking forward to your coronation, Prince Ardan. I''m sure you''ll do well. Now, if you could please excuse us."

    Ashton then retreated and went back to his team, leading them out of the battlefield and back to the guild.

 Chapter 320 Moving On, Demon-Infested Areas

    Ashton walked through the crowded streets of the Fey capital, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling city. He heard the murmurs of themon folk as they spoke excitedly about the new Fey King who had been coronated just a few days ago.

    He couldn''t help but smile to himself as he heard their chatter. He knew that the new king was going to be a good one, thanks to his own intervention. You see, Ashton had used his ability to hypnotize others and nt suggestions in their minds to the Fey King.

    Ashton had used this gift to his advantage, hypnotizing the new Fey King and nting the suggestion that he should be a just and righteous ruler for his people. And from what Ashton had heard from themon folk, it seemed like his n was working.

    For a mage of his caliber, what he did would remain unknown to many people unless he deliberately exposes himself, which he had no ns of ever doing.

    Leaving the hubbub of the crowds behind, Ashton made his way toward the Adventurer''s Guild. Since the situation in this ce returned to normal, it''s time for him to move on.

    ***

    Ashton and the Guildmaster sat across from each other in the Guildmaster''s office. Ashton had just declined the offer to be a captain of a team, and the Guildmaster was trying to understand why.

    "Are you sure about this, Ashton?" the Guildmaster asked, his expression serious. "You have the potential to be one of the best captains we''ve ever had. You could lead a team of demon yers and make a real difference in the world."

    Ashton sighed, knowing that he needed to exin himself. "I appreciate the offer, Guildmaster, but I have a different path that I need to follow. I want to go out and explore, to see the world and y demons along the way. There''s so much out there that we haven''t discovered yet, and I want to be the one to find it."

    The Guildmaster looked skeptical, but he could see the determination in Ashton''s eyes. "I understand your desire for adventure, Ashton, but you need to be careful out there. The world is a dangerous ce, and there are powerful demons that even you may not be able to defeat."

    Ashton nodded, understanding the risks. "I know the dangers, Guildmaster. But I also know that I have the skills to handle whateveres my way. And besides, now that Sylvenvale is stable, I have no reason to stay here any longer."

    The Guildmaster sighed, knowing that he couldn''t change Ashton''s mind. "Very well, Ashton. But promise me that you''ll be careful out there. And if you ever need our help, just send word, and we''ll be there for you."

    Ashton smiled, grateful for the Guildmaster''s concern. "Thank you, Guildmaster. I''ll make sure to keep in touch."

    He gave the guild master some of his unique trinkets and exined to him how to use each one. This was his way of returning the kindness that the guild has given to him during his brief stay here.

    As Ashton walked out of the Guildmaster''s office, he felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. He was finally free to pursue his mission without any distractions.

    He made sure that nobody notices his disappearance. So far, only the Guildmaster knew of his ns, and he''d like it to stay that way. He''s never been good at goodbyes anyway.

    In truth, there was a reason why Ashton wanted to leave Sylvenvale. He had a karmic debt to repay, a debt that he had incurred back in the day, and now''s the time for him to put his entire focus on repaying it.

    Helping one Fey Ruler was far from enough. He also didn''t like the idea of bing a ruler either since in reality, he doesn''t belong here. The Fey Race weren''t his people.

    To pursue his goal here, Ashton decided to do it by himself.

    Ashton didn''t want to burden anyone else with his personal mission, which was why he had rejected the offer to be a captain of a team. He knew that he needed to do this alone, with as little or, preferably, without any interference from anyone else.

    He was powerful enough to handle anything that came his way, and he would be able to move more freely if he was alone. He had no idea how long his mission would take, but he was determined to see it through to the end.

    As Ashton left the Demon ying Squad''s headquarters and made his way to the edge of the Great Forest, he felt a sense of excitement and apprehension. He knew that he was embarking on a dangerous journey, but he was also filled with a sense of purpose that he hadn''t felt in a long time.

    He paused at the edge of the forest, looking out at the vast expanse of the world beyond. He knew that he had a long journey ahead of him, but he was ready for whatever came his way.

    ***

    Out of the Sylvenvale Great Forest, Asnton had five ces in mind that he could certainly go.

    These ces were something that he had learned of back when he was still studying the tomes and books he found on the Adventurer''s and Mage''s Guild.

    Each one was deeply infested with demons, which was exactly the reason why he was inclined to visit them.

    Here are the ces he had in mind:

    ? The Ruins of Ashenfort: The Ruins of Ashenfort are the remains of an ancient city that was once a bustling center of trade and culture. However, a powerful demon lord and its minions invaded the city and destroyed it, leaving behind nothing but ruins and demonic energies.

    The ruins are now home to many powerful demons, including the demon lord who led the invasion. The demon lord is said to be one of the most powerful in the world, and its minions are equally fierce. The ruins themselves are treacherous, with crumbling buildings and hidden traps that can catch unwary travelers off guard. Even the bravest demon yers would need to be cautious here.

    ? The Abyssal Caverns: The Abyssal Caverns are awork of tunnels and chambers that extend deep beneath the Starfall Mountains. The caverns are said to be filled with dark magic and dangerous traps, making them a treacherous ce for even the most skilled demon yers.

    The caverns are home to many powerful demons, including several demon lords who use the caverns as theirirs. Some parts of the caverns are filled with toxic gas or flooded with water, and the caverns are also said to be infested with demonic creatures that are not seen anywhere else in the world.

    ? The Blood Marsh: The Blood Marsh is a foul and twisted ce where the very air is poisoned by the demonic energy that permeates thend. The marsh is filled with twisted trees, stagnant pools of blood, and twisted vines that seem to reach out and grab at anything thates too close. The marsh is home to many powerful demon lords, as well as their hordes of demonic minions.

    The marsh is also filled with dangerous traps, hidden pitfalls, and quicksand pits, making it a very difficult ce to navigate. The demonic energy in the Blood Marsh is so strong that it can cause madness in those who spend too much time there, so even the most experienced demon yers would need to be cautious.

    The Tower of Despair: The Tower of Despair is a massive structure that was built by a group of powerful mages who were experimenting with demonic magic. However, their experiments went horribly wrong, and the tower was consumed by demonic energies, turning it into a ce of darkness and evil.

    The tower is now home to many powerful demons, including the demon lord who was summoned by the mages. The tower is filled with traps and dangerous creatures, and its architecture is designed to confuse and disorient anyone who tries to navigate it. The tower''s demonic energy is so strong that it can cause physical and mental harm to those who are not careful.

    And finally...

    The Temple of Nightmares: The Temple of Nightmares is an ominous and foreboding structure, cloaked in darkness and shrouded in mystery. It was constructed centuries ago by an ancient civilization, whose purpose for building it has long been lost to time.

    The temple is said to hold a powerful and malevolent force that has driven many who have entered it to madness or worse. It is rumored that the temple was built to contain an otherworldly entity, a being so horrific that it has the power to induce terrifying nightmares in all who dare approach it.

    The temple is guarded by a host of nightmarish creatures, each more fearsome than thest. Its dark and winding corridors are filled with traps and obstacles that are designed to ensnare and destroy any who venture too close. The temple''s ancient and mystical powers are so potent that even its very walls seem to pulse with a life of their own, capable of bending and distorting reality.

    All of these are ces that just tickle Ashton''s curiosity, and it just so happens that they were close to Sylvenvale so he didn''t have to go that far.

    It has been a while since he had truly let loose. Since the System lifted some of his restrictions, Ashton had been looking for a way to vent out his frustrations. And his nned visit to these ces might just be enough to satiate his need to kill some abominations.

 Chapter 321 Starfall Mountains: Abyssal Cavern

    Ashton soared through the sky, his robes fluttering in the wind as he scanned the horizon for his destination. He was a mage, and he knew countless spells that could aid him on his quest. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a gust of wind to propel him higher into the air, closer to the Starfall Mountains.

    After flying for a couple of hours, Ashton finally saw his destination from a distance.

    The mountains loomed ahead of him, their jagged peaks reaching toward the heavens. But Ashton wasn''t intimidated. He focused his mind and channeled his magic into his Elder Wood long staff, which glowed with a faint blue light.

    As he soared over the mountains, he caught sight of the entrance to the Abyssal Caverns. It was impossible to miss, for it oozed a sickly green aura of corruption, tainting the very air around it.

    The entrance was perched on a narrow ledge, high above the ground. Ashton''s heart sank at the sight. He knew that the corruption wasn''t limited to just the caverns - it was seeping out, spreading like cancer throughout the mountains and beyond. With a whispered incantation, he conjured a tform of shimmering light beneath his feet andnded gently on the ledge.

    As Ashton approached the Starfall Mountains, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease. The air around him was thick with palpable darkness, and he could feel the weight of the demonic corruption pressing in on him.

    ''Yep, there''s no mistaking this feeling. Smells like Demons, alright. And the corruption here runs deep.'' Ashtonmented inwardly, grimacing at the sight.

    This wasn''t just a problem that could be solved by clearing out the demons from the caverns. The corruption ran far deeper than that. It was cancer that threatened to consume all of Elstar, and it would take more than just his magic to stop it.

    As Ashtonnded on the narrow ledge outside the entrance to the Abyssal Caverns, he immediately sensed that he was not alone. A group of mountain demons had sensed his arrival and were now closing in on him, their eyes glowing with a fierce hunger.

    The Mountain Demons were creatures of pure malice and fury, with twisted, misshapen forms that seemed to defy allws of nature. They were covered in matted fur that ranged from a sickly brown to a deep, oily ck, and their eyes glowed with a fierce, crimson light that seemed to burn with an otherworldly energy.

    Their faces were like something out of a nightmare, with snarling, jagged teeth that dripped with acidic saliva, and elongated, pointed ears that twitched at even the slightest sound. Their hands were tipped with razor-sharp ws that glinted in the dim light, and their feet ended in twisted, gnarled talons that could grip onto even the sheerest of cliffs.

    But what truly set them apart was the way they moved. They were like liquid shadows, slinking and crawling along the jagged rocks with a grace that was both eerie and awe-inspiring. They seemed to defy gravity, leaping and clinging to the cliffsides with a fluid ease that seemed to border on the supernatural.

    And when they attacked, they were like a hurricane of ws and teeth, tearing at their opponents with almost feral ferocity. They moved with a speed that was impossible for creatures of their size, their movements quick and precise, almost like a dance.

    All in all, the Mountain Demons were creatures that inspired fear and dread in all who saw them. They were the stuff of legends and nightmares, creatures born of the dark and twisted corners of the world, and they were not to be trifled with.

    Without hesitation, Ashton raised his Elder Wood longstaff and channeled his magic into it, ready to face the demons head-on.

    The first demon charged at him, its ws extended, but Ashton was ready. He sidestepped the attack and sent a bolt of lightning crackling through the air, striking the demon and sending it tumbling over the edge of the ledge.

    But there were more demons where that one came from. Another charged at him, and Ashton ducked under its swinging ws and sent a burst of fire at its back, sending it reeling.

    Ashton moved with lightning speed, his longstaff a blur as he unleashed a barrage of spells at the demons. Lightning, fire, ice - he used them all.

    He saw how the Mountain Demons got hurt but manages to recover in just a few seconds after they got him by his spells. This confirmed that these demons were gifted with the same false immortality that he was all too familiar with.

    ''Unfortunately for you guys, I just have this spell that counters that.'' He muttered inwardly.

    He focused his magic on the Purifying White mes spell, a spell that was known to be extremely effective against demons. The spell created a white-hot ze that burned away all corruption and evil, neutralizing the false immortality that demons possessed.

    As the first demon charged at him, Ashton unleashed the Purifying White mes spell, sending a zing wave of fire at the demon. The demon screeched in agony as the mes engulfed it, burning away its demonic essence and reducing it to ash.

    The other demons hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. But then they charged at him, determined to avenge their fallenrade.

    Ashton stood his ground, his longstaff crackling with magic as he unleashed the Purifying White mes spell again and again. The demons were caught off-guard by the spell''s power, and they fell one by one, their false immortality stripped away by the intense heat of the mes.

    "And that''s all there is to it." Ashton said as he dusted his clothes and proceeded to enter the Abyssal Caverns.

    ***

    As Ashton entered the Abyssal Caverns, he was immediately struck by the eerie atmosphere that permeated the ce. The air was thick and musty, with a faint hint of brimstone that made his eyes water.

    The walls were jagged and rough, with deep crevices that seemed to go on forever. The rock formations were twisted and distorted as if the very essence of the ce was alive and writhing in agony. The floor was slick with a thick, ck sludge that squelched underfoot, and the air was thick with a faint, acrid scent that made Ashton''s stomach turn.

    As he ventured further into the caverns, he saw that the walls were covered in strange, glowing runes that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy. The runes glowed with a sickly green light, casting grotesque shadows that seemed to writhe and twist in the darkness.

    The deeper he went, the more Ashton sensed that he was not alone. He heard whispers and murmurs as if a thousand voices were speaking at once, and he felt a presence, watching him from the shadows.

    He pressed on, his Longstaff at the ready, his eyes scanning the darkness for any signs of danger. And then, he saw it - a flicker of movement in the shadows, a sh of teeth and ws.

    Without hesitation, Ashton raised his Longstaff and unleashed a burst of magic, illuminating the caverns with a bright, white light. And as the light spread, he saw the horrors thaty ahead - demons, twisted and deformed, their eyes glowing with a sickly red light.

    For a moment, Ashton hesitated. He had never seen demons like this before - they wererger, more twisted, and more malevolent than any he had ever faced.

    Ashton focused his mind and called upon the power of the Purifying White mes, unleashing a torrent of holy fire that engulfed the demon. The demon shrieked and writhed, but it was no match for Ashton''s powerful magic. In a matter of moments, the demon was reduced to ashes, leaving nothing behind.

    Or so he thought.

    As Ashton stepped forward to inspect the ashes, he saw something strange - a body, lying among the ashes. This was unusual; the Purifying White mes were known to reduce demons to specks of ash, leaving nothing behind.

    Ashton approached the body cautiously, his senses on high alert. As he examined the body, he felt a sense of shock wash over him - the body was that of a Fey, like him.

    Ashton''s heart sank. He had encountered a Fey that had sumbed to demonic corruption before, but that one didn''t leave a body behind so this was strange for him.

    But as he examined the body more closely, he realized that something was not quite right. The demon he had just fought had not been a demon at all. This one seems like an experiment more like. He could sense the source of corruption on the body, and it has a limited amount of demonic corruption in it.

    This person didn''t turn corrupted entirely, which was probably why there was a body left behind.

    Ashton''s mind raced with questions. How had this happened? And most importantly, what did this mean for his mission to purify the caverns? He felt a chill run down his spine as he considered the implications of what he had just discovered.

 Chapter 322 Corrupted Fey

    Ashton knelt beside the unconscious Fey, surprisingly, they weren''t dead. He decided to heal the poor thing so he ced his hands on their body, his hands glowing with healing magic.

    ''It''s a woman.'' He points out after inspecting his patient closely.

    He focused his mind and channeled his power into her, mending her broken body and purging thest remnants of demonic corruption from her being.

    As the healing magic flowed through her, Ashton studied the woman''s features, trying to discern any clue as to her identity or how she had be corrupted. But she was a stranger to him, and he could only wait for her to wake up and reveal the truth.

    Once he was satisfied that he had done all he could, Ashton erected a formation barrier around them. The barrier would keep them isted from the rest of the caverns and protect them from any further attacks.

    As he sat there, waiting for the woman to awaken, Ashton''s mind raced with questions. Who was she? How had she fallen to the demonic corruption? And most importantly, how could he help her?

    He wasn''t expecting to meet someone here. He didn''t expect to be in this kind of situation either.

    But he knew that he could not rush her recovery. All he could do was wait and hope that she would be able to provide him with the answers

    ***

    After an hour or so, the woman started regaining consciousness, she was initially disoriented and confused. She thrashed about, screaming and pleading for someone to stop the pain. But as she realized that she was safe and sound, she began to calm down.

    As she looked around, she saw Ashton and tensed up, ready to defend herself. But as she saw that he was a Fey like her, she rxed a bit.

    "Who are you?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

    "My name is Ashton," he replied. "I''m a Fey, like you. I came here to investigate the demonic corruption when I got attacked by a demon. I killed it and it turns out to be you. Now, I want an exnation since I''ve seen a situation like this before. Can you tell me what happened?"

    Eira nodded slowly, taking in this information. She began to rx even more, realizing that she was in the presence of a fellow Fey.

    The woman''s name was Eira, and she was a powerful Fey mage who had been part of a team tasked with exploring the Abyssal Caverns. Eira and her teammates had been investigating reports of demonic corruption in the area, but things had gone horribly wrong.

    She then began to tell her story. Eira and her team had been investigating the Abyssal Caverns for weeks, trying to root out the source of the demonic corruption. They had thought that they were making progress, but they had been caught off-guard by a powerful demon and its minions.

    The demon had overwhelmed them, corrupting her teammates one by one until Eira was the only one left. She had been badly injured in the fight, and she had barely managed to make it to the spot where Ashton had found her but that''s when her memories turned blurry. She expected that this was also around the time when she turned into a corrupted fey.

    Ashton listened to Eira''s story, feeling sorry for her and her team. He knew that he had to do something to stop the demonic corruption before it spread any further. But first, he had to help Eira recover and regain her strength.

    He gave her some food and drinks, and she wolfed them down. Eira caught herself in the act and felt embarrassed by what she did, however Ashton didn''t seem to mind at all.

    Ashton handed Eira a water skin, which she gratefully took a sip from before continuing with her story.

    "The demon we faced was unlike any I''ve ever seen before," Eira began. "It was massive, easily twice the size of a normal demon. It had ck scales that shimmered like obsidian and eyes that glowed with a sickly green light. Its roar shook the caverns, and its ws could tear through stone like it was butter."

    Ashton listened intently, his mind racing with the possibilities of what they were up against.

    He couldn''t help but think that there seems to be more Demon Types in this world unlike with his original one. He noted this aspect and threw it at the back of his mind since he needed to focus on the current situation.

    "And...you said there was a ritual right?" he prompted, wanting to know more about the corruption that had overtaken Eira.

    Eira''s expression turned grim as she recalled the event. "We found a group of cultists performing a ritual in a chamber deep within the caverns," she said. "They were summoning a powerful demon, and they needed sacrifices to do it."

    "My teammates and I tried to stop them, but they overpowered us. They used us as sacrifices in the ritual, and I was the only one who managed to survive the transformation."

    Ashton frowned at Eira''s words. The cultists were clearly in league with the demons, and they were working to bring about something truly horrific. But that wasn''t the main issue.

    What got him really curious was the method they were using. How in the world did this cultist discover a way to corrupt Feys? Did they discover it themselves or was it given to them by the Demons they were worshipping?

    He wanted to know since this information might be importantter on. However, this isn''t something that he could ask Eira since it''s clear that she was traumatized by what happened to her.

    Ashton then stood up and suggested leaving Eira behind in the safe zone he created, promising her that he will try his best to bring her teammates back and eliminate the powerful demon along with the sorcerers. However, Eira was skeptical about his chances since he was alone.

    "But how can you do that?" Eira asked, her voiceced with skepticism. "You''re just one person. How can you possibly take on a demon and multiple sorcerers by yourself?"

    Ashton smiled reassuringly. "I may be just one person, but I have something they don''t."

    She didn''t look convinced so Ashton pointed this thing out:

    "Remember, I managed to revert you from your corrupted state. A feat which should''ve been impossible, yet I did." He smiled at her.

    Eira looked at Ashton with a mix of surprise and admiration. She knew he was right. If he could bring her back from the brink of corruption, then he must possess a level of power and knowledge beyond anything she could have imagined.

    She nodded slowly. "Okay. I''ll trust you."

    Ashton nodded back. "Good. You stay here and rest. I''ll be back soon." With that, he left the safe zone, ready to face whatevery ahead.

    Ashton continued deeper into the Abyssal Cavern, the twisting, and turning tunnels was like a maze. It was easy to get lost and disoriented, the shadows seemed to shift and change as he walked, and the only light source came from his staff. Every step he took echoed loudly, bouncing off the cavern walls, making it difficult to determine the source of the sounds.

    The air grew thick with a damp and musty smell, mixed with the stench of sulfur, making it hard to breathe. The darkness was unrelenting, leaving Ashton''s mind to y tricks on him. The walls themselves seemed to pulse with a faint green glow, which illuminated the asional patch of mushrooms or strange mosses growing from the rocky walls.

    The floor was uneven and treacherous, with jagged rocks jutting out from the ground, threatening to trip Ashton up at every turn. He had to be extra careful not to fall, lest he ends up at the mercy of the many dangers that lurked within the cavern.

    Despite the danger and disorientation, Ashton pushed on, determined toplete his mission and cleanse the caverns of demonic influence.

    Finally, he arrives at a massive chamber deep within the caverns, where dozens of demons have gathered. They sense Ashton''s presence and turn to face him, snarling and baring their teeth. But before they can even attempt to attack, Ashton unleashes a powerful st of his Purifying White mes.

    The mes rush forward with blinding speed, engulfing every demon in their path. The cavern shakes as the spell hits, the force of it sending ripples through the stone floor. Demons howl and screech in agony as they''re consumed by the mes, their flesh and bones reduced to ash.

    The air is thick with the smell of charred demon flesh, and Ashton feels a sense of grim satisfaction at the sight of their defeat.

    As he walked among the smoldering remains of the demons, Ashton noticed something in the corner of his eye. It was the bodies of four fey, lying motionless on the ground. He recognized them as Eria''s teammates.

    Ashton approached the bodies and ced his hand on them, using his healing magic to revive them from their corrupted state. He then summoned a group of golems to transport the revived fey back to where he left Eira, knowing that they would be safe there.

 Chapter 323 Dealing With The Cultists

    Ashton''s footsteps echoed through the winding tunnels of the Abyssal Caverns, his powerful magic illuminating the way ahead. He was on a mission to stop a powerful demon and a group of cultists from performing a dark ritual that would unleash unspeakable evil into the world.

    As he descended deeper into the caverns, Ashton sensed a disturbance in the air. He crept forward, his hand gripping tightly onto the staff of Elder Wood. As he rounded a corner, he saw a group of cultists standing in a circle around arge, ck stone altar. The air crackled with dark energy, and Ashton knew that he had found the source of the demonic corruption that had been spreading through the caverns.

    But then he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see a group of unconscious fey creatures lying on the ground, their life force slowly draining away. He used a spell that will stabilize their condition for now. He did it so that they won''t die before he was done with the cultists.

    Ashton knew he had to act fast before the cultists couldplete their ritual. He charged forward, his magic sting through the air as he took on the cultists.

    And judging by the way how they reacted, they didn''t notice his approach at all. This allowed him to injure some of the cultists already but he didn''t eliminate them just yet.

    Ashton strode forward, his wand at the ready. He faced the group of cultists who were standing in a circle around the ck stone altar.

    "Well, well, well. Look what we have here," he said, with a yful smirk.

    "A group of wannabe demon summoners. You guys really need to find a new hobby."

    The cultists scowled at him, but Ashton remained confident. He knew that he had the upper hand.

    "Now, if you''ll kindly put down the dark magic and step away from the altar, we can all go back to our lives," he continued.

    But the cultists weren''t backing down that easily. "We won''t be stopped by the likes of you, Magician!" one of them hissed.

    Ashton''s yful smirk turned into a determined scowl. "Oh, I beg to differ. You see, I have this thing where I eliminate idiots that tend to harm the world." he said, as he sent a st of energy towards the cultists.

    They scrambled to avoid the attack, but Ashton was too quick for them. He continued to send wave after wave of magic, forcing the cultists to retreat.

    "Looks like I win this round," he said, with a satisfied grin. "But none of you will get away."

    With another pulse of Mana, Ashton sent a strong shockwave that paralyzed the cultists, stopping them from retreating. He didn''t show mercy and condensed a ball of white mes that reduced the cultists into ashes before they could even say another word.

    Under the heat of the white mes, the demonic energy that had been suffusing the air dissipated, and the caverns were silent once again.

    Ashton turned to the fey, his magic now focused on healing their wounds. He knew that they had been the next sacrifice, and it was only by chance that he had arrived in time to save them.

    After healing them, Ashton did the same thing to them as he did to the others he met earlier. He summoned a golem made out of earth and mud to carry the poor victims to the safety zone where he left Eira and her teammates.

    Upon doing this, Ashton returned his focus to the altar that the cultists were tending to earlier.

    As he drew closer, he sensed a shift in the air, as if a great power was awakening. Suddenly, a figure appeared before him, towering over him with its massive frame. The demon was unlike any Ashton had ever seen before. It had dark, leathery skin, sharp ws, and a pair of enormous wings that spanned the length of the cavern. Its eyes glowed red with an otherworldly fire, and its breath came out in great plumes of smoke and ash.

    The demon''s appearance reminded Ashton of Azazel and Astaroth. That got him thinking that maybe this one and the previous two were part of a unique type of demon.

    "Well, well, well. Look what we have here," Ashton said, with a hint of yful sarcasm. "I didn''t expect that an abomination like you woulde out of there. At the very least though, you know how to make an entrance."

    "And I didn''t expect that a mortal would be the one to wee me upon arriving in this world." The Demon snarled gruffly at him. "Since I''m in a quite pleasant mood, I shall spare your life for now. Leave, and I will pardon this offense."

    "Oh, dear..." Ashton snickered. "Am I suppose to be gratified by your pardon? I don''t recall asking for it."

    "You wanna die, mortal?" The demon snarled once more.

    "Well, can you kill me? Excuse me, but I don''t think you could."

    The demon let out a deep, gutturalugh, its voice shaking the cavern walls. "You think you can defeat me, mortal?" it said, its eyes narrowing in amusement.

    Ashton raised his wand, his face set in a determined expression. "I''ve in plenty of demons before," he said. "And you''re not going to be any different."

    With that, the battle began. Azazelshed out with its ws, sending shards of rock flying through the air. But Ashton was too quick for it. He dodged and weaved around the demon''s attacks, sending sts of magic towards it at every opportunity.

    The battle raged on for what felt like hours, with neither side gaining the upper hand. But finally, with a final burst of magic, Ashton managed to deliver the finishing blow. Azazel let out a deafening scream, its towering body falling with a loud thud on the ground.

    "Tch. That didn''t even make me sweat." Ashton muttered in annoyance. "For all of that bravado, I was expecting more. But it seems that wherever I go, the superiorityplex of Demons remains. It''s getting old honestly."

    He then looked at the demon''s corpse and waved his staff.

    Ashton concentrated his magic, calling upon the power of the elements to retrieve the soul of the demon that had just fallen before him. With a final burst of energy, the soul was ripped from the demon''s body and trapped within a glowing orb that hovered before Ashton''s outstretched hand.

    He closed his eyes and focused his magic, calling forth a purification spell that would cleanse the demon''s soul of any lingering darkness. The orb glowed brighter as the spell took effect, and Ashton felt a surge of energy course through him as the demon''s soul was purified.

    As the glow faded, Ashton opened his eyes and turned his attention to the orb, using his magic to tap into the demon''s memories. He saw visions of the underworld, of the demons'' dark kingdom, and the horrors that awaited any who dared to venture there. He saw the demon who had just fallen, and those who remained, plotting their next move in their quest to conquer and enve the Feykind.

    ''I see, so the setting here is quite different.'' Ashton mused to himself. ''Instead of establishing a Qliphothwork in this world, the Demons linked one of the realms they conquered into this one and infiltrates it by corrupting the minds ofmon fey folk.''

    The Netherworld is what the home of the demons called in this world, and it''s a ce of darkness and despair, where the very fabric of reality is twisted and warped. It is a realm that lies beyond the mortal world, shrouded in eternal darkness and filled with the echoes of lost souls. The air is thick with the stench of decay, and the very ground beneath one''s feet is cold and lifeless.

    It is said that the Netherworld is the birthce of demons, where their foul energies pulsate and coalesce in the gloom. The demons of the Netherworld are creatures of pure malice and darkness, born from the very essence of evil itself. They are the minions of the Dark One, the ruler of the Netherworld, and their purpose is to spread chaos and destruction throughout the mortal world.

    This is a ce of torment and suffering, where the wicked and the damned are consigned to suffer for all eternity. The souls of those who are deemed unworthy of redemption are consigned to this dark realm, where they are forced to endure the torments of the demons and the eternal darkness that surrounds them.

    Few mortals have ever dared to venture into the Netherworld, and those who do rarely return. It is a ce of unimaginable horror and suffering, where the very fabric of reality is twisted and warped. To enter the Netherworld is to risk one''s very soul, for the demons that dwell within are masters of deception and trickery, and few mortals can resist their dark temptations.

    The Netherworld is a realm of darkness and despair, where the very essence of evil itself resides. It is a ce of eternal torment, where the wicked and the damned are consigned to suffer for all eternity.

 Chapter 324 Cleansing The Caverns

    Ashton sat cross-legged at the very bottom of the Abyssal Caverns, surrounded by a faint white glow that emanated from his body. The air around him crackled with dark energy, a testament to the demonic corruption that had been suffusing the caverns for ages. But Ashton was not daunted by the task ahead of him. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and began to channel his magic.

    The white glow around him intensified, and the air grew colder as the magic began to permeate every corner of the caverns. The demonic taint, which had been seeping into the rocks and soil for a very long time, began to recede in the face of Ashton''s power. The caverns shook and groaned, as if fighting back against the cleansing ritual, but Ashton''s magic was relentless.

    For hours, he sat there,pletely still, his face contorted in concentration. His body shook with the effort of channeling such immense power, but he did not falter. He continued to draw upon the very essence of his being, pouring his magic into the caverns until he was sure that everyst trace of demonic corruption had been expunged.

    Finally, he opened his eyes, and the white glow faded away. The caverns were still, and the air was thick with the silence of newfound purity. Ashton stood up, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

    "Damn, that was harder than I expected. I''m gonna need to recover more of my strength if I want to do this to other ces as well." Ashton shook his head and felt a little weak.

    He rested for a while, ate something, and took a nap. After that, he made his way out of the caverns, his job here is still not done.

    Ashton stood at the entrance of the Abyssal Caverns, his hands raised to the sky as he began to chant in an ancientnguage. The ground beneath his feet began to shake, and the air around him crackled with energy. The spirits he had summoned began to take shape, swirling around him in a whirlwind of magic.

    With a final incantation, Ashton sent the spirits into the depths of the caverns. They disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind a trail of shimmering white light. Ashton stood there for a few moments, watching as the spirits disappeared from sight.

    Satisfied that the spirits were now guarding the Abyssal Caverns, Ashton turned to leave. As he walked away, he could feel a sense of peace and calm washing over him. He knew that the demons would never be able to corrupt this ce again, and that the people of the nearby viges would be safe from their evil influence.

    Ashton smiled to himself, feeling a sense of satisfaction in the knowledge that he had done something good. He knew that there were still many battles to be fought against the forces of darkness, but for now, he was content with the knowledge that the Abyssal Caverns were safe.

    But before he went too far, Ashton stopped and hummed. He looked back at the Starfall Mountains and said:

    p����d�� ��?�ͨ�|,�㨰�� "...might as well. It''s going to be a pain in the ass to do this but better now than never."

    Ashton stood in the center of a clearing within the Starfall Mountains, his eyes closed in concentration. He began to chant in an ancientnguage, invoking the Laws of the world and the elements that make it up.

    As he chanted, the ground began to shake and a gust of wind started blowing around him. The temperature dropped as the snow started to fall from the darkening sky. Ashton continued his chant, his voice growing louder and stronger.

    Suddenly, a bright light shot up from the ground beneath him, illuminating the entire clearing. The wind and snow disappeared, and the ground stopped shaking. Ashton stood in the center of the light, his eyes still closed.

    With a final burst of energy, he raised his arms and called forth the power of the Laws. The light grew brighter and brighter until it blinded anyone who was looking directly at it. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the light faded away.

    Then, a seal appeared briefly above the sky before quickly fading. That was a Spatial Seal powered by Laws. One that would prevent the Netherworld from sending demons to this ce ever again.

    Ashton opened his eyes and looked around. He could feel the power of the ritual coursing through the ground beneath him. He smiled, knowing that the seal he had ced was strong and unbreakable.

    Satisfied with his work, Ashton turned and walked away from the clearing, leaving the Starfall Mountains and the Abyssal Caverns forever protected from demonic invasion.

    After leaving the Starfall Mountains, where the Abyssal Caverns were located, Ashton''s work went unnoticed by the vigers who lived near the Starfall Mountains. They had no idea that the demons that once infested the area, are now gone. They also didn''t know that it was Ashton who did them a great favor.

    It started as a rumor at first, but as time passed, however, some of the more curious vigers began to explore the mountains and its caverns. To their surprise, they found no trace of the demonic presence that had once haunted the area. Overjoyed and amazed, the vigers celebrated the newfound safety of theirnd.

    The wandering spirits that Ashton had summoned to protect the area were asionally seen by those who ventured deep into the mountains, but no one knew who had summoned them or how they came to be there. Despite their mysterious origins, the spirits were revered and offered small tokens of appreciation by the vigers who believed they were the ones responsible for protecting theirnd.

    Ashton was content to remain anonymous, happy in the knowledge that he had fulfilled his duty to this world.

    Ashton rode on his horse towards the Silverwood Vige, located on the edge of the great Silverwood Forest. The vige was surrounded by a tall wooden palisade, with watchtowers positioned at the corners, giving a clear view of the surrounding forest. The vige was small but quaint, with wooden houses built close together, and smoke rising from their chimneys.

    The streets were cobblestoned and lined with market stalls selling fresh produce and crafts made by the locals. The vigers are active, going about their daily routines. Some were busy tending to their crops, while others were crafting jewelry or clothing.

    Ashton dismounted his horse and made his way to the center of the vige, where arge oak tree stood. The tree was ancient, with thick roots that extended above the ground, and its branches spread wide, providing shade for the vigers. Under the tree, a group of vigers gathered, ying music and dancing.

    The Silverwood Vige had a calm and peaceful atmosphere, with the scent of pine and the sound of chirping birds adding to its charm. The vige was also surrounded by a dense forest, with towering trees that seemed to stretch up to the sky. It was easy to see why the people of Silverwood Vige lived in harmony with nature, and why they worked so hard to protect it.

    Overall, the Silverwood Vige was a picturesque and idyllic ce, with a strong sense ofmunity and a deep connection to the natural world.

    Ashton approached the group, smiling at their merry-making. They noticed him and stopped their music, looking at him curiously. "Greetings, stranger," one of them said. "What brings you to our vige?"

    Ashton introduced himself and exined that he was passing through the vige on his way to his next destination. After getting some instructions, he continued deeper into the vige.

    Ashton strolled into the streets, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling town. The vige was a vibrant ce, with colorful banners hanging from the buildings and the air filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread and cooked meat.

    As he walked further into the vige, he noticed the people going about their daily lives, some tending to their shops, others heading to the market. The vigers seemed friendly enough, and Ashton decided to approach one of them.

    "Excuse me, do you know where I could find the caravan heading towards the Ruins of Ashenfort?" Ashton asked, trying to blend in with the crowd.

    The viger looked at Ashton with a suspicious gaze before answering, "Why do you ask?"

    Ashton shrugged and replied, "I heard they were heading in that direction and I was hoping to hitch a ride."

    The viger seemed to rx a bit and pointed Ashton in the direction of the caravan''sst known location. "Just be careful out there," he warned. "The ruins are crawling with demons."

    Ashton thanked the viger and made his way toward the caravan''sst known location. He could feel the tension in the air, knowing that he was heading toward a dangerous ce. But he also knew that he must go there.

    As he approached the outskirts of the vige, he saw a group of travelers preparing to leave. He approached them and asked if he could join them on their journey. After some hesitation, they agreed, and Ashton climbed aboard their caravan, ready to face the demons in the Ruins of Ashenfort.

 Chapter 325 Ruins Of Ashenfort

    Ashton had been traveling with the caravan for two days, and his anticipation of reaching the Ruins of Ashenfort was growing stronger with each passing moment. The caravan had just entered a dense forest, and the trees grew closer together, casting a shadowy canopy over the road. Ashton looked around curiously,mitting the scenery to his memory while it was still peaceful.

    Suddenly, the caravan came to a halt, and Ashton started frowning. He knew that they were getting close to the ruins, and he could feel the dark energy emanating from the area. The caravan leader stepped off his wagon and approached Ashton.

    "We''ll be entering the Ruins of Ashenfort soon," he said, his voice low and serious. "Be prepared for anything. The demons here are ruthless and will stop at nothing to destroy us."

    Ashton nodded, gripping his staff tightly. With him around, there shouldn''t be any threats to their safety but it wouldn''t hurt to be sure. So, started casting spells silently, giving each member of the caravan some sort of protection just in case things go awry.

    The caravan leader signaled for the rest of the group to follow, and they continued their journey.

    As they traveled deeper into the forest, Ashton could sense the presence of demons all around them. The air grew thick with a foul stench, and he could hear the faint sound of demonic whispers in the distance. His frown deepened because he could sense several shadowy figures circling the caravan as if they were curious about it.

    Suddenly, a demon leaped out from behind a tree, and Ashton acted quickly, unleashing a powerful st of fire from his staff. The demon shrieked in agony as it burst into mes and crumbled to the ground.

    Ashton knew that this was only the beginning, and he steeled himself for what was toe. The caravan continued on, battling their way through hordes of demons as they pressed closer to the ruins. Ashton fought while paying attention to the rest of hispanions, using his magic to protect himself and his fellow travelers.

    Finally, they reached the entrance to the ruins, and Ashton could feel the dark energy emanating from within.

    "We''re here." The leader of the caravan said to Ashton. He saw Ashton getting off and couldn''t help but ask: "Are you sure about this? Pardon me but for the safety of the rest, we won''te back for you even if you begged us to."

    "I''ll be fine, don''t worry about me. I''m way stronger than you think." Ashton smirked despite their obvious concern.

    He paid for the fees and as a bonus, he blessed the caravan with a protection spell that wouldst until they reach the next vige. After doing that, the caravan continued on their way.

    Ashton watched as the caravan disappeared into the distance, leaving him alone with the ruins. The ce was deste, with crumbling stone walls and overgrown weeds. The air was thick with the smell of decay, and he could feel the darkness of the ruins pressing in on him.

    He took a deep breath and began to explore, keeping his staff at the ready. The ruins were vast, with countless corridors and rooms to search. Ashton knew that he had to be careful, as demons could still be lurking in the shadows.

    As he walked, Ashton couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe at the ruins. The architecture was ancient, with intricate carvings and designs etched into the stone walls. He felt a sense of reverence for the past, wondering what kind of people had once called this ce home.

    The Ruins of Ashenfort stood as a testament to a time long forgotten, a relic of a forgotten era when powerful mages roamed thend...at least that''s what Fey History says. However, it was now a ce of darkness, corruption, and death. The ruins were a sprawlingplex, with ancient stone structures that towered high into the sky, surrounded by a thick, imprable forest that seemed to swallow up any light that dared to pierce its shadows.

    The ruins were a ce of demonic corruption, with a dark energy that permeated the air. The very stones themselves seemed to writhe with the presence of the demonic influence, as if they were alive and eager to im any unwary souls that dared to enter their domain.

    The trees surrounding the ruins were gnarled and twisted, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers toward anyone who passed by. The leaves were withered and ckened, and the forest floor was littered with bones and other remnants of those who had ventured too close.

    The entrance to the ruins was marked by a massive stone archway, carved with images of twisted and tortured souls, their screams etched forever into the stone. Beyond the archway, the ruins opened up into a sprawlingbyrinth of chambers, corridors, and catbs, all shrouded in darkness and filled with the stench of decay.

    The walls of the ruins were etched with dark symbols and runes, the very fabric of reality twisted and corrupted by demonic magic. Strange whispers could be heard in the darkness, as if the demons themselves were speaking to those who dared to venture into their domain.<novelsnext>please visit </novelsnext>

    Despite the danger, the ruins were still a ce of great power and knowledge. Ancient tomes and relics could be found hidden away in the deepest corners of the ruins, powerful artifacts that could grant great power to any who possessed them.

    But the price of that knowledge was high. The demons that roamed the ruins were savage and bloodthirsty, eager to im any who dared to intrude on their territory. They moved through the darkness with silent grace, their eyes burning with the fires of hell, their ws and teeth sharpened to a deadly edge.

    For those who dared to enter the Ruins of Ashenfort, the risks were great. But for those who were willing to face the darkness and confront the demons that lurked within, the rewards could be even greater. Power and knowledge awaited those brave enough to seek it out, but they would have to face the horrors of the ruins head-on if they hoped to im their prize.

    ''Hmm, and it would seem that this ce isn''t so fond of visitors either.'' Ashton mused to himself after sensing a presence looming behind him.

    Ignoring the skeletal remains nearby, a rather gruesome warning for those who intend to explore this ce, Ashton calmly turned around to face the thing that was trying to scare him.

    Suddenly, Ashton heard a faint whisper, and he almost smiled upon hearing that. He knew that it could be a demon, but his curiosity got the best of him. He followed the sound, his footsteps echoing through the empty halls.

    As he turned a corner, Ashton came face to face with a demon. It was tall and menacing, with razor-sharp ws and a gaping maw filled with sharp teeth. Ashton raised his staff and prepared for battle.

    The demon lunged at him, but Ashton was quick on his feet, dodging the attack and retaliating with a st of ice magic. The demon shrieked in pain as it was frozen solid, and Ashton used his staff to shatter it into a million pieces.

    "Fragile. It also didn''t have false immortality. A lesser demon at best." Ashtonmented after killing the lurking demon he encountered.

    He sensed his surroundings and discovered that there were no other demons around, for now at least. So, while he still have time, Ashton decided to start his exploration.

    If he wants to cleanse this ce of demonic influence, he has to trace it back to where it ising from.

    He began his investigation by examining the surrounding area. The ruins were situated on a rocky outcropping overlooking a vast expanse of forest, and Ashton could feel the weight of the ruins'' history bearing down upon him.

    Ashton began to move towards the ruins themselves, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. The ruins themselves were made up of a series of crumbling walls and pirs, their surfaces scarred by centuries of neglect and demonic corruption.

    As he moved deeper into the ruins, Ashton could feel the presence of dark magic growing stronger. The air was thick with the scent of brimstone and sulfur, and the sounds of scuttling creatures echoed through the halls.

    Ashton began to examine the various rooms and passageways, searching for any clues as to the source of the ruins'' corruption. He found evidence of demonic rituals and dark magic everywhere he looked, and he knew that he was on the right track.

    Finally, after hours of searching, Ashton discovered the five seals. They were unlike anything he had ever seen before, their intricate designs pulsating with a malevolent energy that seemed to seep into his very bones.

    "Looks like a work of cultists..." Ashtonmented upon seeing them.

    The seals released a sinister and utterly demonic energy. Ashton has no doubts that these seals are connected to the Netherworld, functioning as entries for demons to pour into this ce and corrupt it down to the core.

    But now that he had the seals in sight, that means that Ashton now knows where to start.

    "Okay, let''s begin."

 Chapter 326 Cleansing The Ruins

    Ashton''s eyes narrowed as he gazed upon the seals. They were ancient, their intricate designs etched deeply into the stone, and their surfaces pulsated with dark energy. He could feel the power of the seals resonating through the ruins, filling the air with a thick, malevolent force.

    Ashton knew that he would have to destroy these seals if he hoped to cleanse the ruins of their demonic influence. But he also knew that doing so would be no small task. Each seal represented a powerful force of evil, and their destruction would note easily.

    He began to study each of the seals in turn, taking note of their individual characteristics and the forces of darkness that they represented. One seal was adorned with images of writhing serpents, another with grotesque faces of demonic beings. The third was etched with strange sigils that seemed to move and shift, while the fourth was surrounded by an aura of pure darkness.

    Ashton paused as he gazed upon the fifth seal. It was unlike the others, its surface shimmering with an almost ethereal light. The images etched into its surface were those of angelic beings, their forms twisted and corrupted into demonic mockery.

    ''Huh,e to think of it, I''ve never seen angels here. They weren''t included in the records either. It''s highly unusual but shouldn''t be impossible. After all, the Celestial Race have just as many worlds to conquer as the Hypogeans.'' Ashton murmured to himself.

    As he thought about the Celestials, a bitter taste rose to his mouth. However, he forcefully swallowed it down. He thought to himself that now is not the time to think about any of that. He had other stuff to worry about.

    His attention went back to the imagery...

    He could feel the power of the seal radiating from it, and he knew that its destruction would note easily. But he also knew that this was the key to the ruins'' corruption. If he could destroy this seal, the rest would be weakened and vulnerable.

    He raised his staff and began to chant a powerful incantation, calling forth the elements of fire, earth, water, and air. The power of his magic surged through him, and he focused all of his energy on the fifth seal.

    The air around the seal crackled with energy as Ashton''s spell struck it, and the surface of the seal began to ripple and distort. For a moment, it seemed as if the seal would resist his magic, but then with a sudden burst of light, it shattered into a thousand pieces.

    Ashton went silent as he stood amidst the ruins of Ashenfort, his eyes were closed but his senses were active. He had just broken the first seal that was causing the demonic corruption of the area, but in doing so, he had also alerted the attention of the demons.

    Right, each of those seals acts as a portal that demons used to infiltrate Elstar. Destroying one of them would inevitably raise an rm.

    Ashton heard the demons'' howls and growls from the opposite side of the seal. He knew he had alerted an entire horde with what he did. And despite knowing that he''ll be mobbed soon, Ashton did nothing to escape that fate.

    Instead, he stood perfectly still and waited for the horde to start pouring in. There were no traces of fear or hesitation on his face. On the contrary, he even looked bored and tired of waiting.

    As expected, the horde starts pouring in. Their numbers easily filled the ruins as a whole. They were all snarling at him, but Ashton stood unphased.

    Ashton took a deep breath and focused his magic, ready to fight off the demons. He raised his staff and chanted a spell, sending a wave of fire toward the demons. The fire engulfed several of the demons, causing them to screech in agony and burn to ashes.

    There were too many demons, yes, but Ashton couldn''t care less. He need not to move at all. With just a wave of his staff, he eliminated swathes of the horde.

    Ashton even had the time to analyze what he''ll need to break the second seal as he was dealing with the horde. After his analysis, he condensed a powerful orb of pure magic which destroyed the second seal.

    Some demons managed to reach him but were caught off guard, they didn''t expect there to be a barrier of magic surrounding Ashton, one that was virtually unbreakable no matter how much trauma it suffers.

    Ashton let the demons w away at his barrier as he continued to chant spells, using his magic to st the swathes of demons, focusing on areas where they were concentrated. A part of him cheered whenever he took outrge numbers of demons.<novelsnext>please visit </novelsnext>

    Ashton could see the fear in the demons'' eyes as they realized he was more powerful than they had anticipated. He took advantage of their fear and broke the third seal, causing the demons to retreat momentarily.

    "Oh? You wanna leave now? But I don''t recall giving you permission though." Ashton sneered as he released yet another volley of spells as if he had an unlimited amount of mana.

    This one-sided ughter continued while Ashton studied the other seals to discover the best way of breaking them. Amidst the pained roars of the demons around him, Ashton broke another seal sessfully.

    The other seals trembled and shook, weakened by the destruction of the other seals. Ashton discovered that the other seals were starting to regenerate and knew that he would have to act quickly if he hoped to destroy them before they could regain their strength.

    With a steely look in his eyes, he raised his staff once again and began to chant another spell, calling forth the power of the elements to aid him in his quest. The air grew thick with the energy of his magic, and he felt the forces of darkness grow weaker as his spell struck each of the remaining seals.

    Finally, with a final burst of light, thest of the seals shattered into dust, and the ruins were filled with a sudden stillness. Ashton stood amidst the ruins, his eyes roaming around to check for any visible movements, after finding nothing, his heart was immediately filled with a sense of satisfaction.

    The seals had been destroyed, and the ruins were now cleansed of their demonic influence. But Ashton knew that there was still work to be done. It''s not ever just yet, but for now, he shall have his well-deserved rest.

    ***

    Ashton stood at the center of the Ruins of Ashenfort, feeling a sense of pride and aplishment for having sessfully destroyed the demonic seals that gued this area. However, he knew that the demons might find another way to infiltrate the ruins if he didn''t take further action.

    Ashton decided to perform the same powerful purification rituals that he had used before in the Abyssal Caverns. He began with the Purification Ritual, a powerful magic that cleanses any area of all evil energies and purges any demonic presence.

    Since he had gotten rid of the demon horde, nothing was stopping him or interrupting this ritual, so he took his time.

    Ashton chanted ancient incantations, drawing on his powerful magic to create a powerful force of light that spread across the ruins. The light illuminated every corner of the ruins, reaching every nook and cranny and eliminating any traces of demonic energy that remained.

    Ashton then performed the Guarding Ritual, which created Guardian Spirits that took the form of mythological animals that will roam this ce and mostly stay hidden. These creatures will only appear when they sensed demonic influence nearby and Ashton gave them enough power to eliminate those who stand in the way of their mission.

    Finally, Ashton performed the Spatial Reinforcement Ritual, aplex magic that invokes the power of Space Laws, it permanently alters the spatial energy of an area, making it impossible for the Netherworld to breach the space within the ruins, which also prevents them from sending any demons here from now on.

    The ritual took hours toplete, but Ashton was patient and meticulous, ensuring that every aspect of the ritual was perfect.

    With the ritualsplete, Ashton knew that the Ruins of Ashenfort would be safe for the foreseeable future. He could finally rest easy, knowing that he had done everything he could to protect the people from the demonic corruption that had gued the ruins for so long.

    Ashton took a deep breath, feeling a sense of satisfaction and aplishment. He knew that his work here was done, and he could move on to his next mission with the knowledge that he had made the world a safer ce.

    Sometimeter, people woulde to realize that the Ruins of Ashenfort were now safe. There are no demons in sight and no demonic corruptions either. The ce was peaceful and serene, ready to be rehabilitated for future use. This would be a hot topic for the viges near the ruins. Most of them will wonder who was the saint that cleansed this ce of evil.

    But none of this concerned Ashton anymore. He only did what he was supposed to do. And by the time people evene to realize that the ruins were now safe, he''d already be dealing with other demon-infested ces.

 Chapter 327 Pulled Into The Netherworld

    Ashton had been traveling for months, cleansing demon-infested locations. He had already cleansed four of the five locations on his list: the Abyssal Caverns, Ruins of Ashenfort, Blood Marsh, and Tower of Despair. Now, he was in the midst of purging thest location, the Temple of Nightmares.

    The temple was filled with dark and twisted creatures that twisted his mind and tried to lure him into its depths. But Ashton''s will and experience as a mage prepared him for these horrors, and he pressed on undaunted.

    He had encountered a group of demons that had possessed a group of feys in this ce, twisting them into nightmarish puppets. But he managed to free them from their torment and sent them on their way to safety.

    He had also faced a giant, shadowy monster that had attacked him from the shadows, but he defeated it using his magic and quick reflexes.

    He even tussled with a Demon Emperor, the first one he saw ever since arriving here, who had challenged him to a battle of wills and power.

    The Demon Emperor got to him because it has been observing his movements. Apparently, the demons of the Netherworld noticed whenever their portals were forcefully closed.

    As expected, they didn''t appreciate someone who was trying to prevent them from enving this world, and since sending hordes of demons never worked, they decided to send a Demon Emperor instead.

    A pity though, if they had done this to begin with, then Ashton would''ve probably been forced to flee. However, they''ve given him too much time. Time that he used to gain, no�� recover more strength.

    Ashton had grown immensely strong during his travels. And mere Demon Emperor couldn''t phase him anymore.

    And so, with his magic ring to life and his mind focused on the task at hand, he had battled the Demon Emperor and won against it. The entire fight was one-sided in his favor even.

    The Demon Emperor died before Ashton could even enjoy the fight.

    Now, as the dust settled and the temple fell silent, Ashton knew that his mission wasplete. He had purged the demon infestation from the Temple of Nightmares and had emerged victorious against the Demon Emperor.

    ***

    Ashton let out a sigh of relief as he watched the Demon Emperor crumble to dust before his eyes. The battle had been long and grueling, and he had poured all of his energy into the final confrontation.

    But as he let his guard down for just a moment, a sudden burst of energy erupted from the demon''s body, enveloping Ashton in a bright light.

    When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a strange and unfamiliar ce. The air was thick with the stench of sulfur and brimstone, and the ground beneath his feet was hot and cracked.

    Ashton looked around, confused and disoriented. He soon realized that he had been transported to the Netherworld, the home of the demons.

    At first, he felt a surge of panic rising in his chest. He knew that this ce was dangerous and filled with dark energy that could corrupt even the strongest of wills. But then he remembered who he was, and he calmed down.

    With his training as a mage, he knew how to shield his mind from the corrupting influence of the Netherworld. He closed his eyes and focused on drawing upon his magical energies to create a barrier of protection around himself.

    When he opened his eyes again, he could feel the barrier around him, keeping the darkness of the Netherworld at bay. With a newfound sense of confidence, he set off to explore this strange new realm.

    As he traveled deeper into the Netherworld, he encountered a variety of demons, some were familiar, and others were unlike anything he had ever seen before. But he remained steadfast and focused, using his magic to defeat them and stay one step ahead of danger.

    Ashton continued his journey through the Netherworld, facing countless demons and obstacles along the way. He used his magic to fend off attacks and navigate through the treacherousndscape, always keeping his wits about him.

    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he stumbled upon a small outpost on the outskirts of the Netherworld. It was the first sign of civilization he had seen since his arrival, and he felt a glimmer of hope.

    But as he approached the outpost, he sensed something was wrong. The air was thick with the stench of demon blood, and he could hear the faint sound of snarling and growling in the distance.

    Ashton quickly realized that the outpost had been overrun by demons, which is to be expected as he''s at the home of demons, and they had sensed his presence. Without warning, they swarmed towards him, their twisted bodies writhing with malice.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    But Ashton was fearless. With magic thrumming from the depths of his core, he sted the horde with a fierce wave of energy. The demons around him screamed and fell to the ground, their twisted forms convulsing in pain.

    Ashton continued to fight, unleashing wave after wave of magic upon the horde. The demons were relentless, but none of that mattered to Ashton.

    He eliminated the horde of demons with extreme prejudice. It''s like he''s just casually reaping wheat. What they thought of him and what they felt didn''t and never mattered to him. In his eyes, they''re a gue to this world and they deserve to be annihted.

    Finally, after what felt like hours, thest demon fell to the ground, defeated. Ashton stood alone amidst the wreckage, his gaze roamed his surroundings and he discovered that no demon survived.

    This time, Ashton didn''t make the same mistake of dropping his guard since that would be foolish considering where he is right now. But he did allow himself to sigh in relief. At least nothing will bother him for the next hour or so.

    It was then that his senses picked up something...

    It''s faint, and if it weren''t for the stillness around, he would''vepletely missed it.

    "Feys..." Ashton whispered.

    With his senses sharp and his magic at the ready, Ashton set out to find the underground prison where the Fey was being held.

    After carefully probing the surroundings, he stumbled upon the prison. It was a dark and foreboding ce, with twisted corridors and a palpable sense of evil in the air.

    But Ashton didn''t hesitate. He used his magic to eliminate the guards and make his way to the cells where the Fey were being held.

    When he arrived, he was horrified by what he saw. The Fey were in terrible shape, their bodies bruised and battered from the constant experiments and torture they had endured. Some were barely conscious, while others were screaming in agony.

    Ashton''s heart sank, but he didn''t lose hope. He knew that he had to act quickly if he wanted to save them.

    He used his magic to put the guards into a deep sleep, then focused on healing the feys'' injuries. It was a difficult and time-consuming task, but Ashton was determined to do everything in his power to help them.

    Finally, after an hour of work, Ashton had healed all of the Fey''s injuries and opened a pocket dimension where they could be safe for the time being.

    He turned to leave the prison, his heart heavy with the weight of what he had seen.

    At the very least, the Feys he rescued will be safe within the pocket dimension he put them in. However, he also knew that they aren''t truly safe yet. Not until he manages to find his way out of this ce.

    As he made his way back to the surface, Ashton began to think about his options. He knew that leaving the Netherworld wasn''t going to be easy, but he was determined to find a way out.

    He used his magic to sense the environment around him, searching for any clues or hints that could lead him to a way out.

    After hours of wandering, Ashton finally stumbled upon a hidden passage. It was an old and forgotten tunnel, one that seemed to lead out of the Netherworld.

    Ashton knew that he had found his way out. He quickly made his way through the tunnel, his senses on high alert for any signs of danger.

    He arrived at the end of the tunnel and discovered that it was another portal to Elstar. These are the ones that he had been sealing on the opposite side.

    Ashton was relieved. Frankly, he should''ve realized this sooner but betterte than never, it seems.

    But his relief was short-lived. He knew that he had to act quickly, before the demons discovered his escape and came after him.

    He focused his magic, using it to breach the portal that would transport him and the Fey to safety. It was a risky move since there was a chance that he would be discovered, but Ashton knew that it was their only chance.

    The portal opened, and Ashton led the Fey through it, one by one. He could feel the demons closing in on them, but he didn''t let himself panic. He remained focused, using his magic to defend himself and the Fey as they made their way through the portal.

 Chapter 328 Rescue; Sucess! SOS

    Ashton stood at the mouth of the portal, the unconscious group of fey was being transported one by one, assisted by his magic. He looked up and down the rocky path leading to the portal, scanning for any sign of the demons that he knew wereing. He did not doubt that they would do everything in their power to prevent him from leaving the Netherworld with these people.

    Ashton took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was toe. He knew that he couldn''t let the demons catche close to them or else he''d be putting these poor souls at a greater risk.

    They''ve already suffered enough torment here. As much as possible, Ashton wouldn''t want to add any more of that, so he had to make a stand here.

    With a determined look on his face, Ashton stepped forward, his body tingling with magic as he readied his powers. He held his wand to his chest as he muttered a deep incantation.

    Several elements condensed around him, forming all sorts of projectiles ready to beunched at his signal.

    Suddenly, a chorus of growls and snarls erupted from the darkness, and Ashton saw the first of the demons emerge from the shadows. They were grotesque and twisted, with leathery skin and gnarled horns. They moved with an unnatural speed, lunging at Ashton with their razor-sharp ws.

    Ashton met them head-on, his magic ring as he unleashed a barrage of spells and projectiles. The demons were relentless, but Ashton was equally so, his powerful magic making quick work of the first few waves.

    But more and more demons kepting, and Ashton knew that he couldn''t hold them off forever. He had to get the fey through the portal and back to Elstar before it was toote. Unfortunately, the portal only epts one person at a time so this is going to take a while.

    With a fierce determination, Ashton fought on, his body moving with a grace and speed that shocked the demons. He dodged and weaved, his magicshing out at the demons with deadly precision.

    He unleashed a barrage of spells from his arsenal. With how many spells he used, people would guess that he''s a factory of mana. And that''s not entirely far from the truth.

    Ashton''s mana pool was immense. In addition, it''s also iparably dense and pure. He could literally stand here all day releasing a steady barrage of spells and he would still have mana to spare by the end.

    The fight continued until the rescue was over. Ashton breathed a sigh of relief as thest of the unconscious fey disappeared through the portal. He turned to face the path he had juste from, ready to deal with the demons that he knew will pursue him.

    But before he could even take a step, he felt a sudden surge of demonic energy from a distance. His gaze hardened and his senses were on high alert.

    And then he saw it - a dark, shadowy figure in the distance, shrouded in a cloud of ck smoke. Ashton could feel the raw power emanating from it, and he knew that this was no ordinary demon.

    ''Another Demon Emperor, perhaps even stronger.'' Ashton analyzed from where he was.

    "At any other day, I''d be more than happy to y with you. However, I''ve gotten tired of this ce. It''s dull, bleak, and honestly depressing. I''ve decided that I don''t like it here so I''m going to leave for now."

    "I''ll probably return in the future though, but don''t count on it."

    With a calm and steady hand, Ashton erected a barrier around himself and the portal. The barrier glowed with soft blue light, pulsing with magical energy. Ashton poured all of his strength into it, determined to keep himself and the barrier safe.

    The dark figure let out a low growl, its eyes zing with fury. It raised its arms, calling forth a torrent of dark energy that hurtled towards Ashton with terrifying speed.

    The barrier held strong, the magical energy absorbing the full force of the attack. Ashton felt the strain on his body, but nothing too serious. This demon won''t stop him that easily. He channeled all of his magical power into the barrier, pushing it to its limits.

    "There, that should be enough." He whispered to himself.

    Ashton''s barrier held strong against the relentless attack of the demon and the horde of demons. He poured all of his magic into the barrier, feeling confident that he could hold them off indefinitely.

    Truthfully, Ashton would''ve liked to stay and y with them some more, but he knew that he couldn''t stay here forever. He needed to get himself and the fey to safety.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Ashton made a quick decision. He lowered the barrier to the ground, allowing him to move freely within its protective confines. He kept a wary eye on the demons outside, but they were unable to breach the barrier.

    With a smile of satisfaction, Ashton stepped through the portal, emerging on the other side in a rtively safe location.

    But he knew that he couldn''t rx just yet. The demons would surely continue to pursue him all the way here, and honestly, Ashton didn''t like that idea very much since that would risk the safety of those he just rescued.

    Ashton took a deep breath and focused his magic on sealing the barrier. He drew upon every ounce of his strength, channeling it into the barrier until it glowed with a bright, pulsing light.

    Finally, with a sense of relief, Ashtonpleted the spell. He stepped back to admire his handiwork, feeling a sense of satisfaction at having outsmarted the demons.

    But he knew that this was only a temporary victory. The demons would surely find another way to track him, and he needed to be ready for whatever came next.

    Either that, or they''d vent their frustrations somewhere else. Whatever it is, Ashton will keep an eye out, ready to respond to situations where his help was necessary.

    It was then that he discovered that he ended up at the same ce. The Temple of Nightmares. And since he was abducted before he finished the job here, he decided to continue it now that he could.

    After performing the necessary rituals to cleanse the Temple, Ashton turned to the fey, checking to make sure that they were all still unconscious but stable. Their injuries are all healed and their expressions are rxed.

    While they''re asleep, Ashton invoked his authority over Dream Laws. Using this, he helps them get rid of any trauma they developed during their time in theherworld.

    He cured them one by one and was thankful that all of them manage to recover. They would still remember the horrible things that happened during their abduction but it wouldn''t scare them as much anymore. Plus, Ashton made it so that their memories of that ce will go blurry over time, that way, there wouldn''t be a risk for their traumas to rpse.

    After half an hour, the unconscious fey began waking up.

    One by one, they began to stir, blinking in confusion as they looked around at their surroundings. They quickly realized that they were no longer in the Netherworld, but back in their own world.

    Ashton watched as they looked around in wonder, taking in the sights and sounds of their home. He smiled as he watched their expressions change from confusion to joy.

    "Thank you," one of the fey said, looking up at Ashton with a grateful smile. "We would''ve died in there if it weren''t for you. Thank you so much foring to save us and returning us back home."

    Ashton nodded, feeling a sense of satisfaction at having helped these innocent beings. "It was the least I could do," he said. "I''m just d that you''re all safe now."

    The fey began to gather their things, getting ready to leave. They thanked Ashton again, each one giving him a small gift as a token of their gratitude.

    Ashton watched as they disappeared into the distance, feeling a sense of contentment that he had helped them. He knew that there would be more dangers to face in the future, but for now, he was happy to have made a difference in the lives of these feys.

    With the feys rescued and the demon-infested areas cleansed, Ashton felt light. He made his way to the nearest vige, still feeling the sense of satisfaction from rescuing the fey from the Netherworld. But as he walked, he felt something buzzing in his pocket.

    He took it out and realized that it was his badge, the one he had received when he became a member of the Demon ying Squad. It was shing a red light and emitting buzzing noises, indicating that there was an urgent mission waiting for him.

    Ashton checked the badge and read the message. Gdriel, the Capital City of Sylvenvale, was under siege. Demons hadunched a surprise attack, and the city was in danger of being overrun.

    Ashton felt a pang of worry as he thought about the people he knew who lived there. He knew he had to go back and help them.

    Without hesitation, Ashton took flight and decided to go back to Sylvenvale before it was toote.

 Chapter 329 Galadriel Under Siege!

    The sky was darkening as the first wave of demons descended upon Gdriel. The fey inhabitants of the city had never seen such creatures before. They were huge, with leathery wings and razor-sharp ws, and their eyes glowed with an unnatural fire.

    Panic descended on the city. People suffered from the attacks of demons and couldn''t believe that such creatures exists. This was the consequence of keeping people ignorant about the existence of demons for so long.

    The defenders of the city fought bravely despite their terror, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of their foes. The demons seemed tireless, and they kepting, wave after wave. The fey warriors were soon exhausted, and their magic was not enough to keep them at bay.

    King Ardan, the recently appointed ruler of the Fey, stood at the top of the city walls, watching the battle below. He knew that they were losing, and losing badly. The demons had already breached the outer walls, and they were getting closer to the inner sanctum.

    Ardan closed his eyes and reached out with his mind. He could sense the fear and desperation of his people, and he knew that they needed help. But where could they find it?

    Suddenly, a voice spoke in his mind. "Ardan, this is the Guildmaster of the Demon ying Squad. I have sensed your distress, and I aming to help."

    Ardan opened his eyes and saw a bright light in the distance. It was the Demon ying Squad, marching toward the city. They were apanied by a host of warriors, mages, and other magical creatures.

    Ardan felt a surge of hope. With the Guildmaster''s help, they might be able to turn the tide of the battle. But it would not be easy. The demons were stilling, and they were getting closer.

    As the Demon ying Squad drew near, Ardan could see the look of determination on their faces. They were ready to fight to the death to protect Gdriel.

    The demons roared and charged, but the fey and their allies stood their ground. The battle was fierce and bloody, but slowly, the tide began to turn. The fey''s magicbined with the strength of the Demon ying Squad began to weaken the demons, and they began to fall back.

    Ardan breathed a sigh of relief. They had won the battle but at a great cost. Many of their warriors had fallen, and the city was in ruins. But they had survived, and that was all that mattered.

    As Ardan looked out over the city, he saw something that made his blood run cold. In the distance, he could see a figure, cloaked in shadow, watching them. He could not make out their face, but he could feel their malevolent presence.

    Ardan knew that this was not over, not by a long shot. The demons may have been defeated, but there was still an even greater threat out there. And they would need all the help they could get if they hoped to survive what wasing next.

    King Ardan and the Demon ying Squad were still reeling from the first wave of demons when they heard a bloodcurdling roar in the distance. They looked up and saw a dark cloud on the horizon, moving rapidly toward them.

    "More demons!" shouted the Guildmaster, drawing his sword. "Prepare yourselves, we must stand firm!"

    Ardan nodded grimly, summoning his magic to bolster the morale of his warriors. He could see the fear in their eyes, but he knew that they had to keep fighting. Their very survival depended on it.

    As the second wave of demons descended upon Gdriel, it was immediately clear that they were more powerful than the first. They wererger, and faster, and their attacks were more ferocious. The fey and their allies fought back with all their strength, but it was not enough. They were quickly pushed back, and it seemed like there was no hope of winning this battle.

    The Guildmaster fought with all his might, slicing through demons left and right, but he could feel his strength waning. His squad members were falling all around him, and he knew that they could not hold out much longer.

    King Ardan, too, was struggling to keep up. His magic was fading, and he could feel his energy draining away. He looked up and saw a demon bearing down on him, its ws extended for the kill.

    At that moment, something unexpected happened. A bright light burst forth from Ardan''s body, blinding the demon and sending it reeling backward. Ardan looked down at his hands, surprised. He had never felt this kind of power before.

    Ardan and the rest were shocked by this sudden outburst of power but it didn''t end there. One by one, everyone who was fighting the demons felt a surge in power which shocked them even more. They also found out that their exhaustion was fading and their injuries were being healed.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    They then discovered someone hovering in the air above them. It''s a man d in a white cloak, holding a staff and radiating with a mystical white light. The Guildmaster recognize this silhouette and a smile appeared on his face. He knew that this was Ashton, the most powerful healer, and mage that ever graced their kingdom.

    Ashton arrived before it was toote. However, as he saw what happened to the bustling capital city, his heart sank a little bit. He knew that the shouldn''t beat himself up for something that he had no control over but that doesn''t mean he had to like it.

    He was incensed, and it''s clear from his facial expressions as well...

    Ardan and his warriors watched in awe as the man in the white cloak descended toward them. The closer he got, the brighter his aura became, and soon they were all bathed in a warm, healing light.

    Ashtonnded gracefully on the ground, his staff glowing in his hand. He looked around at the fey and their allies, a sense of calm and assurance emanating from him.

    "It seems like you all could use a little help," he said with a gentle smile.

    The Guildmaster approached Ashton, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Ashton, it''s good to see you back. We could definitely use your healing magic right now."

    Ashton nodded and immediately began casting spells to heal the wounded and restore the energy of the exhausted warriors. As he worked, the fey and their allies felt their strength returning, and their spirits lifting. They knew that with Ashton on their side, they stood a fighting chance against the demons.

    Ardan watched with a mixture of awe and suspicion. He had heard stories of Ashton''s incredible powers but had never actually seen him in action before. He wondered how much of this was magic, and how much was just pure charisma.

    But he couldn''t deny the effect that Ashton''s presence was having on his warriors. They were fighting with renewed vigor, and the demons were starting to falter under their onught.

    Ashton finished his healing and stood up, his eyes meeting Ardan''s. "I sense that you have a strong will, King Ardan. But you cannot do this alone. Let us stand together and defend this great forest, for the sake of all who call it home."

    Ardan nodded, a sense of determination welling up inside him. He knew that Ashton was right. They could not win this battle alone, but together they had a chance.

    With Ashton''s healing and aid, the warriors of Gdriel fought with renewed strength and energy. Their weapons glinted in the sunlight as they shed against the hordes of demons.

    The Guildmaster and his Demon ying Squad charged ahead, their weapons glowing with fiery energy. They carved through the demon hordes with ease, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

    King Ardan and his fey warriors moved in unison, their movements fluid and graceful as they weaved between the demons, striking with deadly precision. The power of the forest flowed through them, amplifying their strength and making them nearly invincible.

    Ashton stood in the center of the fray, his staff glowing brightly as he cast spells of healing and protection. His presence alone seemed to bolster the warriors, filling them with courage and determination.

    The demons, caught off guard by the sudden surge of power from their enemies, began to falter. They could not match the strength and skill of the warriors of Gdriel, and soon they were retreating in disarray.

    ''I didn''t say that you all can leave.'' Asnton sneered inwardly as he muttered an incantation.

    After finishing his spell, the demons all fell. They were pressed to the ground, unable to move. Ashton multiplied their gravity causing them to end up that way.

    Unable to move even a single inch, the Demons could only snarl angrily and try their best to crawl away, however, the warriors of Gdriel quickly caught up to them to finish them off.

    Just like that, this wave of demons was swiftly dealt with. Relief washed over the fey as they managed to cinch victory, and they have Ashton to thank for this.

    Sadly, this wasn''t the end of it. Ashton knew that there are more of theming and they were just taking their time.

 Chapter 330 Party And Rejection

    Despite their victory in the previous battle, the fey of Gdriel knew that the demons would not give up so easily. And indeed, the attacks continued wave after wave, each one more powerful and relentless than thest.

    The warriors of Gdriel fought on, their bodies and minds stretched to the limit. Ashton continued to cast spells of healing and aid, but even his magic had its limits. The fey began to suffer from exhaustion and injuries, and it seemed as if the demons would never stoping.

    But even in the face of this overwhelming onught, the fey refused to give up. King Ardan and the other leaders of Gdriel inspired their people with their courage and determination, and the Demon ying Squad fought on with a ferocity that left their enemies reeling.

    As the days wore on, the fey began to feel a sense of desperation. They were running low on supplies and manpower, and the demons showed no signs of slowing down. But even as their situation grew direr, they refused to give up hope.

    ''Yeah no, this isn''t working at all. This isn''t the way how this battle was supposed to be fought. We''re different from sitting ducks here.'' Ashton mused inwardly as he observed their situation.

    As the siege of Gdriel continued, Ashton realized that they were fighting a losing battle. The demons were unrelenting, and the fey was growing weaker by the day. He knew that something had to be done, and he knew that he was the one to do it.

    With a steely determination in his eyes, Ashton cast a powerful spell, creating an imprable barrier around the entire city. The demons outside roared in fury, unable to prate the magical shield.

    Ashton then turned to the Elite Members of the Demon ying Squad, and exined his n. They would set out to search for the nearby portal, the source of the demon invasion. Once they found it, they would seal the breach and cut off the demons'' ess to Gdriel.

    The Elite Members of the Demon ying Squad, impressed by Ashton''s power and leadership, readily agreed to follow him on this mission. Together, they set out into the Great Forest, the only thing standing between them and the demon portal.

    The journey was perilous, and they encountered many obstacles along the way. They fought off hordes of demons, braved treacherous terrain, and pushed themselves to the limits of their endurance.

    But Ashton and the Elite Members of the Demon ying Squad were driven by a single goal: to save Gdriel from the demon hordes. And so they pressed on, fueled by determination and fierce loyalty to their home.

    Atst, they reached the portal, a swirling vortex of dark energy. Ashton immediately set to work, casting powerful spells to seal the breach and cut off the demons'' ess to Gdriel.

    The Elite Members of the Demon ying Squad stood guard, their weapons at the ready, while Ashton worked his magic. And in the end, their efforts were rewarded: the breach was sealed, and the demons were banished from Gdriel. The others can rest now and the city could rehabilitate.

    Ashton worked tirelessly, performing his rituals to cleanse thend of any demonic taint that may have been left behind. The Fey King, Ardan, watched as Ashton moved through the city, his powerful magic glowing brightly as he worked.

    Ashton worked his way through the city, using his powers to purify thend and banish any remaining demons that may have been lurking in the shadows. The Elite Members of the Demon ying Squad followed behind him, ensuring that no demon could return and corrupt thend again.

    After hours of hard work, Ashton finally stood up, wiping the sweat from his brow. The entire city of Gdriel was nowpletely purified. The Fey who lived there could now breathe easy, knowing that their home was safe once again.

    Ashton turned to Ardan and the Guildmaster of the Demon ying Squad, a small smile on his lips. "It is done," he said. "Thend is purified and the threat of demonic corruption has been banished."

    Ardan nodded, his expression grateful. "We owe you a great debt, Ashton," he said. "Without your help, we would not have been able to protect our home."

    Ashton simply smiled in response. "It is my duty to protect thend and those who dwell upon it," he said. "I am d I could be of assistance."

    "But please take this as a lesson, King Ardan." Ashton stared at the young king with a wisened gaze: "Keeping people ignorant about the existence of demons prevents this kingdom from reaching its full potential."

    "We may have stopped the demons for now but make no mistake. They wille back, fiercer and stronger than before. Unlike today, I won''t always be around to help you. Please consider that as you continue to develop this kingdom."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Ashton then turned his back on the king, leaving him with many things to think about once he returns to the pce.

    ''Well, it''s normal to celebrate after surviving an event like that.'' Ashton mused to himself as he walked on the streets of Gdrielter that day.

    Ashton had never seen Gdriel City so lively before. People danced and cheered, their faces beaming with joy and relief. The Adventurer''s Guild was packed to the brim with people from all over the city, including the army and the Demon ying Squad, who had been hailed as heroes. Ashton couldn''t help but feel proud of himself and everyone who had fought alongside them.

    He made his way to the bar and ordered a mug of mead. As he sipped on his drink, he noticed a familiar face in the crowd. It was Kaida, one of the members of the Demon ying Squad. She''s also one of her previous teammates before.

    "Hey, Ashton," she said, her voiceced with excitement. It would seem that she was happy to see him again after quite some time. "What a party, right?"

    Ashton grinned. "Yeah, it''s quite the celebration."

    Kaida leaned in closer. "I have to say, you were pretty impressive out there. You took down that demon with one blow. I don''t think I''ve ever seen anything like it."

    Ashton wore a polite yet distant smile as he replied to her. "Thanks, Kaida. It was a team effort, though. We couldn''t have done it without everyone''s help."

    They chatted for a while, reminiscing about the battle and the moments that had made them the most nervous. Kaida expressed that she missed working with him and how surprised she was seeing how strong he has gotten.

    As the party reached its end, Kaida asked him if he wanted to leave with her but Ashton politely declined her offer.

    He had nothing against her but his body, mind, and heart are already dedicated to someone else. Kaida was visibly bummed by his rejection. Thankfully, she didn''t cause a scene.

    ***

    Ashton rented a room for the night. As hey on his bed, he couldn''t help but think about where to go from there.

    He had several ces in mind, they were a little far but Ashton didn''t mind. These ces were:

    The Kingdom of Silvervein - This kingdom is located in a vastwork of underground caverns, where the walls sparkle with veins of silver. The ruling queen is a powerful fey known for her beautiful singing voice, which has the power to soothe even the most savage beasts. The inhabitants of Silvervein are skilled miners and craftsmen, known for their intricate silverwork.

    The Kingdom of Sunmeadow - This kingdom is located on the edge of a sprawling meadow, where the sun shines bright and the flowers bloom all year round. The ruling monarch is a powerful fey lord ordy, known for their fiery temperament and love of revelry. The inhabitants of Sunmeadow are skilled archers and horse riders, known for their love of hunting and outdoor activities.

    The Kingdom of Mistwood - This kingdom is located on the edge of a dense fog-shrouded forest, where the trees loom tall and twisted. The ruling queen is a mysterious and enigmatic fey known for her mastery of illusion and trickery. The inhabitants of Mistwood are skilled hunters and trappers, known for their ability to blend seamlessly into the misty forest and hunt their prey without being seen.

    The Kingdom of Frostpeak - This kingdom is located atop a soaring mountain peak, where the air is thin and the snow never melts. The ruling monarch is a stern and regal fey lord ordy, known for their mastery of ice magic and their love of order and discipline. The inhabitants of Frostpeak are skilled miners and crystal-workers, known for their ability to carve intricate designs into the icy surfaces of their homnd.

    The Kingdom of Starreach - This kingdom is located in the depths of space, where the stars twinkle and dance in the darkness. The ruling queen is a powerful and mysterious fey known for her mastery of celestial magic and her ability to shape the stars themselves. The inhabitants of Starreach are skilled astronomers and star-gazers, known for their deep understanding of the cosmos and their ability to navigate through the infinite reaches of space.

    These ces were something that he discovered when he read about the geography of this world. And these are the closest ones to Sylvenvale so these were his choices. Now, he just needed to decide on which kingdom he''d visit first.

 Chapter 331 Mistwood Kingdom

    Ashton didn''t stay at Sylvenvale despite the Guildmaster''s convincing. Ashton was determined to fulfill his end of the bargain and nothing could change his mind, the Guildmaster knows that too.

    And so, even though it pains him to see Ashton go, cause Sylvenvale would lose a fearsome protector, the guild master had no other choice than to let him go.

    Of course, Ashton left something that would protect the city in his disappearance. He hopes that it''ll never get to the point where that something get''s triggered by another invasion, but at this point? Only time could tell.

    After leaving Sylvenvale once more, Ashton traveled for almost a month and arrived at his next destination, which is the Forest of Hallucinations.

    The Forest of Hallucinations is a dense, ancient woond that lies on the border between Syvlenvale and the Mistwood Kingdom. It is a ce shrouded in mystery and legend, known to few who dare to venture into its depths.

    The trees of the forest are tall and imposing, their trunks covered in a thickyer of moss and vines. The leaves rustle ominously in the slightest breeze, their colors shifting from green to gold to red and back again. The branches twist and turn, their gnarled fingers reaching out to snag unwary travelers.

    Ashton had heard stories of the forest''s whispered secrets, of the voices that spoke from the trees and the illusions that danced through the air. He knew that many hade before him, only to be driven mad by the forest''s enchantments.

    The Forest of a Hallucination serves as the first line of defense for the Mistwood Kingdom - Ashton''s true destination. He heard that only those who could make their way through the forest and reach its core would be given an audience in the kingdom. And Ashton isn''t one to retreat from a challenge.

    The forest floor is covered in a thickyer of fallen leaves, their colors vibrant and diverse. As Ashton walked, the leaves crackled underfoot, and the air filled with the scent of damp earth and decaying foliage.

    The forest is home to an array of creatures, both natural and supernatural. Small animals scurry through the underbrush, whilerger beasts prowl the shadows. The fey are said to hold sway over the forest, and many travelers have reported glimpses of elusive creatures, disappearing into the mist as quickly as they appeared.

    Ashton set up camp at the edge of the Forest of Hallucinations, preparing himself for whaty ahead. He had heard many stories of this ce, where the trees whispered secrets and the very air was filled with illusions that could drive a person mad.

    Despite the danger, Ashton was determined to make it through the forest and continue on his journey to the Mistwood Kingdom. He had a clear goal in mind and he knew that he couldn''t let the forest get the better of him.

    As the sun began to set, Ashton took a deep breath and stepped into the forest. At first, everything seemed normal. The trees were tall and majestic, and the birds chirped happily in the branches. But as Ashton walked deeper into the forest, things started to change.

    The trees began to twist and turn, their bark taking on strange shapes and colors. The birds turned into bizarre creatures with wings of fire and eyes of ice. Ashton could feel his mind starting to wander, his thoughts bing jumbled and confused.

    ''Interesting...'' Ashton mused as he casually dispelled the illusion.

    Illusions of this level were child''s y to him. He didn''t even need to lift a finger to dispel it. Frankly, he could just ignore them and he''d bepletely fine.

    As Ashton continued deeper into the forest, the trees began to take on more fantastical forms. Some appeared to be made of ice, while others glowed with a strange, otherworldly light. The birds that perched on the branches were no longer of this world, their feathers shimmering with colors Ashton had never seen before.

    As Ashton continued to walk, the illusions became more and more intense. He saw strange creatures and heard voices calling out to him from all directions. But he pressed on, his feet moving forward, not all affected by whatever images the forest tried to feed him to confuse him.

    Finally, after what seemed like hours, Ashton saw a light in the distance. It was the first sign of the Mistwood Kingdom, and he knew that he had made it through the forest. He wore a thin smile on his face as he did so.

    ''That was fun.'' He told to himself. ''I wished that the illusions had more depth to them but oh well, you can''t win them all.''

    His thoughts would surely turn anybody who hears them mad. Many Feys had fallen to the weird and captivating illusions of the forest and yet here he was, wishing that the illusions were more realistic.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Shaking his head, Ashton approached the core of the forest with confidence. The challenge of the forest was already over, and he passed with flying colors. All that''s left is for him to enter the Mistwood Kingdom.

    As he entered the heart of the forest, Ashton saw a group of Fey standing guard at the entrance to the Mistwood Kingdom. They were tall and lithe, with pointed ears and delicate features. They wore clothes made from leaves and bark, and their eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint.

    The Fey stepped forward, blocking Ashton''s path. They asked him who he was and what his business was in the Mistwood Kingdom. Ashton introduced himself as a wandering mage, exining that he was on a journey of discovery and seeking to expand his knowledge of the world.

    The Fey looked at Ashton skeptically, eyeing him up and down. They asked him a series of questions, testing his knowledge and his intentions. They wanted to make sure that he was not a threat to their kingdom or to the bnce of nature that they protected.

    Ashton answered the questions to the best of his ability, trying to stay calm despite the intense scrutiny. He knew that the Fey were not to be trifled with, and that any misstep could lead to dire consequences.

    Finally, after what seemed like hours, the Fey seemed to be satisfied. They stepped aside, allowing Ashton to pass through the entrance to the Mistwood Kingdom.

    ***

    Ashton marveled at the beauty of the Mistwood Kingdom as he walked through its lush forests and meadows. The trees here were unlike any he had ever seen before, with trunks that shimmered like silver and leaves that glowed with a soft, ethereal light. The branches of the trees seemed to reach up to the sky, as if trying to touch the stars themselves.

    The meadows were dotted with wildflowers of every color, and Ashton could see small animals darting about, enjoying the freedom and abundance of the kingdom. The air was sweet with the fragrance of blooming flowers, and Ashton felt his sensese alive with the beauty of the natural world.

    The Mistwood Kingdom was a ce of magic and wonder, where the boundaries between the physical world and the realm of the fey seemed to blur. Ashton caught glimpses of fey creatures darting between the trees, their movements graceful and otherworldly. He saw small streams and waterfalls, their waters crystal clear and inviting.

    Ashton was amazed by the architecture of the kingdom as well. The structures here were unlike anything he had seen before, with intricate designs and beautiful, flowing shapes that seemed to be born of the forest itself. The buildings were constructed from wood, stone, and other natural materials, with decorations of flowers and vines adding to their beauty.

    As Ashton continued to explore the Mistwood Kingdom, he discovered more and more secrets thaty hidden within its borders. He learned of ancient ruins thaty buried beneath the forest floor, of hidden paths and secret gardens that only the fey knew of.

    Later that day, Ashton was wandering through a clearing when he heard the sound of music. He followed the sound, and soon came upon a group of fey ying instruments made from leaves and twigs. They were dancing andughing, caught up in the joy of the moment.

    Ashton watched them for a while, feeling a sense of wonder at the beauty of their music and their movements. He was so caught up in the moment that he did not notice the approach of a small, winged fey until shended on his shoulder.

    "Hello, traveler," she said, her voice musical and light. "Are you enjoying our music?"

    Ashton turned to look at her, surprised by her sudden appearance. "Yes, it''s beautiful," he replied.

    The fey smiled at him. "I''m d you like it. My name is Lyra. What brings you to our kingdom?"

    Ashton exined that he was a wandering mage, seeking to explore the wonders of the world. Lyra listened attentively, her eyes sparkling with interest.

    "I see." Lyra nodded after hearing his exnation. "But, I''m rather curious about one thing, Traveller."

    Lyra got off from his shoulder and hovered in front of his face.

    "Why are you carrying an ocean''s worth of Demonic Resentment behind you?"

 Chapter 332 Water Sprite

    He wasn''t expecting that question from a Faery he just met. In truth, Ashton was also slightly embarrassed because he had actually forgotten about it altogether.

    Ashton inhaled and said: "I''m a Demon yer," he blurted out. "That''s why there''s so much Demonic Resentment on me. I forgot to cleanse it off."

    Lyra''s eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" she said. "We have Demon yers in this kingdom too. Maybe we could help you."

    Ashton was taken aback. He had never met anyone who could understand his line of work. "You have Demon yers here?" he said.

    Lyra nodded. "Yes, we do. And we also know how important it is to cleanse yourself of Demonic Resentment. It can be a heavy burden to bear."

    Ashton felt a weight lift off his shoulders. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he had found a ce where he belonged. "Thank you," he said, feeling grateful. "But there''s no need to. I can get rid of this on my own. I just truly forgot about it since I was too busy."

    Lyra just smiled, her eyes shining with warmth. "Very well, then. Wee to the Mistwood Kingdom," she said. "We''re d you''re here." And with that, she took his hand and led him into the heart of the faeries'' joyful celebration.

    She and her other friends danced around him, giggling and leaving sparkling dust everywhere. Ashton chuckled at their antics but this gesture melted the exhaustion he felt during his travels.

    It was then that he noticed something in the corner of his eye. He saw a small pond and noticed some movements within. Lyra and her friends went to the pond before he could even ask them anything.

    As he came close, he the rest of Lyra''s group gathered around a small pond. They were watching intently as a tiny, glowing creature swam in the water.

    Curious, Ashton approached the group and asked what was happening. A fey named Elora turned to him and said, "We''re watching the birth of a water sprite. It''s a rare and beautiful thing to witness."

    Ashton looked closer at the glowing creature in the water and saw that it was indeed changing shape, its tiny body elongating and taking on a more humanoid form. As he watched, the water sprite emerged from the pond, its skin shimmering with the same ethereal light as the Mistwood trees.

    Elora turned to Ashton and said, "We are the guardians of this pond, and it is our responsibility to protect and care for the creatures that live here. It''s a duty that we take very seriously."

    Ashton nodded as he heard the fey''s sense of responsibility and dedication to their duties. He realized that the inhabitants of the Mistwood Kingdom had a deep respect and reverence for nature and that they saw themselves as its caretakers and protectors.

    Moved by what he had witnessed, Ashton asked Elora if there was anything he could do to help. Elora smiled at him and said, "You could help us gather some supplies for the creatures that live in the pond. We need some special nts and berries that grow deep in the forest, and it''s not safe for us to go alone."

    Ashton agreed to help, eager to contribute to the well-being of the creatures in the pond. He followed Elora and herpanions deep into the forest, marveling at the beauty of the trees and the creatures that lived among them.

    As they journeyed deeper into the forest, Ashton noticed that the air was growing colder and the trees were bing darker and more ominous. He realized that they had strayed from the well-traveled paths and were now in a more dangerous area.

    He frowned and felt that this was odd. This was inside the Mistwood Kingdom, and that didn''t make sense.

    Just as he was about to voice his concerns, a group of shadowy figures emerged from the trees. They were dark, twisted versions of the fey, with sharp ws and teeth and eyes that glowed with a malevolent light.

    Elora and herpanions drew their weapons, preparing to defend themselves. Ashton went on alert as well. He didn''t expect there to be corrupted fey here.

    Just as the shadowy figures were about to attack, a beam of light shot out from Ashton''s hand, striking the creatures and driving them back into the shadows.

    The fairies were shocked by his sudden attack. He didn''t expect him to act quickly with no questions asked. He gathered his strength and focused his will, unleashing a powerful burst of energy that drove the creatures even further back.

    The shadowy figures retreated into the darkness, but Ashton didn''t like that idea so he immediately used stronger spells to deal with them permanently.

    The corrupted fey turned into ash and scattered to the wind. Somehow, Ashton was hoping that they would leave a body behind but it didn''t happen. He had a few questions in mind but he thought that he wasn''t in a position to ask them now, so he postponed it forter. He turned to Elora and herpanions and saw that they were looking at him with a newfound respect and admiration.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Thank you for ending their suffering." Lyra bowed to him.

    "Don''t mention it. I just did what I could to protect us." He replied, "But I wasn''t expecting a corrupted fey to be lurking around so close."

    "That one escaped from the guards." Elora said, "It had made its nest here. We couldn''t kill it because it was way too strong and could recover quickly so we just sealed it in this ce instead. But it''s dead now so I guess we do not need the seal anymore."

    He nodded at that and decided to no longer ask any more questions.

    ***

    Ashton and the faeries had just defeated a corrupted shadow that had been lurking in the forest. Well, it was only Ashton who did the killing but he''s apanied by the Faeries, and that counts.

    They then began going deeper into the forest in search of the resources they came here for, the faeries began to gather the magical berries that they needed to assist in the birth of a water sprite.

    Ashton watched as the faeries carefully plucked the berries from the bushes, their small hands moving quickly and efficiently. They worked in silence, their concentration focused on the task at hand.

    Ashton walked over to Lyra, who was examining a particrlyrge berry. "What do these berries do, exactly?" he asked.

    Lyra looked up at him, her eyes bright with excitement. "These berries are crucial to the birth of a water sprite," she said. "They contain the magic that will help the sprite to form and grow strong."

    Ashton nodded, fascinated. He had never heard of such a thing before. "And you need all of these berries for just one sprite?" he asked.

    Lyra nodded. "Yes, it''s a delicate process," she said. "But it''s worth it. Water sprites are powerful allies to have."

    Ashton watched as the faeries finished gathering the berries, and then they all made their way back to the water sprite''s home. The journey was short, and soon they arrived at a secluded pool of water surrounded by tall trees.

    Ashton looked around, taking in his surroundings. The air was thick with magic, and he could feel the power of the water sprite''s birth beginning to stir.

    Lyra walked up to Ashton and handed him a bowl filled with water. "Here, hold this," she said. "It will help to focus your energy."

    He was expecting that he would be included in this but he did what he was asked of anyway. He''s also curious about this process they speak of so he might as well do something to help.

    Ashton took the bowl and held it in both hands, feeling the coolness of the water seep into his skin. He closed his eyes and focused his mind, trying to channel his energy into the bowl.

    The faeries gathered around the water''s edge, each one holding a handful of berries. They began to chant softly, their voices blending together in a melodic harmony.

    Ashton felt the power of the magic coursing through him, and he knew that something incredible was about to happen. He opened his eyes just in time to see a tiny water sprite emerge from the pool, its form taking shape before his very eyes.

    The faeries continued to chant, their energy fueling the sprite''s growth. Ashton watched in awe as the sprite grew stronger with each passing moment, its powers expanding and strengthening.

    Finally, the faeries stopped chanting, their workplete. The water sprite floated in the pool, its form fully realized and glowing with a bright blue light.

    The water in the pond released a faint brilliance under the influence of the Sprite. Its volume also seems to have doubled.

    Lyra and the rest of the faeries began dancing around the newly born sprite, ying with it and celebrating its birth with cheers and giggles.

    Ashton then saw the sprite looking at him and it gave a grateful look. Ashton smiled and nodded to it, feeling satisfied that he was able to help with the birth of a nature''s darling.

 Chapter 333 Mistwood Kingdoms Demon Slayers

    Ashton took a deep breath as he stepped inside the Demon ying Squad headquarters in the Mistwood Kingdom. The air was filled with the scent of incense, which seemed to be amon feature in most demon-ying headquarters. It was a far cry from the hidden and secretive world of demon ying in Sylvenvale.

    The founder of the Demon ying Squad in the Mistwood Kingdom, a tall, lean man with piercing blue eyes, greeted Ashton as he presented his badge. The founder''s name was Marcus and he seemed to take a keen interest in Ashton, asking him about his background and his experiences as a demon yer.

    Ashton felt a sense of apprehension as he spoke with Marcus. He had heard that the Demon ying Squad in the Mistwood Kingdom was one of the most respected and powerful demon-ying organizations in the world, this setting was unlike how it was back in Sylvenvale.

    Marcus: "So, Ashton, tell me a bit about your background. Where did you train as a demon yer?"

    Ashton: "I trained in Sylvenvale. It''s a small kingdom, and demon yers are forced to keep their identities hidden there due to some ridiculousws passed by the royal family."

    Marcus: "Ah! That ce. Yeah, I''ve heard about that as well. Sadly we couldn''t do much to help them. Whether we like it or not, our authority can''t be higher than the royalties. But I''m sure you''ve gained some valuable experience in Sylvenvale. What sort of demons did you face there?"

    Ashton: "Mostly low-level demons, nothing too powerful. We didn''t have ess to the same kind of resources and training that you have here in the Mistwood Kingdom."

    He didn''t feel the need to boast his abilities right now. He didn''t want to be perceived as a narcissist or arrogant person. He''d just let his abilities do the talking for him.

    Marcus: "Well, you''re in luck. We have some of the best demon yers in the world here. And we''re always looking for talented individuals to join our ranks. Would you be interested in bing a member of the Demon ying Squad in the Mistwood Kingdom?"

    Ashton: "I''d love to, but I am a nomad by nature. My wanderlust prevents me from staying in one ce for an extended period of time. Eventually, I''ll leave this ce too. But while I''m here, I suppose I can be an honorary member of sorts."

    Marcus: "Excellent. We could use someone with your skills and experience. But I must warn you, the demons here in the Mistwood Kingdom are far more powerful than what you faced in Sylvenvale. You''ll need to be prepared to face some serious challenges."

    Ashton: "I understand. I''m ready for whateveres my way."

    Marcus: "Good. Then wee to the Demon ying Squad, Ashton. I have a feeling you''re going to fit in just fine here."

    After several minutes of conversation, Marcus officialized Ashton''s identity as an Honorary Member of Mistwood Kingdom''s Demon ying Squad.

    Since his status was fairly rare amongst the squad, it would take some time for Marcus to establish a set of rules that an Honorary Member like him could follow. This means that for now, at least, Ashton can''t do missions just yet.

    Topensate, Marcus made Ashton a temporary trainer for the Junior Teams. This way, he''ll have a job and he could earn his keep.

    Ashton wasn''t reallycking financially but he still epted the job to kill his boredom.

    Over the next few days, Ashton trained the Junior Demon yers in the squad. He taught them new techniques and skills that they had never seen before, and he quickly became one of the most sought out trainer in the squad. He even made a few friends among the other demon yers, who weed him with open arms despite his outsider status.

    Ashton was satisfied with this setting for now. It has also allowed him topletely rest his body and mind since he had been on the road for so long. He also used this idle time to cleanse himself of the Demonic Resentment, which lightened up his load visibly and spiritually. Without that stuff, his body felt lighter and he became more approachable.

    After two weeks or so after he started bing a temporary trainer, Ashton finally received his first mission as a Demon yer of the Mistwood Kingdom.

    When he arrived at the office, Marcus exined that an elite team had activated their distress beacon, but the other teams were away on another mission. They were short on staff and he was the only one he could dispatch so he called for him. Ashton had no problems epting this mission.

    Marcus then gave him a tracker that he could use to rescue the Elite Team.

    He quickly made his way to the location of the distress beacon, casting spells to help him move faster and avoid any obstacles in his path. As he approached the area, he could hear the sounds of battle, and his heart sank as he realized just how dire the situation was.

    He approached the elite team and saw that they were surrounded by a group of powerful demons. They were fighting bravely, but they were outnumbered and outmatched. Ashton knew that he had to act fast to turn the tide of the battle.

    He immediately began casting spells to heal and support the elite team, giving them the strength and energy they needed to keep fighting. His spells were powerful and effective, and the elite team quickly regained their strength and began fighting back with renewed vigor.

    Ashton continued to cast spells, his focus never wavering even as the demons closed in on them. He knew that he had to keep the elite team alive if they were going to make it out of there alive.

    This wasn''t really a problem to him though. After all, he''s only supporting four people this time. Plus, this situation could hardly be described as difficult. They''re only facing a horde of low-level demons. If he wanted to, he could''ve decimated that group with a wave of his staff.

    But he found that unnecessary so he just stick with supporting the Elite Team for now, while also throwing a spell or two in the mix. With their coordination, the numbers of the horde dwindles until all demons were in.

    Ashton approached the elite team, who were all breathing heavily but smiling at him in gratitude. They were a group of four - two warriors, an archer, and a mage.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Thank you so much foring to our aid, Kind Sir!" said the archer, wiping sweat from her forehead.

    "Yeah, we would have been done for if it weren''t for you," added one of the warriors.

    Ashton smiled back at them. "I''m just d I was able to help. How are all of you holding up?"

    "We''re a bit battered with a bruised ego, but we''ll live," said the mage. "Thanks to you, of course."

    The other warrior chimed in. "We didn''t think anyone wasing to save us. We were all starting to lose hope."

    Ashton shook his head. "I''m d that I was able to make it here in time then. It''ll be a shame if the squad loses you."

    The archer nodded. "You''re right. This was our fault, we should have known better."

    Ashton smiled. "That''s fine. Just make sure to etch this lesson in your hearts so that you all won''t end up in this situation again.."

    The mage spoke up. "We owe you our lives, Kind Sir. Is there anything we can do to repay you?"

    Ashton shook his head. "No need for repayment. Just promise me that you''ll keep fighting and keep protecting the people of this kingdom."

    The elite team nodded in agreement. "We promise," said the second warrior.

    Ashton grinned. "That''s all I need to hear. Now let''s get out of here before any more demons show up."

    After the rescue, Ashton took the Elite Members home with him. They were exhausted so he decided to carry them and fly back to the headquarters instead.

    Upon returning, Marcus approached Ashton with a wide grin on his face. "Ashton, you did an incredible job today. Thanks to you, the elite team is safe, and we can continue our mission to protect the kingdom."

    Ashton smiled back at Marcus. "It was my pleasure, sir. I''m just d I was able to help."

    Marcus nodded. "You more than helped, Ashton. You saved lives today. And for that, I want to offer you a heftymission as a token of our gratitude."

    Ashton''s eyes widened in surprise. "Really, sir? You don''t have to do that."

    Marcus shook his head. "No, Ashton. You deserve it. Your skills as a mage were truly remarkable, and I do not doubt that you''ll be a valuable asset to our team."

    Ashton wanted to refuse but he also didn''t want to leave a bad impression on Marcus so he just epted the rewards.

    "Thank you, sir," he said, his voice filled with gratitude.

    Marcus pped him on the back. "Now go rest up, Ashton. You''ve earned it."

    Ashton nodded and then he went back to his temporary lodgings to rest.

 Chapter 334 Phantasmal Storm

    Ashton woke up early in the morning, the sun barely rising over the horizon. He sat up in his bed and stretched his arms, feeling energized and ready for the day ahead. He got dressed quickly, putting on his usual attire of ck leather pants and a white shirt with long sleeves, before heading out of his room.

    He made his way through the Demon ying Squad''s headquarters, greeting his fellow members as he passed by. He made a mental note to stop by the kitchenter to grab some breakfast, but for now, he had other ns in mind.

    Ashton was sitting in the Demon ying Squad''s Resource office, staring intently at the potion he was brewing. A squad had juste back from a grueling mission, and several of the members were injured. Ashton had been tasked with healing their wounds, but he had run out of the healing potions he had made earlier.

    He could''ve easily used some healing spells to help them, but their injuries were too delicate that it prevents him from doing just that. Their injuries require a slow recovery so he could only resort to making potions that would do the job.

    As he concentrated on his work, he couldn''t help but think about the past month. He had joined the squad as an honorary member. He knew that he couldn''t be a full-time member since he''d be leaving this ce in the future but that didn''t stop him from creating an amicable rtionship with those he worked with.

    He had proven his worth time and time again, using his magic to protect his allies and vanquish demons. He had evene up with a few new spells and potions that had helped the squad immensely in their battles.

    But despite his sess, Ashton still felt like an outsider sometimes. He wasn''t like the other members of the squad, who had trained for years to be demon yers. He was just a mage who had stumbled upon their cause by chance.

    Additionally, he''s indeed an outsider here. He might look like a Fey and might carry their blood for now but in reality, he''s not one of them. He''s a human who was in the wrong time and ce, trying to make a difference to pay for his Karmic Debt.

    Ashton was pulled out of his thoughts by a knock on the door. It was one of the squad''s members, a burly man named Hector.

    "Ashton, Sir Marcus wants to see you in his office," Hector said gruffly.

    Ashton nodded and quickly finished his potion. He then followed Hector to the captain''s office, feeling a sense of unease in the pit of his stomach.

    When he entered the office, he saw the captain sitting behind his desk, looking serious.

    When he arrived, Marcus was waiting for him in his office, his expression grave. "Ashton, I''ve called you here because we have an important eventing up in a few days," he said, his voice low.

    "What kind of event?" Ashton asked, his curiosity piqued.

    "It''s called the Phantasmal Storm," Marcus replied. "It''s a rare urrence that happens once every few years. During the storm, the magical properties of the Forest of Hallucinations will overflow and the veil between the human world and the demon world is weakened, and demons are more likely to cross over into our world."

    Ashton''s eyes widened at the news. He had heard of the Phantasmal Storm before, but he had never experienced it firsthand. He knew that it was a dangerous time for demon yers and that they had to be extra vignt to prevent any demon incursions.

    "We need to make sufficient preparations for this," Marcus continued. "I want you to gather the other members of the squad and make sure that we have everything we need to face the storm. We''ll need extra weapons, supplies, and manpower."

    Ashton nodded, knowing that he had a big responsibility on his shoulders. He left Marcus'' office and immediately began gathering the other members of the squad.

    Together, they spent the next few days preparing for the Phantasmal Storm. They stockpiled weapons and supplies, reinforced the defenses of their headquarters, and trained tirelessly to be ready for any demon attacks.

    As he prepared for the storm, Ashton couldn''t help but recall everything he learned about it.

    The Phantasmal Storm was a natural disaster that strikes the Mistwood Kingdom every few years. The kingdom was located at the depths of the Forest of Hallucinations, a mysterious and dangerous ce filled with illusions and magic that could easily ensnare the unwary.

    The magical properties of the forest were known to condense over time, and if they reached a critical level, they would explode, causing the Phantasmal Storm.

    Many have tried to resolve this problem but so far, all of them failed. At this point, the people who lived here just kind of epted that they will experience this disaster once every few years, they just need to be prepared for it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    During the storm, the forest''s already potent magical properties became even more intense, causing even the most stalwart demon yers to be vulnerable to illusions. The sky will turn dark, and the air will be charged with electricity, causing the hair on the back of everyone''s necks to stand on end.

    To make matters worse, crazed demons began to wander dangerously close to the kingdom''s borders, they''re also affected by the hallucinations of the forest. The demon yers knew that they had to be extra vignt during the storm to prevent any demon invasions.

    Ashton and his fellow demon yers spent the next few days preparing for the storm. They fortified their defenses, stockpiled weapons, and supplies, and trained tirelessly to be ready for any eventuality.

    ***

    A few days then passed and as expected, the storm indeed came.

    Ashton had heard stories about this and read it in books, but he had never experienced it before. Plus, this event is unique to the Mistwood Kingdom so he had no idea how intense it would be.

    As the storm approached, Ashton could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The air was charged with electricity, and the sky turned a deep shade of purple. He could hear the distant rumble of thunder and the howl of the wind. He could also sense the foul scent of demons being carried by the wind.

    Suddenly, the storm hit with full force. The wind picked up, and Ashton had to struggle to keep his footing. The trees swayed dangerously, their branches whipping back and forth like angry tendrils. Ashton could see the magical energies swirling around him, forming strange and unsettling shapes.

    The illusions were more vivid and terrifying thanpared to what he had experienced before. He saw images of his worst fears and nightmares, ying out in front of his eyes with such rity that it was hard to tell what was real and what was not.

    But in truth, it''s still not enough to stump Ashton. His will was too firm to be affected by this. However, the same can''t be said for his teammates though, and that''s particrly worrisome.

    Ashton felt a sudden jolt of pain as a demon leaped at him from out of nowhere. He quickly drew his wand and unleashed a bolt of lightning, sending the demon flying back into the forest.

    The battle was intense, and Ashton had to be on constant alert to help his teammates from falling prey to the illusions. He saw his fellow demon yers fighting bravely, their weapons glinting in the purple light of the storm.

    Ashton used his healing magic to keep his allies alive, and his offensive spells to deal devastating blows to the demons. He could feel the magic coursing through his veins, making him feel more alive and powerful than ever before.

    It would seem that the overflow of the forest''s magical properties was affecting mages like him in this way as well...

    As the days passed, the Phantasmal Storm continued to rage on, its intensity fluctuating wildly. The demon yers had to be on constant alert, ready to fend off any demon that dared toe close to the kingdom. It was a grueling task, and his fellow demon yers were pushed to their limits.

    But finally, after a week of fighting, the storm began to subside. The sky cleared, and the forest was still once again. The demon yers breathed a collective sigh of relief, knowing that they had done their duty and kept the kingdom safe.

    But their work was not over yet. The storm had caused significant damage to the kingdom, and there was much to be done to repair it. Ashton and the other demon yers worked tirelessly to help with the reconstruction efforts, using their magical abilities to mend broken structures and heal wounded citizens.

    Ashton was grateful that the Phantasmal Storm only urred once every few years. He couldn''t imagine having to endure something like this regrly. He''s also grateful that this was a unique urrence that only happens in the Mistwood Kingdom.

    If this happened in Sylvenvale, only a handful of people would remain after the storm passed.

    Ashton shook his head to get rid of that notion. Instead, he focused his attention on the reconstruction efforts. The earlier they could finish this, the earlier they could rest as well. God knows they need it.

 Chapter 335 Breakthrough! Archfey

    Two months have passed since he came to the Mistwood Kingdom...

    Currently, Ashton sat cross-legged on the floor of his room, his eyes closed as he focused on his breathing. He had spent the past several hours meditating, trying to clear his mind and prepare himself for the Breakthrough that was toe. As a demon hunter, Ashton knew that the process could be dangerous, but he was determined to see it through.

    His room was filled with various formations designed to prevent his aura from leaking out. This was essential, as the energies involved in a Breakthrough could be highly destabilizing, and could cause significant harm to anyone in the vicinity.

    Ashton''s mind wandered as he meditated, thinking about the preparations he had made for this. He even filed for a leave from the Demon ying Squad since he had no idea how this will take him.

    He hadn''t been with the squad for long but his reputation and his skills earned him some level of respect and authority, and he knew that his absence would be felt. But he also knew that he can''t really postpone this breakthrough since that would just make it even more difficult in the future,

    He opened his eyes and looked around the room, taking in the various talismans and charms that he had ced on the walls and floor. Each one was carefully designed to channel his energy and protect him from harm. He felt a sense of calm wash over him as he surveyed his handiwork.

    Ashton was currently at the precipice of the Grandmaster Rank. The mana he umted so far as well as his insights are threatening to tip that scale to make him an Archfey.

    The Fey power-scaling chart differs from humanity. They start from...

    The Novice Rank: This is the starting point for most feys. Novice feys have a basic understanding of their magical abilities butck significant power. They can perform simple spells and are still learning how to control their magic.

    Followed by the Adept Rank: Adept feys have a greater understanding of their abilities and have developed more control over their magic. They can perform moreplex spells and can channel their magic for longer periods of time. Adept feys are also able to use their abilities to influence their environment, such as creating illusions or manipting the elements.

    Then Master Rank: Master feys have honed their abilities to a high level of proficiency. They can perform powerful spells and can manipte the environment around them to a greater extent. They have developed an intuitive understanding of their magic and can use it in creative and unexpected ways. Master feys are also able to summon and control powerful spirits or other magical creatures.

    And ends at the...

    Grandmaster Rank: Grandmaster feys are the most powerful mortal feys, and have achieved a level of mastery that is beyond most others. They have near-perfect control over their magic, and can channel it to achieve incredible feats. Grandmaster feys can manipte the weather itself, bending the worldly elements to their will. They can create spells or alter pre-existing spells with their mere thought and magic.

    In truth, however, it doesn''t end there. Like the High-Evolutionary Ranks of Humanity, the Fey Race has the ''Transcendence Realm'' consisting of three stages that represents what they be after breaking their mortal shackles...

    Archfey: Archfeys are beings that have transcended mortality, and are no longer bound by the limitations of the mortal realm. They can manipte energy in its rawest state, and can create and destroy entire things with a mere thought. They can transcend the shackles of mortality, and can exist in space without suffocating. Archfeys are revered and feared by other feys, and are considered to be Sages among their kind.

    Elder Fey: Elder feys are even more powerful than Archfeys, and are said to be the guardians of the natural world. They can control the fundamental forces of nature, such as gravity, electromaism, and the strong and weak nuclear forces. Elder feys can create and destroy stars and can reshape entire gxies with their magic.

    Primordial Fey: Primordial feys are said to be the first feys to have emerged in the universe. They are beings of immense power and can manipte the very fabric of reality itself. They are said to have created entire universes and can control the Universal Laws. Primordial feys are believed to be the most powerful beings in existence and are revered by other feys as gods.

    The Transcendence Realm only have three ranks but they''re more than enough to represent the true potential of the Fey Race.

    Ashton stood at the center of a circle, surrounded by intricate sigils and runes etched into the ground. He closed his eyes and began to meditate, focusing his mind and centering his spirit.

    He began to channel his magic, drawing upon the ancient powers of the fey. The energy flowed through him, suffusing his body and mind with an otherworldly power.

    Ashton began to recite the incantation for the Ruling Spirit Art, the cultivation technique he had been practicing for years. The words flowed from his lips like a river of magic, resonating with the energies around him and intensifying his connection to the spirit realm.

    The sigils and runes etched into the ground began to glow with a bright, pulsing light, as the magic intensified. Ashton could feel the power building within him, a wild, untamed energy that threatened to consume him if he wasn''t careful.

    He focused his will and began to channel the energy into a single point, drawing upon his knowledge of the Ruling Spirit Art to shape the magic into a specific form.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Suddenly, the air around Ashton began to shimmer, as if reality itself was warping and distorting. He opened his eyes and gazed out at the world around him, seeing it in a way he had never seen before.

    The colors were more vibrant, the sounds more crisp, and he could feel the pulse of the universe itself beating within his chest. He realized that he had broken through to a new level of power, one that few mortals had ever achieved.

    Ashton felt his body transforming, his very essence shifting as he ascended to the rank of Archfey. He felt himself growingrger and taller, his features bing more angr and ethereal. His hair turned a bright silver, and his eyes began to glow with a fierce inner light.

    Beforeing here, Ashton was a Lv.8 World Sage, and with plenty of tricks in his arsenal, he could transcend his current rank.

    Here, being an Archfey made him feel like he returned to his prime. If anything, he''s even stronger. At this point, it''s like he''s a Lv.9 World Sage.

    It doesn''t sound impressive but at this rank, the difference of a single level can make a world of a difference.

    The process of his breakthrough felt fast but in reality, it actually took 3 days from start to finish. Thankfully, he filed for a week''s worth of leave so he still has some time to spare.

    Bending the space around him, Ashton teleported outside of his room and into the nearby patch of forest.

    Ashton stood there, staying still. He''s surrounded by towering trees and a gentle breeze that carries the sweet scent of blooming flowers. But despite the peaceful setting, Ashton can''t help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at the world around him.

    As he looks out at the trees, he realizes that he can see them in a way that he never could before. Every detail of the bark, the leaves, and the roots is clear and vibrant, and he can sense the subtle energy that flows through them.

    Ashton takes a step forward, and suddenly the ground beneath him seems to ripple and shift, revealing awork of intricate patterns and lines that he had never noticed before. He realizes that he is seeing the very fabric of the world itself, the energy that connects all things and gives them form.

    For a moment, Ashton simply stands there, absorbing the incredible sight before him. He feels a sense of power and potential coursing through him, a newfound strength that he had never known before. And as he looks out at the world with his new perspective, he knows that he will never see things the same way again.

    "..."

    Ashton was woken up from his stupor by a sudden sound. He looked around his vicinity only to find nothing.

    He frowned and felt strange. Then, he heard the sound again. He tried locating where the sound wasing from but he realized that it wasing from a very far ce.

    The sound he heard was something he can''t easily exin. If he were to describe it, he would say that it sounds archaic and...pained for some reason.

    Like it''s a cry for help...

    He focused his senses and tried to see if he could pinpoint where exactly the sound wasing from. He did this for a while and was getting somewhere when all of a sudden, he saw something unbelievable.

    "This...this is!"

 Chapter 336 El Tree

    He couldn''t believe it. Well, to be more specific, he should''ve expected this, given where he was at, but the thoughtpletely eluded him until now.

    Ashton''s heart was still racing with excitement as he felt the surge of power flowing through him. He had just ascended to the rank of Archfey, and he could feel the magic coursing through his veins, filling him with a sense of purpose and destiny.

    He didn''t expect that, as he was trying to spread out his senses to assess the world with a fresh set of perceptions, he would also encounter the existence of something that he hadpletely forgotten.

    He was just searching for the source of the sound when all of a sudden, he saw it...the mythical El-Tree, Elstar''s very own World Tree.

    The El-Tree is a towering oak tree that stands at the center of Elstar, stretching high into the sky and spreading its branches wide across thend. Its trunk is wide enough for several people to stand side by side, and its roots reach deep into the earth, drawing nourishment and magic from thend itself.

    The leaves of the El-Tree are a vibrant green, shimmering in the sunlight and rustling gently in the wind. At the base of the tree, a circle of stones surrounds its massive trunk, and a ring of mushrooms grows around its roots, marking the boundary between the mortal realm and the very realm where it exists.

    Ashton sensed the existence of this realm with the heightened perception of an Archfey.

    Throughout the year, the El-Tree undergoes a cycle of growth and renewal, shedding its leaves in the fall and sprouting new growth in the spring. During the winter solstice, the faeries of Elstar gather around the El-Tree to sing and dance, celebrating the turning of the seasons and the renewal of life.

    Legend has it that the El-Tree is the source of all magic in Elstar, and that its roots hold the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe. Those who are brave enough to venture into the depths of the tree may discover hidden chambers and passages, leading to forgotten treasures and ancient knowledge. But beware - the El-Tree is also said to be guarded by powerful spirits and faeries, who will defend it fiercely against any who seek to harm it.

    The El Tree''s very existence was awe-inspiring, noble, and majestic. It sat at the pinnacle of this world''s nature.

    ...at least, that''s how it should''ve been or what Ashton expected it to be. After all, he was growing an El Tree in his backyard when he was still human. Unfortunately, that''s not what he saw here.

    Finally, he emerged into a clearing where the El-Tree stood, and his heart sank as he saw the damage that had been done. The tree''s leaves were withered and brown, and its trunk was covered in scars and burns as if it had been attacked by a vicious enemy.

    The aura of death was thick on the tree. And this does not bode well for Ashton.

    As Ashton approached the El-Tree, he could see that it was in a state of great distress. The tree''s leaves were dry and brittle, and many of them had already fallen to the ground. The branches that once reached for the sky now drooped heavily, weighed down by the burden of the El-Tree''s suffering. couldn''t help but feel a sense of sadness and despair at the state of the tree. The once majestic tree was now battered and beaten, its trunk scarred with deep gouges and its branches stripped of their leaves.

    Ashton ced his hand on the tree''s trunk, feeling the rough texture of the bark and the faint pulse of magic that still flickered within. He closed his eyes and focused his power, sending a surge of healing energy into the tree.

    As he did so, he could feel the El-Tree responding to his touch, its branches stretching upward and its leaves unfurling with newfound vigor. The withered appearance of the tree began to fade, and Ashton knew that his power was having an effect.

    However, even as he worked to heal the El-Tree, Ashton couldn''t help but feel a sense of anger and frustration. The damage done to the tree was not a natural urrence; it was the result of the corruption of the Hypogean Race.

    Maybe it''s because of the Fey Bloodline coursing through his veins, but the raw anger and sadness he felt cannot be masked no matter what he did.

    It was clear to Ashton that the damage inflicted upon the El-Tree was not just physical; it was a reflection of the destruction being wrought upon Elstar by the demons. The very life force of thend was being drained away, and the El-Tree was suffering the brunt of it.

    As he ced his hand on the tree''s trunk, he could feel the faint pulse of magic that still lingered within. The El-Tree was alive, but barely so. Its energy was sapped, its spirit broken.

    He knew that healing this tree cannot be done like this. At most, all he''s doing now was just stagnating the damage. He can''t even tell if it''s going to be effective or not.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As Ashton looked at the withered and beaten El-Tree, a deep sense of urgency washed over him. He realized that he had beencent, thinking that he had all the time in the world to fulfill his destiny.

    But now, as he saw the state of the tree, he knew that he could no longer waste any time. The fate of Elstar rested upon his shoulders, and he could not let the world die.

    Ashton''s mind raced with thoughts of all the things he needed to do. He had to find allies, gather information, and develop a n to defeat the demons and save Elstar.

    They have caused enough destruction and chaos in the world. It''s about time that someone does something against them. The world had suffered enough from their very existence.

    The weight of responsibility was heavy upon his shoulders, but he knew that he could not back down. He had a karmic debt to repay, and he was determined to do so no matter what the cost.

    If he failed, the consequences would be dire. Not just for Elstar, but for himself as well. His future would be uncertain, and he could not bear the thought of living with the guilt of letting the world die.

    Ashton took a deep breath, centering himself, and then began to channel his power into the El-Tree. He knew that it would take time to heal the tree, but he also knew that he could not dy any longer.

    Ashton knew that he could not leave the El-Tree in its weakened state. Still, he felt a strong sense of responsibility toward the tree, and he knew that he needed to do something to ensure its safety.

    He closed his eyes and focused his power once again, channeling it into the tree. He could feel the energy flowing from him and into the tree, filling it with renewed strength.

    Ashton was not able to fully heal the El-Tree, but he knew that he could at least slow down the rate of its decline. He wanted to buy himself enough time to move and heal the world before the demons could cause any more damage.

    With a final burst of energy, Ashton released his grip on the tree and stepped back. He looked at the El-Tree with a sense of relief, knowing that he had done what he could aid its current state, even just for a little while.

    Ashton then turned his attention to the task ahead. He knew that there was much work to be done if he was to save Elstar from the demons'' grip. But he was ready for the challenge, armed with his newfound strength and determination.

    With a deep breath, Ashton set off towards his next destination, his mind focused on the task ahead. He was determined to do whatever it takes to repay his karmic debt and save the world from destruction.

    And just like that, Ashton''s consciousness left the realm where the El Tree rested. He''d be back in the future to keep an eye out for it since he already knew how to go there.

    Once his consciousness returned to his body, Ashton opened his eyes to the real world and sighed. The state of El Tree was depressing.

    In a sense, it reminds him of Gaia.

    Gaia was the personification of the Blue''s consciousness. And whatever happens to it will be reflected in Gaia as well. Ashton knew the extent of how much suffering Gaia had endured because of the Celestials and the Hypogeans. The fact that she could still sleep in that state is already a goddamn miracle on its own.

    Gaia had suffered worse of course since she was dealing with two races at the same time. However, this doesn''t mean that he could just ignore or invalidate what was happening to the El Tree since ultimately, Gaia and the El Tree are two different beings.

    Still, that''s not what''s important here. Now Ashton what was happening, the sense of urgency he felt became stronger.

    He knew that he had to re-evaluate his ns.

 Chapter 337 Mirror World

    Ashton stepped into the Demon ying Squad''s training grounds, his presence causing the air to shimmer with magic. The trainees stopped their drills and stared at him in awe, their eyes wide with wonder as they took in his regal bearing.

    Marcus, the squad leader, strode forward to greet Ashton, his expression serious and respectful. "My Lord," he said, bowing low. "It is an honor to have you grace us with your presence."

    ''Oops, forgot to mute my aura down.'' Ashton inwardly scolded himself for being careless.

    He acknowledged Marcus'' greetings with a friendly smile. He also nodded to the Trainees who seem bbergasted by Marcus'' sudden show of respect for him.

    "Are you busy?" He asked Marcus.

    "I''m just about to wrap up the drills for the new trainees, My Lord." Marcus replied stiffly, causing Ashton to wince in awkwardness.

    Marcus motioned to the trainees, who immediately resumed their drills, eager to show off their skills to the Archfey. Ashton watched them with a critical eye, nodding asionally as he observed their techniques.

    After a few minutes, Ashton turned to Marcus and said, "You have done well with these trainees. They show great promise."

    Marcus bowed again, a hint of pride in his voice as he replied, "Thank you, My Lord. We have been working hard to improve our skills and be better demon yers."

    Ashton nodded in approval before turning to leave. As he walked away, the trainees couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe and reverence for the Archfey. They knew that he was not just any Fey, but a powerful Archfey whomanded respect and admiration from all those around him.

    Marcus breathed in relief after seeing Ashton walking away. That was surprising. He would''ve never expected that Ashton turned out to be an Archfey already!

    Ashton told him that he''d like to talk to him in his office after an hour since he had something else to do first. Marcus doesn''t really know what for but decided to be there anyway.

    After all, the existence of an Archfey demands an incredible amount of respect. It doesn''t matter if he was technically Ashton''s superior.

    ***

    After an hour passed...

    Marcus sat behind his desk, his expression serious as he watched Ashton enter the room. The Archfey''s aura was even more powerful in this enclosed space, causing the air to hum with magic. Marcus stood up and bowed respectfully before motioning for Ashton to take a seat.

    "Thank you for seeing me, My Lord," Marcus said, his voice respectful but hesitant.

    Ashton smiled warmly, his emerald eyes sparkling with amusement. "Please, there is no need for such formality between us, Marcus. We are colleagues and friends."

    Marcus nodded, his expression rxing slightly at the Archfey''s words. "Of course, My Lord...I mean, Ashton."

    Ashton chuckled before getting straight to the point. "I havee to speak with you about my ns to cleanse the Mistwood Kingdom of demons."

    Marcus raised an eyebrow, surprised by Ashton''s sudden announcement. "Alone, My Lord?"

    Ashton nodded, his expression serious. "Yes. I believe it is time for me to take matters into my own hands and rid ournd of these foul creatures once and for all."

    Marcus couldn''t help but feel a sense of admiration for the Archfey''s determination and courage. He knew firsthand how dangerous demon ying could be, and yet Ashton seemed undeterred by the risk.

    "I understand your desire to cleanse ournd, Ashton," Marcus said, his tone respectful but cautious. "But the demon threat has been growing stronger, and I fear for your safety if you venture out alone."

    Ashton smiled reassuringly. "I appreciate your concern, Marcus, but I assure you, I am more than capable of handling myself. Besides, I have faced much greater dangers in my time as a Fey."

    "In fact, I''ve been doing this even before I became an Archfey. It''s the true reason why I''m wandering around." Ashton continued.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Marcus nodded, his expression still hesitant. "I understand, Ashton. But please, take caution when you venture out. And if there is anything I can do to assist you, please do not hesitate to ask."

    Ashton''s expression softened with gratitude. "Thank you, Marcus. Your support means a great deal to me."

    The two continued to talk for a while longer, discussing strategies and tactics for demon ying, and exchanging stories of their past battles.

    Despite Ashton''s new status as an Archfey, their friendship remained as strong as ever, and Marcus knew that he could always count on the powerful Fey for support and guidance.

    Ashton knew that this will likely take some time so he gave Marcus some of his unique trinkets to use just in case something happens. After that, Ashton wasted no time and immediately left to do his job.

    ***

    Ashton ventured deeper into the Forest of Hallucinations, his senses attuned to the dark energy emanating from the demon-infested areas. He hade prepared for battle, armed with his powerful magic and a steely determination to cleanse thend of evil.

    The first demon-infested area he encountered was a twisted grove of gnarled trees and twisted vines. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and the ground was littered with the bones of unfortunate travelers who had stumbled into this cursed ce. Ashton stepped forward, his eyes glowing with magical energy as he prepared to do battle.

    With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a torrent of magical energy that engulfed the grove in a blinding light. The demons within screeched in terror and pain as they were sted into oblivion, their twisted bodies disintegrating into ash.

    Ashton remained in the grove for a while longer, using his magic to reinforce the space and prevent the Netherworld from sending its minions to this ce ever again. He created a powerful barrier that glowed with an otherworldly light, warding off any would-be invaders.

    The second demon-infested area was a dark and foreboding cavern deep beneath the forest floor. The air was thick with the stench of sulfur and brimstone, and the ground trembled with the movement of demonic creatures lurking in the shadows.

    Ashton remained undaunted, his eyes glowing with determination as he summoned a st of magical energy that lit up the cavern with a blinding light. The demons screeched in terror as they were disintegrated by the powerful st, their twisted bodies copsing into piles of ash.

    He continued to explore the demon-infested areas within the Forest of Hallucinations, each time using his powerful magic to cleanse thend and reinforce the spaces with powerful wards and barriers. By the time he was finished, the forest was a much safer ce, free from the malevolent influence of the Netherworld and its minions.

    But with his sess in doing so, Ashton could sense the anger and frustration of the Netherworld''s denizens as he continued to cleanse the demon-infested areas of the Forest of Hallucinations. He knew it was only a matter of time before theyunched a full-scale attack against him.

    One day, as he was finishing up reinforcing thest area of the forest, he decided he had had enough. He was tired of waiting for the demons toe to him, and he wanted to take the fight to them. With a fierce determination burning in his eyes, he set out for the Netherworld.

    Ashton emerged from the portal leading to the Netherworld, his eyes zing with magical energy as he surveyed his surroundings. He knew he was vastly outnumbered, but he was confident in his abilities. He had be an Archfey for a reason, and he was determined to use his newfound power to rid Elstar of the Netherworld''s influence once and for all.

    As Ashton made his way through the twistedndscape of the Netherworld, he couldn''t help but notice how familiar it all seemed. The dark forests and twisted, gnarled trees looked almost identical to those in the Forest of Hallucinations.

    It wasn''t until he stumbled upon a clearing, however, that he realized just how closely the two realms were linked. As he stood there, spreading his senses as far as he could, his consciousness touched a special ce that gave in and sucked his consciousness in.

    He opened his eyes and was shocked to discover that he was looking at a massive, twisted tree, with its gnarled branches reaching up towards the dark sky.

    And as Ashton looked closer, he realized that the tree was an exact mirror image of the Tree of Life that stood at the center of Elstar. Only this one seems to be siphoning the vitality of the one on Elstar.

    Ashton could feel a sense of foreboding rising within him as he realized the full extent of the connection between the two realms. It was as if the Netherworld was a twisted, corrupted reflection of Elstar, with each ce and creature mirrored in some dark, twisted form.

    When his consciousness returned to his body, he opened his eyes with a new sense of rity in them. He now knew that he was standing in the mirror image of the Netherworld.

    His senses also discovered the real way topletely get rid of demons once and for all. That has something to do with detaching the Netherworld from Elstar.

    "Alright. Let''s get to work." He whispered to himself.

 Chapter 338 Detaching A Pin

    With firm eyes and a zing fighting spirit, Ashton proceeded to do what he was meant to do.

    Ashton descended into the Netherworld, his eyes scanning thendscape for any signs of demon activity. The twisted spires of dark rock jutted from the ckened earth, casting deep shadows across the barren wastnd. The air was thick with the stench of sulfur and decay, and the distant screams of tortured souls echoed through the darkness.

    His powers hummed at his fingertips, ready to be unleashed at a moment''s notice. He moved with grace and precision, his steps surefooted and confident as he navigated the treacherous terrain.

    For hours he wandered through the Netherworld, his senses sharp and alert for any sign of danger. But the demons seemed to have retreated deep into the shadows, cowering in fear of the Archfey''s wrath.

    "Oh,e on you guys. I know you all sensed my presence. Don''t tell me that you''re being shy now?" Ashton sneered as he walked the corruptednds of the Netherworld.

    If he hade here before he became an Archfey, he would''ve undoubtedly been swarmed by now.

    This behavior really shows the awful irony of this race, they bully the weak and fear the strong.

    "Well, if you''re noting, then how about I give you a reason toe?" He said as he nearly arrived at his destination.

    After walking for a bit Ashton came upon the edge of the core location. He could feel the weight of it pulling at his magic, threatening to drag him down into the darkness forever. But he pushed forward, his determination unwavering.

    The Netherworld mimics Elstar in size. Ashton had been calcting his steps the moment he came here and from his estimations, where he''s standing should be equivalent to the core area of the Forest of Hallucinations if were to be on the other side.

    Ashton spreads his senses to look around and hummed after a couple of seconds, thinking to himself:

    ''Yeah, it''s as I expected. This is indeed possible.''

    He had sensed the connection of the Netherworld to Elstar. And in his mind, the former seems to be ''pinned'' to thetter through a mysterious method.

    Ashton knew that if something would''ve happened to these ''pins'', chaos would truly ensue within the Netherworld, but he was also sure that if removed this pin, then the demons would have no way of ever hoping to send some of their minions to the other side.

    The idea was simple really. Detach the Netherworld from the Elstar. After that, rehabilitate the world through magic. After that, then missionplete! It''s that simple!

    That being said, he could only detach the Netherworld piece by piece. And judging from what he knows about the Hypogeans, there''s no way that they would just stand by and watch all of this happen.

    Still, since he doesn''t have obstructions now, then they can''t me him for taking advantage of the situation.

    With a deep breath, Ashton focused his magic on the ground beneath his feet. He felt the earth tremble beneath him as his power surged through the ground, breaking the connection between this area of the Netherworld and the Forest of Hallucinations.

    The rocks around him began to crack and split apart, the ground shaking violently as the Netherworld slowly detached from Elstar. Ashton''s eyes narrowed in concentration as he pushed harder, pouring every ounce of his power into the task at hand.

    The demons, sensing the impending doom, began to howl in terror. But Ashton was relentless, his magic now a blinding light that enveloped the entire area.

    "I told you toe earlier and you didn''te. Well, it''s toote now. If you wanna me someone, then me yourselves."

    He erected a barrier around him, one that he made casually but because he possessed an incredible level of strength and expertise in magic, the barrier was unbreakable.

    The demons tried to hit it with all their might yet they failed to even leave a scratch. They continued howling like maddened animals, throwing everything they could at the barrier but not even a crack could be seen.

    Meanwhile, Ashton who''s inside the barrier sneered in disdain while mostly focusing on what he was doing.

    Detaching this piece of the Netherworld demandsbor. He can''t afford to make a mistake here since that would risk damaging Elstar in ways that he couldn''t imagine right now, and frankly he didn''t want to be responsible for that.

    Elstar already suffered enough from the hold of the Netherworld. Ashton didn''t want to worsen its suffering even more by being careless.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Threads of magic came to life around him, forming mystical ribbons that resonated with the world. They blended into their surroundings and turned into forces that loosened up the pin ced in this area.

    Slowly but surely, cracks started appearing in his surroundings. This was the sign that this piece of the Netherworld was breaking down.

    Winds howled and the corrupted earth of the Netherworld trembled. The Demons howled in mania and fear from what was happening around them.

    Ashton could feel thews of the world around him turning fragile. But even so, he could feel that the Netherworld was resisting his efforts.

    Unfortunately for it, Ashton had be too strong and his will was iparably firm. He was determined to do what he had promised to himself, and not even the hatred of this world could stop him from doing what he wants.

    With a final surge of power and a loud grunt, he severed the connection between this piece of the Netherworld from ElstR, and the two worlds were torn apart.

    The ground shook violently beneath Ashton''s feet, and he stumbled backward, almost losing his footing. He looked up to see the Netherworld slowly fading into the distance, its twisted spires and shadows disappearing into the void.

    Before he knew it, he was back at the Forest of Hallucinations.

    He then sensed something happening around him. The Demons who didn''t manage to return to their home emitted a pitched and wretched cry before turning into ash. Their remains were then carried by the wind, disappearing forever.

    Ashton let out a deep sigh of relief, his body shaking with exhaustion. He had aplished what he set out to do, but at a great cost to his own strength. He copsed to his knees, his eyes closing as he struggled to catch his breath.

    ''That was harder than I initially expected.'' Ashton grimaced.

    Although he''s already an Archfey, what he did demanded a lot from him.

    That being said though, at least he already experienced it once. Even in his blurry consciousness now due to exhaustion, he could tell that there were many ways where he could improve.

    If he were to apply what he learned, then he had no doubts that he would be able to save time and energy the next time he did something like that.

    On that note though, Ashton had a wide smile on his face knowing that he did it.

    Not a trace of corruption could be felt around him. Not a trace of demons either. Even the faint threat of demons in the air vanished along with the detachment as well.

    With this, Ashton can safely say that the Forest of Hallucinations and the Mistwood Kingdom itself were now free of demons.

    And since he already reinforced the space around here along with being extra careful on the process of the detachment, there''s little to no chance of the Netherworld ever returning here.

    At least, that''s what he believes. He can be wrong, and that''s fine. But since he could do it once, then he could certainly do it again. He won''t stop until these invaders arepletely gone from this world.

    Ashton can already tell that whoever was running the scenes behind the Netherworld''s operations would now be looking for him. He could already sense their hatred of him because of what he did, and honestly? Ashton couldn''t be bothered to give a damn for now.

    Oh, they''d be on guard, that''s for sure. But would that stop Ashton? Of course not. He already seeded once and he''s confident that he could do that again.

    ''Whew...'' Ashton released an exhausted sigh.

    But even as he rested, Ashton knew that there would be more battles toe. The demons would not take kindly to the loss of their realm, and they would seek revenge.

    Some beings in that ce are stronger than Demon Emperors out there. He doesn''t know much about them for now and he doesn''t know how many they have, but he knows that they''re dangerous and that he needs to be careful around them.

    But for now, Ashton allowed himself a moment of rest. He had done what he needed to do, and he had saved Elstar from the darkness that threatened to consume it. He closed his eyes, the weight of his task finally lifting from his shoulders, and let himself fall into a peaceful slumber.

    As he slept under the shade of a tall tree, a couple of animals appeared around him. Crowding him or seemingly protecting him as he sleeps, doing their best to not wake him up identally.

    This might be considered as their repayment for his efforts to save their world. It''s a small gesture but one that Ashton would surely appreciate if he were to be conscious right now.

 Chapter 339 Council Of Demons

    In Netherworld...

    As the council of Demons convened in the grand pce of the Netherworld, the air was thick with an oppressive energy that seemed to emanate from the very walls themselves. The pce was a massive structure, with towering spires that reached up to the heavens and twisted, jagged architecture that seemed to defy thews of physics. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings and demonic symbols, glowing with an otherworldly light that cast eerie shadows across the chamber.

    As the council members took their seats around therge circr table, the air grew still and quiet, save for the asional flicker of me from the torches that lined the walls. The table itself was made of ck obsidian, carved with intricate designs that seemed to writhe and twist as if alive. At the center of the table sat arge, glowing crystal orb, pulsing with an otherworldly energy that seemed to fill the room with a sense of foreboding.

    The Demon Kings and Emperors themselves were no less impressive in their appearance. They were massive, towering figures, with skin ranging from deep crimson to sickly green, adorned with twisted horns and razor-sharp ws. Each demon carried a weapon of some kind, be it a spiked mace, serrated sword, or whip made of me. Their eyes glowed with flickering mes, and their presence radiated an aura of darkness and destruction.

    The Demon Kings are all imposing figures, towering over even thergest of mortals. They are muscr and powerful, with skin that ranges in color from deep crimson to sickly green. Each King has a unique set of physical features, such as massive ck wings, a serpentine tail, or a long, razor-sharp horn protruding from their forehead. They wield deadly weapons, such as spiked maces, serrated swords, or wickedly curved scythes. Their eyes glow with an infernal light, and they radiate an aura of darkness and destruction.

    The Demon Emperors are no less imposing than the Kings, but they tend to be more slender and lithe in form. They range in skin color from obsidian ck to fiery red, and each has a set of sharp horns or other distinguishing features. They are all skilled in different forms of magic, such as shadow magic, lightning bolts, or illusions, and they carry deadly weapons like staffs, rapiers, or massive axes. The Emperors have a suave and charming demeanor, but beneath their affable exteriors lies a deadly cunning and intellect.

    Together, the Demon Kings and Emperors make up a council of demonic leaders who are truly fearsome in their power and abilities. Theymand legions of demons and other dark creatures, and their ultimate goal is the subjugation and domination of the mortal realm.

    They were the council of Demons, the rulers of the Netherworld and its denizens. The remaining members of a once-great assembly that had suffered great losses in their long and bitter wars against the mortal realm of Elstar. They had fought for many years to gain control over the, to subjugate its inhabitants and bend them to their will, but their efforts had been thwarted time and again by powerful mages and valiant heroes.

    And now, a new threat had arisen, one that could spell the end of their ns forever.

    "So, what do we know about this Archfey." asked one of the Demon Kings, his voice deep and rumbling. "He dismounted 4 outposts just this week. We can''t let this continue."

    "We don''t even know who he is exactly, and how he was able to under the link between worlds." replied another. "But I''m pretty certain that he''s not working alone to disrupt the connections between our realms, he must have some kind of help to weaken us and protect their precious."

    "He is powerful," added a Demon Emperor, a statement that all of them could agree upon, but that doesn''t mean they like it.

    "His magic is unlike anything we have encountered before. He has already severed the connections between several of our strongholds, and more are falling every day."

    The council murmured in agreement, their faces twisted with anger and frustration.

    "We cannot allow this to continue," said one of the Demon Emperors, whose voice echoed through the chamber like a whisper in the wind. "We must find a way to stop him, to destroy him before they can do any more damage."

    "You think we haven''t tried before?" A Demon King retorted in frustration. "We''ve been monitoring everything since he started. Did you honestly think that we just stood there and allowed him to dismantle a piece of our world? Are you out of your mind?"

    "Watch your mouth, Puny King. You''re talking to an Emperor!"

    "Tch, yeah. A useless Emperor who only shifts me to others when he himself was just as useless as we are." The Demon King sneered in disdain.

    "Silence." A faint whisper echoed in their ears, causing everyone to shiver.

    This voice sounded gentle, kind even, but knowing who this voice belongs to, the council collectively decided to wisely shut their mouths or else, they''d be severely punished.

    "Puny King, the que Emperor didn''t call you useless. He''s just as frustrated as you are because of the situation. Don''t aim your weapons at yourrades. That will only cause us to lose this war faster." Said the disembodied voice.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "But we''re running out of options. What are we supposed to do about this?" asked another Demon King. "We have tried to fight him directly, but his magic is too strong. We need a new strategy, a new weapon."

    The council fell silent, each member lost in thought. They knew that their power alone was not enough to defeat the Guardians of Elstar. They needed something more, something that could tip the scales in their favor.

    And then, the same voice spoke up, soft and low.

    "What about the Ancient Ones?"

    The council turned to the source of the voice, the owner wasn''t really with them right now but they all knew who it belongs to.

    "The Ancient Ones?" repeated one of the Demon Emperors. "What do you mean?"

    "The legends say that they were the first beings to inhabit the Netherworld," said the voice, sounding eager and excited for some reason. "They were the ones who forged the connections between our realm and Elstar, who gave us our power. They were powerful beyond measure, and they possessed knowledge that we can only dream of."

    The council fell silent once again, pondering those words.

    "But where are they?" asked one of the Demon Kings. "If they were so powerful, why did they disappear?"

    "That''s the mystery," replied the voice. "Some say that they went into hiding, that they foresaw a great danger that threatened their existence. But others say that they still exist, that they are watching us, waiting for the right moment to reveal themselves."

    Nobody except for the owner of the voice knew about that. They never heard or seen anything that points out the existence of the Ancient Ones, but since they all trusted the owner of this voice, most of them were convinced.

    The council sat in silence for a moment longer, considering the voice''s proposal. And then, one by one, they nodded their heads.

    "Very well," said the hidden ruler. "We shall seek out the Ancient Ones, and we shall ask for their help. It is a risky venture, but it may be our only chance."

    And with that, the council rose from their seats, their minds aze with new ns and possibilities. They would not rest until they had conquered Elstar until they had fulfilled their destiny as the rulers of all creation. And if the Ancient Ones could help them achieve that goal, then they would seek them out, no matter the cost.

    As the council members filed out of the chamber, their footsteps echoing through the halls of the pce, the Demon Kings and Emperors exchanged grim looks. They knew that the road ahead would be fraught with danger, and that the Guardians of Elstar would not go down without a fight.

    And most especially, that one Archfey wouldn''t make this easy for them...

    But they were determined to prevail. They were demons, after all, creatures born of darkness and destruction. They had endured for many years, and they would endure for many more, if necessary.

    And if the Ancient Ones could give them the edge they needed, then they would use that power to crush their enemies, to conquer the mortal realm once and for all.

    The council members dispersed, each returning to their own domains to begin preparations for the journey ahead. They knew that it would not be easy, that the road to the Ancient Ones was fraught with peril and uncertainty. But they also knew that they had no choice.

    For the fate of the Netherworld, and the future of their ns, depended on their sess. And they would do whatever it took to achieve that sess, no matter the cost.

    The pce of the Netherworld stood silent once more, its twisted spires reaching toward the dim light of the underworld. The demons wereing, and nothing would stand in their way.

 Chapter 340 Interruption

    Ashton had been traveling through the Netherworld for weeks now, his mission is to detach pieces of the dark realm from Elstar. He had be an expert at it, knowing exactly how to manipte the energy of the Netherworld to sever its connection with Elstar.

    As he moved through the Netherworld, Ashton encountered all sorts of dangers. Demons lurked in every shadow, waiting to attack him. But Ashton was not easily deterred. He was determined to rid the Netherworld of these creatures, no matter the cost.

    The detachment process was long and arduous, but Ashton was making steady progress. The more pieces he detached, the more the Netherworld began to shrink. But he knew that there was still much work to be done.

    So far, he had all the kingdoms near Sylvenvale, and Sylvenvale itself, is now freed from demon infestation. Ashton had no idea if people noticed it yet but right now, that''s not important.

    He had departed the Mistwood Kingdom for quite some time now to fulfill his mission and so far, he had been seeing great sess.

    Currently, he''s in the Netherworld...

    He just finished cleansing another outpost and was about to begin the detachment process when all of a sudden, he felt some kind of disturbance from a distance.

    Ashton clicked his tongue and beganying down a ward around him to prepare for some kind of distraction.

    He continued to cast the ward around him, his hands moving quickly as he chanted ancient spells under his breath. He could feel the energy of the demonic power growing stronger with each passing moment, and he knew that he had to hurry.

    The ground shook beneath his feet as he worked, the very fabric of the Netherworld threatening to tear apart. But Ashton remained focused, his eyes fixed on the task at hand. He couldn''t afford to fail.

    Finally, the ward wasplete. Ashton stepped back and wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart racing in his chest. He knew that the ward wouldn''t hold forever, but it would buy him enough time to finish detaching this piece of the Netherworld from Elstar.

    Ashton turned to face the east, where the demonic power wasing from. He could feel the malevolence emanating from that direction, and he knew that he was about to face an enemy unlike any he had faced before.

    But Ashton was no ordinary Archfey. He was experienced and held too much power, and he had faced countless foes in his long life. His eyes remained closed as he continued detaching this piece of the Netherworld from Elstar.

    Ashton felt a tinge of regret as he realized that he had already begun the detachment process. He had been so focused on his task that he hadpletely forgotten about the looming threat on the horizon.

    He wished he had taken the time to investigate the source of the demonic power before starting the ritual, but now it was toote. Once the detachment process started, it could not be stopped.

    Ashton continued his work, his hands moving with precision as he manipted the energy of the Netherworld. He knew that he had to remain focused if he was going to detach this piece of the Netherworld sessfully.

    But as he worked, he could feel the presence of the approaching enemy growing stronger. The demonic power was now so intense that it was almost suffocating, and Ashton knew that he was running out of time.

    He cast a quick nce over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the enemy. But all he could see was the swirling darkness of the Netherworld, with asional shes of light illuminating the shadows.

    Ashton gritted his teeth and focused on his task, determined to finish what he had started. He wouldn''t be able to stop the process anyway so he might as well focus on it. Besides, the ward around him was strong, he could feel the entity trying to attack it but it was holding up so he had time.

    The detachment process continued the energy of the Netherworld swirling around Ashton in a chaotic dance. He could feel the power building, and he knew that he was getting closer to the end.

    Ashton steadied his breathing, he focused his mind and consciousness to finish the detachment process. He closed his eyes and focused, drawing on all of his strength, power, and knowledge.

    With a final burst of energy, Ashtonpleted the detachment process, severing the connection between this piece of the Netherworld and Elstar. The energy of the Netherworld dissipated around him, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

    Normally, he would''ve returned to Elstar after this process, but thanks to the entity locking him down here, he had no choice but to stay.

    Ashton stood ready, his hands crackling with arcane energy as he faced the entity who turned out to be a Demon King. The Demon King was massive, towering over Ashton with rippling muscles and demonic ws. Its eyes glowed red with an unholy power, and its fangs dripped with venom.

    The twobatants circled each other warily, each looking for an opening. Ashton knew that he had to be careful. The Demon King was more powerful than any demon he had faced before, and he could feel its power radiating off of it in waves.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''It''s influenced by some kind of baptism.'' Ashton mused inwardly as he fought.

    Ashton raised his hands, a fierce wind whipping around him as he prepared to cast a spell. The Demon King roared, its ws raking the air as it charged forward.

    Ashton reacted quickly, his hands moving with practiced precision as he cast a spell of binding. The spell mmed into the Demon King, wrapping it in a cocoon of magical energy.

    The Demon King snarled, its eyes shing with fury as it struggled against the spell. But it was no use. Ashton''s magic was too powerful.

    Ashton took advantage of the moment, his hands glowing with a fierce energy as he summoned a bolt of lightning. The bolt mmed into the Demon King, its body convulsing with the force of the st.

    But the Demon King was not beaten yet. Its eyes burned with a wildfire, and it tore free of the binding spell with a savage roar. It charged forward once more, its ws shing through the air.

    Ashton''s gaze hardened, his hands moving faster as he cast another spell of binding. This time, the spell held, and the Demon King was trapped once more.

    He raised his hands, a ball of fire forming in the air before him. He threw it at the Demon King, the mes engulfing the demon in a searing inferno.

    The Demon King thrashed and howled, its body writhing in agony as the mes consumed it. And then, with a final roar of fury, it went still.

    Ashton stood panting, his hands still glowing with the energy of the fight. He knew that he had won, but what was that? Is it the power of the Ancient Demons? It was a fearsome thing, and he could feel its corruption still lingering in the air.

    He took a deep breath, centering himself as he prepared to return to Elstar. There was still much work to be done, and he needed to n his next move carefully if he was going to seed in his mission to rid the world of the Netherworld''s dark influence. But before he did, he decided to interrogate the demon first.

    Ashton approached the Demon King, who was still trapped within the binding spell. He knew that the demon was not entirely dead yet, and he wanted to see if he could learn anything from it before it passed.

    "What do you want, Archfey?" the Demon King snarled, its eyes glowing with madness. "Why do you meddle in our affairs?"

    "I seek to free Elstar from the Netherworld''s corruption," Ashton replied calmly. "And your kind stands in the way of that goal."

    "Conquering this world is our birthright," the Demon King spat. "We will not let you take it from us."

    Ashton shook his head. "Your birthright has led to nothing but destruction and chaos. You and your race have existed long enough. It''s time for you to disappear."

    The Demon King let out a wildugh, its body writhing in the binding spell. "You are a fool, Archfey. The Demon Council will never let you seed. They will stop at nothing to protect our realm."

    Ashton raised an eyebrow. "The Demon Council, you say? And who are they?"

    "The rulers of the Netherworld," the Demon King snarled. "They will not tolerate your interference. You would do well to flee while you still can."

    Ashton smiled. "I have no intention of fleeing. I will see this through to the end, no matter what the cost."

    The Demon King let out a final growl, its body going still. Ashton knew that the demon was gone, but its words had given him something to think about. The Demon Council would not take kindly to his actions, and he would need to be prepared for their next move.

 Chapter 341 Gathering Intel

    ''So they sent two this time...''

    Ashton''s body was surrounded by a pulsating aura of magical energy as he prepared to face off against the two Demon Kings. Their eyes glowed with the dark power of the Ancient Sin, a force that made them nearly invincible inbat in exchange for their sanity and reason.

    The first Demon King charged towards Ashton, his ws extended and ready to tear into the Archfey''s flesh. Ashton, however, was prepared. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a wave of pure magical force crashing into the Demon King, knocking him back several feet and leaving him disoriented.

    The second Demon King took advantage of the distraction and lunged at Ashton from behind. Ashton spun around just in time to dodge the attack and retaliated with a burst of me that engulfed the Demon King in a raging inferno. But the Demon King was not defeated so easily. With a roar, he broke free from the mes and charged at Ashton once again.

    Ashton quickly summoned a shield of magical energy to protect himself, and the Demon King mmed into it with all his might. The shield held on, and Ashton could feel its ws trying so hard to dig a hole into his barrier. Sadly, the demon was bound to fail since even this simple barrier he casted was way above what they could handle.

    With a flick of his wrist, Ashton summoned a vortex of magical energy that swept the two Demon Kings off their feet and into the air. They struggled to regain their bnce, but Ashton was already upon them. He struck them with a barrage of lightning-fast punches and kicks, each one infused with pure magical energy. The Demon Kings fought back with all their might, but they were no match for Ashton''s skill and power.

    Finally, with a burst of pure magical force, Ashton sent both Demon Kings flying backward, their bodies mming into the ground with a deafening crash. Theyy there, motionless and defeated, as Ashton stood over them, his body still pulsating with magical energy.

    Panting heavily, Ashton knew that this was just the beginning. The Ancient Demons would not take kindly to their minions being defeated, and he would have to be ready for whatever they threw at him next. But for now, he took a moment to catch his breath and prepare himself for the battles yet toe.

    ...or at least, that''s what he wanted them to think.

    He''s not really tired. Not even exhausted to bepletely honest. A tiny bit worn out, yes. But that''s due to him detaching another piece of the Netherworld before fighting those two.

    With each passing day, Ashton''s power grows. He made it look like he struggled against two demon kings but in reality, he could''ve ended that battle before it even started.

    Ashton still has a lot on his sleeves that he hasn''t taken out yet. He hadn''t even disyed a quarter of his arsenal of magic to the Demons who were certainly watching him from a distance.

    He''s keeping them as a surprise, for now at least.

    Before the Demonspletely fade away, Ashton decided to harvest their souls, cleanse them of their lingering demonic corruption and integrate their memories with his so that he can have a glimpse of what the Demon Council was trying to do.

    His actions looked like he was purifying their remains though, but that''s intentional since he didn''t want them to know that he was gathering intel against them in this way.

    After sorting the memories he received from the fallen Demon Kings, Ashton somewhat understood where they received this empowerment...

    The Demon Council knew that Ashton was a formidable opponent, and they were growing increasingly concerned about his efforts to stop their ns for world domination. They had tried everything to defeat him, but he always seemed to be one step ahead.

    After all, he could juste and go as he pleases in the Netherworld. Them, on the other hand, couldn''t. What''s worse is that Ashton''s just making it even more difficult for them since he''s detaching the Netherworld from Elstar piece by piece.

    That''s when they turned to the Ancient Sin, a power bestowed upon them by the Ancient Demons themselves. They knew that using this power woulde at a great cost, but they were desperate. They believed that if they could just eliminate Ashton, then they could finally achieve their goal of conquering the world of fey.

    The two Demon Kings chosen to face Ashton were among the strongest and most skilled warriors in their ranks. They were also the only ones brave enough to take on the Archfey, knowing that they might note out of the fight alive.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Well, so much for that really. If they call those two their most skilled warriors, then they are doomed since Ashton defeated them one-sidedly. But again, they don''t need to know just how absurdly powerful Ashton is currently since he likes to keep as many trump cards as he could.

    After he caused a show, Ashton decided toe back to Elstar...

    Ashton had been through a lot recently. His battles in the Netherworld had left him drained and exhausted but differently, and he knew that he needed time to rest and recover. So he took a few days to rest. Not just because he wanted to but also to make his enemies think that they have a chance.

    Doing this will make them think that what they''re doing was effective, which would urge them to stick to their ns which arepletely predictable to Ashton. This also works as a distraction that keeps their attention on him and not what he''s doing, which seems to be working quite well if you ask.

    Once he felt well enough, Ashton decided to meditate and visit the realm where the El-Tree existed. The El-Tree was this world''s World Tree, the origin of magical energies and the pinnacle of Nature''s Miracle. It was an ancient tree that held immense power, and Ashton knew that it was important to keep it safe and healthy.

    As he entered the realm where the El-Tree existed, Ashton could sense the damage that had been done to it. Due to the existence of the Netherworld, the tree''s appearance was wretched, twisted, and gnarled, its once-beautiful branches and leaves withered and dying.

    But Ashton had a n. He had worked tirelessly to remove the influence of the Netherworld from the world of Elstar, and he knew that his efforts would have a positive impact on the El-Tree as well.

    With a deep breath, Ashton focused his mind and began to channel his magical energies into the tree. He could feel the power of the tree responding to his magic, and he poured everything he had into healing the tree''s damaged branches and leaves.

    This won''t really do much but he liked doing it anyway.

    Slowly but surely, the El-Tree began to show signs of improvement. Its branches straightened, its leaves began to regrow, and its once-withered trunk began to fill with life once again. Ashton could sense the power of the tree growing stronger with each passing moment, and he knew that he had done the right thing but it was still far from enough.

    The only way for the El-star to recover was the disappearance of the Demons and the Netherworld.

    He knew that the World Tree in the Netherworld was a sinister version of the El-Tree, one that was being used by the demons to sap the longevity and providence of Elstar.

    Ashton''s goal was to cut down the Netherworld''s World Tree, but he knew that it was not yet possible. The influence of the Netherworld over Elstar was still too strong, and he knew that he needed to detach more pieces of the Netherworld before he could take on the NeTherworld Tree.

    He opened his eyes and took a deep breath, surveying the realm around him. He could sense the dark energies of the Netherworld encroaching upon the realm of the El-Tree, like tendrils of smoke creeping their way toward him.

    Ashton knew that he needed to act fast. He closed his eyes again and began to channel his magic, focusing on creating a barrier around the realm of the El-Tree to keep the influence of the Netherworld at bay.

    Still, so long as the connection between this world and the Netherworld remains, this thing will always be in danger.

    With a powerful surge of magic, Ashton''s barrier sprang up around the realm of the El-Tree. He could feel the energies of the Netherworld bouncing off his barrier, unable to prate it.

    Ashton opened his eyes and smiled, satisfied with his work. He knew that the barrier would notst forever, but it would buy him some time to detach more pieces of the Netherworld and weaken its hold on Elstar.

    As he stood up and prepared to leave, Ashton knew that he had a long road ahead of him. But he was determined to cut down the Netherworld''s World Tree and put an end to the demons'' ns once and for all. And with the power of the El-Tree at his side, he knew that he had a fighting chance.

 Chapter 342 Freed

    "Damn it! Damn it!"

    Freed gritted his teeth as he fought against the demons that surrounded him. His sword glinted in the dim light, cutting through the air with a sharp whistle. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his breathing in ragged gasps.

    The young fey warrior had grown up in Hillside Vige, a small and peacefulmunity nestled in the heart of the forest. His parents were both skilled warriors, renowned for their bravery and their dedication to protecting their vige from any threat. Freed had always admired them and had dreamed of following in their footsteps one day.

    But that dream was shattered when he was just a child. A group of demons had attacked Hillside Vige, seeking to destroy everything in their path. Freed''s parents had fought bravely, but they were outnumbered and outmatched. In the end, they both perished, leaving Freed alone and orphaned.

    Freed had been devastated by the loss of his parents. He had felt angry and helpless, unable to do anything to stop the demons from taking his family away. But as he grew older, he realized that he could use his grief and his rage to fuel his desire for revenge.

    He had trained tirelessly, honing his skills as a warrior and learning all he could about demons and their weaknesses. He had studied under the best teachers in Hillside Vige and had be one of the most promising young warriors in themunity.

    When he turned into an adult, Freed made a solemn vow to avenge his parents and rid the world of demons. He had assembled a team of fellow warriors and had set out on a quest to track down and destroy every demon he could find. They had traveled far and wide, battling demons in dark forests, abandoned ruins, and even in the depths of underground caves.

    But despite their best efforts, Freed''s team had met their match in this area. The demons were too strong, too numerous, and too cunning. One by one, hisrades had fallen, until Freed was thest one left.

    He hade to this area with his team, determined to rid it of the demons that gued it. But things had gone wrong from the start. They had underestimated the demons'' strength and numbers and soon found themselves outnumbered and outmatched.

    Freed knew that he was in a desperate situation. He was surrounded by at least a dozen demons, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. He had already sustained several injuries, and his strength was rapidly waning. He knew that he wouldn''tst much longer.

    But Freed was not one to give up without a fight. He summoned all his remaining energy and attacked the demons with renewed ferocity. His sword shed, slicing through the air with deadly uracy. The demons snarled and hissed, their ws and fangs bared.

    The battle was fierce and brutal, with neither side gaining the upper hand. Freed fought with everything he had, his muscles straining and his heart pounding. But despite his valiant efforts, he knew that he was fighting a losing battle.

    Just when it seemed that all hope was lost, a bright light shone from the sky. The demons screeched in terror and fled, disappearing into the shadows. Freed copsed to the ground, exhausted and injured, but alive.

    As hey there, gasping for breath, he couldn''t help but wonder who or what had saved him. Was it luck, or fate, or something else entirely? All he knew was that he had survived and that he was more determined than ever to avenge his parents and rid the world of demons.

    Freedy there on the ground, panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath. His entire body ached from the battle, and he could feel the sticky warmth of blood seeping through his clothes. He had no idea what had just happened, but he knew that he was grateful to be alive.

    Slowly, he opened his eyes, expecting to see nothing but the darkness of the forest. But instead, he saw a figure standing over him, a man d in a white cloak and radiating an otherworldly aura.

    Freed''s heart raced as he tried to sit up, but his body wouldn''t cooperate. He winced in pain as he looked up at the man, taking in his handsome features and the staff that he held in his hand.

    "Who...who are you?" Freed managed to croak out, his voice barely above a whisper.

    The man smiled down at him, his eyes gleaming with an inner light. "My name is Ashton," he said in a voice that was both gentle andmanding. "You were very brave out there but you werepletely surrounded so I decided to help."

    Freed couldn''t believe his ears. Was this some kind of trick? A demon trying to deceive him? But something in Valinor''s demeanor told him that he could trust him.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "How did you...how did you drive away the demons?" Freed asked, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and wonder.

    Valinor''s smile widened. "Well, let''s just say that I''m ridiculously strong," he said. "Additionally, I also know a lot of things about demons since my job is to y them. But enough about me. You are injured, and you need help."

    With that, Ashton lifted his staff and touched it to Freed''s forehead. A warm,forting energy flowed through Freed''s body, easing his pain and restoring his strength.

    Freed felt a surge of gratitude and amazement. He had never encountered someone like Ashton before, someone who wielded such incredible power and yet seemed so kind andpassionate, he even shared his food with him and made sure that he was well enough to go home.

    The young fey knew that his chance hade and he''d be a fool to miss it, so before Ashton could leave, Freed asked him if he could ept him as his disciple.

    A t rejection is what he received.

    As Ashton stood to leave, Freed''s heart sank. He had never felt so alone and helpless before. He had lost his family, and his team, and now the only person who had shown him kindness and saved his life was about to leave him.

    Desperate, Freed spoke up. "Please, Sir Ashton," he said, his voice trembling. "I need your help. I can''t do this alone. I want to be stronger than anyone else so I can get rid of this world of demons permanently. I want to avenge the deaths of my parents this way."

    Ashton turned to look at Freed, his expression serious. "I understand your pain, Freed," he said. "But I cannot take you as my disciple. Your goal puts you in danger, and I don''t want to see your parents'' sacrifices go to naught. You need to cherish your life, and live it fully, not just for revenge."

    Freed''s heart sank further at Ashton''s words. He couldn''t believe it. He had hoped that Ashton would see the same passion and drive in him that he felt himself, that he would recognize the burning need for revenge that drove him forward.

    But Ashton''s words made sense too. Freed had lost so much already, and if he continued down this path, he might lose even more. Was it really worth it?

    Ashton must have seen the conflict in Freed''s eyes because heid a hand on Freed''s shoulder. "Listen to me, Freed," he said. "I have been doing this work for a long time. I know what it takes to fight against demons and protect the people you love. It''s not an easy path, and it''s not something that should be taken lightly. But I promise you, once I am done with my work here, your vige shall never be disturbed by demons again. You have my word."

    Freed felt a spark of hope ignite within him at Ashton''s words. Could it be true? Could they really live in a world without demons?

    "But what about me?" Freed asked, still hesitant. "What will I do now?"

    Ashton smiled at him kindly. "You have already shown great strength, Freed," he said. "You have the heart of a warrior, and that is something that cannot be taught. Train hard, yes, but also live your life to the fullest. Cherish every moment, and use your strength to protect those you love. That is the true mark of a hero."

    Freed nodded slowly, feeling a sense of eptance wash over him. Ashton was right. He had to focus on what he had, not what he had lost. He would use his strength to protect his vige, his friends, and his new family, and he would cherish every moment of his life.

    "Thank you, Ashton," Freed said, his voice full of gratitude. "Thank you for everything."

    Ashton nodded, a smile on his lips. "Take care, Freed," he said. "And never forget that you are capable of greatness."

    And with those parting words, Ashton turned and walked away, disappearing into the trees. Freed watched him go, feeling a sense of peace settle over him. He knew that his journey was far from over, but with the knowledge that he had someone watching over him, he felt stronger and more determined than ever before.

 Chapter 343 Dream

    Ashton stood in the midst of the Netherworld, his eyes surveying the two Demon Emperors and the Demon King before him. They towered over him, their twisted, demonic features a testament to the Ancient Demon''s corruptive power.

    Ashton could sense the immense strength radiating off his foes, and he knew this would be no easy fight. The demons were blessed by the power of the Ancient Demons, making them incredibly strong but alsopletely insane. They would fight without reason or mercy, driven only by their insatiable bloodlust.

    Taking a deep breath, Ashton steadied himself and raised his staff, readying himself for battle. The air around him crackled with magic as he began to chant an incantation, his voice low and steady.

    The demons charged towards him, their ws and fangs bared, but Ashton stood his ground, the power of his magic shielding him from their attacks. He fought back with equal ferocity, his spells hitting their mark with deadly precision.

    The battle raged on for what felt like an eternity. Ashton was locked in a deadly dance with his demonic foes, each move calcted and precise. He knew he couldn''t let up for even a moment, lest he is caught off guard and in.

    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ashton stood victorious. The demonsy at his feet, their twisted forms still smoking from the sheer force of his magic.

    Ashton let out a sigh of relief, his body aching from the exertion of the fight. He knew that he couldn''t rest for long, however. There were always more demons lurking in the Netherworld, waiting for their chance to strike.

    Ashton felt thest of the demon''s energy fading away, and he rxed, thinking the battle was won. But suddenly, a dark energy swirled around him, and he felt a tug at his soul.

    "What''s happening?" Ashton cried out, struggling against the unseen force that held him in ce.

    The demons''ughter echoed in his mind, and then he heard their words, "You thought you could defeat us so easily, Archfey? We will not be so easily vanquished. We curse you to remain here in the Netherworld, never to return to Elstar!"

    Ashton felt a cold dread settle in the pit of his stomach. He was trapped, cursed to remain in this dark realm forever. The demons were gone, their twisted forms fading away into nothingness, but their curse lingered, binding him to this ce.

    Ashton struggled against the invisible chains that held him, but they were too strong, and he felt his strength ebbing away. He fell to his knees, his eyes scanning the bleakndscape around him.

    The Netherworld was a deste ce, a twisted reflection of the world he knew. There was no sun here, no stars, only endless, suffocating darkness. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and the ground beneath his feet felt like it was slowly swallowing him up.

    Ashton realized that he was truly alone here, with no hope of escape. The curse was too powerful, too binding. He would never see his home again.

    With a heavy heart, Ashton closed his eyes and whispered a prayer to the gods, hoping against hope that they would hear him and somehow free him from this terrible fate. But there was no answer, only the emptiness of the Netherworld, mocking him with its silence.

    But it didn''t end there...

    "Shit!"

    From wherever it wasing from, Ashton saw a literal rain of projectiles heading his way. He hurriedly erected a barrier to surround and protect himself with.

    Ashton felt himself being bombarded by a seemingly endless rain of projectiles, each one striking him with deadly force. He didn''t know where they wereing from, but he knew he had to defend himself or risk being killed.

    He raised his staff, calling forth a stronger shield of magic to protect himself. But the projectiles kepting, tearing through his defenses and striking him from all sides.

    Ashton felt a growing sense of panic as he realized the citizens of this world wanted him dead. He had no idea what he had done to earn their ire, but it was clear they would stop at nothing to see him destroyed.

    He tried to reason with them, calling out for them to stop their attack, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of the projectiles raining down upon him.

    Ashton was cornered, with no escape from this relentless assault. He knew he had to act fast, or he would be overwhelmed and killed.

    Summoning his magic, Ashton unleashed a powerful st that cleared a path through the projectiles, giving him a chance to escape. He ran as fast as he could, his heart pounding in his chest as he searched for a way out of this deadly trap.

    But no matter where he turned, there was no escape. The projectiles followed him relentlessly, their aim true and their force unrelenting.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Ashton knew he couldn''t keep this up forever. He was running low on energy, and the constant barrage of projectiles was taking its toll. He needed to find a way to end this, or he would be killed.

    ...or at least, that''s what it appears on the surface.

    ''Goodness gracious!'' He eximed to himself, ''I guess they really want me dead, huh?''

    Ashton couldn''t help but smile as he watched the projectiles rain down on his illusion. He had known from the beginning that his enemies would try something like this, and he had been prepared for it. Casting the illusion had been part of his n all along.

    He knew that those abominations were up to something. He could tell that from the moment they confronted him and he was ready for it.

    It''s funny how they all thought that a mere binding curse would affect him when he literally disyed how skillful he was at magic. It seems that their desire to kill him muddled their brains and their reason, causing them to forget some important details about him.

    This illusion that he made isn''t anything ordinary either. It was made using his true specialty - Dream Magic/Laws.

    To those who were watching behind the scenes, it would look as if their ns worked - that they managed to push him into a desperate situation. In reality though? Ashton was perfectly safe and sound.

    The projectiles rained down on nothing. They dug a deep hole into theherworld and the audience thinks that Ashton was included in there but no, far from it actually.

    As the projectiles continued to rain down on his decoy, Ashton concentrated, tracking their trajectory to figure out where they wereing from. He could feel the magic pulsing in the air, and he knew that his enemies were close.

    Keeping himself hidden, Ashton began to move through the Netherworld, his senses on high alert. He could hear the demons moving around him, their voices raised in excitement as they thought they were getting the better of him.

    It''s funny to see them this way. This is one of the reasons why he liked his Dream Magic/Laws. Using them makes him seem like a prankster. Things never get boring whenever he''s ying with his enemies.

    Finally, he spotted his enemies. They were a group of demon mages, their faces twisted in anger as they hurled spells at his illusion. Ashton watched them for a moment, studying their movements, before he began to weave a spell of his own.

    ''I already made an borate Dream for those who were watching. Eliminating these things shouldn''t have any side effects.'' He mused to himself.

    The magic crackled around him as he focused, drawing on the power of Aether within him. He could feel the energy pulsing through his veins, and he knew that this was his moment.

    With a shout, Ashton unleashed the spell, a wave of magic crashing into his enemies. They staggered back, surprised by the sudden attack, and Ashton took advantage of their moment of confusion to strike.

    His own spells rained down on his enemies, their power fueled by his determination and focus. The demons were no match for him, and they fell one by one, their bodies crumbling to ash as he struck them down.

    Their death spelled the end for the rain of projectiles. But since his audience was still captivated by the dream he made for them, in their eyes, he was still suffering.

    As the Dream continues, so was Ashton''s duty.

    He thought that, since he was already here and got everyone distracted, he might as well detach a couple more of their outposts.

    Ashton bolstered the dream to warp the audiences'' perception of time. Then he began searching for pins to remove.

    He found one nearby and he detached it, causing that piece of the Netherworld to disappear permanently from Elstar. Usually, doing this causes amotion but since his audience was mesmerized by his dream, they didn''t do anything to stop him.

    Ashton then detached a total of five outposts from Elstar before deciding to call it quits for today.

    Before he left, he manipted the dream to show a scene where he miraculouslye back to life and forcefully left the Netherworld, flipping off the audience right before he disappeared.

    Ashton chuckled in mischievousness as he returned to Elstar unharmed.

 Chapter 344 Time Skip

    Unknowingly, five years have passed since Ashton arrived in this timeline.

    A lot has happened since then but some things never changed. Ashton still fights the gue that threatens the world he''s currently in, only this time, he was doing it alone for the most part.

    At this point, the Fey Race had already noticed the fruits of hisbor. They still have no idea that it''s being done by him but they are aware that the number of demon sightings were dwindling.

    It''s already rare to see demons nowadays. Most of the Demon ying Squads have been put out ofmission due to Ashton''s activities. They felt mixed emotions about this. On one hand, they''re grateful that the demons aren''t so much of a threat to their home anymore, but on the other hand, no demons also mean no work for them.

    Without demons to kill, they will be forced to change professions to bring food to their tables.

    They have no clue about the little nuances of it all; the hows and whys of the entire situation. All they know is that demons are no longer prevalent around and slowly but surely, the world was turning into a better ce.

    Throughout these five years, Ashton detached a lot of ''pins'' of the Netherworld from Elstar.

    He came and went to and from the Netherworld. His abilities made him practically untouchable. His intelligence and powers allowed him to easily dismantle the borate ns of the Demons about Elstar and the Fey Race.

    Currently, his consciousness was in touch with El-Tree...

    He surveyed its appearance and noticed the visible changes that happened to it during these past five years.

    Compared to the past, the El-Tree was now healthy. It glowed with lustrous verdant color, filled with vigor and longevity that was once missing from it. The mere sight of it gives hope to the beholder, it was grand, tall, and had an archaic air around it.

    Its current state was a far cry from what it was previously.

    If he were to be on the Netherworld - which mirrors the Elstar, the El-Tree there would be the exact opposite of this one; withering and on the verge of dying.

    The reason behind this was because the El-Tree mimics the state of the world. How it appears to one''s eyes reflects the state of the world it''s in. Meaning, the healthier it is, the better the state of the world would be.

    Ashton''s efforts on removing Netherworld''s influence from Elstar caused these changes. Without the Demonic Corruption gnawing away at the world''s vitality, the more it could focus on recovery. Ashton''s mission was to make sure that this world survives and removes the influence of Demons once and for all from this ce.

    He had killed millions, if not billions, of demons by now. Honestly, he''s getting sick of it, but he must endure.

    It has be a bit tiresome to deal with but he had grown used to it at this point.

    The Demons hate him to the core. Their hatred might as well be etched into their very genes at this point since it''s always on sight whenever he arrives at the Netherworld.

    Unfortunately for them, no matter how much their tried or how creative they got, Ashton always had the upper hand. They have never managed to scare him, restrict him, or even outsmart him.

    Ashton was always five steps ahead of them. And that''s something that they truly hated about him.

    Yet, even though he''s being hated this much, Ashton truly doesn''t care. Their hatred couldn''t stop him from doing his mission, it''s not even enough to cause a reaction from him, much less stop him.

    After infusing some White Magic Blessings into the El-Tree of Elstar, Ashton opened his eyes and admired his work so far.

    The healthyplexion of the El-Tree was really pleasant to the eyes. The way it pulses with life and hope really lightens his mood.

    Nodding to himself, Ashton withdrew his consciousness away from the realm where the El-Tree was and returned to the waking world.

    He sighed and dusted himself. He''s been sitting like this for a while. Thankfully, nobody disturbed him during his little escapade, or else things might''ve gottenplicated.

    Ashton was in an inn in a rather obscured part of a small town. Not many peoplee here and for the most part, the citizens here were shady, not that Ashton minds though. It''s not like they could do anything to him.

    He had forgotten to ask about the name of this town. If he were being frank though, it doesn''t really matter to him that much. After all, it''s not like he would be staying here for long.

    Ashton had long since adapted to the life of a nomad ever since starting this mission. He never stayed in one ce for too long. Once finishes cleansing the ce with demonic influence, he will leave for the next ce right away.

    He went out of the room,ing down to the first floor where the innkeeper was around. He had counted the days and discovered that he went past his intended stay. He paid the additional fees and even left a generous tip just because.

    After doing that, he hid his face with the hood of his cloak and went out of the inn.

    His business in this area was done. The sightings of demons here should dwindle. As for the leftovers, well he''d just leave that to the locals here. The ones left should be weakened demons anyway, if they couldn''t deal with it, then they don''t deserve to possess the blood of feys.

    As he slowly made his way out of the town, Ashton tried to recall where he should go next.

    Frankly, he''s nearly done with his mission. There are only a few locations in this world where the Netherworld influence still remains. Once he''s done with all of them, he just has to deal with the El-Tree of the other side and the Hypogean Race should be expelled from this world.

    ''Hmmm...''

    The corners of Ashton''s lips curled ever so slightly as he felt several presences trailing behind him.

    He didn''t even need to see them to know that they bear nefarious thoughts about him.

    ''Bandits.'' He mused inwardly. He rolled his eyes and continued to walk as if he hasn''t discovered them yet.

    Things like this happen from time to time. Ashton never really takes it personally though. If anything, this was amusing to him to varying degrees.

    He sensed 15 people following him. All of them were wearing ck veils that covered their faces but that was useless to Ashton since his senses easily revealed their features to him.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    They were maintaining a respectable distance around him while also surrounding him. Judging from how they move, this wasn''t their first time doing something like this, that much was obvious. They moved silently and expertly so it was clear that they do this for a living.

    Still, Ashton didn''t do anything to stop them. He kept walking without a care in the world, watching in mild curiosity as his assants gradually surrounds him.

    Once they entered the 200-meter range from him, a mischievous glint appeared in Ashton''s eyes.

    Out of nowhere, he began whistling a tune...

    All of them heard his tune, they paused for a while and waited. When they discovered that nothing seems wrong, they continued to approach him.

    That''s when all hell broke loose...

    "What the...fuck!?"

    One of them a giant teddy bear suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The bear''s eyes gleamed menacingly as it swiped a paw toward them.

    Another one suddenly felt their body seize in movement, only to discover that they were bound in a tangle of a slimy and, frankly, disgusting array of tentacles. Some of which slithered dangerously close to their private parts.

    One saw the dead being brought back to life. One saw their oldest rtive wearing a bright pink gown and running towards them with pouted lips. One saw this...one saw that...

    Everyone experiences ridiculous things out of nowhere. What''s worse is that, the visions seem to be personalized too as they brought out the most horrifying experience ever in their lives.

    But in truth, none of those were real. In the real world, the bandits just randomly stopped moving. They just stood rooted in their ce with a clouded gaze, experiencing a terrible vision that none of them sawing.

    At some point, Ashton stopped whistling. He wore a smile on his face and continued walking as if he didn''t just traumatize 15 fully-grown adults.

    ''Auditory Hallucinations...they''re great for pranks.'' He mused with a small smile on his face.

    This falls under the Mirage Branch of Magic. It doesn''t get used a lot and by itself, it''s harmless...well, physically at least. It''s one of the fun illusion spells that Ashton uses to mess with people like this.

    "That''s your punishment for going after me." Ashton whispered softly. "Good luck! I hope that at least one of you manages to break out of the illusion before it''s toote."

    And just like that, Ashton continued on his way toward the next demon-infested location...

 Chapter 345 Meeting A God

    Ashton stood in the Netherworld, surrounded by the darkness of the demonic realm. He had been sent here to dismantle a piece of the world that had been corrupted by evil forces, and to do so he had to fight his way through hordes of demons.

    He''s once again here to continue his mission, to eliminate the Hypogean Race from the world of Elstar once and for all. He stood tall, his staff held firmly in his hand, ready to face whatever the Netherworld could throw at him.

    The demons came at him in waves, their twisted forms illuminated by the eerie red light of the Netherworld. Ashton moved quickly, his body almost a blur as he weaved his way through their attacks. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a st of pure magic at one demon, sending it flying back into the darkness.

    Another demon rushed at him, its ws extended, but Ashton was ready. He conjured a wall of fire that engulfed the demon, reducing it to ash.

    Ashton continued his relentless assault, taking down demon after demon with ease. His movements were precise and calcted, and he seemed to anticipate their attacks before they even happened.

    Soon, the demons began to realize that they were no match for Ashton''s power. They started to retreat, but Ashton was not about to let them go. He sent a wave of magic through the Netherworld, sting the demons back and causing the ground to shake.

    With a final burst of energy, Ashton dismantled the corrupted piece of the world, and the Netherworld began to fade away. The demons disappeared into the darkness, and Ashton was left standing alone in a world that was once again free from corruption.

    But he hasn''t left yet...

    Ashton stood in the Netherworld, his body still tense from the battle he had just fought. He had sessfully dismantled the corrupted piece of the world and was about to return to the mortal realm when he felt a sudden foreboding sensation.

    Ashton closed his eyes and focused his senses, searching for the source of the powerful spike of aura he had just felt. It was then that he sensed a presence, a powerful entity that seemed to be moving closer to him.

    Suddenly, the ground beneath him shook, and a dark figure appeared in front of him. It was the Demon, but not just any demon either. This one was absurdly powerful, and his presence could be felt all over the Netherworld.

    Despite the sheer corruption this entity oozes, something deep within its body demanded respect and authority.

    This one might be a demon but it possesses something Divine. And that was all the clue that Ashton needed to guess who this new arrival was.

    ''Demon God.''

    Ashton''s heart pounded in his chest as he gazed up at the massive figure before him. He had heard stories of the Demon God, but he never thought he woulde face to face with him.

    The Demon God''s eyes glowed red as he looked down at Ashton, and a deep, menacingugh echoed through the darkness.

    "So, you are the one who has been causing so much trouble for my minions," the Demon God said, his voice deep andmanding.

    Ashton stood his ground, his staff held tightly in his hand. He knew that he was no match for the Demon God''s power, but he was not about to back down.

    "Wow, uh...this isn''t really how I imagine myself meeting with a God but meh, it''s alright I guess," Ashton said, his voice steady despite the trepidation that coursed through his veins.

    The Demon Godughed again, his massive form towering over Ashton. "Foolish mortal," he said. "You have no idea what you are up against."

    Ashton prepared himself for what he knew would be a one-sided battle, but to his surprise, the Demon God suddenly vanished into thin air. The Netherworld shook once more, and Ashton was left standing alone, his heart racing with confusion and fear.

    ...only for the god to appear mere inches away from him.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Demon God was a fearsome sight to behold. His massive form towered over Ashton, casting a dark shadow that seemed to swallow the light around him. His skin was as ck as coal, and it glistened with an otherworldly sheen that seemed to flicker and dance like mes. His eyes were the color of blood, and they glowed with an intensity that was both captivating and terrifying.

    The Demon God''s body was covered in a web of dark, twisting veins that pulsed with raw power. His muscles were massive and bulging, and they rippled with every movement, like living shadows beneath his skin. His hands were huge and wed, with talons that glinted like knives in the dim light of the Netherworld.

    The Demon God''s face was the most unsettling part of him. It was a mass of shifting shadows and flickering mes, with no clear features save for his glowing red eyes. His mouth was a gaping maw, filled with jagged teeth that seemed to glow with malevolent energy.

    Ashton couldn''t help but feel a sense of dread wash over him as he gazed up at the Demon God''s massive form. He knew that he was facing a being of unparalleled power, one that could destroy him with a single flick of his finger.

    Ashton stood his ground, his staff held tightly in his hand. He knew that he was facing a literal God, but he refused to show any fear.

    "Man, you''re uglier than I thought. You smell like 10 septic tanksbined too." Ashton said, his voice dripping with disgust.

    The Demon Godughed, his eyes glowing with amusement. "Insultin'' a God now, eh? Never heard of sphemy perhaps? Do you know what happens to fools like you?" The demon asked. "I have destroyed worlds with a mere flick of my finger. That''s your hint."

    Ashton shrugged, unimpressed. "Well, you haven''t destroyed this one yet," he said, his tone dismissive.

    The Demon God''s eyes narrowed, and a growl rumbled through his massive chest. "You are brave, mortal," he said. "But your arrogance will be your downfall."

    Ashton smirked, his eyes glinting with defiance. "I think you underestimate me, Demon God," he said. "I am not just any mortal. I am a mage, but not just any mage. I''m the one that uprooted all of your ns in this world."

    "I''m afraid of you." Ashton shrugged, "Why else would you feel the need toe all the way here if you weren''t wary of my abilities?"

    The Demon God let out a deep, rumblingugh. "And yet, here you stand, alone and powerless before me," he said.

    Ashton raised his staff, a ball of pure magic forming at its tip. "Hm? Does this look powerless to you? I feel perfectly fine." he said his voice firm. "Say, are you finally going senile? That''s a sign that you''ve lived for far too long. Just die already."

    The Demon God''s eyes zed with fury, and he raised his massive arm to strike. But before he could make a move, a sudden burst of energy surged through the Netherworld, and the Demon God vanished into thin air.

    He raised his staff and prepared to unleash a powerful spell, but the Demon God was one step ahead of him. With a flick of his massive hand, the Netherworld began to twist and contort, warping reality itself.

    The ground beneath Ashton''s feet began to shift and buckle, and he struggled to keep his bnce. The air around him grew thick and heavy as if it were made of msses. And in the distance, he could hear theughter of the Demon God, a sound that sent shivers down his spine.

    But Ashton refused to give up. He knew that he had to keep fighting, no matter what. He summoned all of his strength and began to chant a powerful incantation, his voice ringing out through the Netherworld like a bell.

    The Demon God seemed amused by Ashton''s disy of bravado. He raised his massive hand and began to weave a spell of his own, drawing power from the sins and fears of all those who had ever entered the Netherworld. The air grew thick with a sense of malevolence, and the shadows around the Demon God seemed to grow deeper and darker.

    Ashton felt a sense of unease wash over him as he gazed up at the Demon God''s massive form. He knew that he was facing a being of unparalleled power, one that could destroy him with a mere thought. But he refused to back down, and he continued to chant his incantation, pouring all of his energy into it.

    Suddenly, the air around Ashton began to shift and shimmer, and a dark figure appeared in front of him. It was a demon, one of the many that served the Demon God, and it was armed with a wicked-looking sword. The demon lunged at Ashton with surprising speed, its de shing in the dim light of the Netherworld.

    Ashton was caught off guard by the sudden attack, but he managed to dodge the demon''s sword at thest second. He raised his staff and sent a st of pure energy at the demon, and it screamed in pain as it was sted backward.

 Chapter 346 Fighting A God

    But there was no time to celebrate. The Demon God was still drawing power from the sins and fears of the Netherworld, and Ashton knew that he had to act fast. He began to chant another incantation, his voice ringing out through the twistedndscape like thunder.

    The Demon God seemed amused by Ashton''s efforts. He raised his massive hand and sent a st of dark energy at Ashton, and he felt a surge of fear wash over him. The Demon God was feeding off of his fear, drawing power from it like a vampire.

    But Ashton refused to be consumed by fear. He summoned all of his willpower and continued to chant his incantation, his voice growing louder and more powerful with each passing moment. And as he chanted, he felt a surge of energy flow through him, like a river of pure power.

    Suddenly, the air around him began to shimmer and twist, and a massive portal opened up in front of him. Ashton could feel the raw power of the portal pulsing through his body, and he knew that he had to act fast.

    The Demon Godughed at Ashton''s feeble attempts to resist him. He raised his massive hand and began to weave a spell of his own, drawing power from the sins and fears of all those who had ever entered the Netherworld. The air grew thick with a sense of malevolence, and the shadows around the Demon God seemed to grow deeper and darker.

    Ashton knew that he was in trouble. He tried to summon his magic again, but it was no use. The Demon God was too powerful, and he waspletely outmatched.

    And then, it happened. In a single, lightning-fast motion, the Demon God struck Ashton with a massive bolt of dark energy, sting him backward and sending him crashing to the ground.

    Ashtony there, his body wracked with pain. He could feel his life force ebbing away, and he knew that he was dying. The Demon God loomed over him, his massive form casting a shadow over Ashton''s broken body.

    The Demon Godughed, a deep, rumbling sound that seemed to shake the very ground beneath them. He taunted Ashton, mocking his foolish bravado and all his empty words. Ashton tried to summon the strength to fight back, but it was no use. He was too weak, and the Demon God was too powerful.

    And then, everything went dark. Ashton''s body went limp, and he felt himself slipping away. He knew that he had failed, that he had been foolish to think that he could ever stand up to a being as powerful as the Demon God.

    "Hmph! I can''t believe that a pest like this brought so much trouble to my men." The Demon God sneered. "All that bravado and yet you still end up the same; dead. Tch. Useless."

    "Yeah, you tell him!" A voice sounded behind him.

    The Demon God whirled around, his massive form towering over Ashton. He couldn''t believe his eyes. Ashton was supposed to be dead, lying broken and defeated on the ground.

    But there he was, standing before him, unharmed and seemingly unscathed. The Demon God narrowed his eyes, suspicion rising within him.

    "What is the meaning of this?" he growled. "How are you still alive?"

    Ashton just smiled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Come on, did you really think it was that easy?" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

    The Demon God snarled, his massive fists clenching and unclenching. He had been so sure of his victory, so confident in his power. But now, he realized that he had underestimated Ashton. And that was a mistake he would soone to regret.

    Ashton stepped forward, his body surrounded by a bright, glowing aura. He raised his hand and began to chant a powerful incantation, drawing on the power of the Fey and the light of hope.

    The air around them crackled with energy, and the ground shook beneath their feet. The Demon God tried to counterattack, but he was no match for Ashton''s power.

    With a final, thunderous st of energy, Ashton struck the Demon God, sending him reeling backward. The Demon God screamed in agony as he was consumed by Ashton''s magic, his massive form crumbling into dust.

    ...or at least that''s what he thought.

    "Hello!? Can you hear me!?"

    The Demon God''s entire body shook in surprise, flinching at Ashton''s voice.

    To his disbelief, he found himself still alive and well. Standing tall and proud despite his flinching earlier when Ashton called out to him.

    "Zoning out in front of an enemy? How disrespectful! You might be a God but that doesn''t exclude you from having manners!" Ashton berated.

    The Demon God couldn''t believe what he was seeing. He had been so sure that he had been destroyed by Ashton''s powerful magic, yet here he stood, alive and well. His consciousness red in panic as he tried to make sense of the situation.

    "How is this possible?" he demanded, his voiceced with fear.

    "What?" Ashton replied looking a bit confused.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I swear I just...this is your doing!!" The Demon God snarled upon seeing that hateful expression on Ashton''s face.

    Ashton just shrugged, still wearing that infuriatingly smug smile. "I told you, I''m not so easily defeated," he said. "But I must admit, I''m impressed. Your will is stronger than I thought."

    The Demon God red at him, his fists clenching in anger. He had been so close to victory, so close to iming the Fey as his own. But now, it seemed that his ns had been thwarted once again.

    "Enough of this," he growled. "I tire of this game. I will destroy you once and for all, and im the Fey for myself."

    With a flick of his wrist, the Demon God summoned a powerful st of energy, sending it hurtling toward Ashton with deadly force. But Ashton was ready, and with a wave of his hand, he deflected the st, sending it harmlessly into the void.

    The two opponents faced each other, their eyes locked in a fierce battle of wills. The Demon God was determined to im the Fey as his own, to rule over them with an iron fist. But Ashton was equally determined to protect his people, to defend them against any and all threats, no matter the cost.

    For what seemed like hours, the two battled, their powers shing and sparking with deadly force. The ground trembled beneath them, and the air was filled with the sounds of their screams and roars.

    Finally, with a final burst of energy, Ashton struck the Demon God, sending him flying backward with a deafening crash. The Demon Gody there, his massive form battered and broken.

    Ashton approached him, his eyes zing with triumph. "It''s over," he said. "You''ve lost."

    The Demon God red up at him, hatred burning in his eyes. "You may have won this battle," he said. "But the war is far from over. I will return, and I will im the Fey as my own."

    And with those words, the Demon God disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a cloud of dust and a bitter taste of defeat.

    ***

    "Hey! Are you listening to me? I''m right here!! What are you zoning out for!?"

    The Demon God blinked in confusion as he found himself standing in the same spot once again. He couldn''t understand what was happening. Was he stuck in some kind of time loop?

    His mind was already muddled by the constant twists and turns of the battle, and thistest development only added to his confusion. He looked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

    Ashton was still there, wearing that same infuriatingly smug smile. "You look confused," he said. "Is something bothering you?"

    The Demon God gritted his teeth, his frustration mounting. He hade so close to victory, only to have it snatched away from him at thest moment. And now, it seemed that he was trapped in some kind of endless loop.

    "What is this?" he demanded. "What kind of trickery is this?"

    Ashton just chuckled. "No trickery, my friend," he said. "Just a little time maniption. You see, I''ve been studying your powers, and I''ve found a way to use them against you."

    The Demon God felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He had never encountered a mage like Ashton before, one who could not only match him in power but also outsmart him at every turn.

    ''How could he have studied my powers? This is the first time we''ve met! And it hasn''t been long since we fought!''

    The Demon God was slowly losing it. Added to the sheer anger and humiliation he felt, his mind was no longer rational.

    He knew that he had to find a way out of this situation, or else risk being trapped here forever. With a roar of rage, he summoned all his power andunched himself at Ashton, determined to break free of this endless cycle once and for all.

    Consumed by all of these thoughts, the Demon God forgot about one crucial thing that would''ve greatly helped him in his predicament.

    He forgot about the existence of illusions...

 Chapter 347 A Gods Defeat

    It''s the 9th loop...

    "Damn it!" The Demon God snarled as he abruptly swung his massive sword around.

    He watched as Ashton casually waved his staff to create a solid barrier around him which stopped the sword dead in its tracks. The sword rebounded on the surface of the barrier, causing an opening to appear on the Demon God''s stance, something that Ashton certainly exploited.

    A condensed orb of swirling rainbow energy appeared on Ashton''s palms. Heunched it and blew a hole in the God''s body. The damage didn''t just leave a gaping hole, it also caused the Demon God''s body to burst into agonizing white mes.

    Just like that, the Demon God died.

    ***

    "...and we''re back!"

    A twisted scowl appeared on the Demon God''s face the moment he heard Ashton''s irritating voice.

    This is the 10th loop. Once again, he found his body intact and undamaged. The petnt Archfey stood in front of him with that shit-eating grin that just made the Demon God more furious.

    They fought once more. This time, the Demon God managed to kill Ashton.

    He wouldn''t lie and say that killing the mage wasn''t satisfying, because it truly was. However, hisfort and satisfaction were ruined the moment the 11th loop began.

    ...which was then followed by the 12th, 13th...

    50th...

    100th...

    At some point, the Demon God lost count of how many loops it has been. To him, nothing made sense anymore.

    It didn''t matter what he did or how he did it. He doesn''t when it started or where. He doesn''t even know if there''s an end to this at all.

    His efforts of racking his mind, searching for a way to break this infuriating time loop were unsessful. Slowly but surely, he ran out of options and ideas.

    Hope was slowly being drained out of him. His mind was also on the verge of breaking because of how helpless this situation was for him.

    It didn''t matter who died between them, the Demon God will always end up finding himself back at the starting point where the confrontation began. It was excruciatingly repetitive that his spirit was being broken down with each loop.

    ''...how is this possible?'' The Demon God hollowly thought to himself.

    He couldn''t fathom what kind of power this was. Throughout the multiple loops he had experienced, he eventually discovered that this might''ve been a very borate illusion instead of a time loop. But honestly, that doesn''t really give him any advantages at all.

    So what if he discovered that he was inside an illusion? If he couldn''t break it, then what could he possibly free himself?

    Besides, it''s not like he didn''t try at all. He had tried all kinds of ways to break the illusion to no avail. He still found himself trapped in it no matter what he does.

    200th loop...289th loop...

    The Demon God is so close to begging. He already shed a few tears here and there due to how humiliated and frustrated he was with his situation.

    ''Had I known...if I only knew that it''s going to be like this...I-''

    300th loop...400th loop...

    It was pure torture. He''s not referring to the many ways he died up to this point, no. He''s talking about the sheer hopelessness it brought to him. One that not even his Divinity could get rid of.

    Nobody, and he meant nobody, has ever made him feel this way before. Not even the Celestial God came close to ever causing this much damage to his psyche. And that''s saying a lot.

    To think that he would kick a steel te in this backward...fate sure is funny sometimes.

    "I shouldn''t havee here..." the Demon God hollowly uttered during the 565th loop.

    "Yep, you shouldn''t have." Ashton replied to him, still smiling smugly as he killed him yet again. Only for another loop to begin.

    What was his original n again?

    Ah! Right. To kill the pest that had been spoiling their ns for this world. That''s what.

    He had received reports from his subordinates that their forces here were in dire need of backup. ording to them, they were met with a rather fierce retaliation from the locals, and if the situation continues to develop this way, they would be expelled from this world in a blink of an eye.

    At first, the Demon God didn''t feel the need to respond to this. He just thought that it was just some slight setback, one that they will ultimately dismantle with their sheer numbers and strength.

    But as time passed, the situation eventually evolved to an rming degree and it reached a point where his children were left with no choice other than to invite him here.

    Upon his arrival, he discovered just how bad the situation was and became disappointed. Throughout their history of conquest, they have never experienced such a close call as this.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Netherworld was on the cusp of destruction. The demons had their spirits broken and their numbers dwindled so much.

    The Demon God was shocked to bepletely honest. He never expected a scene like this. He didn''t know that a local from some backward had this kind of ability that reduced them like this.

    His timing was also great since the moment he appeared, the culprit was also there. He caught him in the act and inwardly celebrated since he wouldn''t be spending too much time in this world.

    Since the culprit was already here, then he could just kill him and be done with his business here. The Demon God was even anticipating his return to Inferno after all of this.

    But well...look at where that brought him.

    "Who are you, truly?" The Demon God hollowly asked.

    At this point, his spirit was already so close to breaking down. He looked at the pesky mage who was still grinning at him smugly.

    "Nobody of importance, really." Ashton replied.

    He casually sat on his staff as it levitated a few meters above the ground. He looked at the Demon God with a mischievous yet bored expression on his face.

    "I''m just some random sage who was sent here to pay back a massive debt. That''s all."

    "What kind of debt?" The Demon God asked.

    "A debt of blood," Ashton replied tly. "Let''s just say I owe these people a lot. Without their blessings, my life would''ve been way more difficult than it should be, but because they helped me, I became who I am now."

    "To pay that favor back...to settle that Karmic Debt, I took it upon myself to eliminate your kind here," Ashton added. "Besides, you all were meant to be eliminated anyway, given what you guys did to this world? This little punishment is actually already mercy on my side."

    "...mercy, huh?" The Demon God chuckled mirthlessly.

    On any normal day, those words should''ve been sufficient to ignite his temper and cause him tosh out. But right now? He couldn''t even muster up any kind of temper at all.

    The Demon God was so drained of his fighting spirit and his arrogance. He was humbled enough by what he experienced that it made him a bit more rational.

    Sadly, that rationality wouldn''t help him in this situation.

    "It''s my loss. End it. You win." The Demon God forfeited.

    It had to be known that this was already as far as the Demon God was willing to go. For an entity like him, someone who bears Divinity, admitting defeat to a lesser creature like Ashton was already touching the very depths of his bottom line.

    A God admitting defeat to a Man? That''s something that you wouldn''t witness every day.

    And if this was somebody else...they might just ept this and end this once and for all.

    But just as stated, ''if'' this was somebody else. Unfortunately, Ashton isn''t somebody else...

    "...did you honestly think that I will give you the chance to preserve even a shred of your dignity just because you said so?" Ashton raised a brow and asked.

    The Demon God looked shell-shocked by those words. He looked at Ashton who was looking at him with nary a hint of sympathy in his eyes.

    "Throughout your race''s conquest of several worlds...when you annexed or outright ughtered all manner of life you encountered...I''m pretty sure that at least some of them knelt in front of you and begged for mercy."

    "Did you spare them?" Ashton''s voice turned icy when he asked this question.

    "Did you leave them any semnce of dignity? Honor? A shred of mercy?"

    "Did you give them a chance?"

    "..."

    "Answer me. Did you?" Ashton pressed on.

    In truth, the answer to his questions was already obvious. The Demon God could''ve just uttered his reply but for some reason, he couldn''t.

    "You and the Celestials caused too much destruction already." Ashton uttered, causing the Demon God to perk up.

    ''How the hell does he know about the Celestials?''

    "When you all showed up uninvited to those worlds, you leave nothing but corruption and destion. You didn''t give them a chance, so why would I?" Ashton scoffed.

    "I''m just a bit peeved honestly, because I thought that you would at least put up a decent fight."

    Ashton looked at him like he was nothing more than a pest that was meant to be stomped.

    "It''s rather unfortunate, really. I expected so much from you, yet you didn''t even manage to entertain me."

 Chapter 348 Holy Spirit

    Ashton stared at the motionless form of the Demon God before him. The Netherworld was quiet, and the only sound was the slow, steady breathing of the demon. The Dream Spell had worked, and the Demon God was trapped in an endless dream.

    He had spent countless hours perfecting this spell. He had studied ancient tomes, practiced his magic tirelessly, and sacrificed much to get to this point. It had been a long and difficult journey, but he had finally done it.

    The whole set-up was a little anticlimactic for his liking, but you won''t hear himining.

    For a moment, Ashton felt a sense of triumph wash over him. He had conquered the Demon God, and he had done it alone. But as he stood there, watching the demon sleep, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease. He knew that he had taken a great risk by casting the spell. The Demon God was a powerful being, and even in his sleep, he could be dangerous.

    ''This is still a God after all. I might''ve made it look easy but in reality, even a small miscalction on my part would''ve been disastrous.''

    Ashton took a deep breath and stepped forward. He reached out and touched the Demon God''s forehead, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath his fingers. He closed his eyes and focused his energy on the spell, making sure that it was still holding strong.

    "Time to finish this while I still can..." Ashton mused to himself. He held his staff and closed his eyes to prepare the spell.

    Ashton began to chant, his voice low and steady. He moved his hands in intricate patterns, drawing power from the very fabric of the Netherworld. The Demon God remained trapped in the Dream, helpless and oh-so vulnerable.

    There is a chance that this might wake the demon up but honestly? It was toote. Ashton had already begun to drain the god''s divinity, drawing it out of him like a thief in the night. The Demon God writhed in agony, his body convulsing as his power was siphoned away.

    Ashton watched with satisfaction as the god grew weaker and weaker. He knew that he had to act fast before the god could regain his strength.

    With a final surge of power, Ashtonpleted the spell. The Demon God''s divinity was gone, leaving him as vulnerable as any other demon. Ashton raised his staff, ready to strike the final blow.

    But before he could do so, Ashton changed his mind.

    "Killing you now would justify the crime you and your race havemitted throughout the expansive universe." Ashton whispered, "But that''s letting you off easily. You deserve to suffer as much as the other suffered. Plus, you''d be more useful this way so, yeah. You stay like that."

    With the Demon God''s divinity drained and his body still trapped in an Endless Dream, Ashton had eliminated the greatest threat to Elstar. He had spent years preparing for this moment, honing his skills as a mage to the utmost perfection. And now, he was closer than ever to achieving his ultimate goal.

    The Netherworld had always been a thorn in Elstar''s side. It was a dark, dangerous ce, filled with demons and other monstrous creatures. For years, Ashton had worked tirelessly to push back the Netherworld''s influence, to seal its portals and destroy its minions.

    But there was one thing he had yet to do:pletely expel the Netherworld from Elstar once and for all.

    Ashton knew that this would be his greatest challenge yet. The Netherworld''s hold on Elstar was already weakened but what remains of it held strong, and it would take all of his skill and knowledge to break it. But he was determined. He hade too far to give up now.

    Ashton closed his eyes and focused, drawing on the power of the Netherworld itself. He felt the energy flowing through him, filling him with strength and determination. With a burst of magic, he unleashed a wave of energy that rippled through the fabric of reality itself.

    The ground shook, and the air filled with a deafening roar. Ashton''s eyes snapped open, and he saw that the Netherworld was being pushed back, forced to retreat from Elstar''s borders.

    He cornered the Netherworld far enough until it was on itsst legs. Once everything was ready, Ashton infiltrated the ce where the corrupted El-Tree was located with his consciousness to finish this once and for all.

    Ashton stood at the opposite side of the Corrupted El-Tree, the final link between the Netherworld and Elstar. He knew that once he destroyed it, the Netherworld would disappear, and the Demons would no longer have the ability to infiltrate Elstar.

    With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and began to chant the spell he had spent years perfecting. His hands glowed with otherworldly energy, and he could feel the power surging through him.

    The Corrupted El-Tree trembled, and a dark aura emanated from it as Ashton''s magic assaulted it. But it was a formidable opponent, and it fought back with all its strength.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Ashton gritted his teeth and redoubled his efforts. He could feel the sweat pouring down his face, his muscles straining with the effort of casting the spell. But he refused to give up. He hade too far to fail now.

    The Corrupted El-Tree let out a deafening screech as Ashton''s spell hit it with full force. The tree began to crack and splinter, and the dark aura around it dissipated.

    Ashton let out a cry of triumph as the Corrupted El-Tree crumbled to the ground, its link to the Netherworld severed once and for all. The world around him began to shift and change, as the Netherworld disappeared, taking the demons with it.

    He opened his eyes, and a sense of relief washed over him. He had done it. He had fulfilled his mission, and Elstar was now safe from the threat of the Netherworld.

    Normally, Ashton would''ve celebrated his victory by copsing and sleeping for maybe a week or two. After all, he''s been exhausted from moving a lot.

    Unfortunately, the battle wasn''t over yet.

    Ashton''s heart raced as he felt the strong fluctuation from the Demon God''s body. He had thought that his mission was finally over and that he could return home after so long. But it seemed that the battle was not yet done.

    With a deep breath, Ashton readied himself for another confrontation. But what he saw next surprised him. A bright light emanated from the Demon God''s body, and a spirit emerged, taking away the remaining vitality the demon had.

    "What the fuck!?" Ashton eximed.

    Ashton knew what this spirit was. It was the Holy Spirit, the third persona of the Celestial God. He had read about it in ancient tomes, but he never thought he would actually witness its manifestation.

    ''The Holy Trinity: The Heavenly Father, The Miraculous Son, and The Holy Spirit.'' Ashton recounted inwardly, ''I''ve already dealt with The Miraculous Son back on the Blue. Who could''ve imagined that the Holy Spirit would inhabit the body of a Demon of all things!?''

    The Holy Spirit floated in front of Ashton, its form radiating pure light and energy. Ashton felt a sense of awe wash over him as he gazed upon it.

    But then he noticed something strange. The Holy Spirit was feeding on the Demon God''s body as if it were drawing power from it.

    Ashton''s mind raced as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. Was the Holy Spirit using the Demon God''s power for its own purposes? Or was it cleansing the body of the demon''s taint?

    He knew he needed to act quickly. He couldn''t let the Holy Spirit run rampant and potentially cause harm to Elstar. He took a step forward, ready to confront the spirit.

    Ashton stepped forward, his voice firm and resolute. "To think that one part of the Holy Trinity would appear out of Demon no less. Damn, could this day get any weirder?"

    The Holy Spirit turned to him so he said: "I''ll give credit where credit is due. That Celestial God of yours is one hell of a schemer. I''m impressed."

    The Holy Spirit cocked its head, its form glowing with an otherworldly light. "The Celestial God''s will cannot be denied," it said in a voice that echoed through the air. "I am here to cleanse this world of the Netherworld''s taint and to restore bnce to the cosmos."

    Ashton felt a sense of anger rise within him. He had fought hard to rid Elstar of the Netherworld''s influence, and now this entity was iming credit for his work.

    He stepped closer, his hands crackling with magical energy. "You have no right to interfere in our world," he said, his voice rising in anger. "We will not be pawns in your games."

    The Holy Spirit did not flinch. "Your efforts have been noted," it said calmly. "But the Celestial God''s ns must be fulfilled. You would do well to remember that."

    "Ho, you dare speak like that as if you didn''t know what happened when the Demon God when he faced me?"

    Those words elicited quite a reaction from the Holy Spirit. Something that Ashton certainly did not miss.

 Chapter 349 Despair And Outcome

    Ashton stood there, watching as the Holy Spirit disappeared into thin air. He knew that it was not the end of their encounter. The Holy Spirit had made its intentions clear - it was here to restore bnce to the cosmos, and Ashton could not let that happen. He knew that he had to confront the Holy Spirit head-on.

    The terms it used might sound pleasant, but since it came from a Celestial, then there is no doubt that its ns would cause harm to the citizens of Elstar, and Ashton couldn''t just let that happen. Not now when he''s this close to thepletion of his mission.

    With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused his mind. He could feel the magical energy coursing through his veins, and he summoned all his power, ready for the battle ahead.

    When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a vast, featureless in. In the distance, he could see the Holy Spirit, its form glowing with a bright, unearthly light.

    Ashton took a step forward, and the Holy Spirit turned to face him. "You cannot stop what is toe," it said calmly. "The Celestial God''s will must be done."

    Ashton gritted his teeth, his hands crackling with magical energy. "I will not stand by and let you destroy everything we have worked for," he said. "I will fight you with everything I have."

    The Holy Spirit raised its hands, and a st of energy shot toward Ashton. He threw up a shield, but the force of the st knocked him backward, sending him tumbling through the air.

    Ashton quickly regained hisposure, and heunched a counterattack. He sent a barrage of magical missiles toward the Holy Spirit, but it dodged them effortlessly, moving with supernatural speed.

    The two opponents circled each other, each waiting for the other to make a move. Finally, the Holy Spirit made its move, charging toward Ashton with blinding speed.

    Ashton summoned all his power, and a wall of fire erupted in front of him, blocking the Holy Spirit''s path. The two forces shed, and for a moment it seemed that Ashton would be overwhelmed.

    But just as Ashton was about to be engulfed with the divine re, the scenery suddenly switched to something else.

    To the Holy Spirit''s surprise, it found itself standing once again on the undamaged in with Ashton standing tall and proud in front. A mocking smile could be seen on Ashton''s face which sent shivers on the Holy Spirit''s body.

    "And here I thought you were some hot shit..." Ashton shook his head, looking somewhat disappointed and all. "As it turns out, you''re just another hot garbage, much like the Demon God. And you dare call yourself a part of the Holy Trinity? How embarrassing."

    The Holy Spirit twitched in a mixture of anger and trepidation. This scene was all too familiar to it. After all, the Holy Spirit watched the confrontation between the Demon God and Ashton.

    Memories of that one-sided battle were still fresh in its mind. After all, it hasn''t been long since it happened. Yet here it was again, only this time, it was the Holy Spirit itself who was trapped in it.

    Ashton could see the fear in the Holy Spirit''s eyes. It was the same fear he saw in the Demon God before he drained its divinity. He knew that the Holy Spirit was just as vulnerable as the Demon God was at that moment.

    But then, something unexpected happened. The Holy Spirit began tough. Itughed so hard that its entire body shook with mirth.

    "What''s so funny?" Ashton demanded.

    The Holy Spiritposed itself and said, "You think you''ve won, don''t you? You think that by trapping me in this endless loop of time, you''ve defeated me. But you''re wrong. I am the Holy Spirit, and I cannot be defeated so easily."

    Ashton narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

    "You''ve trapped me in time, yes," the Holy Spirit said, "but you forget that time is meaningless to me. I exist outside of time and space. I am eternal."

    "Are you now?" Ashton sneered. "Well then, O'' Eternal Being, are you sure that you are trapped in an Endless Loop of Time? Hmm?"

    The Holy Spirit trembled upon those words. It looked at the yful expression on Ashton''s face and couldn''t help but feel a sense of despair rising from its chest.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "If you really think that you would do better than the Demon God well...be my guest then." Ashton scoffed and suddenly appeared mere inches away from the Holy Spirit''s face.

    He looked down at the Entity with nothing but pure disdain and said:

    "Go on. Break the loop, O'' Eternal Being. Show this one how vast and expansive your power truly is. Such a thing should be a simple act for a being such as you, is it not?" Ashton uttered, his voiceced with thick sarcasm.

    Incensed, the Holy Spirit suddenlyshed out and blew up Ashton. Thetter didn''t even make any effort to defend himself. He just allowed himself to explode from the divine re.

    But as was feared by the Holy Spirit...the Archfey was still alive.

    He manifested behind the Holy Spirit like a ghost, saying:

    "My, my. How feisty. But oh? Would look at that, I''m still here. I thought you broke the Endless Loop already, O'' Eternal Being?" Ashton mocked viciously.

    Despair blossomed in the Holy Spirit''s chest. Out of sheer fear and trepidation, it tried its best to warp reality, turn back the flow of time, it even advance it, all to no avail.

    Nothing worked against the loop. Be it killing Ashton ormitting suicide helped. The Holy Spirit always found itself returning to the starting point of it all, feeling a strange sense of Deja Vu every time it happened.

    The Holy Spirit faced Ashton''s endless mocking and looks of disdain. It has never experienced anything like it so it doesn''t know how to handle it. The fury it felt was too consuming, causing the Holy Spirit''s mind to be filled with nothing but desperation.

    Opening his eyes to the real world, Ashton knowingly smiled as he saw the Holy Spirit standing there with a hollow look in its eyes.

    "That got me nervous for a second there, not gonna lie." He whispered to himself.

    The Endless Dream. It''s one of his most powerful spells. He created it with Dream Laws in mind, utilizing the sheer absurdity of thew. The spell imprisons his target in their own world of creation. They will be trapped there for as long as Ashton deemed necessary.

    Only outside influence could break them out of this, even then it would take a lot of effort to wake them up. Those who are well versed in the art of Dreams also have a chance of breaking free from this, but only if their expertise transcends Ashton''s very own. If not, then they could only suffer in there.

    What makes this spell extremely terrifying is that, he could trap anybody through mere gaze. Eye contact wasn''t needed at all. So long as his target was within his sights, they will be pulled into a dream. This was the only pre-requisite needed.

    "You could''ve just waited inside the Demon God''s body for a more advantageous timing but you just had to be impatient ande out. Your chances would''ve been higher if you waited, but you didn''t. Now, you''ll suffer from that." Ashton muttered as he stared at the unmoving entity in front of him.

    Ashton''s thoughts whirred, thinking about what he should do with the Holy Spirit. After deliberating for a while, he finally got an idea and started chanting a spell.

    ''By doing this, the timeline should more or less follow the expected oue.'' Ashton mused to himself as he continued.

    Ashton continued to work tirelessly, using his magic to mold the Holy Spirit''s purpose to his liking. The process was long andplicated, but he persevered, knowing the importance of this moment. He could feel the Holy Spirit''s immense power pulsing within the endless dream, waiting to be harnessed.

    Hours turned into days as Ashton continued to work, slowly shifting the Holy Spirit''s allegiance towards the preservation of the world. He felt the entity resisting at times, but he never gave up. He knew that the sess of his mission depended on this.

    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ashton emerged from the endless dream, his workplete. The Holy Spirit was no longer an enemy, but an ally in the fight against evil. Its power would now be harnessed for good, and Ashton knew that he had taken a huge step towards achieving his ultimate goal.

    "Once you wake up, you will be an ally to this world. You will nurture it for as long as you can. You will start a lineage of Spirits which will eventually be crucial pieces for the future."

    He stood up, exhausted but satisfied. Looking towards the horizon, he could see the world of Elstar in all its beauty, free from the clutches of the Netherworld. The sun was setting, casting a golden light over thend. Ashton smiled, knowing that his work was far from over, but feeling a sense of pride for what he had aplished.

 Chapter 350 Blue Planet 10 Years Later

    - Blue Marble -

    As the 10th anniversary of Ashton''s disappearance approached, the people of Last Bastion began to reflect on the legacy he had left behind. Ashton had been a brilliant leader, inventor, and strategist who had yed a key role in humanity''s survival against the invading demons and angels.

    Even though he had disappeared without a trace, his contributions to the war effort were still felt every day. The advanced weaponry and technology he had created had given humanity a fighting chance against thebined forces of their otherworldly foes. His tactics and strategies had been studied and emted by the Grand Commanders who now led humanity''s armies.

    Despite the absence of Ashton, humanity had not faltered in their quest to defend their home. In fact, they had only grown stronger in the ten years since his disappearance. The advancements in technology and weaponry that Ashton had helped create had given them the edge they needed to fight the demons and angels toe to toe.

    But even as they fought for their survival, there was a sense of emptiness that lingered. Ashton had been more than just a brilliant leader and strategist. He had been a friend, a mentor, and a beacon of hope in dark times. His absence was keenly felt by those who had known him.

    As the anniversary approached, the Grand Commanders met in private to pay their respects to the man who had helped shape the future of humanity. They shared stories of his brilliance, his kindness, and his unwavering dedication to the cause. And they renewed theirmitment to continue the fight in his honor, to ensure that his legacy would never be forgotten.

    In the end, it was not just Ashton''s contributions to technology and strategy that had made him so invaluable. It was the spirit of determination and resilience that he had instilled in the people he had worked with. And that spirit lived on, even ten years after his disappearance.

    But even with the ceaseless advancement of Humanity, the fight for survival still remained challenging.

    Although Humanity had progressed quite far during these ten years, the long history of Celestials and Hypogeans still gave them a deeper foundationpared to Humans.

    Humans could now fight them yes, and most of the time, they''re able to push them back. Expelling thempletely from their world, however, was something that they cannot do that easily just yet.

    ***

    In the Outer Space of the Blue Marble, several fleets could be seen.

    A convoy ofrge ships in a battle formation could be witnessed surrounding the outer territory of the Blue Marble.

    These are forces of Humanity doing their jobs. They are protecting the world from the invaders, doing their best to not let them desecrate theirnd ever again.

    During these ten years, Humanity was able to destroy the Qliphoth Root and the Laguna from their world. With these two bases gone, their world was safe from the corruption of the two races and they were able to focus on the rehabilitation of theirnd.

    That being said, it doesn''t mean that the threats were gone.

    To their surprise, they discovered that the Angels and Demons are now working together in attempts to suppress Humanity once more.

    While they managed to kick them out of their world, that doesn''t necessarily mean that the fight was over just like that.

    From a distance, more ships could be seen. These looked vastly different from what Humanity has.

    These were the fleet of both the Celestials and Hypogeans, they were parked here, surrounding the Blue Marble and harassing them from all sides in attempts tond in their world again.

    This was how the past couple of years had been for Humanity. The battlefield shifted here and the stalemate remained like this ever since.

    Alice, the Sword Empress and Grand Commander of Humanity sat in her office. Her attention was divided between the documents in front of her and the live feed of the ongoing battle. She couldn''t help but feel a twinge of guilt at not being out there with her fellow soldiers, but as one of the three Grand Commanders, her responsibilities were different.

    Her eyes flicked back and forth between the papers and the screen, her mind racing with possible strategies and ns. She had always been a master tactician, but with thebined forces of angels and demons, even she had to admit that the situation was dire.

    Suddenly, an rm red, causing Alice to jump to her feet. She quickly assessed the situation, her mind working at lightning speed. It seemed that a group of demons had broken through the front lines and were making their way toward a vital strategic location.

    Without hesitation, Alice grabbed her sword and rushed out of her office, barking orders to her subordinates as she went. The chaos of the battle was overwhelming, but Alice was in her element. Her sword shed through the air, cutting down any demons that stood in her path.

    As she fought her way towards the strategic location, she could see that the demons were not alone. A group of angels had joined the fray, determined to take control of the location for themselves.

    "Alice, go back. I''ll handle this." She stopped in her tracks as she heard ke''s voice.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    She nodded at him and made her way back to her office. Whatever the problem was, she was confident that ke could handle it.

    And her confidence in him paid off. Not even five minutester, the rms were gone and order was being restored. It''s just a little oversight on their part so it wasn''t that serious. Plus, nobody died so that''s a plus.

    As the sun set over the battlefield, the three Grand Commanders gathered in their war room to discuss the day''s events.

    Alice paced back and forth, her sword still in her hand, as she recounted the fierce battles that had taken ce. "We''re holding our own, but we can''t keep this up forever. The demons and angels are just too powerful," she said, frustration evident in her voice.

    Mary nodded in agreement. "We need a new strategy. Something that will catch them off guard," she suggested.

    ke, the quietest of the three, sat deep in thought. Suddenly, he stood up and spoke, "I have an idea. It''s risky, but it might just work."

    The other twomanders leaned in, eager to hear what he had to say.

    "We know that the demons and angels are powerful, but they also have their weaknesses. They''re not used to fighting together, and they have different motivations for being here. I say we exploit those differences," ke exined.

    Alice raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "How do you propose we do that?"

    "We target their leaders. If we can take out the demon and angelmanders, their forces will be in disarray. And we can use their differences against each other to cause chaos," ke continued.

    Mary nodded thoughtfully. "It''s risky, but it just might work. We''ll need to n carefully and coordinate our attacks."

    Alice smiled, feeling a surge of determination. "Let''s do it. We''ll hit them where it hurts and show them what humanity is capable of."

    With or without Ashton, the fight continues. Although this n might have some risks, they might as well do it to break this stalemate.

    Aria sat surrounded by a mountain of books, her eyes scanning the pages with intense focus. She had been holed up in the library for days, only taking breaks to eat and rest. It was the only way she knew how to cope with Ashton''s disappearance - to bury herself in knowledge and research.

    As she flipped through the pages, she couldn''t help but nce over at the White Cloak and Scythe that Ashton had left her. They were mysterious artifacts that she still didn''t fully understand, but she knew that they were important.

    And it''s not like she ever had the chance to use them since then...

    She sighed and leaned back in her chair, her eyes drifting closed. She couldn''t shake the feeling of emptiness that had consumed her since Ashton''s disappearance. They had made a promise to each other ten years ago - a promise that he would return and they would continue to fight together for the survival of humanity.

    But as the years passed, that promise seemed more and more distant. Aria watched as humanity had grown and evolved, bing stronger and more advanced. But without Ashton, it all felt meaningless.

    She misses him greatly. Not a day passed that she didn''t long for him. How long must she wait until he returns to him?

    A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts. She opened her eyes and nced at the clock - it waste. Who could be here at this time?

    She got up and went towards the door. Upon opening it, she was greeted by a person that she hasn''t seen for a while.

    That face, that frame, that smile, and that scent...no man could ever replicate it.

    Before she knew it, her vision already turned blurry from her tears. A wracked sob was ripped out of her when she heard him say:

    "I''m home."

 Chapter 351 Celestial Gods Incarnation

    As the darkness of space enveloped them, the forces of humanity prepared to engage thebined forces of Angels and Demons in a fierce battle. They had devised a n to drive a wedge between the two factions, and were targeting the leaders of the enemy forces to disrupt their cooperation. The Humans knew that this was their best chance to defeat their formidable foes.

    The first scene takes ce in the midst of the asteroid field. The Humans had sent out their fleet of warships, each one equipped with advanced weapons and technology. They had managed to track the movements of the enemy fleet and were now closing in on them. The asteroid field made maneuvering difficult, but the Humans were determined to press on. Theyunched a surprise attack, sending their most skilled pilots to engage the enemy forces in a fierce dogfight. Laser beams and missiles streaked through the void of space as the two sides shed.

    In the second scene, the Humans had infiltrated the enemy''s mothership. They had discovered the location of the Angel and Demon leaders and were now moving in for the kill. The mothership was heavily guarded, but the Humans were well-prepared. They had developed stealth technology that allowed them to move undetected through the enemy''s defenses. The battle was intense, and the Humans faced numerous challenges as they made their way to the leaders. But they managed to reach their targets and take them out, throwing the Angel and Demon forces into chaos.

    In the third scene, the Humans hadunched a massive bombardment on the enemy''s main base. They had pinpointed the location of the base and were now raining down a barrage of sma and energy weapons on it. The base was well-protected, but the Humans had brought out their most powerful weapons. The sound of explosions echoed through the void of space as the Humansid waste to the enemy''s defenses. The Angels and Demons fought back with everything they had, but it was no use. The Humans had the upper hand, and they were determined to win at any cost.

    As the battle raged on, the Humans continued to attack the enemy''s fleet, mothership, and main base. Their n to disrupt the cooperation between the Angels and Demons was working. Thebined forces were struggling to coordinate their attacks, and the Humans were taking advantage of the situation. With each passing moment, the Angels and Demons grew weaker, and the Humans grew stronger. But the oue of the battle was still uncertain, and both sides knew that they were fighting for the fate of the universe.

    ***

    In the war room of the Human fleet''s gship, Alice, Mary, and ke were seated around arge conference table. Alice, the Sword Empress, was d in her battle armor, her sword resting by her side. Mary, the Oracle Sage, was dressed in her flowing robes, her eyes closed as shemuned with the universe. ke, the Titan, was a massive figure, his muscles bulging beneath his armor.

    "So, our n to disrupt the cooperation between the Angels and Demons has been sessful so far," said Alice. "But we cannot let our guard down. We need to continue to attack them on all fronts."

    "I agree," said Mary, opening her eyes. "We must strike while they are weak and keep them off-bnce. We shouldunch a series of coordinated attacks to keep them on their toes."

    ke nodded. "We also need to be prepared for any counterattacks. The Angels and Demons are not to be underestimated. We need to stay vignt and be ready for anything."

    Alice leaned forward. "We also need to focus on taking out their remaining leaders. Without them, their forces will be in disarray, and we can finally bring this war to an end."

    Mary nodded. "I can use my powers to locate their leaders and predict their movements. That way, we can n our attacks more effectively."

    ke pounded his fist on the table. "Then let''s do it. Let''s eliminate our enemies once and for all."

    The three Grand Commanders stood up, their determination was evident on their faces. They knew that the fate of the universe rested on their shoulders, and they were ready to do whatever it takes to ensure that humanity emerged victorious.

    With the n set in motion, the Human fleet beganunching coordinated attacks on the Angel and Demon forces. They struck with precision, targeting key instations and leaders with deadly force. Mary''s predictions proved invaluable, allowing the Humans to strike when the enemy was at their weakest.

    The Angels and Demons fought back fiercely, but the Humans were relentless. Alice led the charge, her sword shing in the darkness of space as she cut down any foe that dared to stand in her way. Mary used her powers to shield the fleet from enemy attacks and guide their movements, while ke provided the heavy firepower, crushing the enemy under the weight of his massive weapons.

    As the battle raged on, the Humans began to gain the upper hand. They had seeded in disrupting the cooperation between the Angels and Demons and were now taking advantage of the situation. The enemy forces were scattered and disorganized, unable to mount a strong defense against the Humans.

    But the Grand Commanders knew that the battle was far from over. They pressed on, determined to eliminate their enemiespletely. Theyunched a final assault on the enemy''s main stronghold, a massive space station that served as the Angel and Demon''sst bastion.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The battle was fierce and brutal, with both sides fighting tooth and nail for victory. But in the end, it was the Humans who emerged victorious. They destroyed the enemy stronghold, wiping out thest of the Angel and Demon forces.

    As the Human Fleet was on the verge of eliminating thest of the leading figures however, an ominous energy filled the void of space. The skies darkened, and a massive portal appeared, with a figure emerging from it. It was the Celestial God, the very embodiment of the Angels and Demons'' faith and power.

    "Shit!" ke cursed as he felt that oppressive aura. "How can that guy be here!?"

    "That''s not him!" Mary dered. "That''s just an incarnation of him. I''m guessing that this was the trump card of Celestials. We managed to push them back to a tight corner after all."

    "All troops, attention! Listen to my orders and retreat! We will hold back this thing! Cover each other''s back! I repeat, all troops retreat! Now!" Alice snarled at thems as she herself prepared to confront the incarnation of the Celestial God.

    The Human Fleet was caught off guard, and panic spread like wildfire among the ranks. The Celestial God, albeit being just the incarnation of the real one, was an unstoppable force, and there was nothing they could do to stop it. The Grand Commanders knew that they had to act fast if they were to have any chance of survival.

    Alice, Mary, and ke covered for their troops and made a bold decision. They would use the power of their own faith, their own belief in the strength of humanity, to challenge the Celestial God. It was a gamble, but it was their only hope.

    With a fierce determination in their hearts, the Grand Commanders charged towards the Celestial God. They fought with all their might, their weapons zing as they faced off against an enemy beyond their wildest imaginations. It was a battle for the ages, with the fate of the universe hanging in the bnce.

    These three knew that they are nowhere near ready to confront the real Celestial God, but if it was just his incarnation, then they might stand a chance.

    They charged into the fray, disregarding their safety. They never entertained any notions of surviving this battle. Their entire being was just focused on the fight and nothing else.

    The Celestial God was a formidable opponent, but the Humans refused to give up. They fought with every ounce of their strength, their belief in themselves and their cause driving them forward. Slowly but surely, they began to gain the upper hand.

    But still, even if this was just his incarnation, it still has the power of a true God.

    The upper hand they got was only a momentary thing. It didn''t evenst for long since the incarnation of the Celestial God began amassing the power of faith as well, to increase its strength.

    Alice, ke, and Mary all cursed under their breaths when they felt the incarnation bing stronger. The battle hasn''t even been that long yet they''re already exhausted. Now, with the incarnation being more powerful than ever, they could already foresee their terrible ending.

    "I guess this is it." Alice sighed as she already epted their fates. "It''s been nice knowing you, I guess. It''s just a pity we wouldn''t be able to pursue our future ns."

    ke, and Mary bit their lips and didn''t say a word, but they very much share her sentiments.

    But just as the three began epting their fate, a voice echoed in their mind, saying:

    ''Now, now. Why must you three entertain such thoughts? Don''t tell me you''re just going to throw away your lives like that. I didn''t raise you like that you know?''

 Chapter 352 Under Attack

    "What the hell''s going on!!"

    The grand fleet of the Hypogeans was thrown into chaos as the rm red through the corridors. Demons of all shapes and sizes rushed to their stations, readying their weapons and preparing for the imminent attack.

    Harrak, a towering demon with jet-ck horns and bulging muscles, stormed into the control room, his eyes zing with fury. "What''s going on?" he bellowed.

    The head technician, a small, wiry demon named Grik, frantically tapped at his console. "We''re being attacked by humans," he said, his voice shaking. "We don''t know how many there are, but they''re causing significant damage to our ships."

    Harrak''s expression darkened. He had heard of humans before but had never encountered them himself. From what he knew, they were a weak and feeble species, no match for the might of the Hypogeans. But the damage they were inflicting suggested otherwise.

    "We need to mobilize our forces," Harrak growled. "Send out the ships and prepare for battle."

    Grik nodded and ryed the orders to the rest of the fleet. Soon, dozens of ships were hurtling through space, their engines roaring as they raced towards the source of the attack.

    Harrak boarded the gship, a massive vessel bristling with weapons and shields. He stood at the helm, his fists clenched as he gazed out at the stars.

    "We will crush these humans," he vowed. "They have no idea who they''re dealing with."

    As the gship drew closer to the source of the attack, Harrak could see the human ships in the distance, firing their weapons and darting around like insects.

    "Fire at will!" Harrak roared, and the gship unleashed a barrage of energy beams that tore through the human ships, sending them careening out of control.

    But the humans were not so easily defeated. They regrouped andunched a counterattack, their weapons mming into the Hypogean ships with devastating force.

    Harrak gritted his teeth, his muscles bulging as he struggled to maintain control of the gship. "This is not over," he growled. "We will show them the true power of the Hypogeans."

    The battle raged on for hours, the sound of weapons fire and explosions echoing through the void. But in the end, the Hypogeans emerged victorious, their superior technology and battle prowess proving too much for the human attackers.

    As the Hypogeans celebrated their hard-won victory, another rm suddenly red through the fleet. This time it was the Celestials who were under attack.

    Harrak cursed under his breath as he realized the situation. The humans hadunched a coordinated assault on both the Hypogeans and the Celestials, hoping to overwhelm them with sheer numbers.

    "We have to help them," Harrak barked. "All ships, divert to the Celestial fleet''s location. We cannot let the humans destroy them."

    The Hypogean ships swiftly changed course, hurtling towards the Celestial fleet at breakneck speed. As they approached, Harrak could see the human ships swarming around the Celestial vessels like angry wasps.

    The Celestials were a much different breed than the Hypogeans. They were tall and slender, with skin that shimmered like diamonds in the light. They wielded abilities that are on the opposite spectrum of what Hypogeans used.

    Nobody ever thought that a day wille when the Celestials and Hypogeans would be working together. They were a rivaling race previously, but because of Humanity''s constant progress, they were forced to work together to defeat Humanity.

    That being said, even the Celestials were struggling against the human onught. Their shields were faltering, and their magic was being nullified by the humans'' advanced technology.

    Harrak gritted his teeth as he watched the battle unfold. He knew that the Hypogeans and Celestials had a long andplicated history, but now was not the time for old grudges.

    "All ships, focus your fire on the human ships," Harrak ordered. "We have to break their formation and give the Celestials some breathing room."

    The Hypogean ships unleashed a barrage of weapons fire, their energy beams mming into the human ships with tremendous force. The humans were caught off guard, their ships exploding in a shower of debris.

    The Celestials seized the opportunity and unleashed their magic, conjuring powerful spells that sted the remaining human ships to pieces.

    "Fire! Leave none alive!"

    "Show them our might! Make them regret evering here!"

    "Blow them up!"

    "Kill!!"

    War cries echoed everywhere as the Fleet did their best to neutralize the unexpected ambush they received. They continued firing at the ships of Humanity, blowing them up until their numbers dwindled.

    Harrak breathed a sigh of relief as thest of the human ships were destroyed. He looked over at the Celestial fleet, where a tall, regal-looking figure was stepping forward.

    It was the Star Queen, one of the most powerful beings in the gxy. Harrak had heard stories about her, how she had once single-handedly defeated an army of demons with her magic.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Star Queen raised her hand, and a shimmering dome of energy surrounded the fleet. "Thank you for your assistance, Hypogeans," she said, her voice ringing out like a bell. "We owe you a great debt."

    Harrak nodded, feeling a grudging respect for the Celestials. Maybe they weren''t so different after all.

    "Let''s hope this is thest time the humans try to mess with us," he muttered. "But somehow, I doubt it."

    The battle continued to rage on. The opposing forces shed repeatedly. Humanity was on the losing side. But despite their position, nobody from their sideunched a desperate move that both Harrak and the Star Queen were anticipating.

    In the end, thest ship that ambushed them got blown up just like the rest. With this, the fight was over and they could start rounding up their casualties as well as restocking their supplies.

    The battle had been won, or so they thought. The Hypogeans and Celestials were both caught off guard when the humans suddenlyunched a devastating counter-attack.

    As it turns out, the Humans who were on the ships earlier made it out alive. Nobody knows how they managed to hide themselves from the sensors but they did.

    They got really close to Harrak and the Stat Squeen beforeunching an attack.

    Arge explosion rocked the entire fleetbined.

    Harrak felt a sharp pain shoot through his chest as a beam of energy mmed into him. He stumbled backward, gasping for air as he tried to keep his bnce.

    The Star Queen fared no better. She had raised a shield to protect herself, but the humans'' weapons were too powerful. The shield shattered under the barrage of fire, and she fell to the ground, her body wracked with pain.

    The Hypogeans and Celestials fought back with all their might, but the humans were relentless. They seemed to be everywhere at once, their ships darting in and out of the battle like angry hos.

    Harrak tried to rally his troops, to keep them focused on the fight, but it was no use. They were overwhelmed, outnumbered, and outgunned.

    He looked around frantically, searching for a way out. Then he saw it - a rift in space, a tear in the fabric of reality.

    "Everyone, retreat through the rift!" he shouted. "Now!"

    The Hypogeans and Celestials scrambled towards the rift, fighting off the humans as they went. The humans were hot on their heels, their ships firing relentlessly.

    Harrak was thest to enter the rift, his body racked with pain. He stumbled forward, then fell to the ground as the rift closed behind him.

    For a moment, there was only darkness. Then he heard a voice, soft andforting, speaking to him.

    "You''re going to be all right," the voice said. "Just rx."

    Harrak opened his eyes and saw that he was lying on a cot, surrounded by medical equipment. He groaned, then tried to sit up.

    "Easy there," the voice said, and he realized it belonged to a young Hypogean nurse. "You''re still recovering from your injuries."

    Harrak looked around, feeling disoriented. "What happened?" he asked.

    "You were injured in the battle," the nurse said. "But you''re going to be okay. You''re in a medical facility on one of our ships."

    Harrak struggled to remember what had happened. The battle...the humans...the rift. "What about the Celestials?" he asked. "And the rest of our fleet?"

    The nurse''s face fell. "I''m sorry," she said. "We lost contact with the Celestial fleet during the battle. And most of our own ships were destroyed. It was a devastating defeat."

    The poor demon felt his heart sink upon that confirmation. He copsed back on his bed, eyes looking hollow and all.

    Not only was injured, but he also lost many of hisrades, all because of Humanity''s cunningness.

    Harrak felt a sense of despair wash over him. They had thought they had won the battle, but in reality, they had suffered a crushing defeat. And worst of all, the humans were still out there, somewhere, waiting to strike again.

    What Harrak didn''t know was that, his wasn''t the fleet that''s been attacked and destroyed. Actually, it''s already a miracle that he managed to live up until this point.

    When He walks upter, he will discover that the other troops were ambushed as well and that this was just the beginning.

 Chapter 353 Reunion

    Ashton wakes up to the feeling of warmth against his chest and a slight weight on his arm. He blinks his eyes open and sees Aria snuggled into him, her dark hair syed out on the pillow. He can''t help but smile at the sight of her, feeling content and at peace.

    Carefully, so as not to wake her up, he peels her off his chest and gets out of bed, stretching his limbs. He walks to the kitchen and starts making coffee, the sound of the brewing machine breaking the stillness of the morning.

    ''Ahh, the sense of normalcy. How I missed it.'' Ashton mused inwardly as he basked in the atmosphere.

    As he waits for the coffee to finish brewing, he walks over to the window and looks out at the world outside. He''s taken aback by the changes he sees - the world seems to have grown and expanded in the ten years he''s been gone. He sees towering skyscrapers and sleek vehicles whizzing by, evidence of technological advancements he could barely have imagined before.

    As he sips his coffee, he reflects on how different everything feels now. It''s as if he''s returned to an entirely different world, one that''s both familiar and foreign at the same time.

    Despite the sense of disorientation he feels, Ashton is grateful to be back. He''s missed this world and the people he loves, and he''s determined to make the most of his time here.

    Feeling energized by the warmth of the coffee and the beauty of the world outside, Ashton takes a deep breath and notices even more subtle details about the world he left several years ago.

    The living conditions of humans have changed enormously since his disappearance. With the technological breakthroughs that happened while he was gone, there were a lot of things that he didn''t understand anymore. And he''d be lying if he said that he didn''t feel affected.

    As Ashton sips his coffee, he can''t help but feel a sense of disconnection from the world around him. Although he has returned to his home after a decade of being away, everything feels foreign and unfamiliar.

    Like those ships, he saw just a few days ago...

    Those ships that Humanity uses to preserve the sanctity of their airspace. The ones they used to also defend against the forces of the invaders trying tond on their world.

    Ashton noticed that those were being powered by ARC Cores but as for how they exactly worked, he had no clue. He knows that it requires at High-Evolutionary to be the pilot for those ships but how to control them properly was something that he also didn''t know.

    As he stares out the window, lost in thought, he feels a warm hand on his shoulder. He turns to see Aria, his lover, standing behind him. She smiles at him and wraps her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder.

    "Good morning," she whispers, her breath tickling his ear.

    Ashton smiles and turns to face her, pulling her close for a kiss. He feels a rush of love and tenderness towards her, grateful for her presence in his life.

    "I still can''t believe I''m back," Ashton says, breaking the embrace. "Everything looks so different."

    Aria nods in agreement. "It''s been a decade, love. Of course, things have changed. But you''ll get used to it."

    Ashton takes a deep breath and nods, feeling slightly better. He knows he has a lot to catch up on, and a lot to learn about this new world he has returned to. But with Aria by his side, he feels like he can face anything.

    Together, they spend the rest of the morning exploring their new world, marveling at the technological advancements and the beauty of Fantasia. As they walk hand in hand, Ashton can''t help but feel like he''s finally found a ce where he belongs.

    In the middle of their tour, Aria mentioned to him that the Qliphoth and Laguna were no longer around. That somehow answered Ashton''s inquiry as to why the energy of the world seems so clean.

    He can''t help but feel a sense of relief knowing that the invaders who once threatened the safety of the Blue Marble are no longer present, well on the surface at least. He remembers the sacrifices and efforts of his friends who bravely fought against the foreign races, risking their lives to protect their homes.

    Thanks to their efforts, the now belongs solely to humans, and Ashton feels a sense of pride and gratitude towards his fellow humans. He knows that their victory over the invaders was hard-won and that they must continue to work together to keep their world safe.

    But the fight against the Demons and Angels is far from over. Even with the expulsion of the foreign races, they still haven''t given up in their attempts to annex this world. Hell, they even decided to join forces ording to what Arai told him and Ashton knows that he must be ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.

    As they continued with the tour, he thinks about his friends and their heroic efforts. He knows that they are still out there, fighting to protect the world they love.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    While Ashton steps out into the world, he can see that the healing process has already begun. Nature is thriving, and the air is fresher than it has been in years. The nts and trees have grown taller, and the rivers andkes are crystal clear. Ashton takes a deep breath, reveling in the sense of renewal that surrounds him.

    He knows that the absence of the Demons and Angels has allowed the world to start healing, and he''s grateful for it. The bounty of resources avable to humans has increased, and he can see the potential for even more growth and prosperity in the future.

    As Ashton walks through the city, he sees that the people around him are also taking notice of the changes in the world. They seem more optimistic, more hopeful for the future, and more willing to work together to build a better world.

    Ashton feels a sense of pride in his fellow humans, knowing that they have been able to ovee incredible obstacles to protect their world and start the healing process. He knows that there is still much work to be done, but he feels a renewed sense of determination to do his part.

    When he felt that he had seen enough for now, he told Aria that they will stop by the Mystic Guild''s headquarters. Some people have been dying to see and he felt that it was inappropriate to make them wait longer so he decided to finally show his face to them.

    Alice, ke, and Mary were all gathered at the Mystic Guild''s headquarters, waiting for Ashton to arrive. They hadn''t seen each other in years, and they were excited to catch up on old times.

    As Ashton walked in, Aria by his side, the group erupted in cheers and hugs. It was good to see each other again, and they quickly fell into an easy conversation, filling each other in on what they had been up to since theyst saw each other.

    Ashton briefly described how the past couple of days have been for him.

    Aria spoke up, "And I''ve been helping Ashton limate to the new world. It''s been exciting for him to see how much has changed since he disappeared."

    Ashton nodded, "Yes, it''s been quite an adjustment. But I''m d to be back and to see how far we''vee. You three did an incredible job leading humanity in my absence."

    Alice grinned. "It was a team effort, Ashton. We couldn''t have done it without each other."

    The group fell into afortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Ashton knew that there was still one thing they needed to discuss: his disappearance.

    "I know that my disappearance was sudden and left a lot of questions unanswered. I just want to say that I''m sorry for the worry I caused you all," Ashton said, looking at his friends.

    Mary shook her head. "There''s no need to apologize, Ashton. We understood that you had to leave to deal with personal matters. What''s important is that you''re back now, and we can work together to protect humanity."

    ke added, "And it''s not like we didn''t have any warning. You told us ahead of time that you would be gone for a while."

    Alice nodded in agreement. "Besides, we managed to hold things down while you were away. But it''s good to have you back, Ashton."

    Ashton smiled, feeling grateful for his friends'' understanding.

    "But if you don''t mind us asking...where exactly did you go?" ke asked, unable to hide his curiosity. "It just feels rather strange for you to disappear so abruptly like that. And to think that you spent 10 years there...what exactly happened?"

    "You don''t have to tell us if you''re not ready or if it''s not okay." Alice added, "We''re just merely curious that''s all. We''ll respect your privacy if you''re not ready to say anything just yet."

    Ashton waved his hand and said: "Nah, it''s fine. It''s not like it''s a huge secret anyway."

    And just like that, Ashton began telling them about his journey to the past.

 Chapter 354 His Voice And Blessings

    "Holy shit! Holy shit!" ke was practically vibrating in excitement partly because he felt the majestic and overflowing strength coursing through his veins, but mostly because he heard a voice that he hasn''t heard for a decade now.

    Alice and Mary were in the same state as well. But before they could say anything, the voice said something to them again:

    ''Look, I know you''re all excited and all but push that down. We can always have a reunionter, right now the enemy is looming over your heads. Focus.''

    ''Eliminate that thing and you''d be taking away one of the Celestial''s Trump Card. The real one can''t do shit about this for now so go in for the kill.''

    ''Get rid of the fleets while you''re at it. After that,e home and rest.''

    Alice, Mary, and ke stood in awe as they felt the familiar presence of Ashton''s energy flowing through them. They had all thought him dead, but here he was, reaching out to them in their hour of need.

    As the power of his blessings surged through their veins, they felt themselves bing stronger, faster, and more resilient than ever before. The once-impossible task of defeating the Celestial God now seemed within reach.

    And his blessings weren''t just for them. Everyone who''s out there fighting felt Ashton''s blessings with them. The confidence brought forth by this sudden increase in strength allowed them to re-ignite their fighting spirits.

    With renewed determination, the Grand Commanders rallied their troops and prepared for battle. They knew that this fight would not be easy, but with Ashton''s blessings and their own unwavering faith in humanity''s strength, they were ready to face any challenge.

    The incarnation of the Celestial God appeared once more, looming over them like a dark cloud. But this time, the Human Fleet was not afraid. They charged forward, their weapons zing, their hearts filled with the power of their faith.

    The battle was fierce, with the Celestial God unleashing all of its might against the Humans. But this time, the Humans were ready. They fought with strength and determination that could onlye from the blessings of a true leader.

    Although some of them were gravely injured, it didn''t stay that long since they will be healed right away. Ashton''s blessings were like the blessing of Immortality.

    With him watching their backs, death will never have the chance toy a finger on them, that much was certain.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Celestial God descended upon the Human Fleet, its massive form blotting out the stars. Alice, Mary, and ke led the charge, their weapons at the ready.

    Alice stepped forward, her sword gleaming in the darkness. With a fierce cry, she charged toward the Celestial God, her sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. With her expertise with the sword, even the flesh of a pseudo-god could be sliced.

    The Celestial God roared in anger as Alice''s sword struck it, but the Sword Empress was undaunted. She continued to attack with relentless ferocity, dodging the god''s strikes and unleashing a barrage of sword shes that seemed toe from all directions at once.

    Mary stood back, her keen eyesight scanning the battlefield. She saw the god''s movements before they happened, predicting its every strike with eerie uracy. She notched an arrow to her bow and let it fly, the arrow finding its mark with deadly precision.

    ke charged forward, his massive form dwarfing the Celestial God. The god unleashed a flurry of blows at ke, but the Titan simply shrugged them off, his massive fists mming into the god''s body with bone-shaking force.

    The battle raged on, with Alice, Mary, and ke working in perfect harmony to take down the god. Alice continued to strike with her sword, slicing off massive chunks of the god''s body with each blow. Mary provided cover from afar, her arrows piercing the god''s skin and slowing its movements. And ke served as the ultimate protector, taking hits that would have killed anyone else and returning them with even greater force.

    Ashton''s presence continued to guide them, his voice echoing in their minds, urging them forward. And slowly but surely, they began to gain the upper hand.

    With a final burst of energy, Alice, Mary, and kended the killing blow on the Celestial God. It let out a mighty roar, and then vanished into nothingness, leaving the Human Fleet victorious once more.

    As the dust settled, the Grand Commanders looked at each other with newfound respect and admiration. They had always believed in humanity''s strength, but now, they had witnessed it firsthand. And they knew that with Ashton''s blessings, and their own unwavering faith, they could ovee any challenge thaty ahead.

    The Human Fleet erupted into cheers as the Grand Commanders emerged victorious once more. Alice, Mary, and ke stood side-by-side, their weapons still in hand, their faces shining with the sweat of battle.

    They knew that there would always be more battles toe, more enemies to face. But with the strength of their unity, and the power of their faith in humanity''s potential, they were ready to face any challenge thaty ahead.

    With their victory against the enemy forces, the Human Fleet returned home victorious. The three Grand Commanders however went straight to their headquarters. They were excited and nervous. They wanted to confirm if the friend has truly returned. They heard his voice earlier and felt his blessings. It was because of him that they won just now, but until they see him face to face, they wouldn''t be able to rest easy.

 Chapter 355 Catching Up And Plans

    ?

    ke, Mary, Alice, and Aria listened intently as Ashton told them the reason behind his disappearance.

    As it turns out, Ashton was connected to a higher being, which exins his rather absurd sense of responsibility. This higher being was the one who taught Ashton everything that he knows, and it was also the one who helped him and humanity immensely during those years.

    Ashton told them how this entity saved him from certain death when he faced the Celestial God. He also revealed the stiptions behind his Karmic Debt and how he needed to repay it to live and return to his proper time.

    Then, the story went to the part where Ashton woke up and found himself in the world of Fey.

    He told them about his new identity, the things he saw, heard, did, and so on. He also told them his astounding discovery that he was sent back in the past. Which meant that everything he did there affected their present.

    Ashton also told them about the existence of Demons in that world, and the things he did to eliminate the threat of that world all so that he can return home.

    He was there for five years, which tranted into ten years in this current timeline. He destroyed the plots of these Hypogeans to Elstar and expelled thempletely before he left.

    "...and that''s about it I guess. I didn''t bid any farewell to anyone since I thought it was unnecessary. Plus, I was itching to go home anyway so there''s that."

    Ashton drank his slurpee tofort his parched throat. It''s been an hour since he talked so drinking something definitely helped.

    He noticed that the people around him became so silent that it was ufortable. He silently shrugged and let them process the information he just dropped out of literally nowhere.

    "That''s...wow...I uh, huh!" ke couldn''t form sentences properly due to how gobsmacked he was. "Sorry, the entire thing seemed unbelievable, but knowing you I know you were telling the truth."

    "...so like, you were thrown in the distant past where the Fey still walked thesends to save them from the threat of demons? This was the requirement for you to repay that Karmic Debt?" Mary asked with a trace of disbelief evident in her voice.

    "Yup, that sounds about right!" Ashton perkily replied as he bit into his burger. "Damn, I missed this thing. Feys and their ''healthy'' diets are just...ugh!"

    "Dude, you fought a God!" Alice eximed after digesting everything.

    "I like how that''s the thing you focused on." Ashton chuckled.

    "How can it not!?" Alice exasperatedly eximed, "You fought a GOD! ''The'' Demon God! Actually, that is not it. You fought the Demon God AND the Holy Spirit back to back and won! What the fuck, Ashton!"

    "HAHAHAHAHAHA! Staph it! You''re making me blush!" Ashton shamelessly replied.

    "But the thing is..." Ashton''s smile faded slightly as continued: "That wasn''t much of a fight really. They were the stupid ones for falling into my trap. If it weren''t for me doing preparations just in case, things would''ve been more uncertain for me."

    "I guess the trauma brought by my experience with the Celestial God paid off." Ashton shrugged, "But honestly, I don''t know if I could be brave enough to do it again. It''s nerve wracking you know?"

    "Yeah, I could very well imagine! We just fought the incarnation of the Celestial God a few days ago remember?" Alice replied.

    "Ah, right. That happened." Ashton chuckled. "Well, since that''s out of the way, I guess we don''t have to worry about it anymore. After all, the chances of them having another thing that could summon the incarnation was abysmally low."

    "As for the Demons well...it''s even more unlikely. The Demon God''s been dealt with anyway so who will they call?"

    "Yeah, that also concerns me too," ke interjected. "Did the Hypogeans not know that their God is dead? If we follow the timeline, it doesn''t seem right now, does it?"

    "...it''s the Celestial God." Mary whispered, looking slightly aghast.

    "Bingo." Ashton replied in a sing-song voice.

    "What do you mean?" ke asked her.

    "This whole thing is just an borate scheme of the Celestial God." Mary borates, "The rivalry between Hypogeans and Celestials was just a front to hide the truth that it is the Celestial God who''s behind it all."

    "Why else would he instill the Holy Spirit, a facet of his entire being, into the Demon God of all things if he wasn''t nning something big?"

    "If the rivalry between those two races were true, then making them work together should''ve been the real challenge instead of us Humans. But judging on how they easily fell into it, it bes obvious that it was indeed just an borate lie." Mary concluded.

    "Bingo, again!" Ashton chimed in while still wolfing down his burger.

    "Damn! All this time we believed...aish! Whatever! My head hurts thinking about it." Aliceined as she too took a bite of her food.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "So the real enemy we must deal with is the Celestial God, then!?" ke cracked his knuckles. "What are we waiting for? Let''s deal with him, once and for all!"

    "Not so fast, dummy. Don''t be reckless." Alice pulled ke back down to his seat.

    "Why? Don''t we have Ashton already? He already dealt with a God. If he could just trap the Celestial God like how he did with the Demon God, then we can kill him easily!" ke reasoned out.

    He then heard Ashton sigh and focused on him.

    "It''s not that easy, ke." He said while wiping his mouth. "Forget about trapping him, do you even know which part of the vast gxy Paradiso is at?"

    "..."

    "You can argue that we could interrogate some Celestials to learn where it''s at but the question is, do we have the proper tools to go there?"

    "..."

    "Our technology might''ve already advanced this far, but I''m afraid that it''s still nowhere near sufficient for expeditions of that scale. You''re not thinking of exploring the vast universes with just us, don''t you? If we ever decide to go there, it''s no different from us waging a direct war with them."

    "..."

    "We will have to bring our army if we do that. But again, our technology isn''t enough for that kind of burden so it''s useless to even think about it."

    "Even if we say that our technology was enough, we''d be going into their territory. Who knows what kind of nasty surprises we''ll meet on the way there? And it''s not like the Celestials would just watch usnd into their territory. They''re not conquerors for no reason, ke. So calm down and don''t be in a rush."

    "...right, I''m sorry. I''m just...I just want this to end, really." ke softly said.

    "And we''re on our way to that oue, ke. Trust me, with how things are progressing? We are very close to that." Ashton borated. "But it''s precisely because we''re near the finish line that we cannot afford to rush it."

    "We''ve alreadye this far to fail. We''re up against an eons-old monster. One mistake on our side might spell our doom if he capitalizes on it, so we can''t risk it."

    "Time is on our side. More so now, than ever. There are lots of improvements to be made and we will achieve them. Just be patient for now. Let''s not rush things so that we can minimize the chances of failure." Ashton finished his exnation so he went back to his food.

    ke, for the most part, seemed satisfied with this. He recognized his recklessness when faced with Ashton''s cold logic. The fires of enthusiasm in him died when Ashton began talking.

    Ashton really couldn''t me him though. Just a reminder that ke had been reincarnated a total of 9 times at this point, and he remembers everything about his previous lives.

    Mentally, he''s already old enough. He was already very exhausted since he had been fighting for ages now, so truly, Ashton couldn''t me him for being anxious.

    That''s why he exined his thought process to him. By doing so, ke would recognize the errors in his thought process. It also helps him calm down sufficiently so that he wouldn''t do anything that will put them in a tight spot.

    "Not gonna lie, I missed the way how you concoct ns on the spot." Mary pointed out amidst the silence.

    "Yeah. I mean, we could do it too but it''s way different and efficient if you''re the one doing it." Alice added on the side.

    "I, on the other hand, don''t miss it." Ashton snorted yfully. "It''s stressful to be a schemer you know? It hurts my brain."

    "Aww, does that mean that you''re not going to take the position back?" Mary asked. Half-joking and half-serious.

    "Hmm." He hummed while finishing his drink. "I mean, nothing really has to change just because I''m back, right?"

    That got the Big 3 thinking.

    "You guys have been doing a fantastic job so far. The work ethic is already etched in your bones. I don''t want to disrupt anything by forcing my existence into this.

    "..."

    "And you guys were supposed to be where you are right now, anyway. I raised you with that intention. So why the hell would I take it back when you''re doing great? Sounds counter-productive for me."

 Chapter 356 Pest Control

    ?

    Another day just started. Ashton woke up early to leave home to visit the guild.

    Ashton stepped cautiously through the halls of the Mystic Guild''s headquarters, his heart pounding with anticipation. It had been so long since he had set foot inside this ce, and yet it felt eerily familiar. The corridors stretched out before him like endless tunnels, each one leading to some new mystery.

    He had been here a few days ago when he reunited with his friends but he never really had the chance to explore what the current guild looks like.

    As he wandered deeper into the guild, Ashton couldn''t help but notice how much it had changed. The futuristic design was a stark departure from the more traditional look he remembered, and there were far more people here than he had ever seen before.

    Despite the changes, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of nostalgia as he passed through the various facilities. He remembered training in some of these rooms, and the memories flooded back with a bittersweet intensity.

    As Ashton explored further, he began to realize just how much he had missed this ce. The Mystic Guild had been his home for so long, and it was good to be back, even if it was just for a short while.

    But as he continued his journey through the guild, Ashton couldn''t shake the feeling that something was amiss. There was an undercurrent of tension that seemed to permeate the air, and he couldn''t help but wonder what had changed in his absence.

    ''Hmm, it would be a miracle if a threat managed to pass through the Big 3''s senses. I wonder what this is all about...'' He mused inwardly.

    Ashton pressed on, his senses on high alert as he continued to navigate the Mystic Guild''s winding corridors. He had a strange feeling that something was off, and he couldn''t shake the sense of foreboding that clung to him like a dark cloud.

    As he rounded a corner, Ashton came face to face with a man he didn''t recognize. The stranger was tall and muscr, with piercing blue eyes that seemed to look right through him.

    Ashton''s irises shed with a rainbow-colored gleam and in that instant, he had learned everything he needed to know about this man.

    His name was Jacob Corbin, a warrior who dreamed of reaching the peak of the world through any means necessary.

    Ashton could sense the malice emanating from Jacob, and he knew right away that this was the source of his unease. Jacob had been coveting the riches of the Mystic Guild for years, and he had been plotting the demise of the Grand Commanders; Alice, ke, and Mary, so that he could rece them and achieve his dreams.

    Ashton''s heart pounded with a mixture of disgust and disappointment as he stared at Jacob. He couldn''t believe that a person like this manage to pass through the numerous filters that the guild has to prevent evil from tainting the guild''s sanctity.

    ''Something must be done about this...'' he mused inwardly.

    Jacob sneered at Ashton, his eyes glinting with malicious intent. "Well, well, well," he said. "Look who we have here. A little mouse who''se to y with the big boys."

    "...ugly on the outside and the inside. I should''ve expected this." Ashton helplessly sighed, "Why must someone like you have to be born human? Had you been born a demon then this would have been a lot simpler."

    "The fuck did you just say punk!?"

    In a sh of inspiration, Ashton decided to use his powers of illusion to teach Jacob a lesson he would never forget. He closed his eyes and focused his mind, calling forth the power of the world of illusions.

    When Ashton opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a vast, empty space, with Jacob standing before him. This was the world of dreams, a realm of endless possibilities where anything was possible.

    "W-where..." Jacob was dazzled as he suddenly found his surroundings changing. He was caught off-guard by the suddenness of the situation that he couldn''t form concrete thoughts.

    "Jacob Corbin. 45 years old. Stuck at the peak of Grandmaster Knight for nearly five years now. Judging by your potential, this is as far as you will go and you couldn''t ept that because you are delusional."

    Ashton''s ethereal voice rang incessantly within Jacob''s mind.

    Jacob sneered at him, but Ashton could see the fear lurking in his eyes. He knew that Jacob was no match for him in this realm, and he intended to make him pay for his crimes.

    "You think that you are the main character of this world. That you are entitled to everything. That you are destined to sit upon the throne and rule for ages. But reality had a way of cruelly pping your face with a cold truth and you just can''t ept it."

    "That''s why you did all you could to join the Mystic Guild. You even became a pathological liar and made yourself believe that you were a good person when in truth, you''re no worse than a demon."

    "I guess that''s how you manage to bypass the filters we set up to prevent people like you from joining our cause. Unfortunately for you, in front of me, your facade bes worthless."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "To think that you would even dare to scheme against my friends. I don''t know if I should be angry ormend you for having the guts to do that." Ashton sneered as he denounced the man.

    "Who are you!?" Jacob demanded despite the rising cloud of fear in his chest.

    "Ashton West." He replied, and that was enough for Jacob to pass out from fright.

    Sneering at the pathetic man, Ashton began his punishment...

    For the next several days, Ashton tormented Jacob mercilessly, subjecting him to a never-ending cycle of pain and suffering. He forced Jacob to experience every fear and insecurity he had ever known until the warrior was broken and defeated.

    In truth, only a few seconds had passed in the real world, but in the world of illusions, it had been an eternity. Ashton finally released Jacob from his torment, watching as the warrior fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

    "You are not worthy of bing ourrade. Begone from this world. Don''t worry, your minions will soon follow you."

    And just like that, the hidden threat within the guild was snuffed out by Ashton.

    ***

    Ashton walked through the winding halls of the Mystic Guild, his heart heavy with the knowledge of the threat that had just been averted. But as he drew closer to the heart of the guild, he felt a sense of peace wash over him, as though all his worries were being swept away by a gentle breeze.

    Finally, he emerged into a small courtyard, surrounded by lush greenery and blooming flowers. The air was heavy with the sweet scent of jasmine and honeysuckle, and the soft chirping of birds filled the air.

    This was the heart of the Mystic Guild, a small piece of paradise where nature and spirituality thrived in perfect harmony.

    In the center of the courtyard was a small fountain, surrounded by benches and stone statues of mystical creatures. The water shimmered in the sunlight, reflecting the vibrant hues of the surrounding flowers and nts.

    Ashton walked around the courtyard, taking in the beauty of the space around him.

    He could feel the energy of the space all around him, a powerful force that seemed to pulse through his body like a heartbeat. It was a feeling of connection, of being part of something muchrger than himself.

    Ashton found himself drawn to a small shrine at the far end of the courtyard. It was his shrine. He didn''t know who made it but it made him feel warm inside.

    He then felt a presenceing closer...

    It was the Fairy Queen, a small but powerful being who ruled over the natural world. Ashton had worked with her in the past, and he was d to see her again. She greeted him with a small smile, her wings shimmering in the sunlight.

    "It''s good to see you again, Ashton," she said in a gentle voice. "It''s been too long since west met."

    Ashton nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of peace andfort in her presence. "Yes, it has been. How have you been, mydy?"

    "I have been well," the Fairy Queen replied. "But I know that you havee here for a more important reason. You wish to see the El-Tree, do you not?"

    Ashton nodded eagerly. The El-Tree was a mystical nt that he had been nurturing for over a decade now. He had been gone for the most part but with the Fairy Queen here, he need not worry.

    The Fairy Queen led him to a secluded corner of the courtyard, where the El-Tree stood tall and proud. It was a magnificent sight, its trunk thick and sturdy, its leaves a vibrant shade of green.

    Ashton approached the tree, feeling a sense of reverence and awe wash over him. He reached out and touched its bark, feeling the energy of the tree flow through his fingers.

    "It''s beautiful," he whispered.

 Chapter 357 Matured El-Tree

    ?

    The young El-Tree stood tall and proud in the center of a small clearing, its thin trunk stretching upwards towards the sky. Its branches were few and sparse, but they were covered in vibrant green leaves that shone like emeralds in the sunlight.

    ''I''ve been away for a decade. It''s nice to know that despite my absence, this thing still grew up well.'' Ashton mused to himself as he slowly approached the tree.

    Ashton stood before the young tree, marveling at its beauty and potential. He could feel the energy of the tree pulsing through the air around him, a tangible force that seemed to hum with power.

    The trunk of the young El-Tree was smooth to the touch, but there were tiny bumps and grooves that ran along its surface, like the veins of a leaf. Ashton traced his fingers along the bark, feeling the texture of the tree beneath his fingertips.

    As he looked up towards the branches, he saw tiny buds forming at the tips, small signs of new growth and development. The leaves rustled gently in the breeze, and Ashton could hear the soft whispers of the tree as itmunicated with the natural world around it.

    The young El-Tree was a symbol of hope and possibility, a promise of great things toe. Ashton knew that with care and nurturing, this tree would one day grow into a powerful force, a beacon of light and healing in a world that often seemed dark and uncertain.

    He made a vow to himself to protect and care for this tree, to watch it grow and flourish over the years. And as he stood there, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the power of the El-Tree, he felt a sense of peace and contentment settle over him, knowing that he was part of something greater than himself.

    "Sorry for neglecting you. I had to finish some business recently and I just returned from my trip." Ashton whispered as if he was talking to it. "Don''t worry, I''m here now. And I brought gifts for you. This is to make up for my disappearance."

    Ashton carefully retrieved several fragments of the El-Tree from a small satchel he had been carrying, each one norger than a pebble. He exined to the Fairy Queen and the other guardians that these fragments were powerful fertilizers that would elerate the growth of the young tree and help it to reach its full potential.

    Ashton scattered the fragments around the base of the El-Tree, watching as they dissolved into the soil and were absorbed by the roots. He could sense the energy of the tree increasing as if it were responding to the presence of the fragments.

    The air around them seemed to shimmer and glow with a bright green light, and the leaves of the El-Tree rustled and swayed in a gentle breeze. Ashton could feel the power of the tree growing stronger by the second as if it were feeding on the energy of the fragments.

    He exined to the Fairy Queen that these fragments were rare and precious, and that they had been collected during his mission. They were the key to unlocking the full potential of the young tree and ensuring that it grew strong and healthy for years toe.

    The truth was way differentpared to what he said though...

    He could still remember how, despite caring after it and doing his best to restore its vitality, the Original El-Tree - the one that he encountered during his stay at the Elstar, wilted before his very eyes. It then released several fragments which he then gathered.

    This confused him a lot, though. He never expected something like that to happen. But due to his connection to the El-Tree, he was able to learn why eventually.

    The El-Tree of Elstar was already on the limits of its longevity. Even without the corruption of the Hypogeans, it was already reaching the end of its lifespan, the corruption just hastened it.

    Even though he did his best to care after it and restore its vitality, at that point, the El-Tree was already at itsst leg. But instead of dying in such a way, the El-Tree used its remaining energy to be of help to Ashton. It was its repayment for his efforts in expelling the Hypogeans.

    That''s how he got his hands on this many El-Tree Fragments.

    As for what happened after that...Ashton no longer knows since he was already making his way back to his timeline.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    With this many fragments nurturing the El-Tree, its growth became visible to the naked eye. After a whole night and day of observation, the El-Tree finally reached adulthood.

    Inspecting it using the system, Ashton was made aware of its new abilities:

    Nature''s Bounty: The El-Tree can nurture and support all life around it, providing shelter, food, and healing to creatures great and small. The tree''s roots delve deep into the earth, drawing up nutrients and water, which are then distributed throughout the forest via aplex system of underground channels. This ability can create a bountiful environment that supports a thriving ecosystem.

    Heavenly Inauguration: The El-Tree appoints a Guardian, granting the Chosen One a massive boost in power. This ability connects the Guardian to the divine realm, allowing them to act as a protector and champion of the forest. The Guardian is imbued with divine energy, allowing them to ess powerful spells and abilities that can turn the tide of battle. However, the El-Tree only appoints a Guardian when it senses a great danger that threatens the bnce of nature.

    World Link: The El-Tree can connect the world where it stands to another world, providing safe passage to the other. This ability requires a medium, such as a portal or a magical artifact, to make a connection. The World Link allows creatures from both worlds to travel freely between them, opening up new opportunities for trade, exploration, and adventure. However, the El-Tree is very selective about which worlds it connects to, and will only do so if it senses a mutual benefit.

    Divine Reflection: The El-Tree can reflect and magnify the power of the divine, amplifying the prayers and blessings of those who seek its aid. This ability allows the El-Tree to act as a conduit between the mortal world and the divine realm, channeling the energy of the gods to those in need. However, the El-Tree will only do so for those who demonstrate respect and reverence towards nature and the divine.

    Evolution Catalyst: The El-Tree possesses the ability to cause rapid growth and transformation in all living things around it. This ability can manifest in many ways, from the sudden emergence of new nt species to the rapid healing of injured animals. This ability can also stimte the evolution of species, leading to the emergence of new and more resilient life forms. However, this ability is not without risk, as it can upset the delicate bnce of nature and lead to unintended consequences.

    "As expected of the El-Tree, it truly deserves to be called a Nature''s Peak Treasure." Ashton praised in amazement.

    "Incredible." The Fairy Queen muttered. "I never thought that I would see a matured El-Tree ever again in my reign, but here we are. Thank you, Ashton."

    "You''re wee, Fairy Queen. Though, there is a reason why I elerated the El-Tree''z growth."

    The Fairy Queen regarded him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "This has something to do with your enemies, is it not?" she inquired.

    "I intend to use the El-Tree as a medium to end the war once and for all," Ashton exined. "With its ability to create a World Link, I can form a passage between our world, Blue, and the worlds of the Celestials and Hypogeans. I intend to bring the war to them, to fight them on their own territory after sufficient preparations."

    The Fairy Queen''s eyes widened in surprise. "You intend to start a direct war with the Celestials and Hypogeans? Do you not realize the danger in such an endeavor?"

    Ashton nodded firmly. "I understand the risks, of course, but the war has gone on for too long. We need to take the fight to them, the battle of attrition we have no will only end up to our demise. Time might be on our side but certainly not forever. With the El-Tree''s power, we can move our troops and resources quickly and efficiently."

    The Fairy Queen regarded him with a mixture of admiration and concern. "You are a brave man, Ashton," she said softly. "But do not underestimate the power of the Celestials and Hypogeans. They are powerful foes, and their wrath will be fierce."

    "I understand the risks." Ashton replied. "But I believe that we must try. The fate of our world rests on our ability to defeat them and bring an end to this war once and for all."

    The Fairy Queen nodded slowly. "Very well, Ashton. I will lend you my support in this endeavor. The El-Tree''s power is at your disposal but use it wisely. And remember, the fate of our world rests on your shoulders."

    Ashton bowed respectfully. "Not really mine, but thank you, Your Highness. I will not disappoint you." And with that, he turned and departed, his mind already racing with ns and strategies for the daunting task ahead.

 Chapter 358 Paradise And Inferno

    ?

    Paradiso, the world of Celestials, is a breathtakingly beautiful and mystical realm, located beyond the physical world, as we know it. It is a ce of pure bliss, where only love, peace, and harmony exist. The Celestials, or Angels, call this world their home, and they have built an incredible infrastructure that reflects their immense power and wisdom.

    The territory of Paradiso is vast, spanning across an entire gxy, and its physicalyout is nothing like anything one can imagine. Thendscape is a stunning mix of vibrant colors, glittering crystals, and magnificent architecture. The Celestials have built their cities and homes into the very fabric of the universe itself, creating a harmonious and interconnected web of structures that stretch across the gxy.

    As you venture through Paradiso, you will notice the stunning structures that house the Celestials. The cities themselves are unlike anything seen on Earth, as they areposed of ethereal energy and light, rather than physical matter. The buildings shimmer and glow with radiant light, reflecting the pure energy of the Celestials who live within them.

    Each city is unique, reflecting the personality and ideals of its inhabitants. Some cities may be bustling and vibrant, filled with life and energy, while others may be quiet and serene, reflecting a more contemtive way of life. However, no matter the city''s nature, they all possess an otherworldly beauty that is awe-inspiring to behold.

    The Celestials themselves are equally incredible, possessing a power and wisdom beyond anything we canprehend. They are beings of pure energy and light, with wings that shimmer with iridescent colors. The Celestials radiate a sense of peace and love that is palpable, and their presence is incredibly calming.

    As you journey through Paradiso, you wille across many wonders that are beyond humanprehension. The Celestials have built beautiful gardens, fountains that flow with light, and even entires made of pure energy. It is a world that is both beautiful and humbling, reminding us of the immense power and wisdom that exists beyond our physical realm.

    In conclusion, Paradiso, the world of Celestials, is a ce of incredible beauty, wonder, and harmony. Its infrastructure reflects the immense power and wisdom of the Celestials who call it home. It is a world that is beyond humanprehension, yet its presence reminds us of the limitless possibilities that exist beyond our physical realm.

    It''s just rather unfortunate that such a beautiful ce was built from the blood and flesh of the many races that they have encountered during their conquest.

    All of these were nothing but an borate pretense of what the Celestial Race was truly about.

    At the very center of Paradiso, hidden from the eyes of all who dwell there, lies a sacred ind that is known only to a few. This ind is the home of the Celestial God, the creator, and ruler of all Celestials. It is said that this ind is the source of all energy and light in the universe and that it radiates a power that is beyond humanprehension.

    The ind is shrouded in mystery and is surrounded by a powerful force field that repels all who try to approach it without an invitation. Only a select few Celestials are allowed to enter the ind, and they do so only at the Celestial God''s behest. Those who are allowed entry speak of a ce of pure awe-inspiring beauty, where the air is filled with the scent of exotic flowers and the sound of celestial music.

    The Celestial God''s pce is located at the heart of the ind, a structure of pure light and energy that is said to be the most magnificent in all of Paradiso. It is a ce of pure radiance, where the very air seems to shimmer and glow with an otherworldly light.

    Despite its mystery, the ind is central to the Celestial''s way of life. It is a ce of worship and reverence, and all Celestials look to it as the source of their existence. The ind and the Celestial God are the very foundation of their way of life, and their presence is felt throughout the entire universe.

    What the Celestials don''t know is that that ind was currently sealed by someone who is not the Celestial God. In short, the Celestial God had been imprisoned in his own home and right now, he couldn''t do anything about it.

    Nobody knows when this happened. They''re not even aware that it happened at all. Even the Celestial God himself has no idea how long this imprisonment willst.

    ***

    On the other hand...

    Inferno, the world of Demons, also known as Hypogeans, is a ce of darkness, chaos, and eternal suffering. It is located deep beneath the physical world, and its territory spans across a vastwork of caverns and tunnels that stretch for miles upon miles.

    The architecture of Inferno is nothing like the radiant beauty of Paradiso. Instead, it isposed of jagged rocks,va, and fire. The structures are twisted and malformed, reflecting the chaotic nature of the demons who dwell within them. The cities themselves are sprawling, dark, and foreboding, filled with shadowy alleys and sinister buildings that seem to twist and contort as you look at them.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As you venture through Inferno, you will notice the constant presence of fire and brimstone, with rivers of moltenva flowing between the buildings. The air is thick with smoke, and the sky is perpetually red and smoky. The buildings are built into the very walls of the caverns, with massive spires and towers jutting out at odd angles.

    At the heart of Inferno lies the Pce of the Demon Emperors, a structure of pure darkness and malevolence. A pce is a ce of endless suffering and torment, where the Demon Emperors and their minions rule with an iron fist. It is said that the pce is located at the very center of Inferno, surrounded by a moat of boilingva and guarded by hordes of demons.

    Deep within Inferno lies the Abyss, a ce of pure darkness and despair. The Abyss is said to be the prison of the most heinous demons, where they are subjected to eternal torment and suffering. It is a ce of unimaginable horror, where the screams of the damned echo throughout the caverns.

    Despite its foreboding nature, Inferno is central to the Demon''s way of life. It is a ce of power, where the strong rule over the weak, and where the Demon King holds sway over all. The demons see their existence as a constant struggle, with only the strongest and most cunning surviving in this harsh and unforgiving world.

    And on the deepestyer of the Abyss is where the Demon God slumbers, lying in wait for the ultimate confrontation with the Celestial God.

    Well, at least that''s what the majority of the Hypogeans believed in. Nobody knew that the Demon God had been dead for centuries now. And it''s for the best that nobody knows about it. After all, this matter will certainly cause great chaos amongst the ranks of the Hypogeans.

    In conclusion, Inferno, the world of Demons, is a ce of darkness, chaos, and eternal suffering. Its architecture is twisted and malformed, reflecting the demonic nature of its inhabitants. The Pce of the Demon King is a ce of endless torment and suffering, and the Abyss is a ce of unimaginable horror. Despite its foreboding nature, Inferno is central to the Demon''s way of life, where the strong rule over the weak, and where only the most cunning and ruthless survive.

    ***

    These visions are how Ashton saw Paradiso and Inferno.

    Recently, he had abducted some hostages and scanned their memories to locate those two ces just so that he could get some sense of what exactly they were up against.

    For one, the location of these ces was quite far from the Blue. He was right when he said that their current technological prowess wasn''t enough to support a trip there.

    And while there is certainly a better way to go there now, especially with the help of the matured El-Tree, now''s not the time yet since their preparations were far from sufficient.

    Looking at those ces, Ashton couldn''t help but feel a sense of detachment from these worlds. They were so distant and removed from his own world, and he couldn''t help but wonder how such vastly different ces could exist in the same universe, because yes those two do exist in the same universe.

    Ashton doesn''t know if this was a given knowledge to them or a kept secret but he''s certain that this was intentionally nned by the Celestial God.

    Before his transmigration here, he had always believed that his world was the only world, but now he realized that there were other worlds, other beings, and other ways of life that were beyond hisprehension.

    He couldn''t help but imagine how life would be if Humans, Angels, and Demons were to co-exist. Just how different would it be from what it''s like right now?

    Sadly, both the Celestial Race and the Hypogean Race umted too much sin that they cannot be forgiven anymore. They had gone too far and only by eliminating them would Ashton be at peace.

 Chapter 359 Humanitys Progress

    ?

    As humanity continued to progress and evolve, they began to explore new frontiers. Some looked to the sky, and began to develop technology that could take them beyond the confines of Earth''s atmosphere. Others looked to the depths of the ocean, seeking to unlock the mysteries of the vast and unexplored world thaty beneath the waves.

    It was through their own ingenuity and innovation that humanity discovered the secrets of the underwater civilizations and the floating inds. They developed advanced technologies that allowed them to explore the ocean depths and soar through the skies, unlocking new sources of energy and harnessing the power of the natural world.

    The floating inds were a testament to humanity''s ability to create and innovate. They developedplexworks of advanced technology and magic that allowed them to create cities that were suspended in mid-air, soaring above the clouds. The inhabitants of these cities had mastered the art of flight, using wingsuits and other advanced equipment to soar through the skies.

    Simrly, the underwater civilizations were a testament to humanity''s ability to adapt and innovate. They developed technologies that allowed them to harness the power of the ocean, using it to fuel their machines and power their cities. They had developed a way of life that was perfectly adapted to the unique challenges of living beneath the waves.

    Through their exploration and innovation, humanity forged new alliances with these advanced civilizations. They learned from their unique cultures and technologies, unlocking new frontiers of exploration and pushing the boundaries of what was possible.

    In the end, humanity emerged stronger and more unified than ever before. They had developed new technologies that allowed them to harness the power of the ocean and the sky, creating new sources of energy and unlocking new frontiers of exploration. They had created a world that was both more advanced and more harmonious with the natural world, forging a brighter future for themselves and all those who followed in their footsteps.

    Humanity hade a long way from the days of their humble beginnings. With technological breakthroughs, they had unlocked the secrets of the universe and discovered new worlds that were beyond their wildest dreams. They had learned how to harness the power of the stars and the elements to create new sources of energy and resources that were once thought impossible.

    One of the biggest breakthroughs was the ability to harvest resources from space. With the help of advanced spacecraft and robotics, humanity started to explore asteroids and nearbys to gather resources. This allowed them to acquire rare and valuable elements that could not be found on Earth.

    This is also how they protected the sanctity of their world. They used these spacecraft to send soldiers to patrol and guard the world, preventing invaders froming closer.

    As the mining operations began to scale up, humanity''s dependency on traditional sources of energy such as mana or ki, began to diminish. The new energy sources were more efficient and sustainable, allowing for faster progress in various fields.

    New technologies were developed, such as advanced propulsion systems, advanced storage which allowed them to carry more with something little, and so on. The ability to travel faster and further than ever before allowed humanity to expand its reach and explore new worlds. However, it''s not sufficient enough for inter-gctic travel just yet.11

    With the new resources and technologies, humans were able to build outposts on nearbys, asteroids, and beyond. These outposts were self-sufficient, with advanced life support systems and artificial environments that could sustain human life.

    As the poption grew, humanity had to adapt to new ways of life. Traditional agriculture and farming methods were no longer sufficient to feed the growing poption, and thus vertical farming andb-grown meat became moremon. Smart cities and energy-efficient buildings were developed, and sustainable technologies such as sr power and wind turbines were integrated into everyday life.

    Humanity had ovee the challenges of the past and had entered a new frontier of existence. The resources of the universe were now avable to them, and the possibilities for progress and exploration were endless.

    ***

    With the progression of science and technology, humanity also developed a deeper understanding of the spiritual energy that permeated the universe. Schools teaching the art of cultivation became a standard, and children learned how to harness the power of Ki, mana, and other energy sources.

    Cultivation techniques allowed humans to achieve greater strength, speed, and endurance, as well as the ability to wield powerful spells and abilities. The art of cultivation became a way of life, and practitioners could be found in every corner of the world.

    This has been Ashton''s goal since the beginning of his reign as the Federation''s President. He''s d that it finally became a reality.

    As the art of cultivation became more advanced, humans developed new techniques and methods to increase their longevity. Through the use of powerful spells and elixirs, humans were able to extend their lives far beyond their natural lifespan. This allowed them to continue their pursuit of knowledge and progress, and to pass on their knowledge to future generations.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    But the art of cultivation was not just about personal growth and power. Humans also developed ways to preserve the natural world and protect it from harm. Cultivators became stewards of the environment, using their powers to heal thend and protect it from those who would seek to exploit it.

    With the advancement of cultivation, humans were able to unlock the full potential of their minds and bodies. They could achieve physical feats that were once thought impossible and wield spiritual powers that could shape the very fabric of reality. The art of cultivation became an integral part of human culture, shaping their way of life and guiding their path towards a brighter future.

    As humans continued to explore and expand their reach throughout the universe, the art of cultivation remained a vital aspect of their lives. It allowed them to maintain their connection to the spiritual energy that permeated the universe and to use that energy to achieve great things. And with each passing day, they continued to push the boundaries of what was once thought possible, forging a new path towards a future filled with limitless potential.

    Really, looking at all of this, Ashton could hardly think of anything to add. Everything was already ounted for. ke, Mary, and Alice had done a wonderful job leading Humanity in his absence. Of course, Aria''s efforts were also included in this. But she said that she barely had any input so it''s mostly the Big 3 who''s responsible for all of this.

    This is what Ashton meant when he said that the Big 3 were in their rightful ce already.

    He raised them with the thought of achieving all of this. His disappearance might''ve been abrupt but it turns out to be the necessary push for them to grow into this state.

    Seeing all of this, there''s truly no reason for Ashton to take his position back. It has always been meant for them. He groomed them to be the rightful leaders of Humanity and they delivered.

    And this works for him too. After all, his entire purpose was to be Humanity''s Strongest Backer. At this point, he''s already achieved that, no?

    He could just observe from behind the scenes as everything ys out. He could voice out his concerns now and then to help while also having time for himself and more importantly, his future family.

    Ashton would still be there to support them. Him being Humanity''sst line of defense is still in effect. The only difference is that he wouldn''t be providing as much input as before because frankly, he''s no longer in any position to do that.

    When he told the Big 3 about his decision, he could tell that they were quite disappointed. That couldn''t be helped, after all, they have the utmost confidence in him being at the forefront of the charge.

    Still, they respected his decision. West Two already warned them too, and what he said wasn''t far from the truth.

    The years that he had been away made Ashton think about his entire life. Being away and lonely for that long had a great impact on his mindset. While his ambitions were still there and his end goal hasn''t changed, the way he wants to achieve it has changed.

    Well, not really changed as this was his n all along. He just wanted it sooner, more like.

    And now that it hase to this, why would he sacrifice it? Humanity did well during his absence, surely they can continue this even without him at the helm of the operations.

    But like what was stated previously, it''s not like Ashton''s going to disappear again. No, he wouldn''t. He''s just not returning to his position. He''d still be around to help and give advice to his friends. It''s just that, he''s going to be moreid back about itpared to before.

    He will continue to watch over Humanity and he will continue to provide for them. He will do it all until it reaches a point where they can truly be independent without him.

 Chapter 360 Guild Tournament

    ?

    As the sun rose over the horizon, the members of the Mystic Guild awoke from their slumber, eager and excited for the day thaty ahead. Today was the day of the Guild Tournament, an event that only urred once every five years. It was a time for the members of the Guild toe together andpete in various magical challenges, showcasing their skills and abilities to the rest of themunity.

    The Guild Tournament was held in a secret realm that was specially prepared for it, there were all sorts of obstacles and mazes inside that will provide challenges to the Guild Members. Members from all over the metropolis had gathered to participate in the event, each eager to prove their worth and show off their talents. As the participants arrived at the arena, they were greeted by the sound of cheering crowds and the smell of freshly cooked food from the vendors that had set up shop.

    Ashton, the previous Guild Master of the Mystic Guild and President of the Federation was in an office where he, along with other staff of the guild, could monitor the event. From his vantage point, Ashton could see thepetitors lining up at the entrance of the arena. He was filled with pride at the sight of the members of his guild, all eager to prove themselves in the challenges thaty ahead.

    Ashton looked at Aria and said, "So, how did the Guild Tournamente to be?"

    Ashton leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment. "Well, it all started when you disappeared. Things had be rather hectic back then since we don''t really know how to lead humanity without you. Add the stress of constant fighting to that and well...let''s just say that things nearly went out of hand."

    "It was when we were about to do another round of recruitment that the idea came to mind. We wanted to showcase the abilities of our members to the world and let people know that they don''t have to fear the looming threats to our world. We wanted to give people hope."

    Alice, the Sword Empress, chimed in. "Yes, it became an excellent form of distraction for many, plus we made sure that the rewards were rich so that the contestants would work hard for them. It''s also a way to keep the peace among the various teams and factions. The rewards are also beneficial to the contestants, so it''s a win-win situation."

    ke, the Titan, nodded in agreement. "Indeed, it''s an opportunity for them to show off their strength and abilities, and to earn recognition and respect from their peers. It''s also a great way to foster friendlypetition and build camaraderie among guild members."

    Alice, the Oracle Sage, spoke up. "And let''s not forget the entertainment value. The tournament draws in crowds from all over the ce, and it''s a great way for people to have fun and enjoy themselves."

    Aria smiled at him and said. "Yes, and since the first tournament was a resounding sess, we decided to make it a tradition for Fantasia, and it serves a muchrger purpose than just a simplepetition. It''s a way for us toe together as amunity and show the world what we''re made of."

    "I see..." Ashton hummed with a smile. "That''s nice."

    His attention then moved to the information on the documents in front of him. These documents include the rules and regtions for the tournament. It also includes all the necessary information for how the tournament will go.

    The tournament was divided into two leagues: the Mortal League and the High-Evolutionary League. The Mortal League had over 5,000 youthspeting, all vying for a chance to prove themselves and be the next generation of Heroes for the Mystic Guild. The High-Evolutionary League, on the other hand, had only 1,500 of the most powerful beings in the worldpeting against each other, fighting for the ultimate prize of recognition and respect.

    As Ashton watched the contestants, he couldn''t help but feel relieved. With just a single nce, he could estimate the aptitude level of each of them. This was a stark contrast to the situation ten years ago, where such levels of talent would have been considered miraculous.

    He marveled at how far humanity hade, thanks to the efforts of the Mystic Guild and the Federation. The Guild had been instrumental in nurturing and developing the talents of its members, while the Federation had provided the necessary resources and support.

    Ashton couldn''t help but feel proud of what they had aplished. The Guild Tournament was just one example of the progress they had made, a testament to the potential thaty within all of humanity.

    He turned to the other staff members in the control room, a smile spreading across his face. "We''vee a long way, haven''t we?" he said. "Just look at all of these talented young people. It''s incredible. Each of them would be considered as Heaven-sent Geniuses 10 years ago."

    The other staff members nodded in agreement, sharing in Ashton''s pride and optimism for the future. They knew that the Mystic Guild and the Federation had a bright future ahead, thanks to the incredible talents and abilities of their members.

    ***<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    An hour had passed, and the time had finallye for the Guild Tournament to begin. The announcer, a woman named Elise, took her ce on the stage, her beauty and charm captivating the audience. She began to ry the rules for the tournament, her voice clear and concise, ensuring that everyone understood what was expected of them.

    As the excitement in the room grew, Elise also initiated the Honoring Ritual, a tradition that marked the beginning of the tournament. All participants stood at attention and recited the Mystic Guild''s vow, a solemn pledge to uphold the values of the guild and to use their talents for the greater good.

    The room was filled with a sense of pride and determination as the participants made their pledge. They knew that this was not just apetition, but an opportunity to prove themselves worthy of being a part of the Mystic Guild.

    Elise''s voice rang out over the crowd as she finished the Honoring Ritual. "Let the Guild Tournament begin!" she dered, and the crowd erupted into cheers and apuse.

    The first round of the tournament was about to begin, and the contestants eagerly awaited their chance to showcase their skills and abilities. They knew that this was their chance to prove themselves and make a name for themselves within the Mystic Guild.

    At the podium, Elise stood tall and proud, basking in the fame and attention she was getting from the crowd. She then began exining how the tournament will start:

    "Wee to the Mortal League! I am Elise, yourmentator, and we are about to witness the first challenge of the tournament, the Mystic Labyrinth."

    Cheers erupted from the crowd which shook the entire stadium. Since there were only so many seats avable in the stadium, the Guild Tournament was able being broadcasted live so that people at home could watch it as well.

    "This challenge will test the contestants'' skills and abilities, as they navigate through thebyrinth alone. With ten different entrances to choose from, each contestant will have to rely on their own judgment and intuition to make the right choice."

    Arge holographic image appeared behind Elise, disying a floating cube that turned out to be the Mystic Labyrinth itself.

    "Thebyrinth is full of traps, obstacles, and enemies that will require the contestants to be at their best. The shifting nature of thebyrinth adds an extrayer of difficulty, as the contestants will have to adapt quickly to the changes."

    Everybody saw how the cube shifted several times before stopping.

    "There are 10 entrances to thebyrinth. Our contestants can choose which one to enter. Of course, what happens after that is something that they have to deal with on their own. The goal is to reach the core area of the Labyrinth, and they cannot move on to the next room until they have cleared the current one."

    "Trap rooms, danger rooms, item rooms, treasure rooms, puzzle rooms, safe rooms, and so on. Any of these could be encountered by our contestants within thebyrinth."

    Right now, the scene was showing the contestants of the Mortal League entering the secret realm where thebyrinth was on. Their faces varied from anticipation, nervousness, excitement, trepidation, and so on.

    "The challenge will require not only physical prowess but also mental fortitude, as the contestants will have to think on their feet ande up with strategies to ovee the obstacles and enemies they face. Of course, we cannot forget about the ever-elusive factor which is Luck, for thisbyrinth could turn into a haven or a nightmare depending on how lucky our contestants are."

    "It will be a tough challenge, but the contestants know that only the best of the best will make it through. So stay tuned, as we witness the Mystic Labyrinth challenge unfold before our very eyes."

 Chapter 361 Mystic Labyrinth

    ?

    In an office at the Mystic Guild''s Headquarters, Ashton and his friends watched as the contestants of the Mortal League faced the challenges within the Mystic Labyrinth.

    Many holographic screens were hovering in front of them. Each screen disyed a contestant participating in the tournament. Some were performing well while others were having a bad time. Actually, there were some who were already eliminated from thepetition already.

    Those who were eliminated didn''t show up in the feed anymore of course.

    Each time Ashton pulled up a screen to spectate, he was able to see all the avable details on the contestant right away.

    Currently, Ashton was spectating a few contestants...

    The first scene contains a contestant named Alex who has entered through one of the entrances in the middle of thebyrinth. As he enters the first room, he sees a floor filled with pressure tes, and he knows that stepping on one of them could trigger a trap. He carefully steps forward, testing each tile before he puts his weight on it. Suddenly, a wall slides open, revealing a group of enemies. Alex draws his sword, ready to fight.

    Scene 2: Another contestant, named Maria, has entered through the entrance at the far end of thebyrinth. She is moving cautiously through the corridors when shees across a room filled with spike pits. She knows that she will have to jump from one narrow tform to another to make it across the room. She takes a deep breath and makes the first jump, but her foot slips, and she almost falls into the pit. She tries again, this time more carefully, and manages to make it across.

    Scene 3: A contestant named Ryan has entered through the entrance at the front of thebyrinth. He is moving quickly, looking for a way to gain an advantage over the other contestants. Suddenly, hees across a room filled with mirrors. He can''t see a clear path through the room, and he knows that he could easily get lost. He takes out a small hand mirror and uses it to reflect the light, trying to find the way forward.

    Scene 4: A contestant named Lily has entered through the entrance at the back of thebyrinth. She is moving slowly, using her ears to listen for any sounds of danger. As she enters a dark room, she hears a faint clicking sound. She knows that there must be a trap nearby, but she can''t see anything in the darkness. She takes out a small torch and uses it to light up the room, revealing a trapdoor beneath her feet.

    Scene 5: had Sam entering a room where the gravity is constantly shifting. As he steps in, he finds himself floating towards the ceiling before being mmed back down to the ground. He tries to move forward but finds that the gravity keeps shifting, making it almost impossible to control his movements. He manages to make it across the room by timing his movements carefully, jumping when the gravity changes.

    Scene 6: Another contestant, named Emily, enters a room where shees face to face with a Fey Beast. The creature is beautiful and otherworldly, with shimmering wings and a horn on its forehead. Emily knows that the Fey Beast is powerful and dangerous, but she also knows that she needs to get past it to continue. She approaches the creature cautiously, her hand on her sword, ready to strike if necessary.

    Scene 7: A contestant named Jack finds himself in a Safe Room after several grueling challenges. He copses on the ground, his breathing ragged and his muscles aching. He knows that he needs to rest and recover his strength if he wants to continue, but he also knows that time is of the essence. He takes a few deep breaths and forces himself to stand up, determined to keep going.

    Scene 8: In the next room, a contestant named Sarahes across an item room filled with blessed weapons. She sees swords with glowing des, bows that seem to hum with power, and other enchanted items. She knows that these weapons could be crucial in the challenges toe, so she chooses a sword and a shield, hoping that they will help her to ovee the obstacles she will face.

    Scene 9: Two contestants, named Max and Chloe, find themselves in a room where their paths cross. They know that they need to continue forward, but there is only one narrow path that leads through the room. Max and Chloe look at each other warily, knowing that they will have to fight to see who can continue on. They draw their swords and prepare to face each other in a tense battle, each determined to be the one who moves forward.

    Scene 10: Another room has two paths leading out, but each is blocked by a locked door. Two contestants, named Ethan and Mia, find themselves on opposite sides of the room. They know that they need to find a way to open the doors, but they also know that they can''t do it alone. Ethan and Mia look at each other, weighing their options. They realize that they will need to work together if they want to continue, so they put aside their differences and start searching for a way to unlock the doors.

    These scenes add an extra level of tension and strategy to the challenge, forcing contestants to not only ovee the obstacles before them but also confront each other and decide whether to fight or work together. The Mystic Labyrinth is full of surprises and challenges, and the contestants will need to be ready for anything if they hope to emerge victorious.

    "Who built thisbyrinth?" Ashton asked, unable to contain his curiosity.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Mystic Labyrinth wasn''t included in the ns he left behind and it certainly wasn''t his idea so he''s really interested in it.

    "The idea came from Aria," Alice replied, still looking at the participants. "It was Jerry who made the model for us. Then, it''s just a matter of collecting the materials, which didn''t take long enough since we have plenty in the treasury anyway."

    "If you look at it closely, you''d discover that most of the inner structures of thebyrinth were made out of the remains of Celestials and Hypogeans." ke added, "As you know, we''re swimming in them so we figured, why not?"

    "That plus a total of five ARC Cores powering the whole thing and vi, we have an ominousbyrinth," Mary concluded. "We''ve tested this out against some enemies and it did well. Of course, we toned its lethality down for the sake of the tournament."

    Ashton nodded upon hearing that. As it turns out, it was abined effort on their part which created this thing. The design was clever and futuristic. Well, the core structures of it were at least.

    As for the aesthetics, they stuck with the weird and ominous vibe to really sell the byrinth'' part. Overall, it was good enough, especially for testing out new talents.

    Ashton sat at his desk, his eyes glued to the monitors in front of him. The screens showed different rooms in the Mystic Labyrinth, each with a different challenge for the contestants to face. Beside him, the Grand Commanders watched with equal intensity. Alice, ke, Mary, and Aria were each focused on the monitors, analyzing the contestants'' every move.

    In one room, they saw Sam struggling with the ever-shifting gravity, while in another room, Emily battled a Fey Beast with her sword. The Commanders discussed the contestants'' strategies and techniques, offering their opinions and insights.

    "Sam is doing well," Alice said, "but he needs to be careful with his timing. One wrong move and he could be flung across the room."

    "Emily is strong," Mary added, "but she needs to watch for the Fey Beast''s tricks. They can be deceptive and lead her into danger."

    As they watched, they saw Max and Chloe face off in a tense battle, while Ethan and Mia worked together to find a way to unlock the doors. The Commanders analyzed the contestants'' strengths and weaknesses, offering suggestions and advice.

    "The way Max handles his sword is impressive," kemented, "but he needs to work on his defense. Chloe was able to get in a few good hits."

    "Ethan and Mia are a good team," Aria said, "but they need to move quickly. Time is running out, and they still have a long way to go."

    Ashton listened to the Grand Commanders''mentary and found himself agreeing with their knowledge and expertise. He knew that the Mystic Labyrinth was only the first challenge in the Mortal League, but he also knew that the Commanders would be there every step of the way, guiding and supporting the contestants as they fought for victory.

    Of course, they cannot be too hands-on with the Mortal League. After all, most of them were kids, and as much as they are fiercebatants, it would be better for them to enjoy their youths first before throwing themselves on the front line.

    Just like this, Ashton and the rest watched as the contestants who reached the core area of thebyrinth poured in.

 Chapter 362 High-Evolutionary League

    ?

    Three hours passed since the start of the Mortal League''s first challenge. Contestants who reached the Core Area of the Mystic Labyrinth poured in after that.

    And after those three hours, the challenge has concluded. From 5000, only 1500 were left. The rest failed to clear the mission and has been eliminated from the tournament.

    Elise appeared on the podium to announce the conclusion of the first round of the Mortal League''s Challenge.

    "As the first round of the Mystic Guild Tournamentes to a close, we see that only 1500 of the 5000 youths from the Mortal League were able to reach the core area of the Mystic Labyrinth and move on to the next round. The challenges of the Labyrinth proved to be too difficult for many, with traps and enemies around every corner. But for those who made it through, they proved themselves to be strong and resilient warriors, worthy of the title of Young Heroes!"

    Elise energetically eximed, bringing forth a rather sharp increase in the audience''s mood.

    "The 1500 who have passed this first test will move on to face even greater challenges in theing rounds. They will need to be even more skilled, more cunning, and more determined than ever before if they hope to emerge victorious. The Mystic Guild Tournament is not for the faint of heart, and only the strongest and most dedicated will seed. For now, though, they could take their time and rest to prepare themselves for tomorrow''s challenge."

    A scene showed the contestants leaving the secret realm and making their way to their overjoyed families.

    "For those who did not make it through, there is no shame in defeat. The challenge of the Mortal League is a formidable opponent, and the fact that these youths even made it this far is a testament to their courage and strength. Perhaps they will return next Guild Tournament, even stronger and more determined than before. Let''s give it up to the participants of the Mortal League, everybody!!"

    Elise leads the round of apuse for the young warriors of the Mortal League.

    "As we move on to the next round of the Mystic Guild Tournament, we can only wonder what challenges await these brave contestants. But one thing is certain: no matter what lies ahead, they will face it with the same determination and courage that brought them this far. And we will be here to witness every step of their journey."

    "But wait! Don''t leave just yet. The fun''s just starting, you know!!" Elise winked at the camera as she gestured to another crowd.

    "The time hase for the High-Evolutionary League to enter the stage, and the challenge they will face is unlike anything we''ve seen before. Instead of a Battle Royale of the previous tournament, they will be tested in a Test of Will, facing the mysticalposition of sounds known as the Dream Soul Immortal Melody."

    "The Dream Soul Immortal Melody is aposition of sounds so mystical that it could lull even the most powerful warrior into a deep sleep. To pass this test, the contestants must force themselves to stay awake for at least half an hour as they listen to the melody. Those who fail will be eliminated."

    "It''s a true test of willpower, one that will require the contestants to dig deep and find the strength to resist the lull of the melody. They will need to be focused, determined, and above all, resilient. This challenge is not for the faint of heart, and only the strongest and most determined will seed."

    "As we watch the High-Evolutionary League face off against the Dream Soul Immortal Melody, we can''t help but wonder who will emerge victorious. Will it be the seasoned warrior or the powerful mage? The quick-footed assassin, or the skilled archer? There''s no telling who will seed, but one thing is for sure: this test will separate the weak from the strong."

    "So join us as we watch the High-Evolutionary League face off against the Dream Soul Immortal Melody. It''s going to be a true test of willpower, and we can''t wait to see who will emerge victorious."

    In the office, Ashton and the staff just listened to Elise''s announcement.

    Aria turned to Ashton and asked, "Was it you who modified the first trial for the High-Evolutionary League? How did you even do it?"

    Ashton nodded a small smile on his face. "Yes, it was me. I have the power over dreams, so it made sense for me to create a test of willpower that could only be ovee by staying awake. As for how, well...just a little bit of suggestion here and there. It wasn''t that hard."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Alice raised an eyebrow. "That seems a bit unfair, doesn''t it? The other contestants didn''t have to face a challenge tailored specifically to one person''s power."

    Ashton shrugged. "Perhaps, but we''re not looking for fair. We''re looking for the strongest, most resilient warriors out there. And those who can''t resist the lull of the Dream Soul Immortal Melody are simply not strong enough."

    Mary nodded in agreement. "I see your point. It''s a tough challenge, but it''s necessary. We can''t have weak-willed warriors moving on to the next round."

    ke chimed in, "Exactly. This tournament is about finding the best of the best, the ones who can face any challenge ande out on top. And if that means creating a challenge that only a select few can pass, then so be it."

    Aria nodded, a look of understanding on her face. "I see now. It''s all about finding the strongest, most skilled warriors to move on to the next round."

    Ashton smiled. "Exactly. And with this challenge, we''ll be able to weed out the weak and find the true champions of the High-Evolutionary League."

    Ashton had spent months perfecting the Dream Soul Immortal Melody, drawing upon his vast knowledge of Dreams Laws and his unique ability to manipte auditory hallucinations. He did it during his time at Elstar, mostly out of boredom really.

    The Dream Soul Immortal Melody was a mysticalposition of sounds that had the power to lull whoever heard it into a state of euphoria. It was a melody that was impossible to ignore, and it could feed the listener''s mind with visions and hallucinations of their most precious and desired dreams.

    Ashton had tested the melody on himself several times, and each time he had fallen into a deep state of rxation, feeling as though he was drifting off into a dreamlike state. But he knew that this was just the beginning. The true test of the Dream Soul Immortal Melody woulde when the warriors of the High-Evolutionary League were exposed to it.

    He had set up a special chamber within the Mystic Realm, where the contestants would be subjected to the melody for half an hour. Ashton knew that this was a significant amount of time, but he also knew that the warriors of the High-Evolutionary League were some of the strongest in thend. If anyone could withstand the Dream Soul Immortal Melody, it was them.

    As the contestants entered the chamber, Ashton activated the melody, filling the air with its hypnotic sounds. He watched as the warriors began to sway, their eyes closing as they fell deeper and deeper into the melody''s trance-like state.

    For some, the visions and hallucinations were too much to bear, and they sumbed to the dreamlike state, falling into a deep slumber. But for others, the willpower was strong, and they fought against the melody, determined to stay awake and ovee the challenge.

    Kian''s eyes fluttered shut as he fell deeper into the trance-like state induced by the Dream Soul Immortal Melody. Suddenly, he found himself in a dreamlike world, where everything was perfect and serene. He stood in a vast field, the sun shining down on him and the gentle breeze carrying the sweet scent of flowers.

    One contestant named Kian, walked through the field, feeling lighter than air and unencumbered by his physical body. As he wandered through the field, he saw the faces of his loved ones, their smiles, andughter filling him with warmth and joy.

    In the distance, Kian saw a grand castle, and he knew that it was his destiny to reach it. As he got closer, he saw that the castle was made of solid gold, with jewels embedded into every wall and surface. He walked through the grand halls, each room more extravagant than thest.

    �Ѧ���d��---n?��a| ��om As Kian reached the final room of the castle, he saw his greatest desire sitting on a throne. It was a vision of himself, but as a powerful and respected leader, ruling over his people with wisdom and strength.

    But as Kian gazed upon this vision of his ideal self, he felt a nagging sense of unease.

    As the minutes ticked by, Kian''s body began to slump in his chair, his head lolling to the side as he drifted off to sleep. The judges watching over the contestants saw this and rang a bell, signifying Kian''s failure to withstand the Dream Soul Immortal Melody. The other contestants watched on, knowing the dangers thaty ahead for them in this test of willpower.

 Chapter 363 Dream Soul Immortal Melody

    ?

    As the sounds of the Dream Soul Immortal Melody bounced off on the corners of the specialized chamber, the contestants did their best to resist the lull of the melody.

    However, said melody proved too difficult to resist. It hasn''t even been five minutes since the start of the challenge and some contestants were already eliminated. One of which was Kian who was already escorted out of the chamber.

    Of course, this was just the beginning...

    One contestant, a young woman named L, found herself lost in the depths of the Dream Soul Immortal Melody. She saw herself in a world where everything was perfect, a ce where she was loved and respected by everyone. In this world, she was happy and content, with no worries or fears to hold her back. But as time passed, L began to feel the weight of the world bearing down on her. She saw the people around her turn against her, their love and admiration reced with hatred and disgust. As the vision darkened, L fought to hold on to reality, but the melody was too powerful, and she was eventually overwhelmed.

    L onlysted for seven minutes before she got overwhelmed.

    Another contestant, a strong and determined young man named Ronan, felt himself slipping away into the dreamlike world of the Dream Soul Immortal Melody. He saw himself on a battlefield, fighting against a horde of enemies. In this world, Ronan was an invincible warrior, capable of taking on any foe that came his way. But as the battle raged on, Ronan began to feel the exhaustion and pain of his injuries. He struggled to keep fighting, but eventually, the melody overpowered him, and he fell into a deep sleep.

    Ronansted for 8 minutes.

    A third contestant, a sly and cunning woman named Selena, saw herself as a powerful and wealthy ruler, with everything she could ever want at her fingertips. But as she reveled in her wealth and power, Selena began to see the ws and imperfections in her perfect world. She felt a sense of emptiness and loneliness, despite her riches and status. As the vision drew to a close, Selena tried to shake herself awake, but it was toote. The melody had taken hold, and she was eliminated from the test.

    Selenasted for 9 minutes under the lull of the Dream Soul Immortal Melody.

    Despite their best efforts, these contestants and many others failed to pass the Test of Will, falling victim to the Dream Soul Immortal Melody''s seductive power.

    Another contestant, named Lina, was a seasoned warrior with years of experience and had faced countless battles. She was confident that she could withstand anything that came her way. However, as soon as the Dream Soul Immortal Melody began to y, Lina started to feel a strange sensation in her head. The melody was so beautiful and enticing that it felt like she was being pulled into a trance.

    As Lina tried to resist the melody, she suddenly found herself standing in a field of flowers. The sun was shining down on her, and she felt a gentle breeze blowing through her hair. She was surrounded by her loved ones, who were all smiling andughing. Lina felt her heart swell with joy, and she was tempted to stay in this dream world forever.

    But Lina knew that this was not real. She tried to shake off the vision and focus on reality, but the melody was too strong. In the end, Lina failed the test and was eliminated from the tournament. Shested for 11 minutes.

    Another contestant, named Marcus, was a stoic and disciplined warrior who had trained his entire life for this moment. He had a strong will, and he was determined to pass the Test of Will at any cost. However, as soon as the Dream Soul Immortal Melody began to y, Marcus felt a strange sensation in his chest. His heart started to beat faster and faster, and he felt a sense of panic rising inside him.

    Marcus tried to focus on his breathing and clear his mind, but the melody was too powerful. He was suddenly transported to a dark and foreboding ce, where shadows lurked in every corner. Marcus felt a sense of dread creeping over him, and he knew that he was in danger. He tried to fight back, but the melody was too strong.

    In the end, Marcus failed the test, he onlysted for 15 minutes and was eliminated from the tournament. He couldn''t believe that he had let his guard down and sumbed to the melody. It was a bitter defeat, and Marcus knew that he would have to work even harder if he ever wanted to face such a challenge again.

    As the Test of Will continued, there were a few contestants who were able to hold on and resist the Dream Soul Immortal Melody. One of them was Maya, a young girl with a strong will. Despite being surrounded by the enchanting sounds, she remained focused and alert, her eyes fixed on the ground in front of her.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Another contestant who was able to resist the melody was Ethan, a skilled warrior with years of training. He closed his eyes, blocking out the visions and hallucinations that threatened to take over his mind. He took deep breaths, letting the sound of his own heartbeat ground him in reality.

    Yet another contestant, a young man named Kai, had a unique advantage in the test. He was born without the ability to hear, and as such, was somehow immune to the effects of the Dream Soul Immortal Melody. He sat with his eyes closed, his hands resting on his knees, a serene expression on his face.

    As the test continued, more and more contestants began to drop out, unable to resist the allure of the melody. But those who remained focused and determined, like Maya, Ethan, and Kai, stayed strong and kept their minds clear, determined to make it through to the next round.

    Broadcasting a bunch of people trying to not fall asleep would be boring. Thankfully, there was a way to project just how difficult the Trial was thanks to Jerry''s efforts.

    Since Ashton abruptly changed the contents of the trial, this has be rather challenging. Thankfully, Jerry had a method that could be used to remedy the situation so the hype around the tournament didn''t die down.

    As the Test of Will came to a close, the exhausted and disheveled contestants stumbled out of the Mystic Realm, one by one. They had been pushed to their limits, mentally and emotionally, by the Dream Soul Immortal Melody. The test had onlysted for a short while, but for the contestants, it felt like they had been trapped within it for days if not months.

    Out of the original 1500 contestants from the High-Evolutionary League, only 500 remained standing. These were the ones who had managed to hold on to their willpower and resist the allure of the melody. They were the ones who had earned the right to move on to the next round of the Mystic Guild Tournament.

    eaglesnov?1,��o�� The elimination was rather brutal but it was necessary. To those who failed, this should be considered a wake-up call for them to work harder in their training.

    This tournament can be said to have broadened their horizons. Hopefully, by witnessing and experiencing the disparity between them and others, they will be even more motivated to work harder in their training and cultivation.

    Seeing the haggard looks of the remaining contestants made the audience feel bad for them. They didn''t even do much, they just sat in silence, listening to a sound yet they ended up like that. And these are High-Evolutionary Cultivators too.

    For a mere sound to reduce them in this state...that should be enough to disy the real terror of the Dream Soul Immortal Melody.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, what an incredible day it has been! We have witnessed the first round of the Mystic Guild Tournament where the Mortal League contestants faced the Mystic Labyrinth, and the High-Evolutionary League participants underwent the Test of Will with the Dream Soul Immortal Melody. Out of 5,000 participants, only 1,500 made it through the first round, and only 500 contestants from the High-Evolutionary League passed the Test of Will."

    Elise showed up to close the event.

    "To those who didn''t make it, I say this - do not be disheartened. You have shown tremendous bravery and strength just by participating in this tournament. To those who made it through, congrattions! You have proven yourselves worthy of the Mystic Guild''s recognition."

    "And that concludes the events for today. But don''t go anywhere, as the festivities are about to begin. So sit back, rx, and enjoy the rest of the day''s celebrations. And of course, make sure to tune in tomorrow for the continuation of the Mystic Guild Tournament. Who will emerge victorious? Only time will tell!"

    As the sun began to set on the first day of the tournament, the remaining contestants could not help but wonder what other challengesy ahead of them. Would they be as grueling and unforgiving as the first two tests? Only time would tell.

 Chapter 364 2nd Day: Stairway To Heaven

    ?

    "Good morning Ladies and Gentleman! How are you all doing!?"

    Elise''s question caused loud cheers and apuse to erupt from the crowd. Their noise was so loud that it shook the entire stadium.

    "Great! d to know that you all are so energetic today!"

    As the second day of the Mystic Guild Tournament begins, the stadium is once again filled to the brim with excited fans and curious spectators. Today''s event for the Mortal League is called "Stairway to Heaven," a challenge that will test the limits of even the strongest contestants.

    The Stairway to Heaven is a Guild Artifact used by the High-Evolutionaries for casual training, and it''s said that each step is at least a mile wide. As the contestants begin to ascend, they''ll feel an overwhelming pressure that will test their resolve and strength. The goal of this event is to reach at least the 20th step, and only the first 500 people will proceed to the next round.

    It''s going to be a grueling challenge, but the contestants of the Mortal League are ready to face it head-on. Stay tuned, because the action is just beginning.

    As the contestants prepare for the Stairway to Heaven challenge, the atmosphere in the stadium is filled with excitement and anticipation. The youth of the Mortal League, who will also be participating in this challenge, is already waiting at the foot of the stairs. The audience is waiting with bated breath to see how the contestants will perform in this challenging event.

    Elise''smentary fills the stadium, "Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we have all been waiting for is finally here. The Stairway to Heaven challenge is about to begin. This challenge is not for the faint of heart. It will test the endurance, strength, and determination of all the contestants who dare to climb these stairs."

    As the contestants start to ascend the stairs, the pressure begins to build up, making it harder for them to breathe. The higher they climb, the more intense the pressure bes. The contestants begin to feel a burning sensation in their legs, and their muscles begin to cramp up, but they push on, determined to reach the top.

    In the stadium, as well as the live broadcast, the scene of contestants'' struggles was disyed for everyone to see. Judging from their expressions, this challenge wasn''t easy to surpass at all.

    Elise''s voice echoes through the stadium, "As you can see, the contestants are struggling to climb the stairs, but they are not giving up. They know that only the first 500 people will proceed to the next round, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to be one of them."

    As the contestants continue to climb, some of them start to lose their grip on the stairs, and they fall, tumbling to the ground. The audience gasps as they watch the contestants fall, but the other contestants keep climbing, undeterred.

    Those who faced a setback weren''t eliminated right away. ording to the rules, only the first 500 people who reached the 20th Step will proceed to the next round. Until that quota was filled, they could try and try again.

    Elise''smentary continues, "The Stairway to Heaven challenge is not just a test of physical strength, it''s also a test of mental strength. The contestants have to ovee the overwhelming pressure and the burning sensation in their legs. They have to push through the pain and keep climbing, one step at a time."

    As the contestants reach the higher steps, the pressure bes almost unbearable. Some of them start to hallucinate, seeing things that aren''t there, while others lose consciousness. The audience watches in awe as the contestants fight to stay conscious and keep climbing.

    Elise''s voice booms through the stadium, "The Stairway to Heaven challenge is truly a test of the human spirit. It takes more than just physical strength to climb these stairs. It takes courage, determination, and a never-give-up attitude."

    As the first few contestants reach the 20th step, the audience cheers and apuds. They know that these contestants have passed the challenge and will proceed to the next round. The rest of the contestants keep climbing, hoping to be one of the lucky 500.

    Elise concludes hermentary, "And there you have it,dies and gentlemen. The Stairway to Heaven challenge has begun, and we are witnessing an incredible disy of human strength and determination. Who will make it to the next round? Stay tuned to find out."

    As the contestants started climbing the Stairway to Heaven, they felt an overwhelming pressure that they had never experienced before. The sheer size of each step, which was at least a mile wide, made them feel tiny and insignificant.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Some contestants began to feel dizzy and nauseous, while others found it difficult to catch their breath. The pressure was so intense that some contestants even felt as though they were being crushed by an invisible force.

    As they continued to climb, the air grew thinner, making it even harder to breathe. Some contestants began to see spots in front of their eyes and felt like they were going to pass out.

    Despite these challenges, some contestants pushed through the pain and continued to climb. They focused on their breathing and tried to ignore the pressure, determined to reach the top.

    As they climbed higher, the view around them became more and more spectacr. The sky turned a deep shade of blue and the clouds seemed so close they could almost touch them. The contestants felt like they were ascending into the heavens themselves.

    Despite the incredible view, the pressure remained relentless, making it hard for the contestants to take in the beauty around them. Each step felt like an eternity, and the pressure seemed to be growing stronger the higher they climbed.

    As the contestants reached the 20th step, only a handful remained. They were exhausted, but the sense of aplishment was overwhelming. They had conquered the Stairway to Heaven and earned their ce in the next round of the tournament.

    Elise stepped forward and addressed the crowd once again. "As the second challenge for the Mortal Leaguees to a close, we have seen some amazing performances from the contestants of our Young Heroes.

    Unfortunately, not all were able to make it to the 20th step of the Stairway to Heaven."

    She paused for a moment to let her words sink in before continuing. "But don''t worry, for those who didn''t make it, we have a constion prize for you. You will be receiving a special medal of honor for your bravery and determination in facing the overwhelming pressure of the Stairway to Heaven. This medal could be used to earn a free coaching session for Senior Members of the Mystic Guild."

    "Their guidance will prove to be helpful for you so I suggest that you use it wisely. Wemend you for your efforts and hope that you continue to strive for greatness in the future." Elise gave them a round of apuse which was then followed by the crowd.

    To the public, this constion prize might not be much, but for these youths? This was already worth the effort they put in. The prize certainly dwindled their disappointment to themselves. So, even though they were eliminated from the tournament, they will be going home with a smile on their faces.

    Elise then turned to the audience, a smile on her face. "For those who made it to the 20th step and beyond, congrattions! You have shown immense strength and perseverance. The top 500 of you will be moving on to the next round of the tournament."

    The crowd erupted in cheers as the contestants who made it to the next round raised their fists in triumph. The air was filled with excitement and anticipation for what was toe in the next challenge.

    eaglesnov?1,��o�� Elise continued, "Before we move on to the second day of the tournament, I want to remind everyone that the Mystic Guild Tournament is not just about winning. It''s about improving yourself and learning from your experiences, win or lose. So for those who didn''t make it, I hope you use this as a stepping stone to better yourself ande back stronger next year."

    The audience apuded at her words and the contestants who didn''t make it felt a renewed sense of determination. Elise smiled at the response and added, "And for those who did make it, remember that this is just the beginning. The challenges will only get tougher from here on out. But I have faith that you are all capable of oveing them."

    With that, Elise announced the end of the second day of the tournament and thanked everyone for their participation. The contestants made their way off the field, some with medals of honor around their necks, while others held their heads high with the knowledge that they did their best.

    As the sun began to set and the stadium emptied, the contestants retreated to their respective guilds to rest and prepare for the challenges toe. The excitement in the air was palpable as everyone looked forward to what the next event of the tournament.

 Chapter 365 2nd Day: Test Of Endurance

    ?

    As the second day of the tournament continued, the Mortal League made way for the High-Evolutionary League. The crowd was still roaring with excitement as the contestants of the High-Evolutionary League took their positions on the field. Elise stepped forward to announce the next challenge.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, we are now moving on to the High-Evolutionary League''s event for today. This is the Test of Endurance," Elise said, her voice carrying across the stadium.

    The crowd hushed as they listened intently to Elise''s words.

    "The contestants will be transported to a location where they will face waves upon waves of enemies. Their task is to stay alive until the 10th wave. Only the top 100 contestants will proceed to the next round. This is a test of your endurance and battle prowess. Are you ready, contestants?"

    The crowd erupted in cheers as the contestants of the High-Evolutionary League stepped forward, each determined to give it their all.

    The contestants were transported to arge, open field surrounded by trees. As soon as they arrived, the ground began to shake as the first wave of enemies appeared. They were a group of small, green-skinned creatures, armed with swords and shields. The contestants immediately sprang into action, engaging the creatures in fiercebat.

    The battle was intense, with contestants using a wide range of skills and techniques to fend off the enemies. Spells flew through the air as contestants unleashed their magical powers, while others relied on brute strength and martial arts.

    As the waves progressed, the enemies became stronger and more numerous. The contestants were pushed to their limits as they fought to stay alive. Some were injured, but they refused to give up, using all their strength to fight back against the seemingly endless horde of enemies.

    Despite the intense battle, the contestants showed no signs of backing down. They fought with fierce determination, pushing through the pain and exhaustion to keep going. As the tenth wave approached, the contestants had to dig deep and give it their all to survive.

    The waves of enemies looked like this:

    e��glesn?��el Wave 1: The first wave of enemies was a group of goblins armed with rusty swords and shields. They charged towards the contestants with reckless abandon, their high-pitched squeals filling the air. The goblins might look weak but their cunningness couldn''t be underestimated. They will fight dirty if need be, and some contestants have already fallen for their traps, causing them to suffer.

    Wave 2: The second wave consisted ofrger and more ferocious creatures - Ogres. The contestants had to dodge their powerful swings and strikes while trying to find openings to counterattack. Despite their hulking sizes, they are swift. They don''t discriminate either, they were programmed to cause harm no matter who they faced.

    Wave 3: The third wave was a group of spider-like creatures that crawled on the ground and walls, ready to strike with their sharp legs and venomous fangs. The contestants had to be careful not to get tangled in their webs. Prolonged fights against these creatures were unadvisable since they will produce off-springs which would make the contestants'' lives more difficult.

    Wave 4: The fourth wave was a group of trolls, towering over the contestants with their massive size and brute strength. They wielded heavy clubs and boulders, creating shockwaves with each swing. Trolls are even more brutal and ferocious than Ogres so the contestants had to brace themselves for that.

    Wave 5: The fifth wave was a horde of undead skeletons, their bones rattling as they marched forward. They were armed with swords and shields, making it difficult for the contestants tond a hit without getting parried. The lucky contestants managed to find the disguised Necromancer who''s bringing these things back to life. Ending the Necromancer causes this wave to end as well.

    Wave 6: The sixth wave introduced a new challenge - flying enemies. The contestants had to look up to the sky and defend against harpies that swooped down to attack them with their talons. Harpies are vengeful creatures, the more you hurt them, the crazier they get. The best strategy here is to wipe them all out at once.

    Wave 7: The seventh wave was a group of werewolves, their howls echoing through the arena. They had razor-sharp ws and jaws that could easily tear through flesh and bone. The contestants were faced with a pack of werewolves, and due to the ferocity of the pack as well as the umted exhaustion from the previous waves, many contestants were eliminated on this wave.

    Wave 8: The eighth wave was a swarm of demonic imps, small and nimble creatures that could easily evade the contestants'' attacks. They were armed with fireballs that exploded upon impact. Imps are devious creatures that never moved alone. They are even more cunning than goblins, they''re stronger and swifter too.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Wave 9: The ninth wave was a group of minotaurs, charging toward the contestants with their sharp horns and powerful charges. They were extremely fast and difficult to dodge.

    Wave 10: The final wave was a boss fight against a towering demon, standing at least twenty feet tall. It wielded a massive axe and could summon fire from its hands. The contestants had to work together to take it down, using all the skills they had acquired from the previous waves.

    The final wave was the most challenging since it was a bonafide demon who uses the power of corruption. The contestants were exhausted and outmatched, but they refused to give up. They fought with everything they had, unleashing their most powerful spells and techniques.

    Again, this wasn''t supposed to be the challenge for the High-Evolutionary League. It was supposed to be an obstacle race, but Ashton found that boring so he suggested this instead.

    In reality, the contestants of the High-Evolutionary League are all under the influence of a Dream. Ashton pulled them in there without them noticing it. And thanks to Jerry''s cooperation, everybody thinks that they were actually fighting these creatures when in reality, they''re not. They''re just fast asleep.

    Goblins, werewolves, minotaurs, and etc. None of those exist here. Well, at least not the ones that the contestants are facing. These creatures were something that was born from Ashton''s imagination. They''re not real per se, but within Ashton''s dreams, they''re as real as they could get.

    He was really tempted to throw in a dragon or two in there but he stopped himself since that would be too much. Maybe in the next tournament, right now though, this was enough.

    What made the contestants convinced was the feeling they got facing these creatures. They didn''t look or feel like any illusion at all. The feedback they received as they fought against them was as real as it could get so nobody suspected it at all.

    Besides, so what if it isn''t real? Ashton was using Dream Laws with this. If he wanted to, the injuries they experienced from fighting the creatures in the Dream could be reflected in their physical bodies. That wouldn''t be too hard for him to do, after all, within a Dream, Ashton was a God.

    In the end, only 100 contestants managed to survive until the end of the tenth wave. The rest were either killed or forced to retreat. The survivors stood tall, their faces covered in sweat and dirt, but with a look of triumph on their faces.

    The crowd erupted in cheers and apuse as Elise stepped forward to congratte the contestants.

    "Well done, contestants of the High-Evolutionary League! You have shown immense strength and endurance in the face of overwhelming odds. The top 100 of you will proceed to the next round of the tournament. Congrattions!"

    With that, the second day of the Mystic Guild Tournament came to a close, leaving the audience eagerly anticipating what the next day''s challenges would bring.

    As the Test of Endurance for the High-Evolutionary Leaguees to a close, Elise takes the stage once again. "Wow, what an incredible disy of strength and endurance from our contestants!" she exims. "The High-Evolutionary League''s Test of Endurance was not an easy feat, but our contestants have shown that they are more than capable of rising to the challenge."

    "For those who have made it through to the next round, congrattions!" she continues. "Your strength and endurance have earned you a spot in the top 100 of the High-Evolutionary League. Keep up the good work and continue to push yourselves to be the best."

    Elise then turns her attention to those who were not able to make it to the 10th wave. "For those who were eliminated, do not be discouraged. You have shown great determination and bravery in the face of adversity, and wemend you for that. As a constion prize, you will be receiving a medal of honor which can be exchanged for a one-on-one coaching session with the Grand Commanders. Use this opportunity to learn and grow as Humanity''s guardians."

    The crowd erupts into apuse as the contestants who have made it through to the next round raise their fists in triumph. The air is filled with excitement and anticipation for what is toe on the third day.

 Chapter 366 3rd Day: King Of The Hill

    ?

    The sun hung up in the sky, scattering its glorious rays on the world. People woke up early, buzzing in excitement as they waited in anticipation for the start of the tournament''s broadcast.

    The stadium was already filled with people. They were all cheering and feeling slightly impatient for the tournament to start.

    But they didn''t have to wait that long since after a few minutes, Elise appeared on the podium, doing her job as thementator for today as well.

    "Wee back, dear audience, to the third day of the Mystic Guild Tournament. It''s been an amazing journey so far, and we can''t wait to see what today''s challenges have in store for us. We have some exciting events lined up for you, so sit back, rx, and enjoy the show."

    The crowd released an explosive salvo of cheers that shook the stadium.

    "We have seen some incredible performances from the contestants in the Mortal and High-Evolutionary leagues, and today we will see the next round of challenges for both leagues. Thepetition is getting tougher, but I do not doubt that our contestants will rise to the asion and show us their best."

    "So let''s give a round of apuse to our contestants, and let''s show them our support as they take on these challenges. Remember, they have trained hard for this moment, and their determination and hard work deserve our admiration."

    "Let''s continue to show our love for the Mystic Guild Tournament and for all the contestants who have made it this far. Thank you for joining us again today, and let''s get ready for an exciting day of challenges andpetitions."

    On that cue, the live feed shifted to the scene where it shows the contestants of the Mortal League showing up topete in today''s challenge as well.

    Elise stepped forward to the center of the stage, her voice ringing clear through the stadium. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached the third day of the Mystic Guild Tournament. Today''s challenge for the Mortal League is called King of the Hill."

    She paused, allowing the audience to murmur amongst themselves in anticipation. "In this challenge, all 500 contestants of the Mortal League will be transported to a vast battlefield where 50 zones are scattered. Each contestant will have to upy these zones for as long as they could. However, they will bepeting against each other for these zones. The longer a contestant upies a zone, the better their chances of passing this round. They will be ranked ording to the time they spent upying the zones. And in the end, only those who enter the top 50 will proceed."

    Elise''s eyes twinkled with excitement as she continued, "This challenge will test not only their strength and endurance but also their tactical skills and quick thinking. Who wille out on top and reign as the King of the Hill? We can''t wait to find out! So let''s sit back and enjoy the show, shall we?"

    The crowd erupted into cheers, eager to witness the intense battle that was about to unfold. The air was electric with excitement as the contestants were transported to the battlefield to begin the challenge.

    e��glesn?��el A staff appeared in front of the Mortal League to lead them toward the battlefield that''s going to be used for today''s challenge.

    The contestants of the Mortal League arrived at the vast battlefield and were stunned by the sight before them. It was a sprawlingndscape of rugged terrain, with towering mountains in the distance and a seemingly endless horizon. The sky above was a deep shade of purple, with shes of lightning illuminating the clouds.

    It truly makes one wonder if they''re still in the same world or an entirely different ce altogether. However, the contestants weren''t given much time to think since they have a task at hand.

    As they took in their surroundings, they noticed the 50 Zones scattered throughout the battlefield. Each Zone was marked by arge g with a unique emblem, and they ranged in size from small circles torge squares. Some were located in open areas, while others were nestled in the rocky outcroppings or hidden behind clusters of trees.

    The contestants could feel a palpable sense of excitement and anticipation in the air as they made their way towards the Zones. They knew that thepetition would be fierce and that they would need to use all of their skills and strategies to seed in this challenge.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The sound of a horn red across the battlefield, signaling the start of the challenge. The contestants rushed towards the nearest Zones, jostling andpeting with each other to im them. The battlefield erupted into chaos as contestants battled for control of the Zones, unleashing a barrage of spells and weapons upon each other.

    Colorful lights baptized thends, explosions urred here and there and the war cries of the contestants echoed across the battlefield. This was pure chaos and there''s so much to pay attention to. Thankfully, Elise was a professional at her job as she delivered a worthymentary for an event of this scale.

    As the dust settled and the battle raged on, it became clear that only the strongest and most skilled would emerge victorious. The fate of the Mortal League rested on their shoulders as they fought tooth and nail for a chance to advance to the next round of the tournament.

    As the sunrays red at the battlefield, the Mortal League contestants were already engaged in a fierce battle for the King of the Hill challenge. The 50 zones were spread out across the vast expanse ofnd, each one upied by at least one contestant.

    In one of the zones, a young woman named Lily was fiercely defending her territory. She was armed with a sword and shield, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching from behind. She spun around, her sword at the ready, and saw a group of three contestants charging towards her.

    Lily gritted her teeth and lunged forward, swinging her sword in a wide arc. One of the attackers managed to dodge, while the other two shed their own swords against hers. Sparks flew as the three of them engaged in a fierce battle.

    Meanwhile, in another zone, a young man named Arthur was trying to defend his area from an opponent who had just arrived. He had set up a small barricade using rocks and logs, but his opponent was relentless in trying to break through. Arthur gripped his spear tightly, bracing himself for the attack.

    The opponent charged forward, knocking down the barricade and lunging at Arthur with a dagger. Arthur parried the attack with his spear and countered with a swift strike, but his opponent dodged and aimed a kick at his stomach. Arthur stumbled back, his spear slipping from his grasp.

    As he scrambled to regain his footing, his opponent moved in for the finishing blow. But Arthur managed to grab a nearby rock and hurl it at his attacker, knocking them off bnce. He seized the opportunity and charged forward, tackling his opponent to the ground.

    Wiping the sweat off his face, Arthur used this time to catch his breath. He was nearly expelled from the zone just then, if it weren''t for his flexible thinking, he might''ve already retired from thispetition already.

    Elsewhere on the battlefield, chaos reigned as contestants fought tooth and nail to keep their zones. Some had formed alliances with others, working together to defend their territories. Others had chosen to go it alone, trusting in their own skills and abilities.

    As the hours passed the contestants were growing tired, their bodies aching from the constant fighting. But they knew they couldn''t give up, not when victory was within their grasp.

    And so the battle continued the sound of shing weapons and shouting voices echoing through the air. The contestants were determined to emerge victorious, no matter the cost.

    The crowd watched in palpable excitement as the contestantspeted. Time passed and eventually, the King of the Hill Challenge ended. The horns red once more, signaling its end. The contestants copsed and breathed a sigh of relief knowing that it was done.

    Elise stepped forward once again, her voice echoing throughout the battlefield. "And that concludes the King of the Hill event for the Mortal League. Congrattions to the 50 contestants who managed to secure their ce in the next round. You have shown incredible determination and skill in maintaining your upancy of the zones."

    She paused for a moment to let her words sink in before continuing. "For those who were not able to make it, do not despair. You have shown great tenacity in battling it out with your fellow contestants. Your hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed. You will receivememorative rewards for your efforts in this event."

    Elise then turned to the audience, a smile on her face. "We have witnessed yet another intense and thrilling event in this year''s Mystic Guild Tournament. We can only expect more excitement and heart-pounding action in the next event. So stay tuned and continue to support your favorite contestants as they strive for greatness."

 Chapter 367 3rd Day: Battle Royale

    ?

    The excitement of the audience was still at an all-time high. The Mortal League just exited the stadium and currently, the tournament was on a little break.

    However, the audience could see the contestants of the High-Evolutionary League appearing in the stadium, that''s enough for them to look forward to the challenge they''d be on.

    After the short break, the contestants arranged themselves properly to wait for the start of the event.

    As the High-Evolutionary League''s turn came, the audience held their breath in anticipation. Elise stepped forward and raised her hand to signal for silence.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, it''s time for the High-Evolutionary League''s challenge, the Battle Royale!" Elise announced, her voice echoing across the stadium.

    The crowd erupted in cheers as the contestants for the High-Evolutionary League made their way to the battlefield. The battlefield was a sprawling, multi-level arena, filled with towering buildings, hidden tunnels, and dangerous traps. The arena was divided into several zones, each one offering a different advantage to the contestants.

    The battlefield is a massive, open arena that spans several acres ofnd. The ground is made up of hard-packed dirt, with rocks and boulders scattered throughout. In the center of the arena is arge, circr tform made of stone, which serves as the starting point for the contestants.

    The perimeter of the arena is marked by a tall, wooden fence that is lined with torches. Beyond the fence, thendscape is hilly and rugged, with dense forests and rocky outcroppings in the distance. The sky above is a deep, midnight blue, with a crescent moon hanging low on the horizon.

    The arena is lit by dozens of torches that are mounted on tall poles around the perimeter. The flickering mes cast long shadows across the ground, making it difficult to see in some areas. The air is heavy with the scent of smoke and sweat, and the sound of metal shing against metal echoes across the arena.

    Overall, the battlefield is a harsh and unforgiving environment, with few ces to hide and even fewer opportunities to rest. The contestants must rely on their wits and their fighting skills if they hope to emerge victorious.

    "Here are the rules," Elise continued, her voice cutting through the din of the crowd. "The Battle Royale willst for three hours. At that time, the contestants must fight to thest man standing. There are no restrictions on weapons or magic, but contestants must stay within the ''Safe Zone'' or else, they will risk injuring themselves. Thest person standing will be dered the winner, and the top 10 contestants will move on to the next round."

    The contestants stood at the ready, their eyes scanning the arena for potential threats. The tension between them was palpable since everyone was a potential enemy. The air was thick with tension and excitement as the countdown began.

    "Three, two, one... Begin!" Elise shouted, her voice ringing out across the arena.

    Immediately, the contestants sprang into action, dashing toward the nearest weapons and shields. The first few minutes of the battle were chaotic, with contestants shing in brutal meleebat, hurling spells and arrows at one another, and seeking refuge in the maze of tunnels and buildings.

    With that, the contestants spread out across the field, eyes scanning for their opponents. Suddenly, a flurry of spells and arrows erupted from one side of the field as a group of contestants engaged in battle. des shed, shields blocked, and magic crackled in the air as the contestants fought for dominance.

    One contestant, a skilled archer, perched on a rocky outcropping, raining arrows down on her opponents below. Another, a swordsman with lightning-quick reflexes, darted between his foes, delivering quick and deadly strikes.

    After a few rounds of skirmishes, an rm red throughout the battlefield. To some of the contestants'' surprise, they saw the ring red wall moving inwards, causing them to flee in panic. It was then that Elise''s voice echoed throughout the battlefield:

    "Oops! I forgot to say that the ''Safe Zone'' will shrink every ten minutes. Careful now, contestants. If I were you, I''d watch that red wall like a hawk!"

    Some of the contestants cursed under their breaths upon hearing Elise''s words. They don''t doubt, even for a second, that she dyed telling them that on purpose.

    Nevertheless, it''s just an additional obstacle for them. Their goal still hasn''t changed.

    As the battle raged on, contestants fell one by one, their bodies littering the battlefield. The remaining fighters were bloodied and battered, but their determination to emerge victorious never faltered.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The contestants will not really die here. They will be hurt immensely, yes. But none of them will die. Ashton and the rest of the Mystic Guild''s staff wouldn''t let that happen.

    All of the injuries they will receive will be real of course, but as soon as they cannot fight anymore, they will be transported out of the battlefield and healed right to their peak condition right away.

    The fight continues then...

    A sorceress summoned a massive ice golem to fight for her, while a warrior channeled his rage to increase his strength and speed. The sounds of battle echoed across the field as contestants fought tooth and nail to stay alive.

    The Battle Royale continued to rage on as the remaining contestants fought tooth and nail, using their cold weapons and magic to gain the upper hand.

    In one corner of the battlefield, a contestant with a staff infused with fire magic spun around in a circle, unleashing a massive wave of mes towards a group of opponents. The opponents quickly countered with abination of water and ice magic, extinguishing the mes and freezing the area around them, slowing down their attacker. They then charged forward, their swords and spears glinting in the sunlight.

    From another corner, two contestants faced off against each other in a tense swordfight. One of them wielded a long, curved de, while the other had two short swords. The long de wielder swung their weapon in wide, sweeping arcs, trying to catch their opponent off guard. The short sword wielder, on the other hand, darted in and out of range, striking quickly and fluidly.

    Meanwhile, in the center of the battlefield, a group of contestants banded together, using theirbined magic to create a massive dome of protection around themselves. The dome shimmered and crackled as it absorbed the blows from the other contestants'' attacks. However, they couldn''t maintain the spell for long, and soon the dome began to falter. The other contestants took advantage of the opportunity and charged forward, their weapons glinting in the light.

    The battle continued to rage on, with contestants falling left and right. Some were taken down by well-ced strikes, while others sumbed to exhaustion from using too much magic. The spectators watched in awe and amazement as the fighters disyed incredible skill and tenacity.

    As the sun began to set, only a handful of contestants remained standing. They were battered and bruised, their clothes torn and bloody, but their spirits remained unbroken. They continued to fight on, determined to be thest one standing and im victory in the Battle Royale.

    Finally, only a handful of contestants remained, their eyes locked on each other, waiting for the moment to strike. The tension was palpable as they circled each other, des and spells at the ready.

    The air was charged with energy as the remaining contestantsunched themselves into one final, explosive battle. Magic shed with steel as the fighters pushed themselves to the limit, their determination to emerge victorious burning fiercely in their hearts.

    The battlested for what seemed like hours, but in reality, only a few minutes had passed. When the dust settled, only a few contestants stood victorious, their bodies bruised and battered but their spirits unbroken.

    They''re no longer in any condition to fight at all. Thankfully, before they entertained any thoughts about continuing, Elise came through and announced the conclusion of the challenge.

    "Time''s up! That does it for the Battle Royale!"

    Elise stepped forward to address the crowd once again. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Battle Royale of the High-Evolutionary League hase to a close. We have seen some truly breathtaking disys of skill, strategy, and power from our contestants. However, as with all contests, there can only be a few who will move on to the finals."

    The audience held their breath in anticipation as Elise continued. "The top 10 contestants from this round will proceed to the finals, where they willpete for the title of High-Evolutionary League Champion. Congrattions to those who made it this far! Your hard work and dedication have paid off."

    Elise''s eyes swept over the audience, her expression serious yet proud. "For those who were eliminated, do not be discouraged. You have shown tremendous bravery and skill in this contest, and we honor you for that. As a token of our appreciation, you will be receiving rewards befitting of your efforts."

    She then smiled warmly, her tone bing more lighthearted. "So, let''s give all of our contestants a round of apuse for their amazing performances. And let''s look forward to what''s toe in the finals!" The crowd erupted in cheers and apuse, eager to see what the next challenge would bring.

 Chapter 368 Mortal League Finals: Free For All

    ?

    The fourth day of the Guild Tournament was upon them. And just like before, the energy of the crowd was immacte, especially since it was the finals for both leagues, starting with the Mortal League.

    Elise took center stage once again, her voice ringing clear and strong. "Ladies and gentlemen, wee back to the fourth day of the Mystic Guild Tournament. Today is the Finals of the Mortal League, and we have the best of the bestpeting for the ultimate prize."

    She smiled at the audience, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "It has been an intense journey so far, with each and every one of our contestants showing immense talent and determination. But now, we will witness their true strength as they battle it out for the top spot."

    Elise paused for a moment, letting the cheers and apuse of the crowd die down before continuing. "I want to remind everyone that the rules of the tournament still apply. We expect our contestants to demonstrate fair y, honor, and sportsmanship throughout the duration of the Finals."

    She took a deep breath, the anticipation of the uing battles palpable in the air. "Without further ado, let''s begin the Finals of the Mortal League and see who will emerge victorious!"

    The audience erupted in loud cheers as they saw the contestants of the Mortal League showing up in the stadium.

    Elise addressed the audience with a sense of excitement in her voice. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have finallye to the climax of the Mortal League. The Final Round is going to be an intense Free For All, where the contestants will face not only each other but also stray demons and angels as well as other creatures too. It''s going to be an exciting event!"

    She then proceeded to exin the rules of the Final Round. "The objective of the Final Round is to umte as many points as possible. Points can be earned by eliminating stray demons and angels, as well as other contestants. Each stray demon or angel eliminated is worth 10 points, as for other creatures, the point rewarded will vary depending on their strength, while eliminating another contestant is worth 50 points, plus 75% of the points that the eliminated contestant has umted so far."

    Elise emphasized the importance of strategy in this round. "Contestants must be smart and strategic in their approach, as they will not only have to fend off other contestants but also stray demons and angels. The terrain will also be challenging, with obstacles and traps scattered throughout the battlefield. It will truly be a test of skill and endurance."

    She then ended hermentary with an encouraging message to the contestants. "Good luck to all our finalists. Remember to stay focused, keep your wits about you, and most importantly, have fun. The fate of the Mortal League Championship rests in your hands."

    And just like that, the contestants of the Mortal League had been transferred to the battlefield.

    The battlefield for the Free For All Final Round of the Mortal League is an expansive, otherworldly terrain filled with dangerous creatures and obstacles. The terrain is divided into three distinct areas: the open field, the forest, and the ruins.

    The open field is a vast expanse of grassy ins dotted withrge boulders and rock formations. In the center of the field lies a towering stone structure, a remnant of an ancient civilization long gone. The structure is surrounded by a moat of moltenva, which is guarded by a group of demons.

    The forest is a dense, tangled thicket of trees and underbrush that covers arge portion of the battlefield. It is home to a variety of dangerous creatures, such as giant spiders, wolves, and trolls. The trees are tall and thick, casting the forest floor into shadow and creating a maze-like environment that is easy to get lost in.

    The ruins are a series of crumbling stone structures, long abandoned by their former inhabitants. The ruins are full of traps and obstacles, such as copsing floors, spike pits, and pressure tes that trigger deadly traps. The ruins are also home to a group of angels, who are fiercely protective of the ancient structures and will attack anyone who tries to disturb them.

    Thebination of these three areas makes for a treacherous and unpredictable battlefield, where danger lurks around every corner. The contestants will have to use all their skills and wits to survive and umte as many points as possible.

    The contestants found themselves in a vast, ruined city that appeared to have been abandoned for centuries. Skyscrapers leaned dangerously, and rubble covered the streets. Stray demons and angels roamed the streets, attacking anyone who crossed their path.

    The contestants quickly scattered, each trying to find the best strategy to umte as many points as possible. Some opted to focus on taking down the stray demons and angels, while others went after their fellow contestants, hoping to score big by eliminating a high-scoring opponent.

    One contestant, a skilled archer, took to the rooftops, picking off stray demons and angels from a distance. She umted several points this way but was eventually forced to flee when an angel caught sight of her.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Another contestant, a burly fighter, charged headfirst into the fray, taking on both demons and angels with his bare hands. He managed to rack up several points by himself, but his aggression also made him a target for other contestants.

    A third contestant, a cunning rogue, focused on stealth and trickery. She set traps for her opponents, luring them into ambushes and picking them off when they least expected it.

    Soon, the noise of battle echoed across the battlefield. Everyone''s nerves were tense due to how active the battlefield was.

    The chaos of battle raged on as contestants shed with one another, seeking to eliminate their opponents and umte points. Spells and weapons shed, filling the air with the sounds of steel on steel and the crackling of arcane energy.

    One particrly intense fight erupted between two contestants, a skilled swordsman, and a powerful mage. The swordsman charged forward, striking with lightning-fast strikes, but the mage deftly avoided them, weaving spells to deflect his attacks.

    As the swordsman pressed forward, the mage unleashed a powerful bolt of lightning, striking him in the chest and sending him flying backward. But the swordsman refused to give up, rising to his feet and charging forward once again.

    Another fierce battle took ce between a group of contestants, each fighting for supremacy. One contestant, a burly fighter wielding a massive axe, charged forward with a roar, cleaving through several opponents with each swing of his weapon.

    But his opponents were quick and nimble, evading his attacks and striking back with their own spells and weapons. The fight raged on for several minutes, each contestant trading blows and struggling to gain the upper hand.

    In another part of the battlefield, a skilled archer perched on a high vantage point, raining down arrows on his opponents below. But a group of contestants quickly banded together, charging up the slope to eliminate him.

    The archer fired arrow after arrow, but his opponents were relentless, dodging his attacks and striking back with their own spells and weapons. Eventually, they managed to close in on him, overwhelming him with a barrage of attacks and eliminating him from thepetition.

    As the final minutes of the event approached, the intensity of the battles only grew, with contestants fighting tooth and nail for everyst point. Spells and weapons shed with even greater ferocity as the contestants pushed themselves to their limits.

    In the end, the dust settled and the event drew to a close. The points were tallied, and the top ten contestants were dered champions of the Mortal League. The crowd erupted in apuse as they congratted the victors on their hard-fought victories.

    Elise stepped forward to address the audience, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to announce the 10 Champions of the Mortal League. They have proven their mettle in the fiercest of battles and have emerged victorious. These young heroes have made the Mystic Guild proud and their aplishments will be remembered for years toe."

    The audience erupted into apuse as Elise continued, "The rewards for our champions will be arranged by the Grand Commanders of the Mystic Guild, who have been closely watching their progress throughout the tournament. I do not doubt that they will be rewarded appropriately for their hard work and dedication."

    Elise then turned her attention to those who were eliminated, "To those who did not make it to the final round, I want you to know that your efforts have not gone unnoticed. The Mystic Guild recognizes your hard work and determination, and as such, you will be rewarded as well. You have shown us that you have what it takes to be a part of this prestigious guild, and we hope to see you again in future tournaments."

    With that, Elise concluded the ceremony, thanking everyone for their participation and support, and wishing them all the best in their future endeavors.

    The program then entered a short yet necessary break. After all, the contestants of the High-Evolutionary League will enter the stage next.

 Chapter 369 High-Evolutionary League Finals (I)

    ?

    Elise steps onto the stage with a beaming smile, "Ladies and gentlemen, we havee to the final day of the Guild Tournament, and what a tournament it has been so far! The Mortal League has crowned its champions, but now it''s time for the High-Evolutionary League to take center stage. Today we will witness a battle between the strongest and most evolved beings in thend, as they face off in 1v1 matches to determine who will emerge victorious!"

    She pauses, letting the anticipation build in the audience before continuing, "The rules are simple: the first to defeat their opponent wins the match. There are no disqualifications, no timeouts, and no holds barred. The only thing that matters is strength, skill, and strategy. So, without further ado, let''s begin!"

    The crowd cheers as Elise steps off the stage, and the first pair of contestants enter the arena.

    Two males appeared in the arena, both wearing solemn expressions as they sized up each other.

    Elise stepped into the center of the arena and cleared her throat to address the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you our firstbatants for the High-Evolutionary League finals. On my right, we have the Star King Stage swordsman, Ren. And on my left, the Star King Stage Spell Caster, Kael."

    [A/N: Just a reminder for everybody: The High-Evolutionary Stages are divided into several ranks, which are: Void, Star Child, Star Lord, Star King, World Sage, Cosmic Emperor, and Divine God.]

    The audience erupted in cheers as the two contestants entered the arena, each exuding a powerful aura that made the air around them crackle with energy. Ren unsheathed his sword and Kael raised his hands, ready to cast his spells.

    The referee signaled for the start of the match, and the two contestants charged toward each other with fierce determination in their eyes.

    Ren swung his sword in a wide arc, aiming to strike Kael from the side, but the Spell Caster quickly evaded the attack with a nimble dodge. Kael retaliated with a barrage of fireballs that Ren deflected with his sword, the impact sending shockwaves across the arena.

    The two continued to exchange blows, each one countering the other''s attacks with equal skill and agility. Ren''s swordsmanship was precise and calcted, while Kael''s spellcasting was fluid and versatile.

    As the battle raged on, the two contestants began to tire, their breathing bingbored and their movements slowing. Ren took advantage of this, charging at Kael with a powerful overhead strike that would surely end the match.

    However, Kael had onest trick up his sleeve. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a powerful gust of wind that knocked Ren off bnce and sent him flying across the arena.

    As Ren struggled to get back on his feet, Kael unleashed a flurry of lightning bolts that struck the swordsman down, ending the match.

    The audience erupted in apuse as Kael emerged victorious, his face gleaming with sweat and his chest heaving with exhaustion. Ren stood up, sheathed his sword, and extended his hand towards Kael in respect.

    "Well fought, Kael," he said, a smile spreading across his face. "You truly are a worthy opponent."

    They were met with explosive apuse from the crowd. Elise stepped up to congratte Ren for making it to the next round. She also pointed out their show of sportsmanship.

    A short break ensued to fix the arena for the nextbatants, however, it didn''tst long. Once it was done, Elise resumed the match with the nextbatants appearing in the arena.

    The crowd cheered as the two female contestants stepped onto the arena, their auras shing against each other. The first contestant, an elegant woman with long blue hair, wore a flowing blue robe that was adorned with shimmering diamonds. She emanated a powerful aura of ice and water that chilled the air around her. Her name was Erina, and she was a master of the Water and Ice Laws.

    Her opponent was a fiery young woman named Erica. She had long crimson hair and wore a red robe that seemed to flicker with mes. Her aura burned fiercely, radiating intense heat and light. Erica was a master of the Fire Laws, known for her incredible control over mes and infernos.

    Both women possess the strength of a Star King in their cultivation.

    The match began with a burst of energy as both women unleashed a barrage of spells. Erina conjured streams of ice and water that snaked through the air towards Erica, while Erica countered with sts of fire and explosions. The two women shed in a flurry of magical energy, their spells weaving around each other like a dance.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Erica''s attacks were fierce, but Erina was quick on her feet, dodging and weaving around the mes with grace and skill. She countered with waves of icy sts that threatened to freeze Erica in her tracks. The two women circled each other, their spells growing more and more powerful with each passing moment.

    In the end, it was Erina who emerged victorious. She conjured a massive wave of icy water that crashed down onto Erica, freezing her in a block of ice. The crowd roared with excitement as Erina was dered the winner of the match. Erica was quickly thawed out and helped off the arena floor, congratting Erina on her victory.

    Elise stepped forward to congratte the two contestants and announce Erina as the winner of the match. The audience cheered as Erina bowed gracefully, epting her victory with poise and elegance.

    The program entered a short break once more, this onested longer since the previousbatants did some serious damage to the arena. Thankfully, nobodyined about it.

    Elise stepped onto the center of the stage as the crowd cheered. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have just witnessed two exciting matches for the High-Evolutionary League finals. Now, it''s time for our third match!" she announced with enthusiasm.

    The spotlight fell on the entrance as the man and woman contestants made their way towards the center of the arena. The man was a tall figure with short, spiky hair, and a confident smile. He was dressed in a simple ck robe that flowed behind him as he walked. The woman, on the other hand, was smaller in stature but radiated an intimidating presence. She had long, ck hair that was tied into a tight bun, and wore red and ck armor that entuated her toned muscles.

    "Introducing first, we have our male contestant, hailing from the esteemed Mystic Guild. He is a Star King Spell Caster, known for his mastery of Star Magic/Laws. Give it up for Leo!" Elise introduced, gesturing towards the man.

    The crowd erupted into cheers and apuse as Leo raised his hand in acknowledgment. He walked confidently towards his designated zone, eyes fixed on his opponent.

    "And now, her opponent. A fierce warrior from the Mystic Guild as well. She is a Star King, specializing in Martial Arts. Give a round of apuse for Cassandra!" Elise introduced the woman contestant, receiving another round of cheers from the audience.

    Cassandra strode confidently towards her own designated zone, a serious expression on her face as she sized up her opponent. As the two contestants stood opposite each other, the air between them crackled with tension.

    "Contestants, ready yourselves!" Elise called out. "The third match of the High-Evolutionary League Finals will nowmence!"

    Without any further ado, the match began. Leo immediately started weaving intricate Star Magic/Laws, creating a dazzling array of light that streamed toward Cassandra. But Cassandra was quick to react, moving with a fluid grace as she dodged and weaved around the magic attacks.

    Cassandra soon closed the distance between them, unleashing a flurry of powerful strikes that Leo barely managed to dodge. He retaliated with his own magic, but Cassandra seemed to have an inherent resistance to it, withstanding his attacks with little damage.

    Their battle continued for several minutes, with Leo trying to keep his distance andunch magic attacks from afar, while Cassandra relentlessly pressed forward with her attacks. Eventually, Cassandra managed tond a solid punch to Leo''s abdomen, sending him flying back towards the edge of the arena.

    Even Elise herself winced when shended a blow on him, she even heard the faint sounds of bones breaking, but she didn''tment on it. The match was intense and everyone was watching closely.

    Leo managed to regain his footing just in time, but Cassandra was already on him, raining down a barrage of kicks and punches that he struggled to keep up with. Despite his best efforts, Leo couldn''t keep up with Cassandra''s relentless assault, and soon he was on the ground, defeated.

    The audience erupted into cheers as Cassandra raised her arms in triumph. Elise walked towards her, congratting her on her victory.

    "Congrattions, Cassandra! You are our winner for the third match of the High-Evolutionary League Finals!" Elise announced, her voice filled with excitement.

    Cassandra gave the audience a brilliant and innocent-looking smile. She helped up Leo, who fainted just now and brought him back to the med bay to treat his injuries.

 Chapter 370 High-Evolutionary League Finals (II)

    ?

    After the short break, Elise once again announced the continuation of the matches. The next round was between the contestants named Philip and Winston.

    As Philip and Winston stepped into the arena, the crowd roared with excitement, eager to see who would emerge victorious. The two opponents exchanged cold nces as they took their positions, each one sizing up the other and mentally preparing for the uing fight.

    Philip was an Intermediate Stage Star King, but his expertise in Poison Laws made him a formidable opponent. His eyes glinted with a dangerous light as he focused his energy, ready to unleash his deadly techniques. Meanwhile, Winston was an Advanced Stage Star King who wielded the power of the Law of Darkness. He stood tall and confident, his dark energy swirling around him like a cloak.

    The battle began with a burst of action as Philip immediatelyunched a surprise attack, sending a volley of poisonous needles towards Winston. The Advanced Stage Star King was quick to respond, however, and deflected the attack with a shield made of pure darkness.

    The two opponents circled each other warily, each waiting for an opening to strike. Philip continued to use his poison attacks, trying to wear down Winston''s defenses, but the Advanced Stage Star King was unfazed. He retaliated with sts of dark energy that exploded around Philip, forcing him to dodge and weave to avoid the deadly attacks.

    Despite Philip''s best efforts, it became clear that Winston was the stronger opponent. The Advanced Stage Star King''s mastery of the Law of Darkness gave him an edge that Philip couldn''t ovee. In the end, Winston emerged victorious, his power overwhelming Philip''s defenses and leaving him defeated on the ground.

    The crowd erupted into cheers as Winston was dered the winner of the match, and he raised his arms in triumph, basking in the adoration of the spectators. As for Philip, he picked himself up off the ground, battered and bruised but with a look of determination in his eyes. He knew that he had been defeated, but he vowed to train harder ande back even stronger in the future.

    After thates the match between Gram and Axel...

    The match between Gram and Axel was intense from the start. The two contestants entered the arena, their eyes locked on each other. Gram was a tall man with broad shoulders, his long white hair tied up in a ponytail. He wore a white robe embroidered with golden thread, a symbol of his mastery of the Light Laws. Axel, on the other hand, was shorter but stocky with a muscr build. He had short brown hair and wore a brown robe, showing his proficiency in Earth Laws.

    The audience roared as the match began, and the two contestants moved forward to engage each other. Gram unleashed a blinding sh of light, temporarily blinding Axel. Axel quickly regained hisposure and raised his hands to summon a wall of rock, using his Earth Laws to protect himself.

    Gram continued to attack with his Light Laws, sending beams of light that burned the ground where Gram stood. Axel countered with his Earth Laws, creating pirs of earth that shattered the beams of light. The two contestants moved in closer, exchanging blows with their fists and feet.

    Axel managed tond a solid punch on Gram''s chest, sending him flying back. Gram quickly got up, his eyes zing with determination. He summoned a ball of light in his hand and threw it at Axel, who dodged it and responded with a wave of his hand, sending a shockwave of earth towards Gram.

    Gram jumped over the shockwave andnded on the ground, raising his hand to summon a burst of light that blinded Axel again. Gram then moved in closer and unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks that Axel struggled to block. Finally, Gramnded a powerful kick on Axel''s side, sending him flying out of the arena.

    The crowd erupted in cheers as Gram was dered the winner of the match.

    With that, the Top 5 line-up was finalized...they are Kael, Erina, Cassandra, Winston, and Gram.

    As the crowd eagerly waited for the next match, Elise took center stage once again.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached the halfway point of the High-Evolutionary League finals, and I have the pleasure of announcing the Top 5 contestants who have made it this far!" Elise announced, her voice ringing through the arena.

    The crowd erupted in cheers as Elise continued. "In no particr order, the Top 5 are Kael, Erina, Cassandra, Winston, and Gram! Let''s give them a round of apuse for their outstanding performances!"

    The audience roared in approval as each of the contestants took a bow, basking in the adoration of the crowd. Elise waited for the noise to die down before continuing.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Everyone was excited and clearly entertained. Compared to the previous Guild Tournament, this one was more intense and explosive. And that''s most likely because many people were anticipating this event after the conclusion of the previous one.

    The contestants had ample time to prepare themselves for the tournament this time around. Some of them were extremely determined to be the champions of this year''s Guild Tournament. The reasons vary but all of them are valid and enough to keep them going.

    "Thepetition is getting tougher by the minute, and we can expect nothing but the best from our remaining contestants. Who wille out on top? We''ll find out soon enough!" Elise concluded before stepping back, signaling the start of the next match.

    There has been a short break once more. This time, instead of just fixing the arena, the staff modified it and made it evenrger than before. This is to prepare for the next matches of course. After all, the contestants will no longer hold back at this point.

    After the short break, Elise went up once more and announced the start of the next match.

    The next match is between Winston and Gram, a highly anticipated showdown between the forces of Light and Darkness. Winston specializes in Darkness Laws while Gram specializes in Light Laws. The two elements mutually contradict each other and judging by the expressions of their users, it would seem that they too are influenced by this rivalry as well.

    When the referee signaled the start of the match, the two didn''t hold back as expected. Their initial sh was already as explosive as it could get.

    At the start of the match, Gram was at a disadvantage, struggling to keep up with Winston''s barrage of dark spells. This is also because of the difference between their cultivation realms. Winston took advantage of Gram''s weakened state, using his mastery over darkness to keep Gram on the defensive. But Gram refused to back down and fought back with equal ferocity.

    The fight continued, with both contestants pushing themselves to the limit. Winston was determined to win, while Gram was equally determined to not let the power of light be defeated. Despite being at a disadvantage for much of the match, Gram managed to turn the tide in his favor with his unrelenting tenacity.

    In the final moments of the match, both contestants were on the brink of exhaustion. Winston unleashed one final barrage of dark spells, but Gram was able to deflect them with ast-ditch effort using the power of light. In the end, Gram was dered the winner, but only by the slimmest of margins.

    The audience erupted into cheers as Gram was announced as the winner. Even Winston couldn''t help but acknowledge Gram''s tenacity and skill. The two contestants shook hands in a show of respect, both knowing they had given their all in the fight.

    Elise congratted Gram on his victory and announced his advancement to the next round.

    Kael and Cassandra step into the arena, ready for their 1v1 match. Kael draws his sword, a long, slender de that glints in the light. Cassandra assumes a defensive stance, her body lose and fluid.

    The two contestants circle each other, watching for an opening. Kael moves in with a lightning-fast thrust, but Cassandra is too quick. She ducks under his de andnds a swift punch to his gut. Kael staggers backward, but recovers quickly, swinging his sword in a wide arc.

    Cassandra ducks and weaves, avoiding Kael''s de with ease. Shends several kicks and punches, but Kael keepsing, his sword a blur of motion. The two fighters dance around the arena, each looking for an opening.

    Suddenly, Kael sees his chance. He lunges forward, his sword aimed straight at Cassandra''s heart. But she''s too quick. She steps to the side andnds a hard punch to the back of his head. Kael falls to the ground, stunned.

    Cassandra stands over him, triumphant. She''s won the match, and she knows it. Kael struggles to get back on his feet, but he''s too dazed. The referee steps in and deres Cassandra the winner.

    The crowd erupts in cheers as Cassandra takes a bow. Kael looks disappointed, but he knows he gave it his all. The two fighters shake hands, acknowledging each other''s skill. It was a fierce battle, and Cassandra emerged victorious once more.

 Chapter 371 High-Evolutionary League Finals (End)

    ?

    The finals of the High-Evolutionary League were heating up.

    So far, all of the battles had been exceptional. The strength they disyed is truly an indication of their hard work and talents.

    To continue the finals, the match between Gram and Erina started.

    The twobatants stood at the center of the arena, their eyes locked onto each other. Gram raised his hand, summoning a powerful beam of light that illuminated the entire battlefield. Erina responded by unleashing a torrent of water that formed into icy shards.

    Gram charged forward, his body moving like a blur as he attacked Erina with quick jabs and kicks. Erina dodged and weaved through Gram''s attacks, evading each strike with ease.

    Erina retaliated with a powerful st of water that sent Gram flying across the battlefield. Gram quickly regained hisposure andunched a barrage of light beams at Erina. The beams struck the ground around Erina, creating a powerful explosion.

    Erina shielded herself with a wall of ice, but the force of the explosion shattered it into pieces. She stumbled backward, struggling to regain her bnce. Gram saw his chance and charged forward, his fists glowing with a brilliant light.

    Erina summoned another wave of water, using it to deflect Gram''s attacks. She retaliated with a series of ice shards that struck Gram''s arms, causing him to wince in pain. Gram pushed through the pain, his determination unwavering.

    Gram unleashed a powerful burst of light that illuminated the entire arena, blinding Erina for a moment. He charged forward, delivering a powerful punch that struck Erina in the chest. She stumbled backward, gasping for air.

    Gram followed up with a flurry of punches and kicks, each one more powerful than thest. Erina fought back with all her might, summoning powerful waves of water and ice. The twobatants continued to exchange blows, each one determined to emerge victorious.

    In the end, it was Gram who emerged as the winner. His body was bruised and battered, but he stood tall, his fists still glowing with a brilliant light. Erina congratted him on his victory, and the twobatants bowed to each other in mutual respect.

    But the fight wasn''t over for Gram just yet. He got injured from his fight against Erina but in no time, he was healed back to his peak state. The reason is that his fight against Cassandra would be next.

    Gram who specializes in Light Laws against a skillful Martial Artist, Cassandra. This fight was bound to be really heated and the crowd couldn''t wait anymore.

    The arena was set for the semi-finals, and the crowd was eager to witness the next fight. As the two contestants entered the arena, the atmosphere turned electric with excitement.

    Gram and Cassandra faced each other, and there was a tense silence as they sized each other up. Gram was an Intermediate Stage Star King, but his Light Laws were formidable, and Cassandra knew that she was in for a tough fight.

    The match started, and both of them moved with lightning-fast reflexes, striking and evading with agility and skill. Gram started with a series of powerful Light Law attacks, but Cassandra was able to dodge and counter with her Martial Arts skills.

    The fight continued, and the two of them exchanged blows back and forth. Cassandra''s movements were fluid and graceful, while Gram''s were more powerful and explosive. It was a battle of finesse versus strength.

    Despite Cassandra''s best efforts, Gram''s Light Laws proved too much for her to handle. Hended a powerful blow that sent her flying across the arena, and she struggled to get back on her feet.

    But Cassandra was not one to give up easily. She pushed herself to her limits, summoning all of her strength to fight back. Shended a series of devastating kicks and punches that left Gram reeling.

    In the end, it was Cassandra who emerged victorious. Shended a final blow that sent Gram crashing to the ground, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Gramy there, defeated, while Cassandra stood tall, triumphant.

    Truth to be told, most of the people who were watching didn''t expect Cassandra to win at all. To them, she just falls a little too shortpared to other contestants.

    She is strong, there''s no denying that, but since all she had was her fist and skills, she didn''t really stand out on the field.

    That doesn''t mean that she doesn''t have any fans though. In truth, many people were rooting for her, it''s just that her rather nd appearance made people underestimate herpletely.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    But just now, she had proven them wrong. Even though all she had was her limbs to fight, she showed exceptional skills and masterful techniques, proving that she is indeed a capable Martial Artist.

    The arena was filled with the sound of apuse as Cassandra basked in her victory. She had proven herself to be a worthy opponent, and the crowd acknowledged her with cheers and admiration.

    Cassandra was then healed to her peak state because her fight against Erina was next.

    The air was charged with anticipation as Erina and Cassandra stepped into the arena. The crowd roared as the two Star Kings faced off in the final round of the High-Evolutionary League.

    Erina summoned a massive wave of water and ice, hurling it towards Cassandra. Thetter responded by weaving her way through the attack with incredible speed and grace. She countered with a series of lightning-fast strikes, each one aimed with deadly precision. Erina was barely able to evade, her movements graceful and fluid.

    The two fighters moved with incredible speed, trading blows that shook the arena with every impact. Erina''s water and ice attacks were met with Cassandra''s martial arts prowess, which enabled her to dodge and deflect with ease.

    As the fight wore on, Cassandra began to take control. Her movements became more fluid, her strikes more precise. Erina fought back with all her might, unleashing a flurry of water and ice attacks that forced Cassandra onto the defensive.

    But the martial artist refused to yield. She countered with a ferocious barrage of strikes that battered Erina''s defenses. The water and ice attacks slowed, then ceased altogether as Erina struggled to evade Cassandra''s lightning-fast strikes.

    Finally, Cassandranded a decisive blow, striking Erina''s arm with a force that sent her crashing to the ground. The crowd roared as the judges dered Cassandra the winner, the new champion of the High-Evolutionary League.

    Cassandra was congratted by the Grand Commanders of the Mystic Guild, who awarded her the coveted title of High-Evolutionary Champion. The crowd cheered as she held up her trophy, a testament to her incredible skill and determination.

    As for Erina, she was also rewarded for her impressive performance, earning a ce of honor among the elite fighters of the Mystic Guild. The tournament may have ended, but the memories of the incredible battles and fiercepetition would live on for years toe.

    A losers bracket was added to determine the rest of the rankings. The fight went on until the sun could be seen setting over the horizon.

    Once the battle was over, the Guild Tournament''s conclusion also came close.

    The champions of the Mortal League and the Top 5 of the High-Evolutionary League stepped up on the arena, basking in the crowd''s praise and attention.

    Elise stepped up to the podium, beaming with pride and gratitude. She surveyed the cheering crowd, taking in the sight of the thousands of people who hade to witness the grand finale of the High-Evolutionary League.

    "First and foremost, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who has made this tournament possible," Elise began, her voice ringing out across the arena. "From the hardworking organizers to the dedicated audience, every single person yed a part in making this tournament a sess. I am humbled and grateful for your support."

    Elise then turned her attention to the contestants who had fought bravely until the end. "To the champions of the Mortal and High-Evolutionary League, you have shown us what it truly means to be a warrior. Your unwavering dedication, determination, and perseverance have been truly inspiring. You have not only earned the title of Champion, but also our utmost respect and admiration."

    Elise paused for a moment, her eyes scanning the arena as she continued, "To those who fell short, please know that you have nothing to be ashamed of. You fought valiantly and with honor, and that is what truly matters. Remember, every loss is an opportunity to learn and grow, and I do not doubt that you wille back stronger than ever before."

    In conclusion, Elise lifted her hand in a gesture of goodwill. "Let us leave this tournament with a renewed sense of purpose and passion. Whether you are a champion or a challenger, always strive to be the best version of yourself. May your journey be filled with joy, growth, and sess. Thank you all for being a part of this amazing journey."

    "Join us again, five yearster in the Mystic Guild''s Tournament! This is your girl, Elise! Always at your service!"

    "Everyone, thank you for your hard work!!"

    Elise bowed and the crowd cheered, shaking up the stadium as the Mystic Guild''s Tournament concluded.

 Chapter 372 Rewards

    ?

    As the sun rises, Fantasia Metropolises to life. The grand cityscape is a sight to behold, with towering buildings that seem to touch the sky. The city''s architecture boasts a mix of ssic and modern styles, giving it a unique charm that draws in visitors from all over the world.

    The streets are bustling with people, from vendors selling their wares tomuters rushing to their offices. The sound of honking horns and chatter fills the air, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods wafts from the cafes and bakeries.

    At the heart of the city stands the Mystic Guild Headquarters, a grand building made of white marble and adorned with intricate carvings and gold ents. It serves as the center of the city''s magical and mystical activities, housing some of the world''s most powerful mages and sorcerers.

    Beyond the guild headquarters lies the city''s outskirts, where vast fields and forests await. The natural beauty of the surroundings is a sharp contrast to the bustling cityscape, offering a peaceful escape for those seeking respite from the city''s chaos.

    Overall, Fantasia Metropolis is a city of wonder and excitement, a ce where magic and modernity blend seamlessly.

    Today was the day that the finalists of the Mortal and High-Evolutionary Leaguees to the Mystic Guild to gain their rewards from the Tournament.

    The Mystic Guild''s headquarters stands tall and proud, a symbol of magic and technology in perfect harmony. The building is colossal, towering above the surrounding structures, with multiple levels and sections, all interconnected with walkways and bridges.

    The exterior of the building is made of smooth, polished stone that glimmers in the sunlight, while intricate carvings and symbols adorn the walls, telling the story of the Guild''s history and achievements. At the entrance, a pair of massive doors made of gleaming metal stand open, weing visitors into the grand foyer.

    Inside, the building is a bustling hive of activity, with mages and engineers hurrying to and fro, carrying out experiments, casting spells, and tinkering with magical devices. The air is alive with the crackle of energy and the hum of arcane machinery, and the smell of incense and burning candles fills the nostrils.

    The main hall is a vast, open space, with a high ceiling supported by massive pirs. The walls are lined with shelves and disy cases, filled with ancient tomes, magical artifacts, and wondrous inventions. At the far end of the hall, arge stage has been set up, where the Grand Commanders of the Mystic Guild await the arrival of the champions.

    The stage itself is a marvel of engineering and magic, with shimmering force fields and holographic disys providing a backdrop for the proceedings. In the center of the stage, a glowing orb hovers, pulsing with arcane energy, ready to reveal the rewards that the champions have earned. All around, the air crackles with excitement, as the champions and the audience await the start of the ceremony.

    "Wee, champions of the Mortal League and High-Evolutionary League," Alice, the Sword Empress, began as she stood in front of the gathered champions. "You have proven your worth and strength through your victories in the tournaments. Today, we honor you and recognize your achievement."

    As Alice spoke, the champions couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe and reverence towards her. They could feel the power emanating from her, and they knew that she was not only a Grand Commander of the Mystic Guild but also a pir of humanity.

    As the Grand Commander Alice stepped forward, the air around her seemed to thicken with an almost palpable weight of power. Her aura was unmistakable, the sheer force of her presencemanded respect and admiration.

    The champions of the league could feel an energy radiating from her that seemed to flow through the air and into their very being. It was a humbling and awe-inspiring experience for them to be in the presence of such a powerful and respected figure in the world.

    As Alice began to speak, her voice boomed with authority and rity, echoing through the vast halls of the Mystic Guild''s headquarters. Her eyes glinted with a fierce intelligence that left no doubt as to her leadership and authority.

    The champions couldn''t help but be struck by her overwhelming presence. It was clear that she was the backbone of the Mystic Guild, the driving force behind its power and prestige. They couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of admiration and respect for her, even as they stood before her as champions themselves.

    "She''s incredible," Kael whispered to his fellow champions, marveling at Alice''s presence. "It''s like she''s a force of nature."

    Erina nodded in agreement. "I''ve never felt anything like it. She''s truly deserving of her title as the Sword Empress."

    Cassandra chimed in, "It''s no wonder the Mystic Guild is so revered. With leaders like Alice, they''re truly unstoppable."

    The champions continued to discuss their admiration for Alice''s power and presence, feeling grateful to be in the presence of such a formidable leader.

    "Come, follow me. I''ll lead you to your rewards." Alice said.

    She turned around and started walking with the finalists following her closely behind.

    The room that Alice leads the champions to is massive, with high ceilings and ornate decorations. The walls are covered in tapestries depicting legendary battles and the floors are made of smooth marble. The center of the room is dominated by arge circr table, with a glowing crystal orb sitting in its center.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Alice motions for the champions to take a seat around the table, and as they do, they notice that each chair has a small namete on it with their respective names written in elegant script.

    As everyone settles in, Alice addresses them once more, "Champions of the Mortal and High-Evolutionary Leagues, it is my pleasure to award you with the prizes that you have earned through your hard work and dedication. These rewards are a symbol of the Mystic Guild''s appreciation for your skills and aplishments."

    She gestures to the crystal orb on the table and it begins to glow even brighter. Suddenly, each champion''s reward appears before them, in a shimmering disy of magic and technology.

    The champions look on in awe as their rewards are revealed, ranging from rare magical artifacts to advanced technological gadgets. Alice smiles at their reactions, pleased with the Guild''s ability to reward their champions appropriately.

    "Take these rewards with pride," she says, "for they represent not only your achievements but also the potential for even greater things toe. Use them to further your training and improve your abilities. The Mystic Guild will continue to support and guide you on your path towards bing even greater warriors and mages."

    Of course, the rewards that each people received varied depending on their final result. Cassandra was obviously the biggest winner her since she was crowned as the Champion of the 2nd Guild Tournament.

    But their rewards weren''t limited to just that...

    After receiving their material rewards, Alice left the group in the empty room, the champions were left to wait in silence. Some of them sat down while others paced back and forth, anxiously wondering what was going to happen next. As time passed, the anticipation in the room grew, and the silence became almost unbearable.

    Suddenly, one of the champions, Gram, noticed a faint sounding from the corner of the room. It was a soft, almost imperceptible rustling as if someone was trying to hide their presence. He motioned to the others, and they all slowly turned to face the direction of the sound.

    In the corner of the room, they saw a figure dressed in a white cloak, its hood pulled down low to conceal their face. The figure stood still, watching the group with a steady gaze.

    For a moment, the champions were uncertain about what to do. Was this person a friend or a foe? What was their purpose for being there? They exchanged wary nces, ready to defend themselves if necessary.

    Then, the figure spoke, their voice low and measured. "Greetings, everyone."

    His voice boomed on the corners of the room. It carried a faint hint of pressure, not too strong, but it thrummed deep into their souls. The finalists were shocked and immediately went on guard.

    Some of them even took out their weapons, but even as they hold them, it didn''t give them any confidence at all.

    "Ah!" The man suddenly groaned. He cleared his throat, and this time the pressure on his voice disappeared. "Haha, sorry about that. I''m having trouble keeping my strength in check. I didn''t mean to offend you or anything, please excuse me."

    Some were skeptical but they couldn''t deny that the man sounded genuinely apologetic about his behavior. They retrieved their weapons once they realized that he wasn''t an enemy.

    "May we know who you are?" Cassandra stepped forward and boldly asked.

    "Hmm..." the man thought for a bit before saying: "For now, just call me Mr. Dreamer. What''s important is that I''m not your enemy. They called me here to give you the other half of your rewards."

    "There''s more!?" Cassandra eximed.

    "Yep!" Mr. Dreamer nodded enthusiastically. "You guys ready?"

    The finalists nodded eagerly.

    "Okay." Mr. Dreamer smiled and said: "Now, sleep."

    And just like that, the finalists promptly lost consciousness.

 Chapter 373 Dream

    ?

    Cassandra slowly opened her eyes, confused as to where she was. She sat up and looked around, taking in the vast expanse of greenery before her. The ce was peaceful, and she could feel a gentle breeze blowing through the grass. She looked down at herself and realized that she was wearing different clothes from before. "Where am I?" she whispered to herself.

    Just then, she heard a voice behind her. "You''re in a dream," the voice said.

    Cassandra turned around and saw a man standing a few feet away from her. He wore a long, flowing cloak, and his face was partially obscured by a hood. "Who are you?" she asked, rising to her feet.

    The man smiled. "I''m Mr. Dreamer, the same guy you met earlier," he said. "And you, my dear, are in a ce where all things are possible."

    Cassandra''s eyes widened. "A dream?" she repeated. "But how did I get here?"

    Mr. Dreamer shrugged. "I brought you here," he said. "I wanted to have a chat with you."

    Cassandra frowned. "About what?" she asked.

    "About your future," Mr. Dreamer said. "You see, Cassandra, you''re a very talented fighter. You''ve proven that time and time again. But I believe you have the potential to be even greater."

    Cassandra narrowed her eyes. "What are you getting at?" she asked.

    Mr. Dreamer chuckled. "I''m simply saying that you should never limit yourself," he said. "There are no bounds to what you can achieve. So dream big, my dear. Dream big."

    Then, out of nowhere, Mr. Dreamer disappeared.

    All of a sudden, she felt a strange presence around her, and before she could react, a clone of herself appeared in front of her. The clone was a perfect copy of her, but it was much stronger and more skilled. Cassandra knew she had to fight if she wanted to wake up from this dream.

    The clone attacked her with a flurry of powerful strikes, which Cassandra barely managed to dodge. She counterattacked with a series of quick jabs and kicks, but the clone easily blocked and countered her moves.

    Cassandra felt the pressure mounting, but she refused to give up. She pushed herself to the limit, using all her skills and experience to fight her clone. The two of them shed in a fierce battle, exchanging blows and strikes with incredible speed and precision.

    The fight went on for what seemed like hours, with neither of them gaining the upper hand. Cassandra was sweating profusely, and her muscles ached with exhaustion, but she refused to give up. She knew that she had to defeat her clone if she wanted to escape this dream.

    ''It knows everything about me. Even the things I haven''t used in the tournament.'' Cassandra clicked her tongue in annoyance.

    Cassandra gasped for air as she stood panting, her entire body dripping with sweat. The clone of herself was proving to be an intense opponent, and Cassandra was having difficulty keeping up with her movements. Suddenly, Mr. Dreamer appeared once more, his gentle voice breaking the silence.

    "Do not be in a hurry to leave, dear champion," he said. "Time flows differently within this dream. Take as much time as you need."

    Cassandra looked at him in confusion, but Mr. Dreamer continued to speak.

    "You may learn from your clone," he said. "She is a reflection of your skills and weaknesses. Take this opportunity to shatter your limits and be stronger."

    Cassandra felt a wave of understanding wash over her. She realized that this was more than just a fight; it was an opportunity to grow and improve. She nodded at Mr. Dreamer and turned back to face her clone.

    With renewed vigor, she raised her fists and charged towards her clone. The two fought fiercely, their limbs shing in a symphony of a beatdown. Cassandra found herself observing her clone, looking for patterns in her movements and finding ways to counter them.

    The fightsted for what seemed like hours, but Cassandra did not tire. She was focused on learning and growing. Finally, she saw an opening and struck her clone with a fierce blow. The clone dissolved into mist, leaving Cassandra standing alone in the field.

    Cassandra looked around, her mind reeling from the intensity of the battle. She realized that Mr. Dreamer had been right. She had shattered her limits and be stronger. And she had done it in a dream.

    She felt a sense of gratitude towards Mr. Dreamer, and silently thanked him for his guidance.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "The feeling of progress certainly feels nice, isn''t it?" Mr. Dreamer''s voice sounded behind her once more.

    Cassandra turned around and nodded at him. Then, Mr. Dreamer said this:

    "I''m giving you a chance to pick." His voice rumbled in her ears, "One, you can take your leave. You''ve done the bare minimum to go past your limits, and you''re one step strongerpared to you before."

    "You can wrap it up here and take a long rest. After all, the past few days had been hectic for you, I''m sure that you''re very tired." Mr. Dreamer continued.

    "..." Cassandra refused toment just yet. Instead, she just waited until he tells her the other options there were.

    "Or two, you can stay here for some more time." He says, "I will let you fight more stronger versions of yourself. Each one you defeat will signify greater progress on yourself."

    "Choosing this option, however, must mean that you are prepared to get hut." Mr. Dreamer grimly reminded, "You won''t die here, per se. I''ll make sure you won''t. But the experience of dying will feel real every time you fail to defeat your clone. This is the magic of this dream. Whatever happens to you here will affect your body, both positively and negatively."

    Cassandra hesitated for a moment, her mind racing as she weighed her options. Leaving now would be easy, but she knew that she had not yet reached her full potential. She made her decision and turned to face Mr. Dreamer.

    "I choose to stay," she said with conviction.

    Mr. Dreamer nodded and a small smile yed on his lips.

    "Very well," he said. "But remember, don''t be in a rush. Time here flows differently from the outside. I won''t tell you how different it is just yet, but keep that in mind."

    "Anyways, you''re off-duty as long as you''re here anyway, so don''t rush anything. Learn as much as you can before leaving."

    Cassandra nodded, her eyes bright with determination. She was ready for whatevery ahead.

    As Mr. Dreamer faded away, Cassandra looked around at her surroundings. The peaceful greenery was still all around her, but she could sense that something was different. The air was charged with energy, and she knew that she was not alone.

    Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of her. It was her clone, but this time, it was even stronger than before. Cassandra knew that she had to fight if she wanted to get stronger.

    The two of them engaged in a fierce battle, their movements fluid and graceful. Cassandra pushed herself harder than she ever had before, determined toe out on top.

    As the fight dragged on, Cassandra could feel her strength waning. Her clone seemed to be inexhaustible, and Cassandra knew that she couldn''t keep up much longer. She was on the verge of copse when Mr. Dreamer appeared once more.

    "You''re doing well," he said. "But don''t forget that there is always room for improvement. Remember, this is your dream. You can do anything you want."

    With renewed determination, Cassandra summoned all of her strength and unleashed a powerful attack. Her clone was caught off guard and stumbled back, giving Cassandra the opening she needed. She struck her clone with a final blow, and it shattered into a million pieces.

    Cassandra was panting, her heart racing as she looked around at her surroundings. The dream world was still there, but it felt different somehow. She could sense that she had grown stronger, that she had shattered her limits and pushed past her own boundaries.

    She knew that there was still more to learn, still more to gain, and so she made her decision to stay in the dream a little while longer. She was not done yet.

    Meanwhile, the other finalists of the Mystic Guild Tournament also found themselves in simr dreamscapes, facing their own challenges and enemies. At first, they were confused and scared, just like Cassandra was, but soon they realized that this was an opportunity to improve themselves and be even stronger.

    As they continued to train and fight, they became aware of one another''s presence in the dream world. They started tomunicate, share tips and advice, and even spar with each other. It was a strange and surreal experience, but they all agreed that this was the most precious reward they could have received from the Mystic Guild.

    Eventually, they all chose to stay in the dream world for as long as they could, knowing that the lessons and experiences they gained here would be invaluable in their future endeavors. They fought, they bled, and they learned. And as they continued to hone their skills, they knew that they would emerge from this dream world as even greater champions than before.

 Chapter 374 Planning

    ?

    As Ashton continues to watch over the sleeping finalists, he couldn''t help but feel proud of their progress. He knew that this experience would be invaluable to them as they face even tougher challenges in the future.

    He checked on each of them, making sure that they were alright, and then turned his attention to the clock. The three days were almost up. He had to prepare the finalists for their return to the waking world.

    He sat cross-legged on a small cushion, observing the dream world that he had created for the finalists of the Mystic Guild Tournament. He watched as they fought against their clones, honing their skills and bing stronger with each passing moment.

    As he watched, he couldn''t help but wonder if any of them had the potential to be his Beneficiary or at least his Disciple. He had been searching for a suitable candidate for quite some time now, someone who could carry on his legacy and pass on his knowledge to future generations.

    He hadn''t had the chance to do this back at Elstar. It would''ve been such a waste if he had taken someone from there knowing that he''s gonna disappear anyway. Plus, he was determined to do everything by himself there so he hadn''t really thought about it.

    Now that he''s here though, he''s entertaining these thoughts again...

    But as he looked closer, he saw that none of them quite met his standards. They were skilled, yes, but theycked the creativity and intuition that he believed was necessary to truly excel in both Magic and Martial Arts.

    Even if he did choose someone, Cassandra, for example, the rewards he''ll receive from raising her would be minimal at best. Said rewards would be a nice addition to their strength, but not necessary at all.

    Just a reminder, he''s been gone from this world for a decade. Humanity hade farther than he initially expected them to. With that in mind, he also had to adjust his actions depending on what they truly needed right now.

    Ashton sighed and leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes and letting his thoughts drift.

    Perhaps he was being too picky, too exacting in his standards. But he knew that he could notpromise on what he believed was necessary for a true disciple. He needed someone who was not only skilled but also wise,passionate, and dedicated.

    For now, he would continue to observe and wait, hoping that one day he would find the one he had been seeking.

    Ashton slowly withdrew from their dreams, gently easing them back to consciousness. One by one, they began to stir, groggily opening their eyes and taking in their surroundings. Ashton greeted them with a warm smile, exining what had happened to them and how they had improved.

    Most of them still knew him as Mr. Dreamer, and that works just fine with him.

    The finalists were astonished at the amount of time they had spent in the dream world. It felt like only a few hours had passed, yet they had fought countless battles and gained an immeasurable amount of experience.

    Ashton then handed each of them a small box, containing a token of the Mystic Guild''s appreciation for their participation in the tournament. The finalists thanked him for everything he had done and left the headquarters feeling stronger, more confident, and ready to face any challenge thates their way.

    ***

    Ashton sat in arge room with Alice, ke, and Mary, the Grand Commanders of the Mystic Guild. They were discussing the next ns for the world, and Ashton was there to offer his insight.

    "Have you taken another Beneficiary yet?" Alice asked, looking at Ashton with a curious expression.

    "No, I have not," Ashton replied calmly. "I have been observing the finalists of the Guild Tournament, but none of them have met my standards."

    ke raised an eyebrow. "Your standards are quite high, Ashton. Are you sure no one among them''s worthy of your tutge?"

    Ashton shook his head. "None of them have the potential I''m looking for. But I have to say, they''re all quite skilled. They''ve been improving their abilities in the dream world I''ve created for them."

    "With what I''ve seen while I was with them, I do not doubt that they''lle far. They don''t need my help at all." Ashton shrugged, rxing on his chair.

    Mary nodded in agreement. "Yes, it''s impressive to see how much they''ve grown in such a short amount of time. Perhaps some of them will be powerful champions in the future."

    "But for now," Alice interjected, "let''s focus on the next steps for the world. We managed to buy some time for ourselves when we defeated their armyst time. I was thinking of a few things we can do to take advantage of that."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The four of them delved into a deep discussion about the world''s current state and how they could improve it. Ashton listened carefully, offering his own ideas and opinions when he deemed it necessary.

    Alice and ke sat in a meeting room, discussing their next move against the Celestial Race and the Hypogean Race. They proposed the idea of colonizing nearbys and asteroids to gather more resources and speed up humanity''s progress.

    "We have to be prepared for their return. We can''t just rely on the weapons we have now," Alice said, looking at ke.

    "I agree. But the only challenge we face is the unfavorable environment of thoses. We have to figure out how to make it work," ke replied.

    "I think we can make it work. We have advanced technology and smart scientists. We just need to put in the effort," Alice said confidently.

    ke nodded in agreement. "We can also use this time to train and strengthen our army. We can''t afford to be weak when theye back."

    The two of them continued to discuss their n, weighing the pros and cons. They knew that this was their best chance to prepare for the inevitable war.

    Ashton listened to Alice and ke''s proposal carefully, nodding asionally to show his understanding. He was aware of the importance of resources in war and the significance of colonizing others to expand humanity''s reach. However, he also had concerns about the possible repercussions of their actions.

    "I understand the importance of resources, but we also have to consider the potential consequences of colonizing others. We might have developed a way to traverse the space but for most people, this kind of activity remains dangerous." Ashton said, his voice calm but firm.

    Mary nodded in agreement, "We have to weigh the risks and benefits of our actions. We need to be strategic in our approach to this matter."

    Alice and ke looked at each other, then back at the others. They understood the concerns and risks that came with their proposal, but they believed that it was a necessary step to ensure humanity''s survival.

    "I understand your concerns, but we have to take risks if we want to win this war. We can''t just wait for our enemies toe to us. We have to take the fight to them," ke argued.

    Alice added, "And besides, we have the technology and the means to defend ourselves. We can build our defenses and make sure that we''re ready for whateveres our way."

    Ashton and Mary exchanged a look before nodding in agreement. They understood the urgency of the situation and the need to be proactive in their approach.

    "Alright then, I guess we can make that work. But let''s not rush it. First and foremost, I suggest that you hand-pick some people that we can send to survey the nearby asteroids ands. They should be trained and disciplined first before they could even think about going out there." Mary said. "As for the rest, give me some time, I''lle up with some guidelines."

    Alice and ke look pleased with what Mary said. They then turned to Ashton and waited for his verdict.

    Mary''s opinion matters of course, but in all honesty, it''s Ashton''s acknowledgment that they waiting for.

    Even though he hasn''t been with them for more than a decade now, they still think of him as Humanity''s true leader. They''re just here to help him carry this burden.

    They''ve done just as much as he did during the ten years that he went missing but in their minds, Ashton was still the one who''s fit to lead humanity to sess.

    If he agrees with their proposal, then that means that they''re doing something right.

    Ashton pondered for quite some time and said:

    "We can make it work," he said, which ted the two. "Just focus on training them, as for surveying the nearbys, I''ll do that instead. Me dreaming about it would be safer than sending people over without any prior knowledge. I''ll cover this for you."

    "As for the other developments, we can slowly discuss them. As Mary said earlier, there''s no need to rush. Time is on our side."

    The four of them then began discussing their ns, weighing the risks and benefits of each option, and strategizing their next move. They knew that their enemies were powerful and ruthless, but they were determined to protect humanity at all costs.

 Chapter 375 Dreaming

    ?

    Ashtony on the Slumbering Immortal King''s Bed, his eyes closed in deep concentration. The bed hummed with faint energy, amplifying the power of his Dream Laws as he searched for nearby points of interest. His consciousness delved deep into the fabric of space and time, his mind searching for any sign of anomalies or disturbances.

    It has been a while since used this thing. The bed wasfortable and it has an effect that allows him to fall asleep the moment heys down on it.

    Honestly, Ashton could''ve just made the trip personally to survey the nearby points of interest but he didn''t feel like leaving at all. It hasn''t been long since he returned to this world so he''s a little hesitant to leave again. Therefore, he uses this instead.

    This way, he could stay close to his loved ones while also providing them with his needed support.

    Hours passed as he searched, his body motionless on the bed. The only sound in the room was the soft hum of the magical artifact. Finally, his eyes snapped open, his mind returning to the present. He sat up slowly, his thoughts racing.

    Ashton had found several points of interest nearby. One was a rich in rare minerals, another was a moon with a unique atmosphere that could be used for terraforming, and a third was a nearby asteroid field that could be mined for resources.

    As Ashtony on the Slumbering Immortal King''s Bed, his mind drifted into the realm of dreams. He concentrated his mind''s eye on the nearest asteroid, a rocky celestial body that he had named Astero Prime. Through his dream magic, he saw that the asteroid was brimming with precious minerals such as Space Quartz, Iridium, and Super Alloys.

    These are rare materials that their wascking, and it would be very helpful if they could gather these for future use.

    Ashton observed the asteroid''s surface, scanning it for potential dangers or obstacles that might impede the Guild''s future mining operations. He noted that the asteroid was covered in jagged ridges and steep cliffs, which could prove challenging to traverse for miners and excavation teams.

    As Ashton''s dream continues, he surveys the asteroid more closely and discovers several other points of interest that could be useful for their ns.

    Geothermal Vents: He notices that there are several geothermal vents on the asteroid, indicating that the asteroid has active volcanic activity. This could be used as a source of geothermal energy, which could be harnessed to power mining operations and other equipment.

    Hollow Caverns: Ashton''s dream also reveals that there are several hollow caverns inside the asteroid. These caverns could be used as storage facilities for resources, equipment, and even living quarters for the colonizers.

    Ice Deposits: He also detects the presence of ice deposits on the asteroid''s surface, which could be used as a source of water and also be broken down into oxygen and hydrogen for life support systems and rocket fuel.

    Maic Anomalies: Ashton senses the presence of maic anomalies on the asteroid, which could be indicative of the presence of rare earth metals such as neodymium and dysprosium. These metals are criticalponents in the manufacture of electronics, wind turbines, and electric vehicles, and could be highly valuable.

    Rare Minerals: Finally, Ashton notices the presence of several rare minerals on the asteroid, including cobalt, nickel, and tinum. These metals are criticalponents in the manufacture of high-tech equipment and could fetch a high price on the market.

    Ashton takes note of all these points of interest and makes a mental map of the asteroid. He knows that if they can sessfully colonize the asteroid and extract its resources, they will be in a much better position to defend themselves against their enemies.

    Next to his list was the moon he saw...

    He''s not referring to the Moon of the Blue Marble. It''s a different moon he saw, one that''s actually close to where their was.

    The moon is called the Lunar Pce, it was he who gave it that name, and is not a natural satellite, but rather an ancient, mystical structure created by unknown but certainly powerful beings. He had no idea that such a thing existed before and that it was this close to them but now that he had seen it, he might as well see what it could offer.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As Ashton dreams about the Lunar Pce, he can see that it is a massive structure made of shimmering, iridescent crystal. The pce is surrounded by a ring of asteroids that seem to be pulled towards it by some unknown force. On the surface of the Lunar Pce, some various buildings and structures seem to have been built by different civilizations, each with its own architectural style.

    Ashton can see that the Lunar Pce is not only rich in mystical energy, but also in rare and precious materials, such as Moonstone, Lunarite, and Star Iron. However, he also senses that the Lunar Pce is guarded by powerful magic and traps, making it nearly impossible to explore without the right knowledge and skills.

    Despite the danger, Ashton can''t help but feel drawn to the Lunar Pce and its treasures. He knows that with the right preparation and strategy, he may be able to uncover its secrets and harness its power for the Mystic Guild''s cause.

    Going here might prove dangerous for the miners and guild members though, since there are certainly some traces of ancient civilization here. However, it would be such a waste to just leave it be so he''s nning to add some security for the team who''s going to be assigned here.

    As Ashton continued his exploration using the Slumbering Immortal King''s Bed, he focused his attention on a nearby. The was a breathtaking sight to behold, with lush green forests and deep blue oceans.

    It was teeming with life, with exotic creatures roaming freely across thendscape. The''s atmosphere was breathable, making it an ideal ce for humans to colonize.

    Ashton delved deeper into the''s surface and discovered rich deposits of Osmium, a rare and valuable metal known for its high density and strength. It was often used in the production of electrical contacts and other high-wear applications. Next, he found deposits of Orichalcum, a legendary metal said to be imbued with magical properties. It was known for its ability to enhance magical power and was often used in the crafting of powerful artifacts.

    As Ashton continued his search, he also discovered deposits of Rose Quartz, a beautiful pink crystal that was highly valued for its beauty and healing properties. It was often used in jewelry and other decorative items, as well as in the creation of magical talismans.

    The itself was named Arathia, and yes it was he who gave this name to it. It was a prime location for colonization. Its abundant resources and hospitable environment made it an ideal ce for humans to establish a new home. As Ashton surveyed the, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of wonder and awe at the sheer beauty of it all.

    It''s a little surprising for him to find such a habitable like this, and it''s nearby too. Plus, the resources it offers were certainly right up their alley. They could totally use some of those minerals to hasten the progress of their experiments and discoveries so Ashton made sure to create a very detailed mental map of the ce so that he wouldn''t forget where it was.

    Ashton retrieved consciousness right after this and woke up.

    He smiled to himself, feeling a sense of satisfaction at his findings. With this information, he could aid Alice and ke''s proposal for colonizing nearby points of interest. He climbed out of the bed and stretched his limbs, feeling refreshed and energized.

    Ashton was deep in thought as he considered the points of interest he had surveyed. After much contemtion, he finally decided that the first ce they should visit was Arathia.

    He thought about the precious resources that could be mined on Arathia, as well as the possibility of discovering new magic elements that could be used in the war against the Celestial and Hypogean Races. He knew that the journey to Arathia would be fraught with danger, but it was a risk they needed to take.

    Ashton contacted Alice, ke, and Mary to inform them of his decision. They discussed the logistics of the journey, including the type of ships they would need and how long it would take to travel to Arathia.

    He assured them that the mental map he created earlier would make the journey more efficient, but they still needed to be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances. He reminded them that they were on a mission to save humanity and that they needed to work together to achieve their goal.

    The group agreed to prioritize the mission to Arathia and began to make preparations for their journey. They knew that it would be a long and difficult road ahead, but they were determined to do whatever it takes to save their world.

 Chapter 376 Expedition

    ?

    Days turned into weeks and soon, it''s been a month since the n for colonization was hatched.

    The Mystic Guild was bustling with activity as the preparations for the expedition to Arithia were underway. Supplies were being loaded onto the transport ships, maps were being studied, and equipment was being tested and double-checked.

    The colonization team was already formed. It consists of many experts in different fields. This way, they could cover for most of their shorings and they could keep things moving.

    News about the colonization was kept under wraps. Ashton and the rest of the Mystic Guild''s staff didn''t think that it was the time yet to reveal this matter to the world, especially since this is just their first expedition with the intent of colonizing a.

    Ashton oversaw the preparations, ensuring that everything was in order. The Grand Commanders were also present, lending their expertise and support. The guild members were organized into teams, with each team having its own set of responsibilities.

    The logistics team was responsible for ensuring that the necessary supplies were loaded onto the transport ships. This included food, water, medical supplies, tools, and equipment. The medical team was responsible for ensuring that the necessary medical supplies were on board and that the medical staff was trained and prepared for any medical emergencies that might arise during the expedition.

    The navigation team was responsible for studying the maps of Arithia and nning the best route for the expedition. They also worked with the pilots to ensure that the transport ships were properly equipped for the journey.

    The engineering team was responsible for ensuring that the equipment was properly maintained and in good working condition. They also worked with the navigation team to ensure that the transport ships were properly equipped with the necessary technology for the journey.

    Ashton met with each team leader to ensure that their teams were properly prepared and that all necessary preparations had been made. He emphasized the importance of each team''s role in the sess of the expedition and encouraged them to work together.

    The preparations continued for several days until everything was ready. The transport ships were loaded with supplies and equipment, the medical staff was trained and prepared, and the teams were ready for the journey ahead. With everything in order, Ashton gave the signal to depart, and the expedition to Arithia began.

    The ship that the crew of the Mystic Guild was using is called the Phoenix Voyager. It is a state-of-the-art ship that was specially designed for long-distance space travel. The ship''s body is sleek and aerodynamic, with a shiny, metallic silver finish that reflects the light of the stars. It is equipped with advanced engines and thrusters that allow it to travel at incredible speeds, cutting the travel time by almost half.

    The Phoenix Voyager is also designed to be self-sustaining, with a sophisticated life support system that can sustain the crew for months on end. It has arge cargo hold that can carry all the necessary supplies and equipment needed for the expedition, as well as aboratory and workshop for scientific research and development.

    The ship is also armed with state-of-the-art defensive and offensive weapons, just in case they encounter any hostile entities in space. The crew can ess all the ship''s functions through a central control panel, which disys all the vital information about the ship''s condition, trajectory, and speed.

    Overall, the Phoenix Voyager is a marvel of modern engineering and design, and the crew of the Mystic Guild is lucky to have such a powerful and reliable ship for their expedition to the Arithia.

    Arithia, the rich they had discovered through Ashton''s dream scouting. The journey to Arithia is long and perilous, with many dangers lurking in the depths of space. The distance between the Blue Marble and Arithia is about 5 light-years away. It is one of the farthests the Mystic Guild has ever attempted to explore.

    To travel such a great distance, the Mystic Guild has prepared a massive spaceship that is equipped with thetest technology and advanced weaponry to fend off any potential threats. The spaceship, Phoenix Voyager, is so massive that it could hold up to 500 people with plenty of room to spare.

    And although the estimated distance was great, with how the Phoenix Voyager was created, the time it would take for them to reach Arithia was massively reduced.

    As per Ashton''s calctions, it should only take them a month or two before Arithia bes visible to the crew,

    The Guild members have been busy packing and preparing for the long journey ahead. They have made sure to bring enough food, water, and supplies tost them for years in case they need to stay on Arithia for an extended period. They have also packed their weapons, armor, and other equipment they might need for their exploration mission.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Ashton leads the way, making sure that everything runs smoothly. He has spent countless hours studying the, its resources, and potential dangers. He has also spent time training the Guild members to prepare them for whatever they might face once they arrive.

    Once all the necessary preparations were met. Ashton and the Grand Commanders wished them good luck and the crew set off to fulfill their mission.

    It has been weeks since then. Thankfully, themunication link remained strong between them, allowing them to receive updates from the crew here and there.

    The crew of the Mystic Guild''s expedition has been traveling toward the Arithia for several weeks now. They have faced various challenges during their journey, including intense gravitational forces from nearby celestial objects and sudden space storms that rocked their ship. However, the crew has managed to ovee these obstacles with the help of their advanced technology and skilled pilots.

    As they approach Arithia, the crew can see the''s vibrant colors from afar. The''s atmosphere is a mix of blues, greens, and purples, which makes it stand out from the dark void of space. As they descend closer to the''s surface, they can see the towering mountains, deep valleys, and vast oceans.

    The shipnds in arge clearing near a dense forest. The crew members immediately begin to set up their base camp and start exploring their surroundings. They take stock of their supplies, which include food, water, and equipment needed to mine the''s resources. They also set up theirmunication and surveince systems to monitor their surroundings and make sure they are not caught off guard by any potential threats.

    Despite the challenges they have faced, the crew is excited to begin their mission and start harvesting the''s resources. They know that this expedition will be crucial to the survival of humanity in their war against the Celestial and Hypogean Races.

    ***

    Meanwhile in the Blue Marble...

    Ashton settled into the Slumbering Immortal King''s Bed on board the ship and closed his eyes. He immediately entered into a trance, allowing his spirit to travel and observe the crew''s progress in their dreams. He could feel their anxieties and concerns about the uing colonization of Arithia, but he knew he could help them.

    He couldn''t really help but worry about them. After all, this would be the very first mission that doesn''t have anything to do with fighting. How was he more nervous about this than actually fighting their enemies, is something he truly doesn''t understand. All he knows is that he wanted to give them hands-on support.

    As the ship approached Arithia, Ashton projected his spirit into the crew''s dreams to guide and protect them. He observed their dreams, ensuring they didn''t sumb to the dangers and terrors that lurked in the Dream Realm. With his guidance, the crew remained safe and focused on their mission.

    Of course, he wasn''t always with them. As much as he was able to apany them despite their distance, he knew that they needed to ovee their fears on their own as well, otherwise, they won''t grow anymore.

    He will provide them guidance and protection, but only to a certain extent, that should be enough to guarantee that they will grow from this while also keeping them safe.

    As they began the colonization process, Ashton continued to monitor their dreams, searching for any signs of trouble. He found that some of the crew were experiencing nightmares, which could potentially put the entire mission in jeopardy. Using his knowledge of dream maniption, Ashton entered their dreams and guided them toward peaceful and calming scenarios, easing their fears and ensuring their safety.

    As the days passed, the crew settled into their new lives on Arithia. Ashton continued to apany them in their dreams, watching over them and helping them limate to their new surroundings. He also continued to search for signs of danger and potential threats to their safety.

    Through Ashton''s guidance and protection, the crew was able to sessfully colonize Arithia, and they began to thrive in their new environment. Ashton remained with them, watching over their dreams and ensuring their safety, always ready to help should they need it.

 Chapter 377 Disturbance

    ?

    As the crew set up their base on Arithia, Ashton continued to apany them in their dreams to ensure their safety. But the Mystic Guild''s expedition didn''t stop there. They had other points of interest to explore.

    After sessfully colonizing Arithia, the next destination was Astero Prime, the asteroid rich in Space Quartz, Iridium, and Super Alloys. The crew packed up and left for their next mission, with Ashton once again monitoring their dreams to keep them safe.

    The journey to Astero Prime was shorter than the one to Arithia, thanks to their state-of-the-art ship, the Phoenix Voyager. The ship''s engines allowed them to travel at an incredibly fast pace, cutting the travel time significantly. Even so, the crew spent their time wisely, making sure that they were prepared for any challenges that they may face.

    Upon arriving at Astero Prime, the crew immediately got to work, mining the precious resources the asteroid had to offer. Ashton watched over them as they worked tirelessly, ensuring that their dreams were safe from any threats that may have been lurking in the darkness of space.

    Theirst stop was the Lunar Pce, a magnificent structure made entirely out of Moonstone and other resources.

    The journey to the Lunar Pce was long, but the crew had grown ustomed to space travel by then. Ashton continued to apany them, watching over their dreams as they made their way to their destination. Once they arrived, they were greeted by the sheer beauty of this ce. Of course, it was apanied by lurking dangers that the crew had to take care of.

    After a brief discussion, they decided to create an outpost here which would be manned by some of the crewmates. They''ve also set up some outposts at the previous ces they visited so that they could gather as many resources as possible.

    With their mission aplished, the crew of the Phoenix Voyager made their way back to the Blue Marble, eager to report their sess to the Grand Commanders of the Mystic Guild.

    ***

    The first batch of resources from the expedition finally arrived at the Blue Marble. The crew had worked tirelessly to extract as many resources as possible from the various points of interest they visited. Ashton had apanied them through their dreams, ensuring their safety as they worked.

    The crew didn''t return fully, some were left to the said ces to supervise the resource gathering.

    The Mystic Guild unloaded the resources from the state-of-the-art ship and transferred them to the scientists for experimentation. The scientists were excited to examine the rare and valuable materials that the crew had brought back. They immediately began testing and experimenting, hoping to discover new uses and applications for the resources that they had acquired.

    Ashton watched as the scientists worked, peering into their dreams and observing their thought processes. He marveled at the ingenuity and creativity of these scientists, who were able to devise new technologies and innovations that would benefit humanity as a whole.

    The first results of the experimentation were promising, and the scientists were able to develop new materials and technologies that would be useful in various industries. They were able to improve energy efficiency and develop new medical treatments, among other things. The Mystic Guild was pleased with the results and looked forward to what other discoveries the crew would bring back from their future expeditions.

    Some of the recent breakthroughs were;

    Superconductive Alloys: Bybining the iridium and osmium samples, the scientists were able to create a new type of alloy that conducts electricity with virtually no resistance. This discovery revolutionized energy storage and transmission, allowing for more efficient power grids and longersting batteries.

    Scarlet Crystal Batteries: Using the rose quartz samples, the scientists developed a new type of battery that could store energy for much longer than traditional batteries. These batteries were particrly useful for powering spacecraft on long journeys.

    Hyperdrive Propulsion: By synthesizing small amounts of orichalcum, the scientists discovered a new way to manipte space-time, allowing for faster-than-light travel. This breakthrough made interster exploration and colonization much more feasible.

    Space-Time Anchors: By studying the peculiar properties of space quartz, the scientists were able to develop a new type of anchor that stabilized the fabric of space-time. This breakthrough allowed for the creation ofrge-scale structures in space, such as space stations and orbital habitats.

    And finally...the Quantum Translocator.

    The teleportation device is called the Quantum Translocator, and it was discovered by a group of scientists who were studying the properties of a rare mineral called Quantumite that was found on the Arithia. The scientists discovered that when Quantumite was subjected to a specific frequency of electromaic radiation, it produced a strange quantum field that could transport matter instantaneously over vast distances.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The scientists were initially skeptical of the implications of their discovery, as it vited many of the fundamentalws of physics. However, after conducting numerous tests and experiments, they were able to confirm that the Quantum Translocator was a reliable and safe means of teleportation.

    The Quantum Translocator works by converting matter into energy and then transmitting that energy through a specially designed quantum field to a receiving station. The receiving station then converts the energy back into matter, effectively teleporting the object from one location to another.

    The implications of this discovery were enormous. With the Quantum Translocator, it would be possible to transport people and goods across vast distances instantaneously, opening up new possibilities for exploration, trade, and colonization. However, the scientists were cautious about the potential dangers of the technology and urged for further testing and safety measures before it was widely adopted.

    These discoveries represented a new era of progress and prosperity for humanity, made possible by the Mystic Guild''s daring expeditions and Ashton''s Dream Laws.

    Sadly though, that is as far as they could get with the discoveries. That''s because, after several months of peace, the disturbance returned yet again.

    Someone alerted Ashton and reported that they saw an enemy vessel near the Star Field of Arithia. After examining the image that was sent to them, Ashton became very certain that the ship belonged to the Celestial Race.

    Ashton immediately called for an emergency meeting with the Grand Commanders, Alice, ke, and Mary. The news of the Celestial Race scout ships roaming nearby has caused rm to the Mystic Guild. They gathered in a secure location, with their most trusted generals and strategists.

    Alice was the first to speak, "We have to act quickly. The Celestial Race must have discovered our presence here on Arithia. It''s only a matter of time before theyunch an attack."

    ke added, "We have to prepare our defenses and fortify our outposts. We don''t want to be caught off guard."

    Mary suggested, "The problem is that the Phoenix Voyager already left. We don''t have another ship that could transport reinforcements as quickly as that ship could. How do we do this?"

    Ashton listened intently to their ideas before giving his input, "We should also consider our options for evacuation. If worsees to worst, we should have a n in ce to protect our people and resources."

    The Grand Commanders agreed, and they began to formte a n. The Mystic Guild would reinforce their outposts with powerful magical barriers, while also preparing their most skilled warriors forbat. But the main problem was the transport.

    With the Phoenix Voyager gone, they didn''t have other means of sending reinforcements to Arithia.

    The tension in the room was palpable, but the Grand Commanders and the Mystic Guild knew that they had to be vignt and prepared for whatever maye. They all knew that this was just the beginning of a long and difficult battle, but they were determined to protect their new home and their people at all costs.

    As the Grand Commanders discussed the report about the Celestial scout ships, they knew that time was of the essence. They decided that they needed to build the Quantum Translocator as soon as possible to be able to send reinforcements to Arithia quickly in case of an attack.

    Alice, ke, and Mary quickly conferred with the guild''s top scientists and engineers to discuss the details of the project. Ashton was also present in the meeting, providing his insights and suggestions on how to expedite the process.

    After hours of intense discussions and brainstorming, they finally came up with a design for the Quantum Translocator. The device would be capable of instantaneously transporting objects and people from one point to another, bypassing the need for space travel altogether.

    The scientists and engineers estimated that it would take several months to build the device, but the Grand Commanders knew they couldn''t afford to wait that long. They instructed the team to work around the clock, providing them with all the necessary resources and support toplete the project in the shortest possible time.

    Of course, they''re not asking them to work for free. They''veid down all kinds of benefits to ''energize'' the scientists into working overtime. Additionally, they will also help where they can. So just like that, the project started right away.

    With the Quantum Translocator in their arsenal, the Mystic Guild would have a significant advantage over their enemies, allowing them to respond quickly to any threats and defend their territories more effectively.

 Chapter 378 Something Ancient Stirs

    ?

    The construction of the Quantum Translocator was a massive undertaking that required the efforts of the entire Mystic Guild. The device was designed to transport objects and people across vast distances instantaneously, using advanced quantum mechanics and energy transposition to manipte the fabric of spacetime itself.

    The Translocator was a colossal structure, towering over the surroundingndscape like a monolithic beacon of technological prowess. Its gleaming silver exterior was decorated with intricate circuitry and pulsing energy conduits, constantly humming with power.

    Such arge structure was created in no less than a month with the workers going at it with much gusto. Thankfully, no mishaps urred during its construction.

    Inside, the device was abyrinth of chambers and chambers of machinery, each one calibrated to generate and manipte the exotic matter required for quantum teleportation. The air was thick with the sound of whirring gears and crackling energy fields, and the air was charged with the raw potential of the universe itself.

    The construction team worked tirelessly to assemble the variousponents of the Translocator, each one moreplex and delicate than thest. They were aided by thetest generation of robotic assistants, capable of performing intricate tasks with superhuman precision and speed.

    Despite the immense technical challenges, the team was making steady progress, with each passing day bringing them closer to thepletion of their grand project. The Grand Commanders looked on with pride and anticipation, knowing that the Quantum Translocator would give them the ability to respond swiftly and effectively to any threat that might emerge in the cosmos.

    ***

    The Grand Commanders gathered in the main control room of the Mystic Guild''s headquarters, surrounded by a multitude of screens and consoles disying various data and images of the Quantum Translocator. The device itself was an imposing structure, towering high above them and pulsing with a faint blue light.

    "Are we ready to begin the tests?" asked Grand Commander Alice, her eyes fixed on the screens.

    "Yes, Grand Commander," replied the lead engineer, a tall man with a wild mane of hair. "We have calibrated the device to the required parameters, and all systems are green."

    "Very well," said Alice, nodding. "Begin the first test."

    The engineer pressed a button on his console, and a small metal ball appeared in the center of the Quantum Translocator. The ball glowed with a faint blue aura before disappearing in a sh of light.

    The Grand Commanders watched intently as the screens disyed various readings and data.

    "Translocation sessful," announced the engineer. "Object has arrived at its destination with no damage or loss of data."

    "Excellent," said Alice, her face breaking into a smile. "Begin the next test."

    This time, the engineer sent a moreplex object through the Quantum Translocator, a small apparatus with various intricateponents. The device glowed brightly as it disappeared in a sh of light.

    Again, the screens disyed various data and readings, and the Grand Commanders held their breath as they waited for the results.

    "Translocation sessful," said the engineer, his face lighting up with excitement. "Allponents of the apparatus have arrived intact, with no damage or loss of data."

    "Very impressive," said Alice, nodding approvingly. "We must proceed with the final test."

    The final test was the most important one, as it involved sending a living creature through the Quantum Translocator. A volunteer was chosen, a young apprentice from the Mystic Guild, who bravely stepped into the device.

    The Quantum Translocator glowed brightly, and the apprentice disappeared in a sh of light. The screens disyed various readings and data, and the Grand Commanders held their breath as they waited for the results.

    After a few tense moments, the screens beeped, indicating that the test was sessful.

    "Translocation sessful," announced the engineer, his face beaming with pride. "The apprentice has arrived at the destination, unhurt and unfazed."

    The Grand Commanders breathed a collective sigh of relief and congratted the engineers on their sess.

    "This is a great achievement," said Alice, her eyes shining with excitement. "With this device, we can send reinforcements to Arithia in a matter of seconds. The Celestials won''t stand a chance against us."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    An event like this was truly worth the celebration. Humanity just eliminated one of its biggest challenges with the Quantum Translocator. Sadly, the celebration might have to be dyed because of a certain report that raised an rm to everybody.

    "Grand Commander! We just received an urgent report from our team in Arithia. They said that the Celestials are on the move!"

    The Grand Commanders received an urgent message from the outpost in Arithia. The message stated that several scout ships of the Celestial Race were found closing in on their location. The news spread like wildfire, causing a stir among the Mystic Guild. The scientists who were working on the Quantum Translocator were startled, realizing that they needed to speed up their work to ensure the safety of their people in Arithia.

    While the tests worked earlier, the Quantum Translocator wasplete just yet. There are all manner of things they needed to check before they could even begin transporting people using it.

    However, an emergency urred. Now, they needed to hurry the procedures up or else the crew that was left in Arithia will face imminent danger.

    The Grand Commanders knew that they needed to act fast. They immediately summoned the best minds in the Mystic Guild toe up with a n to defend their people. They also ordered the workers of the Quantum Translocator to speed up the remaining procedures. They can''t afford to waste time since the enemies wereing very soon.

    The Mystic Guild knew that they were up against an old enemy and that they needed to be smart and creative to win the battle. They decided to use their knowledge of magic and technology to create new weapons and defenses to counter the Celestial threat.

    The construction of the Quantum Translocator continued as the Mystic Guild focused all their resources on defense. The other scientists who were working on the device were called upon to help develop new weapons and defenses. They worked day and night,bining their knowledge of magic and technology to create powerful weapons that could take down the Celestial ships.

    As the Mystic Guild prepared for war, the tension in the air grew thick. Everyone knew that the stakes were high and that the future of their people was at risk.

    Thankfully though, the efforts of the inventors weren''t wasted. After days and nights of constant work, they came through. The Quantum Translocator passed all necessary tests and was 100% safe and working.

    Everybody felt relieved upon receiving that news. Ashton and the Grand Commanders wasted no time and began forming teams to send toward Arithia for reinforcements.

    A lot of Guild Members signed up to join but only the best out of the best were picked. After all, they will be arriving at a different world altogether.

    Aside from sending reinforcements, the guild also sent resources and tools to help the crew. They weren''t pulling their punches this time, the guild was determined to not allow the Celestials to corrupt this wonderful.

    The day of the battle arrived, and the Mystic Guild stood united against the Celestial threat. They fought bravely, using their magic and technology to gain the upper hand. The Celestial ships were no match for the Mystic Guild''s powerful weapons, and one by one, they were taken down.

    In the end, the Mystic Guild emerged victorious. They had saved their people from the threat of the Celestials, and they had done it through the power of magic and technology. With the Quantum Translocator waspleted, the Mystic Guild used it to transport their troops and resources quickly and efficiently.

    From this point onward, colonizing emptys and nearby points of interest should be easier...

    ***

    Paradiso is a gxy shrouded in mystery and wonder, said to be home to the most powerful and ancient beings in the universe. Its skies are filled with brilliant colors, and the stars shine brighter than anywhere else in the cosmos. It is said that the Celestial Race, the most advanced and powerful beings in the universe, make their home in the heart of Paradiso, in a ce known as the Celestial Pce.

    At the very core of the gxy, a strange and ancient presence stirs. It is a force that hasin dormant for centuries, waiting for the right time to awaken. As it stirs, the stars in the Paradiso gxy begin to flicker and dim, as if the very fabric of reality is being twisted and pulled.

    Ashton felt this sensation from his world.

    A shiver ran down his spine and a foreboding sense of danger flooded his mind. But instead of being afraid, Ashton grinned and looked at the sky, whispering to himself:

    ''About to wake up, eh?''

    Shaking his head, he made his way toward the depths of the Mystic Guild''s headquarters. Precisely where the El-Tree stood tall, basking under the golden rays of the sun. Ashton ran his fingers on its bark and whispered:

    "Come then...this time, only one of us will remain."

 Chapter 379 Amen

    ?

    Time passed swiftly as the Morning Sun Federation and the Mystic Guild immersed themselves in a flurry of activity. Their expeditions to the various points of interest near the Blue Marble had proven fruitful, providing them with abundant resources and materials.

    The scientists and researchers of the Morning Sun Federation and the Mystic Guild tirelessly conducted countless experiments and studies, pushing the boundaries of knowledge and discovery. In their state-of-the-artboratories and research facilities, they delved deep into the mysteries of the gathered resources, seeking to unlock their hidden potential.

    New breakthroughs emerged one after another, sparking excitement and anticipation among the researchers. The Morning Sun Federation''s scientists developed advanced energy sources using the unique properties of Space Quartz, revolutionizing the way energy was harnessed and utilized. The Mystic Guild''s alchemists and enchanters sessfully forged powerful weapons and protective enchantments using the rare Super Alloys and Orichalcum, ensuring the safety and strength of their warriors.

    The Morning Sun Federation''s agricultural experts cultivated hybrid crops infused with the magical essence of Rose Quartz, yielding bountiful harvests that could sustainrger poptions. Meanwhile, the Mystic Guild''s arcane schrs discovered new spells and incantations by studying the arcane properties of the precious mineral Osmium, expanding the boundaries of magic itself.

    In the bustlingboratories and workshops, ideas flowed freely, and innovation thrived. The coborative efforts of scientists, engineers, enchanters, and alchemists gave rise to inventions that improved the quality of life for humanity. Advancedmunication devices allowed for instantaneousmunication across vast distances, bridging the gaps between distant colonies. Healing potions and treatments using synthesizedpounds brought new hope to the sick and injured.

    The Morning Sun Federation and the Mystic Guild became beacons of progress and enlightenment, pushing the boundaries of what was previously thought possible. The fruits of theirbor permeated every aspect of society, enhancing the livelihoods of people across the Blue Marble.

    As the months passed, the Morning Sun Federation and the Mystic Guild continued their pursuit of knowledge and advancement. Their dedication and tireless efforts brought about a new era of prosperity and growth, as humanity stood poised on the precipice of even greater achievements.

    And if these could be achieved in just months, what could Humanity achieve if they''re given years? Decades, even?

    But amidst the scientific and technological advancements, a lot of individuals dedicated themselves to the path of cultivation. Cultivators, with their unwavering resolve and indomitable spirit, sought to transcend their mortal limitations and reach greater heights.

    With the abundant resources gathered from the expeditions, cultivators found themselves with ess to precious elixirs, rare herbs, and potent cultivation techniques. These invaluable resources became catalysts for their progress, allowing them to refine their bodies and harness the energies of the world.

    Under the guidance of aplished masters and with the support of the Morning Sun Federation and the Mystic Guild, cultivators underwent rigorous training and honed their skills to perfection. They delved deep into ancient scriptures and practiced profound martial arts techniques and magic, their bodies transforming as they absorbed the essence of the resources bestowed upon them.

    The Space Quartz, infused with the energy of the cosmos, was meticulously crafted into cultivation talismans that enhanced the connection between cultivators and the spiritual energies. The Orichalcum, radiating a mystical aura, was fashioned into divine artifacts that bolstered their defenses and augmented their attacks. The potent elixirs derived from rare herbs granted temporary surges of power, enabling cultivators to break through their limits and achieve new realms of cultivation.

    With each passing day, cultivators pushed themselves further, striving to reach the pinnacle of their respective paths. They engaged in fierce sparring matches, exchanging techniques and refining theirbat skills. They immersed themselves in profound meditations, delving into the depths of their inner selves to unlock hidden potential.

    The hard work and dedication of the cultivators were matched only by their unyielding perseverance. Through blood, sweat, and tears, they cultivated their bodies, minds, and spirits, seeking to harmonize with the natural forces of the world.

    As the Morning Sun Federation and the Mystic Guild provided cultivators with the means to strengthen themselves, a harmonious synergy emerged. The advancements in technology and the umtion of resourcesplemented the cultivation practices, empowering cultivators to reach unprecedented levels of power and wisdom.

    The union of science, technology, and cultivation forged a new era for humanity. With each cultivator''s progress, they became a beacon of hope and inspiration, showcasing the potential thaty within every human being. As their strength grew, so did their responsibility to protect and guide those around them, ensuring a prosperous and harmonious future for all.

    The path of cultivation, intertwined with the progress of science and the ingenuity of invention, became an integral part of humanity''s journey towards greatness. And as cultivators continued their arduous endeavors, they paved the way for a new era where the boundaries of possibility were shattered, and the potential of humanity knew no limits.

    Deep within the vast expanse of the cosmos, nestled in the heart of a distant gxy known as Paradiso, a primordial being awakened from a slumber that spanned eons in his dreams. As his consciousness flickered back to life, he sensed the ethereal currents of cosmic energy flowing through the cosmic web, weaving a tapestry of existence that had continued to evolve in his absence.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    His eyes, which bore the weight of countless centuries, slowly opened, revealing a radiant hue that seemed to capture the essence of celestial fire. The ancient being, known by many names but whispered in the cosmic annals, surveyed his surroundings with a mixture of irritation and disappointment.

    His once magnificent realm, a celestial paradise of infinite wonder and unparalleled beauty, had been reduced to a mere echo of its former glory. The cosmic energies that once danced in a symphony of harmony now quivered with disharmony, tainted by the ravages of time and the machinations of lesser beings.

    No, it couldn''t have been their enemies who did this. He figured that it has something to do with his disappearance. His followers aren''t used to independence after all.

    But beneath the surface of his disappointment, there was also a glimmer of glee, a spark of tion that surged within his essence. For though the cosmos had changed, its essence remained intact, and he could taste the promise of infinite possibilities thaty before him. It was a moment of relief, for he had feared that his eternal rest would condemn him to eternal oblivion, forever severed from the cosmic dance.

    He initially thought that his imprisonment of more than a decade would reduce his chance of attaining his goals, however, it looks like nothing happened. He had been wary of nothing it seems.

    Now, free from the shackles of his celestial prison, he yearned to reim his dominion, to restore the bnce that had been disrupted in his absence. With each passing moment, his presence resonated through the cosmic fabric, sending ripples of power and anticipation across the expanse of Paradiso.

    As he extended his senses beyond the confines of his ethereal sanctuary, he felt the faint echoes of celestial beings, the remnants of his once vast and loyal retinue. They too had endured the long wait, their powers diminished but their loyalty was unwavering. He knew that it would take some time to restore his celestial throne, for this past decade or so had changed the cosmdscape, and new powers had emerged to challenge his supremacy.

    With a measured breath, he marshaled his cosmic energy, weaving it into intricate patterns that resonated with the very fabric of reality. He summoned ancient artifacts, long forgotten but forever etched into the cosmic tapestry, and infused them with his essence, awakening their dormant powers once more.

    The surge of energy emanating from his awakening reverberated across the gxy, drawing the attention of those attuned to the celestial harmonies. It was a beacon, a sign that the ancient being had returned, and the cosmos held its breath, awaiting his next move.

    As the cosmic currents swirled around him, he knew that his journey would be fraught with challenges and trials. But he embraced the opportunity with a resolute determination, for the celestial tapestry demanded bnce, and he would ensure that equilibrium was restored.

    ...and that the prophecy would never happen.

    With each step he took, the gxy trembled, and the celestial realms braced themselves for the dawn of a new era. The once dormant gxies would witness the resurgence of an ancient power, as he set forth on a path of cosmic remation, his eyes aze with determination, and his heart pulsating with the echoes of forgotten empires.

    His existence alone was enough for many beings to tremble in fear. He hasn''t even done anything, yet they''re already afraid of him. This was the effect of his reputation and power.

    He is a reminder to them that there will always be a sky beyond the sky, stronger than the strong. He is the true dominator of eons and the real overlord of many existences.

    A being that has been born right after the creation of all things.

    The Father, The Son, and Holy Spirit

    - Amen, the Celestial God.

 Chapter 380 The Irony

    ?

    Alice, the Sword Empress, stirred from her slumber, her senses tingling with an unshakable unease that gnawed at the corners of her consciousness. As her eyes fluttered open, she was immediately engulfed by a sense of foreboding, a feeling of emptiness in the pit of her being. It was as if a vital piece of her existence was missing, and the absence filled her with an unexinable dread.

    She sat up in her bed, her mind racing to identify the source of this disquiet. Was it a forgotten appointment, a neglected duty, or a looming threat that eluded her awareness? Alice''s mind searched through thebyrinth of her memories, desperately grasping at any clue that could exin this lingering unease.

    Alice retraced her steps from the previous day, reying each encounter, conversation, and task in her mind''s eye. But nothing stood out as an obvious trigger for this palpable sense of danger that clung to her like a shadow. It was a frustrating puzzle, an intangible weight that settled upon her shoulders.

    She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, her bare feet touching the cool floor as she rose to her feet. Determined to shake off this unsettling sensation, she strode purposefully toward her training chamber. Perhaps the familiar routine, the sh of steel against steel, would help dispel the lingering cloud of unease.

    The training hall greeted her with its familiar sights and scents��the polished wooden floors, the gleaming weapons adorning the walls, and the echoes of past battles that seemed to whisper through the air. She grasped the hilt of her trusted de, Excalibur, and unsheathed it in a swift motion that rang through the chamber.

    With each practiced strike, Alice''s body moved in perfect harmony, her muscles remembering the countless hours of training, honing her skills to a razor''s edge. But despite the familiar cadence of the training routine, the sinking feeling within her remained steadfast, refusing to dissipate.

    As the echoes of her de''s impact reverberated through the chamber, Alice paused, her chest heaving with exertion and frustration. She knew that she couldn''t ignore this ominous intuition, for her instincts had served her well in countless battles. There was a hidden danger lurking, waiting to reveal itself, and she needed to be prepared.

    Leaving the training chamber behind, Alice made her way to the Grand Commanders'' chambers, her stride purposeful and resolute. She would share her concerns with her fellow leaders, seeking their wisdom and counsel. Together, they would unravel the mystery that shrouded her unease, and they would stand united against any threat that dared to challenge the sanctity of their realm.

    As she approached the door to the chambers, Alice''s hand paused, hovering just inches from the polished wood. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation thaty ahead. Her heart brimmed with determination, for she knew that she would do whatever it took to safeguard her people, even if it meant facing an unknown peril head-on.

    With a final surge of resolve, Alice pushed open the door, stepping into the presence of her fellow Grand Commanders. The weight of her unease remained, but in thepany of her trusted allies, she felt a glimmer of hope. Together, they would uncover the truth and face whatever awaited them on the path ahead, for they were the guardians of their realm, sworn to protect it from any and all threats.

    ***

    The grand chamber resonated with an atmosphere of tension as the other Grand Commanders, Mary the Oracle Sage and ke the Titan, exchanged concerned nces. The weight of Alice''s unease mirrored in their own expressions, a shared realization that something far-reaching and formidable loomed on the horizon.

    Mary, her eyes shimmering with ethereal light, took a step forward, her voice carrying a thread of weariness as she spoke, "I have delved into the heavenly secrets, seeking answers to this looming dread that has gripped us. But the veils of foresight remain stubbornly opaque, obscuring the truth from my sight."

    She reached out her hands, revealing faint traces of ethereal energies swirling around her fingertips. With great care, she attempted once more to unravel the hidden threads of destiny, pushing the boundaries of her own abilities. Yet, as the tendrils of her power reached out, an unexpected surge of resistance surged back, causing her to recoil in pain.

    A gasp escaped from Mary''s lips as she clutched her chest, her body trembling from the bacsh. It was clear that the forces she sought to prate were not only guarded but possessed a power that surpassed her own. The very fabric of the future seemed to shift and warp, deflecting her inquiries with an unyielding force.

    ke, the Titan, moved swiftly to Mary''s side, concern etched upon his features. He gently guided her to a nearby seat, his voiceced with worry, "Mary, are you alright? Don''t push yourself too hard. Your well-being is of utmost importance."

    Mary nodded weakly, her breathingbored as she tried to regain herposure. It was clear that the mystical forces at y were formidable, unlike anything they had encountered before. The depth of this enigma unsettled her, for it hinted at an adversary of unparalleled strength, lurking in the shadows beyond their grasp.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As Alice, Mary, and ke exchanged nces, a shared determination settled within them. The inexplicable dread that coursed through their veins was no mere figment of imagination. It was a call to action, a summons to protect their realm from an impending threat.

    It was then that they felt a presence announcing itself within the room. Looking over, it was Ashton who shimmered into existence.

    The grand chamber fell into a hushed silence as Ashton, known as Humanity''s True Leader, stepped into the room with an air of gravitas. The Grand Commanders turned their attention towards him, their eyes filled with anticipation and concern. They looked to him for guidance, hoping he held the answers to the unsettling feelings they had experienced.

    Alice, her brows furrowed with worry, spoke up first, her voiceced with urgency, "Ashton, something doesn''t feel right. We''ve been sensing this deep-seated unease, like an impending storm. Do you have any idea what''s going on?"

    Ashton''s gaze swept across the room, his expression serious but tinged with a hint of seriousness. He took a deep breath before speaking, his voice filled with solemnity, "The Celestial God roams free once more."

    Gasps of surprise and rm echoed through the chamber as the weight of his words sank in. The Celestial God, a formidable entity of immense power and ancient grudges, had been sealed away for more than a decade. His sudden release marked a significant shift in the tides, a threat that could not be ignored.

    Ashton continued, his tone tinged with weariness, "I''m afraid that we''re going to be busy. He won''t hold back and neither am I."

    "I''ll be damned if I let himy a finger on my child." Ashton dered with fierce determination, causing another cacophony of gasps to ring across the room.

    Ashton''s mind raced with a myriad of emotions, his thoughts turning inward as he grappled with the irony of the moment. While the weight of the impending battle against the Celestial God bore heavily upon him, another revtion had simultaneously entered his life - the news that Aria, his beloved, carried their child within her.

    Amidst the turmoil of imminent conflict, a bittersweet joy welled within Ashton''s heart. The irony was not lost on him, for as the world seemed to teeter on the edge of chaos, a new life had taken root within the womb of his beloved. It was a stark reminder of the duality of existence, the juxtaposition of hope and despair.

    As he contemted the significance of this moment, Ashton couldn''t help but feel a surge of protectiveness wash over him. The responsibility he bore as Humanity''s True Leader now extended to the life growing within Aria, a precious existence that embodied their love and the future they yearned for.

    Yet, there was an undeniable heaviness in his heart. The knowledge that he would soon face a battle of unimaginable proportions weighed on his soul. How could he reconcile the duty to safeguard the world with the instinctive desire to shield his loved ones from harm?

    Ashton''s resolve deepened his determination intertwining with the love that coursed through his veins. He knew that he couldn''t protect his family by standing on the sidelines, and he couldn''t safeguard humanity''s future by neglecting his personal responsibilities. The two paths were intertwined, and he had to navigate them both.

    In the face of imminent danger, he would fight for a world where his child could grow and thrive, where love and harmony prevailed. It was a daunting task, but he drew strength from the knowledge that he was not alone. The Grand Commanders stood by his side, and the unwavering support of Aria gave him the fortitude to face the challenges thaty ahead.

    Ashton''s heart swelled with determination and a renewed sense of purpose. He would protect his beloved, their unborn child, and the world they cherished. The irony of the timing only intensified hismitment to both causes, driving him to fight with all his might against the looming threat of the Celestial God

 Chapter 381 War Preparations

    ?

    As the news of the Celestial God''s release reverberated throughout the halls of the Mystic Guild, Humanity swiftly entered a state of war preparation. Every corner of the Blue Marble buzzed with fric activity as the urgency of the situation took hold.

    In the heart of the Mystic Guild headquarters, the Command Center thrummed with energy. Holographic screens flickered to life, disying strategic maps, real-time intelligence, and tactical simtions. Grand Commanders, alongside experienced generals and advisors, huddled together, their minds aze with ns and contingencies.

    On the ground, the vast training grounds of the Guild resonated with the sound of shing swords, thunderous footsteps, and the crackle of arcane energies. Seasoned warriors and aspiring recruits drilled relentlessly, honing their skills and perfecting their battle formations. The air crackled with determination and a shared sense of purpose.

    In theboratories, scientists and engineers toiled ceaselessly, their focus directed towards enhancing the weaponry and defenses of the Mystic Guild. State-of-the-art armaments were refined, harnessing the power of the newly discovered resources to create weapons capable of facing the formidable Celestial forces. Armor suits were forged with intricate enchantments, offering enhanced protection and magical resilience.

    The airships and spacecraft hangars bustled with activity as fleets were readied for battle. Crews diligently inspected and maintained the vessels, ensuring peak performance and reliability. Advanced propulsion systems were fine-tuned, allowing for swift maneuvers and faster-than-ever travel between celestial bodies.

    Meanwhile, the mystical practitioners, the cultivators, immersed themselves in arduous training regimes. They delved deep into ancient tomes, seeking hidden knowledge and refining their mastery over the elements. Their aura radiated with raw power, their magic intensified through rigorous practice and the infusion of the newfound resources.

    In the heart of this war preparation state, the Morning Sun Federation and the Mystic Guild forged a formidable alliance. Coborative meetings, strategic briefings, and joint exercises took ce to synchronize their efforts. Their unity exemplified the unyielding spirit of humanity, standing shoulder to shoulder against the encroaching darkness.

    Outside the Guild''s boundaries, the entire Blue Marble underwent extensive fortification. Defense towers were erected, forming an imprablework of arcane barriers and energy shields. Wards and enchantments were woven into the very fabric of the, shielding it from malevolent forces and granting early warning systems against any celestial incursion.

    The citizens, united in purpose, were not idle either. Volunteers flocked to aid in the war effort, offering their skills and services wherever needed. From medical personnel readying field hospitals to engineers reinforcing critical infrastructure, every individual yed a vital role in the defense of their world.

    As the preparations reached their peak, a palpable aura of determination hung in the air. The collective will of humanity shimmered like a beacon, ready to face the celestial onught with unwavering resolve. Each soul, fueled by love for their, their loved ones, and the future they fought for, stood prepared toy everything on the line.

    It was in this state of unparalleled preparation, with hearts ame and swords raised, that humanity awaited the arrival of the Celestial God and his army. The Blue Marble, transformed into a fortress of strength and resilience, exuded an aura of defiance, a testament to the indomitable spirit of humanity.

    Amidst the tension and anticipation, the war preparation state echoed with the silent vow of every individual involved: to stand united, to protect their home, and to ovee the seemingly insurmountable odds thaty ahead. The stage was set, and the fate of humanity hung in the bnce as they prepared to face their most formidable adversary yet.

    ***

    In the midst of the bustling war preparation state, an urgent meeting convened in the central chamber of the Mystic Guild. The Grand Commanders, alongside prominent figures from the Morning Sun Federation and key advisors, gathered around a grand round table. Tension hung heavy in the air, mirroring the gravity of the impending conflict.

    Alice, the Sword Empress, stood at the head of the table, her gaze steady andmanding. She raised her hand, calling for silence and attention from all those present. The room fell into hushed stillness, eyes locked on her with a mix of determination and apprehension.

    "Esteemed leaders and allies," Alice began, her voice firm and resolute, "the time hase for us to face the threat of the Celestial God and his army. Our focus must be undivided, our strength united, as we prepare to defend our home."

    She paused, allowing her words to sink in, before continuing, "In light of the impending conflict, I hereby order the temporary halt of all colonization efforts. Our resources and efforts must be redirected towards fortifying our defenses and bolstering our military might."

    Nods of agreement rippled through the room as the weight of her words settled upon the gathered leaders. It was a necessary sacrifice, a strategic decision made to safeguard the very foundation of their existence.

    ke, the Titan, leaned forward, his expression steely. "The colonies we have established will be ced under high alert," he dered. "Local security forces will be strengthened, and measures will be implemented to ensure the safety and well-being of our settlers. But for now, our priority is to consolidate our forces here, on the Blue Marble."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Mary, the Oracle Sage, raised her hand, her voice resonating with a sense of urgency. "The Mystic Guild shall dedicate its resources to enhancing our magical defenses," she proimed. "Ancient wards shall be reinforced, and our practitioners shall focus their energies on spellcasting and enchantments to counter the celestial threat."

    Ashton, still disguised as the enigmatic Mr. Dreamer, regarded the assembled leaders with a steady gaze. "Our priority is to ensure the survival of humanity," he said, his voice carrying an air of solemnity. "Our colonizing efforts have yielded great strides, but now, we must turn our attention inward, fortifying our unity, and standing together against this looming menace."

    With a series of nods, agreements, and shared determination, the leaders epted the orders to temporarily halt the colonization efforts. It was a necessary sacrifice, a collective decision made in the face of an imminent threat. They understood that the survival and future of humanity depended on their ability to rally, to defend their home with unwavering resolve.

    As the meeting adjourned, the leaders dispersed, their minds focused on their individual responsibilities in the war preparation state. Messages were sent to the outposts and colonies, rying the orders and emphasizing the need for vignce and preparedness.

    The settlers in the distant reaches of space received the news, acknowledging the temporary pause in their ambitious ventures. They understood the greater purpose, knowing that their contributions would be channeled toward safeguarding the entire human race.

    The colonization efforts, once propelled by a spirit of exploration and expansion, now took a backseat to the imminent battle against the Celestial God. The pause was a testament to the unity and sacrifice of humanity, a collective effort to protect their home and pave the way for a future that could flourish in peace.

    With the temporary halt dered, the colonists and pioneers adjusted their focus, redirecting their expertise towards the war effort. Their pioneering spirit remained strong, ready to resume their mission once the threat had been vanquished.

    For now, the Blue Marble, fortified by thebined efforts of the Morning Sun Federation and the Mystic Guild, became a hive of activity. Engineers and technicians worked tirelessly to construct defensive structures, upgrade weapon systems, and develop advanced technologies to counter the celestial threat. Military strategists analyzed battle simtions, studying the enemy''s tactics and weaknesses, to formte effective strategies.

    ***

    In their home...

    The gentle glow of candlelight filled the room, casting a warm ambiance as Ashton and Aria sat together in their private sanctuary. Aria''s hand gently cradled her swelling belly, a testament to the new life growing within her. Ashton watched her with adoration in his eyes, his heart filled with a mix of joy and concern.

    Ashton gently traced circles on Aria''s belly, feeling the tiny movements of their unborn child. He couldn''t help but feel a sense of protective instinct, a fierce desire to shield their little family from harm. But he also knew the weight of responsibility that rested upon his shoulders as the leader of humanity.

    In that tender moment, as they held each other close, a bond between them grew stronger. Their love, their hope, and their shared purpose illuminated the path before them. They would face the challenges thaty ahead, drawing strength from their connection and the knowledge that their love would guide them through even the darkest of times.

    "I believe in you." Aria gently looked at him. "If there''s someone who could lead us to victory, I know that it''ll be you."

    Ashton smiled at her and nted a kiss on her forehead.

    "You''ve got allies. We''re all in this together, never forget that" she continued: "And once you''re done,e home to me...to us."

    Ashton''s eyes moistened a bit before replying: "I will. I promise."

    Together, they would weather the storm, embracing the gift of their growing family and striving for a future where love and light prevailed. And as they whispered words of love and promises into the night, their hearts remained intertwined, ready to face whatevery ahead, united in their unwavering devotion to each other and the world they cherished.

 Chapter 382 Dawn Of War

    ?

    An urgent report just came in...

    The tension in the war room was palpable as the Grand Commanders, Alice, ke, and Mary, gathered around a holographic disy. Reports of a sighting had reached their ears�� a colossal wormhole had materialized near the Blue Marble. The magnitude of this discovery sent shockwaves through their hearts, stirring a sense of urgency and foreboding.

    The holographic disy flickered to life, projecting an image of the stabilized wormhole. It glowed with an ominous energy, pulsating with otherworldly hues. The Grand Commanders exchanged troubled nces, fully aware of the implications thaty before them.

    As the wormhole stabilized, a swarm of scout ships emerged from its depths, their sleek and formidable designs unmistakable. The Grand Commanders watched with a mix of rm and resolve as the celestial and hypogean vessels made their appearance, a chilling reminder of the imminent threat they faced.

    Alice clenched her fists, her eyes narrowing with determination. "This is it," she dered, her voiceced with a steely resolve. "The enemy has shown their hand. We cannot afford to hesitate any longer."

    ke''s face hardened, his gaze fixed upon the holographic disy. "Prepare our forces for immediate engagement," hemanded, his voice carrying an unwavering authority. "We will face them head-on and defend our home."

    Mary, the Oracle Sage, brought her hands together, her fingers entwining in a gesture of contemtion. Her eyes shimmered with ancient wisdom, as she mentally prepared herself for what was toe.

    The urgency in the war room intensified, soldiers and strategists, springing into action, rallying their forces and fortifying their positions. The call to arms echoed across the Blue Marble, reaching every corner of human civilization, as the realization sunk in that the war they had long prepared for was now upon them.

    The skies above the Blue Marble erupted in a symphony of lights and energy as the celestial and hypogean scout ships appeared, casting ominous shadows upon the hearts of the''s citizens. Humanity''s response was swift and resolute, though. Defense systems were activated, interceptorsunched, and a wave of determination swept through the ranks of soldiers and cultivators alike.

    In the face of this sudden provocation, humanity stood united. The countless hours of training, the breakthroughs in technology and magic, and the unwavering spirit of their people had prepared them for this very moment. The time for negotiations and peaceful coexistence hade to an end. Now, the sh of worlds was inevitable.

    With hearts ame and eyes fixed on the enemy, the Grand Commanders led their forces to meet the iing threat head-on. They understood the weight of their responsibility, the burden of leadership, and the dire consequences of failure. But they also carried within them a flicker of hope, a belief in the indomitable human spirit, and the knowledge that they fought not only for themselves but for the future of all humanity.

    As the first salvos of battle echoed across the cosmos, the war had truly begun. The fate of the Blue Marble hung in the bnce, and the grand saga of humanity''s struggle against the celestial and hypogean forces hadmenced. The time for heroes to rise, sacrifices to be made, and legends to be forged had arrived. The war had imed its opening act, and the curtain of destiny had been drawn.

    ***

    Across the world, several scenes of soldiers gearing up could be seen...

    In the armory, soldiers d in sleek armor meticulously equipped themselves for the impending battle. The air crackled with a mix of tension and unwavering resolve. Each soldier adjusted their gear with meticulous care, their movements swift and purposeful. Their eyes reflected determination, their hearts brimming with a deep sense of duty.

    As they fastened their helmets and secured their weapons, a profound silence settled over the armory. At that moment, they felt a surge of purpose, a realization that they were the vanguards of their race, standing on the precipice of history. Each soldier carried within them the weight of theirrades'' trust, their families'' hopes, and the collective spirit of humanity.

    On the training grounds, soldiers engaged in rigorousbat drills. Sweat dripped down their brows, and their muscles strained with exertion, but their spirits remained unyielding. Each strike, each parry, was executed with precision and determination.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Amidst the ng of metal and the shouts ofmanding officers, a sense of camaraderie thrived. The soldiers drew strength from one another, forming an unbreakable bond forged in the crucible of training. They knew that in the face of the enemy, their unity would be their greatest weapon, and their unwavering resolve would carry them through even the darkest of battles.

    In the barracks, soldiers gathered in small groups, sharing stories and words of encouragement. They spoke of their loved ones back home, of the lives they sought to protect. The room buzzed with a mix of anxiety and determination, as soldiers from different backgrounds found sce in the shared purpose that bound them together.

    In hushed whispers and firm voices, they reaffirmed theirmitment to one another and the cause they fought for. Their eyes shimmered with a mix of trepidation and steely resolve. Each soldier knew the risks they faced, but they were willing toy their lives on the line for the greater good, knowing that their sacrifice would pave the way for a better future.

    As the soldiers assembled on the battlefield, a sea of determined faces stretched as far as the eye could see. Banners fluttered in the wind, bearing the emblems of unity and courage. The air crackled with a charged energy, a palpable anticipation of the sh thaty ahead.

    In their eyes, there was no fear, only a burning determination to defend their homes, their families, and their fellow soldiers. They formed a formidable force, standing shoulder to shoulder, bound by amon purpose. Each soldier knew that in their handsy the fate of their race, and with every step forward, they embraced the weight of responsibility that came with their chosen path.

    Together, they marched towards the enemy, their hearts pounding with a mix of trepidation and unyielding resolve. They carried within them the hopes and dreams of an entire race, their spirits unbroken, and their determination unshakable. As they advanced, a resounding chant rose from their ranks, echoing across the battlefield��a testament to their unwavering spirit and their indomitable will to fight for the survival and triumph of humanity.

    At that moment, the soldiers became more than mere individuals. They became the embodiment of courage, resilience, and the unbreakable spirit of humanity. Their valor would be etched in the annals of history, a testament to their unwavering resolve to stand against the forces that threatened their existence.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Ashton sat in his office, a room adorned with maps, holographic disys, and tactical reports. His gaze shifted from one screen to another, absorbing the intricate details of the ongoing war. The room was filled with a low hum of activity as officers hurriedly passed by, rying crucial information and coordinating strategies.

    His eyes narrowed as he assessed the unfolding battlefield. He knew that his time to join the fray woulde, but for now, his role was to strategize, to analyze the ebb and flow of the conflict, and to provide guidance to hismanders on the ground. The weight of responsibility rested heavily on his shoulders, but he carried it with unwavering determination.

    With each report that came in, Ashton''s mind raced, calcting the best course of action, analyzing the enemy''s movements, and anticipating their next move. His keen intellect and deep understanding of warfare allowed him to grasp the nuances of the battlefield, see beyond the chaos, and find the strategic advantages that could turn the tide in humanity''s favor.

    Despite his calm exterior, a storm of emotions raged within Ashton. He felt the burden of leading his people through this dire hour, the weight of countless lives resting on their decisions. Doubt asionally crept into his mind, but he quickly dismissed it, reminding himself of the unwavering resolve that had brought them this far.

    Ashton''s hand hovered over a holographic disy, tracing the movements of the Celestial and Hypogean forces. He felt a mix of anger, frustration, and determination. They had breached the sanctity of their homeworld, threatened the lives of their people, and it was a debt that would be repaid in kind.

    In this moment of stillness, Ashton steeled his resolve. He knew that the time for action woulde soon when he would join hisrades on the battlefield and lead the charge against theirmon enemy. But for now, he remained focused, analyzing every detail, ensuring that when his time came, he would be prepared to unleash the full might of the Mystic Guild and the Morning Sun Federation.

    Deep down, Ashton held onto the hope that their collective efforts, their sacrifices, and their unwavering spirit would lead them to victory. As he observed the war procedures from his office, he vowed to do everything in his power to protect his people, safeguard their future, and to bring an end to the tyranny of the Celestial God and his schemes.

    With resolve burning in his eyes, Ashton leaned back in his chair, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. The war raged on, but he knew that when his time came to step onto the battlefield, he would do so with a heart filled with courage, a mind sharp with strategy, and the determination to ensure that humanity would prevail against all odds.

 Chapter 383 Start!

    ?

    Nobody expected that the Celestial God himself woulde.

    Bathed in a divine light, nobody except the Grand Commanders could peer through the veil that was obscuring his features.

    The nearby starfield trembled as the Celestial God exerted his unimaginable power. In a breathtaking disy of cosmic energy, he summoned ethereal chains that encased the Blue Marble, ensnaring it within a cage of shimmering light. The was trapped, cut off from the outside world, and isted from the rest of the universe.

    This meant that this and its citizens are going nowhere. If they ever do, then it shall be under the Celestial God''s gaze. This is no different than a direct sentence of envement to their kind.

    But the awe-inspiring disy did not end there. With a wave of his hand, the Celestial God unleashed his power upon the nearby asteroid field. The lifeless rocks, once drifting peacefully through space, transformed into a sprawling battlefield, stretching as far as the eye could see. The asteroids shifted and rearranged, forming abyrinth of treacherous terrain where the forces of good and evil would sh.

    The celestial energy radiated from the Celestial God, suffusing the battlefield with an otherworldly aura. The air crackled with power as the asteroids became infused with cosmic energies, pulsating with an eerie glow. Streams of light snaked through the void, connecting the asteroids and forming intricate patterns, creating a surreal and mystifying atmosphere.

    The battlefield took on a dynamic and ever-changing nature, as the celestial energies manipted the asteroids. Some rocks shattered into fragments, hurtling through space as deadly projectiles. Others split open to reveal hidden chambers and tunnels, providing strategic vantage points or treacherous traps. The very fabric of reality seemed to bend and twist, defying conventionalws of physics.

    The celestial battlefield became a stage for the sh of titans, a canvas where the forces of good and evil would wage their cataclysmic battle. Soldiers on both sides stared in awe and trepidation, their minds grappling toprehend the magnitude of power disyed before them. They felt the weight of their insignificance in the face of such immense cosmic forces.

    Amidst this grand spectacle, the Celestial God stood tall, his presencemanding and formidable. His form radiated with celestial light, his essence merging with the fabric of the cosmos itself. The mere sight of him sent shivers down the spines of even the most seasoned warriors, for they knew they were facing an adversary of godlike proportions.

    The celestial battlefield became a testament to the power and dominion of the Celestial God. It served as a stark reminder to humanity of the magnitude of their task, the daunting challenge thaty before them. Yet, even in the face of overwhelming odds, the resolve of humanity remained unyielding. They would not falter, for the fate of their world and the future of their species depended on their unwavering determination to defy the celestial forces that sought to enve them.

    As the celestial battlefield shimmered with cosmic energy and echoed with the sh of weapons and magic, the war between the forces of humanity and the celestial and hypogean races entered a new chapter. The stage was set, the yers were in position, and the fate of the worlds hung in the bnce.

    ***

    The Grand Commanders of Humanity stood in awe and disbelief as they witnessed the incredible disy of power by the Celestial God. Their eyes widened, their hearts raced, and a mixture of fear and determination coursed through their veins. This was a moment that tested their resolve as leaders and as the defenders of their race.

    Alice, the Sword Empress, clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles turning white. She had faced formidable adversaries before, but the sheer magnitude of the Celestial God''s power sent chills down her spine. Yet, she refused to let fear paralyze her. Her eyes burned with a fierce determination, her warrior spirit unwavering. She knew that her people were counting on her, and she would not let them down.

    ke, the Titan, stood tall and resolute, his gaze fixed on the celestial battlefield. His brow furrowed as he analyzed the implications of the Celestial God''s power. His mind raced, devising strategies and tactics to counter this seemingly insurmountable threat. He understood the gravity of the situation, and his duty as a leader was clear��to protect his people at all costs.

    Mary, the Oracle Sage, closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the ebb and flow of cosmic energy that emanated from the celestial battlefield. The vastness of the power she sensed left her in awe, but it also ignited a spark of defiance within her. She believed in the indomitable spirit of humanity and the power of their collective will. She would harness her prophetic abilities to guide her allies and unravel the secrets hidden within the cosmic forces at y.

    Ashton, still disguised as the enigmatic Mr. Dreamer himself, scoffed at the clear provocation of the Celestial God. The way that entity stood there looking like he was the center of everything and everyone, irks him to the core. To others, what the Celestial God did might be impressive but to him? It''s just some worthless crap.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He could instantly undo everything that the Celestial God did, but where was the fun in that? This war might be as daunting as it is, but it''s a necessary thing. To finish this, once and for all...

    In the face of the Celestial God''s disy of power, the Grand Commanders found sce in their unwavering unity. They shared amon purpose��to protect humanity, preserve their way of life, and to forge a future free from the grip of celestial oppression. Their expressions hardened, and an unspoken vow passed between them, solidifying their determination to face theing storm with unwavering courage and unyielding resolve.

    ***

    The battlefield stretched as far as the eye could see, a vast expanse of charred earth and billowing smoke. The air crackled with energy, the tension palpable as the forces of humanity faced off against thebined might of the Celestial and Hypogean Races. The sh was imminent, and the fate of the world hung in the bnce.

    The sun cast its dying rays upon the battlefield, painting the scene in a surreal mix of light and shadow. Soldiers d in advanced armor stood in disciplined formations, their weapons gleaming with deadly intent. Their faces etched with determination, they awaited the call to charge, their hearts beating in unison.

    The rumble of engines filled the air as armored vehicles rolled into position, their heavy treads grinding against the earth. Tanks, armed with powerful cannons, stood like mighty behemoths, ready to unleash devastation upon the enemy. The ground quivered under their weight, a testament to the sheer power they possessed.

    Above, the sky was a swirling canvas of aerial warfare. Fighter jets soared through the heavens, leaving trails of smoke in their wake. The pilots, masters of the skies, maneuvered their aircraft with precision, their eyes locked on the enemy. Missiles streaked across the sky, leaving fiery trails as they sought their targets.

    And then it began.

    A thunderous roar echoed across the battlefield as the two opposing forces charged toward each other. The ground shook beneath their feet, a symphony of battle cries and the shing of weapons filled the air. The sh of metal and the eruption of magic reverberated through the battlefield, a cacophony of violence and chaos.

    The humans fought with unwavering resolve, their training and discipline shining through. They moved with calcted precision, striking at their enemies with a lethalbination of martial prowess and advanced technology. Energy sts erupted from their weapons, tearing through the enemy ranks with devastating force.

    The Celestial and Hypogean forces, with their otherworldly powers and monstrous forms, unleashed their fury upon the humans. Waves of magic crashed against the human defenses, shaking the very ground beneath their feet. But the humans stood firm, their determination unyielding, as they pushed back against the overwhelming might of their foes.

    Amidst the chaos of battle,manders barked orders, strategizing and adapting to the ever-changing tide ofbat. The battlefield became a symphony of coordinated movements, as squads executed nking maneuvers, aerial strikes, and close-quartersbat.

    Blood stained the ground, a testament to the cost of war. Yet, amid the carnage, the humans fought on, fueled by their unwavering spirit and their desire to protect their loved ones and their way of life. They fought not just for survival, but for the future of their species, knowing that the oue of this sh would shape the destiny of worlds.

    The sh raged on, the battlefield engulfed in a maelstrom of violence and destruction. But in the hearts of the humans, a fire burned bright, fueled by their indomitable spirit and their refusal to surrender. They fought with every ounce of strength, their resolve unyielding, as they pressed forward against their celestial and hypogean adversaries.

    In this crucible of war, heroes would rise, sacrifices would be made, and the fate of humanity would be decided. The sh of the war had begun, and the oue would be etched in the annals of history, forever remembered as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human race.

 Chapter 384 Combat Regalia

    ?

    The battlefield was a maelstrom of chaos and destruction, as the forces of humanity shed with the armies of the Celestial and Hypogean Races. The air crackled with energy, and the ground trembled beneath the weight of their fury.

    Warriors from all sides engaged in deadlybat, their weapons shing and magic colliding in brilliant disys of power. Swords gleamed in the sunlight, arrows soared through the air, and spells exploded with devastating force. The sounds of battle echoed, a symphony of shes, screams, and roars, drowning out any semnce of peace.

    On one side, valiant soldiers of the Morning Sun Federation fought with unyielding courage, their determination etched upon their faces. They formed a shield wall, deflecting the relentless onught of the enemy with their unbreakable resolve. Their swords and spears found their marks, striking down the celestial and hypogean soldiers who dared to threaten their homnd.

    But the casualties were not one-sided. As the battle raged on, brave warriors from humanity''s ranks fell, their lives extinguished in an instant. Their sacrifice was mourned, their names etched into the annals of heroism. Theirrades fought on, fueled by their memory and the urgency to protect their fallen brethren.

    Among the enemy ranks, the celestial and hypogean soldiers fought with fervor, their supernatural abilities and otherworldly weapons wreaking havoc on the battlefield. Their movements were swift and graceful, their attacks precise and deadly. Arcane energies crackled around them, enhancing their powers and making them formidable adversaries.

    Amidst the chaos, acts of heroism and selflessness emerged. Warriors from both sides risked their lives to save theirrades, disying unwavering loyalty and camaraderie in the face of certain death. They charged into the fray, defying the odds and pushing back the enemy lines, even if only for a fleeting moment.

    Yet, for every victory, there was an equal measure of tragedy. The war imed lives from all sides, leaving behind a trail of grief and sorrow. Families were shattered, dreams extinguished, and futures forever altered. The battlefield became a stage of untold stories, each life lost a testament to the price paid for freedom.

    Through the smoke and haze, the Grand Commanders fought alongside their soldiers, leading by example and inspiring unwavering resolve. Their presence brought a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos, a beacon of light in the darkest of times. They rallied their forces, bolstering their morale and urging them to fight on, to push through the pain and the anguish.

    As the battle raged on, the casualties mounted, and the toll of war weighed heavily on the hearts of the warriors. But they fought with a determination fueled by the belief that their cause was just, that the survival of their race depended on their sacrifice. The sh of weapons and the cries of the fallen echoed through the war-tornndscape, a testament to the unyielding spirit of humanity in the face of overwhelming odds.

    ***

    In the vast expanse of the battleground, the skies became a theater of aerialbat. Sleek and powerful aircraft soared through the air, leaving trails of fire and smoke in their wake. The pilots, skilled and courageous, maneuvered their craft with precision and finesse, engaging the enemy forces in a deadly dance.

    Humanity''s airforce, known for its exceptional skill and advanced technology, fought with unwavering determination. Their fighter jets weaved through the sky,unching missiles and unleashing a barrage of gunfire upon the enemy ships. Explosions blossomed in the air as the projectiles found their targets, engulfing the celestial and hypogean vessels in mes.

    The pilots showcased their expertise, executing daring maneuvers to dodge iing fire and outmaneuver their adversaries. They engaged in dogfights, twisting and turning, engaging in a deadly game of aerial cat and mouse. The skies became a battleground of speed, agility, and precision.

    With every enemy ship that fell from the sky, the human pilots felt a surge of triumph. They knew that by limiting the enemy''s reinforcements, they were tilting the scales of the battle in their favor. Their strikes were not just about destruction; they were strategic moves that disrupted the enemy''s ns and weakened their resolve.

    The sky was painted with trails of smoke and fire, a testament to the fierce determination of the human pilots. They pushed their aircraft to their limits, utilizing every weapon and tactic at their disposal. Their skills were honed through countless hours of training, and now they put them to use on the ultimate stage of warfare.

    As the enemy ships fell one by one, the skies became more favorable for the human forces on the ground. With limited reinforcements, the celestial and hypogean armies found their movements hampered, and their ns disrupted. The human Air force held the power to control the battlefield from above, delivering devastating blows and ensuring the safety of their ground troops.

    Amidst the chaos of aerialbat, the human pilots remained focused and resolute. They knew the stakes were high, and the lives of theirrades depended on their unwaveringmitment to victory. Through skill, teamwork, and sheer determination, they continued to dominate the skies, pushing back the enemy and securing a vital advantage for their forces.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The rumble of engines, the whistling of missiles, and the thunderous explosions filled the air as the aerial battle raged on. The human pilots pressed forward, their spirits undeterred by the overwhelming odds. They were the guardians of the sky, the protectors of theirrades below, and with every enemy ship they downed, they inched closer to victory.

    As the aerial battle raged on, a team of human pilots found themselves in a perilous situation. Out of nowhere, a group of enemy ships materialized, surrounding them from all sides. The sudden ambush caught them off guard, and heavy fire rained down upon their aircraft. Explosions erupted in the air, engulfing their ships in mes.

    The Celestial Ships appeared from out of nowhere. Their radars failed to sense their arrival at all. They thought that their surroundings were clear at one point then all of a sudden, they found themselves surrounded.

    And judging by the number of weapons locked onto their ships, it''s clear that their situation isn''t looking too good.

    It seemed like all hope was lost as their aircraft was torn apart by the relentless assault. The pilots braced themselves for the inevitable, resigned to their fate. But just as the smoke and debris cleared, a sight both astonishing and awe-inspiring emerged from the chaos.

    Walking out of the wreckage, the surviving pilots donned a suit of armor unlike anything seen before. Gleaming and resilient, the armor shimmered with faint energy, pulsating with a powerful aura. This was the Combat Regalia, thetest technological breakthrough that had been shrouded in secrecy until now.

    The Combat Regalia was a marvel of human ingenuity and engineering. It was designed to enhance the capabilities of the pilots, granting them unparalleled protection and strength. Made from advanced alloys and infused with arcane enchantments, the armor deflected enemy fire and absorbed the impact of explosions.

    As the pilots stood tall in their Combat Regalia, a sense of invincibility washed over them. Projectiles ricocheted harmlessly off their armor, and even the fiercest attacks of the surrounding enemy ships failed to prate its formidable defenses. They became a beacon of hope amidst the chaos, a symbol of humanity''s resilience and determination.

    With renewed vigor and unyielding resolve, the pilots fought back against their assants. Their weapons, integrated seamlessly with the Combat Regalia, unleashed devastating firepower upon the enemy ships. The tides of battle turned as the pilots swiftly turned the tables on their adversaries, their movements fluid and precise.

    They tore through the enemy formation with gleaming weapons and a fierce intent to kill. With their suits of armor, they could withstand some serious damage safely.

    The enemy ships, once confident in their surprise attack, now found themselves outmatched by the indomitable pilots in their Combat Regalia. The tables had turned, and the pilots became the hunters rather than the hunted. They unleashed a relentless barrage of counterattacks, decimating the enemy fleet with precision and efficiency.

    Witnessing the prowess of the Combat Regalia, a newfound hope spread among the ranks of the human forces. The armor symbolized a turning point in the war, a testament to humanity''s resilience and ability to adapt and ovee any obstacle. The pilots in their enhanced suits became the vanguards of victory, inspiring theirrades and instilling fear in the hearts of their enemies.

    With the power of the Combat Regalia, the aerial forces pushed forward, shattering the enemy''s ambush and regaining control of the skies. The battle continued to rage, but the pilots knew that their newfound armor had turned the tide in their favor. They pressed on with unwavering determination, knowing that victory was within their grasp.

    The emergence of the Combat Regalia marked a pivotal moment in the war, a technological breakthrough that tipped the scales in humanity''s favor. It was a testament to their indomitable spirit and relentless pursuit of progress. With the armor''s protection and enhanced capabilities, the pilots became living embodiments of resilience, defiance, and the unyielding human spirit.

    With the pilots dominating the aerial domain, thend fighters are also trying to take advantage of the battlefield before them...

 Chapter 385 Gods Wrath

    ?

    On the vast battlefield, where the sh of armies reverberated through the air, thend war between humanity and thebined forces of the Celestials and Hypogeans unfolded with relentless intensity. Both sides were determined to gain control of strategic zones, vying for the upper hand in this crucial conflict.

    The terrain was a patchwork of treacherousndscapes, scarred by craters, and dotted with remnants of shattered structures. The once picturesque fields had turned into a chaotic battleground, strewn with debris and scorched earth. The air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke and the cacophony of weapons shing.

    Human soldiers, donning their advanced battle armor, formed disciplined ranks, their eyes focused, and their hearts filled with unwavering resolve. They moved with precision, their footsteps echoing a unified rhythm as they advanced toward the key positions. Each soldier was armed with state-of-the-art weaponry, infused with thetest technological advancements, and imbued with ancient enchantments.

    Opposing them, the forces of the Celestials and Hypogeans appeared, their presence emanating an otherworldly aura. The Celestials, with their ethereal grace, showcased incredible speed and agility, while the Hypogeans, with their brutish strength, struck fear into the hearts of their foes. Together, they formed a formidable alliance, determined to extinguish humanity''s resistance.

    The sh of steel and the crackle of magic filled the air as the opposing forces collided. Spells whizzed through the battlefield, leaving trails of fiery destruction in their wake. Arcane shields shimmered, providing temporary respite from the onught, only to be shattered by relentless volleys of projectiles.

    Amidst the chaos,manders barked orders, strategizing and adapting to the ever-changing circumstances. The battleground became a chessboard, with each faction seeking to outmaneuver their adversaries. Both sides fought tooth and nail for control of strategic points, their objectives clear - to secure advantageous positions, disrupt enemy supply lines, and establish dominance.

    In the midst of the bloodshed, heroic acts of valor unfolded. Soldiers pushed past their physical limits, driven by an unwavering sense of duty. They fought not only for their own survival but for the future of humanity. The ground beneath their feet became hallowed as brave warriors shed, their determination etched on their faces.

    Explosions rocked the battlefield, sending shockwaves rippling through the earth. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring vision and adding an eerie atmosphere to the already grimndscape. Thendscape itself seemed to bear witness to the magnitude of the conflict, scarred and marred by the relentless sh of opposing forces.

    Despite the casualties and the harrowing nature of the battle, the soldiers held fast, unwavering in theirmitment to protect their homes and loved ones. They fought with every ounce of strength, their unity and resilience fueling their determination.

    Hour by hour, thendscape shifted, as strategic zones changed hands repeatedly. Lives were lost, and sacrifices were made, but the spirit of humanity burned bright amidst the darkness. Each skirmish and engagement brought them closer to their ultimate goal - to ensure the survival and freedom of their race.

    As night fell upon the battlefield, thend war continued, illuminated by flickering mes and the intermittent glow of magic. The struggle persisted, unabated by fatigue or despair. Every soldier understood that this battle was but one chapter in arger war, and their unwavering dedication would be crucial in shaping the oue.

    In the midst of the chaos, humanity''s courage and resilience shone through. They fought not just for victory, but for the hope of a better future. Thend war raged on, a testament to the indomitable spirit of humanity, and a symbol of their unity and determination in the face of overwhelming odds. As thend war raged on, moments of heroism and sacrifice defined the battlefield.

    In one corner, a squad of human soldiers held their ground against a relentless onught of Celestial and Hypogean forces. They fought with a tenacity borne out of the knowledge that failure was not an option. Their weapons swung with precision, cutting through the enemy lines and creating an opening for theirrades.

    A young soldier, bloodied and battered, emerged as a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. With unwavering resolve, he rallied his fellow fighters, inspiring them to push forward despite their exhaustion. Their coordinated attacks disrupted the enemy''s advance, buying precious time for reinforcements to arrive.

    Meanwhile, on another front, a group of seasoned warriors utilized theirbat regalia to devastating effect. d in gleaming armor, their movements were swift and calcted. With every swing of their weapons, they carved a path through the enemy ranks, leaving a trail of fallen adversaries in their wake. Theirbat regalia granted them enhanced strength and agility, allowing them to turn the tide of battle in humanity''s favor.

    Amidst the shes, mages unleashed their arcane powers, summoning elements and weaving spells that tore through the enemy lines. Bolts of lightning streaked across the sky, incinerating foes in their path. Walls of fire erupted, forcing the opposing forces to scatter and regroup.

    However, thend war was not without its sacrifices. Brave soldiers fell, their lives extinguished in the pursuit of victory. Theirrades fought on, their grief transforming into a burning determination to honor the fallen by securing a future free from the tyranny of the Celestial God.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As the battle wore on, the terrain became a testament to the fierce struggle that unfolded. Craters deepened, trenches widened, and thendscape became an amalgamation of mud, blood, and shattered remnants of war machines. The once vibrant fields were now scarred, bearing witness to the price of defiance against the celestial forces.

    Throughout the chaos,manders strategized tirelessly, coordinating their troops'' movements with precision. They assessed the ever-shifting battlefield, adapting their tactics to exploit weaknesses in the enemy lines. Communicationworks buzzed with urgent orders and reports, ensuring that no opportunity for victory was missed.

    Through the long hours ofbat, the determination of humanity burned brighter than ever. Thend war became a crucible in which their resilience and spirit were forged. Each soldier fought not only for their own survival but for the collective hope and dreams of their people.

    As dawn broke on the horizon, casting its pale light over the battlefield, the oue of thend war remained uncertain. The air was thick with anticipation, mingled with the heavy toll of fatigue and loss. But in the hearts of every soldier, the fire of hope continued to burn, pushing them forward to face the next chapter in this epic conflict.

    Thend war was far from over, and the fate of humanity hung in the bnce. They stood united, a force that refused to yield to the oppressive might of the Celestial God. The struggle would be long and arduous, but with their unwavering resolve, they were determined to shape their own destiny and carve a path to victory.

    ***

    As the tides of battle seemed to turn in favor of humanity, a sudden shift in the atmosphere sent chills down the spines of soldiers on both sides. Dark clouds amassed above the battlefield, swirling with malevolent energy. A deafening crack of thunder split the air, heralding the arrival of the Celestial God''s wrath.

    Everybody tensed up the moment they felt and saw that storm. And judging by the looks of it, this storm does not have any effect on either Celestials or Hypogeans. It only harms humans.

    A tempest of unparalleled ferocity descended upon the battlefield, unleashing torrential rains, lightning bolts that seared the earth, and powerful gusts that tore through the ranks of soldiers. In an instant, the once-advancing human forces were thrown into disarray, struggling to weather the onught.

    Amidst the chaos, the Grand Commanders emerged from the chaos, their resolve unshaken. Alice, her eyes aze with determination, raised her sword high, channeling her formidable powers as the Sword Empress. With a resolute cry, she unleashed a wave of energy that dispersed the storm''s fury, carving a path of calm amidst the tempest.

    The Light of her sword, Excalibur, shone brightly on the battlefield. Commanding awe and respect to all who witnessed it. With a single swing of her sword, she dispersed the violent storm which aims to cripple their forces.

    ke, in his enormous Titan Form, defiantly extended his hands toward the heavens, calling upon the forces of nature to counteract the raging storm. The wind obeyed hismand, swirling around him in a protective barrier, deflecting bolts of lightning and scattering the raindrops like shimmering mist.

    Mary, the Oracle Sage, closed her eyes, tapping into the ancient knowledge that resided within her. Her connection with the celestial realms grew stronger as she sought to unravel the essence of the storm. With a whispered incantation, she conjured a barrier of mystic energy, shielding the troops from the storm''s devastating impact.

    Together, the Grand Commanders stood defiantly against the fury of the Celestial God''s storm, a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. Theirbined powers created a sanctuary within the battlefield, where soldiers found respite and regained their strength.

    As the storm subsided, the Grand Commanders, undeterred by the Celestial God''s power, pressed forward, determination etched on their faces. They reached the epicenter of the disturbance, their eyes locking with the malevolent gaze of the Celestial God.

 Chapter 386 Clash

    ?

    The Grand Commanders stood before the Celestial God, their eyes filled with determination and unwavering resolve. The air crackled with tension as the two forces confronted each other, their power radiating in waves.

    The Celestial God stood tall and imposing, his form radiating an ethereal aura that seemed to blend seamlessly with the fabric of the universe. His features were otherworldly, with skin that shimmered like stardust, cascading in ever-changing hues of celestial light. His eyes burned with an intense, piercing glow, revealing the depth of his ancient wisdom and unfathomable power.

    Cloaked in majestic robes that billowed around him like swirling nebe, the Celestial God exuded an aura of majestic authority. His presencemanded reverence, and with every movement, his robe seemed to ripple with the cosmic energies that surged within him.

    Above his head, a halo of shimmering constetions encircled him, casting a gentle glow that illuminated the battlefield. It was a celestial crown, a symbol of his godlike status and the immense power he possessed.

    As the Celestial God raised his hand, the very fabric of reality seemed to warp and twist around him, bending to his will. The air crackled with energy, and the raw power he emanated sent shivers down the spines of those who beheld him. His presence was both awe-inspiring and terrifying, a force that transcended mortalprehension.

    With every step he took, the ground trembled beneath him, as if acknowledging the might of his existence. The celestial aura surrounding him pulsed with otherworldly energy, casting an enchanting glow that drew the gaze of all who dared to stand against him.

    In the face of the Celestial God, the Grand Commanders could feel the weight of his immense power, like an invisible pressure bearing down upon them. It was a reminder of the arduous battle they were about to face, against an adversary whose very essence was intertwined with the fabric of the cosmos itself.

    Alice, the Sword Empress, stepped forward, her gaze locked with the Celestial Gods. Her voice resonated with a calm yet resolute tone. "Why must a being like you, do this? Youck nothing, yet you still seek to steal everything under the heavens!"

    The Celestial God loomed before them, his form exuding an aura of otherworldly power. His voice echoed through the battlefield, carrying an air of arrogance. "You pitiful mortals dare to challenge me? Your defiance is but a fleeting me in the face of my divine might."

    ke, known as the Titan, stepped forward, his towering presence radiating strength. His voice thundered with determination. "Your arrogance blinds you, Celestial God. Your actions provoke bad karma. We will not be silenced."

    Mary, the Oracle Sage, her eyes aze with ancient wisdom, spoke with unwavering conviction. "Your cruelty has caused suffering across the realms. We, the Grand Commanders, stand as beacons to protect our world and our people. Your reign of darkness ends now."

    The Celestial God sneered, a cruel smile twisting his lips. "You insolent beings think you can oppose me? I shall crush your feeble resistance and revel in your despair."

    Alice''s grip tightened around her sword, her voice filled with unwavering determination. "We may be mortals, but we hold the strength of unity and purpose. Together, we will shatter the chains of oppression you seek to impose upon us."

    With those words, the sh between the Grand Commanders and the Celestial God became inevitable. The battlefield erupted into a chaotic symphony of power and fury. The fate of worlds hung in the bnce as the Grand Commanders unleashed their formidable abilities, confronting the god who sought to subjugate their kind.

    ***

    The battlefield trembled under the weight of the sh, as the Grand Commanders faced off against the mighty Celestial God. Power surged and crackled in the air, the very fabric of reality quivering with anticipation.

    Alice, the Sword Empress, charged forward with blinding speed, her de gleaming with ethereal light. She unleashed a flurry of precise strikes, each one infused with her unwavering determination. The Celestial God parried her attacks effortlessly, his movements fluid and seemingly effortless.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ke, known as the Titan, stood firm, his towering presencemanding attention. He summoned the primal forces of earth and unleashed his raw strength. The ground quaked beneath him as heunched devastating blows, his fists empowered with the weight of a titan. Yet, the Celestial God deflected his strikes with an ethereal shield, his divine essence shielding him from harm.

    Mary, the Oracle Sage, stood at the heart of the confrontation, her eyes shining with ancient knowledge. She called upon the celestial forces, weaving intricate patterns of energy that spiraled around her. Waves of mystic power surged forth, striking the Celestial God, but he remained resolute, shrugging off the assault with disdain.

    With each sh of weapons and a burst of magic, the battlefield became a canvas for an epic dance of power and resilience. The Grand Commanders fought with unwavering resolve, drawing upon their deepest wells of strength and pushing themselves beyond their limits.

    The Celestial God, a being of immense power, retaliated with devastating force. He unleashed beams of celestial energy that rent the earth asunder, causing shockwaves that reverberated across thend. The sheer magnitude of his power threatened to overwhelm the Grand Commanders, but they stood their ground, their spirits unyielding.

    Alice pivoted gracefully, her de sweeping in a lethal arc. The air crackled with energy as she unleashed a devastating technique, the culmination of years of training and the fervor of her determination. The de sliced through the celestial defenses, striking true, but the Celestial God merelyughed, seemingly unaffected.

    ke, undeterred by the seemingly insurmountable odds, summoned the fury of the elements. Thunder roared and lightning crackled as the Titan channeled his magic to its peak. A cataclysmic storm enveloped the battlefield, raging against the Celestial God''s presence. But he remained unscathed, his divine aura repelling the elements with ease.

    Mary, her eyes aze with celestial light, tapped into the infinite wisdom of the universe. She channeled the cosmic energies, weaving intricate spells that resonated with the very essence of creation. Beams of celestial lightshed out, piercing the darkness surrounding the Celestial God, but he absorbed the energy effortlessly, seemingly invulnerable.

    As the battle raged on, the Grand Commanders refused to yield. Their determination burned like a beacon, inspiring those around them to rise, to fight with unwavering resolve. Each blow they struck, each incantation they uttered, carried the hopes and dreams of humanity, fueling their defiance against the overwhelming might of the Celestial God.

    In the face of the Grand Commanders'' relentless assault, the Celestial God''s facade of indifference began to crack. He unleashed a barrage of devastating attacks, desperate to quell the unwavering spirit of humanity. The very fabric of reality twisted and contorted as their powers shed in a cataclysmic disy of celestial and human will.

    But in the heart of this maelstrom, the Grand Commanders stood tall. They drew strength from their unity, their unyielding belief in the indomitable spirit of humanity. With each strike, they chipped away at the Celestial God''s defenses, theirbined efforts weakening his celestial aura. The air crackled with tension as the tide of the battle slowly shifted, hope to kindle in the hearts of the Grand Commanders and their allies.

    Sweat trickled down Alice''s brow as she spun, her de tracing arcs of determination through the air. She channeled every ounce of her skill and experience, her movements bing an elegant symphony of steel. The Celestial God staggered, his divine form faltering momentarily as her de found its mark, leaving a searing gash across his celestial armor.

    The Titan, muscles rippling with raw power, unleashed a barrage of earth-shattering blows upon the Celestial God. His fists collided with celestial force, the shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. The ground trembled beneath their feet, cracks forming as the very earth rebelled against the Celestial God''s intrusion.

    Mary''s incantations echoed through the chaotic battlefield, her voice rising above the mor of battle. She called upon the ancient spells, their resonance piercing the fabric of reality itself. The Celestial God writhed in agony as her mystic energies interwove with his celestial essence, causing rifts of celestial light to flicker across his form.

    Despite their valiant efforts, the Celestial God retaliated with fury. He summoned celestial storms, whipping winds, and cascades of celestial energy, threatening to swallow the Grand Commanders in a tempest of divine power. Their bodies strained against the onught, each impact sending shockwaves of pain reverberating through their beings.

    Yet, in the face of overwhelming adversity, the Grand Commanders found strength within themselves and each other. Their resolve burned brighter than ever as they rallied their allies, a symphony of defiance ringing through the battlefield. With each coordinated strike and calcted spell, they chipped away at the Celestial God''s defenses, forcing him to retreat, to defend rather than attack.

    The celestial battlefield became a stage of awe-inspiring spectacle as the sh between mortals and the divine reached its crescendo. Explosions of energy and cascades of celestial light illuminated the heavens, a testament to the indomitable spirit of humanity. The battlefield bore the scars of their struggle,ndscapes ravaged and scarred, but amidst the chaos, the Grand Commanders fought on, their determination unyielding.

 Chapter 387 Defeat?

    ?

    The battlefield trembled under the relentless assault of the Celestial God. Despite their unwavering resolve, the Grand Commanders found themselves pushed to their limits, their bodies strained and battered by the overwhelming power of their divine foe.

    Alice, the Sword Empress, fought with every ounce of her strength and skill, her de dancing through the air in a desperate attempt to pierce the Celestial God''s defenses. But her strikes were parried effortlessly, each blow met with an unyielding celestial force. Fatigue seeped into her muscles, her movements slowing, as she struggled to keep up with the godly speed and strength of her adversary.

    The Titan, ke, unleashed his mighty blows, each strike infused with the raw power of the earth. But the Celestial God proved to be an immovable force, his celestial armor deflecting even the most devastating of attacks. ke''s muscles screamed in protest as he strained against the celestial resistance, his energy waning with each passing moment.

    Mary, the Oracle Sage, tapped into the vast well of her mystical powers, summoning celestial energies in a desperate bid to turn the tide of the battle. But the Celestial God seemed immune to her spells, his divine aura devouring her mystic forces with ease. Exhaustion weighed heavily upon her, her body growing weaker with each failed attempt to breach his celestial defenses.

    As the battle raged on, the Grand Commanders fought with all their might, their spirits refusing to yield to despair. But the Celestial God''s power seemed boundless, his attacks relentless and devastating. The ground quaked beneath their feet, cracks spreading like spiderwebs, as the very fabric of reality strained under the weight of their sh.

    With a thunderous roar, the Celestial God unleashed a cataclysmic wave of celestial energy, overwhelming the Grand Commanders in a blinding explosion of power. The force of the st sent them hurtling through the air, their bodies battered and broken. Pain coursed through their beings, their strength fading, as they struggled to rise against the insurmountable odds.

    As they gathered theirst ounces of strength, the Grand Commanders realized the inevitable truth �C their defeat was imminent. The Celestial God loomed over them, his celestial aura pulsating with victory. Despite their valiant efforts, they had been outmatched by a force beyond mortalprehension.

    In the face of defeat, a bittersweet eptance washed over the Grand Commanders. They had fought with every fiber of their being, giving their all to protect humanity. But in this ultimate sh, the celestial might of the Celestial God proved too formidable to ovee.

    As darkness descended upon the battlefield, the defeated Grand Commanders cast one final nce at each other, a silent understanding passing between them. Their sacrifice and unwavering determination would forever be etched into the annals of history.

    With their heads held high, the Grand Commanders epted their fate, knowing that their sacrifice would ignite a me of resilience and defiance in the hearts of humanity. The war was not over, even with their defeat. Their legacy would live on, inspiring future generations to rise against the forces that threatened their existence.

    As the Celestial God''s triumphantughter echoed through the deste battlefield, the Grand Commanders embraced their destiny, their spirits unbroken even in the face of defeat.

    As the dust settled on the battlefield, a heavy silence descended upon the ranks of humanity''s army. A profound sorrow filled the air, weighing down the hearts of the soldiers like an unbearable burden. Tears welled in their eyes, streaming down their faces, as they gazed upon the fallen forms of their revered Grand Commanders.

    A collective anguish swept through the ranks, their grief reverberating in the air. The soldiers stood motionless, their faces etched with deep sorrow and disbelief. The vibrant energy that once coursed through their veins had been extinguished, reced by a numbing sense of loss that seemed to suffocate them.

    Whispers of disbelief and despair mingled with quiet sobs, as the soldiers struggled toe to terms with the reality of their fallen leaders. Their voices, once filled with courage and determination, were now hushed, choked by the weight of sorrow. It felt as if a piece of their very souls had been torn away, leaving behind an unfible void.

    Knees buckled beneath the weight of sorrow, soldiers crumbled to the ground, their hands clutching at their chests as if trying to ease the pain that seared within. Their grief was a heavy shroud that enveloped them, casting a pall of mncholy over the battlefield.

    The camaraderie that had bound them together now felt frayed and fragile. They searched for sce in the eyes of theirrades, finding only mirrored reflections of their own sorrow. Each heartache echoed in the air, weaving a tapestry of shared anguish that transcended individual pain.

    The fallen Grand Commanders had been more than leaders to the soldiers; they had been beacons of hope, guiding lights in the darkest of times. Their loss struck a devastating blow, leaving the soldiers adrift in a sea of sorrow, unsure of how to navigate the turbulent waves of grief.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    In this sorrowful scene, the soldiers clung to memories of their fallen leaders, desperately clinging to the fading remnants of their strength. They mourned not only the loss of theirmanders but also the dreams and aspirations that had been shattered in an instant.

    The weight of their sorrow seemed unbearable, threatening to drown them in a sea of despair. Yet, in the midst of this somber moment, a flicker of resilience emerged. The soldiers, though battered by grief, found sce in the shared bond of their sorrow. They drew strength from each other, offeringfort and support amidst their collective heartache.

    With heavy hearts and tear-stained faces, the soldiers began to gather the fallen Grand Commanders, their movements slow and reverent. Each fallen hero was cradled with the utmost care, their sacrifices honored in this solemn procession. Tears fell freely as they carried their fallen leaders, their footsteps heavy with the weight of loss.

    As the soldiers paid their final respects to the fallen Grand Commanders, a poignant silence settled over the battlefield. It was a moment of profound sadness, a poignant reminder of the cost of war. In the midst of their sorrow, the soldiers vowed to carry on their legacy, to fight with unwavering resolve, and to honor their memory with every step they took on the path to victory.

    Though sorrow clung to their hearts like a shadow, the soldiers stood together, united in their grief. They would press on, driven by the indomitable spirit of their fallen leaders, forging ahead in the face of unimaginable loss. Their sorrow would fuel their determination, reminding them of the stakes at hand and the need to protect the world they held dear.

    As the dust settled and the defeated soldiers mourned their fallen leaders, the Celestial God stood amidst the wreckage, his victory undeniable. But amidst the echoes of triumph, a faint twinge of unease tugged at his divine essence. Despite the resounding sess, a lingering feeling gnawed at his consciousness, an intangible sense that something was amiss.

    In the depths of his being, the Celestial God grappled with a strange restlessness, a fleeting dissatisfaction that eluded his grasp. He surveyed the battlefield, his eyes scanning the destion thaty before him, searching for answers to this unexined disquiet.

    The Celestial God''s thoughts churned with fragments of memory, piecing together the remnants of prophecies and ancient whispers. A spark of recognition red within him, a flicker of remembrance that illuminated the depths of his divine mind. He recalled the whispers of the Child of Prophecy, a being said to possess immeasurable power and the ability to shape the fate of worlds.

    But where was this Child of Prophecy? In the aftermath of his triumph, the Celestial God pondered the absence of the one who had been foretold to challenge his dominion. A sense of urgency welled within him, an eagerness to locate this enigmatic figure and fulfill the ancient prophecies.

    Amidst the wreckage of the battlefield, the Celestial God''s thoughts resonated in a silent dialogue with himself. "Where is the Child of Prophecy?" he questioned, his voice reverberating with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. He contemted the implications of the missing figure, the unknown element that threatened to unravel his carefullyid ns

    The battle may have been won, the Grand Commanders defeated, but the absence of the Child of Prophecy lingered as an unresolved mystery. The Celestial God knew that the fate of his grand design hinged upon this missing piece, the one who held the potential to tip the scales in favor of his enemies.

    With a mixture of anticipation and trepidation, the Celestial God vowed to unravel the enigma of the Child of Prophecy. The echoes of battle and victory faded into the background as he embarked on a quest to locate the one who had eluded his gaze.

    He searched high and low. Eyes roamed across the battlefield that he made. Even going as far as scouring the whole Blue Marble in attempts to locate his main target all along. Unfortunately, his search bore no results.

    That was when he suddenly sensed a presence right next to him that caused a shiver to run down his spine.

    There, he saw him...the one he''s been looking for, smiling at him as if all of this had nothing to do with him. And he had the absolute gall to ask:

    "Hey there! Looking for me?"

 Chapter 388 Trapped, Again

    ?

    Within the depths of the Celestial God''s consciousness, a seed of confusion took root, sprouting tendrils of bewilderment. His eyes, which had witnessed the devastation unleashed upon humanity, fell upon Ashton, the supposed leader of the human race, and a sense of puzzlement crept into his divine thoughts.

    How could this mortal, this Ashton, stand before him with such indifference? The Celestial God''s divine perception had witnessed the fall of grand civilizations, the demise of countless lives, and the agony of loss etched upon the faces of those left behind. Yet, Ashton''s countenance remained untouched by the weight of tragedy that befell his people.

    A ripple of uncertainty stirred within the Celestial God''s divine essence. Should not the grief and despair of such a cataclysmic event affect even the most resolute of leaders? The bond forged between Ashton and the fallen Grand Commanders was evident, their camaraderie was forged through trials and tribtions. And yet, as he gazed upon Ashton''s unflinching facade, a sense of perplexity seeped into his divine awareness.

    Had Ashton detached himself from the suffering of his kin, his heart rendered numb by the horrors of war? Or was there a hidden depth to his stoicism, an enigmatic resolve that eluded the Celestial God''sprehension? These questions swirled within his divine consciousness, casting a veil of uncertainty over the grand tapestry of his victory.

    As the Celestial God contemted the enigma of Ashton''sposure, a flicker of curiosity ignited within him. Beneath his overwhelming power and unfathomable knowledge, he sought to unravel the enigma of this mortal who defied the weight of tragedy. What secretsy hidden within the depths of Ashton''s heart? What reasons could render him seemingly untouched by the pain that ravaged his people?

    Though the Celestial God''s gaze remained fixed upon the fallen battlefield and the remnants of humanity, a fragment of his consciousness delved into thebyrinthine depths of his thoughts. The celestial being resolved to seek answers, to understand the perplexing riddle of Ashton''s detached demeanor amidst the ruins of their shared world.

    "Your thoughts aren''t wrong," Ashton''s voice echoed within the recesses of the Celestial God''s mind as if he could prate the divine barriers that separated their beings.

    "Normally, in the face of such loss and devastation, I would be consumed by grief," Ashton continued, his toneced with an eerie calmness.

    "But only if it were real."

    A disconcerting silence fell over the battlefield as the Celestial God''s consciousness grappled with the implications of Ashton''s words. The very fabric of reality seemed to fade into the background, eclipsed by the shock-induced stupor that gripped the celestial being.

    And then, as if unveiling a long-kept secret, Ashton''s voice resonated with a chilling certainty. "You see, from the very inception of this war, everything that has unfolded before you has been nothing but a long dream. A fabrication of your own consciousness, a tale spun by your mind''s desires and fears."

    The Celestial God, his divine presence trembling, struggled toprehend the magnitude of Ashton''s revtion. How could it be? The grand battles, the lives lost, the intricate threads of fate woven across the celestial tapestry��mere figments of a dream?

    Ashton''s words reverberated with an otherworldly rity. "Your longing for challenge and conquest, your thirst for validation and control, birthed this illusory conflict. The ebb and flow of battle, the fall of our civilizations, were nothing more than fragments of your imagination."

    The grand illusions shattered around the Celestial God, fragments of a fantastical realm dissolving into the ether. The weight of the realization bore down upon him, leaving him adrift in a sea of fragmented memories and unrealized ambitions.

    "For all the power you possess, even you, the Celestial God, are not immune to the intricacies of the mind," Ashton''s voice echoed, tinged with an ethereal presence. "Your desire to challenge fate itself, to eliminate a rather peaceful race just because of some random prophecy, brought you here...it brought you to me."

    A solemn pause filled the void as Ashton''s words lingered in the air. The Celestial God, his divine essence shaken to its core, confronted the realization that his grand conquest had been naught but an ephemeral mirage. In the face of this revtion, the foundations of his existence quivered, leaving him teetering on the precipice of understanding.

    "And now, as the dream fades and reality reims its hold, the true test begins," Ashton''s voice resonated with a blend of empathy and determination. "For within the realm of dreams, there lies the potential for growth, for redemption, and for the birth of a new dawn."

    As the Celestial God grappled with the tumultuous whirlwind of emotions and revtions, a glimmer of uncertainty and possibility sparked within his divine being.

    ***<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Celestial God, consumed by a maelstrom of desperation and disbelief, waged an internal battle against the confines of his own creation. With each attempt to break free from the dream''s grasp, he strained against the ethereal chains that held him captive.

    He summoned the full force of his divine power, unleashing celestial torrents that tore through the fabric of the illusory realm. But no matter how ferocious his assault, the dream resisted, mending itself effortlessly, as if mocking his futile attempts.

    In a fit of rage and desperation, the Celestial God turned his attention toward Ashton, his ethereal form pulsating with raw fury. Heunched himself at his enigmatic captor, his divine essence converging into a devastating blow aimed at obliterating the source of his confinement.

    But Ashton, shrouded in an imprable aura of tranquility, effortlessly sidestepped the Celestial God''s assault. Each strike, each attempt to end the dream, was deftly evaded, leaving the celestial being grasping at nothing but air.

    The realization struck the Celestial God with a resounding thud��the truth that his escape was not in his own hands, but in the hands of the one who had woven this intricate dream. Fear crept into his consciousness, intertwining with the tendrils of doubt that sprouted within him.

    For the first time in his celestial existence, the Celestial God felt a profound vulnerability. He stood at the precipice of a revtion, confronted with the disconcerting notion that his omnipotence and omniscience were rendered impotent in the face of this enigmatic Dreamweaver.

    As he observed Ashton''s serene countenance, the Celestial God''s fear intensified. What if this was not a dream at all? What if it was a prison, carefully crafted to confine him for eternity? The seed of doubt took root, its tendrils creeping through the vast expanse of his divine consciousness.

    In the face of his failed attempts and the realization of his helplessness, the Celestial God recoiled, his divine aura flickering with uncertainty. He realized that his escape, his freedom from this illusion, was contingent upon Ashton''s will alone.

    A chill ran through the celestial being, as the magnitude of his predicament settled upon him. He had be the captive of his own creation, at the mercy of the dreamweaver who held the key to his release. The realization struck him like a thunderbolt, leaving him with a gnawing sense of trepidation and an unyielding desire to understand the motives and intentions of the one who had ensnared him in this intricate web of illusions.

    Ashton''s enigmatic smile widened as he witnessed the Celestial God''s realization that escape was beyond his grasp. The ethereal surroundings of the dreamscape shifted and warped, transforming into a mirror image of reality itself. The once elusive dream now mirrored the ongoing war, an alternate dimension where they could observe the events unfolding in the real world.

    With a calm andposed demeanor, Ashton turned his gaze towards the Celestial God, his eyes shimmering with an otherworldly glow. "Rest assured, I do not intend to imprison you here indefinitely," he spoke with a measured tone. "But for now, we shall remain observers, hidden from the reach of the world outside. We will bear witness to the culmination of the war, allowing fate to determine the victor."

    The Celestial God''s eyes widened with a mixture of astonishment and resignation. He understood the magnitude of the situation, the implications of being confined to this ethereal realm, cut off from any form of contact with the outside world. He was a mere spectator, condemned to witness the struggles of his celestial brethren and humanity without any means of intervening.

    Ashton''s words echoed in the silence, hanging heavy in the air. The Celestial God felt a swell of frustration and anger, but he knew that resistance was futile. His defeat, his entrapment in this dreamscape, had rendered him powerless.

    A solemn understanding settled between them, as they bothprehended the gravity of their current circumstances. Ashton''s intentions, though mysterious, carried an air of purpose and calction. The fate of the war, the destiny of both celestial and human realms, would unfold before their eyes, untethered by their direct influence.

    The Celestial God''s heart filled with a mix of emotions��frustration, curiosity, and a glimmer of hope. He realized that despite his defeat and imprisonment, there was still a chance for redemption, a chance to regain his freedom. He reluctantly epted his role as a captive spectator, resigned to the inevitable unfolding of events beyond his control.

    "Now then, let''s see how the war truly began..."

 Chapter 389 The Real Start Of The War

    ?

    In the depths of the Mystic Guild''s headquarters, Alice found herself standing in a room known as Little Paradise. It was a ce of enchantment and beauty, essible only to a select few who held the highest reverence within the Guild. As she entered the chamber, a sense of tranquility washed over her, and she knew that she stood in the presence of something extraordinary.

    Little Paradise was a sanctuary of sublime elegance. The air was imbued with a delicate fragrance of exotic flowers, their petals in vibrant hues, as if nature itself hade alive within the room. Soft, ethereal light bathed the space, emanating from shimmering crystals embedded in the walls, casting prismatic reflections that danced upon the polished marble floor.

    The chamber was adorned with tapestries depicting intricate scenes of mystic lore and mythical beings. Each thread is woven with meticulous care, telling stories of ancient battles, profound wisdom, and the triumph of magic over adversity. The walls themselves seemed to whisper with the echoes of ages past as if the very fabric of the room held the memories of countless mystics who had walked this sacred ground.

    At the heart of Little Paradise, amidst a glimmering grove of mystical nts, stood a resplendent tree known as the El-Tree. Its branches reached towards the heavens, bearing delicate leaves that shimmered with a faint luminescence. The tree was a gateway between realms, a conduit of magical energy that connected the mortal world with the ethereal realm of the Fairies.

    Seated beneath the majestic branches of the El-Tree was the Fairy Queen herself, an ethereal being of radiant beauty. Her eyes held a depth of wisdom and her delicate wings shimmered with iridescent hues, casting a soft glow upon her surroundings. She emanated an aura of serenity and power, her presence captivating and awe-inspiring.

    Alice approached the Fairy Queen with reverence and humility, her heart filled with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. She had sought an audience with the Fairy Queen to seek guidance and protection for the impending war. The Fairy Queen was known to possess ancient knowledge and mystical powers that could aid humanity in its struggle against the forces that threatened to consume its world.

    As Alice stood before the Fairy Queen, a sense of calm washed over her. She could feel the presence of the fairy realm, a realm intertwined with nature and magic, embracing her being. The gentle rustling of leaves, the distant melody of unseen creatures, and the ethereal glow of the El-Tree filled her senses, heightening her awareness of the mystical forces at y

    Alice stood before the Fairy Queen, her eyes filled with determination and respect. She took a deep breath and began, "Your Highness, I havee seeking your wisdom and assistance in a matter of utmost importance."

    The Fairy Queen regarded Alice with a serene smile, her voice carrying the weight of ancient knowledge. "Speak, Alice, and I shall lend you my ear. What brings you to Little Paradise today?"

    Alice bowed her head respectfully before continuing, "Your Highness, we have made a decision. Humanity ns to initiate the war, not only to gain an advantage but also to protect our world from the encroaching forces of the Celestial and Hypogean Races."

    The Fairy Queen''s eyes shimmered with curiosity as she leaned forward, her voice carrying a gentle melody. "And what role do you y in this war, dear Alice?"

    Alice''s gaze met the Fairy Queen''s, filled with determination. "I am the Sword Empress, the one who shall lead our forces in battle. It is my duty to defend our people and ensure the survival of our world."

    The Fairy Queen''s expression remained serene as she inquired, "And where is Ashton in all of this? His decision bears as much weight as mine does, after all, it was he who made it possible for the El-Tree to mature to this state."

    A flicker of sadness crossed Alice''s face as she replied, "Ashton... he is sleeping. He has trapped himself and the Celestial God in a dream, a dreamscape where they are unable to exert influence over this war. He believes in us, Your Highness. He trusts that we can face this challenge without their interference."

    The Fairy Queen nodded in understanding, her voice filled with a hint of admiration. "Ashton''s faith in you speaks volumes, Alice. His sacrifice for the sake of humanity is not to be taken lightly."

    Alice took a deep breath, gathering her resolve. "Your Highness, I beseech you for your assistance. We need the authority you hold over the El-Tree and its wondrous ability: the World Link. With its power, we can connect the Blue Marble to both Paradiso and Inferno, signifying the start of the war of races. This connection will serve as a beacon, drawing the attention and forces of the Celestial and Hypogean Races."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Fairy Queen regarded Alice for a moment, her gaze filled with wisdom. She spoke softly, her words carrying the weight of her decision. "Alice, the World Link is a potent ability, one that bridges worlds and sets destinies in motion. I will grant you ess to its power, but remember, with such influencees great responsibility. Use it wisely, for its effects will be far-reaching. And once the link was established, there was no going back. Are you sure that this is what you want?"

    "Yes, Your Majesty. This has been approved by Ashton as well." She replied.

    "Very well." The Fairy Queen acquiesced.

    Alice bowed deeply, gratitude evident in her voice. "Thank you, Your Highness. We shall wield this power with utmost care and honor. Our goal is not only victory but the preservation of our world and the hope for a better future."

    The Fairy Queen''s ethereal voice resonated through the chamber as she bestowed her blessing. "May the power of the El-Tree and the unity of your cause guide you, Alice. May the destinies of mortals and fairies intertwine in harmony, and may your courage and strength be unwavering in the face of adversity."

    As Alice stood before the majestic El-Tree, a hush fell over Little Paradise. The air shimmered with anticipation, and a profound sense of reverence filled the chamber. The ancient tree seemed to pulse with energy, its branches reaching toward the heavens, ready to unleash its extraordinary power.

    Suddenly, the El-Tree began to transform. Its branches extended, stretching far beyond the boundaries of the room, intertwining and entwining until they formed an intricatework that seemed to transcend space and time. The very fabric of reality quivered, and a faint hum filled the air as the World Link was awakened.

    In a mesmerizing disy of mystical energy, a portal materialized just outside the Blue Marble. The portal glowed with a myriad of colors, swirling and shifting like a celestial tapestry. It was a passage, a bridge that connected the realms of Paradiso, Inferno, and the mortal world.

    Alice could feel the immense power emanating from the El-Tree, its energy resonating deep within her being. She could sense the potential thaty within this ethereal portal, the gateway to their strategic ambush.

    Through the shimmering gateway, glimpses of distant worlds and cosmic vistas could be seen, as if peering through a window into other realms. The swirling energy beckoned, inviting humanity to step through and embark on their destined path, a path that would shape the oue of the war.

    The El-Tree''s branches continued to sway and dance as if responding to the call of the universe itself. Its leaves shimmered with a soft glow as if whispering ancient secrets. The World Link had been forged, connecting the Blue Marble to the realms beyond, signaling the beginning of a momentous battle.

    In that sacred moment, as the portal stood open, the celestial energies converged, aligning the fates of different worlds. It was a convergence of hopes and dreams, of unity and determination. Humanity stood on the precipice of a new chapter, ready to embrace their destiny and fight for the survival of their world.

    With a sense of awe and reverence, Alice raised her head, her eyes gleaming with resolve. She knew that through this mystical gateway, their forces would embark on a daring ambush, striking at the heart of their adversaries. The El-Tree had granted them this extraordinary opportunity, and she would lead humanity with unwavering determination, for the stakes were nothing short of their very existence.

    As the World Link shimmered with radiant energy, Alice couldn''t help but feel a surge of hope and determination. The El-Tree had opened a passage, a connection between realms, transcending the boundaries of space and time. It was a symbol of unity, a testament to the strength of their cause, and a reminder that their actions would echo across the cosmos.

    With the World Link now established, Alice turned back, ready to rally herrades. They would step through that mystical portal, embarking on a perilous journey that would test their mettle and shape the course of the war. As they moved forward, they carried with them the hopes and dreams of their race, guided by the power of the El-Tree and the boundless courage within their hearts.

 Chapter 390 Gaining Foothold

    ?

    ---

    As the celestial realms opened their gates, revealing the splendors of Paradiso, a breathtaking panorama unfolded before Alice''s eyes. She found herself standing on a celestial tform, suspended amidst a vast expanse of clouds and radiant light. The air was filled with a harmonious melody, a symphony of celestial sounds that resonated with ethereal beauty.

    Paradiso was a realm of magnificent architecture, where towering crystalline structures reached toward the heavens, gleaming with iridescent hues. Gardens adorned with vibrant, otherworldly flora stretched as far as the eye could see, their petals glistening with celestial dew. The celestial beings, with their majestic wings and luminescent auras, moved with grace and serenity, their presence embodying an ethereal elegance.

    But amidst this idyllic setting, a sudden disturbance shattered the tranquility. The Celestial God, along with his race, sensed an unfamiliar energy rippling through the fabric of Paradiso. Confusion and unease gripped their hearts as they watched in astonishment. A tremor of fear coursed through their celestial beings.

    And then, like a bolt of lightning, a wormhole materialized in the celestial skies. It tore through the celestial realm, a rift in the fabric of their peaceful existence. The Celestial Race stood frozen in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief.

    From the depths of the wormhole, a surge of energy emerged, crackling with power and determination. The forces of humanity, their ships aze with the spirit of defiance, burst forth into Paradiso. The Celestial Race could only watch in horror as the wormhole disgorged an unending torrent of warships and soldiers, a relentless wave that threatened to overwhelm them.

    Panic swept through the ranks of the Celestial Race as they scrambled to react to this unexpected assault. Their once serene realm now echoed with the sounds of battle, cries of both celestial and mortal warriors filling the air. The bnce of power had shifted, and the Celestials found themselves facing an adversary whose resolve matched their own.

    As the Celestial God gazed upon the chaos unfolding before him, a seed of doubt took root in his heart. How had thise to pass? The dream he had been trapped in had deceived him, preventing him from anticipating this turn of events. He realized that the Child of Prophecy, Ashton, held the key to his confinement, and the realization filled him with a mix of fear and frustration.

    At that moment, as the celestial and mortal forces shed in a furious struggle, the Celestial God''s gaze locked with Ashton''s. The two figures, separated by the divide between dreams and reality, shared a moment of profound understanding. The Celestial God recognized the weight of his own actions, the consequences of his hubris, and the limitations of his power.

    As the Celestial God surveyed the chaos unleashed by the arrival of humanity''s forces, he understood that the course of the war had taken an unforeseen turn. The Celestials, once secure in their celestial realm, now found themselves pushed to the brink of their own existence. The Celestial God''s heart sank with the realization that the fate of his race hung in the bnce.

    With the wormhole serving as the gateway for humanity''s invasion, the Celestial Race was forced to confront a harsh reality. They were no longer the sole bearers of divine power, no longer the unchallenged rulers of the celestial realms. The bnce had shifted, and the Celestials were left to grapple with their vulnerability, their once unassable dominion now at risk of crumbling beneath the weight of mortal determination.

    ***

    As the celestial realms opened their gates, revealing the infernalndscapes of Inferno, ke, known as the Titan, stood at the forefront of humanity''s charge. The atmosphere around him grew thick with oppressive heat, and the air filled with the acrid scent of sulfur. The terrain of Inferno was a deste wastnd, where rivers ofva snaked through jagged rock formations and ominous, towering volcanoes spewed plumes of smoke and ash into the fiery sky.

    The Hypogean Race, creatures born of darkness and fire, emerged from the depths of Inferno, their forms wreathed in mes and shadows. They possessed an inherent ferocity, their eyes glowing with an unearthly intensity. The ground trembled beneath their weight as they readied themselves to face the impending onught.

    With a resounding battle cry, ke led humanity''s forces into the heart of Inferno. His presence was akin to a force of nature, his footsteps leaving trails of cracked earth in his wake. As he charged forward, his fists clenched with determination, the Hypogeans recoiled at the sheer magnitude of his power.

    Inferno was a realm of perpetual chaos, whereva flowed like rivers of molten fire and caverns echoed with the agonized screams of lost souls. The very atmosphere crackled with dark energy, and the sky was eternally cast in an eerie crimson glow.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    But amidst this infernal backdrop, humanity''s forces surged forward, undeterred by the hostile environment. They fought with unwavering resolve, their des glinting with defiance against the overwhelming odds. ke, their indomitable leader, unleashed devastating blows upon the Hypogeans, his fists striking with the force of an earthquake. With each powerful strike, the ground quaked, threatening to swallow his adversaries whole.

    The Hypogeans, though formidable in their own right, found themselves facing an adversary whose strength seemed boundless. ke''s raw power and unwavering determination were matched only by his strategic brilliance. He led his forces with unwavering resolve, rallying humanity to rise against the darkness that threatened to consume them.

    As the battle raged on, thendscape of Inferno became a maelstrom of fire and shadows. Explosions of infernal energy lit up the skies, casting an eerie glow upon the battlefield. The sh of swords and the roar ofbat reverberated through the deste wastnd, the cacophony of battle drowning out the sounds of anguish and suffering.

    In the heart of this chaotic confrontation, ke''s eyes burned with fierce determination. He understood the weight of his role as humanity''s champion, the responsibility of leading them to victory against the Hypogeans. With each strike, he pushed himself beyond his limits, drawing upon the primal forces of earth and fire that coursed through his veins.

    The Hypogeans, despite their fearsome nature, found themselves pushed to the brink by humanity''s unwavering assault. ke''s leadership and unyielding resolve ignited a spark of hope within his fellow soldiers, infusing them with the strength to fight on. The Hypogeans, ustomed to wielding their dark powers unchallenged, now faced an adversary who refused to bow before their malevolent might.

    As the battle reached its climax, the very fabric of Inferno trembled. The Hypogeans, are driven back by humanity''s relentless advance. Eventually, they were unable to keep them from gaining a stable foothold in their home.

    ***

    As the celestial events unfolded before his eyes, the Celestial God found himself trapped within the confines of the Dreamscape, unable to exert his influence over the unfolding war. He watched with a mixture of unease and frustration, his celestial gaze fixated on the chaos and determination disyed by humanity and their newfound allies.

    Every fiber of the Celestial God''s being yearned to intervene, to guide his celestial brethren and turn the tide of the war in their favor. But as his gaze shifted to Ashton, his captor, andpanion in this dreamscape, he was met with a steadfast resolve that left him feeling uneasy. Ashton''s words echoed in his mind, reminding him of the consequences of his interference.

    Despite his immense power and divine nature, the Celestial God found himself stripped of agency, relegated to the role of a mere spectator. It gnawed at him, a sense of restlessness festering within his being. He could feel the weight of responsibility pressing upon him, urging him to take action, to protect his race from the encroaching threat.

    But Ashton''s power held him in check, keeping him restrained within this dreamscape. The Celestial God''s frustration grew with each passing moment, his divine essence straining against the invisible bonds that kept him imprisoned. The knowledge that he was unable to alter the course of events filled him with a deep-seated difort, a feeling of powerlessness that grated against his very nature.

    He doesn''t even know if all of this was the truth or just another fabricated dream!

    Amen yearned to break free, to unleash his celestial might upon the battlefield and turn the tide of the war. He could not bear the thought of his celestial brethren suffering and falling before the onught of humanity''s forces. Yet, Ashton''s presence acted as a constant reminder that he was bound, his influence restrained within the confines of this dreamscape.

    As the Celestial God''s gaze shifted once more to Ashton, he could not help but feel a mix of resentment and curiosity. Why had Ashton chosen this path? Why had he trapped them both within this dreamscape, preventing their direct involvement in the war? The questions swirled within the Celestial God''s mind, causing a seed of doubt to take root.

    With a heavy sigh, the Celestial God resigned himself to his current predicament. He understood that, for now, he was to observe and reflect upon the unfolding events. The fate of his race and the oue of the wary in the hands of humans and their allies.

 Chapter 391 Celestial Council

    ?

    Humanity''s forces had sessfully breached the celestial realms of Paradiso and Inferno, venturing deep into the heart of their enemies'' homes. It was a monumental achievement, for these realms were vast, sprawling cosmdscapes, each as vast as a sr system.

    In Paradiso, the home of the Celestials, human soldiers moved cautiously through the etherealndscape, their footsteps leaving shimmering trails of stardust. The air crackled with celestial energy, and the very fabric of reality seemed to bend and twist under the weight of their intrusion. With strategic precision, they established footholds and fortified their positions, carving out a fragile enve amidst the celestial splendor.

    Meanwhile, in Inferno, the fiery realm of the Hypogean Race, ke, the Titan, led a relentless assault against the fierce denizens of this treacherous domain. Surrounded by searing mes and molten rock, his indomitable will fueled his every step. With hispanions by his side, they fought their way through hordes of Hypogean warriors, each shes bringing them closer to their goal of establishing a stronghold within this hostile realm.

    In both Paradiso and Inferno, humanity''s forces encountered fierce resistance. The Celestials and Hypogeans fought ferociously, utilizing their otherworldly abilities and ancient magics to push back against the invading force. The celestial realms were not easily conquered, for they were imbued with the very essence of their respective races.

    Yet, humanity pressed forward, undeterred by the overwhelming odds. They fought with steadfast determination, drawing upon their unwavering spirit and the power of their newfound alliances. With each hard-won victory, humanity''s foothold grew stronger, their presence spreading like a beacon of defiance amidst the cosmic expanse.

    The Celestials and Hypogeans, taken aback by the audacity of humanity''s invasion, scrambled to respond. Their once impregnable realms were now tainted by the presence of their mortal adversaries. Panic and confusion gripped their ranks, their sense of superiority shaken by this unprecedented turn of events.

    As the news of humanity''s foothold within the celestial realms spread, the very foundations of Paradiso and Inferno trembled with uncertainty. The bnce of power had shifted, and the once invincible races found themselves on the defensive, their grip on their respective domains weakening.

    For humanity, the establishment of a foothold within Paradiso and Inferno was a pivotal moment in the war. It signified their ability to challenge the celestial races on their own turf, infiltrate their strongholds, and strike at the heart of their power. It was a bold statement, a deration that they would not be confined to the Blue Marble, but would fight for their right to exist and thrive among the stars.

    With each passing moment, humanity''s presence in the celestial realms grew stronger. They had gained a foothold within the enemy''s home, and from these fragile enves, they wouldunch their next phase of the war, pressing further into the celestial domains, determined to secure victory and ensure their own survival in this cosmic sh.

    ***

    The Celestial Council, a group of five esteemed disciples of the Celestial God, gathered in the grand chamber of their celestial pce. A sense of urgency hung in the air as they discussed the invasion of humanity into their sacred realm.

    Council Member Aries, her voiceced with concern, spoke first. "The audacity of these humans is beyondprehension. They have breached our celestial domain and established strongholds within Paradiso. We must act swiftly to defend our home."

    Council Member Orion, his eyes filled with determination, nodded in agreement. "Indeed, we cannot underestimate their resolve. Our forces are engaged in fierce battles across the realm, but we need guidance from our god. We must seek his counsel and divine intervention to repel this invasion."

    Council Member Seraphina, her voice tinged with worry, added, "I have tried to reach out to the Celestial God, to seek his wisdom in this dire hour, but I have received nothing but silence. It is as if our pleas fall upon deaf ears. We must rely on our own strength and ingenuity for now."

    Council Member Lysander, his gaze focused and resolute, spoke up. "The Celestial God''s absence troubles me. This is a time when we need his guidance the most. We must not lose hope, for his wisdom has guided us for eons. We shall stand united and fight with unwavering determination."

    Council Member Selene, her voice filled with unwavering faith, interjected, "Even in his silence, we must remember that we are the chosen disciples of the Celestial God. We carry his divine essence within us. Let us rally our forces and defend our home with all our might. In time, he shall reveal his purpose."

    The council members nodded in agreement, their collective resolve strengthening. They knew that their duty was to protect Paradiso and uphold the divine will of the Celestial God, even in the absence of his direct guidance. They would marshal their forces, strategize, and fight alongside their celestial brethren to repel the human invasion.

    In the face of uncertainty, they would remain steadfast, believing that their god''s n would reveal itself in due time. Until then, they would do their utmost to defend their realm, awaiting the moment when the voice of the Celestial God would break the silence and guide them toward victory.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ***

    As the Celestial Council was on the verge of concluding their meeting, their discussions interrupted by urgent news, the grand doors of the chamber swung open with a resounding thud. A disheveled soldier, his armor dented and bloodstained, rushed in with panic etched across his face.

    Gasping for breath, the soldier managed to deliver his report in a frantic tone. "Council Members! The humans... they haveunched a ferocious attack on our capital city! Our citizens are in desperate need of reinforcements! The enemy''s assault is relentless, and our defenses are crumbling!"

    A collective gasp filled the chamber as the gravity of the situation sank in. The Celestial Council exchanged worried nces, their expressions a reflection of the mounting danger. This unexpected turn of events caught them off guard, leaving their sacred city vulnerable and their people in grave peril.

    They certainly did not expect humans to move this fast and this decisively. It hasn''t even been long since they established their foothold in Paradiso yet they''re alreadyunching a fierce attack on their capital city.

    Just how daring could Humanity get?

    Council Member Aries, her voice filled with urgency, rose from her seat. "Gather our forces immediately! We cannot afford to lose our capital city. Every avable celestial warrior must be dispatched to defend our home and protect our people."

    Council Member Orion, his brows furrowed in concern, added, "Inform our armies across Paradiso to redirect their efforts and reinforce the capital. We must mobilize swiftly and push back the human invaders."

    Council Member Seraphina, her eyes filled with determination, stepped forward. "This attack may have taken us by surprise, but we are the celestial race, blessed by the divine power of our god. We shall rally our forces, defend our capital with unwavering resolve, and show these humans the strength of our celestial might."

    Council Member Lysander, his voice steady, issued amand. "Send word to the citizens, assuring them that we areing to their aid. Let them know that we shall not forsake them in their time of need. The Celestial Council stands united in protecting our beloved capital."

    With a sense of urgency and renewed determination, the Celestial Council sprang into action. Orders were issued, messengers dispatched, and preparations made to counter the human assault on their capital city. The council members knew that this battle would be pivotal, and the fate of their realm hung in the bnce.

    As the grand doors of the chamber closed behind them, the council members left with a resolute determination to defend their capital city and their people. They would marshal their forces, rally their celestial warriors, and face the human invaders head-on. In this critical moment, theirmitment to their celestial race and their divine purpose burned brighter than ever.

    Little did they know that this sudden attack would test not only their strength and resolve but also their faith in the absent Celestial God. Their belief in his guidance would be put to the ultimate test as they fought to repel the human onught and protect the heart of their celestial civilization.

    The once majestic capital city of the Celestials nowy in ruins, its towering spires reduced to rubble. The streets that once teemed with celestial life were now filled with smoke and chaos. Celestial warriors shed fiercely against the relentless human onught, their powers colliding in a dazzling disy of light and energy.

    Amidst the chaos, a lone figure emerged from the shadows. It was none other than Alice, the Sword Empress, leading the charge with unwavering determination. Her de danced with deadly precision, slicing through the enemy ranks. But just as victory seemed within their grasp, a deafening explosion rocked the city, shattering the remaining defenses.

    The scene faded to ck, leaving the fate of the Celestial capital city hanging in the bnce. The oue of this pivotal battle would determine the course of the war and the destiny of the Celestial race.

 Chapter 392 Reason

    ?

    The Capital City of the Celestials stood as a beacon of grandeur and divine beauty, with its towering spires reaching towards the heavens. But now, ity in ruins, ravaged by the relentless onught of humanity''s forces. Buildings once adorned with intricate celestial designs were now reduced to crumbling structures, their ethereal beauty reced by haunting devastation.

    The streets were strewn with debris and broken fragments of celestial architecture. Shattered statues of revered figures littered the thoroughfares, their once-glorious forms now marred and fragmented. The air was thick with smoke, the acrid scent of burning mingling with the cries of anguish and the sh of weapons.

    As the invaders pressed forward, the citizens of the Capital City, those who had not yet evacuated, huddled together in fear and desperation. They sought sce in the sacred temples, their hearts heavy with the weight of uncertainty. With tears streaming down their faces, they sped their hands in prayer, beseeching their god for salvation, for a glimmer of hope in their darkest hour.

    But their pleas fell upon deaf ears. The celestial sky remained silent, offering no sce or guidance. The Celestial God, their divine protector, remained silent and distant, his presence seemingly withdrawn. The people''s cries echoed through the deste streets, unanswered and unheard.

    In the face of such devastation, the citizens of the Capital City, once filled with unshakable faith, felt their hope waver. They saw their homes, their sanctuaries, and their dreams crumble before their very eyes. The weight of despair settled upon their hearts as they realized that their god, the one they had revered and worshiped for eons, had seemingly abandoned them in their time of need.

    Yet, amidst the chaos and despair, a flicker of resilience emerged. A determination sparked within the hearts of the celestial citizens. They knew they could not rely solely on their god''s intervention. They would have to fight, to rise and defend their beloved city with their own strength. They vowed to unite, to stand as one against the relentless human invaders, for they understood that their fate rested in their own hands.

    The city, once a symbol of celestial might, now bore the scars of war. Its grand architecturey broken and shattered, its sacred halls desecrated by the invading forces. But within the hearts of the celestial citizens, a fire burned bright. They would not surrender to despair. They would fight to reim their city, to protect their homes, and to restore the glory that once graced the Capital City of the Celestials.

    A group of soldiers mustered up the courage to face their enemies, on their way, they discovered another group of like-minded people doing the same, but that group was now in a heated argument with their attackers...

    The sh of words reverberated through the war-torn streets, echoing the deep-seated anger and resentment that fueled both sides of the conflict. Celestial and human forces stood face to face, their gazes locked in a battle of wills, each side hardened by the weight of their own grievances.

    "Why do you do this to us? What have we done to deserve this onught?" one of the Celestials spoke, his voice filled with anguish and confusion. He couldn''tprehend why humanity had chosen to wage war against them, why they were subjected to such relentless aggression.

    The words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, silence settled upon the battlefield. Then, a captain of the human forces stepped forward, his eyes burning with a mix of determination and rage. He spoke with a voice that carried the weight of centuries of suffering and oppression.

    "Your ignorance is astounding," the human captain retorted, his voiceced with bitter resentment. "You ask what you have done? You invaded our once peaceful home, treating our kind as nothing more than a rare delicacy, consuming our lives and draining our very essence."

    He continued, each word punctuated with a ferocious intensity. "You destroyed our civilizations, pushing us to the brink of extinction. You reveled in your superiority, lording over us as if we were nothing more than mere ythings. The atrocitiesmitted by your kind are countless, and yet you dare to question why we fight back?"

    A mix of anger and pain washed over the celestial faces, their expressions a reflection of the weight of their sins. The irony of their own usations against humanity resonated within their hearts, a bitter truth they couldn''t deny. They had growncent, blinded by their own sense of superiority.

    The human captain''s words hung in the air, casting a heavy pall over the battlefield. The sh of ideals, fueled by years of oppression and retribution, fueled the fires of war. The future seemed uncertain, the cost of this conflict yet unknown. But both sides understood that the cycle of violence and revenge would exact a heavy toll on all involved.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The bitter silence that followed the human captain''s words was broken by a resolute voice rising from the ranks of the celestial forces. A Celestialmander stepped forward, his expression a mix of regret and defiance.

    "But that wasn''t our intention! We just wanted to bring you to the side of justice! We just want you to embrace our god, to enjoy the eternal life he brings to his loyal subjects! Why must you all settle the score this way when all we ever did was for your own good!"

    "You speak of justice, of settling scores," the captain responded, his voice tinged with sorrow. "But have you ever considered the suffering we endured under the rule of the Celestials and Hypogeans? We were taken from our homes, treated as ves, and subjected to unimaginable cruelty. Our lives were mere ythings for your kind, disposable in your pursuit of power and dominance."

    He continued, his voice trembling with a mixture of anger and anguish. "We were forced to witness the destruction of our families, the annihtion of our cities, and the desecration of all that we held dear. For centuries, we endured the relentless oppression of our races. We prayed for deliverance, for someone toe and free us from the chains of our tormentors."

    A palpable tension hung in the air as the bitter reality of their shared history shed with the present. The celestialmander''s words cut through the defenses of the human forces, piercing their hearts with the weight of their own actions.

    But the human captain, undeterred, stepped forward once again, his eyes zing with a mix of determination and sorrow. "We never wanted any of this. We just want to exist in our world, but your kind seems to have problems with that." he said, his voice filled with a hardened resolve. "We refuse to forget the countless lives lost, the civilizations erased, and the dreams shattered by your kind. Our actions now are born out of the collective will to ensure that such horrors will never befall us again."

    The war had just begun, and the wounds of the past ran deep. Both celestial and human forces were prepared to pay the price for their actions, to settle the score and im what they believed was rightfully theirs. The irony of the situation was not lost on anyone, as the wolves were now at the gate, ready to exact their own form of justice upon those who had long held dominion over them.

    This was just the beginning, the opening salvo in a war that would bring forth consequences and challenges unimaginable to both sides. As the sh of words gave way to the sh of weapons, the battleground became a testament to the culmination of years of suffering and the desire for retribution. The full extent of the cost of this war was yet to be seen, but one thing was certain: the price would be paid twofold, and the path to redemption would be paved with blood and tears.

    Later that day...

    The celestial reinforcements arrived at the devastated capital city, their expressions filled with shock and grief. Their arrival was met with silence, broken only by the haunting echoes of destruction and the distant cries of anguish.

    The once magnificent city nowy in ruins, its majestic buildings reduced to rubble, its streets stained with the blood of fallen celestial beings. The air was heavy with the scent of smoke and despair, a somber reminder of the irreversible devastation that had unfolded.

    The celestial warriors moved through the wreckage, their hearts heavy with sorrow and regret. They surveyed the scene, their eyes falling upon the lifeless bodies of their fellow kin, their faces etched with pain and disbelief.

    As they searched for survivors, hope dwindled with each passing moment. The once bustling city had be a graveyard, its vibrant spirit extinguished by the merciless hands of war. The celestial reinforcements were confronted with the harsh reality that their arrival hade toote to save their beloved capital city and its inhabitants.

    A heavy silence enveloped them as they stood amidst the ruins, a mournful tribute to the lives lost and the shattered dreams that nowy in tatters. Tears welled in their eyes, but grief transformed into determination as they vowed to avenge their fallen brethren and rebuild what had been destroyed.

 Chapter 393 Black Boxes

    ?

    Alice sat in the makeshiftmand tent, surrounded by stacks of mission reports and maps spread out before her. The flickering light of a nearbyntern illuminated her focused expression as she meticulously reviewed each document, ensuring that the n was being executed with precision and efficiency.

    Her eyes scanned the details, absorbing the information with a sharp intellect honed through years of strategic warfare. Every move, every maneuver, had to be scrutinized and analyzed, for the stakes were too high to leave anything to chance. The fate of humanity rested on their sess.

    Outside the tent, the sounds of a bustling camp filled the air. Soldiers hurried by, their armor nking softly as they prepared for the next phase of the operation. The distant rumble of machinery and the murmur of conversations intertwined, creating an atmosphere of controlled chaos.

    As Alice delved deeper into the reports, her brow furrowed with a mix of concentration and concern. She made notes, marked important details, and devised contingency ns. Her mind was a wellspring of strategies and tactics, each decision weighed with the lives of countless individuals hanging in the bnce.

    In the midst of the organized chaos, Alice''s presence exuded a sense of calm authority. Her unwavering determination and unwavering dedication to the cause inspired those around her, instilling confidence and bolstering their resolve. She was the embodiment of leadership, leading by example and ensuring that every aspect of the operation was meticulously nned and wlessly executed.

    Amidst the sea of paperwork, Alice asionally paused to gaze out of the tent, her eyes scanning the horizon as if searching for something beyond the physical realm. It was a brief moment of respite, a chance to gather her thoughts and draw strength from the vastness of the sky above.

    The weight of responsibility bore heavily upon her shoulders, but Alice knew she couldn''t falter. She had a duty to her people, to humanity, to ensure that their cause prevailed. The sacrifices made thus far would not be in vain. They would fight with all their might, their determination unyielding until victory was within their grasp.

    With a renewed sense of purpose, Alice returned her attention to the reports, her mind sharp and focused. She knew there would be challenges ahead, unexpected twists and turns that would test their resolve, but she was prepared. She would adapt, strategize, and lead her forces toward the ultimate goal��victory and the restoration of peace.

    In the camp of humanity, under the watchful eyes of their resolute leader, preparations continued unabated. The machinery of war churned, soldiers, rallied, and the determination to ovee the celestial forces burned brighter than ever. They were ready to face whatever challenges awaited them, for they knew that the fate of humanity and the future of their world hung in the bnce.

    Just as Alice was immersed in the reports, her focus was broken momentarily by the sound of amunication device chiming. She reached for it instinctively, recognizing the iing call from ke, the leader of the assault on Inferno. A sense of anticipation mixed with concern surged through her as she swiftly epted the call.

    "ke," Alice greeted, her voiceced with a mixture of relief and urgency. "How are things on your end? Are you and Mary holding up?"

    The holographic image of ke flickered into view, his face bearing a determined expression despite the fatigue etched on his features. Mary, standing beside him, offered a nod of acknowledgment.

    "We''re holding our ground, Alice," ke replied, his voice resonating with determination. "The forces of Inferno have proven to be formidable adversaries, but we expected nothing less. Mary and I are coordinating our efforts, ensuring that the assault proceeds as nned."

    Alice''s concern softened slightly as she observed the unwavering resolve in ke''s eyes. She trusted his leadership, knowing that he would do everything in his power to achieve theirmon goal.

    "And what about you?" Mary interjected, her voice filled with both curiosity and genuine concern. "How are things going on Paradiso? Have you encountered any unexpected obstacles?"

    Alice''s expression turned pensive for a moment before she replied, her voice tinged with a mixture of caution and determination.

    "We''ve had our fair share of challenges, Mary," Alice admitted, her toneced with an undertone of determination. "The capital city has been devastated, and we''ve suffered losses, but we remain resolute. Our forces are pushing forward, inch by inch, reiming what is rightfully ours."

    Alice''s voice carried a sense of urgency as she asked ke, "Have the ck Boxes been sessfully installed on Inferno?"

    ke nodded, a flicker of excitement crossing his features. "Yes, Alice. We''ve managed to discreetly ce the ck Boxes at strategic locations across Inferno. The teams assigned to guard them are vignt, ensuring their secrecy and protection."

    Alice''s eyes gleamed with a mixture of determination and satisfaction. The ck Boxes were a formidable tool, a potent fusion of science and magic, crafted to extract and transfer Providence��the life force of the Celestials and Hypogeans. It was a means of leveling the ying field and exacting revenge for the atrocitiesmitted against humanity.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Good," Alice replied, her voice filled with determination. "The Providence drain must be gradual, and we need to ensure the secrecy of these boxes. The longer this war goes on, the more Providence we can siphon, weakening our enemies and strengthening our cause."

    ke understood the significance of the ck Boxes and the importance of keeping them hidden. "Rest assured, Alice. We''ve taken every precaution to ensure their secrecy. Only a select few know of their existence, and the teams guarding them are sworn to protect this knowledge at all costs."

    Alice''s expression softened slightly as she absorbed ke''s words. She knew she could rely on him to handle this critical aspect of their strategy. The gradual Providence drain would chip away at the power of their enemies, tilting the scales in humanity''s favor.

    "Our enemies won''t know what hit them," Alice said, a touch of satisfactioncing her voice. "We will drain their Providence, leaving them weakened and vulnerable. This war will be a prolonged one, allowing us to extract as much Providence as needed to secure our victory."

    ke nodded, his eyes reflecting the gravity of their mission. "We understand the importance of these ck Boxes, Alice. We won''t fail in our duty to protect them and ensure the sess of this Providence-draining strategy."

    "...it''s a little lonely out here without you," Alice admitted, her voice sounding a touch too soft and endearing.

    ke and Mary''s faces softened upon her admittance. No words needed to be said, Alice already knows that they too feel the same.

    Taking a deep breath, Alice''s face hardened once again, reiming the air of a truemander.

    "Our casualties had been on the higher side, but nothing that exceeded our expectations. As we speak, some teams are already sending their remains back to our home. We will pay due diligence to honor their sacrifices. However, I''m afraid that it''ll have to wait until this war was over."

    Mary''s face contorted with a mix of empathy and determination as she absorbed the gravity of the situation. She understood the stakes and the sacrifices made by theirrades in this war.

    "We won''t let their sacrifices be in vain," Mary stated firmly, her voice brimming with conviction. "We''ll fight with everything we have to ensure their memories are honored and their deaths were not in vain."

    Alice nodded in agreement, a flicker of admiration crossing her features. "You''re right, Mary. We owe it to them to keep pushing forward, to secure victory. This war is far from over, but with each step we take, we get closer to reiming what was taken from us."

    The connection wavered for a moment, a brief interruption caused by the turbulence of the realms they found themselves in. But the determination in their eyes remained unyielding.

    "Stay safe, both of you," Alice said, her voice filled with heartfelt concern. "We''ll continue to coordinate our efforts, support one another, and ovee the challenges we face. We will prevail."

    ke and Mary nodded, their eyes reflecting the same unwavering spirit that Alice disyed. They understood the importance of their roles and the weight of their responsibilities.

    "We won''t let you down, Alice," ke vowed, his voice carrying the resolve of a leader determined to see this through to the end.

    With a final exchange of assurances, themunication ended, leaving Alice once again surrounded by the reports and maps. She took a moment to gather herself, steeling her resolve for the battles yet toe. The war raged on, but with each check-in, each connection forged with herrades, Alice''s determination only grew stronger.

    As they concluded their conversation, a sense of determination hung in the air. Alice, Mary, and ke shared a deep understanding of the significance of the ck Boxes and the role they would y in the war. With each passing moment, humanity''s revenge grew closer, and the weight of the battles ahead seemed to press upon their shoulders.

    Together, they would face the trials ahead, united in purpose and unwavering in theirmitment to restore peace and reim their homes. The path to victory would be arduous, but the bonds forged in the crucible of war would be unbreakable.

 Chapter 394 Drastic Measures

    ?

    As the war raged on for six arduous months, both the Celestials and Hypogeans experienced devastating losses. Skirmishes erupted across Paradiso and Inferno, with no respite from the relentless violence. Humanity, determined to hold on to its hard-earned advantage, fought with unwavering resolve.

    The celestial skies and fieryndscapes bore witness to the sh of forces, each side unleashing its formidable powers in a battle for supremacy. The once pristine realms of the Celestials and Hypogeans were scarred by the ferocity of the conflict, their once majestic cities reduced to ruins.

    Humanity, while not emerging unscathed, managed to keep their casualties within the expected range. The strategic brilliance of their leaders and the unity of their forces allowed them to withstand the relentless onught from their celestial and subterranean adversaries. Their determination and resourcefulness proved to be formidable weapons in their arsenal.

    Throughout the six months, victories and losses were imed by both sides. The Celestial Council, bereft of their god''s guidance, fought valiantly but struggled to regain their footing. The Hypogeans, facing the wrath of humanity, found themselves reeling from the consequences of their past actions.

    In the midst of the chaos, the Providence drain enacted by the ck Boxes began to take its toll. The Celestials and Hypogeans found their powers diminishing, and their once imprable defenses weakened. The gradual siphoning of Providence had started to tip the scales further in humanity''s favor, giving them an edge they had long sought.

    Despite the ongoing devastation, glimmers of hope began to emerge. Some among the Celestials and Hypogeans, weary of the senseless conflict, questioned the reasons behind the war. Whispers of reconciliation and peace floated through the war-torn realms, sparking a glimmer of possibility in the hearts of a few.

    The war had reached a critical juncture, with each side battered and bloodied. The toll of loss weighed heavily on all, but humanity''s relentless determination held firm. The casualties they suffered were a testament to their sacrifices, and they fought on with the belief that the end would justify the means.

    As the six-month mark passed, the war continued to unfold with unpredictable twists and turns. The realms of Paradiso and Inferno stood as battlegrounds, where the destiny of worlds hung in the bnce. The sacrifices made and the lives lost were etched into the annals of history, as the war pressed forward toward an uncertain conclusion.

    The war of races had reached a pivotal moment, and the fate of humanity, the Celestials, and the Hypogeans hung in the bnce. Theing days would test their resilience, their willpower, and their ability to forge a path beyond the cycle of violence and retribution.

    And so, the war raged on, the echoes of battle reverberating through the realms. Each passing day brought humanity closer to its ultimate goal, yet uncertainty and the price of victory loomed on the horizon. The war had be a testament to the indomitable spirit of those involved, a testament to the lengths they were willing to go to shape the destiny of their worlds.

    ***

    The Celestial Council convened in the grand chamber, their faces etched with weariness and frustration. The air crackled with tension as they prepared to engage in a fierce debate regarding the next course of action against humanity. The once harmonious council was now a battleground of conflicting opinions and shing ideologies.

    Councilor Aries, his eyes burning with righteous anger, mmed his fist on the table. "We must strike back with all our might! Show these humans the consequences of their audacity!"

    Councilor Seraphine, her voice tinged with sorrow, raised a hand in protest. "No, Aries! More violence will only perpetuate this cycle of destruction. We must seek a path of reconciliation, of understanding."

    Aries shot back, his voiceced with venomous disdain. "Reconciliation? Do you not remember the atrocities they havemitted against our kind? They have shown us no mercy, and now you speak of understanding? You are blinded by your foolish naivety!"

    Seraphine''s eyes welled up with tears, her voice trembling with emotion. "I have seen enough bloodshed, Aries. We cannot continue down this path of vengeance. We must find a way to end this war before it consumes us all."

    Councilor Elysia, her face marked with determination, stepped forward. "Enough of this bickering! We must unite and find a solution that aligns with our values and preserves our existence. We owe it to our people and ourselves."

    Councilor Orion, his voice filled with bitterness, scoffed. "Values? Our values have done nothing but lead us to this precipice of destruction. It is time we abandon our ideals and fight fire with fire."

    Tensions rose with every passing moment, the councilors locked in a battle of words, their arguments echoing through the chamber. Threats and usations were hurled like arrows, each trying to assert their dominance and push their agenda forward.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Amidst the chaos, Councilor Lysander, known for his calm demeanor, raised his voice above the cacophony. "Silence! We cannot allow our differences to tear us apart. We must findmon ground, a strategy that honors our principles while ensuring our survival."

    The council fell into a momentary hush, their heated exchanges tapering into uneasy silence. Eyes darted from one councilor to another, the weight of the decision weighing heavily upon them.

    Councilor Aries, his voice softened but still resolute, spoke with a steely determination. "If we do not act decisively, we risk losing everything we hold dear. We must strike back, for the sake of our people and our legacy."

    Seraphine, her voice filled with sadness, pleaded with her colleagues. "There has to be another way. Let us explore avenues ofmunication, for peace. We cannot let vengeance be our only guiding light."

    As the councilors continued their debate, their voices intertwining in a symphony of discord, it became evident that their differences ran deep. The fate of the Celestial race hung in the bnce, and the choices they made in this critical moment would shape their future.

    Yet, despite the animosity that crackled in the chamber, a glimmer of hope remained. Buried within the heated arguments and personal threats was a shared desire for the preservation of their race. It was now up to the Celestial Council to find a way to bridge the divide, to forge a path that would lead them out of the darkness and towards a resolution that would determine the fate of their world.

    "I will open the Celestial Vault." Lysander suddenly dered out of nowhere.

    Councilor Lysander''s proposal hung in the air, the weight of his words reverberating throughout the chamber. The other councilors exchanged rmed nces, their faces etched with a mix of astonishment and trepidation. The idea of opening the Celestial Vault was no small matter, as it held the most sacred and valuable artifacts of their race, artifacts that held immense power and significance.

    Councilor Orion''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Lysander, you cannot be serious! The Celestial Vault contains relics of immeasurable worth. To open it without the guidance of our god is sacrilege!"

    Lysander, his voice steady but tinged with a hint of desperation, held his ground. "I understand the gravity of this decision, but we have exhausted all other options. Our god is silent, and we cannot wait idly while our race faces annihtion. The artifacts within the Celestial Vault hold the potential to turn the tides of this war. We must seize this opportunity to ensure our survival."

    Councilor Seraphine sped her hands together, her expression torn between concern and hope. "Lysander, opening the Celestial Vault is a drastic measure. We risk unleashing powers we may not fullyprehend. Are we prepared to bear the consequences of such an action?"

    Lysander met Seraphine''s gaze, his eyes filled with a mix of resolve and regret. "Seraphine, I understand the risks involved. But we have reached a point where we must be willing to take extraordinary measures. Our race teeters on the brink of extinction. If we do not act now, there will be nothing left to protect, no future to safeguard."

    Councilor Aries''s face contorted with anger and frustration. "You are ying with forces beyond our control, Lysander! The Celestial Vault is not to be trifled with. It is a sacred repository of our heritage, entrusted to us by our god."

    Lysander''s voice hardened, his gaze piercing through the room. "Our god has forsaken us. We have reached out to him and pleaded for guidance, but he remains silent. It falls upon us, as the Celestial Council, to make the difficult choices for the sake of our must protect our race, even if it means risking the wrath of the divine."

    The councilors fell into a heavy silence, the weight of Lysander''s words sinking in. Opening the Celestial Vault was an act that would defy tradition and challenge the very fabric of their beliefs. But as they looked around the chamber, seeing the desperation etched on each other''s faces, they knew that they had arrived at a pivotal moment in their history.

    Finally, Councilor Elysia, her voice filled with a mix of apprehension and determination, broke the silence. "If this is the path we must tread to ensure the survival of our race, then let it be so. Let us gather the council''s authority and unlock the Celestial Vault. We must do what we can to turn the tide in this war."

    The councilors exchanged solemn nods, a collective understanding passing between them. They were prepared to face the consequences of their decision, knowing that their actions would shape the destiny of the Celestial race.

 Chapter 395 Unit-075

    ?

    Unit-075,prised of five seasoned members of the Mystic Guild, moved stealthily through the vibrantndscape of Paradiso. d in advancedbat gear infused with both magic and technology, they were a formidable force prepared to face any unseen threats that lurked within the celestial realm. Each member carried a specific set of skills honed through years of rigorous training and battle experience.

    At the head of the unit was Captain Kaitlyn, a seasoned leader with a reputation for her strategic brilliance and unwavering resolve. Her piercing blue eyes scanned their surroundings, ever vignt for any signs of danger. Walking beside her was Specialist Ethan, a master of illusions and stealth, capable of rendering himself and his team virtually invisible to the Celestials'' watchful gaze.

    Close behind were Corporal Maya, an expert in elemental magic, and Sergeant Rn, a marksman renowned for his deadly uracy with both long-range weaponry and arcane spells. Theirbined skills offered a versatile blend of offense and defense, ensuring that the unit remained formidable in any situation.

    Bringing up the rear was Medic Lily, whose expertise in healing and support magic provided a lifeline for the team, ensuring their survival in the face of adversity. She carried a myriad of potions and restorative spells, ready to mend any wounds inflicted upon herrades.

    As they traversed the lushndscapes of Paradiso, the teammunicated through a series of hand signals and subtle gestures, their movements seamless and coordinated. They were acutely aware of the dangers that surrounded them, from the celestial creatures that patrolled the realm to the possibility of encountering hostile Celestial or Hypogean forces.

    Their mission was clear: to scout the vast expanse of Paradiso, identify potential threats, and gather vital intelligence for the Sword Empress and the rest of humanity. Their reports would shape the strategies and preparations for the ongoing war, ensuring that no surprises would catch humanity off guard.

    As Unit-075 moved deeper into the heart of Paradiso, their senses heightened, their every step measured and deliberate. The air crackled with energy, a blend of the celestial aura and the anticipation of the impending conflict. They knew that within this breathtaking realm, beauty coexisted with danger, and the delicate bnce could shift in an instant.

    The team remained focused, their determination unwavering, as they pressed forward, relying on their training and experience to navigate the intricate pathways and hidden alcoves of Paradiso. Their eyes darted from one point to another, scanning for any signs of movement or hidden threats, all the while remaining mindful of the ethereal beauty that surrounded them.

    Unit-075 knew the stakes were high, and the weight of their responsibility rested on their shoulders. As they continued their mission, they carried the hopes and aspirations of humanity, their duty to safeguard their people evident in every step they took.

    Through the realms of Paradiso, Unit-075 moved with precision and purpose, their resolve unyielding. They would not falter in their quest to gather vital information, for their actions would y a crucial role in shaping the future of humanity''s struggle against the celestial forces. The fate of their race hung in the bnce, and Unit-075 was determined to ensure that humanity stood prepared, no matter the cost.

    Captain Kaitlyn gathered her team, positioning them in a secure area shielded from prying eyes. The tension in the air was palpable as she prepared to deliver her instructions.

    Kaitlyn: Ethan, I need you to embark on a solo-stealth operation. We need eyes and ears within the Celestials'' realm. Your skills make you the perfect candidate for this task. Blend in, gather as much intel as you can, and report back to us.

    Ethan, a seasoned specialist with a jaded demeanor, crossed his arms, his skepticism evident on his face.

    Ethan: You want me to infiltrate the Celestials? You know how risky that is, right? They can sense our presence even if we cloak ourselves with magic.

    Kaitlyn''s expression hardened, her voice stern.

    Kaitlyn: I''m well aware of the risks, Ethan. But we need firsthand information to n our next moves effectively. Your mastery of stealth is unmatched, and we can''t afford to overlook any opportunity. We''re counting on you.

    Ethan let out a weary sigh, his gaze fixed on the ground as he contemted the task ahead.

    Ethan: You know, Kaitlyn, this war... it''s cost us so much. I''ve seen friends fall, and innocent lives lost. It''s hard to trust in any case any more. But if there''s a chance to turn the tide, I''ll do what I can.

    Kaitlyn''s eyes softened slightly, understanding the weight on Ethan''s shoulders.

    Kaitlyn: I know it''s been tough, Ethan. We''ve all lost loved ones and witnessed the horrors of this war. But we can''t let despair cloud our judgment. Humanity is counting on us to find a way forward. You have the strength and skill to make a difference.

    Ethan''s skepticism gave way to a flicker of determination, his eyes meeting Kaitlyn''s with a renewed sense of purpose.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Ethan: Alright, Kaitlyn. I''ll go. But don''t expect miracles. The Celestials won''t be easy to deceive.

    Kaitlyn nodded a hint of gratitude in her gaze.

    Kaitlyn: We''re not looking for miracles, Ethan. We''re looking for information that can tip the scales in our favor. Be cautious, trust your instincts, and remember, we''re with you every step of the way.

    With that, Ethan prepared himself mentally for the challenging mission ahead. The weight of the task bore heavily upon him, but he knew that his unique set of skills might just provide the breakthrough they needed. As he disappeared into the shadows, Kaitlyn turned her attention back to the rest of her team, focused on their collective objective��ensuring humanity''s survival in the face of celestial adversity.

    Ethan swiftly maneuvered through the streets of the nearby celestial civilization, his steps light and purposeful. Cloaked in a magical disguise, he blended seamlessly among the bustling crowds, his keen senses alert to any potential sources of information. His objective was clear��to gather valuable intel that could aid humanity''s cause.

    Finding a concealed spot in an alley, Ethan leaned against a wall, his trained eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of vulnerability. As he listened attentively, he picked up fragments of conversations, piecing together the puzzle of celestial life.

    Amidst the chatter, a hushed conversation between two celestial citizens caught his attention. Intrigued, Ethan subtly maneuvered closer, concealing himself within the shadows while focusing his ears on their discussion.

    Citizen 1: Have you heard the rumors, my friend? There''s a malignant presence lurking on the outskirts of the city. They say it''s even worse than the demons we''ve encountered before.

    Citizen 2: Worse than demons? Ah! You must be talking about the invaders right? Humans, I believe they''re called? Yeah, they''re horrible.

    Ethan fought the urge to scoff at that. He guessed that they weren''t wrong when they called humanity ''Invaders'', though somehow, the term doesn''t sit well with him despite it being the truth.

    ''We never wanted any of this. We didn''t want to be horrible to you people but you forced our hand. For the sake of our race and world, you all have to die.'' Ethan mused inwardly, gripping his fists tightly as he remembers the losses they had so far.

    Citizen 1: No, no! Not humans! I know of them, but they''re not the ones I''m talking about. It''s something more terrible than them.

    Citizen 2: Are you sure? Humans are destroying our homes you know? What could possibly be even more terrible than that?

    Citizen 1: I know, I know. But this presence... it''s different. It spreads fear and darkness wherever it goes. The demons and humans pale inparison to their malevolence. Some have called it the "Nightmare Incarnate."

    Ethan''s curiosity was piqued at the mention of this mysterious presence. He had encountered demons before and witnessed their cruelty firsthand, but the notion of something even more sinister intrigued him. The potential implications for the ongoing war were significant, and he knew he had stumbled upon a vital piece of information.

    ''This...I think I''ll have to know more about it. If it''s true, then this creature will be an unstable variable in this war.'' Ethan grimly thought to himself.

    Ethan silently made a mental note of the rumors, aware that this malignant presence could hold the key to turning the tide against the celestial forces. With cautious determination, he decided to delve deeper, gathering more information and uncovering the truth behind the "Nightmare Incarnate."

    As he slipped away from the eavesdropped conversation, Ethan resumed his stealthy exploration, using his mastery of disguise and evasion to gather additional intelligence. His mission had taken an unexpected turn, but he knew that uncovering the true nature of this malignant presence could provide Humanity with a crucial advantage in their fight for survival.

    With each passing moment, Ethan''s focus sharpened, driven by the knowledge that his actions could shape the course of the war. The veil of secrecy surrounding the "Nightmare Incarnate" had been lifted, and he was determined to reveal the true extent of its terror.

    What he didn''t expect, however, was that he would personally experience the horrors of this unknown creature soon...

 Chapter 396 Chased

    ?

    "Shit! What rotten luck is...this...?"

    Ethan stumbled through the dense foliage, his breath ragged andbored. Pain seared through his body, each step intensifying the torment of his injuries. Cursing under his breath, he gritted his teeth and pushed himself to keep going, his willpower overriding the physical agony that threatened to consume him.

    Looking back very briefly, Ethan felt chills as the malignant presence chased after him. He decisively shook his fright away and focused on his efforts in running. If he stops here, he will undoubtedly die, that''s for sure...

    Blood trickled down his face from the wound on his head, obscuring his vision as it streamed over his closed eye. The crimson stain on his clothes marked the toll the chase had taken on him. He could feel the weight of broken bones and fractured ribs, a constant reminder of the peril he had found himself in.

    The forest around him seemed to close in, branchesshing out, their sharp edges grazing his already wounded body. He nced back, catching a glimpse of the pursuing horror��a creature of twisted malice and darkness, relentless in its pursuit. Its grotesque form seemed to merge with the shadows, a nightmarish presence that defiedprehension.

    Ethan''s heart pounded in his chest as panic threatened to consume him. With every ounce of strength he could muster, he fought to suppress his fear, knowing that to falter now would seal his doom. His mind raced, searching for a way to elude his relentless pursuer and find refuge, even for a moment.

    Though pain and fatigue threatened to overwhelm him, Ethan summoned his remaining reserves of agility and resilience. He darted through the undergrowth, his movements guided by instinct and the desperation to survive. The forest became a blur of green and brown as he weaved through the maze-like terrain, hoping to lose his pursuer in thebyrinth of nature.

    Every step became a test of endurance, each impact reverberating through his battered body. The pain, however, fueled his determination, a constant reminder that he was still alive and fighting. With every ounce of his will, he pushed through the agony, refusing to sumb to the darkness that threatened to swallow him whole.

    As Ethan''s ragged breaths echoed in his ears, his mind raced with a singr thought��to find a temporary sanctuary, a respite from the relentless onught. But time was running out, his energy waning, and his strength dwindling. The pursuit was closing in, an ever-present reminder of the peril he faced.

    Gritting his teeth, Ethan pressed on, the taste of blood mingling with his ragged breaths. He knew that every second counted, and that escape was the only path to survival. With his one good eye narrowed in determination, he pushed his aching body to its limits, desperately seeking a fleeting moment of respite in a world fraught with danger.

    The chase continued an unforgiving battle between predator and prey, where only the strongest and most cunning would emerge victorious. Ethan, his body battered and broken, clung to the hope of eluding his pursuer, refusing to surrender to the inevitable. The will to survive burned within him, a beacon of defiance against the encroaching darkness that threatened to consume him.

    "Hah..." Ethan''s breath wasbored. He knew that he wouldn''tst for long. That''s when he suddenly heard a static sound on his earpiece.

    Ethan''sms crackled to life, the sound cutting through the cacophony of hisbored breathing. He fumbled with the device, his injured hand trembling as he brought it to his ear. Kaitlyn''s voice filled his earpiece, her wordsced with concern and determination.

    "Ethan, do you copy? Are you still alive?" Kaitlyn''s voice held a sense of urgency, a testament to the gravity of their situation.

    Ethan clenched his jaw, fighting back waves of pain as he mustered the strength to respond. "Yeah, still breathing... barely. What''s the n?"

    Kaitlyn''s voice remained steady, her authoritative tone cutting through the chaos that surrounded Ethan. "Lead it to the coordinates I''m sending you. We have an ambush waiting. We''ll take care of it, but you need to keep moving. You can make it, Ethan."

    As Kaitlyn spoke, a surge of mixed emotions coursed through Ethan''s battered body. Skepticism shed with a flicker of hope within him. The distance to the rendezvous point felt insurmountable, his fatigue threatening to drag him down into the abyss of despair. Doubt gnawed at his resolve, whispering that he would never make it.

    Yet, deep down, Ethan held onto a glimmer of belief. He wanted to reach that rendezvous point, to be reunited with hisrades and turn the tables on their relentless pursuer. The desire to survive burned within him, intertwining with a newfound trust in his team.

    Pushing back the doubt, Ethan drew a ragged breath, his voice tinged with determination. "I''ll get there, Kaitlyn. Just... give me a little more time. I won''t let you down."

    Kaitlyn''s response was firm and unwavering, carrying the weight of their shared mission. "We''re counting on you, Ethan. Stay focused and keep moving. We''ll be waiting."

    With renewed purpose, Ethan clenched his fist, gritting his teeth against the pain that threatened to consume him. He pushed himself forward, his steps unsteady but resolute. Each agonizing stride brought him closer to the coordinates that represented salvation and a chance to turn the tide of their desperate situation.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As he navigated through the treacherous terrain, Ethan''s mind battled against the physical and mental torment that threatened to overwhelm him. His skepticism, once a shield against false hopes, now teetered on the precipice of belief. The bond he shared with his team, forged through countless trials, fueled his determination to defy the odds.

    Through sheer force of will, Ethan pressed on, the distance to the rendezvous point gradually diminishing. Every fiber of his being screamed for respite, but he refused to sumb to the lure of surrender. His body moved on pure instinct, driven by a desire to protect hisrades and bring an end to the relentless pursuit.

    As the coordinates drew near, Ethan''s steps grew morebored, his breathsing in ragged gasps. Doubt and fatigue threatened to crush his spirit, but he clung to the belief that his team was waiting, ready to face the looming threat head-on.

    With every ounce of strength he could muster, Ethan pressed forward, his willpower surpassing the limits of his battered body. The world around him blurred as pain and determination merged into a single, fierce resolve. He could almost taste the victory thaty within reach, even as the shadows of uncertainty lingered at the edge of his consciousness.

    And so, Ethan trudged onward, his path fraught with obstacles and his body pushed to its breaking point. But in the face of adversity, he refused to falter. With each step, he embraced the flickering hope within him, his skeptical nature bending beneath the weight of possibility.

    ROAAAR!!!

    "Shit!"

    As the deafening roar of the pursuing menace echoed through the air, Ethan''s heart sank. He knew he had run out of time, and his weary body could no longer offer any defense. Resigned to his fate, he closed his eyes, ready to face the inevitable.

    But just as despair threatened to consume him, a symphony of nking steel shattered the silence. Ethan''s eyes shot open, and his gaze fell upon the figure of his captain, Kaitlyn. She stood tall and unwavering, a beacon of resilience, as she faced the malignant presence head-on.

    In that fleeting moment, time seemed to slow as Ethan watched in awe. Kaitlyn''s eyes zed with determination, her sword held aloft with unyielding resolve. Her every movement exuded unwavering strength as if she had be an indomitable force, standing between Ethan and the encroaching danger.

    The sharp and dangerous entity halted in its tracks, its attention diverted by Kaitlyn''s defiant stance. A primal growl rumbled through the air, reverberating with malice. But Kaitlyn remained steadfast, her unwavering gaze locked with the creature''s malevolent eyes.

    In that mesmerizing tableau, Ethan felt a renewed surge of hope ignites within him. The selfless act of his captain, risking her own life to protect him, shattered his doubts and rekindled his determination. He pushed aside the pain that coursed through his battered body, drawing upon reserves of strength he didn''t know he possessed.

    As the two formidable forces stared each other down, Ethan found sce in Kaitlyn''s unwavering presence. He knew he wasn''t alone in this battle, that their bond asrades and friends would prevail against the encroaching darkness.

    With a defiant glimmer in his eyes, Ethan mustered his remaining strength and forced himself to stand. His body protested, every movementced with pain, but he refused to be a bystander in his own rescue.

    "Ethan! Geez man,e on! Stay with us!" Rn, one of his teammates snapped him out of his daze.

    Next to him was Maya who was administering first aid as the rest of the team stood defiantly against the thing that did this to Ethan.

    The air was tense as the team and the beast sized each other up. It was then that Kaitlyn asked:

    "Ethan, where in this world did you find this thing and what did you do to provoke it?"

    Ethanughed dryly and said: "I didn''t find it. It found me. And for some reason, it seems to have a personal vendetta against me."

 Chapter 397 Abomination

    ?

    The Nightmare Incarnate, as Ethan hade to know it, embodied pure terror in its otherworldly form. It defiedprehension and pushed the boundaries of mortal understanding. An abomination of shadows and malevolence, its essence oozed with a potent and putrid darkness that permeated the very air around it.

    Itcked a defined shape or solid structure, its form constantly shifting and undting like an ethereal wisp. Wisps of shadow writhed and twisted, intertwining with each other, creating a swirling maelstrom of dark energy. Its presence seemed to warp reality, distorting the very fabric of space around it.

    The Nightmare Incarnate exuded an aura of overwhelming dread, its malignant essence palpable even from a distance. It emanated a profound malevolence that seeped into the souls of those whoid eyes upon it. To witness the creature was to confront one''s deepest fears and darkest nightmares as if the abyss itself had taken physical form.

    Its twisted visage was a haunting amalgamation of eldritch horrors. Jagged tendrils of darkness extended from its form, reminiscent of grotesque appendages ready to ensnare unsuspecting victims. Eyes, if they could be called as such, glowed with an unholy light, reflecting the depthless void of its existence.

    Those unfortunate enough to encounter the Nightmare Incarnate found their senses overwhelmed by a cacophony of malevolent whispers that echoed through their minds. It spoke in the ancient tongues of forgotten nightmares, its voices like a chorus of tortured souls, weaving tendrils of fear and doubt into the very core of their being.

    Only the strongest-willed individuals could withstand the suffocating weight of its presence. For those of weaker resolve, their sanity crumbled like fragile ss, sumbing to the all-consuming terror that emanated from the Nightmare Incarnate.

    Ethan had witnessed this eldritch horror firsthand, feeling the icy grip of fear coil around his heart. The very essence of his being quivered in the presence of such a monstrous entity. But now, with Kaitlyn standing resolute before him, he found sce in her unwavering strength, her unyielding defiance against the encroaching darkness.

    As he was receiving first aid from his team, Ethan couldn''t help but be reminded of how his initial encounter with this thing went...

    ***

    Ethan moved stealthily through the darkened corridors of the abandoned structure, his senses on high alert. He had been on the hunt for the Nightmare Incarnate, a formidable adversary that had eluded him thus far. His mission was to confront and gather information on this strange being, but little did he know that the creature had set its sights on him as well.

    As he ventured deeper into the heart of the eeriebyrinth, the atmosphere grew increasingly suffocating. The air became heavy with an otherworldly presence as if the very walls were whispering secrets of dread. Shadows danced and flickered, creating an eerie dance of darkness that yed tricks on his eyes.

    Suddenly, without warning, a swirling vortex of malevolent energy materialized before him. The Nightmare Incarnate had found him, ambushing him with a ferocity that caught him off guard. Its form, a twisted amalgamation of writhing darkness, seemed to mock him with its eldritch presence.

    Ethan''s instincts kicked in, his training and experience driving him to retaliate. He unleashed a flurry of attacks, strikes imbued with the power of his mystic abilities. But to his dismay, his efforts seemed futile against the Nightmarish Incarnate''s resilient form. The creature shrugged off his blows as if they were nothing, its ethereal body barely affected.

    In a desperate bid to survive, Ethan made a hasty retreat, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the weight of impending doom pressing upon him as the Nightmare Incarnate pursued relentlessly. With every step, he could sense the entity''s malevolence closing in, its shadowy tendrils reaching out in an attempt to ensnare him.

    Ethan knew he couldn''t face this abomination alone. He activated hismunication device, urgently contacting his team for assistance. His voice, tinged with urgency, ryed his dire situation, pleading for their aid in his time of need.

    As he raced through the twisting corridors, his mind filled with a mix of fear and determination. He knew that his survival depended on the swift response of his teammates, theirbined strength, and strategies. In the face of this unimaginable terror, unity and teamwork were their only hopes.

    With each passing second, the Nightmare Incarnate closed the distance, its presence growing ever more palpable. It seemed to feed off Ethan''s fear, relishing in his desperation. But at that moment, as he continued to flee, a glimmer of hope ignited within him. The knowledge that his team was on their way, that they would face this insidious threat together, bolstered his resolve.

    Ethan''s heart raced with anticipation as he pushed his body to its limits, desperately seeking the rendezvous point where his teammates awaited. The battle was far from over, and his encounter with the Nightmare Incarnate had only served to underscore the dire stakes of this war.

    ***<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The air crackled with tension as Kaitlyn, Maya, and Rn stood their ground, their weapons at the ready, facing the horrifying entity known as the Nightmare Incarnate. The creature loomed before them, its form shifting and undting in a grotesque disy of eldritch power.

    Kaitlyn, the stalwart captain, exuded amanding presence, her eyes narrowed in determination. She stepped forward, her sword gleaming with a radiant light, casting an ethereal glow across the darkness. With a fierce battle cry, she charged toward the Nightmare Incarnate, her strikes swift and precise.

    Maya, a spellcaster of formidable prowess, channeled her arcane energy, weaving intricate patterns in the air. Arcane fire erupted from her fingertips, hurtling towards the abomination in a ze of unrelenting fury. Her incantations echoed through the chamber, resonating with ancient power.

    Rn, a hulking warrior with immense strength, gripped his massive Warhammer tightly. He lunged forward, his movements powerful and calcted, delivering bone-crushing blows upon the creature''s shifting form. Each strike reverberated through the chamber, shaking the very foundation of their surroundings.

    As the battle raged on, the Nightmare Incarnate fought back with equal ferocity. It unleashed tendrils of inky darkness,shing out at the trio with incredible speed and precision. The shadowy appendages wove through the air, seeking to ensnare and suffocate its opponents.

    Kaitlyn''s sword shed against the creature''s amorphous body, the sh of steel reverberating through the chamber. She deftly dodged its relentless assaults, her movements fluid and graceful, evading the deadly strikes with remarkable agility.

    Maya''s spells tore through the air, exploding upon impact with the Nightmare Incarnate. Arcane energy crackled and surged, searing through the darkness and forcing the abomination to recoil. She focused her power, conjuring barriers and protective wards to shield her allies from harm.

    Rn''s Warhammer crashed down upon the creature, its weight, and force causing shockwaves to ripple through the chamber. Each impact left the Nightmare Incarnate momentarily stunned, creating opportunities for hisrades to unleash their own devastating attacks.

    In the midst of the chaos, Lily, the skilled healer, tended to Ethan''s injuries with unwavering focus. Her hands emitted a soft, soothing light as she channeled restorative magic, mending his broken bones and closing his wounds. She kept a watchful eye on the battle, ready to lend her support when needed.

    The sh between the valiant warriors and the Nightmare Incarnate intensified, the air thick with the scent of battle and the echoing sh of weapons. Each strike, each spell, was a testament to their unwavering resolve and determination to protect humanity from this malevolent force.

    Meanwhile, Lily swiftly transmitted a detailed report to the headquarters, detailing the encounter and the nature of this enigmatic entity. The Mystic Guild needed to receive this information, as it could hold the key to understanding the true nature and origins of the Nightmare Incarnate.

    In this chaotic dance ofbat, the warriors fought with a tenacity born of their shared purpose. They would not allow the Nightmare Incarnate to im victory. With every strike, every incantation, they pressed forward, their resolve unyielding.

    The battle was far from over, and the oue remained uncertain. But united in their cause and fortified by their unwavering determination, Kaitlyn, Maya, Rn, and Lily fought on, their spirits unbroken, determined to stand as a beacon of hope against the encroaching darkness.

    Yet, all of a sudden...

    As the echoes of the battle resounded through the field, the Nightmare Incarnate let out a haunting, otherworldly growl. Its form quivered and convulsed, the shadows coalescing and dissipating in an erratic dance. And then, without warning, the abomination began to recede, retreating into the darkness from whence it came.

    Unit-075 stood in a momentary stupor, exchanging bewildered nces as the realization settled upon them. The creature, so relentless and terrifying just moments before, was now retreating. The unexpected turn of events left them questioning the nature of their foe and the potential significance of this encounter.

    Kaitlyn, her sword still held firmly in hand, watched as the Nightmare Incarnate vanished into the depths of the chamber. She furrowed her brow, contemting the creature''s sudden retreat. It was a rare urrence, and it stirred a mix of relief and unease within her. The Captain understood the value of such information and knew it needed to be reported to headquarters immediately.

 Chapter 398 Sudden Situation

    ?

    Alice sat in a small makeshift office within the outpost, surrounded by stacks of reports and files from various units scattered across Paradiso. Her brow furrowed as she meticulously read through the detailed ounts of Unit-075''s encounter with the Nightmare Incarnate. The descriptions and apanying photographs painted a grim picture of a creature that defiedprehension.

    She studied the images, the grotesque form of the abomination etched into her mind. Its wispy, shadowy presence evoked a sense of dread, its malevolence palpable even through the photographs. The sight sent a chill down her spine, and a sense of unease settled within her.

    As Alice delved deeper into the reports, she realized that Unit-075''s encounter was not an isted incident. Her heart sank as she read about simr encounters experienced by other units in the past few weeks. The reports told tales of brutal skirmishes and casualties suffered at the hands of this mysterious entity.

    The worry within Alice grew like a gnawing ache in her chest. It was clear that the Nightmare Incarnate was not a singr urrence, but a recurring threat that loomed over Humanity''s forces. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on her shoulders.

    She leaned back in her chair, contemting the implications of these encounters. The reports indicated that the Nightmare Incarnate was not a mere anomaly but a formidable adversary that had already imed lives. Alice understood the urgency of the situation; they couldn''t afford to dismiss it as mere happenstance.

    As the gravity of the threat settled upon her, Alice''s determination hardened. She knew that their enemy was not limited to the Celestials and Hypogeans. There was something far more sinister lurking within Paradiso, a presence that struck fear into the hearts of their soldiers. It was a new and unpredictable variable that needed to be addressed.

    With a resolute expression, Alice set aside the reports, knowing that action needed to be taken. She would make it her mission to gather more information, uncover the true nature of the Nightmare Incarnate, and find a way tobat it. Humanity''s forces had already endured so much in this war, and she was determined to ensure that they had the best possible chance of survival.

    Taking a deep breath, Alice reached for hermunicator, preparing to initiate a briefing with the higher ranks. It was time to bring attention to this hidden threat, rally their forces, and devise a n to protect their soldiers and secure victory in this war. The shadows of Paradiso held many secrets, and Alice was resolved to unveil them, no matter the cost.

    Alice''smunicator buzzed, signaling an iing call. She quickly tapped the screen to answer, and to her surprise, she saw the faces of ke and Mary, stationed at Inferno, appearing on the holographic disy.

    "ke, Mary," Alice greeted them with a mix of surprise and concern. "What''s going on? I wasn''t expecting a call from Inferno."

    ke''s voice carried a note of urgency. "Alice, we need to talk. We''ve been facing some... unusual encounters here. It''s simr to what Unit-075 experienced in Paradiso."

    Alice''s eyebrows furrowed deeper. "Are you saying you''ve encountered the Nightmare Incarnate too? The same creature that Unit-075 reported?"

    Mary chimed in, her voice filled with tension. "Yes, Alice. It attacked our forces, and we suffered casualties as well. It''s not just an isted incident. We believe this creature poses a significant threat."

    Alice''s mind raced, connecting the dots. The fact that the Nightmare Incarnate had made its presence known in both Paradiso and Inferno was deeply unsettling. It meant that this malignant force was not confined to a single location or realm.

    "I''ve received reports from other units in Paradiso as well," Alice revealed, her voiceced with concern. "It seems that the Nightmare Incarnate has been haunting multiple regions. This can''t be a coincidence. We need to find out more about this creature and how tobat it."

    ke nodded, his expression grim. "Agreed. We can''t ignore this any longer. We need to pool our resources and gather as much information as we can. Our forces are facing enough challenges as it is. We can''t afford to have this additional threat lurking in the shadows."

    Mary''s voice carried a sense of determination. "We''repiling our own data and reports here. We''ll share everything we have with you, Alice. We need to uncover the truth behind this creature, its origins, and any weaknesses it may have."

    Alice nodded a resolute expression on her face. "Thank you, both of you. We''re in this together. We''ll coordinate our efforts and work towards neutralizing this threat. We can''t let the Nightmare Incarnate im any more lives."

    As the call ended, Alice felt a renewed sense of purpose. The knowledge that this malignant presence gued not only Paradiso but also Inferno reinforced the urgency to uncover its secrets. She was determined tobine the information from both realms, to understand the true nature of the Nightmare Incarnate, and find a way to defeat it.

    With a steely resolve, Alice set to work, reaching out to the intelligence teams and strategists, and initiating a joint effort between Paradiso and Inferno. They would gather every piece of information, analyze it meticulously, and formte aprehensive n to confront the Nightmare Incarnate head-on.

    Humanity''s fight for survival had just be even moreplex, but Alice was determined to ensure that they faced this new threat with unwavering unity and resilience. The nightmare may have darkened their path, but together, they would find a way to reim their future.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ***

    Alice suddenly felt something weird.

    She was still in her office in this little outpost,piling reports and trying to gather more information about this variable when it happened.

    As Alice''s heart pounded in her chest, she couldn''t shake the feeling that something sinister was drawing closer. Her senses heightened, and she became acutely aware of the oppressive atmosphere surrounding her as if the very air had grown heavy with malevolence. It was weird since nothing has made her feel this way since arriving here. So, it could only mean one thing then...

    Something wasing...

    The soldiers around her exchanged nervous nces, their hands tightening around their weapons. They too could sense the encroaching presence, their instincts on high alert. The camp, once bustling with activity, now fell into an uneasy silence.

    Then, as if summoned by their trepidation, a deep and guttural roar pierced the stillness, resonating through the night. The sound reverberated with a primal force, rattling the soldiers to their core. The source of the roar seemed to be just beyond the camp''s perimeter, concealed within the darkness.

    Alice''s eyes narrowed her grip on her sword tightening as she prepared for the worst. Without hesitation, she took charge, issuing swift orders to her fellow soldiers, and directing them to fortify the camp''s defenses.

    "Secure the perimeter! Keep your eyes sharp and your weapons at the ready!" shemanded, her voice cutting through the tension.

    As the soldiers spread out, creating a defensive ring around the camp, Alice stepped forward, her gaze fixed on the surrounding shadows. With every passing moment, the malignant presence grew stronger, its aura permeating the air, suffocating and suffusing the camp with an aura of dread.

    Then, in the distance, she caught a glimpse of movement��a flicker of darkness, fleeting yet unmistakable. Alice''s heart skipped a beat as her instincts screamed a warning. Without a second thought, she drew her sword, its de shimmering in the moonlight.

    Silence descended upon the camp, broken only by the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. And then, as if materializing from the very fabric of the night, two hulking figures emerged.

    As the soldiers scrambled to secure the perimeter, Alice stood at the forefront, her grip on her sword tightening. Her instincts heightened, and she scanned the surroundings, searching for the source of the malignant presence that had infiltrated their camp.

    Suddenly, a bone-chilling roar shattered the air, causing the soldiers to flinch. The sound reverberated with primal power, filling the night with an aura of dread. Alice''s gaze snapped in the direction of the roar, her eyes narrowing as she saw two dark figures emerge from the shadows.

    The Nightmare Incarnates had arrived.

    The first Nightmare Incarnate stood tall, towering over ten feet, its grotesque form twisting and writhing with eldritch energy. Its body was shrouded in a swirling mass of dark mist, tendrils of darkness snaking and coiling around its hulking frame. Its eyes glowed with a malevolent crimson, piercing through the darkness like fiery beacons of destruction.

    The second Nightmare Incarnate, slightly smaller but no less menacing, possessed a more ethereal appearance. Its body seemed ephemeral as ifposed of shadow and smoke. It moved with an unsettling grace, gliding through the air, leaving a trail of inky ckness in its wake. Its eyes gleamed with a haunting, otherworldly light, as if reflecting the depths of a sinister abyss.

    As the Nightmare Incarnates approached, the soldiers readied their weapons, their faces etched with determination mixed with trepidation. Alice, undeterred by the looming threat, stepped forward, her sword gleaming in the moonlight.

    "Stand firm!" shemanded, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. "We face the Nightmare Incarnates head-on! Protect our camp and push back these abominations!"

 Chapter 399 Mysterious Variable

    ?

    As the sh between Alice and the Nightmare Incarnates intensified, the air crackled with raw energy. Alice''s movements were a symphony of lethal grace, her sword Excalibur gleaming as it sliced through the darkness with precision and purpose. With every strike, she left trails of shimmering light, a stark contrast to the vile aura emanating from her eldritch adversaries.

    The first Nightmare Incarnate lunged forward, its elongated, tentacle-like appendages iling in a grotesque disy. It aimed to ensnare Alice, seeking to entangle her in its corrupting grasp. But Alice, with the agility of a seasoned warrior, deftly sidestepped the onught, her de slicing through the writhing appendages, severing them with calcted precision.

    The second Nightmare Incarnate, its form ever-shifting, unleashed waves of dark energy, tendrils of shadow snaking towards Alice with malevolent intent. The very ground beneath her feet seemed to tremble with its presence. Undeterred, Alice twirled and twisted, her movements a mesmerizing dance, evading the creeping darkness with cat-like grace.

    With a mighty roar, Alice unleashed a barrage of strikes, her de a blur of radiant power. Each swing was met with a cacophony of shing steel and the sickening sound of flesh meeting otherworldly form. Sparks flew, illuminating the chaotic battleground as she deflected blows with uncanny precision, her resolve unwavering.

    The Nightmare Incarnates retaliated with ferocity, their dark essence pulsating with insidious energy. Tentacles whipped through the air,shing out with unnatural strength, while waves of corrupting darkness threatened to swallow Alice whole. Yet she remained resolute, her eyes burning with determination.

    Excalibur glowed with a sh of blinding brilliance, channeling her unwavering resolve into each strike. Its ethereal light shed against the malevolent shadows, dispelling their corrupting influence. With every cut, Alice carved through the eldritch abominations, leaving trails of dissipating darkness in her wake.

    But the Nightmare Incarnates were relentless, their resilience a testament to their otherworldly nature. As Alice fought on, she felt the weight of the battle pressing upon her. Fatigue threatened to take hold, her body strained from the arduous duel. Yet, she knew that retreat was not an option. The fate of herrades and the camp rested on her shoulders.

    Summoning her inner strength, Alice channeled her determination into a final, decisive strike. With a mighty leap, she soared through the air, her de gleaming with blinding radiance. Excalibur descended upon the first Nightmare Incarnate, cleaving through its monstrous form with a resounding crash. The abomination let out a guttural shriek, dissipating into nothingness.

    As the echoes of victory reverberated through the air, Alice''s attention turned to the remaining Nightmare Incarnate. It thrashed and writhed, its form contorting with enraged fury. Sensing its impending defeat, it unleashed a desperate onught of tentacles and corrosive darkness.

    Alice danced with death, dodging the onught with nimble agility. She pressed forward, her strikes unyielding, each blow infused with unwavering resolve. With one final, decisive swing, Excalibur struck true, shattering the abomination''s form into a swirling vortex of dissipated darkness.

    Breathing heavily, Alice stood amidst the aftermath of the battle, her gaze fixed upon the dissipating remnants of the Nightmare Incarnates. The camp was shrouded in an eerie silence, the soldiers watching in awe and reverence. Alice, the Sword Empress, had once again shown her skills as one of Humanity''s pirs. Inspiring the soldiers around her and raising their morale.

    As the dissipating darkness of the Nightmare Incarnates revealed the aftermath of their presence, Alice''s eyes widened with both surprise and concern. Among the wreckagey two figures, their forms barely recognizable amidst the chaos. It was none other than Lysander and Aries, two members of the Celestial Council, their bodies battered and on the verge of death.

    Alice''s heart wavered for a moment as she contemted the weight of her decision. She knew the importance of the knowledge thaty within the memories of these fallen Celestials. It was an opportunity to gain insight into their ns, their motivations, and perhaps uncover a way to end the relentless conflict that ravaged their worlds.

    With unwavering resolve, Alice reached into her well of arcane knowledge, drawing forth a rare and ancient art that she had honed over the years. The technique was delicate, requiring immense concentration and control, but Alice knew the stakes were too high to hesitate.

    Gently cing her hands upon Lysander''s and Aries'' foreheads, she closed her eyes, delving deep into the wellspring of her magic. The air around them crackled with energy as Alice invoked the Arcane Art of Soul Extraction. In a swirl of ethereal light, she carefully extracted their fading souls, preserving them in shimmering orbs of luminescence.

    As the orbs floated above her hands, Alice felt a sense of reverence wash over her. These were not just fragments of celestial essence; they were memories, experiences, and the very essence of these individuals'' consciousness. With the souls secure, Alice knew that she held the key to understanding the inner workings of the Celestial Council.

    Carefully cradling the orbs, Alice nced back at herrades, who observed the scene with a mix of awe and trepidation. The weight of the task ahead settled upon her shoulders, but she refused to falter. The knowledge within these captured souls had the potential to change the tide of the war, to offer a glimpse into the inner workings of the Celestials'' strategies.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "We must return to headquarters immediately," Alice dered, her voice filled with determination. "These captured souls hold vital information. We need to unlock their memories and discover the truth behind the Celestial Council''s ns."

    With that, the soldiers rallied, their fatigue momentarily forgotten. The camp buzzed with renewed purpose as they prepared to journey back to the safety of their headquarters, where Alice would unveil the secrets held within the orbs.

    As they made their way through the aftermath of the battle, Alice clutched the orbs tightly, her mind already brimming with questions. What secretsy hidden within these captured souls? What truths would they reveal about the Celestials and their relentless pursuit of power?

    She knew that the path ahead would be fraught with challenges and uncertainties, but Alice was ready to embrace them. With the captured souls as their guide, she would delve into the depths of the Celestials'' consciousness, determined to uncover the secrets that could change the course of the war and bring about a glimmer of hope for humanity.

    ***

    In the confines of a secure chamber within the headquarters, Alice set up an intricate array of magical crystals and ancient artifacts. The captured souls of Lysander and Aries hovered before her, their luminous orbs pulsating with faint energy. With a sense of anticipation, Alice prepared to delve into the depths of their memories, hoping to unravel the mystery behind the Nightmare Incarnates and the darkness that had consumed them.

    Closing her eyes, Alice focused her mind, channeling her magic into the delicate process of memory scanning. The orbs floated before her, emitting a soft glow as she began the intricate task of unlocking their fragmented recollections.

    As the memories unfolded within Alice''s mind, she found herself immersed in the celestial realm, witnessing the Celestial Council''s descent into darkness. The Celestial Vault, once a repository of precious artifacts, was now a hauntingbyrinth of shadows and malevolent energy.

    She saw Lysander and Aries, their expressions filled with determination as they ventured deeper into the vault. Their hopes of finding powerful weapons to defend against humanity''s forces were quickly shattered as they encountered a consuming darkness, a maddening force that clung to their very souls.

    The darkness seeped into their beings, corrupting them with its insidious tendrils. Their once noble intentions twisted, giving way to a mindless and destructive existence as the Nightmare Incarnates. Their eyes zed over, their forms contorted, bing grotesque and nightmarish.

    But the memories abruptly ended there, leaving Alice with a lingering sense of unease. The captured souls had lost all awareness beyond that point, rendering them mere vessels for the darkness that had imed them. Questions swirled in Alice''s mind as she pondered the nature of this sealed darkness, its origin, and its purpose.

    Gently withdrawing her consciousness from the memories, Alice opened her eyes, her brow furrowed with a mix of concern and curiosity. The revtion both intrigued and troubled her. What was this darkness that had permeated the Celestial Vault? How had it be so potent, so corruptive?

    Deep within her, a determination took hold. Alice knew that uncovering the truth behind this darkness would be crucial not only for understanding the Nightmare Incarnates but also for finding a way to counter their devastating presence. She resolved to dig deeper, explore ancient texts, seek out forgotten knowledge, and consult with the knowledge she gathered so far.

    As she stood there, contemting the next steps, a glimmer of hope flickered amidst the shadows. Perhaps within the depths of the celestial realm, a solution awaited, a way to cleanse the darkness and restore bnce. Alice would not rest until she found the answers she sought, for the fate of humanity and the realms, hung in the bnce.

    With renewed determination, Alice gathered her findings, carefully storing the orbs containing the captured souls. She knew that there was much work ahead, but she also knew that the revtions held within these memories would be a guiding light.

    "We need to be ready for these variables. I have to tell Mary and ke about this." Alice murmured as she reached out to herms.

 Chapter 400 Plans

    ?

    In her secluded chamber at the Paradiso outpost, Alice sat at a round table, her gaze fixed on the glowing orbs containing the captured souls of Lysander and Aries. Mary, who was stationed at Inferno, appeared as a holographic projection, while ke''s voice came through amunication device.

    "...that''s about everything I discovered so far after my fight with those abominations." Alice just concluded telling them everything she knows so far.

    As Alice shared her discoveries, Mary''s holographic figure furrowed her brows in confusion. "Wait, if the darkness within the Celestial Vault corrupted the council members, how did they end up in Inferno? It doesn''t make sense. The vault is there in Paradiso!"

    Alice nodded, her expression mirroring Mary''s bewilderment. "That''s the very question that puzzles me as well. The appearance of the Nightmare Incarnates in Inferno raises significant concerns. We need to understand how they managed to escape the confines of the vault and spread to other realms."

    ke''s voice came through themunication device, his tone filled with urgency. "This development is troubling. If the corrupted council members are targeting humanity, we must take immediate precautionary measures. We need to fortify our defenses, increase surveince, and warn the teams in both realms about the threat."

    Alice''s eyes narrowed as she contemted their next steps. "You''re right, ke. We must prioritize the safety of our people. Strengthening our outposts and reinforcing magical barriers will be essential. We should also share information and coordinate with the teams in Inferno to ensure they''re prepared to confront the Nightmare Incarnates."

    Mary''s holographic projection nodded in agreement. "Agreed. We need to gather as much information as possible about the Celestial Vault and the nature of the darkness within. Our researchers and schrs must delve deep into ancient texts and consult with the most knowledgeable minds in the Mystic Guild to unravel this mystery."

    Alice''s voice resonated with determination. "We cannot allow the Nightmare Incarnates to ruin our ns, they''re already an uncontrolled variable. We must find a way to confront and defeat them, while also uncovering the truth behind their sudden appearance. Our mission to protect humanity is more crucial now than ever."

    As the discussion continued, ns were formted, and strategies were devised. Alice, Mary, and ke resolved to work together, despite the physical distance separating them, to ensure the safety of humanity and seek answers to the enigma of the Nightmare Incarnates. The challenges ahead were formidable, but their unwavering determination would guide them through the darkest of times.

    With their ns in ce, Alice, Mary, and ke set their respective operations into motion, taking decisive action to counter the growing threat of the Nightmare Incarnates.

    Alice, stationed at the Paradiso outpost, convened a meeting with the outpost''smanders and strategists. She ryed the information gleaned from the memories of Lysander and Aries, emphasizing the urgency of fortifying their defenses and increasing surveince. Patrols were intensified, magical barriers were reinforced, and specialized units were assigned to monitor potential incursions of the Nightmare Incarnates.

    Meanwhile, in Inferno, Mary coordinated with the teams stationed there. She disseminated the intelligence gathered by Alice, cautioning them about the imminent danger posed by the corrupted council members. Instructions were issued to heighten vignce, establish contingency ns, and coborate closely with the other units.

    ke, leading the forces in Inferno alongside Mary, mobilized their troops to conduct targeted strikes against their enemies through several skirmishes. They sought to exploit any weaknesses in their ranks while maintaining a defensive line against the encroaching Nightmare Incarnates. ke also dispatched teams of skilled operatives to gather more information on the origins and vulnerabilities of these eldritch abominations.

    ***

    On the war-torn battlefield, skirmishes erupted between humanity and their true enemies, the Celestials and Hypogeans. Human soldiers fought with unwavering determination, employing their skills and strategies honed through months of relentless conflict. Swords shed, spells were cast, and arrows flew through the air, creating a chaotic symphony of warfare.

    Despite having experienced a strange encounter, Humanity''s priority remained the same. Destroying both Paradiso and Inferno to ensure that their home will never be invaded ever again.

    Amidst the chaos, Alice, the Sword Empress, oversaw the operations from hermand post. She issued orders to the various teams deployed throughout Paradiso, instructing them to gather information on the location of the elusive Celestial Vault. It was a crucial task, as discovering its whereabouts could potentially reveal the key to unraveling the mystery behind the Nightmare Incarnates and their corruption.

    It would''ve been helpful if the memories of the souls she captured had some clues at least, but to her frustrations, there was nothing. It''s as if that part of their memories were specifically erased just to protect the vault.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    With utmost caution, the teams ventured into uncharted territories, utilizing their stealth and reconnaissance skills to navigate the treacherousndscapes. They encountered celestial soldiers and encountered harrowing obstacles, but they remained focused on their mission. Each member was acutely aware of the risks involved, heeding Alice''s warning not to get too close to the Celestial Vault, lest they fall victim to the same corrupting darkness that had befallen the council members.

    As the teams ventured deeper into enemy territory, they relied on their wits and resourcefulness to gather intelligence. They documented celestial movements, observed patterns of activity, and reported any signs that might lead to the Celestial Vault''s location. Alice stressed the importance of timelymunication, urging them to ry their findings immediately to prevent any further surprises or dangers.

    Back at themand post, Alice tirelessly analyzed the iing reports, mapping out potential areas where the Celestial Vault might be hidden. She coborated with her strategists and schrs, seeking any avable knowledge that could aid in pinpointing its exact location. The search for the Celestial Vault became a race against time, a vital puzzle piece that could hold the key to humanity''s survival.

    Amidst the chaos of battle, the quest to locate the Celestial Vault and unravel the mystery of the Nightmare Incarnates remained at the forefront of Alice''s mind. She knew that finding and understanding the source of the corruption was paramount, for it held the potential to tip the scales of the war. With every passing day, as skirmishes continued and lives were lost, Alice''s determination grew stronger, her resolve unyielding as she led humanity''s fight against their celestial adversaries.

    ***

    In the ethereal realm of the dreamscape, Ashton found himself in thepany of the trapped Celestial God. The celestial being, bound by Ashton''s powers, remained enigmatic and elusive, refusing to divulge any significant information about the darkness that gued Paradiso.

    Ashton, driven by his insatiable curiosity, sought answers from the god, hoping to glean some understanding from their conversations. He pondered over the recent discoveries made by Alice and the mysteries surrounding the Nightmare Incarnates. In his questioning, Ashton probed the Celestial God about the nature of the darkness, its origin, and its intentions.

    However, much to his frustration, the Celestial God remained tight-lipped, offering only cryptic remarks. The god''s response was limited to a foreboding statement, iming that the darkness was humanity''s demise. Beyond that, no further information was forting, leaving Ashton grappling with more questions than answers.

    Nevertheless, Ashton''s demeanor remained surprisingly calm and collected. He acknowledged his role in trapping the Celestial God within the dreamscape, ensuring that the god could not directly interfere with the affairs of humanity. Ashton''s trust in his allies and their abilities to resolve the situation without his direct involvement was unwavering.

    This nonchnt attitude began to grate on the Celestial God''s patience. The god, ustomed to the power and influence it held over its followers, found Ashton''s tranquility and confidence in the face of such uncertainty infuriating. In the god''s perception, Ashton should have been panicking, desperate for answers and solutions.

    But Ashton remained resolute, understanding that his purpose was not to panic, but to trust in the capabilities of hisrades on the battlefield. He knew that Alice, Mary, ke, and the rest of their forces were fighting tooth and nail to uncover the truth, to locate the Celestial Vault, and bring an end to the Nightmare Incarnates. Ashton''s role, for now, was to hold the Celestial God captive, ensuring that it could not unleash further chaos upon humanity.

    As the Celestial God seethed with frustration, Ashton maintained his calmposure. He knew that time would eventually reveal the secrets hidden within the darkness. With patience and unwavering trust, he would remain within the dreamscape, steadfast in his belief that his allies would triumph over this enigma, unraveling its secrets and securing humanity''s future.

    "...so, you''re really not going to tell me anything?" Ashton asked the irritated god once more.

    Instead of answering, the god just grunted at him but his grunt resembled a growl instead, reflecting just how much he hated Ashton right now.

    Seeing this, Ashton shrugged and said: "Fine. Keep your secrets. It''s not like that''s going to free you from here anyway."

    Ashton walked away, seemingly vanishing right before the Celestial God''s gaze. He already knew that the God wouldn''t tell him anything so this was expected.

    He didn''t need the Celestial God for this. After all, his real body might be asleep but that doesn''t mean his doppelganger was either. If God refuses to tell him anything, then he''ll research on his own.

 Chapter 401 West Twos Arrival

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    In the depths of space, aboard a spacecraft bound for Paradiso, West Two, the doppelganger of Ashton, embarked on his mission to investigate the enigmatic Celestial Vault. Possessing abilities simr to Ashton''s, albeit slightly weaker, West Two blended seamlessly with his surroundings, his presence going unnoticed among the members of the assault team.

    d in a sleek ckbat suit, West Two observed his surroundings with keen eyes, taking in the sights and sounds of the spacecraft. He watched as the crew prepared for the perilous journey to Paradiso, checking their equipment and going through final safety protocols. It was clear that they were seasoned warriors, hardened by countless battles against the celestial forces.

    Remaining inconspicuous, West Two positioned himself near the rear of the ship, finding a spot amidst crates and supplies. He knew that blending in and keeping a low profile was crucial, especially when delving into the heart of the celestial realm. As the engines roared to life, the ship trembled with power, propelling them forward through the vast expanse of space.

    During the journey, West Two engaged in casual conversations with the assault team, subtly gathering information and gauging their experiences. He listened to their tales of previous encounters with the Celestials and Hypogeans, their ounts of survival and loss, and their unwavering determination to protect humanity.

    As the hours stretched into what felt like an eternity, West Two''s anticipation grew. He knew that his arrival in Paradiso would mark a pivotal moment in the investigation of the Celestial Vault. The mysteries surrounding its dark influence and the Nightmare Incarnates needed to be unraveled, and West Two was determined to contribute to the efforts.

    Finally, the spacecraft began its descent towards Paradiso, piercing through the celestial atmosphere. The team braced themselves, preparing for the imminent sh with the forces thaty in wait. West Two remained calm and focused, ready to face whatever challenges awaited him.

    As the spacecraft touched down on Paradiso''s surface, the assault team disembarked, stepping onto the celestial realm''s unfamiliar terrain. West Two seamlessly merged into their ranks, his presence unassuming yet determined.

    West Two separates from the assault team and uses his abilities to lull them into a dream state, erasing his presence from their memories.

    As the assault team made their way towards Paradiso in the spacecraft, West Two subtly tapped into his unique powers. Drawing upon his doppelganger abilities, he delved into their subconscious minds, casting a potent illusion that lured them into a shared dream. In this dream, they found themselves in a serenendscape, far removed from the chaos of war.

    Within the dream, the assault team carried on with their mission, blissfully unaware of West Two''s departure. He ensured that their memories of him faded into oblivion, leaving no trace of his existence. It was a necessary precaution to maintain the secrecy surrounding his involvement, safeguarding his true purpose and intentions.

    Once the dream was firmly established, West Two seamlessly slipped away from the team, stepping out of their shared illusion without leaving a single ripple. He continued his journey towards Alice, knowing that their mission demanded utmost discretion and secrecy.

    Moving swiftly through the war-torn surroundings, West Two marveled at the determination of thebatants engaged in battle. Their struggles became distant echoes as he focused on his own path, evading the skirmishes and danger that riddled thendscape.

    Witnessing the valiant efforts of the human soldiers further solidified West Two''s resolve. He recognized the significance of their sacrifices and the importance of their cause. The encounter with the Nightmare Incarnates had only reinforced the urgency to uncover the truth behind the Celestial Vault.

    With the memory of the assault team safely tucked away in a dream, West Two pressed forward, his steps guided by purpose. He knew that Alice''s presence held the key to unraveling the mysteries they faced, and he was determined to bring his unique abilities to bear in the quest for answers.

    As West Two ventured deeper into Paradiso, he found himself amidst the chaotic battlefield of the celestial war. Explosions rocked thendscape, casting an eerie glow upon the war-torn surroundings. He observed the skirmishes from a distance, taking note of the relentless determination disyed by both the celestial forces and humanity''s defenders.

    Using his abilities, West Two skillfully concealed his presence from thebatants, ensuring that he remained unseen and undetected. He moved swiftly and silently, weaving through the chaos with practiced ease. The shes between the celestial and human forces were fierce, with beams of energy and bursts of magic lighting up the sky.

    Witnessing the bravery and resilience of the human soldiers, West Two felt a surge of admiration. Each skirmish was a testament to the unyielding spirit of humanity, as they held steadfast against overwhelming odds. Their unwavering determination fueled his own resolve to uncover the truth behind the Celestial Vault.

    Making his way through the battleground, West Two eventually reached a temporarymand center where Alice and her team were stationed. The atmosphere within was tense, filled with a sense of urgency and purpose. The soldiers exchanged information, strategized, and prepared for their next moves.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Approaching Alice, West Two revealed his presence only to her, ensuring that their meeting remained discreet. His doppelganger features mirrored Ashton''s, though the discerning eye could detect the subtle differences between them. He greeted Alice with a nod, acknowledging the gravity of their mission.

    "Hey, there!" West Two began, his voice calm andposed. "I have arrived as instructed. The journey here was uneventful, and I have sessfully concealed my presence from the assault team. They are unaware of my existence."

    Alice''s eyes widened slightly as she realized the significance of West Two''s arrival. She knew that his presence was reserved for only the most critical missions, and his involvement meant that the situation had escted further.

    "Thank you, West Two," Alice replied, her voice filled with a mixture of gratitude and concern. "Your presence here is crucial. We have encountered unforeseen challenges, and the mysteries surrounding the Celestial Vault are growing deeper. Your unique abilities and insights will aid us in our quest to understand and neutralize this threat."

    West Two nodded in acknowledgment, fully aware of the weight of the task before him. He understood the importance of his mission, and he was determined to contribute to humanity''s fight against the celestial forces. "Ey, you''re too serious. It''s fine really. Besides, it''s Big Boss'' orders so I can''t really refuse." West Two affirmed, his voice resolute. "We must uncover the truth behind the Celestial Vault and find a way to make sure this won''t mess up our ns. We''re too close to our goal after all, we can''t afford to fail now."

    "Exactly. That''s why I''m stressing over this." Alice gestured to the stacks of papers on her desk.

    West Two grimaced in sympathy. Looking at Alice, it''s clear that she hasn''t gotten proper rest for a while now.

    "Rx, I''m here now. I''ll help you out." West Two assures her. "Oh right, here."

    West Two handed her a Spatial Ring, he then says: "Supplies are in there. I thought I''d take some here just in case. After all, we don''t know how long this war will take."

    Alice sighed in relief when she received this. Their supplies were indeed close to running out. She already requested another delivery but West Two''s initiative was a timely assistance.

    With their shared purpose aligned, Alice and West Two exchanged a determined gaze. They knew that the road ahead would be fraught with peril and uncertainty, but together, they would forge ahead, seeking answers and striving to protect humanity from the malevolent darkness that lurked within the Celestial Vault.

    Under the darkened sky of Paradiso, West Two made his way through the rugged terrain, following the map provided by Alice. He trekked across barrenndscapes and bypassed hidden obstacles, his steps were resolute and purposeful. The journey took hours, the weight of the impending revtion heavy upon his shoulders.

    As he approached the vicinity of the Celestial Vault, a palpable aura of malevolence engulfed the air. West Two winced as he sensed this. The reports they received were correct. This corruption was truly on a whole different levelpared to what they''re used to.

    Somehow, he''s convinced that even if they were to find a way to mix the Golden Corruption with the ck Corruption, this one would still trump over the product without a doubt. That''s just how potent it is.

    "Great! So looking forward to this..." West Two sarcastically remarked as he stared at the location of the vault.

    The very essence of the foul presence emanating from within sent a shiver down his spine, but he steeled his resolve. His eyes gleamed with determination, reflecting his unwaveringmitment to uncovering the truth hidden within the depths of the vault.

    Closing the distance, West Two paused at the threshold, a mix of anticipation and apprehension coursing through his veins. He could sense the ominous power thaty dormant within, awaiting his arrival. With a steady breath and a firm grip on his resolve, he took his first step towards the entrance of the Celestial Vault, ready to confront the darkness that awaited him within.

 Chapter 402 Corrupted Celestial Vault

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    As West Two ventured closer to the Celestial Vault, the surroundings transformed into a hauntingndscape, marred by the corrupting touch of the darkness that seeped from within. The once vibrant flora withered and twisted, their once vibrant colors reced by sickly shades of gray and ck. The air grew heavy and suffocating, carrying an acrid scent that permeated the atmosphere.

    The very ground beneath West Two''s feet seemed to writhe with unnatural energy, cracks snaking through the earth like veins of malevolence. The rocks and soil appeared desated, drained of life as if the very essence of vitality had been drained by the encroaching darkness.

    Above, the once-clear sky darkened, the stars obscured by an inky veil that stretched and undted, casting an unsettling gloom over thend. Wisps of shadowy mist slithered through the air, whispering eerie incantations that sent a chill down the spine.

    As West Two neared the entrance of the Celestial Vault, the corruption intensified. The very architecture surrounding the vault groaned under the weight of the dark influence as if the stone itself recoiled from the touch of the encroaching malevolence. Cracks spiderwebbed across the walls, pulsating with ominous energy.

    The proximity to the vault was suffused with an overwhelming sense of foreboding. It was as if the darkness, unleashed by the Council''s rash decision, sought to consume everything in its path. Every step West Two took deeper into the corrupted vicinity heightened the sense of impending doom, a testament to the reckless actions of the Celestial Council.

    The scene stands as a harrowing reminder of the dire consequences that apany tampering with forces beyond mortalprehension.

    With caution and meticulousness, West Two approached the corrupted vicinity of the Celestial Vault. He knew better than to rush headlong into the unknown, understanding the potential dangers that lurked within. With each step, he observed the subtle changes in the atmosphere and monitored the reaction of the corruption to different magical energies.

    First, he extended his hand, palm glowing with gentle azure light, and cast a simple healing spell. The corruption recoiled, tendrils of darkness writhing and retreating from the purifying magic. It seemed that the essence of healing possessed some power over the encroaching darkness, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the foreboding scene.

    Curiosity piqued, West Two then invoked a barrier spell, conjuring a shimmering dome of protective energy around him. The barrier held strong against the malevolent forces, deflecting the shadowy tendrils that attempted to breach its defenses. It appeared that defensive magic could offer respite against the corrupting influence, at least temporarily.

    Intrigued by the interaction between light and darkness, West Two summoned forth radiant beams of holy energy, channeling the essence of celestial power. The brilliant rays pierced through the oppressive darkness, momentarily dispersing its tendrils and revealing glimpses of the untouched world beyond.

    However, the corruption proved to be resilient. As West Two delved deeper into his investigations, he discovered that more potent forms of offensive magic, such as fire and lightning, seemed to fuel the darkness rather than repel it. The shadowy tendrils thrived on the destructive energy, growing in intensity and expanding their reach.

    Realizing the delicate bnce betweenbating and inadvertently strengthening the corruption, West Two exercised caution. He refrained from employing further aggressive spells, understanding the potential consequences of inadvertently empowering the encroaching darkness.

    Instead, he focused on observation and analysis, meticulously documenting his findings. He jotted down notes, sketched diagrams, and carefully recorded the reactions of the corruption to different magical forces. Each test was conducted with precision and a measured approach, ensuring that he gathered as much information as possible without provoking a catastrophic oue.

    As West Two continued his investigations, he remained vignt, knowing that even the slightest misstep could have dire consequences. He understood that unraveling the mysteries of the Celestial Vault required patience, insight, and an unwavering dedication to protecting humanity from the encroaching darkness that threatened their existence.

    After meticulously observing and analyzing the reactions of the corruption, West Two''s extensive testing bore fruit. He had discovered a few methods to navigate the spreading darkness with rtive ease, thanks to his innate Trait: ��Purity��. This unique attribute shielded him from the corrupting influence, allowing him to traverse the encroaching darkness unscathed.

    With an air of confidence, West Two stepped forward, his very presence causing the corruption to recoil in fear. The tendrils of darkness writhed and shrank away, unable to withstand the purity radiating from him. His Trait acted as a powerful barrier, warding off the encroaching malevolence and granting him passage through the taintedndscape.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As he walked deeper into the corrupted vicinity, the oppressive darkness seemed to part before him, creating a path free from the suffocating influence. The surrounding environment, once veiled in shadows, now revealed glimpses of its former splendor, as if the purity emanating from West Two cleansed and restored fragments of the tainted world.

    His footsteps echoed with purpose, the sound reverberating through the solemn silence that pervaded the vicinity of the Celestial Vault. With each stride, he ventured further into the heart of the encroaching darkness, guided by abination of instinct and the knowledge gained through his meticulous testing.

    The corrupted tendrils, once threatening and consuming, now seemed to quiver and shrink back in the presence of his Trait. It was as if the darkness recognized the futility of its advance against his unwavering purity. The power of ��Purity�� acted as a beacon of hope, a testament to the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming darkness.

    As West Two continued his journey deeper into the corrupted domain, he remained ever vignt. He knew that even with his innate resistance to corruption, the dangers within the Celestial Vault could manifest in other ways. He kept his senses sharp, observing the surroundings and anticipating any potential threats that might lie in wait.

    With each step, West Two embraced the weight of his purpose. He was determined to uncover the secrets of the Celestial Vault, to bring forth knowledge that could aid humanity in their struggle against the encroaching darkness. Guided by his Trait and driven by his unwavering resolve, he pressed on, ready to face the challenges that awaited him within the heart of the corruptedbyrinth.

    ***

    Stepping foot into the depths of the Celestial Vault, West Two felt the immediate intensification of the corruption''s influence. The air grew thick with a palpable malevolence, and shadows seemed to writhe and contort with a sinister energy. Though his Trait provided him with a shield against the encroaching darkness, he couldn''t help but feel the weight of its suffocating presence.

    As he ventured deeper, the corrupting influence seemed to w at the edges of his consciousness, attempting to sow doubt and unease. Whispers of despair and anguish echoed through thebyrinthine passages, permeating the very fabric of the vault. It was as if the tormented souls of those consumed by the darkness reached out in a desperate plea for release, their cries merging with the haunting groans of the corrupted realm.

    Yet, West Two remained resolute. He recognized the danger of sumbing to these manifestations, understanding that the corruption could easily manipte the minds of those not protected by his unique Trait. He pressed on, his footsteps unwavering amidst the unsettling symphony ofmentation and delusion.

    The further he descended into the depths, the more distorted and twisted the surroundings became. The architecture of the vault seemed to contort, merging into grotesque forms that defied logic and reason. Flickering shadows danced along the walls, taking shape as spectral apparitions that whispered of forgotten secrets and untold horrors.

    Was it real, or was it merely a product of the corruption''s influence? West Two couldn''t be certain, for the line between reality and illusion blurred in the depths of the Celestial Vault. But he knew that he had to steel his mind and remain focused on his mission. The source of the corruption awaited him, and only by uncovering its nature could he hope to aid in humanity''s fight against this insidious darkness.

    With each step forward, the groans and cries grew louder, the torment of lost souls echoing through the twisted corridors. West Two''s determination burned brighter amidst the cacophony, propelling him forward. He was driven by the knowledge that his presence here was not a coincidence, but a crucial part of arger n to understand and confront the enigmatic threat that loomed over humanity.

    As he ventured ever deeper, the intensity of the corruption''s influence reached its peak. The path ahead became obscured by a thick veil of darkness as if the very essence of the vault sought to impede his progress. Yet, his Trait held strong, pushing back against the malevolence that sought to ensnare him.

    Unfazed by the surrounding chaos, West Two pushed through the final barrier. There, at the heart of the Celestial Vault, awaited the source of the corruption, shrouded in a miasma of unrestrained darkness. It pulsed with an otherworldly power, its presence casting a chilling aura that set even the bravest hearts ame with trepidation.

    Undeterred, West Two stepped forth, his resolve unyielding. He would face whatever awaited him, armed with his Trait and the knowledge that his actions here could tip the scales in humanity''s favor. With each breath, he steeled himself for the inevitable confrontation, ready to unveil the secrets hidden within the heart of the Celestial Vault.

 Chapter 403 Abyss

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    As West Two stood before the heart of the corruption within the Celestial Vault, he felt its pulsating presence enveloping him. The air grew heavy with its malevolence, and the darkness seemed to take on a tangible form, swirling and shifting in an unnerving disy.

    To his astonishment, the corruption spoke. Its voice reverberated through the depths of his being, sending shivers down his spine and causing the very fabric of reality to quiver. It spoke with an ancient and ominous tone, each wordden with the weight of eons of suffering and despair. Its words bore into his mind, threatening to unravel his sanity.

    But West Two was not defenseless. Drawing upon the depths of his power, he unleashed his Dream Law Domain. An ethereal aura surrounded him, a sanctuary that shielded his mind from the insidious influence of the corruption''s voice. Within his domain, he maintained control over his thoughts and emotions, grounding himself in the realm of dreams where the power of his Trait held sway.

    As the corruption''s voice continued its assault, twisting and warping in an attempt to lure him into its web of darkness, West Two remained resolute. His Dream Law Domain emanated a soothing presence, countering the horrors that threatened to consume him. The hallucinations that would have driven a lesser soul to madness were but mere illusions to him, their potency weakened within the boundaries of his domain.

    With each passing moment, West Two''s presence grew stronger, pushing back against the sentience of corruption. He refused to be swayed by its maleficent whispers, instead focusing his energy on unraveling the mysteries thaty hidden within this abyss.

    Though the corruption''s voice continued to assail him, its potency gradually waned as the Dream Law Domain asserted its dominion. The abomination within the vault recoiled, its form flickering and distorting as if unable to fullyprehend the resilience of West Two''s mind.

    Undeterred, West Two stepped forward, his determination unyielding. The corruption, once a seemingly invincible force, now faltered in the face of his unwavering resolve. It realized that it could not break him, that its attempts to manipte and corrupt his spirit were in vain.

    The abomination within the Celestial Vault seethed with anger and frustration, its sentient essence recoiling against the presence of one who could resist its influence. Yet, West Two stood tall, his Dream Law Domain serving as a bastion against the tides of darkness.

    Within the depths of the vault, the confrontation between West Two and the sentient corruption intensified. The sh of wills reverberated through the chamber, the corruption''s voice now a mere echo against the resolute strength of West Two''s being.

    In this battle of minds, West Two remained steadfast, his Dream Law Domain shining as a beacon of his unwavering spirit. He would not falter in his quest to understand the nature of this corruption, nor would he sumb to its insidious whispers. With each step forward, he moved closer to unmasking the truth and bringing an end to the darkness that threatened humanity.

    As West Two stood face to face with the sentient entity within the depths of the Celestial Vault, a shiver of rm ran down his spine. The creature oozed with a potent corruption, its very existence a mockery of life. It stared back at him with eyes that held a depth of malevolence as if peering into the abyss itself.

    At that moment, a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche of his old world echoed in his mind: "And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." He couldn''t help but feel the weight of those words as if the entity before him mirrored the darkest recesses of his being.

    This encounter went beyond a simple battle against a physical foe. It was a confrontation with the very essence of corruption and chaos, an encounter that tested his resolve and sanity. The entity''s gaze bore into him, unearthing fears and doubts that he thought long buried.

    Yet, West Two refused to sumb to the abyssal gaze. He knew that if he let his guard down if he allowed himself to be consumed by fear, the entity would gain an insidious hold on his mind. With a deep breath, he steeled himself, drawing upon the strength of his Trait: ��Purity��.

    As he emanated his Dream Law Domain, a shimmering aura of light enveloped him, pushing back against the suffocating darkness. The entity recoiled, its malevolence momentarily subdued by the power of his purity. But he understood that this was merely the beginning of the struggle.

    In the depths of his being, West Two felt an intense urgency. He couldn''t ignore the implications of this encounter. The sentient entity was a harbinger of doom, a manifestation of the very darkness that threatened to consume humanity. If left unchecked, its influence would spread, corrupting all in its wake.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He knew he had to do something. This was not a battle that could be won with brute force alone. It required strategy, knowledge, and an unwavering determination to protect what remained of humanity. West Two made a silent vow to himself that he would not rest until this abomination was sealed away, never to haunt the world again.

    With a renewed sense of purpose, West Two took a step forward, never taking his eyes off the entity before him. He would delve deeper into the darkness, seeking answers, searching for a way to contain this threat. The weight of responsibility settled upon his shoulders, but he embraced it, for he knew that the fate of humanity hung in the bnce.

    As he ventured further into the depths of the Celestial Vault, the groans and cries of tormented souls echoed through the air. They served as a constant reminder of the urgency of his mission. With each step, he grew more determined, pushing past the boundaries of his fears, ready to face whatever horrorsy ahead.

    West Two knew that this encounter would leave an indelible mark on his soul. It was a battle not only against the corruption within the vault but also against the darkness that lurked within himself. The abyss stared back at him, but he refused to let it consume him. He would face it head-on, armed with his Trait, his allies, and an unyielding resolve to protect humanity from the depths of the abyss.

    As West Two pressed forward, his mind filled with a mix of rm and determination. The encounter within the depths of the Celestial Vault had surpassed even his expectations of the corruption''s malevolence. The sentient entity before him oozed with abhorrent darkness, a corruption, unlike anything he had ever encountered.

    He understood the gravity of the situation. This creature, this embodiment of corruption, posed a severe threat to humanity and all of existence. Its presence alone could consume worlds, unraveling the very fabric of reality. If left unchecked, it could bring about untold destruction and despair.

    The enormity of the task weighed heavily upon him, but he did not falter. Instead, his resolve hardened like steel, fueled by the knowledge that he was humanity''sst line of defense against this abomination. With each step he took, his determination grew, knowing that he had to seal this creature away, to prevent it from wreaking havoc upon the world.

    In his mind, West Two formted a n. He would draw upon the full extent of his powers, channeling the purity within him to counteract the corruption''s influence. He would create a seal, a barrier so imprable that even the darkness within the Celestial Vault would be unable to escape.

    His thoughts focused, his concentration unyielding, West Two readied himself for the final confrontation. He summoned forth the strength of his Trait, invoking his innate purity as a shield against the tides of corruption. The very essence of his being glowed with a radiant light, pushing back against the encroaching darkness.

    With each movement, each gesture, he channeled his power into aplex array of symbols and incantations, weaving a web of arcane energy. The seal began to take shape, a manifestation of his unwavering determination to protect humanity. It shimmered with an otherworldly brilliance, a testament to the might of his will.

    As the seal nearedpletion, the corruption writhed and twisted, its form contorted with rage and desperation. It recognized the threat West Two posed, knowing that its existence would soon be confined once more. The entity unleashed a final surge of dark energy,shing out in ast attempt to break free from its impending imprisonment.

    But West Two stood resolute. With a surge of power, he solidified the seal, its radiant glow intensifying. The corruption recoiled, trapped within the confines of its prison. Its malevolent presence, once suffusing the air, grew dimmer with each passing moment.

    In that moment of triumph, West Two felt a mix of relief and satisfaction. He had aplished his mission, sealing away the corruption that threatened the world. But he knew that his task was not yetplete. He understood the importance of alerting his allies, sharing his findings, and reinforcing humanity''s defenses against this insidious force.

    With his duty fulfilled, West Two took a final look at the sealed vault, its surface shimmering with ethereal energy. He turned, his steps purposeful, as he made his way back to where his allies awaited him. There was much to be done, and he was determined to see it through to the end.

 Chapter 404 Sudden Development

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    Back at the barracks, West Two found Alice amidst the bustling activity of themand center. He approached her, his expression calm but determined. Alice looked up from her work, acknowledging his presence with a nod of recognition.

    "West Two, you''re back," she said, a note of relief in her voice. "How did it go? Did you find any answers within the Celestial Vault?"

    West Two nodded, his eyes focused and resolute. "I managed to seal the sentient entity within the vault. For now, it won''t pose an immediate threat to humanity. But we can''t afford to becent. The Abyss, as I''vee to call it, is still a great unknown. We must remain vignt."

    Alice sighed, a mix of gratitude and concern evident in her voice. "Thank you, West Two. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed. We owe you a debt of gratitude for your bravery and selflessness."

    West Two shrugged dismissively, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "It was something I should do, regardless. We''re in this together, after all. But I must emphasize that the sealing is only a temporary solution. The Abyss is a force that we barelyprehend, and it will likely seek a way to break free again."

    Alice nodded solemnly, fully aware of the magnitude of the situation. "You''re right. We can''t let our guard down. We''ll need to remain vignt and continue our efforts to understand and contain this threat. We have to find a permanent solution."

    West Two''s gaze met Alice''s, their eyes reflecting shared determination. "Agreed. We need to gather more information, explore every avenue, and be prepared for any possible developments. The Abyss is a formidable adversary, but together, we can face it head-on."

    With a nod of understanding, Alice extended her hand toward West Two. He sped it firmly, their bond as allies and protectors of humanity growing stronger at that moment.

    "Thank you, West Two," Alice said again, her voice filled with gratitude and resolve. "Your courage and expertise have proven invaluable. We''ll continue to rely on you as we navigate this treacherous path."

    West Two gave a small nod, his eyes reflecting a quiet determination. "I won''t let you down. We will find a way to protect humanity from the darkness that lurks within the Abyss. Count on it."

    As they released their handshake, their focus returned to the task at hand. The knowledge that the Abyss remained a formidable threat loomed over them, but they were determined to face it with unwavering resolve. Together, they would stand against the encroaching darkness, united in their mission to safeguard humanity from the horrors that awaited in the depths of the unknown.

    As the weight of their recent encounter settled upon them, West Two turned to Alice with a furrowed brow. "What''s our next move, Alice? The Abyss may be sealed for now, but we still have the corrupted Celestial Council Members to contend with. They''re a danger to both our forces and humanity as a whole."

    Alice''s expression grew determined, her eyes shining with a fierce resolve. "You''re right, West Two. The corrupted Council Members are a threat that cannot be ignored. They have been driven to madness by the darkness they encountered within the Celestial Vault. Their actions pose a risk to both our forces and the innocent lives theye across."

    She continued, her voice resolute. "We cannot allow them to continue wandering unchecked, wreaking havoc and causing casualties. Our mission now is to hunt them down and put an end to their existence. It''s not a task I take lightly, but it''s a necessary step to protect our own forces and the future of humanity."

    West Two nodded in agreement, fully understanding the gravity of their mission. "I''m with you, Alice. We must bring them to justice, or if necessary, end their lives to prevent further harm. These corrupted Council Members have lost their sanity and their ability to lead. It''s our duty to ensure the safety of our forces and humanity."

    Alice''s gaze hardened, her voice steady. "We''ll gather intelligence and form specialized teams for this operation. Our priority is to track them down and neutralize them swiftly and decisively. We must be prepared for their cunning and the powers they may have gained from the Abyss."

    With a determined nod, West Two spoke, "I''ll utilize my abilities to blend in and infiltrate their ranks, gathering any information that may aid us in our mission. We need to act swiftly and decisively, ensuring that their threat is neutralized."

    Alice''s eyes met West Two''s, gratitude and determination evident in her gaze. "Your assistance and unique skills will be crucial, West Two. Together, we will bring an end to this threat and restore order among the Celestials."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As they prepared to embark on this perilous mission, their resolve hardened. The corrupted Council Members would face justice for their actions, their madness brought to an end. United in their purpose, Alice and West Two vowed to protect their forces and humanity, even if it meant confronting the darkest depths of the corrupted Celestial Council.

    As Alice and West Two settled in a small makeshiftmand center, their minds focused on formting a n to hunt down the corrupted councilmen, the ground beneath them began to shake violently. Startled, they exchanged bewildered nces, their thoughts abruptly interrupted by the rming tremors.

    The earth convulsed beneath their feet, causing the walls of themand center to tremble and groan. Maps and documents flew off the tables, chaotic echoes of the turmoil unfolding outside. Dust filled the air, swirling in disarray, as the tremors grew in intensity, threatening to throw them off bnce.

    Struggling to maintain their footing, Alice and West Two instinctively moved closer together, seeking support and stability in each other''s presence. Their eyes widened in disbelief as the world around them seemed to shake itself apart, the very fabric of reality fraying at the edges.

    Outside, the scene was one of pandemonium. Buildings swayed precariously, and their structural integrity was tested to the limit. The distant sounds of crumbling masonry and shattering ss mingled with terrified screams carried on the chaotic winds. It was as if the verynd itself was rebelling, a chorus of tremors echoing through the air.

    In the midst of this turmoil, Alice and West Two attempted to steady themselves, their thoughts racing toprehend the cause of this sudden upheaval. Was it a natural disaster? Or was it something far more sinister, a manifestation of the impending darkness they had sensed earlier?

    As Alice and West Two stepped outside the barracks, their eyes widened in horror at the cataclysm unfolding before them. The ground beneath their feet trembled violently, sending shockwaves of panic through their bodies. The sky, once a tranquil blue, was swallowed by an inky darkness that descended upon them with terrifying speed. It spread like a malignant stain, blotting out the light and casting an eerie pall over thend. The air grew heavy with an oppressive aura, suffocating and thick with foreboding.

    From the direction of the Celestial Vault, an abhorrent surge of murky darkness erupted, billowing forth like a malevolent tsunami. It swallowed the horizon, devouring everything in its path. Buildings crumbled, trees were uprooted, and the air grew heavy with an unsettling presence.

    A deafening roar filled the air, drowning out the screams of confusion and fear. The storm that had descended seemed to possess a malevolent sentience as if it were an entity born from nightmares. Its swirling vortex twisted and contorted, defying thews of nature.

    Alice and West Two were forced to brace themselves against the violent gusts of wind, their bodies buffeted by unseen forces. They clung to each other, their hearts pounding in their chests, as they watched the world they knew crumble around them. The ground shook with increasing ferocity, threatening to swallow them whole.

    As the tempestuous storm engulfed them, its fierce winds and blinding darkness, Alice, West Two, and the entire assembly of humans and Celestials have swept away like insignificant leaves in a raging torrent. Unable to withstand its unrelenting force, they sumbed to unconsciousness, their senses numbed by the chaos that surrounded them.

    The storm was so strong that nobody, not even West Two, was able to resist it...

    When the tempestuous storm subsided, Alice, West Two, and the remnants of theirrades awakened to a scene that defiedprehension. They found themselves amidst the ruins of an ancient battlefield, its once-grand structures now reduced to crumbling remnants. The air hung heavy with an eerie stillness, broken only by the distant echoes of forgotten shes.

    Gazing upon the destendscape, their hearts sank with a mix of trepidation and curiosity. This world bore no resemnce to Paradiso or Inferno; it was a hauntingly different realm altogether. The scorched earth and shattered remnants of armor and weapons painted a grim picture of a forgotten conflict, long faded into the annals of time.

    A sense of foreboding gripped them as they surveyed the surroundings, their eyes tracing the jagged outlines of broken fortifications and crumbling statues. The atmosphere was thick with the weight of ancient sorrow as if the very essence of the battlefield whispered its tragic tales to anyone who would listen.

    "Where in the world are we?"

 Chapter 405 Ancient Battlefield

    ?

    As Alice, West Two, and theirpanions ventured deeper into the mysterious realm they had been transported to, they found themselves immersed in the captivating tapestry of an ancient battlefield frozen in time. The air carried the weight of forgotten wars, and the very essence of the ce exuded an aura of age and significance.

    Thendscape unfolded before their eyes like a vivid painting of antiquity. Time-worn cobblestone paths meandered through the expanse, their once-smooth surfaces now weathered and cracked by the relentless passage of time. Fragments of shattered weapons and armory scattered across the ground, remnants of battles long lost to memory. Rust and decay clung to the discarded relics, a testament to the eons that had passed since their wieldersst walked thesends.

    The remnants of fortifications rose sporadically from the ground, their once-mighty walls now crumbled and broken. Weathered stone pirs, once proud and tall, stood as stoic sentinels, guarding the secrets of the past. Tattered banners hung limply from their poles, their vibrant colors faded to mere whispers of their former glory.

    The battlefield itself stretched out like an expansive tableau, seemingly endless in its vastness. Undting hills and valleys, scarred by the ravages of ancient conflicts, created a rugged terrain that bore witness to the tumultuous history it had hosted. Rows upon rows of forgotten graves, marked by time-eroded tombstones and overgrown with wild vegetation, served as silent reminders of the lives that were lost in battles long past.

    The sky above seemed to mirror the timeless nature of the ce, its hues tinged with a mncholic gray. Clouds hung low, heavy with unspoken stories, casting a diffused light upon the deste expanse. There was an otherworldly stillness to the air, broken only by the asional gusts of wind that carried echoes of forgotten battles and distant cries.

    As Alice, West Two, and theirrades took in the panoramic view, a sense of reverence washed over them. This was a ce steeped in history, a sacred ground where echoes of the past reverberated through time. Every inch of the ancient battlefield seemed to hold secrets waiting to be discovered, tales of valor and tragedy yearning to be unearthed.

    In this realm of forgotten battles, Alice and herpanions stood as guardians of the present, tasked with unraveling the mysteries that had brought them here. With each step they took, they felt a connection to the warriors who hade before them, their footsteps echoing alongside those of long-departed souls.

    In the midst of this ancient battlefield, they knew that their mission had taken on an even greater significance.

    As Alice and West Two stood amidst the ancient battlefield, their minds still grappling with the enigma of their unexpected arrival, they were startled by the sight of familiar faces emerging from the hazy distance. It was ke and Mary, theirrades from Inferno, striding towards them with a mix of surprise and relief etched across their faces.

    "Alice? West Two? What in the world are you doing here?" ke eximed, his voice a blend of bewilderment and excitement.

    Alice exchanged a bewildered nce with West Two before replying, "We could ask you the same question, ke. We were just discussing how we ended up in this mysterious realm ourselves."

    Mary joined in, she saw visions of what happened and her eyes went wide with amazement. "The same storm that swept you two here also engulfed Inferno. Our entire army, the forces stationed there, they''re all here."

    The realization settled heavily upon them. The storm had not been selective in its power, epassing both Paradiso and Inferno within its grasp. The questions burned in their minds, seeking answers to the unexined phenomenon that had brought them all together on this ancient battlefield.

    "We were stationed in different worlds, different realms," West Two mused, his voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Yet, here we are, united in this ce that defies logic."

    ke nodded, his eyes narrowing as he considered the implications. "It can''t be a mere coincidence. There must be a reason why we''ve been drawn here, why the forces of humanity have converged in this ancient realm."

    Alice''s gaze scanned the surroundings, her mind racing with possibilities. "Perhaps this battlefield holds a key, a clue to the mysteries we seek. Whatever brought us here must be connected to the corrupted councilmen, to the very heart of the darkness we''ve been fighting against."

    As the magnitude of their situation sank in, they realized that they were no longer isted factions in their respective realms. They were now a united force, standing together against amon enemy within this unfamiliar realm. The ancient battlefield, with its haunting aura and unknown secrets, beckoned them to unravel its enigmatic truths.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The atmosphere on the ancient battlefield suddenly shifted, as if the very air grew heavy with an ominous presence. The malignant energy of the Abyss began to spread, sweeping across thend like a creeping shadow. Alice, West Two, ke, and Mary exchanged worried nces, their hearts pounding with a mixture of rm and trepidation.

    Their attention was drawn towards the horizon, where the sky darkened at an rming rate. It was as if the very fabric of reality was being consumed by an insidious darkness. The once serene battlefield became a stage for impending chaos, a battleground where the forces of corruption sought to im dominance.

    As their eyes widened in shock, they realized they were not alone in this ancient realm. Celestials and Hypogeans, beings from realms beyond their own, stood alongside them, their expressions filled with confusion and despair. The same darkness that had corrupted the councilmen now wed its way towards them, threatening to devour everything in its path.

    One by one, the Celestials and Hypogeans sumbed to the insidious influence of the Abyss. Their forms twisted and contorted, their once noble visages distorted into grotesque abominations. The Nightmare Incarnates, born from the corruption that had consumed the councilmen, now multiplied in their ranks.

    The revtion struck the Grand Commanders like a lightning bolt. The transformation of their adversaries, the Celestials and Hypogeans, into Nightmare Incarnates, sent shockwaves through their ranks. The realization that their enemies had be even more formidable and dangerous was a chilling prospect.

    The Grand Commanders swiftly assessed the gravity of the situation. The Celestials and Hypogeans, once their enemies, now posed an unprecedented threat as Nightmare Incarnates. Their corrupted forms exuded darkness and malevolence, their powers magnified and twisted beyond recognition. This unexpected turn of events left the Grand Commanders on high alert, scrambling to devise a strategy to counter this newfound peril.

    Grim determination etched on their faces, the Grand Commanders issued urgent orders to their troops. The Human Army mobilized with renewed urgency, fortifying their defenses and organizing their forces to face the onught of the Nightmare Incarnates. The realization that their former adversaries had be nightmarish monstrosities fueled their resolve to stand strong against the impending assault.

    Alice, West Two, ke, and Mary, leaders in the Human Army, stood at the forefront of the preparations. Their initial enmity with the Celestials and Hypogeans was eclipsed by the dire threat that now loomed over them. They recognized the urgent need for unity and coboration to confront this shared enemy.

    "We cannot underestimate the Nightmare Incarnates," Alice dered, her voice tinged with a mix of rm and determination. "Their transformation has made them more dangerous than ever. We must adapt our strategies and leverage every resource at our disposal to defend against their assault."

    West Two nodded, his eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. "Their corruption has amplified their powers and warped their minds. We must exploit their weaknesses and find a way to turn the tide in our favor."

    ke and Mary, fully aware of the formidable enemy they now faced, exchanged a nce filled with resolve. "We have no choice but to fight," ke affirmed. "This new threat threatens not just us, but all of humanity. We must rally our forces and confront them head-on."

    With unwavering determination, the Grand Commanders and their troops honed their skills and prepared for the imminent battle. The threat of the Nightmare Incarnates hung heavy in the air, driving them to push their limits and devise strategies to ovee this unforeseen obstacle.

    The ancient battlefield became a hive of activity as the Human Army readied themselves for the confrontation ahead. Weapons were sharpened, spells were practiced, and defensive lines were fortified. The once clear lines of enmity blurred as humanity united against this newfound enemy.

    In the midst of the preparations, the Grand Commanders remained vignt, ensuring that every aspect of the defense was in order. The rm caused by the transformation of their enemies into Nightmare Incarnates only deepened theirmitment to protect their people and secure a future for humanity.

    The time for contemtion or reflection wouldeter. For now, their focus was singr��to repel the encroaching Nightmare Incarnates and safeguard humanity from this unprecedented threat. With resilience in their hearts and unity as their strength, they braced themselves for the battle that would determine the fate of their world.

    The battlefield awaited its reckoning, and the Grand Commanders, alongside Alice, West Two, ke, and Mary, stood ready to face the encroaching darkness. With their determination undiminished, they would rally their forces and confront the Nightmare Incarnates head-on, knowing that their very survival depended on their ability to prevail against this fearsome enemy.

 Chapter 406 Primeval Battlefield

    ?

    Amidst the ancient battlefield, the Human Army swiftly adapted to its new surroundings. Recognizing the need for organization and strategic nning, they established amandwork to ensure order and effectivemunication.

    Alice, West Two, ke, and Mary led the efforts, drawing upon their experience and tactical acumen to devise a n. They strategically positioned their forces, fortifying their positions with barricades and defensive structures. The once chaotdscape gradually transformed into a strategic stronghold, ready to withstand the onught of the encroaching Nightmare Incarnates.

    Within their makeshiftmand center, awork ofmunication was established. Soldiers ryed information, exchanged vital intelligence, and coordinated their efforts. They mapped out the terrain, studying every feature, seeking to gain an advantage in this unfamiliar battleground. The Human Army recognized that knowledge of their surroundings was paramount, enabling them to anticipate the enemy''s movements and exploit any weaknesses.

    Scouts were dispatched, venturing beyond the barricades to explore the battlefield. They returned with valuable information, detailing they of thend, potential hazards, and signs of enemy activity. This intelligence was meticulously analyzed and incorporated into their strategic ns, allowing the Human Army to adapt and adjust their defenses ordingly.

    Patrols were organized to maintain a vignt watch, ensuring the safety and security of their camp. Soldiers kept a keen eye on the horizon, ever ready to sound the rm at the first sign of the encroaching Nightmare Incarnates. Preparedness became their watchword, and the Human Army remained poised to defend their newfound stronghold.

    As the days turned into nights, and nights bled into days, the Human Army toiled tirelessly to improve their defenses. They constructed lookout towers, enhancing their vantage points and extending their view across the battlefield. Weapons were carefully calibrated, spells were honed to precision, and defensive formations were practiced relentlessly.

    Leadership within the Human Army emphasized the importance of patience and meticulous nning. They understood that a hasty move could prove fatal in this precarious situation. Instead, they bided their time, studying the terrain, seeking weaknesses in the enemy''s approach, and identifying potential advantages they could exploit.

    Amidst the preparations, Alice addressed the troops, her voice steady and resolute. "We must remember that knowledge is our greatest ally in this battle. We must study the terrain, understand our enemy''s movements, and use that to our advantage. Patience and discipline will be our guiding principles as we navigate this treacherousndscape."

    Her words resonated with the soldiers, instilling in them a sense of purpose and resolve. Each member of the Human Army understood their role in this pivotal moment. They knew that their ability to adapt, strategize, and work as a cohesive unit would determine their survival in this hostile realm.

    As themandwork hummed with activity, the Human Army stood ready, fortified both physically and mentally. They had established order amidst chaos, barricaded their surroundings, and studied the terrain with meticulous precision. The stage was set for the impending sh with the Nightmare Incarnates, and the Human Army, united and determined, would face their enemies with unwavering resolve.

    ***

    As the Human Army diligently fortified its base, West Two took on a crucial role in the defense strategy. Positioned at the center of the encampment, he focused his powers and released his Dream Law Domain, manifesting a shimmering dome of ethereal energy that enveloped the entire area.

    The Dream Law Domain, a manifestation of West Two''s unique abilities, radiated a calming aura that swept across the battlefield. Its influence extended beyond the physical realm, tapping into the depths of consciousness and weaving a delicate tapestry of dreams and illusions.

    As the Nightmare Incarnates ventured closer, drawn by the malevolent presence that permeated the ancient battlefield, they encountered West Two''s Dream Law Domain. The moment they crossed its threshold, a subtle shift urred within their minds. The Nightmares, twisted embodiments of corruption, were momentarily ensnared in a hypnotic trance induced by the domain''s enchanting power.

    Under the influence of the dreamy hypnosis, the Nightmare Incarnates lost their focus, their destructive intent muddled by illusions and fragmented memories. They stumbled aimlessly, their aggression dissipating as they became entangled in a surreal reverie. The scouts, who ventured beyond the barricades to study the terrain, witnessed the Nightmares sumb to West Two''s mesmerizing power, ensuring their safety and unimpeded exploration.

    Within the Dream Law Domain, West Two wielded profound control over the Nightmares. With a mere thought, he guided their perceptions,pelling them to forget their purpose and disregard the encampment as a potential target. Their corrupted forms dissipated into shadows, retreating into the darkness from whence they came.

    Protected by the undting energy of the Dream Law Domain, the scouts continued their careful study of the battlefield. They mapped out the contours of the ancient terrain, identifying natural chokepoints, hidden pathways, and potential advantages that the Human Army could leverage in battle. Their findings were ryed to themanders, bolstering their understanding of the battlefield and informing their strategic decisions.

    Amidst the hypnotic symphony woven by West Two''s power, the Human Army stood unified and fortified within the protective dome. Their defenses bolstered by the lulling influence of the Dream Law Domain, they continued their preparations, knowing that they were shielded from immediate threat and free to focus on strategizing and coordinating their forces.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Throughout the night, as the scouts returned with valuable information, West Two''s Dream Law Domain remained steadfast, maintaining its ethereal grip on the encampment. The hypnotic trance lulled the Nightmares into a state of torpor, keeping them at bay and safeguarding the Human Army''s preparations.

    With West Two''s unique abilities fortifying their defenses, the Human Army pressed forward, confident in their ability to navigate the treacherousndscape and face the encroaching Nightmare Incarnates with renewed determination. United under the protective embrace of the Dream Law Domain, they prepared to repel their enemies and emerge victorious in the imminent sh that awaited them.

    ***

    As West Two stood at the center of the fortified base, his Dream Law Domain emanating its protective embrace, he allowed his senses to expand beyond the present moment. With his innate connection to the realm of dreams, he delved deep into the history etched within the very fabric of the ancient battlefield.

    Focusing his gaze upon the scattered remnants of rusted weapons and shattered armor, West Two extended a hand, his fingers lightly brushing against the artifacts of the past. In that touch, a subtle current of energy coursed through him, carrying whispers of the battles long gone.

    The memories within these discarded remnants were fragmented, like scattered puzzle pieces waiting to be assembled. With each touch, West Two glimpsed fragments of the past, fragments that were imprinted within the material itself.

    Some pieces offered mere glimpses, fleeting memories of battles fought and lives lost. The whispers of ancient warriors echoed within West Two''s mind, their voices carrying the weight of valor and sacrifice. He saw shes of courage, desperation, and unwavering determination.

    Other artifacts, however, yielded more vivid recollections. They retained a stronger connection to the events that unfolded on this battlefield eons ago. As West Two focused his abilities, he delved deeper into the memories embedded within these relics, weaving the threads of history together.

    In the echoes of a shattered sword, he witnessed the sh of des, the roar ofbat, and the faces of warriors locked in a dance of death. The grains of sand whispered tales of marching armies, their boots imprinting upon the ancient soil as they advanced toward an unknown fate.

    Through the fragments he gathered, West Two pieced together a mosaic of the ancient battlefield''s history. He saw civilizations rise and fall, witnessed alliances forged and betrayed, and beheld the resilience of those who fought for their beliefs.

    With each memory he unearthed, the scope of the battlefield''s narrative expanded. The tales of heroism and tragedy, victories and defeats, unfolded before West Two''s eyes. He became a custodian of forgotten stories, a conduit through which the past could be preserved.

    As West Two continued his study of the terrain, the memories within the artifacts painted a moreprehensive picture of the ancient battlefield. Each discarded piece of equipment whispered a story, and together they formed a symphony of valor, tragedy, and perseverance.

    Despite his studious research, West Two was aware that the memories he got from the environment were nowhere nearplete. If he wanted theplete story, then he''d have to search the entire battlefield for that, which is a challenging matter since his domain could only reach far and enemies are roaming around.

    But then again, he doesn''t feel the need to do that. In this research, he learned some important things...

    One, the Nightmare Incarnates were nothing new. In fact, their existence might even go as far as the dawn of time itself. Simrly, the Abyss, as he called it, also shares the same history with these creatures. He''d even go as far as saying that the Abyss started this all.

    And number two, Humanity being transported here wasn''t a coincidence at all. This ce, which he learned called the ''Primeval Battlefield'' is where several races waged war against the Abyss.

    Judging by how long this battlefield existed, it was clear that the Abyss does not simply go down. Humans are now facing this ancient entity and they have no way of knowing how this war will go...

 Chapter 407 Soon

    ?

    Alice gathered with ke, Mary, and West Two, their eyes meeting in a moment of shared anticipation. The weight of their situation hung heavy in the air, but amidst the uncertainty, Alice had a glimmer of hope to offer.

    "I have news," Alice began, her voice steady and determined. "During his Astral Projection, West Two discovered that the wormhole leading back to our home is still intact. No matter what transpires in this war, we have a means of returning."

    A flicker of relief washed over the group, a respite amidst the chaos. Knowing that they held a path home, even in the face of such dire circumstances, provided a vital thread of reassurance.

    West Two, his eyes tinged with a mixture of curiosity and determination, nodded in confirmation. "Yes, during my exploration of the astral ne, I sensed the presence of the wormhole. It remains stable and essible. We have a lifeline back to our world."

    ke''s gaze hardened, a steely determination settling in his features. "That''s good to hear. It gives us a measure of control, a choice in our destiny. No matter the oue here, we won''t be stranded in this ancient battlefield forever."

    Mary''s expression softened, a glimmer of hope illuminating her eyes. "Indeed, the knowledge that we can return home provides sce amidst the turmoil. It''s a reminder that we fight not just for survival but also for the chance to reim what we''ve left behind."

    Alice''s voice grew more resolute as she continued, providing an update on the status of their camp. "On another note, our camp is holding up well. The barricades are secure, and our scouts have been diligently studying the terrain. We''re prepared for the inevitable sh with the Nightmare Incarnates."

    She nced around at herpanions, their unwavering resolve mirrored in her own eyes. "We cannot underestimate the corrupted enemies we face. They were once our adversaries, but now, twisted by the Abyss, they are even more dangerous. Our survival and the fate of humanity hinge on our ability to confront and ovee this threat."

    West Two''s gaze intensified, his voiceced with determination. "We must remember that our ultimate goal is not just survival but also the eradication of the Nightmare Incarnates. With the wormhole still essible, we have the opportunity to strike at the heart of their corruption."

    Alice nodded, her features etched with a mix of caution and resolve. "Indeed, we must be cautious and strategic in our approach. The knowledge of the wormhole serves as a beacon of hope, but it should not diminish our vignce. We must fight with everything we have, for the fate of humanity and the future we seek to protect."

    As they stood together, a bond forged amidst adversity, their collective determination ignited a spark of unity. The knowledge of the wormhole, the status of their camp, and their shared purpose fueled their resolve. They were ready to face the impending storm, their sights set on victory and the chance to return home, whatever the oue of this war may be.

    Alice leaned forward, her gaze fixed on a map spread out before them. Her finger traced the strategic routes and potential locations for the deployment of squads. She turned to ke and began outlining her n.

    "We need to thin out their numbers, to weaken their forces. I propose sending out several squads on strategic missions to engage the Nightmare Incarnates, taking them down one by one. If we catch them alone, we have a better chance at defeating them."

    ke''s brow furrowed as he contemted Alice''s suggestion. He shook his head and interjected, his voice filled with caution. "I understand the intent behind your n, Alice, but our recent studies have revealed that the Nightmare Incarnates move in packs. They rarely venture alone, making it difficult to iste and engage them individually."

    He gestured toward the reports and observations spread across the table. "These records show a pattern of coordinated movements and pack-like behavior. Attacking them head-on, even with multiple squads, would put us at a disadvantage."

    Alice nodded, acknowledging the validity of ke''s point. "You''re right, ke. Engaging them inrge numbers would only lead to heavy casualties on our side. We need to reassess our approach and find a way to exploit their weaknesses."

    West Two, who had been quietly listening, spoke up with a thoughtful expression. "If they travel in packs, then perhaps we can use their predictability against them. Instead of meeting them head-on, we can set up traps, ambushes, and diversionary tactics to disorient and separate them."

    Mary leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with a newfound determination. "Yes, we can exploit their reliance on group dynamics. By luring them into carefully prepared scenarios, we can break their formations and engage them on our terms."

    Alice''s face brightened with a mix of relief and excitement. "That''s it! Instead of directly confronting them, we will use our knowledge of their behaviors to our advantage. Our squads will be equipped with the means to create diversions, to lure them into areas where we have the upper hand."

    ke nodded, a flicker of satisfaction crossing his features. "Good. Let''s gather our best strategists and start devising specific ns. We need to exploit their weaknesses, their reliance on numbers, and turn it into our strength."

    With their new approach taking shape, the group began to discuss the intricate details of their diversionary tactics and trap-setting strategies. They knew that their chances of sess hinged on their ability to outmaneuver and outsmart the Nightmare Incarnates.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As they poured over maps and formted ns, a renewed sense of purpose filled the room. The next phase of their battle against the corrupted horde was about to begin, and with careful nning and calcted moves, they hoped to gain the upper hand. They were determined to thin out the Nightmare Incarnates, one pack at a time, in their relentless pursuit of victory and the safety of their kind.

    ***

    Back at the Blue Marble...

    Aria sat in the cozy room, her hands cradling her round belly as she gazed out of the window. The warm sun rays streamed through the ss, painting the room in a soft, golden glow. She smiled as she felt the gentle kicks and movements of the unborn child within her, a testament to the life growing inside.

    Her eyes shifted to the nearby bed, where Ashtony peacefully, lost in dreams. His tousled hair cascaded over the pillow, and a faint smile graced his lips. Aria''s heart swelled with love and tenderness as she watched his slumber.

    Aria knew that despite this peaceful scene, Ashton was doing something incredibly important. He''s holding the Celestial God prisoner in a dream, preventing him from interfering in the ongoing war.

    Ashton had been asleep for a few months now. Aria won''t lie and say that she doesn''t miss his voice and presence because she does, but she also understands the gravity of the situation.

    Why else would she dy the birth of their child if she didn''t?

    She rose from the rocking chair, its rhythmic creakinging to a halt. Quietly, she approached the bed, her hand reaching out to brush a lock of hair from Ashton''s forehead. His features rxed under her touch, and a contented sigh escaped his lips.

    Aria''s gaze lingered on Ashton''s face, etching the image into her memory. Their love had grown strong amidst the chaos of their world, and now they were bound by the anticipation of their child''s arrival.

    She whispered words of love and protection, her voice barely above a whisper as if the room itself held a sacred silence. Her touch trailed from his forehead to his cheek, tracing the contours of his face with tenderness.

    With a final adoring look, Aria turned her attention back to the window. She continued to bask in the sunlight, feeling its warmth embrace her like aforting embrace. Thoughts of the future swirled in her mind, the hopes and dreams she held for their growing family.

    She then began humming a tune, giggling to herself as she felt the movement of her child...

    As she rocked gently in the chair, her thoughts drifted to the world outside, to the battles that raged, and the uncertainty that loomed. But at this moment, within the haven of their room, Aria found sce and strength in the love she shared with Ashton.

    She knew that their journey would not be easy and that challenges would arise, but she held on to the belief that Ashton would uphold his promise. With a peaceful smile gracing her lips, she allowed herself to embrace the serenity of the present, cherishing the bond they shared and the promise of a future filled with love and joy.

    In that room, amidst the soft light and the whispers of love, Aria cherished the moments of quiet before the storm, savoring the precious tranquility that surrounded her and the life growing within her.

    Aria continued humming a tune for her baby, feeling its movements graduallying to a halt.

    "...you''re just like your father, always sleeping." Sheughed softly and endearingly. "Sleep well, my love. And please be patient. Soon, very soon...we will finally meet each other. I''m looking forward to it."

    She nced at the sleeping Ashton before turning back to the window and continuing her song for their child.

 Chapter 408 Sparks Of War

    ?

    The squad of five humans gathered at the outskirts of the camp, their expressions determined and their gear prepared for the task at hand. Each member carried a backpack filled with essential tools, ropes, and materials needed to construct traps and fortifications. They were the scouts, entrusted with the crucial mission of exploring the battlefield and identifying strategic positions to gain an advantage against the Nightmare Incarnates.

    Their leader, a seasoned soldier named Captain Jensen, addressed the squad with a firm yet reassuring tone. "Alright, everyone, listen up. Our objective is to locate viable choke points and vantage points that will give us an edge against those Nightmares. We need to secure our camp and create traps that will hinder their movements. Stay vignt and watch each other''s backs. We''re counting on you."

    The squad nodded in unison, their determination shining through their eyes. They understood the importance of their mission and the lives that depended on their sess. With a shared sense of purpose, they set off into the unknown, venturing beyond the safety of their fortified camp.

    As they moved through the ancient battlefield, the squad maintained a tight formation, their senses heightened for any sign of danger. They navigated cautiously, mindful of their surroundings and the ever-present threat lurking in the shadows.

    Their journey took them through deste fields strewn with remnants of battles long past. Broken weaponsy scattered like forgotten memories, while rusted armor whispered tales of bygone warriors. The air carried an eerie stillness as if the verynd held its breath in anticipation.

    The scouts meticulously assessed the terrain, searching for natural choke points that could impede the advance of the Nightmare Incarnates. They climbed hills, crossed streams, and surveyed crumbling structures, all while keeping a watchful eye on the encroaching darkness.

    At strategic locations, they marked potential vantage points with brightly colored gs, envisioning how theirrades would utilize these spots to gain an upper hand. They sketched rough ns andmunicated with hand signals, silently coborating to ensure their discoveries would benefit the defense of their camp.

    With every step, the scouts remained alert, their senses finely tuned to any sign of movement or disturbance. They carefully nted traps along their path, relying on their training and ingenuity to create obstacles that would slow down and hinder the Nightmares when the time came.

    As the day wore on, the squad''s determination grew stronger, fueled by theirmitment to protecting their fellow soldiers and reiming their homes. They knew that their efforts were just a small part of a muchrger battle, but they embraced their role as scouts, knowing that their contributions were essential to the overall strategy.

    Returning to the camp, the squad reported their findings to themanding officers, sharing their insights and providing detailed maps of the terrain. They handed over the tools and materials they had carried, ready to be used by other scout teams to build traps and fortifications.

    This was not a unique operation. In fact, scenes like this are happening all across the map.

    Across the vast expanse of the ancient battlefield, the humans strategized and executed their n with meticulous precision. They understood that a direct confrontation with the Nightmare Incarnates would be perilous, and so they chose a different approach��a methodical and patient one.

    Groups of humans moved silently through the destendscape, setting up traps and ambush points in strategic locations. They carefully selected areas where the natural terrain could be utilized to their advantage, creating choke points and bottlenecks that would impede the Nightmares'' progress.

    As the trapying teams worked diligently, another group of humans took on the role of bait, luring the Nightmares away from the carefully prepared defenses. With calcted movements and deliberate actions, they enticed the corrupted creatures, drawing them away from the areas where theirradesy in wait.

    It was a dangerous game of cat and mouse, where the humans relied on their agility, wit, and knowledge of the terrain to outmaneuver their monstrous adversaries. They employed distraction tactics, utilizing noise and movement to divert the attention of the Nightmares, guiding them further away from the strategically fortified zones.

    The humans operated with an unwavering focus, understanding that patience and timing were key. They waited for the opportune moment to strike, biding their time until the Nightmares were vulnerable and trapped within the web of their own making.

    With every sessful trapid and every Nightmare lured away, the humans gained confidence. The battlefield became aplexwork of snares and surprises, where the Nightmares unknowingly trod upon the humans'' carefully constructed battleground.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    But it was not a one-sided affair. The Nightmares, driven by their corrupted instincts, were relentless in their pursuit. They sought the taste of human flesh, their malevolent presence spreading like a gue across the ancient battlefield. The humans remained vignt, ever watchful for signs of encroachment, ready to defend their prepared defenses at a moment''s notice.

    Days turned into nights, and nights into days, as the humans continued their calcted dance with the Nightmares. They moved swiftly and silently, adapting their tactics to the ever-changing circumstances of the battlefield. They honed their skills, sharpened their instincts, and grew more adept at countering the Nightmares'' relentless advance.

    It was a battle of wits, a battle of patience, and a battle of survival. The humans knew that this war was far from over, but they had found their footing amidst the chaos. With every sessful trap sprung and every Nightmare diverted, they gained a foothold in this ancient battlefield��a glimmer of hope in the face of darkness.

    For now, they would continue to employ their methodical approach, striking when the Nightmares least expected it, chipping away at their forces one by one. They knew that the ultimate confrontation loomed on the horizon, but for now, they would rely on their ingenuity and strategic prowess to secure their position and turn the tide in their favor.

    ***

    The air inside the meeting room was heavy with a sense of anticipation and determination. Three months had passed since their arrival on the Primeval Battlefield, and the time for action had finallye. Alice, Mary, ke, and West Two sat around a table, poring over the reports and documents spread before them, their expressions grave and focused.

    They meticulously reviewed the preparations that had been made during their time on this ancient battlefield. Supplies had been gathered, defenses fortified, and strategic ns devised. The scouts had scoured every inch of the terrain, identifying key choke points and vantage points, while the trapying teams had set up an intricatework of snares and obstacles to hinder the advance of the Nightmare Incarnates.

    Silence permeated the room as they absorbed the gravity of the situation. Each of them understood the magnitude of the task ahead, the lives at stake, and the destiny of humanity hanging in the bnce. They had alle a long way since the cataclysmic events that had transported them to this treacherous realm. Now, they stood on the precipice of the final battle.

    Alice, the Sword Empress, broke the silence with a resolute voice. "Everything is in order. Our scouts have provided us with vital information about the movements of the Nightmare Incarnates. Our defenses are primed, and our troops are prepared. It is time."

    Mary, the Oracle Sage, nodded in agreement. "We have analyzed their patterns and observed their vulnerabilities. We know their weaknesses, and we know where to strike. With our preparations, we have the upper hand."

    ke, the Titan, clenched his fists, a fire burning in his eyes. "I have been waiting for this. If these Nightmare Incarnates think they can annihte us, then I''m afraid they''re in for a bad time."

    West Two, the enigmatic doppelganger of the Dreamweaver, looked at hispanions, a mix of determination and solemnity in his gaze. "This war has taken its toll on us, but we have persevered. We''ve been away for so long. This war took way too long and it cost a lot from us. It''s about time we get this over with, once and for all."

    They locked eyes, a silent understanding passing between them. This was the moment they had been preparing for��a reckoning with the Nightmare Incarnates. The time hade to unleash their collective might, to unleash their fury against the encroaching darkness.

    With grim determination, they rose from the table, their resolve solidified. The war would begin, and they would lead the charge. They would face the Nightmare Incarnates head-on, confronting the embodiment of terror itself. They would fight for their lives, for theirrades, and for the hope of a brighter future.

    As they left the meeting room, the weight of their decisions and responsibilities settled upon their shoulders. The camp buzzed with a renewed energy, the soldiers preparing for battle, their faces a mix of fear and determination. The time hade to wage war against the Nightmare Incarnates, to fight for survival, and to reim their world from the grip of darkness.

    Together, they marched toward the front lines, ready to face the unknown, ready to confront their fears, and ready to fight with unwavering resolve. The war with the Nightmare Incarnates had begun, and the fate of humanity hung in the bnce.

 Chapter 409 It Begins

    ?

    The Primeval Battlefield stretched out before them, a destendscape scarred by the echoes of ancient battles. The air was heavy with a somber tension as if the very earth held its breath in anticipation of the sh that was about to unfold. The sky above was dark and ominous, casting an eerie pall over the scene below.

    In the heart of the Human camp, the Grand Commanders stood side by side, their presencemanding and resolute. Alice, the Sword Empress, stepped forward, her armor gleaming in the dim light. She raised her sword high, its de reflecting the glimmers of hope amidst the encroaching darkness.

    Her voice cut through the silence, strong and unwavering. "Soldiers of humanity! Today, we stand on the edge of the abyss, ready to face the Nightmare Incarnates that threaten our existence. We have endured hardships and witnessed the horrors of this Primeval Battlefield, but we have not wavered. We have trained, we have strategized, and we have prepared ourselves for this moment."

    Her words carried a weight that resonated through the hearts of every soldier. Their gazes turned toward her, their faces a mixture of determination, fear, and unwavering loyalty.

    Alice''s voice rose, filled with conviction. "We fight not only for our survival but for the hope of a better future. We fight for our loved ones, for those who have fallen, and for the generations toe. This battle will test our mettle, our courage, and our unity. But remember, we are not alone. We stand together, shoulder to shoulder, bound by our shared purpose and our unyielding spirit."

    The soldiers nodded, a ripple of determination spreading through their ranks. They tightened their grips on their weapons, ready to face the horrors that awaited them. The gravity of the moment was palpable, and the weight of responsibility settled upon each soldier''s shoulders.

    Alice''s voice rang out, resolute and fierce. "Today, we march forth into the heart of darkness, armed with the strength of our convictions. We will not falter, we will not yield, for we are the defenders of humanity, the bastions of hope in the face of despair. Together, we will face the Nightmare Incarnates, and together, we will emerge victorious!"

    Her words ignited a fire within the hearts of the soldiers. The air crackled with a renewed energy, the tension giving way to a sense of purpose and unity. The soldiers raised their weapons high, their voices merging into a thunderous roar that echoed across the Primeval Battlefield.

    With Alice at the forefront, the Human army moved forward, marching toward the looming darkness. Their spirits were ame, their resolve unbreakable. The sh between humanity and the Nightmare Incarnates was imminent, a battle that would determine the fate of their world.

    As they advanced, each step resonated with a solemn determination, their hearts aze with the courage of warriors. They were ready to face the horrors of the Primeval Battlefield, to confront the nightmare itself, and to forge a future where hope would prevail over darkness.

    As the Human army stepped out of the protective confines of their camp, the silence of the Primeval Battlefield shattered like ss. The very ground trembled beneath their feet as their presence sent ripples through the surrounding darkness. In response, the Nightmare Incarnates, alerted by the intrusion, emerged from the shadows, their forms twisted and grotesque.

    With savage howls and eerie screeches, the Nightmare Incarnatesunched themselves towards the Human ranks. Their eyes glowed with an unholy light, filled with a malevolence that sent shivers down the spines of even the bravest warriors. Fangs glistened with a vile ichor, their ws extended like lethal talons.

    Humanity did not flinch in the face of this onught. The soldiers stood firm, their weapons raised, resolve etched upon their faces. The sh was fierce and brutal, as sword met w, shield met fang. Battle cries mingled with the guttural growls of the Nightmare Incarnates, creating a cacophony of chaos and defiance.

    Each Human soldier fought with unwavering determination, their training and instincts guiding their every move. They maneuvered with precision, striking at the weak spots of the abominations, exploiting gaps in their defenses. Arrows soared through the air, finding their marks with deadly uracy, while spells crackled with arcane power, unleashing devastating bursts of energy.

    Blood spilled upon the ancient battlefield, mingling with the dust and dirt. The sh of steel against flesh reverberated through the air, as the Human army pushed back against the nightmarish horde. Despite the ferocity of the Nightmare Incarnates, the soldiers held their ground, their resilience bolstered by their shared purpose and unyielding spirit.

    In the midst of the chaos, the Grand Commanders fought alongside their troops, leading by example. Alice, her sword a blur of deadly grace, carved a path through the Nightmare Incarnates, her every strike infused with the strength of her convictions. ke and Mary, their elemental powers unleashed, conjured storms and mes that engulfed their enemies, their prowess unmatched.

    West Two, the Dreamweaver, wove his ethereal magic amidst the chaos. He shielded hisrades with his Dream Law Domain, rendering them immune to the insidious influence of the Nightmare Incarnates. His presence alone instilled a sense of calm amidst the chaos, allowing the soldiers to fight with rity and focus.

    Humanity stood strong. Thanks to their knowledge of their surroundings, knowing where the choke points and traps were, they were able to take down Nightmare Incarnates without any wasted effort. This was something that those abominations can''t do with their maddened instincts.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    It''s also as if the slumbering fighting spirit of those who met their end in this battlefield, woke up because of this sh. It''s like they sensed the tension in their surroundings and felt the sheer desire of Humanity to win, stirring them awake and alert.

    Nobody could truly say if this had any effect on humanity since they were too focused on their task.

    The sh continued, the battlefield bing a swirling vortex of chaos and desperation. Each moment was a test of endurance and willpower, as both sides fought tooth and nail for dominance. Humanity refused to yield, their determination unbreakable, while the Nightmare Incarnates threw themselves relentlessly at the human lines, fueled by their twisted hunger.

    Amidst the sh of steel, the crackle of magic, and the primal roars, the fate of the Primeval Battlefield hung in the bnce. The war between Humanity and the Nightmare Incarnates had begun, and in this battle for survival, there could be no retreat, no surrender.

    ***

    Ashton and the Celestial God remained trapped within the confines of the dream, their ethereal forms suspended in a realm of illusions. From their vantage point, they observed the relentless battle between Humanity and the Nightmare Incarnates unfold before their eyes. The Celestial God, once calm andposed, now seethed with fury and frustration.

    His divine countenance twisted with a mixture of rage and disbelief as he witnessed the tenacity and resilience of the Human army. The Celestial God had meticulously crafted his ns, manipted events, and orchestrated the rise of the Nightmare Incarnates to fulfill his insidious agenda. But now, all his carefullyid schemes were being thwarted by mere mortals.

    The Celestial God had never anticipated that Humanity would prove to be such a formidable adversary. He had underestimated their strength, their resourcefulness, and their unwavering spirit. The sight of them pushing back the Nightmares with such determination pierced through his divine facade, unraveling the threads of his once-unshakable confidence.

    In the depths of his being, the Celestial God felt a profound unease, a gnawing realization that all he had believed in, all he had built, might be nothing more than a mirage. The veneer of his godly power cracked under the weight of this revtion, revealing a vulnerability he had long denied.

    In his frenzy, the Celestial God thrashed against the ethereal prison that held him captive. He unleashed his wrath, calling upon his celestial might to break free from the confines of the dream. But each attempt proved futile, as the dream''s hold on him remained unyielding, mocking his desperate struggles.

    Ashton, the mortal caught in this ethereal realm, observed the Celestial God''s torment with a mix of disdain and helplessness. He is aware of the weight of the Celestial God''s disillusionment, the crushing realization that everything he had believed in was shattered. But unlike the god, Ashton never doubted his allies, a belief that Humanity''s indomitable spirit could prevail against the forces of darkness.

    The Celestial God''s frenzy escted, his anger turning into a desperate frenzy as he wed at the boundaries of the dream, seeking an escape. But with each failed attempt, his frustration only deepened, his divine rage intensifying.

    In the midst of this ethereal struggle, Ashton''s voice emerged, calm yet resolute. "Man, you just don''t know when to quit," he spoke, his words carrying a quiet conviction. "You already knew it was useless, so stop trying."

    The Celestial God''s furious gaze turned towards Ashton, his divine eyes burning with a mixture of fury and contempt. Yet, within that gaze, there flickered a glimmer of uncertainty, a crack in his godly facade.

    The dream realm shimmered around them, the ethereal energy crackling with intensity. The battle outside continued, Humanity''s defiance echoing through the fabric of the dream.

    Ashton and the Celestial God remained locked in their ethereal struggle, two beings on opposing sides, their fates entwined within the confines of this illusion. The oue of their sh, and the destiny of the Primeval Battlefield, hung precariously in the bnce.

 Chapter 410 Tactical Retreat

    ?

    On the blood-soaked battlefield, Humanity unleashed its brilliance in a fierce struggle against the Nightmare Incarnates. The sh of steel and the crackle of magic filled the air as soldiers fought with unwavering resolve, their eyes fixed on victory.

    In one corner of the battlefield, a group of skilled archers positioned themselves atop a high ridge. With expert precision, they unleashed a volley of arrows, their projectiles finding their mark on the Nightmares below. The creatures howled in agony as they were pierced through, falling to the ground in a twisted heap.

    Meanwhile, a team of warriors led by Alice, the Sword Empress, engaged in swift and coordinated strikes. They moved with seamless agility, exploiting choke points and utilizing their superiorbat skills to outmaneuver the Nightmares. With each swing of their weapons, they carved through the abominations, their des gleaming with deadly purpose.

    Elsewhere, explosive trapsid by the scouts erupted in a flurry of destruction. The Nightmares, unaware of the impending danger, stumbled into the traps, their monstrous forms torn apart by the powerful explosions. The ground shook beneath their feet as the traps unleashed their devastating payload, buying precious moments for the Human forces to regroup and strike back.

    In another section of the battlefield, spellcasters weaved intricate patterns in the air, channeling their magic to devastating effect. Bolts of lightning crackled through the sky, striking the Nightmares with unyielding fury. Walls of fire erupted, engulfing the abominations in searing mes, reducing them to ashes.

    Humanity''s preparations and strategic positioning proved instrumental in turning the tide of battle. They exploited the terrain, using natural formations to their advantage. Narrow pathways became deathtraps for the Nightmares, as soldiers set up ambushes, striking from concealed positions with calcted precision.

    Throughout the chaos, the Grand Commanders stood tall, leading their forces with unwavering determination. Their presence on the battlefield inspired courage and instilled discipline in their troops. They analyzed the ebb and flow of the battle, adapting their strategies on the fly, exploiting every weakness they could discern in the Nightmares'' relentless advance.

    As the fight raged on, the brilliance of Humanity''s ingenuity continued to shine through. They fought with a relentless spirit, each individual a testament to the indomitable will of the human race. Together, they formed an unyielding wall against the encroaching darkness.

    With each fallen Nightmare, Humanity''s resolve grew stronger. The abominations once feared and unstoppable, found themselves facing an adversary that had deciphered their patterns, exploited their weaknesses, and refused to yield. The tide of battle began to turn, inch by hard-fought inch, as the Nightmare Incarnates were pushed back, their numbers diminishing with every passing moment.

    In the midst of this sh between mortal and abomination, Humanity''s brilliance zed like a beacon of hope. The battlefield became a testament to their unwavering spirit, and their unwavering determination to protect their world from the encroaching darkness. And as the battle raged on, their brilliance burned brighter, fueling their unrelenting assault against the Nightmare Incarnates.

    As the war raged on, creeping darkness loomed at the horizon, the malevolent essence of the Abyss itself. It writhed and churned, a constant reminder of the source from which the Nightmare Incarnates emerged. The Abyss seemed to mock Humanity''s valiant efforts, resurrecting fallen Nightmares at the cost of its own essence.

    No matter how efficiently Humanity fought, no matter how many Nightmares they vanquished, the Abyss continued to replenish its ranks with unholy determination. It was a war of attrition, a relentless cycle of destruction and rebirth. The more Nightmare Incarnates fell, the more they rose again, each time fueled by the corrupted energy of the Abyss.

    Humanity''s forces fought with unmatched bravery and cunning, pressing on despite the odds. Their determination and resilience were awe-inspiring, but even their unwavering spirit was tested in the face of the relentless tide. The battlefield became a grim testament to the sheer scale of the challenge they faced, as the Nightmares seemed to multiply with every passing moment.

    The Abyss, an ancient and insidious force, defied conventionalprehension. Its dark tendrils reached deep into the hearts of Hypogeans and Celestials, corrupting them and turning them into Nightmare Incarnates. It was a power that mocked the very foundations of order and sanity, feeding on chaos and despair.

    As the battle of attrition unfolded, it became evident that the key to victoryy not only in ying the Nightmares on the battlefield but in finding a way to sever the connection between the Abyss and its creations.

    Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, West Two stood alone, his eyes fixed on the writhing darkness of the Abyss. He knew that sealing it again would only provoke a more vicious response, a retaliation that could be catastrophic. Instead, he devised a daring strategy��to contain and exhaust the Abyss, to exploit its own nature against itself.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Drawing upon the depths of his Dream Law Domain, West Two focused his power on a different approach. He sought to lure the Nightmare Incarnates, the twisted creations of the Abyss, into dreamy hypnosis, a state where he could exert control over them. He nned topel them to turn against themselves, to waste the essence of the Abyss with each fallen Nightmare.

    With unwavering determination, West Two projected his domain across the battlefield, creating a sphere of influence that enveloped the advancing Nightmares. One by one, the corrupted beings stumbled, their movements sluggish and uncertain as they sumbed to the dreamy hypnosis. Under West Two''smand, they turned their weapons against themselves, their chaotic energy dissipating with each life lost.

    The surreal sight unfolded��a dance of self-destruction amid the sh of steel and magic. Nightmare Incarnates, driven by their ownpulsion, struck at their own kind, cutting down their twisted brethren. It was a macabre spectacle, a desperate attempt to waste the very essence that sustained them.

    As the battle raged on, West Two''s power strained against the weight of the Abyss. He pushed himself to the limits, summoning all his skill and will to maintain the dreamy hold over the Nightmares. It was a delicate bnce, a precarious dance on the edge of control, as he directed their self-destruction while evading their frenzied attacks.

    The Abyss, sensing its own energy being drained, unleashed furious waves of darkness, attempting to break free from West Two''s grasp. But he held firm, his resolve unyielding. He knew that he could not falter, that the fate of Humanity and the realms beyond rested on his shoulders.

    In the midst of the chaos, West Two''s efforts proved crucial. The wasteful consumption of the Abyss''s energy weakened its hold on the battlefield, its ability to resurrect the fallen Nightmares diminishing with each act of self-destruction. The tides slowly turned in Humanity''s favor, as the Nightmares dwindled in number, their source of power slowly drained.

    With a sweat-soaked brow and a heart burdened by the weight of his task, West Two fought on. He knew the risks, the strain on his own being, but he was determined to see this through. The containment of the Abyss, the exhaustion of its essence��it was a desperate gambit, a calcted risk to tip the scales in Humanity''s favor.

    At that moment, as he faced the darkness head-on, West Two embodied the spirit of resilience and sacrifice. With every Nightmare that sumbed to its own demise, he etched a mark of hope upon the battle-ravaged battlefield. For he understood that victory could only be achieved by embracing the darkness and turning it against itself.

    As the battle raged on and West Two continued to channel his power, a sudden shift in the atmosphere brought a foreboding sense of dread. The Abyss, in a desperate act of retaliation, unleashed a pulse of energy that rippled through the battlefield. In an instant, West Two felt his connection with the Nightmare Incarnates severed, the dreamy hypnosis shattered by the surge of Abyssal power.

    To his shock and dismay, the Nightmares once weakened and self-destructing, were now revitalized by the malevolent force. Their forms twisted and contorted, growing in size and strength, their eyes gleaming with newfound fury. The Abyss had not only neutralized West Two''s control but had empowered its creations to unprecedented levels.

    "Everybody, fall back! Retreat for now!" West Two hollered at the army.

    Realizing the dire implications of this unexpected turn, West Two''s mind raced, searching for a solution amidst the chaos. The scales had tipped in favor of the Abyss, and to continue the fight in their current state would be a grave mistake. With a heavy heart and a strategic mind, he made the difficult decision to call for a tactical retreat.

    His voice echoed through the ranks of Humanity, a solemnmand amidst the escting danger. The soldiers, though disheartened, recognized the urgency in West Two''s words. Reluctantly, they disengaged from the Nightmares, retreating back to the safety of their fortified camp.

    The Nightmare Incarnates, now fueled by the Abyss, roared in triumph, their newfound strength rendering them more dangerous than ever. They pursued the retreating Humans, their colossal forms wreaking havoc upon the battlefield. It was a race against time, a desperate bid for survival as Humanity fought to regroup and reassess its strategies.

 Chapter 411 Extreme Yang

    ?

    As the empowered Nightmare Incarnates relentlessly pursued the retreating Human forces, the once confident and fierce soldiers now found themselves in a harrowing retreat. Their footsteps echoed with urgency as they raced back toward the safety of their fortified camp, desperately evading the relentless onught of their monstrous pursuers.

    Amidst the chaos, West Two, understanding the gravity of the situation, took charge of protecting his fellow Humans. With determination etched on his face, he extended his hands and released his Dream Law Domain, summoning a colossal dome of ethereal energy. The shimmering barrier spread wide, epassing the camp and providing a sanctuary from the encroaching darkness.

    One by one, the retreating soldiers sought shelter within the protective embrace of West Two''s domain. Fatigued and wounded, they found sce in the safety it offered, their gasps for breath filling the air as they huddled together, seekingfort and reassurance. The dome acted as a haven, shielding them from the impending onught of the empowered Nightmares.

    Outside the protective confines of the dome, the empowered Nightmares shed against the imprable barrier. Their monstrous forms pressed against it, wing and snarling in futile attempts to breach the ethereal shield. But West Two''s domain held firm, its enchantments repelling the relentless onught with steadfast resolve.

    Inside the dome, the soldiers caught their breath, their hearts pounding with a mixture of fear and relief. They exchanged nces, their eyes reflecting the weight of their situation. The retreat had been a sobering reminder of the ferocity and power of their adversaries, but they also knew that they had found temporary respite within West Two''s protective embrace.

    As the empowered Nightmare Incarnates relentlessly assaulted the protective barrier of West Two''s Dream Law Domain, their frenzied attacks reverberated throughout the battlefield. Their monstrous forms pounded against the ethereal shield with an unyielding determination, their ws, and fangs gnashing in a fric disy of rage.

    Despite their overwhelming ferocity, the Nightmare Incarnates found themselves thwarted by the resilience of the domain. The shimmering barrier held firm, its enchantments repelling the relentless onught with unwavering strength. The Nightmares'' bestial roars echoed through the air, a symphony of frustration and fury as their efforts to breach the protective sanctuary proved futile.

    Each savage blow delivered by the Nightmares sent ripples of energy across the surface of the domain, its barrier pulsating with the impact. West Two stood at the center of the camp, his concentration was unwavering as he channeled his power to fortify the defenses. Sweat trickled down his brow, his hands glowing with a luminous aura as he poured every ounce of his strength into maintaining the integrity of the domain.

    Yet, even as West Two valiantly held back the Nightmares, the reality of the situation loomed over the Human forces. The empowered Nightmares were unrelenting, fueled by the Abyss that empowered them. Their attacks seemed never-ending, and their relentless assault threatened to wear down the domain''s defenses over time.

    Aware of this imminent danger, the soldiers within the domain prepared themselves for a protracted battle. They fortified their positions, organizing themselves into defensive formations and coordinating their efforts to repeal the Nightmares'' onught. Every sh was met with fierce resistance, every breach swiftly sealed by the valiant defenders.

    The air crackled with tension as the Nightmares intensified their assault. Their desperate attempts to break through the domain became more frenzied, their attacks imbued with a sense of desperation. The ground quaked beneath their onught, but West Two''s domain held fast, serving as a stalwart shield against the relentless tide of darkness.

    As the relentless assault of the empowered Nightmare Incarnates continued to test the limits of West Two''s Dream Law Domain, he realized that time was running out. With the domain''s defenses showing signs of strain, he knew he had to seek assistance from the Grand Commanders to turn the tide of the battle.

    Gathering his resolve, West Two sought out Alice, ke, and Mary, the leaders of the Human Army. In a secluded chamber within the camp, he unveiled his n, the Extreme Yang Illumination array. With a determined expression on his face, he exined the intricacies of this powerful array and its potential to restrain their formidable foes.

    "The Extreme Yang Illumination array," West Two began, his voice filled with conviction, "is a manifestation of the first light that emerged from Chaos itself. It possesses a unique energy that has a restraining effect on our enemies, the Nightmare Incarnates. With its power, we can push back their advance, if only for a brief respite."

    He gestured to the intricate diagram etched on the floor, an array of symbols and lines that seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly radiance. "This array harnesses the pure essence of Yang, the energy of light and life," West Two continued. "By channeling this energy through the array, we can create a force field that repels the encroaching darkness, at least temporarily."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Alice, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and determination, stepped forward. "If this array can provide even a momentary advantage against the Nightmare Incarnates, then we must learn it and deploy it on the battlefield," she dered, her voice resonating with authority. "Every second counts in this war, and we will utilize every tool at our disposal to protect our forces."

    ke and Mary exchanged determined nces before nodding in agreement. "West Two, teach us the workings of this array," ke spoke, his voice filled with resolve. "We can''t just sit here and let you do all the work.."

    And so, in that secluded chamber, West Twomenced the training. With patient guidance and meticulous instruction, he unveiled the intricacies of the Extreme Yang Illumination array to the Grand Commanders. They absorbed the knowledge eagerly, their minds focused on mastering this powerful tool that could tip the scales in their favor.

    Extreme Yang, the essence of the very first light that emerged after the primordial Chaos exploded, holds a profound significance in the narrative of creation. It represents the purest form of light and life, embodying the boundless potential and transformative power that birthed the universe.

    As Chaos dissolved and gave birth to the existence, Extreme Yang emerged as the illuminating force that brought rity and order to the chaos. It is the essence of brightness, warmth, and vitality, symbolizing the energy that fuels growth, creation, and the sustenance of life itself.

    In the context of the Primeval Battlefield, the utilization of the Extreme Yang Illumination array taps into this primal energy. By channeling and manifesting the essence of Extreme Yang, the Grand Commanders of Humanity harness the power to repel the darkness of the Abyss, if only for a fleeting moment. It bes a beacon of hope amidst the overwhelming threat, a tangible connection to the primordial light that birthed existence.

    Days turned into nights as the Grand Commanders immersed themselves in the study of the array. They memorized theplex formations, practiced the precise gestures, and attuned themselves to the essence of Yang. Their dedication and unwavering determination fueled their progress, as they grasped the fundamental principles and inner workings of the array.

    Finally, after countless hours of intense training, the Grand Commanders stood ready. They had internalized the knowledge of the Extreme Yang Illumination array, its intricacies etched into their very beings. With their newfound understanding, they were prepared to unleash the power of light against the encroaching darkness.

    The time hade to put their training into action. With their troops assembled and the Nightmare Incarnates pressing ever closer, the Grand Commanders stepped onto the battlefield. Drawing upon their newfound knowledge, they raised their hands, their gestures aligning with the intricate patterns of the array.

    As their palms ignited with an intense radiance, a surge of energy rippled through the air. The brilliance of Yang burst forth, illuminating the battlefield with a blinding light. The empowered Nightmare Incarnates recoiled, their frenzied attacks momentarily halted by the unexpected radiance.

    The Extreme Yang Illumination array acts as a focal point, concentrating the essence of Extreme Yang and unleashing it as a force field of light. This luminous barrier provides a temporary respite against the empowered Nightmare Incarnates, momentarily restraining their advance and offering a brief advantage to Humanity in their ongoing struggle.

    For a brief moment, Humanity''s forces found respite. The Extreme Yang Illumination array created a protective barrier, a sanctuary of light amidst the encroaching darkness. The Nightmare Incarnates, momentarily restrained by the power of Yang, struggled against the force field, unable to prate its radiant shield.

    But even as the array held back the empowered Nightmare Incarnates, the Grand Commanders knew that this was only a temporary reprieve. The relentless forces of the Abyss would regroup and press onward. With their soldiers at their backs, the Grand Commanders steeled themselves, ready to face the next wave of darkness.

    The Extreme Yang Illumination array had bought them a precious moment, a glimpse of hope in the midst of the chaotic battlefield. Humanity would stand firm, their spirits undeterred, as they continued to fight against the encroaching Abyss. And with each deployment of the array, they would unleash the power of light, pushing back the forces of darkness, one battle at a time.

 Chapter 412 Magitech Shells

    ?

    Within the shelter of West Two''s Dream Law Domain and fortified by the radiance of the Extreme Yang Illumination Array, the scene in the Primeval Battlefield unfolded with tense tranquility. The encroaching darkness of the empowered Nightmare Incarnates was held at bay, pushed back by the ethereal barrier that epassed the humans.

    Under the protective canopy of West Two''s Dream Law Domain, the weary soldiers found respite. Their battle-worn bodies slowly regenerated, and the wounds inflicted by their relentless foes began to heal. Exhausted minds were soothed, finding sce and momentary peace amidst the chaos.

    The soft glow of the Extreme Yang Illumination Array enveloped the encampment, casting a warm and vibrant light that stood in stark contrast to the pervasive darkness that lurked beyond. It served as a beacon of hope, a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of humanity.

    Amidst this temporary lull in the war, the soldiers, their faces etched with determination, took advantage of the brief reprieve to rest and regroup. They tended to their weapons, fortified their defenses, and shared stories of past victories and fallenrades. The echoes of battles fought and sacrifices made reverberated through the camp, solidifying their resolve to continue the fight.

    While the Nightmare Incarnates paced restlessly at the fringes of the encampment, their malevolence unable to prate the protective shield, the humans gathered their strength. They knew that this respite was but a temporary fleeting moment in a war that still raged on.

    In this delicate intermission, ns were devised, strategies refined, and new alliances forged. The Grand Commanders stood together, their minds focused and determined, ready to lead their troops into the next phase of the battle. Thebined power of West Two''s Dream Law Domain and the Extreme Yang Illumination Array had provided a crucial opportunity for humanity to regroup and prepare for whaty ahead.

    As the humans prepared themselves for the impending battles thaty ahead, a sense of urgency permeated the air. They understood that time was no longer on their side. The reprieve they had gained was merely a fleeting moment in the face of the relentless onught of the Nightmare Incarnates.

    Every passing moment saw the Abyss regaining its strength, steadily replenishing its ranks with more abominable creations. The empowered Nightmare Incarnates grew in number, their monstrous forms swelling with newfound power. The looming threat of the Abyss weighed heavily on the hearts of the humans, for they knew that their resources were limited within the primeval battlefield.

    With each passing day, the humans toiled tirelessly, seeking to enhance their arsenal and fortify their defenses. They scoured the ancient battlefield for remnants of forgotten relics, seeking any advantage they could find. Weapons were repaired and reinforced, traps were redesigned and optimized, and new strategies were devised to exploit the weaknesses of the Nightmare Incarnates.

    Yet, as the humans worked diligently, they couldn''t shake the growing unease that permeated the camp. They knew that their enemy was relentless and insidious and that the true power of the Abyss was far from fully unleashed. The realization that their resources were finite and dwindling only heightened their sense of urgency.

    ***

    The Grand Commanders listened intently as the group of researchers presented their findings. Hope flickered in their eyes as they learned of a potential breakthrough in their battle against the Abyss. The researchers exined their discovery��an innovative method to disrupt the Abyss''s recovery and weaken its influence.

    Utilizing the advanced aircraft they had brought to the primeval battlefield, the researchers proposed a daring n. They had developed Magitech-infused shells, specially crafted with elements that were harmful to the Abyss. These shells contained a potentbination of energies that had the potential to halt the Abyss''s regeneration and weaken its hold on the Nightmare Incarnates.

    Excitement rippled through themand room as the Grand Commanders realized the significance of this breakthrough. If sessful, the carpet bombing of the Abyss''s source could disrupt its ability to create more Nightmare Incarnates, tipping the scales in humanity''s favor. It was a risky endeavor, but the potential rewards were immense.

    Discussions ensued as the Grand Commanders and the researchers deliberated on the best strategy to execute the n. They assessed the aircraft capabilities, the logistics involved, and the potential impact on both the Abyss and the human forces. Every detail was scrutinized to ensure the highest chances of sess.

    Amidst the nning, the Grand Commanders couldn''t help but feel a glimmer of hope. This newfound strategy offered a viable means to weaken the Abyss, to turn the tides of the war in their favor. It was a ray of light in the darkness that shrouded the primeval battlefield.

    With the n finalized and the necessary preparations underway, the Grand Commanders addressed the gathered troops. They shared the groundbreaking news, igniting a renewed sense of determination and hope among the soldiers. The prospect of striking a blow against the Abyss filled their hearts with renewed vigor and resolve.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As the aircraft was readied for the mission, the soldiers prepared themselves for the decisive battle thaty ahead. They knew that the sess of this operation could mean the turning point in their war against the Abyss. The sound of engines roaring to life filled the air, intertwining with the palpable tension and anticipation that hung over the camp.

    With a mixture of nervousness and determination, the fleet of aircraft took to the skies, carrying the hopes of humanity. The Magitech-infused shells were loaded, their payloads aimed at the heart of the Abyss, the source of its power and regeneration. It was a race against time, a calcted gamble to disrupt the Abyss''s recovery before it could further unleash its horrors upon the primeval battlefield.

    As the aircraft approached their target, the tension reached its peak. The moment of truth had arrived. The order was given, and the shells rained down upon the source of the Abyss, detonating with brilliant bursts of energy. The very air quivered with the power of their assault, and a resounding shockwave rippled through the battlefield.

    Humanity held its collective breath, waiting for the oue. Slowly, signs of sess emerged. The Abyss recoiled, its recovery disrupted by the onught of the Magitech-infused shells. The Nightmare Incarnates were alerted by this but they could do nothing other than stare.

    As the deafening roar of the aircraft engines faded into the distance, the eerie silence settled over the target area. Thick plumes of smoke billowed up from the ground, obscuring the once-vibrantndscape below. The carpet bombing had taken its toll, leaving behind a scene of utter destruction.

    Craters, some small and others gaping in size, pockmarked the earth as far as the eye could see. Buildings that had once stood tall and proud were reduced to crumbling ruins, with only fragments of walls and shattered ss remaining. The twisted metal skeletons of vehicles littered the streets, their tires melted and engines charred.

    The air hung heavy with the acrid scent of smoke, a sickening reminder of the devastation that had been wrought. A haunting silence filled the air, broken only by the asional crackling of mes as they licked at what remained of structures.

    Amongst the destruction, scattered remnants of life could be seen. The Nightmare Incarnates too were affected by Humanity''s attack. Some melted into a puddle of goo, struggling to return to their solid forms, while others directly disintegrated.

    As the smoke cleared slightly, revealing glimpses of the destruction below, it became apparent that the initial round of the carpet bombing had not been entirely sessful. While some structures had been leveled, others stood defiantly amidst the ruins, their foundations weakened but intact.

    The Abyss writhed in pain. The Grand Commanders could almost hear its agonized roar. Pristine white mes burn the abyss, causing it to recoil in fear again and again. This was a sign that the form they used for the Magitech Shells was perfect against the Abyss.

    At that moment, a faint shimmer of light enveloped the aircraft, and with a sudden jolt, the pilots found themselves back at the camp. The teleportation had been performed by West Two, utilizing Spatial Magic to bring them to safety.

    Disoriented and shell-shocked, the pilots stumbled out of the aircraft, their faces etched with a mix of relief and disbelief. They gazed at each other, realizing the magnitude of the destruction they had witnessed. The scene they had just left behind would forever be etched in their memories.

    As they stood there, catching their breath, the realization sank in that this was just the beginning. While their operation was a sess, in truth it didn''t do much to the Abyss at all.

    Sure, the Abyss had been affected but a single round of bombing wouldn''t stop it from producing more Nightmare Incarnates for them. Everyone knew that if they want to solve their problems, they had to do this multiple times. Only then would the Abyss be weakened enough for Humans to take the stage once more.

    "Good work, Soldiers. Go back and rest. This war is far from over." Alice''s voice echoed behind them. The team of pilots gave her a salute before returning to their camp.

 Chapter 413 Re; Clash

    ?

    Amidst the chaotic battlefield, the war between Humanity and the Abyss raged on. The continuous carpet bombing, utilizing the powerful Magitech Shells, had be a pivotal strategy to weaken the Abyss and its creations. The aircraft carrying the shells soared through the darkened skies, their engines roaring as they fought against the relentless onught of the Nightmare Incarnates.

    The Abyss, realizing the threat posed by the bombing, unleashed its hordes of Nightmare Incarnates in a desperate attempt to destroy the aircraft. The abominations lunged and wed at the vessels, their grotesque forms twisting and contorting as they unleashed their fury. But the Grand Commanders, recognizing the importance of their mission, rallied their forces to protect the aircraft at all costs.

    A fierce battle unfolded in the air, with agile fighter jets engaging in aerialbat against the Nightmare Incarnates. The sharp crack of gunfire and the thunderous explosions reverberated through the skies, as Human pilots skillfully maneuvered their aircraft, dodging and evading the relentless attacks.

    The Grand Commanders, armed with advanced weaponry, led the charge on the ground. They formed a formidable defense perimeter around the aircraft, unleashing a barrage of bullets and energy beams against the encroaching Nightmare Incarnates. The soldiers fought with unwavering determination, their every move calcted and precise.

    Amidst the chaos, the air crackled with magical energy as the Magitech Shells were deployed. Each explosion sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, disintegrating the Nightmare Incarnates caught within the st radius. The destructive force of the shells tore through the abominations, causing them to dissolve into nothingness, their forms crumbling into ash and darkness.

    However, the Abyss was not one to be easily defeated. As the bombing continued, it grew weaker, its power diminishing with each sessive explosion. The Nightmare Incarnates became more frenzied and desperate, their attacks growing more ferocious in ast-ditch attempt to halt the onught.

    But the Grand Commanders and their soldiers stood resolute, fighting with unwavering courage and resolve. They unleashed a relentless onught of bullets, energy beams, and magical spells, pushing back the Nightmare Incarnates and protecting the precious aircraft carrying the Magitech Shells.

    As the battles continued, the once imprable darkness of the Abyss began to recede. The relentless carpet bombing and the unwavering resolve of Humanity started to turn the tide, inch by hard-fought inch. The oue of this war, though still uncertain, still ys out.

    As the relentless bombardment of the Abyss continued, the once imprable darkness started to recede. The specialized shells crafted by Humanity, infused with powerful Magitech elements, unleashed a devastating assault on the heart of the Abyss. The explosions were like eruptions of white mes, engulfing the darkness in a ze of purifying light.

    The effect on the Abyss was profound. Its influence waned, and its grip on the Primeval Battlefield weakened considerably. The very fabric of its existence trembled under the assault as if its malevolent essence was being torn asunder by the relentless onught.

    As the Abyss weakened, so too did its creations. The Nightmare Incarnates, once formidable and relentless, were now gued by a palpable sense of vulnerability. Their twisted forms became distorted and feeble, their movements sluggish and erratic. The source of their power, the Abyss itself, was being consumed by the mes of the Magitech Shells, draining them of their strength.

    Humanity, witnessing the profound effect of their siege, felt a surge of hope amidst the darkness. The realization that they could weaken and suppress the Abyss filled their hearts with newfound determination. The tides of war were shifting, and an opportunity for an all-out sh against the weakened Abyss loomed on the horizon.

    Within the camp, the Grand Commanders and their strategists gathered to assess the situation. Maps were spread out, and ns were meticulously crafted. The advantage nowy with Humanity, and they aimed to exploit it to the fullest.

    The realization that the Nightmare Incarnates were now significantly weakened sparked renewed vigor among the soldiers. They trained harder, honing their skills and refining their strategies. The camps buzzed with anticipation as preparations for the imminent sh were set in motion

    ***

    As the Grand Commanders rallied their forces, a sense of determination and purpose permeated the air. The time for a decisive confrontation had arrived, and with the Abyss weakened, they knew this was their opportunity to strike back.

    In a calcted move, West Two, with his unwavering resolve, surged forward, leading the charge towards the heart of the Abyss. As he neared the mouth of darkness, he unleashed his Dream Law Domain once again, shrouding the area in a haze of ethereal power. The oppressive influence of the Abyss was met with a powerful suppression, forcing it to recoil in the face of West Two''s immense will.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Meanwhile, the army of Humanity, led by the formidable trio of Alice, ke, and Mary, advanced in synchronized formation. They moved with precision and purpose, their footsteps echoing a resounding determination to reim their world from the clutches of the Abyss. Each soldier held their ground, armed with renewed confidence, ready to face the weakened Nightmare Incarnates head-on.

    The battlefield came alive with the sh of steel and the crackle of unleashed powers. The Nightmare Incarnates, their strength diminished, still fought with a desperate frenzy. However, they were met with a force that was no longer willing to yield. The soldiers of Humanity fought with unmatched brilliance, exploiting the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of their diminished foes.

    Amidst the chaos, West Two stood at the forefront, his Dream Law Domain extending its reach, pushing back the encroaching darkness. His unwavering focus allowed the soldiers to fight with unwavering resolve, their actions guided by his ethereal influence.

    As the battle raged on, West Two realized the need to unleash the full power at his disposal to suppress the Abyss. With a resolute determination, he activated the Extreme Yang Illumination Array alongside his Dream Law Domain.

    A blinding burst of radiant energy erupted from the array, casting a brilliant golden glow across the battlefield. The essence of Extreme Yang, the primordial light that emerged from Chaos, infused the very fabric of the Abyss. The darkness recoiled in the face of this intense illumination, its tendrils writhing and contorting in agony.

    The Extreme Yang Illumination Array had a profound effect on the Abyss. The once unyielding darkness weakened further under the assault of this ancient light. Its oppressive influence waned, its grip on the Nightmare Incarnates loosened, and its ability to regenerate and spawn new abominations diminished.

    The radiant energy emanating from the array disrupted the Abyss at its core, sapping its strength and hindering its ability to recover. The Abyss, once a formidable force, was forced to retreat, its very essence flickering and faltering under the onught of Extreme Yang.

    Thebination of West Two''s Dream Law Domain and the Extreme Yang Illumination Array created a potent synergy, amplifying the effects of their suppression. The light and the ethereal power worked in harmony, providing Humanity with a crucial advantage in their battle against the encroaching darkness.

    As the brilliance of the Extreme Yang Illumination Array continued to wash over the battlefield, the weakened Abyss struggled to maintain its hold. The Nightmare Incarnates, once empowered by their creator, now found themselves struggling against the surging tide of Humanity''s assault, their strength and ferocity diminished by the relentless illumination.

    The battle raged on, a fierce struggle between the remnants of the Abyss and the undying spirit of Humanity. Every swing of a sword, every st of magic, carried the weight of their determination to reim their world. The soldiers fought with newfound strength, empowered by the belief that victory was within their grasp.

    As the sh intensified, the Abyss roared with futile rage. It attempted to regain its lost strength, but West Two''s domain held firm, denying it the ability to regain its full power. The weakened Nightmare Incarnates, sensing the waning influence of their creator, faltered under the onught of Humanity''s relentless assault.

    With each passing moment, the Abyss grew weaker, its grip on the battlefield slipping away. The soldiers of Humanity fought with an unyielding tenacity, their resilience a testament to their indomitable spirit. The tide of battle turned decisively in their favor, as the weakened Nightmare Incarnates began to crumble under the weight of their own vulnerability.

    Through thebined efforts of the army and West Two''s unwavering resolve, the mouth of the Abyss trembled. The once imprable darkness flickered and wavered, its essence diminished by the unyielding assault. Victory, though not yet fully grasped, seemed within reach, as the forces of Humanity pushed forward with unwavering determination.

    The battle waged on, with each step forward, Humanity reimed a fragment of their world from the clutches of the Abyss. The echoes of shes filled the air, mingling with the resolute cries of soldiers and the suppressed roars of the weakened Nightmare Incarnates.

    In the heart of the battlefield, the Grand Commanders served as beacons of hope, their domain a shield against the encroaching darkness. They stood as a testament to the unwavering spirit of Humanity, a guiding light in the midst of chaos, as they fought to reim their world from the depths of the Abyss.

    And so, with every strike and every act of valor, Humanity advanced, their spirits aze with a determination that could not be extinguished. The weakened Abyss trembled before their relentless assault, and victory, though uncertain.

 Chapter 414 Fight

    ?

    The battlefield was consumed by chaos as the war between Humanity and the Nightmare Incarnates reached its climax. The air crackled with energy, filled with the shing of weapons, the roars of abominations, and the resolute cries of Human soldiers.

    Squads of Humans engaged in fierce battles with the Nightmare Incarnates, showcasing their unwavering determination and strategic brilliance. Each squad fought with a uniquebination of skills and tactics, exploiting weaknesses and capitalizing on opportunities.

    In one corner of the battlefield, a squad of agile warriors maneuvered with precision, striking swift and deadly blows against the lumbering Nightmare Incarnates. Their coordinated movements and wless teamwork allowed them to outmaneuver their adversaries, targeting vital points with precision and dispatching the abominations one by one.

    Meanwhile, another squad positioned themselves strategically atop an elevated vantage point, raining down a barrage of arrows and projectiles upon the encroaching Nightmare Incarnates. Their skilled archers and marksmen disyed remarkable uracy, their arrows finding their mark with lethal precision, causing chaos and confusion among the ranks of the abominations.

    In a different section of the battlefield, a group of heavily armored soldiers formed a formidable shield wall, their unwavering defense standing as an imprable barrier against the onught of the Nightmare Incarnates. With disciplined coordination and unyielding resolve, they held their ground, repelling wave after wave of attacks with their shields and retaliating with calcted strikes that shattered the abominations'' defenses.

    Throughout the battlefield, scenes of heroism and sacrifice unfolded. A lone warrior, wielding a mighty two-handed sword, engaged in a fierce duel with a towering Nightmare Incarnate. Their des shed, sparks flying with every strike, as the Human warrior fought with unwavering determination, pushing the limits of their strength and skill to ovee the monstrous foe.

    In another corner, a squad of magicians unleashed devastating spells and arcane powers, channeling the elements to rain down destruction upon the Nightmare Incarnates. Fire engulfed the battlefield, lightning crackled through the air, and torrents of ice sent the abominations into a deep freeze, leaving them vulnerable to the relentless assaults of the Human forces.

    Amidst the chaos, the resounding battle cries of Humanity echoed through the air, a testament to their unyielding spirit and refusal to be defeated. They fought with an intensity fueled by the desire to end this war once and for all, to reim their world from the clutches of darkness.

    As the battles raged on, the determination of Humanity became a force in itself, an unbreakable resolve that fueled their every action. The sh of steel, the bursts of magic, and the cries of triumph mingled with the haunting shrieks of the Nightmare Incarnates, creating a symphony of war that reverberated across the battlefield.

    Alice, the Sword Empress, moved with grace and precision amidst the chaos of the battlefield. Her de, an extension of her will, gleamed with a cold, ethereal light as she effortlessly cleaved through the ranks of Nightmare Incarnates. With every swing, her sword left a trail of destruction in its wake, severing limbs, shattering armor, and striking fear into the hearts of her enemies.

    Her movements were a deadly dance, a symphony of fluid strikes and lightning-fast parries. She weaved through the chaotic battleground, her feet barely touching the ground, as she dispatched Nightmare Incarnates with lethal efficiency. Her swordsmanship was unparalleled, a blend of masterful technique and innate instinct that allowed her to anticipate and exploit her opponents'' every move.

    Beside her, ke the Titan unleashed his immense strength upon the Nightmare Incarnates. Towering over his foes, he swung his massive Warhammer with bone-shaking force, creating shockwaves that sent the abominations flying. His sheer presence alone was a weapon, inspiring fear and awe among the enemy ranks.

    With each thunderous blow, ke shattered the Nightmare Incarnates'' defenses, reducing them to shattered remnants of their former selves. His raw power was matched only by his unwavering determination, driving him forward even as the abominations swarmed around him. He fought with a primal ferocity, his eyes burning with unyielding resolve to protect hisrades and eradicate the encroaching darkness.

    Meanwhile, Mary the Oracle Sage stood at the epicenter of the battle, her hands aglow with an otherworldly radiance. She channeled the energies of the cosmos, weaving intricate spells and unleashing devastating sts of magic. Waves of pure energy rippled through the air, disintegrating the Nightmare Incarnates in their path.

    Mary''s connection to the ethereal realms granted her unparalleled insight into the movements of the enemy. She foresaw their attacks before they even materialized, allowing her to effortlessly evade and counter their advances. Her magic was a symphony of light and sound, a dazzling disy of power that left the Nightmare Incarnates in a state of confusion and disarray.

    Together, Alice, ke, and Mary formed an unstoppable trio, their strengthsplementing one another in perfect harmony. With each step, they carved a path of devastation through the Nightmare Incarnates, their killing intent palpable in the air.

    Their battle cries echoed through the chaos, rallying the Human forces and striking fear into the hearts of their enemies. The ground shook beneath their feet as they pressed forward, leaving behind a trail of fallen Nightmare Incarnates in their wake.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As they fought, their determination burned like an unquenchable fire, fueled by the weight of their responsibilities and the desire to protect all they held dear. With every strike, every spell, they pushed the boundaries of their own limits, leaving no room for doubt or hesitation.

    The fight scenes were a breathtaking disy of skill, power, and unwavering resolve. Alice''s sword shed like lightning, ke''s Warhammer shattered the earth beneath him, and Mary''s magic illuminated the battlefield with a sh of celestial brilliance. They were a force to be reckoned with, an embodiment of Humanity''s indomitable spirit in the face of darkness.

    Through theirbined efforts, the Nightmare Incarnates were decimated, and their ranks diminished with each passing moment. Their killing intent remained unwavering, and their determination to end this war once and for all fueled their every strike. With each fallen abomination, they drew closer to victory, inch by hard-fought inch.

    In this chaotic symphony, the bravery and ingenuity of Humanity shone through. They fought with everything they had, exploiting every advantage, and refusing to back down. Each battle, each skirmish, was a testament to their unwavering spirit and their indomitable will to ovee the darkness that threatened their existence.

    The war raged on, the intensity escting with each passing moment. But amidst the chaos, Humanity pressed forward, unleashing their full strength and fighting with unmatched determination. It was a battle that would shape the fate of their world, a battle they were determined to win at any cost.

    West Two stood at the forefront, his eyes zing with determination as he single-handedly confronted the source of the Abyss. His Dream Law Domain enveloped the area, creating an ethereal barrier that held back the encroaching darkness. The Extreme Yang Illumination Array radiated a brilliant light, its energy mingling with the domain to create a formidable force against the malevolent influence of the Abyss.

    As the Nightmare Incarnates surged forward, their twisted forms and ferocious intent, West Two stood unwavering, his presence a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. He stretched his powers to the limit, channeling every ounce of strength and will to suppress the relentless onught from the Abyss.

    Within the Dream Law Domain, West Two''s control over the ethereal realm was evident. Hemanded the very fabric of dreams, using it to restrain and confine the source of the Abyss. Threads of shimmering energy extended from his outstretched hands, wrapping around the tendrils of darkness that emanated from the abyssal depths.

    The Extreme Yang Illumination Array bathed the area in a radiant glow, piercing through the darkness with its pure, cleansing light. The Abyss recoiled in the face of this ancient energy, its malevolent influence waning under the assault.

    But West Two knew the limitations of his power. He could feel the strain taking its toll, the cracks beginning to form in his control. His brow furrowed with effort, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Time was of the essence, and he silently pleaded with his allies to hasten the battle, to bring an end to this war before his strength waned.

    He gritted his teeth, his focus was unwavering as he maintained his hold on the Dream Law Domain and the Extreme Yang Illumination Array. The air crackled with energy, and the battlefield seemed to freeze for a moment as if even the Nightmare Incarnates themselves felt the weight of West Two''s presence.

    But the forces of the Abyss were relentless. Waves of darkness crashed against West Two''s defenses, attempting to break through his domain and regain their malevolent hold. The strain on West Two''s face intensified, lines of exhaustion etching themselves onto his features.

    He knew that he couldn''t hold on forever. The power of the Abyss was immense, and his own reserves were finite. Time was slipping away, and he could only hope that his allies fought with every ounce of strength they possessed, driving back the Nightmare Incarnates and bringing an end to this battle before he lost control.

    With a final surge of willpower, West Two pushed back against the Abyss, his domain pulsating with resolute energy. He could almost taste victory, but the weight of the war and the constant struggle threatened to overwhelm him.

    But s, even with his best efforts, the Abyss has never been something that he could suppress on his own...

 Chapter 415 Danger

    ?

    The ground shook violently beneath West Two''s feet as he strained to maintain control over the Dream Law Domain and the Extreme Yang Illumination Array. Sweat dripped down his forehead, mingling with the dirt and blood that adorned his face. His body trembled with the immense strain, but he refused to yield.

    But then, in a sudden and unexpected turn of events, the very source of the Abyss erupted in a cataclysmic explosion. The force of the st sent shockwaves rippling through the Primeval Battlefield, shaking the earth and rattling the skies. Debris and fragments of darkness were flung in all directions, creating a whirlwind of chaos and destruction.

    Caught off guard by the sheer magnitude of the explosion, West Two was thrown backward with incredible force. His body collided with the unforgiving ground, pain shooting through every fiber of his being. Blood seeped from numerous wounds, and he struggled to regain his bearings amidst the chaos.

    The impact had left West Two gravely injured, his body battered and broken. He could feel the weight of his injuries weighing him down, his strength waning rapidly. The tremors of the explosion reverberated through his bones, a stark reminder of the relentless power of the Abyss.

    West Two maintained consciousness despite what happened, and through sheer instinct, he started tending to his wounds using Healing Magic. He knew that he needed to recover quickly because the Abyss will surely not let this chance go.

    Unfortunately, it might''ve already been a little toote for that...

    The air was thick with tension as West Two, nursing his wounds amidst the wreckage of the battlefield, looked up to witness a catastrophic sight. His eyes widened in horror as he beheld the Abyss, not content with its previous devastation, now morphing and expanding with an insatiable hunger. Its inky tendrils snaked through the shatteredndscape, swallowing everything in its path with ravenous intent.

    Chunks ofnd were being ripped out of the ground, swallowed by the Abyss with no hopes of ever returning. Tremors rocked the primeval battlefield as everybody mored to stay away from the deadly tendrils of the Abyss that are trying to consume them all.

    The realization hit West Two like a thunderbolt. The Abyss, driven by its relentless desire to consume, was now attempting to devour the entire Primeval Battlefield. Fear gripped his heart as heprehended the dire implications of this nightmarish development. If the Abyss seeded in its sinister goal, all hope would be lost.

    West Two didn''t expect that the Abyss still hold this much power. He thought that their previous efforts weakened it considerably worked, but it was clear that it didn''t. If anything, that might''ve just angered the Abyss even more. Either way, the situation was certainly not in their favor.

    As much as they''re aware that the Abyss was the source of their troubles, is also as much as they knew about it.

    The Abyss was a mysterious entity for all of them. Even the studious nature of Ashton, which West Two inherited, didn''t give the doppelganger enough time to know everything about it. It''s as much of an enigma as this battlefield was.

    And with the Abyss trying to consume everything, West Two certainly didn''t have time to tend to his injuries anymore. His priority now, was to save as many of their soldiers as he could and send them home.

    The rm spread like wildfire among the surviving humans. Panic and urgency surged through their ranks as they understood the imminent danger they faced. The Grand Commanders, their faces etched with grim determination, swiftly issued themand for a strategic retreat. They knew that their only chance for survivaly in regrouping and evacuating the battlefield.

    The soldiers, battered and weary, rallied to the call of their leaders. With a renewed sense of purpose, they formed a defensive perimeter, covering theirrades as they began their mad dash toward the aircraft. Every step wasden with urgency, their hearts pounding in their chests, fueled by the knowledge that the Abyss threatened to consume them all.

    Amidst the chaos and the relentless pursuit of the encroaching darkness, West Two pushed himself beyond the limits of his battered body. Despite his injuries, he refused to yield, his resolve unshakable. With every ounce of strength he could muster, he fought against the encroaching darkness, his Dream Law Domain, and the flickering remnants of the Extreme Yang Illumination Array serving as his shield against the consuming abyss.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The sound of explosions and screams echoed through the air as the humans battled both the Nightmare Incarnates and the looming darkness. The aircraft, shimmering beacons of hope, became the focal point of their desperate escape. Soldiers fought valiantly, fending off the encroaching horrors with every ounce of their remaining strength, their eyes fixed on the distant promise of safety.

    As thest of the humans boarded the aircraft, West Two knew that their time was running out. The Abyss, relentless and voracious, continued its inexorable advance. With a heavy heart, he made the difficult decision to abandon his post and retreat alongside hisrades. They could no longer afford to dy their departure.

    With onest look at the battlefield, now consumed by the encroaching darkness, West Two gritted his teeth and limped towards the waiting aircraft. The swirling maelstrom of chaos and despair followed closely behind, its hunger unabated. But even in the face of overwhelming odds, the flicker of hope burned brightly in the hearts of the humans.

    As the chaos of the retreat unfolded, a scene of selfless heroism yed out amidst the turmoil. Alice, the Sword Empress, her eyes burning with determination, stood at the forefront, rallying the soldiers and directing them toward the waiting aircraft. Despite the exhaustion etched on her face, she never faltered in her duty to ensure the safety of herrades.

    Mary, the Oracle Sage, her healing powers stretched to their limits, and moved with swift precision among the injured soldiers, offering whatever sce and aid she could. Her voice carried a soothing melody, calming the panicked hearts and urging them towards the path of escape. Even in the face of the encroaching abyss, she radiated a sense of unwavering hope.

    ke, the Titan, his massive frame a formidable shield, roared with a fury that matched the mes of battle. With every step, he carved a path of safety for his fellow soldiers, using his immense strength to push back the encroaching Nightmare Incarnates. His presence alone inspired those around him, lending them the courage to face the looming darkness.

    And there, amidst the chaos and desperation, stood West Two, his injuries evident and his strength waning. Though weakened, he refused to be deterred. With his Dream Law Domain flickering in the face of the advancing abyss, he used his remaining energy to shield the retreating soldiers, to buy them precious seconds in their race against time.

    Soldiers, loyal and courageous, tried to return the favor, attempting to aid theirmanders in their escape. Yet, with stern resolve, the Grand Commanders, utilizing their military authority, firmly ordered their subordinates to prioritize their own safety. They understood that the survival of their soldiers was paramount, and their duty as leaders demanded sacrifice.

    Amidst tearful farewells and heartfelt promises, themanders urged their soldiers onward, their voices firm andmanding. They watched with heavy hearts as the soldiers filed into the waiting aircrafts, a bittersweet mix of relief and grief washing over them. Eachmander knew that their sacrifice would buy valuable time for theirrades to escape the clutches of the abyss.

    With thest soldier safely aboard, themanders shared a lingering look, a silent acknowledgment of the immense weight they carried on their shoulders. They turned their backs to the fleeing aircrafts, resolute in their decision to stand against the encroaching darkness, to hold back the abyss with their final breaths.

    As the aircrafts soared into the sky, carrying humanity''sst hope, the Grand Commanders faced the abyss with unyielding resolve. The battlefield, now devoid of the soldiers they had fought alongside, became a deste stage for their final stand. They braced themselves for the onught, their weapons raised and their hearts ame with unwavering determination.

    At that moment, they embodied the true essence of leadership and sacrifice. They were the shield that protected theirrades, the beacon of hope in the darkest hour. And even as the abyss closed in, their spirits burned brightly, refusing to be extinguished.

    The battle raged on, a fierce sh of light against darkness. The Grand Commanders fought with valor and unwavering resolve, their every move a testament to their unwavering dedication to the cause. They knew that their sacrifice would not be in vain, for their legacy would live on in the hearts and memories of those they had led.

    As the abyss descended upon them, swallowing them in its consuming darkness, thest echoes of their defiance reverberated through the battlefield. Their names would forever be etched in the annals of history, remembered as heroes who gave everything to protect humanity.

    And as the abyss imed its final victory, the soldiers could only weep in despair as they were ferried away by theirrades.

 Chapter 416 Dilemma

    ?

    The realization hit the Human Army with a crushing weight as they stood on the deste battlefield, their only link to their home shattered before them. The copse of the wormhole meant they were stranded in an unknown realm, far from the familiar embrace of the Blue Marble. Uncertainty and desperation settled over the soldiers, casting a shadow of doubt upon their hearts.

    Their once hopeful spirits now wavered, for they were faced with a harsh reality: survival in this foreignnd would require more than just resilience and valor. The resources on their ships were limited, and time was running out. If they didn''t find a way to secure a future for themselves, the sacrifice of the Grand Commanders would indeed be in vain.

    Amidst the whispers of anxiety and murmurs of despair, a flicker of determination ignited within the ranks. Leaders emerged, officers and seasoned soldiers who refused to sumb to despair. They called upon the remnants of their once formidable army, rallying theirrades to face the challenges ahead with unyielding resolve.

    Gathered around makeshiftmand centers, the officers pored over maps and navigational charts, desperately searching for clues that would guide them towards a solution. They tapped into their collective knowledge, drawing upon the expertise of engineers, astrophysicists, and strategists among their ranks. Every mind was dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of this unknown realm.

    In their quest for answers, the soldiers ventured into the treacherousndscapes thaty beyond the battlefield. They braved the perils of the Primeval Battlefield, scouting for any signs of civilization or remnants of advanced technology that could aid their cause. Every discovery, no matter how small, held the potential to unlock the path back to their home.

    Meanwhile, scientists and researchers worked tirelessly to decode the anomalies of this realm. They analyzed the unique energies and gravitational forces that permeated the environment, seeking patterns and corrtions that might lead them to a solution. The search for answers was not just a quest for survival; it was a quest for hope, a beacon that could guide them back to the Blue Marble.

    Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, but the Human Army refused to yield to despair. They honed their survival skills, adapting to the harsh realities of their new surroundings. They scoured thend for food and resources, utilizing their ingenuity to fashion tools and weapons from the remnants of their shattered aircraft. Every day was a battle for survival, a testament to their unwavering spirit.

    Through perseverance and unwavering determination, a breakthrough finally came. A group of astrophysicists discovered a faint signal, a faint echo of the wormhole''s copse. It was a glimmer of hope, a potential key to unraveling the mysteries of this realm and finding a way back home.

    With renewed vigor, the Human Army set out on a new mission. They followed the echoes of the copsed wormhole, tracking the residual energy signatures left in its wake. It was a dangerous journey fraught with uncertainty, but they were driven by a singr purpose��to reim their ce among the stars.

    As they ventured deeper into the unknown, they encountered new challenges and encountered strange and hostile creatures. But their resolve remained unshakable. The memory of the Grand Commanders'' sacrifice fueled their determination, reminding them of the debt they owed to those who had given their lives in the hope of a brighter future.

    The path ahead was treacherous and filled with countless obstacles, but the Human Army pressed on, united by their shared purpose. They would ovee the adversities that fate had thrown their way, for they carried within them the indomitable spirit of humanity.

    In this realm of uncertainty and danger, they would forge their own destiny and find a way back home. The legacy of the Grand Commanders would not be in vain, for their sacrifice had ignited a me of resilience that burned within the hearts of every soldier, guiding them towards a future where they would reim what was lost and emerge victorious.

    ***

    While the Human Army tried their best to search for a way back home, the Grand Commanders were facing an imminent danger...

    As West Two slowly rose to his feet, a wave of disorientation washed over him. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion and uncertainty, grappling with the unfamiliarity of his surroundings. The barrenndscape stretched out before him, devoid of life and devoid of answers. The emptiness seemed to mirror the void that gnawed at his own being.

    With a heavy heart, West Two turned his gaze towards hispanions��ke, Mary, and Alice. Relief washed over him as he saw them, their presence a glimmer of hope amidst the destion. ke, ever protective, held the girls tightly, their faces etched with both the scars of battle and the resilience of survivors.

    West Two''s thoughts raced, piecing together fragments of memories and fears. Had they too been consumed by the Abyss? Were they now trapped in this deste realm, forever severed from their home? The weight of responsibility bore down upon him, urging him to ensure the safety and well-being of those he held dear.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Determined, West Two approached hispanions, his steps hesitant yet resolute. He reached out, gently cing a hand on ke''s shoulder. The Titan turned to face him, his expression a mix of relief and concern. The bond they shared transcended mere words, and in that moment, understanding passed between them.

    Mary, the Oracle Sage, looked up at West Two with her piercing gaze, her eyes reflecting a mixture of sadness and determination. She had always been the one to offer guidance and sce, and now, the roles seemed to have reversed. West Two felt the weight of her trust upon his shoulders, knowing he must rise to the asion.

    Alice, the Sword Empress, held a flicker of hope in her eyes. The fire within her had not been extinguished by the void that surrounded them. Her determination mirrored West Two''s own, and he drew strength from her unwavering spirit.

    Without uttering a single word, the four of them understood their shared purpose. They had survived the unimaginable, and now they stood together in this deste realm, bound by a bond that transcended their own existence. They were survivors, fighters, and warriors.

    West Two''s worries for his friends mingled with his own fears, but he knew that they must press on. They had faced the darkness before, and they would do so again. With renewed determination, he led hispanions forward, guided by a flicker of hope that burned within their souls.

    As the group pressed onward through the deste realm, their footsteps echoing in the empty expanse, a sudden shift in the atmosphere caught their attention. The air grew heavy, tinged with a foreboding presence that sent a shiver down their spines. And then, from the shadows, emerged a figure that froze them in their tracks.

    It was the Celestial God, the very being who should have been confined within the depths of Ashton''s dream. His presence radiated power and arrogance, his form a manifestation of ethereal energy. His eyes glowed with a sinister gleam as he regarded the group with a twisted smile.

    "Well, well, well," the Celestial God sneered mockingly, his voice dripping with disdain. "Look at what we have here. The valiant heroes who managed to crawl their way out of the Abyss''s clutches. How amusing it is to witness your feeble efforts."

    ke, Mary, and Alice exchanged confused nces, their brows furrowed in bewilderment. They had believed that the Celestial God''s imprisonment was absolute, that he would be unable to escape from Ashton''s dream. Even West Two, his own reflection, was taken aback by this revtion.

    "How... how is this possible?" West Two stammered, his voice tinged with a mix of shock and disbelief. "You should have been trapped within the dream, contained by the powers of Ashton. How have you managed to break free?"

    The Celestial God''sugh echoed through the empty realm, a haunting melody of triumph. "Oh, my dear West Two," he taunted, his voice filled with cruel delight. "I won''t lie. Ashton definitely made things moreplicated for me, I even started believing that this war was hopeless, but you, along with everybody else, underestimated me by a long shot..."

    His words sent a chill down their spines, and their confusion turned to a mixture of apprehension and anger. The Celestial God reveled in their astonishment, relishing in the knowledge that he had shattered their expectations.

    "Now, now," he continued, his voice oozing with condescension. "Do not fret. Your journey here, your battles against the Abyss, were but a prelude to the true test that awaits you. And I shall enjoy watching as your futile struggles unfold. The inconveniences I faced, dealing with your kind, will be repaid twofold."

    The group exchanged determined nces, their resolve strengthening in the face of this unexpected adversary. They knew that their path forward would be fraught with even greater challenges, but they also understood that their survival depended on their unwavering determination.

    As the Celestial God''sughter echoed through the empty realm, they steeled themselves for the battles yet toe. Their fight was far from over, and now, with the revtion of the Celestial God''s escape, their mission to restore bnce and protect their world had taken on an even greater urgency.

 Chapter 417 ...Or Was It?

    ?

    The Grand Commanders stood before the Celestial God, their bodies battered and bruised, their spirits weary from the trials they had endured. The toll of their battles with the Abyss and the subsequent escape from its clutches had left them drained, their reserves of energy and strength nearly depleted. Yet, their determination burned brightly within them, a flickering me amidst the encroaching darkness.

    As they faced off against the Celestial God, they couldn''t help but notice the stark contrast between their own exhausted states and his seemingly untroubled demeanor. His form radiated with an otherworldly power, his presencemanding and confident. The Celestial God''s eyes gleamed with a self-assured glint as if he knew that victory was already within his grasp.

    The Grand Commanders exchanged nces, acknowledging the direness of their situation. Their greatest adversary had regained his strength while they were on the brink of exhaustion. They had entered this realm without a means of calling for reinforcements or aid,pletely cut off from their allies and resources. The odds were stacked against them, and yet, they refused to yield.

    ke''s massive frame trembled with exertion, his muscles strained from the relentless battles. Mary clutched her staff tightly, her once luminous eyes now dulled with fatigue. Alice, the indomitable Sword Empress, fought to keep her stance steady, her wounds pulsating with pain. And West Two, weakened and injured, stood tall with unwavering determination despite the toll it took on his physical form.

    The Celestial God towered above the Grand Commanders, his form a magnificent disy of ethereal beauty and divine power. d in resplendent white and adorned with intricate golden and silver armor, he exuded an aura of grandeur and majesty. His presence filled the air, suffusing it with an otherworldly radiance that seemed to illuminate even the darkest corners of the realm.

    His countenance was that of a perfect being, his features chiseled with celestial precision. His eyes, shimmering with piercing golden light, held the wisdom of ages and the weight of the heavens. Long, flowing hair, as lustrous as moonlight, cascaded down his broad shoulders, framing a face that bore an enigmatic expression, a blend of benevolence and righteous judgment.

    As the Grand Commanders gazed upon the Celestial God, a profound sense of awe washed over them. They felt the weight of his presence, a force that seemed to bend reality itself. It was as if the very fabric of the universe acknowledged his supremacy, trembling in his wake. The enormity of his stature dwarfed them inparison, emphasizing the vast power he wielded.

    The air around the Celestial God crackled with celestial energy, shimmering like liquid gold. Every movement he made exuded grace and strength as if he were an embodiment of both heaven''s serenity and the fiery power of the divine. Each step he took resonated with cosmic significance, shaking the ground beneath him.

    The Grand Commanders couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of their own mortality in the face of the Celestial God''s overwhelming might. The weight of his power pressed upon their chests, reminding them of their limitations as mortal beings. Yet, amidst this recognition, a spark of defiance ignited within them, a stubborn refusal to be swayed by fear.

    They knew that they stood against a being of immeasurable power, an entity with dominion over both angels and demons. The Celestial God''s presence alone was a testament to the magnitude of his strength, a force that could reshape the very fabric of existence. It was a humbling and daunting realization, but it only fueled their resolve to stand firm against the seemingly insurmountable odds.

    In the face of the Celestial God''s grandeur, the Grand Commanders remained resolute. They drew upon the depths of their courage, their unwavering belief in the cause they fought for, and the bonds they shared asrades. Though they trembled in the presence of the divine, their spirits burned with an unyielding determination.

    With their eyes locked on the Celestial God, the Grand Commanders prepared themselves to face this formidable foe. The weight of his power bore down upon them, but they refused to cower. They would fight with every ounce of strength and ingenuity they possessed, knowing that the fate of their world and all they held dear hung in the bnce.

    The sh between mortal resolve and celestial might was about to unfold, a battle that would test the very limits of their endurance and resilience. The Grand Commanders steeled themselves, their hearts filled with determination, ready to challenge the godly force that stood before them.

    The Celestial God observed them with a smug smile, his arrogance palpable. He reveled in their struggle, relishing the power imbnce between them. His voice cut through the air like a chilling wind.

    "Look at you, Grand Commanders," he sneered. "Worn, battered, and at the end of your strength. How pitiful it is to witness your feeble attempts to defy me. Your valor is nothing but a fleeting spark in the face of my overwhelming might."

    His words stung, but they also fueled the fire within the Grand Commanders. They understood the magnitude of the challenge before them, the uphill battle they were about to face. But they refused to sumb to despair. They had faced insurmountable odds before, and they had emerged triumphant. They would not let fatigue and injuries hinder their resolve.

    With a collective breath, the Grand Commanders steeled themselves for the impending sh. The oue was uncertain, and the road ahead was treacherous, but they would fight with every ounce of strength they had left. They would prove that even in their weakened state, their willpower and determination could rival the most powerful of adversaries.

    As the Celestial God prepared to unleash his formidable power, the Grand Commanders readied themselves to confront him head-on. They might be battered and exhausted, but their spirit remained unbroken. The battle thaty before them would test their mettle like never before, and they were determined to emerge victorious, no matter the cost.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    The battle unfolded with a cataclysmic sh of power and will. The Grand Commanders, weary and battered from their previous battles, fought with every ounce of strength that remained within them. Their weapons struck with precision and skill, but it seemed as though their blows barely grazed the Celestial God''s divine armor.

    The Celestial God effortlessly evaded their attacks, his movements a dance of grace and impossible speed. He countered with devastating strikes, each blow resonating with the force of a celestial cataclysm. The ground quaked beneath their feet as he unleashed waves of divine energy, forcing the Grand Commanders to scramble for cover.

    ke, the mighty Titan, tried to hold his ground, but even his formidable strength seemed insignificant in the face of the Celestial God''s might. Each sh of their weapons sent shockwaves reverberating through his body, draining his energy with each passing moment. Despite his best efforts, he was gradually pushed back, his defenses crumbling under the relentless assault.

    Alice, the Sword Empress, fought with unmatched skill and ferocity, her des a blur of steel. She struck with lightning speed, aiming for the Celestial God''s vulnerable points, but her strikes met only with resistance. The Celestial God parried her blows effortlessly, his divine power overwhelming her. She fought valiantly, but her strength waned with each passing second.

    Mary, the Oracle Sage, called upon the depths of her mystical powers, summoning spells of great magnitude. But even her most potent incantations were brushed aside by the Celestial God''s divine aura. Her spells fizzled into nothingness, leaving her drained and vulnerable. She struggled to maintain her focus, her magic flickering like a dying me.

    The Grand Commanders fought with unwavering resolve, refusing to yield in the face of certain defeat. However, the weight of their injuries and exhaustion began to take its toll. Their movements became sluggish, and their reflexes dulled. The Celestial God seized upon their weakened state,unching a devastating assault that sent them reeling.

    One by one, the Grand Commanders fell before the overwhelming might of the Celestial God. Their bodies, battered and broken,y motionless on the deste battlefield. The air hung heavy with a sense of loss and despair, their sacrifices echoing through the emptiness.

    As the dust settled, the Celestial God stood triumphant, his divine radiance casting an ethereal glow upon the fallen heroes. He surveyed the scene with a mixture of disdain and indifference, his victory a testament to his celestial power. The Grand Commanders, once beacons of hope and leadership, had met their end at his hands.

    Their deaths marked a somber turning point in the war against the Abyss. The Grand Commanders'' absence left a void, a sense of profound loss that reverberated throughout the realm. Yet, even in their defeat, their legacy would endure, inspiring future generations to rise and fight against the encroaching darkness.

    The Celestial God, his victory secured, vanished in a blinding sh of light, leaving behind only echoes of his dominion. The realm fell into an eerie silence as if mourning the loss of those who had fought so valiantly.

    "...or so you''ve thought, right?"

    The Celestial God shook, flinching at how familiar that tone was and the hidden meaning behind those words.

    He looked down only to see a defiant West Two smiling at him like he was some sort of an idiot with his irises shing with a rainbow-colored light.

    And as he notices the surroundings fading into nothingness around him, the god''s lips twitched in irritation at how insanely familiar all of this was to him. And he just couldn''t help but spat:

    "Fuck you, Ashton!!!"

    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"

 Chapter 418 Pranked

    ?

    Ashton''sughter echoed across the twisting nothingness around...

    If looks could kill, Ashton would''ve been long dead. The Celestial God fumed in anger, clenching his fists in vexation as he dealt with the fact that he was, once again, got yed by Ashton.

    "Ah, you''re the best." Ashton dried the tears pooling at the corner of his eyes due to too muchughter. He then fixed his posture and said: "I''ve done this so many times by now, I thought that it won''t work anymore yet you still fall for it like a bonafide idiot."

    Ashton burst into a fit of giggles before saying: "So much for being a God, really."

    As much as the Celestial God wants to just do something to shut Ashton up, deep down he was frozen in indecision.

    How much of this was real? How much of it was a lie? Had he been imprisoned in a Dream all this while? Was his escape just another fabrication of Ashton that he fell for? The Celestial God truly doesn''t know what to think anymore.

    The explosion of the Abyss which triggered the disappearance of the Primeval Battlefield, generated a pulse that was strong enough to break him out of prison.

    Initially, the Celestial God guessed that Ashton''s connection with his doppelganger was the cause of his unexpected freedom. He thought that since West Two was severely injured by the Abyss, some of those were ryed to Ashton through their shared link, causing Ashton to wake up from dreaming and freeing the Celestial God from the restraints of the dream.

    He was ecstatic at first. How can he not? He had been tortured immensely by Ashton in the dream. The fact that he could only watch as his pieces fell one by one, vexed him to no end.

    The helplessness he felt knowing that he couldn''t use any means to breakthrough out of the prison he was trapped in, was reced with euphoria and gloating the moment his consciousness returned to his body.

    Despite the Abyss'' rampage, the Celestial God still thinks that he could still salvage the situation. Everything is not lost yet, he could stille back from this loss once he had dealt with Humans,

    He took control of the Abyss, absorbing it to his core and letting it strengthen him. The Celestial God felt immense power like he never felt before. It gave him confidence and it fueled his ambitions. He thought that once he gained the Abyss for himself, his power would be unparalleled.

    And yet...even with the power of the Abyss, Ashton still managed to confuse him as to what''s real and what''s not.

    "...I really want to y with you more," Ashton uttered softly, sounding fond even as he regarded the fuming Celestial God. "Amongst all toys I''ve encountered, you''re the one who gave me the most colorful reactions."

    "If it were me, I would never stop ying with you. Seriously, it''s just way too fund to do so." Ashton then sighed and said: "Unfortunately, everything has to end. And so is this ytime as well. Which is a bummer but hey! At least we had fun, right?"

    "Fuck you!" The Celestial God cursed hatefully.

    "See!? Ahahaha!" Ashton went into another fit ofughter again.

    "To be honest though, I really can''t me you for being hesitant right now." Ashton stated, "If I were in your shoes, trust me, I would be too."

    "s, bending reality to my whims is just way too fun." Ashton wore a sick smile which caused tension to know on the Celestial God''s stomach. "But like I said, everything has to end eventually."

    "It''s been fun, but this has gone for far too long already. My people are already exhausted from everything. Of course, me being the good leader that I am, have to let them go eventually. After all, they graciously yed their assigned roles without anyints. It''ll be bad for my image if I didn''t at least give them some rest, right?" Ashton continued, pacing around the Celestial God without any care in the world.

    "I know what you want to ask: ''How much of it was fake? How much was real?'' And, well...to answer your question. Well, I''d say fifty-fifty."

    The space around them warped, revealing what remains of the Primeval Battlefield.

    Only a chunk of it was left after the explosion of the Abyss. All history of that ce went away with its disappearance as well. Ashton finds this somewhat of a shame since he would''ve liked to personally study the detailed history of this ce yet he couldn''t anymore since Abyss practically swallowed everything.

    As for the Abyss though...to the Celestial God''s shock, it was perfectly restrained. Suppressed by a coating of rainbow-colored light, sealed with mystical runes which formed an air-tight seal around it.

    The god watched as the Abyss tried its hardest to break free of its prison, giving him some sort of a deja vu, yet it couldn''t. The Abyss flinched again and again as it made contact with the prison it was being singed every time it does so.

    "My doppelganger failed to contain this thing but...well, I''m not him. Technically, if I may add." Ashton shrugged. "West Two''s just a little bit weaker than I am. His strength wasn''t enough, sure. But he still managed to contain it by himself for a period of time."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "I use the same method he applied. But since I am stronger than him, mine''s more effective than his. So there, perfectly sealed Abyss as it should be." Ashton jovially informed.

    He then faced the Celestial God and said: "You breaking out of my Dreams were real, but not in the way you thought."

    ''Right, I forgot that he can read my thoughts easily so long as I''m in his dreams.'' The Celestial God thought to himself.

    "I''ve told you, didn''t I? So long as I wanted you in my dreams, no amount of effort from you or anyone would free you. The only way for you to break free from that is if I decided to let you go. Even my death won''t stop it."

    The Celestial God''s expression hardened upon hearing that and realizing what Ashton implied.

    "Correct." Ashton grinned at him. "You got freed not because West Two got severely injured and the feedback woke me up. You got freed because I allowed you to get away. It''s as simple as that."

    "And just as I expected. The moment you''ve regained your freedom was also the same moment you will try to get even with me." Ashton said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You were so exhrated about your freedom that your hubris once again reared its nasty head."

    "You wasted no time and immediately dove into the Abyss, siphoning more power from it as if it was your lifeline. Thinking that if you''re way stronger than you already are, then you wouldn''t be pulled into my Dreams anymore."

    "Additionally, you also began targetting my friends. You wanted to break my spirit by hurting them as much as you possibly could because you know that that''s the only way you can hurt me. Unfortunately, you''re way too slow." Ashton sighed in disappointment.

    The Celestial God balled his fist in sheer anger at Ashton''s words. No matter how many times he thought about it, there was just nobody that could top Ashton when ites to angering him. He has never felt so vexed and helpless in his entire life until he met him.

    "Don''t get confused though." Ashton raised a finger at him. "When I said that you''re too slow, I wasn''t referring to your speed."

    "I''m talking about your intellect..."

    Again, if looks could kill...oh, if only it could. Still, the Celestial God couldn''t possibly expect what Ashton''s next words were going to be.

    "You''re so full of yourself, still underestimating me, us, that you failed to realize that from the very beginning of this war, all of this was nned by me. Hell, I already told you that myself, yet you just don''t get it unless it''s spelled out in front of you."

    The Celestial God''s pupils dted when he heard that. His thoughts began churning and the implication of it all sent him into a spiraling descent to madness.

    "Correct once again. Now you''re learning." The hateful tone of Ashton''s voice centered him to reality once more. "Yes, indeed. From the very moment my people stepped foot into your universe, everything they did; the ns, the operations, activities, even the number of casualties we umted against your minions...hell, even the existence of the Abyss itself!"

    "...all of them were within my calctions," Ashton admitted in a sickly tone, but only to the ears of the Celestial God, who''s questioning everything up to this point.

    "Simply put, you were dancing on top of my palms this entire time." Ashton stepped closer to him, basking upon the horrified expression of the Celestial God. "It was very entertaining, thank you very much."

    "Oh and uh...you''re actually not in a dream right now." Ashton bashfully said while scratching his cheeks. "I lied when I said that it''s fifty-fifty."

    "Everything was real. I just merely switched positions with my doppelganger, that''s how I arrived here fast. As for the surroundings warping earlier? Well, that''s me sealing the Abyss. I didn''t want you to interfere so I took advantage of your trauma with my dreams to distract you."

    The Celestial God coughed violently and spat blood due to sheer anger...

    "It''s just a prank, Bro. Hehe..."

    "FUCK YOU, ASHTON!!!!"

    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"

 Chapter 419 Final Clash

    ?

    "...ah, that poor thing," ke murmured as he watched how Ashton nearly passed out due to how much he wasughing.

    It wouldn''t be wrong to say that he''s feeling a tad bit of pity towards the Celestial God.

    It''s such a bizarre thing to see, a human mocking an actual God tantly in the face without suffering repercussions. Ashton had the god dancing on top of his palms all this time and the god couldn''t even do anything about it.

    He waspletely outssed and outsmarted in the battle of wits. And the one who defeated an ancient being like him was none other than a creature whose age doesn''t evene close to a fraction of his.

    What a truly humiliating defeat. But such a feat may never be replicated as easily if it wasn''t Ashton who does it.

    "I mean, are we even needed here?" Alice asked nobody in particr. "From the looks of it, the Celestial God''s nearly dead from the sheer anger he feels. Ashton could just continue this way and this will be over eventually."

    "Killing a god through anger and vexation..." Mary murmured, "That''ll be an epic worthy of his myth. I''m not against it."

    ke, Mary, and Alice were fine. They''re at their peak state actually.

    While it was true that they were swallowed by the Abyss, they weren''t really in any form of danger. The Abyss doesn''t have the strength to consume them swiftly, especially with their strength. If anything, it''ll take months, years even, of constant attempts before the Abyss, could do so.

    That''s plenty of time for them to n to escape on their own.

    But of course, with Ashton here, there''s no need for them to stress themselves with that. Not only did he seal the Abyss, but he had also cured them of their wounds and exhaustion, returning them to their peak state and more.

    Additionally, there''s no need for them to worry about their men.

    Ashton already informed them that the army was on their way home. He had established a Spatial Tunnel that reced the wormhole, allowing them to return to their world safely.

    Their trip was just going to be longer this time, but at least they were safe and sound. That''s what''s more important.

    Truly, everything happened just how Ashton nned it. The Grand Commanders themselves are clueless about some parts of the n but that was for the best. After all, knowing too much would ruin it. Besides, Ashton included their possible reactions to his nning anyway so he waspletely prepared for everything.

    Now, the only thing that''s left was the final confrontation against the culprit of it all. The Celestial God.

    "...ahh! Whew! Okay, that''s enough. My stomach hurts fromughing already." Ashton wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and sighed. "Let''s get this over with shall we?"

    "I will kill you!!!" The Celestial God roared, sending out waves of pure malice which Ashton just waved off.

    "Ah, no, no!" Ashton shook his head and formed a cross on his fingers. "This battle won''t be between us. I''m quite scared you see. Direct confrontation has never been my specialty."

    Despite wanting nothing else other than to wipe that smug grin out of Ashton''s face, the Celestial God could only stand still in his ce.

    As much as he hated to admit this, there was no denying it. Ashton was virtually untouchable. The Celestial God, even up to this point, has no idea how to deal with his Dream Laws.

    He doesn''t know when it starts or where it ends. He wouldn''t even know that it has happened unless Ashton reveals it himself. It was truly vexing yet there was nothing he could do about it.

    For all he knows, Ashton might deliberately be provoking him into making a move just to humiliate him even more. Of course, there''s also a chance that he might be telling the truth as well. But see how finicky all of this is?

    Whatever he does, Ashton could use it to his advantage. No matter how hard he tries, there''s nothing he could do to gain an advantage against him.

    What he hated the most is that Ashton had the perfect grasp of this situation. As much as he didn''t want to believe that Ashton has ounted for everything, he was starting to believe it.

    "You will be fighting my friends instead," Ashton revealed. Making this decision, probably on his own. "Wasn''t that your idea? Since you can''t do anything against me, you''ll target my friends and my family to hurt me."

    "Well, I''m giving you that chance." Ashton showed a shy grin which made the Celestial God sick to his stomach. "Don''t worry, I promise that I won''t interfere in your fight. I won''t use my Dream Laws to interfere either. You will truly fight them in the flesh."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "You could kill them, or they could kill you. Whatever the result is, will be up to fate. I''ll just be a bystander this time around, I promise."

    And as if on cue, the Grand Commanders flew forward and faced him, gripping their weapons in stark opposition to his Divinity.

    The Celestial God noticed that Ashton was creating distance away from them, yet he didn''t do anything to oppose it. Instead, he gave themanders a measured gaze, formting a n on his head.

    Amen was tired of this. He was truly at the end of his wits and patience. It hurts to even think, making him decide that it''s not worth it anymore.

    The n he made was simple. Break all the opposition on his way. He may not be as strategic as Ashton was but he was surely powerful. Using his strength, he will show Ashton that in the face of absolute strength, all schemes are useless.

    If this was Ashton''s n to weaken his resolve, then he just had to smash it apart. Whether he adheres to his promise or not, Amen doesn''t care anymore.

    His final goal was Ashton''s death. He will make sure that after all of this, the Child of Prophecy will fall. He can recoup his loss, he could start all over again so long as he lives. That is his ultimate goal.

    Seeing the steeled resolve behind the Celestial God''s countenance, the Grand Commanders braced for the gruesome fight.

    With a stressed grunt, the Celestial God raised his fingers and called upon the power of the Celestial Bodies.

    A milky pure silver glow concentrated at his fingertips. This was pure Celestial Energy he siphoned from the stars around him. Like a gun, he pulled the trigger which sent a concentrated beam of silver light to streak towards the Grand Commanders.

    ke snorted and stepped forward. He took a bracing stance and received the attack head-on. The attacknded on him but it failed to move him. ke grinned behind his shield and tilted it up, deflecting the beam there as well.

    A steady chant could be heard from Mary''s lips as four orbs of light condensed around her. In a split second, these orbs flew with blinding speeds toward the Celestial God.

    Alice was idle either. Stepping forwards bravely, she one foot firmly in the vacuum of space as if it was solid ground. The Excalibur in her hands glowed firmly with a resplendent golden brilliance. She performed a wide horizontal sweep which sliced everything in her path.

    The Celestial God grunted in the face of these attacks. He clenched both of his fists and pulled the space around him, forming a vortex that swallowed the orbs that Mary sent toward him.

    This vortex, however, was sliced in half as soon as it was done absorbing Mary''s attacks. This happened because of the sheer sharpness behind Alice''s attack.

    The Celestial God experienced a drawback because of that, but nothing that injured him severely.

    Amen then called for the power of the Celestial Bodies once more. This caused numerous space rifts to open around him. Then, the rifts started spewing chunks of asteroid towards the Grand Commanders.

    Mary clicked her tongue and summoned her bow. In mere seconds, she drew the string hundreds of times, sending volleys of arrows. Each arrow prated every asteroid that appeared from the space rifts, causing them to explode before they even came close to them.

    Suffice it to say, Mary treated this attack as if it was just some target practice...

    While Mary was doing that, ke suddenly turned into his Titan Form. He flew towards the nearby lifeless and ripped it out of its orbit. He then hurled it towards the Celestial God, saying:

    "You aren''t the only one who could toss stars, you know?"

    The Celestial God snarled and erected a barrier surrounding himself. But that didn''tst long because Alice had something to say about that.

    "No flimsy barrier for you."

    She drew her sword and performed a series of shes that pulverized the barrier in no time. The Celestial God''s pupils dted and hurried to form another one but it was toote.

    The that ke hurled at him was already on his face. And to really drive the idea home, Mary shot the with an explosive arrow, causing it to st shards at the Celestial God''s entire being.

    "Anything you could do, we could do better. I suggest you treat us seriously now or you will die full of regrets."

 Chapter 420 Dreams To Dust

    ?

    Amen gritted his teeth and released a powerful pulse that sent the nearby space in shambles.

    All of a sudden, everything within a thousand-mile radius around him twisted into a vortex. At its core, a ck hole formed, swallowing everything just like the Abyss.

    It took nearly all of Amen''s concentration to sustain the ck hole. In his mind, so long as the ck hole was there, it didn''t matter what kind of attacks the Grand Commanders threw at him, the ck hole was just going to swallow them anyway.

    Unfortunately for him though, he had severely overestimated his n.

    Alice raised a brow and scoffed. She raised the Excalibur and struck down. Her strike was filled with the brilliance that the Excalibur exudes plus her extremely potent knowledge about the Sword Law.

    As the Sword Empress of this generation, she had reached a realm where there was nothing she couldn''t cut so long as she puts her mind to it. She just needed a sword in her hand and she could carve a path toward sovereignty.

    As her sword swung downwards, everything in front of her was sliced in half; the stars, space, elements, and even time itself. This also includes the ck Hole that Amen was so proud of and it even included himself.

    The ck Hole went unstable and it caused an explosion that nearly devastated the nearby cluster of stars.

    Amen himself was also sliced in half, but he didn''t die. His regeneration managed to stitch him whole again. However, that didn''t dull the pain he felt.

    And just because he''s still alive doesn''t necessarily mean that he wasn''t suffering from Alice''s attacks.

    Alice''s Sword Law still lingered despite his recovery. It wreaked havoc on his inner physique, destroying him from the inside. It was a scar that he will feel for a while, but it wouldn''t kill him. It''ll just cause immense agony.

    The onught of the Grand Commanders didn''t stop there either.

    After seeing that the Celestial God managed to recover from Alice''s strike. The other two wasted no time and continued with their attacks as well...

    Mary condensed a giant arrow from her bow. It shone with a divine brilliance that could almostpete with the Celestial God''s own. She released the shot and it streaked towards the god, bypassing spacetime as if they were nothing but air to it.

    That contained a potent energy that was enough to pierce and destroy several celestial bodies at once. The arrow flew so fast that the Celestial God barely had time to defend himself.

    Additionally, he was also interrupted by ke who suddenly increased the pull of gravity around him by a thousandfold, preventing him from even raising his hand. This resulted in Amen tanking the arrow to his face, which exploded and engulfed the Celestial God within.

    And just because she could, Alice followed up by shifting her stance. She performed a deadly stab with her sword which negated distance altogether. Her target was God''s heart.

    Amen roared in agony. The Grand Commanders of Humanity didn''t hold anything back against him. They were deadset on killing him and it shows.

    He had never been injured this much in his entire life, and he had lived for eons. To add to this vexation he felt, it wasn''t those ancient beings that managed to hurt him this much.

    It was the creatures that he had once thought to be pushovers. Weak and fribble creatures that he thought would never amount to anything, yet pped him with the cruel truth.

    He had built his kingdom and his prestige for eons. He started a universal purge to eliminate all sorts of threats to him, yet these once weak and pitiful creatures evolved in an explosive manner which caught him off-guard and ruined everything he had built so far.

    If he had known that this was going to happen, then he would''ve eradicated them sooner.

    Once the explosion subsided, it revealed the Celestial God''s wretched form. His once divine countenance was reced by an overwhelming agony and weakness.

    His divine body was torn into pieces, struggling to keep itself together. ck goo oozed out of his wounds, a sign of the Abyss leaking from his body.

    Due to his injuries, the truth behind his form was disyed before everybody. The white and gold around turned out to be nothing more than a facade. Beneath all of it, was a wriggling mass of darkness.

    A sad and ominous form of darkness was Amen''s true form all along. The Divine grandiose he exuded earlier was just a mask to hide his real wretched form.

    Amen was a Nightmare Incarnate. Most likely an ancient one but still, he''s born from the depths of the Abyss, which exins his connection to it.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    As for the exnation why he hid his true form? That remains a mystery, something that only Amen himself could exin.

    One could think that he did it because he hated what he looked like, or because he had other ns entirely. However, if Amen himself doesn''t reveal the truth behind it, then these would remain as is... spection and nothing more.

    Alice, Mary, and ke didn''t seem to be perturbed by what they saw. In fact, one could tell that they''re somehow already expecting this. Ashton didn''t look surprised either.

    In their eyes, whatever Amen''s true form was, didn''t exactly matter. After all, his appearance didn''t change what he is...an enemy to their peace. Therefore, this goal still remains the same.

    Kill him to save their race. It''s as simple as that.

    Amen, could feel their desire to kill him. It was so thick that it was already manifesting around him. And judging by how injured he was, he could tell that if he didn''t do something right now, he will die within the next minute or so.

    And so, in his desperation, Amen tried to flee, sending the Grand Commanders in hot pursuit.

    Amen ran towards where the Abyss was sealed. Facing the possible threat of dying, his instincts kicked in and caused him to seek shelter from the one that gave birth to him.

    Using his power to harness the strength of all kinds of Celestial Bodies, Amen impacted the seal, desperately trying his best to poke even a small hole he could use to crawl inside and reunite with his mother.

    Sadly for him, no amount of raw force would ever move or even touch the seal that Ashton ced on the Abyss, so his efforts were useless.

    The seal was created from Ashton''s Dream Laws, which were ethereal in form. Unless the Celestial God somehow miraculously gains even the slightest clue on how it works, he could only dream of ever touching the seal.

    On top of that, the Extreme Yang Illumination Array was included in the seal''s creation. Extreme Yang is an element that''s harmful to the Abyss and its kind. This meant that not only was Amen unable to touch that seal, but evening close to it was harmful to him since he was also born from the Abyss.

    That being said, Amen was truly desperate now. He was fighting for his life. He no longer held any thought about winning or taking revenge. Those were beaten out of him already.

    This was the reason behind it anyway. He wants to live.

    He wanted to be an immortal figure, a creature that transcends even the lifespan of time and space itself. He wanted to live forever, to be untouchable. That''s what he dreamt of.

    Originally, he was satisfied with just existing in his own space. If it weren''t for that ridiculous prophecy he received from one of his oracles eons ago, he would''ve stayed in his ce forever.

    Amen was afraid of dying. He didn''t want to die, he wanted to live. That''s why when he received a prophecy that someone out there was fated to kill him, he got consumed by fear.

    His fear turned irrational and he started a universal conquest. Anything or anybody that could pose an existential threat to him was an enemy in his eyes. Something that he must squash like a bug to ensure his immortality.

    Amen had set up many schemes and plots to achieve his goals. He was ready to sacrifice everything to pursue True Immortality in his own ways, yet despite his umtions and frantic desire to live forever, he still couldn''t manage to escape the bindings of fate.

    He might''ve been able to postpone it, but that''s all he could do. Now, his time hase.

    The worst part is...the prophecy might not necessarily be true. Because there, it was said that the Child of Prophecy will be born to kill him, yet Ashton doesn''t seem to be all too concerned about his fate. He''s just watching.

    The ones who truly wanted him dead were his friends...

    Said friends already caught up to him, and with theirbined efforts,unched a devastating attack that he just couldn''t avoid anymore.

    He already threw all caution to the wind. His desperation went into overdrive as he desperately tried to seek shelter towards the Abyss, yet until the very end...he failed.

    And just like that, the Celestial God''s dream turned into dust, scattering away along the vacuum of space, just like what happened to his body. Even until hisst breath, all Amen could think of was...

    ''...True Immortality...was it all just a lie?''

 Chapter 421 Its Over

    ?

    As the life force faded from Amen, the fallen Celestial God, a palpable shift resonated through the hearts of Alice, ke, and Mary. The weight of their victory settled upon their weary shoulders, and a mix of emotions flooded their beings.

    Relief washed over Alice, her weary body trembling with the release of tension. The burden she had carried for so long, the fear and anguish that had consumed her, now began to dissipate. The Blue Marble, their cherished home, had weathered the storm of the Abyss and emerged victorious. Yet, amidst her relief, a sense of emptiness lingered, for the enemy they had fought so fiercely against had be a part of their lives, defining their purpose and driving them forward. Now that the battle was won, she wondered whaty ahead for her and herrades.

    ke, the mighty Titan, stood amidst the wreckage, his gaze fixed upon the fallen form of Amen. The weight of the Celestial God''s power no longer loomed over him, and he felt a strange mix of triumph and unease. The battles he had fought, the lives he hadid down, had all been for this moment. But with the threat extinguished, he couldn''t shake the question of what purpose his immense strength would serve now. He had be so ustomed to the struggle, the constant need to protect and fight, that the absence of an enemy left him disoriented, adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

    Mary, the Oracle Sage, stood silently, her eyes fixed upon the lifeless body of Amen. The visions that had haunted her, the whispers of the future, had ceased. The burden of her prophetic abilities lifted, leaving her feeling strangely unmoored. The battles they had fought had shaped her, tested her resolve, and now that they hade to an end, she wondered who she was without the weight of her visions. The rity she had sought for so long now felt disorienting, as she grappled with her own identity in the aftermath of their victory.

    Together, they stood on the precipice of a new chapter, a world no longer under the shadow of the Abyss. Theplex tapestry of emotions weaved within them, a blend of triumph, relief, and uncertainty. The victory was hard-fought, the sacrifices immense, but as they gazed upon the fallen Celestial God, they couldn''t help but wonder whaty ahead.

    The Blue Marble had been scarred by the relentless assaults of Amen and his minions, and the process of healing would take time. As they surveyed the ravagedndscape, a sense of responsibility settled upon their hearts. The Grand Commanders understood that their duty was not yetplete. They would need to rebuild, nurture hope, and guide their people toward a brighter future.

    In the midst of the mixed emotions, one thing remained clear: the legacy of their struggle would endure. The memories of the battles fought, the lives lost, and the strength of their unity would be a beacon of inspiration for generations toe. The Grand Commanders would ensure that the sacrifices made would never be forgotten and that the lessons learned in the crucible of war would shape a better world.

    With determination in their eyes, they turned towards the horizon, ready to lead their people into a new era of healing and rebuilding. The fall of the Celestial God marked the end of this era of conflict.

    ***

    The exhausted warriors wept hot tears the moment their aircraftnded on the familiar soil. No words could exin the relief they felt the moment they returned home.

    They received a warm wee from those they left behind who already knew the oue of the war. They were treated with utmost respect and gratitude for their service, because thanks to their efforts, the era of fear and conflict was finally over.

    The Blue Marble vibrated in sheer glee upon receiving news of their victory. It''s as if a heavy burden was finally lifted from their hearts. Everybody felt light and free. No more threats, peace was finally an option.

    Those who participated in the war were just happy to be back. In this familiar soil and atmosphere, they could finally be at ease.

    They had spent months fighting on foreignnds, nerves always stretched taut in alert for any possible developments. The soldiers had been exhausted far more than they could imagine. It wasn''t until they arrived here that they could finally rx and lower down their guard. And that''s when the exhaustion caught up to them.

    It hasn''t been easy for anybody, but at least it''s over now...

    With the seal firmly in ce, the Abyssy dormant, its once ferocious power contained within its depths. The nightmare incarnates that had terrorized the world was no more, they''ll be reduced to mere memories of a time when chaos reigned supreme. The forces that had threatened humanity''s existence were vanquished, leaving behind a sense of relief and a newfound hope for a brighter future.

    The world will slowly emerge from the shadows of war, weary but determined to rebuild. The scars left by the Abyss''s onught served as a reminder of the battles fought and the sacrifices made. But now, with the threat of invasion extinguished, humanity could finally breathe a sigh of relief andy down their weapons.

    The era of peace and prosperity that had eluded them for so long was finally within reach. Communities will begin to flourish once more, their foundations strengthened by the unity forged in the crucible of conflict. The resources once devoted to warfare were now redirected towards education, infrastructure, and the betterment of society. Science and technology advanced at an unprecedented pace, paving the way for new discoveries and advancements that would shape the future.

    But even in this era of peace, the memory of the Abyss lingered in the collective consciousness. Its dark presence had tested the resilience and ingenuity of humanity, leaving an indelible mark on their history. The lessons learned from the struggle against the Abyss served as a guidepost for the future, a reminder to remain vignt and prepared for any potential threats that may arise.

    In the years that will pass, stories of the Abyss and the valiant efforts of the Grand Commanders became legends, passed down through generations. They were revered as heroes who had safeguarded the Blue Marble from the brink of destruction. Monuments were erected in their honor, and their names were etched into the annals of history.

    Humanity will embrace the peace that had been hard-earned, cherishing the newfound stability and harmony. They reveled in the simple joys of life, cultivating their passions, and nurturing the bonds of family and friendship. The scars of war slowly faded, reced by the blossoming beauty of a world renewed.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Yet, in the quiet corners of their hearts, the echoes of the Abyss''s malevolence remained. They were reminders of the darkness that once threatened to engulf them, and a constant reminder to never take their newfound peace for granted. The seal that Ashton had ced upon the Abyss was a testament to the triumph of humanity''s resilience and determination, a beacon of hope that reassured them that they could ovee any adversity.

    This is, of course, a story for another time...

    "You did great," Ashton told his friends the moment they returned home.

    Nobody saw them return because Ashton wasn''t that much of a fan of theatrics. He just opened a tunnel that lead to the Mystic Guild''s headquarters and before they knew it, they were already back.

    ke, Mary, and Alice were still digesting the fact that everything was over. It was only when they heard Ashton''s words that it finally sunk in.

    Alice copsed on the nearby chair, tears streaming down her face as sheughed upon the realization of it all. Her entire being drown in exhaustion but she didn''t mind. After all, she could take a long rest now that everything was over.

    Seeing her act like this, ke, and Mary also couldn''t help butugh while crying. It may seem that they''re turning mad but this is just because of the overwhelming relief they felt.

    "We couldn''t have possibly done this without you." Alice turned to Ashton after recovering slightly. "Thank you for everything, Ash. Seriously, thank you."

    "Our world''s finally a better ce and that''s because of your ceaseless effort of helping us, so thank you, Ashton." Mary thanked him as well.

    "We can finally rest. We finally achieved our ultimate goal." ke felt emotional, after all, he had longed for this moment and spent lifetimes, literally, trying to achieve it. "You''re the best, Ash."

    "Oh, pfft. Stop." Ashton waved his hand, "It''s just a matter of time anyway. But yeah, I''m d we were able to achieve this in our era. With this, we can focus on what we do best. Peace is finally at hand, so thank you for trusting me as well."

    "..."

    All of them fell silent after that, still digesting everything that has happened so far. It''s all a little hard to believe that this is really it. They finally achieve their goals.

    "...I have to go. Aria''s waiting for me." Ashton said, which the Grand Commanders understood.

    He disappeared from the hall and appeared right outside the doorstep of his home. He twisted the door open and silently entered his house. Taking a deep breath, he made his way towards the balcony on the second floor where Aria was at.

    She was on her rocking chair, humming a tune while caressing her bulging stomach with a serene smile on her face. Seeing her made Ashton''s heart race.

    As if sensing his presence, Aria looked over in his direction. And this time, Ashton finally couldn''t hold it in. Tears streamed down his face as he slowly made his way towards her, kneeling and pressing his face on her tummy, muttering:

    "I''m home."

    "Wee back."

 Chapter 422 The Question

    Peace...

    If you''d asked the citizens of the Blue Marble about this several years ago, they''d probably say that they don''t know such a thing.

    Peace was a foreign concept to them, some would say that the Morning Sun Federation embodied peace but many people knew that the kind of peace they advertised was false. They put blind faith into the protective dome of the Last Bastion, thinking it was imprable only to be mocked by the Celestials and Hypogeans who could easily shatter it with a casual punch.

    Many years ago, the Blue Marble suffered from the assault of foreign races. Corruption spreads far and wide, and only a decent chunk of thend was left for Humanity who were the true children of this world.

    It wasn''t until Ashton West rose to prominence that the fight for peace truly started. With the establishment of the Mystic Guild and the reformation of the Morning Sun Federation, Humans achieved the strength and capabilities to take back what was theirs, to begin with.

    Under his leadership, the stagnant waters of progress moved. His brilliance was unparalleled, he brought Humanity to such a height that they never achieved before. He rallied troops and greatly enhanced the living conditions of Humanity.

    He expanded their borders, he created detailed and expansive ns to protect and strengthen Humanity as a whole. He was the Pioneer who paved the way for the unification of Science and Magic (now known as Magitech). It was because of his strategies that Humanity was able to drive the invaders out of their, making it habitable for everyone once more.

    His efforts didn''t end there. He didn''t just drive the invaders away, he also healed the world. He taught many people the Art of Purification, something that both Knights and Mages could use to return longevity to their world.

    And most importantly, it was also under his name that the war against the invaders started.

    Heid the foundations for Humanity''s progress, allowing them to swiftly catch up to their enemies. Even in his supposed disappearance, he was still held as Humanity''s True Leader, the one who created miracle after miracle, the one who made peace a reality in their home.

    And after many years of constant struggle, Humanity finally achieved its goal. Their enemies are no more. The threats have disappeared from the face of the universe, and the army of Humanity returned triumphantly.

    A month has passed since Humanity''s victory against the Celestials and Hypogeans (The Abyss, if somebody''s being technical about it), yet the celebratory mood still hasn''t died down.

    The jovial mood permeated every household. Parties were thrown left and right, parades honoring those who fought against their enemies ensued, and so on. The great was over, and one truly couldn''t me them for celebrating that.

    Many soldiers who participated in the war attended those parties but a good chunk of them didn''t.

    The people who refrained from the celebration were exhausted and just wanted to rest now that it was finally over. As a sign of respect, many hotels provided their services to them for free while also ensuring that their rest wouldn''t be disturbed.

    Many people understood where they wereing from and decided to respect their decision. And amongst the people who chose to take a rest, the Grand Commanders were included as well.

    ke, Mary, and Alice only participated in the celebration for a week before locking themselves at their home. They already released all the tension that umted in their bodies from that week of constant partying. In the end, they were truly exhausted so they excused themselves.

    Since then, they didn''t appear anymore. They were either sleeping, eating, or spending quality time in thefort of their own home.

    In thefort of their home, they didn''t need to pretend. They don''t have any responsibilities or dignity per se. In here, they''re just regr people, just like the others were.

    Their rtionship also developed morefortably. It''s already at the point where neither of the girls felt shy when ke wanted to embrace them at the same time.

    Today started to slow for them. They woke up at a respectable time in the morning and spent their well-earned vacation idling in thefort of their home, watching cheesy movies, eating, or just lounging around.

    The rest of the day went on like this, but somehow ke felt like something was amiss.

    He''s been suspecting that the girls were trying to tell him something but he could also see that they were still hesitant about it. Well, he wasn''t one to force them out of theirfort zone so he just waited for them toe to him.

    And judging by the hushed whispers the girls shared and the knowing looks, it seems that they''d tell him about it today. Just as he expected, the moment came while he was preparing dinner for them.

    "ke?" Alice called out softly, almost whispering it actually. If it weren''t for the peaceful silence around them, ke wouldn''t have heard it.

    "Yeah? Need something?" He asked, eyes not leaving the pot.

    "Yes, you."

    ke nearly choked on his spit when he heard that. He looked at Alice who was blushing profusely in mortification, Mary was behind her, forcing herself to notugh.

    "What do you mean?" He asked.

    "I...Mary! How the fuck do I do this!?"<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Come on, just say it like how I told you. And nope, not me. I have to be you." Mary cryptically replied to her.

    ke then saw Alice fidgeting in her seat, which was highly unusual. The fearsome Sword Empress? Blushing profusely like this and fidgeting like a maiden? Such a sight was strictly reserved for ke and Mary''s eyes only.

    "Hey!" ke caught her attention. He smiled at her and said: "Whatever it is, don''t force yourself if you can''t. Take all the time you need. Hm?"

    Alice stared at him like he was the sun. ke almost cooed at how adorable she was but he didn''t want to ruin the atmosphere. As he was about to return his attention to their dinner, he suddenly heard a question that he had been waiting to hear...

    "Do you wanna have kids with us?"

    ng!!

    ke dropped the lid of the pot out of sheer surprise. He must be looking at them with an incredulous expression right now. He blinked and asked:

    "What did you-..."

    "I-I said, do you wanna have kids with Mary and me?" Alice repeated her question.

    Both Alice and Mary were looking at him expectantly and oh-so-seriously that ke dropped everything just to focus his attention on them.

    "We just thought that...since the war was over, and the world''s peaceful now. We could probablyy off on our responsibilities at the guild and the federation." Mary stated.

    "We''re not needed there anymore. At least, not as much as before." Alice continued: "A-and since we have time for each other...well, we also saw how you interact with Ashton''s unborn child, so we thought that..."

    "...we thought, why not?" Mary continued Alice''s words. "We can settle down now that there are no more threats to our world. But we thought we should ask you first."

    ''So this is what they''ve been discussing behind my back all this time!'' ke thought to himself.

    ke swiftly turned off the stove, washed his hands, and dried them using his shirt. He then captured the two of them and asked:

    "I-I...whew..." ke sighed and forced himself to calm down. He looked at both of them with a careful but loving gaze as he replied: "A-and you two? Would you like to have kids with me? I only want them if you want them as well."

    Alice and Mary looked at each other. No words were needed to be said, they knew what that look meant.

    ke reacted just how as they imagined he would. But see, his answer was already obvious to both of them even before they asked.

    They weren''t blind or deaf. They could see it from his eyes. They could feel his desire whenever they locked limbs under the sheets.

    ke would sometimes forget the filter on his mouth whenever he''s high on sex. They had caught him several times, caught on his high hat he was babbling his true thoughts to them.

    Saying things like: ''I bet you''d look good carrying my child.'' Or ''Can''t wait to see you round after I''m done seeding you.'' And so on...

    ke also doted on Ashton and Aria''s unborn child. They were there, they could see how he interacted with them. However, because of the war, they had no choice other than to postpone this.

    But now...

    "Yes. Yes, I would love to." Mary sighed emotionally with want.

    "I do too." Alice followed suit.

    Nothing is stopping them from starting a family of their own. The world hardly needs them anymore. They have the time and all the resources they need to do this. All there is left to do is the act itself.

    ...which ke wasted no time in starting...

    Without any further ado, ke swept both of them off their feet and ran towards their shared room.

    Fuck dinner, actually. They don''t need food! And since he already got the assurance he wanted, they might as well begin as soon as possible.

 Chapter 423 CJ

    ?

    In a small, peaceful cottage nestled in a serene meadow, Aria, adorned in a flowing gown, cradled her round belly with tender care. The sun''s warm rays filtered through the windows, casting a gentle glow upon her face. She had a serene aura about her, a reflection of the profound love and joy that filled her heart.

    Beside her, Ashton, her beloved husband, gazed at her with adoration, his eyes reflecting the same happiness that radiated from within. His hands tenderly caressed her swollen belly, feeling the delicate movements of their unborn child. They had waited for this moment, a moment of respite from the tumultuous war that had consumed their lives.

    Aria, a member of the ethereal Spirit Race, possessed powers beyond humanprehension. Her connection to the spiritual realm had brought her and Ashton together, transcending the boundaries of their different origins. Their love had blossomed amidst the chaos of conflict, a beacon of hope amidst the darkness.

    The war had forced them to dy the birth of their child, for the safety of both mother and unborn. But now, with the Abyss vanquished and the world at peace, they could finally embrace the arrival of their little one.

    Aria''s pregnancy had been a testament to the intertwining of their worlds. Time, influenced by the magic that coursed through their veins, had stretched, allowing their child to grow within her womb for more than a year. It was a miracle born of love and the merging of their unique heritage.

    As they stood there, the ambiance within the cottage shifted, an air of magic enveloping them. Aria''s gentle breaths grew deeper and more rhythmic. It was time. The moment they had been eagerly awaiting had arrived.

    Guided by the whispers of the spirits and the ancient wisdom of her race, Aria gracefully moved to a small birthing pool filled with warm, shimmering waters. Ashton stood by her side, his hand firmly sping hers, offering unwavering support.

    Amidst the soft light and tranquil atmosphere, Aria''sbor began. The gentle sounds of her soothing chants and the ancient incantations of her ancestors filled the room, weaving a tapestry of love, protection, and new beginnings.

    Time seemed to stand still as the cries of their child filled the air, harmonizing with Aria''s gentleughter and Ashton''s joyful tears. In that moment, the world seemed to hold its breath, as if honoring the arrival of this precious new life.

    With trembling hands, Ashton cradled their newborn in his arms, awestruck by the miracle before him. Their child, a beautiful blend of their spirits and shared love possessed an otherworldly radiance. As the baby nestled against his father''s chest, a sense ofpleteness washed over them��an unbreakable bond, a testament to their enduring love.

    "Happy Birthday, Son." Ashton chuckled tearfully as he nted a kiss on the child''s forehead.

    In the peaceful sanctuary of their home, Aria and Ashton sat beside each other, their eyes fixed on the precious bundle nestled in a crib adorned with delicate flowers and ethereal charms. The room was filled with an enchanting aura as if the very essence of magic and spirits danced around their child.

    Aria traced her fingers gently along the contours of their baby boy''s cheek, marveling at the radiant beauty that graced his features. His porcin skin seemed to glow with an inner light, a testament to the love and mana that surrounded him. The baby''s curious, wide eyes mirrored Ashton''s intelligence as if he held the wisdom of ancient spirits within his gaze.

    As the soft tendrils of Aria''s silver hair caressed the baby''s tiny hand, she turned to Ashton, a tender smile adorning her face. "Our little miracle, born of two worlds and blessed with the gifts of both. He truly is a precious soul."

    Ashton, his voice filled with warmth and love, nodded in agreement. "Indeed, my love. Our son carries the essence of the spirits and the strength of humanity within him. He is a testament to our union, a beacon of hope for the future."

    A gentle silence enveloped the room as they contemted the perfect name for their beloved child. Aria''s voice broke the stillness, her eyes shining with fondness. "How about rence? It carries a sense of nobility and purity, just like our little one."

    Ashton nodded, a soft smile spreading across his face. "rence, a name befitting his grace and the light that emanates from his being. And what about a middle name?"

    Aria''s gaze wandered for a moment, her thoughts intertwining with the spirits that watched over them. "Jonathan, after my father. It will be a reminder of the strength and love that family brings."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    The couple exchanged a loving nce, their decision made. "rence Jonathan," Ashton murmured, savoring the harmonious blend of names. "A name that epasses both his heritage and the hopes we hold for his future."

    Their hearts swelled with joy as they embraced their little CJ, feeling the pure love that flowed between them. In that tender moment, they knew that their child was destined for greatness, guided by the spirits and embraced by the threads of mana that wove through their lives.

    As the day gently transitioned into night, Aria and Ashton watched over their slumbering child, their hearts filled with gratitude and a sense of awe. The room glowed softly with the presence of guardian spirits, their whispered blessings echoing in the ethereal stillness.

    Together, as a family, they embarked on a journey filled with wonder, magic, and unbreakable love. The name rence Jonathan West would forever carry the legacy of their union, a name that would echo through generations, a name that would be synonymous with hope,passion, and the enduring power of love.

    ***

    The sun gently filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room where Aria and Ashton''s everyday lives unfolded. Parenthood had brought a new rhythm to their days, a symphony ofughter, tears, and tender moments that filled their hearts with immeasurable joy.

    With a yawn and a stretch, Aria rose from her bed, her steps guided by a mother''s instinct. As she made her way to CJ''s room, she couldn''t help but marvel at how quickly their child had grown. From the first babbling words to the tentative steps, every milestone was etched in their hearts.

    The challenges of parenthood were not lost on them. Sleepless nights filled with soothing cries and the endless cycle of feeding and changing left them weary, but their love and dedication were unwavering. Aria''s days were often a delicate bncing act between nurturing their son and tending to her own spirit magic.

    Ashton, too, embraced the role of a devoted father. He would return home from his work with tired eyes, yet a wide smile would grace his face as he held CJ in his arms. Together, they discovered the wonders of parenthood��those precious moments of triumph and the bittersweet pangs of letting go.

    Amidst the challenges, there were moments of pure joy and satisfaction. The sound of CJ''sughter filled their home, echoing like a symphony. His tiny hands reached out for the world, exploring and discovering with innocent curiosity. Aria and Ashton celebrated each milestone, knowing that they were witnessing the miracle of their child''s growth.

    The mundane days were filled with tender rituals��a bedtime story whispered by Aria, Ashton''s gentle lubies, and shared family meals that united them. They marveled at CJ''s first steps, celebrated his triumphs, andforted him in moments of tears. In their embrace, he found sce and love that knew no bounds.

    Through the challenges and joys, Aria and Ashton found sce in each other. They relied on their unwavering love and mutual support, standing as pirs of strength for their growing family. Their hearts swelled with pride as they watched CJ flourish, knowing that they had created a nurturing environment for him to thrive.

    As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, parenthood became a dance of unconditional love and self-discovery. Aria and Ashton learned to cherish the little moments��the sleepy cuddles, the messy handprints on walls, and the heart-melting "I love you"s that filled their days with profound meaning.

    In the quiet moments, when the world seemed to slow, Aria and Ashton found themselves reflecting on the beauty of their journey. Parenthood had challenged them, tested their patience, and stretched their capacity to love. Yet, it had also brought them an immeasurable sense of fulfillment andpleteness.

    As they tucked CJ into his bed, their hearts swelled with contentment. Aria pressed a gentle kiss to her son''s forehead, whispering words of love and protection. Ashton intertwined his fingers with hers, their eyes meeting in a silent understanding��a shared gratitude for the gift of parenthood and the blissful mundanity of their everyday lives.

    Together, they embarked on this extraordinary journey, embracing the challenges and cherishing the joys, knowing that their love would guide them through the ever-unfolding chapters of parenthood.

    In that cottage, bathed in the warm embrace of love and magic, the family they had longed for had finally begun. The war and its tribtions were now distant memories, reced by the profound joy of new life and the promise of a future filled with love,ughter, and the infinite possibilities thaty ahead.

 Chapter 424 God

    ?

    CJ''s birth certainly made Ashton and Aria''s world more colorful. Each day that passed made them feel satisfied with their current lives. The fact that they''re able to act like a normal family was a blessing, and this was because of the peace that''s been established in the world. Making all their efforts worth it.

    Due to the specialties of his birth, CJ wasn''t an ordinary child. Well, that''s to be expected since he''s not just the son of a Spirit Empress but also the son of the Strongest White Mage that has ever walked this earth.

    Aria dyed CJ''s birth for almost an entire year, in the time frame, the child''s growth was inhibited but that doesn''t necessarily mean that it harmed him. If anything, that dy caused CJ''s entire being to be nurtured more than the norm.

    His mother wasn''t shy about nurturing him. She had consumed all kinds of resources that Ashton gave to her to ensure that CJ would wound up healthy and strong despite dying his birth.

    Aria would certainly sacrifice her own longevity if needed be just to ensure that CJ would be nurtured to her standards. This wasn''t a choice to her, it was a certainty. Thankfully though, it didn''t have to go that far.

    Due to his parents'' efforts, CJ had many things going on for him. He could speak words despite his vocal cords not being developed yet. He was doing this subconsciously through Mana Transmission.

    Let''s not forget, Ashton was the Child of Mana, it''s one of the Virtues he gained many years ago. This trait was inherited by CJ along with his innate connection with the Spirits. Therefore, he is loved by both Mana and Spirits. They were even seen dancing in celebration upon his birth.

    While it''s true that CJ knows nothing about the existence of mana, his being loved by it already causes mana to do what he wants. Such a frightening talent, really. But nothing about this fazes his parents so that''s okay.

    At this point, CJ''s only a few months old. He''s still being pampered by Ashton and Aria but to their mild surprise, CJ was already showing signs of awareness.

    He responds when he can whenever they''re talking to him. He could even ''tell'' them what he wants through unconscious Mana Transmission. He''s also starting to recognize things like his favorite toy, sound, etc.

    These are all the special things about CJ so far, but this was only the beginning, that''s for sure. CJ still has a lot of growing up to do, and because of his heritage, there''s bound to be more surprises along the way, so both Aria and Ashton have to prepare themselves for that.

    ***

    "...how long will you be gone?" Aria asked while cradling their son.

    "A month at most." Ashton replied, kneeling in front of her while making faces at his son. Kissing CJ''s forehead he stood up and said: "Don''t worry, I''ll send frequent updates to West Two and he''ll inform you."

    "Alright. Be careful out there, don''t force yourself if you can''t. You''ve already done enough." Aria gently smiled at him.

    Ashton nodded d, and he kissed herefore disappearing from her view.

    In an instant, Ashton found himself standing in the vacuum of space which did nothing to harm him. He hovered over the Blue Marble, admiring it for a minute before releasing a blinding brilliance that swept through the entire sr system.

    Judging by the fluctuations he released, he could''ve easily shattered a or two. Fortunately for everybody, Ashton has meticulous control over his strength, allowing him to release his power without harming anyone.

    What followed his act was a curtain of aurora blending with the very essence of Space and Time. This curtain seeped deep into the crevices of the Sr System surrounding the Blue Marble, forming a delicate veil that hides the gem amongst the rocks.

    This...is no different than an act of God. And that''s not entirely wrong since Ashton reached the realm of the Divine God already.

    Ever since his return from Elstar, and even amidst the war against the Celestials and Hypogeans, Ashton has never stopped cultivating. He didn''t rest hisurels and let fate decide his oue, he took full control of his life, allowing him to achieve the height that no human before him achieved.

    The Celestial God truly never stood a chance against him. By the time the war started, Ashton had not only leveled the ying field, but he had also already surpassed him. That''s why he was able to manipte Amen like a toy.

    But that''s no longer important at this point. Amen has already perished and the Abyss has been sealed.

    The reason why he''s doing this now was because it''s part of his contingency n for his kind.

    Having the awareness of a God allowed Ashton''s perception to cross great distances. Far beyond this Sr System and Universe, he could sense several life forms which differ from his own.

    It didn''t cause him panic, just wary. And for the sake of his peace of mind, he might as well use this chance to make sure that the invader incident won''t happen again.

    At least...not while he''s still alive. This is why he decided to scatter Dream Seeds across their Sr System that formed a veil hiding their world. With this, he would be instantly alerted if any of the species he sensed arrived within his jurisdiction.

    <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Ashton can''t really tell if he''s genuinely immortal or not. Sure, so long as somebody still remembers him, he will be alive, perks of being the Divinity of the Dream Law, but he can''t tell if this has its limits or not.

    Besides, he didn''t reach this stage for True Immortality anyway. He had no desire to be as such. All he wanted was to preserve his kind and guide them until they could stand on their own within this wild universes. Also, he just wanted to be there for his family and live in peace and serenity for as long as it was allowed.

    He won''t die until he achieves both, which he''s certain of.

    Ashton wouldn''t be alone anyway. ke, Mary, and Alice were already Cosmic Emperors. In due time, they''ll reach the same stage as him so they could keep himpany.

    As for Aria, well that depends on her. While Ashton certainly wants to her to apany him all the time along with their son, he knew that he couldn''t force the idea onto her. They''ll talk about this in the future, but for now, everything''s fine as is.

    "...my, you have certainly grown a lot."

    Ashton was rmed for a second. Someone managed to get this close to him without his notice so it''s understandable, yet after hearing the voice, he lowered down his alertness.

    He turned around and saw the familiar face of his benefactor, the Beast God. Well, his incarnation at the very least.

    "Yo, long time no see." The Beast God greeted him.

    "It''s been a while, Sir. I still haven''t thanked you enough for all the help you''ve given me." Ashton performed a curt bow.

    "Oh, stop with the formalities." The Beast God''s incarnation waved his hands, "It''s just a slight effort for me anyway. You''re the one who did the most so give yourself some credit."

    Ashton refrained from saying anything, but he did smile at his praise.

    "Right, I checked your work with the Abyss, good job with that. That headache was finally dealt with thanks to you."

    Ashton wasn''t entirely surprised that the Beast God was aware of the existence of the Abyss. If anything, he''s already expecting that the Beast God knew more than he did.

    Besides, despite achieving the Divine God realm himself, it was clear to Ashton that he was far from being the Beast God or the Death God''s match. This world truly goes beyond his imagination so he wasn''t surprised at all.

    "I wish I could''ve gotten rid of it entirely, though." Ashton sighed, "The seal was only a temporary measure. Something that will onlyst so long as I''m here. I don''t want to imagine what would happen when an ident happens."

    "Now that''s a dilemma that all of us are worried about." The Beast God sighed as well.

    That statement surprised Ashton.

    "We''re strong Ashton, but not that strong." The Beast God smiled wryly. "While our mere presence could potentially destroy a universe or two, the Abyss is far more resilient than that."

    "It''s an existence that dates further back than the birth of Chaos itself." The Beast God continued, "It''s only normal that you alone can''t eliminate it. Many have tried before you. Hell, we even teamed up and we still couldn''t do it."

    "The best we could do is to seal it. So don''t wallow in disappointment. You already performed the best course of action against it. As for what happens in the future, leave it be. We could only do what we can for now."

    "I understand..." Ashton sighed after receiving the Beast God''s exnation.

    "Anyways, congrats on being a father." The Beast God smiled. "Cherish that, not all of us hahavehat kind of luxury."

    "Thanks, and I will. It''s my dream after all."

    The Beast Godughed and said: "Right, I''ll leave you to it. Also, when you have time,e visit us. You''ve done everything you can here anyway."

    "I will, eventually."

    "I look forward. Well, then. See youter, Dream God."

    "See youter, Beast God."

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