《Interdimensional Farming in Another World》


 Chapter 1 Transmigration

    ?For an average person. It is hard to live in this world. It is the truth.


    At a young age, we are taught that all people are made equal and that we can achieve anything with enough effort. Obviously, that was a lie. A lie inherited from one generation of losers to another.


    Not all people are made equal and neither does enough effort equate to sess. All we can do is fight for survival and hope for the best.


    Some are born intelligent, smart, strong or even rich. And when everythinges together, we call these people extremely lucky. And for a person without any of that luck, for an average person, it is hard to live in this world.


    And Alex is the living representation of that.


    His luck in the gic pool was bad giving him a frail body. And he didn''t even have the luck of having rich and supportive parents. Even then, with his slightly above-average brain, he held on, trying to survive in this dog-eat-dog world.


    Like everyone else, he went to school, got aputer engineering degree and became a corporate ve. Like the majority of the poption, there he was working to make the rich, richer.


    At some point in his life, he realized how meaningless his life was. He was just a failure and no amount of effort could save him from this pit he dug himself into.


    So, he quit his job abruptly and took a break from all the bullshit. And then moved to his old home in the vige to do whatever he wanted to do.


    And the first thing he wanted to do after moving to his home town was to gaze at the twinkling stars that were invisible during his city life.


    Driving his old bashed-up second-hand car, he went to a hill nearby with the least amount of light. He was sure that the stars would be visible there. As expected, he could see the tiny specs of light twinkling in the night sky.


    Alex realised for the first time that it had been years since hest saw a star. They were prettier than the neon lights that swallowed the cityscape. It was a calming experience for him.


    Once again he was reminded how small he was in the vast expanse of the universe. His lifetime and everything he did in that time frame would be synonymous with the life of a bubble. Fleeting and insignificant.


    Just as he was beginning to fall asleep. He caught some light flickering in the night sky. It was brighter than the stars and was leaving behind a trail in the night sky.


    Are they meteors, he thought.


    Or was it Starlink satellites revolving around the? Anyway, they were pretty. And unknowingly, at that moment he wished for a better future.


    Just as he made that wish, the light from the meteors intensified. Rather than going across the earth''s atmosphere and burning into oblivion, one of the lights came crashing down towards earth, slowly increasing in size as it neared Alex.


    Alex was perplexed to see this. He wanted a better life, not an easy death. After scrambling to his feet, Alex ran to his car to start its engine. For some reason, the car stalled and the meteor crashed into his car, destroying the car and everything in the vicinity to smithereens.


    Alex who was inside the car too died in that event.


    ¡ª-----------


    It was cold. No, it was freezing. Alex thought as he woke up from the nightmare.


    He breathed heavily, looking around to see where he was.


    Looking at his right hand, he could see something strange wrapped around it. It looked like a brown cloth, but it felt rough and coarse. It looks like his hand were injured and was inside some kind of cast.


    ''Where am I? What happened to my right hand?''


    Alex closed his eyes, trying to recall what had happened to him. For a fact, he knew that he was on a hill near his home.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    But how did he end up here? Did the asteroid really hit me? Is this a lucid dream?


    He thought while trying to make sense of the situation.


    But as expected, when he opened his eyes nothing changed. He was inside a dpidated room with dim lighting. It was extremely cold and everything around him was foreign. His right hand was broken and a slight pain could be felt from it.


    ''Anyway, it''s better than getting smashed into smithereens by a meteor.'' Alex thought while slowly standing up.


    The wooden flooring creaked and made a screeching noise.


    Alex felt soreness all over his body while standing up. Yet it didn''t stop him from moving around.


    Even though everything around him was unfamiliar. He knew the scenario ying around him.


    This was just like a game.


    You are suddenly thrust into an unknown world and you have to fend for yourself and survive. That''s what every game does and this scenario was not any different.


    He knew that he was not in a dream or a VR game. But the scenario forced him to look at the world like a game.


    ''If this is a game, I need to analyze my surroundings and find the best possible course of action.'' Thinking like that.


    Alex began observing the world around him. The dpidated wooden cabin was small and dirty. There was leather and fur stacked on the side of the bed and a tiny oilmp could be seen lit near him on a y pot.


    The clothes that he was wearing were also made out of some kind of animal leather and it covered himpletely. Providing him with ample warmth.


    Looking at all that, Alex came to a conclusion. This ce is ancient and this might not be a ce on Earth.


    Looking out the window, he could see tall trees and snow covering the whole area.


    It looked as if he was looking from a high vantage point.


    ''This wooden cabin was on a tree!''


    Alex''s thoughts were right. He was inside a wooden cabin made on arge tree. And this is also an ancient civilization.


    Then poor Alex came to a startling realization that he was really dead.


    Although he didn''t know how long ago he reincarnated and how he lived till now. He was definitely inside someone else''s body.


    Contrary to what was expected. Alex was rxed when he realised everything. He was old enough to know that some things are beyond his control and there is no point in worrying about them anymore.


    If he was dead, he was dead. What more could he do about that?


    He lifted his broken arm up, making sure that it was alright despite moving it around. He made his way towards the door.


    What awaited him beyond that door was a new world for him to explore. And like any gamer, Alex really liked a new and exciting challenge.

 Chapter 2 Ability

    ?Once he decided, it was easier for him to open that door.


    What greeted Alex was arge expanse of snow-whitendscape. Everything was covered in snow.


    He was in a cabin secured up arge tree. Even though almost everything was covered up by snow, he could see some green leaves poking out. This was an interesting sight for him.


    Even though Alex was old, he never experienced snowfall before and the trees he was seeing were also unknown to him. All his life, he lived in a small town in the tropical region. And seeing snow for the first time was a thrilling experience. A cold shiver went down his body with the added excitement.


    What were these trees covered in snow? Alex thought. Even though he wanted to be cautious while exploring this unknown world. He unknowingly veered off from his initial thoughts.


    "Are you done with enjoying the scenery?" Suddenly a voice came from his left side.


    Although it startled Alex, he kept hisposure and turned to his left slowly. There he could see an older man with a long beard standing tall. He was wearing animal fur just like him. On one hand, he had a sharp sword-like object made from unknown material and the other hand held tightly to a rope.


    Alex knew that any response he makes will reveal ws. He didn''t know who that person was or what rtionship they had. So, he decided that he will let everything y out and talk as less as he could.


    He didn''t want the other person to realise that he was someone else.


    "Meru, What are you looking around for? I am talking to you. Let''s move on if you are okay. You, breaking your arm has wasted enough time as it is. We need to go to the hunting ground fast." The kind but grizzly bear-like man said to Alex.


    Meru? Is that my name?


    Alex thought. As far as he could understand. The man just called him Meru, a weird word. And yet, he could perfectly understand what he meant even though thenguage ispletely foreign.


    Was his biological brainpensating for what he doesn''t know and feeding him information? Will he gain more knowledge as hees across more and more familiar words?


    A doubt sprouted in his mind.


    Slowly he formed a mental image of his situation.


    As far as he knows, Alex or Meru is a hunter in an ancient civilisation. Somehow he broke his hand and this bear-like guy was waiting for him to heal. That exins the ster on his right hand. Broken hands are usually stered like this.


    Now, Alex needs to move with the bear-like man to go to the hunting ground.


    After analysing everything as best as he could. Alex nodded his head in affirmation.


    "Okay then, get down fast. Your hand would heal before we reach the hunting ground. The special medicine made by our Mupan is good. I''m impressed by your ability to endure the pain despite this being your first hunt. It must have felt like your hand was on fire, yet you didn''t even make a noise. Most medicines are like that, so try to not get injured again if you want to avoid the hellish pain."


    After saying that, the bear-like man jumped down the fifty feet tall tree like it was nothing.


    Alex stood there looking at the scene like a statue.


    But when he looked down, he could see that man safe and sound, dusting off the snow from his clothes.


    Was he superhuman? Is this really not Earth?


    Does this suicidal maniac expect me to jump down like that? No way in hell that I am jumping down like that. Alex thought while grabbing the ropedder next to him. He slowly climbed down to ensure his safety.


    He followed the bear-like man who was now carrying a heavy bag on his back and sharp weapons. Supposedly, they were going to some kind of hunting ground. Only after reaching there will he know more.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ¡ª-----


    Alex was cautious of the bear-like man. When it came to humans, it was always better to be cautious. He learned that lesson the hard way in his previous life.


    Anyone would make a mistake once, but making the same mistakes, again and again, is something he detested doing. So, trusting a person he saw for the first time is impossible.


    "Here, have some water." Looking at the panting Alex, the bear-like man offered a leather bag filled with water.


    Alex had seen the man keeping the leather water bottle close to his body. It might have been to prevent the water from freezing. But that doesn''t mean that it was okay for him to drink from it. He felt that it would be unhygienic.


    Although Alex thought something, his actions werepletely contradictory. He swiftly moved his hand to catch the water bottle and began drinking from it.


    A man must do everything he can to survive. Alex convinced himself by saying that in his mind.


    "Your arm looks like it is fine. Remove the cast and be ready. We are nearing the hunting ground. You are about to be an adult Meru. So, take care of Uncle Mani in the future." Saying that with a smile, the bear-like man looked at Alex.


    For some reason, the man felt like family at that moment. Even with that horrifying appearance. That pure smile revealed his kind intentions towards Alex. He felt like he could trust this man. The instinct that usually warned him was saying otherwise.


    Being a jaded man from a different earth, Alex had seen and heard how cruel humans could be. So, he was a little skeptical at first when he saw someone else so willing to help him.


    He believed that the other man had some hidden motive in trying to help him. After all, modern society works on the basis of give and take. Nothing was really free.


    So, someone helping him would obviously want something in return. Goodwill? Does that even exist? It was this thought that prevented him from trusting that man.


    But now, seeing the pure smile. He could see the care and support given to him by that man. The grizzly bear-like man who was called Mani was really helping without any hidden agenda.


    And Alex felt like his instinct was correct this time too.


    A smile formed on his lips. He was so concerned about his survival and began judging this world based on all his preconceived notions. It was dangerous. He felt like he narrowly avoided a bullet.


    Seeing the smile forming on Meru''s handsome face. Mani was also happy. After Meru lost his family, he was always a gloomy kid. He talked less and less after each passing year that he doesn''t even remember the kid''s voice. But now, seeing him smile pumped him with more energy.


    "Let''s go, The hill over there is where our hunting party will gather. Don''t dy ande as fast as you can. I am going on ahead." Pointing to a hill, Mani began running. Because of his superhuman physique, he was fast and stable. He left behind deep footprints in the snow.


    Looking at the fading back, Alex also ran towards the hill. At first, he was feeling sore and weak. But after walking for hours, he could feel the strength returning to his body. His injury was long gone.


    He felt the warm blood flowing through his body and giving him strength. He felt like he could easily follow Uncle Mani. Making use of this strong new body, Alex ran after him pushing his body to the maximum.


    For once, he truly felt free and unfettered. This was his second chance, a new beginning. He would live this life to the best of his abilities.


    The moment Alex made that decision. A burst of energy came from his brain clearing all his thought. His senses expanded and everything became much more clear and defined. At that exact moment, an icon popped up near the left bottom of his vision.


    It was a familiar icon reminding him of the farming game he was used to ying.


    "Is this my cheat ability?" Alex thought.

 Chapter 3 Interdimensional Farm

    ?''Huh!'' For a moment, Alex was perplexed. But something told him that this game icon seen in his peripheral vision is real.


    It was a familiar icon too.


    Like a madman, Alex rotated his eyeballs around and finally, he locked onto it. It was an icon made up of low-resolution images of some vegetables and animals. It was the icon of a generic farming game that Alex used to y.


    ''Why was it here?'' He thought.


    ''If there is a button, it shall be pressed.'' Thinking that Alex thought about clicking on it.


    "Ding!" With a sound of a bell ringing, Alex was transported to a different ce. And looking around, he realised that it was like the game he used to y. Although some things were different.


    In the game world, he could just begin ying by exploring different ces. But in this game-like world. All he could do was look at a measly 3x3 plot ofnd and think. Everything around him was greyed out or inessible to him. So, what can he do in a farming game without even a seed?


    And more importantly, how should he get out of this ce?


    But by merely thinking about it, Alex appeared outside, in the real world. And the cold once again began piercing into his skin.


    "Is this how this works? Let me try again once more. And if thoughts are the game inputs, I think I know what I need to do." Saying that Alex once again rolled his eyes to click on the game icon.


    As soon as he reached the game world, he thought about the in-game inventory. Suddenly a 2D menu opened up before him floating in the air. It was just like the game menu he used to know.


    In there, he could see different tools used in farming. But four of the ten inventory slots were upied by the farm tools. Anyway, that was a good thing, he now has a free pickaxe, shovel, watering can and scythe. These tools were the most important part of a farming game.


    "If the tools are here? Then the shop might be essible too. So, let''s check that out." Alex thought about the shop and a 2D menu of the shop also materialized in front of him.


    "Just as I expected. There was a shop function! All the tools and seeds I need are here. Now, I even can buy and sell farmed objects to make farm points(FP). Now let me see what seeds I should buy."


    Looking at the top right corner of the menu, he could see that he had about a hundred FP.


    "This much was enough to buy the worst quality seeds, I think."


    Alex knew that he had a 3x3 plot ofnd to use. That meant that he had 9-meter-squares to nt.


    So, it was optimal for him to nt in all the areas he can with the money he had. By the game''s logic. A seed can only be nted on a meter square area. So, he needs 9 seeds with each costing 11 FP or less.


    Browsing through the shop, he saw many seeds.


    Tomato seed- 15


    Potato seed- 20


    Cauliflower sapling - 50<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ¡­


    ¡­


    They all cost more than 11.


    Finally, at the end of the seed list, he saw sweep-potato seeds being sold for 10FP each. These were not the game shop prices he remembered. Yet, going with the flow, Alex bought nine seeds.


    It was time to nt the seeds. Quickly equipping the shovel, he tilled the soil and nted them. Taking out the watering can, he watered the newly nted seeds.


    Now, he only had to wait until the nts grow. So, he looked at the game time menu.


    In the beginning, he forgot to look at the time. But when he opened the shop he could see that the time was about 12 pm. He only spent 5 minutes ying the game, yet it was already 5 pm. Alex knew that this was because of how time worked in this game world.


    Day and night cycles or 24 hours in the game world were equivalent to 24 minutes in real life. A minute was equal to an hour. And a day in real life means 60 days in the game world. It was a nice perk.


    "If everything goes as expected, I think I can get objects from the interdimensional farm to the real world and vice versa. And I have to find out if the inventory system of the game has this loophole."


    Alex jumped around in excitement. He soon exited the game world to find out if the loophole would work.


    Grabbing a tree branch nearby, He willed it to enter the inventory. And as expected, it went in and upied a slot. It was easy as he imagined it to be.


    He willed again for the tree branch to appear in his arm. And it did without any dy. While at it, he also brought the shovel out from inventory. He was thrilled to see ite.


    This meant a lot to Alex. Although he was taking his transmigration as lightly as he could. He knew that there were many dangers around every corner of this world. He had to be ready for anything, now more than ever.


    Even though the interdimensional farm was not helpful right now. Alex could gradually use it to gain strength in this world.


    A smile bloomed on his face after thinking about all the things he could do.


    Now he had to quickly catch up to Mani. He wasted enough time here and it would not be preferable to cause doubt in the fellow tribesmen''s hearts.


    Quickly gaining momentum with his young body. Alex ran to the hill.


    It didn''t take much time for him to reach there. Just as he reached the peripheral area of the camp. The scouts saw him. After identifying who he was, he was quickly brought into the camp.


    The hunt will begin in a day or two. They were waiting for the prey toe to them. And they had many things to do before the hunt began.


    Alex, who was a kid going through the first hunt was brought into the centre of the camp where the other kids are staying. From there he had to select a weapon and get ready for the hunt to start.


    You won''t know when the migrating animals would reach here. They had to be ready for everything.

 Chapter 4 First Harvest

    ?It was just the beginning of the winter season. It was cold and harsh. And the worst has yet toe.


    Hunting before the climate could turn for the worse was a survival mechanism for the hunters in the Stone-Head tribe.


    In the extreme cold below zero degrees Celsius, animals will be less active and hibernate. Before that happens the hunters need to gather enough food to survive the winter. And the best source of food they could procure was meat.


    Grazing animals of all kinds, eat and get fatter to survive the winter season just like humans. And by hunting these animals, the Stone head tribe will have enough food tost the winter.


    This was their way to survival. And the tribe was ready to hunt again.


    Alex was also ready for the hunt too. He rested inside the camp away from prying eyes like the loner he was. And it was almost dinner time now.


    He was hungry enough to eat an elephant, yet he has to wait until the food is ready. Due to the hunt being a form of ritual and the hunters requiring to do hard work. The food would bevish today. Or, at least that is what the Mani said to him.


    "Ding!" As informed, the bell rang from the centre of the camp.


    It was dinner time. The sun has begun to set shading the sky crimson red. It was a perfect view that he would have photographed if he had a smartphone. But how can Alex get a smartphone in this era?


    He was a bit sad about it. Nheless, it might have been for the good. If he had a smartphone, he would have spent more time trying to photograph it instead of enjoying the view.


    While enjoying the view, Alex walked towards the centre expecting good food. But instead of food, what he got was a guy giving a long speech. The tribal chief of the Stone head tribe was standing near arge bonfire giving a lengthy speech. He was wearing a crown made of wood and the teeth of fierce animals.


    He was talking about how great the tribe and hunters were and how noble it was to hunt for the people.


    ''Was he a politician?'' Alex thought.


    "...To provide for our tribe. Tomorrow, we show our strength in face of this insufferable cold and prove the worthiness of our existence. We will beat the cold, we will triumph over our prey and we will ensure the survival of our tribe¡­"


    The chieftain said with certainty. The hunt can never be a failure or else the people who were depending on them back home would suffer the worst form of death.


    Whatever it may be, a politician, a hero or mad man sending his people to death. You can look at the chieftain in any way you want. But Alex agreed with his conviction and his words. It was better to ensure survival and it was better to contribute to ensuring survival.


    Even though these people were uneducated by modern standards and had different core values than himself. Alex felt like he could have amon ground between them.


    After giving the long speech the chief finally returned to his chair in the centre of the camp. Six people wearing different clothing rose from their seats just as the chief sat down. They walked towards the bonfire and stood in front of the tribe.


    They were the six best hunters of the tribe. They each represented a team of hunters using different weapons.


    Towards the left-most side, Mani could be seen holding arge sword made out of thick bones. It looked more like a piercing weapon rather than a cutting or a slicing weapon.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    He was the leader of the swordsman of the stone head tribe. Near him were other people carrying spears, bows and arrows, hammers, axe, and shields. It was obvious from how they conducted that they were important people.


    Seeing Mani among them made Alex reconsider how he treat him.


    These towering figures stood in front of the bonfire for a moment without speaking a word. It quietened the atmosphere. Even the rowdy kids stopped talking. After gaining everyone''s attention, they lifted their weapons in the air.


    "FOR THE TRIBE¡­" They roared before smashing the weapons on the ground. It was a thunderous roar that awakened the primal instincts inside the audience. Even Alex felt his heart beating powerfully with each passing second.


    "FOR THE TRIBE¡­" The audience roared with them. The passionate roars of young men filled the air even after everyone left.


    Alex who was well experienced in avoiding social situations was eating barbecued meat seasoned with just salt to satiate himself. After eating his fill, he left quietly to sleep.


    Due to him eating nd meat. He added one more mission to his list. He needs to improve the cooking recipes in this world. This meat was far too good to be eaten like this, he thought.


    ¡ª--


    ''I have eaten enough. It is time to check on the interdimensional farm.'' Like a curious child with a twinkle in his eyes, Alex entered the farm.


    As he expected, the crops were ready to be harvested. He quickly pulled the sweet potato from the ground and sold them to the shop. It was important to quickly gain FP to buy morend and more seeds. Only by doing so can he upgrade his farm, upgrade his inventory and even upgrade his stats. There are even tools that he may nevere across in this world that he could buy from the shop.


    His mission of making more FP was very important.


    But looking at the amount he got after the sale, Alex was dejected. He only had 150 FP left. 90 was the amount he spent on seeds and he got a profit of 50 totalling 150 FP considering the 10 left over after buying the seeds.


    ''I have to manage my time more carefully. With this much profit, it would take years to buy morend. Without morend, I wouldn''t have enough yield and it would take years to level up the farm. All my dreams of buying farm automation tools will be crushed.''


    ''I need better seeds to get better yield. This was a problem!'' After saying that, Alex nted tomatoes which he bought for 15 FP each. Tomatoes can be harvested every half an hour once it was grown. This was a better nt for now. The investment of buying seeds every time to nt can be eliminated by this method.


    60 game days make up a season and there are four seasons in a year. So, a year in the game is equivalent to 4 days in real life. This was good for Alex, he doesn''t need to worry much about seasons.


    After all, a day in real life is equal to a season. So, if he missed a season, he can nt after 4 days or he can sow seeds that can grow in ovepping seasons.


    And tomatoes were like that. He could just nt once and expect to harvest it from spring, summer and fall. Only in winter does he need to rece them and nt something else.


    But if he can upgrade the farm, he will be able to grow crops in a greenhouse and he will get more resistant tomato seeds.


    So, after nting the tomato seeds, Alex exited the farm to take sleep. After 4 hours of sleep, the tomatoes will be ready for harvest.

 Chapter 5 Support

    ?The first day in another world was harder than he expected. Although the interdimensional farm gave hope for his future sess. Was that enough?


    Alex had this doubt creeping into his head once or twice while he trying to sleep. Nheless, all he could do was try to do better.


    The next day, Alex woke up early. He swiftly plucked some ripe tomatoes from his interdimensional farm and sold them to the shop. He was slowly umting FP.


    But a new problem cropped up while he was doing it. For each harvest, he had to disappear into the interdimensional farm for a couple of minutes. And doing that without anyone noticing was bing a chore that he wished he could avoid.


    He could buy an automatic harvester from the shop. But it requires him to level up his farm. And the only way of levelling up the farm is by buying morend to cultivate.


    The investment required for that is too much for him to handle right now.


    So, he missed some harvests. It made him sad to see the FP being lost. Time was money for him.


    "Ding¡­ Ding¡­" The sound of a bell woke Alex from his trance.


    ''It is time to kill or be killed. It is what is expected of me in this tribe.'' He thought while walking to the centre of the camp.


    The fresh meat or what you would call the next generation of great hunters were lining up before the tribal chief. The teenagers were ready to be adults. They were ready to hunt and show their worth.


    Alex who saw this hid in an inconspicuous area. He didn''t want to be noticed.


    "Now that everyone is here. Let''s choose who will be leading you." The tribal chief said while looking at the excited kids.


    "Before you are the six leaders of the hunting party. Mani of the sword, Karal of the spear, Chiri of the axe, Th of the hammer, Kan of the bow and Daya of the shield. Each specialised in using weapons. For today, they will be your leader. In the future, they might even be your masters. What you studied till now is only the tip of the iceberg. You have a lot more to learn and experience. Now, they will choose who will be going with them on the hunt." After saying that, the chief slowly moved back.


    The first one to take a stand after the chief was Daya, the only female warrior among the leaders. She was muscr and tall devoid of any feminine charm of the modern people of Earth. She was different in the right sense to survive this harsh world. Her pronounced and well-defined muscles were perfect for smashing a person to bits. Yet she only held a shield in her hand and stood tall.


    "Those who bear shields shall follow me only if you have the conviction to protect." Saying those words, she stood still. As if she knew who wille to work under her.


    Unknown to Alex, The team was already formed. This was just a formality to show who they are working under.


    Swiftly the teens who were carrying shields moved to Daya''s side.


    ''Then who should I follow? Mani? But I don''t have a sword and I don''t know if the original body was supposed to follow Mani. This is hard. If I really have a choice, I want to avoid every one of the six leaders. Not because I amzy, but because it was better to learn before doing something. I have never hunted before in my entire. I am pretty sure that I will mess up if I act without thinking. Oh Crap! Don''t ce me under Mani, please god. Save me just once.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    While the teens selected a group based on their choice of weapons, Alex and a few others were left over.


    Alex was thrilled to see it. He was not alone and there were others who didn''t have a group. He could even see Mani avoiding his eyes when he looked at him.


    Most teenagers would have taken offence when the kind uncle nearby didn''t select him for their team. But Alex was different. He was not a teenager, much less stupid. He knew it was better to not go with Mani. This decision might just save his skin.


    "Now the remaining kids will be sent to the support group. Your job is to dig pitfalls, create traps and help the injured. That''s it for today. More instructions will be given by your leaders." The chief intervened once again at the end and send everyone remaining to the support group.


    ''If I am in a support group, where is the leader? There was no support group leader among the top six hunters in the tribe. Were we considered defective products by the tribe?'' Alex thought. Even if they did so, Alex wouldn''t have minded as long he could save himself from instant death.


    But not everyone was like that. He could see some kids with scowls looking around to vent their anger. They were disappointed that they were not selected to be part of the real hunting group.


    This wouldn''t stop them frompleting theing-of-age ceremony. But this will surely decrease their status in the tribe. Hunters were pirs of the tribal society and they were said to be strong and brave. And they believed that they could be as strong and brave as them, yet they failed to even participate in the real hunt.


    ''Teenage blood boils with daydreams and superficial thoughts. And tribal society was no different. Everyone likes status, power and freedom. All three were denied to these kids. Who is so capable to manage and lead kids like them? I really want to see the supposed leader of the support group.'' Alex curiously looked forward to meeting the group leader.


    And he didn''t have to wait long. A scrawny old man soon came in front of them. He looked old, very old in fact. Old enough to believe that he had one foot in the coffin already.


    And he looked weak. Very weak.


    Abination that basically makes anyone think of him as nothing more than a pushover. And the teenage kids were no different. They were so disappointed to see this old man that they were visibly frowning.


    The disrespect was evident.


    Alex was the only one who had no visible change in expression. He was perturbed by how others reacted. Judging a book by its cover was an age-old mistake that everyone makes. And this time it was the kids that made the mistake.


    For Alex, it didn''t matter how the old man looked. The skill, knowledge and experience he could provide were much more important than his looks. He was carefully observing the actions of the old man.


    He wanted to know how this man will react to the disrespect the kids were showing. You can easily judge a person''s character by looking at how he deals with the situation.


    Alex wanted to make sure if it was worth enough to learn from this person or if it would be a waste of time. He didn''t want to waste time which hecks right now.

 Chapter 6 Work

    ?"I am Dhairya, You have a lot to do today. Follow me." With these simple words. The old man broke the mood surrounding the kids. But it was not enough the cate them.


    The kids were in denial and failed to understand how serious the adults were. Instead of sending them to immediate death. They were giving them a way to contribute to the hunt.


    "We don''t want to. We are strong enough to hunt on our own. Why should we be part of the support group?" An angry kid in the group voiced his concerns. Many followed suit by nodding in support. They too were fed by how the adults treated them. The promise of glory and status were all out of their grasp if they joined the support group. How can they be satisfied with that?


    Watching the kids rebel. A small smile bloomed on his old face. Dhairya was reminded of his younger days and how he was no different from these kids.


    "Ha ha ha ha¡­ Well, you don''t have a choice. It was the chief who assigned your work. Or do you think you are strong enough to rebel against the chief?" Dhairya said sharply. He was deliberately poking the ego of the kids. He wanted to see how the hot-blooded kids would react.


    "But why me? I am strong enough to be in the hunting group. So, why am I here?" A strong-looking kid said. He was sure of his strength, yet he was chosen to be part of the support group. This was a situation he could never imagine.


    "That is for you to find out. I, as the leader of the support group, don''t need to know that. Let me be clear, Today you will work for me. If you are as strong as you say you are. Then it wouldn''t take much time for you toplete your task. After that, you can formally request to be part of the hunting group." Dhairya coaxed the kids.


    Alex could see right through Dhairya''s schemes. He knew that Dhairya was coaxing the kids to do the work. He was also being as nice as he could.


    It didn''t take much for Dhairya to convince the group to work for him. He was like a seasoned politician breaking down all distrust among the group.


    But was he a bad person? Alex didn''t think so. No amount of reason would have been enough to convince the kids. And he couldn''t have done it in any better way. So, in a way. Alex agreed with the way Dhairya solved the problem.


    ¡ª---------


    After an hour or so, Alex was tasked with carrying stones onto a cliff. He was alone near a pile of stones, each weighing more than a thousand kilograms.


    While some others were sent to dig pitfalls or carry heavy lumber.


    Going with the flow, Alex crouched down to pick up the stones. It was hard at first to get a proper grip, but he gradually became skilled enough to grab and lift it.


    Carrying the stone, he slowly walked through the snow.


    It was hard and tiring work. And he didn''t how he was able to perform that task. A human body should have been incapable of performing such a task, yet he could do it with rtive ease.


    Is this how pyramids were built? Ancient people were built differently. Alex thought.


    But why was he doing things the hard way? There was no one near him to observe him. This was the perfect opportunity to use cheats.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Touching some stones, Alex willed them to move into the inventory. Other than some reallyrge stones, everything else was moved into the inventory.


    They were even organised and ssified into small, medium andrge stones and stacked in 3 inventory slots. This was great for Alex.


    Using inventory, he quickly moved all the stones to the cliffside. The task that would have required him five hours to do was done in five minutes. And now he was left with free time.


    He used his free time to work on the interdimensional farm.


    Alex now has 360 FP in total. He can use 100 FP to buy a unit ofnd. And he needs to have a farm with 100 units ofnd to upgrade to a level 2 farm. So, with the 300 FP, he bought 3 units ofnd. He now has 12 units ofnd to farm. This increased his production rate by a little.


    He exited the farm after doing that. Now, he was ready to conduct some experiments. He has been looking at the inter-dimensional farm as a different world altogether. Yet he could somehow use the inventory function in the real world and can import materials to and fro each world.


    This caused doubt to arise in his heart.


    What if he could sell crops or items from the real world to the shop?


    If it was possible, it would be a game-changer for Alex. So, Alex began his experiment.


    Picking a stone into the inventory, he tried to sell it. And as expected, he could not.


    Stone was not considered valuable by the shop to sell and buy.


    But this didn''t stop Alex from trying all kinds of stuff. He tried selling snow, soil, dried leaf, leather clothes and even a tree. And only clothes and trees were the valuable things he could sell.


    You might be wondering how Alex sold a tree, right? He took out his axe from the inventory to chop down a tree and sell, like the crazy person he was. And he was sessful.


    The small leather piece made him 10 FP and a tree gave him 100 FP. This was great news.


    If he could chop down a hundred trees, he could level up his farm. This could help him farm in a 10x10 area giving him arge amount of profit.


    So, with that in mind, Alex ran around chopping trees like a madman. But he soon realised that he could only sell a tree of a kind to the shop. He felt his dream of quick sess being chopped up.


    After selling 3 kinds of trees, he acquired 300 FP. Buying 3 more units ofnd. He exited the interdimensional farm in disappointment. Looking at more than twenty chopped trees he felt dejected. He quietly moved them into the inventory for future use. He didn''t want to waste them.

 Chapter 7 Roll With It

    ?Every year, In winter, migratory animals cross the mountain pass. Due to the extreme cold up north, they move south, to warmer areas.


    And the hunters of the stone head tribe were waiting for this exact moment. Once the migration begins, thousands or tens of thousands of animals cross through a single mountain pass. And for the hunters, by hunting along the mountain pass they could get the best efficiency.


    It was also the reason why Alex and the support team were busily working to make traps near the exit of the mountain pass.


    Alex, who was done with his work, was resting looking towards the north, expecting to see the migratory animals slowlye towards him.


    ording to the scouts, they would reach here in exactly an hour. And he had to prepare to take action.


    "What are you thinking?" Suddenly a coarse voice came from behind Alex. He turned to see who it was.


    "Nothing!" Alex replied, surprised by the sudden visitor.


    It was the old man Dhairya. He curiously looked at Alex. He wanted to understand why Alex was thinking so deeply. No normal kid his age should have had that expression, much less a kid from his tribe.


    Taking a deep breath, Dhairya looked around. He was delighted to see stones neatly arranged near the cliff in rows.


    ''This kid is special.'' Thought Dhairya. He wanted to send support to help Alex carry the stones. But before he could, the work waspleted. He was happy to see a hardworking individual in his tribe.


    "What is your name, kid?"


    "Meru."


    "Ha ha ha, Meru, what a funny name for such a cute kid. Do you know what it means?"


    "No, Isn''t it just a name?" Alex asked. Now that this old man was being friendly with him. There was no need to antagonise him. Even though he was terrible at interpersonal rtionships. He could get by with holding small conversations with people just fine.


    "Yes, it is the name of an animal to be specific. A small, tree-climbing little bugger in fact. You might have never seen one just like most people. After all, it is too cold for them to live here."


    Alex''s curiosity was piqued by his words. He didn''t care about the animal or the name. But he wanted to know if there were ces that are not cold.


    As far as he knew, everything about this felt like earth. Yet sometimes, it doesn''t add up and he couldn''t put a finger on it.


    Yesterday, when he looked at the stars. He could see many awfully familiar constetions. Exactly like what it was supposed to be on earth. And there was also the moon which was simr to the one earth had.


    If all of his observation is correct, why doesn''t he conclude this was the earth?


    There was a simple reason for it. And that was the superhuman people he saw on this.


    Nowhere in earth''s history had people who could disy superhuman feats like that. Of course, there were myths about gods, devils and even mythical creatures roaming around on earth. But they were just myths. They were not facts, backed by clear evidence.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    So it might be an alternate earth, Alex concluded. And any new information he could acquire would be a boon. Thought Alex when he proactive inquired.


    "So, where do merus live?" Alex asked. To make his question as vague as could and to prevent Dhairya from understanding his generalck of knowledge, Alex worded the question like that. He wanted to learn if Merus actually existed, where they existed and when they existed. This would also answer his doubt about cold and hot regions on this.


    "To the far south in a warm ce, even I don''t exactly know the ce. When I was a kid, I was fortunate enough to hear stories about them. It was said that the south was a vast beautiful ce. Like everyone, I too wished to go there once." Dhairya said with nostalgia.


    For a moment he went into a deep reverie, thinking about his childhood dreams. Even though most of them were unfulfilled, this didn''t make him sad. In fact, it made him stronger by remembering that this was the life he chose. And he was satisfied by it.


    "If the south was that beautiful. Why are we living here? Wouldn''t it be better to live there? In a warm and beautiful ce without fearing the cold."


    "It is not as easy as you imagine, kid. In the future, you will understand." He said looking straight at the horizon. Alex too turned his sight towards the mountain.


    In the distant snow-covered mountains, they saw many small ck dots appearing. At first, the dots only numbered a couple of dozen. But soon, hundreds of ck dots began appearing in their vision.


    "The herd is here. Wait for my signal before rolling these stones down. We will spook the herd into moving towards the small path on the southwest side. This way, we can reduce the number of prey and focus on hunting them. Do you understand what I am saying?" Dhairya asked with a small grin.


    "Yes."


    Alex didn''t know what the whole n was. But he could see that they had one in ce. That was enough assurance for him to believe that the hunters would be sessful.


    For generations, they might have hunted in this region and any knowledge they have would be greater than what he knows.


    Alex was humble enough to know that he is the most useless among the hunters. It was better to be safe than sorry. So, he went along with their n.


    As a person who had never killed an animal before, he didn''t even know if he had it in him to kill arge animal. But he was sure that if pushe to shove, he wouldn''t mind being a little cruel to survive.


    "Why are we spooking the herd with the stones? Wouldn''t it be enough to kill the animals?" Alex asked.


    "You make it obvious that it is your first hunt. Kid, you have never seen a living hairy buffalo, right? They are twice as tall as people and weigh more than twenty people. Their head is as strong as rocks. Whenbined with their sharp-tipped curved horns. They are nothing less than a device of mass destruction. And we need to kill at least twenty of these beasts to ensure enough food for the winter. Do you really think it is as easy as throwing some stones? These animals are capable of killing seasoned warriors much less destroying some falling rocks. Ah! Kids these days." Dhairya said with a worried look. Why was this kid acting stupid all of a sudden? He thought.


    Alex was ashamed of asking the question. He quickly looked away to hide his shame. Yet he felt like something was crawling up his back when he tried to avoid Dhairya''s re.


    ''All I can see are ck dots on the horizon. I don''t even know what animal we were hunting until he said about hairy buffalo. And who could even imagine a buffalo twice as tall as people as their prey?'' Alex was vexed.


    "And you are sorely mistaken if you really thought that hairy buffalos were the only prey. There are much more dangerous preys for us to hunt. You have yet to see elks, four-tusked mammoths, deers and many more animals. Each requires different styles of hunting. Don''t take my words lightly, this is a fight for survival." Saying those few words, Dhairya concentrated on his work.


    As an old man, rolling stones down the cliff was the only thing he could do to help the hunters. And teaching the younger generation while at it made his life even more fulfilling. So, he was trying his best to guide Meru, the young tribesman to the right path.

 Chapter 8 Mammoth

    ?The goal of the stone head tribe was to iste herd animals before hunting. To do that, they made traps to funnel the animals in a direction.


    When one or two buffalos are trapped. They surround them and kill them. This was the best way for them to hunt.


    Although pitfalls were effective. They were not effective in a prolonged hunt. Once a buffalo falls down the pit. The next animal would avoid the pit.


    So, in the beginning, the hunters will use pitfalls and other traps to kill as much as they can. Then they will employ other means of hunting. By doing that, they could save their stamina and prevent injuries.


    No method was considered lowly in a hunt. And they knew it well.


    Once an animal was killed. The support team''s job was to quickly move it away from the hunting ground to a secure area.


    After all, Humans were not the only ones here to hunt. Other predators are also eyeing the prey. And if they are not careful. Humans would also be considered prey.


    So. They have to take quick action. Before therge predatory animalse. Humans have to hunt what they can and escape.


    Or else you can imagine the blood bath that''s going to happen. This was also one of the reasons why the support team took quick action in the hunting ground to move the prey away.


    No one wants to face the animals that can hunt buffalo which can shatter stones with their head.


    ¡­.


    Alex waited for the elder''s signal. And as soon as the animals reached the area below the cliff. The elder rolled a stone down. It barely scraped by a buffalo. But it was enough to spook the herd.


    The slow-moving herd. Began elerating down the valley. It was like a chain reaction.


    When one buffalo was startled. Everything around it also became spooked. They jumped quickly responding to the danger. Dodging all the falling rocks.


    Alex who stood atop the cliff was startled seeing how these heavy animals which weighed many metric tons were jumping. Their agility and power were no joke.


    Now hepletely believes that he can''t kill any prey with stones alone. It was crazier than what was told to him.


    "Don''t just stand there. Come and help this old bones. Help me push these stones down." Dhairya, who saw Alex wasting time urged.


    Alex didn''t waste time anymore. He quickly began pushing the stones down. He didn''t care if they could hit the mark anymore. He just had to make as much chaos as he can. And he was sessful in doing so.


    Dhairya who saw this smiled. Unlike the young men who were too excited and took action without thinking. Alex was different. He was thorough and thoughtful.


    He knew what to ask. When to follow orders and to do it as efficiently as he can. He was a creative and thoughtful kid. Dhairya thought.


    "Ok, it''s done. Now we can go down and help the others. We do not have any time to waste. Before the real rulers of the wildernesse. We need to escape. The chaos will invite undue attention. Be careful of giant Wolves, Mountain lions and other predators waiting in the bushes for us to make a mistake."


    "What should I do once we reach the valley?"


    "You must carry the meat and secure it on the prepared carriage. Once the hunt is over, we will leave as fast as we can toward the tribe. Be ready when it''s time."


    "Okay!" After saying that. Alex ran towards the valley. He was required to carry the meat from the valley towards the camp. And ensure that they were ready to escape swiftly if necessary.


    ¡ª----


    Alex reached the valley where the hunt was taking ce.


    It was pure chaos as expected. Many people were running around carrying weapons. And the support team was busy carrying the carcases towards the camp.


    If he could imagine what a warzone would be like, this was how he would imagine it to be.


    His heart pumped like crazy in the chaos, forcing him to move and work together in sync with the hunters. Quickly moving towards the support team, he helped them carry the prey. Buffalo weighing more than three tons was easily carried by this group of four kids.


    "Give it to us." One of the guys in the front called out. He was one of the older generations of the support team.


    Even though the kids could lift the carcase, walking a long distance was impossible. So, they only had to deliver the carcass to the older generation. They would then move it to the camp.


    Alex who saw this was impressed by the efficient utilization of manpower.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "You there, follow me. We are going to the pitfalls to collect the other carcass." One man called out to Alex.


    "Ok." Alex nodded in affirmation.


    The pitfall was twenty feet deep with sharpened tree trunks at the bottom. They were pointed upwards like spears aiming to hit the underbelly of the animals.


    And in that pitfall was a calf on itsst breath.


    "Waaa."


    A feeble cry came out of its mouth.


    "You, go down and carry it up. We have to move it before the next onees."


    Alex, who heard this was in a momentary stupor. This was a dangerous job. Even a small calf could squish him into a meat patty if he was careless. Even though the calf was weak and almost dead, it doesn''t decrease the danger.


    And what if another animal broke through the hunter and fell into the pitfall while he was inside it?


    Alex felt a chill go up his spine. Every possible scenario he imagined had a bad ending for him.


    "What are you waiting for? Do it fast before the next onees, we have to cover up this ce and leave."


    He didn''t have much time to think about it. Alex jumped down the pitfall quickly.


    The calf was as big as he was and weighed more than 300kg. But it was easy for Alex to lift it up. Suddenly a rope was thrown down by the man above. Alex tied the rope around him after grabbing the calf.


    Even though the calf squirmed in pain, Alex held on to it tightly. Preventing it from slipping away.


    Before he knew it, Alex was pulled up by the man.


    "You did well, kid. Now, take this calf and run onto the sidelines." Throwing him a piece of rope, the man said.


    He didn''t want to make it difficult for Alex.


    But before they could move away. They heard a thunderous sounding from the frontlines.


    "Thump¡­Thump¡­" The sound came near them increasing ever so slightly.


    Within seconds, they could feel the earth vibrating ording to the sound. And the trumpeting of an angry animal shook the surrounding.


    It was a mammoth. A four-tusked woolly mammoth.


    Like a mountain walking on its four legs. It was moving towards the hunters in the frontline. Spreading fear among them.


    ''Were they nning to hunt it?'' Alex thought incredulously.


    The mammoth was between thirty to forty feet tall and could be called a meat mountain. And it looked ferocious with its four tusks ready to rip apart anything that stood in its way.


    Alex looked at it in disbelief.


    Was it even possible to go near that thing, much less hunt it? Alex thought.


    But before he could see what exactly was happening. A scream spread from the surroundings. Every one of the hunters was screaming, making noises to attract the mammoth.


    "These nut jobs." Alex said while trying to run away.


    "You don''t have to go now. The hunt will be over after we kill that¡­" Said the man with a smile.


    "How can you kill that?"


    "Just like we always do. Now see why we are called the stone head tribe¡­"Said the man mysteriously before walking towards the mammoth.

 Chapter 9 Mammoth

    ?Before Alex could grasp the reality. People holding different weapons began running towards the mammoth.


    Contrary to the initial fear they disyed. Now, they disyed excitement. Their eyes were focused on the body of the mammoth.


    Unlike how they hunted till now, there was no trickery or deceit. Like ants swarming over their prey, the hunters ran towards the mammoth. After reaching close to it, they run circles around it, to prevent the mammoth from concentrating on one individual.


    Although the meat mountain was strong. It was not as smart as the hunters. It tried to throw its trunk around to hit the hunters. And one hit would have been critical for the weak humans. But the hunters avoided the trunk easily with their skilled movements. Nothing could touch them at that moment.


    ''This looks easier than I imagined.'' Alex was mesmerised by their movement. It was a beautiful at the same time deadly. The fear he had slowly vanished from his mind.


    The buffalos were quick, agile and strong animals. But it was possible to hunt them due to easily exploitable weak points like their neck and eyes.


    However, the mammoths were different. They were strong with impable defence. Their hide and skin were a couple of inches thick and whenbined with the thick fur they had all around its body. They could be said to be tanks of the animal kingdom. It had a short neck covered in ample fat and fur and even its eyes were guarded by the thick trunk of its.


    So, it was obvious why even when the hunters circled around the mammoth and avoided it. They were incapable of harming it. They were there to capture its attention and prevent it from acting wildly.


    For a moment the beast and hunters in a standstill, neither attacked nor retreated. But on cue, an arrow zed past the hunter, towards the mammoth.


    The arrow was aimed at the eye of the mammoth.


    If it was an ordinary animal, even an elephant, that arrow would have surely blinded the beast. But the four-tusked mammoths were different. It did something unpredictable.


    Like a bolt of lightning, the trunk moved to intercept the arrow. Before the arrow could reach its mark, the mammoth swatted it like swatting a fly. It was not even bothered by the attack.


    However, it sparked the retaliation of the mammoth. Without considering what was happening, the mad animal began running forward, threatening to run over anything that stood in its path. It was a horrifying sight.


    Alex who saw this quickly moved back with the calf.


    At that exact moment, he also saw six people running towards the charging mammoth. And at the forefront of the crazy six was Daya who was holding a shield.


    Alex who saw this was perplexed.


    ''Did they really think that she can stop an animal weighing more than thirty tons with a scrawny old shield? Besides that, it was running forward with a velocity of more than 10 meters per second. Basically, the impact force from the mammoth would be greater than a couple of sticks of dynamite exploding on your face. Long story short, she is dead for sure.''


    Watching the craziest thing he could ever witness, Alex ran away.


    But contrary to what Alex expected something mysterious was happening to the hunting squad leaders. They were shining in a grey light. Their bodies were erging slightly and their muscles flexed outwards giving them a beastly appearance.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The weapons they were holding also shined in a metallic hue even though they were not made of metals. The weapons of the stone head tribe were made out of bones of prehistoric beasts they scavenged. And now, the spirits of the prehistoric beast were awakening, giving life to the weapons.


    It was a mysterious sight that captivated anyone who saw it. Alex paused and gazed at the scene.


    "HAAAAAAA¡­" With a scream, Daya moved forward. Her eyes shined with a green light and the weapons she was holding turned bright green. Just as she neared the mammoth, time seems to have paused and a beastly sound emanated from the weapon. Slowly, like a blooming flower, an illusory image formed behind her. It looked like a giant ape with four arms spread outwards.


    The beastly form suddenly crouched down to hold the charging mammoth. Seeing this, the mammoth was shocked. It was scared and tried to move away from the ape.


    But it couldn''t. It was firmly held in the grasp.


    The other five people had already surrounded it. Each one of them attacked its legs. Preventing it from moving.


    It was nothing less than a miraculous scene.


    And in that exact moment, with the cry of an eagle. A person fell from the sky. He looked like a greyish meteor falling from the heavens trying to decimate everything below him. And he was falling exactly towards the trapped mammoth.


    It was the chief of the stone head tribe. He was falling towards the head of the mammoth. Unlike six leaders, he had no weapon in his hand nor did he have any defensive equipment. It looked like he was proiming that his body was his best weapon.


    He clenched his hand together to form a striking form mid-air and mmed into the mammoth.


    "Thuck¡­." A dull thumping sound was heard before the skull of the mammoth caved in. And any form of a brain it had was turned into a smoothie.


    The humongous mammoth was dead. And the hunt was over.


    Alex who saw all this was too stunned to speak.


    ''What were these people?'' He thought looking at the magical things he saw. It was more startling than seeing the interdimensional farm for him.


    And thinking about living among people like that. He felt his blood boil and his heart pumping blood vigorously. He was excited for once.


    And that excitement ignited a me inside him.


    "I want to be as strong as that." He said.


    Everyone around him looked at him, seeing the fire burning in his eyes. They too became excited.

 Chapter 10 Home

    ?Looking around him, all he could see was raw meat. Deboned and packed neatly in between leaf and wood. It was arranged in a way to make it easier to carry.


    Fourrge nks were tied together to form a long rectangr shape. On it had wooden nks arranged in uniform to make a tform.


    The hunters arranged the meat on top of the tform to carry it to their homes. Most of the bones were hidden nearby to be carriedter and therger pieces of the bones were set aside to be carried with them.


    Bones were as crucial as meat for the hunters. They could use them to make weapons, arrowheads and even some tools. While meat provided them energy to use the tools. And the animal skin and hide kept them warm. Everything from the animals was important to them. So, they kept everything useful to be carried with them.


    After an hour of preparation, it was time for them to set off.


    Unlike the modern age, they didn''t have heavy machines or vehicles to carry the load. So, the hunter grouped into ten teams to carry the wooden tforms on their shoulders.


    Alex volunteered to carry the bones of buffalos on his back. The stack of bones was not that heavy for him. But thinking about carrying it for a prolonged time made him dejected.


    Nheless, he had a hidden agenda for volunteering. He wanted to quickly swipe some without anyone noticing.


    No, he was not stealing them. He was just being less wasteful. Even if the hunters took all the meat and bones. They would be wasted along the way or even decay. So, by taking the part the hunters have to leave behind due to their limited manpower. Alex was actually contributing to society.


    Or at least, that''s what he said to himself when he stole their meat and bones.


    He also wanted to try selling them in the farm shop. What if he hit the jackpot?


    But life never goes as nned. Although he could sell meat and bones to the shop. He was not able to buy them back. It meant that he was better off keeping them with him instead of selling them. Besides that, as long as he has the farm, he could slowly umte farm points instead of chasing after a couple of FP gained by selling meat.


    So, Alex decided to store the meat and bones in the inventory.


    Among the six empty slots he had, now it was filled withrge stones, wood, meat and bones. Now he was left with only two inventory slots.


    ¡ª--


    It took a long time for the hunters to reach their homes. More than ten hours in total of intense marching.


    If they were normal people, most wouldn''t have even been able to walk ten minutes much less ten hours in the harsh winter climate carrying heavy loads.


    But the physical fitness of the hunters made it look easy. They had to rotate the personnel every hour to maintain the speed. But it was all worth it for them.


    Leaving the hunting ground as fast as they can was one of their goals. And they did it without any hesitation.


    ''Are they afraid of something? Wolves, tigers and snow leopards might be scary. But it wouldn''t scare mammoth-smashing people like them to be scared. Why are they jumpy even though they reached their home?'' Alex thought after looking at the hunters.


    Nothing went wrong till now. So, Alex calmed himself down.


    Looking at the barely visible wooden construct in front of him. Alex knew that they had reached home.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''Is it right to call it home? After all, it is not my home. It is this body''s home.''


    In front of him was a thirty-foot-tall wooden wall separating the inside from the outside. It hadrge wooden spikes poking outside to prevent animals from scaling over it. And in the middle, it had arge wooden door with sentry towers on either side.


    ''It is a fortress made out of wood.'' Alex thought.


    Lining up in front of the fortress were people young and old. All waiting to wee the hunting squads.


    They smiled and cheered seeing the hunters return. The kids ran towards them to wee their fathers. And rest came to help the hunters carry the burden.


    It was the first time Alex felt good to be part of a team.


    Most of the time, his work was unappreciated or misappropriated by his superiors. So, he used to feel miserable living a life like that.


    Instead of a team like that. He for once enjoyed the feeling of returning home and being weed with a smile.


    Even though his contribution was small, the people quickly came towards him to help him carry the bones. They smiled and talked as if they knew and cared about him. In this smallmunity, he could not see any malice.


    "Big bro Meru, how was the hunt? Was it exciting? Did you kill anything? Did you see a live bull? How does a mammoth look, are they big?" Suddenly a small kid not older than ten ran toward Alex and began asking questions.


    "Why are you not answering? Are you injured? Did you be mute?" The kid rambled on. He didn''t even let Alex think, much less answer before the next question came.


    "The mammoth was tall," Alex stated.


    "As tall as the sky?"


    "No, as tall as that tree. And it was also fat. Fat enough for a hundred people to carry."


    "Ha ha aha haha¡­" The kidughed upon hearing the description. "Then there would be enough meat for us all. We will eat meat today. Hahaha."


    "What are you doing, Unda? Come here, don''t disturb Meru. He needs to go to the pond for hising-of-age ceremony." Mani, who saw Alex being held up, interjected. He picked the kid up and carried him over his shoulder while motioning Alex to go forward.


    Just like Mani said, there was a group of kids at the centre of the tribe. They stood firmly before the chieftain, waiting for someone. The chief looked towards a well-decorated house in the centre of the tribe. It wasrge, made entirely of polished wood.


    And from there came a scrawny old man. One of his eyes was covered by an eyepatch and his white hair was sprawled across his back.


    ''A pirate?''


    He looked too old to even walk. Yet he walked gingerly with a staff held in his arms.


    "Young warriors of the stone head tribe. You have returned with great pride afterpleting your first hunt. Today you will meet our mighty ancestors. They will bestow you great power. The power that can change your future. For you shall be our future. He he he¡­"Smiling mysteriously, the old man said.

 Chapter 11 Mupan

    ?''I should have known it. If a weapon can make three-dimensional projections of animals,  appear in the mid-air and stop a running mammoth. Meeting the dead ancestors might not be impossible.'' Alex thought.


    The geezer said that they will be bestowed with great power. And Alex was curious to know what it was.


    Was it the same power the hunters disyed when they killed the mammoth? Or was it something entirely different?


    Many questions popped up in Alex''s head.


    Either way, the only truth was that something mystical was about to happen. And he was ready to go through this ritual.


    After waiting for a moment, the one-eyed pirate, Mupan went and took out a wooden tray from a nearby table. It had many small shiny ck balls the size of quail eggs ced on it.


    At nce, it looked like ck paintballs. But Alex was sure that it was not that. In the stone age, no one would have enough time for entertainment.


    After taking one ball from the tray, Mupan passed it to the kid nearby.


    "Hold onto it. Wait until I say and eat it." He said. While distributing it to all the kids.


    ''Was it a pill? A drug? One-eyed pirate distributing pills. It had to be drugs, right? It makes perfect sense when we consider the fact that it can show us our dead ancestors. Only a powerful hallucinogen can do that.'' Alex who got one of the pills concluded after observing it closely.


    It was a solid, ck pill. The outer surface was smooth and shiny. It had a polish that was impossible to make in the stone age.


    So, where did thise from? Did the Mupan really make it?


    ''The one-eyed pirate-like drug dealer was the mupan who made the medicine to treat his broken arm. The same medicine that sent the poor soul of Meru into the afterlife. Will it kill a second time?'' Alex was concerned.


    Sometimes, even modern medicine can kill people, much less a pill from an unknown source.


    ''Ahh¡­! Ok, I will eat it. If all these people are eating it, it would have been tested before. right?'' He decided to eat the pill.


    "What you have in your hand is a pill made by Mupan. It is made by mixing hundreds of herbs during a period of twelve full moons. This medicine will help you in your awakening. After taking the pill, your body will heat up. You will hear and see many things. But remember, whatever or whoever you see, never look in their eyes." After saying it ominously, the Mupan asked everyone to eat the pill.


    Looking at the shiny ck pill, Alex pondered for a moment before swallowing it whole. Whatever happens, he was ready for it.


    As soon as he ate the pill, the world went dark. He lost all control of his body and everyone one of his senses was blocked. He could not see anything. The frigid bone-chilling coldness of the winter also disappeared. There was no sound all around him. But for reasons unknown, he could feel a presence around him.


    This mysterious feeling held for a moment before he got back his vision.


    Without wasting a moment, he stood up in a panic.


    There was nothing.


    The whole world has turned ck and everything in it has disappeared. But even now, he could sense a presence around him. So, he suddenly turned towards it, guided by his six senses.


    ¡ª----


    The tribesmen waited until the kids ate the pill.


    Although the pill was safe to consume, it had one small side effect. It would raise body temperature radically. The body temperature could sore as high as seventy to eighty-degree celsius if left untreated. But in winter, it would only re up to fifty-degree celsius due to the natural cooling effect.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    It was one of the reasons why the awakening ceremony was conducted during the winter season.


    However, fifty degree celsius was still not something an untrained human could survive. Only warriors could survive in these extreme conditions. So, the tribesmen had a backup n.


    One by one, people came to pick up these kids. They carried them on their backs towards arge pond in the middle of the vige.


    The topyer of the pond was frozen. But a hit from the chieftain smashed the ice, breaking it up into smaller pieces.


    They quickly removed the iceyer from the top and began submerging the kids in icy water. This would offset their body temperature and cool them. And it would also increase the absorption rate of the medicine.


    Meanwhile, Alex and the other kids who were experiencing the vision had no idea about what was going on in the outside world. All connections with their mortal bodies were severed at that time.


    ¡ª------


    Alex who saw the smoke-like figure quickly looked down. He didn''t care if the figure had eyes or not. It was better to follow the instruction and not look at the eyes.


    From what he could see, the figure waspletely made up of smoke and it was floating just above the ground. It was grey in colour and swirled around slightly even when there was no wind.


    It was the only thing visible to Alex in the dark world.


    ''This is a pretty convincing hallucination. Just as I expected, The Mupan is a one-eyed pirate-like drug dealer.'' Alex thought.


    Abruptly, the smokey figure began drifting to the side. It swirled and churned releasing a trail of smoke in its path.


    ''What should I do now? Should I follow it?'' Alex who was perplexed decided to follow the smokey figure.


    This was not the first time he made abrupt decisions in life.


    "Hello, ancestor?" He said jovially to the smokey figure. But no one replied.


    ''Ancestors can''t talk.'' Alex took a mental note.


    After drifting for an unknown amount of time. Alex and the smokey figure stopped in front of a giant cloud. It was vast and immeasurable. And without any sign, the smokey figure melded into the cloud and disappeared.


    Alex finally looked up to know what was happening. But all he could see was a swirling smoke cloud in front of him. It had no eyes, but the centre of the swirl was attracting him like a moth towards the fire.


    Suddenly, a cool current was released from his brain, waking him up from his daze. From the corner of his eyes, he could see the icon of the interdimensional farm lighting up and blinking when he was looking at the cloud.


    A notification quickly came up covering his vision.


    [Data stream found. Extracting data¡­]


    With that, the swirling cloud of smoke became agitated. As if facing a strong attracting force, the smoke was pulled towards Alex.


    Like a ck hole swallowing everything around him, he absorbed it quicker and quicker with each passing second.

 Chapter 12 Experience

    ?[Extractionplete]


    [A new upgrade path has been found. Updating subsystems.]


    [New stat, MP has been added to character stats. MP corresponds to the units of Mysterious energy that the character can control.]


    [Comparing and evaluating data.]


    [A mysterious energy cirction path is formed inside the character to facilitate the use of MPs ording to the extracted data. Upgrading energy cirction path to improve performance.]


    [New function, Asynchronous energy cirction is added.]


    [Improving farm to facilitate the use of MPs.]


    [Updateplete.]


    After reading a long list of notifications. Alex finally regained his ability to move. But before he could think, a chill went up his spine.


    He literally felt like a popsicle.


    "Wha!" Opening his mouth, he tried to take a breath. It was a reflexive action that he had no control over. Yet, never could he have expected to drown in cold freezing water.


    He iled his arms wildly trying to bnce himself while coughing.


    ''Why is there water? Did the ice melt around me?'' Alex who didn''t know that he was transported into a pond thought.


    It didn''t take too long for him to understand his situation. Quickly standing up, he looked around. The pond water was only up to his knee. It was impossible for him to drown in that.


    Just as he stood up, Mani who was nearby came towards him to give him dry clothes. Alex who felt the cold piercing into his skin got off the water and took the clothes.


    "Thanks, Uncle Mani." He said with gratitude.


    Only then did he notice, the three kids shivering nearby. They were drying themselves sitting near a freshly lit bonfire. Alex who saw this quickly went and sat near the fire.


    Normally, he would have avoided any and all social contacts. But now that he was in this situation. He chose to go with the flow.


    "Can I sit here?" He asked one of the three kids. And the only girl among them replied coldly.


    "If you want, sit." She said.


    "We thought you were mute. How can you talk now?" The tall muscr kid said.


    "Stop it Poka. Be polite towards others." The slender kid next to him reproached.


    "Who are the others? Isn''t he from our own tribe?"


    "That''s not the point dumbass. Sorry Meru, he is a little slow. Please bare with it. You can sit next to me. As one of the people who awakened the fastest. We will be one of the best warriors in the future. So, let''s be friends." The slender kid said kindly.


    ''Who are these brats? Friends without even knowing names. If you want to be friends, Brats! You should introduce yourself.'' Alex wanted to say this directly to the kids. But he chose to be an adult and be polite.


    "Who are you?" He asked, politely. Alex who was clueless thought it was okay to be direct.


    "Look who is polite now. He doesn''t even remember our name." The Brawny kid, Poka said sarcastically.


    "Ah! Ignore him Meru. He is Poka, a hammer weilder. I am Thee a spear weilder and she is Kanal a sword weilder."


    "And I am Charam, an Axe weilder." Another shivering kid came from the side and introduced himself.


    "We four are the best of the younger generation." Thee smiled and said. "Now that you beat Charam in awakening. We can say that we five are the best of our generation." He said proudly.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Thee had an aura of a leader. From just a nce, Alex could notice it.


    It also meant, he was the strongest among the four. It was given considering that this was a tribal society.


    ''Usually, leaders are a**holes.'' In his past life, every leader he knew was an a**hole. So, it was reasonable to believe that this smiling kid called Thee might be a *******.


    ''Commencing believe no word but act as if you agree with everything jutsu.'' He thought. Alex activated his survival mechanism.


    He nodded affirmatively to everything that Thee said whilepletely ignoring it.


    And as a side effect, he got new friends and became part of the group.


    Meanwhile, he looked through the interdimensional farm notification once again.


    ¡ª----------


    [Data stream found]


    [Extracting data]


    These were the first notification he had seen from the interdimensional farm. Alex had thought that there was no notification system for the farm. But now, it is proven that it was a false assumption.


    There was a notification system and it only activated on rare asions.


    And the more important question. How did the farm interact with his hallucination?


    As far as he knew, The farm suddenly activated when he gazed at the swirling sea of smoke. Alex was mesmerized and almost became enchanted by the smoke at that moment. It was a dangerous situation.


    And then, the farm acted like a protective mechanism preventing an unknown entity from interacting with his consciousness. After that, instead of Alex, it interacted with the entity that it named as a data stream.


    And finally, after ingesting the new data, a change was triggered providing him with new functions like MP and asynchronous energy cirction.


    That was the summarised version of the incident.


    But Alex had many unanswered questions.


    Awakening was a mystical ritual that helps youngsters of the stone head tribe awaken an ability inside their bloodline. It had nothing to do with the interdimensional farm.


    And the pill made it possible to go into a deep enough trance to interact with an unknown entity. Somehow the farm, hijacked this process to interact with unknown entities and acquired new knowledge.


    And the body modification stage to make new energy cirction pathways might be the cause for increasing the body temperature.


    Now, the pieces were beginning to fall into their ce. But he still felt that something was missing.


    ¡ª-----------------


    "I saw stone giants¡ªall around me. As far as I could see, there were giant stone figures quietly standing. Then I remembered Mupan saying, to not look at their eyes. So, I quickly looked down. It was then that they began moving towards me. And it became very crowded really fast. I couldn''t move an inch. It almost felt like I would die being squished between them. Then I woke up. This was my experience¡­" Thee said.


    Everyone looked at him awed. Most of the kids had only seen a couple of stone giants in their vision. But he had seen a sea of stone giants. They became envious of his talent. It was said that the more giants you see, the better your talent was.


    Everyone wanted to be talented.


    Most of the kids have now awakened and it was almost time to finish the ritual.


    But Alex who heard the experience described by the kids was perplexed.


    ''Why was I the only one who saw a smokey figure?'' he thought.

 Chapter 13 Mysterious Energy

    ?Somehow Alex was different. From among the kids who described their experience, he understood that he was different.


    ''Is it a birth secret?'' Usually, that was the case. To experience somethingpletely different from the tribesmen, he had to be different somehow.


    But in his case, there could be other reasons to be different. After all, the real Meru is already dead and he was upying the body. So, instead of the bloodline. The change in their soul might have caused him to have a different experience when he awakened.


    Or else it might even be due to the interaction of interdimensional-farm.


    Anyway, Alex lied through his teeth when asked about his experience. He didn''t want others to notice that he was different.


    Poka awakened before Alex and he saw hundreds of stone giants in his vision. And Charam who awakened after Alex had only seen a hundred stone giants. This gave Alex a baseline for him to perfect his lie. So, he said he saw two hundred stone giants when he awakened.


    As expected he was not caught for lying.


    ¡ª-------


    "You have learned something that can never be taught. Your life is about to change. As the awakened warriors of the Stone-head-tribe. Let me wee you warmly to celebrate youring-of-age ceremony. Everyone, raise your ss and drink." Mupan, the one-eyed pirate with a penchant for drugs said.


    Alex curiously took a sip of the weird liquid. And he was happy to realise that it was a kind of fruit wine. It was not filtered properly and had some impurities. But overall, it was sweet and quite mild. It was a good drink.


    How did they make it?


    How healthy and hygienic was it?


    He didn''t know, yet he drank it like usual.


    "This is a medicinal wine made by me for today. This will help you in feeling the mysterious energy inside you. Close your eyes, calm yourself and take a deep breath. Feel the energy inside you and its flow. More important than knowledge is the feeling. Try to immerse yourself in that feeling."


    "Can you feel it? A slight warmth all around your body. Like warm water flowing through your body." Mupan asked.


    He was closely observing the crowd. The fifty or so newly awakened kids had their eyes closed, trying to feel their energy.


    Alex too did it. He wanted to feel what the heck MP was.


    "Don''t worry if you can''t feel it right now. The energy within you is small, like a flickering candle whenpared to your predecessors. But don''t worry. Just like how we train to control and increase muscles, we can slowly train to control and increase the energy inside us. And only when we use the energy in tandem with our muscles can we express its full potential."


    Alex heard everything that Mupan said. But his experience waspletely different.


    Just as he ingested the wine. He could feel the warmth spreading throughout his body. The cold disappeared within moments. And the torrent of energy was by no means small. It flowed through his blood vessels into his muscles and towards his skin and bones. It almost exited his body before returning to the centre and into his blood vessels.


    It was apletely involuntary action. There was no need to control it at all.


    But what if he could control it? A sudden thought popped up in his mind. This thought spread like poison in his mind, finally forcing him to move the energy consciously.


    And just as he expected. He could move the energy from one part of his body and concentrate it on another part.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    However, it was not enough to quench his curiosity. He slowly tried to move the energy outside his body.


    When every one of his peers was trying to feel the energy, he was looking at his palm trying to force a little bit of energy outside. And he did.


    However, he quickly regretted doing it. A thick plume of smoke came from his hand before quickly disappearing. He looked around to ensure that no one noticed his peculiar situation.


    But, he could see the eyes of Mupan staring at him.


    ''He noticed it? Didn''t he?''


    "Too cold! Huh! Even vapour from my breath looks like a cloud of smoke." He said softly.


    Mupan who heard it was unperturbed by his words. He walked gingerly towards him carrying a cane and said.


    "Meru,e with me after the ritual. We have to talk."


    ''Am I in trouble?'' Alex thought.


    ''I really didn''t smoke it, Sir!'' He wanted to say it. But the Mupan walked away as fast as he came.


    Most of the tribesmen were surprised to see his action.


    They never expected Meru to awaken properly, much less to be one of the quickest to awaken. Now, he even caught the eyes of the Mupan. Was this the same Meru they knew? The audience thought.


    After that and a mini tutorial on what energy is and how to use it. The ritual was finallypleted.


    Now the kids can be called adults and they could join the hunting group officially and take part in any hunts.


    With that also came the responsibility to help the tribe. They were also required to take part in certain hunts.


    After having avish dinner, everyone went their own way. Alex was also ready to leave. But he didn''t know where his home was.


    So, he did the only thing he could think of. He went to the house of Mupan to ask why he was called. And to find more information about this tribe.


    The house of Mupan was in the centre of the tribe, near the pond. It lookedpletely different from all the other houses in the tribe.


    It wasrge and spacious with decorative pieces on either side of the entrance. It had drawings of animals in red and white paint all around it.


    Unlike what you expect from a stone age tribe. The drawings were detailed, showing different animals and each of their peculiar features. It had a human figure drawn near them for sizeparison and other tools and equipment lined up near them.


    It felt more like a textbook than just a drawing to Alex.


    ''That might be their intended purpose.'' He thought before entering the wooden house.

 Chapter 14 Keepsake

    ?In his home, Mupan was smoking something when Alex walked in. He promptly invited Alex and gave him a seat. The seat was a thick wooden stump shaped and polished to make a chair.


    "Do you know why our tribe is called the stone head tribe?" Mupan asked while gazing at a stone figure in his house. It was a circr single-room house, everything in it was in in sight. And the stone figure was ced near the east corner of the house.


    "It is because of the nature of our power. The mysterious energy that we control helps us strengthen our bodies and increases our defence. For a moment, we embody everything that a stone is. A body as strong as the stones are a gift given to us by the great guardian spirit."  Mupan walked to the stone figure before continuing.


    "And when the first chief of our tribe used this power to headbutt a mammoth and smash its skull. We became the stone head tribe."


    "For generations, our tribe seek knowledge from the guardian spirit to awaken our younglings. What you experienced during awakening was a vision connecting your spirit with your guardian spirit to transfer the knowledge that cannot be taught."


    "It was the only way to gain that knowledge. No human can impart that knowledge through words. You have to experience it to understand it. Therefore we seek the guardian spirit that resides in our bloodline."


    "We go through the process of awakening every year to make our tribe strong."


    "To make our future generations thrive."


    "Now, do you know why I called you here?" Mupan asked.


    ''Yes. To ask me about my awakening.'' Alex replied vaguely. He didn''t specify his experience during awakening nor did he explicitly say that he didn''t see any stone giants in his vision.


    "Huh!" Mupan chuckled.


    "Kid, don''t be cautious. Sometimes you need to take a leap of faith. Don''t always hide your thoughts. I might be able to help you. Just like how you might be able to help me in the future."


    Mupan said after seeing Alex put up a mental guard. He could see the imprable defence Alex had against everyone. And he was considerate enough to understand this and deal with it.


    Even then, Alex stayed tight-lipped. He was caught red-handed and he didn''t have a way out. Once again he felt like a little kid.


    "Hahaha ha¡­ Still being as guarded as ever. I really want to add you to our trading caravan. We need a cautious sceptic like you in our team. It''s good to not fully believe in the words of others."


    While he was talking, Mupan rummaged through the room to pick up something.


    It looked like a small iron coin. It was smaller than a thump in diameter. It had a circr hole through the middle and some things were written all across in an unknownnguage.


    Mupan took this coin and gave it to Alex.


    "This was left behind by your father. He wanted me to give this to you when you are an adult. As promised, today I am handing over this keepsake to you."


    "My father!"


    "Yes, your father." Mupan paused after that. Taking a seat on the wooden chair nearby. He asked.


    "Are you willing to listen now? As I said before. This will be helpful to you. And the only prerequisite is that you hear me with an open mind."


    Hearing the old manin. Alex knew that his methods were wrong. In a small tribe, everyone knew about everything.


    And as an elder and the only shaman in the tribe. Mupan might be the most knowledgeable of them all. How can he not know about things that happened to Meru?


    Alex realised that his origin might not be as vague as he had thought.


    He was just entertaining Alex when he lied.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    After realising this, Alex was ready to have a good conversation.


    "If so, let''s have a good talk Mupan." Alex said with a smile.


    "Ha ha ha. Finally, you are acting like one of us. I almost thought that a ghost possessed you or something."


    "..."


    "Okay! Where was I? We were discussing something about your father. Yeah, he is not from our tribe. It''s as simple as that. You made it hard for me to say it. But that''s the truth."


    ''As expected, it was birth secret.''


    "So, it might also exin your weirdness. I prayed for you to have the guardian spirit of your mother''s side. But when you released the smoke from your palm. I realised that you have the guardian spirit from your father''s side." Mupan breathed in a plume of smoke from his pipe before saying.


    "The power you gained. It is just like the smoke from this pipe. It bends and flows and at times interacts with the environment around it. It was a weird power befitting its weird users. I don''t know if your father fully understood it. But one thing was for certain, he was sure that he barely scratched the surface of what that power could do before he died."


    " And what I wanted to say was that your father released a reddish smoke instead of the greyish smoke that you have. That''s all that I know. I believe this information would help you in the future." After saying that, Mupan silently observed Alex.


    Alex lifted his head and made eye contact with Mupan.


    "Thank you for sharing this knowledge with me." He said with sincerity.


    "So what should I do when others ask about my spirit guardian? Should I continue to lie or can I say the truth?" Alex asked.


    "It''s up to you to make that decision. And the truth is that no one would notice it until you reach the full body strengthening stage. Only then can you fully materialise the body strengthening on a scale that would be obvious from a nce. Nheless, It doesn''t matter if you chose to say it or not. You are not the only one with a different spirit guardian than that of our tribe."


    "Huh! Are you saying that all the mental strain I put myself through to make a perfect lie and act like it was true was all for nothing?" Alex was exasperated.


    "That''s why kid, you should talk more. You would have known that if you had interacted with your peers a little bit." After saying that, Mupan looked at Alex like he was a lost cause.


    Alex who saw this felt ashamed. He wished to vanish from the face of the than to stand there and experience the shame. As a man from a civilised society. He was ashamed of the foolishness in which he dealt with the problem.


    Yet, it didn''t stop Alex from asking.


    "Mupan, it''s cold outside, isn''t it? The sky is dark and there is no light. Can I stay here today?" Alex asked shamelessly.


    "Don''t get cheeky with me kid. Run away right now, before I whoop your ass. Mani is waiting outside right now. He treats you like his own son and now, just as you be an adult. You want to run away from home. Is this how you should behave?" Mupan grabbed a piece of wood, before throwing it at Alex. He was fed up with his nonsense.


    Alex who understood what to do next was happy to leave the house of Mupan. He once again used his impable skill to say one thing and drain more information from his target.


    Instead of asking where his home was, Alex made Mupan indirectly give him information about his home.


    After sessfully failing his mission. He went outside to meet with Mani. They went home in silence.


    Alex was in deep thought. He was making a n for tomorrow. He had so much to do and a very important thing to make.


    ''It is going to get hectic from tomorrow onwards.''

 Chapter 15 Learning

    ?The next day, Alex woke up early. For the first time, he had a good sleep.


    Mani''s house was decent whenpared to all the dpidated wooden houses seen inside the vige. Although it was smaller in scalepared to the Mupan''s house. It had private rooms for each member. This was a boon for Alex. It helped him move in and out of the interdimensional farm unnoticed.


    He even thought of living inside the farm for a couple of days.


    Due to how seasons change inside the farm. He thought that he might have better sleep if he could sleep in a warmer area. It would have been a good idea if not for the fact that it was winter inside the farm too. So, he chose to rest inside his room.


    If possible, Alex wanted to make his own house and move out. It would be better for his future endeavours.


    For the past couple of days, the only thought in his mind was survival. Alex didn''t have much time to think or enjoy his situation. Now that he has breathing room to do what he wants. He began to notice some things that he glossed over.


    The living condition of the stone head tribe was appalling.


    The houses were small and dirty. The clothes were made out of leather and fur and had patches all over them. It could protect him from the cold. But it was the only thing that it could do.


    He didn''t how long it has been since he took a bath or when was thest time he washed his clothes.


    Everything had a musty repulsive smell.


    And most importantly, the vige didn''t have even one toilet.


    You might not notice it in the modern world. But a ce to shit in peace was a must to have in any ce.


    With that in mind. As soon as he woke up. Alex began his busy life.


    He wants a new house, bathroom, shower, clothes, a heater or a firece and something to cook food with.


    It was a simple goal at first, but it soon turned into a n for apleter overhaul of the entire vige.


    Food, water, air, clothes and shelter were considered basic necessities. And everyone needed those. By only improving the overall environment could he live a better life.


    ''Baby steps towards a better future.'' Alex thought.


    ¡ª--


    Alex harvested the matured crops on the farm. After selling the crops, he now has 3000 FP. It was a good amount because he missed many harvests.


    Using the 3000 FP he bought 25 pieces ofnd to cultivate. Now in total, he had 40 units ofnd. 60 more to go before levelling up the farm.


    The remaining FP was used to buy sweet potato seeds for 25 FP each. With that, he could nt 20 units ofnd and the remaining 20 units will be filled with tomato seeds.


    Currently, the farm was in the winter season. So, he had to wait until tomorrow to nt the seeds.


    To make use of his free time wisely, Alex exited the farm.


    Today he wanted to explore the area around the vige. After thates procuring materials to create his new house.


    Wasting no time, he walked towards the centre of the vige. asionally some vigers would nod at him, but most of the time they ignored himpletely.


    Even though Meru was considered an adult. He didn''t have much presence in the vige.


    "Meru, the chief is giving a lesson today. Come to the training ground." Suddenly an unknown person came towards Alex and said.


    Realising the importance, Alex followed the person to the training ground.


    The training ground was arge open area on the south side of the vige. It was situated just outside the giant perimeter walls of the vige near the south entrance.


    Now, it was mostly covered by snow and only a few giant stones could be seen in the training ground.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    A group of people was lining up in the training ground facing the cheif. Thee, Kanal, Poka and Charam were within this group. And Alex could barely hear what the chief was saying.


    Walking closer, he began focusing on the lecture.


    "Awakened people have a Mysterious energy flowing through them. They can control this mysterious energy to enhance their physique or exhibit magical phenomena. Like this." Chief said while coating his arms in silverish-grey-coloured energy.


    He lifted his arms so that everyone can observe what he was doing.


    "What I just did is called body enhancement. For this, I diverted the flow of energy into my arm muscles to strengthen them. Anyone who is awakened can do this. You just need to focus energy on one part of the body. However, the next technique is called full body enhancement."


    After saying that, the chief began to extract the energy that flows through his blood vessels into his muscles. It slowly materialised throughout his body as a grey shimmer of energy.


    It was truly a magical sight. The coat of energy was covering all parts of his body equally without any visible weak points.


    "This is full body enhancement. You can try it if you want. But you will not able to do so until you have enough energy. Only trained warriors can exhibit full body enhancement. And finally, the third and most special power of our n." Chief paused after saying that.


    Lifting his hand up, he once again channelled the energy into his fist. But this time it was different. Instead of the silverish coat of energy forming around his hand, a darker shade of energy was revealed.


    It finally solidified into dark grey colour, like a rock.


    "This is our tribe''s special skill, rock formation. It can either be used as a defensive skill or an offensive skill. And only true masters can exhibit this skill. This is the real blessing given to us by our spirit guardian. I used this skill to break a mammoth''s skull. But there are limitations to this skill. I will give that exnation at ater time."


    After showing the skills, Chief looked at the shining eyes of the youngsters. Although they went through theing-of-age ceremony. Their excitement still showed that they were young kids.


    "You have to work hard to attain this power. Only the can you walk with head held up high among the tribe''s men." The chief added.


    Thee who was watching from the audience lifted his arms suddenly.


    "Can I ask a question?"


    "Yes," The chief replied.


    "You said that only trained warriors can use full body enhancement. So, Why is my bodypletely covered in energy?" Thee said showing off the silverish glow around his body.


    ''Sigh, overachievers and their ego intion method.'' Alex thought while looking at the smiling kid.


    "Ha ha ha¡­ That is why you are special. You are talented and have more than enough energy to manifest full-body-enhancement." The chiefmented.


    A smile bloomed on his face after hearing the praise.


    "So, what about us? How can we be strong?" Poka interjected.


    "What I have shown is the techniques to use the energy. There are two more ideas you have to be familiar with before understanding what it truly means to awaken. One is the ability to quickly recover the used energy. And the other is the way to increase the maximum energy your body can handle." Chief said seriously.


    "In our daily life, we use energy periodically to do tasks that we cannot do otherwise. And by doing so, the energy in our body will deplete. To quickly recover the energy, there are two ways. By eating food or by meditating."


    "By eating food, you supplement the energy by digestion and while meditating, you absorb the energy that surrounds you. And by doing it together, you can see the best effect."


    "And to increase the total energy that your body can store. There is only one way. By training as much as you can. Our body is like a vessel, it has limits to how much energy it can store at any given moment. By training, we increase the limits."


    "And the answer to Poka''s question is simple. You can be strong by training. Never expect to get quick sess like Thee. Only by training your muscles to be in tune with energy can you drive the energy to exhibit enhancement properties. He is just a lucky individual. So, train as hard as you can. Carry weights, roll the giant stones, run around and use the energy in tandem with your muscles. Make using energy as easy as breathing and increase your vessel. That''s all I have to say for today."


    "And remember to try your best."


    After giving a long speech, the chief walked away slowly.


    Alex, who heard this was thrilled to try it for himself.

 Chapter 16 Smoke Screen

    ?The exnation given by the chief was helpful to Alex. He finally got the gist of how to use the mysterious energy. And he was ready to try it out.


    He moved to an isted corner in the training ground. Then he closed his eyes and sat in a rxed position.


    After that, he began meditating. One by one he relinquished his sensory perceptions to focus on meditation.


    Finally, he felt the mysterious energy flowing through him. It was a mild and peaceful energy that gently flowed through his veins.


    After grasping hold of the feeling, Alex opened his eyes.


    Now he had to try and control the energy. Remembering the feeling he got the first time he tried to control the mysterious energy. He willed it to move ording to his thoughts.


    From the chief''s exnation, Alex learned about the enhancing power of the mysterious energy.


    By forcing the energy to umte in his muscles, he could temporarily improve his muscle strength and durability. This method was used by the tribesmen to drastically increase their physical performance.


    Alex also wanted to master this method. But he felt that the chief''s exnation wascking.


    When he moved the energy towards his muscles, it umted and rested in the muscles ording to his will. But a doubt slowly formed in his mind.


    If he only strengthens his muscles, how would the bones bear the increased load? Will they break? He thought.


    So, to not take any risk. Alex began to fill his entire arm with energy. Bones, skin and muscles, everything was enhanced by the energy and finally, a silver lustre manifested on his arm.


    He had sessfully performed body enhancement. It was easy for him.


    To test how strong his arm has be. He smashed it towards a tree nearby.


    "Thump." A hole was sted through the tree trunk.


    Unlike what he expected, the tree was trunk did not break. Only a single hole was made through it. Alex was thrilled to see that.


    He didn''t feel any pain at all. It was apletely painless process.


    If he had seen the bulls he hunted before, he felt like he could kill them with a single punch.


    After experimenting on a couple of trees, he felt the energy inside his arms depleting. He had to consciously divert more energy into his arms to maintain his strength.


    Now he was ready to test the full body enhancement skill shown by the chief. If what he learned from his experiment is correct. He had to fill his entire body with energy and activate it to use the full-body enhancement.


    "Let''s try it once." Alex knew that his sess rate was low. Nheless, he tried.


    "Extract the energy flowing throw the blood vessels,press it and maintain it throughout the body." Alex quickly seeds inpleting the first two steps.


    But the silver lustre didn''t manifest all around his body. Only some parts were enhanced.


    He looked like a spotted cow with an uneven patched silver lustre all around his body.


    ''Why do I look like this?'' He thought while he analysed his situation.


    Looking closer, he could see that hisrge muscles were mostly enhanced by the mysterious energy. But some muscles didn''t show any reaction to the energy.


    "Does it have something to do with how well each muscle reacts to the mysterious energy? Or is the energy not enough."


    To try out different methods, Alex diverted even more energy into his muscles. Hepressed it and pumped it throughout his body to maintain bnce. Finally, he could see the unresponsive muscle groups reacting to the energy.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Alex felt his energy depleting quicker than he could maintain the full-body-enhanced state.


    Suddenly, A slight tremor went through his body. His weaker muscles began spasming uncontrobly.


    The silver lustre that surrounded his body disappeared. And the mysterious energy inside his body became an uncontroble torrent of energy. It was threatening to tear his muscles apart and destroy his body.


    "Haa!" A groan escaped from his mouth.


    It was a painful experience for Alex. He didn''t have any time to think.


    To prevent the energy from rampaging inside him, Alex began pushing it out towards his skin. He wanted to throw it out before it did any permanent harm to his body.


    Like a balloon deting, the energy inside his body was released outside. The moment the energy escaped from his body, it turned into a thick plume of smoke. It densely covered the area around him, temporarily blocking the vision of everyone around him.


    It was dense and heavy, like a fog covering arge area. It spread to his surrounding like a tsunami of clouds enveloping the training ground.


    For a moment, the entire training ground became quiet. All the kids who were training were perplexed by the sight. But they didn''t panic. They had experienced even worse snow storms in their life. It was nothingpared to that.


    They slowly moved away from the training ground into the vige to avoid the fog. They thought it was natural and will go away after some time.


    But Alex who was at the centre of it all was having a different experience.


    Seeing the energy he released turn into a sea of fog. Alex panicked.


    It took him a moment to grasp what was happening.


    ''Is this my special power, the power granted to me by my spirit guardian?'' He thought.


    Unlike everyone else, the smoke screen he released did not obstruct his vision. He could see and feel everything around him. He suddenly felt like he got a sixth sense.


    And that was not all. He could, to some extent control the smoke.


    By waving his hand around, Alex willed the smoke to move away from the training ground. And just as he did it, the smoke began moving ording to his will. But due to the vast quantity, it was taking a lot of time to move away.


    So, Alex willed it to disappear.


    And just like wished, it began to thin out and disappear from the air.


    Finally, he was left standing in an empty training ground all alone.


    Even though his muscles hurt a little, he was thrilled to know how to use his special ability.


    ''It is a smoke grenade, I can cover a vast area in smoke and blind the enemy. While I enjoyed full freedom in this area. It might seem like a deceptively bad ability. But I know how good it was. Ask anyone who ys a game. How good a smoke grenade is.''


    ''If I can control the quantity and quality of the smoke screen. Then it would be too awesome.'' After thinking that, Alex tried to walk towards the vige.


    "Ouch." It was then that he noticed how strained his muscles were. He had bruises all around his body and it was painful.


    ''I should be more careful in the future about how I use the mysterious energy. Some of my muscles are not used to the strain. It might be the reason that they be uncontroble and spasmed. I need to do a localised training regime to get used to the mysterious energy.''


    ''It would be better to train one muscle group a day until I can maintain the full body enhancement state. As the chief said, training was the only way to get strong. I have abundant energy and no way to use it.''


    "Huh, sigh." Groaning a little, Alex walked towards his home. He just wants to rest in a warm ce today. He was too tired to do anything.

 Chapter 17 Oven

    ?At the moment, Alex only had three simple goals.


    To survive, to improve his living condition and to eat good food.


    Now, his survival was ensured due to the protection of the tribe.


    Also, by slowly increasing his physical strength, he could get strong enough to survive on his own.


    And the quality of food can be improved by relying on the interdimensional farm. Due to the intense exercise that he was doing, consuming nutritious food was important to him. Just eating meat was not optimal.


    But, to improve his living condition, he has to take action on his own. He cannot rely on others to do it.


    So, without any dy, Alex obtained permission from both the chief and Mani to build his own house.


    The vige was small considering the poption of more than two thousand people. Everyone lived inside the perimeter walls. So, Alex had to take extra time to procurend to build the new house.


    Thankfully, Thend next to Mani''s house was vacant. He quickly got permission to use thatnd.


    The plot was about a hundred square meters in area. It wasrgepared to the henhouse that Alex called home in his previous life. Rent in the city was astronomical. So, he had to live like that.


    But now, He has more than enough area to make a small house for himself. So, he carefully nned its outline. Still, it was impossible to make everything he wished for.


    When he began making his design, he realised that most of it would be impossible to build.


    Even a toilet would be impossible. Fortunately, he made one near a cliff far away from the vige and the people. He has to use that until he can find a recement.


    Afterpleting the design, it was time to make it a reality. And he needed manpower for that.


    ¡ª-------


    "Unda, can you help me with something?" Alex asked the little kid.


    "What do you need, big brother Meru."


    "Can you bring me to a ce where there are a lot of stones?"


    "It''s easy. Follow me." Suddenly, As if he realised something, he turned towards Alex. His little eyes shone mischievously.


    "Tonight, I want more meat." He dered solemnly.


    The control over food in the winter season was strict. Due to that, the tribe was using a rationing method to allocate food to each family. And most of the meat was preserved for future use. So, the little glutton was having a hard time. It was why he asked for meat from Alex. And Alex was happy to trade information for some food.


    "Okay." He said while nodding with a smile.


    "Hi hi hi¡­Towards the north, just outside the vige, there is a mountain path. Walking around there, you can find all the stones you need." Unda giggled while describing where to find the stones.


    Stones were essential for Alex''s n to make his new house. But before that, they had even more important use. He was going to use it to make a makeshift oven.


    From his experience, Alex learned that food was very important to the people of the tribe. And he technically had an unlimited source just waiting to be used. And the only thing hecked was a workforce.


    So, If he could trade food for that. He could not just make houses, he could even build cities.


    And making an oven was his first step in vige domination.


    He wanted to bake some sweet potatoes and use them as currency to buy manpower.


    But never did Alex think that his sweet potato fuel ambition would radically change the vige.


    ¡ª--------


    Just as Unda said, Near the mountain path. He found a lot ofrge stones. He moved some of them into his inventory. After making sure that no one was near him. He entered the interdimensional farm.


    Without wasting time, he took out arge stone as tall as him and began smashing it with the pickaxe. At first, the stone didn''t budge at all, but after hitting it with body enhancement. Alex was happy to find that the stone began splitting from the middle.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Now, he had two pieces of stone with t sides. Alex ns to use it as the bottom and topyer of the oven. Two more stones sandwiched between them will prop them up to make a stone oven.


    He can burn wood in the farthest end to heat the oven. And let the hot air rise and leave from the top. He could also feed air from behind through a small hole.


    By closing the front side with a simrly cut stone, he could make a stone oven easily. This was the perfect way to cook sweet potatoes.


    And an even better idea was to use hot air from the top to dry meat and other things. This was an all-in-one cooking contraption made to improve life. Alex was happy with his design.


    He never learned to make something like this in his entire life. But that didn''t stop him from trying.


    He was used to facing problems head-on and solving them.


    He didn''t need a perfect solution. He just needed a working contraption.


    Improvements can be made in the future.


    ''It just needs to work. And it will work.''


    After building the new oven. Alex went back to his home.


    He took out one stone at a time and began building the oven. No vigers bothered him.


    Alex was just a kid rolling stones around to make something. Why should they care about him? It was how the vigers thought.


    Finally, after a couple of hours of intense work, Alex built a stone mound near his house. To not make the vigers suspicious, he had to manually drag stones from outside the vige. It was hard work.


    After chopping up some firewood. He lit them inside the oven.


    Now, asionally, curious nces were directed at him. Yet Alex was not bothered by it. He ced some sweet potatoes inside and left.


    ¡ª-------


    After some time, a sweet savoury aroma of the sweet potato permeated the surroundings.


    Unda, who was nearby was salivating, looking at the stone oven.


    "What is that big brother Meru?" He asked.


    "It''s something used to cook food." The tribesmen have never seen a cooking contraption like that before. They only used y pots and fire to cook their entire life. If y pots are not avable, they barbecue the meat and eat them.


    Vegetables were often consumed raw and seldom cooked. So, Alex could only exin it as something used for cooking.


    "What are you cooking right now. It smells so good. Can I have one?"


    "Of course, you can have one. It''s something really yummy." Alex smiled and replied. That smile did have an underlying meaning behind it.


    While he cooked sweet potatoes, he cooked up a n to attract the people. And the simplest and most efficient way was by giving it away for free.


    Like a drug dealer, giving freebies to addict his customers. Alex was nning to use freebies to make them work for him in the future. It was a sinister n.


    "Ku Ku Ku¡­" Heughed.


    He wasted no time in taking out the baked sweet potatoes.


    "Unda, take this. This is called a sweet potato. Eat it while it''s warm." After slightly cooling it, he gave one to Unda.


    "And give these to our neighbours. Deliver it quickly. If you do it. I will give you more,ter." Seeing Unda enjoy the baked sweet potato, Alex coaxed Unda to work for him.


    His n was already halfplete.

 Chapter 18 Pitch

    ?The vigers loved the sweet potatoes distributed by Alex. They quickly gobbled up the delicious treat. Due to that, Alex was able to create a favourable impression of himself.


    The advertisement part of the home-building project waspleted sessfully.


    After that, Alex packed some sweet potatoes and went to the Mupan''s house.


    Mupan was the spiritual leader of the tribe.


    He creates the awakening pills, medicine and odd tools. He was a pir of support for the tribesmen. His existence was unique and important for the tribe to survive.


    So, he had as much importance as the chief in the governance of the tribe.


    And Alex wanted this guy''s help.


    He couldn''t just randomly distribute food without notifying the origin of the food. But, he could do so if Mupan agrees to consume his food. No one would doubt that the food that Mupan eat is bad.


    In modern-day, this form of advertisement was called influencer marketing.


    And today, Alex was going to use it to increase the trust in his product. There was no other way for him.


    You could imagine his plight when he had to distribute unknown vegetables as food to arge poption of people. He couldn''t even properly describe its origin even if he wanted to. It was the crux of the issue.


    So, after taking the roasted sweet potatoes, Alex went to Mupan''s house. He reached there quickly and knocked on the door.


    "Ah! Meru,e in." The one-eyed man opened the door and invited him in.


    Inside the house, there was one other person. Dhairya who he hadn''t seen for days was inside smoking a pipe. He had a blissful smile on his face while he puffed the smoke.


    "Sit here, Dhairya, look who is here. The smart kid that you talked about is here." Mupan said.


    Dhairya, who was in his own world finally noticed Alex. They worked together in the support group and he had a good impression of the kid.


    "Haha, kid! We were just talking about you."


    ''You were talking about me. Is that a good thing?'' Being nondescript was one of his valued skills. And yet these old codgers were talking about him. Alex found it peculiar at the same time a little disturbing.


    "Oh! What were you talking about?" Hiding his thoughts, he asked jovially. At the same time, he took out the sweet a potato from his bag and began peeling it.


    The delightful aroma of the well-cooked sweet potatoes filled the air at that exact moment.


    Even Mupan and Dhairya who had vast life experience paused. And curiously looked at what Alex was doing.


    Alex didn''t stop. He quickly ted the warm sweet potatoes on a wooden tray and sprinkled some salt over it. He also took out some roasted meat too. This time it was special. He didn''t do this when he gave the baked sweet potatoes to the vigers.


    Salt was a preciousmodity in the tribe. It was hard to get and they only had a limited amount. So, they seldom used it.


    But eating it without salt would diminish the taste so much that he was willing to use his own salt. He wanted to impress the elders in front of him. He even took out roasted meat to enhance the vour.


    Finally, the tray was moved towards the elders. It was obvious from his action that he wanted them to eat it.


    "What is this?" They asked simultaneously.


    "Something good to eat." He said while eating a piece of sweet potato wrapped in a piece of meat.


    Just like he had shown. The elder too took a bite of the meat-wrapped sweet potatoes. And it was delicious.


    A smile bloomed on their face while they chewed on the delicious cuisine.


    "It''s delicious."


    "Savoury and sweet."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Bothmented.


    "How did you make it? And what is this potato-looking tuber? It is softer and sweeter than a potato."


    Mupan said. His hands were still stretching outwards to grab one more piece. But Dhairya was quicker.


    ''Sessful!'' Alex thought.


    No one dislikes tasty food. Even if it was poisonous, they would eat it. The prime example was the eating of fugu, a type of pufferfish in his previous world.


    Now that there is delicious and safe food, why would they reject it? This was the time Alex was waiting. He began his sales pitch.


    "What you ate just now is a sweet potato. It''s just like potatoes and I have a lot of it." He conveyed everything he wanted as quickly as he can to grab their attention.


    Alex wanted to make them curious and let them ask the questions themselves. He didn''t want to let them know everything about it.


    "Can I get some more then?" Dhairya asked.


    "Of course, as much as you want¡­"


    "But not for free, right?" Mupan who saw this said.


    Their eyes glowed while waited for Alex toplete his words.


    "Ha ha ha¡­ Of course for free. You just need to help me make my house. Even if I wanted to, I couldn''t eat them all by myself." Alex replied.


    "If you want us to work. It''s not actually free, right?" Mupan said. Then he turned towards Dhairya and said.


    "Can''t you see what he is doing? He is negotiating. Didn''t I say this kid was interesting? Now you know why I asked you to take him with you. Our trading caravan really needs someone like him."


    "Okay, done. He cane with me." Dhairya quickly agreed.


    Alex who didn''t know what was happening stood there stunned.


    ''Why do I feel like I have been sold off? I was here to sell sweet potatoes, yet I was the one who was being sold.'' Fate was truly cruel.


    Alex realised his plight. On one hand, he was sad that he had yet again underestimated the stone head tribe. On the other, he was happy to know that there were other people outside to whom he could trade.


    Both realisations significantly changed his outlook on this world. But before any of that, he had toplete his home-building project. No way was he going to give up on that. His dream of finally owning a home was so close. It was not worth it to give up now.


    "What is a trading caravan?" Once again Alex snooped for more information.


    "The trading caravan is something that Dhairya is part of. He will go to the nearby tribes and trade products to buy necessary items tomorrow. So, I want you to  go with him and gain experience."


    "For free?" Alex asked with a smile.


    Seeing it, both of the elders smiled.


    "No, I give you permission to sell your sweet potatoes and other things to the tribe, only if you promise me that you will do no harm to the tribe."


    Mupan was thrilled to see a smart kid like Meru in his tribe. He enjoyed conversing with him more and more.


    Dhairya also agreed while nodding his head.


    "Okay, then it''s a promise. You can''t break it." After saying that, the excited Alex left the house. He agreed with their demand in exchange for fulfilling his demands.


    He just had to go to some nearby tribes and trade. As a person from the modern world, he was actually looking forward to it. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain. He can build his house after returning from the trip.


    If he utilises the time efficiently, he can let the vigers gather material first. And build it after returning.

 Chapter 19 Trading Caravan

    ?Alex or Meru as we know was now part of the trading caravan. He was tasked with going to different ces to trade products.


    What Alex really wanted to do was to explore the world. He knew that there were more mysteries to this world than he knew. And it would be in his favour to know about those.


    To prepare for this trip, Alex took his first bath in ages.


    It was hard to have a proper bath when all the water he saw was frozen or freezing cold. And he was really not into ice baths. So, he had to bake some stones inside the oven and transfer them into a wooden tub filled with cold water to increase the temperature. There was norge y pot to heat all the water he needed to bathe.


    Solving one problem at a time, Alex tried to enjoy his life.


    After the bath, he dumped his dirty clothes and put on new ones. Then took a backpack he made with leather and strapped it over his shoulder. Other than some sweet potatoes there was nothing inside it. This was just to show that he had some luggage with him. Adding arge nket to his luggage, hepleted his preparations.


    ¡ª-----


    "Unda, big brother will leave soon. Do you remember what I told you?"


    "Yes, When they bring a wooden log, give them this many sweet potatoes," Unda said while holding up his two fingers.


    "What else?"


    "I shouldn''t eat the ones we are trading for wood. Big brother left a separate bag of sweet potatoes at home for me to eat."


    "Smart boy, you remember everything that I said. Let them ce the wood near our house." Pointing to the plot ofnd next to Mani''s house, Alex said. He used Unda as his temporary salesman. He even gave him a sry of some sweet potatoes.


    After saying goodbye to Mani and his family members, Alex left to meet the Mupan. The trading caravan was ready to depart.


    ¡ª-------


    Although it was said to be a caravan. It was just a couple of small wooden sleighs pulled by people.


    It was frustrating to see that they didn''t even have a domesticated animal to pull that thing along. Walking was hard in the dense snow-coverednd. So, we can imagine how hard it would be to drag something along with them.


    Nheless, it was better than carrying the weight on their back and walking as they did after the hunt. At that time, they were prioritising speed overfort. But it was not the case now.


    Once the preparation wasplete, the chief and Mupan came to send them off.


    There were thirty people in the caravan. And the only familiar faces were of Dhairya, Daya and Kan.


    Dhairya was the leader of the support group. He carefully checked the sleigh to find any defects. He threw away the broken ones and loaded the intact ones with meat, herbs and some other animal product. The stone head tribe was a hunting tribe, they only had products acquired from animals to sell.


    Now Alex knew where the salt and y potteries came from. The stone head tribe never made them. They depend on other tribes to make them.


    They were a perfect example of consumers.


    Daya and Kan were two of the six leaders of the stone head tribe. Daya wielded her shield and stood in front of the caravan. To protect from any unknown danger.


    Kan who was carrying the bow was tasked to do perimeter checks. He was one of the top trackers of the tribe. He knew which path to follow and which path to avoid when he sees tracks ofrge predators.


    Alex who saw this stood in front of the caravan. Which he felt was the safest. He remembered how a humongous mammoth was stopped in its tracks by Daya and decided to stay behind her at all times.


    ording to Dhairya, it was a week-long trip towards the market. They had to follow the mountainous path towards the south and cross ake and river to finally reach their destination. The Blue gem city.


    The Blue gem city was a trading hub. It was controlled and governed by a tribe called the snow phoenix tribe.


    One would think that due to therge number of uncivilized peopleing together in this city, there would be random conflicts and fights. But it was not the case, due to the strength and reputation of the snow phoenix tribe. No one dares to take part in conflict inside the city. It was the safest ce to trade in.


    And the winter trade season was one of the important times to trade. The flow of people to and from the city would be in the thousands. So, you can imagine the influence of the snow phoenix tribe.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    There were considered the rulers of the snowy mountain regions of the north. The stone head tribe was nothingpared to them.


    Alex who learned about all these stood with his mouth open in awe.


    ''This is getting moreplex than I couldprehend.''


    After an entire day of walking, they reached arge snowy ne. It spread as far as they could see with nothing in between.


    "Barren and cold," Alex said seeing the ne. The caravan stopped just as they reached the snowy ne and put up their tents. They were going to rest there tonight.


    Even with the superhuman capabilities of the stone head tribe. Trekking through the mountainous regions for a day was strenuous.


    As the youngest member of the trading caravan, the tribesmen graciously helped Alex in setting up the tent. To be helpful, Alex volunteered to cook.


    Alex had a lot of sweet potatoes in his inventory. He also had some chilli pepper, potatoes and carrots that he farmed in his spare time. It was just enough to make a mild soup.


    He took a couple ofrge earthen pots and went towards the ne. Dhairya was sitting on a log looking into the snowy expanse. Noticing Alex, he said.


    "The winter looks so different from the summer. Theke looks so peaceful now, you don''t even have to worry about being eaten alive when you are fetching the water."


    What an ominous thing to say.


    Alex who heard this paused.


    The vast snowy ne in front of him waske Kurma. Now it had frozen solid and turned docile. From the tribesman, he knew that it was a thriving freshwaterke filled with monstrous creatures. But in winter, they sleep until the snow thaws.


    It was safe for Alex to walk on the ice or to take some water from it. Tomorrow, they would be crossing over it on foot. But hearing the ominous words of Dhairya, Alex panicked.


    "Don''t worry. Get the water you need. I am hungry. Cook something good today." Dhairya said with a smirk. He was just teasing the kid.


    Alex quickly ran around collecting water and firewood to make the meal.


    The meat was considered staple food by the tribe. Even though it was tasty, Alex felt like it was hard to eat it all day and every day. With the limited amount of seasoning, it was even way worse.


    So, Alex was going to try something different today.


    He roasted the meat as usual and sprinkled some salt into it. To apany that, he was going to make soup.


    For those who are wondering, Alex has no idea how to make soup. But he was a pretty good idea about boiling water and chopping up vegetables.


    So, he chopped up the potatoes, chillies and carrots into tiny pieces and began boiling them in water. He boiled until the chunky pieces of the vegetable turned soft. It was the best that he could do considering how cold the environment was.


    After that, he added some rock salt to it until he felt like it was tasting good.


    ''Good!'' Hemented. It tasted way better than he imagined it would. The slightly spicy taste of chilli pepper and the soupy mixture of carrots and potatoes were the most delicious thing he ate in a while.


    After that, he roasted some sweet potatoes and set them aside.


    Taking out wooden bowls, he served them to each member. Each one got a bowl of soup, freshly roasted meat and sweet potato. It was a scrumptious meal that they could never forget.


    The chilli pepper-filled soup warmed their bodies. And it felt really good in the harsh cold winter.


    After the exciting meal. Alex was permanently tasked with cooking duties.


    ''Was this a good thing?'' Alex pondered.

 Chapter 20 Wolves

    ?''p¡­p"


    "Meru, Wake up!" It was night. Everyone should have been asleep. Yet, suddenly someone pped Alex awake.


    Alex, who dreamed of getting rich quickly with his interdimensional farm was pped awake. He looked dazed and disoriented.


    "What!" He eximed.


    "Shhhh¡­ Keep quiet. Come outside, we are leaving." The man who pped Alex said. He was one of the members of the caravan.


    Alex who heard it swiftly got on his feet.


    He could see that it was dark outside. It was not morning yet, and the caravan member was reacting weirdly.


    "What happened?" Alex questioned curiously. He could see the slight panic in the caravan member''s eyes.


    "Something is tracking us. Kan saw something beyond the mountains. We need to leave fast. Quickly get up and prepare to leave." After saying that, the man went around waking other members of the tribe.


    ''Something was tracking us? Was it an animal, predator?'' Alex thought while he quickly packed up his things.


    Fortunately, he didn''t have many things to carry. But the same cannot be said for the tribesmen. They had heavy sleighs to pull along.


    The moment Alex exited the tent, he could see the temporary camp quietly waking up. Within minutes they packed everything and were ready to move.


    "Are we going across theke?" Daya who usually kept quiet asked. Even a strong warrior like her was panicking. This caught Alex off guard. He was hoping to follow behind Daya like a small chick following behind its mother. However, the panicked words of Daya spooked him.


    "It would be hard to evade them if we move through theke." Daya once again said. She was asking Dhairya about his opinion.


    "But it would be faster to leave through theke. We will never be able to evade wolves in the thick forest. Remember that we have to pull the sleighs. Our only way to outmanoeuvre them is by running as fast as we can through theke." Kan who spotted the wolves said.


    "I only saw a single wolf and I don''t know how many they have in their pack. We can''t stay here and fight. More will being here soon. We have to hurry." He said to Dhairya forcing him to take quick action.


    "We are leaving right now. Let''s take the safe bet and cross theke. If we run fast, we can cross it in three to four hours. It will be dawn by then, we have a better chance of survival if we can fight in the daytime. If we are lucky, the wolves might leave us alone after we leave their territory." Dhairya carefully analysed the situation before deciding on the next course of action.


    There was no more dy in their motion. Like a well-oiled machine, the group acted like a single entity. Pulling along the sleighs, they began running towards the other end of theke.


    "Meru, follow behind me. Stay close to me and never leave my sight." Dhairya warned.


    It was dark outside. If Alex was not careful, he would be left behind. And it would be hard to find the path again. Dhairya feared that and warned Alex.


    Unfortunately, the caravan was not lucky. Just after an hour or so, Kan spotted the wolf again. It was following behind them.


    It was tracking them and keeping an eye on them at all times. It meant that the wolf pack was following just behind it. Ready to attack if they show a moment of weakness.


    Alex promptly grabbed a long spear for himself. He didn''t have any weapon to fight with and he felt the need to prepare for any potential conflict.


    Quickly time went by.


    Even after an hour, Kan saw the wolf following closely behind them.


    "Can I shoot it down?" Lifting his bow up, he nocked an arrow into it before asking. He aimed it at the wolf.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    At first, he left it behind not spook the pack behind it. It was better to leave silently than to attack and gain the ire of the wolf pack.


    But now, the wolf was really getting on his nerves. Through its action, it has already dered its intention to attack the caravan. And that was unforgivable in Kan''s books.


    "Ok, Shoot it down."


    Hearing Dhairya loud and clear, a small smile bloomed on Kan''s face. He raised the bow and aimed directly at the wolf.


    "Snap¡­Swish¡­" With a snapping sound, the arrow flew through the air and urately pierced the wolf''s head. It died in that exact instant. The brain that it once had waspletely pierced by the arrow.


    There was no way for it to survive.


    Kan was one of the six top warriors of the stone head tribe. The poor wolf underestimated him and followed him thinking they were easy prey.


    But it didn''t end there. Kan shot three more arrows in quick session. It all pierced through the head of wolves killing them. Only a slight hum of bowstring remained waking Alex from his stupor.


    ''I didn''t even notice the other wolves following behind it.'' He thought.


    "Howl¡­" Suddenly a wolf howled. It jolted awake the tired warriors of the stone head tribe.


    "There is more!" Alex eximed.


    As if that howl triggered a roll call, more and more wolves began howling. That''s when the tribe notice the sounding from all around them.


    Unknowingly the wolves had nked them. They were now surrounded.


    "Oh, shit!"


    "Oh, shit it is. Prepare to fight. There might be more than fifty wolves surrounding us. Kan,  try to spot the alpha. Daya, shield us from the front. Take a circr defensive formation and wait. They need toe to us to attack. Once they reach near us, we will follow Daya and take initiative in attacking." Dhairya, the experienced huntermanded the group.


    Following the orders, everyone prepared for the attack.


    Including Daya, Kan and Dhairya there were only ten people who could do full body enhancement in the group. And they had to fight wolves from the dim moonlit area.


    It was a difficult challenge considering that more than fifty wolves surrounded them.


    A bite or a scratch can be lethal in a situation like this.


    Alex who knew this quickly scanned his surroundings. If he really wanted to, he could temporarily escape to the farm and survive. But he was sure that he would not be able to take any living thing along with him. That meant that he would have to leave behind all the tribesmen alone to fend for themself.


    And if he teleports into the farm right now. He was sure that he can protect his life. But what would happen to the caravan group?


    They might die. Some might have their corpse chewed on by a pack of wolves. It was a horrifying oue that he wished would never happen.


    Finally, after making up his mind, he decided to fight. Only in dire a situation would he hide inside the farm.


    Looking around he saw the pack of wolves slowly creeping up to them. In the darkness, he saw silhouettes barely visible. The mild winds blew the snow in the air, covering the ground.


    It was a standoff. But this time, they were the prey. And the wolves were here to hunt them.

 Chapter 21 Kill It

    ?Mysterious energy began pumping through Alex''s body. The fatigue umted by the two-hour-long sprint was finally relieved. He was ready to kill some wolves.


    Suddenly a giant wolf came out of the pack and howled. It wasparativelyrger than all the other wolves. More than twice as big.


    ''That''s the Alpha.'' Alex assumed.


    Kan began firing arrows as soon as he heard the wolves howl. The fight began with a bang. He began killing wolves left and right. With his acute vision, he spotted the wolves before eliminating them one at a time.


    Other people who could use bows were powerless before the agile wolves. Assuming they could see the wolves, it was hard for them to track and shoot a moving target.


    Alex tightened his grip on the spear. It was time for him to act. Waiting for death was not exactly his style.


    Even though there was dim moonlight, it only allowed the group to see at most twenty meters in front of them. The falling snow acted like a veil covering anything beyond that.


    ''I can''t see them. I can vaguely hear them. But they can hear me and see me clearly. This is a losing battle. I need to take initiative.'' Thinking that Alex concentrated the mysterious energy inside his body.


    ''Smoke-screen.'' He realised that it was the only way to level the ying field.


    Before the wolves could reach the twenty-meter mark. Alex began releasing the smoke screen from his legs. He willed it to move forward like a giant wave. He was hoping to cover the oing wolves'' vision.


    The thinyer of smoke spread just inches above the ground without anyone noticing until it reached the twenty-meter mark. After that, like a wave, it rose up from the ground and blocked the oing wolves.


    Kan was the only one who realised what Alex had done. He was pleasantly surprised to see the wolves panicking. Making use of that distraction, Kan shot three more arrows at the wolves. He had already taken the lives of almost ten wolves.


    This was great for Alex and the group.


    Although the smoke screen was momentarily useful. The agitated wolves pierced through it under the leadership of alpha.


    But Alex could urately pinpoint their location due to the sensory enhancement he got from the smoke screen. He had yet to fully understand how his ability worked. But he realised in the training ground that he could clearly see any living being inside the smoke and track them urately.


    Seeing the giant wolf running towards them, Daya who was in the front began charging towards it. She was going to bash her shield onto the Alpha. If she yed her cards right. She can trap it in one hit, like what she did with the mammoth.


    Everyone ran behind her leaving behind the sleighs to attack the wolves.


    Dhairya was holding a sharp bone sword, Kan with his bow and arrow and Daya with her shield. Three of them led the attack.


    They manifested a full body enhancement state before running towards the beast.


    Alex realised that it was his cue to act. He moved to the rear end of the group. Although the alpha was attacking from the rear. More wolves were hiding behind them, waiting for a chance to attack.


    No one from the team has realised it yet.


    Noticing the weak spot, Alex rapidly released the smoke screen. A cloud of smoke rose from the ground blocking every wolf that was attacking from the back.


    Although the smoke screen was a useful skill. It was a double-edged sword. While blocking the vision of enemies, it also blocked the vision of his allies.


    So, he had to be careful in using his ability. That was why he had to carefully move the smoke screen twenty meters away from the group before using it fully previously.


    Fortunately, the situation has changed in his favour.


    Everyone was upied by the alpha.


    Alex indiscriminately released the smoke screen. On a levelled ying field, he was sure of his physical superiority.


    The wolves would be temporarily blind and he could move freely without any sensory inhibition.


    Unknowingly, the wolves have entered his kill zone.


    In the moment of danger, when killing or being killed was the only oue. Alex turned into apletely emotionless machine. Heputed the best possible solution and acted.


    Lifting the spear, he ran into the sea of smoke.


    urately finding the closest wolf. He ran towards it like a bolt of lightning. His enhanced foot muscles allowed him to run frighteningly fast.


    The wolf couldn''t even dodge before a speartip lodged into its eyes.


    ''It was better to call it permanently dead than permanently blinded.''


    ''I don''t know much about wolves, but anything with eyes will have its eyes as its weakness.''


    Even though Alex was quick. He was still only a person. Some wolves swiftly escaped from the smoke and circled away to the front of the group.


    But it didn''t matter. The strongest people in the tribe were in the front. They would probably die at their hands. He thought.


    So, Alex continued his rampage.


    One,


    Two,


    Three,


    ¡­<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Ten.


    The number of wolves quickly shrank.


    ¡ª--


    In the front, Daya charged at the Alpha wolf.


    She hoped to trap it with her shield. But the Alpha was nimbler than the mammoth. Before she couldnd a solid hit, it easily jumped over them.


    Everyone panicked seeing the two-meter-tall wolf jump over them. With its hefty body, it was trying to attack the weaker people.


    Sensing the danger from the shield, it carefully avoided Daya.


    With its cunning mind. It once again proved that it was a predator, not prey.


    With a powerful lunge, it shed at the people near it.


    Just a single sh was enough to cut deep wounds into the full-body-enhanced warriors.


    It was evident that people who cannot do full-body-enhancement stood no chance against this giant carnivore.


    Dhairya, with his old body, moved like lightning to attack the wolf. He wanted to prevent it from rampaging inside the defensive circle.


    The remaining people were already trying hard to fight the normal wolves. It would be hard for them to defend against the Alpha at the same time.


    Kan was busy killing the smaller wolves. He was trying to make the wolves retreat by killing arge amount of them. He asionally nced at the smoke behind them, where Alex was. Trying to find what the kid was trying to do.


    "Daya, go for its head," Dhairya screamed.


    "Hmm!" Nodding her head. She dashed towards the Alpha once more.


    However, the Alpha jumped to dodge once more. Yet, before it could rx, Dhairya appeared near itsnding point.


    One thing humans had morepared to animals was their intelligence. Dhairya who learned from the past mistake was waiting for the alpha tond.


    Alpha who saw this tried to turn its weak underbelly up. To prevent Dhairya from attacking it from below.


    But Dhairya didn''t wait. He jumped up to sh at the alpha. His sword glowed a reddish hue before bursting out with great power.


    "sh¡­" A deep gash formed near the alpha''s forelegs.


    "Ahwooo!" The alpha howled in pain.


    It finally noticed the state of the battle. Most of its pack was dead or almost dead. From the fifty-odd wolves, only twenty remain. This scared the Alpha.


    It attacked the humans thinking they are weak. Yet somehow, it had incurred more loss than it could sustain.


    It decided to escape.


    To quickly escape, it ran towards the back. In the meantime, Alex who was massacring the wolves realised the Alpha moving towards him.


    ''It is running away, the battle is finally over.'' He rxed. Even though he had enough strength. Using the smoke screen for a long time was mentally taxing. He just wanted the Alpha to leave as fast as he can. Even Dhairya and Kan left the beast to run away. They had decided that it was better to let it leave than to incur more casualty.


    But before the Alpha could run away. It saw a puny human to its left. In spite, it swiped its paw to the side and chopped off the human''s head cleanly.


    It was the same person that woke Alex up. Just a moment ago, he chatted and smiled. But now, he has be nothing but a cold corpseying in the snow.


    Seeing the blood scene irked Alex. Seeing the Alpha run towards him, he felt fear and anger. And in the battle between fear and anger, his anger won.


    ''This bloody beast should die.'' He decided at that exact moment.


    Alex quickly released arge amount of smoke. It was enough to engulf everyone.


    Raising his spear up, he sprinted forward. Even though it would cause extreme pain for him to use full-body-enhancement, he could use it for just a moment.


    A thin sheen of energy covered his body. Some of his muscles burst apart due to the strain. But it didn''t prevent him from running forward at full speed.


    The alpha who lost its sight tried to run forward as fast as it can to escape. It thought carelessly thought nothing could harm it.


    Until it saw a bone spear just a couple of inches in front of its face, slightly glowing in metallic lustre. It pierced its eyeball, mming hard into its skull.


    "Tak¡­" The spear snapped like a twig.


    The force from the attack was strong enough to pierce the skull and critically damage the brain.


    Therge body of the beast suddenly slumped.


    After some time, the smoke cleared. And Alex was nowhere to be seen.

 Chapter 22 Woodland Tribe

    ?Just before the alpha wolf came crashing down, Alex stealthy teleported into the farm. If not for his quick thinking, he would have been crushed by the carcass of alpha.


    But that was not all, he teleported back into the real world just after that and yed dead. He made it seem like the alpha fell on top of him and he lost consciousness.


    Even though he tried to fake it. Dhairya saw through it in a second.


    "p. p. p¡­" Three ps came in quick session forcing Alex to open his eyes.


    "Bone fine, there are only flesh wounds. Most of the blood on his clothes is not his own. Why is not waking up?" After seeing Alex slowly open his eyes, Dhairya mumbled and began pping again.


    "p, p." Dhairya felt like it was the best time to punish this crazy kid. Faking injury at this time. He was slightly angry.


    "Ah!" Alex cupped his burning cheeks and stood up in a jiffy.


    It was better to get up than to receive tough love from Dhairya. Alex could see that Dhairya was genuinely upset. He didn''t want to anger him.


    After looking around, all he could see were injured people and two corpses. They belong to two of the caravan members. And the headless corpse reminded him of the person that woke him up.


    Seeing that, any sense of achievement he had vanished.


    ''Only if I was a little better, a little stronger.'' He thought with a heavy heart. This is what Daya feared.


    It was not fear for her life. She was strong and capable. In a one-on-one fight, she might have been able to defeat the alpha. But, she knew that she would be incapable of protecting the entire caravan against the wolf pack.


    Like Alex, Daya stood nearby, dejected. Her eyes were tearing up slightly. Only Kan was calm andposed helping his fellow tribesman wrap bandages.


    With the medicine they had, they could easily survive their journey. However, the dead people will note back. It was a reality they had to face.


    This was the first time that Alex felt his feeble mortality.


    Seeing people with superhuman strength, he was mesmerised by their powers and skill. And it wouldn''t be untrue to say that he felt invincible for a time.


    Yet seeing the corpses before him. He realised how frail human life was.


    ''Humans are humans, not gods.''


    Alex took a minute to adjust his mind. Everything that happened today was forever engraved in his mind. And he vowed to get stronger in the future.


    "Can I help?" He asked. He was volunteering to help them bandage their wounds.


    ¡ª--------


    The mood was heavy, everyone was tired. After resting for a bit, they continued to travel.


    They cannot go back empty-handed. The tribe was depending on them to survive.


    Alex who killed many wolves and saved the caravan was treated well while they travelled. He was praised for his bravery and strength.


    But he felt like an imposter hearing their words.


    He was dragging one of the ownerless sleighs. In it were the carcasses of wolves and some pelt.


    Even though two of his tribesmen died due to the wolf, the wolf pelt was considered valuable. They were taking them to the city to trade. It can be considered penance for them. Selling them to provide for the families of the dead was the best oue.


    After travelling for some time, Alex asked.


    "Do wolves usually hunt people?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Sigh, Wolves hunt everything. People or not, they do not care. The weak will be hunted, it is thew of the wilderness." Dhairya replied.


    "But this time, it was different." Kan who was nearby said.


    "How so?"


    "Older Alpha''s usually select their prey carefully. They hunt the weakest and retreat if they think the prey is stronger than them."


    "Ah! You mean the Alpha we saw was younger and rash. It didn''t care about the pack or the death of the wolves."


    "Yes, this could only mean one thing. It was a lone wolf that sessfully evolved to use mysterious energy. It took over the pack and forced the other wolves to hunt. It was an outlier."


    "We were unlucky to meat a ferocious beast like that."


    Kan exined the details to Alex.


    "Oh!" Alex nodded.


    "Meru, don''t dwell on the past. You can not change the past. Even if we had taken another course of action, the survival of our caravan was never assured. We can prepare for the future, but can''t predict it." Dhairya said.


    On his face, Alex could see the vicissitude of time. It had left behind scars that cannot be healed.


    ¡ª---------


    It took them a long time to crosske Kurma. The vast expanse of barren snow was left behind and they finally saw signs of human inhabitation.


    Alex saw a path leading from theke towards a dense forest. In the far mountains, he could see tall trees standing proudly, battling against the weather.


    ''Somethings there.'' He thought.


    "That''s the vige of the woond tribe. One of our allies. Let''s go there and rest before travelling to the city." Dhairya said, pointing towards the dense forest.


    Dhairya walked towards the vige. Everyone else followed behind him.


    When he reached closer, Alex could see a group of people waiting at the entrance of the vige. They already realised the stone head tribe wasing and was waiting for them.


    Behind them, was the entrance to the vige.


    Unlike the stone head tribe, they didn''t build walls around their vige withrge tree trunks. Their wall was made out of living trees and vines.


    It was the dense forest that Alex saw. Behind the covering of trees, thend was ne and wooden buildings were neatly arranged on either side. It had the aesthetics of a modern city.


    ''Whatever you say, the architect that built houses must be phenomenal.'' Alex thought.


    Delicate carpentry was used to create the houses. And wooden figurines were disyed outside the vige hall. Attracting the eyes of everyone in the caravan.


    Suddenly, a person came from behind the crowd near the entrance and said.


    "We wee the traders of the stone head tribe with open arms."


    "It''s nice to see you again, Mupan of the woonds." Bowing his head, Dhairya said.


    It was a long and arduous journey. Alex finally rxed. It didn''t matter what kind of people the woond tribe was. He was sure that it was a safe zone.


    ''Please, god, let there be sleep.'' He thought while walking behind Dhairya.

 Chapter 23 Farm Upgrade

    ?The amodation provided by the woond tribe was great. They even provided stone bathtubs and proper clothes. They even had iron tools and utensils.


    Alex saw this and realised the multigenerational gap in technology between the stone head tribe and the woond tribe.


    This shocked him greatly. He thought he was living in the stone age. Yet, suddenly he could see humans using technology vastly superior.


    This forced him to change his perceived outlook on the world.


    In his opinion, there can only be one thing that can force people to live with stone age technology when the technology of the rest of the world is much better. And that is poverty.


    Poverty can be caused by many different reasons. But in this world where strength mattered more than anything. It was evident what might have caused poverty in the stone head tribe.


    ''The stone head tribe is weak as f.''


    This was a startling realisation to Alex.


    Even when he heard about how strong the ice phoenix tribe was. And how the stone head tribe was nothingpared to them. Never did imagine the difference will be thisrge.


    It might beparable to Jeff Bsauce or Elon Tusk with amon man.


    When you think like that, it kind of makes sense.


    In modern society, the hierarchy was based on wealth. Wealth or Money got you whatever you need and the person who has none lost whatever he has. It was the same everywhere.


    At some point in his life, while living in this world. Alex thought that he could finally escape from the clutches of money. But it seems like he will be trapped once more.


    There was only a single solution to this plight.


    Rather than being the ve of money, he has to try and be the master of it. He had to umte wealth faster than anyone else to try and gain a foothold in this world.


    And what better way than to use his interdimensional farm for this.


    During thest couple of days, he saved up enough FP to buy enoughnd to upgrade the farm to level 2.


    This was a great thing for Alex. He could increase the output of farmed items and at the same time gain ess to tools and technology he desperately needs.


    So, opening the farm shop, Alex quickly bought 60 units ofnd. It was enough toplete the 100 units requirement.


    "Ding"


    [yer haspleted the requirement for the farm to level up. Initiating the upgrade subprocesses.]


    For a moment, Everything around Alex became a blur and he was pushed outside the farm. But after mere seconds, another notification greeted Alex.


    [Farm level upplete.]


    [Aprehensive stats subsystem is created. Aprehensive notification subsystem is created.]


    [Warehouse is unlocked.]


    [Requirements for level 2 farm is 100 units ofnd excluding the 100 that you own.]


    After that, the shing texts disappeared and Alex returned to the farm. He could see some difference in the farm.


    A building was created next to the farnd. It was a small wooden building with a footprint of less than twenty-five square meters.


    ''Is it the warehouse?'' Alex thought while closely observing the building. And soon he noticed a jarring problem.


    ''The friggin warehouse has no doors.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    It clearly had a written board next to it saying that it was a warehouse, yet he couldn''t see any doors to go inside.


    n ran around it trying to find if he has missed something. But no, there were no doors.


    ''I always knew that the farm was a swindler. Now I can say for sure, it is.'' He thought.


    To once again confirm his thoughts. He tried thinking about storing a newly plucked tomato in the warehouse.


    And just like that, it was sessfully stored.


    ''How about storing all the tomatoes that are ripe.''


    Again, he stored them without needing to pluck them at all.


    ''Wow, how about storing items that are in the inventory in the warehouse.''


    As expected, that too worked.


    ''I always knew the farm was awesome. Now I can be sure of that.'' Within seconds, he changed his tunes. He shamelessly began praising the farm.


    As long as it works, Alex didn''t mind changing his opinion. People like that are generally called pragmatic. And he was one.


    However, after trying all kinds of things inside the farm. He tried to store items in the warehouse from outside. But it failed.


    This simply meant that the warehouse was not a recement for the inventory.


    He could store about a thousand different objects with a stack of 999 each. But once he was outside the farm. No warehouse functionality would be essible.


    It was not a big problem. He could work around that if he really needs to.


    Nheless, the warehouse was a blessing for him. Instead of taking a lot of time to move things around and harvest crops. He could do that in an instant.


    He could save a lot of time doing it that way. He doesn''t even have to make excuses to quickly go to the farm and harvest the crops. This was one of the greatest perks of having the warehouse.


    And it also gives 1000 slot store items.


    What more could he ask for?


    Future possibilities were endless as long as he can level up the farm.


    Alex was thrilled.


    Finally, he looked at the new character stats subsystem.


    Although it was said to be aprehensive stats subsystem. It was just three underwhelming bar graphs in the right corner of his vision. It was coloured green, red and blue.


    Green denotes health points, red denotes stamina and blue denotes Mana points(MP). Mana was the term interdimensional farm used to call the mysterious energy.


    Although everything was full right now, there was no number marking on it. Only the colours are filled ording to the consumption of the points.


    Anyway, it was better than nothing.


    As said, it was aprehensive stats subsystem. He really can''tin about it.


    After doing all that, he rested.


    Two days quickly went by and it was time for him to leave. The woond tribe also joined their caravan to go to Blue Gem city.

 Chapter 24 Conflict

    ?After resting for a couple of days, they continued their journey.


    There were roads from the woond tribe to Blue Gem city. So, Instead of using men to pull sleighs, they were using reindeers.


    Don''t worry. Alex made sure that the sleighs were not painted red and didn''t have a fat guy carrying gifts in them.


    Obviously, they were made by the woond tribe for transportation, not for delivery service.


    Considering that they were near the north pole, in extreme cold. It might not have been surprising to see a guy like that delivering gifts.


    Nheless, after the woond tribe joined, travel became much easier. The further they travelled, the closer they felt to civilization. They could asionally see resting areas along the road, people transporting goods and even some travellers on foot.


    Slowly as time went by, Alex realised that the stone head tribe was at the centre of the wilderness. And the world outside waspletely different.


    Near the vige of the stone head tribe, everything was dangerous. And the probability of dying while taking a piss on any random day was close to fifty per cent. Death was looming over him everywhere.


    You could die of hunger, cold or even get killed by wild animals.


    What a nice way to live!


    And now, the change was warmly weed by Alex.


    But everything was not going as well as he expected.


    When they were taking a rest, Alex was rxing on a sleigh.


    A kid from the woond tribe approached him. Even before reaching Alex, he was wearing a haughty expression. He was looking down on Alex. Behind him, he had someckeys.


    "Hey, the kid from the stone head tribe. We heard that you guys were attacked by wolves." Pointing with his index finger, he tried to talk to Alex. He expected a reply from Alex, but he waspletely ignored.


    "Hey! Can''t you hear me? Are you dead? Just like your dead teammates. Who gets killed by wolves nowadays? Is the stone head tribe that weak?" He said with a joking tone.


    At first, Alex wanted topletely ignore them. Although they were annoying like a swarm of flies. It was not enough to warrant him to act. But, once they dishonoured his dead tribesmen. He knew that it was time to swat some flies.


    ''They need to be taught to respect others. Especially the dead.'' Alex decided.


    Alex turned to the group that was mocking him and his tribe.


    "Your weed to die by my hand." He said without mincing any words. Alex was a cautious guy who never takes initiative. But the circumstances were slowly changing him. He learned that the difference between reacting and acting first was the difference between life and death.


    And giving these kids a beat down would be the best thing he had done from the moment hee to this world. He was sure that, he would be making the world a better ce by fixing these crooked kids.


    As expected, after hearing his cold words, they were incensed.


    "Huh! An uncivilised barbarian like you does not know how the world really works. Do you really think that you can touch a hair in my body, much less kill me? What a loser." The leader spoke fluent dumbassery, and Alexpletely ignored it.


    "Chuckle¡­The same could be said about you. A bunch of noisy kids trying to act great."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "You dare humiliate me. I am the next-generation leader of our tribe. I will prevent the tribe from supporting your tribe in the future."


    ''What''s wrong with these brats, should I sing a nursery rhyme and put these dumbasses to sleep.'' Alex thought while having the most nonsense-filled conversation of the year.


    He did nothing to anger them. He was just resting peacefully on a sleigh. Did they really have toe and ask for a beating?


    "Huh! Are you afraid now?" Seeing that Alex was quiet, the leader kid taunted him again. He was trying to show that he is superior through his antics.


    He was marking his territory and expanding his authority by confronting Alex. He wants Alex to treat him like others but from his action. It could be seen that he had no real experience in earning the respect of others.


    "Were are one of the three allies of your tribe. And we are the strongest and richest among them. It''s good that you realised your ce. In the future, try not to anger me." The kid said pompously. He was having the time of his life, enjoying every moment he used to bully Alex. With a smirk, he looked back at his group. Receiving gazes of reverence from them, he became even more thrilled.


    But the moment he turned towards Alex. A first suddenly erged in his vision. A blur came and smashed on his face, squarely on his chin.


    "Thuck." The face of the leader kissed the beautiful snowy ground.


    "One down, three to go."


    Enhancing his foot muscles, like a tiger jumping into a herd of sheep. Alex began his teaching.


    One, two, three.


    Like chopping fish on a cutting board. He smacked their chin and knocked them out. They stood no chance against his quick and vicious punches. The kids who once imed to be stronger were now neatly arranged in the ground like salted sardines.


    It was the best way he could think of to handle the situation.


    He didn''t want to attack the kids either. But it was the only way to drill his authority into their mind. And without authority, whatever he said would quickly pass over their head and they will go back to their old pattern of behaviour.


    He wanted to prevent that. If they are his future allies. He needs to teach them how to respect others.


    Even after Alex did all that, no one came to interfere. From that, Alex knew that both tribes were keeping their hands off the matters of kids. They weren''t ready to deteriorate their rtionship due to the antics of some kids.


    Alex quickly realised this.


    From his general understanding. He knew that the woond tribe was stronger than the stone head tribe and they are also wealthier. But it didn''t mean that they are individually stronger fighters.


    The woond tribe had a poption of about three to four thousand members. More than twice as much as the stone head tribe. This was the reason for their imed superior strength.


    And most of them were craftsmen. They work as carpenters all year round to umte wealth. They were not exactly warriors that could take down wild animals.


    And about their special ability for nt growth. They could only use it for their carpentry. It was not an ability that can be used when fighting. The ability allowed them to modify the rate of growth of nts and to mould the shape and size ording to their will. It would be perfect for an art and craft project. Like making a living wall of trees to surround their tribe. But it was weak in a one-on-one fight.


    Anyway, you look at it. The stone head tribe was physically superior to them.


    And Alex was ready to get this through the thick skulls of the kids.

 Chapter 25 Devil

    ?Before Alex gave a quick beatdown.


    "Dhairya, are you really not helping the kid? He is being ganged up on by kids from our tribe." An elder from the woond tribe''s side said. He was the head of the caravan from the woond tribe. His name was Thadi.


    Like Dhairya, he brought the newly awakened kids to travel to the city to let them gain experience. His goal was to teach them how the world works.


    But before he could do that, they were already making an enemy out of the kid of the stone head tribe. Yet he didn''t move to prevent the kids from acting improperly.


    "Don''t worry about Meru. He can handle himself. I feel sorry for the other brats." Dhairya replied.


    "What do mean? Do you really think he is stronger than the four of them?" Thadi inquired.


    "Yes."


    "If it really came to a fight between the kids. Can he really beat them?"


    "Yes, of course."


    Thadi didn''t know where Dhairya''s confidence wasing from. With a single nce, he knew that kid awakened just days ago. Alex or Meru as he knew was a chick that just hatched from an egg.


    How strong can he be? Thadi doubted.


    So, he too stood on the sidelines not interfering with the antics of the kids. He wanted to see for himself how strong Meru was.


    "By the way, if you really want to, you can save your brats right now." Dhairya gave a friendly warning to Thadi.


    "How can I if you are not interfering? Let the kids take care of themselves."


    They both stood still nearby watching the kids.


    "Ah! Sorry. I forgot to tell you. Do you know who killed the alpha wolf, the magic beast?" Dhairya said proudly.


    "Who?"


    "He." Dhairya grinned smugly before pointing at Meru.


    "Thuck, thuck, thuck, thuck." Sound of something falling brought back Thadi from his astonishment. He was unwilling to believe that a kid killed a magic beast.


    Any magic beast was generally stronger than humans who could do full body enhancement. And yet, Dhairya was saying that kid who just awakened killed a magic beast.


    This meant that the kid was horrifyingly talented.


    Thadi, looked towards the kids once he realised that. As he thought, the kids from the woond tribe were neatly arranged like fish left to dry in sun. They were all unconscious. They stood no chance against Meru.


    Now he knew where Dhairya''s confidence came from. The kid was just too strong for his generation.


    "Is he the strongest from the younger generation?" Thadi asked bewildered.


    "No, he is not."


    Watching Dhairya who wore a smug smile on his face, Thadi wanted to give a beating to him. However, he could not. That old man was older and even stronger than he was.


    He stood no chance against him either.


    "Are you saying there are more monsters like that in your tribe? This time around, you are really blessed by the stone giant. His talent might beparable to the kids from nine major tribes."


    "Haha, I know." That''s exactly why Dhairya brought Alex along.


    "Don''t be too overjoyed. You need to train him properly to let him achieve his full potential. It would be a pity to not use his talent to its fullest. It has been so long since someone who can fully exhibit the strength of the spirit guardian was born. If you think you can''t do that, just send him to our tribe. We will look after him." Thadi said yfully. He was mesmerised by Meru''s strength.


    "Sigh! That is the only problem. The kid was not blessed with the spirit guardian of our tribe. He has his father''s bloodline. He is the son of Agni."


    "Oh! Itplicates the matter quite a bit. Does he emit red smoke like his father?"


    "No, his ability is somehow different. And only he knows the full extent of his power. He has yet to share the details. Even if we are from the same tribe, we can''t force him to reveal all his hidden cards. Keeping it a secret would be better. We don''t want people to snoop. Agni had enough enemies as it is. We don''t want them to go after the kid."


    "Sure, it wouldn''t do well for anyone. How about the strongest kid from your tribe? Is he in a simr situation?"


    "No, he is the grandchild of the chief. We expect him to be strong. And yet, he went beyond all expectations by showing the ability to do full body enhancement the next day after awakening. He has tremendous talent."


    "I am so jealous of your tribe''s good luck. The young generation will soon surpass us. Sigh! You even have a talent that would most likely be able to fully summon the spirit guardian. Is this the rise of the Stone heads?"


    ¡ª-----------------


    While Dhairya and Thadi conversed. Alex was looking at the unconscious kids.


    ''How should I wake them up? Should I use the traditional method or stuff some snow into their clothes? Ok, I will go with the traditional method.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Stretching his fingers a little, he pped the unconscious kids one by one.


    Instantly, cupping their cheeks with their hand, the kids woke up one by one.


    "Who! You! Who!" An angry scream of the leader resounded throughout the environment.


    "You, What?" Seeing Alex standing before him nonchntly. The kid was shocked. No one came to rescue him even when he was knocked out.


    Did the tribe abandon him, he thought? He was the grandson of the chief. Do they dare to abandon him? With tears in his eyes, he looked around seemingly asking for help with his eyes. But no one came to help him.


    They had a disappointed look in their eyes.


    "Now, I am going to ask you some questions. Answer them properly. If you make a mistake, I will roast you over the bonfire and feed you to your tribesmen."


    When they saw Alex smiling. They felt death looming over their head.


    ''He is a devil.'' They thought simultaneously. Only devils could say something so cruel. Afraid of angering Alex, they stood still, sitting on bare snow. Their asses were already cold and it was ufortable. Yet, they didn''t move an inch, afraid that the devil will smack them once more.


    "Now that you are ready, let me ask." Grabbing something from his backpack, Alex said. And soon the first question was said.


    "Who is the president of the United States of America?" He asked nonchntly. It was an out-of-the-world question, literally and figuratively, that they had no hope of answering correctly. Yet he asked it with a straight face.


    "Uh!" They were stumped.


    "You don''t know."


    "How unfortunate. Does any of you know? Lackeys and all." But no reply came.


    "Who is the leader amongst you?" This spread panic in the group.


    As soon as Alex asked that, theckeys pointed to a kid. He was the same chatterbox that hoot-hooted a couple of moments ago. Alex knew he was the leader, but he asked nheless.


    He gave the red chillies he grabbed from his backpack to the leader.


    "You, eat this." He said with no room for rejection.


    The kid who never saw the spice ate it as soon as it was offered. The reaction was instantaneous. He felt like a fire was lit inside his mouth. Tears flowed from his eyes and he looked at hisckeys.


    It was an utter betrayal. They said he was the leader. They made him eat fiery spice.


    He cried out in his mind.


    Alex ignored the kid. Eating something spicy won''t kill you.


    "Now, for the next question. Who is the hottest among the K-pop girl group Red velvet? You need to think hard before answering" After that Alex waited.


    "What? You don''t know that either." Grabbing something from his backpack, he gave it to the four kids.


    "You can give this to anyone in the group. Whoever receives it, should eat it," Alex said. Remembering the pain the leader experienced, they all were spooked. They wanted to quickly get rid of the thing they were given.


    So, they handed it to the leader. They once again betrayed him. Now, he had four unknown red fruits, he had to eat.


    Nheless, he swallowed them and gritted his teeth.


    But the spicy pain he imagined never came. It was just cherry tomatoes. Not red chillies.


    Even though it was the case, the betrayal of his friends struck him hard. Even though he considered eating it for everyone''s sake. He was betrayed without a moment of thought.


    Were they really his friends?'' He thought doubting his existence. His eyes teared more than when he ate the chillies.


    Watching this, Alex smiled.


    The brats were trying to act as a group. But now, they could see their real face.


    ''How about trying one more thing?'' He thought.


    Alex quickly picked nine cherry tomatoes and nine spicy red chillies. He gave three to eachckey.


    "Finally thest question. Are you a friend of this guy?" Pointing at the leader, he asked.


    "If you are, you should eat them all. Or else, you only need to choose one to eat."


    Alex really wanted to see what choice the kids would make.

 Chapter 26 Resolution

    ?Theckeys looked around at each other. They were trying to wait for one of them to eat before deciding. But Alex didn''t allow that. So, they quickly chose the red chillies instead of the cherry tomato.


    They mistakenly thought that their leader cried due to spiciness after eating a cherry tomato. But that was not the case. He cried due to their betrayal.


    By choosing the red chillies, they had dug their own grave. The searing spicy taste felt like fire to them. They were not used to eating something so spicy. It was killing them from the inside. It might also give them a bad stomach acheter.


    But Alex didn''t care about any of that.


    By choosing to eat only the red chillies, theckeys had made a choice to deny any friendship with their leader. They were also washing their hands clean, denying any responsibility for their action. This didn''t sit well with Alex.


    He appreciated the dumb but loyal leader who was willing to eat all the spicy hot vegetables more than theseckeys. In moments of crisis, he saw through the real character of the people before him.


    However, he knew when to stop. It would be untrue to say that he didn''t enjoy bullying the bullies. But it was time to end it.


    Most people in the modern age would have treated these kids as misfits, irredeemable bastards who have no future. From his experience, he had seen kids like that being misguided into being something far worse than they are capable of.


    And Alex didn''t want that. Now that he hade across these kids. It would be better to help them realise their mistake than to punish them incessantly.


    "Sigh!" Alex held his head with his palm. Things were getting more taxing than he thought.


    "Now, stand up." Hemanded in military style.


    "One by one introduce yourself," Alex said.


    The kids were happy to see that the devil was asking no more questions. They realised that they don''t need to eat any more red chillies.


    With a slight pause, they began introducing themself.


    "I am the youngest grandson of the chief of the Woond tribe. I am the most talented in my family. I am going to be the next chief of the woond tribe. I will also elevate our tribe to be one of the nine great tribes. I will also marry the princess of the ice phoenix tribe. And¡­"


    "Stop it! F**k! Is it so hard to say your name? Kid! Say your name. NAME." Seeing Alex angry, a slight shiver went through the leader''s body. He was a little, no, a lot more scared than he let on.


    "My name is Uli." Finally, the boastful kid said his name.


    ''Uli, not a bad name for a braggart.'' While living in the woond tribe, Alex heard this term before. It meant a chisel.


    "I am Mavu"


    "I am Adaka."


    "I am Karik."


    Three of theckeys gave their names.


    "I am Meru and from today onwards, you are myckeys. You work for me and only me." Alex dered.


    "This is what you should experience. When you tried to take advantage of me, you should have expected this oue. I don''t care who you were before or who you could be in the future. But from today onwards, you work for me. You would do everything I say without batting an eyelid. This is what I require of you."


    "Don''t worry, I don''t take advantage of people. For your work, I will pay you. And if you show me that you are better people. I will end this ve contract."


    "And let me remind you. You won''t be able to escape from me until we reach our destination. HA ha ha ."


    With a nasty evilugh, Alex ended the one-sided conversation. He was clear in his exnation. And he was sure that they understood him well enough to not do anything stupid like rebelling.


    "Yes." Theckeys quickly agreed. They were standing slouched with a dispirited look.


    ''I will fix all the crooked bones in your body.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    But the leader of the now nonexistent group, Uli was struggling to say yes. He didn''t want to be ackey. All his life, he was treated like a prince. Now, he had to serve someone else. It was abhorring.


    "Uli, why are you saying nothing?" Alex nudged for an answer.


    Understanding the reality, Uli finally agreed to be part of Alex''s group.


    "Now that we are all good. Let''s begin the work. Uli, go with yourckeys to gather firewood." Alex ordered the kids.


    While Alex went towards his sleigh to collect the vegetable. He was going to cook again.


    Now that the woond tribe was with them. He could cookvishly in arge iron pot. It was big enough to cook for more than a hundred people.


    There were even frying pans and barbecue grills.


    It was enough to make a variety of food.


    This was why he wanted to be rich. Convenience, power and prestige. Money can influence all these.


    Although power and prestige were not important to Alex. But the convenience money provided can never be reced.


    After the brats brought the firewood. They were asked to burn it and fan the mes.


    Seeing the rich kids fanning the mes in the smoke and dirt improved his mood.


    ''Now, you can see how real life is.''


    Eating food that was well cooked and served in front of them had made these kids into the brats they are. It would be a good learning experience to actually see how the food is made.


    Even if they had seen how food was cooked before, they wouldn''t have cared enough to acknowledge it.


    Like that, for the first time. The kids made their own meals. Even when they rolled in the grime and smoke. They enjoyed the process. And they were thrilled to taste it asionally while they were cooking.


    Alex didn''t mind giving them a few pieces of fried meat while he was cooking.


    ¡ª-------------


    "See, I told you. The kid is different from the brats of your tribe. He can handle them just fine." Dhairya said to Thadi.


    "Hm!" Thadi nodded.


    "It is exactly why I took him along to the city. The way he solves problems in a unique and unprecedented way will be a huge help to us in the future. Even though he is not the strongest. His future is the most unpredictable one for me."


    "Hm, I disagree. His future is not unpredictable. As long hees to my tribe, he will be sessful in his life. There is doubt about that."


    "You old codger. You have yet to give up on that."


    "Ha ha ha¡­ We are allies, aren''t we Dhairya? Let''s work well together in the future."


    Thadi replied with a sly smile. He was showing his businessman skill. He thought it was worth investing in the stone head tribe right now.


    Dhairya who understood it kept quiet. Old codgers like themselves don''t need to put everything in words to understand each other.


    Some things were better left unsaid.

 Chapter 27 Plan To Make A Killing

    ?After days of travelling, they finally reached Blue Gem City. Just as Alex expected, it was arge city. Giant stone walls surrounded it and protected it from external danger.


    The guards of the ice phoenix tribe stood in front of the gates weing all the travellers. There were no taxes or fees to enter the city. Only the people who are there to sell product needs to register and pay tax. And the security was maintained by one of the nine great tribes, the ice phoenix tribe.


    So, it was a safe haven for travellers too. This further increased the booming poption of the city.


    Everywhere he looked, he could see people. And everyone had some kind of luggage with them. While most were pedestrians buying things for their own use. Many merchant caravans were flooding the streets to support the market.


    The open market was in its beginning state. People from all over thend wereing to sell and buy things in bulk.


    Alex with his group of people slowly entered the city through the north gate.


    The inside of the city was just as impressive as the outside. There were giant stone buildings on either side and the further they went therger these buildings became.


    It was said that the ice phoenix n was residing at the centre of the city. And the buildings in the centre were absolutely massive. There was even a monolithic stone shrine a couple of hundred meters wide, made to worship their spirit guardian, the ice phoenix.


    But Alex didn''t have time to look around just yet. They had to move towards the open market on the east side of the city and set up a stall.


    Setting up the stall was not difficult.


    After reporting to the open market management team, they just had to wait until they are allocated a stall. After the sale, they need to report the profit and pay the tax ordingly.


    Some people tried to run away without paying taxes. But never did they have a good ending. Due to the strict management and security of the city, such people were immediately kicked out or punished.


    Alex roughly understood the dos and don''ts of the blue gem city before leaving the group with hisckeys.


    Dhairya and Thadi didn''t mind this. This was exactly why they brought the kids along. They need to explore to learn more about the city.


    So, they gave them a hundred copper coins and let them walk around. Alex didn''t know the value of the copper coins. Yet, that didn''t prevent him from grabbing it all from hisckeys and putting it inside his pockets.


    Uli pouted seeing this. But there was nothing he could do. The hundred copper coins were for the entire group and Alex was their leader. It made sense for him to hold on to that.


    Alex and the fourckeys quickly went around the market. Most of the stalls were selling food items and tools. He could asionally see shops that sell weird trinkets.


    Food items included smoked meat and preserved meat, raw vegetables and fruits, dried fruits and vegetable, salt, spices and even some live cattle and poultry.


    Alex was excited to see this. In front of him was a living chicken, the best of its kind.


    ''It has been so long since I ate chicken.'' He thought while gazing at them.


    "How much does this chicken cost?" He asked promptly to the shopkeeper.


    "Fifty copper coins. No more no less. These are the best chickens you can find in this city. You won''t regret buying them." With some filler ads, the shopkeeper replied.


    Alex had hundred copper coins in his hand and it was enough to buy two chickens. But he didn''t buy them yet. He had to look around for more.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Like that, he came across a ce that sells sunflower oil. Suddenly his mind sublimated in a wondrous thought.


    "Mayonaise!" A word left his mouth watering.


    He had a lot of ginger, lime, chillies, ck pepper, garlic, cardamom, cumin and turmeric. All that was prepared on his farm to sell in the city.


    After levelling up the farm, in the 100 units of farmablend. He spent most of the time farming spices and storing them up instead of selling them.


    It was an obvious choice for him. Per kilogram, spices cost more than vegetables. And by selling these rare spices. He could make the most money. The farm could wait a little bit before levelling up.


    ''Purely genius.''


    But now that he saw sunflower oil in the market, a crazy idea came to his mind.


    Selling the spices would be easy, he had seen all kinds of spices being sold in the market. But, the price depended on the quality of the spices. Although the spices he had was of better quality, he had no way to prove their origin.


    So, he came up with the idea to make a food stall. But, he had no idea what to sell in the food stall.


    However, seeing the sunflower oil, he had the crazy idea of making mayonnaise. He just needs garlic, eggs, salt, lime or lemon and sunflower oil. If he really wants to, he could experiment with chillies and other spices. And by mixing them appropriately, he could easily make mayonnaise.


    And food served with mayonnaise that no one knows how to make will be better than food without it.


    This was apetitive advantage. With this as his base, he could sell his products at a premium price and make a killing.


    "Ha ha ha ha ¡­ Ku Ku ku ku¡­" Weirdlyughing like a maniac. Alex went to the shopkeeper.


    The shopkeeper warily looked at the crazy kid. Trying to understand his motive. No one would dare rob someone in the city. He thought to assure himself.


    "How much is it for the oil and butter?" Alex asked.


    "Sunflower oil costs about 200 copper coins for a bucket, the butter is up for 300 copper coins for half a bucket." Pointing to an iron bucket that held the items, the shopkeeper said.


    ''An honest merchant? He might be an artefact of the less developed civilization.'' Weirdly looking at the shopkeeper, Alex thought.


    From his understanding, it was a reasonable price. So, he bought the sunflower oil with the money he had. It looked like a syrup in freezing cold winter. But after tasting it, he knew that it was authentic.


    He let theckeys carry them towards their stall.


    Tomorrow, Alex nned to make a fried chicken stall.


    ''My life as a boss of a fast food joint in another life. Should that be my autobiography?''


    Nodding his head up and down, Alex walked around to explore a little more.

 Chapter 28 Rich People

    ?After sending theckeys away with the sunflower oil, Alex entered the interdimensional farm.


    Seeing the ripe and ready-to-harvest spices, he let out augh.


    ''This is great! I now have 1000 pieces of all the spices I need. Now I can make some room for random vegetables to be grown. Cucumber and cabbage would be great for sd. Eating spicy fried chicken will leave behind a greasy feeling. Having some green vegetables along with it would wash away that feeling effortlessly.'' Alex decided to farm vegetables.


    The interdimensional farm was a big help for Alex. Due to how it worked, it promoted speed of growth over howrge the farmablend was. So, instead of a long wait and a lot of quantity. He could quickly harvest the required vegetables although in less quantity. For Alex, this was the ideal case. He didn''t need arge farm that could support a country. He just needs a farm that could support him.


    A day on the farm was 24 mins. A meagre amount of time considering how many vegetables it can produce in that time.


    The only reason he had to sell some vegetables to the farm shop was to get enough FP to buy new seeds. That was a worthwhile investment for Alex.


    After harvesting and nting a new batch of crops, Alex emptied his inventory.


    All the tools and random items he had were moved into the warehouse. And he quickly filled it with 100 pieces of ginger, lime, red chillies, ck pepper, cardamom, cumin, turmeric, sweet potato, potato and cabbage.


    The crops in his inventory were going to be used to get the initial investment for his fried chicken business.


    But before he sold them, he had to find their market price and avability. Only with that can he make the most profit.


    After exiting the farm, Alex walked through the streets before he reached arge three-story building. This building wasparatively different from the small stalls given to the stone head tribe and woond tribe.


    And only a few buildings like these existed in the whole open market area.


    They were buildings owned byrge merchant unions of the Blue Gem city. They procure products from all around the world to sell there. And they mostly dealt with luxury items.


    And spices were luxury items.


    Theserge merchant union shops were hispetition.


    Even though there are small stalls selling spices, their quality and quantity were low. So, the truly rich preferred buying spices fromrge businesses. And they bought it for a tremendous amount of money.


    And for that exact reason, Alex wanted to tap into the pockets of the rich and make a lot of money.


    Walking into therge shop, Alex looked around.


    Most of the people on the ground floor were wearing proper clothes. Alex stood out among the crowd that entered the shop.


    He was wearing rtively old clothes made out of fur and animal skin. It was a peculiar sight for those rich people to see an odd kid like Alex entering the shop.


    At a nce, they could see that the kids had no money.


    Why was he here? They thought.


    Seeing the curious nces directed at him, Alex ignored them and went into the shop. The guards wanted to prevent the boy from entering. But when they were about to stop him, they suddenly stopped as if they heard something.


    Alex, who didn''t know it walked around curiously and reached the area where they were selling spices. There they had aisles of wooden containers storing spices of all kinds. Alex was relieved to know that all the spices he was carrying were being sold in the market.


    Alex was afraid that the spices he was carrying might not be avable in this world. If that were the case, it would have taken him a long time to poprise and sell the spices.


    ''Thank god that was not the case.''


    Even though the kids from the woond tribe were stupid enough to not differentiate a red chilly from a cherry tomato. That was not the case forrge merchant unions.


    Walking towards an aisle that sold garlic, Alex asked the shopkeeper nearby.


    "How much does it cost?"


    But the shopkeeper kept quiet. All his attention was directed somewhere else. He didn''t even bother looking at Alex who was nearby.


    "Hmm¡­ Hello? Is anyone there?" Alex asked once again.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The shopkeeper kept quiet even then. Abruptly as if he realised something, he looked towards Alex and said.


    "Kid, go away from here. Shoo¡­ Shoo¡­ Go away before¡­" Before he couldplete his words a group of people entered the area where the spices were being sold.


    The shopkeeper was a little agitated by the presence of the neers. Although Alex was treated like a piece of dirt on the road. The neers were quickly invited to ask what they needed.


    ''Judging by their clothes and poise, they seem like important people. Most of them are wearing sky blue and white clothes. Too thin to be worn in winter. Are they not cold?''


    Besides their flimsy clothes, the other noticeable feature was their servile attitude towards the kids in the centre.


    There was a kid, not older than thirteen walking around rapidly while the servants wearing sky-blue clothes followed.


    ''My target!  The rich human wallet that will buy my products in the future.''


    "Sister, let''s buy the spicester. Before that, we should go to the Ice Pavilion. I heard that the chef there invented a new form of cuisine. It was said to be sweet and delicious. Can we go there first?" The kid chirped in a high-pitched voice. She was urging her older sister to go somewhere.


    ''Ice Pavilion. Is that some kind of ice cream shop?'' Alex thought after hearing its name. He had not seen any ice cream shops in this world before. But it wouldn''t be shocking to see one.


    "No, We have to buy the spices on the list today. Or the grand elder will get angry. You know how she is when she is angry. She gave us this mission because she trusted us toplete it. We can''t break her trust. Tomorrow, we cane again to visit the city." The older sister said.


    Through the crowd of servants near them, Alex saw the older sister. She was elegant and beautiful like a water lily. She was wearing pristine white clothes and blue crystal earrings, all of which enhanced her beauty even more.


    She was at most eighteen years old. But how she acted and talked showed her bearing as a person. She was humble and kind to the shopkeeper and servants around her, exuding a charm that quickly bound the people around her.


    But Alex didn''t care about any of that, he quickly resumed looking at the clove of garlic.


    The clove of garlic was small, with a thickness of an inch and a half. Compared to garlic produced on Alex''s farm, it was really small.


    He crouched down to look even more closely, not realising that a group of people were looking at him weirdly.


    The shopkeeper who noticed Alex crouching down quickly apologised to the other people beforeing near him.


    "Hey! Kid. Don''t touch it. You would dirty it." He said in a hushed and harsh tone.


    "Quickly go away before the guards throw you out. Can''t you see that this ce is not for people like you? Can you even afford it?" The shopkeeper said quietly aftering near Alex.


    He was trying to kick out Alex and favour the rich people behind him. He talked in a hushed tone to not let the customers behind him hear their conversation.


    Alex could easily see through the shallow shopkeeper. He decided that it would be better to avoid them. So, he slowly began to move away.


    Conflict was not necessarily a good solution to the problem. There were better ways to tackle this dilemma than by arguing with the shopkeeper.


    "Kukuku¡­Hey! What are you doing? I am an expert who can do full body enhancement. Even if you talk quietly, I can hear it."


    "Are you sending that customer away just to please us? He may look like an eyesore. But how can you know for sure, if he is a hidden expert acting as a bum or a real bum? Don''t send him away. We are okay with shopping with that guy." The thirteen-year-old brat among the group suddenly said with a twinkle in her eyes.


    ''An eyesore? A bum?'' Two arrows pierced deep into Alex''s heart.


    ''I may look like this now. But I am pretty handsome just after a bath.''


    Alex who wanted to leave peacefully was stopped by the little brat.


    ''Did I ask for help, brat? You read too many novels. How can you expect me to be a hidden expert.'' After screaming that in his mind. Alex looked at the brat. She raised her head while nodding.


    She looked more like a chick pecking some peas than an honourable warrior who could do full body enhancement.


    ''Does she want a pat for her good work? At first, I thought she was fooling around. But now that I look more closely, she really thinks that I am an expert. Sigh!''

 Chapter 29 Cook

    ?''Kids with their wild imagination.'' Alex kept quiet after hearing the kid. Nheless, it was good that he was allowed to look around.


    The shopkeeper was not thrilled by Alex''s presence. But he could do nothing against it. They were important guests of the merchant union and he couldn''t disrespect them when they voiced their opinion.


    While all that was happening. Just like Alex, the big sister of the brat was carefully checking the spices. She was tasked to procure the spices required for the entire tribe. So, she carefully did her work.


    "Bum-like master, where are you from?" The kid asked after slipping away from the servants.


    Even though the servants noticed it, they didn''t mind. They were used to the antics of the young miss. She had a wild personality contrary to her delicate looks.


    ''Poor kid, I didn''t think she was this far gone.''


    Smiling kindly like the statue of Maitreya Buddha, Alex said.


    "Little miss, I am not a hidden master. I am just a poor kid from up north." Alex was trying to clear up the misunderstanding.


    "Ku Ku Ku. I knew it!" A small smile bloomed on her face after Alex affirmed her doubt.


    ''What do you know?''


    "No hidden master would acknowledge that they are one. Master, is this a test?"


    ''What test?''


    "You don''t have to exin anything. I think I know what you mean. Should I show my sincerity by buying you all spices you want? That way, would you take me as your disciple?"


    ''This kid is nuttier than the nuttiest nut.'' Finally, Alex gave up on trying to make sense of what the kid was saying.


    This was the first time he came across a situation like this. He has stuck between a rock and a cute kid. And she was not ready to let him leave.


    Meeting a hidden master was always her dream. Now that she met one, she wanted to ask all kinds of questions. Like an excited little chick, she began following Alex who was browsing the spices.


    "So, Master. Where are you from? I am Meena from the ice phoenix n. The youngest granddaughter of the current rulers of this region."


    Casually, she dropped another bomb on Alex''s head.


    ''Youngest granddaughter of the current ruler of the Ice phoenix n. What the¡­ She is a pampered young princess of the region.''


    Alex, who realised this was shellshocked. He paused for a moment to digest the new information.


    ''Is this the brat that the Uli brat wanted to marry? No, this kid is too young. It might be her older sister. The brat Uli is fifteen years old, the same age as my body. If he really wants to take over the ice phoenix tribe. He might be eyeing the older sister.'' Alex reasoned.


    But this didn''t decrease his shock. How could he think with a sane mind after realising who he was dealing with?


    Any offence against their little princess will cause everyone in the Blue gem city to turn against him. That meant only one thing, his head would learn to fly. Death was closer than he expected.


    And Alex really didn''t want to die.


    ''Think of me as a bum, eyesore or a hidden master. I don''t care. But please let me leave in one piece.''


    At that moment, it was the only wish Alex had.


    "Meena, don''t disturb the boy. Leave him alone. Let him browse themodities." Suddenly like the chime from gods, words from Meena''s older sister came.


    ''I am not a boy, I am a man! But that argument can be postponed to ater time. Thanks for saving me. It''s time to scoot.''


    Without giving any time for Meena to react. Alex escaped with his life.


    Due to her sister being there, Meena did not run amok. And the presence of servants further prevented Meena from following Alex.


    ¡ª---------------------


    After escaping with his life, Alex quickly returned to the stall. While on the way, he sold the ginger he had for 10000 copper coins. Which converts to 100 silver coins. He could have converted it again to a single gold coin. But it would have been a chore to convert and use it. The silver coin was appropriate for his use.


    It was enough for him to buy 100 chickens.


    Alex''s fried chicken start-up dream was about to be made into a reality.


    So, to prevent any mishaps. Alex bought ten chickens and some eggs before returning to the stall stone head tribe set up.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    He was going to try his recipe before selling it to the customers.


    "Meru, where were you? We went all around looking for you. Dhairya is looking for you." Uli said.


    "Okay, But don''t be overly friendly. You should know your ces asckeys. Lackeys of Uli, teach him how to be a goodckey. After all, you are familiar with it." Alex sneered.


    Give an inch, and they will take a mile. So, he had to be harsh with them until they are ready.


    ¡ª----


    "Elder, why did you call me?"


    "I presume your exploration ended well. So, tell me. What did you learn?"


    "It would be a great help if the elder could invest in my business."


    "You learned to ask for money within two hours of running around. That''s really great. But what business do you n to start?"


    "I don''t need money."


    "What?" Dhairya was perplexed. The kid was asking to invest, yet he didn''t want money. Then what does he mean by investing?


    "borate¡­" Dhairya asked curiously.


    "Within the wooden container that I carry is freshly butchered chicken meat. I n to cook these and sell them. What I need for this business is manpower and a ce to sell. As you know, our tribe has a stall. But if I could get one more, that would be great. Along with some people to work with me."


    "Cooking chicken, there are many stalls that sell chicken soup. It''s a lot of effort for a meagre amount of money. Only the popr, well-established stalls make a lot of money. Can you bepetitive against them?"


    "I know I can. And I am not nning to sell chicken soup. I n to sell something new."


    "Your confident face reminds me of my younger days. Just like how I began my business. But before any of that, let''s get one thing straight. You will not get a stall of your own. You can sell your product at the stall of the stone head tribe. And you have to convince the other members before I allow you to sell them."


    "Just what I was waiting to hear. Let me cook the most delicious food you have ever eaten." Smiling widely, Alex took the container of chicken meat and went to a nearby stove.


    The stove was different from the firewood stoves that they used in the stone head tribe. It was better in every way.


    The me was hotter, the wood burned with less smoke andrge cooking vessels can be ced on it effortlessly.


    It was very suitable to ce arge iron vessel in it.


    Alex cleaned the chicken meat and marinated it with red chilli paste, ginger paste, garlic paste and some salt. He left it to rest.


    After some time, he heated the oil inside a deep vessel. He was going to deep fry some of the marinated chicken meat.


    And the rest, the whole marinated chickens were going to be grilled over a light me.


    Alex brought Uli to do the hard work of grilling the chicken. And a pleasant aroma filled the air.


    This invited a crowd of people to form around him. It included people from the stone head tribe and the woond tribe. Everyone looked curiously at Meru who was hard at work.


    The salivating crowd patiently waited for Alex to do his magic.


    While they were travelling, they had eaten delicious food due to Alex and they were sure that whatever he was cooking would be delicious.


    ''Things were going exactly as nned.''


    The people surrounding were thrilled to see the meat turning brown after grilling. It was almost ready.


    At the same time, Alex deep-fried the chicken and left it in a makeshift sieve for the oil to drain.


    He took the eggs he brought and separated the egg white. He was going to use it to make mayonnaise.


    Mixing just the right amount of egg white, sunflower oil, lime and a little bit of salt with his enhanced muscles. Alex made the first batch of mayonnaise in the world.


    The food was ready to be served.

 Chapter 30 New Dimension Of Flavour

    ?Nodding his head slightly, Alex looked at the salivating crowd. They were twisting and turning, trying to get to the fried and grilled chicken.


    ''The food was not up to the standards of my previous world. I didn''t have all the required ingredients. But It will be enough to grab their attention.''


    After taking warm, freshly cooked chicken. Alex began ting them.


    ''Thank god that all the members of the caravan were not present.'' Alex thought happily.


    It was obvious that ten chickens would not be able to feed more than eighty people. So, he quickly chopped up the grilled chicken into four pieces and began ting them.


    Alex left out one grilled chicken and some fried chicken pieces to be given to Dhairya. He wanted Dhairya''s approval and there was no better way than to let him taste the meat.


    And the specially prepared mayonnaise was quietly kept near him. It was time to teach these people how to eat fried chicken.


    "Everyone, look towards me." After a slight pause to grab their attention.


    "This is a recipe made by yours truly. After thinking for numerous seasons, pondering deeply about thousands of delicacies and learning the essence of cooking. Now, I present to you, Fried and Grilled Chicken with Mayonaise."


    "p¡­ p¡­ p¡­" The people warmly weed Alex. They liked delicious food. And they liked Alex who gave them delicious food for free even more.


    "Ah! Thank you." Bowing, Alex picked up a piece of fried chicken. It was the leg piece.


    Lifting it up, he dipped it in mayonnaise and brought it to his mouth. Even before it reached his mouth, his mouth was watering. Like the floodgates opening, his saliva came crashing down to wee the delicious piece of meat.


    ''Ah¡­''


    The familiar taste of mayonnaise greeted Alex.


    ''It feels like forever.''


    The heavenly taste washed all his sorrows of being transported to another world. If every day were like this, I don''t mind living here forever.


    Watching his blissful expression, the audience quickly began devouring the chicken.


    At first, they had some apprehension about the white creamy mayonnaise. But soon, they realised the effect it had on the meat. And finally, theye to a startling conclusion.


    Everything will taste better with mayonnaise.


    Some even became teary-eyed while eating the delicacy. This was the first time they had eaten something so delicious.


    All agreed.


    Their emotional turmoilsted for some time. Looking at Alex, who was chewing on a bone, they felt gratitude that words could never express.


    ¨C


    "Uli, this is so delicious. Did you learn how to make it?" Theckeys asked. They curiously looked at Uli.


    After their hierarchy was broken, Uli became more docile. He began treating theckeys like his friends. This improved their rtionship.


    And to them, Alex was themon enemy now. That was why they were talkingfortably among themselves.


    "No, he kept the recipe to himself. He was also using costly spices which even our tribe is hesitant about buying." Uli said in a disappointed tone.


    Like everyone else, the kids wanted to eat it all day every day. What better way to do that than by learning the recipe and cooking for themselves? They didn''t have any other malicious thoughts.


    "Hm! Let''s praise Meru for his cooking. He might give us more if we do that." One of theckeys said.


    "No, it wouldn''t work." Uli rejected that proposal.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Why won''t it? It worked on you every time. Whenever we had to get something, we used to praise you and asked for it. And it worked every time." One of the cluelessckeys said.


    Uli, who heard it was dumbfounded by the startling realisation. These three leaches were sucking his blood out for a long time and he hadn''t even realised it.


    And along with it, he realised that he had no real friends. No one wanted to be his real friend. The way he treated other people was reflected in the way other people treated him.


    For him, they wereckeys. And to them, he was a walking wallet.


    Nothing more or nothing less.


    ''Everything is my fault all along.'' The depressed Uli thought.


    ¡ª-------------------


    "You kept your promise, the food is delicious." While eating the chicken, Dhairya said. Thadi who was with him also nodded in affirmation.


    "We decided to sell all of our products to the merchant union and invest in your business. This means that we can use both the stalls of the woond tribe and the stone head tribe." Munching on a drumstick the elder said.


    He had seen, heard and eaten many cuisines over the years. But it was the first time he was encountering something so scrumptious. He could easily see the business opportunity in this fried chicken business.


    Most people in the city would have never eaten something simr. With the inviting aroma spreading around their stall. They could see peopleing over to them curiously asking what it was.


    Dhairya didn''t care where he got the recipe from. Just after distributing it among the tribesmen, he could see how effective it was at grabbing their attention.


    Anyone who eats it will surelye back to buy more in the future.


    And the delicious white cream called mayonnaise was the killer move that bound everything together.


    If they can''t make a profit with this, no one would be able to make a profit by selling food in the Blue gem city.


    Dhairya was sure of that.


    So, he wanted topletely shift his business n. He was going to sell the products brought from the tribe cheaply and fully invest in the catering business.


    "Would that be alright? Selling it to the merchant would decrease your profit by a lot. Are you okay with that?"


    "Yes, We were supposed to sell everything by this week and return. But if your business is sessful we could turn around the situation of the entire tribe. This is an opportunity worth taking a risk for."


    "What about salt and other necessities? We need to send them back home somehow." Alex voiced his doubt.


    In the winter, salt was very important to the tribe. They had no other way than to buy it from the city every year. If they are not able to provide it in time, the vige might run out of stock. For a warrior n like the stone head tribe, which does intense workouts and sweats a lot. Salt was a necessity that they cannot ignore.


    This unassuming chemical was a must to have for their body to function properly. Without it, it would cause severe muscle spasms or even death.


    "You don''t have to worry about that. We, the elders will take care of all that."


    "Okay! Then I will begin the preparation right now. How about I take Uli and the others with me." Alex asked Thadi.


    "You can, but don''t be too harsh on them."


    "No problem, I will take care of them really well." Grinning widely Alex replied. After that, he went to prepare for tomorrow.


    "At times, he smiles like an angel and at times he grins like a devil. Huh! The kid is really a mystery. Most adults in my tribe are not as mature as he is. You lucky old codger." Thadi jokingly said to Dhairya.


    "Hu hu¡­" Dhairya gave a satisfied grin.

 Chapter 31 First Customer

    ?The woond tribe was a tribe of carpenters. Their ability to control nts yed a big part in it.


    Imagine a person speeding up the growth of a tree or bending it unnaturally with their will. That was their skill.


    In a battle scenario, they would not be of much help due to their slow speed of nt control. But it didn''t mean they were useless.


    When they control vines or small shrubs, they can limit the movement of the enemy. Thereby increasing their chances in a battle. And body enhancement was a universally simr technique for all warrior tribes.


    A person''s physical strength was solely dependent on muscle mass and density. And it was given that they need a strong skeletal structure to bear this strength. Without that base, there is nothing to enhance for full body enhancement. So, the woond tribe who spent more time with their carpentry was weaker than other small tribes like the stone head tribe that focused on battle.


    They were dependent on their craft to survive. They used to work forrge tribes all around the region.


    This time, however, the skilled craftsmen of the woond tribe were decorating two shabby stalls on the streets of Blue gem city.


    A stall was about seven to eight meters long and five meters wide. Combining the two side-by-side stalls, it was about fifteen meters in length.


    And both of these were going to be used for Alex''s business. He employed the woond tribe to decorate the front of the stall and to make some chairs. The front counter was made into arge table fifteen meters long to seat the customers and water jugs and wooden cups were ced neatly along it.


    If the customer wanted takeouts, Alex had a n for that too. He made the woond tribe make a couple of takeout bags with nt fibres. It was simr to paper bags. Easy to use and throw away.


    Alex had never seen another restaurant give takeouts. But his shop was not a restaurant. It was a food stall. With the limited amount of seating capacity. He had to allow takeouts to fully maximise the profit.


    After preparing everything, Alex began his work.


    This time, he was going to make the best fried chicken he can with the limited amount of ingredients he has.


    He took some lime, salt and ginger and garlic. He crushed the garlic and ginger into a paste and squeezed some lime juice into it. He mixed it well and put some salt on it.


    He spread the mixture on the hundred-odd cleaned chicken he had bought. Twenty of them were not cut. It was going to be used for grilling. And the other eighty were going to be used to make fried chicken.


    Last time, when he made the fried chicken, he didn''t have any dried chilli kes or flour, But this time, fortunately, he was able to find simr products in the market.


    He was going to fry the chicken pieces with a coating of flour and chilli kes. From his understanding, the people in this region preferred spicy food. So, he could add more chillies or even ck pepper if he really wanted to.


    After that, Alex went to make the mayonnaise. Leaving behind a disgruntled Uli to look after the chicken.


    ¡ª---------------


    It didn''t take long for the open market to be active. The bustling crowd began walking through it. And the stalls around them began opening up to sell their wares.


    Suddenly, a savoury aroma wafted through the air.


    It quickly caught the attention of the majority of the people. They turned around to find where the scent wasing from.


    It was distinctly spicy and tempered. But at the same time, it caused the people who smelled it to salivate.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Oddly enough, in the group of people who were searching for the source of the aroma. There was a travelling merchant called Taka. He was a merchant from the far east who travelled far and wide across the nine regions.


    Yet, he had nevere across something so captivating in his life. The delicacies that he ate in his forty years of life can be numbered in thousands.


    Yet the aroma tantalising enough that he followed it unknowingly.


    Finally, he reached amon food stall on the side of the street. It lookedpletely ordinary and there were no customers near it.


    Before anyone could think, Taka took a seat on the chair in front. There were only a couple of chairs. So, he had to be quick in grabbing a seat. He thought


    After that, the middle-aged man looked inside.


    He could see a kid, not older than fifteen years of age, dipping a batch of chicken into a pot of boiling hot oil. He looked calm and serene as if he had been doing it for years. His eyes closely observed the chicken trying to gauge the temperature and colour of the meat.


    ''He has the eyes of a warrior, but he was using them for his craft. Well done.'' Taka praised him in his mind.


    It was not every day that you see a young man with such temperament.


    And the young man who was deep frying the chicken was Uli.


    After the torture that he had been put through to learn how to fry chicken, Uli had finally given up on having a normal life. Any ego or thought in his mind vanished and he had be a sage of fried chickens.


    His skills improved rapidly and everything that Alex taught him merged with his mind. At that moment, his action was precise and passionate.


    Unknowingly, he had begun to enjoy the monotonous action of frying chicken. Through torture, he found his love for cooking.


    This change his temperament and the aura around him. From the bratty loser to a tempered human being.


    Like him, hisckeys were busy. They were grilling chicken on another side of the stall.


    The grilled chicken was a premium food that Alex nned to make in lesser quantities and sell at a higher price. So, he let the three idiots look after it while he asionally guided them.


    It was for this exact reason that he turned Uli into a chicken frying monster. While looking after the shop, he didn''t have the time to fry the chicken. He was busy as it is.


    When returning from the back of the kitchen after making the mayonnaise, he noticed the first customer of his shop.


    He was dressed in a light grey coloured robes. It was thin and covered his body well,  enting his handsome face.


    From just a nce, Alex knew this man was wealthy. His years of experience observing people immediately manifested. And he swiftly walked towards the customer with a respectful smile.


    ''This is clearly a wealthy guy trying to act poor. He was wearing thin clothes in this icy climate. This meant he was a powerful warrior. And the grey robe was to blend in with the crowd. But the quality of the clothes was higher than that ofmoners. Who does he think he is trying to fool with a half-assed costume like that?''


    "Dear customer, wee to Spice Garden." Alex warmly weed the wealthy guy acting like amoner.

 Chapter 32 Maybe He Is

    ?Taka was thrilled to receive the warm wee. Even though the young shopkeeper looked shady, the chef was great. So, it was time for him to try the food of the spice garden.


    Spice Garden, the name symbolises Alex''s future ambition. He not only wanted to sell food, but also the spices he would make from the farm. This was just a trick he was using to poprise his brand.


    If the food in the spice garden was good, the spice they would sell would be good too.


    This was the idea that Alex was trying to imnt in the customer''s mind.


    "Get me the best dish you have."


    "Ok, sir. We are selling grilled and deep-fried chicken marinated in our special spice mix. A serving of deep-fried chicken will be two pieces, half a chicken. And a serving of grilled chicken would have four pieces, a full chicken. Bothbined would cost 3 silver coins. This week we are having an opening week promotion, so the price is half of the normal. Should I confirm your order?"


    After notifying the price and details about the dishes, Alex waited for Taka''s reply.


    ''People in the cities were generally richer. They wouldn''t mind paying 3 silver coins for a chicken, would they?'' Alex thought while waiting for Taka''s response.


    While Alex was having an internal monologue, Taka was thinking his own thing. He was a merchant himself and had a general understanding of the price of differentmodities in the market. Yet, he was amazed by the price set by Alex.


    The price was too low, even if it was an opening week promotion, the price was too low.


    ''Just the raw chickens would cost 1.5 silver coins. And the spices would cost more than the chicken. Yet the shopkeeper is selling it cheaply. How can it make sense from a business perspective? He was selling the product while making a loss. This was preposterous.''


    ''Unless he was using low-cost subpar ingredients.'' Taka thought.


    ''Can a food that smells this good be made out of subpar ingredients?''


    "Ok, bring the dishes."


    Alex smiled upon hearing it. He quickly went to the kitchen and served the chicken neatly on a wooden tray. He ced a small cup of mayonnaise near it. And a little bit of neatly cut cucumber and carrots were used as a garnish. And to finalise the ting, he put a folded tbread next to it.


    The ting wasplete.


    ¡ª--------


    While that was happening? A group of people were walking through the open market. They wore delicate white and blue clothes.


    The servants surrounded the two princesses of their tribe, protecting them from any unforeseen circumstances. And the duo at the centre were the princesses of the ice phoenix tribe.


    "Sister Laya, are we going to the ice pavilion?"


    "No, we are trying to find a merchant called Taka."


    "But you said we would go there today." Meena, the younger sisterined.


    She was hoping to eat something delicious today, and yet again, her wish for delicious food was trampled.


    And while walking through the shops, the duo finally saw Taka.


    He was sitting in front of a stall with teary eyes. His head was raised high to force the tears back. He didn''t want to embarrass himself.


    And next to him, they could see a familiar figure.


    "The hidden master!" The brat, Meena eximed. She was thrilled to encounter him again.


    "Sister, let''s go there." After saying that, she dashed towards the stall with shining eyes.


    Laya followed suit.


    ¡ª------


    "I am ashamed of myself. Please don''t mind my tears, they are tears of happiness." Taka said wiping away the teardrops.


    ''The food is too tasty. Even with all the spice, I want to tear into it and eat everything.'' Munching on a piece of chicken, he said.


    ''Giving them some vegetables and tbread was a nice choice. I thought people here liked spicy food. I should decrease the spiciness on the next batch.'' Alex decided after seeing the teary-eyed Taka.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Can I get one more serving?"


    "Of course, you can. How about two more servings?"


    "That would be great." Taka happily agreed.


    Other people who noticed the first customer having a blissful experience wanted to eat at the stall. But before they could, a group of people wearing blue and white clothes upied all the seats.


    After that, no one dared to approach the food stall.


    Alex who returned with two more servings was greeted by this. And among them, he saw the bubbly little kid waving at him.


    ''Ah! Damn it.'' With a forced smile, he thought.


    "Sir, hidden master." The kid respectfully called him, when Alex went towards them with the food.


    "Do you know the princesses? Mr Shopkeeper." Taka curiously asked.


    ''No wonder the food tastes delicious. They have connections with rulers of the region. Among the nine great tribes, the ice phoenix tribe ys a great role that cannot be reced. And due to that, the rtionships they have are vast. To think that this unassuming stall had connections with them. I have a lot more to learn. And to think that this young man is a hidden master. Thank god that I didn''t offend him.'' Taka thought while admonishing himself.


    Not realising the gravity of the misunderstanding the pipsqueak has caused. Alex ted the dishes calmly.


    "Sir, try it."


    The smell was tantalizing. And curious nces came from the group of ice phoenix tribe.


    Before anyone could think, A tray disappeared and appeared before Meena. Anything delicious should be eaten. The simple-minded girl grabbed and ate the food.


    The servants panicked seeing this. They had yet to taste it. What if it was poisoned?


    Nervously, they gazed at Laya. Hoping to reign in the problem child. But all her attention was directed towards Taka.


    Seeing Taka eat the food without a problem, she was not particrly worried about her sister being poisoned. Taka was a strong warrior from the void fish tribe, one of the nine great tribes. He is also one of the leaders of the greatest merchant unions on the whole central continent.


    If he is eating the food without worry, it was worthy enough for them to eat.


    "Sir, Taka. We are here to ask¡­"


    "Let''s talk after eating the food. I know why you are here." Before Laya couldplete her words, Taka said.


    "Yes, sister! Try this! This is so tasty. Even in our home, we can''t get something so tasty." Rubbing off a moustache made out of mayonnaise, Meena said. Her cute face blushed red while her eyes swiftly scanned the surroundings for more food.


    Taka, who saw this was happy to see a fellow foodie.


    While Laya was monotonous and boring. Her sister Meena was bubbly and quirky. They had contrasting personalities, yet they had one thing simr. Their eyes were devoid of guile.


    "Haah!" With a long sigh, Laya finally looked at Alex. It was not every day that you see a  strange person like him.


    He was young, younger than herself.  Yet he had the bearing of an adult.


    Although fifteen years of age was considered adult in this world. Not everyone had the bearing of an adult when they reached fifteen. But this odd kid was somehow different.


    When considering the fact that Meena recognized this person as a hidden master. It made her even more curious. After all, Meena was a special kid.


    Due to her high affinity with the ice phoenix, A spirit guardian that dances between life and death, birth and rebirth. She could vaguely feel the life and death of a person. And Alex was someone who was deemed special by a person like that.


    You could imagine the doubts Laya had. The kid was not strong, mysterious or special. He was just amon per. How can he be special?


    "Sister, eat this!" Rolling a piece of meat inside a tbread and dipping it in mayonnaise. Meena forced it into her sister''s mouth.


    The unprepared Laya was not able to stop it. And juicy meat and delicious savoury mayonnaise exploded in her mouth. The food was infinitely better than any food she had ever eaten.


    ''Maybe, he is special.'' Laya thought.

 Chapter 33 Purple

    ?After eating the food, Laya and Taka began conversing about business. But this didn''t sit well with Alex.


    ''You should move away if you had your full. Don''t hog the seats. I need more customers to make money.'' Alex screamed in his mind.


    ''If that''s how you are going to y did. Don''t mind me ying dirty.''


    "Meena, how about I get food for all your people?"


    Ten servants plus Laya and Meena. And if you include Taka, thirteen people were upying the seats. But the servants sat silently, not bothering to order food even when he could see them salivating next to him.


    ''They were waiting to get a chance to try my food. Ku Ku Ku¡­ I will give them that chance.''


    "Okay, include another serving for me."


    ''As a food stall owner, I am beginning to like this quirky glutton. Ask for more food, please.''


    "NO, give me two more servings." Raising her hand, she called out to Alex once again.


    ''Can she read minds? Ku Ku Ku.'' Alex was thrilled to sell more. If everything went as expected, he would have to prepare more chickens for noon.


    But things never go as expected.


    ¡ª----------


    Meanwhile, Taka and Laya were having a serious conversation.


    "The Iron mountain tribe is slowing down their metal export. Even if I wanted to, I couldn''t get you more."


    "What about the other regions?"


    "For some reason, they are also slowing down metal export."


    "We are willing to pay more if that''s what you want. We can even trade with gems and precious stones."


    "Too slow."


    "What?"


    "Your tribe was too slow to respond. All the bulk supply has been bought. And there is almost nothing left in the free market. You know what that means, right?"


    "Yes, it is a matter of concern. Who is it this time?"


    "I don''t know. In the beginning, I thought it was a conflict between Iron mountain and the Volcanic dragon tribe. But considering the rate at which the conflict is escting. I can''t say for sure. Everyone is prepping for war, one way or another. Like your tribe, everyone is in short supply of metal ores. We poor merchants are being dragged into a mess that we don''t want any part in." Taka said with concern.


    For the past one hundred years, the central continent was in peace. Due to the shadow of the great war, everyone tried their best to not escte regional conflicts into a continental-scale war. The nine great tribes tried their utmost to maintain a peaceful rtionship with each other.


    But from Taka''s words, Laya understood that those facades were slowly being torn apart. And war was imminent. The hidden war they fought for generations was beginning to be unearthed.


    "Can you import metals from the western continent? If it''s your tribe, you might be able to, right?" Laya asked.


    Metal might not seem like an important factor in the daily life of people of the north. But, without it, A lot of problems will arise. The most important of them would be the need to import essential tools and materials from other regions. Making the northpletely dependent on other regions. More importantly, dependent on other tribes.


    Recycling and using them would have been a good solution, but how long can they do it?


    Metals, like everything, can be destroyed. It was not feasible to just depend on recycled metals to survive.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Making the situation worse was the fact that metal mines in the north will bepletely frozen for the next couple of months.


    It was a predicament for Laya and the governing tribe of the north, the ice phoenix tribe. So, she was even ready to pay a hefty price and import from the western continent across the ocean.


    "I don''t think they are willing. Westerners always consider themselves superior to us. Back when they came herest time with a marriage proposal. I heard that they were humiliated and chased away. Would they be willing to help your tribe if they know you are the one asking for help? Even with your elder sister apologising in person, it would not be enough."


    "It was a duel based on strength. When the prince from the west asked for my sister''s hand in marriage. He should have been ready to show his strength. Not to lose miserably against a couple of our warriors. He was a weakling beyond any measure." Laya said, distressed by remembering how the westerners acted when they came. It was clear that she didn''t like them.


    "Ha ha¡­ They are prideful people. But I can ask them. If they are willing, I can try to export the metals if you are willing to pay enough." With a chuckle, Taka said. He was a merchant to the bones. If they paid him enough, he was willing to take the risk and ask the western kingdom.


    "Thank you, sir Taka. Without you, it would have been hard on us."


    "Don''t say that yet. I cannot promise you anything."


    After their hour-long conversation, They were ready to end their conversation.


    Meena, who was full was almost dozing off and Alex, who sold half his inventory was thrilled.


    But without them knowing, a hidden plot was at y.


    Someone wearing a ck robe was walking along the streets. And in his hand, he had a shiny purple stone.


    It looked like an ore that was dug out just then with dirt and mud covering it. However, an immense power was pulsing inside it. The dirty outeryer couldn''t cover up the peculiarity of the stone.


    Meena who dozed off was startled awake suddenly. Then she turned towards the man holding the purple stone. For a split second, she made eye contact with the man.


    This shook the man hiding in the crowd. He suddenly took out a knife and shed open a wound on his abdomen. The glowing purple stone was then thrust into the wound, inside his body.


    Like a ballooning pufferfish, the man grew to an immense size.


    "BOOOM." With a blinding sh of purple light and a thunderous sound, the man exploded into smithereens.


    His blood sprayed around in the surroundings, dying everything red.


    Taka was the first to react to this sound. He turned in a split second and raised his hand. A ripple of energy came from his hand and prevented any blood froming towards the food stall.


    Meena, Laya and their servants stood up overwhelmed by the sudden situation. The servants who realised what just happened felt like their hearts beating like crazy.


    ''It was an assassination attempt.'' They screamed in their head.


    But it was not over yet.


    The blood sprayed around began moving like it had a life of its own. It twisted, turned and coagted into a circr mess. And a purple glow came from it, creating arge magic circle beneath their legs.


    It was not an assassination attempt.


    It was an assassination was in progress.


    The purple magic circle suddenly emitted a screeching noise as if the space itself was being torn. From the ground, A ray of purple light was emitted into the sky, creating a rift in space right above Alex''s food stall.


    And something giant was trying to force itself through the spatial rift.


    ''What the f is that? Alex pondered deeply.''

 Chapter 34 Battle

    ?Everyone was dazed, looking at the mysterious phenomenon. A giant six-armed gori was trying to force its way through the spatial rift. It was humongous, about forty to fifty meters in height, Dwarfing any four tusked mammoths that Alex saw.


    It thrashed its arms around, erging the spatial rift and pushing itself through. At any moment, it woulde down from the sky.


    While everyone looked at it dazed, not knowing what to do.


    Alex acted differently. He had seen enough movies to know that mayhem was about to be unleashed.


    ''Anything thates from a hole in the sky should be feared.''


    ording to Alex, it didn''t take a genius to understand that.


    "Dumbassess, why are you looking at the sky? Run." Instantly Alex put everything necessary in the inventory and screamed at hisckeys.


    Uli and the other kids were too stunned to understand the gravity of the situation. Yet, hearing the warning, they quickly responded by running towards the direction Alex pointed.


    ''Thankfully, all the other tribesmen are not near the food stall.''


    Alex was calm because he could enter the interdimensional farm at any time. His survival rate would be higher than the people who are running away from the beast falling from the sky.


    Taka, who saw the giant six-armed gori was apprehensive. He knew that the strength of the creature was beyond what he could face. He might be able to buy some time for everyone to escape. But that is it.


    He could never win against it.


    Laya, Meena and the ice phoenix members quickly went into a defensive formation. They knew instantly that they were the targets of the assassination attempt. And they were not sure if other people were working together with the assassins.


    It was better to be safe than sorry. So, they quickly moved away from the chaos.


    "GHRAAAAA¡­." The beast suddenly roared.


    Forcing its way through the rift, it fell down like a meteor. Smashing Alex''s food stall and everything near it. Nothing in the vicinity was left standing after the beast fell down. Everything was pulverised to dust.


    A giant shockwave carrying dust and crumbled materials went through the area. It felt like a miniature earthquake to the people around it.


    Thankfully, the people near it had already evacuated.


    And in the small crater in the centre. The beast stood still. It was uninjured.


    With the bloodthirsty purple eyes. It looked around.


    And the first thing that caught its attention was Taka of the void fish tribe. He was standing near the crater, uninjured by the explosive shockwave. Near him, Alex suddenly materialised from thin air.


    "Sir, shopkeeper. You are here?"


    "Hm¡­ Yes, for now."


    "Can you help?"


    "I will try to."


    Taka smiled hearing the affirmative response. He didn''t know how Alex materialized near him. But it felt like space fluctuations, the same kind of power the void fish tribe had. If he can help, that would be great.


    So, Taka was happy to see Alex giving the thumbs up. A small smile formed on his face after that.


    "I will try to blind it, you go for its weak points."


    "Be careful, it is not like any beast that I havee across. The energy it is using is so repulsive and dirty. But it is strong, it is close to tier 4 in strength, the same as me."


    In this world, there were five main tiers of ssification of strength. Tier one is the partial body enhancement stage, tier two is full body enhancement, tier three is the skill manifestation stage, tier four is the spirit guardian possession tier and finally, the fifth tier is the spirit guardian summon tier.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Most people never be stronger than tier two. While the majority of the strong people are tier three and four. And only a dozen tier-five individuals are alive in the central continent. And they are practically legends in their region.


    While considering this, Alex could be said to be having only tier 2 strength. But when he releases the energy outside his body, it automatically condenses into a smoke screen. It can be considered a skill, but he has yet to be a tier-three warrior. After all, due to the diversity of tribes in the world. The line between tiers two and three was always blurry. Some can use skills before they be tier 3, while some had to wait.


    A true tier three didn''t mean just the ability to use the skill of spirit guardian, it also meant an increase in the total amount of energy they can use and vastly superior durability in an intense battle. Alex didn''t have any of that perks.


    And to be aplete tier-three warrior. One had to be capable of using all the skills of their spirit guardian and master at least one. Alex doesn''t even know if he has a spirit guardian, much less master its skills.


    For furtherparison, a tier three warrior can go against a couple of dozen tier two warriors and easily win. And the beast was at the top of tier three about to step into tier four. It was practically invincible against the vast majority of the poption.


    ''Almost tier 4, It is crazy strong. The strongest people alive are only tier 5 in strength.'' Alex who understood the messed up situation didn''t cover away this time.


    Although he hates fighting, he remembered the thing that happenedst time. When they were travelling to the blue gem city.


    The attack of wolves and the torrent of regret he had to bear.


    In the past, he was living a life full of regret. So he quit his job and went to his vige to rx. While at it, he was transmigrated into this world. And now, he was supposed to live a gratifying life without regrets.


    Yet, as soon as he reached here. He went back into his old cowardly behaviour. And it had cost someone their life.


    Without any change in his behaviour, he was hoping for a change in his life. And he realised how stupid he was. So, for the first time, he was going to participate in a fight that he had no hope of winning.


    He was going to fight against the odds.


    "Can you injure it?" Alex asked.


    ording to Taka, the beast was peak tier three. He had no hope of injuring it in a direct physical confrontation. But that didn''t mean that he couldn''t do something sneaky like he always does.


    Fighting against the odds doesn''t mean that he should do something stupid. If you have a brain, why not use it to gain an advantage?


    "Yes, if I use everything at my disposal. I might be able to injure it. However, killing it will be impossible."


    "Go for its weak points. I will distract and dy the beast." After saying that, Alex began releasing the smoke screen.


    Taka, who saw this, instantly understood what he was trying to do. Although he didn''t fully trust Alex, knowing what he was doing. He chose to work with Alex.


    But before the smoke could get to it, the gori ran towards Alex and Taka.


    It was eyeing Taka who was in the front. Alex who saw this quickly moved away to a safer location and released even more smoke.


    The beast was too fast. He could barely run away.


    At first, he thought he might be able to cover just the beast with the smoke. If he could have done that, it would have been the most efficient way to use the smoke screen. But now, seeing the speed of the beast. Alex came to a conclusion.


    He had to release the smoke screen on arge scale. More like the first time he releases the smoke screen covering the entire training area a couple of hundred meters in diameter.


    Then he was going to force the beat to have tunnel vision. Making only Taka visible to it.


    Just as Alex moved away from Taka, A giant fist that could destroy a mountain mmed into Taka. Fortunately, he moved away in the nick of time.


    This bought Alex enough time toplete his n. All the surroundings were quickly covered in smoke.


    Contrary to what he did in the training ground. Alex didn''t try to control all the smoke. Or else it would have been exhausting. So, He controlled enough smoke the best he could.


    The smoke between Taka and the beast was quickly cleared. The beast could only see Taka and likewise, Taka could only see the beast.


    And the intense battle between the man and the beast began.

 Chapter 35 Spice Garden Special Move

    ?Meanwhile, the escaping group of the ice phoenix tribe and Uli came across another problem. Unknown to them, a group of nefarious people had surrounded them.


    They looked like normal people, yet their eyes glowed with a hint of purple.


    This quickly caught Meena''s attention. She informed their group of the situation to prepare for a fight.


    After all, these people were ready to kill or die trying.


    Why?


    They didn''t know. But they were sure that nothing good would happen even if they surrendered.


    So, an intense fight broke out between the group.


    Uli and the kids chose to run away and hide while they met with conflict. The order was given to them by Alex, and it was safer to follow it.


    All of the people from the ice phoenix tribe were tier 2 warriors. And it should have been okay to stroll the streets of Blue gem city with those bodyguards. Yet, somehow the unthinkable happened.


    A terrorist attack concentrated on one of the strongest tribes on the continent. Whoever they were, they had to be stupid to organise a direct attack like this. After all, attacking the ice phoenix tribe was tantamount to destroying the peace of the whole continent.


    They were the protectors of the north. Guardian that prevented a global catastrophe a hundred years ago. They maintain the seals on the demons that caused the great war.


    If they are destroyed, it meant that the whole world would be thrown into chaos. And no one, even the other nine great tribes, the rivals of the ice phoenix n wanted that.


    "Meena, stay behind," Laya called out to Meena, who was watching the unsettling scene unfold.


    People were killing each other. Blood covered the snowy street. And corpses wereyered near them.


    Their servants were doing the best they could to protect their masters. Yet asionally, a few passed through them. Laya had to personally move to kill the enemies.


    Although Laya was a management genius of the ice phoenix tribe, she was not strong. She was just barely stepping into tier 3 in strength. But it was enough to buy some time.


    "The seniors of the ice phoenix tribe might have already noticed the chaos. Help wille soon." Laya said to her sister.


    Meena had never seen a gory scene like this in her entire life. Her stomach churned, trying to dispose of all the food that she had eaten.


    In that moment ofpse of judgement, she veered away from her sister. And the enemies quickly noticed it.


    They swarmed towards her and shed her with their daggers.


    "Ahh!" Meena screamed in pain. A deep wound was shed on her hip. A little off and it could have endangered her life. Fortunately, she dodged enough to not cause fatal injury.


    This greatly angered the mild-natured Laya. She went in there and began shing around her sword.


    A burst of energy began manifesting from her sword, freezing anything that came in contact with the sword. She had begun to subconsciously use the skill of their guardian spirit, the ice phoenix. She was closing in on the threshold of a tier 3 warrior.


    With her precise fighting skillbined with her freezing energy, each one of her shes ensured the death of one of her foes.


    "Graaa¡­" With blood-curdling screams, the enemies fell on the streets motions less.


    But even with that, she couldn''t prevent Meena from being taken, hostage.


    A dagger was held near Meena''s neck stopping Laya in her tracks.


    "If you want your sister to live, do as I say. Drop your weapon and move back." One of the attackers said.


    He looked nothing special. He didn''t have any notable features. Yet he had shown authority over all terrorists.


    His words were monotonous and without any emotion. He looked and acted like a robot, instilling fear into Laya. She was genuinely scared that her sister might die.


    Quickly, she moved back. But she was unwilling to drop her sword.


    "How can I believe you? Are you their leader? Can you make a decision on their behalf?" Even though she knew it was unlikely that he would release Meena. She talked to him, trying to buy some time.


    "I am. And today, I am not here to kill anyone." The man said.


    "How can you say that after all the carnage you caused?"


    "Personally, I didn''t. It was done by someone else."


    "So, what can I do for you to let her go?" Laya ignored his deceptive reply and asked.


    "Drop your weapon and move away. It is all that I require of you."


    "Even though you are a thug, you speak like a modest gentleman. Even though you are unreasonable, you try to reason with me. It isughable, isn''t it?"


    "Are you trying to buy time? Ha ha ha¡­ This is funny. I was also buying time. Ipleted my purpose, it is time for me to leave. I will visit another time, miss Laya." After saying that, the man chuckled robotically. He took something from his pocket and smashed it.


    A crack in space formed near him, pulling him inside. With that, he escaped from the blue gem city.


    As soon as the spatial crack disappeared, an arrow made of solid ice passed through the ce, barely missing him.


    And like that, hundreds of arrows rained from the sky, piercing the terrorist. Most of the terrorists died instantaneously and their frozen corpses stood still. It seemed like someone was ridding the earth of evil.


    "Who dares take my sister, hostage?"


    "Sigh¡­" Hearing the angry voice, a relieved sigh escaped from Laya''s lips.


    ¡ª--------------------


    "Sir, shopkeeper. Can you let me rest for a moment? The beast is too much for me to handle alone. Each one of its punches feels like a mountain mming against me. It would be better if you couldpletely blind it." Taka who was fighting the six-armed gori said.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    His body was numb due to the overuse of energy. He was barely dodging the beast right now.


    "I could do that. But it will easily break through my smoke screen if you are not grabbing its attention. It is the best I can do to prevent it from rampaging inside the city."


    "That makes sense¡­"  Dodges an iing punch.


    "BOOM!" jumps away from the explosion.


    "What about the thing you were preparing? Is it done yet?"


    "Almost ready. Just a minute."


    "Okay!" Dodges one more punch.


    "ROAR¡­."


    Alex was busy making something, a killer move to take down a fifty-meter-tall gori. While Taka dodged left and right, trying to keep the ape busy.


    Even though they didn''t work together before, their teamwork was impable. Both understood each other andplimented to fight something stronger than themselves.


    "I am done. Lure it to the centre. I don''t know how it will react." Alex suddenly called out.


    Taka heard it and immediately ran towards the centre of the destroyed area. And the six-armed gori followed him.


    "When I reach near its face, stun it for a second." Alex once again said. His n solely depended on him sneakily getting near the gori''s face.


    "Okay."


    And thus, Alex moved hidden through the dense smoke. He ran towards the gori and jumped as high as he could.


    Thirty meters, not enough to reach the gori''s face. So, Alex took the risky move and began climbing on the back of the gori.


    The gori sensed it and tried to swat him off like a fly. Thankfully, he teleported inside the farm to dodge it and reappeared on its back.


    Alex was like a flea, jumping around on the gori''s furry back. Climbing towards the top. And within moments, he was already near its head.


    "Now."


    Taka, who was waiting for the cue, charged towards the beast. His body glowed suddenly. And a ripple of energy was released from his hands.


    The special skill of the void fish tribe, the void smash was unleashed.


    A spatial ripple travelled from his hands towards the chin of the gori. It smashed with full force, momentarily stunning the giant beast.


    And Alex took hold of the exact moment. Activating his inventory, he dumped all the water mixed with red and ck pepper into the gori''s airway.


    "Spice Garden special move Forced Spice Breathing."


    It was instantaneous. And poor gori couldn''t do anything but take it all in.


    This was the stuff he was preparing. And it was horrifying.


    No sane man would fight someone like Alex who could think of something so evil. Taka, who saw this came to the conclusion.


    And Alex was not done yet.


    Taking outrge pointy wood from the inventory, he pushed it into the ear canals of the stunned gori. After that, he kicked it with enough force to burst any ear drum it had.


    All of it was done in a continuous fluid motion that perplexed even Taka.


    ''Who trained him in these wicked ways?'' Taka thought as he covered his mouth.


    "Gyaaa¡­"


    And the gori who was on the receiving end screamed in pain. For a moment, it looked like a squealing pig that was about to be ughtered than the monstrous beast it was.


    Its six arms thrashed around, not knowing what to do. While coughing out the concoction. But no cough could remove the muscle-melting spice from its lungs. It couldn''t breathe, hear or even see.


    It was senseless and in grave pain. It was incapacitated.


    Taka took this chance to take out a spear and channel his energy into it. The spear glittered like a silver-coloured fish. And he trusted it into the beast''s head.


    "Thump¡­"


    With a thunderous sound. It pierced the brain of the beast. Silencing it forever.


    With that, Taka waspletely drained. He fell down weakly to the ground and looked at the sky.


    "Hey! shopkeeper. What''s your name?" He asked Alex, who was walking towards him.


    "Meru."


    "Hey, Meru. I have some special chicken-like magical beasts in my house."


    "It would taste awesome if I cook them."


    "Ha ha ha ¡­ It would." Taka smiled while Alex sat near him to rest.

 Chapter 36 Palace

    ?It was chaos, pure chaos.


    And the death toll was just as high. Hundreds died in the unexpected incident. If not for the warriors of the ice phoenix tribe, more would have died.


    Unlike what Alex and the others thought. It was not an isted incident. Twenty tire 3 monsters were summoned by the mysterious people. And the death and destruction they caused were immense.


    Most of the city was in shambles.


    Although Alex and Taka worked together to kill a peak tire 3 beasts. It was nothingpared to what the ice phoenix tribe had to manage.


    Just as the beasts were summoned. Even when, most of the strongest members of the ice phoenix tribe were away, they rushed to save the people. They fought hard to secure victory in the shortest possible time.


    And the one who shone brightest among them was none other than the eldest princess of the ice phoenix tribe. Sister of Laya and Meena. Next in line to inherit the title of the matriarch. Kalina.


    Kalina had rushed out just as the battle began. With her superior strength as a tier 4 warrior, she easily disposed of the beast that she came across.


    A tier 4 warrior waspletely different from normal people. It was a domain of strength where they could directly borrow a part of the power from their spirit guardian. So, it was called the spirit guardian possession.


    In the spirit guardian possession state, for a short duration, they be the embodiment of the spirit guardian. They can bepared to gods in ancient myths with perfect physical bodies.


    Other than strength, It also gave them superiority over normal humans. Such as their ability to walk on air, slow ageing, and ability to store and use a vast amount of energy in their body. And finally, to synchronise with the spirit guardian to convey thoughts and emotions.


    In a more general way, tier 4 warriors can also be called the powerhouses of the tribe. They can also be thought of as people with direct uplink with mysterious beings called spirit guardians.


    And Kalina was such a warrior. Using her immense power, she killed five out of the twenty beasts alone. And in the process saved her sisters from danger. She was a badass warrior and at the same time a kind, loving sister.


    But even with all her power, she couldn''t save everyone. Her chilly eyes gazed at the corpse-ridden streets. And anger was clearly visible in them. Her ice arrows barely missed one of the main conspirators of the incident.


    ''If only I had been a little faster.'' Her face darkened in dismay.


    ¡ª------------------------


    "Ahm¡­ Hidden master, can you stand up?" Someone kicked Alex who wasying next to the corpse of a gigantic six-armed gori. He was peacefully nodding off, but the kick woke him up.


    Turning around, gazing at the pipsqueak called Meena. The pent-up anger in his mind arose. He wanted to knock on her thick skull and force some manners into it.


    But before he could do that, an icy hand grabbed his wrist.


    It was a beautiful woman wearing a white dress. With piercing ck eyes and wavy ck hair. She looked like a goddess, elegant and beautiful.


    However, the beauty was ring at Alex like she would eat him alive if he dared to harm Meena.


    "Hidden master, let me introduce you to my eldest sister, Kalina. Sister, this is the hidden master that I told you about." Meena kindly introduced Alex.


    But it didn''t ease the tension in the air. The grip was strong and Alex could feel the blood supply to his palm being cut off.


    "Hi, I am the hidden master. Normal people call me Meru." Alex introduced himself.


    Only after that did the death grip lose.


    ''She is too strong and gorgeous. She has a stunning body with the charm of a mature woman. How old is she?'' Even in pain, unwanted thoughts about her beauty sted through Alex''s mind. He was slightly losing control of his teenage brain.


    "Hello, sir Meru. My sister told me that you and Sir Taka killed the beast. You have my heartfelt gratitude for protecting the city and its people. To thank you, I would like to sincerely invite you to the pce of the ice phoenix tribe." She red at Alex and invited him to the pce with no room to reject.


    ording to her sister, if Alex hadn''t intervened when the beast attacked. They would have sumbed to the attack.


    Even though the kid called Meru looked shady. If both her sisters praised him, there would be some truth to the matter. So, she chose to invite him and observe.


    ''I might as well follow them to the pce. Building a good rtionship with the ice phoenix tribe would do me no harm.''


    "Before that, can you inform my tribesmen, the stone head tribe? Or else they might worry about me."


    "We will do that."


    It was at that moment Alex noticed a stretcher carrying Taka leaving. He was also being carried to the pce to treat his injuries.


    The beast had done a number on his first customer.


    ''This pesky piece of meat.'' Thinking that Alex kicked the carcass of the six-armed gori.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    [Ding]


    Suddenly a notification shed before Alex''s eyes.


    [Data shard found]


    [Extracting data. Mana runes are found.]


    [Modifying and improving to fit interdimensional farm parameters.]


    [New function, fertiliser has been developed to enhance the mana inside crops.]


    [The yer can now create basic fertiliser by using the corpse of level 3 mana beasts.]


    A series of notifications which startled Alex popped up in his vision.


    ''I should be happy that the farm unlocked a new function. But why does it feel like I was scammed? To make fertiliser, I need a level 3 mana beast. Does it mean beasts like the six-armed gori?''


    ''For god''s sake, it was a tier 3 beast. Something dreaded by everyone on this continent. It was not some piece of cow dung or chicken shit. For basic fertiliser, I need to kill a beast like that. Was the farm joking?''


    ''Well, thanks for unlocking a feature that I might never use.''


    Alexined in his mind.


    The farm was something that he depended on to survive. He was happy to unlock new features for it. But knowing how hard it was to kill one tier 3 beast. He felt dejected.


    It was the reason for hisint.


    Nheless, he could worry about making fertiliser another time. Before that, he would really like to know what a data shard was. And how the farm was able to enhance itself using it.


    Where can he find more data shards? By killing beasts?


    Another plethora of questions muddled his mind. After thinking for a while, he gave up on thinking. He can''t ask questions to the farm and any conclusion he might reach with the limited data he has can only be considered spection.


    And from his spection, the awakening ceremony was one way to get data. And another one was by killing a beast like the six-armed gori.


    If there are more, he has yet toe across them.


    ¡ª----


    "Sir, hidden master. Follow me to my home. We have a lot of chickens there. We can make a lot of fired and roasted chicken."


    ''For your information, it''s fried not fired. Anyway, was this the reason she convinced her elder sister to bring me to the pce? The devil only needs my mayonnaise and food.''


    Alex avoided Meena like gue.


    Meanwhile, two pairs of shining orbs focused on Alex and Meena.


    "Do you think he has any part in the attack? It is not every day that you see a young kid like him battling a peak tier 3 beast. He might be a spy. From what I heard, his powers are nothing like that of the stone head tribe." Kalina asked Laya.


    "It doesn''t seem like he is an enemy. Sir Taka, before he was carried away sang praises of his ability. He was totally convinced that he is an ally."


    "Hm¡­ We can wait and observe. So, about the metal shortage. Did you finalise the deal?"


    But once she heard about the deal, Laya became meek. She didn''t want her sister to know that she nned to import metals from the west.


    Her sister was almost perfect if not for her prideful nature. She wouldn''t like bowing her head to the westerners.


    "We could talk about thatter. Let''s hurry back. There are much more pressing matters at hand." Laya quickly changed the topic.


    The group slowly walked through the destroyed city into the centre, where the monolithic shrine of the ice phoenix tribe was situated. It was the symbol of pride for the tribe.


    Surrounding the shrine was a massive pce. Made with thick granite and marble bs. It was beautiful. Many sculptures and beautifully engraved walls adorned the way towards the pce.


    Alex was mesmerised by it.


    Before long, they reached the pce entrance.

 Chapter 37 Accountability

    ?[A/N : If you could, please leave a review. It would be really helpful to know my shorings.]


    Two dayster.


    Most of the ice phoenix tribe members have returned home. They couldn''t turn a blind eye to what happened in Blue gem city.


    With them was the current matriarch of the ice phoenix tribe, the princesses'' grandmother. She was strengthening the seal of the demons in the north. So, she was not in the Blue gem city when the attack happened.


    She was incensed after witnessing the poor condition of the city. Soon, she heard about the actual damage done to the city. Understanding her predicament, to quickly solve the immediate problem, she convened a tribal meeting.


    Meanwhile, Alex felt trapped.


    He was living his dream, but something felt off to him once in a while.


    The ice phoenix tribe treated him like a guest. The food was good and the living condition was great. Unlike how he used to live in the stone head tribe, he didn''t have to care about anything. Life was easy.


    And this tingled his bulls**t sensor.


    Something was off about the way they were treating him. And whenever he tried to leave, he was persuaded to stay. At some point, he realised that he didn''t have a choice. He was under house arrest. He was a damned prisoner.


    This scared him slightly. He could have escaped the ce if he wanted. But the roots he has in this world and his identity as Meru prevented him from doing so. It was better to solve any misunderstanding before leaving. Otherwise, the ice phoenix tribe woulde to the stone head tribe to chop his head off.


    "Sir Taka, how are you feeling today?"


    "Quite good. After eating the muscle growth medicine, I can move my right arm again. This calls for a celebration. How about I send someone to bring the chicken-like magical beast?"


    "Ha-ha, you jest."


    "No, I already send someone to bring it."


    "Hm, we can celebrate," Alex said while nodding his head. "Would you mind if I invite the servants of the pce?"


    "No problem. They have done well in serving us for the past few days."


    "Any news on why we are under house arrest?" Alex suddenly asked.


    This caught Taka off guard. He looked at Alex and smiled knowingly. He also felt as though they were being kept under house arrest. Even though the ice phoenix tribe wouldn''t disregard him without any valid reason. He was waiting for them to give an official statement.


    "The reason might be simple. For example, the abilities we showed during our battle."


    "But why should the ice phoenix tribe care about that? We helped them during a crisis. Shouldn''t they thank us instead of imprisoning us?" Alex probed for more information.


    "What you said makes sense. But the nature of the crisis this time was not natural. Someone deliberately orchestrated an attack on the whole city. It was anything but natural. And the timing was impable too." Lifting a cup of hot tea, he drank it with a knowing smile. He was calm andposed.


    "Even though we don''tpletely understand their motives, I could certainly say it was an inside job. Or else, how can they attack precisely when the matriarch of the ice phoenix tribe was away? There are no coincidences in a situation like this. They are even suspicious of each other. So, how can we be not suspicious in their eyes." Taka borated.


    Although Taka may have appeared to be slow at times, his mind was actually much quicker than most others. He quickly understood the basic situation of the ice phoenix tribe.


    "I should make preparation to import daily necessities into the city. It would be hard to live without a home in the harsh winter of the north." Taka was not trying to profiteer in the crisis. He was wholeheartedly trying to help the people.


    From his interaction with Taka, Alex slowly began to understand the person known as Taka. Even though he was a middle-aged gourmet, he was not a fool. He was a person of principles.


    Alex nodded after hearing this. He would be a great business partner, he thought.


    ¡ª-------------<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The tribal meeting was about tomence. The warriors of the tribe sat in the audience seats while the leaders and elders sat at the centre.


    In the audience, Meena and Laya were seated close to the centre. Her sister Kalina was sitting with elders and leaders of the tribe. She was the only youth among the group of people sitting in the centre.


    They were waiting for the matriarch to appear before proceeding with the meeting.


    And as they wanted, the matriarch of the ice phoenix tribe soon came from beyond the audience. She exuded a grim presence that chilled the room to sub-zero temperature.


    Everyone in the hall stood up when they noticed her. They bowed to show their respect while she walked calmly through the audience until she reached the centre of the hall. She quietly took a seat in the middle.


    The matriarch of the ice phoenix tribe should have been an elderly woman. She was almost a hundred and ten years old this year. Yet, she looked like just someone in her fifties. And she was the only tier-five warrior in the whole tribe.


    She was someone respected by everyone in the tribe equally. And to sit in her presence was considered an honour and a privilege.


    Despite the honour of being in her presence, many people kept their gaze averted, too afraid to meet her eyes.


    They were ashamed of their inability to protect the Blue gem city.


    "The tribal meeting has officially begun." Announced the first elder of the ice phoenix tribe once all attendees had settled in. He continued on to list the agenda for the meeting.


    "We will be discussing the matters concerning the terror attack against the Blue Gem City and the Ice Phoenix Tribe. We will also look into the responsibility and ountability of those involved in the incident. And most importantly, we will look into the theft of Blue Gem, one of the most important spirit totems of the tribe." Suddenly everyone gasped. No one told them about the theft.


    The Blue Gem was a crystalline drop of blood left behind by an Ice Phoenix. It was a spirit totem that ensured the strength and prosperity of the tribe. Even the city got its name from crystal. And knowing that it was stolen shocked the people.


    The Blue Gem was stored in the monolithic shrine in the centre of the pce. It was one of the most secure ces in the whole continent. And yet, some had stolen it from right under their noses. This was too shocking of a revtion to be taken lightly.


    "First, the elder council would like to question princess Kalina." Pulling everyone back from their thoughts, the first elder said. After that, he took his seat. It was obvious from the way he behaved that he disliked the princess.


    After all, when the matriarch was away. Kalina was considered the head of the tribe and she had all the decision-making power. She held a greater position than all the elders present.


    So, they had disagreements more than once while governing the tribe. This might have deteriorated their rtionship. In fact, it could be one of the reasons why he was not holding back in his criticisms of Kalina.


    And another reason was his ambition to grab power from the princess. By humiliating the princess, he was trying to put his son as a possible recement for her. He trying to make his son the next head of the ice phoenix tribe.


    The matriarch also agreed with the first elder, inviting Kaina to stand up and be questioned.


    "Kalina, you were tasked with protecting the tribe. So, let me ask you. Where were you during the attack?"


    "Where were you when the citizens were being killed?" Sharp pointy questions were asked by the elder council.


    And Kalina was stumped, incapable of answering any. It momentarily reminded her of the tragic scene in the city. And she paused. Even though she tried to save as many people as she can, she was actually trying to save her sisters. She valued her sister''s life more than that of the citizens. It was true that she failed to protect the people. She felt guilty and ashamed.


    "Everything else can be forgiven. You might not have been strong enough to protect everyone. But what were you doing when the enemies stole the blue gem. Where were you?" The first elder who was waiting promptly asked. He wanted everyone in the tribe to see how useless their princess was.


    The blue gem was very important to the tribe. It was one of the reasons why their tribe became strong. And each of the nine great tribes had spirit totems that represented them just like the blue gem. And losing something like that was an uneptable mistake. The first elder was trying to use this situation to his advantage and grab power away from Kalina.


    "First elder, you should also look at her merits. She alone took down five of the twenty beasts that were summoned inside the city. Even though about eight hundred people died during the attack, it could have been more if not for the princess." The third elder said.


    He looked dignified and calm while talking. However, he was not actively supporting Kalina. He was there to provide a neutral stance to the prised conversation. Everyone was beginning to lose their trust in their princess. And it would not bore well for the tribe to bash such a talented individual.


    After voicing his opinion, the third elder kept quiet. And the matriarch observed everything closely.

 Chapter 38 Questions

    ?"We can easily conclude that Kalina is not worthy to hold the title of the young leader. She should be removed from her position. She needs to be punished for her misconduct."


    Ignoring the third elder, the first elder said. The third elder was someone who had no power in the tribe. If not for being a tier 4 warrior, he couldn''t even sit with them. So, why should he respond?


    "I agree."


    ¡­


    "I agree."


    Five among the seven elders responded in favour of the first elder. It easily showed how much power he wields in the tribe.


    The matriarch closely kept watch of the situation. She didn''t try to help her granddaughter.


    "Kalina go back to the seats. Before dering the due punishments, I would like to hear the full story. First elder, I heard that you have been keeping some of our guests under house arrest. Can you please exin why you are doing it?" The matriarch suddenly asked.


    At first, the first elder thought she was trying to avoid punishing her granddaughter. And he was about to protest. But when she asked about the ''guest'', he was thrilled. If he yed the cards well, he could put more me on the princess''s conduct.


    "Yes, Matriarch. The guest was kept under house arrest due to my orders. And I had reasons to do that. First, they were in contact with princess Meena and Laya during the attack. I don''t think it is a coincidence. They might have approached the princesses to spy on our tribe. How else can the attack happen right when you were away from the tribe, your majesty."


    "Second, they both are capable of using space skills. And the attackers were clearly using space skills to summon the beasts."


    "Third, They easily defeated a peak tier 3 beast. Something that could only be done by tier 4 warriors. Yet they did that with tier 2 and 3 strength. They are trying to build a rtionship with the tribe by making it seem like the princesses were in danger. And it was them that saved the princesses."


    "I believe they have something to do with the attack. And possibly something to do with the theft of the blue gem. If not for space skills, we could have easily tracked the location of the Blue gem."


    The first elder gave a detailed exnation.


    "And to invite someone like that into the tribe as a guest. The princesses have deeply sinned your majesty." He showed a pitiful expression while talking about the sins of the princesses.


    The audience who heard it also agreed with his point. They riled up and the hall was engulfed in angry voices and murmurs. With each passing moment, the reputation of the princesses was being thrown into the mud.


    Laya, who heard this from the audience seat wanted to climb up the stage and give a good wack to the old geezer. His shamelessness has gone beyond redemption, she thought.


    However, she was powerless. Within the tribe, those who had strength were respected and a talentless nobody like her was nothingpared to the elders and tier 4 warriors of the tribe.


    "If you would allow me, I would like to question the prisoners in front of you, your majesty." The first elder said grabbing the attention of everyone.


    "You may." The matriarch agreed.


    Within minutes someone was sent to bring Alex and Taka into the meeting hall. When the guards reached their room, they were stunned to see the prisoners under house arrest having avish barbecue party.


    They were munching on chicken and beef like no tomorrow while the servants joined them in the feast.


    After finalising a partnership with Taka, Alex was enjoying the meal when two guards came to invite them to the meeting hall.


    ''They were inviting us to talk about the attack.'' Alex was sure. There was no possibility that it was something else.


    "Okay, Lead the way," Taka said confidently. He never felt threatened by the ice phoenix tribe. His backing was the void fish tribe. Would they dare to mess with him?


    ''Should I take a bath? Am I looking okay? It''s a meeting, right? Should I wear a tie? Would they execute me? Am I going to die, again? Huh, too much thinking, can I take a rain check?'' Thoughts in Alex''s head popped up like popping popcorn. Nheless, he went with guards. Obviously, he can''t refuse.


    ¡ª------------


    Fixing his new clothes he got from the ice phoenix tribe. Alex and Taka stood in front of the crowd. And they could feel the poisonous gazes directed at them.


    ''Given a chance, they will kill me. What''s with the thick stench of enmity? Did I do something wrong?''


    "Your majesty, This is Sir Taka from the void fish tribe and that is¡­ is the other person."


    ''Well! I am.''


    "Introduce yourself?" The geezer, the first elder ordered Alex. He was belittling Alex and annoyance could be seen in his eyes.


    Alex, who saw this knew that he was facing a professional ass ****. He had seen many people like this in his life. And not many had an evil aura like this geezer. He exuded unreasonableness from all his words. This is a born bigot. Just like his old boss.


    ''I like people like this, it means I can shut off my brain and deal with them just the way they deal with me.'' A small smile formed on his face. Those who don''t know what he thought might see him as a crazy kid smiling while being disrespected. But Alex didn''t care.


    "People who love me call me ''the other person'' and all others call me Meru." Alex introduced himself with a smile.


    Some muffledughs escaped from the audience and the third elder looked down trying to hide his smile.


    The quirky words took everyone by surprise. Usually, the first elder was treated with the utmost respect. But now, facing Alex. He was stumped.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Alex was supposed to act servile and beg for forgiveness, yet he was disregarding him. This greatly incensed the first elder.


    ording to Alex, it didn''t matter if people like the first elder is angry or not. They will do everything to attack their opposition. And he was the opposition this time.


    If not, why would he treat Taka with respect and him with contempt?


    Taka, due to his huge backing could walk sideways in the ice phoenix tribe. But Alex was a nobody. He knew that if someone has to be a scapegoat. He will be the obvious choice.


    Grinding his teeth. The first elder looked at Alex and said,


    "Thank you for the introduction. And let me exin why we called you to this meeting."


    "From the witness testimony, it was said that both of you could use space skills. Is that correct?"


    [A/N: I was supposed to write a fantasy novel, not a courtroom drama.]


    "Yes." Both of them answered.


    "And both of you were in contact with the princesses during the days before the attack."


    "Yes."


    "Yes."


    "So, why did you contact the princesses?" Suddenly the first elder pointed at Alex and asked. The attention of everyone around was promptly directed at Alex.


    ''Yep! Just as expected. Trying to bury me alive.''


    "The princess contacted me to talk about the iron¡­"


    "Not you Sir Taka, We know about that. We want to know why a child from the stone head tribees in contact with the princess of the ice phoenix tribe." The first elder interjected while directing attention to Alex again.


    "It was a coincidence," Alex said.


    But it was not enough to convince the crowd. They began looking at Alex like a spy. Taka was totally ignored from the picture.


    "So, you agree that you are from the stone head tribe and that you came in contact with the princess."


    "Yes."


    "If what you say is correct, exin to me how you can use space skills. What is your spirit guardian?"


    "I can''t. Because¡­"


    Before Alex could say a word, the first elder interrupted him and said,


    "See, your majesty. In everything that urred in the city, he is the most suspicious of them all. There are even witness testimonies where the youngest princess called him a hidden master. We all know how special she is and she can distinguish people by instinct. Take this into ount while we punish this spy."


    Twisting his words, Alex was alreadybelled a spy by the first elder. And he could see that he was about to be a corpse.


    "Now tell me, where did you hear the news of the matriarch not being in the city? Was it from the princesses? Where did you hide the blue gem?" The first elder strolled towards Alex while asking. He was releasing the imposing energy of a tier 4 warrior and was trying to oppress Alex into submission.


    "Did you store it within a space skill simr to the skill void fish tribe uses? I know an easy to take out everything that was stored by the skill. I just need to kill you." He said menacingly. The tension was clear as day.


    The princesses wanted to help. He was their guest, yet a gaze from the matriarch forced them back to their seats.


    Taka, who was nearby suddenly said.


    "You don''t need to do that, no one, not even the tier 4 warrior of our tribe can store an item in our skill for more than a day. Space skills use up arge amount of energy. And if he had any space item, you would have found it easily."


    "Are sure? There are people that saw him use his skill continuously for the past couple of days. It speaks to say that his skill is better than that of the void fish tribe. And so, my solution is faster." With a quick hand movement, The first elder attacked Alex. A frozen spike materialised in his hand, about to pierce into his heart of Alex.


    Then suddenly, Alex disappeared. Only some smoke remained in the ce he stood. Due to his panic, some energy leaked from his body creating smoke where he stood. While he quickly teleported into the farm.


    What happened?


    Everyone looked around, trying to figure out what happened. Even the first elder was perplexed by it.


    But the matriarch who saw the smoke quickly stood up. As if she saw something horrifying, her eyes trembled.

 Chapter 39 History

    ?The world was not peaceful a hundred years ago. Most of the tribes were fighting for supremacy and the central continent was embroiled in chaos.


    And it was at that time that a new danger brought all the tribes to their knees.


    It fell from the sky on a sunny day, decimating everything around it in a kilometre radius.


    At nce, it looked like a meteor. Although rare, it was normal for meteors to strike the. Yet somehow, this time, it was different.


    The meteor was alive.


    Small tendrils of roots sprouted from its core and took root in the. It quickly grew to a height of hundreds of meters. Turning the decimatednd area near it into a lush green forest.


    Quickly the people got wind of the mysterious lifeform and began worshipping it as a god. As if it was a new spirit guardian. Among them were the power-hungry tribes and powerless people.


    Like that, the tree grew to a humongous size.


    It was harmless at first. But soon, someone found out a secret.


    By sacrificing living organisms or powerful artefacts to the tree, they could make it flower and fruit. And eating the flower or fruit increased their strength and prevented ageing. It was a discovery that changed the world as it is.


    The more the sacrifice was, the better the reward.


    Some people quickly understood the danger and wanted to destroy the tree while others wanted to exploit it for their own purpose.


    In the beginning, animals, magical beast and other special items was used as a sacrifice. The tree would sprout roots and cover the sacrifice and consume it before giving out a reward.


    For better or worse, the curious humans decided to try more. They fed it relics of the spirit guardians, magical items and even humans themselves. In hope of getting the best reward. And the tree never disappointed them, it gave enormous rewards.


    Among them were the elders and patriarchs of the great tribes of the central continent who renounced the teachings of spirit guardians. They wished for strength that could surpass gods and they were so close to it. So, why should they bother caring about the warnings from their spirit guardians?


    But unknown to them, something nefarious was growing deep down in the ground just beneath the tree. In a cocoon made out of corpses, relics and artefacts, it was growing peacefully.


    The tree was a camouge that carefully took attention away from the monster dwelling beneath the ground.


    It was an embryo that fed on the energy that the tree provided. It consumed the gic information from the and constantly improved itself. It was evolving at a far outer pace than any living thing on the. It was trying to be a perfect living organism.


    And even before its metamorphosis into the perfect organism. It was already stronger than a tier 5 warrior. And unknown to the world, it was waking up from slumber.


    The alien meteor that fell from the sky had spawned a demon on the. And it had only one goal, to be the perfect life. And to do that, it wanted to consume all the living things on the.


    And finally, the day came. The day that the demon awakens.


    Demons were a symbol of death and destruction, synonymous with hell. Yet this time, the demon was trying to bring forth hell into the central continent, into the whole.


    It was the apocalypse.


    It was at that moment the oracles from all the tribes saw a vision. A vision of death and destruction of the whole world. This riled the people who were against protecting the tree to dere war against those who wanted to protect it.


    And thus, the great war began.


    Even then, they couldn''t prevent the demon from awakening. The moment it woke up, it took control of all the people who consumed its fruits.


    People became puppets.


    With its immense intelligence, it knew that its life was threatened.


    By controlling the people, it waged a war against all the powerful tribes. With its strength above a tier 5 warrior, no one stood a chance against it.


    Humanity was on the brink of copse.


    And at that moment, a man with the spiritual contract of primal chaos came forth. With the power of primal chaos, he bound the evil creature in the depth of darkness. A thick plume of ck smoke covered the world.


    It wasplete sensory istion of the demon.


    With a shake of his hand, he created a miniature sun in his hand and smashed it on the demon. But it still survived.


    He created ice spears the size of a mountain and plunged them into the demon''s body. Yet, it still survived.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    He used all sorts of techniques to kill the demons. Even after all that, the demon still survived.


    The grave injuries that could kill anything were easily healed and it became vigorous once again. The demon was unfathomably strong, close toplete immortality.


    After trying and failing all other methods, the man condensed the ck smoke towards the centre, into the demon to seal it momentarily. Even though he could not kill it, he could weaken it.


    In that moment of weakness, he moved the demon to the north with the help of the nine great tribes. And he sacrificed himself to seal it in the northern tundra.


    Then ice phoenix tribe was given the pivotal task of repairing and strengthening the seal due to their ability to freeze anything.


    After the great war, the world enjoyed peace. And the destroyed civilization built itself up forgetting about their saviour.


    That was how peace returned to the central continent. And yet, someone was trying to destroy that hard-earned peace.


    ¡ª--------------


    To prevent the first elder from causing immutable damage, Alex held his arm crossed across his chest in panic. Trying to prevent the frozen spike from piercing his heart. It was a dangerous moment.


    Thankfully, only his arms were frozen in the sudden burst of energy. Before the spike pierced his body. He sessfully escaped by teleporting to the farm.


    And the extent of damage to his arms was significant. Only after thawing it by releasing a huge amount of energy could he finally move it. He was lucky to survive an attack from a tier 4 warrior unharmed. Any normal tier 2 warrior would have died if they encountered a simr situation.


    After a few seconds.


    "Ha ha ha ¡­"


    "HA HA HA HA¡­"


    Laughing like a maniac, Alex stood inside the interdimensional farm. The attack was instantaneous. But instead of fear and anger, he felt something different. This time around, he realised something.


    He thrives in chaos.


    He wanted conflict.


    And he liked danger.


    About the first elder, he didn''t care. But the danger he felt was real.


    In a peaceful society back home. He might have tried to fit in. But somethingying dormant deep inside him awakened. It was a primal feeling that was hard to describe, yet he didn''t hate it.


    ''What did the crazy geezer think? Did he really expect me to die with that attack?''


    ''Any threat to my life needs to be eliminated. The first elder should die.'' Alex decided in that instant. He couldn''t let it go on anymore.


    He could reason with a reasonable person. However, the first elder was not one.


    To achieve his goals, the first elder could do anything. And he proved that by trying to execute Alex publicly. This was a world where all thews and rules he knew were nonexistent. It was time to act instead of avoid.


    With a thought, Alex exited the interdimensional farm. It was time that he showed his true power.


    For the past couple of days, he was under house arrest. He couldn''t do anything but wait.


    But he was not wasting time. He was preparing for the problems that he would eventually face.


    ''It is time to use the special ability I got from level 3 farm.''


    Alex had a lot of stocks of vegetables that he umted while he was waiting.


    He used it to quickly gain enough FP to buy 300 units ofnd and unlock the level 3 farm. And his n was sessful.


    After reaching level 3, he got the skill of short-distance teleportation.


    With this skill, he could teleport 300 meters in any direction. The teleporting distance directly corrtes with the amount ofnd he owned. This meant that the skill has enormous growth potential. If he could buy morend, he could teleport even further away.


    It was a great skill. And the only requirement was to have enough MP to use it. With that skill, Alex appeared before the elders once more. He was ready to wage a war if it was necessary.

 Chapter 40 Hostage

    ?Including the matriarch, everyone was shocked to see Alex reappearing before them.


    What happened before them was quick and instantaneous. No one had enough time toprehend what had happened.


    But it didn''t prevent the first elder from attacking again. The same type of ice spike wasunched at Alex.


    This time, Alex appeared ten meters away from it instead of dodging it by entering the interdimensional farm.


    One percentage of his mana was consumed for teleportation. Due to him leveraging the abilities of the interdimensional farm, the mana consumption was lesspared to the smoke screen and full-body enhancement. He could use the teleport skill ny-nine more times before running out of mana. But if he uses other skills at the same time, he wouldn''tst that long.


    He knew he didn''t have the strength to go against a tier 4 four warrior, the first elder. Even if he could use all the tricks in his arsenal, he would be incapable of causing harm to him in the slightest. It was better to dodge than to face the attack head-on.


    However, all his actions were not without any basis. He was cooking up an underhanded n while he was at it.


    ''Danger was good enough motivation to force me to act.'' Alex smirked while looking at the angry first elder.


    Stealthily, he moved further away from the first elder, carefully avoiding the people who tried to attack him. Each time he teleported, he moved ten meters away, forcing the people to jump around the hall, incapable of harming him.


    "With an apology, we can bury the hatchet and move on." Alex suddenly paused and said. Although he said that, he didn''t mean it at all. But, he did a good job acting, enough to convince most people.


    "Why would I apologise to a spy?"  The enraged first elder yelled.


    "How about a trade?"


    "What trade?" Before the first elder couldplete his word, Alex disappeared.


    "The life of the third princess for my life."


    Suddenly a voice came from near the audience. Everyone turned to look at the third princess, Meena.


    "Hey! Where are you looking?" Alex reappeared near them after taking Meena, hostage.


    Within minutes, Alex transformed from a guest to a prisoner to a spy to an abductor.


    Now, he was the public enemy number one and he didn''t care. There was no negotiation between a weaker and a stronger person. The stronger ones always get what they want.


    And Alex was on the weaker side now. He was fighting against one of the most powerful people on the whole continent. It was a nerve-racking experience. If he didn''t have the skills he had, he would have died ten times over.


    At that moment, it was the best possible solution he could think of. Meena was going to be his leverage for the negotiation. No cops are going toe and save him from the first elder. He could only depend on himself, he decided.


    "Do you know what you are doing? The repercussion for your action is something that not even the stone head tribe can handle. What made you think that you can threaten the life of our princes." Like a man of honour and virtue, the first elder argued. But deep down, he was happy to see Alex taking the princess hostage.


    "Ha ha ha, Whose life do you think is worth more? Mine or the princesses?" Alex inquired.


    His action was seen by the whole ice phoenix tribe. Usually, a weak warrior like Alex should have squirmed around in fear while approaching a tier 4 warrior. Yet, he was nonchntly threatening everyone. In their mind, they could only think of one name for a person like Alex. A total psycho.


    They were the worst kind of enemies to be had.


    These were people who would do anything to get what they wanted.


    Instead of Alex, the audience began fearing the peculiar man standing in the centre of the hall. His bearing was enough to shake the experienced warriors of the ice phoenix tribe.


    Everyone was stumped by the absurd situation. No one dared to take him lightly anymore.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "MERU, RELEASE HER THIS INSTANCE." Instead of the first elder or his supporters, It was Kalina who angrily screamed at Alex. She was visibly shaking with anger. Like a volcano ready to erupt, she fumed.


    "Finally, someone acknowledging my presence. Yes, I am Meru. You finally do remember my name. I am ttered. Are you ready to hear what I have to say?"


    While the intense battle wits were taking pce. Meena, the hostage was enjoying the situation. She liked the feeling of teleportation, it was an awesome experience for her. She wanted to ask Alex to teleport a couple of times.


    And about the danger of being held as a hostage. She didn''t care about it at all.


    She felt no malice from Alex. She was sure that he would never harm her.


    Meanwhile, the matriarch suddenly woke up from her daze and looked at Alex. She was reminded of a familiar figure.


    A man she worshipped. The saviour of mankind, the strongest person to have lived on the central continent. The man who was blessed with the contract from primal chaos.


    Somehow, the silhouette of Alex was resembling that man. This woke up the sleeping memory deep inside her subconscious. Hundred years ago, when she was just a kid. She remembers seeing the person battling the giant demon head-on.


    His figure was deeply imprinted on her mind. It was an unforgettable experience.


    Now, looking at Alex and the smoke-like particles he was releasing asionally. She could feel the same type of power as that man.


    She quickly identified Alex as someone from the tribe of humanity''s saviour, the primal chaos tribe.


    "STOP IT." The matriarch said.


    Her voice travelled all across the hall, paralysing the people of the ice phoenix tribe. No one moved an inch anymore. Even Alex felt a chill go up his spine. Her strength was beyond what he could measure.


    The moment he saw the matriarch standing up, he knew that he had no way of evading any of her attacks.


    Humans were always limited by their reaction time. An average human had a reaction time of two hundred milliseconds. For a trained tier 2 warrior, their reaction time can go as low as one-fifty milliseconds. And a tier 4 warrior can further decrease it to just a hundred milliseconds. And the reaction time of a tier 5 warrior was even lower.


    Alex was able to dodge the tier 4 warrior, the first elder due to the distance he maintained and his great reaction time. Only if the attack from the first elder wasing from a distance of ten meters with a speed of Mach 3 could he not avoid it with his reaction time. And the first elder couldn''t do it.


    But, when he looked at the matriarch. He knew that he would die even before he thought to teleport. It was a different feeling from facing off against the first elder.


    Instant death was the only option if he was facing the matriarch.


    "On whose authority did you try to attack one of our guests? First elder, should I remind you how thews in the ice phoenix tribe work." The matriarch was not blind to the actions of the first elder. She was waiting for a reason to take action against him. His greed has already weakened the solidarity of the tribe. She couldn''t allow him to destroy the tribe for his ambition.


    "The boy, Meru. I can confirm his identity. He is not rted to the people who attacked the blue gem city. I can assure you that."


    "Your majesty, look. He is willing to take even the princess hostage. He is surely a spy, look at my investigation¡­" The first elder argued.


    But before couldplete his word. A cold air manifested around him forcing him to bend his knees.


    "Are you questioning my judgement?" The frigid voice of the matriarch forced him to face reality. In front of unsurmountable strength, he was nothing.


    "No¡­" Clenching his teeth, the first elder replied. It was only then that he could stand up. Hiding his frustration, he moved and sat near the other elders. He was humiliated by the matriarch and Alex. Watching the third elder smirking, he wanted to kill Alex desperately. Yet, with the protection of the matriarch, survival of Alex was ensured.


    ''Lucky b******'' The first elder thought. (AN: Not well versed in cursing. Please forgive me for my ipetence.)

 Chapter 41 Return Home

    ?"As for the first elder''s investigation report. It was biased and iplete. He could not provide a proper reason for the terrorist attack, theft of the blue gem or the vulnerabilities of the security of the tribe. It was a waste of paper." The third elder who kept quiet suddenly said. He was fascinated to see a thick vein emerge on the first elder''s forehead.


    "Laya, pleasee forward to read your investigation report."


    "Yes." Laya stood up toe forward.


    The matriarch allowed her to speak.


    As the smartest in the tribe, Laya had better knowledge about what happened during the terror attack on the city. Analysing and reporting were her forte.


    "First, the identity of the attackers is a mystery. But the goal was always the blue gem stored inside the tribe''s shrine. And the reason to reach this conclusion¡­"


    "The strongest people in the tribe always guarded the shrine and pce. The attackers carefully created a distraction byunching arge-scale attack on the city. Their motive was to make the shrine susceptible to infiltration."


    "Second, it was not a space skill. Instead, a space rune was used to teleport tier 3 beasts into the city. Sir, Taka can vouch for that. Runes are something made by the westerners."


    "Third, The tier 3 beats were mutants of the ones seen in the continent. Dissecting the bodies, we learned they were not natural and somehow strengthened. A weird energy was present inside their body."


    "Fourth, they urately attacked when the matriarch was not present in the city."


    "Fifth, the people were death soldiers willing to die in battle. No information was acquired from the captives."


    After saying that, Laya took a deep breath. What she was going to say next might disturb the audience. But she needed to say it.


    "By analysing all the data, there are reasons to doubt that someone from the inside leaked information about the tribe. And the goal of acquiring the blue gem has something to do with the sealed demon in the north."


    It was a daunting realisation for the ice phoenix members that something sinister was at y here. Did the other tribes get a warning before the ice phoenix tribe? Were they preparing for a war for a reason? They thought.


    After a day''s worth of discussion, the punishments were dealt and decisions were made.


    Kalina was sent to house arrest for a year and they decided to close the city gates until summer.


    It also meant that Alex was free. He left the city after discussing the partnership with Taka. And no one stopped him from going.


    ¡ª---


    After a week, back at the vige of the stone head tribe.


    "Everyone, the food is ready." Alex happily smiled while warmly inviting his tribesmen.


    They were hard at work building his house. So, Alex cheerfully invited them to provide them with food. He couldn''t give them proper wages, but with the support of the interdimensional farm, he had no shortage of food.


    "Big brother Meru, I want some more chicken soup." Unda, the son of Mani requested. This little brat was ying around all day. Yet when it was time to eat, he always appeared on time.


    "Okay! Have some more."


    Looking at the warm scene, everyone was happy.


    Usually, in the winter, the tribe survived by tightening their belt. But due to Alex''s help. They could trade safely with the void fish tribe. And now, food was not a problem. The tribe was slowly raised from poverty.


    "Meru, The Mupan is calling you." Suddenly, someone said.


    Alex heard it and quickly went to the Mupan''s house.


    "Mupan! Why did you¡­" Before he couldplete his words, he saw an icy figure looking at him. The cold beauty was gazing at him with faltering eyes. And this beauty was none other than Kalina. The princess of the ice phoenix tribe.


    ''She should have been under house arrest.''


    ''Why is she here?''


    ''Won''t they let me have some peace?''


    After the near-death experience, Alex hoped to rx and grow stronger while staying far away from trouble. Yet, trouble seemed to have followed him back home.


    ''Let''s just ignore her. Imagine that I am blind. Not blinded by beauty.''


    "Oh! Mupan. You seem to have a guest. I will see you next time. Goodbye." Turning around, Alex tried to scoot away.


    "Wait a minute, she is here to see you."


    "Me?" Pointing at himself, Alex asked in dismay.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "That doesn''t seem right. Why would she want to see me?"


    "It''s about your parents. She wishes to inform you about what actually happened when they died." Although the Mupan said the words quietly, they instantly captured Alex''s attention. It was hard to say that he cared about it, nheless, he felt that it was important enough for him to listen to what she had to say.


    "What do you have to say?" He directly asked the princess.


    Kalina who heard it recounted the incident.


    "Ten years ago, A group of people attacked my parents. With them was Meena, a two-year-old child. They knew that their enemies were strong and it was impossible for them to survive. And in their desperation, to save Meena, they left her with your parent''s care. They were the only friends they could think of at that moment."


    "Your father fought against the enemies and perished with my parents. And your mother died after safely returning Meena to the Blue gem city."


    "Ahh¡­" Deeply taking a breath, she looked apologetically at Alex.


    "I am sorry," Kalina said with a heavy heart.


    After so many years, she finally revealed the truth.


    Contrary to what she expected, there was no reaction from Alex. He stood there while staring at her face.


    "I am sorry for not recognising you and mistreating you. I am truly sorry." She once again mustered up her courage to apologise.


    Alex, who was at the receiving end of the apology did not know what to do. He was not their son, and he didn''t have any parents in this world. He didn''t even have any memory of them. Other than hearing some ounts of the parents. He didn''t know anything about them.


    ''Should I be sad? Fake a reaction?''


    "Why are you saying this right now? Do you really expect me to believe that you ran away from your home to tell me this?" Like a robot, Alex asked.


    "No, I discovered your identity by chance. And I wanted to apologise. Without the help from your parents, I would have lost my sister."


    "So? Why are you here?"


    "To ask for help?"


    "Why do you need my help? I am nothing more than amoner from a weak tribe. How can I help you?"


    "Only the matriarch knows that I am away from the tribe. Most of them think that I am still under house arrest. I escaped to try and find the perpetrator of the terror attack. And for that, I need your help." Kalina said feebly.


    It was the first time in her life that she was asking for help. She knew that it was shameless of her to ask for Alex''s help. She was already indebted to him. But she had no other option.


    "No."


    "What?"


    "I said no." Alex tly rejected her plea.


    "Why?"


    "Because you are trouble. And you are trying to ask for trouble." He stated calmly.


    "Can you reconsider? I can kneel down and beg. Without your help, my ns would fall apart." Kalina, the proud princess knelt down promptly.


    "Thump.." Her knees hit the ground while she hung her head down. It was enough to convey her determination to find the perpetrator.


    Mupan who saw this from the side was shocked by her action. He immediately helped her to stand.


    "Smack¡­ How can you treat a youngdy like this? Meru, do you want to die." Mupan smacked Alex on the head before saying.


    "You are already an adult, don''t act like a brat. And don''t be resentful about what happened to your parents. I know your parents, and it was not surprising to hear that they risked their lives to save a kid. They were kind and heroic."


    "I am surprised by how shrewd you turned out to be. To even try to humiliate the princess. Do you really think this is what your parents would want?" Mupan scolded Alex. He didn''t want the promising child to grow crooked.


    "Even if that was the case, it is still a no, There is no reason for me to help you." Alex affirmed his stance.


    "This... Although he is stubborn, he is reasonable. I do not know if you would indirectly harm him with your request. So, I cannot force him to change his decision. If you can convince him, I won''t stop him from helping you." Mupan said to Kalina.


    "Sir Mupan, can I stay here until he makes a decision."


    "You are wee to stay as long as you want, princess Kalina."

 Chapter 42 Bodyguard

    ?And it was like that, princess Kalina began following Alex around. She even moved into his new house.


    Among the houses in the vige, it was the only one with the modern facilities the princess needed.


    The newly built house was designed by Alex to cater to all his needs. And his needs were greater than that of royalty. After all, as a person from the modern era, it was hard to live in a crude four-walled construct and call it home.


    So, he built a big bathroom, shower, bathtub and even a heater to get running water in the extreme cold.


    And among the modern technologies, the in-floor heating stood out the most. Alex built it by using bricks he brought from the city. It was magical to see a warm house in the winter. The tribesmen were excited to build one in their house.


    Carefully, selected materials were used to make furniture and bedding. And he even bought costly silk and satin clothes to make a pillow.


    By the current standards of the stone head tribe, Alex''s house could be called a pce. But by modern standards, it was a small vi.


    After all this hard work, Alex was not thrilled to share his living space with someone else. But he gave up trying to kick her out once he saw Mupan ring at him threateningly.


    ''Well, she is a sight for sore eyes, a beautifuldy, an eye candy. I have nothing to lose by letting her stay with me.''


    "Meru, can you help me bring water into the bathroom?" Suddenly, a voice captured Alex''s attention.


    Wearing unbuttoned clothes, Kalina was standing near him, asking for help. Her thin yet beautiful figure caused his eyes to wander along her body. Alex was dazed for a moment encountering the sudden change in atmosphere.


    ''You cannot let your mind wander, Alex. You can not trust her. This is trickery, a seduction tactic to capture your attention. She is trying to use you.'' Alex said rigorously in his mind.


    Finally, he battled with his teenage body and won. His mind surpassed its limits and looked away. With pure willpower, he forced out some words.


    "Come with me." He said while quickly scurrying away to the bathroom while blushing slightly.


    ''This woman is dangerous.'' He said in his mind.


    Kalina was preparing to take a bath. However, the contraptions in the bathroom werepletely foreign to her. She didn''t know how they worked.


    In the pce, there used to be servants that helped her. But now, she doesn''t know what to do. Frustrated, she finally requested Alex''s help. She was careless and didn''t think about how she dressed. She was oblivious to the effect it had on Alex.


    "You twist this slightly and warm water will flow into the bathtub. And the other knob will release cold water. Remember to mix it in the appropriate proportion so that you won''t cook yourself alive while taking a bath." Alex warned sincerely.


    "Somethings you might need can be found in the cupboard near there. Take the towels in there if you need them. Did you bring clothes when you escaped?" Alex asked.


    "No." She said while looking at Alex, startled by the revtion.


    How could she forget that!


    She was appalled by her own foolishness.


    "Huh! I will bring you something that I bought from the city. It may not be as luxurious and fancy as your clothes. But it would befortable." Alex looked at the pitiful Kalina and said.


    Is this the maturedy he knew? He thought while going to bring some clothes to the dunce.


    It was pretty obvious from her behaviour up to now that she has no real-life experience. She might be strong, but she was not as smart as Laya.


    "Sigh!" With a long sigh, Alex walked out of the bathroom.


    ______


    After a while,


    "Is itfortable?"


    "No. These are obviously men''s clothing. Are they yours?" Wearing a thick woollen shirt and trousers, Kalina inquired.


    "I never said it isn''t. You look good in it. Much better than the gaudy outfit you used to wear. Nice to meet you brother Kalina." Alex smiled after saying that.


    "You¡­ What do you want to talk about." Kalina frowned. The clothes were warm andfortable, but she didn''t want to show it on her face.


    After that, she took a seat across from Alex while drying her hair with a towel.


    "Business. Nothing is free in this world. The same applies to anything that you receive from me. So, I propose a system of equivalent exchange."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Ha ha¡­ Don''t worry. I am not ruthless enough to ask for the clothes back. But you need to pay for food and amodation."


    "Reasonable. How much do you need? A thousand gold coins would be enough, right?"


    Kalina was a tier 4 warrior of the ice phoenix tribe. Money was not a problem for her. If something could be acquired with money, she doesn''t need to think twice before getting it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Hearing her words, Alex was thrilled. This proved that Kalina was a reasonable person, unlike the first elder. If she really wanted, she could have gotten anything she wanted in the stone head tribe without spending a penny. And yet, she was willing to do so. This improved his opinion of Kalina.


    "I do not want money."


    "Then what else do you want? Precious stones or energy stones."


    "Neither, I want you to follow me into the wilderness and help me hunt magical beasts. Every day, we will hunt one magical beast below tier 4. This will be a great way to maintain the food reserve of the tribe. Isn''t it a good offer?" Alex said with an evil grin.


    For Kalina, it was a task as easy as moving a finger. But in some way, she felt like the deal was unfair. Yet she couldn''t put a finger on it. It was an elusive feeling that came and went in an instant.


    Trusting her instinct, she rejected Alex''s offer.


    "No."


    And her instinct was correct. Alex, like usual, had an underlying n in his mind. He wanted to make Kalina into his bodyguard while also reaping the benefit of hunting tier 3 magical beasts. If he was sessful, he could cultivate crops that require mana to grow on his interdimensional farm. After all, the tier 3 beast was the ingredient to make fertilizer.


    It was a plot that Alex carefully decided on after some thinking. Making Kalina do nothing and sit around all day was a waste of resources.


    "Well, if that''s your opinion. I wouldn''t be able to do anything about it." Rising from his seat, Alex went towards the kitchen and brought a pot of steaming hot soup. After that, one by one, he brought delicious dishes. There was meat, fried and roasted. There were sauteed vegetables and well-cooked rice. Every one of the vegetables was fresh produce he brought from the farm. It left a delicious aroma lingering in the air.


    It was a feast ready to be consumed.


    "The stone head tribe hunts all year round. Trying our best to survive the cold harsh winter. Most of the time, we survive by tightening our belts and saving food." Alex said while ting the dishes.


    Carrying a bowl of rice. He moved towards Kalina.


    "The meat from the migrating prey would be preserved and stored tost until the ice thaws. And the meagre amount of salt, grains and vegetables we could buy from the city would be used scarcely."


    Alex said while ting each dish in front of Kalina, especially the vegetables.


    He moved quickly and precisely to cut the meat.


    "Everyone wanted to wee the princess warmly. So, they pitched in to prepare the meal before you. It is beautiful, isn''t it?"


    "We treat our guests like family. So, please taste the food."


    Alex said while finally ting the sliced meat near Kalina. With a cheery smile and great expectation, he asked her to taste the food.


    The dishes he prepared alone, with abundant meat and vegetables he had, turned into a feast prepared by the whole tribe while tightening their belts, just to please the princess.


    This was Alex''s trump card. He smiled sweetly once again.


    But, Kalina was in no mood to eat. Her feelings were in conflict over the food.


    She could see the care and dedication of the stone head tribe while looking at the feast prepared before her. But remembering the poor condition of the vige, she felt burdened by it.


    Were they using up their reserved food to treat her? She thought with a heavy heart.


    If only there was a way to pay them back. Suddenly she remembered. Taking a piece of meat, she chewed it slowly. The delicious texture blessed her mouth with its presence. The juice inside it flowed through her mouth, whetting her appetite.


    It was too delicious. Thebination of spices was something indescribable and the tender and well-cooked meat made her fall in love with the food. Her lips curved up and a small smile formed on her face.


    In that instant, she looked like a blossoming flower. The chilly persona she had waspletely gone.


    One by one, she began eating the dishes. The soup, the stir-fried vegetables and even the rice. Everything felt so delicious to her. This food was better than the one she got from the pce.


    Finally, she was convinced. She lifted her eyes to look at the smiling Alex and said.


    "I agree to help you hunt. But I have one condition."


    "What might that be?"


    "I want you to serve me delicious food like this every day."


    ''Hm¡­ Too easy.'' Alex thought.


    "Then it is a deal."


    "Hmm." She affirmed while bobbing her head up and down.


    Kalina was so entranced by the food. She couldn''t take her eyes off it. Thinking about eating it every day, she happily munched on the food.


    And once again, she felt as if she had forgotten something important. But she ignored it and continued eating the food.

 Chapter 43 Reason To Help

    ?When life closes one door, it opens another. That summarises Alex''s life till now.


    Before returning to the vige of the stone head tribe, he had no way of acquiring a tier 3 magical beast. But now, with the help of Kalina. He could do that easily. Thus, he could improve his farm and try some quirky ideas.


    And the most important of them is trying to nt seeds from the current world.


    He tried doing it before, but it didn''t work. The reason might have something to do with the avability of mysterious energy inside the interdimensional farm.


    That problem can be solved with fertiliser from the tier 3 magic beast. Or that''s what Alex thinks.


    ¨C


    Alex woke up early.


    It was about six in the morning. The sun had yet to rise and it was snowing outside. He opened the door and went outside to look around. And his gazended on the tiny snow crystals that were umting on his clothes.


    The crystals were tiny with each having distinct patterns. He felt like each crystal had its own personality and unique disposition.


    The snow never ceases to amaze Alex.


    After a moment, he dusted off the snow from his clothes and added firewood to the heater. The early mornings were the coldest time of the day. He needs to add firewood to maintain the in-floor heating and the warm water for the bathroom.


    After that, he went inside the house to cook some food. It was nothing much. Alex made a simple vegetable soup and rice. He also made some omelette to go with it.


    It was time to wake up his bodyguard.


    Knocking on the door of Kalina''s room, Alex asked.


    "Are you alive?" The tactless Alex wanted his bodyguard to wake up and prepare for the hunt. He had a lot to do today. The earlier he could get his hands on some tier 3 beast, the better he would feel.


    Suddenly, Alex heard a groan from the room. It seemed like a zombie was inside the room.


    "Thud, thud¡­" The footsteps came closer to the door.


    Slowly the door creaked open. From the gaps in the partially opened door, Alex saw a dishevelled Kalina.


    ''It is a zombie! No, it''s a ghost.'' He concluded.


    With messy hair and clothes, Kalina gazed at Alex. Her eyes were spitting fire, ready to disintegrate Alex at a moment''s notice. If he said some bullsh*t, she would turn him into dust.


    From her eyes, Alex gauged how important sleep was for the princess.


    "Hm¡­The breakfast is ready." He was about to inform her of the hunt. However, he suddenly changed his words and said with slight caution. He didn''t want a tier 4 warrior rampaging inside his house.


    "Hm¡­" After nodding once, Kalina went into the room. Quickly fixing her clothes, she came out looking like a living person. She did not look like a zombie anymore.


    "What is it?" She expectantly asked Alex. After tasting the dinner, she understood why her sisters said the food Alex cooks is the best. So, she had great expectations about the breakfast.


    "Yesterday, we ate oily and greasy food. So, I made some light soup and rice. It would be best to eat it as soon as you can."


    "Okay! Prepare a serving and wait for me." Leaving behind those words, Kalina went to the bathroom.


    ¡ª-----<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Have some warm milk." Giving Kalina a cup of warm milk, Alex sat down on his chair. The breakfast was nothing special, but Kalina was engrossed in it, enjoying each bite.


    So, Alex ate his portion in silence.


    It didn''t take too long for them to finish their meal.


    "About the hunt, I didn''t forget." After eating her fill, Kalina said. By Alex''s principle of equivalent exchange. She needs to pay for the service she receives. She didn''t forget about that.


    "Ha ha¡­" Alex grinned like a fool.


    "I know just the thing to hunt today. A tier 3 giant mammoth would be a great source of food. How about we go after that?"


    "If it''s what you want. I don''t mind. However, I want to talk to you about why I came here to meet you. And why I need your help. Can you listen to what I have to say?"


    "Certainly, we can talk while we travel."


    ¡ª-----


    In the mountains of the north, Alex and Kalina could be seen walking side by side. They were having a serious conversation.


    "Are you telling me that you need someone who can use teleport skills to infiltrate the city of the thousand-headed serpent tribe? Are you serious? Why would I want to make one of the nine great tribes into my enemy?" Alex expressed his disapproval.


    From his position as a nobody trying to survive in a different world, it was better topletely ignore Kalina''s plea for help.


    "Why me? Space is the domain of the void fish tribe. They would have enough people who can use teleport. Are they not willing to help you?"


    "No, I can''t ask them. We cannot be sure of their allegiance. We also don''t know if there are spies inside their tribe." Kalina said firmly.


    Her decision to meet Alex was approved by the matriarch after careful thought. The matriarch believed that Alex was not a spy. And that gave her enough confidence in the young adult.


    Even though he was physically weak, he dared to stand against the first elder without batting an eyelid. And his rtionship with the primal chaos tribe and the ability to use space skills made him the best candidate to help her. There was no one better she could find.


    "If you are afraid of the thousand-head serpent tribe, don''t be. We are going there to investigate a group of people before. Not to brawl with them in the open. It has nothing to do with the thousand-head serpent tribe. If we are careful, they wouldn''t even know of our presence. And for your hard work, the ice phoenix tribe will give you ample reward." Kalina said.


    She disyed sound reasoning while trying to convince Alex. Yet, he was not buying it. He was still not convinced about why he should help them.


    The theft of Blue Gem was something they should care about. It had nothing to do with him. They almost tried to pin me on him. Yet they want his help. Ice phoenix tribe was acting shamelessly.


    "Your tribe, the primal chaos tribe has the same goal¡­"


    "What?" Suddenly, Alex focused his attention on Kalina.


    ''What primal chaos? I am from the stone head tribe. Why is she mentioning some other tribe? I know I am different from the other people in the stone head tribe. My spirit guardian is not the stone giant. Does she know what my spirit guardian is¡­'' A plethora of thoughts appeared in Alex''s consciousness.


    "What goal?" Quickly hiding his surprise, Alex asked.


    "To prevent the awakening of the demon sealed in the north. We both have the same purpose. Although your tribe is reclusive and scattered across the continent. They pay close attention to what''s happening to the seal. It is reasonable to believe that they already know what happened here. Do you not know about it?" Kalina asked doubtfully.


    She assumed that Alex knew information about what was happening. But it seems like that was not the case. He doesn''t know it.

 Chapter 44 White Snake

    ?After a couple of inquiries, Kalina was surprised to realise that Alex didn''t know anything about his spirit guardian. A fundamental part of his identity. He didn''t know what the primal chaos tribe was or their mission.


    How can that be?


    Did he not have any contact with his tribe? Or his spirit guardian?


    Whenever people awaken, they have visions about the spirit guardian. And from this vision, they gain the knowledge to use energy.


    Skills or abilities they use once they be a tier 3 warrior were also imparted by these visions. Yet, how can a person not know about his spirit guardian and still use the skills?


    It was a mystery for Kalina.


    After that, she spent a long time talking to Alex, exining in detail what had happened.


    The demon, great war and the involvement of the primal chaos tribe were exined while they walked through the snowy mountains.


    Finally, Alex gained the full picture of this world. A picture that he wished he never knew.


    ''Damn it! Good luck trying to live a prosperous life. If what Kalina said is real. The theft of Blue gem might cause a rippling effect on the whole continent. Even the sealed demon might be released. And that will be the end of my peaceful life. DAMN!'' Alex screamed in his mind.


    ''And the first ce that is going to be overturned in the chaos is none other than the northern region. Even worse is the fact that the stone head tribe lives in the northernmost part of the northern region.''


    "Sigh!" Alex sighed while massaging his temples.


    The information Kalina shared was more than enough to cause him a headache.


    "So, I am from the primal chaos tribe. What are the skills and abilities of people who are from the primal chaos tribe?" Alex asked after digesting all the information. It was better to know it now, rather than to get surprisedter.


    "I don''t know much about that. From what I have heard, your tribe is special. Unlike the other tribes, people from the primal chaos tribe can master multiple elements."


    "Does that mean that I can control any element I want?"


    "Of course not. Do you think that you''re a tier 5 warrior? Don''t even think about controlling all the elements. And possibility doesn''t guarantee sess. Most people of your tribe will only master one element in their life. You seem to have an affinity with the space element. That is rare even among your tribe. Try your best to master it rather than biting off more than you could chew."


    Kalina warned the over-enthusiastic Alex.


    ''Space element my ass. The only thing I can do is release a smoke screen. It had nothing to do with space. And skills I have that are rted to space are from the interdimensional farm. It is not something that I gained from the primal chaos, my supposedly great spirit guardian.''


    "Hm, you are right. I should try to improve my space-rted skills rather than trying to learn every element." Nodding his head, Alex decided once again to upgrade his farm level.


    Even though he was tradingrge quantities of farm products through the void fish tribe. He always leaves behind some for himself. Selling it and gaining FP to upgrade his farm was always his goal. In a week, he would have enough FP to upgrade his farm to level 4.


    It was better to depend on the farm than his spirit guardian. After all, other than the vision he had while awakening. He never had any visions after that.


    ''I am shunned by the spirit guardian.''


    ___


    After a while, the party of two finally reached a snowy teau. Other than the asional clumps of trees. There was nothing there.


    So, they began searching for a tier 3 four-tusked mammoth.


    A tier 3 mammoth was simr in size to a tier 2 mammoth. A fully grown adult would be forty to fifty meters in height.


    And one of the most important differences between both was the colour of their fur. Instead of the brown fur of tier 2, they have snow-white fur. And they were also solitary animals.


    Instead of migrating south in the winter, they stay in the northern mountains, even in the extreme cold.


    "There, I see movement towards the east. I can see something huge moving. Let''s go there. It might be a tier 3 mammoth." Alex said.


    Not many animals could survive the harsh conditions of the north. So, Alex was almost sure that it was a mammoth. After all, he did spend the majority of his free time learning about this world.


    It was not surprising to see him track down a mammoth.


    "As expected, it is a tier 3 four-tusked mammoth. Kalina, how much time would it take you to kill it."


    "A minute at most. Due to its resilience towards the ice element. It would have been hard for a tier 3 warrior from my tribe to take on it. But, for me. It is easy." Boasting about her strength, Kalina prepared for a battle.


    Using ice elements against an animal that has been adapted to survive in extreme cold was foolish. So, she was nning to use physical attacks against the mammoth.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Carefully avoiding the mammoth''s senses, Alex and Kalina took their ce. Alex stood behind Kalina to action at a moment''s notice.


    ''The best hunters take down their prey in a single attack. Anything more would be disadvantageous to us.'' Alex thought.


    After living with the stone head tribe, he was slowly beginning to understand the mindset of a hunter.


    "Finish it in a single attack."


    "Don''t order me."


    "Weak points are the eyes. If you can, try making an ice spear and piercing it into its eyes."


    "I know what to do."


    "Then do it fast. It will sense us any moment now."


    "Ah¡­" Exhaling deeply, Kalina tried to bury her frustration deep in her heart. Alex was getting on her nerves. And yet, she did as he told. After all, her final goal was to gain Alex''s trust and make him help her in her endeavour.


    For that, she was willing to go to any means necessary. Even if it meant working for Alex like a servant.


    Forcing her hands together, Kalina gathered a huge amount of energy between her palms. It materialised as a white glowing ball of energy.


    The moment it materialised, the mammoth sensed their presence. Realising that Kalina was a tier 4 warrior, it tried to flee.


    However, it was unsessful in doing so.


    Using the energy she condensed, Kalina made a giant spear of ice. It was ten meters long and glowed white.


    Sheunched the spear at frightening speed towards the mammoth. Within a second, it pierced into the mammoth''s head, pinning it to the ground. Although the mammoth tried to create an ice shield around it, it was all for nought. The ice spear pierced it like it was breaking an eggshell.


    It was not a battle. It was a one-sided ughter.


    ''She does live up to her name.'' Alex thought while looking at Kalina who was proudly standing beside him.


    She didn''t even try attacking the weak points. She was strong enough to kill the beast without any trickery.


    ''Is she deliberately showing off her power? Do you need a head pat?''


    "Go and collect the beast carcass," Kalina ordered Alex. She fulfilled her end of the bargain. It was time to leave.


    Unknown to them, the ice spear that Kalinaunched seems to have struck something.


    Not realising this, Alex grabbed the beast carcass and put it into the inventory. This triggered a chain reaction. The ice beneath his feet cracked. And a deep crevice formed near him.


    From it, a chilly wind rose. It was mild yet shocking.


    Alex and Kalina felt fear gripping their heart. An irrational fear of death swallowed them at that moment.


    Both of them couldn''t say or do anything. But they knew something horrible was about to happen.


    "Ah¡­" Alex groaned. He couldn''t take it anymore.


    Teleporting to near Kalina, he grabbed her by her waist and began teleporting.


    After releasing arge amount of smokescreen and teleporting ten times, he finally rxed. They were approximately three kilometres away from the ce they hunted the mammoth.


    Finally, they could breathe fine.


    But before they could think. On the horizon, something huge emerged from the ground.


    It was a giant white snake. It tore the mountains apart before finally revealing itsplete form. After looking around, it rose to the sky and flew west.


    Like an illusion, it disappeared from their sight.


    Alex felt fatigued. His energy waspletely drained. And so, his grip loosened.


    Kalina was too stunned to move and fell face-first into the snow.

 Chapter 45 Chickens?

    ?Just after dropping Kalina on the ground, Alex sumbed to exhaustion. He fell unconscious over Kalina.


    Kalina had to push him away to stand up. Looking around, she saw the mind-numbing destruction caused by the white snake.


    It was a tier 5 beast. She concluded.


    Nothing else can plough through the earth and decimate andscape. Even her grandmother, the matriarch of the ice phoenix tribe may not be as destructive as that beast.


    After all, humans have physical limits.


    However, it doesn''t mean that the matriarch was weaker. It just means they had different specializations of power.


    After looking around and making sure that they were safe. Kalina finally looked at the unconscious Alex.


    He was sleeping peacefully like he was on a pic. asionally, he turns around and snuggles his thick clothes.


    He looked like a cute kitten seeking warmth.


    Kalina was thankful to Alex. Even though he was a hard person to interact with. And often his actions might seem crazy. He had a good heart.


    In a dangerous moment, when they were paralyzed by fear. He remembered to save her and flee.


    It was a hard favour to repay.


    ''You are a difficult person to understand. I am indebted to you once again.'' Kalina thought while taking off her coat and covering him with it. She was used to the cold. It''s better for Alex who was suffering from energy exhaustion to use it.


    _____


    "Sleeping beauty. It''s time to wake up." Pulling on his cheeks, Kalina called out to Alex.


    "No¡­ A little more¡­" Alex groaned. Grabbing the warm hand that was pinching his cheeks, he hugged it. It felt like a soft and warm pillow to him.


    "p¡­" However, soon a p blessed his face.


    "Now, are you awake?"


    "Aaa¡­ Yes." Holding on to his blushing cheeks, Alex nodded. To be clear, He was not blushing due to shame. It was due to pain.


    "Then follow me. We need to go there to investigate." Pointing at the crater in the ground, Kalina said. She didn''t give him any room to reject.


    The white snake had emerged from the crater. So, the ground around it was overturned.


    And some of the few mountains around the teau have been affected by the shockwave.


    While they walked, they could see the crumbling cliff faces that were not previously there.


    "Wouldn''t it be dangerous around the crater? Themotion was visible from kilometres away. Don''t you think other magical beasts would upy the ce before we reach it? It would be hard for me to fight or even flee in this condition." Alex cautioned.


    Even though he wanted to explore the crater. He knew of his condition. He warned Kalina in the hope that she would choose a safer approach. After all, he could always escape into the interdimensional farm. However, he would not be able to save her the next time.


    Once they reached the crater, Alex was reminded of the gripping fear he felt. Mentally preparing himself to deal with any danger that might crop up, Alex followed Kalina.


    "Don''t worry. The lingering aura of the tier 5 beast will scare away all the small fries. What we should be worried about are humans. Only ones foolish enough to seek death are humans." Kalina said seriously.


    Her grave tone spooked Alex. But her words caused him to smile.


    "Are you calling yourself a fool? I don''t want to seek death with you. Our rtionship is not deep enough for us to do that."


    Even though Alex said that his curiosity was piqued. He wanted to see what was inside the crater.


    The crater was a couple of hundred meters in diameter. It looked smaller than the silhouette of a giant snake he saw in the sky.


    ''The white snake might have coiled on itself. That is the only way for it to fit into the crater. The mound of dirt around the crater might have been caused by the snake pushing its body out of the ground.''


    ''We didn''t see any sign of the beast while we hunted. It means the beast was asleep underground before we reached here.''


    ''How long did it sleep?''


    ''Why was it underground in a random ce?''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    When observing the crater, Alex came across more questions than answers.


    "Your enthusiasm over exploring the crater is making me curious. What is the real reason you are doing it? Could it be a treasure?" Alex inquired.


    "There might be. After all, this is my first time exploring the abandonedir of a tier 5 beast. We can''t possibly imagine what a tier 5 beast has. They live far longer than people and at the same time have the strength that can contend against even the strongest warriors. It might not be surprising for us to find some treasure. But, the chances are low."


    "Why?"


    "Most of the beasts don''t save up treasure. If they have something good, they consume it and go into slumber for decades. Just like the white snake we saw before." Kalina exined.


    The lifespan of a beast was dependent on its strength. It was better for the beast to consume a rare treasure and increase its strength. Thus ensuring his survival in this world where strength mattered most.


    "That is reasonable. I would have done the same. So, what are those glowing mushrooms over there? Magic mushrooms?" Alex pointed towards the centre of the crater while saying.


    Just as he said that Kalina ran towards the centre of the crater.


    There stood a group of golden mushrooms that shone in a yellowish shade.


    At a nce, anyone could identify that these fungi were special.


    It was a blessing in disguise.


    "They are tier 4 herbs, the golden mushroom. It has an enormous amount of energy inside it. This is the best type of medicine used in the awakening ceremony. One golden mushroom would cost about a thousand gold and we have sixteen of them. This is amazing." The ecstatic Kalina said.


    It was rare to see Kalina excited. This caught Alex''s attention. His eyes glittered while looking at the mushrooms.


    "Thousand gold. I could buy two hundred thousand chickens with that. This is super awesome. Even with price fluctuations with increased demand, I could probably buy two million chickens with these sixteen stalks of mushroom. Finally, after all this hard work. The gods have rewarded me." Alex felt like a flock of two million chickens were jumping around in his head.


    "Don''t¡­ Don''t even think about it. Do you have nothing except chickens in your mind? Is that thing called fried chicken that great?" Kalina looked disapprovingly at Alex and said.


    In her opinion, it was a waste to sell them. If used correctly, the mushrooms can safely awaken the children of her tribe without any side effects. And the abundant energy inside it will help boost the kids'' growth. And if you consider other uses of the mushrooms, their value is unmistakably immense.


    And Alex was nning to sell them to buy chickens. It would be such a waste.


    "Yes, fried chicken is the best. And for your knowledge. I don''t n on selling everything. I just want to sell one and buy two hundred thousand chickens. Wouldn''t that be great? Ha ha ha¡­"


    "So, how do we split it? Me ten, you take the remaining six." Alex said after thinking about it for a while.


    "No, we can split it evenly."


    "Agreed."


    At first, Alex had the intention of bargaining for more. Butter he gave up. Half was enough for him. And with that, he was now eight thousand golds wealthier. And the feeling was incredible. He didn''t have to worry about money anymore.


    Finally, after deciding on the split. Alex grabbed a golden mushroom.


    It was twenty centimetres tall and looked like an open umbre. He was trying to store it in the inventory.


    The moment his fingers made contact with the soft golden mushroom. A notification lit up in his vision.


    [Data shard detected]


    [Analyzing data]


    [A new nt life detected, Golden mushroom, has been added to the shop. Golden mushrooms can now be nted inside the farm]


    ''I knew it, I friggin knew it. The appetite of the friggin farm is too big. It doesn''t even consider things below tier 3. Only tier 3 and above ingredients are good enough to be seen by it.''


    ''I think I know why my experiments of trying to nt seeds from this world didn''t work. Only seeds that are recognised and added into the shop can be nted on the farm.''


    "Ahhh¡­" Alex groaned while scratching his head.


    "Let me store them in my space storage. After returning home, I can give them to you." Alex said while climbing back from the crater.


    Even though the golden mushrooms were the only valuable thing they found inside the crater. It made it worth spending their time exploring.

 Chapter 46 Spar

    ?The return trip was peaceful. They didn''t encounter anything noteworthy.


    It was almost noon when they returned to the vige. Alex could see youths of the stone head tribe practising martial arts in the training field.


    "Meru, who is he?" Charam asked while curiously looking at Kalina who was next to Alex.


    ''Oops, I forgot about that. The vigers don''t know that she is Kalina, the princess of the ice phoenix tribe. I asked Mupan to keep her identity a secret from normal people. Only the leaders and elders of the tribe know that Kalina is staying in our vige. How should I respond?''


    "A friend from the city. He came here as a guest." Alex replied nonchntly. Lie through the teeth, adapt and ovee troublesome situations. It was his motto.


    Kalina was perplexed by what Alex had said.


    ''When did I be a he? And who is his friend?'' She curiously nced at Alex, trying to understand his words.


    Meanwhile, Alex moved close to Kalina and whispered in her ear.


    "They don''t know your identity. After all, you are not here for a vacation. So, I asked Mupan to hide your identity. y along if you want my help." With a sweet smile, Alex suggested.


    But to Kalina, it didn''t feel like a suggestion at all. He was forcing her to act ording to his will. She quickly realised that she was dancing to his tunes.


    Alex garnered her sympathy by describing the poor condition of the stone head tribe. He knew his worth and used it to gain advantage wherever he could.


    ''He is dangerous.''


    "Would that mean you lied to me about the dinner? If the vigers don''t know that I am here, how did they prepare the ingredients for the dinner?" Kalina said while scrutinising his action.


    "Well, I wouldn''t call that a lie. The condition of our tribe is poor. It is the truth. And as a representative of the tribe, My decision to use the wealth of my tribe to wee you isparable to my tribe weing you. Isn''t that right? Miss Kalina."


    Kalina was stumped. His words made sense. And she couldn''t argue back.


    "Wait a minute? Even if all that was correct, when did I be a guy?" Grumbled Kalina.


    "Ahh¡­ about that. Let''s just say that it would do me no good when the vigers learn that a woman was staying in my house. Besides that, look at what you are wearing. It''s my clothes. And with this fur beanie covering your head. You could pass for a guy."


    "WHAT!"


    ''Is this guy joking with me? He fears that I, the princess of the ice phoenix tribe, would tarnish his reputation. Is he even in the correct state of mind? And how can I look like a guy? Even in these horrendous clothes, my feminine charm is unquestionable.'' The princess was ready to chew him out.


    "Why are you both whispering? Introduce your friend Meru. Is something wrong?" Suddenly Charam who stood nearby asked.


    "No."


    "YES," Kalina replied immediately.


    "Pff...Hha...You have a funny friend Meru. Where is he from?"


    ''I am not a ''he''.'' Even though the princess wanted to say that. Before she could, Alex gave his exnation.


    "HE is from the blue gem city. HE might be our business partner someday. HE is also a skilled warrior."


    Every time Alex said the word HE. A piercing pain went through Kalina''s heart.


    "But what is HIS name?" Hitting thest nail in the coffin, Charam asked for the name.


    "You can call him Kali, he is from an ice element tribe."


    "Oh¡­ Great. Like the snow wolf tribe. I am Charam from the stone head tribe. Just as you have guessed, we are an earth element tribe. Nice to meet you. If you have time,e to the training ground. We are having a little sparringpetition today." Charam said while running away.


    "Sigh! Are the people in your tribe this dense? How can he mistake my voice for a man''s?"


    "It''s a lie that''s going to be revealed inevitably. But it will buy me some time."


    After saying that, Alex went to the Mupan''s house. He decided to leave the carcass of the tier 3 four-tusked mammoth in Mupan''s care.


    Meanwhile, Kalina went to the training ground to see what was happening. Her curiosity was piqued by Charam. So, she nned to seek entertainment by seeing the young warriors of the stone head tribe battle.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ______


    In the training ground, A group of people could be seen surrounding arge stone tform.


    And in the centre was Thee. He was sparring against Kanal.


    Kanal blocked Thee''s advancements using her sword. asionally fiery sparks could be seen lining the edge of her sword.


    It was an intense spar. Thee did everything he could to dodge the sword. But asionally, sparks would hit his arms creating burn marks across his arms. It was hot and painful.


    Kalina grew excited seeing the spar. She was one of the best warriors of the ice phoenix tribe. She knew how to judge their fighting skill. The reality that the youngster of the stone head tribe was stronger than the youngsters of her tribe shocked her.


    ''Still, it doesn''tpare to the monster, Meru.''


    Thee who was dodging left and right abruptly stopped. He made some distance between himself and Kanal.


    It was time for him to disy his true strength. Forcing energy into his skin, he began materialising a thinyer of stone over his body. He was creating temporary armour around his body. It was cracked in multiple ces. But it was good enough to protect his body.


    "Kanal, I know what your abilities are. It won''t work on me anymore." He said after pointing his spear at Kanal.


    After observing Kanal and her ability, stone armour was the counter he created.


    Unlike the people of the stone head tribe, the abilities of Kanal were different. Her spirit guardian was different and thus she had fire element abilities.


    And she was using this ability to heat her sword inbat to create fiery sparks. This was the ace up her sleeve.


    Even with that, she couldn''t beat Thee who was not using any of his abilities. Now that Thee was fighting for real, her chance of winning has gone down by a lot.


    "Now, prepare to take on my final attack," Thee said before running straight at Kanal.


    Kanal''s sword was just inches away from colliding with his body.


    Immediately, Thee reinforced the armour around his fist. A thick rock gauntlet formed around his left arm.


    Instead of dodging the attacks, he ran forward towards Kanal, Weing the attack.


    Using his left palm, he grabbed her sword while sweeping his spear horizontally to attack.


    It was a precarious situation for Kanal. She had to drop her sword and jump away to dodge the spear. And by doing so, shended outside the stone tform.


    "Whistle¡­ The sparring match ends here. Winner, Thee." The instructor said signifying the end of the spar.


    With that, the crowd near the sparring tform went their separate ways. Kalina was the only one who stayed still without moving.


    ''I should increase the training difficulty of the youngsters in my tribe. Now, where is he? The damned Meru said that he would return after delivering the carcass.'' She thought with puffed cheeks. She stomped her foot as she was stomping on Alex and walked away into the vige.


    ''It wouldn''t take me that long to find my house.'' But it took her a long time to find the house.


    ____


    Meanwhile, Alex was nting mushrooms on his interdimensional farm.


    ''I always wanted to be a shroom farmer. I like shrooms. No, in fact, I love shrooms. Better yet, they will make me rich.''


    ''Money¡­Money...Money'' Chanting it like a mantra in his mind. Alex nted the golden mushrooms he got.


    nting ten mushroom seeds, he exited the farm.


    ''Now, did I forget something?''


    ''Oops! Where did Kalina go!''

 Chapter 47 Go South

    ?Alex was thrilled to nt mushrooms on his farm. Even though he didn''t know the exact properties of the golden mushroom, just the proposition of money made it worth his effort.


    But, everythinges at a price.


    Just as he was about to jump in happiness, the farm showed him the time required for the golden mushrooms to mature.


    [Golden mushrooms will mature in 30 years. To increase the growth rate, please use tier 3 and above materials as fertiliser.]


    ''The farm was extra helpful after levelling up. It even knows how to give important information without asking for it. Very nice job. Even though I would live much better without knowing that.''


    ''Should I call this a good thing or a bad thing?''


    ''Due to the rate at which time changes in the farm, thirty years would be shortened to four months. And with tier 3 materials, I can make fertiliser to enhance the growth rate. But even then, I could have made a lot more if I had nted spices in the space the mushrooms were upying. 30 years of spices in seven unit area would be a lot.''


    ''Sigh, Life is hard. It''s friggin hard to make money.''


    ''I don''t think I have time or space to waste anymore. I should upgrade the farm asap.'' Alex decided after careful thinking.


    Magical nts like the golden mushroom were taking up a lot of time, effort, FP and space to grow. Until he finds more tier 3 materials he can use as fertiliser, Alex decided not to nt them anymore.


    Still, as a backup, he was nning to use the materials from the tier 3 four-tusked mammoth as the fertiliser.


    After that, he sold all the excess materials in his warehouse and made 10000 FP. It was time to level up the farm again.


    Using the 10000 FP, he bought 100 more units ofnd.


    [Ding, Farm level 4 achieved.]


    [Upragemencing.]


    [New feature, teleport point unlocked.]


    [Teleport point will enable the user to mark a location and teleport there. The number of teleport points will correspond to the farm level. Each teleport point will cost 10000 FP to deploy. And each teleportation will cost 5000FP. The maximum distance you can travel with the teleport point feature is 5000 Kilometers at a time.]


    [Congrates, the first teleport point is free to deploy.]


    ''Well, that''s good. Even if I have to pay a King''s ransom, the ability to teleport 5000 km away is good. But should have called it fast travel, what kind ofme name is teleport point.''


    Alex thought while looking at the notification. Even though he wanted to test out the feature, he didn''t have enough FP to randomly teleport. He decided to do it after bing rich.


    With 400 units ofnd, he could cultivate a lot morend. This meant the profit will increase and he will get more FP.


    ''About the first, teleport point. I think I know where to mark it.'' After saying that, Alex returned home.


    Ignoring the fuming Kalina, he went to his room and marked it as the teleport point.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ¡ª-----------------


    "Huh! The tender meat of a tier 3 beast, the four-tusked mammoth taste great. I expected it to be hard to chew and thick. But, now that I have tried it, it is tender and delicious." Alex said after eating a piece of meat.


    "Usually, it is the umami in the meat that gives it the savoury and delicious vour. However, here I think the energy inside the meat is enhancing the vour. I should eat more to grow more muscles."


    Although Alex said that, he was trying to start a conversation with his bodyguard, Kalina. It was his way of easing into a conversation.


    "Kalina, try this," Alex said while pointing at a dish. He knew why Kalina was angry. After all, it was him that forgot about her. From what he understood, she wandered around the whole vige before reaching their house.


    For Alex, it was hard to wrap his head around the idea that Kalina reached the stone head tribe in one piece if she was that bad at the direction.


    Anyway, it was time to set his ns in motion.


    "How about going to the city of the thousand-headed serpent tribe? I heard that the weather in the southwest was better than here."


    Alex said with a simple smile. But it was anything but simple.


    Due to his words, Kalina who was ignoring Alex directed her attention at him. The thousand-headed serpent tribe is the ce she wanted to go to. She was the one who asked for his help to infiltrate their city and find the blue gem. She was sure that the people that attacked her tribe were someone from there.


    How can she feign ignorance now?


    "Why?" She asked trying to ascertain Alex''s motive.


    "You helped me with something, so it is right to help you back."


    "No, the real reason." She said with a re. Thest thing she will trust is the wordsing out of Alex''s mouth.


    During the time they spent together, she experienced first-hand how scheming Alex can be. He does everything in his way and cannot be influenced by an outside force. So, she was sure that there was something else happening behind the scene that made him go there. It was not just because of his will to help her.


    "Hmm¡­Sir Taka send me a letter saying that he was in the south. He wanted me to go there and have some fun. So, I thought I might as well help you when we are there. If you don''t want to, you don''t have toe with me."


    "No, I wille with you. It''s not like I have any choice."


    "Then we will leave in a day. The flying beast wille here in a day. So, be ready to travel."


    "Okay." Kalina agreed.


    Even though Alex was a sly man. He does not mean any harm. Most of the time, his schemes act as a defensive mechanism to protect himself rather than to harm others. And he has proven that he is a trustworthy individual. If not, he would not have saved Kalina from a tier 5 beast.


    It was ate realisation to have. But Kalina finally understood how transparent Alex was. His motives are clear. He does everything he can to make money and enjoy his life. And he was careful enough to not harm anyone with his action.


    So, even if it was a long shot, she was willing to ept help from Alex.

 Chapter 48 Thira, The City Of Waves.

    ?Next day, early morning. Alex and Kalina prepared to leave the vige.


    At first, He thought that a giant bird of prey might be his mode of transport. But he soon came to the startling realisation that it was a duck, a wild duck. He was flying across the continent on tier 2 wild duck.


    ''Duck Airways, Air Duck, Duck Airlines¡­Kinda cool, I suppose.''


    It would take them 20 hours to reach their destination. And the distance covered during the journey will be thousands of kilometres.


    So, after careful deliberation, they decided to rest during the night. Even though the magical beast was strong, it would still get tired.


    3000 kilometres away, in a dense forest, Alex made the camp. Other than Kalina, the tamer of the magic beast was the only one present. So, lighting a campfire near their tents, Alex took out a few dishes he cooked from the inventory.


    Due to the features of the inventory, he didn''t even have to heat it before serving. The cooked food looked exactly the same. As if it was just made. It didn''t change one bit after being stored inside the inventory.


    "Arav, what does your duck eat? Fish perhaps? I don''t have any fish, but I have some meat with me." After cing the food on a table he took out from the farm warehouse, Alex asked Arav. Looking at the bird, Alex assumed it to be the kind that eats fish.


    Arav was the tamer of the giant flying magical beast. He worked for the merchant group Taka was part of. He was a young man not much older than Alex. So, Alex was curious to know how he subdued a giant flying magical beast.


    After flying for hours on the magical beast, Alex wanted to know if he can also tame magical beasts.


    "Ahh¡­Sir Meru. He is a wild duck, and he hates it when peoplepare him to just a duck. Just call him ''little bead'' when you approach him. And he is well-fed. We don''t need to feed him until we reach the city." Arav replied.


    "Sorry about that, My bad. Will little bead eat meat? If so, Can I share some with it?"


    "If you really want to, you can give him anything Sir. He will eat it withoutint." Arav said after a moment of deliberation.


    "Okay." After saying that, Alex took out one of the thighs of the giant buffalo he procured. It was a piece of meat weighing one to two hundred kilograms. Then he walked towards the magical beast.


    In the past, whenever he encountered a magical beast, it tried to kill or eat him. So, Alex was a little wary of it in the beginning. But after getting to know it a little bit. Alex now understands that magical beasts which are tamed behave differently from the wild ones.


    During their journey, the beast did not once behave in a hostile manner towards him or the tamer. It was docile and peaceful. He could also see a glint of intelligence in the beast''s eyes.


    asionally, he felt like the beast understood what the people were saying. So, he was not afraid to approach the magical beast.


    "Little bead, here take it." Alex raised the meat towards the magical beast.


    It curiously looked at Alex before blinking its beady eyes and bringing its beak down to grab the meat.


    "Gulp¡­" It swallowed the piece in a gulp.


    ''A piece of meat weighing more than a person swallowed in a gulp. Great!'' Alex could see the piece of meat travelling down the throat of Little bead.


    Eating that, Little bead gave a satisfied look. He rubbed his head against Alex asking him for a pat. And Alex fulfilled it happily. He patted the head as wide as him and ruffled the fluffy feathers on the top.


    "Little bead seems to like you, Sir Meru. He usually doesn''t let anyone touch his head." Arav said to Alex.


    "Is that so"


    ''I also like Little bead soup.'' Alex thought.


    "How old is he?"


    "Little bead is just two years old. That''s why it''s so yful. When he reaches his prime, he will be a tier 3 beast Emerald duck. A beast that is known for its beautiful emerald-like feathers near its head and neck."


    "Tier 3! It will be that strong. How did you tame him?"


    "Ah¡­ That. He was a hatchling that I looked after. After that, he became mypanion."


    "Seems like the best time to tame a magical beast is during its infancy." Alex probed to know more about taming.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Yes, to build longsting trust between the tamer and the magical beast, it is better to tame them while they are young. Would you like to be a tamer, Sir Meru."


    "No, I was just asking because I was curious." After saying that, Alex moved away from Little bead and walked towards the dinner table. The poor Little bead who didn''t know what Alex was thinking was dejected to see him leave.


    Thankfully, Little bead soup was not made.


    "Our food is ready, let''s eat it while it''s warm," Kalina said while motioning for Alex and Arav to sit down.


    ''I made it. I know it''s ready. Who are you to invite me to eat?'' That is what Alex wanted to say. But he was used to it now. He didn''t bother saying anything.


    ¡ª----------


    Next day.


    "Flying on a tamed magic beast coast a lot, right? How can you afford it? Did the poor stone heads get rich quickly?"


    ''It took you a lot of time to ask me that. What was your brain doing yesterday?'' Alex thought that while answering amicably.


    "No, this is free. Sir Taka is paying for it. Ah¡­ the warm beautifulndscape of the south. It''s mesmerising, isn''t it? I should havee earlier. Kalina, did you travel to the south before?" Alex said while looking at the lush green forest below them.


    Unlike the cold and dry northern region, the southern region was warm and beautiful. It was a great change of environment for Alex who lived in warm climates in his past life. It felt better than living in the extreme colds of the north.


    "Yes, Of Course. How else would I know in detail about thisnd? Why else would Ie here to investigate?" Kalina raised her nose up while answering.


    "Yes, that makes sense. You are not stupid enough toe here without doing due diligence. So, Can you give me some information about the south. For example, tribes, poption, ces to visit, people to not offend, etc."


    "Hm, I can if you say why we are travelling to the south," Kalina asked.


    "To do business."


    "What?"


    "To do business and make money. That is my goal. While at it, I will try to help you. But what risk I take on is up to me. So, don''t be too happy yet. I will help you find information, but fighting bad guys will not be included in the service."


    "What if I paid you?" Suddenly out of nowhere, Kalina proposed. She was beginning to understand how the brain of Alex worked.


    "Now you are speaking mynguage. How much are you going to pay?" Alex asked with a smile.


    "As much as I can. Then it''s a deal. However, the right to ept yourmission will be up to me."


    "Okay, then let me tell you about the city. Thira is a city governed by the thousand-headed serpent tribe. It is a port city on the southwest side of the central continent."


    "Does that mean that it is a trade hub?"


    "Yes, not only that. It is the link between the western and central continents. Most western traderse to this port to trade. Thus it birthed a thriving market. People from all over the worlde here. So, the poption is much more than in the icy north."


    "Even though I hate to say it, I apud your selection of ces to do business. Thira is the best city you can trade in."


    "Ha ha¡­ From your exnation, I think it''s better than I initially thought."


    "Isn''t this your first time away from home? Stick close to me and follow this big sister. Or else you would offend the people here. Although it is the best ce to trade in, some of the tribes here are extremely dangerous. A mistake could cost you your life."


    "Okay, if you are willing to take care of me. I have no reason to reject your offer."


    While they talked, Little bead quickly flew to Thira, the city of waves.

 Chapter 49 Thira Under Attack

    ?As the day draws to a close, the fiery globe came closer to the sea. The evening sky shone crimson gold. The fluffy clouds cast long shadows across thendscape.


    Alex, who saw this from the flying beast was mesmerised by the view. In his past life, he never saw the sun like this. After seeing the sea, he knew that they were close to the city of waves, Thira.


    Looking a little further, he saw thick dark clouds moving across the horizon. asional shes of lightning could also be seen around it.


    "Sir, there are signs of a thunderstorm. We are increasing the speed. We will reach the city in a couple of minutes." Arav warned while motioning to Little bead to increase his speed.


    "Hm¡­" Alex nodded in affirmation. He knew how dangerous thunderstorms were. He doesn''t want to be near that. It would be much safer if he could reach the city faster.


    "Thump¡­.BOOOM¡­CRACK¡­" As they neared the city, sky-shattering sounds shook the space. The thunderstorm was far away, more than a couple of kilometres away. Even then, he could hear the horrifying crackling of electricity inside it.


    Suddenly, he noticed something down south on the horizon. Large ships were lined up neatly along the shore.


    Thira was a port city. It was not surprising to see ships near it. But something was different this time.


    As they moved closer and closer, the peculiarity became more pronounced. Certainly, something odd was going on. There were plumes of smoke rising from the ground.


    "Arav, What''s happening?" Alex asked.


    "...." But Arav who saw this showed panic. His face darkened and he quickly turned Little bead and flew towards his home. Alex didn''t mind that. He knew something bad was happening just by looking at the condition of the city.


    The city was was in shambles. Houses were burning and buildings were falling one after another.


    Finally, Arav reached his home.


    But seeing his house, tears one by one slid down his cheeks.


    The home that he treasured. The home where he lived with his parents and siblings was not there anymore.


    The only remaining feature of his house was a half-smashed house sign below his feet.


    "MOTHER," He screamed.


    But his voice was muffled by the noise of the street. It was not just Arav screaming in pain at the loss of his family. There were others just like him.


    Alex, who saw this stood there not knowing what to do. Regardless of the words he spoke, the agony and distress of Arav would not diminish in the slightest. Alex knew it better than anyone.


    "Who did this?" Kalina asked hiding her emotions.


    "Madmen," Alex replied.


    "They should be stopped."


    "Just what I was thinking."


    Nearby, Kalina and Alex could hear the sound of someone fighting. They ran there as fast as they could.


    The outskirts of the city were destroyed beyond recognition. Alex jumped across the ruins of the streets and finally reached the ce.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    It was a group of ck-clothed men fighting against low-tiered warriors. They were indiscriminately killing people of all ages and gender.


    The moment Alex saw them, he recognised who they were. They were the same group of people who attacked the Blue gem city. The unforgivable bunch.


    ''Teleport.'' The next moment, Alex used Teleport and jabbed a long metal spike of the ck-robed man''s neck.


    ''One dead, ten more to go.''


    Most of the ck-robed warriors were tier 3. So, Alex focused on the strongest among them and killed him right away.


    Always take the initiative in a life-threatening situation. He learned it in the past the hard way.


    If he let the enemy attack first, he would have to think about defending. And the moment you do that, you lose the initiative. And it is a matter of time before you die.


    As soon as Alex killed one of them, the ck-robed men became alert. They directed their focus at Alex and began attacking him.


    Kalina helped Alex in killing the ck-robed men. For her, it was as easy as moving her finger. Tier 3 warriors stood no chance against her.


    When a ck-robed man tried to rush in and m her with a purple blob of energy. She swatted her hands to smash him to a paste. The ice blocks that materialised around were swung left and right killing viins that destroyed her city.


    Briefly, a tinge of bloodthirst materialised around her, frightening the low-tiered warriors around her.


    Alex was not a slouch either. While Kalina led the battle, he carefully analysed the attack pattern and skills of the enemies. With each battle, he was improving and adapting at a rapid pace. And the initial fear he had of them disappeared.


    Alex, who shied away from closebat began using it to counter the enemies. He used a small cluster of smokescreens to throw off the enemy while attacking the weakest part of their body.


    Head, abdomen, neck¡­ He attacked every weak point he could find forcing the enemy to retreat. His ferocious attacks were bing challenging for the ck-robed men to handle.


    His past days of training didn''t disappoint him. His body was slowly performing at the level of a tier 3 warrior. Previously, he could be barely called a warrior at the skill manifestation stage(Tier 3). Now, he can proudly say that he truly passed through the barrier of tier 3. Or at least his physique has.


    Within moments, the fight ended with the victory of Alex and Kalina.


    "Why are you engaging in closebat battle?" Kalina suddenly asked Alex.


    "To conserve energy. There is a lot more trash to take out."


    ''I can only teleport a hundred times before my energy runs out. It is better to use stamina and a little bit of body enhancement to take out the trash. Somehow, I feel that these guys are weak in closebat fights. It''s as if they don''t know how to fight. Who are these people?'' Alex thought.


    ''They use a mysterious energy that has a purple tint in it. Their physical enhancements are weak, barely up to the standards of tier 3 warriors. And their skills are peculiar. Their elemental attack does not have the polish that you usually see among the warriors.''


    Alex hid the doubt in his mind before running towards the centre of the city.


    While on the way, he helped every person he could see and killed every enemy he could find.


    Like a tornado, Alex and Kalina swept through the city.

 Chapter 50 Prince From The West

    ?Earth shook violently as the fierce battle raged on.


    A colossal rhino, as big as a house rampaged through the streets smashing everything in its path. The curved pointy horn on its snout was used to dig through the city walls. Nothing could stop its rampage. It almost looked like it was made from iron.


    Near it, there were other beasts, helping its rampage.


    Arge twenty feet tall monkey jumped around agilely dodging the attack of humans who tried to defend themselves.


    A wind element bird of prey asionally swooped into the group of people below, capturing a few and killing them.


    And a fiery smander spewed purple fire from its mouth. Raising the temperature of the battlefield to scorching levels.


    It was a mind-numbingly shocking scene.


    Suddenly, a sh of silvery light shed near the rampaging rhino. Like a bolt of lightning, A spear that created ripples in the fabric of space struck it right in the head.


    But instead of piercing the skin of the beast, metallic sparks shot out from the impact point while sending the wielder flying back.


    "Sir Taka!" Excitement surged in Alex as he recognized the figure who wielded the spear.


    It was his dear business partner Taka who was engaging the beast in a fierce battle.


    "Sir Taka, you shouldn''t die young. Not until you make me rich¡­" Alex shouted as he ran towards him. He was excited to see a familiar figure.


    ''Sir Taka was here before the city was attacked. He might know what''s going on.''


    But before Taka could notice Alex, the giant monkey jumped up tounch a heavy attack against him. Taka could barely stabilise his form after being deflected by the rhino, he had no way of dodging the iing attack. Alex was about to teleport in and save him.


    But something caught his eye.


    As if by a miracle, Taka who was deflected away by the rhino suddenly paused in mid-air. His figure became illusory for a second and passed right through the attacking monkey.


    Alex was astonished as he realized that Taka had learned a new space-rted skill.


    ''Now that I think about it. Sir Taka was a peak tier 3 warrior. He would have died instantly when going against a powerful tier 4 beast. But he is still okay. Does that mean, he has advanced to tier 4?'' Alex thought while looking at Taka.


    But that was not the end of the attack from the beasts. Just after deflecting away Taka, the mad beasts continued their rampage.


    Thira was a city ruled by the Thousand-headed serpent tribe. And Alex had yet to see tier 4 warriors of the thousand-headed serpent tribe. This sprouted a doubt inside his mind.


    ''Only some tier 3 warriors or below are attacking the beasts with Taka. This is not how one of the nine great tribes should act. Where are the rest of the warriors?'' Alex desperately wanted to ask that.


    So, he quickly teleported towards Taka.


    "Sir, Taka. How are you?" Hended a couple of meters away from Taka and asked.


    Taka was surprised to see Alex appear near him. But he quickly overcame the initial surprise and smiled.


    "You¡­Cough¡­ are here." Taka said while coughing up some blood.


    "It''s good to see you Meru. Before we talk, can you check up on the princess? She is barely holding on."


    "Who, which princess."


    "Laya, she is here. Unfortunately, she was injured during the initial battle."


    "What!" Kalina eximed.


    "Why was she here? She was supposed to be in Blue gem city. Where is she?" Kalina asked with some doubt.


    "Nearby, she is safest with him." Said Taka while pointing in a direction.


    There, Alex could see a silhouette of a person. He was carrying Laya in his arm, while constantly moving to get away from danger.


    Kalina saw this and ran towards Laya. Her love for her siblings was unmeasurable. And the notion that Laya was injured horrified her.


    But before she could reach them, the giant eagle dived straight towards Laya and the man who was carrying her. It carefully chose the moment in between the attack of the other beasts to attack the man.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The sly beast waiting for an opportunity to kill them.


    Kalina wanted to rush to their aid and rescue them, but she realized her limitations. Even if she were able to travel at the speed of sound, she would not have been able to reach them before the beast.


    She was flooded with a sense of helplessness, knowing that she was about to lose her sister right before her eyes.


    "No, you don''t." The man suddenly said before raising his hand. A golden beam of light materialised around him before shooting forward. It branched off and split into many tiny beams of light and materialised as a spherical shield around him.


    "Boom." The ws of the eagle smashed against the light shield and created a thunderous sound.


    "I like birds grilled." The man said with a smirk.


    "Brother from another mother¡­" Alex who teleported near the man said while nodding his head. This startled the blonde-haired, blue-eyed man who was carrying Laya.


    "Who are you?" He asked startled by the sudden appearance of Alex.


    "Don''t mind me, I am just someone who loves grilled birds." Just as Alex spoke, an ice spear flew through the air towards the eagle. It almost pinned it to the shield killing it on spot. However, the eagle was able to barely escape in the nick of time and fly away.


    "Kalina!" The blonde man eximed after seeing the ice spear.


    "How unexpected! I heard you were forbidden from leaving your home. So, why are you here?" The blonde man inquired.


    "Thank you for saving my sister," Kalina said while quickly moving to take Laya from his hands.


    "I don''t need your gratitude." With a slight cough, he said.


    "What happened to Laya?" Kalina asked worriedly.


    "She is unconscious, I gave her the best recovery potion I have. She will wake up in an hour or so." The blonde man said while handing over Laya to Kalina.


    While this was happening, Alex stood nearby not disturbing them. But his curiosity was piqued.


    Who was this mysterious man? He wanted to know it badly.


    "Kalina, Who is he?" Finally, he asked.


    "He is a prince from the west," Kalina replied with a stoic face.


    "The guy that asked your hand in marriage?"


    "Yes."


    "When did I?" The prince interjected.


    "You didn''t?"


    "Wouldn''t I know if I did?" Hearing the conversation between the prince and Alex. This time, it was Kalina''s turn to be stupified.


    "True." Alex nodded.


    "You believe him?" Kalina asked while widening her eyes.


    "Why shouldn''t I? After all, he likes them grilled." Alex said with confidence.


    But before they could unravel the mysteries behind the prince. The monkey began attacking the light shield that the prince created.


    "Why don''t we postpone the gossip forter? We have some trash to take out. Wait a minute. Let me take care of the birdie." Alex said while teleporting away.


    "Who is that guy?" The prince asked Taka who was approaching them and Kalina.


    "A crazy guy." Taka and Kalina said simultaneously.


    "BOOOM¡­Crash¡­"


    Then they heard the sound of something crashing and a muffled cry of a beast.

 Chapter 51 Why?

    ?As expected, the deafening crash was the sound of the lifeless body of the giant eagle hitting the ground. Without missing a beat, Alex swiftly teleported to the ground, havingpleted the task of taking it down.


    It only took forty seconds for him to take down the eagle, much less than the minute he asked. And he did it in one quick and precise motion.


    Taka, Kalina, and the prince stood frozen in awe, their eyes locked on the lifeless body of tier 4 giant eagle thaty before them. The creature was imbued with the power of the wind elemental, making it a formidable opponent even for skilled warriors.


    To take down such a beast in mid-air within seconds was an incredible feat that left them speechless. They exchanged bewildered nces, struggling to process what they had just witnessed.


    Their curiosity piqued, they turned to Alex, hoping he would shed some light on the remarkable feat he had just aplished. However, Alex remained indifferent to their inquisitive gazes, appearing unfazed by the feat he had just aplished.


    ''Good! The corpse be used as fertiliser.'' He thought while storing the corpse of tier 4 giant eagle.


    ¡ª--


    A couple of seconds ago.


    Just after teleporting away from the ground, Alex reappeared 1000 meters above the eagle. It took him three teleportations to reach there. At this distance, he could see the giant eagle flying below him.


    After that, he took out a stone weighing ten metric tons and hugged it. The heaviest object that he could store inside the farm warehouse.


    He had originally nned to use it to craft a more refined version of his stone oven, but fate had different ns. He had to use it for something much more important at the current moment.


    Looking down at the giant eagle, he screamed to catch its attention while falling with the stone.


    "LITTLE BIRDIE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT GRAVITY IS?"


    Thus began his free fall towards the ground.


    The giant eagle who noticed Alex''s presence above it quickly turned towards him. Using its wind elemental power, it quickly changed its direction and flew straight towards Alex. It detested Alex who challenged its air supremacy.


    So, it wanted to immediately end the life of this pathetic human who appeared in the sky.


    But Alex didn''t care about any of that. He was excited to see the eagle flying towards him.


    Just as it reached 400 meters in front of him, Alex suddenly teleported with the stone. He disappeared and reappeared right on the giant eagle''s forehead.


    The eagle wanted to dodge him by quickly turning its head. But it was of no avail.


    "THUCK¡­" The stone weighing 10000kg crashed right on the head of beast.


    The fragile neck of the giant eagle broke instantaneously as it made contact with the stone. After all, even for a tier 4 beast, a 10000kg stone moving at terminal velocity was nothing to scoff at.


    And the fact that the giant eagle was a flying beast with weak bones only exacerbated its vulnerability in this situation. Its demise was sealed as the stone obliterated its neck, leaving it lifeless and motionless in the air. Alex let out a victorious smile after killing the giant eagle.


    "Bird brain, Let me name you the Unlucky Newton." After giggling like a fool mid-air, Alex entered the farm.


    While teleporting conserves kic energy, entering the farm seems to cancel out the kic energy of his body. This was the trick he used to destroy that bird.


    By utilising the force and momentum of the fast-moving stone, he killed the giant eagle as quickly as he can. And he teleported into the farm to cancel the momentum of his body.


    Doing so, he made it seem like it''s easy to kill a tier 4 beast. But it was not the case in reality.


    Even for him, teleporting a 10000kg stone 400 metres away seemed to have drained half his energy reserves. He wouldn''t be able to execute the same attack repeatedly. It would be better if he can rest for a bit before continuing his battle.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    So, as soon as he reached the ground, he stored the corpse of the giant eagle in his inventory to make some fertiliser and went towards his allies.


    ¡ª---------


    "Why are you giving me that look? It''s making me feel shy." Alex said while showing a bashful appearance.


    Swiping his arm through the air, Alex took out a chair and sat next to the group of people. After that, he began to eat meat rich in mysterious energy to recover.


    "You three, don''t stand there looking. Go and kill the rest of that monstrous beasts. Sir Taka, you go after the rhino, Kalina put out the fire smander. And you, the prince who I don''t know. Go and kill that monkey. I will act as the babysitter until Laya wakes up. Let''s go!" He had to recover his energy fast, so he tried to send others into battle while he recovers.


    "He hasn''t changed one bit. This evil guy." Hearing Alex order them around, Takamented. But what he said made sense. So, everybody was ready to follow through with it.


    Kalina and Taka quickly entered the battlefield and began fighting the giant beasts. The low-tiered warriors of The thousand-headed serpent tribe were happy to see this. They joined in to help them.


    The prince who saw this also went to do his part.


    "p¡­p¡­ Are you awake?" While eating the food, Alex lightly pped Laya to wake her up.


    ''I learned that people in this world like this method of waking people up.''


    "Wha!" Laya woke up and held her cheeks. She looked around for a second and let out a relieved sigh.


    "No, you are not dead yet," Alex said while directing her attention to him.


    "You, why are you here?"


    "I came here with your sister."


    "My sister? Meena is here?"


    "No, the haughty one. The one who likes fighting. The older scatterbrained one. I can be more concise and call her ''The Problem''."


    "You don''t need to be that precise. I understand who you are talking about. So, why did youe here with my sister?"


    "You seemed to be mistaken about something. She tagged along when I came here. Not the other way around."


    "Huh!" Laya was astonished to hear that. Her sister who was under house arrest allied with Meru toe here. Why? This confused Laya quite a bit.


    "So, where is she?" She asked while groaning in pain.


    "Putting out some fire. Don''t move around. You are not fully healed. Besides that, can you exin to me why these ck-robed men are attacking the city?" Alex asked Laya to understand the general situation.


    The day was about end, the stars peeked from the darkening sky while the thunderstorm moved closer.


    "BOOOOM..." The flickering light of the lightning illuminated Laya''s face as she tried to recall the events that had led up to this moment. Her expression changed momentarily when she realised who the real culprit was.


    "It''s the first elder, he was making hidden contact with ck-robed men. We came here to negotiate with Sir Taka and Prince Ethan to alleviate the metal shortage. But he went his separate way after reaching the city."


    "Unfortunately, I was caught when I looked into his movements. That''s when this mess began." Laya said with tearful eyes.

 Chapter 52 Kill

    ?"So, Can I kill him?" Alex asked with a simple smile.


    For a brief moment, he was taken aback by the unexpected words that had escaped his lips. He had always prided himself on his strong moralpass, but now he found himself ignoring it,pelled by some unseen force.


    "He deserves it," he muttered, his voice growing more resolute with each passing word. As he spoke, a realisation dawned on him. He was finally seeing the true depth of his character.


    "It''s the right thing to do," he continued, his demeanour growing darker by the moment. The veil was slowly being lifted, revealing the true human lurking beneath the facade.


    He finally realised who he really was.


    Someone willing to do whatever it takes to achieve what he deems necessary.


    Someone willing to travel between light and darkness to achieve his goal.


    Compared to the person he was, he felt alive at that moment.


    In his past life, he followed rules. Did what was told and lived like a nobody.


    Not because of his own choice, but because of the conditions he was born into. Even if he wanted to, he couldn''t escape the grasp of reality.


    And hisst act of rebellion against society was his trip to his hometown. Leaving behind everything, he ran there to find himself.


    Even though he couldn''t do that due to the abruptness of his death. The second chance in life really pushed him to change. He didn''t know if it was for the better or worse.


    But he was sure that the change was necessary.


    Doing the same thing repeatedly and hoping for a change was a mistake that he did in the past. He didn''t want to live the same way anymore.


    Morality, Rules, Social norms and Laws were concepts made by humans to control other humans. Not because they cared for everyone. And in his past life, it might have been necessary. But in this life, he should learn to live in this world and not be trapped in the past.


    ''The new me doesn''t need to be nice or good! I just need to trust myself.'' He dered in his mind.


    While Alex was immersed in his own thoughts, Laya was startled by his words.


    To be confident in his abilities to kill a tier 4 warrior, Who was he? She thought in disbelief.


    "Hm¡­ Why are you not saying anything? Can I kill him or not?"


    "Why do you want to know that? You don''t need my permission, right?" Laya inquired back.


    "Because your answer will determine your position in this matter. And that will determine what rtionship we have in the future. After all, I am not afraid of making you or your tribe my enemy. Let''s just say that this is me being polite." Alex sharpened his gaze while replying.


    Alex''s crystal clear eyes peered into the soul of Laya, gauging her movements, and determining the next course of action.


    "You can." Laya agreed.


    "Huh¡­I was hoping for you to disagree." After saying that, Alex stood up. He stretched his body for a second before looking at the intense battle going before him.


    "It''s time that they ended it. Injured princess, you should scoot off. This is not a ce for you to enjoy the view. I don''t have any more time to babysit."


    Alex turned towards Taka and asked. "Sir Taka. Do you need my help?"


    "Much appreciated if you can," Taka said while dodging the charging rhino.


    Among the beast that was alive, Kalina was easily taking care of the fire smander. Her ice element skills helped her immensely when dealing with it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    As for the monkey, the prince trapped it inside some kind of a fiery globe and was slowly draining its energy.


    They didn''t seem like they require help. So, Alex decided to help Taka first. After all, he was the one fighting the physically strong beast. Each one of its charges had a devastating effect on the cityscape. It was ploughing through buildings as if it was nothing. And only Taka was skilled enough to stop its charge.


    "Throw me the spear you have, use your defensive skills to buy me some time. Like thest time, if you could stop the rhino for a moment. I will do the rest." Alex said.


    Taka didn''t mind Alex''s rude words. After all, he was a trustworthy ally that fought with before.


    "Here, take it." Taka threw the silver spear at Alex.


    Made with extraordinary material, it was anything but normal. The moment it contacted his hand, Alex knew that it had some mysterious power hidden inside it. But he didn''t have enough time to think about that. For now, all he cared about was the durability of the spear.


    After grabbing the spear, Alex ran a couple of meters away and began releasing a smoke screen. His own ability.


    Energy quickly drained from his body as he covered it around the battlefield. Slowly he controlled it to cover the eyes of the rhino.


    The first part of the n was a sess.


    "Sir Taka, taunt it. And follow me. The beast has thick defensive skin that is better than most metal. It''s hard to break through by normal means. We need to improvise." Alex said while running in a particr direction.


    The thick smoke screen he released made it hard for the rhino to see. Even its other senses were dulled by it. So, it followed Alex and Taka, the only enemy it could see.


    "Sir, Taka, can you use the defensive space skill one more time? I need you to go forward and use it right there." Alex said while pointing at a spot.


    Taka followed the instruction and did as he was told. Half of the ground below him was frozen and the other was burning with purple me. He suddenly realised what the evil kid was nning to do.


    He was going to kill using a borrowed sword.


    "Sigh! He is as evil as ever." Saying that Taka used his space bind skill. It was a skill that temporarily froze a specific volume of space beside him. By moulding the volume of space frozen, Taka can use it as a defensive or offensive technique.


    Seeing that, Alex smirked.


    He carefully led the charging rhino towards that direction. He even slowed down for the rhino to catch up and charge towards him.


    And just as the rhino charged towards him, he disappeared and appeared right behind Taka.


    The rhino was surprised to see Alex disappearing. And its surprise didn''t end there. The smokescreen that covered its eyes dissipated and it was greeted with the sight of fire spitting smander right in front of it.


    Unable to stop its charge, the rhino smashed heavily against the soft belly of the smander. And due to the space bind shield created right next to it, the poor smander couldn''t even dodge.


    "Thcuk¡­Crack¡­" The bones and organs of the fire smander turned to mush.


    But it didn''t end there.


    Fully utilising the chance, Alex disappeared and reappeared right behind the rhino. He charged forward as fast as he could and threw the spear right to an orifice of the beast that should not be named.


    ''Does it have thick skin inside?'' The doubt Alex had was quickly cleared, hearing the high-pitched cry of the rhino.


    Kalina, Taka and even the prince who saw this clenched their butt cheeks by instinct.


    After crying pathetically for a second, the beast lost consciousness and fell. Nobody could confirm if it died due to internal injury or due to the shock it received.

 Chapter 53 Battle Above

    ?"Sir Taka, were they supposed to be this stupid? Shouldn''t tier 3 and above beasts have intelligence simr to humans?"


    Looking a the carcass of the monstrous beast, Alex asked. In his mind, he always had this doubt that something was off.


    "They are usually smart. But these beasts aren''t." Saying that Taka looked at Kalina.


    Last time, when the Blue gem city was attacked by the same evil organisation. They were able to acquire the corpses of the beast. And after carefully dissecting them, they realised something.


    As if knowing why Taka was looking at her, Kalina answered Alex''s question.


    "Sigh! These beasts are artificially strengthened. If that was not the case, we would have had to use spirit guardian possession, the exclusive skill of the tier 4 warriors to defeat the beast." The exhausted Kalina said.


    Just imagining a real tier 4 beast attacking a city was giving her headaches. Fortunately, that was not the case.


    Alex who heard this quickly grasped the situation. The evil organisation was somehow manufacturing powerful beasts. But they couldn''t develop the intelligence of these beasts. It might also be a self-imposed limitation to control the beast. After all, there was no assurance that a highly intelligent beast might follow their orders.


    And the fact that it might force even powerful tier 4 warriors to use spirit guardian possession to deal with tier 4 beasts was new information to Alex.


    This made him reevaluate his own strength carefully.


    Tier 4 exclusive ability, spirit guardian possession was a short-duration strength amplification skill. It could suddenly elevate the fighting prowess of the warriors at the cost of a weakened stateter.


    Even though Alex has never seen anyone use this skill. He knew that tier 4 warriors had it in their arsenal. And it seems like they will only use it when their life was at stake.


    "Do you know how they strengthened the beasts? It''s better if you would allow me to take this corpse and study itter." Alex inquired while looking at the corpse of the beasts. In his eyes, the value of the beast was immense. He could learn something while also using it as fertiliser. He had no reason to not take it.


    "From our observation, the beasts seem to be contaminated by some nefarious energy. And if our prediction is correct, the energy is simr to the energy the sealed demon of the north gives off. So, be careful with what you do with the carcass." Kalina warned Alex.


    ''That eliminates eating or using it as animal feed from the list of things I could do with the carcass. All that remains are forging weapons and making fertiliser. If only there was a way to eat some.'' The greedy Alex thought.


    It took a moment for the group to finally remember the prince who was fighting against a giant monkey alone.


    "Ah¡­ Shouldn''t we help the prince fight the monkey?" Taka asked while Alex was storing the carcasses.


    "You do that, Let me go and rest. I am tired." Alex disappeared after saying that.


    The thunderstorm was about to reach the city. The rain had already begun drizzling around the city.


    Alex reappeared near the copsed building and took shelter inside it. Laya was also inside the building.


    BOOOM! BOOOM!


    The thunderous sound of a giant monkey mming its fist against the space bind used by Taka shook the surroundings.


    Kalina froze the ground creating thick ice spikes to decrease the mobility of the monkey.


    The prince, Ethan Srion released beams of fiery light towards the beast. Trying to deal critical damage to it.


    And finally, they sessfully took down the beast with theirbined effort.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ¡ª----------


    Meanwhile, Alex recovered his strength.


    "Do you perhaps know where the blue gem is?" Alex asked Laya.


    ''If she had seen the first elder colluding with the evil organisation, she might know where the blue gem is.'' And it was this thought that led Alex to ask the question.


    "The first elder has it. He retrieved it from the ck-robed people. He was trying to retrieve it and use it as a tool in the power struggle of the tribe. He was nning to fight for the head of tribe position by showing his contribution in securing the blue gem."


    "Aren''t you reading into it too much? The first elder might have had other nefarious purposes behind his action. You don''t actually believe the world revolves around you and your tribe, right?" Alex asked with a smirk.


    "But the first elder does. For as long as I remember, he was always scheming behind the scene to be the head of the tribe." Laya replied in a firm tone. There was no doubt in her voice. It was as if she firmly believed in her words.


    "The first elder is a selfish man who is willing to sacrifice his own tribesmen to satiate his hunger for power. I saw that first-hand while he conversed with the leader of the evil organisation. You should always be wary of him." She said with utter disgust.


    "I can understand. After all, that sick bastard tried to kill me once. So, where is he? Shouldn''t he be here battling against you? I don''t think he will let you live after discovering his secret."


    "BOOOOM! CRACK¡­." With sky-shattering sounds, thunder and purple lightning shed over their head. Unknowingly the thunderstorm had flown over them.


    Suddenly, Laya peered into the sky. She gazed deep into the depth of the thunderstorm.


    Seeing her peculiar action, Alex followed suit. And among the crackling lightning, Alex saw something horrifying.


    He saw a giant shadow moving among the churning clouds.


    "Don''t friggin tell me¡­" The awestruck Alex forgot to close his mouth while looking at the clouds.


    "Don''t tell me the rumbling I heard from the sky was not just thunder. It was the battle taking ce above me."


    "Yes. You guessed it correctly." An even more ferocious battle was happening inside the clouds that spanned kilometres over the city.


    And the answer to the simple question of where the strongest warriors of Thousand headed Serpent tribe went was finally revealed.


    They didn''t go anywhere. Before Alex came, they were already facing off against a superior enemy. And the thunderstorm he saw when he came to the city was just the aftermath of their action.


    "The first elder, is he inside the cloud?" Alex asked while trying to hide his amazement.


    "Not just the first elder. The Leader of the Thousand-headed Serpent tribe, a tier 5 warrior and all other tier 4 warriors of his tribe were facing off against an unfathomable existence. They initially moved far away from the city to battle the enemy. But it seems like they are being forced to move towards the city."


    "Sigh¡­If what you say is true, I think the Leader of the Thousand-headed Serpent tribe is losing. Or else, how can he allow the enemy to move closer to the city? The destructive power of unleashing their skills is far above what normal people can tolerate." Alex sighed while pinching his eyebrows. This was a headache with no cure.


    Against absolute strength, his schemes were nothing but child''s y. He had no way of interfering in that battle.


    The situation was direr than he thought.

 Chapter 54 Ethan

    ?After sessfully eliminating their enemies on the ground, the group stood together to catch their breath and assess the situation. They gazed up at the night sky, now pitch ck and devoid of any visible celestial bodies.


    Suddenly, A purple bolt of lightning shed above them, revealing the hidden monstrosities in the clouds. They saw a ghostly figure of a serpent head trying to swallow a man releasing purple thunderbolts from his body. It twisted andunched its giant mouth, trying to bite him and pull him back.


    But the man easily disrupted the attack by lighting the sky with millions of volts of electricity.


    This was the moment observed by Alex and the group below. And as soon as he saw that, Alex knew that he would die in an instant if he got caught in their crossfire.


    In the time it took him to blink, like a mirage, the shadows disappeared from the sky. It once again turned pitch ck.


    Despite theck of visibility, the group below could hear the relentless sound of impacts and explosions growing louder by the minute. As thunderclouds rolled in from the horizon, the cacophony of destruction only intensified, leaving the group feeling both uneasy and helpless in the face of such overwhelming force.


    Alex looked at the people near him and observed their expressions. Just like him, their eyeballs popped looking at the scene above them.


    ''As expected, this was not normal. This is a peak tier 5 battle. No wonder they are bewildered by it.'' Alex thought.


    "Do you have any idea what''s happening in the sky? Is the purple lightning man the enemy or the giant snake? Laya, you might know it, right?" Alex asked trying to find a baseline to reason with.


    Alex''s question roused the interest of the group. Kalina, Prince Ethan, Taka and Laya suddenly turned towards him in amazement.


    "You don''t intend to fight them, do you?" Kalina asked as if she had heard the most absurd thing in her life.


    "No, No way. I do not have a death wish. I was just curious. After all, we are right below the most chaotic part of the city. If we have to run away, I would at least need to know who the enemy is." Alex said while shaking his head.


    Hearing him, they finally rxed their muscles. For a second they almost thought the crazy guy was trying to fight against a tier 5 entity. But it was a false rm.


    "The warrior releasing the purple lighting is our enemy. I saw him hand over the Blue gem to the first elder. I am sure that he is the mastermind." Laya said weakly.


    And this resolved Alex''s confusion. He made an appropriate n to escape. He had no interest in participating in a losing fight. Especially when the loser would have to forfeit his life.


    Just after Laya, Ethan, the prince from the west, suddenly interrupted with a shocking statement that left everyone speechless.


    "Let me correct you there Princess Laya, he is not a warrior. He is a mage. And what you know would not epass even one per cent of the entire story." Ethan Srion dered.


    His eyes scanned the surroundings before focusing on Kalina.


    "Once I came to the ice phoenix tribe to warn them of this danger. But you and your tribe members humiliated me and chased me away. They called me weak and pathetic. I still remember those insults."


    "But didn''t they chase you away for asking Kalina''s hand in marriage?" Alex was excited to know the existence of mages, but before that, he had to clear some doubts.


    Ethan sighed after hearing that. It was not the first time someone asked the exact question and he was tired of answering it again and again.


    "No, never. Someone in their tribe created this misunderstanding. I would have loved to exin that, but they were so busy chasing me, a royalty from another continent away that they forgot to even ask me what I want. To sum it up, I could call the leaders of the ice phoenix tribe naive and stupid. Abination that is equally dangerous to the people inside and outside of their tribe."


    Ethan mocked the ice phoenix tribe while exining to Alex. But even then, Laya nor Kalina could not say anything to refute his ims. They knew after hearing his side that there was something fishy.


    "Ha¡­ That makes sense. But what were you trying to warn? And how did you know about the ck-robed people?" Alex was not satisfied with the answer, so he inquired directly to Ethan. It seems like Ethan was the most knowledgeable about the incidents that happened here. So, it was in his interest to understand everything that Ethan knows.


    "Before I say it, you need to pay me. I do not n to make a loss anymore. If you arefortable with it, pay me 400,000 gold coinsbined and I will sell you the information you want." Ethan said while smiling at the group.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Alex was thrilled to see this. Finally someone reasonable. Even though 400,000 gold was a lot of money. It was not an absurd amount that he would reject at a single nce. So, Alex wanted to know why he needs the money.


    "What 400,000!" Kalina eximed.


    Laya looked in disbelief while Taka and Alex pondered for a moment.


    "Why do you need 400,000 gold coins?" Alex asked.


    "To buy food, Arge amount at that."


    "So, you need food, grains, meat and vegetables I presume. It probably means that your territory is encountering a famine. Which means you are desperate. So, how about we send you the grains you need immediately andter procure more and send them in batches? There is no way you will want 400,000 gold worth of food items immediately, right? If you are worried about transportation. Sir Taka can help, isn''t it right?"


    "Yes, I can handle the transportation. But procuring that much food would not be easy." Taka said slightly worried.


    "Don''t worry about the food. I recently came across some ces that cultivate corn. I can help you with that." Alex said calming down everyone.


    "So, do you agree to trade with us?"


    "Yes!" Ethan said astonished by the fact that he resolved his problems this quickly. Initially, he thought he would have to bargain a lot to procure the food items. He was nning to even trade metals to Laya for food. It was the reason he came with Taka to meet Laya. And that''s when the whole mess happened.


    Ethan was finally relieved to know almost all his immediate problems are solved. He was even thankful to Alex who made a quick decision on the matter.


    "Now, let me exin in detail¡­" Like that, Ethan began exining in detail about the things that happened in his life. And the reason he came across the ck-robed men.


    Ethan, the thirteenth prince of the Empire of Srion was a neglected prince. His mother died early and he couldn''t even meet his own father. It has been too long since he saw him. His father was always in secluded meditation.


    And like that, he was living the life of a nobody. Other than the asional bullying by his siblings, no one cared about his life or living conditions. Until his tenth birthday. When he awakened the Srion bloodline and caused a shock among the royals.


    Those people who considered him an untalented waste now began to view him as a possible threat.


    It was at that moment he finally came across the ck-robed men. The evil organisation belonging to them tried to capture him and make him their ve. They injected something inside his body to control him and do their bidding. The thing in his blood also increased his talent to an unprecedented level, making him stand out even more.


    And all he could do was to let them do so. After all, someone who could infiltrate the pce of the emperor and do cruel experiments on his son would not be a weakling.


    While he was resigned to his fate, the emperor came out of seclusion. With just a nce he identified the problem with Ethan''s body. He was enraged by what he saw.


    He thought Ethan worked together with evil organisations to quickly gain power. So, in his anger, he destroyed Ethan''s mana core. The central part of a mage that holds all his power. Making him a disabled weakling for all eternity.


    Then his presence was quickly erased from the political scene of the royal family. He was silently allocated the southern swamps as his fief and was banished from the imperial city.


    All of that was due to the ck-robed men and their interference.


    After being chased away from the imperial city. He secretly investigated and found a lot more about them than anyone in the whole world. While doing so, he almost died multiple times. But he was not yet ready to give up.


    And this was one of the reasons he came to the central continent, and to the ice phoenix tribe. He was supposed to warn them of the encroaching danger.

 Chapter 55 Death

    ?"So, that means you have uncovered the secret n of the evil organisation and yet failed to do anything against it, right?" Momentarily, Alex''s sharp words choked Ethan. He was never expecting a question like that when he was revealing his deepest, darkest experience.


    For a moment, he didn''t know how to respond. Yet, he took a breath and calmly exined his situation.


    "Hm¡­ It is the reality that I have to live with. Not a day goes by without me thinking about my failures. Each time, I wish I could have done more. But in the end, I cannot rewind back time. No one can." Ethan epted the me wholeheartedly.


    Alex didn''t know Ethan quite well. And he had no reason topletely believe every one of his words. So, he was cautious when dealing with him.


    But learning about his experience, Alex had a newfound appreciation towards this man. It''s often one''s actions that show their true character rather than their words. Most people are capable of lying, and some are extremely well-versed in it. But few can stand behind their words and show the world their authentic self.


    Ethan was proving his worth by answering Alex''s question. He was a man who travelled far and wide to procure food for the people in hisnd. When the famine struck hisnd, he didn''t abandon them. He was willing to sell anything necessary to procure food for them.


    And when the world turned against him, destroyed his mana core. Even when his father abandoned him. He didn''t turn into a bitter human being. He found ways to survive and improve. This shows his perseverance and mental fortitude.


    ''If this was a novel, he would be the hero. Having him as a friend is way better than having Kalina as a friend.'' Alex concluded.


    "It still doesn''t exin how you became a strong mage. Do you have something to add to that story?"


    "No, I rather not reveal the secrets of my bloodline in front of everyone. But if you can trust me, I have much more to say about the evil organisation. Their reach is far and wide, so it is not surprising to see their action spanning decades around the world. And all for the goal of immortality."


    "How can you be sure?"


    "Due to the recent observation of their actions. I came across some startling information. They gained a breakthrough in human experimentation in the past decade. And it had something to do with their exploration of uninhabited areas in the north of the central continent. My conjuncture is that it is rted to the sealed demon in the north."


    ''That exins a lot. Mysterious sightings of ck-robed people. Attack on the ice Phoenix tribe. And their use of unusual skills. Adding all that, it is easy to identify them as people from some other continent. I should have been careful, the greed of humans has no limits. They always want more than they need. Khuh¡­How simr they are to the people that I know. Humans will never change.'' Alex thought.


    "Thank you for providing me with the information." While contemting his future actions, Alex said.


    "Huh! You are willing to pay him 400,000 gold coins worth of goods for spective information?" Suddenly, Kalina who was nearby said.


    This slightly irritated Alex.


    "Me being patient with you does not mean you can walk all over my head. Kalina, you are too old for your actions to be considered cute anymore." Alex said with a frown.


    Kalina was a burden he took on expecting some advantages. But if she can''t behave, it''s not too bad to cut off the rtionship then and there rather than postpone it for another day.


    Kalina who was never scolded by anyone other than her grandmother was startled by the revtion. Even though Alex''s words were harsh. It grounded her in reality.


    Too many people died during the attack. And yet, she had time to joke around. She realised her foolishness. Laya who saw Kalina standing meekly before Alex was perplexed about what her sister had gone through to be like that.


    "And for your information. I am not a dragon guarding his treasure trove. I make money to spend it. If not, what use does money have in our life." Alex reproached Kalina once again.


    Taka and Ethan nodded their head from the sidelines.


    ¡ª------


    A couple of minutester, the sky was still pitch ck. But the thunderous sounding from it began to slowly decrease.


    It was the calm before the storm.


    Instead of small sparks of lightning flying outwards. A giant purple ball of lightning began to form in the centre of the clouds.


    It illuminated the entire sky. It made the thick clouds around it scatter away into oblivion revealing a horrifying sight.


    A man wearing ck robes was creating a giant purple ball of lightning above his head. Small balls of lightning spun around it rhythmically and hypnotically. Anyone who saw would have been mesmerised by it.


    But this time, instead of beauty. It was spreading fear among the people who saw this. The battle wasing to a climax.


    In front of the man wearing ck robes, there were twenty tier 4 warriors and a single tier 5 warrior leading them. It was a group capable of shocking the world when seen together. And yet they were facing a single man. They were the warriors of the thousand-headed serpent tribe. And now, with their leader, they were fighting against the ck-robed man.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Men, this might be ourst battle. But we will never allow the foreigner to wreak havoc in ournd. Let''s protect the people ournd, our loved ones and the next generation. Let''s show them how the warriors of the thousand-headed serpent tribe respond to our enemies." The leader, the patriarch of the thousand-headed serpent tribe said with a resolute heart. At that moment, he was ready to die.


    "CHARGE!" He screamed while activating the exclusive skill of a tier 5 warrior. Spirit Guardian Summoning.


    Suddenly a giant snake materialised above him. It was hundreds of meters long shining in azure blue light. The twenty warriors behind him unleashed spirit guardian possession, the exclusive skill of the tier 4 warriors and merged with the giant snake.


    As if it had a mind of its own, the snake screamed at the mage creating the giant purple ball of lighting. As soon as it was formed, they attacked simultaneously.


    ''Was this the shadow of the snake we were seeing from the ground?'' Alex was shocked.


    Within a quarter of a second, they collided with each other, the giant snake and the purple lightning ball.


    "BOOOOOOM"


    For a moment it felt like it was the day. The bright light illuminated the entire city.


    Alex felt like a nuclear bomb going off in front of him. The shockwave rippled through the atmosphere towards the ground. All the thunderclouds near it werepletely cleared. He quickly hid on the farm and let the shockwave pass over before reappearing.


    Fortunately, Taka, Kalina and Ethan created a wall of energy simultaneously to counter the shockwave. So, they were unharmed. But even then, you could see the shock in their eyes.


    If they were attacked by a simr attack, they would die. There was no other oue.


    ''What happened to the people in the centre? Did the people of the thousand-headed serpent tribe survive?'' A single thought came to everyone''s mind


    The dust was clearing and they could slightly peek at what happened.


    In the centre of the st, there was a huge pit a couple of meters in diameter. For hundreds of meters around it, everything was decimated to dust. The building, metal frames, everything was swept off by the shockwave.


    Unfortunately, the st took the ce above in the sky, within the distance to create maximum damage. So the whole city was a mess.


    "What are those, the floating points of light?" Suddenly someone asked.


    The floating light was slowly rising from the ground. It slowlybined in the centre of the crater and formed a small floating ball the size of a tennis ball.


    It fluttered in the air for a moment before showing a vision of a giant snake. It had a thousand heads and had a mysterious feeling to it.


    Looking at the ground for a moment, it wailed. The dirty corpse below the ground rose up and the dust on their bodies disappeared.


    It was the corpses of the twenty-one warriors of the thousand-headed Serpent tribe. Bowing to the brave warriors as if saying goodbye, the illusory image of the thousand-headed serpent dispersed into the atmosphere.


    Everyone who saw that felt something rumble inside them. A feeling of awe shook them.


    Especially Alex, who never experience something like that felt like something was connecting with him.


    [Ding¡­]


    [Data stream found. Extracting data¡­]


    [Analysing data. New energy pathways found. Improving asynchronous energy cirction method. Passive energy cirction has been strengthened.]


    Suddenly, A cool feeling originated from his body. Alex felt extremely rxed and all the fatigue he had umted during battle mysteriously disappeared.


    [Please gather more data to improve the asynchronous energy cirction method.] In the end, giving a hint, the farm notification stopped.

 Chapter 56 [Bonus ] Business

    ?Alex''s first time contacting a spirit guardian was in his awakening ceremony. There he met the spirit of the primordial ether. A spirit guardian he inherited from his father. And due to that, he got the skill, of asynchronous energy cirction.


    And now the hint that his energy cirction method could be improved shook Alex from the core. After all, he felt his umtion of energy slowing down to a halt for the past couple of days.


    If he improved at the past rate, it would have taken him years before he finally reach the peak of Tire 3 Warrior. But now, he could feel the enhancement.


    Even though he still doesn''t know what asynchronous energy cirction is, it seems to be important to his growth.


    And the other mystery that the farm could somehow extract data whenever he makes contact with supernatural entities called spirit guardians excited Alex.


    He now knows how to increase his strength faster.


    He just has to find more ways to contact spirit guardians.


    After taking a moment to clear his mind, Alex finally looked around the surroundings. The devastated city would lie as an unforgettable memory inside his mind.


    What more could he do to help them?


    Slightly turning his head towards Taka, he asked.


    "Sir Taka, Will this city survive? The guardians of this city were destroyed in an afternoon. And the lightning mage that caused all this is nowhere to be seen. The threat is real and imminent. So, would anyone dare to rebuild it?" Alex asked the question weighing down on everyone''s mind.


    The thousand-headed serpent tribe was not a tribe to be trifled with. They were one of the nine great tribes with a tier 5 warrior. They had an enormous amount of resources and thousands of members. They created thew of thend and governed Thira.


    And yet, They have fallen in a span of a day.


    One of the nine great tribes has fallen. The chilling news would soon travel across the continent making the other tribes quake in their boots.


    So, would someone dare to rebuild the city? Alex wanted to know that.


    "It is hard to say. Even if someone tried to rebuild the city, I am certain that it would take years for the city to reach its former glory." Taka said with a heavy heart.


    Without anyone to step forward and govern the city. It would soon descend into a death spiral.


    "Contrary to your appearance, I never thought you to be so pessimistic, Sir Taka. I respectfully disagree with your opinion. I think the people in this city are far more resilient than we could imagine. They would be the ones to step forward to rebuild the city. Their home." Looking at a kid carrying his younger brother on his back, while walking through the debris of the destroyed buildings, Alex said.


    For the strong, it is easy to overlook the mental resilience of the weak. They sometimes forget the fact that even the weakest individual can make decisions that would change the course of history.


    And the weaker the people are, the harder they have to fight to survive. There is no easy way out for them.


    Among the people left in the city, Alex could a fire burning deep inside them. It was their will to survive, their will to fight for vengeance and their will to protect. They were not ready to give up.


    ''This city will rise from the ashes stronger than ever.'' Alex concluded. The thousand-headed serpent tribe might be weak now. But they might have strong people outside the city that would return to protect their base.


    Unless others from the nine great tribes interfere, the city would quickly flourish.


    Initially, Alex came to the city of Thira for business. He was nning to open a branch of the spice garden and slowly rake in money. His motivation was purely mary.


    Now, things have changed. He wants to make money and at the same time increase his influence.


    The evil organisation seems to be spreading its wings far and wide. They are even capable of destroying one of the greatest tribes on this continent. So, the imminent threat disturbed his heart. At some point, he would collide with them.


    His ns one after another were being prevented from being sessful. So, Alex decided to take on an aggressive approach.


    "I want to meet with the thousand-head serpent tribe. I smell a once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity. Sir Taka, can you help me with that?"


    "It might be hard. But let''s try our best."


    "What about us? Meru, you promised to help me retrieve the blue gem." Kalina asked desperately. She didn''t know when she became so attached to Alex. But without him, she felt a sense of loss.


    Was it the food he cooked?


    Was it his impableposure?<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    What was the reason behind her feeling? Kalina couldn''t figure it out.


    After taking a moment to think, Alex decided to send Kalina and Laya away. He thought it was better to do this alone rather than with the help of the ice phoenix tribe. Besides that, he didn''t want to create unwanted misunderstandings. He was not someone allied with the ice phoenix tribe. But if he had gone there with two princesses of the ice phoenix tribe, his intentions would be questioned.


    However, Ethan followed him with Taka. He would be useful in convincing the thousand-headed serpent tribe.


    After that, Alex shared his business idea with Taka and Ethan before travelling to the thousand-head serpent tribe.


    ¡ª----------


    A couple of hourster.


    In the guest room of the thousand-headed serpent tribe.


    Alex was meeting one of the tier 4 elders of the tribe. With him was Taka of the void fish tribe. A person from a neutral tribe that does business across the whole continent. And the thirteenth prince, Ethan Srion from the Srion Empire.


    "I heard your deeds, Taka. The void fish tribe has my thanks. You fought hard to defend the city like it was your home. If not for our current condition, we would have rewarded you handsomely." With a coarse voice, the elder said.


    He looked like a kind old man. His hairs were already white and his arms looked thin. At a nce, he looked no different from a frail old man.


    "Who are these kids with you?" He asked while looking at Alex and Ethan.


    "Let me introduce you. This is Meru, A spice merchant from the north. And this is Prince Ethan from Srion Empire. We came here with a business proposal."


    "A business, At a time like this. Taka, Do you see our tribe as a joke?" The tone of the calm elder suddenly changed. This startled Alex, but he quickly said to ease the tension.


    "No, Sir. Not at all. This was my idea. We are nning to import arge number of grains from other regions and sell it to your tribe."


    Alex''s words roused the elder''s interest.


    "Are you trying to help? No, if so, you wouldn''t call it a business. So, what do you need in return? Not just gold, I presume." The elder didn''t doubt Alex''s words at all.


    After all, he came with Taka, one of the famed merchant tribes. It wouldn''t be surprising to know that they can transport arge number of grains from other regions.


    "Yes, we want something different. We want 100 hectares ofnd just outside the city."


    This was a game-changing move by Alex. Alex was a farmer without anynd in the real world. He didn''t have a base that he could always rely on. And the acquisition ofnd was the first step to bing a real farmer.


    Although the interdimensional farm increased the growth rate of crops. It doesn''t give him enough area to farm whatever he needs. And till now he had yet to get a barn or a chicken coop. This prevented him from rearing animals.


    All that could be solved by using actualnd.


    And if you consider his ability to buy an infinite amount of best quality seeds from the farm shop, he wouldn''t need much time to popte the entire farnd.


    When he creates the barn inside the interdimensional farm, he might also be able to buy animals from the farm shop. It would be a wasted opportunity to not use all that to his advantage.


    "How many tons of grains are you going to import for 100 hectares ofnd?"


    "10000 tons of grains and some other goods."


    "Hm¡­ I know that you are giving this offer knowing that all our food supply is wasted due to the battle. Still, asking for 100 hectares is too much, isn''t it? Even if you begin transporting food right now from other cities, it would take at least a week for it to reach here. We don''t have time to waste. Should we wait patiently after selling ournd to get what we deserve?" The elder said hoping to decrease the delivery time.


    Even though the thousand-headed serpent tribe was weak currently, they still hold the authority to sell and purchasend.


    Actually, the elder was d that Alex asked fornd instead of gold. It would take them a lot of money to rebuild the city. It was a matter of time until their treasury became empty. So, he was d to sellnd to alleviate the impending food scarcity. But he couldn''t show that to his face. In a negotiation, he should push forward for more benefits.


    "You don''t have to worry about that Sir. We would be able to deliver goods at the rate of 1000 tons of grains every day for ten days. If you want, you canmission us to get more goods for a separate price." Alex said with a kind smile. Although he didn''t look like an angel, he still look trustworthy enough for the elder to agree to his demand.


    Like that, the business deal was closed.

 Chapter 57 Unplanned

    ?After closing the business deal, Alex started nning. And his n heavily depended on his ability to sell the golden mushroom he has on him to the farm shop.


    As expected, he was able to sell one golden mushroom for 100000FP in the farm shop.


    ''Thank god the initial sales price was high. I don''t think I can sell the next one at the same price. It would probably be less. But this is enough for now.''


    He still had six more to sell, not considering the seven that belonged to Kalina. He once again bes friggin rich.


    He was hoping to use them in an emergency and this was an emergency. Fortunately, he didn''t sell it for gold. He was sensible to know that FP was better than gold.


    ''I should prepare the next phase of the n.''


    Alex began to buy all the farnd he could with his newly acquired wealth.


    [100 units ofnd bought]


    [Farm level up.]


    [Farm level 5 reached.]


    [Unlocking pet taming feature]


    [100 units ofnd bought. Farm level up. Farm level 6 reached.]


    [Creating fish pond 10x10]


    [100 units ofnd bought. Farm level up. Farm level 7 reached.]


    [Creating chicken coup 10x10]


    [100 units ofnd bought. Farm level up. Farm level 8 reached.]


    [Creating barn 10x10]


    [100 units ofnd bought. Farm level up. Farm level 9 reached.]


    [Rsearch pod has been created. Now you can research seed gics to improve quality.]


    [100 units ofnd bought. Farm level up. Farm level 10 reached. The current max level has been reached.]


    [Farm automation is avable.]


    [Land acquisition, temporarily closed. Farm level-up conditions are being updated.]


    Ding¡­Ding¡­Ding¡­


    The sounds of sweet notifications were music to Alex''s ears. He always wanted to level up like crazy and today he did it.


    ''A day like this truly makes me happy.''


    This was a new milestone in his life. The future that felt bleak became so much better.


    ''As expected, I unlocked another building on the farm. Barn, chicken coop, fish pond, pet taming, research pod and the ability to automate farming. This is so awesome, I don''t even care about the fact that level-up is temporarily unavable. Even the fact that I spend 60,000 FP didn''t even matter anymore.'' Jumping around on the farm Alex thought. He was excited, to say the least.


    Looking around and seeing the changes to the farm, he was thrilled to try everything.


    "Shop." He called out and a 2D window opened up before him. The option that used to be greyed out became essible now.


    Other than seeds, Now he could buy basic fertiliser, pet foods, animal feed and other misceneous items.


    And below it, he could see a row of farm animals that could be bought. Among them, there were goats, cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, turkeys, rabbits and even fish. It was an awesome list that made Alex wish that he should have levelled up the farm earlier.


    But the shop functions didn''t end there. A new row of automation tools was clearly depicted below the list of farm animals.


    From harvester to grinder and mixer. Everything one needs on a farm was present inside the farm tools section.


    Alex didn''t wait one bit before buying an automatic watering machine, automatic seed sowing machine and harvester for 1000FP each. Now he had 38000FP left from the initial 100,000FP he got from selling the golden mushroom.


    With that, Alex bought all the machines and tools that he thought he might need in the future. Leaving behind only 20,000FP for his other use.


    ''Now that''splete, let''s seed the remaining farnd with paddy.'' Giving out an order to the automatic seed sowing machine. Alex stood back.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The machine that looked like a tiller began moving across the field filling the newly bought 600 units ofnd with paddy seeds. With enough water, the seeds will quickly grow.


    After that, the automatic water machine sped around watering all the nts beforeing out of the farnd. It was a sight to behold to see multiple machines working in tandem without any human intervention to maintain the farm.


    After that, Alex directed his attention to the fish pond. It was a considerablyrge square fish pond with a 10x10 unit area. Currently, it was empty and a floating icon of zero was present above the pond.


    ''I need to get some fish and put them inside. Shop.''


    After carefully looking through the 2d scene of the shop. Alex finally saw a fish that he could buy and ce inside the pond.


    It wasmon carp. Apletely normal-looking freshwater fish that he had seen in his previous life. But Alex didn''t care about any of that. After all, if he has the facility inside the farm, he could put any fish he wants inside it. The same goes for the barn and coop.


    Yet, he bought some carp fries and let them loose in the pond. The pond could sustain a hundred carps. So, he only bought ten for now.


    ''If they grow up, they might breed more carp. Why spend more unnecessarily?''


    Simrly, he popted the barn and coop with a pair of each animal, male and female, he could buy from the shop.


    Now, by letting them grow up on the farm. He could breed a limitless amount of animals.


    "Ha ha ha¡­" Laughing wickedly. Alex exited the farm. The preparation wasplete. Now, all he had to do was fulfil the promise he made with the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe.


    "Later, I will deploy the teleport point in the plot ofnd that I am going to buy. After that, I could spend 5000FP to travel between my northern region and Thira. By using the warehouse, I can store all the grains I need and transport them back to Thira. It''s so easy to make wealth with a cheat ability like this."


    "KA KA KA KA¡­.." Alexughed.


    "Thud" Someone mmed against the wall of the room he was staying in.


    "Go and friggin sleep you sicko. Other people are also staying inside this inn. If you want tough like an old witch, do it somewhere else. God damn it."


    ''Oooops¡­'' Realising his blunder, Alex went back to his bed to sleep.


    ¡ª-----------


    "Thuck¡­" The heavy sound of something colliding.


    "Drip¡­.drip¡­drip¡­" Blood drops dripped one by one to the floor.


    "It seems like the drug was too strong. He doesn''t even wake up even when he is bleeding." A voice greeted Alex as soon as he woke. In front of him, there was a blurry figure saying something.


    Then a sharp pain from all across his body.


    "Ah¡­." He screamed. The blurry figure that hade close to him was pulling on his hair.


    The intense pain momentarily forced Alex to react wildly. He tried to push his arms out and escape from the clutches of the person before him. But he soon came to the startling realisation that he was bounded by something strong. And his body felt weak as if he didn''t have any strength at all.


    Taking a moment to grasp his situation. Alex looked at the person before him.


    He was wearing a familiar ck robe. Beside him, there was the first elder of the ice phoenix tribe.


    "Look who is awake. Man, you know how to sleep. I tried everything I can. Even smacked your head against a wall. And still failed to wake you up. If I knew I could wake you up by pulling on your hair, I would have done it earlier." The ck-robed man said in a joking tone.


    Even though his words were said in a joking manner. His actions were ruthless. He didn''t stop pulling on Alex''s hair after saying thack-robedck robed man knew that Alex was in deep sleep due to the drug he administered. It doesn''t matter if he shook him or hit him. He wouldn''t wake up until the effects of the drug disappears. He just wanted to torture Alex to amuse himself.


    "Now that you are¡­" Ignoring the words of the ck-robed man, Alex tried to teleport. He didn''t think much and knew he was in some deep trouble.


    He wanted to escape as fast as he could. So, he tried to teleport.


    But nothing happened. Alex couldn''t feel his energy at all.


    After that, he tried to enter the farm. But even that failed. This shocked Alex to the core. Aftering to this world, It was the first time Alex felt so vulnerable. His ability to enter the farm made him invincible. If he couldn''t win a fight, he could always enter the farm to escape.


    But this time, even that seems to be impossible.


    Where is he? What was happening to him? How was he captured? The torrent of thoughts overloaded his brain.


    It took him a moment to calm down and look around. He was not alone. Other people are imprisoned alongside him.


    "...so, my exnation is clear, right?" The ck-robed man finally quietened down after posing a question to Alex.

 Chapter 58 [Bonus ]Rune

    ?"p¡­Do you understand what I mean?" The ck-robed man asked once again while pping Alex.


    ''Understand what? You sick psycho¡­'' Alex thought while observing the ck-robed man''s movement.


    Even though he said something, Alex didn''t bother listening to it. He was trying toe up with a way to escape this prison. He didn''t know how he was imprisoned, but escaping was his priority, not listening to the crap the ck-robed man has to say.


    "p¡­Can''t you answer? Say yes or no?" For staying silent, Alex was once again pped.


    The blood inside his mouth mixed with saliva creating a distinct metallic taste. Alex wanted to spit it at the face of the ck-robed man. But he held it in by pure strength of will. Fortunately, he was still rational. If not, the situation would have escted to something he couldn''t handle.


    Gritting his teeth, Alex finally answered in a muffled voice.


    "Yes¡­"


    "p¡­Good boy."


    Alex was greeted with another p for his reply. The ck-robed man was training him like a ve. This realisation incensed Alex. Hiding his anger, he looked around.


    He could see many familiar faces among the people who were imprisoned with him. And all of them looked beaten and bruised. He found it hard to imagine what happened to cause some of the strongest people he knew to be in this condition.


    With him, Kalina, Taka, Laya and even Ethan were imprisoned. Just like him, there were all chained to a chair.


    And all of them were looking at him, observing the actions of the ck-robed man and the First elder.


    "Now that everyone''s awake, I should depart. Do what you want with them." After saying that, the ck-robed man exited the room.


    The first elder was left alone with the prisoners.


    A moment of sombre silence permeated the room. No one was willing to talk first, especially the prisoners.


    After deliberating for a moment, the first elder walked towards Alex. As far as he knew, Alex was an insignificant cog that somehow interacted with his grand scheme. If he had to punish someone to make a point, it was better to do it through him.


    Instantly, he formed a ten-centimetre-long icicle and stabbed it into Alex''s thigh.


    The moment the sharp tip of the icicle prated his skin, A mind-numbing pain assaulted Alex. Unbearable was the only word he could think to describe the experience.


    "Ah¡­" Through his gritted teeth, he let out a muffled scream.


    "You shouldn''t have stayed behind to help the people. As soon as you knew I was involved, you should have escaped, Princesses." While slowly twisting in the icicle, the first elder said.


    "It is such a pity for you to be trapped in this dark, humid, underground dungeon." He said while ignoring the screaming Alex.


    "If only you didn''t know of my involvement. We could have had a great rtionship." Slowly his face turned menacing while twisting the icicle.


    "It''s a pity that you would have to live here for the rest of your life. I didn''t want to do this. But you left me no choice. After all, I too need to survive. As an elder of the ice phoenix tribe, I am deeply apologetic for what I am about to do." He smiled while delivering the judgement.


    Kalina and Laya who heard this felt a chill go down their spine. They realised the seriousness of his words. The first elder was trying to imprison them for life.


    For what? Due to them realising his scheme? Did he n to take back the blue gem and vie for the position of tribal leader?


    It might be due to that. After all, if they were to ry the information to the tribe, he would have met with a death sentence.


    Suddenly Kalina turned to look at Laya. Laya who saw this nodded.


    "I have already sent information to the tribe. There is nowhere to hide the first elder. Our grandmother will personally take action to find us. If you want to escape, do it right now. Before it is toote. Your petty tricks won''tst long in front of our grandmother." Laya warned the first elder.


    "Huh! Did you think the people you sent returned to the tribe? I never thought that you were this gullible."


    "What!" Kalina and Laya were startled by the news.


    "Ha ha¡­Yes, they are working for me. Even if I killed you in front of them, they wouldn''t report it to the matriarch."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The first elder''s words destroyed any confidence they had. Kalina and Laya were disheartened by the situation they find themselves in.


    "You vile creature. How could you have the will to betray your tribe for your ambition? Do you realise that directly and indirectly, you are the cause of hundreds of deaths in our city? Men, women and children died due to your greed. I should have paid more attention to your actions. I should have found the truth. I should have killed you." Kalina said with heart-wrenching pain.


    Even though Laya described the evil nature of the first elder, in the beginning, Kalina had hoped that it might be some kind of misunderstanding. But any hope she had was crushed by the appearance of the first elder. Seeing Alex squirming in pain in front of the first elder woke her up from her delusion. This was reality. A reality that she wished was not true.


    One by one, teardrops slid along her cheeks.


    "I never thought I would see a day when the almighty princess Kalina shed tears. Is it for this bastard?" Pointing at Alex, he said.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t kill anyone. Your death might cause more problems for me in the long run. So, if you have any thoughts about suicide. I think you should reconsider. If any one of you dies, I will kill everyone here. Keep that in mind." After giving a warning. The first elder walked towards the door.


    Turning to look back he said in a sarcastic tone.


    "Please enjoy your stay."


    Atst, Alex finally got some time to breathe. The wound on his thigh was still bleeding. But it felt much better after the icicle was taken out.


    ''I should pay it back two folds.'' He decided while looking at the closed door.


    ¡ª-----------------


    It took a moment for everyone to calm down.


    Among them, Alex was the calmest of them all. The moment he woke up, he was tortured and smacked around by two people. Even then, he didn''t lose his will to fight. He was constantly trying to find a way to escape.


    asionally, his thighs hurt breaking his line of thought.


    "Does anyone know why we can''t use any of our skills here?" Alex asked.


    "It is due to the chains that bind as to the chair. It is dispersing the energy we channel." Taka answered Alex''s question.


    "Is there any way to break them?"


    "No. This is an artefact made to imprison tier 4 warriors. There is no way for us to break it. Not without the help from someone outside."


    Alex''s first doubt was cleared. The chain might be the reason that he couldn''t teleport. It was preventing him from using his energy.


    But what was preventing him from teleporting into the farm? Was it the same thing?


    "Besides that, the entire room is covered inplex rune formation. Even if we could break the chains. We won''t be able to escape." Ethan, who was seated nearby chimed in.


    From his observation, the rune techniques that originated from the West were used to make this prison. And they were much moreplex than the one he could grasp. It would be impossible to break it without impable mana control skills and knowledge.


    "What do you mean by rune formation?" Alex''s curiosity was piqued.


    "It might take some time to exin."


    "Fortunately, we have nothing else to do."


    "Okay then. Before I exin rune formation. Let me give you a basic idea about what a rune is. A rune is a fundamental part of the magic system of the West. Unlike the people from the central continent, we don''t have bonds with spirit guardians. It means that we can''t tap into an external consciousness to learn skills which help us use magical energy called mana. We call the magical energy, mana, the Easterners call it Ki or Qi and the Southerners call it the Ether. Although we call them by different names, it is the same thing. So, don''t overthink about that nomenture."


    "So, what part do runes y in this?"


    "That''s where I am getting at, wait a minute. So where was I? Ah, yes. Runes are our answer for manipting mana. We can store mana, information and some action in the runes. This facilitates knowledge transfer and specific use of mana. And rune formation is aplexbination of runes designed for a specific purpose."


    ''Action? His wording is hard to understand. But I think I get the gist of it. Runes and mana usage are like science that is built on top of generations of research while energy usage of the people from the central continent is heavily dependent on Spirit guardians. And this time, some mage seems to have created a rune formation inside the prison. It might have more than one effect. Like reinforcement of the wall or traps.''


    Alex quickly identified the key points.

 Chapter 59 Breaking The Rune

    ?''Does that mean I can use mana like the mages from the western continent?'' Alex thought while hearing Ethan''s exnation. After all, he had yet to acquire skills from his spirit guardian. Other than his ability to release smoke screen, a very raw usage of energy there was nothing else he could do in a fight.


    If not for the farm and its abilities, He would have died an early death. Alex concluded.


    ''If I can use mana like the mages, that would be for the better. Unlike a magic system that is dependent on ''feel'', I prefer something with a concrete base on rationality.''


    "So, if you were not bound by the chains, can you use mana to break the rune formation?" Alex eagerly asked.


    But he was met with a smiling Ethan.


    "I don''t want to dampen your optimism by rejecting the possibility in its entirety. So, let''s just say that with some luck, I can. But there is no way for us to use mana due to these chains. How are you going to solve that? After all, this chain is also has a rune formation inscribed on it. Before breaking the rune formation of the prison we would have to break the chain." Ethan stated the obvious facts.


    This was not the first time he was imprisoned by a chain like that. So, he knew how futile Alex''s actions were. Unless someone from the outside helps them, there is no way that they are escaping this prison.


    "I don''t have a way for now. But the same could not be said forter. So, don''tpletely dismiss the notion that we can escape. If you know some details about the rune formation, please share it in detail."


    Even though it was futile, Alex''s words influenced Ethan. He began to closely observe the rune formation. A gentle golden glow formed in his pupil due to the increase in mana concentration. This allowed him to temporarily peak into the structure of the rune formation.


    They were engulfed in a giant three-dimensional of rune formation. It looked like it was spread along the walls of the building beyond what he could see. The region they were upying was just a small part of the entire rune formation.


    "From my observation, it seems to have space and neutral elemental properties. I can see space lock andmunication disruption formations. But it is beyond my scope of understanding. Arge formation like this would have taken decades to build." Ethan said with a sigh.


    "How did you see that? I can''t see any mana or runes."


    "Due to my eyes. I can concentrate mana on them to see the world differently."


    "Simr to the tier 4 warriors'' exclusive skill, spirit guardian possession? Spirit guardian possession allows warriors from the central continent to see the world differently. The flow of energy and mysteries of the world unravels before us in that state." Taka interjected.


    "Yes, simr is the keyword. But it''s not exactly the same. For example, we don''t need an overflowing amount of mana to reach the same state. You just need better control over the mana inside you. It is the type of control you would never achieve with your reliance on spirit guardians." Ethan elucidated.


    [A/N: Mana, Qi, Ki, Ether and Energy will be used interchangeably in the future.]


    Ethan''s description forced Alex to carefully reconsider the information. And he was excited to know that there are other ways to use energy. In the past, he could only use it to activate skills or to use partial or full body enhancement. So he was thrilled to know there were other uses to it.


    And most importantly, he was excited to see Ethan use mana even though he was imprisoned in the energy-dispersing chains.


    "HOW DID YOU DO IT?" The abrupt question forced everyone to focus on Alex. Even the depressed Kalina and Laya looked at him at that moment.


    "How did you do it? Any skill activation is neutralised by these energy-dispersing chains. So, how did you use that skill?" Alex inquired while keeping his calm.


    He had an inkling that his way to escape was present inside that skill.


    "It is not a skill," Ethan paused for a moment.


    "It is basic mana maniption." His absurd answer felt like a kick to the warrior''s ego. It was something ''basic'' for the mages. It was something ''easy'' for the mages.


    "And what''s the big deal about using mana maniption? Mana-dispersing chains were developed by the mages to transport rouge mages to prison. It was designed as a method to capture rather than kill the enemy. So, it won''t affect the flow of mana inside a person''s body. It mainly affects the active use of it outside the body. Or else, we would have died due to mana deficiency if it canpletely disperse the mana from a person."


    "So, why doesn''t body enhancement work? It is not a skill that is purely dependent on the spirit guardian. It''s just a basic enhancement of the muscles. Isn''t it simr to concentrating energy in the eyes?" The doubtful Taka asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "No, it''spletely different. When I channel mana through my eyes, it doesn''t interact with the physical world. It doesn''t take form as a skill or spell as we call it. But the mana for body enhancement interacts with your muscles. So, it will be dispersed by the mana dispersing chains. Don''t bother copying me, you won''t be able to copy it with crude mana control skills that you¡­" Suddenly Ethan stopped his words.


    As if he saw something shocking, he gazed at Alex. A white glow was seemingly forming inside his eyes.


    "WHA! How!" He eximed while seeing that. This made everyone look towards Alex.


    Alex smirked seeing this. He was initially shocked to see how well he could control energy. This was something beyond his expectation. He never thought he could imitate it perfectly.


    Alex who learned the new ability took a moment to calmly observe his surroundings with it.


    Looking around, he could finally see the mana in his surroundings. The lines of runes described by Ethan also became visible in his field of view. And in general, everything became clearer and more detailed than without it.


    ''It''s almost like the difference between full HD to 4K quality. Besides that the colours have be more vibrant and the mana hotspots became glowing points of light. The brighter the glow, the denser the mana in that region. This is too awesome.'' The excited Alex thought.


    Ignoring the people looking at him, Alex observed the metal chain that bound him to the chair. Like everything else, it too had mana runes engraved on it. The glittering letters engraved in the chain became lively the moment he began to observe it.


    And that''s when he realised the essence of Mana runes.


    ''This is a friggin program.'' Although it amazed Alex momentarily, he was happy to see the familiar structure ofputer programs in runes. And by closely observing it, he could see the functional units of the runes formation inside the chain.


    After realising that, it didn''t even take seconds for Alex to make a general n to crack it. He was going to do some simple experiments on them. By locating which parts are activated and when. He could locate the part he needs to abuse to be free from the chains.


    Channelling the energy inside his body, he tried to use full body enhancement while observing the chain with mana vision.


    As soon as the energy was channelled into his muscles, the chain activated. It began to crazily absorb any energy that Alex released. It fed on the energy and stored it inside itself, dispersing the effect of the skill.


    This was how it was preventing Alex from using energy. And the energy he released was being used to power the runes inside the chains.


    So, Alex came to a conclusion. There are two ways to break the chain. The first was to try and edit the runes in the chain. Or the other way was by making the chain spend more mana than it can gather. The former would have been a great idea if he could release energy normally. But he was chained, so the only possible way was thetter.


    ''So, I need to trick the chain into thinking that I am using energy while not actually using energy. Too easy.''


    After thinking that, Alex activated full body enhancement once more. But instead ofpleting the skill, he cancelled it midway and absorbed the energy back into his body.


    Although he lost some energy due to the chain trying to swallow his energy, he was able to reabsorb the majority of the energy. That way, he began to exploit the loophole, making the chain spend more energy than it could absorb.


    One after another, he activated and cancelled full body enhancement until the glow from the chain faded. After a while, the runes inside the chain became inactive.


    With a self-satisfied smirk, Alex twisted his arms to tear off the chains. Simple metal without its enchantment was easy to break for him. After all, he was a tier peak tier 3 warrior.


    "nk¡­nk¡­" The sound of metal pieces hitting the ground shocked everyone. Four pairs of eyes quickly scanned Alex dumbfounded by the feat he has achieved.


    Among them, Ethan couldn''t even describe the feeling he was having.


    ''Who is this guy?'' He thought while looking at Alex.

 Chapter 60 [Bonus ]

    "I think I found something that I am good at." Alex said with a smile from ear to ear.


    After rting the domain knowledge he had aboutputer science to runes and mana maniption, Alex was able to sessfully break the chain. Something impossible for a warrior to do.


    "How! How did you do it? What you have aplished is something iprehensible. It takes an apprentice mage years to gather enough knowledge to decipher the simplest rune formation. But not only did you decipher it, but you did it within hours aftering to contact with new knowledge." Ethan said.


    After taking a moment to think, as if he realised something, Ethan asked Alex once again.


    "You are not a warrior, right? You are a mage hiding in the central continent, right? You were trying to test me by asking the question about runes and magic. right?" He expected an affirmation from Alex. His eyes eagerly scanned Alex waiting for him to reply.


    It was the only reasonable conclusion he could form after realising what Alex had aplished.


    In the history of magic, there was never a person who learned mana vision and how to decipher a rune formation within an hour. If he was not a mage? What was he? A genius capable of triumphing over Merlin, the forefather of magic.


    Ethan was having a hard timeing to terms with the current reality. He felt like his whole world was copsing.


    "There is a little girl who calls me a hidden master. If you want, you could call me the same." The unexpected reply from Alex made Taka and Laya nod.


    This forced Ethan to look at Alex in a new light. He was awed by Alex.


    But it didn''t bother Alex, he was used to it by now. After all, It is the truth that he was different from the people in this world. He was a soul from another world. There was no harm in people seeing him differently.


    Putting some pressure on his injured thigh, Alex limped toward the nearest person. He broke the chain that was binding Taka and went towards the next person.


    Even though he was hurt, Alex felt like he should hurry. He didn''t know when someone might show up. He didn''t have a moment to rest.


    "Kalina? Look at me." Although Alex escaping rekindled her hope to escape. Her will was still shaky. It prompted Alex to snap her out of contemtion by calling out her name.


    "Are you going to let your sister die here?


    "You look as if you had given up on surviving. Don''t let your thoughts wander. Don''t let your doubts cloud your judgement. You have people that need your protection. So, stop being a crybaby. What we need is that slightly obnoxious but good-natured Kalina, not the one that is wallowing in her miseries. Besides that, you have much to pay back to the first elder. Just like me and the people here." Alex tried to motivate Kalina while breaking the chains that surrounded her.


    And his words worked magic inside Kalina. Her eyes began to look firm with resolve. The doubts that once gued her were mostly gone. And the new will survive was birthed.


    ''It''s true that people be stronger when they have something to protect.'' Alex thought.


    Within moments, everyone was free of the energy-dispersing chains. They huddled together outside the door plotting the next course of action.


    "I am unable to perform teleport and other space-rted skills. As Ethan has said, there seems to be a rune formation that''s preventing that."


    "I am in the same predicament," Taka confirmed.


    "Ethan, how long did you say the rune formation might have taken to set up?" Alex asked to confirm some of his doubts.


    "About a decade or more."


    "Does that mean the formation isrge andplex?"


    "Complex is an understatement. At the minimum, it is the work of tens of space elemental mage masters. A master mage is simr in rank to a tier 4 warrior. Besides that, the rarity of space elemental mages makes it a daunting task to build a rune formation like this. So, a decade is an optimistic timeframe." Ethan borated.


    "That could mean only one thing. The prison was not built to contain us. It is built to contain the innumerable enemies the evil organisation has in this world. There might be other people simr to us trapped inside this prison."


    His words were reasonable and the group quickly identified its implications. If there are other prisoners inside, it would be better to release them and create chaos. In that chaos, they would be able to escape unscathed.


    Without any more dy, Alex broke open the prison door. The broken metal door made a heavy sound when it fell onto the floor.


    The sound attracted the prison guards around them. ck-robed people began appearing one after another around Alex and his group.


    "Sir Taka, take Kalina and Laya with you to release the prisoners. We will hold them back."


    "But you are weak without your tricks. You would die if you fight head-on with them. Remember, you can''t teleport inside the prison." Taka said worried about Alex.


    "Sir Taka. Now is not the time for you to be brutally honest. I will be fine. These pests won''t able to touch me, much less kill me."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Looking at the oing attacks, Alex activated thest straw he had. Full body enhancement with smoke-screen.


    Swish, Like a flood, energy from Alex materialised as thick white plumes of smoke and began to fill the corridor of the prison. Within seconds, Alex used up half the energy inside his body.


    But it was enough to fill the entire passage from which the prisoners wereing. With this, Alex hadpleted his preparation.


    However, Ethan who watched from the side was gobsmacked by what Alex did.


    ''How is this possible? A torrent of pure mana is being released from his body like a river. And yet, he perfectly controlled it to move in a single direction covering the vision of oing enemies. This shouldn''t be humanely possible without the help rune, without being a mage.''


    By now, Ethan was used to Alex doing the unimaginable. But the moment his body made contact with the mana, a thought popped into his mind.


    ''Should I just kill myself? Why did I learn magic for years? After all that, he is also a full elemental awakened. Should I teach him how to be a mage? That might be better thanpeting with him.'' A sense of loss assaulted Ethan. He wanted to cry, but couldn''t.


    It was better to bear through it and keep thest bit of dignity he had as a genius Master Mage. Ethan thought.


    Alex who was inside the smoke screen was having a st. The enemies couldn''t see him, but he could sense them. Every living thing became a beacon inside the smoke screen for him to hunt.


    One by one, he dodged the iing enemies while twisting their necks. He was killing the evil mages as if they are nothing. Even the mages who used magic to reinforce their bodies were weak before a peak tier 3 warrior like Alex. In a physical battle, there was no way for the mages to win.


    And the narrow corridor didn''t make it any easy for the mages.


    Within seconds, even without the involvement of Ethan, Alex createdplete pandemonium among the enemies.


    ¡ª


    Kalina, Laya and Taka, as instructed by Alex went around smashing open the door to the prison cells. There, they could see people from all over the world imprisoned in tiny little cells.


    Even warriors from well know tribes were imprisoned inside the prison. Taka was shocked to see familiar faces of people that went missing from his tribe.


    This made him reevaluate the extent of harm the evil organisation has done to the people of the central continent. He decided to warn his tribe and pursue the blood debt.


    After releasing all the people they could, Taka stood to a side. Some prisoners followed him and Kalina while the others chose to find a way out for themself.


    Although he didn''t know if the prisoners were entirely good people, it didn''t matter right now. It was better to release them from the clutches of the evil organisation than let them rot away inside the prison.


    "I am Taka from the void fish tribe. Those who want to follow us,e quickly. We are leaving right now." Taka said while running towards the direction Alex was in. Kalina and Laya soon followed suit.


    ¡ª--


    "Where is he?" Taka inquired after not seeing Alex with Ethan.


    "He said something about discovering the room that holds the spatial skill blocking rune formation. He went to destroy it after finding the exit to the prison. He said to not worry and exit the prison."


    "What about the enemies?"


    "He disposed of them without my help after releasing a massive amount of pure mana into the air. Is that normal? Does he do it normally?


    "Ah forget it, don''t answer that¡­ Let me show you the way out first."


    "No, we are going to help Meru. You guide the prisoners out. I am going to find Meru and return. I cannot let him face unknown dangers alone."


    "Me too." Kalina and Laya chimed in.


    "It seems like he urately predicted this happening. So, he said this.


    Count to ten and try using a space skill."


    Without wasting a second, Taka used the space-bind skill.

 Chapter 61 Battle

    The space-bind skill that Taka used worked perfectly without a problem.


    So, no more persuasion was needed for the group to follow Alex''s will. They exited the prison promptly. With Alex''s skill, he would have no trouble teleporting out of the prison. They recognised this fact.


    While that was happening, Alex was messing around with the space-sealing rune formation.


    Suddenly, A person appeared near him, breaking his concentration. He closely observed the person standing before him. It was the same ck-robed man that tortured him inside the prison.


    The man was angry. His facial muscles contorted into a grim smile. If re could have killed, Alex would have died ten thousand times.


    "Sorry about that! I identally broke the mana stabilising formation around the energy core. I was hoping to blow it up. This is such a letdown." Alex said while stealing a furtive nce at the malfunctioning rune formation. Sarcasm oozed from his words.


    He was trying to create a mana feedback loop inside the rune formation and make it burst like a balloon by sending more energy than it can handle. But before he could do it, he seems to have somehow destroyed the mana-stabilising part of the formation. Alex was thrilled by the oue even though it was an unintended one. The only thing he regretted was his inability to destroy the entire formation.


    "How did you get here? No one other than me knows about his room. What trickery did you use?" The grim voice from the ck-robed man inquired.


    ''I would like to exin how I used the smoke screen to scan the entire prison. But I don''t want to.''


    So, Alex ignored the question.


    "Sir, I am slightly offended by your implication. I was always good at breaking things. I don''t need to use trickery for something this insignificant." Holding his head high in a haughty manner, Alex exined. He didn''t want any misunderstandings to form between him and his mortal enemy.


    "In fact, I wish I had done something cool."


    The ck-robed man was unwilling to take any more bullshit from Alex. Focusing mana in his hand, he began to form a purple fireball in his hand. It was tiny, but the energy it was radiating was enormous.


    Alex felt the threat of death from it.


    "Wow! Wow! Wow! Cool down for a second. We have yet to introduce ourselves properly. Dear grandson, I am your grandfather. But you can call me Granddaddy if you¡­" Before he couldplete his words, A purple ball of fire blitzed past him.


    Thankfully, his quick thinking helped him dodge it by a hair''s breadth.


    "Oh! You are a feisty one. I think I was mistaken. With your personality, I don''t think you have a father, much less a grandaddy as cool as me.


    "Anyway, Sayonara b*tch. You will see me again soon. So, don''t forget me." Giving a pleasant goodbye, Alex teleported out. Hepleted his purpose and it was time to leave. Besides that, he was low on energy.


    ¡ª----


    Outside the prison.


    A group of people appeared before the escaping prisoners. Among them were the first elder and the warriors of the ice phoenix tribe.


    The first elder was panicking seeing the prisoners escape left and right. Fortunately for him, the princess and the people who knew his secret were still trapped in the centre.


    Growling at his subordinates for not securing the prisoners, he dashed forward. He was not going to allow anyone to escape. Even if it meant a bloodbath.


    "Kill them all, don''t let them escape." Any person that knows his identity and rtionship with the evil organisation was future trouble. It was better to get rid of them before they be a nuisance.


    "You dare," Kalina shouted while running towards the first elder. She was going to use this chance to eradicate the first elder and his minions for good. She had enough of waiting patiently to take action.


    "First elder, you white-haired old codger who looks like a wet mop. Do you dare to fight me?" Kalina challenged him to a duel.


    As a tier 4 warrior, she was more than strong enough to challenge him. The only thing shecked was fighting experience. But with her talent, she closed that gap.


    ''A wet mop! This brat!'' The incensed first elder thrust his fist forward creating arge ice spear to shoot out from his hand. It urately moved towards Kalina to slow her down.


    Kalina used her forearm to deflect the spear to a side. But before she could think, it broke apart revealing a small artefact inside it.


    "Watch out, it is an explosion rune," Ethan called out.


    But before she could react, an explosion enveloped her. The first elder who saw this smirked. His lips curved into a cunning smile while he softly kneaded his bearded chin.


    "Urh¡­" Grunting, Kalina jumped away from the explosion. The weapons from the West were unpredictable and dangerous. She didn''t think she would fall victim to them this soon. But it was not enough to take her down.


    Even the first elder knew that. He was just testing the new things he got his hands on.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Cough¡­Cough¡­" After escaping from the smoke, Kalina took a cautious approach to fight. She didn''t rush forward like in the past. The first elder was scheming something, she knew by instinct.


    As she expected,ckeys of the first elder surrounded her.


    ''The coward was trying to use hisckeys to exhaust me.'' She thought as she dodged theckeys and the explosive runes that they threw.


    But it didn''t matter. A cheap trick like that wouldn''t matter much. After all, she had allies to help her.


    Taka and Ethan entered the battle with her. They kept the other enemies from affecting her.


    "Your tricks won''t work anymore First Elder. You and your minion will die here, right now." Chasing after him, Kalina said with determination.


    Channelling the energy inside her body, she began to draw out her strongest skill. The special skill of a tier 4 warrior, Spirit guardian possession.


    "Boom." An energy wave disseminated outwards from her body creating a whirlwind around her. Kalina had begun to shine in a blue hue.


    The humidity in the air condensed around her creating a thick vapour cover, which quickly turned to tiny specs of snow. The energy she was radiating was beginning to freeze everything around her.


    Slowly, she floated above the ground. Thin icy wings emerged behind her shocking the observers. All that happened rtively fast without giving anyone time to think.


    Instead of a ragged person fighting desperately for survival, Kalina had turned into a divine being. Just the energy radiating from her was making the weaker warrior from the ice phoenix feel like submitting to her.


    Now, she was finally showing her magnificence as a tier 4 warrior, as a princess from one of the nine great tribes.


    "BOOM!" A thunderous sonic boom shocked the environment as she chased after the first elder.


    And the first elder who saw this was startled by the preposterous situation. Spirit guardian possession was thest straw of a tier 4 warrior.


    If a battle forced a tier 4 warrior to use spirit guardian possession, it only meant one thing. They were willing to die in that battle. After all, spirit guardian possession was just a temporary elevation in fighting prowess. And as a side effect of using this skill, it will also put the user in a weakened state for hours or even days.


    So, The first elder was shocked by Kalina''s resolve.


    ''The crazy b*tch is willing to sacrifice herself to kill me!'' He eximed while running away.


    The first elder was a coward that gained happiness by exploiting the weak. So, he prioritised the safety of his life more than anything. So, it was not shocking to see him run away.


    But in his normal state, the first elder was slower than Kalina. She quickly caught up to him. She was just inches away from grabbing him.


    Suddenly the first elder jumped up. Like a rocket, he rose into the sky while dodging Kalina.


    And Kalina, who had to stop abruptly slid forward.


    With a smile, the first elder took out something from his clothes. It was a rune device, a detonator for the explosives he ced around the battlefield. And now, Kalina was standing just above the trap.


    He had deliberately led her into the trap!


    He smirked knowing what was about to happen. Even while in the spirit guardian possession state, she wouldn''t escape unscathed. He thought while activating the device.


    "Silence¡­.." Instead of the thunderous eruption that he had expected, A heavy silence greeted the first elder.


    What happened?


    Why didn''t the trap work?


    He had carefullyid out the explosive on the battlefield to use at a critical moment. He was hoping to injure Kalina with it. And yet why did it work?


    The first elder stood shellshocked, unwilling to believe that he had failed.


    Suddenly a voice came from near him. A familiar voice.


    "Thank you for donating the rune explosives." The mocking voice said.

 Chapter 62 Die?

    Obviously, it was Alex that mocked the first elder. After teleporting outside, he had already taken care of the explosive runes and traps.


    ''Explosives are stored inside my farm inventory. You won''t be able to activate them, you cunning old fox.''


    After exiting the prison, it didn''t take long for Alex to understand the general situation. Kalina was battling against the first elder, Taka and Ethan as taking care of the minions. And Laya¡­She was dead weight.


    So, he observed the battle closely to intervene if necessary. And that was when he discovered the first elder''s traps.


    -


    A couple of minutes ago.


    Kalina was going all out fighting the first elder. This meant that the first elder was forced to use his spirit guardian possession state or the traps heid.


    After realising this fact, Alex was pretty sure that the first elder would use the traps. During his few interactions with the first elder, he was able to discern what kind of person he was. He was a vile old man with many crafty schemes. He wouldn''t risk his life in a frontal battle before making sure that he could win.


    If he could injure Kalina with the st. He would do that first before taking any chance.


    That was exactly the first elder''s thoughts. And Alex read it perfectly.


    Wasting no time, he acted to secure the rune explosives hidden in the ground. He dug the ground without anyone noticing and secured the rune explosives.


    This was the first time Alex wasing in contact with the rune explosives. It looked like a thick disk with some engravings on it. He didn''t know a way to neutralise them.


    So, he did the most sensible thing he could. He stored them all in his inventory space.


    As he expected, this instantly made the explosive runes inert. The dangerous aura they gave off disappeared.


    ''I knew that I could always depend on the farm.'' he thought happily.


    A couple of minutester, he encountered the first elder who was trying to use explosives against Kalina.


    ¡ª-----------


    "Meru, you!" The first elder eximed after seeing Alex. His eyes widened when he realised why his traps didn''t work.


    "You imbecile, I should have killed you. It was my mistake to let you live." The first elder said in regret.


    Finally, his anger boiled over and he decided to fight. That was the only way left for him. He couldn''t use traps, he couldn''t run and escape. So, it was better to fight head-on.


    Gathering the energy inside his body and activating it. An icy blue halo began to materialise around him. Unlike the wings that materialised around Kalina, the energy was taking a different form.


    It was the modified armour skill of the ice phoenix, his spirit guardian.


    The energy flow branched out like tributaries of a river, covering his body in a thinyer of armour. Then sharp, pointy spikes rose up from it making it look menacing.


    Usually, armour is meant to protect its users. But this armour seems to have its purpose reversed. It looked like it was made to tear up the person that dared to attack it.


    And thus, the first elder became a porcupine.


    But Alex and Kalina were unbothered by the transformation. Kalina due to her strength while Alex due to his craftiness.


    Because of the destruction of the space-sealing rune formation, Alex always had an escape route. So, he didn''t have to worry anymore. But that doesn''t mean he was out of danger yet. He was still slower and much weaker than a tier 4 warrior. So, he would be hard-pressed in a frontal battle.


    "Kalina, You can thank meter. First, beat this guy up.."


    "..Nod...Nod¡­" Kalina who heard Alex nodded in affirmation. Then she turned to the first elder and asked.


    "Give me back the blue gem. You are not supposed to have it. A dishonourable person like you will never receive the ice phoenix''s blessing. There is no way for you to use it."


    Hearing this, the first elder scoffed. His eye wandered the battlefield before saying- "Do you really think I care about the blessing of the ice phoenix? You have yet to see even half of my strength."


    The first elder threw a punch at Kalina. The pure energy from his fist created pressure waves around his fist. An explosive air current was released from his fist toward Kalina. It demolished anything its way before racing towards her.


    "Hm.." Kalina destroyed it by punching back at it. But she slid back while trying to defend. The pressure wave was much stronger than she expected.


    This shocked Alex. Kalina was at a disadvantage against the first elder. The old codger was pushing back Kalina without even touching her.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    How can there be such arge disparity in strength? He thought while closely observing the first elder.


    "BOOOM!" Another punch was thrown at Kalina. This time, the strength increased even more.


    Again, again¡­ Punches were thrown. Each one was much stronger than the former.


    Kalina was beginning to feel the pressure. Defending herself was getting harder and harder.


    Alex suddenly felt an ominous feeling from the first elder. So, to clear his doubt, he used Mana-vision. The technique that he just learned from Ethan.


    His vision cleared and the world became slower. Minute details began to magnify before him and he finally saw the mana flowing through the atmosphere.


    And at a nce, Alex noticed the peculiarity. The first elder was glowing unusually bright, even for a tier 4 warrior.


    ''If Kalina is a torchlight, he is simr to a floodlight." Alex concluded.


    What might be the reason for that?


    Alex wanted to quickly find that out. If nothing changed, he knew for sure that Kalina was going to lose.


    "Kalina, somethings wrong!" He warned hoping that Kalina would be prepared.


    "I know that. He is far stronger than he is supposed to be. We might not win this fight. Should we prioritise escaping?"


    "He wouldn''t allow that. Look at his bloodlust. And besides that, I can see something, a flesh lump giving off arge amount of energy near his navel. He is using it to strengthen his attacks."


    While observing the peculiarity of the first elder, Alex came across something weird. A tiny lump of meat inside the first elder''s body wriggled weirdly and sent arge amount of energy through his blood vessels.


    In the modern-day, people would call cellr growth like this cancer. But now, In this world, Alex couldn''t find a reasonable word to call it. Usually, cancers were tissues that grew out of control inside a person''s body. They feed on the resources of the body to growrge, until finally killing the host.


    But this time, the flesh lump didn''t seem to do any harm to the first elder''s body. It was just releasing energy almost infinitely out. Not only did not harm the first elder, it even helped him.


    What was it? Alex thought.


    "You can see something like that? I thought the mana vision was simr to what we see in the spirit guardian possession state. I never thought the mages could see the energy flow inside the body. Mages are much more dangerous than I thought." Kalina eximed.


    She was surprised by how well Alex saw the flow of energy. And she mistakenly thought every mage was like that. In fact, it was just Alex.


    But before they could make a n to defeat the now-strong first elder, he approached them while throwing punches left and right. The pressure wave forced Alex and Kalina to retreat.


    Alex, due to his teleport ability, escaped faster. Kalina who was slower, was caught in it.


    For a moment, she regretted her decision to fight. But she pulled herself back and flew to escape from the first elder fist, leaving her back wide open to attacks. And that mistake cost her a lot.


    The first elder who realised this jumped towards Kalina.


    "Die¡­" With bloody eyes, he prepared to deliver a finishing move. He condensed an enormous amount of energy in his arms, transforming them into a thick icy spear.


    He sped up to thrust it deep into Kalina''s defenceless back. Once he tasted the power, it didn''t matter to him if the matriarch knew of his atrocious actions. He believed that he could take on a tier 5 warrior if he wished. That was how inted the first elder''s confidence was.


    But before he could thrust his hand forward, A space shield materialised before him. His hand smashed into it creating a ripple revealing the shape of the space shield.


    It was a spherical shield created by the space bind skill of Taka. And the first elder was inside the sphere, like a fish in a bowl. But he was not alone.


    With him was Alex.


    "Take it back. I don''t want these rune explosives anymore." Throwing hundreds of rune explosives inside the spherical space bind skill, Alex teleported away.


    Ethan activated the rune explosives that Alex stole from the first elder.


    "Is this the proverbial ''digging his own grave''? Sir Taka, Even if we became enemies, don''t try this move on me, please." Alex said looking at runes exploding inside the air-tight prison made out of space bind skill.


    Instantly, A fiery sh lit the whole battlefield.

 Chapter 63 [Bonus ]

    The space bind skill could only hold the explosion contained for a second. After that, the shockwaves rippled through the surroundings. Looking at the intensity of the explosion, everyone believed that the first elder was dead.


    The dust cloud has yet to settle and the centre of the explosion has yet to be revealed. So, Alex and Ethan used mana vision to peer into the chaos. They wanted to make sure the first elder was dead.


    "What!" Suddenly, both of them eximed.


    This made the group panic. And they had enough reason to panic.


    Inside the thick dust cloud, an abomination was taking form.


    In the ce where the first elder stood was a gruesome mass of flesh and bones. It was churning in the ground, expanding and contracting by each second. It looked nothing like a human.


    The mana vision allowed Alex and Ethan to see thin tendrils of mana extending from this monstrosity into its peripherals. It was extending its arms to collect the bits and pieces of meat scattered around it.


    After collecting the meat pieces, the mana tendrils sewed them back into the pulsating lump of meat. It was the birth of something Alex couldn''t understand.


    "FUCK¡­.Fuck..fuck..fuck¡­" Ethan panicked. His eyes wandered back and forth between Alex and the monstrous being, finallynding on Alex.


    "We should run. As fast as we can. RUN!" Saying that Ethan began to run.


    A shiver went down the spine when the people heard his voice. Ethan was calm even when they were imprisoned. And yet, he was acting as if he was scared of what was about to happen. They have yet to see what was happing, so they couldn''t understand him.


    This spooked the group. They turned to look at the centre of the explosion. In there, they saw the churning bits of flesh and bone, within moments they identified Ethan''s source of fear.


    Mana from the atmosphere was being pulled into the being. It was swallowing everything around it to growrger.


    A swirl of mana formed around it. Feeding the monster.


    First, A head slowly formed on it. Then one by one, the legs, arms and even torso formed, creating a humanoid monster.


    It still didn''t have any skin or a face. There was no way for the group to confirm if that was the first elder. But what else can it be?


    As if it sensed something, the monster turned to look at Alex and his group. It raised its head and sniffed the air before slowly walking towards Alex.


    The first step it took made it stumble. But the next one was firm and solid. Then it transitions from a walk to a run without any difficulty. While that was happening, the monster was healing at a rapid pace. Thick,yers of skin formed on it and the muscles erged to triple their size.


    It almost looked like the monkey they battled in the city. Standing fifteen feet tall and having armoured skin with no face. It lookedpletely different from a human.


    But Alex knew for a fact that it was born from the corpse of the first elder. And it wasing towards them.


    "What are you waiting for? RUN. RUN NOW!" Ethan screamed waking everyone from their thoughts.


    "That is a second-generation mutant these bastards developed. There is no use fighting it. It would kill you before you can think. It''s still in its weaker form. Before it can develop, run away." Ethan stopped and screamed.


    He knew what that was. He had seen them before. And he almost became one of those. So, he knew how dangerous the current situation was.


    In his past, the evil organisation injected him with something to make him stronger, to make him one of their pawn. It was a serum to make him a mutant. Something human at the same time not.


    Initially, It boosts the talent of the individual and their lifespan. Then it slowly consumes them and makes them a monster.


    Ethan understood that the first elder had taken the serum. When his consciousness died, the monster inside him woke up and took over the body.


    ''Fuck¡­The second generation in its peak state is much stronger than the first and third generations, due to it running amok. In that condition, even their creator would have no control over them. And when we consider the fact that a peak tier 4 warrior was the one that turned into aplete mutant means that he will have strength simr to or on par with a tier 5 warrior. Running before it begins to target someone is the only way to survive. Ethan concluded.


    "Everyone, run." Alex agreed with Ethan. Whatever that was, climbed up from certain death. It looked like a being from hell. And it was targeting the people around it and wasing towards them. It was better to run away than fight it.


    "AARRGHHhhh¡­." Suddenly a shrill scream shook everyone. The monster picked up its pace and jumped to the person closest to it.


    It was one of the prisoners that escaped. He was a tier 3 warrior.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    But the monster didn''t care about any of that. Itunched its fist and pierced the man''s chest, killing him instantly. It held the heart that it ripped out and swallowed it.


    It didn''t stop there. After killing the man, it began to absorb flesh and meat into its body to growrger. At the same time, it drained the energy from the corpse of the man, leaving behind nothing but dust.


    It was a horrifying sight to see. The rest of the prisoners who saw this ran away for their life.


    But not all could escape from the mutant. It devoured anything it can to grow to a height of twenty feet. Its muscr body shook the earth when it jumped attacking the people all around it.


    All of that happened in less than a minute.


    Alex the group could only stand still dumbfounded by the horrifying reality.


    ''Dead. We are so dead.'' They thought simultaneously.


    Even with the early warning from Ethan, they couldn''t run away. Taka had people he need to protect. The same could be said for Kalina.


    She was already nearing the end of the spirit guardian possession state. Within minutes, she would weaken and it meant death for her. Near her was Laya who she needed to protect.


    Everything was going downhill for the group.


    And they still don''t know when the reinforcement from the evil organisation wille.


    "Ethan, tell me, do we have any hope of running away from this monster?." Alex asked knowing the increase in strength of the monster with each sessive kill.


    "Our chances are slim. But if we scatter and run in multiple directions, some might survive."


    "Hm¡­So, what if we stayed and fought? Can we dy it enough for everyone else to run away?"


    "Well, seeing that the monster is still in its weakened state. We might be able to dy it for a couple of minutes. That''s it. We have no way of harming it."


    "I am fighting." Suddenly Taka said. Usually, he kept quiet but this time, he raised his opinion first.


    With just a nce, Alex grasped Taka''s reason to fight. It was his tribesmen that were imprisoned.


    If he was alone, Alex had no problem teleporting tens of kilometres away. But the same could not be said with people.


    He might only be able to teleport just a kilometre if he wanted to help all of them. It was a distance the monster can close within seconds. So, it didn''t matter if he can teleport with the people.


    And the fact that his energy is almost empty did him no favour. So, the only thing left to do was use the teleport point feature. With that, he can spend 5000FP to teleport to his home. But he couldn''t see the teleport indicator in his vision. That meant only one thing, he was outside the range of the teleport point.


    ''Damn it!'' Alex thought. Nothing was going his way. If only he had ced a teleport point in Thira.


    He shouldn''t have waited to buy thend.


    After carefully understanding his situation, Alex chose to fight. He couldn''t let Taka die. Even if the chances were slim, he was going to help Taka survive.


    "Slowing down the monster enough to help the people here escape is our goal. Sir Taka, let''s send your people away. Kalina, run away with Laya. Your energy is almost drained. Ethan, do whatever you want."


    "But Ethan. If you are willing to fight. I will try everything in my power to use teleport and escape together." Alex promised. This was the best way he could find. Teleporting two was much better than teleporting everyone.


    Kalina wanted to instantly reject the offer. But she knew there was no safer option to save her sister.


    "I will return after sending my sister out. Wait for me¡­" She said while running away immediately. Her eyes scanned the face of Alex, Ethan and Taka. She will never forget the kindness that they have bestowed on her.


    "Do whatever my ass. Your survival is the only way I can ensure the survival of my people. Even if I die, don''t forget the deal that we made." Without another word, Ethan prepped for the oing battle.


    Taka was ecstatic to hear Alex''s decision. He knew that he could trust Alex. If he said he would help, he would stop at nothing to help. Taka is proud to have an ally like him. After all, he knew that Alex was taking the risk to help him.

 Chapter 64 Sun

    ''In my many years, I have made many shitty decisions. And they have alle back to bite me in the end. I am thrilled to add one more to that long list.'' Alex thought while sitting on a rock.


    He needs to replenish his energy to escape this hell hole quickly. So, he took out one of the golden mushrooms he had inside his inventory.


    Although golden mushrooms are generally used in awakening rituals to make the mind more susceptible to the influence of the spirit guardians, this time, Alex was going to use it to recover energy.


    It was a risky manoeuvre. If he failed in suppressing the hallucinogenic properties of the mushroom. He would just be a high guy that is just moments away from being a corpse.


    But Alex believed that he can suppress the hallucinogenic properties of the golden mushroom before it can affects his mind. He believed the risk to be worth taking.


    Certain death was enough of a motivation to not fail this task. So, he ingested a piece of the golden mushroom.


    Meanwhile, Taka and Ethan used their shield skills to dy the monster. Ethan created a spherical ball of light and me around the monster while Taka created a spherical space prison around the monster.


    "BOOM!" The monster mmed its fist against the prison and shrieked in pain.


    It felt like it was inside an oven and thrashed around trying to escape from it. Slowly, the inner shield that Ethan created cracked. Although mes made it harder for the monster to attack it. It was weaker than the space prison created by Taka.


    "It won''t take long for the monster to destroy the shield. Can you deactivate the shield when I ask you to?" Ethan asked Taka.


    In his opinion, it was time that he did something crazy, like in his younger days. There is no need to hold back.


    Hearing the preposterous words from Ethan, Taka replied. -"Why? The moment it is released. It will target us."


    But Taka''s question didn''t bother Ethan. He returned the question with another one.


    "My name is Ethan Srion. Do you know what it means to be a Srion?" He asked with a smile.


    "No," Taka said nonchntly.


    "HA ha ha. Well! You are about to see it." Holding his hand above his chest, Ethan activated a rune formation engraved in his mana core.


    Suddenly, the rune began to swallow all the mana inside his core. A suffocating feeling began to engulf Ethan. But ignoring that, he pushed his hands forward.


    If someone was looking at his hand with mana vision, they would have seen a swarm of hundreds of thousands of runes condensing in his palm. It was slow in the beginning, butter, it began to form faster and faster.


    "To kill a creature without a brain, you should use your brain." Ethan closed his palm. And from inside it, hidden from the view of Taka, a sun was born.


    Raising his hand up, Ethan proudly showed the sun to Taka. One of the most powerful skills that he inherited.


    "What is it? A candle?"


    "No, Sir Taka. It is brighter than a candle. It might be torch magic." Alex returned after recovering his mana and said with certainty.


    "Is this some kind of vague but thought-provoking message? Like the Srions are the guiding light of the empire or something."


    "It might be¡­" Alex agreed with Taka while nodding.


    Ethan looked at them appalled. He couldn''t grasp how they reached that conclusion.


    "Don''t worry anymore. Big brother is here to save you." The youngest of them, Alex said while looking at Ethan. He even let out a sigh in disappointment.


    "YOU!" Ethan screamed.


    But they did have any more time to joke around. The prison that surrounds the monster was about to break.


    "I can teleport us about fifteen kilometres from here. So, do what you want with the monster. Go all out."


    Alex knew Ethan had some kind of n. Although he joked around initially, he was willing to let him try. He didn''t know how long the monster would rampage or what will it destroy. So, if they could kill it, it would be for the better.


    "What I have in my hand is a miniature sun. I won''t be able to kill the monster by attacking it with this. But I can melt the ground with this." Ethan proimed with an evil glint in his eyes.


    Alex almost jumped in happiness after hearing that. He was happy to see a fellow brethren. Like him, Ethan was also an evil trickster.


    "Are you thinking what I am thinking?" Alex asked curiously.


    Ethan nodded while looking at Alex.


    Both of them giggled eyeing the monster inside the space shield.


    After that, Ethan acted fast. He threw the miniature sun below the space shield.


    The miniature sun was as hot as the real sun. It melted the ground beneath the space-bind and liquified everything that came in contact with it. And the space-bind prison began to slowly sink into it. But it was also taking damage. It wouldn''t hold on for long. They realised this fact.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Taka, I am going to melt the ground to up to fifty feet. Can you bury it in there before space binds breaks."


    "Yes."


    "Okay." Confirming it with Taka. Ethan swiftly moved the miniature sun downwards. And just as it reached Fifty feet in depth. Panting in exhaustion, he released the spell.


    Thankfully, Taka followed Ethan and buried the monster with space skills. He followed suit in releasing the skill.


    And a silence descended on the ce. The thick viscous magma churned and the monster was nowhere to be seen.


    "No, don''t jinx it." Alex desperately said to ensure that no one asks if the monster is dead or alive.


    Every time they did that, the monster came out unscathed. He didn''t want to fight it once more.


    "But what if¡­."


    "Don''t say it, Ethan."


    "I didn''t believe that even that couldn''t kill it. After all, it was in a weakened state. Thankfully we killed it before it fully awakened." Ethan said ignoring Alex.


    He was sure that the monster died under the molten magma. Or else it would have already jumped out from the ground.


    "Crack¡­"


    Just as Ethan thought that the solidified magma cracked. Everyone''s heart skipped a beat.


    "No¡­ It might be due to the rapid heating and cooling. Just like a ss shattering, the magma is shattering." Ethan reassured everyone.


    "Crack¡­Crack¡­" More sound began toe from the solid magma. It didn''t just crack once or twice. It was more than that.


    "You know that I liquified the ground to fifty feet, right? So, it would take some time for the ground to cool till the centre. That''s why it''s cracking like that. Don''t worry about that."


    "BOOOM!" A thick piece of solidified magma sprouted from the ground and began shaking.


    "Ah¡­It''s just¡­"


    "Stop it." Before Ethan couldplete his words, Alex interjected. "How long are you going to live in denial? That thing is alive and it''sing out. Fortunately, I prepared for this."


    Hearing his words, the group calmed down. But they were curious to know how the monster had survived. So, they waited until it came out of the ground.


    "Shatter¡­Crack¡­BOOM!" The topyer of magma broke off revealing a muscr figure. It was twenty feet tall and looked menacing.


    Thick bs of skin fell off from it revealing a new growth underneath it. So, it shed its skin to survive. Damned monster. They thought.


    After escaping from the underground, the monster looked at Alex and the group. It was ready to tear them up with bare hands.


    "That thing is in a berserk state, right? So, why is it looking like it''s conscious?" Alex inquired. A chill went down his spine when he realised the monster was showing signs of intelligence.


    "It was in a berserk state. Now, I think it has almostpleted its transformation."


    "What do you mean?"


    "In the past, it wanted to kill and eat us out of instinct to survive. But now, it wants to kill and eat us for fun. Is that simpler to understand?"


    "Simple indeed."


    Alex was ready to teleport and leave the moment the monster took action. Before that, he observed the monster with mana vision.


    The turbulent mana inside the monster had be docile. The monster was channelling it across the body to recover from damage. It also shed the dead skin and muscles in its body.


    Suddenly, it began to shine like a lighthouse. A huge amount of mana was being released from its body.


    "THUCK¡­RUMBLE" The world shook.


    Before Alex and the group could grasp the situation. A giant tail appeared before them and smashed the monster into a paste. It was the giant tail of a flying white snake. It shook its tail twice to remove the remains of the monster before flying away.


    After killing a monster that almost became a tier 5 being, it flew away nonchntly.


    Fear clutched their brain. Alex and the group stood frozen, not knowing what to do.

 Chapter 65 Return

    ''If words could describe what I witnessed, I would call it an epic road kill.'' Alex thought.


    After that, he rested on the ground, just like Taka and Ethan.


    He didn''t see when the white snake appeared. But it hade and destroyed the monster before moving on nonchntly. The hundreds of meters long snake flew away into the clouds as if it had done something insignificant. It disappeared from their views silently.


    For starters, it was not the first time Alex saw a flying white snake. He had seen one in the northern mountains. Alex felt that it might be the same white snake. A tier 5 being that is closer to a god than everything else. There won''t be two of the same kind, he concluded.


    Then, why was it here? Did ite to destroy the evil organisation? Unanswered questions popped up in his mind, one after another. If only he could talk to the snake.


    "Was that a tier 5 magical beast?" Ethan curiously asked. He couldn''t hide his astonishment when he asked it.


    Usually, a beast like that wouldn''t roam the mortal world. They would silently hibernate, hoping to find a chance to be stronger. Witnessing their appearance with the naked eye could only mean one thing. The world was about to experience a radical change.


    Taka and Alex nodded their head in affirmation. Tier 5 beast was easy to identify. After all, nothing else would scare the crap out of warriors as strong as Taka.


    "I should have just stayed back home and be a farmer. Why did I evene to this ce? I should return as fast as I can." Alex deliberated for a moment before saying.


    Aftering to this world, every day, he felt weak. He was always at the bottom of the food chain. He was always fighting to survive.


    He wasn''t supposed to do that. He was supposed to live a rich andvish life while enjoying every luxury that money could buy. Not the same pathetic life before his transmigration.


    But, deciding to help Kalina had ced him in a precarious position. In the beginning, he thought he was taking advantage of Kalina by forcing her to be his bodyguard. But now, he felt like he was the one that was exploited.


    It left him with a terrible aftertaste in his mouth.


    While they were in deep thought, the monster''s corpse wriggled. Shortly after that, it spat something out.


    A small shiny blue crystal was thrown out of the monster. Then one by one, other items began to appear beside it.


    "What is that?" The crystal caught the attention of Alex and the others. They curiously looked at it.


    "The space storage object that the first elder had seems to have been damaged. It''s spewing out the object inside." Taka, the most informed person about spatial objects exined.


    "That mana density inside the crystal is unfathomable. What is that?" Ethan wanted to know.


    "If my guess is correct, it is the Blue gem of the ice phoenix tribe. It is an artefact formed out of the blood of the ice phoenix. I should probably take that and return it to the ice phoenix tribe." Alex stated.


    "What about the other things? I can see gold coins, jewels and other precious items in the pile. Can I get some? I am dirt poor right now. If you can share some wealth, It would be much appreciated." Ethan asked with a blooming smile.


    Alex and Taka agreed to it.


    ¡ª--------------------


    A couple of hourster.


    Alex walked around the underground prison. Now, he couldn''t see any sign of the evil organisation in the prison. As if someone had wiped everything, the corpses, blood, and everything disappeared. Even the decade-old space rune disappeared mysteriously.


    Alex had a hard time believing it was the same ce that he struggled to escape from.


    But after a moment of deliberation, he found the answer he was looking for. He now knew why the reinforcement of the evil organisation didn''te.


    They had already abandoned the ship.


    They cleared everything and escaped the moment they knew the first elder mutated into a monster.


    Looking at the thoroughness of the cleaning, Alex concluded that they were not returning anytime soon.


    He exited the prison after confirming its current condition.


    Fortunately, Kalina had returned with reinforcement. She was ecstatic to hear that Alex was alive and had found the blue gem. The symbol of their tribe.


    She wanted to quickly grab it and return home. And Alex didn''t mind that. After all, he had already improved his energy cirction technique aftering in contact with a blue gem. The farm AI didn''t forget to extract any valuable data that it could find.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    At times, Alex wonders if the farm AI is rted to farming at all. After all, its action does not always align with that of a farming game. It had two main goals, gathering data and increasing the survivability of the user.


    And due to the recent level-ups, Alex found out that it could also do gic research on seeds and the animals inside the farm. All he needed to do was to find simr seeds and put them inside the research pod.


    After doing that, the farm would automatically select the best gic traits from the nt to create a super nt that could be nted inside the farm.


    ''I have yet to explore the functions of the farm. Taking time to do that would be a great idea.''


    ¡ª------------


    Alex, Taka and Ethan returned to Thira after the hectic day.


    The first one to leave the city was Ethan. He receives the goods Alex prepared before leaving the city on his ships. 100,000 gold coin worth of food items were being shipped across the ocean to his hometown. He was happy with that oue.


    Alex had fulfilled his side of the bargain. While at it, he also made a good friend.


    The parting was a happy one. Knowing that food produced on his farm would save many lives reassured Alex to send the remaining 300,000 coin worth of food at ater time.


    However, everything didn''t go as nned. The deal he signed with the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe was cancelled. And their justification was his inability to produce goods in the allotted time. They didn''t bother asking why he failed, they just outright rejected him.


    But everyone knew that the justification was irrelevant. The actual reason was that they had found some other supplier that is better than Alex and Taka.


    This made Alex realise that there are still things outside his control. No human can change the flow of the world alone. Although Alex was disappointed about the cancelled contract, he didn''t let it bother him.


    In the future, he could do better.


    Besides that, he still had Spice-garden and his fried chicken business to maintain. Before he makes a chain store in all the prominent cities on the continent, Alex decided to not venture into other businesses.


    So, Alex nned his return trip home.


    ¡ª----------------


    On the outskirts of Thira, Alex bought a small house. It had all the necessities Alex needed. He even built a custom toilet and bathtub to suit his needs.


    He bought some new furniture and decorated the interior.


    In the centre of the house, he ced a teleport point. Ten thousand FP vanished before his eyes.


    But it was worth it.


    Now, Alex could teleport from Thira to his home in the north without any worry. And if something happened, he could return by spending just 5000FP.


    Alex suddenly realised how convenient his life has be. In the future, he could deploy eight more teleport-point all across the continent and teleport to any of the ces he want.


    After taking a long breath, Alex exited the house. In front of him stood Arav and his flying beast- the duck called a little bead.


    "Arav, take care of this house. I will return once in a while to check on you." He said to the young man before him.


    Arav was the young tamer that flew Alex and Kalina to Thira. Due to the chaos, they lost contact just after reaching the city.


    Arav lost his parents and one of his brothers in the attack. He was now looking after his twin little sisters alone. So, Alex found him and gave him a safe job. He made Arav stay with his siblings in the new house. And the only job he had to do was maintain thend and house in good condition. A simple job for an awakened warrior like Arav.


    Arav was thankful to Alex and promised to maintain the house in good condition.


    "Ah, yes!" Arav nodded.


    "And if you have some time, take the seeds I ced on the kitchen table and nt them. They are special tomato seeds. I want to see how fast they can grow." Giving that order Alex disappeared from there.


    Instantaneously, he reappeared inside the frigid cold house in the north.


    "I am back¡­" Alex shouted before happily exiting his home. He quickly went to show his face to the Mupan.

 Chapter 66 Volume 2

    What do people who have everything want?


    They want more.


    Volume 2


    ¡ª------------------


    In a ce far away, hidden from the world. A man knelt in front of a man on the throne. His sweat dripped on the cold hard floor with each passing moment. But he didn''t lift his head and look directly at the person before him.


    Even though he was injured and exhausted, he didn''t show it outside. Any unwanted action would be troublesome for him. So, he patiently waited until the man initiated a conversation.


    "Thorne." A majestic voice called out. The kneeling man finally lifted his head. Still, he didn''t dare make eye contact with the person on the throne. "Failure was not an option. And yet, youe here after making a mockery of yourself. Is this how you show your loyalty?" The man asked with disappointment.


    The lightning mage arched his back more to bow. Even though he was one the strongest person in the entire western continent, currently, he didn''t have the authority to go against that man. After all, he was a prince of one of the strongest empires in the world.


    "It seems like I have underestimated your skill." The man continued while twisting his curly blonde hair. His voice contained a hint of anger, alerting the kneeling man.


    "Should I just kill you? A useless person like you has no reason to exist." He said without any change in his tone. But his cold ring eye showed how angry he was.


    "Forgive me for my failure, your majesty. An unforeseen situation arose during my visit to the central continent. Cough, Cough." The lightning mage said with mild apprehension. He coughed due to the pain he felt because of the injury.


    "The tier 5 warrior of the Thousand-headed Serpent tribe was stronger than I expected. His interference made it troublesome for us."


    "Your description does not exin why you ran away with your tail tucked between your legs." The man on the throne inquired. He gave a cursory nce at the people behind the lightning mage, inducing fear in everyone.


    Hiding away his thoughts, the lightning mage exined- "An unrecognised tier 5 beast appeared and chased me away. It was something beyond what I could face in my injured state. So, I had to run away from it to guarantee our anonymity."


    "Hm¡­" The man on the throne nodded. He didn''t bother to ask anymore. After all, he didn''t actually have the authority to question an archmage. He was abusing his power by questioning the lightning mage. And the man knew that the lightning mage would not provide him with any more information.


    "You can leave¡­" The man on the throne motioned for the lightning mage and his group to leave. He knew that his action was being observed. He couldn''t keep them and question them forever.


    His only goal was to sniff out the incongruity in their words. And he seems to have found what he was looking for. The crazed and angry look he had disappeared. And was reced by apletely different expression from before.


    This was his true self, A calm, quiet, unseen monster hiding in the shadows.


    ¡ª-------------------


    Six months went by.


    Alex spent thest six months learning about this world. Every book he could find, he read them voraciously. The geography, history and political structure of the world finally unravelled before him. Byparing it with his past experiences, Alex came to a conclusion.


    Power, personal strength and status meant everything in this world. Without any of that, you are a nobody.


    And Alex was currently a nobody in this world. He wanted to change that immediately. But he felt a sense of loss remembering that the farm stopped providing methods to level up.


    For a moment, Alex linked his life with the interdimensional farm. And without the farm, he felt like he couldn''t do anything. This was a depressing thought that gnawed at his brain.


    ''I am a ve of the interdimensional farm?'' The thought scared him beyond anything that he had ever experienced.


    The farm was supposed to make his life better. He was supposed to use it, not the other way around.


    And this feelingbined with what he had learned forced him to change his ways. He was going to go on the offensive from now. He was going to shed his life of observer and take an active part in making the world into something that he can peacefully live in.


    Alex wanted to survive and he needs strength, power and status to achieve it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    By strength, he meant the personal strength to not die in any condition.


    By power, he meant his ability to influence the world around him.


    By status, he meant a social position in which he feelsfortable.


    These three things were going to change his life forever.


    ¡ª-----


    Due to Alex exporting arge number of crops through Taka, he was able to quickly gain capital. Money was the first thing he needed if he want to have power. Because, with money, he will have the leverage to change the world.


    He could buy things. He could make others work for him. Or he could even build cities. That was the good thing about having money.


    And by selling the crops he harvested from the farm, Alex gained a lot of money. Much more than a single person could use in his lifetime.


    Now, after six months, Alex has small shops all across the major cities in the central continent. Spice Garden, which he pompously wanted to disy turned into an unassuming small shop that sold vegetables wholesale. And with Taka''s help, it was all done methodically in exchange for a twenty per cent stake in his business.


    Some might argue that Alex was stupid to sell his business to gain the cooperation of Taka. Even without that, he could have moved Taka into bing a major part of his business venture. He could have requested something in return for the favour he had given.


    But that was just a horrible way to do business. A rtionship built on favours wouldn''tst long. What Alex needed was a person who would work with him in the long run. Someone that he could trust, some that wouldn''t backstab him one day.


    Taka fulfilled that criteria pretty well. By giving him twenty per cent of the profit. He could maintain good rtionships and at the same time make him develop a sense of belonging.


    Now, if someone messed with Alex''s business. They were messing with Taka, a tier 4 warrior of the void fish tribe. So, this in turn slightly elevated Alex''s status from a nobody to a business partner of the Taka and the void fish tribe.


    With a channel to secure power and status, thest thing Alex needed was personal strength.


    He has the energy level of a peak tier 3 warrior. But he couldn''t use any skills.


    Alex learned this truth the hard way. After all, without the spatial skills that were provided by the interdimensional farm. He was just a person who could use body enhancement.


    The smoke screen he thought was a skill was pure maniption of mana. ording to Ethan, he had never seen someone do something that crazy before. But still, it cannot be ssified as a skill that he learned from the spirit guardian.


    Usually, the skills of the spirit guardian would be transmitted by a vision or a dream to a warrior. But Alex had yet to see the vision of his spirit guardian after his awakening ceremony. He was doubtful if he even had a bond with the spirit guardian.


    So, the conclusion was, He was a tier 2 warrior with energy levels nearing tier 3. He could manipte arge amount of mana. But he couldn''t call it a skill.


    That was where his personal strength ended.


    To break away from this limitation, Alex turned to the next best thing he could find. That was being a mage.


    He decided to study the ways of the mages from the Western continent to escape from his current situation. And this gave him hope for his future.


    After all, runes were simr to programming. And he was pretty good at programming in his past life. So, he believed that he could learn to use energy like mages. He felt like it would drastically improve his limits. He wouldn''t have to be a tier 3 warrior fighting to survive for the rest of his life.


    With that done, all he had to do next was theplete exploitation of the interdimensional farm. For a moment, it made him feel like a ve. So, he was going to exploit it until he was satisfied.


    Alex didn''t know when the interdimensional farm would disappear from his life. So, he was going to make the best use of it. And even if the interdimensional farm disappears after that, he wouldn''t have anything to be disappointed about.


    ''Let''s start an agricultural revolution in this world.'' Alex decided.

 Chapter 67 Risk Mitigation

    "Why do you want us to dig up the mountain?"Mupan asked Alex. In his mind, there was no reason for them to dig into the mountain unless for the exploration of a mine. But Alex, who was standing before him clearly said it was not the case.


    "Not digging into the mountains. I want you to plough the ground, build bunds and make the surroundings of the valley feasible for agriculture." Alex exined with one hand on his head. It was exhausting to convince these people who had never farmed to farm.


    He thought Mupan might take a liking to his idea. But even he, one of the smartest people in the vige couldn''t grasp it.


    "For generations, we were hunters. We don''t need to farm to survive." Mupan said inly.


    "I don''t n to farm to just survive. We need some wealth to make our ce in this world. And I agree that we have been hunters for generations. I don''t expect you to change your ways. I just want to try farming on arge scale. I believe we can do it." Alex exined in detail.


    He had already made a thorough n to farm in the mountains. And for that, he needed manpower. It was impossible to do it alone. So, with the wealth he had umted in the past six months. He was going to create an awesome farm.


    The ice-covered mountains of the north had already weed the summer. It was the best time to farm. The snow melt was feeding the rivers and icy mountain ground has thawed. If he can''t make use of this opportunity, it would be a loss. He had already ignored spring, he could waste any more time.


    Besides that, farming would increase the survivability of the entire tribe. Was that not a good enough reason to farm?


    "You are adamant about not letting me farm. Is there a reason for your worry?"


    Finally, Alex gave in trying to convince Mupan and began to ask the right questions. Only if he had done this earlier, his task would have been much easier.


    "That. Truth be told. We tried to farm before. But thend we could use was infertile and the forest was too dangerous for us to venture out and farm. Like you, there were others in our tribe who were overflowing with enthusiasm. But they all failed. And it cost us a lot." taking a moment to breathe, Mupan looked at Alex and continued.-


    "Farming will take away manpower from the hunting squad. And if it failed like in the past, we would be left with nothing. We wouldn''t even be able to buy salt. I know that you are wealthy now, And we could depend on you. But how long are we going to depend on you? If a dayes when you are not here. Even then, can you provide for us? At that time, we would have already be people that can''t hunt or farm. We would have be useless.


    "And useless people die in this world." The Mupan said in a grave tone.


    This answer shocked Alex. He was considering every one of his actions while looking at its future implication. He was thorough indeed.


    But even a thorough man wouldn''t be able to make an informed decision when there is not enough information.


    And that was the case for Mupan. Although his reasoning was great, he still doesn''t have enough information on the capabilities of Alex. ording to him, Alex was still the fifteen-year-old Meru. Not an adult from another world. So, he couldn''t grasp the entirety of the situation.


    "I agree," Alex said after a moment of deliberation. He looked at Mupan''s worries and how to alleviate them.


    Mupan was concerned about the tribe and the people. He doesn''t believe that Alex can farm in the mountains. But he believes that Alex can provide for the entire tribe alone. Either way, the results would always be bad ording to Mupan.


    So, the first concern he had to take care of was doubt of Mupan about his ability to farm.


    "But what if I can show you with my action? You don''t need to take my words at face value. I can show you how to farm. I just need the help of some fellow tribesmen." Alex took a softer approach this time.


    Instead of putting all the eggs in one basket, Alex wanted to let Mupan try his idea before deciding on the oue.


    This will mitigate the risk and increase his chance of convincing Mupan.


    "Are you sure?" Mupan asked worriedly. But it also meant that he let Alex farm.


    "Yes, I am." Alex gave confirmation. He wanted to decrease his dependency on the interdimensional farm and the Mupan wanted to decrease his dependency on Alex. They were simr, and they could see the benefit if their n worked out for the better.


    After making an informal agreement, Alex left Mupan''s house. He was a man with a mission and he had a lot to do.


    ¡ª-----------<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    As you might believe, agriculture is not easy.


    A game might fool you by showing the easy side of farming, but in reality, a multitude of conditions can affect the yield of crops. With a low yield, it would be impossible to convince Mupan.


    So, Alex had to carefully select the first few crops to nt. So, he did it byparing the current season to the seasonal seeds that were avable in the farm shop.


    And summer was the best time to grow wheat. It was easy to grow by utilising fertiliser from the farm. It might even mature early due to it. He also selected some other seeds to try out while he was at it.


    To grow wheat quickly, Alex needs some infrastructure, A method for irrigation and a way to plough the soil. And this was where the manpower was required.


    Alex had to guide the tribesmen to plough thend and build an artificial waterway to the farnd.


    Fortunately, The farnd Alex selected was near the valleys, just beside the river bank. It was a small plot ofnd with a length and breadth of thirty meters. It was not a hard job for the ten warriors of the stone head tribe that came to help. They easily ploughed thend in half a day.


    Initially, Alex was worried about the amount of sunlight that would be avable in the valley. So, he went around and made sure to use the plot with plenty of sunlight.


    After that, he ordered the workers to make a pond nearby ording to his instruction. Due to the close proximity to the river, the pond filled in without any intervention from Alex.


    Alex was hoping to make a small stream from the river to the pond in the beginning. But it seems like that would not be needed.


    By evening, all the preparation were done. The next step was to use the fertiliser on the farnd.


    Using the ability of the interdimensional farm, Alex used the corpse of a tier 3 beast he had to make the fertiliser. Soon, ten sacks of fertiliser materialised in his inventory.


    His next goal was to spread the ten sacks of fertiliser over the farnd. It would only be a thin coating of fertiliser, but he thought it would be enough. After all, it was made from the corpse of a tier 3 beast. It cost more than actual fertiliser by a lot.


    "If this can''t grow wheat, then nothing will be able to." He said with a smile.


    After that, he purchased the seeds he needed from the interdimensional farm. Like fertiliser, the seeds were stored in sacks. They appeared in the inventory.


    At first, Alex couldn''t tell the difference between normal wheat with seed wheat. But after a while, Alex noticed a thin coating around the seeds. The farm seemed to have done to protect the seeds.


    Alex wasn''t entirely sure what it was. But it may be a pesticide or some kind of growth enhancer. Anyway, he was not daring enough to eat it and test what it was.


    ''In hindsight, it feels like the farm was expecting me to use the seeds outside. After all, I never saw any pests inside the farm. So, if it was pesticide, then it was for the world outside.'' Alex was slightly spooked by the notion.


    Nheless, he sowed the seed over the new farnd.


    For the wheat to germinate, it needs to stay under the soil. So, Alex raked the seeds. By doing so, the seed disappeared from the surface and mixed into the soil.


    All that was left for Alex to do was water the seed and just get the hell out of there.


    Fortunately, he could use the watering can from the interdimensional farm to do this chore. It could hold thousands of litres of water and can be filled easily by just dipping it in water from inside the interdimensional farm.


    His tribesman would not be able to use it, but it simplified his life by a lot. Within minutes, Alex watered the plot.


    If he had time, he would have created a fence around the farnd. But it was alreadyte into the evening. He needs to return home and get a good night of sleep. So, with great expectations about tomorrow, Alex went home.

 Chapter 68 Magic

    After waking up, the first thing Alex did was walk towards his backyard. Although he nted seeds in the farnd near the river, as an experiment, he didn''t forget to nt some in his backyard. Alex had carefully nted them in small earthen pots in his backyard.


    Among the seeds he nted were wheat, pumpkin, watermelon, tomato, chilli pepper and ck pepper. The current climate was perfect to grow these nts. So, Alex nted them to check if they will grow in the real world.


    When he reached his backyard, Alex was thrilled to see thin stalks rising from the ground. They were growing at a much faster pace than he anticipated. The stalks of wheat were almost six inches tall and the other nts were bigger than that.


    ''What happened?'' Alex did not have any way to describe the anomaly.


    ''Could this be due to the different conditions of this world? The seeds that I have nted are seeds from the earth. And the earth didn''t have the mysterious energy or mana in the atmosphere. Maybe it affected the seeds somehow and enhanced the growth rate! Or is it the fertiliser made from the tier 3 beast? ''


    ''Or else, it might be due to the farm modifying the growth rate of the seeds to help me farm. But that''s unlikely. Or it could be due to thebination of all three factors.'' He could only confirm the reason for the excessive growth of the nt using the process of elimination. So, he decided to do itter.


    ''Anyway, the seeds from the farm are the best. That I can confirm.''


    Embracing the happy coincidence, Alex checked the sprouts carefully.


    ''Considering the current growth rate, the nts might mature and fruit in a week. So, in another week it will be ready for harvest. That''s much quicker than the simr nts of this world.'' Alex was thrilled by the revtion.


    If he could fully optimise the production cycle, he could harvest crops every two weeks for the next 6 months before the winter hits. That''s twelve harvests. And if he could use a wide area ofnd to cultivate, the production rate would easily surpass the current output of the interdimensional farm.


    A small smile blossomed on his face. This was great news for Alex. By using this method, he could slowly decrease his dependence on the farm. This was exactly what he was hoping for.


    Another benefit was his ability to use the precious space in an interdimensional farm to grow magical herbs that are avable in this world. Growing magical herbs was time-consuming.


    But using the interdimensional farm to cultivate magical herbs would be no different from printing out money. This was awesome.


    So, after making sure that no nt was damaged, Alex went to his new farnd brimming with expectation.


    ¡ª-----


    "Fuck!" That was the only word Alex could use to describe what he was seeing. Now he knows why the nts in his backyard grew at incredible speed. It was that damned fertiliser.


    The farnd that Alex carefully created was nowhere to be seen. In front of him was a dense forest made out of grass and shrubs. The grass was as tall as him while the shrubs grew in between them. Thin and thick vine tied them up together making it impossible to peer into the dense vegetation.


    "What is this crap? Where did my wheat go? Is it even there?" Alex gazed into the dense weed forest bewildered by the condition of his farnd.


    "Did I put too much fertiliser?" Alex mused.


    He went closer to check the condition of his farm. There he could see small stalks of wheat growing in between the shrubs.


    "Thank god, the seeds germinated perfectly. The weeds were unable to harm them. But they have almost sucked out the nutrients from the soil. It will be difficult for the wheat to grow anymore." Alex made sure that the wheat seeds all germinated. And they were in good condition. Even though the weeds grew faster than the wheat, they didn''t harm the wheat. This was the only good news considering his situation.


    Alex never expected toe across a problem like this. In his entire life, this was the first time seeing nts grow this fast. He expected some seeds to be damaged or to be eaten by pests or birds. But this scenario trumped all that.


    ''If the Mupan sees this, he would definitely reject my proposal to farm. Fortunately, I came early to check the condition of the farm.''


    "I can manually pluck out the weed. But what good would it do for me? Crap¡­How can I solve this mess." Alex was at the end of his wits.


    He could burn them all down.


    He could pluck the weeds.


    He could even let loose some cattle inside the farm.


    But all these methods had some restrictions. There was no perfect solution for this mess.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    So, Alex decided to do the next best thing. A permanent and easy solution to all his problems. It was a two-step solution that was much more effective than a perfect solution that he might not ever find.


    First, Alex was going to cut down all the weeds, wheat and everything before they mature. This way, he was going to prevent the weeds from distributing their seeds in the farnd.


    Next, he would take care of the rhizome under the ground with an extreme method. He was going to heat the entire farnd to 100 degrees Celsius. For that, he had an ace up his sleeve, the new powers he gained.


    During the past six months, Alex was trying to learn magic. He had abundant mana and didn''t know any way to use them. So, he delved deeper into the world of magic. He read books and tried to figure out how to use runes.


    ording to the books, magic can be used in two ways. The first way was by general control of the mana with the mind and the second method was by using runes.


    For mages in this world, using runes was the easier way. In the case ofrge andplex spells, runes allow them to create a spell faster and more urately. And Alex agreed with them.


    When Alex read the book about magic, he understood them in apletely different manner. He was seeing methods simr toputer programming used in magic.


    A rune contained three things. An action, information and mana.


    Mages create the runes and store them in their mind. They create spell models bybining runes in sequence. Later, the spell models will pass through their mana core to activate a spell.


    For Alex, this process seemed oddly familiar to how aputer processes programs.


    Creating a spell model was like creating aputer program.


    Activating a spell is like running a program. Here the CPU is the mana core.


    And the output is the effect of the spell.


    The simrity was startling.


    So, Alex believed that he could create spells on his own rather than depending on someone else. He was at the cusp of being a mage when he was faced with a new problem.


    A warrior usually lets the mana flow throughout his body. However, a mage needs to focus the mana in one ce to create a mana core.


    So, if Alex created a mana core, he might lose his physical ability as a warrior. He might be able to reproduce the same ability after he bes a skilled mage. Until that, he would be weakling.


    This was not something Alex wanted.


    It was a confusing time for Alex. If want to grow through the limit of tier 3 warrior, he needs to be a mage. But that will temporarily make him extremely weak. It was not an easy decision.


    So, the greedy Alex did the unthinkable. He used a tiny portion of his mana to create a core.


    If any mage had seen Alex do this. He would have mocked Alex into oblivion. This was the stupidest thing a mage could do.


    The strength of a mage was dependent on the strength of the mana core. So, if he used a tiny amount of mana to create a core, you could imagine what would happen to Alex. It''s not because there was no way to strengthen a core. But theplexity of spells a core can handle in the future will depend on the core they have in the beginning.


    And the moment a core is made, they would be an apprentice mage.


    Alex, who has a tiny core was now an apprentice mage. The weakest of them all.


    However, Alex begs to differ from this opinion. He believed multicore CPUs are always better than single-core ones.


    After bing an apprentice mage, he ns to create a lot more cores before breaking through to the journeyman mage ss.


    So, by using his skills as an apprentice mage. Alex was going to heat the entire farnd to hundred-degree Celsius. This way, any weed, pest and other things that are hiding in the farnd would die and he could farm peacefully.

 Chapter 69 Weed Solved

    ?


    Although the solution Alex came up with was a little farfetched, it did have its advantage.


    For example, by using high temperatures to heat the ground, anything alive would die. That includes weeds and pests. It was a surefire way to make the farnd cultivatable. And he would only have to do it once per field.


    This way, he can also prevent himself from making permanent damage to the field. Pesticides or weedicides cannot give him the same result.


    So, before anyone coulde, Alex began to work.


    Alex cut the grass that covered the farnd and stored them in his inventory. It was enough to feed a hundred cattle for a day. It was too much grass for him to dispose of it without someone seeing it. After that, he prepared to engrave runes.


    He had the worst mana core in the history of the. The weakest one possible for a human. And yet, this didn''t stop him from dreaming big. He was going to use everything at his disposal to heat the ground. And he had two possible ways to heat thend.


    Due to how small Alex''s mana core was, he could divide thend into small portions and heat them individually by drawing runes in each part. So, rather than trying to activate a big spell that can heat the entire farnd, Alex could chop up the task into smaller portions and do it slowly.


    This would ease the load on his mana core.


    But Alex shied away from this method of heating thend because he came up with a better solution. He could use water to do the trick.


    Taking out the watering can from the interdimensional farm, Alex created a master n to heat the entire farnd.


    He raised his hand and engraved a heating rune on the watering can. The rune was simple and it had one job. To convert all the mana injected into it to heat.


    The rate at which Alex injects mana into it will determine the temperature.


    Usually, a mage would have created the rune with the required mana and let it maintain the heat until the mana runs out. Then the rune would break apart. But Alex did it differently, he was more focused on the ability of the rune to change the mana to heat rather than the mana it should carry within it.


    By using basic mana maniption, he could always pump more mana into it. So, why should he waste time by engraving each time? After all, a rechargeable tool was better than a non-rechargeable one.


    He got this idea from the chain that bound him in the underground prison of the evil organisation. He thought it would be a good addition to the watering can.


    This way, he changed the heating rune''s functionality to suit his need. Rather than using magic the way he learned, he was trying to use creative ways to solve the problem. He was off to a good start to bing a mage.


    Tiny specs of light materialised in his hand and moved towards the watering can. It floated on the surface of the can before forming a distinct triangr shape. It didn''t have to be a triangr shape, Alex thought it was easy to draw a triangle. So, he drew one.


    Intention or the action embedded in the rune was more important than its shape. Usually, rune shapes were determined by the creator of the rune and were often used as an identifying mark, just like a fingerprint.


    Often,plex runes and their action cannot be deciphered. So, mages copy it in its entirety and use them, rather than spending the time to recreate it.


    So, It was a matter of status for others to copy their runes and use them. It shows the influence of a person inside the magic circle.


    This time, Alex was the original creator of the heating rune. He created it by analysing hundreds of runes and deciphering them. And that''s why he created a random symbol to represent his runes.


    There might have been other people who used the triangle as their symbol. But Alex wasn''t bothered by it. Anyway, the rune was simple. Anyone could decipher and recreate it. Symbols as an identity only mattered in the case ofplex runes.


    Engraving the rune on the watering can was easy for Alex. It didn''t take much of his time.


    The glowing runes flickered for a moment before hiding beneath the surface of the watering can. Only when mana was pumped into it would it be activated? <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The watering can contained approximately about hundred thousand litres of water. If you consider a square meter ofnd needs 200 litres of hot water to heat the ground, Alex would need to use 180,000 litres of water to heat the entire farnd. This might have been a monumental task if he was using the conventional method to heat the water.


    Fortunately, he had the watering can from the interdimensional farm. With that, he only needs to split the area into two and water each part once.


    Without any more thought, Alex began to apply mana to the rune on the watering can.


    A normal mage might have needed the support of the mana core to transfer a huge amount of mana into the rune. But for Alex, someone who was a warrior and a mage. The conditions were different. Due to the asynchronous energy cirction skill provided by the interdimensional farm, Alex could always ess arge amount of mana at will.


    So, without bothering about exhaustion, he began to pump his mana into the rune. The rune barely held on while he transferred the mana. It took him about ten minutes to transfer the mana.


    Steam was alreadying out of the watering can. Alex didn''t know how the watering can that was smaller than a dog was carrying such a huge amount of water. But it had something to do with the spatial ability of the interdimensional farm.


    Even if it was the case, he had no trouble heating the water inside the watering can. When a quarter of his mana was spent, thick plumes of steam began to rise from the watering can. So, Alex was sure that the water was boiling.


    After that, he didn''t waste any more time. He grabbed the watering can and began watering the farnd. This was miles better than his initial idea of splitting the farnd into portions before heating it slowly.


    Within minutes after that, Alex watered the entire farnd. A thick cloud of water vapour filled the area. It almost looked like the valley was under the cover of a thick fog.


    Alex could smell the distinct smell of cooked earth. It was slightly muddy at the same time a little woody. Even the smell of freshly cut grass was melded into it.


    "Uff! It feels like a sauna. I barely survived by using mana to protect my body. I don''t think anything weed would survive that." Alex said while wiping off his sweat.


    ''I can let thend cool down for today and continue sowing the seedter. I don''t want to cook the seeds right now by sowing them into the hotnd.'' Thinking that, Alex teleported into the farm.


    He had one more chore left before he can rest.


    Inside his inventory was a couple of tons of freshly cut grass. He had to find some way to dispose of it.


    And this thought led him towards the barn inside the interdimensional farm. In there were ten cows.


    "Beef1, beef2¡­" He called out.


    Like a maniac, he had named the cows ''beef'' with a number attached to it. His impure intention to eat them was clearly shown there.


    He stored the grass inside the feed dispenser inside the barn. This way, he will use it up within a week or so.


    After that, he exited the interdimensional farm and went home. While he was walking towards his house, he was in deep thought. He was slowly forming a n to cultivate a huge area ofnd.


    His usage of boiling water was a sustainable method. But that itself won''t solve the problem. Seeds of weeds can appear in the farnd through other modes. Some might stick to the clothes of people who walk into the farnd and disperse inside. Some might appear on the farm through, bird or animal droppings.


    This meant that he should find a way to periodically eliminate the weed.


    Alex decided to employ some of the vigers to take care of the farnd. They would be tasked with plucking the weed and watering the nts. And most importantly protecting the crops from wild animals and pests.


    If the farnd is not taken care of properly, his ns wouldn''te to fruition. Alex realised that early on. Fortunately, due to his quick thinking, Alex dealt with all the immediate problems. He had more time to make thorough ns for the future.

 Chapter 70 A Gathering

    ?


    Unknown to him, Alex had already turned into a prepper. A group of people that was prevalent in his previous life.


    Every one of his actions was to prepare himself to survive the bleak future. He knew something horrible was about to happen. And this was his method of coping with the situation.


    But unlike the preppers in his past life, Alex was different. He was not just trying to ensure his survival. He was also trying to ensure the survivability of everyone. His goal differentiated him from the others.


    Only the insane would try to save the entire world. And in conclusion, Alex was insane.


    Even though his words often make him seem like a pessimistic bum that wants to see the world burn, his actions often told otherwise.


    A person should be judged by their action. Not by the sweet words he had spoken. A politician is capable of lying through his teeth. But his actions will always show his real self.


    And the real Alex was not that bad. He was just a porcupine with trust issues. Only among people he trusted would he turn into a normal happy person.


    Very few people have realised this trait of Alex. And Mupan was among the few who saw through it. So, when Alex or Meru as he knew, came to invite him to the farm, he was thrilled.


    He knew that a troubling issue that was haunting his heart was about to be solved.


    Although Alex may seek profit with his action, what he was doing will directly help the Stone head tribe and the people in it. Mupan had a blind belief in Alex.


    All that he has achieved in the brief time after awakening was not something a normal child could have done. So, his belief in Alex intensified after each day.


    ¨C


    To show the result of his effort, Alex brought Mupan to his farm. It has been a week since he eradicated the weed and sowed the seed. He wanted to let Mupan see the thick stalks of wheat swaying in the wind.


    "My n to cultivate crops in this harshnd has beenpleted. You need to keep your promise, Mupan." Alex requested politely.


    "I know. Yes, you can employ people to cultivate thend. It has been hard on you. You did well. I know that it was not easy. Thank you." The emotional Mupan said.


    He was surprised to see the farnd. Thend before him was going to change how they were going to live in the future. And it was going to be a better future.


    His eyes teared up remembering the people he had lost during the hunt.


    ''Not anymore, no more lives will be lost. We could live a normal life like normal people. We don''t have to hunt desperately to survive.''


    "Now that I have created a stable way to farm. How about moving on to the next phase¡­" Alex said with a smile.


    Mupan, who saw this nodded back.


    ¡ª---------


    While Alex was taking his time to farm, the threat to the central continent intensified.


    Unknown to him, many localised attacks took ce all around the continent. And the perpetrator of those incidents was the evil organisation. Their motives were unknown, but their presence could be felt everywhere.


    This spooked the nine great tribes. So, the elders of the nine great tribes convened to find a way tobat the incursion of the evil organisation into their domain.


    As the rulers of the central continent, it was humiliating for them to let outside forces interfere in theirnd.


    And the first topic on their agenda was to find the identity of the evil organisation.


    It has been months since one of the nine great tribes, the thousand-headed serpent tribe was destroyed by the evil organisation. And yet, they couldn''t find out their real identity.


    The only information they had on the evil organisation was their origin. They spected that they originated from the West due to the presence of mages. Among the ninerge cities on the continent, two were attacked by them. Thira was almost turned into dust while the blue gem city survived due to the lesser intensity of the attack. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "What do the ice phoenix tribe and the thousand-headed serpent tribe have to say about the attacks. The information about the evil organisation is beyondcking. If you have something to contribute, please say it now." One of the elders from the Void Fish tribe asked. The Void Fish tribe was one of the neutral entities among the nine great tribes. So, the elder spoke first to begin the conversation about the evil organisation.


    "I agree. Let''s hear from the ice phoenix and thousand-headed serpent tribe first." The representative of the dive butterfly tribe said to ease the atmosphere. She was a beautiful young woman, not older than thirty. Despite her young age, the representative of the other tribes nodded in response to her words. You could see the respect and reverence they had in their eyes while they looked at the representative of the divine butterfly tribe.


    Kalina promptly stood up from her seat. She was the one that came as the representative of the ice phoenix tribe. She bowed her head to show respect to the elders participating and looked at elders from the thousand-headed serpent tribe.


    It was the same elder that Alex talked to before. He had white hair and a beard. His body looked thin and frail. He was among the only few tier 4 warriors that survived during the attack on Thira. His name was Kuvan.


    Kuvan, with his feeble body, stood up. He gazed at Kalina before saying.


    "I will let the princess of the ice phoenix tribe exin the details first," Kuvan said humbly. Even before the meeting began, he had already spoken with Kalina. So, they were prepared to exin in detail.


    After getting the confirmation from Kuvan, Kalina began her exnation. She told the representatives of the nine great tribes about what happened inside the blue gem city. She exined how the evil organisations stole the blue gem by influencing the first elder and the damage it created.


    The most shocking fact she said was about the rtion between the evil organisation and the demon sealed in the north. This news startled everyone.


    After that, she exined her experience in Thira.


    It took her about an hour to exin her experience in great detail. Nheless, she believed it would be better to give as much information as she can rather than hold back on the information she has. After all, the threat of the evil organisation was real. And it affected everyone equally.


    But far from what she expected, a mocking voice greeted her after her lengthy exnation.


    "Khek¡­ A pathetic tribe. You couldn''t even control your own people." A voice scoffed from the sideline.


    It was the prince of the Volcanic Dragon tribe. His tribe was among the few that were not attacked by the evil organisation. So, his superiorityplex red up taking over his emotions. He believed that the evil organisation didn''t dare to attack his tribe due to their impable strength.


    Kalina heard his words perfectly. Her eyes darted towards the man. She wanted to freeze the hot-headed man. But before she could say anything, the beautiful woman from the divine butterfly tribe stood up and moved her hand.


    A thin, lith, illusory hand materialized before her. She grabbed the unruly prince from the volcanic dragon tribe by the neck before throwing him out of the room.


    "If you cannot realise the importance of this gathering, you shouldn''t participate in it." She said firmly.


    The tier 4 warrior, the prince of the volcanic dragon tribe couldn''t even respond to what he was experiencing. Before he could think, he was outside the room, thrown out like a sack of potatoes. And thick energy was preventing him from moving or speaking.


    It was humiliating.


    But he quickly realised that he barely survived today. The beautifuldy from the divine butterfly tribe was a monster.


    He came to the gathering without thinking much. And he dismissed the people who said a great danger was upon the central continent. He thought everyone was exaggerating the news.


    The thousand-headed Serpent tribe was destroyed because they were weak and the ice phoenix tribe was attacked from the inside. Neither could ever happen to his own tribe because they were strong and united.


    He didn''t believe in the threat of the evil organisation. So, he insulted the Ice Phoenix tribe without any qualms.


    But it seems like he was wrong. A tier 5 warrior from the divine butterfly tribe came to the gathering. And he got his ass whooped by her.


    ''Fuck¡­How will I exin this to my brother.'' Parv, the prince of the Volcanic Dragon tribe thought. He was still immobilised by the thick energy chains. So, he couldn''t even beg for forgiveness.


    Looking at the startled audience, the beauty from the divine butterfly tribe spoke.


    "Let''s continue." She dusted her hand and sat.

 Chapter 71 Prophecy

    ?


    No one made a noise after that. Even the people that came with the prince of the Volcanic Dragon tribe.


    There was a tier 5 warrior among them. They had no right toin from that moment on. And what doesining achieve in front of a tier 5 warrior?


    Kalina wanted to know who thedy was. She was just a bit older than her. And yet, she was a tier 5 warrior. This shocked her.


    As far as she can remember, she was among the top ten most talented people in the entire continent. And yet, she never knew of the existence of such calibre.


    Was there a person like that in the divine butterfly tribe? She mused.


    The divine butterfly tribe was one of the weakest tribes among the nine great tribes. Even though they have multiple tier 5 warriors. They were notbat-oriented like the volcanic dragon tribe or the ice phoenix tribe.


    Therefore, their warriors were always weaker than thebat-oriented tribes. The same could be said for the tier 5 warrior of the divine butterfly tribe.


    But this doesn''t mean they can be looked down upon. Their ability to peer into the future was considered one of the most important abilities of any tribe. It allowed the central continent to flourish in dangerous times. They could sense danger before it happened and react ordingly.


    They were also the ones who predicted the cmity of the demon. They were the first ones to realize the damage it would do. Not one prophecy from the oracle of the divine butterfly tribe was wrong. This notion secured their rightful pce among the nine great tribes.


    Although oracles were present in each tribe. Not all oracles have the ability to see the future. Usually, oracles convey a message from their spirit guardian to the tribesmen. But the oracle of the divine butterfly tribe can peer into the future and deduce certain oues.


    And this was not without cost. When the oracles peer into the future. Their life span will be heavily damaged. They are giving up their future for the future of the world.


    So, no one dares to disrespect the divine butterfly tribe. This was the reason why the elders of the other tribes gave importance to the presence of someone from the divine butterfly tribe.


    They didn''t know she was a tier 5 warrior until she showed her strength.


    The Prince Parv of the Volcanic tribe acted inappropriately without knowing that.


    No one came to the rescue of Parv after that. They looked at him with pity and ignored him.


    Chitra, the beautiful tier 4 warrior from the divine butterfly tribe took her seat silently.


    The meeting continued without the representative of the Volcanic Dragon tribe.


    "The evil organisation has its tentacles spread across the entire central continent. I think we should create a squad to detect and capture them. After capturing them, we can extract information about their activities. Wouldn''t that be better than letting them run amok?" One of the elders spoke. He was from the Iron Mountain tribe.


    Like the Volcanic dragon tribe, they were not attacked by the evil organisation. It might have been due to their city being situated near the eastern side of the central continent. Either way, as a person without any contact with the evil organisation, his thought process was simple.


    He thought it was easy to capture the members of the evil organisation. He even thought it would be easy to extract information from them.


    "Ha ha¡­ It''s not that simple. We have tried capturing the enemy. But, their members are death soldiers. They will kill themselves rather than let out the information about their organisation. The ck-robed bastards are hard to deal with." The elder from the void fish tribe exined.


    "The ck-robed bastards? Is it what you are calling them?"


    "Why not? They don''t deserve a good name."


    "I agree!"


    "If I was in my prime, I would have entered the battle to search and find these pests. It would have been easy for me. Anyway, I will send search parties inside the domain of my tribe to find the members of the ck-robed bastards. You do the same."


    "Yes, we can do it." Someone agreed.


    "How about hiding this information from the public? We don''t want to spook everyone. It would do nothing good for us to let the public know that there are powerful people out there that can destroy one of the nine great tribes in a day." Another one suggested.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Yes, that''s correct. Let''s hide the information from the public." Another yes man nodded his head in response.


    "....."


    "...."


    "If there is nothing more to say, we can end the meeting here."


    The elders rambled on for hours before deciding to end the meeting.


    The conversation was going nowhere. Even though they convened to share information, they had nothing noteworthy to share. They talked about the atrocitiesmitted by the evil organisation and how to punish them. But they have yet to gain any conclusive evidence that can point to the identity of the evil organisation.


    Kalina quickly realised that she couldn''t let the meeting end like this. So, she was about to suggest something to focus everyone''s attention.


    "How about letting the ice phoenix tribe¡­" Kalina tried to speak.


    "I have a prophecy to share."Before she could finish the rest of her words, the tier 5 warrior of the divine butterfly tribe, Chitra interjected.


    And the word prophecy grabbed everyone''s attention. They all turned to focus on Chitra.


    "The reason that I appeared today was to share the prophecy. Before that, I wanted to see how you will try to deal with the imminent danger. However, I am grossly disappointed by what I saw. The elders here have no vision for the future. You talk between yourself cautiously while trying not to offend anyone. You try to secure the best position for your tribe without thinking about the general public, the weaker tribes that reside in your domain. Is this what it means to be an elder of the nine great tribes? To say I am disappointed is a gross understatement." Chitra said while rubbing her temples.


    She didn''t know what to do with them. Are they even capable of understanding the significance of the prophecy? She thought in her mind.


    The elders were acting like seasoned politicians. Due to them living in peaceful times, they have forgotten how to deal with dangerous situations. They were weak-willed and predictable.


    "Huh¡­" Chitra sighed. Nheless, she conveyed the prophecy to the elders.


    "The prophecy was told like this - After a decade, the greatest evil known to man shall descend upon the central continent, like a gue that seeks to consume all in its path. Its power shall be unparalleled. And it shall bring death and destruction to all who stand in its way. But do not lose hope, for there is a hero among us, destined to rise against the darkness. Find him, protect him, for his fate is entwined with the fate of all. He shall be the saviour who brings light to the shadows, and through his bravery and sacrifice, he shall triumph over the greatest of evils."


    "Easy to understand, right?"


    After Chitra said the prophecy, everyone rxed. ''After a decade.'' They were more focused on the word decade in the whole prophecy. It meant that there is a lot more time for them to prepare and act on it.


    The prophecy was giving them an early warning about the uing danger. They didn''t know if the prophecised danger was the evil organisation or not. But, with that much time, it would be easy to figure that out.


    And they could find the hero in that time too.


    Everything became much clearer for the elders. They wanted to thank Chitra and move on. They wanted to hurry up and ry this news to their tribal leaders. After that, they can gain praise and rx peacefully.


    "If that''s all, may I leave? I need to ry this information to our leader." One of the elders said. He was ready to get up and leave.


    "Che¡­" Chitra scoffed seeing the rxed expression on the elder''s face. She wanted to see how long that rxed expression willst.


    "Oh! Did I forget to exin it correctly? Last year, our matriarch went to close-door meditation. And this prophecy was ryed to her then. But, when she went into closed-door meditationst week. A new prophecy was given to her." Chitra said this and stopped.


    Once again, all eyes were gathered on her. She knew the next few words she was going to say would not make any sense. But she had to do it. Or else, this world is done for. She believed that wholeheartedly.


    "Don''t worry. I have yet to say it. The prophecy didn''t have much change. Other than, ''After a decade'' bing ''After a year.'' So, we have one year instead of one decade to find the hero and save the world. Now that I have conveyed the prophecy, we can go on our separate ways." Saying that she left the room.

 Chapter 72 Champion

    ?


    A month passed by.


    The meeting of the elders and the prophecy of the future were all hidden from the general public. No one knew death was approaching the central continent at breakneck speed.


    Alex, who didn''t have an inkling of the danger was roasting peanuts in his backyard. For the past month, he was wholly concentrated on developing his farm. And the produce from the farm was sold directly in Blue Gem City.


    His business grew at a tremendous speed. Unknown to him, Alex had already be a major yer in the economy of the blue gem city.


    Other than medicinal nts and magic herbs, the crops from Alex''s farm were considered the best among the rich. So, the demand was always higher than the supply. And it was a good thing for Alex. He could sell some crops at a premium and make a lot of money. And the money he amassed was in thousands of gold coins.


    Although it was less than one-fifth of the ie generated from the interdimensional farm. It was better due to the unlimited potential to grow. He can just expand the farnd to increase the production rate. As long as there are people to work for him, he was sure that he could make more money than the interdimensional farm.


    "Unda, Take this¡­" Alex said while handing over the roasted peanuts to Unda. Unda was the chubby little kid of Mani. He was excited to receive the treats. Smiling heartily, he took one peanut and ate it.


    "No, you can''t eat it all alone. Give some to your friends." Alex implored. The kid was quirky and spontaneous. So, there was assurance that he would do as Alex said.


    But this time, Unda happily shared the peanuts with the little kids who were following him.


    ''Maybe he is full.'' Alex thought.


    "Big brother Meru. Can we have a barbecue in the evening? We want meat."


    "Ah¡­" Alex sighed hearing his words. As a single man, living alone. He didn''t even have privacy in his own house. The kids had already dered his backyard as their y area.


    They asionally march in to see what he was cooking. And Alex was happy to feed the little munchkins something he prepared. However, nowadays, they were requesting specific things to cook.


    ''When did my house turn into a hotel? Sigh¡­'' The deep sigh went on for minutes.


    Fortunately, someone came to help at the right moment.


    "Meru, the Mupan is calling you." A messenger came to notify Alex.


    ''Mupan? Why is he calling me now? The budget for this month has already been allocated. Hundred people to look after fifty hectares ofnd was feasible. After all, the people of this world are different. There is no issue looking after the farnd. I could let the same amount of people work to look after hundred hectares ofnd if they have proper tools.''


    ''Damn! The metal shortage. If only I could make proper tillers and tools.''


    ''If the budget is not the problem, why was he asking for me?'' Alex mused while he walked to the Mupan''s house.


    asionally, he met the vigers along the way. They nodded their heads and smiled at Alex while he walked through the vige. Alex was now a celebrity in the vige. And it was not because of his strength. It was because of the work he had done in the vige.


    Due to Alex''s diligent work in making and improving farmablend in the vige. The weaker hunters could rx. They could farm rather than risk their lives to earn the food they need to eat. It was a blessing for the vige.


    They now have a stable source of ie. Alex would pay them actual money for the work they were doing on the farm. Rather than depend on someone else, they could now work for themselves to gain food. It was beyond any goodwill for the people.


    The truth is that no one likes to live by depending on others.


    The tribal society may seem functional. But, deep within, each person has this thought of owning something of their own. And that wish was being fulfilled due to Alex''s intervention. And the vigers liked that.


    Now, the young, old and weak had a feeling of presence in the vige. They felt alive and important due to the work they were doing.


    This was all achieved by Alex. And the people knew that. So, they respected Alex for what he had done.


    Alex quickly reached the Mupan''s house. From the outside, the house didn''t undergo any changes. But inside, it waspletely different.


    Like everyone else in the vige, once he secured a stable source of ie. The Mupan too, began to invest in lifting his standard of living. He had imported new furniture from the woond tribe. And it was ced right in the centre of the hall.


    A small tea table was ced in the centre while cushioned sofa was ced on either side. Although it was not luxurious, it was not cheap either. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Just as Alex entered the house, the first person Alex saw was the Mupan sitting on the sofa. So, like usual, he walked like a dandy and sat on the sofa opposite the Mupan.


    "Why did you call me? I have much more roasting to do. Now it is peanuts,ter it will be meat. If I amte, the kids would bury me alive. Still, they are way better than my previous tenant. The haughty princess was a true nuisance¡­ha ha¡­" Alex stated the obvious fact.


    Mupan, who heard this didn''t know how to respond. He panicked a little and rolled his eyes.


    "Why are you rolling your eyes? Did dust get in your eyes?" Alex asked.


    "Cough¡­Hm¡­" The Mupan rolled his eyes to the side and blinked one eye. It was like he was pointing to the side with his eyes.


    To check that, Alex looked to his side.


    "Shit¡­!!!" He said without batting an eyelid. With him, sitting on the sofa was Kalina. The haughty princess of the ice phoenix tribe.


    Alex knew he messed up. Unfortunately, he said some words without realising she was sitting next to him.


    ''How did I not see her? Was she hiding her presence?''


    Alex was as strong as a tier 3 warrior. His senses were nothing to scoff at. Now that he was trying to be a mage, his senses seem to have dulled. It was temporary due to the phenomenon of converting mana to cores.


    Unlike normal mages, he was not nning to make one giant core in their navel to hold all the mana. He was nning to make many tiny cores and distribute them all across his body. This way, with his high mana control, he was hoping to keep both the traits of a warrior and a mage.


    However, currently, he was in a transition phase. So, it seems like his mana senses have be dull.


    ''Oh fuck! There''s no putting the toothpaste back in the tube. Let''s roll with it.''


    While Alex was thinking like that, Kalina sat still without moving a muscle, like a deer caught in a headlight. She didn''t know how to respond.


    She was not offended by what Alex said. But she couldn''t squeeze out a smile in this situation. It was an awkward situation for both.


    "Hmm¡­It¡­"


    "I am sorry. I was just joking with Mupan." Before Kalina couldplete her words, Alex interjected.


    "I don''t mean any harm," Alex said expecting Kalina to explode into anger.


    However, all that he could see was a disappointed look in Kalina''s eyes. She didn''t explode into anger or twist his head off. She just calmly sat there without speaking a word.


    ''Did I do something wrong?'' Suddenly, Alex thought.


    ''I don''t think I did anything wrong.''


    However, Kalina had a hard time dealing with Alex''s words. Although they were not friends, they were acquaintances who worked together. They were on friendly terms ording to her. He even saved her and her sister on several asions.


    And yet, his reaction seems to indicate that he still saw her as a spoiled brat. A haughty princess who acts on anger. This disappointed her.


    Growing up as the princess of the ice phoenix tribe, she didn''t have any friends. She had people that took care of her and helped her, some even tried to exploit her. It was onlyter in life that he realised this.


    So, by interacting with the people outside her tribe. She was slowly beginning to form trustworthy rtionships. But knowing that a person that she thought as a friend still felt fear towards her woke her up from her delusion.


    Remembering the things that she had done. She realised where the problem was. She was the problem. Although it was disappointing to know, she decided to change for the better.


    "Hm¡­" She nodded after receiving Alex''s apology.


    "I am here to conduct business and to invite the Stone head tribe for the champion''s tournament. This year, the Ice Phoenix tribe will be hosting the champion''s tournament. I hope the younger generation of your tribe will participate in it."

 Chapter 73 Deal

    ?


    "The Ice Phoenix tribe will be conducting the champion''s tournament at the beginning of next winter. So, there are many things I have to do before that." Kalina stated.


    "Champion''s tournament? Why¡­ Why now?" Alex asked the obvious question that came to his mind.


    He knew what a champion''s tournament was. It was an event dedicated to finding the strongest warriors of the younger generation. It was a way to show the strength of a tribe. And the winners will be endowed with precious prizes and glory.


    However, the next one should be scheduled to be conducted three yearster. Why was the date moved forward? And why did they select the ice phoenix tribe to conduct the tournament? Alex wanted to know that.


    "You didn''t move the date forward without any reason, right?" Alex inquired.


    It seemed like his words put Kalina in a tricky spot. She couldn''t give out the details about the prophecy yet. But, her trust in Alex relieved her worry. She knew Mupan and Alex knew how to keep a secret. So, she finally gave in and exined.


    "No, there is a reason. But keep this a secret. You shouldn''t share it." Looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, Kalina began to say. "The Divine Butterfly tribe was blessed with a prophecy. It foretold a time of great peril in the central continent. Death and destruction will be everywhere. And only a hero can save us. The hero that''s among us will rise to defeat evil. However, we need to find, protect and let him grow. And the champion''s tournament will be dedicated to achieving this purpose. We will find the hero." Kalina described the general condition surrounding the prophecy.


    "A prophecy from the Divine Butterfly tribe!" The Mupan was exasperated by the news. He didn''t know how to take it in. The danger predicted by the Divine Butterfly tribe was never wrong. If the news is true, the lives of everyone in the central continent were at stake.


    At the same, Alex had different thoughts.


    "A prophecy?" Alex doubted the authenticity of the prophecy.


    "Yes. So the only way for us to unite the entire continent to find the hero was by using the champion''s tournament?"


    "You could have done it after three years. Why are you rushing to conduct the Champion''s tournament? You have yet to answer that."


    "Hm¡­" Kalina paused and took some time to think. It was not easy to answer this question. After all, it was direct proof that the prophecies of the Divine Butterfly tribe can change. If a prophecy can change midway, who will believe in it?


    "About that, be patient and hear this. Even I was doubtful of it. However, we know that the Divine Butterfly tribe is trustworthy. So, we have to prepare for the danger." Exining a bit, Kalina began to reveal the need to change the date of the Champion''s tournament.


    "Last year, the prophecy talked about the time of great danger arriving after a decade. So, even if we conducted the champion''s tournament after three years. We would have had enough time to respond. But suddenly, the prophecy changed this month. It began to show the danger approaching much faster. If the prophecy is correct, next year, the central continent will bathe in fire."


    "Hm¡­" Alex nodded after hearing her exnation. It was reasonable and logical. But still, he was unwilling to believe them entirely. After all, he was not stupid to believe in others'' words without any verification. His mind wandered trying to find alternate scenarios.


    "Is that the only reason?" Suddenly Alex spoke grabbing everyone''s attention.


    "From my understanding, it would not be the only reason to advance the date of the champion''s tournament. For example, you could be trying to lure the Evil organisation. And prophecy about the hero might be bait."


    Kalina was startled by Alex''s words. He hit it right on the mark. They were hoping to lure out the spies of the evil organisation during the tournament. He had enough reason to doubt the prophecy. However, there is a real hero that they are searching for.


    First, to fight against an unknown entity like the evil organisation. Therge tribes need to unite their members. But they couldn''t do that until they find all the spies the evil organisation has hidden in their tribe.


    The first elder of the ice phoenix tribe was a good example to show how bad things could get when there is a traitor.


    So, to cleanse their tribe of any spies and traitors, they were going to use the champion''s tournament.


    When the hero is mentioned, they expect the spies to make a move. And it will be the right time to identify the spies. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    After identifying the spies, the nine great tribes were going to carefully disseminate fake information and cause the evil organisation to crumble from within.


    The hidden plot they cooked up to destroy the evil organisation was massive.


    While Alex exined what the nine great tribes were thinking nonchntly, she didn''t know how to respond.


    "So, the prophecy could be fake, true or half fake and half true. Anyway, I am not bothered by any of it. I wish you well. You can y 4D chess among yourself. Other than the prophecy, what business do you have with me?" Alex finally gave an out for Kalina.


    He didn''t want to hear any exnation anymore.


    "The champion''s tournament is scheduled to happen in six months. It would be the beginning of the winter by that time. An average of a hundred thousand people would migrate into the blue gem city during that time. Some mighte to participate in the tournament, and some wille to do business. But most of them would be sightseers who want to witness the tournament and have a good time.


    "It would put a heavy load on the supply chains of the city. To alleviate that, Ie here to ask for a steady supply of grains. We, the ice phoenix tribe want to purchase crops directly from you and store them for future use."


    Kalina exined her other reason foring to the Stone head tribe personally. If it was just to invite the warriors of the Stone head tribe to participate in the tournament, she didn''t need to personallye here. She could have let anyone from her tribee and inform them that.


    But, considering the need to discuss a business deal with them, she came personally. On the surface, it was the reason. But her decisione was purely by instinct. She decided toe to the stone head tribe spontaneously. The reason eluded even her.


    "Of course, we are always happy to receive our customers." With a bright smile, Alex began to talk. He was nning to expand the farm even more. So, he was happy to receive a customer who can buy them all.


    "What are the grains that you need?"


    "Corn, rice, wheat. A thousand tons of each. If possible, we want you to provide a stable supply of vegetables. I have also contacted Taka to talk about this. He said that you would be able to provide vegetables even in the winter. Would that be possible?"


    "Certainly it is." ''I have to increase the cultivatablend to 600 hectares. A monumental task. But if they can pay, I am happy to do it.'' Alex thought.


    ''I still have meat that I could sell. Cows, goats, chickens, ducks, fish. They will make me a hefty profit. I should buy morend in the city and renovate the restaurant. This is a once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity. I should build a shop right in front of therge merchant shop that chased me away for looking at some garlic. He.he¡­ I am a petty person. I don''t mind taking petty revenge.'' Alex decided.


    After that, the conversion went on in a positive direction. They conclude the deal happily.


    In a moment of happiness, Alex invited Kalina to eat a barbecue with him. He was going to prepare the barbecue for the kids anyway.


    Contrary to what he epted, Kalina epted his proposal. He thought she would hate him for talking behind her back. But it seems like Kalina had matured. The hot blood inside her seems to have cooled.


    So, they walked to Alex''s house together.


    On the way, Kalina informed Alex of the general situation of the champion''s tournament. The top hundred would be given hundred of gold coins and tier 3 magical herb. The top ten would be selected as hero candidates. Each will have hefty rewards like magical herbs and thousands of gold coins. And the best prize for the final winner was an egg from tier 5 flood dragon. If hatched and trained properly, it could be a tier 5 mount.


    The reward captivated Alex. He was nning to notpete in the tournament. But even the reward for bing in the top 100 was mesmerising. Should he participate? A thought sprouted in his mind. The glory of participating in apetition that will be witnessed by the entire continent will bepletely different. It slightly ignited the passion inside Alex.


    "Are you participating in the tournament?" Alex asked.


    "Yes, tier 3 and above warriors who are less than 30 years old can participate in the tournament. So, of course, I am participating. This is my decade to shine." Kalina said with a simple smile. Just imagining the battle was making her drool.

 Chapter 74 Barbecue Party

    ?


    Alex was interested in participating in the tournament.


    No, he didn''t have any interest in being a Hero. That was thest thing he wanted. To live under surveince for the rest of his life was something he could never allow.


    He was interested in the tournament because of other reasons. For example, it was a great ce to test his physical strength and learn new techniques. Having more experience in closebat wouldn''t do him any harm.


    At the same time, he could learn in-depth about the abilities of the nine great tribes. That would help him defend against them in the future.


    Besides that, he could also use the tournament in his favour. He could scout talented individuals to work for him. If he could find a dark horse among the contenders, that would allow him to expand his business even further.


    With a strong warrior guarding the front gate, most problems would solve themselves. Alex doesn''t need to solve all the problems himself.


    Alex''s thoughts wandered without limits.


    Silently they had walked quite a distance. And that was when Alex noticed a group of people approaching him. It was a group of four individuals. They were Thee, Kanal, Poka and Charam.


    They were the peer of Alex who awakened with him. Thee was one of the most talented youngsters in the stone head tribe. And the remaining three were no pushovers, all of them had already reached tier 3 in strength. Thee had already reached the peak of tier 3. They were already as strong as the chief of the tribe.


    Their talent was significantly better than the previous generation. So, the vigers considered them the generation that would revitalise the stone head tribe.


    ''They might be returning from the training ground.'' Usually, Alex doesn''t interact with anyone. Other than the kids, he didn''t bother talking to anyone. If there was no reason to talk, he wouldn''t talk. He was not a big fan of small talk.


    So, his rtionship with his peers was not that great. asionally they trades pleasantries, that was the best he would do to maintain the rtionship.


    And now, meeting them would have made no difference if not for Charam''s involvement. Like usual, he was the first to notice Alex and wave his hand.


    "Hey!" Charam called out to Alex.


    ''Shit! I need to learn some kind of invisibility technique.'' Alex wanted to avoid them like usual. But that thought was crossed out the moment Charam waved at him.


    Now, he has to waste time and say some pleasantries. It was a chore that he disliked.


    "Hey! Hai Charam," Alex waved back.


    But before he could think. The group approached him and surrounded Kalina. They were looking at her curiously.


    Although Alex treats her like a nuisance, Kalina was a beauty that could turn heads. Everywhere she went, she would get noticed by the people. The same could be said for the young warriors of the Stone head tribe. They curiously gazed at the beautiful princess wondering who she was.


    The only girl in the group, Kanal was the one that didn''t get any butterflies in her stomach after seeing Kalina. But it didn''t mean she was not mesmerised by Kalina''s beauty. She too walked in circles around Kalina and observed her. As a girl herself, she wanted to find the secret of her beauty.


    "Meru! Who is this!" Charam asked.


    "Someone from the blue gem city. You might know her as the princess of the ice phoenix tribe." Alex exined.


    Hearing that, the group became even more excited.


    Meru! Do you have something wrong with your head? Someone from the blue gem city. Is that how you introduce the Princess of the ice phoenix tribe to us? They thought simultaneously.


    "Princess Kalina of the ice phoenix tribe. One of the top 10 beauties of the current generation! She is also a tier 4 warrior!" Charam eximed. He never doubted Alex''s words. The person before him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She must be Princess Kalina.


    ''Top 10 beauties! Was she known like that!'' Alex thought.


    Alex was amazed to know that these guys knew the name of Kalina. Charam didn''t even know how to do basic arithmetic, yet he knew the name of some princess that he never saw before. Alex didn''t know what to say.


    Besides that, this was not the first time they have met. After escaping from the giant white snake, Kalina met Charam. But at that time, she was wearing Alex''s clothes. So, she was mistaken for a man.


    How would he react if he knew that? <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Even Kalina didn''t know what to do with the youths that surrounded her. Although this was not the first time she was experiencing something simr. Most of the time, she would have cast an ice-cold look at the people and ignored them. If nothing worked, she didn''t mind intimidating them with her strength.


    But this time, she was with Alex. And those who surrounded her were his peers. She didn''t want to use her usual tricks to solve the problem. Unknowingly, she was being considerate towards Alex.


    "Yes, she is Princess Kalina." Hearing Alex''s reply, a seed of jealousy sprouted in the young men''s minds. But Charam and Poka swallowed back the jealousy and smiled at Kalina. Thee was the only one that stood frozen by this notion.


    A shocking beauty with unparalleled status was walking with Alex. He couldn''t bear to think that.


    After all, he was better than Alex at everything. He was a stronger warrior. He was much more handsome. He was tall and healthy. And yet, why was Alex being treated as someone special?


    Was it because of the farm?


    It was just a farm. Anyone could have done that. Thee thought.


    But he did well to not express his sour mood outside. No one other than Alex noticed the minute changes in his expression. However, Alex was unbothered by what others thought. So, he ignored Thee.


    "Can we call you princess?" Charam asked.


    "We are Meru''s friends. We awakened at the same time. You can call me Charam. The burly guy standing to my left is Poka. The guy to my right is Thee and she is Kanal." Charam said while pointing at each of them. He didn''t forget to quickly introduce himself while at it. After all, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him. He might not have a chance to talk directly with Kalina again.


    "I don''t mind that." Kalina agreed with his request.


    ''Well! You would soon begin to mind that.'' Alex thought in his heart.


    "I am Thee, it''s nice to meet you, princess. I am the strongest warrior of the younger generation." Thee felt Charam didn''t introduce him properly. So, he came forward to introduce himself. He didn''t forget to say he was the strongest warrior of the Stone head tribe.


    ''Strongest?'' Kalina doubtfully looked at Alex.


    "Yes, he is stronger than me. My smoke screen is not enough to damage him through his stone-hard defence." Alex exined. And Kalina quickly caught on to the truth. Alex didn''t give it his all when sparring amongst them.


    If you consider pure physical strength, Alex was weaker than Thee. He knew that. And without the abilities of the interdimensional farm, he could only use his trickery to beat him.


    And in the sparring match that was conducted inside the tribe, Alex didn''t bother to use the skills provided by the interdimensional farm or the tricks up his sleeve. So, he was considered average among the five people. After all, his weapon-wielding skill was also trash level.


    Hearing Alex''s confession boosted Thee''s confidence. A wide smile appeared on his face.


    After that, the atmosphere eased among the group. They followed Alex and Kalina to his home. They also decided to participate in the barbecue party.


    The food Alex cooks was always tasty, no one in their right mind would reject that. They thought.


    While they walked, Kalina and the group talked about many things. Even the uing champion''s tournament was mentioned by her. She hit it off nicely with Kanal. Alex could see the two battle maniacs talking to each other and giggling. Kalina was sharing her experience in battle with Kanal. And seeing the excited Kanal, she was almost ready to adopt Kanal as her sister.


    Everyone looked at her intensely while she was sharing her experience. And most had good intent.


    Thee was the only one trying hard to impress Kalina. He was trying again and again but failing perpetually to make her notice him.


    Alex sighed seeing the poor guy do that.


    After reaching his home, he went out to his backyard to prepare for the barbecue. He had already prepared the ingredient and kept them in the inventory. So, he could use them whenever he needs to.


    Taking out the grills he had prepared. Alex lit some charcoal underneath it. He was ready to roast some meat.


    Even before he could invite them, the kids had already surrounded him. They were ready to witness the magic of cooking. To them, barbecue was much more tantalising than some princesses. So, the kids surrounded Alex and looked at what he was doing. They were ready to learn the way of cooking from Alex.

 Chapter 75 Sparbecue Party

    ?


    The conversations went on. But asionally Kalina would break away from the conversation to cast a nce at Alex.


    Alex was happily barbecuing the meat while being surrounded by kids. He was busy in his own world. And unknown to him, he was smiling heartily. Unlike his usual self, this smile was different. It was genuine. And Kalina realised it.


    She was seeing a different side of Alex that she never knew existed.


    Most of the time, Alex was a man with a purpose. Every one of his actions was calm andposed delivering the best result possible. He often faked his expressions like a businessman or at times, hide behind a horrible personality.


    His action often fooled her to think he was a middle-aged man with many life experiences. In simpler terms, he was unapproachable as a person.


    However now, he waspletely different. The genuine rxed expression and smile gave a different feeling to his action. He didn''t have an impregnable defence around him like usual.


    This was the genuine Alex.


    Without knowing, Kalina was letting out a smile capable of mesmerising anyone. And this captured the hearts of the youths around her.


    Meanwhile, someone else was observing Kalina. Like everyone else, he was thrilled to see her smile. But when he followed her gaze, he was disappointed to see Alex.


    For Thee, this was a hard-hitting fact. Kalina was more interested in Alex. He was being ignored while he was talking.


    Thee was sure that Kalina likes Alex. Like that, a bud of jealousy bloomed inside his mind.


    "How about a sparring match? Can you give me some pointers?" Kanal who heard the battle stories of Kalina spoke. She was far too excited to let the day end there. Getting guidance from a tier 4 warrior like Kalina was her dream. So, she grasped the opportunity and asked Kalina to a sparring match.


    "I don''t m¡­" Kalina couldn''tplete her sentence. She wanted to say ''I don''t mind.''


    Before Kalina could reply, Thee interjected. This was his chance to show off his skill. Rather than letting Kanal spar with Kalina, he was going to let everyone witness his marvellous skills. So, he subtly nudged for another oue. He was going to spar with everyone.


    "Kanal, don''t waste the princess''s time. She doesn''t have enough time to spar with all of us. So, how about you guys spar with me one by one? The princess can judge our skills and give pointers that way." Thee said with a smile.


    Realising her mistake, Kanal agreed with Thee. She didn''t think properly and asked the princess for a spar. It was her mistake. Kanal thought.


    However, Kalina was not offended by the over-enthusiastic Kanal. She would have happily agreed to spar if not for the intervention of Thee. He didn''t give her a chance to reply. This kid was slowly getting on her nerves. She was twenty-one this year, yet this fifteen-year-old was cutting her off. Although fifteen years olds were considered adults in this world, she saw them as some kids. Without even realising it, she seems to have forgotten that Alex was their peer.


    Poor Thee who didn''t realise that stood without a change in his smug expression. He was excited to showcase his skills and woo the princess. She was just five years older than him, he had a chance to woo her. Now, he might be weaker than her. But six monthster, he would win the champion''s tournament and win her over. Thee decided.


    From a young age, Thee had seen no one that could be close to him in talent. And that was a fact, and that was the reason for his confidence.


    In the meantime, Alex had already prepared the barbecue and ted some for his young friend. The kids jumped in and began to eat it.


    When he returned to call the others to eat dinner, he saw them warming up for a spar.


    ''What happened here?'' He thought.


    ''Kalina, are you going to beat them up?'' Alex looked at Kalina and thought. But Kalina shrugged her shoulders. She didn''t know how to exin what just happened.


    "Ah! Meru, you are here. Do you want to spar with us? You cane after Poka." Suddenly Thee asked. He was excited to get one more punching bag. There was no way Meru was going to win against him. So, he could use this chance to beat up Meru and show off his skills. This way, he could also gain the attention of Kalina and at the same time humiliates Meru. He was not going to let this chance pass by.


    After all, Meru was getting on his nerves for the past few months. His meteoric rise was dampening his mood. Thee felt like Meru was the reason that he was not appreciated. But with this match, he could grab back his right to be looked upon by the general populous.


    "Hm¡­" Alex didn''t know how to reply to that question. But soon, he realised the motive behind Thee''s words. So, he asked back casually. "Are you going to spar with each of us? Wouldn''t that be taxing on you?" <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "No, don''t worry. I can spar against you guys for hours before it will be tiring for me." Thee said with a small smile.


    It didn''t take a genius to figure out that Thee was looking down on everyone. Even his friends, Charam, Poka and Kanal gave out an awry smile. But what can they do, he was the strongest among them. That was the truth.


    It was true when he said he could spar against them for hours. After all, Thee was infinitely close to bing a tier 4 warrior. They stood no chance against him.


    At first, Alex didn''t want to waste time by sparring against them, but now that Thee was looking down on him, he decided to act. The faster he resolves this problem the better it was for him. After all, Kalina was also involved in it.


    "Oh! If so, I don''t mind sparring against you. But consider this a friendly warning, I am not the same me from a couple of months ago." Alex stated.


    p¦Ánd¦Á---no¦Í?1,§ão§® ¡ª------


    Alex and everyone moved to the training ground. It was almost six in the evening. The summer sun was still shining. They might have an hour of daylight before the world darkens.


    Kanal, Charam, Poka, Alex were the contenders. Thee was already standing on the sparring tform.


    The sparring tform was circr and thirty feet in diameter. Thee stood proudly at the centre while looking at the contenders.


    "If you can beat me, I will give you a tier 2 herb which I got from my father." Thee said with a smirk. He began to show off his wealth too. Tier 2 herb was not something anyone could have in the Stone head tribe. The few people who would have a tier 2 herb in the whole tribe were the leader-level warriors, the chief, Mupan or Dhairya.


    ''Did they give his father the tier 2 herb. I know they are rted, I didn''t think he would give something like that to Thee''s father. It might be due to his talent?'' Alex thought.


    But Kalina broke his reverie by jabbing him from his side.


    "Take out the golden mushroom. I want to use it as the prize." She whispered to him.


    "I thought you forgot about them. Why didn''t you ask for them at an earlier time if you remember it?"


    "Hm¡­ I just need one. Give it to me." Kalina didn''t want to ask for the golden mushroom. After all, he helped her much more than she could repay. But this time, she couldn''t let the kid show off anymore. Thee was really getting on to her nerves.


    "Okay! Wait a minute." Alex replied and took out the golden mushroom from his interdimensional farm warehouse. For a second he had to blink in and out of existence, but no one noticed it due to him moving away from the crowd.


    "Here, take it. But wouldn''t you be disappointed if he wins it?" Alex threw the golden mushroom at Kalina.


    "Are you not participating?" She asked back immediately.


    "Ha¡­ha¡­" This made Alexugh.


    "This is a tier 4 herb. A golden mushroom. Thest one standing will get this as the prize." Kalina said loudly grabbing everyone''s attention.


    A tier 4 herb?


    They had never even seen a tier 3 herb, much lesse in contact with a tier 4 one. So, the winner gets it!


    This raised the stakes of the sparring match. A fire burned in the contenders'' eyes. Thee, Who stood atop the sparring tform didn''t know how to react. But he felt lucky to have the opportunity to get the tier 4 herb.


    He believed Kalina was serving him the herb on a silver tter. After all, she knew he was the strongest among them. If she had taken it out, wouldn''t it be for him?


    ''Look Meru, I have already grabbed her attention. You won''t be able to surpass my talent and strength.'' Thee thought with a smirk.

 Chapter 76 Damage

    ?


    The first one to walk up to the sparring tform was Kanal. She was the most excited among them. As a battle maniac with the only hobby of fighting anything and everything, she climbed the tform gingerly.


    She was holding a sword made out of unique metal. The handle was crafted with the bones of a magical beast that she yed. The craftsmanship of the sword was a little crude, but it did its purpose well. The double edge of the sword was screaming sharp.


    The moment she got onto the tform, she drew her sword and pointed it at Thee. She was ready to battle. Withplete concentration, she stood without a change in her posture.


    Kalina was considered the referee of the match. So, Kanal waited until the signal was given to start.


    "Begin." The single word from Kalina lit the sparring tform in a scarlet hue.


    The sword Kanal was holding had already turned red hot. A small but bright red me was covering it. And with each passing second, the intensity of the me only increased.


    "Thee, get ready. This time, it will not be easy." Kanal said while swinging her fiery sword left and right.


    "For you, it will never be." Thee took out his spear andunched a fierce attack at Kanal.


    Like that, the battle began.


    "Booom!" The dust that was spread around the sparring tform rose into the air. The shockwaves from the collision were leaking into the surrounding.


    Kalina quickly realised the change in their strength. Last time, when she came to the stone head tribe, they were nothing more than bugs in front of her. But now, they have be warriors that can threaten her.


    They were already tier 3. Their growth rate was impressive for such an obscure tribe. Most warriors show growth at a rapid pace when they are young, but this was more than that. It was slightly shocking. Not considering the princesses, even the ice phoenix tribe didn''t have talented individuals like them.


    How were they born in the Stone head tribe? Kalina thought.


    Meanwhile, the battle continued.


    Kanal was maximising the use of her me skill to coat the thickyer of fire on her sword. This was the only skill that she had absolute control over. So, she made sure to use it appropriately. Other skills were more energy consuming and uncontroble. Using such skills would only have put her at a disadvantage in a fight between humans that can think and act.


    So, the red hot sword smashed against Thee''s spear. Tiny sparks flew from the point of intact while they both jumped back. If one was considering pure physical strength, they were at simr strength.


    With just that, you could see the sweat and blood Kan shed to catch up to Thee.


    But physical strength was not the only determining factor in a battle. Physical stamina, energy quantity and the maximum amount of energy a person can utilise at any given moment, all affect the battle oue.


    And these three factors were not in favour of Kanal. She was aggressively pushing towards Thee while he defended calmly. He was just using full-body enhancement to deal with the attacks.


    While Kanal drained her energy quickly by using her energy skill, Thee made easy work of her with his spear skill. He was staying far away to avoid the mes, the reach of the spear allowed him to do it.


    Even though Kanal was on the losing side, the battle was thrilling to watch from the sidelines. Alex had a newfound appreciation towards these kids. Even though everyone calls them an adult, they were still fifteen-year-old kids. And he knew that they can''t have the achievement they have without working hard.


    ''Still, Thee is a stupid shit-head. Ah! Shit-head rhymes with stupid. I am a genius!'' Fortunately, no one could read the mind of Alex.


    After a while, the predictable battle ended. Thee kicked Kanal off the tform after she became too tired to battle anymore.


    "Thee is the winner." Kalina dered.


    The depressed Kanal walked back with her head stooping low. She wanted to show her strength in front of Kalina. But all that she achieved was a quick defeat. The thick-skinned battle maniac became a meek kitten. She didn''t know how to exin it.


    Kalina, who realised this said with a smile.


    "Kanal, do you why you lost?" Guidance is what she needs, and she will get guidance. Kalina decided.


    p¦Ánd¦Á---no¦Í?1,§ão§® Kanal shook her head.


    "You lost because you wasted too much energy. You were trying too hard to win. This created openings in your moves that Thee could exploit. Fighting styles vary from person to person. So, I won''t ask you to change your style. But give a little more thought towards a strategy to take down the enemy. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Losing is not something to be ashamed of. The disappointment you feel now can be your fuel for sess. Analyse the reason for your defeat and learn from it. With constant improvement, what you might feel is an impossible task would be possible." The words from Kalina lifted her mood. So, Kanal lifted her head with fiery passion and walked towards Kalina. She was happy to be acknowledged by Kalina.


    And Alex watched from the sidelines as Kanal turned into aplete Kalina fan girl.


    "Kanal." Kalina called out.


    "Yes!" Kanal almost gave a salute and said ''Yes Sir''.


    "Rx, I was just giving you some pointers just like you asked."


    "I am rxed!" She obeyed without saying a word back. If you hadn''t seen Kanal before, you might have thought of her as a cute disciplined kid. But this incarnation could not have been further from the truth.


    -


    "Next¡­ Charam, it''s your turn."


    "Okay," Charam replied and went to spar. Unlike Kanal, his spirit guardian was simr to Thee''s, the stone giant of the Stone head tribe. So, he had a worse chance than Kanal to win against Thee.


    As expected, the match ended quickly. Other than the smug face of Thee getting even smugger. There was no difference in the oue.


    Nheless, Kalina gave some quality advice to him. ording to her, the problem of Charam was his inability to act at the right moment. He was spending more time thinking rather than reacting.


    So, when he encounters an unexpected attack, he gets thrown into panic, unable to properly defend himself from the attack. It was the exact opposite of Kanal.


    Kanal was able to immediately handle unexpected attacks. But she had no strategy to deal with the sparring partner. In the case of Charam, he had a clear strategy of trying to avoid the attacks of Thee as much as he can. But he failed to execute that due to his inability to react properly to the changing conditions.


    Charam was satisfied with the constructive criticism he got from Kalina. So, he went back to think for himself. It was a chance to gain a breakthrough in his mentality.


    Poka went to the sparring tform without any hope. He was a hammer wielder. He was slower than Kanal, a sword wielder and Charam, an axe wielder. In front of a spear wielder like Thee, he was at a disadvantage.


    Even though he was more talented than Charam in energy utilisation and skill manifestation. Hisbat talent was low. His huge body was best for defending against an attack from the magical beasts. But it was a weakness against humans.


    So, Poka went onto the tform without any hope. Losing against Thee was not something new for him.


    It only took one attack from Thee to destroy the defence of Poka. Making use of the slower movement speed on Poka, thee mmed his spear against the exposed back Poka.


    Thankfully, Poka activated his skill, stone formation create a thickyer of stone on his back. So, it didn''t leave behind any permanent damage to his body. However, the time it took for him to recover from the attack was enough for Thee to push him off the tform.


    It was a definite loss for Poka.


    But Kalina and Alex quickly noticed the problem here. Poka didn''t have the will to fight and win. So, without that, how can he expect to seed? And the main cause for Poka''s state was Thee.


    In their entire life, Charam, Kanal, and Poka had never won against Thee. He didn''t let them have even a chance to surpass him. So, they were subtly influenced by his will. They were subconsciously believing that they couldn''t win even if they tried.


    There was a mind game being yed without their understanding.


    Even though Kanal put up a good fight, she was also influenced by this mind game.


    The gaze of Alex and Kalina crossed. In their minds, they had the same thought. Kalina and Alex realised the damage Thee had done to the kids'' psyche.


    ''This is not a real friendship. Thee was using the others to raise his status. It was a game of power. His actions are simr to that of a tyrant.'' Alex thought.


    "Poka, you just have to believe in yourself." Kalina gave the final piece of advice while ignoring Thee.

 Chapter 77 Mage

    ?


    Kalina had a good enough reason to give that advice to Poka. Contrary to what was seen, the one that Thee had the most difficult time dealing with was Poka. Due to hisrge muscr build, Thee had a hard time overpowering him with pure strength. Poka also could block full-on attacks from Thee.


    So, he was the most threatening among the group for Thee.


    "Three of you did really well this time. I had a hard time defeating you." Thee said with a smile. Some might say he was encouraging his friends with his words. But was that really the case?


    Absolutely not. Thee was just reinforcing the thought that they couldn''t beat him even if they tried hard. His saint-like smiling face was a facade. The thing hidden beneath was far too grotesque and vile.


    ''Was he a hidden psycho?'' Alex thought.


    "Princess Kalina, You have given them enough pointers. Can you give some to me?" Thee requested politely.


    Thee had yet to catch on to the fact that Kalina could see right through him. So, he still smiled and acted coyly to capture Kalina''s attention. From his point of view, he had shown enough strength and Talent, so that Kalina won''t be able to ignore him.


    But in reality, Kalina didn''t care about any of that. Her rtionship with Alex was the only thing preventing her from erasing Thee out of existence. Without realising that, Thee was asking for death. Without a moment of dy, he asked.


    "Thanks for the tier 4 herb. Can I take a look at it?"


    "Hm¡­ The match is yet to end." Kalina squeezed out some words.


    "Oh! That! Sorry about that, Meru. I forgot about you. Let''s begin the final round." Thee said apologetically while looking at Alex.


    Although his words and action seemed amicable. Alex could see the arrogance in his eyes. Thee was sure that he would win against Alex. He didn''t even think for a moment that there is a chance for defeat when sparring against Alex.


    "Hmm¡­" Alex nodded and climbed the steps to the sparring tform.


    But when the audience looked at his hands, they were surprised to see him hold a shield. It was amon shield made from bones that were used among the stone head tribe. It didn''t have any special features. Like any shield, it can be used to defend against physical attacks.


    Even Kalina took a moment to realize that Alex was using a shield. She had never seen him use one, so she was curious to see how he would handle his opponent.


    Thee expected Alex to do something different. After all, they didn''t spar together that much. So, he didn''t know all the tricks Alex had.


    Now that he saw Alex using a shield, he was sure that Alex had given up on winning. He was trying to buy some time before losing.


    ''Was he afraid of losing pathetically in front of Princess Kanlina?'' Thee thought with a smirk.


    ''Hm¡­ Even with a shield, you won''t be able to stop me from sweeping the floor with you.''


    However, contrary to what everyone believed, Alex was not vying for a favourable loss. He was in it to win it.


    Alex didn''t mind losing to Thee. But he did mind losing a tier 4 herb to him. So, he decided to use his mage abilities in the spar.


    eaglesnov?1,§ão§® ________


    For the past month, Alex was not roasting peanuts and having fun. He was carefully nning for the future. And it included enhancing his personal strength.


    So, Alex selected learning the mage power system as his temporary goal.


    Mana, Energy, Qi, Ether. Even though they are called by different names. It describes the same thing.


    Mages call the energy that flows through all living things as Mana. The warriors from the central continent call it Mysterious energy. The easterners call it Qi and the southerners call it ether.


    But the name didn''t change the fact that it is the same everywhere. The only difference was how Mana was being used in different regions.


    So, Alex decided to learn the mage power system first to gain an understanding of the mana. And there was a clear reason for him to select it as his first goal.


    Magic was much more simr to science. It had definite rules and reasons. For a man from modern times like him, it was easier to wrap his head around. The warrior system of the central continent that depends on spirit guardians was not his cup of tea.


    But, he was not going to depend on one way of using energy. In the future, he might even decide to learn skills from other East and the South.


    That''s how Alex reached the current situation. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    He was greedy while learning magic. He was not ready to give up his physical strength as a warrior by concentrating all his mana into a single core.


    So, he decided to take a gamble.


    His reasoning was simple. Mana spread throughout the body is the reason he could use full body enhancement. But once the mana was concentrated to form a core, it would be hard to do so.


    At the same time, he wanted to be a mage. Mana core was an important factor in being a mage.


    So, he needed a method to spread mana all around the body while also making a core.


    That''s how he came to the ridiculous idea of creating multiple mana cores. By creating small cores at each section of the body, Alex could spread the mana across his body while retaining his warrior skill. And also use multiple cores to create spell models.


    But it did have its caveats. He couldn''t get stronger by utilizing the breakthrough method of normal mages.


    However, Alex was unbothered by it. He was walking a solitary path. He thought it was better to improve himself rather than depend on someone else to point out the way.


    It was an arrogant outlook. But it can also be considered as the confidence he has in himself.


    Unless he was ready to give up, he wouldn''t lose. That was how Alex lived his whole life. And he was not going to give up on life anytime soon.


    After all, currently, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of the power system he was self-creating.


    The asynchronous energy cirction allowed him to utilize arge amount of mana with his will. So, he could create thick plumes of mana which he calls the smoke screen.


    He also could use the partial andplete body enhancement techniques of a warrior. Even though he couldn''t ess the skills of his spirit guardian. It was enough for now. In the future, when his entire mana capacity has been turned into mana cores, he will still be able to use the warrior skills.


    Now, with the addition of multiple mana cores, Alex attained something no mage could ever do. The ability to multicast spells.


    Usually, for a mage to emte multicasting spells. They first have to create a different rune sequence altogether. Although it may seem like they are multicasting while using the newly created rune sequence, In fact, that was far from the truth. They were just using a spell with two effects.


    But Alex was different. Due to him having multiple cores, he can just execute different rune sequences in each core. Although his spell might be weaker due to his smaller core. It still would create the required effect.


    Currently, Alex has 10 mana cores. Each is situated in a different part of the body. And it was made up of one per cent of his total mana capacity. So, the ten cores were currently using 10 per cent of his mana capacity. The remaining 90 per cent was still present in his body.


    He was more warrior than a mage now.


    [AN: Added too muchplexity. Sorry! Anyway, I think it will make senseter.]


    _____


    Alex was nning to use his abilities as a mage to defeat Thee once and for all. He was going to show everyone present that Thee could be defeated.


    "Are you ready for the spar?" Thee asked.


    "Yes."


    "Then let''s begin." Kalina gave the signal to start the spar.


    "BOOOM!" Thee went all out from the start. His ferocious attack crashed into the shield Alex was carrying and created an explosive sound.


    Thankfully, Alex prepared for the aggressive attacks. His body quivered as he was pushed back by Thee.


    Thee was deliberately making it hard for Alex. In Thee''s mind, this was the best opportunity he would get to push Alex down a notch. But before he could rejoice in the fact that Alex was being pushed back. A torrent of mana formed into a thick cloud of smoke in front of him. It covered the entire sparring ground. No one could see anything anymore. Only Kalina could vaguely sense what was going on inside.


    "Khek¡­You know that it won''t work on me. I can sense when you close in on me for an attack. Don''t you remember what happenedst time?" Thee ridiculed Alex.


    Last time, when Alex battled with Thee, he used a simr tactic. But, Thee quickly found the direction he was approaching from. It might be due to his superior talent to sense mana, unlike the mobs of the evil organisation Alex defeated before. So, Alex could only surrender in defeat at that time.

 Chapter 78 Defeat

    ?


    Last time, when Alex faced Thee, he surrendered in defeat. But this time, things were different.


    Just when Thee thought he had the upper hand, a fist-sized ball of fire came hurtling towards him. Thee was caught off guard. He had never expected Alex to possess the ability to attack from a distance. His mind raced as he quickly analyzed the situation, a slight sense of insecurity sprouting within him.


    Thispletely changed the scenario ying inside his mind. Alex had now be a tricky opponent to handle.


    But even as Thee''s thoughts raced, he knew he couldn''t let his guard down. With lightning-fast reflexes, he dodged the fireball and counterattacked, determined to maintain his position as the dominant fighter.


    However, Alex was not willing to give Thee any chances this time. He hadpletely covered the circr sparring tform with a smoke screen, making it impossible for others to see inside. But Alex knew exactly what was going on.


    Thee was like a chess piece within his control. If Alex wanted to, he could have easily made Thee step out of the sparring tform. It would have ensured his victory.


    However, Alex refused to use trickery to win this time. He could not allow Thee to look down on him any longer.


    If he was someone from another tribe with an arrogant attitude, he would not have cared. But he was from the stone head tribe. And he was doing more harm than good to his ''friends''. His action spelt trouble for Alex.


    ''A defeat today will let him learn an important lesson.'' Alex thought while preparing to take him down a peg.


    Till now, Alex''s attacks were sequential and predictable. He did that deliberately to test Thee and his limits.


    Now, he could begin to attack for real.


    Alex could use 10 spells simultaneously. Although they were slightly weaker than an apprentice mage could cast. It was enough for him for now. Ten spells attacking a person simultaneously would deal more damage than a spell of an apprentice mage.


    After thinking that, the first thing Alex did was converge the smoke screen onto a part of the tform.


    Unlike before, the ends of the sparring tform were now visible. This ensured that Thee wouldn''t jump off it by mistake. He didn''t want that. But it also made Alex''s general location visible.


    Now, the smoke screen was sticking close to Alex and his peripherals. Only spreading to about three to four feet around. It was smallpared to the thirty feet diameter of the sparring tform. The general outline of Alex''s body could be seen now.


    So, As soon as Alex became partially visible, Thee began his counterattacks.


    "Che¡­ Meru, You were hiding your skills from us. I thought we were friends. How can you do that to us?" Thee sprang forward jabbing his spear at the ce where he thought the smoke screen was the thickest.


    He assumed Alex would be hiding inside. After all, the smoke screen was a skill he used to hide himself. Suddenly converging it might be due to the strain it has on Alex''s body. All skills have some kind of shorings.


    Without a dy, the spear plunged into the smoke.


    ''As expected¡­'' Alex sneered from inside the smoke screen. He sidestepped to dodge the oing attack. He could easily predict the direction of the attack due to his extraordinary sensory abilities while he was inside the smoke screen.


    The spear missed him by a hair''s breadth.


    This was the exact moment Alex was waiting for. He had already prepared ten spells to counterattack Thee. The moment the spear plunged into the smoke screen, three water spell was released. It was abined spell made by making three cores work together.


    Like a miniature tsunami, it crashed against thee.


    ''First, it was fire. Now, it is water. How can a person use skills of multiple elements? What is his spirit guardian?'' Thee was perplexed by the situation. This dyed his reaction.


    So, the wave of water washed over him, pushing him back.


    And Alex utilised the slight dy in Thee''s reaction effectively. He threw three ice spells at Thee, who was drenched.


    Thee sensed the danger and used the stone formation skill of the stone head tribe. Suddenly, thick stone pieces emerged all around his body forming a sturdy armour of stone.


    Seeing this Alex smirked.


    ''Exactly as nned.'' The stone armour was the best defensive skill a warrior of the Stone head tribe could use. There were only a few warriors in the entire tribe who could use it. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    So, Alex was not surprised when Thee used it. He even predicted the oue even before the battle began.


    ''My ice spell is not that easy to handle.'' Alex smiled when he saw the stone armour forming around Thee. If his predictions were correct, it would not feel that nice inside the stone armour.


    The stone armour''s defensive power against physical attacks could be said as impable. But it could not be said to be the same for the elemental attacks. It had creases and crevices where the elemental attacks could seep into.


    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel And this was what Alex nned to utilise the moment he attacked. These creases and crevices were the weakness of the stone head tribe. It was not something they could eradicate.


    For mobility, while using the stone armour. It needs to have that weakness.


    "Ahh!" A painful cry came from Thee.


    Alex''s two-pronged attack was effective. First, he used a wave of water to drench Thee. Before the water could flow out of the sparring tform, he used the ice spell. This startled Thee into using the stone armour.


    Unfortunately for him, the water that stuck to him had already seeped into the crease and crevices of the stone armour. So, the moment the ice spellnded on him. Instead of protecting him from damage, the stone armour became a burden. He was trapped between a stone and a hard ce.


    The density of ice was less than water. It meant if you take the same weight of water and ice, the volume of ice was higher than that of water.


    What does it mean in the current context?


    When the water inside the armour froze, it expanded inside the armour. Thee felt something squeezing him from inside the armour. Even tiny sharp pieces of ice emerged trying to pierce into his skin. And at the same time, the joints of the armour became clogged by ice, decreasing his mobility by a notch.


    Thankfully, he protected his body by releasing arge amount of energy. If not, it would have done tremendous damage to his body.


    But his good luck ended there. Now, he was nothing more than a turtle inside its shell. He couldn''t move properly much less attack.


    The audience was perplexed by how quickly the match ended. Meru or Alex who was weaker than Thee by all metrics won! It was not something they could grasp.


    Only Kalina looked rxed while seeing the oue. She expected it. But still, it felt different when she saw him using magic spells to attack.


    "Did he be a mage this fast?" She thought.


    "Can we end it here?" with a rxed expression, Alex asked. He was happy to not use the remaining spells on the weakened Thee.


    "NO." This incited an angry response from Thee. He screamed no from inside the armour.


    "Ha! Why not? Even a kid can throw you out the sparring tform in the current condition." Alex reminded Thee. He was not in a situation to reject.


    Alex''s words pushed Thee anger even further. The humiliating loss riled up the remaining bit of energy inside him.


    Using that energy, Thee ripped apart the ice-covered stone armour. Pieces of stone crumbled and fell off his body.


    And then, he looked menacingly at Alex. This time, something seemed to have triggered inside him. Thee was not hiding the malice inside him. He wanted to rip apart Alex and kill him. He didn''t care about the spar, Kalina or the tier 4 herb.


    But Alex was unbothered by it. He knew the impact of his actions.


    Suddenly, the feebly standing Thee sat on the ground and closed his eyes. He was exhausted, yet the energy around him warped and churned. His anger seemed to have triggered a breakthrough. An energy vortex formed over him sucking the energy from the environment.


    ''Was he breaking through to tier 4 in the middle of the spar?'' Alex realised it soon. But he couldn''t do anything. He couldn''t stop the breakthrough and killed Thee. They were in a spar, not in a life-and-death battle. So, how can he do that?


    Besides that, Thee was the hope of the Stone head tribe. He was one of the most talented warriors in the tribe. Harming him would not bode well for his endeavours.


    So, Alex patiently waited. Until the breakthrough ended. Tier 4 or whatnot. He could still whoop his ass if he wanted. This time, he would have to put in a little more effort. Alex confidently thought.

 Chapter 79 Breakthrough

    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel ?


    "OOh!....AAAAH!....ARRRR!..." Thee made weird noises while he broke through. His body swayed and shivered when the energy condensed inside him. He was experiencing a blissful feeling.


    However, those who watched it had to turn their head in shame. Fortunately for them, Alex created some smoke screens and censored the scene. Then they patiently waited until Theepleted his breakthrough.


    For a warrior, it was never easy to break through to a higher tier. Breakthrough alwayses with a chance to fail. And breaking through midbat was an even rarer sight. There was only one reason for a person to break through midbat.


    An epiphany.


    Normally, warriors tend to break through in their best condition. They prepare for days, concentrate the energy inside them and a sudden sh of inspiration drives the energy inside them to break through. And the moment the breakthroughpletes, the total amount of energy they could utilise will radically improve.


    For a tier 4 warrior, their epiphanybined with the knowledge provided by their spirit guardian determines their spirit guardian possession state. A skill that can only be used by tier 4 and above warriors.


    So, Alex was curious to know what kind of spirit guardian possession state Thee might have. After all, he was the only one in the entire Stone head tribe that was able to break through to tier 4.


    Will it be simr to spirit guardian possession states that he had seen before? That was the question ringing inside his mind.


    Kalina could create wings and temporarily fly and do aerial attacks while she was in her spirit guardian possession state. Her speed and strength were enhanced beyond what she normally had, nearing the strength of tier 5 for a short while.


    The first elder created thorny armour in his spirit guardian possession state. He used icicle thorns present in the armour to attack while defending.


    Why were their spirit guardian possession state different while they were both from the same tribe. The simple answer was the difference in their epiphany. Even though the spirit guardian provides them with knowledge, the personality and knowledge of the person in focus will also depend on what kind of ability they will gain.


    In the beginning, they might be able to use the skills provided by the spirit guardian as it is. Butter on in life, when they have to grow to tier 4 and tier 5 warriors. The importance of knowledge and experiences increases. That''s why they need an epiphany. That''s why so few be tier 4 warriors, even fewer tier 5 warriors.


    After a couple of minutes, a sudden noise emerged from the smoke screen covering Thee. Alex quickly removed the smoke screen.


    In the ce Thee was sitting, Alex could see something. But it didn''t look like a person.


    ''A giant?'' He thought while he looked at the thing before him.


    Thee was reced by a stone giant that was twenty feet in height. And it was slowly walking towards Alex. Although its movements were slow, the blood lust it emitted confirmed Alex''s idea that it was noting in peace.


    ''Thee used his spirit guardian possession state. And he wants to kill me. Nice. Those I fear the most are the people who hide their intent and bide their time. It is hard to predict people like that. Fortunately for me, Thee was not like that.'' Alex thought while looking at the stone giant that was walking towards him.


    "Do you think you can win?" An irritated voice greeted Alex. It was Thee.


    ''Hm! I already won. His head doesn''t seem to be working right.''


    "Thee, is this the stone giant you saw in your vision while you awakened? Is that it? What about your epiphany? What about your influence in the spirit guardian possession state?" Alex asked an obvious question while ignoring Thee''s question.


    Although, the skill was called spirit guardian possession. It was notpletely a possession. It''s like possession in a manner that the user could borrow the power, skill and senses of the spirit guardian for a short time. It feels like the spirit guardian entered your body to give you power.


    But even then, the skill used will be different from individual to individual. And yet, Thee looked just like the spirit guardian. Did he not have anything to offer while creating the skill? Or did he break through midbat without an epiphany?


    Alex didn''t have any way to exin what he was seeing.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "You dare mock me?" Thee growled, his eyes aze with fury. "Meru, today you shall perish by my hand." With those ominous words, Thee brought his fist down upon the ground, sending a shockwave of energy through the earth. A jagged spike erupted from the ground where Alex stood, poised to strike.


    Alex reacted swiftly, leaping out of the way of the deadly spike. His heart pounded in his chest as he gazed at Thee, who stood tall and menacing, his power radiating from him like a palpable force.


    A moment of carelessness would kill him. Alex realised that quickly. Fortunately for him, he had mana vision which allowed him to determine the direction from which the attack wasing. This helped him dodge the next few attacks.


    Thee sneered, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "You''re quick, I''ll give you that," he spat. "But it won''t save you from my wrath."


    While Thee was attacking Alex left and right, Alex was analysing his situation.


    Alex examined Thee''s armour and noted that it was different from what he had seen before. Based on his intuition, he hypothesized that the stone giant''s head and limbs were just a facade, meant to distract and deceive. Thee''s true location was likely inside the core of the giant''s body, where he would be well-protected from any external threats.


    This meant that attacking the head and limbs would deal no harm to Thee. He could regrow them like stone golems in fantasy novels. It pissed off Alex. Thee was making his life harder.


    The body''s core was a single stone,pletely sealed and impervious to any attack. Alex realized that his previous strategy would not work this time. There were no visible creases or crevices for water to seep into, and he had no means to directly damage the stone core.


    So, a change in strategy was required to defeat Thee.


    Meanwhile, the audience below stood still not knowing what to do. Thee broke through to tier 4. It was something they should have been happy about. Somehow, they did not feel happy.


    Now, seeing him rampage against Alex made it even worse. They were seeing the hidden face of Thee. They were finally seeing his true self. The respect and admiration they had for their talented friend decreased to a nill within seconds.


    Even then, Kalina didn''t interfere in the fight. She could see that Alex was not in any immediate danger. And if ites to a dangerous situation, she was willing to lend a helping hand.


    After all, the sparring match should have ended long ago. Alex clearly defeated Thee fair and square. He even let him break through midbat.


    The reason she let the match continue was because of Alex. He didn''t step out of the sparring tform yet. He wants to beat Thee in his spirit guardian possession state. Kalina realised this fact and stood still as an observer.


    Alex taunted Thee, "You can throw stones at me, create stone spikes in the ground, run at me like a mad bull, and try to fight me in close range. Is that the best you can do? A slowpoke like you could never even touch my hair, much less defeat me."


    But Thee wasn''t one to take such insults lying down. He heard Alex''s words and mmed his fist onto the ground, unleashing a shockwave that decimated the 30-foot-diameter sparring tform. The tform was reduced to rubble, and only scattered stones and broken spikes remained.


    Even though Alex was a tier 3 warrior in speed and physical strength. He was able to dodge the stone giants attacks due to his nimble body. ording to Alex, the spirit guardian''s possession skill of Thee was focused on defence and strength. In general terms, it was an armoured tank. It was not that great at attacking from a distance.


    So, Alex had to think creatively to figure out a way to break it. And he did it within moments.


    He knew the basic spells of five elements. The element of fire, wind, earth, water and lightning. And he could use three of them to his advantage right now.


    Last time, he used a water spell to create water and a wind spell to freeze it. The wind was used to liquefy the air. The moment the liquified air goes out of Alex''s control, it expands rapidly decreasing the temperature of whatever it touched to a temperature far below zero. It was the technique of creating a freezing spell.


    Alex knew this because he came from a world with advanced technology and science. But he didn''t know if the mages in this world knew it. He came to this conclusion after many trials and errors, there was no exnation about the details of how a rune worked anywhere in the magic tomes he studied.


    ''So, the next question is what happens to a stone when it is heated quickly and cooled immediately in rapid session.'' Alex thought while looking at Thee.

 Chapter 80 [Bonus ] End Of Spar

    ?


    When a rock is heated and cooled rapidly, it will shatter. In nature, this phenomenon is called weathering. Alex was going to simte it to weaken the thick body of the stone giant. Thermal expansion and contraction was the best way to do it.


    When a stone is heated, the different materials present inside it will expand at different rates. For example, if a stone contains air pockets and water, it will expand before the solid materials inside the stone. This will create pressure inside the stone which leads to tiny fractures on it.


    Now, if the stone is cooled rapidly after that, the different rates at which the material inside the stone shrink will make it even more brittle. And that''s exactly what Alex was aiming for. It was the best way for him to get Thee out of his turtle shell.


    For that, Alex used the fire spell on the stone giant. He slowly increased the heat output until the stones became extremely hot. With his small cores working simultaneously, Alex concentrated on heating the entire body of the stone giant. Ten spells working simultaneously were able to heat the core of the stone giant easily.


    Even Thee inside the stone giant grimaced in pain. He felt the heat drilling into him. He had to use arge amount of energy to protect his body from the heat.


    Alex and Thee wasted a huge amount of mana for this. And the reason Alex had to heat the entire body was the same reason that he couldn''t beat it with physical attacks. The stone giant will heal itself periodically. Before it heals, Alex has to destroy it.


    ''The first thing I cooked aftering to this world was a sweet potato. I had to create a stone oven and bake it. And I liked it. But never in my life did I think that I would try to bake a person alive. That too a person from the same tribe. Look how far I have grown as a menace to the society.'' Alex thought.


    "Sigh!"He sighed while shaking his head. But Alex still didn''t stop cooking Thee.


    Even though he had to dodge Thee, Alex constantly heated the stone giant. It took a while for it to be evenly cooked.


    After that, he stopped the fire spells. Almost seventy per cent of his energy reserve has been used up. Another, twenty percentage will be used to cool the stone giant. It was a tricky situation. He had to do something different to take out Thee in an instant.


    If Alex failed to grasp the timing before the stone giant fixes itself, Alex would lose the fight. There was no other way for him beat Thee other than taking that gamble. After all, Thee was a higher-tier warrior. He had more energy reserve than Alex.


    The moment Alex stopped the fire spell. Thee became cocky. He thought Alex gave up trying to kill him by using a fire spell. He was thrilled to get this chance. So, he dashed forward without realising his stupidity.


    "Meru, Know your ce. Your tricks won''t work on me."


    "It already is¡­" Alex simply stated.


    "Fear me, for this shall be yourst struggle."


    "Yep. Sure it is. After this, you would be pretty easy to beat. I won''t have to struggle anymore."


    "Aaargh¡­"


    "I don''t understand stupid. Speak properly."


    The humongous body of Thee almost covered the entire tform while he attacked Alex.


    But before he couldnd a hit, Five orbs of liquid revolved around Alex before he swiftly pushed them to Thee. With it, A tsunami-like wave of water was sent. Quickly, the mana reserve of Alext fell by ten per cent.


    Before the stone giant could fix itself. The orbs carrying liquified air attached themselves to the chest and legs of the stone giant. It was the ice spell, but Alex was using but for a different purpose.


    The water wave rose up to twenty feet and covered the stone gian, instantly freezing before it had a chance to respond.


    The stone giant was temporarily stopped. But it wasn''t the end.


    Among the five orbs, only one was used to freeze the water. The remaining four were stuck between the frozen wave of water and the hot stone giant.


    The moment Alex relinquished his control over the liquified gas, it expanded. The stone giant was too hot. And it was trapped between the frozen water and the hot stone giant. The gas expanded quickly and found a way to escape creating an explosion.


    "Boom!" A thunderous sound resounded. The shockwave from the explosion released ayer of dense fog outwards.


    The entire training tform was covered by a dense fog. The water vapor and freezing gasses swirled around hiding everything from view.


    Alex with his mana vision peered into the dense fog. Within there, he could see a crumbling stone giant.


    The rapid heating and cooling made it brittle. An explosion due to the expanding gas has pushed it out of the sparring tform.


    With a caved chest and broken legs, the stone gianty motionless.


    Suddenly, a hand dug through the chest of the stone giant. It emerged, shattering its concave chest.


    It was the hand of Thee.


    There were some blood stains and broken nails on the hand. Other than that, it was perfectly okay.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Within seconds, the hand pushed away the broken pieces above it revealing Thee. He was strained, gasping for air.


    And yet, his eyes had a fire. His poisonous gaze finallynded on Alex. Even though he was beaten out of the sparring tform, he was unwilling to give up.


    Promptly, he stood up and dashed towards Alex who was on the stage. He still had some fight inside him. Alex was the one who was weakened with all the dodging and spell casting. To recover his image, he needs to destroy Alex. That was the only thought inside his mind.


    But before he could step foot inside the tform, a giant ice block mmed into him from the sky.


    "Tuk¡­"


    Like swatting a fly, Kalina smacked away Thee. Thee fainted instantly.


    Everything happened too quickly for the audience to react.


    "Why did you do it?" Alex asked Kalina while looking at Thee, who was sleeping in a pit made to perfectly fit him.


    "He disrespected me?" Kalina replied calmly.


    "How?"


    "I am the judge of this match. And yet, after failing to beat you. He was trying to use an underhanded method to attack you. He asked for it."


    "That''s true," Alex said with a smile. What Kalina said was reasonable. She was obviously not using the chance to beat him up for making a move on her.


    "Take this." Kalina gave back the golden mushroom to Alex. As promised, she handed it over to the winner.


    ¡ª


    Although he won against Thee, Alex was not really happy about that. It was worse than the oue he had expected. Thee''s actions went beyond just crazy. Now, he has to monitor him every day to get peace of mind. After all, he doesn''t know when that crazy kid woulde for revenge.


    Thee was a bomb waiting to explode inside the Stone head tribe.


    "Poka, Charam. You take Thee to the Mupan. He will fix him up. After that, Come to my house. We can have dinner there. Let''s get out of here before someonees looking. The vigers might get too shocked seeing the carnage and destruction we have caused." Alex spoke.


    His words seem to hold more power than they previously held. Even Poka, the guy that hates Alex, obeyed his words.


    After some time, everyone ate dinner at Alex''s house.


    Kalina decided to spend the night there and go home the next morning.


    Mupan was busy taking care of the injured Thee. He was excited to know that Thee broke through to be a tier 4 warrior. However, hearing about the entire scenario made him rub his temple. The kids have grown to be a headache.


    Kanal, Poka, and Charam went back to their daily life without Thee. They spent their days training like usual.


    Along with Unda, the kids surrounded Alex to ask him for food. Alexpiled by cooking them the best dishes he knew.


    Like that, everyone returned to their normal life. Only a few people knew what happened in the training ground. So, it was quickly forgotten.


    After a couple of days. A piece of news greeted Alex.


    Alex was about to begin his training. He was preparing to make more cores inside his body by transforming all his energy. A hundred cores distributed all around his body were his goal.


    Yet, before he could begin training. Mupan visited him to give him a piece of awful news. Thee, the only tier 4 warrior ran away from the tribe. He left behind a letter saying that he would return to participate in the Champion''s tournament.


    "Sigh!... And." Mupan paused for a moment before speaking. "He said he would beat you publicly before decapitating you. He said your head would be his trophy." Mupan said in a regretful tone.


    "Quite vivid and detailed. Should I apud him for writing a good letter?" Alex was unbothered by the threat.


    "Don''t worry. Let me deal with it myself." Alex reassured Mupan.


    "Next week, I will leave the tribe. I have already prepared everything for you to sustain yourself. I have something to do for the next few months. I will return asionally. So, don''t worry." Alex stated without giving Mupan a chance to object.

 Chapter 81 White Robes

    ?


    Even though Mupan was perplexed by Alex''s words, he didn''t let it affect him. He knew that it was bound to happen. Alex was the strongest person in the entire tribe. A person with his calibre asking to leave the tribe was natural. He has already grown beyond what the tribe could hold.


    "Can I ask why?" Mupan asked.


    Alex smiled and replied. "It''s better if you don''t." He didn''t mean it negatively and Mupan could understand that.


    The things he was going to do in the next few months could escte beyond crazy. He didn''t want the stone head tribe or anyone that was rted to him to be affected by his action. The consequences of his actions were his own to bear.


    "Sigh¡­ Return safely." Mupan said before going back to his home. He had many things to think about.


    Meanwhile, Alex went back to his mana training.


    He had already created ten mana cores that spread all around his body. They were distributed in a way to maximize the energy output of each point in his body.


    But his body could still hold the mana of a tier 3 warrior. So, Alex was confused about his rank among the mages.


    With ten cores, he could utilise ten per cent of his mana for spell casting instantly. What is that equivalent to? To find that, Alex read some books he got his hands on through Ethan Srion. He assumed that he could find some information in them.


    A person that just awakened, who trained to form a mana core could be called a mage. But they won''t be able to use any spells which require runes. They could only do simple magic tricks by controlling mana by will. A person like that was a lot weaker than a tier 1 warrior. Basically, babies in front of warriors.


    Certainly, Alex was better than that.


    An apprentice mage was the lowest rank that could cast spells among mages. They are usually in the age range of ten to twenty. They have to understand a lot of basic knowledge about spells and runes before they can cast magic.


    Alex could learn knowledge about spells and runes bybining his knowledge from his previous world. So, he wasparable to an apprentice mage now.


    In truth, if Alex had turned all the mana inside him to the core, Alex would have beenparable to a master rank mage. A master mage was simr in strength to a tier 3 warrior.


    But, Alex had yet to transform all the mana inside him to cores.


    This meant Alex was at an impasse between the two ranks. He wasparable to an apprentice mage while also being weaker than a master mage. Ten cores of Alex gave him simr power to an apprentice mage. A hundred cores will allow him to be as strong as a master mage.


    This also allowed Alex to see his current limits. Even after converting all the mana inside his body cores, he would still only reach the rank of a master mage. Growing above that needs careful consideration.


    Usually, A mage creates a core. Condense mana inside their body, thenpress it towards the core to break through to the next level.


    This changes the quality of the mana core to a higher level which in turn allows it to store more mana than the previous stage. There might be some difference between person to person if you consider the maximum amount of mana a core can store. It depends on the talent and mana sensitivity.


    Some apprentice mages can have more mana than other apprentice mages. Simr was the situation for masters, grandmasters and even archmages.


    When Alex learned about the method of the breakthrough of mages, he was perplexed by his situation.


    If he had to use a simr method to grow stronger, he would die of old age before he can be a grandmaster mage. Improving the quality of the hundred cores inside his body was the least favourable way for him to break through.


    "I should find some other way. Before that, I have toplete forming hundred mana cores. If there is a will to breakthrough, there will be a way to breakthrough." Deciding that, Alex returned to meditation.


    Forming a core was not an easy task. Alex had to give hisplete concentration to move the mana to a certain part of his body. After that, he needs topress it to form a core.


    Thanks to the asynchronous energy cirction skill of the interdimensional farm, Alex didn''t have much trouble moving the mana. But, he had topress it until it bes a core. It was not an easy feat.


    One by one, Alex began to create cores all around his body. He even used his head as a ce to store mana core.


    Like that, Alex created ten more cores. He followed the bteral symmetry of the body to create a mana core. He felt it was easier to make cores when he bnced them on each side of the body.


    So, Alex now has ten cores on the left and simrly ten cores on the right side of the body.


    Now he could understand why mages don''t make more than one mana core. If a normal person had to control multiple mana cores, they would have lost their mind. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Fortunately, Alex was not normal. Symmetry and bnce was also important factor while forming cores. Fortunately for him, Alex realised that in the beginning.


    ______


    A week went by quickly. Alex was ready to depart.


    He had already formed cores at the rate of 10 per day. Now, Alex has 80 cores inside his body. These eighty cores constantly spun like stars in a constetion inside Alex''s body. They didn''t interact, nor did they create problems inside his boy. They were just spinning calmly while exuding a small amount of mana into his body.


    Now, Alex was more a mage than a warrior. After forming twenty more cores, he would be aplete mage. A warrior-mage who is capable ofbat with spells and his physical body. Just imagining this thrilled Alex.


    He wanted quickly leave and try out his powers. So, he decided to leave the vige of the Stone head tribe today.


    eaglesnov?1,§ão§® Alex visited Mupan. And after informing him, he left quietly. Only a select few knew of his departure.


    Last time, when Thee ran away from his home. It caused a loss in morale among the tribesmen. Realising that Alex''s departure would create the same effect. The leaders of the tribe decided to keep his departure as something temporary. Alex agreed with it, After all, if he really wanted to, he could return to the stone head tribe anytime he wanted. The long-distance teleport feature of the interdimensional farm was still working.


    In an emergency, Alex wouldn''t mind spending tens of thousands of FP to travel to his home. In his mind, people were more important than FP.


    After a day of peaceful travel, Alex reached the Blue Gem city. His presence was not publicised nor did he go to meet the ice phoenix tribe. This time, he came to the blue gem city to meet Dhairya.


    Why was the old man Dhairya, an elder of the stone head tribe in Blue gem city?


    Because he was the business manager of Alex and the tribe. Dhairya was the one keeping track of all the products that were being sold by Alex and the Stone head tribe. Alex was the one that asked Dhairya to do this job. In his mind, there was no one as trustworthy as Dhairya in the entire tribe.


    So, to manage a fortune. He had to use him.


    Dhairya was sitting inside a small building near the open market of the blue gem city. All the paperwork of the business went through him before being approved. He allocated the farm produce to be sold to each region. He also managed the catering business. He even took care of the employees and their well-being.


    Within months, Dhairya had be a master in managing the business.


    He stood up in surprise when he saw Alex entering the shop.


    "Hm¡­ I wanted the spice garden to be a little more fancy. But, I am okay with the current situation. It''s better to not get noticed right now." Alex murmured while he walked towards Dhairya.


    "Hello, Grandpa Dhairya. Did you make the thing I requested?" Alex inquired with a smile.


    Dhairya was happy to see Alex. From under his desk, he calmly took out a box.


    "Here, Try it on. See if it fits." Dhairya said while handing over the box.


    "Okay," Alex replied while opening the box. Inside it was a robe, it looked simple from the outside, but it was made carefully by weaving hair from a seven-coloured sheep along with some other rare materials. Although it looked no different from a normal robe or a cloak. It was a rare and exotic sheep-like magical beast with fur with a special property.


    The fur of the beast could change colour when it interacts with mana. Alex injected some mana into it to test. Just as he wished, the robe turned to pure white. He could change it to another colour if he wished. The robes were great for camouge.


    "As you requested, I asked the void fish tribe to get me the material. The robe was made by one of my friends. No one can trace its origin. But it did cost a king''s ransom make." Dhairya rified.


    "What about the metal cards?" Alex ignored the cost.


    "I have them stored inside. But can you say why you need them?"


    "To spread fear," Alex replied nonchntly. The attack from the ck-robed men had shaken the city to its core. The ck robes have be a symbol of fear.


    He was going to use white robes to spread fear into the evil organisation. That was the second phase of the n.

 Chapter 82 Who Owns The Lands?

    ?


    "The metal cards and white robe would be my hidden identity. I can''t let the evil organization discover who I truly am, but I want them to know that someone ising after them. And I have a n to aplish that."


    Dhairya was unsure how to respond to Alex''s words, knowing that he was up to something. In the past, Alex, or Meru as he knew him, had never taken the initiative in anything. However, he seemed to be changing, for better or worse. If Dhairya had to choose, he preferred the current Meru.


    "The metal cards are untraceable, so you can use them without worrying about being discovered," Dhairya exined.


    "But is it really necessary? I''ve heard that the nine great tribes are already preparing to confront the evil organization. Maybe we can solve the problem without your involvement," Dhairya suggested.


    "This is not the time to wait and be patient. The evil organization has already proven its ability to destroy one of the nine great tribes. If theyunch a sudden attack, we won''t stand a chance. That''s why I need to act now. There''s no one better suited for this job than me. Do you know anyone who can teleport 100 kilometres in just a few seconds? Besides that, there is that prophecy that''s haunting us. It gave us only one year at most to survive. We are all in danger. Before it bes a reality, I have to do my part and help the people that I can. That is my goal. " Alex said, leaving Dhairya at a loss.


    The truth was that Alex''s manoeuvrability surpassed anyone Dhairya knew. He wasn''t even sure if anyone from the void fish tribe possessed teleportation abilities capable of covering such a distance. So, he was in no danger.


    Dhairya interjected, "You could have at least informed Mupan about your ns."


    "He already has enough to worry about. I can''t burden him with this," Alex replied.


    "You can burden me?"


    "Ha ha¡­" Alexughed in response. "You are my mentor after all. I am from the support group. Don''t you remember that?"


    Dhairya sighed, realizing that his words wouldn''t change Alex''s decision. However, he pleaded with a smile- "Please take care of yourself. Prioritize your safety above all else. We''re all waiting for you back in the tribe¡ªyour family, friends, and even old folks like me and Mupan."


    Dhairya''s smile carried a hint of mncholy. Having witnessed many young people recklessly diving into danger, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of trepidation, despite believing that Alex was different.


    ¡ª---


    After the conversation with Dhairya, Alex made his way to an inn in Blue Gem City, intending to stay there for a day. Once inside his room, he retrieved the metal cards that Dhairya had given him. They resembled the size of the ying cards he used in his previous life, but he was not surprised by that. After all, he was the one whomissioned them to be created in that dimensions.


    There were a hundred cards in total, unmarked without any picture or engraving. They looked like ordinary metal sheets. Alex nned to personalize them by engraving his own custom runes onto each card. Once activated, it will release a magic spell outwards. The runes he was going to create were going to symbolise aspects of his identity and abilities. With great care, he began the task of imbuing each card with his unique symbol.


    A mage can store his spells inside objects by engraving runes inside them. And Alex was going to try something simr.


    Currently, he was using ordinary materials and metals to make the card. So, he couldn''t store strong spells inside them. That was why Alex selected the Joker card as his first creation. And he was not just going to create a simple joker card, he was going to create a white-robed man as the joker. And the white-robed man would be stepping on a ck-robed man. This will symbolise his identity. And the meaning was obvious.


    No one in this world knows what a Joker was. So, there was no meaning to drawing a normal joker card. But a drawing of a white-robed stepping on a ck-robed man was easy to understand for even a kid.


    So, he carefully drew the Joker card with his mana. And it had only one purpose, to be shiny and conspicuous. Once the rune inside the card was activated, the runes would shine and glow. It would also project a joker symbol outwards like a hologram.


    And why was he creating a useless card?


    Obviously, just to mess with them. Joker was going to be his identity and he was ready to make the ck-robed men a joke. Whenever they see the card, their blood should boil in anger. It has to make them spew blood and die. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    In the future, Alex was going to create cards that could store spells of five elements. By using cards, Alex could decrease his mana requirement. They were going to be the ace up his sleeve. He ns to use spells in the cards in an emergency situation.


    After happily making ten joker cards, Alex went to sleep.


    ¡ª-----


    The next morning, Alex departed from Blue Gem City, heading back to Thira once again. Thira served as the homnd of the Thousand-Headed Serpent Tribe, one of the nine great tribes and renowned as one of the strongest tribes on the continent. However, the unfortunate battle that took ce within the city resulted in the loss of their Tier 5 warrior and numerous Tier 4 warriors, leaving them in a dire state.


    As a consequence, the tribe had fallen into a state of weakness and poverty, causing their grip on Thira to loosen. Alex deduced that Thira would be a prime target for the evil organization to infiltrate, given its vulnerable condition. Recognizing this, envoys from the other eight great tribes had been dispatched to investigate Thira. Yet, despite their efforts, no traces of the evil organization could be found within the city. It appeared as though they had vanished entirely from Thira.


    The nine great tribes rejoiced when they learned about this. But Alex felt something fishy about the situation. So, the first ce he was going to investigate was the Thira.


    Alex chose to teleport to Thira using his FP instead of flying this time. With the expenditure of 5000FP, he instantly arrived at the teleport point he had set near Thira. Given his current situation, 5000FP was a negligible amount for Alex. Presently, his primary use of FP was for purchasing seeds. Despite obtaining seeds from mature crops, the ones obtained from the farm boasted a higher survival rate. Therefore, he still asionally spent FP to acquire seeds from the farm.


    Fortunately, the interdimensional farm''s golden mushrooms enabled Alex to generate a significant amount of FP, ensuring he could freely utilize them as needed.


    However, the farm had reached its current limit in terms ofnd expansion. It appeared to be awaiting a specific trigger before allowing furthernd purchases. Alex desperately wished he had a clue on how to reactivate thend-buying function, as he would have done everything in his power to achieve that.


    Unfortunately, the interdimensional farm remained silent on the matter, even with its notifications ceasing for the past few months.


    ¡ª-


    When Alex materialized inside his house near Thira, he immediately noticed it was empty. However, he could hear voicesing from outside. Curiosity piqued, he teleported out to investigate the situation.


    "Hey, kid! Take a look at this document. Thisnd belongs to us. The man who sold it to you was lying. See this marking here? From here to there, thend is ours," a burly man dered, pointing to a document.


    Arav, who was standing before the man, remained steadfast, even though the document appeared legitimate. He had been entrusted with the task of overseeing Alex''s property and couldn''t give up so easily. After all, Alex was his benefactor.


    "What about our document?" Arav retorted fiercely. His twin sisters flinched upon witnessing their older brother''s confrontation. The children, only ten years old, were still reeling from the loss of their parents and sibling, making it difficult for them to witness the conflict.


    Seeing this, Alex calmly walked towards the man who was waving the document around.


    "What is the problem here?" He politely asked to understand the situation. Even though it looked like some thugs were there to evict him from his own house, he interacted with them cordially.


    "Who are you?" Suddenly, the burly man turned towards Alex and asked. Alex was younger than Arav, and at a nce, he looked weak. He didn''t seem like a powerful warrior at all. So, a tier 2 warrior, the burly man didn''t put him in the eye.


    However, Arav was ted to see Alex. The boss was here. He could rest now. He held the hand of his sisters and took a step back.


    "He is the real owner of thisnd," Arav said calmly.

 Chapter 83 Spice Garden

    ?


    The burly man took a moment to steady himself and nced at Alex. Now that he knew Alex was the real owner, he thought things would move on smoothly. In his mind, he was sure that a weakling like Alex would never stand a chance against him.


    "Hm¡­" He grunted before turning to Alex.


    "Owner? What owner?" the burly man retorted, his voice provocatory. "Thisnd belongs to the Noble Trader Association. We acquired it from the previous owner in recognition of the assistance we rendered." His massive frame advanced, his eyes aze with anger as he confronted Alex.


    "What exactly is the Noble Trader Association?" Alex inquired undeterred by the stature of the burly man. He paid little to no mind to the man''s provocation. Instead asked for more information.


    "Are you looking down on the Noble Trader Association? Who isn''t aware of us? We are the saviours of Thira. When the city was aze and people were dying, we stepped in to secure and distribute food, donating everything we could to save lives and alleviate the destruction. In the aftermath of the cruel conflict, we even funded the rebuilding effort of the city. Thira and the thousand-headed serpent tribe owe us eternal gratitude" The burly man said in an offended tone. He was exasperated when he saw someone that couldn''t recognise the Nobel Trader Association.


    "The saviours of Thira? Ah! It''s alling back to me now," Alex recollected the memory. "You were the ones who ensured a steady supply of food to Thira," he added, a tinge of bitterness creeping into his voice.


    It was this very association that led to the nullification of his contract with the Thousand-headed Serpent tribe, which had demanded food in exchange fornd. They stole the pie from right under his nose.


    Although Alex was regretful about his failure in acquiring thend, he didn''t dwell on it. In a business deal, it was normal for the parties involved to have a change of heart. Besides that, he was the one that broke the contractual condition first. He recognised the fact that he was unable to provide the grains at the stipted time.


    When someone else stepped in to provide food for the entire city, The thousand-headed serpent tribe might not have had any other choice.


    "So, why is someone from the Nobel trader association iming mynd as your own." Finally, Alex asked the question.


    "It is an undeniable truth that thisnd rightfully belongs to us," the burly man dered, presenting a document. "Take a look at this section. It explicitly states that thend stretching from here to there is under our ownership. You have three days to evacuate these premises. And if you choose otherwise..." The burly man menacingly mimicked a knife shing across his throat, leaving no room for misunderstanding. His intentions were as clear as day - if Alex refused toply, his life would be in grave danger.


    It was an ultimatum, presented with such haste that Alex hardly had a chance to read the deed properly. Nevertheless, he astutely discerned the truth within seconds. It was nothing but an borate scam.


    Was the Noble trader association part of this scam or is the burly guy alone? Alex was not sure of this. But he had a feeling that something bad was going on in this city.


    The thousand-headed serpent tribe was the one that was supposed to maintain deeds and legally distributend in their region. Unless they had gross dereliction of duty, a scam like this would not work.


    ''What in the hell is happening inside the city? Howe no one is saying anything about it?'' Alex thought.


    He was in Thira to find clues regarding the evil organisation. If nothinges up during his investigation, he was even willing to travel to the western continent. However, before he could think about any of that, a new problem seemed to have emerged in front of him.


    "Heed my warning and leave." After saying that, the burly man went away.


    "Arav, do you know why they need thisnd?" Alex asked Arav who was standing beside him.


    "They have been buying up anynd they could get their hands on. Now, most of the area around the city is in their control."


    "Around the city? Are they buying thend inside the city?"


    "No, their focus lies primarily on thend surrounding the city. The Noble Trader Association has garnered immense goodwill in Thira, and as a result, most people willingly sell theirnd to them. They are regarded as the saviours of the city, and the residents trust their intentions. The Association is willing to invest generously to acquire thend, and only a handful refuse their offers when their homes are in ruins. For those individuals that are willing to sell theirnd, the money obtained from selling thend represents a chance at financial stability in these uncertain times. It bes the best option they can hope for." Arav exined.


    "So, to sum it up. The Noble Trader Association has set their eyes on thend around the city. They tried to not make the rich people enemy by not buying valuablend inside the city. But they are aggressively buying thend of the poor that surrounds the city by making use of their plight. Isn''t that right?" Alex easily unveiled the hidden face of the Noble Trader Association.


    "Hm!" Hearing Alex''s words, Arav suddenly realised the situation.


    "Doesn''t the Thousand-headed Serpent tribe take any action against them?" Alex questioned, perplexed by the tribe''s apparentck of insight. From his perspective, it was clear that the Noble Trader Association was far from trustworthy. How could the tribe not see through the deceit?<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''The Noble Trader Association was an even worse scammer than me. That in itself says volumes about them. They tried to take a mile when they were given an inch. Should I aspire to do business like them?'' Alex''s thoughts oozed sarcasm.


    "If truth be told, they don''t seem to care. This doesn''t affect them. They are stronger and more affluent than themoners. Themoner are from scattered tribes, they don''t have a voice in this city, like me and my sisters." Arav expressed his thoughts.


    Alex nodded in silence, his expression gloomy. The weight of the situation settled upon him, casting a sombre atmosphere.


    Seeing Alex like that, Arav was scared. After his parents'' untimely demise, they settled into this ce. This was their new home. Even his sisters were beginning to open up to him slowly. However, one more sudden change might turn all that upside down.


    It may even push his family beyond redemption. He didn''t want to see that. So, Arav desperately wanted Alex to keep thend and the house as it is.


    It took Alex a moment to realise that three pairs of beady eyes were looking at him with expectation. The children even had tear drops forming in their eyes.


    Alex couldn''t bear to see that. His heart melted away when he saw the kids'' teary eyes. Their distress was evident in their bodynguage.


    "Don''t worry. No one is going to take thisnd away from us. I will not let them take it away." Alex decided at that moment. He bought thend fair and square, there was no reason for him to give up the ownership to some scammers.


    Those words relieved the tension in the air.


    ¡ª--------


    A few hourster, Alex headed towards Thira, making his way to the branch of the spice garden he established in the city. Initially intended to be a fried chicken shop, it had now been converted into a discreet little store within the city.


    This shop specialized in the wholesale spice trade, featuring the spices that Alex produced. These spices were sourced from the interdimensional farm.


    This shop is also managed by Dhairya under the umbre of the Spice Garden. But unlike the shop in Blue gem city, this shop doesn''t sell the grains and vegetables produced by the stone head tribe.


    Alex only exported products from the interdimensional farm.


    By the time Alex arrived at the shop, it was already noon. He discreetly entered, careful not to reveal his identity as the owner. Due to the strict management, even he, the owner had to take out a letter from Dhairya to enter the shop.


    After that, he met the manager of the shop.


    "Give me the summary." He stated calmly.


    The manager, without skipping a beat began to talk about the incidents that happened in the city. It included details regarding the business in the city. The traceable flow of wealth. Major crimes and other things that happened in the city.


    "That''s all there is to report." The manager, the young man not older than twenty said. Having fulfilled his job, he exited the room leaving behind Alex to think on his own.


    For those who didn''t understand.


    There was a reason for the Spice Garden to be small and inconspicuous. It was a front to Alex''s very own information-gathering organisation. It was actually a Spies Garden.


    [A/N: Don''t mention it.]

 Chapter 84 One Vs Many

    ?


    Alex received sufficient information from Spice Garden to grasp the city''s current state. After months of diligently establishing awork of shops across the continent, he is finally reaping the rewards of his hard work. His spies, even though not that good, currently had the basic ability of gathering general information.


    The manager had given a detailed report on the influence The Noble Trader Association has on the city.


    The Noble Trader Association was established by Chiro, a member of the scattered Duskwing tribe. He initially worked as a powerless fruit vendor in Thira. However, a stroke of luck came his way when he stumbled upon a mystical fruit in the forest, leading to his rapid umtion of wealth.


    With the proceeds from selling the fruit, Chiro ventured into business and sessfully created his own business. Despite being born into a modest family, he eventually rose to be one of the city''s most prominent merchants.


    It was the usual rags-to-riches story.


    Later in life, Chiro founded the Noble Traders Association intending to safeguard the rights of merchants. He held the belief thatrger tribes held an unfair advantage in the business realm. So, he wanted to protect themon people by creating this organisation.


    When Alex heard the report, everything seemed urate and in order up to that point. However, he soon noticed discrepancies between what was said and what he observed firsthand. Through his interactions with members of the Noble Trader Association, he realized that their behaviour did not align with the noble image they had.


    So, Alex dug deeper through the written report. And he found a possible reason for that.


    Following the devastating attack by the evil organization, the leader of the Noble Trader Association tragically passed away. His son, Penthe, assumed control of the family business and took on a prominent role within the association. Penthe demonstrated hismitment to the city by generously donating a significant portion of his family''s wealth to aid in its reconstruction. Additionally, he proposed that the Noble Trader Association actively engage in providing assistance to the people of the city.


    Through witnessing Penthe''s sincere efforts to rescue and support the affected popce, everyone came to believe in the authenticity of his actions.


    Apple doesn''t fall from the tree, they thought. Penthe''s action proved that he was as good as his father. This convinced the members of the Noble Trader Association to hand over the helm to him.


    "Penthe¡­I should remember this name." Alex said while ncing through the report.


    Satisfied with the information he had gathered, he left Spice Garden and made his way back home.


    Knowing that Penthe was merely a tier 3 warrior with limitedbat skills, Alex felt confident in his ability to resolve thend dispute single-handedly. Even if there happened to be a tier 4 warrior under Penthe''smand, Alex believed he could leverage his connections to persuade them to relinquish their im on thend.


    Therefore, the imposing ultimatum from the burly man did not bother Alex in the least. He decided to return home without taking any action for the day.


    After exploring the market, Alex made his way back home, carrying bags filled with delectable sweets and fresh fruits. As the evening set in, he had already decided to treat everyone to a delightful feast.


    ¡ª---


    As Alex approached the entrance to his house, his previously pleasant mood swiftly soured. In his path stood a gathering of twenty burly men, casually seated in a circle, seemingly unaffected by his presence.


    The group was engrossed in their own world, clutching jugs filled with beer and gnawing on roasted pieces of meat. Among them, a few circled around the fire to roast some ducks.


    An impromptu party was taking ce right in front of his house, permeating the air with a pungent blend of roasted meat, charcoal, and the unmistakable scent of alcohol.


    Every now and then, a couple of the burly men would trespass onto Alex''s property, taunting and provoking little Bead, the tamed beast of Arav. They would wave the roasted duck pieces in front of the creature, intentionally trying to agitate it before retreating with smug expressions on their faces.


    The intentions of these hooligans were clear. They aimed to disrupt and create chaos around Alex''s property, hoping to force him to leave prematurely. Their presence was an indication of their mission to evict the people.


    Even though the burly man gave him three days. It seems like they had other ns.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Stop it. Leave¡­" Suddenly, Alex heard some soundsing from his house.


    ''What was that?'' He thought. It was not the voice of the kids. Thus it could have only been the voice of Arav. Why was he raising his voice at someone to leave.


    Alex teleported towards the house, not bothering to look at hooligans sitting around the entrance to his property. The hooligans were stunned to see Alex disappear. But in the high of alcohol, they didn''t have an ounce of reason left inside them to think about it.


    Other than Alex, only Little Bead scrambled up to its feet to check on its owner.


    "Can''t you understand what I am saying? We won''t leave. Even if you are willing to pay, we have decided to not leave." Remembering what Alex had said, Arav informed the burly man standing before him. He was the one that came in the morning iming thend was theirs. He was also the one that said they had three days to vacate. But suddenly, he changed his stance and returned to buy thend.


    "You can''t make the decision, right? I can wait until your boss returns." With a smug smile, the burly man waddled forward and sat on a sofa.


    Witnessing the situation unfold, Arav''s twin sisters quickly retreated, their expressions filled with fear. They had ventured out to investigate what was happening outside, but they never anticipated seeing the intimidating burly man. In their innocent minds, they had expected to find Alex, the caring uncle who prepares delicious meals.


    It took a moment for the adults in the room to notice Alex''s presence. Seeing him suddenly appear without making a sound startled the burly man. This weakling seems to have some tricks up his sleeve. He thought while ncing at Alex.


    "Get out," Alex dered firmly, leaving no room for negotiation. The burly man had crossed a line that could not be tolerated. By bringing a group of tier 2 warriors to his house and posing a threat to the safety of those he cherished, the situation had escted beyond what Alex was willing to bear.


    "What?" The burly man asked back, incapable of understanding the fact that he was being asked to leave. After bing the hunting dog of the Noble trader association, he was respected where ever he went. This was the first time someone was looking down on him. That too a feeble-looking kid from some unknown tribe.


    The burly man was unable to judge the strength of Alex. After all, Alex was not just amon warrior anymore. He was also a mage.


    "Leave," Alex repeated while pointing towards the door.


    Hearing that, the burly man began to seeth in anger.


    "Dares to disrespect me. " The burly man raised his arms to m the table in front of him. It shattered to pieces when his arms, reinforced with energy, smashed into it.


    But it was thest thing he saw. Before he could think, a leg appeared before his face, smacking him right on the forehead. The impact threw him out of the house in one fluid motion.


    As expected, it was Alex. He couldn''t listen to the burly man''s bullshit anymore. If he was ready to jump into his grave early, he was ready to bury him.


    "AAAaaarhhh!" The burly man screamed as if he was being ughtered alive.


    And this made the drunk hooligans outside swarm into Alex''s property. They fiercely red at Alex, who came out of the house after seeing their boss clutching his head and screaming in pain.


    "What are you waiting for. Go and beat them up. Don''t leave anyone behind, break their arms and legs." The crazed burly man bellowed at his followers, going as far as ordering an assault on the children inside the house.


    In response, theckeys ran forward to attack Alex and everyone behind him together. Twenty people holding weapons were running towards Alex. Their bodies glowed slightly showing they were all tier 2 warriors.


    "Such disgustingly vile existence. Death would be too easy for you." Alex proimed while watching theme closer. He stood still without any fear of the oing attack. The mana cores inside his body ramped up and mana began to churn taking the form of a rune. Twenty spells were instantly created inside his body.


    Normally, a typical mage would feel fear upon facing multiple warriors attacking them. After all, a small spell would not be sufficient to halt the entire onught. The only viable option would be to cast arge, wide-area spell capable of neutralizing them all. However, such a spell required more time to cast than a smaller one. In situations where time was the determining factor between life and death, most mages would opt to retreat rather than risk it.


    But Alex was not burdened by any of those concerns. He was prepared to unleash twenty spells in an instant. In a one-versus-many battle, he had no reason to fear.

 Chapter 85 First Clue

    ?


    "Arav, close the door." After ordering Arav to close the door, Alex raised his hand. Instantly twenty glowing lights materialised behind him, spinning in a circr formation.


    Each light point was a fire spell which contained one per cent of Alex''s mana. It was a modified fireball spell that Alex concocted to enhance its power.


    Fireball spell was a basic spell that any apprentice mage could use. It was a weak spell that would use about ten per cent of an apprentice mage''s mana reserve. However, for Alex who wasparable to a master mage, it only took one per cent of his mana to form it.


    To enhance the spell''s effectiveness, Alexpressed the fireball, which was as big as a football to the size of a paintball. It shone brightly from behind him, threatening to destroy anything that stood in his path.


    Not realising this, theckeys of the burly man ran towards Alex.


    Alex whispered the word "Fireball," his voice barely audible over the chaotic scene unfolding before him. With a swift motion, he summoned the points of light, one by one, into his outstretched hand, gathering their power. In a breathtaking disy of precision, he hurled them towards the approaching attackers. Though they appeared harmless, these seemingly feeble fire spells elerated through the air with the velocity of bullets.


    The soft sound of impact, "Thuk," echoed through the air as the fireballs crashed upon their intended targets. To the surprise of onlookers, the twenty drunk tier-2 warriors charging at Alex seemed hardly affected by the spell''s initial strike. To them, it felt like a small tickle.


    Yet, the true danger of the fireball spelly not in its impact strength but in its insidious nature. Upon contact with an unsuspecting foe''s body, the spell transformed, spreading like a vtile liquid, covering the entire body. Then, after a slight dy, it ignited with an intense fury, engulfing the entire body in an inferno of zing mes. The searing heat devoured the protective energy coating that encased the warrior and burned their body.


    Witnessing this phenomenon was a sight too shocking toprehend.


    It was an instantaneousbustion of a human being, consumed by vivid red mes that danced and flickered mercilessly. The sheer horror of such a spectacle defied exnation.


    "AAhhhh¡­." The agonising scream of theckeys being burnt alive spread to the surroundings.


    Finally, the burly man who was thrown away like a garbage bag, that he was, realised his situation. His initial bravado turned into pure terror when he looked at Alex.


    The feeble-looking man, the boss of Arav is the real deal. A chill went down his spine witnessing the screamingckeys fall to the ground one by one. He didn''t know if they were alive or dead.


    Time stretched out, and as the chaos subsided, only Alex and the burly man remained standing. An eerie silence descended onto the world.


    On his palm, Alex had one more fireball spell. It rotated steadily threatening to reduce the burly man to ashes.


    And the burly man who stood in front of him trembled in his boot not knowing how to escape from this situation. To threaten and make the kids residing here leave was supposed to be an easy job. How could it turn out like this? He thought.


    The burly man''s mind raced, frantically seeking an escape route. But he couldn''t find any.


    Death seemed inevitable any moment now. His grim fate was upon him.


    "Please spare¡­me." Tears flooded in his eyes as he asked Alex to spare him. It was a plea borne out of sheer desperation, ast-ditch effort to preserve his own life. In this moment, the burly man shed the facade of his imposing stature, revealing a vulnerable soul fighting to survive.


    It was a sight that defied expectations, for one would never have imagined a man of his brutish nature would be reduced to tears. Yet, shame and dignity were cast aside as he threw himself at the mercy of his adversary, clutching onto the slimmest thread of hope.


    "Why should I? You did think twice before ordering yourckeys to break our bones. Why should I spare you?" Not one ounce of sympathy was evoked by the pitiful acting of the burly man. Alex was determined to eradicate the trash. The burly man was not exactly a good person. He was sure that the burly man and his group of thugs had done many irredeemable deeds. They were even willing to go to any extent to procure somend, even murder. They didn''t deserve sympathy.


    The burly man was stumped. He didn''t dare answer it. If he made one more mistake, his head would fly. He did not doubt that. Alex was willing to do anything. If not, how could dispose of his men so calmly? But before he couldplete his thought process he saw something shiny zing towards him.


    With a swipe of his hand, Alex had sent the fireball in his hand flying towards the burly. He decided to take care of the enemy quickly and deal with Noble Trader Association. He didn''t like waiting for the enemy to make the first move.


    "STOP! I surrender." The burly man''s desperate plea pierced through the tensionden air. The sheer weight of fear forced the words out of his trembling lips. "I can give you the information. I know why the Noble Trader Association wants thisnd. I can also prove that thisnd rightfully belongs to you."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The sudden revtion caught Alex''s attention, causing a flicker of curiosity to dance in his eyes. The entire incident had stemmed from and dispute, and gaining more insight into the matter could prove advantageous. He decided to momentarily spare the burly man.


    ''Hmm¡­ The slimy bastard that even willing to betray his people.'' Alex scoffed when he heard the man scream.


    The fireball that was just inches away from colliding with the burly man disappeared into thin air, leaving behind a gust of warm air near his face.


    "You could have said that earlier. Now I have to clean up twenty charred corpses from my yard."


    "So, what information do you have about thend?" Alex asked the burly man.


    "Hm¡­" The burly man paused. In his panic, he identally spilt the beans. If his boss finds out about this, he was dead for sure. But if he dares to not speak about it, the man before him will burn him alive. Death was a certainty.


    His confusion onlysted for a second. His instinct to survive kicked in and he decided to betray his master. The warrior before him was a way worse threat than his master that was not present.


    He decided to take a gamble.


    "Say a word of a lie, your fate would turn out much worse than yourckeys," Alex warned.


    Alex, who lost his repulsion towards murder was the worst enemy a person could have. So, the burly man nodded in reply.


    "First, the documents we have are fake. We faked it by bribing the administrative members of the thousand-headed serpent tribe." The burly man stated.


    "Continue¡­" Alex said. Although he couldn''t judge if they are true without corroborating other people''s statements and pieces of evidence. He decided to hear him out. If the burly man had decided to lie tantly from the start, he would have died a pitiful death.


    "Secondly, some of thends that are being acquired by us are being gifted to the members of the Thousand-headed Serpent tribe," the burly man revealed, his voice tinged with uncertainty.


    Alex, sensing a hint of dubiousness in the statement, was not quick to ept it at face value. With a calcted tone, he posed a question to validate the information. "They own all thend, why would they want more from you? After all, they are one of the nine great tribes. If they want, they could get it without going through you."


    The question Alex posed threw off the burly man. Nheless, he decided to exin.


    "The thousand-headed serpent tribe was not the tribe it was from the past. Their former days of glory are already over. The powerful and courageous warriors that Thira loved had already died." He stated calmly.


    This forced Alex to think. He never thought of it from this angle. In the past, he always assumed the thousand-headed serpent tribe to be friendly or at the very least neutral. Their action when the evil organisation attacked Thira spoke volumes about them.


    The courageous warriors of the Thousand-headed Serpent tribe fought to protect the city and its people. Hundreds of them sacrifice their life to protect the city. The reason they dragged the fight towards the sea was to protect the city from the aftermath of the battle between the tier 5 warrior of their tribe and the Archmage of the evil organisation.


    They were the true heroes of the city.


    So, it was natural for Alex to assume they were a friendly tribe. But he forgot to think about something important.


    When all the brave, strong, honest warriors of the tribe died. What do you call the remaining?


    Cowardly, weak and dishonest! Were they the ones that were leading the thousand-headed tribe right now?


    Alex was not sure. Other than the people who were outside the city, what exnation did the strong warriors inside the city have about not participating in the fight against the evil organisation? Alex decided to look into it. He seemed to have found his first clue towards finding the trail of the evil organisation.

 Chapter 86 Humble

    ?


    Alex was not surprised to find that some warriors from the Thousand-headed Serpent tribe were in cahoots with the Noble Trader Association. Motivated by this initial clue, Alex decided to dismantle the Noble Trader Association.


    His voice dripped with doubt, Alex interrogated the burly man, "You''ve presented two facts, yet you haven''t provided a reason why the Noble Trader Association desires thisnd. You said there was a reason, correct?"


    Caught off guard by the question, the burly man attempted to evade the topic, but Alex''s sharp observation skills swiftly exposed his intentions.


    "I... I can''t say for certain," the burly man stammered, his words cut short as a fireball materialized in Alex''s palm.


    Though he took a moment to think, the burly man began to fluidly talk after seeing the fireball.


    "The members of the thousand-headed serpent tribe want thend for profit. We want it to satisfy our leader, Penthe. He is obsessed with acquiring thend."


    "I presume you know the reason."


    Taking arge gulp of fresh air, the burly man looked up at Alex tensely. By chance, he hade across this secret. Even his boss doesn''t know that he knew about it. Now, he was about to share it with Alex.


    "He was ordered to do it by someone. I don''t know their identity. But, I could easily guess who they were once I saw their attire. It was the same ck robes that spread fear among the people of Thira. How could I forget them?


    "In truth, even the Noble Trader Association suffered greatly during the battle. We possessed vast wealth butcked the means to utilize it. During the crisis, we didn''t even have enough grain or medicine to support our owners.


    "But then, our leader rose to power. After his father''s mysterious demise, he miraculously brought forth the resources needed to save the people of Thira. This act garnered praise and elevated Penthe''s status among the association''s members. In this way, he ascended to the leadership of the Noble Trader Association. However, even the most astute individuals at that time failed to investigate the origin of these resources. And those few who dared to question Penthe were quietly silenced.


    "His action radically changed after bing the leader of the Association. Once he achieved his purpose, he truly became thep dog of the ck-robed men. And the order from the ck-robed men might be the reason Penthe was desperately trying to obtain yournd."


    The burly man paused after speaking up to this point. It didn''t take any time for Alex to fill in the nks.


    His enemies were right under his nose. Fortunately for him, he realised their plot early on.


    ''Now, what should I do with this guy?'' Alex thought while looking at the teary-eyed burly man. Killing him would have sufficed. But he couldn''t do that after knowing the involvement of the ck-robed men. They were people willing to go to any means necessary toplete their goal. Fighting them while revealing his identity would be synonymous with stupidity.


    ''It''s time for the white-robed man to make the entrance.'' Alex decided in his heart. An alter ego that was vicious towards evil has be a necessity.


    "Hey! Thug. Let''s go see your boss."


    "Huh!" The burly man didn''t expect Alex to do that. Even after hearing all that, he still wants to go and see his boss. What is wrong with Alex''s head, he thought. But he had no choice but to follow Alex as he went to meet his boss, Penthe.


    ¡ª-------


    Alex took some time to prepare before meeting Penthe. Even though Penthe was weak, he was still a member of the Noble Trader Association. He might have guards around him protecting twenty-four-seven.


    Besides that, there might even be hidden guards from the evil organisation, secretly protecting their pawn.


    So, Alex decided to go all in and use the reputation of the void fish tribe. One of thergest merchant tribes in the continent. When trying to negotiate with a merchant association like the Noble Trader Association, he believed they were the bestpanion he could have.


    So, he visited the branch of the void fish tribe and made one of their tier 4 warriorse with him. After that, he swaggered towards the Noble Trader Association headquarters.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    It was a giant dome made out of stone. The parts that were rebuilt after being destroyed in the battle were visible to Alex. With him was a tier 4 warrior of the void fish tribe and the burly thug.


    Some of the guards outside the building wanted to stop them when Alex swaggered into the building. But when they saw the people apanying him, they bowed respectfully and stayed back.


    A tier 4 warrior was respected everywhere he goes. The same can be said for when he visited the Noble Trader Association. They were able to recognise him quickly and make way for him. Even though Alex was a new face when he came with a tier 4 warrior they had to give the same respect towards him. After all, they were just tier 2 warriors.


    "This building isrger than I expected. Thug, where should we go to meet your master."


    "Above the main hall, there is an office right there. You can see him there." Alex was happy to hear that. He nonchntly walked towards the office room on the second floor. It only took him seconds before he reached the described room.


    A luxurious door adorned the entrance, serving as a barrier between Alex and the room beyond. Intricately crafted and fashioned from precious wood, it exuded an artistic charm that captured the eye.


    "Nice door," Alex remarked casually. Without hesitation, he unleashed a powerful kick, channelling the power of his full-body enhancement. Despite the door''s robust construction and valuable materials, it sumbed to the force of his attack, shattering into countless tiny fragments.


    The sudden destruction of the door startled those within the room.


    "Who dares!" a voice eximed, filled with surprise and rm.


    "I dare," Alex retorted nonchntly.


    Although Alex''s action may seem chaotic and abrupt right now. He had a reason toe here and kick up a fuss. It was to hide what he was about to doter. He needs to resolve thend dispute properly before he attacks them. Or else, he mighte under their radar of suspicious people.


    Alex didn''t want that. So, to show them he was just an angry guy that was kicking up a fuss and no threat to them. He was acting like a spoiled brat. He wants to be underestimated by the Noble Trader Association, Penthe and the ck-robed men.


    "Who are you?" As soon as Alex entered the room, a voice inquired.


    On the other side of the room, Alex could see a young man sitting near a desk. Besides him, there were many tiers 3 and a single tier 4 warriors protecting him. They cautiously looked at Alex while he walked withrge strides through the entrance.


    After noticing the tier 4 warrior of the void fish tribe enters along with the intruder, they hid their anger. There was a reason for the nine great tribes to be called such. Even after excluding the power of their tribe, their individual strength cannot be underestimated.


    "You can call me Meru. A humble merchant of this city." Alex replied. But his actions didn''t feel humble at all.


    "Why are you here? An why did you break down the door." Even though his blood was boiling inside him, Penthe asked while hiding it. The guy called Meru had the support of the void fish tribe. He cannot take that lightly.


    "My reason toe here is simple." Alex paused and pointed at the burly man. "One of your employees tried to kick me out of my own house. Can you exin why that happened?" Alex''s inquiry caught Penthe off guard. He was careful not to anger the rich, and powerful when he tried to procurend. So, how could he have made the void fish tribe his enemy?


    "My apologies to the senior from the void fish tribe. My employees must have made a mistake. Please forgive me for my mistake." Penthe said without a moment of dy. Even though Alex was the oneining, he carefully stood up and bowed towards the tier 4 warrior from the void fish tribe while apologising. He was trying to hug the biggest thigh he could find.


    Alex remained unfazed by the insincerity of the apology. It didn''t matter to him; his true objective was to shift the attention away from himself and onto the void fish tribe. This was precisely what he had wanted.


    "Do you honestly believe a mere apology is sufficient?" Alex responded, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Twenty of your menunched a coordinated attack against me, and I barely managed to escape by killing them all. You owe mepensation for that." Despite steering the conversation in the desired direction, Alex couldn''t make it too easy for Penthe. Or else, he would doubt Alex''s intention.

 Chapter 87 White Robed

    ?


    ''Compensation for killing my people?'' Penthe''s blood boiled in anger when he heard Alex had killed his people. They were his hunting dogs. How dare someone kill them?


    But before he could explode in anger, a voice echoed in his mind. Someone in the vicinity was talking to Penthe without the knowledge of anyone. The voice ordered Penthe to calm down and givepensation. ording to them, they were not ready to anger the void fish tribe yet.


    Penthe struggled to regain hisposure, his thoughts swirling amidst a storm of resentment. While his heart yearned for vengeance, the voice''s admonition echoed with an undeniable truth. The void fish tribe possessed an awe-inspiring power, a force capable of unleashing unspeakable havoc upon those who dared to cross their path. It was not yet time to go against them.


    Reluctantly, Penthe conceded to the voice. He decided topensate Alex.


    Hiding his emotion, he asked Alex. "How muchpensation would you like." He said meekly to ensure that Alex felt he had the upper hand. He used his skills as a merchant to boost the ego of Alex.


    Alex was happy to hear it.


    "1 copper coin," Alex asked without a change in his tone.


    "1 Copper?" Everyone thought simultaneously. Even the Tier 4 warrior from the Void Fish Tribe couldn''tprehend Alex''s thought process. If he wantedpensation, why was he asking for just one copper coin?


    What can a copper coin buy? Half a banana?


    However, Penthe quickly grasped the meaning behind Alex''s words. He was openly belittling the Noble Trader Association. His words implied that the value of the association members'' lives was equivalent to or less than a copper coin.


    Getting his teeth, Penthe agreed to Alex''s demand. After all, from his point of view, Alex''s demand was the demand of the tier 4 warrior from the void fish tribe. He had no choice but to give in.


    "Here, take this¡­" After scrambling to find a copper coin, Penthe handed it to Alex.


    Finally, thend dispute was resolved. After leaving the Noble Trader Association, he separated from the tier 4 warrior of the void fish tribe. It took him a little over an hour to reach his home.


    Meanwhile, a burly man was experiencing the worst pain in his life. A knife was stabbed into his thigh, digging deep into his bones. The pain was unbearable for him.


    "Did I not warn you adequately? You were supposed to purchase thend from themoners. You failed to do so. You failed to protect your subordinates. You even turned the Void Fish Tribe into our enemy. Do youprehend the gravity of your actions?" Penthe asked angrily.


    The burly man clenched his teeth and remained silent, aware of his boss''s seething rage. He knew that speaking up could potentially lead to his demise at the hands of Penthe. Therefore, he patiently bided his time, waiting for Penthe''s anger to subside. Determined to flee the city and never look back, he decided to escape as soon as he could leave the building.


    ¡ª------------


    Retreating to his quarters, Alex found Arav patiently waiting for him, anxious to learn if the situation had been resolved. With a smile of relief, Alex proceeded to provide a thorough ount of what had transpired with the Noble Trader Association. Following their discussion, they enjoyed a pleasant dinner before retiring for the night.


    Unbeknownst to Arav, Alex had different intentions for the night. Swiftly donning his colour-changing robe, he stealthily made his way toward the Noble Trader Association''s premises.


    The hour had long surpassed midnight, enveloping the surroundings in a dim moonlit glow. Guided by the faint illumination, Alex surveyed the area.


    "Thirty tier-2 guards encircling the perimeter, with the possibility of more stationed within the building," Alex deduced.


    Aware of the Association''s considerable wealth, Alex understood the rationale behind the extensive security measures. In the absence of banks, gold coins were typically stored within vaults integrated into such establishments. Employing thirty Tier 2 guards for protection was not beyond reason. There might even be more tier 3 warriors inside the building.


    Intending to instil fear within the ranks of the evil organisation, Alex resolved to take drastic action that would make his presence known. Retrieving a handful of Joker cards from his pocket, he contemted his next move.


    Instead of killing everyone, he was going to bait the evil organisation into taking action.


    In a deliberate disy, he tossed the joker cards in the direction of the building and boldly advanced, his distinctive white robes drawing immediate attention. It was clear to the guards that he was someone of significance.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    As the guards picked up the scattered cards, they gazed at Alex with growing curiosity and confusion. To most of them, a card engraved with the image of a white-robed man stepping on a ck-robed man had no significance.


    Who was he?


    Why was he throwing garbage at them? They thought.


    Their questions remained unanswered as the cards in their hands suddenly emitted a radiant glow, projecting holographic images before them. Startled, a few guards dropped the cards in fear, wary of potential harm.


    However, a faction of guards, driven by their loyalty to their organization, drew their swords and charged towards Alex.


    As anticipated, some of the guards were actually infiltrators from the evil organization. Their overly aggressive response to the metallic cards confirmed his suspicions.


    Ten of these hidden operatives, who thought their cover was blown, all tier 2 warriors, sprinted toward Alex, their intentions clear. However, Alex knew their strength posed no real threat to him. Resolute andposed, he remained steadfast, refusing to budge even an inch.


    Reacting swiftly to the impending attack, Alex summoned ten small stone bullets, encircling him in a protective formation. With incredible speed, he propelled the stones toward the oing enemies, breaking the sound barrier and creating a deafening roar.


    Usually, a stone bullet would not have been capable of reaching that speed. But by refining their structure and properties, Alex ensured that the stone bullets surpassed their usual limitations, enabling them to reach supersonic velocities.


    The stone bullets, guided by Alex''s precise aim, honed in on their targets with remarkable uracy, zeroing in on the enemies heads. Even a tier 3 warrior would have found it challenging to evade such projectiles. Despite their attempts to dodge, the stone bullets struck their mark with unwavering precision, hitting the enemies squarely on the head.


    "Thud¡­Thud¡­Thud¡­"


    With a series of thuds, the guards who hadunched the attack against Alex fell to the ground lifeless, their bodies motionless. The stone bullets had pierced through their skulls, obliterating their brains with fatal precision. Their demise was swift and irreversible, leaving no chance for survival.


    From the moment he appeared to the death of the members of the evil organisation who were acting as guards, it didn''t take even a minute. This threw the other guards into a panic.


    As the guards unsheathed their swords and charged towards him, Alex remained indifferent to their futile attempts. Having already neutralised the members of the evil organisation, he paid no heed to their pursuit. In one seamless motion, he teleported to the rooftop of the Noble Trader Association building, leaving the guards behind.


    From his elevated vantage point, Alex conjured fifty fiery orbs. With a decisive gesture, he unleashed the infernal projectiles, engulfing the entire building in fire. The mes consumed the structure, turning it into a zing spectacle.


    Before the bewildered guards couldprehend the unfolding events, Alex vanished from their sight, leaving them to confront the chaos and destruction he had orchestrated.


    Recognising the depleted state of his mana, Alex prudently chose to retreat and ensure his own safety. With sixty of his core''s mana fully expended, engaging in a battle against a high-tier warrior would pose a significant risk.


    Understanding the importance of preserving his resources and strategic advantage, he retreated from the scene, wisely deciding to replenish his mana before continuing his onught.


    Despite retreating, it didn''t mean that Alex failed to aplish his task. His purpose was to spread fear and destabilise the evil organisation. Although it was hard to confirm if he was sessful, he was sure that they would remember the white-robed man.


    Through his decisive attack, he had not only demonstrated his formidable strength but also exposed the organisation''s scheme to manipte Penthe for their own ends. Moreover, the elimination of some of their members further emphasised his unwaveringmitment tobating the ck-robed individuals and their nefarious activities.


    Having retreated to a distant location, Alex engaged in a focused meditation, utilising all his cores to absorb mana from the surrounding air. The supplements and nourishment he consumed further facilitated the replenishment of his mana, hastening the recovery process.


    After an hour of dedicated meditation, Alex''s mana reserves werepletely restored. With his core now brimming with energy, he teleported back to the headquarters of the Noble Trader Association intending to make it abundantly clear that his initial attack was merely the beginning of his campaign against them.


    If the evil organisation had underestimated him, believing that his actions would end with a single assault, they were gravely mistaken.

 Chapter 88 Why?

    ?


    As Alex approached the headquarters of the Noble Trader Association, the devastation and destruction became increasingly apparent. The dome, once a symbol of beauty and architectural artistry, now stood charred and ckened. The surrounding area was strewn with debris and remnants of the attack that had taken ce earlier.


    When he stepped forward, he could see the exact effect of his attacks. Outer walls were cracked and broken in multiple ces. Windows shattered in the intense heat revealing the charred inside of the building.


    The entire building was in disarray.


    It was almost three in the morning. And yet, Alex could see the guards scrambling to and forth when he approached the building. They were trying hard to prevent further destruction.


    Suddenly, Alex was hit with a sense of guilt. But quickly it was reced by his true emotion.


    ''I should have destroyed itpletely.'' He thought. If he had destroyed it in its entirety, he could have saved the guards from dangerous manualbour.


    Although slightly evil, his reasoning was on point. The partial destruction of the headquarters was the only reason the guards were forced to dive into the building to extinguish the fire. So,pletely destroying it would have been greatly helpful.


    ''So, let me help you guys.''


    When Alex approached the building, the guards noticed his presence. Alex was the reason for their suffering. How could they forget his menacing presence?


    His white robes once again captured their attention. Within a second, they unsheathed their swords andunched an attack against Alex.


    However, Alex remained indifferent to their attack. Disregarding any potential consequences, he carelessly hurled a handful of Joker cards at the approaching guards. Swiftly, he utilised his teleportation abilities, ascending above the dome. Reflecting on his previous encounter, where he resorted to unleashing fifty fireball spells, incinerating the entire structure, he resolved to take a different approach this time.


    Recognising the need to conserve mana, Alex retrieved a stash of dried wood from his inventory and proceeded to stack it up on the dome''s surface. Within seconds, he had the entire roof covered in dried wood.


    With precision, he showered the wood pile with a generous coating of cooking oil before igniting it using a single fireball spell.


    As the mes ignited, a resounding "swish" echoed through the air, giving birth to a colossal ze that soared several tens of feet high.


    He gazed upon the second version of the zing fire with a sense of pride. Alex couldn''t help but feel a surge of satisfaction. He was thrilled to realise that his diligent efforts had yielded the desired oue, proving that his newfound approach was not only smarter but also less wasteful.


    Like before, in front of Alex''s teleport ability. The guards were unable to do anything to prevent his action. They gazed at Alex, that disappeared and reappeared after lighting the whole building on fire, not knowing what to do. He was beyond their reach.


    This time, the fire was more pronounced and harder to extinguish. With just water, it would take ages before the guards could douse the fire. They realised it quickly and decided to surrender to fate.


    However, their ns to surrender were abruptly halted as their attention was captured by the sight of an individual fearlessly soaring towards the raging inferno. Astonishingly, even a seasoned tier 3 warrior would find themselves overwhelmed in the face of such an intense ze. Yet, this figure nonchntly ran into the heart of the inferno without a care in the world.


    As if to defy the scorching mes, a colossal ice shield materialised around the person''s body, safeguarding her from harm. In a mesmerising disy, the ice shield melted, transforming into a cascading downpour that descended upon the roof of the building.


    Within minutes, the entire roof was doused with water.


    Alex, who looked at it from the sidelines felt a headache rising. It only took a moment for him to realise who the figure that extinguished the fire was.


    It was that damned princess, Kalina. Alex was exasperated.


    ''Why is she here? Why is she helping the Noble Trader Association?'' Alex rubbed his head while thinking.


    Where ever he went, this princess haunted him. She was worse than the ghosts from horror movies.


    ''It wouldn''t be surprising to see her rise from the depth of the dpidated well to pull me down with her. Jokes aside, I need to find her reason for helping the Noble Trader Association. After all, it might just be her acting righteous and helpful, but it could also be something else.


    When a building is burning right in front of her, how can she not help the ''people''?


    Anyway, he decided to not mind her presence. One way or another, he was going to destroy the Noble Trader Association today. Even her presence wouldn''t force him to change his goal. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Alex was now wearing the white robes which hid his identity pretty. Adding a mask with it would be enough to hide his identity from Kalina temporarily. Now that she is here, it was better to use her as his pawn rather than letting the control of the situation flow to her.


    ___


    After dousing the fire, Kalina moved away from the building. She curiously inquired about the incident.


    She was surprised to know that the fire was not natural. Some person wearing a white robe was the one that lit the entire building on fire.


    First, he appeared calmly before the building. He threw some cards at the guards before killing some of their members.


    After that, he lit the building on fire and escaped. Butter, he reappeared to light the building on fire once again.


    The white-robed person was a menace. His intent was unclear, and his actions were decisive. He didn''t even bother giving an exnation before killing people and burning their headquarters.


    It took a while for Kalina to get a full grasp of the situation. And the supposed card that the man threw garnered her attention.


    She quickly ran around to find the card. But no one was willing to give them to her. Even after showing her goodwill by saving people and extinguishing the fire. No one was willing to trust her and hand over the cards.


    This further intensified her will to investigate. She believed that a secret was hiding behind the card.


    After realising that she wouldn''t get her hands on the cards. She decided to hear the detailed version of the eyewitness testimony.


    And when she heard it, she was surprised to hear about the card disying a holographic image of a white-robed person stepping on a ck-robed person.


    ''Was it rted to the evil organization that wrecked Thira?'' Kalina felt like a bomb exploded in her mind.


    If the image shown is right, the white-robed man was in an antagonist rtionship with the ck-robed people, the evil organization.


    So, the answer to the obvious question of why he attacked the Noble Trader Association was instantly revealed. It didn''t take her long to realize that the Noble Trader Association might have some rtionship with the evil organization.


    If so? Was she in the wrong when she helped them extinguish the fire? Kalina''s thoughts wandered.


    ''No, not yet. I can''t trust the actions of the white-robed man entirely until his motivations are clear.'' Kalina said to herself while waiting for a chance to confront the white-robed man.


    Due to her action, the white-robed man was unsessful in destroying the building. So, she thought he might return and waited patiently. If he was an ally, she wouldn''t mind not interfering in the fight between the Noble Trader Association and him.


    But if he was just here to cause chaos. She didn''t mind taking him down.


    _____


    Alex didn''t know what Kalina was thinking. Nor did he care about it. His only worry was her recognising his identity. After all, she knew about his abilities. She might doubt him if he used all his abilities in front of her.


    Even if she recognised his identity, it wouldn''t do him any harm. But it leaves behind a point of failure in his n.


    If that dumbass, Kalina spilt the beans to someone. It might make his life miserable. So, he had to hide his identity by any means necessary.


    To distinguish the white-robed man as a distinct individual, he realized the importance of establishing an alibi. Restraining himself from utilizing his full range of abilities seemed like a foolish approach, one that could potentially jeopardize his life. Therefore, devising an alibi to divert her attention appeared to be a wiser course of action.


    If Alex were to make a deliberate appearance in Blue Gem City and inquire about Kalina, it would establish a concrete alibi,pelling her to consider the possibility that he could not be the white-robed individual. After all, the ability to traverse thousands of kilometres in mere seconds was an extraordinary feat unique to Alex alone, unmatched by any other individual on the entire continent. Not even Kalina''s formidable grandmother, a tier 5 warrior, did not possess such extraordinary capabilities.


    With just an alibi, he could make Alex and the white-robed man separate individuals. The same set of skills and abilities may cause some doubt. But she wouldn''t have definite proof to prove they are the one and the same.

 Chapter 89 Collapse

    ?


    After making sure that he could create an alibi, Alex took out one of his Joker cards and engraved a message inside it. A simple message to inform Kalina that he was not her enemy. He decided to make it short and simple to decrease his contact with Kalina.


    Now, Alex has to find a way to deliver it to her. Even he, as fearless as he was, didn''t want to mess with the mad bull of the ice phoenix tribe. So, he decided to take a discrete approach.


    Hiding his presence, Alex went around the ce where Kalina was staying. When she appeared in his line of sight, he threw the card at her lightning-fast. The metallic lustre of the card shed when it left his hand. No one noticed the card that was blitzing through the air towards Kalina.


    Kalina, who sensed the projectile approaching, flicked her hand and grabbed the card effortlessly between her fingers. Although the card came directly towards her, she didn''t sense any danger from it. It prompted her to snatch it gracefully from the air.


    With the Joker card firmly grasped in her hand, Kalina attentively examined its intricate details. Although she had never encountered Alex''s joker card before, she swiftly discerned its origin.


    "It''s the white-robed man," she mused, recognising the depiction on the card. The image showcased a white-robed figure forcefully stomping upon a ck-robed adversary, aligning perfectly with the descriptions provided by witnesses.


    As her curiosity deepened, Kalina''s gaze shifted to the engraving at the bottom of the card. To her surprise, she discovered a simple sentence etched into the surface: "Just a man stomping on evil." It was a phrase that, ironically, wouldter make even Alex cringe upon hearing it. But Kalina was happy to see it.


    The realisation that the white-robed man could potentially be an ally filled Kalina with a tinge of disappointment. Reflecting on her previous actions and interference with his n, she couldn''t help but feel a pang of regret. If only she had been aware of the sinister connection between the Noble Trader Association and the evil organization, she would have taken decisive action to bury them herself.


    Like that, their fate intertwined once again.


    ¡ª


    The problem known as Kalina was finally resolved. Alex could now prepare forunching another assault. But his attention was suddenly diverted by a procession of carriages heading towards the headquarters of the Noble Trader Association.


    Finally, the important people of the association began to arrive at the premise. Their carriage was adorned with borate designs, escorted by guards from all sides. This showed their influence and power inside the city.


    Penthe was among the people that arrived at the headquarters.


    Alex was not surprised by their visit. After all, the things he did to their headquarters were borderline unbearable. The only question that remained in his mind was why it took them that long to arrive at the scene.


    He began his attack at midnight,ter he returned to attack at three in the morning. If they were not stupid, they could have arrived much earlier.


    ''They were dyed deliberately. Come to think of it, where is the crowd that was supposed to form near here? Can''t they hear the thunderous sounds?'' Alex thought in his mind. ''This shows Penthe''s ability to control the flow of information inside the Association and the city. He might have deliberately kept the information from reaching the other members of the Association. Even the public had a hard time knowing about the incident. It might be the work of an evil organisation. After all, their ability to manipte information was out of this world.''


    Alex publicised his enmity towards the evil organisation when he threw the card which showed him stepping on them. So, they must have tried everything in their power to eliminate the information from flowing to the other members. In short, created the needed time to clean the crime scene and destroy evidence that could pose a threat to them.


    As the members of the Noble Trader Associationid their eyes upon the state of their ravaged headquarters, a surge of anger and outrage coursed through their veins. These individuals, wealthy merchants ustomed to a life of influence and power, had never anticipated that someone would dare to venture to their doorstep and wreak havoc upon their domain.


    While they may havecked physical prowess, their wealth and connections had granted them the means to conduct their business within the city, often under the protection of formidable allies. They had grown ustomed to a sense of invincibility, shielded by their wealth and influence.


    However, the scene before them shattered their illusion of security. The sight of their headquarters reduced to chaos and ruin ignited a fiery rage within them. They were incensed that an audacious intruder dared to breach their headquarters and disrupt their operations.


    Determined to protect their interests and salvage their reputation, they swore to take swift and decisive action against the assant, vowing to restore order and reestablish their dominance within the city.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Penthe, you have to give us an exnation." They ordered Penthe with one voice. Even if he was the current leader of the Association, they could still vote to rece him with someone else.


    Initially, they didn''t have any reason to rece him, even if he threw the reputation of the Association into the mud, he was making a lot of profit for them. But now, they had a clear reason to condemn him. So, Penthe felt the threat looming over his mind. He cursed the white-robed man in his mind.


    First, it was some guy with and dispute that caused his mood to turn foul. Now, some other guy in a white robe was giving him a headache.


    Why was his life turning into a mess? He thought deeply about the reason while not realising the fact that in both instances, Alex was the reason for his headache.


    The Association members were ready to overthrow Penthe. But that''s when they noticed Kalina. Instantaneously they forgot everything and quickly bowed their head, surrounding her to curry favours. Their initial aggression was nowhere to be seen. Even the charred and broken building, the headquarters didn''t hold as much importance as Kalina for them.


    Meanwhile, Alex stood at a distance and watched the drama from the sidelines. It was almost six in the morning, and pedestrians began to fill the streets. They were startled to see the headquarters of the Noble Trader''s Association in shamble.


    They curiously walked around checking the situation that was unfolding. Thankfully, the buildings in the surroundings were not damaged. The other business owners sighed in relief.


    ''It was about time that I ended my night job.'' He thought before teleporting to a kilometre above the dome-shaped headquarters. From the sky, he could easily identify the charred building below him. It was his target.


    Alex yawned once and began free falling towards the ground. His white robes swayed in the wind while he took out ten giant stones from his inventory. They each weighed almost ten metric tons.


    With him, the stones began to fall towards the ground. Alex stepped on the stone, and rxed while viewing the ground approaching closer and closer. Before anyone could think, the stones rained down on the building while Alex teleported away.


    "BOOOM!" With a deafening sound, they crashed into the smooth dome of the building. Just one stone was enough to destroy the roof and smash the wall. When the remaining one fell, they tore through the entire building leaving nothing behind. Everything was broken, shattered or disintegrated. The entire building copsed onto itself.


    A cloud of dust rose from the ground covering the entire street making it hard for the crowd near it to view the current condition of the Noble Trader Association Headquarters. However, the few quickwitted people ran away to take cover. The warriors of the Association members channelled energy to create a protective shield around their masters. Kalina stood nonchntly witnessing the scene. Somehow, it felt familiar to her.


    After a while, the dust settled revealing the pathetic condition of the building. It was beyond any repair.


    As the realisation dawned upon Penthe, he was about to unleash his rage upon his ipetent subordinates, only to be interrupted by the sight of a figure emerging from the swirling dust cloud. d in pristine white attire, the white-robed man emerged seemingly untouched by the chaos around him. His face remained concealed, veiled by the shadowy covering of his robe, rendering his identity a mystery to all whoid eyes upon him.


    In his hand, he held some metallic cards. When the crowd finally noticed his presence, he threw the cards towards them.


    "Swish¡­" The cards reached their hands.


    Penthe''s heart sank as heprehended the gravity of the white-robed man''s actions. The events unfolding before him threatened to expose the dark underbelly of the Noble Trader Association to the public eye, turning them into the prime enemy of the entire city. The weight of this realisation pressed heavily upon Penthe''s conscience, as he understood the catastrophic consequences that would follow.


    After leaving behind the cards, Alex disappeared. He had achieved his goal and it was time to rest. Before that, he needs to visit the blue gem city and create an alibi.


    ''Rumour about the white-robed man will spread like wildfire from now on. Slowly, I will garner public attention and spread fear into the evil organisation. One by one, I will destroy their n.'' Alex vowed while teleporting away.

 Chapter 90 Rumours

    ?


    Within a single day, news swiftly spread among the citizens of Thira. The ounts detailing the attack on the Noble Trader Association and the actions of the white-robed man became the main topic of discussion in Thira.


    Everyone tried desperately to identify the goals of the white-robed man. And thus, rumours sprouted one after another. It spread like wildfire capturing the attention of everyone. However, no one knew the origin of these rumours.


    Some said that the white-robed man was a terrorist, just like the ck-robed men that attacked the city. ording to them, he was trying to disrupt the peace of the city. Their allegation further imed that he attacked the Noble Trader Association due to their considerable help in rebuilding the city.


    Moreover, they also spected that he might attack in the future. But next time, it will be some other organisation that he might target. Gradually, Alex, the white-robed man was painted as an evil viin who was preparing to destroy Thira.


    If they were given a little more time, their boundless imaginations would likely have conjured an image of the white-robed man as a grotesque monster, sporting four legs, six arms, and ten heads.


    With each passing moment, the spections and rumours spiralled further into realms of unfettered fantasy.


    However, Soon a deluge of information was revealed by the general public that witnessed the incident. They spected that the Noble Trader Association was colluding with the ck-robed men after seeing Alex''s cards. The white-robed man was actually waging a solitary war against the viins that dare to collude with the evil bastards that destroyed their city. Even the white robe he wears was a symbol of his pristine will tobat evil, they said.


    After sharing the information, they cursed the people who were spreading misinformation in the pubs and flea markets. And they took out the Joker card to show as evidence. This quickly captured the attention of the public. Those who were clouded by doubt began to realise the severity of the actual events that happened.


    In fact, those who were spreading lies about the white-robed man were paid to do it. If not, there would not have been apletely different contradicting story about his actions. And who paid them to do it was not hard to guess.


    It might either be the Noble Trader Association or the evil organisation.


    Yet, before the public couldprehend the true nature of the rampant misinformation, their anger surged to unprecedented levels. Their ire was stoked as they came to a distressing realization: the individuals they once regarded as the city''s saviours were, in fact, coborating with the very malevolent organization that had ravaged their city.


    The bitter truth proved difficult to swallow, intensifying the mes of anger within their eyes. However, their determination remained resolute as they made their way towards the headquarters of the Noble Trader Association, driven by the belief that they deserved an exnation¡ªnothing less.


    Initially, it was merely a few dozen individuals, but their numbers multiplied swiftly, culminating in a peaceful processionprised of hundreds of people, united in their purpose. They all wanted an exnation.


    ¡ª-


    The shocking actions of the white-robed man had a debilitating impact on Penthe. He found himself unable to intervene and prevent the destruction of their headquarters, leaving him in a precarious position. As a result, other members of the association swiftly turned against him, cing him in a dire predicament.


    Considering the white-robed man''s revtion about their association''s ties with the ck-robed men, Penthe found himself devoid of any more excuses. The only viable course of action left for him was to peacefully resign from his position as the leader of the association, as he felt powerless to do anything else. Regrettably, stepping down from his position would entail losing his authority and influence. In his current vulnerable state, it would undoubtedly lead to dire consequences or even death.


    His only hope was the intervention of the ck-robed men. But he couldn''t contact them at all during the past few hours. Kalina, the princess of the ice phoenix tribe was observing him closely. She even interrogated him once. He can''t contact the ck-robed men like this.


    It would not be an exaggeration to say that Penthe found himself caught between a rock and a hard ce, faced with a difficult situation and a challenging dilemma.


    ¡ª----


    Meanwhile, Alex decided to visit blue gem city. He required an alibi to fool Kalina. So, he was going to make one right now.


    Teleporting to the Blue gem city, Alex promptly went towards his shop, the Spice Garden. Dhairya happily weed Alex inside. Although curious about his purpose, he decided to let Alex speak first.


    "I need more metal cards and a mask, one with a special function to change the voice," Alex spoke while chewing on some roasted peanuts.


    "Metal cards¡­I can arrange for that to be made. But why do you need a mask? Wouldn''t the hood on your robe be enough to cover your head and face? Or did you have a change of ns?" Dhairya inquired.


    "I came across someone familiar during my extracurricr activities. Someone that I may or may not interact with. Even though I can change my voice with energy, in case of an emergency, I want a mask that can change my voice." Alex elucidated.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Who did you meet?"


    "Kalina."


    "Oh! No wonder you asked for a mask. She knows more about you than the people of the Stonehead tribe. You might not be able to fool her even with a mask and a voice change." Dhairya voiced his opinion. "After all, she knows about all your abilities and skills."


    "That''s why I rushed here. I want to create an alibi to show that I was in Blue gem city all this while. No one other than you knows that I can travel great distances instantly. So, it would be much easier to fool her. Even if she doubts my identity, she would not be able to conclusively say that I am the white-robed man."


    "Hm." Dhairya nodded while hearing Alex''s exnation. "It seems like you have thoroughly nned everything. When do you need the masks and the cards?"


    "By the end of this month. Kalina might visit you during this time, so be prepared to deal with her." Alex warned. Alex was sure that Kalina might be suspicious of him. She would definitelye to check on his whereabouts.


    "Okay, I will try to rush it. Refining magical tools takes time, so I can''t give you any guarantee."


    "Then, I am leaving. I will visit some ces in the city before returning to Thira. That way, I can secure my alibi."


    "If you want to visit somece, go to visit our restaurants. The kids from the woond tribe are working there. They said they created a new sauce."


    Alex was pleasantly surprised to know that. Even before he knew it, his action had created an environment in which innovations were possible. The naughty kids from the woond tribe that he taught a lesson to have be real chefs.


    "Okay," Alex said before leaving Spice Garden.


    ¡ª--------


    Unknown to Alex, Kalina was cooking up her own schemes. When she questioned Penthe, he vaguely mentioned that a person visited with a tier 4 warrior from the void fish tribe to clear up a misunderstanding.


    This made Kalina look into the person. And while doing so, she came across the name ''Meru''.


    In an instant, all of Alex''s ns to hide his identity were destroyed. Even without much thought, Kalina realised Meru from the stone head tribe was the white-robed person. His skills matched exactly with the white-robed person.


    ''What was he doing wearing white robes?'' She thought. Nheless, it seemed like he was trying extremely hard to hide his identity. So, she decided to y along and not reveal his identity. While at it, she also decided to not reveal to Alex that she knew he was the white-robed man.


    If he was willing to fool her, she was willing to fool him back.


    Even though Alex knew her, he tried to fool her by disguising his identity. If he had said one word, she wouldn''t have extinguished the fire to save the allies of the evil organisation. But he didn''t. This fact frustrated her.


    Anger, frustration, disappointment. A plethora of emotions went through her mind. Finally, after taking a moment to think, she calmed down.


    A smile blossomed on her beautiful face when she finally realised that she had outsmarted Alex for once. He had no clue that she knew his identity. This meant that she could use it to her advantage. It also means that she could see Alex(Meru) making a fool out of himself while trying hard to hide his identity.


    She chuckled while just imagining the scenario of Alex trying hard to hide his identity.


    However, her joy was short-lived as she saw Penthe moving away from her observable range. Penthe had somehow received the news that the citizens of Thira were flooding the streets asking for an exnation from the Noble Trader Association. He was up to no good, Kalina was sure about that.

 Chapter 91 Mob

    ?


    Alex spent some time walking around Blue gem city to create his alibi. After that, he returned to Thira.


    While Alex was away, the mob formed by the agitated citizens went to the headquarters of the Noble Trader Association to ask for an exnation. However, they were only received by a charred and broken building. Other than some guards, no one from the higher up was present there. This left the mob hanging with many unanswered questions. They began to turn violent after that.


    As a result, their focus shifted towards the residences of the association members, with their footsteps directed towards the homes of Penthe and other members.


    Penthe, who realised this began to panic. He was just a rich weakling with hired strength. Without the help from the ck robes, he wouldn''t have even be the head of the Noble Trader Association. He almost pissed his pants in fear once he realised that he could die at the hands of the angry mob. So, he silently nned to escape before they could reach his home.


    The mob arrived at the homes of the other association members, the affluent part of the city, their voices raised as they stood in front of the mansions, expressing their grievances.


    "Thira''s vile scum, the Noble Trader Association! Why are you hiding?"


    "Where did your heroic nature and courage vanish? After making deals with the devil, you have the audacity to proim yourselves as Thira''s saviours. How shameless can you be?"


    "You are the cause of my parent''s demise. Yet, I naively sold my hard-earnednd to you. It is time for you to pay for your sins."


    "You conspired with the ck robes. Today, you shall face the consequences of your actions in death."


    The voices continued to echo, one after another, as the enraged mob remained steadfast before the imposing security surrounding the mansion. At a moment''s notice, they were prepared to engage in a deadly confrontation with the guards tasked with protecting the members of the Noble Trader Association. Their anger had overridden any concerns about the guards'' superior strength; their sheer numbers emboldened them to exchange blows.


    Even Tier 4 warriors were not invincible. Fatigue would inevitably take its toll when faced with the onught of hundreds of people united against them.


    In the end, the association members in hiding had no choice but to reveal themselves. They were, after all, merchants of Thira, and they understood that they could not remain hidden indefinitely. The consequences of prolonged seclusion would inevitably lead to a tarnished reputation and a decline in their business ventures.


    Thus, a significant number of association members emerged from their mansions, apanied by a formidable security detail. Surrounded by a hundred guards shielding them from all directions, they felt a sense of safety as they approached the seething mob, aiming to engage in a dialogue. They hoped to reason with them.


    One of the senior members of the Noble Trader Association stepped forwards and began to speak.


    "My dear brother and sisters, I implore you to lend me your ears. What you heard was nothing but lies. Noble Trader Association has nothing to do with the ck robes. We have been unjustly targeted as scapegoats in someone''s sinister plot. I can promise you that." The senior said while bowing to the crowd.


    His presence managed to temporarily calm the fury within the crowd, yet their scepticism lingered. Despite his status as a respected senior among the city''s merchants, they understood that his words alone could not be taken as gospel of truth. Without conclusive evidence, theycked apelling reason to wholeheartedly believe his assertions.


    "What do you mean by saying that? We saw the metal cards engraved with the message from the white-robed man. He was sure that your Association was in cahoots with the ck robes. It was the reason why he attacked your headquarters." One man from the crowd asked.


    The weighty question posed by the crowd silenced the senior member of the association momentarily. He nced at the other members, engaging in a hushed conversation with them, their heads nodding in agreement. Subsequently, the senior member faced the crowd once more, his face reflecting a deep sense of mncholy.


    "I once again promise you that the Noble Trader Association had nothing to do with the ck robes. But, the same could not be said for one of our members." As if he was about to reveal a big secret, he paused. His voice trembled slightly in the end, revealing his sadness while informing the crowd about it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "We, the members of the Association doubt our previous leader. Penthe, the son of our founder Chira. We believe that he colluded with the evil organisation." The senior member said with a sigh. He skillfully acted to show his disappointment and sadness while revealing this fact.


    Even the senior members weren''t certain that Penthe interacted with the ck robes. But, they were willing to cut off their tail to survive. The crowd needs an exnation and it needs to be reasonable. They needed a person to hate. Rather than it being the entire Noble Trader Association, they decided to sacrifice Penthe. Self-preservation mattered more to them than a wimpy leader.


    "Penthe?" The name echoed through the minds of the individuals in the crowd, stirring a sense of familiarity. Could he be the underlying reason behind the white-robed man''s assault on the Noble Trader Association?


    The revtion made by the association members had further clouded the waters, plunging the crowd into a state of uncertainty and doubt.


    Sessfully, the senior member directed the anger of the crowd towards Penthe. He stepped forward to say more¨C


    "I understand your scepticism, and we can put these doubts to rest by visiting Penthe''s residence. We cannot allow a traitor like him to escape after tarnishing our reputation. We will stand alongside you to confront and subdue Penthe," the senior member proimed. Nods of agreement rippled through their ranks.


    The crowd, swayed by the persuasive tactics of the senior member, became susceptible to his carefully crafted maniption. They made the collective decision to heed his words and embarked on a march towards Penthe''s house.


    At that very moment, Alex arrived at Penthe''s house, observing the crowd trailing closely behind him. d in his white robes, he circled around the perimeter of the mansion, taking in the surroundings. His attention was drawn to Kalina, who, like him, appeared to be searching for something. With a sense of purpose, she swiftly entered the building.


    Curiosity piqued, Alex decided to follow suit, determined to uncover the truth of the situation.


    Simultaneously, the enraged mob arrived at the front gate of the mansion and met with some resistance from the guards. However, their anger propelled them forward, and they forcefully broke through the gate, storming into the premises.


    They called out to Penthe, asking him to appear before them. However, no one came from the building. After waiting for a while and realising that no one woulde out, the angry mob ran towards the building. They were ready to break into the mansion to find Penthe.


    Hundred of people swarmed into the mansion, filling every corner. They ran around trying to find any presence of Penthe. However, it was of no avail. They realised that Penthe had somehow escaped without them knowing.


    Consumed by frustration, the angry mob unleashed their wrath upon the mansion, venting their anger through acts of destruction. The senior members of the Association stood by, silently observing the chaos with a sense of satisfaction. In this tumultuous turn of events, the troublesome figure of Penthe had been eradicated from their lives, simultaneously creating an opportunity for them to seize control of the Noble Trader Association. Furthermore, their calcted manoeuvre had sessfully diverted the intense hatred of the crowd away from their own organisation and towards Penthe. Their quick thinking had saved them for now.


    Or else, they would have had to abandon the ship to save themselves. And no one wanted that. The hard work they put into establishing the Noble Trader Association would have been all for nought in that situation.


    ¡ª


    Meanwhile, Alex followed Kalina. She was swiftly moving through an underground passage below the mansion. Fortunately for them, no one discovered the passage yet. So, they were the only ones present inside it.


    As Penthe vanished from her sight, Kalina meticulously scoured the surroundings in search of any trace of him. However, her efforts proved fruitless. It was at this critical moment that she caught sight of the approaching mob, heading towards the mansion. Realising the urgency of the situation and fueled by her determination to track down Penthe and confront the ck-robed men, she made the daring decision to infiltrate the mansion.


    With a bone to pick and unwavering resolve, Kalina spared no effort in her quest. It was during her meticulous exploration that she stumbled upon a concealed underground passage, hidden from in sight. Intuitively, she surmised that Penthe might have made his escape through this ndestine route, and without hesitation, she swiftly plunged into its depths.

 Chapter 92 Elder Again

    ?


    It didn''t take much time for Alex to realise that Penthe seemed to have escaped through the underground passageway. And Kalina was chasing after him.


    Aware of the reason for Kalina''s pursuit, Alex stealthily trailed behind her. Intuitively, heprehended that her purpose must be to track down Penthe. Intrigued by the unfolding events and desiring to uncover the truth, he silently pursued Kalina, maintaining a careful distance.


    Alex''s ability to use mana vision enabled him to see the subtle difference in the mana surrounding. Thus he was able to track Kalina from far away. Kalina didn''t realise his presence at all.


    After running through the underground passage for minutes, Kalina stopped abruptly. From the other end of the tunnel, she could hear some vague voices.


    "You shouldn''t have used the tunnels. You shouldn''t havee here." An emotionless voice stated.


    "I have no other choice left. You are my only hope. Please save me." Penthe''s begged.


    The bits and pieces of conversation helped Kalina identify Penthe. He was standing before a man in the dark, begging to save his life.


    Who was that man? Kalina mused.


    She was certain that anyone who dared to aid Penthe, despite being aware of his association with the ck-robed men, must be wicked. So she didn''t have any qualms about spying on them.


    Suddenly, Penthe kneeled on the floor, his arms touching the feet of the person before him. He begged and sobbed shamelessly while sitting prostrated on the ground. He was stooping to a new low to save his life from the immediate danger.


    The man standing before Penthe smiled upon witnessing this sight. His delight was evident as he observed Penthe''s shameless behaviour. One could easily discern, from his deranged smile, that this sadistic individual found pleasure in the suffering of others.


    The dim light from themps didn''t fully reveal his sadistic nature to Penthe. So, he desperately struggled to gain the person''s favour.


    After some deliberation, the man in the shadows stepped forward into the light of a dimmp hanging on the wall of the underground passage, finally revealing his face.


    The sight of the familiar face caused Kalina to draw in a deep breath, leaving her momentarily breathless as she grappled with the information she had stumbled upon.


    Could it truly be the elder she was acquainted with? Was this the same individual?


    She was shocked to see the elder of the Thousand-headed Serpent tribe conversing with Penthe. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief seeing this.


    Her shock and disbelief temporarily caused her to lose herposure. Inadvertently, the sound of a gasp escaped her lips, betraying her approximate location to both Penthe and the man.


    Two sharp gazed came peering into the position that she stood. Even in the pitch-ck of the underground passage, they quickly found Kalina. Due to the darkness, they didn''t realise who she was. And yet, this didn''t prevent them fromunching a sudden attack on her.


    A flickering ball of light condensed to form an illusory figure of a serpent before shooting through the air. Kalina barely dodged the attack directed at her.


    But before she could sigh in relief, the serpent crashed into the walls of the tunnel, scattering into the air. It produced a small sh of light. However, that was enough for the assant to identify her identity.


    "It''s Kalina," they said in unison. Penthe struggled to maintain hisposure but ultimately made a resolute decision to flee from Kalina. With all his might, he sprinted towards the exit, determined to avoid a confrontation with her, knowing full well he stood no chance of victory. Not even the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe could intervene in time to hinder his swift escape.


    Left behind in a tense standoff, Kalina now faced the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe. With her identity exposed, she chose to confront the man directly instead of continuing to hide. Numerous questions were weighing on her mind that she sought answers to from the elder.


    The man before her was the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe. He was one of the people that made the most contribution to the reconstruction effort of Thira. He was also the acting head of the thousand-headed serpent tribe.


    In the past, when the nine great tribes convened, he had apanied Kalina, joining forces to voice their grievances against the adverse influence of the evil organisation on the continent. He had received the prophecy and vowed to coborate with the other tribes in eradicating the evil force. And yet, he was currently colluding with Penthe.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    What should she understand from this?


    Coming to terms with the stark disparity between the person he appeared to be and the person he truly was proved to be a difficult task for Kalina. After all, she almost trusted this bastard. The amiable countenance he disyed turned out to be nothing more than a deceptive facade. Kalina felt disappointment welling up inside her.


    "I never thought that I would cross paths with you here, the great and mighty elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe." Kalina began with a snarky remark. Her voice dripped with both displeasure and disappointment, clearly conveying her emotions.


    "Nor did I," the elder replied calmly. As a tier 4 warrior, despite his age, he remained formidable and strong. Kalina''s presence did not guarantee her ability to prevent his escape, further bolstering the elder''s confidence. So, he calmly talked with Kalina even when she knew about his rtionship with the evil organisation. If pushes to shove, he was ready to kill her by any means necessary.


    And at the same time, the elder took out a purple crystal from his clothes and crushed it with his finger. A purple light shed briefly before it disappeared from Kalina''s view.


    "What have you done?" Kalina inquired, her curiosity piqued.


    The elder nonchntly brushed the remnants of the crumbled crystal from his hands and replied, "Oh, this? This crystal serves as a means to call for reinforcements."


    "Intriguing," Kalina responded, her toneced with suspicion. "Care to borate on who exactly you refer to as ''we'' in your previous statement?"


    "Ha ha..." The elder chuckled. "It appears you''re not the sharpest tool in the shed. Even after witnessing it firsthand, you still require an exnation." With those words, the elder retrieved a ck robe from his spatial tool. Right before Kalina''s eyes, he deliberately adorned himself with the garment, taunting her to take action.


    Nevertheless, Kalina remained steadfast and refused to sumb to his provocations. She understood the importance of maintaining aposed and rational mindset during a battle. Drawing upon her extensive years ofbat experience, she allowed her seasoned instincts to guide her.


    Despite her annoyance, she held back her will to fight and asked.


    "Can you exin why you decided to join hands with the evil organisation? Looking at you, it seems like you don''t have much time left to live. You could have easily spent the rest of your life in peace and harmony. So, why did you decide to take a painful path to death."


    "The first elder of my Tribe was a greedy old codger. It didn''t surprise me when I realised that he was a traitor. But why are you doing this? As far as I know, you have a good reputation among your tribesmen. You are not interested in wealth or power. So, why did you choose to be a pawn of the evil organisation?" Kalina inquired while closely observing the elder''s face.


    "You already said it. My reason to betray my own tribe." The elder paused. He darted around surveying the surroundings. He could see the reinforcementing from the direction of the exit. Seeing this, he turned towards Kalina with a smile and said.


    "Promises of curing me of my mortality, of transforming my life forever¡ªthey gave me hope," the elder confessed, his gaze unwavering. "As a desperate man, living on borrowed time like myself, I had no choice but to ept their offer for a chance at life once more."


    Heid bare the selfishness behind his decision, fully aware of it. Embracing the path he had taken, he acknowledged the destruction he had caused to hisnd and his people without batting an eyelid. He was convinced that his reasoning was correct and the lives of others didn''t matter.


    Nothing that Kalina could say would convince him otherwise.


    Kalina came to the realisation that he was not simply a normal person but rather a deranged individual, driven by his own madness. When presented with an opportunity to turn his life around, he exhibited no hesitation in pursuing it, regardless of the consequences.


    A person like that would never change. He was simr to the first elder of her tribe. The longer they live, the longer they want to live. Their greed had no end. One was chasing after more power while the other chasing after a chance to live a longer life.


    "You have lived longer than my grandmother, witnessing firsthand the devastation caused by human greed when the demon ravaged thisnd," Kalina stated firmly, her voice filled with conviction. "All those who served it ultimately fell victim to its insidious power, consumed to fuel its growing strength. Do you honestly believe the evil organisation is any different? They may very well be the catalyst for your own demise. Have you ever even considered that?"


    As she spoke, an ice spear materialised in Kalina''s hand, serving as both a warning and a testament to her resolve.


    Although she posed the question, she had no desire to hear his response. Anything that would escape the elder''s lips would be nothing more than the vilest nonsense. Kalina aimed to demonstrate, through his swift demise, that the organisation that he trusted would ultimately lead to his undoing.

 Chapter 93 Evidence

    ?


    The elder who heard Kalina''s question shook his head in disappointment. He couldn''t understand her reasoning.


    Greed! Was it greed when his life depended on it? Without them, he would have died. Does his life hold no value? Why should he put the welfare of others over his?


    "Kalina, you have yet to see the world. You have yet to see the real face of humanity. And it is not a pretty one. Your sheltered life may have protected you for now. But, there will soone a day when you understand me." The elder stated in a grim and monotonous tone.


    He continued while pointing out her naivety.


    "I had to bow down before a greater power to live longer. One day, someone wille to you, promising to give you what you desperately want. Come to me after rejecting that offer. You can judge me after that."


    "There is no need for that. Your end is inevitable," Kalina dered with unwavering determination while flexing her arm. The ice spear rotated in her palm while she twisted her arm. "If you have any final words, speak them now. Let us bring an end to this today."


    Her intense will to fight materialised as a cold wind, sending shivers down her enemies. The ck-robed men that came as the reinforcement struggled to breathe in her presence.


    "Was a battle necessary? If you are willing to join us, we can be allies. However, if you choose to fight me. It would be the beginning of a war. I am the elder of the Thousand-headed Serpent tribe. If you kill me, you would be killing an elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe. Do you think my heroic tribe would bear that loss? And you have no way to prove by involvement with the ck-robed men. Even Penthe, your only hope has escaped." The elder proposed, his tone carrying a hint of persuasion.


    Upon hearing his words, Kalina clenched her teeth in frustration. While she disagreed with much of what he said, she couldn''t help but acknowledge the truth in his final statements. Shecked a concrete reason to kill one of the esteemed elders of the Thousand-headed Serpent tribe. There was no evidence to convince others of his involvement in the destruction of Thira or his association with the Penthe. The only individual, Penthe, who could provide the necessary proof had managed to escape right before her eyes.


    However, the revtion of his true self left Kalina torn. How could she simply let him go after witnessing his dark nature firsthand? Her grip on the ice spear tightened while she red at the elder.


    This made the elder pleased. Even though Kalina was the princess of the ice phoenix tribe, she didn''t have any authority over him or his actions. She can get away by killing or torturing Penthe. However, he had no reason to fear her when he has the thousand-head serpent tribe as his backing. His lips raised as a smug smile formed on his face.


    "p¡­p¡­p¡­" Suddenly, a sound captured everyone''s attention. The periodic pping sound wasing from the direction of the exit.


    From the darkness, a silhouette of a person emerged. He was wearing a distinct white robe. And over his shoulder, he had somethingrge bound by ropes, a person perhaps. The thing squirmed in pain while trying to escape. But the ropes were specially made to bind warriors. So, it was unsessful.


    The person that emerged from the darkness was Alex wearing white robes. And the thing that he was holding over his shoulder was Penthe.


    After Penthe''s escape, Alex swiftly pursued him, eventually apprehending him. With a firm grip on the situation, Alex bound Penthe''s legs and arms, rendering him helpless, resembling a squirming worm in his restraints.


    Penthe screamed and begged when he saw Alex, the white-robed man. So, Alex had to shove a thick piece of wood in his mouth before closing it securely in ce. Now, other than some vague noise, Penthe couldn''t say anything.


    After revealing his presence, Alex pped once more with Penthe''s face in between. The sound of his palms hitting the reddened cheeks of Penthe made a resounding sound inside the dark tunnel. It echoed back and forth grabbing the attention of everyone around him.


    Kalina, who saw him, felt a sense of relief wash over her. And the tied-up Pethe further lifted her mood. But the same could not be said for the ck-robed men and the elder. When Kalina wanted to chase after Penthe, the elder took action to prevent her. He was deliberately dying Kalina to let Penthe escape.


    It became clear that the elder''s decision to call for reinforcements held the same purpose. The ck-robed men were supposed to have dealt with Penthe already, eradicating any remaining evidence of their involvement and ultimately eliminating him. However, the unexpected interference of the white-robed man appeared to have disrupted the elder''s ns.


    "Great analysis of the current situation. If only she had some evidence to prove your crime." Alex stated after changing his voice with mana. He patted Penthe''s head, his voice was oozing with obvious sarcasm.


    "Maybe, I can use this guy," Alex said showing support to Kalina. His intent was clear, he was saying that he will help Kalina in finding evidence. Even ready to hand over Penthe. He was disying himself as an ally to Kalina, not knowing the fact that Kalina already trusts him and was willing to cooperate. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Alex''s words struck a nerve with the elder, igniting a fiery rage within him.


    The man who destroyed his n was right before him.


    The elder didn''t know from where the white-robed man came nor did he know how he found the link between Penthe and them. But one thing was certain, he was in apletely antagonistic rtionship with their organisation. Now, he had returned with evidence. He had to kill him, the elder thought.


    "Do you have a death wish to return after capturing him? Let me send you both to the afterlife." The elder spoke in a threatening tone.


    "Pfussstt.." However, Kalina who saw the vexed elder let out a muffledugh. She knew what Alex, the white-robed man was capable of. The elder''s threat wouldn''t even faze him.


    However, Alex looked at the crazy woman not knowing what was going through her head. After all, he didn''t Kalina knew his identity. So, he couldn''t grasp why she wasughing at this time.


    Kalina''sugh and the disrespect of the white-robed man together triggered the battle between the elder and them.


    The air pressure inside the closed space changed. The elder who felt threatened by Alex and Kalina decided to end them. It was a safer bet to destroy evidence and kill Kalina and Alex.


    A giant illusory image of a snake materialised before him as he activated his skill. The serpent opened its mouth before swiftly moving through the air and attacking Alex.


    The thousand-headed serpent tribe was known for its ability to materialise a thousand types of illusory serpents, with each having a slightly different ability. And due to that, most of their skills were rted to poison. The skill released by the elder was also a skill rted to poison.


    Alex looked at the venous fangs threatening to bite him and simply teleported away. After that, he ran towards the exit.


    Although Alex could use teleport. Short-distance teleportation had one small problem. He had to have a clear view of where he wished to teleport to. Or, he needs to feel the exact spatial point with mana. This put him at a disadvantage while fighting underground.


    So, to preserve some mana, he ran towards the exit. Penthe was the bait he was using to make the elder and the ck-robed men follow him.


    After reaching the exit, Alex could safely teleport away. With his maximum teleport distance reaching one kilometre per teleport. He could temporarily store Penthe and all the evidence far away before returning.


    Not realising this, the elder followed Alex to the exit.


    As the tunnel gave way, a sandy beach stretched out before them, signifying their journey of over a kilometre to the west of Thira had finally led them to the exit.


    Before they could fullyprehend the situation, Alex''s form flickered, vanishing into the sky. Staying true to his n, he resolved to secure Penthe in a safe location, under trustworthy care.


    Eager to pursue Alex, the elder contemted tracking his general teleportation direction. However, his intentions were swiftly thwarted when Kalina, seizing the moment, hurled a massive ice spear in his direction.


    Reacting with agility, the elder deftly evaded the iing assault, narrowly escaping its piercing trajectory.


    "Don''t go after him, we have some unfinished business, elder. What were you saying before? To join hands because I have no evidence or something. It seems like he is willing to hand over Penthe to me. So, let''s finish our business first. I hope a person who likes to live a very long life doesn''t mind dying." Kalina formed one more ice spear on her hand before throwing it at the elder.

 Chapter 94 Idea

    ?


    As Kalina''s spear grazed past the elder, drawing his attention back to her, Alex seized the opportunity to teleport away. His destination was one of his well-concealed hideouts, where he intended to imprison Penthe securely and safeguard the crucial evidence.


    Merely ten secondster, Alex reappeared on the beach, resolute and prepared. Kalina engaged in a fierce battle with the elder, their energies colliding and swirling, creating a turbulent force that pushed the weaker members of the ck-robed men away from the epicentre.


    In a bid to counter Kalina''s assault, the elder summoned an illusory serpent, its vibrant hues of purple and green illuminating the air as it swam towards her. Though seemingly transparent, the serpent possessed the ability to inflict physical harm, coupled with the perilous threat of its venomous fangs. It posed a genuine danger to Kalina.


    To evade the serpent''s attacks, Kalina swiftly dodged and weaved, relying on her agility and reflexes. For those attacks she couldn''t avoid, she swiftly conjured ice shields to intercept and block their path.


    Despite the elder''s advanced age, his strength appeared to have endured the passage of time, showcasing little signs of decline. He tenaciously held his ground, engaging in a formidable battle against Kalina, a youthful twenty-five-year-old tier 4 warrior. While Kalina danced with danger, the elder was showing age was just a number to him.


    As the intense battle raged on, a realisation dawned upon Kalina. ''It seems the ck-robed men have fulfilled their end of the promise.'' she thought, recognising theck of any discernible advantage she held over the elder. It became apparent that he had indeed obtained the promised immortality or something simr.


    While Kalina and the elder engaged in their intense duel, Alex materialised in close proximity. His keen observation immediately detected the presence of the elder''s henchmen, the other ck-robed men, scurrying about around the battleground.


    Resembling an army of ants, they steadily multiplied in numbers, emerging from all directions, amassing into a formidable force. Before long, the battlefield became enveloped by a gathering of over fifty ck-robed men, their collective presence creating an intimidating and overwhelming sight.


    Kalina and the elder were both tier 4 warriors. They have yet to use their spirit guardian possession state. It meant that they were at a stalemate. This stalemate left the battle in a precarious bnce, with neither gaining the upper hand. Recognising the impasse, the ck-robed men who had arrived as reinforcements for the elder strategically positioned themselves, encircling Kalina. They aimed to disrupt the battle at a critical juncture and tip the scales in the elder''s favour, determined to secure victory by altering the course of the fight.


    Nevertheless, Alex was unwilling to let the ck-robed men''s ne to fruition. He recognised Kalina''s potential value as an acquaintance, acknowledging her impulsive nature yet perceiving her underlying goodness. Observing her deliberate efforts to improve herself, he saw the potential for her to be a valuable ally in the future.


    While Alex aspired to grow stronger himself, he also desired a trustworthy guardian for his tribe in the north during his absences. Kalina, as the princess of the ice phoenix tribe perfectly aligned with this role. So, her safety was something he desired to preserve.


    And this reasoning led Alex to the battle. His white robes swayed in the wind as he materialised before the ck-robed men.


    Taking out a dagger, he slit the throat of the closest enemy. The ck-robed man couldn''t even respond properly as a thin line of blood appeared on his neck.


    "Splurt¡­" Red viscous liquid splurted as Alex moved away from his first victim. Quickly, the anger of the ck-robed men was directed at Alex.


    ''Their sluggish movements and frail physicality indicate that they are likely mages rather than warriors,'' Alex spected, his mind racing to assess the situation. The possibility arose that these ck-robed individuals could be minions of the evil organisation, perhaps imported from the Western continent. The elder from the thousand-headed serpent tribe was making use of the resources of the evil organisation. Unlike what he had suspected, he couldn''t see any warriors of the thousand-head serpent tribe. So, their entire tribe might not be as rotten as he imagined it to be. Alex concluded.


    Considering their magical nature, Alex cooked up the most efficient approach to neutralise the threat they posed. He knew that dealing with mages required a strategic n, exploiting their weaknesses while capitalising on his own strengths.


    Unlike the warriors, even weak mages could attack with long-distance spells. They will use their brain before attacking him. So, he had to be careful and be aware of his surroundings. If he allowed them to attack his blindspots, it would threaten his life.


    One might think Alex was invincible due to his ability to teleport. But that was not the case. Even though he could teleport, there is a slight dy between each teleport. And the cause of this dy was none other than his reaction time. Unless he could decrease his reaction time to zero, there was no way to dodge a spell that was blitzing towards his face when it was just inches away from colliding with him. And for now, there was no way to reduce his reaction.


    Fully conscious of this reality, Alex exercised caution in his offensive manoeuvres. He strategised his attacks, considering the range and speed of the enemy''s spells. By assessing their casting patterns and exploiting moments of vulnerability, he aimed to strike while minimising the risk of being caught off guard.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Just as he moved away from the corpse of the man, Alex saw a fireball blitzing towards him. It glowed crimson red as it flew urately towards his head. Thankfully, Alex had the physical strength of a tier 3 warrior. So, he could dodge it in time.


    But, he had no time to rx. The fifty mages that surrounded him were casting spells simultaneously to attack him. One by one, he saw a multitude of spells racing towards him.


    Stone bullet, fireball, water bullet, wind sh¡­ The spells moved at a crazy speed toward him.


    Thankfully, he could teleport to escape from the onught. But, teleport was not a valid option for a prolonged battle.


    Alex understood the limitations of his teleportation ability. While it provided him with a valuable escape mechanism, he was well aware of its drawbacks in a prolonged battle. The significant mana consumption associated with teleportation meant that he had to use it sparingly.


    Using teleport to dodge every attack would deplete his mana reserves rapidly, leaving him vulnerable once his teleportation ability became unavable. He needed to conserve his mana for strategic and decisive moments, ensuring that he had enough energy to execute crucial offensive manoeuvres or escape when necessary. And most importantly, he needed to have spare mana to attack the final boss, the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe.


    So, he decided to use his physical superiority tobat the enemy mages.


    With agile grace, Alex weaved through the chaos of the battlefield, swiftly darting left and right. At times, he intentionally revealed his presence, drawing the attention of both Kalina and the elder.


    While skillfully evading iing attacks, he closed in on the slower-moving mages, unleashing swift strikes with his dagger. Though some of his attacks were missed, he persisted like a relentless dolphin pursuing a school of fish. With calcted movements, he circled around the swarm of mages, catching a few off-guards. Gradually, he began to whittle down their numbers.


    During physicalbat, Alex harnessed the power of mana stored within the cores, channelling it throughout his body to enhance his physical capabilities. Typically, each core would emit a small but steady stream of mana, sustaining his physical prowess over an extended period.


    However, Alex soon began to realise his limits in the intense battle. Unlike what he had calcted, mana consumption during real-life battles was very high. He could barely support himself for twenty minutes and could only kill a dozen of the enemy mages.


    Seeing the exhaustion kick in, Alex felt his heart beating wildly.


    He could always retreat and recover before returning to battle. And his action would not be far from the reality of what the white-robed man would do. But, was he just the white-robed man?


    He was also Alex. When he wanted to help Kalina, he was not just thinking about it for fun. He really felt the need to do it. So, retreating, for now, was out of the question.


    So, what else can he do to fight?


    Driven by the need to excel inbat, Alex''s mind sparked with an innovative idea. A simple but intriguing thought took shape within him.


    He contemted the possibility of replenishing his mana reserves during the heat of battle. Typically, consuming mana-rich edible items could recover a small amount of mana. However, inparison to the mana he was expending, it was insignificant.


    Alex needed a way to quickly recover mana while he was inbat. Something that no one else but he could do. So, he found one.

 Chapter 95 New Trick To Using Cores

    ?


    Typically, mana is spent inbat. When a mage activates a spell, their mana will be drained from their core to construct runes and spell models. Later, the spell model induces some change in the environment. That change can be called a spell. While casting a spell, they couldn''t use their core to recover mana. It was basic knowledge among mages.


    Up until this juncture, Alex shared simrities with mages, employing aparable technique to manifest spells. However, when it came to his physical prowess, he possessed an exceptional talent for mana maniption. Through this unique ability, he could direct mana into his muscles, bestowing upon himself the formidable physical capabilities of a warrior. Referred to as the "warrior mode" by Alex, this state was effortlessly sustained by harnessing his mana in such a manner.


    However, Alex''s body had one critical difference from a normal mage. He had almost a hundred cores distributed all over his body.


    This realisation made Alex think. And in the moment of inspiration, Alex decided to try out the new method he devised on the spot.


    He abruptly shut down one of his ny currently active cores. The mana saturation inside his body didn''t decrease. This meant he could still use the warrior method.


    By adhering to his method of harmonising the cores bterally, Alex embarked on the process of systematically deactivating the cores within his body. Within a matter of minutes, he discovered that he only required the sustained but arduous exertion of twenty cores, strategically distributed throughout his physique, to sustain his warrior mode. These twenty cores radiated like miniature stars, dispersed within his body, steadily releasing mana to fortify his physique.


    This was a great discovery for Alex. After unlocking ny cores, he had never tried out a simr experiment on himself. He always tried to use a tiny bit of mana from all his cores to maintain his warrior mode.


    Now, he realised his foolishness.


    Although mana in the twenty cores would run out faster, he could shift the burden to another twenty cores. This gave a great boost to the efficiency of the mana usage.


    However, Alex didn''t stop there. Now that he had 70 cores as spare, he was not going to let them be unproductive. He shifted the task of 50 cores to recover mana.


    "Thuck¡­" Alex stumbled while he was running away from the mages that were attacking him. The burden of using the cores in a contradicting manner put a strain on Alex''s mind. Nevertheless, he clenched his teeth and endured the agony. It resembled the strain he had experienced while multicasting spells, amplified a hundredfold. Yet, despite the excruciating ordeal, he deemed it bearable, refusing to yield.


    After all, there was no gain without any pain. Recovering mana was very important for him currently. His life was dependent on it.


    Like that, the fifty cores inside his body turned into miniature ck holes that devoured mana from his surroundings.


    The remaining twenty cores acted as a spare. They were needed in case of emergencies or when he need to change out the exhausted core.


    Through further experimentation, Alex discerned that by synchronising the fifty cores, their collective recovery rate would render him virtually tireless. However, he emphasised the significance of the term ''virtually.''


    While he could achieve continuous mana recovery, he anticipated a substantial esction in mental strain, eventually bing a potential limitation. Nevertheless, he postponed concern for this matter, as he was ustomed to enduring high-strain situations relentlessly, without rest or sleep. With his current mana output, it would take a minimum of 10 hours for him to exhaust himself.


    So, with newfound confidence, Alex continued his battle. He dashed around the battlefield stabbing and critically wounding the enemy mages. asionally, he used to teleport to escape from danger and to appear behind powerful mages to take their life.


    For a moment, he looked like a grim reaper that was dancing on the battlefield. Although his white robes didn''t match the aesthetics of a grim reaper. The blood on it disyed his might. With relentless and tireless assaults, he instilled fear deep within their hearts.


    Now, even the ck-robed minions of the evil organisation, who was willing to die and kill for the organisation were trying to avoid him.


    This was proof that his goal was within reach. He was spreading fear among the ck robes. Despite the ck-robed individuals being intended to resemble emotionless robots, their fearful and panicked reactions betrayed their true nature. Witnessing their trepidation, a hidden smile graced Alex''s face, concealed beneath his stoic expression.


    ''Forty-nine¡­''


    ''fifty ¡­''


    ''....''


    ''Fifty-eight¡­'' <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Alex counted one by one until he eradicated thest of the ck-robed men. Only the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe who was battling with Kalina remained.


    ¡ª


    The battle, that was happening near the beach didn''t go unnoticed. The thunderous sound of the sh between Kalina and the elder. The screams of pain from the ck-robed men. All that caused a crowd to form near the battlefield. Hundreds of men and women from all walks of life crowded near the battlefield. They observed from a safe distance to know what was going on.


    However, as theyid eyes upon the lifeless bodies of the ck-robed men, panic gripped the onlookers. Were these attackersunching another assault on their city? Such thoughts raced through their minds.


    Yet, their apprehension quickly subsided when they saw Alex, d in his white robes, meticulously washing the blood from his garments amidst a sea of ck-robed corpses. Based on the rumours they had heard, the white-robed figure was the arch-nemesis of these ck-robed individuals. It was said that he had decimated the Noble Trader Association for their cooperation with the ck-robes.


    Then why was he here?


    Why was he in a battle with the ck-robed men here?


    What happened to Penthe?


    Question one after another popped up in the mind of the crowd.


    However, their shock didn''t end there. When they observed the battle between Kalina and the ck-robed man. They quickly identified the skills used by the man.


    The man was using the skills of the thousand-headed serpent tribe. This shocked the crowd beyond anything. There were traitors in the thousand-headed serpent tribe. The crowd realised quickly.


    "Is that the elder of the Thousand-Head Serpent Tribe? The current acting patriarch?" One individual astutely observed, pointing out the obvious.


    Amidst the fierce sh ofbat, the elder found it impossible to conceal his face beneath the protective cover of his hood. Kalina made sure of that. Thus, to the elder''s misfortune, the crowd swiftly discerned his true identity.


    "Thedy is the princess of the Ice Phoenix Tribe. I remember her from when the ck-robes attacked the city before. She extended a helping hand then, and I witnessed her captivating beauty firsthand," proimed a young man standing among the crowd. His voice carried a tone of admiration.


    "Yes, she is." Another young man verified the other man''s im.


    Nevertheless, just as the onlookers were beginning to find sce in the situation, their relief was abruptly shattered. They witnessed Kalina being forcefully pushed back by the elder, stirring a surge of anguish within their chests. The young men''s instinctive reaction was to rush in and save Kalina, but their friends, family members, spouses, and girlfriends swiftly intervened, preventing them from making the gravest mistake of their lives.


    Alex stood speechless after watching this from the sidelines. He couldn''t understand them. As strong as he was, he didn''t want to interfere in the battle that was raging near the sea. Each one of Kalina''s attacks was freezing a wide portion of the sea. The elder changed his tactics by running over the water, sometimes diving in and emerging to attack Kalina.


    The battle was going in a crazy stupid and extremely difficult direction. And yet, they wanted to save her.


    Alex rubbed his head to find some relief from his headache. He was already feeling mentally drained by the previous battle. However, he needs to prepare himself to interfere in the battle that was taking ce over the beach and in the sea.


    "Elder, your identity is already revealed. You have no ce left to run. Even your tribe wouldn''t protect you now. Do you know what that means? You will die today." Kalina spoke amidst the battle.


    "Kids these days¡­" The elder chuckled mockingly, his amusement fueled by Kalina''s warning. "Your words may hold some truth if you possess the power to stop me. Otherwise, I have no qualms about eliminating everyone here to conceal the truth. My options are far from exhausted. Even if more witnesses were to emerge, I can always resort to eliminating them to safeguard the truth. That includes you," he sneered, taunting Kalina.


    "Why can''t I stop you? Can''t you see corpses of your men strew across the beach? Unlike you, I seem to have better allies." Kalina taunted back while looking at Alex who was wearing white robes. "And soon, other strong warriors woulde for my help. So, until then, wash your neck and wait."


    "Ha ha ha¡­ I could say the same. You have yet to see the strength of my organisation." The elder warned while attacking Kalina.

 Chapter 96 Again

    ?


    The elder kindly warned Kalina about the strength of his organisation.


    "Why are you so proud of joining a group of killers?" Kalina asked in response.


    "Killers? Is that the extent of your imagination? Do you think we act without reason? I am disappointed in you, Kalina. When you dered your intention to dismantle the ''evil organisation,'' I held you in high regard. It appears I have overestimated your intelligence. Have you never heard the proverb, don''t judge a book by its cover?


    "So, what made you assume we are evil? We are actually the saviours of the world. In due time, you wille to understand the true meaning behind my words."


    "Hm... A nameless organisation from nowhere dares to proim itself as the saviour of the world," Kalina scoffed, confronted by the elder''s unreasonable words. She couldn''tprehend why someone like him would refer to the evil organisation as the saviour of the world.


    "Ha ha ha... Nameless organisation? The very fact that you couldn''t even discover our name demonstrates your ipetence. How, then, can you fathom the significance of our actions and objectives?" The elder criticised Kalina for herck of knowledge.


    "Can killing the innocent, fueled by your ambition, justify your goal?" Kalina challenged.


    "It may be justified when all of thises to an end. Sacrifices must be made in the pursuit of one''s goals. The difference lies in the fact that our choices benefit the entire world, whereas your actions are motivated by your welfare. In our case, it is right to say that the ends justify the means." the elder responded.


    ¡ª--


    ''Well, they are having a productive conversation while trying to kill each other. I think I should sit back and watch for now.'' Alex thought as he saw the elder and Kalina converse. He took out some snacks from his inventory and chair. cing it near the beach, he began to munch on them.


    Although their conversation might seem simple, Alex didn''t want them to stop. Their conversation was providing valuable information to him. He wanted the elder to speak more. The more he spoke the better it was for him.


    However, Alex was well aware that both Kalina and the elder were merely stalling for time. Neither of them was prepared to jeopardise their lives in a full-blown battle. Or else, they would have used the spirit guardian possession state.


    The exchanges of blows were primarily defensive, with Kalina focused on preventing the elder from escaping the scene, while the elder used his attacks to create distractions and buy himself some time.


    Alex used this time to recover his mana peacefully.


    ¡ª----


    Within a matter of minutes, leaving behind distinctive trails in the clouds,rge dots began to materialise in the sky. A squadron of massive flying beasts, the trusted mounts of Tier 4 warriors from Thira, began to converge. Nearly twenty of these majestic creatures, each carrying a skilled Tier 4 warrior, formed a circling formation above the battlefield.


    Among them were warriors hailing from renowned tribes such as the Void Fish Tribe, the Thousand-Headed Serpent Tribe, and the Ice Phoenix Tribe. Additionally, there were some unidentified warriors representing scattered tribes. All of them observed the unfolding events below with keen eyes, meticulously analysing the situation before deciding which side to help.


    Despite receiving prior information about the nature of the conflict, they feltpelled to personally witness the ongoing battle, ensuring their judgments were well-founded before pledging their allegiance.


    Soon, they realised what was happening.


    Clearly, the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe was in the wrong. So, they decided to support Kalina.


    For a fleeting moment, the members of the Thousand-Headed Serpent Tribe stood in stunned disbelief, fullyprehending the immense gravity of the situation. However, their shock swiftly transformed into resolute determination as they made their decisions and aligned themselves with the Ice Phoenix Tribe. They understood that their elder had veered down the wrong path, and they refused to allow themselves to be enemies of the entire central continent due to his misguided actions.


    Having suffered the brutal loss of their patriarch and hundreds of warriors at the hands of the evil organisation, witnessing their elder don the robe of this evil group filled them with shame and anger. To cleanse themselves of this shame, they vowed to purge it by shedding the blood of their elder.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The other warriors allowed the tier 4 warriors from the thousand-headed serpent tribe to go first. It was their mistake that caused the evil organisation to spread like a parasite inside the city. So, they should be the first to take down their elder. If they are unable to do so, they were willing to rid the world of evil by their own hands.


    "See, your tribe is here to eliminate you. The shame caused by a traitor like you is unbearable for them. Let''s see if your wish to live long will be fulfilled after this." After leaving behind the words, Kalina pulled back.


    Now, four warriors from the Thousand-Headed Serpent Tribe encircled the elder, their eyes fixed upon him. As the elder gazed upon this sight, a wave of excitement coursed through his body. It had been far too long since hest engaged in a battle of such magnitude. Rather than being filled with fear, he exuded unwavering confidence upon witnessing his tribe members surrounding him. It was as if he possessed an unshakeable certainty that he would emerge victorious, standing tall and resolute, not budging an inch.


    "Our tribe has already suffered enough losses. Do you wish to sacrifice your lives in an attempt to kill me?" the elder challenged the four Tier 4 warriors who surrounded him.


    "It is better to face death than to live with the shame that the acting patriarch of one of the Nine Great Tribes is a traitor," proimed one warrior, his words echoed by the nodding agreement of the others.


    "Then so be it," the elder dered, drawing a sword from his spatial storage with a newfound seriousness that contrasted with his previous battle against Kalina. He channelled his energy into the de, causing it to emanate a vivid purple glow.


    A powerful surge of energy radiated from the elder, generating a shockwave that disced the air around him.


    With a resounding "Boom!" he shot forward like a bullet, aimed directly at the warrior positioned at the forefront.


    "Crack... Pierce... Pierce, Pierce, Pierce!" Before the warrior could evenprehend the situation, the elder thrust his sword forward, prating the energy barrier enveloping the warrior''s body. In an instant, the de pierced into the warrior''s chest, inflicting a grave wound. Miraculously, the warrior managed to cling to life.


    However, the most shocking revtion came when the three warriors behind him, instead of attacking the elder, drove their swords into his vulnerable back. The simultaneous piercing sound pushed him to the precipice of death.


    "You!" he eximed, blood gushing from his mouth. Within seconds, the warrior sumbed to his injuries. The remaining three warriors stood beside the elder, firmly disying their allegiance. They were also members of the evil organisation.


    Some people in the crowd were shocked to see it. Even Kalina stood still unable to grasp the turn of events. However, Alex was not surprised by any of it. But his mouth that was chewing on the potato chips stopped when he gazed at the elder. His eyes glowed in a blue hue revealing the fact that they were filled with mana.


    Alex was using mana sight to view the battle that was taking ce far from him. And by chance, he noticed something peculiar about the scene before him.


    The elder suddenly had a sudden spike in mana concentration inside his body. The three people around him were doing something simr. Their bodies were mysteriously generating more mana with each second.


    This forced Alex to remember what happened to the first elder of the ice phoenix tribe.


    ''Ahhh fuck!'' He thought remembering the ordeal when he battled against the first elder.


    ''The shit was about to hit the fan. The first elder turned into a monster after showing simr symptoms.'' Alex could see a worm-like thing squirming inside the bodies of the three warriors behind the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe. It was releasing vast amounts of mana into their bloodstream to increase their power.


    ''The elder suddenly increased the mana concentration inside his body. But he seems to be different from his three minions. In his body, there is no worm. But I am sure that he is exhibiting more mana than he should.'' Alex concluded.


    ''Three rampaging monsters with the strength simr to peak tier 4 to a tier 5 warrior. An old man with an unknown ability to suddenly increase his energy level. Hidden allies of the evil organisation in the crowd. Possible reinforcement might arrive soon to help them. Is it even possible to win this battle? I think I poked the ho''s nest when I attacked the Noble Trader Association. Anyway, it is better to pull them out into the light rather than letting their scheme in the dark.'' Alex thought as he calmed himself.


    Thankfully, they were quite far from the city. Or else Thira might have been destroyed a second time in the uing battle.

 Chapter 97 Attack 1

    Initially, Alex had devised a n to weed out the weaker members of the evil organisation, aiming to assert his presence and instil fear within the lower ranks. He intended to keep the evil organisation on edge, their nerves wrought with tension.


    However, the consequences of his actions swiftly escted, resembling a chain reaction of falling dominos. With each encounter, he found himself facing increasingly formidable adversaries.


    Standing before him was a formidable force far beyond his ability to eliminate.


    From what he understood, even with thebined effort of all the warriors willing to battle, it would be impossible to beat the elder and his three monsters.


    "Sigh!" Alex exhaled heavily, his hand instinctively reaching up to massage his temples. He acknowledged that he was the catalyst behind this chaotic situation. So, he had a responsibility to save the people who were gathered to watch the show. And this thought was causing him to have a headache.


    Reluctantly, he stowed away thest of his snacks and folded up the chair, returning them to his inventory. Brushing off the sand from his robes and shoes, he walked gingerly towards the crowd.


    Within the crowd, the majority wereprised of individualscking strength andbat skills. Many were mere onlookers, drawn to the scene out of curiosity rather than being seasoned warriors. Despite the fury burning in their eyes, they hesitated to intervene in the unfolding battle.


    Casting uncertain nces, tinged with both fear and apprehension, they observed Alex as he approached them, d in a pristine white robe dyed with blood. Although his actions appeared to be in defence of the city, they remained ignorant of his true identity, leaving them with lingering reservations and doubts.


    When Alex was just tens of feet away from them. He took some metallic cards and jotted down some runes on them. The inscription contained readable words in themonnguage.


    After that, he threw the card towards the crowd.


    "Swish¡­" The cards flew to the crowd gently. A few warriors quickly caught them. They didn''t what purpose it had. However, they quickly noticed the words and began reading them.


    ''*From me.*''


    Baffled by the cryptic nature of the words inscribed on the cards, the warriors found themselves perplexed as to the purpose behind such writings. It seemed that the cards offered no tangible information or meaningful insights. Nevertheless, undeterred by theirck of understanding, they continued to read, while nearby onlookers curiously attempted to catch glimpses of the mysterious content.


    ''*To the people of Thira who are crowding near the battle.*''


    Simultaneously, the thought crossed the minds of the warriors: Could this be a letter? Was the white-robed individual attempting to convey a message or provide them with important information? The notion lingered, leaving them intrigued and eager to uncover the purpose behind the enigmatic words scrawled on the cards.


    ''*Subject: You are dead.*''


    Collectively, a surge of defiance surged through their thoughts. "Not us. You are the one who is dead," they silently rebuked the white-robed figure. The shared sentiment echoed among them as they nodded while looking up at each other.


    ''*Dear, Corpse to be,


    I strongly advise you to vacate the premises promptly. The elder, apanied by his three loyal minions, is poised tounch an imminent assault. Those who genuinely value their lives should seize this moment to make a hasty exit. Should you survive this ordeal, I kindly request that you extend my benevolent warning to your acquaintances, friends, and family, emphasising my goodwill in providing this crucial information.*''


    ''*Sincerely, me.*''


    The crowd was thrust into a state of panic as the letter abruptly concluded with its seemingly unserious, almost joking-like tone. The lightheartedness of the words did little to alleviate their anxiety, instead intensifying their sense of urgency and rm.


    If what the white-robed man said was true, they were the most in danger. Most of the strong warriors could run away to escape. But what about the rest of them?


    Of course, they would die.


    Meanwhile, some individuals within the crowd did not take Alex''s words seriously. They had already endured the onught of the ck-robed assants in the past, leading them to question why they should fear an elder and his small group of minions. How could just four Tier-4 warriors possibly stand against the roughly twenty Tier-4 warriors gathered around them? This line of thinking instilled within them a false sense of security.


    Reacting swiftly, a vast majority of the crowd heeded Alex''s warning and hurriedly made their escape, acknowledging the imminent danger. However, there were still a few who remained unaware of the impending threat, oblivious to the peril that loomed just beyond their perception and decided to stay.


    Despite being aware of the unconcerned individuals in the crowd, Alex remained unperturbed by theirck of response. The weaker ones had already fled, and he was confident that once the remaining spectators witnessed the ferocity of the impending battle, they would instinctively seek safety. Regardless of how seemingly ridiculous his letter may have sounded, it had fulfilled its purpose of issuing a warning. This realisation brought a sense of relief to Alex, knowing that he had done his part to alert and protect those who were willing to heed his message.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ¡ª


    Kalina was the first to activate her spirit guardian possession state once she witnessed the elder kill his tribesman.


    Ice wings materialised around as she observed the elder and his minion in detail. She quickly noticed his and his subordinate''s peculiarity. The energy they were releasing outwards forced her to remember what happened to the first elder of her tribe.


    Their energy resonated eerily simr to that of the first elder when he sumbed to madness, transforming into a monstrous entity.


    The first elder was also a tier 4 warrior. ording to the information she received from Alex, she knew that he had a lump of flesh that wriggled like a worm inside his body. And that was the source of his power.


    The first elder transformed into a monster because of his inability to rein in control over the thing inside his body.


    The same could happen for the elder and his minions. This thought shook Kalina to the core.


    Last time, She ran away from the danger like a coward to save her sister. In that situation, a tier 5 beast luckily appeared to save Meru, Taka and Ethan. But there was no tier 5 warrior in Thira currently. The patriarch of the Thousand-headed Serpent tribe was already dead. So, no one in the city could fight against them.


    Fear and shame washed over her as she looked at the elder. So, she decisively activated her spirit guardian possession state.


    In one way or another, she was responsible for the things that were happening. She needs to stand up to save the people. And knowing that Alex, the white-robed man nearby gave her enough confidence to activate her spirit guardian possession state.


    If something were to happen, he might help her. That was her belief.


    After powering up for the battle, Kalina exined to the tier 4 warriors around her about the thing she witnessed. And the majority chose to believe in her.


    "So, how can we kill them without letting them go berserk and turn into a monster?" A warrior from the void fish tribe asked.


    "We can''t. They will go berserk and we will have to deal with them in that form." Kalina replied.


    And her answer rmed the warriors. This prompted one of the warriors from a scattered tribe to ask.


    "Can we let him leave peacefully? The elder already knows about his situation. We know his identity and he will have to go into hiding after the mess he caused. If we let him leave peacefully, wouldn''t he choose that option over fighting against us?"


    The words spoken by the man made sense. It quickly captured everyone''s attention. Even Kalina had to give in this time. She couldn''t ask others to sacrifice their life even when she was not ready to do the same.


    However, the elder who heard this from afar didn''t give them any more time to think. He had enough of them. He had grown weary of their interference, which had disrupted his meticulously crafted schemes. Determined not to let them slip away, he aimed to make them taste the anguish thates from crossing his path.


    Taking his sword, he stabbed the back of his minions. And they weed the de without a change in their expression. As if they knew what was about to happen, they prepared themselves.


    The sword stabbed right through their body to their chest. A river of blood splurted through their open would.


    This made the mana inside their body run amok and their consciousness dim. The tiny worm inside their body made use of this chance to grow at a rapid pace.


    "Splurr¡­." Dark red blood spewed as their body convoluted. Bones broke and erged and their muscles multiplied by the second.


    After their consciousness dimmed, the thing inside the body began to consume them while they are alive. Their body began to transform into monsters right before Kalina''s eyes.


    This series of events shocked everyone. The elder had killed his people to create a monster that could attack the city.

 Chapter 98 Attack 2

    ?


    Three monstrous abominations,prised of mangled flesh, bones, and blood, loomed ominously before the elder. Their grotesque appearance, resembling a body that was turned inside-out induced waves of nausea in the onlookers.


    Recognising the imminent threat posed by the towering fifteen-foot monstrosities, the elder hastily retreated a few steps. It was only a matter of time before they would unleash their destructive fury. Even he had no means of controlling them. The rampaging monsters are uncontroble to even the elder and the evil organisation. So, he made a quick escape from them.


    Alex watched this from afar. And the sight of the monster made all the hair on his body standstill. Not because of fear, but because of pure disgust.


    ''It looks like some animal had chewed on it and then spat it out. Utterly repulsive and disgusting¡­Why do these guys want to be something worse than shit for the evil organisation.'' Alex thought as he pinched his nose in disgust. He didn''t know if the monster was smelly, but he felt like it would be by just looking at it.


    Although the monster looked humanoid, it had no resemnce to a human. And most importantly, the creature bore no facial features except a partially decayed-looking nose and a mouth brimming with razor-sharp teeth. In the ce of its eyes, it has some smoothed-out convex holes with some twisted skin. And the ears hadpletely disappeared leaving no sign of them ever being present.


    Alex possessed basic knowledge of the monster''s behaviour and anticipated its next move. Having witnessed a simr monster''s rampages, he was expecting predictable actions from them.


    ''The initial target for the monster would be vulnerable creatures harbouring mana within their bodies. It would kill and consume them before proceeding to attack stronger creatures. This process served as a means for the creature to enhance and refine its form. Even the first elder had engaged in such behaviour, understanding that relying solely on the biological matter derived from a single human body would not suffice for achieving its optimal state. The monster would try to consume everything and anything it could to grow to a level of tier 5 warrior in strength.'' Thinking that Alex looked around.


    ''There are still some individuals with no fear scattered around the area. Perfect snacks for the monster.''


    "Sigh!"


    After transforming itself into a fifteen feet tall humanoid monster, they stood up. Raised their heads and began sniffing the air.


    The monster was finding their targets. They had impable senses to find mana signatures in their surroundings. So, even without eyes, they could know the pinpoint location of mana in the surroundings. The moment Alex saw this, he prepared for battle.


    With slight disappointment, Kalina stated. "I don''t believe the elder has any intentions of negotiating with us." Her tone conveyed a sense of urgency. "We must eliminate the monsters before they amass strength. We cannot permit them to prey upon innocent!" Kalina''s voice resonated with intensity as she urgently called out to the nearby tier 4 warriors, forcing them to take action.


    And so, the battlemenced. The elder discreetly slipped away from the scene, having unleashed the monsters upon Thira. Kalina struggled to contain her anger as she observed his departure. Nevertheless, her focus remained fixed on the monstrous adversaries before her. She reluctantly let him escape knowing all too well that he would return for revenge.


    The icy wings behind Kalina spread as she flew towards one of the monsters. She created a giant ice spear in her hand before stabbing it at the monster that was sniffing the air. The warriors behind her followed suit, splitting up to attack the remaining monsters.


    Although Kalina''s attack was quick and precise, the monster was much nimbler than she anticipated. It dodged her attack effortlessly while sliding to the side. It knew Kalina''s attack posed danger and began to avoid her.


    Simrly, the other monsters also avoided the warriors that were attacking them. They ran around on all fours hugging the ground like a feral beasts while avoiding attacks, searching for a chance to consume a mana-rich animal.


    And the closest thing that they could find, which was weaker than them was the white-robed man, Alex. So, immediately, they turned towards Alex. Their nimble but muscr form sprinted across the sandy beach as they closed in on him.


    Escape was not a viable option for Alex. If he were to flee from the oing monsters, they would likely disperse and indiscriminately attack the innocent people in the vicinity. So, he stood without moving an inch.


    Alex had foreseen the monsters'' actions even before they initiated their attack. He was well aware that they would single him out as their target. He was patiently waiting for this chance. Unlike in the past, he was prepared to deal with them. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Within seconds, the opened mouth of the monster closed in on Alex. They were ready to tear him apart limb by limb and eat him.


    Just as the monsters were about to bite him, Alex swiftly teleported away, leaving behind a parting gift. From beneath the ground, twenty ice spells blossomed, enveloping the creatures. Like a cascade of liquid nitrogen, a liquid encapsted and solidified their body, rendering them motionless. Frozen in ce, they were unable to even twitch a muscle.


    Fortunately, due to Alex''s quick thinking, he was able to temporarily stop the monsters'' rampage.


    As the ice spells took effect, an ethereal mist materialised, a result of the extremely frigid and swiftly evaporating gas. The spell employed by Alex involvedpressed air, which rapidly expanded upon contact with the target material, thereby significantly lowering its temperature. While rtively slower inparison, this spell had a significant advantage over any other. Even if the monsters were to gain consciousness, they would have to crush their solidified body part to move. So, it could buy Alex the much need time.


    An even more remarkable aspect was how Alex managed to precisely strike the monster, despite its ability to dodge attacks from tier 4 warriors. The answery in his ability to create twenty ince spells instantaneously, concealed beneath the ground. This strategic manoeuvre effectively deceived the senses of the monsters, enabling Alex to catch them off guard.


    Now that the monster was temporarily disabled, Alex and the other warriors didn''t let this chance pass by. They channelled their energy out of their body to create the strongest attack they could use.


    A giant shockwave sted to the surroundings as the condensed energy rippled across the space.


    In response to the formidable monsters, the members of the void fish tribe employed their space rend skill, capable of cleaving the targeted space in half. Ordinarily, striking a nimble, moving target such as the monsters would have posed a challenge. However, this change in circumstances provided them with the opportunity to unleash their most potent and destructive skill, capable of slicing through solid steel with ease.


    Meanwhile, the ice phoenix tribe, including Kalina, channelled a formidable surge of freezing current into the air, enveloping the monsters. This intense cold prated their very core, rendering them even more vulnerable to the impending onught of physical attacks that would rain down upon them.


    Simultaneously, the remaining tier 4 warriors from various scattered tribes unleashed a barrage of long-distance attacks, employing a diverse range of techniques to weaken the monsters from afar.


    Meanwhile, Alex who was a kilometre in the sky was falling with a giant metal sphere weighing ten tons strapped to his waist. He tried to maintain bnce while being seated on the metal sphere. Like everyone else, he too had his attack nned out to kill the monsters for good.


    The metal ball elerated due to the''s gravity while battling with the friction of the air. It heated up like a meteor in its descent threatening to cook Alex''s ass. Alex had to spend extra energy to reinforce his ass and prevent it from bing the next meal of the monsters.


    With precision and coordination, the attacks rained down upon the monsters one by one. The chilling energy emanating from the ice phoenix tribe''s assault permeated the creatures'' bodies, gradually weakening their resilience. Subsequently, the void fish tribe''s skilful strikes cleaved the monsters in half, further fragmenting their already vulnerable forms. The remaining tier 4 warriors seized the opportunity,unching powerful attacks that hammered into the dismembered flesh of the creatures.


    Finally, it was Alex''s turn to act. With unwavering focus, he targeted the monster with a colossal metallic sphere, propelling it towards the creature with immense force. Simultaneously, he swiftly teleported himself into the interdimensional farm, evading any potential aftermath. Thebined efforts of all the warriors ensured the monsters met their ultimate demise.


    "BOOOOM!!!!"


    The thunderous sound shook the world. The sound from the attack travelled to Thira, resonating inside the city. And the location where the monster stood frozen waspletely decimated.


    Other than a giant crater and a dust cloud, nothing was visible outside.

 Chapter 99 Plan

    ?


    With hope in his heart that the monsters had died, Alex exited the interdimensional farm, only to be met with a shocking sight that left him paralysed.


    Utilising his mana vision, he beheld a gruesome spectacle. One of the barely surviving monsters was feasting upon the dismembered remains of itspanions.


    The minuscule flicker of mana within the creature intensified as it devoured more and more flesh, a spectacle invisible to anyone but Alex.


    "Shit!" he cursed as he materialised near the tier 4 warriors.


    His outburst caught the attention of the warriors, including Kalina.


    "What is it?" Kalina inquired, concealing her exhaustion.


    "Something terrible," Alex responded in a sombre tone, his voice altered. "One of them still lives, feasting on the dead body of others to grow stronger. We must y it before it gains its strength back." He offered his advice with a sense of urgency.


    The situation deteriorated with each passing moment, necessitating swift action.


    Following Kalina''s lead, the warriors unleashed a barrage of long-distance attacks upon the monster simultaneously. Temporarily, it faltered. However, it quickly regained itsposure and began absorbing the scattered flesh and meat surrounding it, remnants of the earlier explosion.


    With rming speed, its strength surged to unprecedented heights as its body underwent a rapid transformation. Consuming its fellow monsters had a profound impact on its physique, effortlessly propelling it to a towering height of 20 feet.


    Powerful muscles rippled across its newly formed body as bones and flesh fused together. In a matter of moments, it had fully regained its formidable strength.


    The creature disyed astonishing agility, deftly evading the iing assaults and even deflecting some with ease.


    Yet, its insatiable hunger for power knew no bounds. Transitioning from tier 4, it effortlessly grew in strength, rivalling that of a tier 5 warrior. The energy radiating from its being created ripples in the surrounding air, while clouds of dust rose from beneath its feet with each resolute step.


    "Boom¡­" Each footstep could be felt by the rumbling ground below the warrior''s foot. Fear crept into their hearts slowly.


    They had unleashed the most powerful attack they can. Yet, the monster survived it.


    Initially, they believed they were given an opportunity to vanquish the monster when it froze. Little did they know that they were unwittingly paving the way for their own demise. Instead of contending with three weaker monsters, they now found themselves confronted by a single, immensely powerful adversary. This grim reality sent a chill down their spines, instilling a sense of foreboding within their minds.


    "Do you have a n?" Kalina finally asked Alex after seeing the condition of the beast. If there was someone with a n with all possible scenarios ounted for, it would be Alex. And she knew it.


    "Why are you asking me?" A robotic voice escaped the white-robed man''s lips. Alex didn''t know why she was trusting him. After all, his current persona of the white-robed man didn''t warrant any attention from her. He was just an unknown variable on the battlefield.


    "If you have something to say, say it now. Before it''s toote. From the way you act, it seems like you have more information about that monster than anyone here." Kalina stated as a matter of fact.


    Kalina''s words carried reason and logic. It was undeniable that Alex possessed the unique knowledge and ability to ensnare the monsters, offering them a fleeting opportunity to kill them.


    However, the unfortunate turn of events was not a consequence of any misstep on Alex''s part. Rather, it stemmed from their collective inability to obliterate the creaturepletely. The me did not lie with Alex but with their own shorings in achieving total destruction.


    Realising this, the warriors didn''t stop Kalina from asking for help.


    "There is a way," Alex replied after a brief moment of contemtion.


    "What is it?" Kalina asked while all the other warriors had the same thought.


    "Based on my observations," Alex conveyed, "the monster has reached its zenith in terms of strength. The internal energy within its body has ceased to grow further. Presently, it possesses the ability to engage in direct physicalbat with a tier 5 warrior, relying solely on the surging energy to fortify its physical form. However, itcks the capacity to employ any specialised skills.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "And as we know, the monster is crazy insane. But, there still is one thing that it tries to do even after all that." Alex ended his words.


    "Care to borate?"


    "Of course, the monster is trying to find food that it can consume. So, the question here is, why would a crazed monster need more food when it has stopped growing?" Alex asked the question while turning towards Kalina. His face, concealed by the hood and a piece of white cloth, swiftly brought the audience''s attention to the heart of the issue.


    ''Why.'' Everyone thought simultaneously.


    Taking a moment of pause to think, Alex began to borate. "The monster is built in an unsustainable way. There is nothing natural about its strength. The strength it has is artificial and temporary.


    "After reaching the peak of its capabilities, each time it uses its energy. The rampaging energy would riot inside its body, tearing its inside into pieces. The blood, muscles, bones and everything were quickly being overwhelmed and being destroyed by the second.


    "Then, how can it survive if it was dying from the inside?


    "The fundamental reason lies in its iprehensible regenerative capabilities," Alex exined. "The monster possesses the remarkable ability to grow and reshape tissues within its body to adapt as required. This unique trait enables it to attain an unparalleled regenerative prowess."


    "Let''s cut to the chase," Alex paused before continuing. "Why would a deranged monster require additional sustenance if it has ceased growing?"


    "Indeed," he continued, "it is to nourish its failing body," Alex stated this with straightforward rity.


    Alex was proud of his exnation. He raised his head high hoping to see eyes of awe. But, what he saw was a confused bunch of warriors.


    Alex came to a realisation that despite their strength, the reasoning abilities of those around him seemed to becking. Only a select few were able to grasp the essence of the problem even after his exnation.


    Nheless, he decided to end his exnation by providing them with a n to take down the monster.


    "Let us recall what we have learned. The monster is tier 5 in strength with no ability to use long-distance attack skills. Even then, were are no match for it in a direct confrontation. Secondly, the monster will kill itself if it cannot repair its body in time. So, what we are going to do is simple."


    "A diversion tactic to dy the monster from consuming flesh." Suddenly Kalina interjected and said with sparkling light in her eyes.


    ''Well, you made me exin almost all of it. And now you want to interject.'' Alex looked at Kalina while sighing. ''Anyway, it is better than not understanding the n at all.'' He thought.


    "We may not possess the strength to directly attack the monster," Kalina acknowledged, "But if we coborate, we can evade its attacks. The frenzied creature will instinctively target weaker animals, and now that it has reached tier 5, it will attack all of us. We can capitalise on this behaviour by encircling it, preventing its escape from this area. Our objective will be to maintain a safe distance, one that allows us to evade its assaults effectively. Once in position, we will systematically draw its attention one by one while steadily draining its life."


    "Correct, this will be an endurance battle." Alex agreed. "By doing so, we can win without it being life-threatening to us."


    The newly formed n quickly elevated the mood of the warriors. They were significantly happy to know that there is a way to take down the monster without causing harm to themselves. So, they agreed with Alex''s n and besides that, there were no alternatives.


    "Let''s encircle the beast, the members of the void fish tribe and the white-robed¡­" Kalina paused to look at Alex. "....The white-robed individual will stay back and use their ability to teleport to save those who are in immense danger or to shift the attention of the monster. Try to recover your energy while I and the other warriors grab its attention." Kalina said it before running towards the monster to capture its attention.


    Despite hermanding presence, Kalina''s authoritative aurapelled everyone to obey her words, with no one daring to question her leadership. Her actions resonated more powerfully than any words she could utter, as she embodied the verymands she issued. Leading by example, Kalina took the initiative, deftly redirecting the monster''s focus and skillfully luring it into a relentless pursuit, wlessly executing her designated role


    Her spirit guardian possession state allowed her to fly across the sky quickly to escape the monster''s assault.


    Unaware of the enemy''s strategy, the frustrated and enraged monster persistently pursued Kalina, its senses consumed by its own madness.


    Seizing the opportunity, Alex utilised the avable time to reconfigure all his cores into an energy recovery state. Like a voracious ck hole, he absorbed the mana present in the surroundings. He would be ready for battle within minutes.

 Chapter 100 Alex Vs Monster

    ?


    The n was simple, and its execution was swift. Kalina adeptly caught the monster''s attention, its voracious appetite making it gaze at her lithe and graceful figure as if she was a delectable feast. The monster''s salivating mouth made it clear that it eagerly awaited the opportunity to devour Kalina alive.


    With a resounding "BOOOM!" the earth shattered and caved in as the monstrous creature made its initial move. Its colossal body, propelled by thick legs, barreled forward like a mighty cannonball in pursuit of Kalina.


    However, Kalina proved to be nimble and elusive, effectively dodging the monster''s every lunge. In the midst of evading its strikes, she skillfully took advantage of the situation, steadily increasing the distance between them.


    Thus, the first step of the n was executed effectively. Kalina made the monster focus on her rather than making it go after the weaker warriors. Thus preventing it from recovering its body temporarily.


    However, it was not as easy as it seemed. Kalina had already exhausted herself byunching an initial assault, tapping into the power of her spirit guardian possession state. As she tirelessly manoeuvred to avoid the relentless attacks of the stronger Tier 5 monster, the energy within her rapidly depleted. Her weary mind and fatigued body teetered on the brink of copse.


    And this disyed Kalina''s righteous and indomitable will. Anyone else in her position would have abandoned the ship and escaped knowing the danger. And yet, she persisted without anyint.


    As time passed, the rampaging monster gradually came to the realisation that capturing Kalina would not be an easy task. Driven by instinct, it resorted to hurlingrge rocks in an attempt to gain the upper hand. This forced Kalina to expend additional energy, straining her already exhausted state as she desperately evaded the monster''s relentless onught.


    With each passing moment, Kalina could feel her ability to sustain her spirit guardian possession state slipping away. She knew that losing this ability would not only rob her of the power to fly but also leave her temporarily weakened. Such a circumstance would significantly increase the likelihood of her meeting a grim fate.


    However, she trusted someone in the audience to help her. Which gave her enough confidence to fight until she had depleted everyst vestige of energy within her.


    And it didn''t take long for her to require the help.


    "Swish¡­" A giant rock grazed past her. The icy wing that materialised behind her due to the spirit guardian possession state was chipped away by the rock. For a moment, Kalina lost her bnce.


    The unexpected incident shook everyone in the audience.


    "Woosh!" She turned to her side and began to fall towards the ground. She didn''t have the energy inside her to reconstruct her wings. She felt the pull of gravity as she fell head first towards the ground.


    Seizing the opportunity, the monster increased its speed, relentlessly pursuing the descending figure of Kalina. Its anticipation grew, and its mouth opened wide with the eagerness of devouring a delicious meal.


    From just a nce, you can see that the toughenedyer of muscr skin that served as its protective armour showed signs of strain, on the verge of cracking. Consuming Kalina was not merely a desire; it had be a necessity for the monster to repair its damaged body. Thus, its excitement was fueled by apelling need.


    "Is this the end?" Kalina''s thoughts raced through her mind in a fleeting moment as she witnessed the monster''s jaws closing in on her. The scene resembled a sharkunching itself towards its prey, with the monster leaping into the air, its hands tucked close to its body, creating a streamlined form to propel through the air and ensnare Kalina between its jaws.


    But, that thought onlysted for a second. Before she could think, a warm hand wrapped around her.


    Time slowed to a standstill, abruptly snapping Kalina out of her reverie. Just as the fierce monster''s sharp teeth could bite her, someone hugged her from behind before teleporting away, leaving nothing but some dust in her ce.


    "Snap¡­" The monster closed its jaws believing that it had bit Kalina. However, the empty snapping sounds of teeth resounded throughout the surroundings. It couldn''t feel anything inside its mouth. The expected taste of fresh blood and meat was not present sending the monster into a frenzy.


    "ROAR!" The failure to capture its prey made the monster roar out in anger. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    In a fit of primal rage, the monster thrashed about, its movements wild and chaotic. It unleashed a roar, a thunderous bellow that echoed through the surroundings, expressing its anger and frustration. The monster, driven by its primal instincts, was consumed by the frustration of failing to capture its prey.


    Alex and Kalina reappeared far away from the monster after teleporting away. He carried Kalina in his arms while walking. They made their way towards the warriors of the ice phoenix tribe, leaving the monster and the chaos behind.


    Kalina, feeling a mix of embarrassment and relief, decided to pretend she was still unconscious. She hoped to salvage some dignity after the ordeal they had just experienced.


    Despite her attempts to feign sleep, Kalina couldn''t hide the telltale signs of her embarrassment. Her cheeks and ears blushed with a slight reddish hue, betraying her conscious state to Alex. He, however, chose not to acknowledge it, understanding her need to save face at the moment.


    Alex halted a mere couple of meters away from the members of the Ice Phoenix tribe, who eagerly extended their hands to receive Kalina from his grasp. And he could see the void fish tribe warriors apologising to the ice phoenix tribe warriors because of their inability to save Kalina in time. They were the ones who were supposed to save Kalina, but they failed to activate the skill in time. However, they barely avoided the me due to white-robed Alex''s immediate action. So, they gratefully nodded their heads at Alex before going towards the battlefield.


    With the sessful handoff, Alex swiftly shifted his attention back towards the ongoing battle. As anticipated, the other warriorsmenced their coordinated actions to divert the attention of the rampaging monster.


    Although they were weaker, their teamwork allowed them to keep at bay temporarily.


    However, a sense of urgency gripped Alex as he witnessed the imminent crisis unfolding before him. While Kalina possessed the ability to distract the monster single-handedly for approximately five minutes, it required four Tier-4 warriors to achieve the same effect. Taking strategic positions along each side of the monster, these warriors poked and prodded, drawing their attention away from the others. It was the only method avable to safely divert the monster''s focus.


    Regrettably, the remaining Tier-4 warriors hesitated to unleash their spirit guardian possession state to confront the monster, aware of the necessity to prioritise their escape should the situation worsen.


    Looking at the current situation, Alex predicted that the warriors would be exhausted. The monster can fight for another thirty minutes looking at the rate at which its body is being destroyed, while the warriors could barely fight for the next twenty minutes.


    What would he do with the remaining ten minutes? Who can help him? Alex didn''t know the answer to these questions.


    Like that, twenty minutes went by. As predicted, the warriors one by one became exhausted enough that they couldn''t fight. Some of them sensing the grim reality began to retreat.


    Only the warriors of the nine great tribes remained for now. The void fish tribe promptly helped the exhausted warriors escape from the monster''s assault while risking their life by teleporting them out.


    Quickly, Alex realised that he was the only one remaining standing on the battlefield. He had to rise to the asion and do his part.


    ''Monster vs me. A war of stamina. Let''s see what you got!'' Alex thought confidently. His newly created ability allowed him to shift some of his core to energy recovery mode while he was battling. So, he was confident about his stamina.


    ''The hard outer skin has already peeled off. The raging energy inside its body is tearing the muscles apart. Within five minutes it will begin to lose the ability to maintain an energy output simr to a tier 5 warrior. And another minute would cripple the monster. I have to hold on till then. Just six minutes, just 360 seconds.'' Thinking that, Alex teleported near the monster.


    He had already observed and collected as much information as he can from the previous battles. With that, he could predict the general action of the monster. Just as he appeared near it, the monster sensed him andunched an assault.


    Alex teleported instantly behind it, just five hundred meters away. He was still within the aggro range while being safe enough to dodge the attacks. He was using twenty cores to power his physical strength, twenty cores to use teleport skill and the remaining fifty to recover mana.


    He could use teleport twenty times before needing more mana. And by the look of things, he might be forced to use teleport every two to three seconds by the monster. Which would easily overwhelm him if he cannot innovate his method ofbat.

 Chapter 101 Stealing The Thunder

    ?


    As always, desperation fueled Alex, driving him to think and innovate. His mind raced as he attempted to solve the problem known as the monster.


    While observing the monster''s internal breakdown, he deftly evaded its attacks by utilising teleportation. Within a minute, he depleted the mana from twenty of his cores, which he had assigned specifically for teleportation.


    Exhaustion engulfed him as he felt the danger intensify. Retreat was not an option, nor was he inclined to consider it. Entering the interdimensional farm for temporary relief could have been tempting. However, doing so would expose others to the monster''s relentless pursuit. If, by chance, it managed to consume one of them, all their efforts would be in vain.


    Thus, he resolutely relied on his unwavering belief in his ability to conquer the beast through sheer stamina, persistently pushing forward.


    Without any hesitation, he activated the energy recovery mode for the twenty depleted cores. This added to his already burdened mind, yet Alex couldn''t afford to be concerned with such matters. His very life relied on the swift recovery of mana within those cores.


    "Ahrr..." He screamed in agony as he desperately fled from the relentless pursuit of the monster.


    "Swish..." The monster swiftly closed in on him, shing its arms through the air in an attempt to rend his vulnerable back to pieces. The forceful rush of air served as a stark reminder to Alex of the imminent danger, causing his white robes to flutter in the wind.


    "Not today," He said defiantly, narrowly evading the monster''s attack by changing his direction quickly. However, the sheer force of the assault had already inflicted a bloody gash on his back. The mark resembled deep scratch marks, yet by fortune''s grace, the damage to his muscles was rtively minimal. It was a close shave.


    With tremendous force, the massive body of the monster surged forward, breezing past Alex. Unlike him, the beast struggled to manoeuvre its bulky frame swiftly. The sheer momentum carried it forward, leaving a deep pit in the sandy beach as it ploughed through the terrain.


    Alex seized the opportunity with unwavering determination. Taking the risk of confronting the monster head-on, he had managed to regain enough mana to teleport once. With renewed resolve, Alex pursued the beast, fully aware that he could not rely on the intervention of a benevolent white snake this time. He was prepared to vanquish the monster with his own hands.


    sped tightly in his hand were ten meticulously prepared cards, precisely intended for such situations., his trump cards. Alex intended to reciprocate his pain by inflicting wounds upon the monster this time. His goal was to find a means to increase the decay of the monster''s body, and the most effective method was to induce it to expend greater energy in its attacks. This would hasten the breakdown of its muscles¡ªan understanding that Alex held firmly. Thus, he was determined to employ the cards as a means to achieve this oue.


    "Let''s test the strength of your defence," Alex dered, his grip firm on the cards.


    His taunting words provoked the monster, causing the surging energy surrounding its body to ripple as it propelled itself toward Alex.


    "Excellent. That''s it, good boy!" Alex remarked with a hint of satisfaction. He activated the spells contained within the cards¡ªsimple fire spells, albeit enhanced by Alex''s power. These spells were intentionally crafted to ignite and burn gradually on the enemy''s body surface.


    As the monster closed in on him, Alex dispersed a portion of his mana into the air, enveloping his body in a smokescreen. The creature heavily relied on sensing mana to locate its prey, so this sudden burst of mana clouding the area disoriented the monster momentarily.


    Struggling to pinpoint Alex''s exact location within the smokescreen, the monster''s attack missed its mark.


    The shockwave resulting from the failed attack dissipated the mana cloud, but it allowed Alex to stealthily advance toward the beast. With swift precision, he hurled ten cards in various directions, strategically scattering them all around the monster''s body.


    "Ignite..." Alex silently chanted in his mind as he witnessed the cards transforming into a magnificent disy of fiery pirs, reaching upward into the sky. The mes engulfed the monster, slowly consuming its skin. The creature swiftly coated its body in energy, attempting to extinguish the fire, but Alex refused to grant it any respite.


    Closing in on the monster, now resembling a fiery globe, Alex swiftly retrieved a bin filled with highly mmable oil. Waste no time, he hurled it at the creature, intensifying the already engulfing mes.


    Although the mes themselves couldn''t harm the monster, they disoriented it enough to immobilise its movements. Capitalising on this opportunity, Alex cast one final spell toplete his devastatingbo. He modified his usual freezing spell to transform a specific gas into a liquid state.


    With precision, Alexunched the liquefied ball of gas at the monster. However, instead of freezing the creature, an explosive eruption ensued upon contact with the zing giant. As anticipated, the liquefied gas happened to be oxygen. The highly concentrated oxygen, merging with the scorching oil, ignited the beast into a powerful explosion.


    Alex had to teleport away to save himself from being swallowed by the explosion.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    While each of Alex''s attacks alone may have been harmless to the monster, theirbined impact intensified the threat posed. Even the formidable creature began to sense the peril to its own life, prompting it to expend a significant amount of energy in defence.


    The energy wave emanating from the monster cleared its surroundings of the fire, salvaging its existence. However, the exertion drained the creature, leaving it feeling the strain on its strength.


    The crowd that observed the battle from a distance stood in awe of the white-robed man''s remarkablebat skills and resourcefulness. Witnessing his prowess, they silently vowed never to provoke him as an enemy. Luckily for them, the man harboured no ill intentions towards them. On the contrary, he aided them in their struggles against the ck-robed men.


    His enemies were the ck-robed individuals, who in turn were their enemies, the crowd embraced the notion that "the enemy of their enemy is their friend." This realisation brought them a sense of relief and reassurance.


    However, Kalina who regained some strength, now standing beside the warriors of the ice phoenix tribe was looking at the battle with worried eyes. She knew that if Alex was resorting to tricks to deal with his enemy, he might have no other option left to consider.


    The bleeding wound on his back signified his weakness. She felt pain just viewing the blood dripping from his back into the white robes he wore.


    If only she could help him. Kalina thought in her mind.


    Meanwhile, Alex paid little attention to the thoughts of the onlookers. He had sessfully diverted the monster''s attention for three minutes, but he needed to keep it distracted for three more minutes. If he could aplish this, he believed he could solve the problem posed by the monster.


    With eager anticipation, Alex gazed upon the creature that emerged from the fiery inferno. Its skin disyed signs of slight burns in certain areas, and cracks had formed due to the intense energy expenditure. The monster was undoubtedly growing weaker, a fact that Alex was confident about.


    Gone was the overwhelming sense of threat that the monster had previously emanated. It now struggled to move its body, indicating its diminished strength. He had sessfully elerated the decay of the monster''s body.


    Filled with exhration at this revtion, Alex momentarily disregarded the pain in his back as he lunged forward towards the weakening monster. While he continued to regain energy with each passing second, the creature''s strength steadily waned.


    His meticulously crafted n was finally unfolding, bringing him closer to his desired oue.


    "Shit head, let me demonstrate the importance of a brain!" Alex bellowed as he sprinted towards the monster, his fist pulsating with mana. Radiating an air of unwavering confidence, he closed the distance between them.


    In response to Alex''s provocation, the monster channelled the energy within its body toward its muscles, pushing them to their limits and exacerbating their deterioration. Despite its anger, the creatureunched an attack at Alex.


    However, in a disy of his agility and quick thinking, Alex swiftly teleported away, causing the monster to exhaust even more of its energy in vain.


    "That''s why you need a brain," Alex quipped with a smug tone as he teleported behind the monster, opting not tounch a direct attack.


    Alex could sense that the monster''s strength was on the brink of copse. With this knowledge, he decided to further taunt and provoke the creature. He circled around it, deliberately goading the monster into a state of heightened fury, causing it to unleash increasingly greater amounts of energy.


    "Thank you..." Alex expressed his gratitude with a sense of satisfaction, confident that the foolish monster''s demise was imminent.


    However, just as Alex was beginning to let his guard down, an overwhelming sense of apprehension surged through him, triggering his reflex to teleport away. In that split second, a colossal white snake materialised in the sky, its massive tail descending with formidable force, obliterating the weakened monster into nothing more than a pulverised mass of flesh and bones.


    Following its swift and decisive strike, the white snake spat out a partially dposed corpse and swiftly departed, leaving the astonished crowd in a state of shock.


    "Fuck, I almost had it this time," Alex eximed looking at the departing figure of the white snake who stole his thunder. "Nevertheless, white snake, as the white-robed man, I shall grant you forgiveness for your unexpected intrusion"

 Chapter 102 Ledgers

    ?


    Although slightly disappointed that he couldn''t y the monster with his hands, Alex mustered the determination to investigate the corpse lying before him. Despite his mental exhaustion, he approached the body with a calm resolve.


    The first corpse he encountered was that of the monster itself, and the other one belonged to a human.


    Alex quickly realised that the corpse of the human had an uncanny resemnce with the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe.


    "Did the snake kill him?" Alex''s curiosity was piqued as he pondered the fate of the fallen. The tier 5 beast, the giant snake, appeared to be hunting down members of the evil organisation. He recalled how it had aided him in defeating the first elder of the ice phoenix tribe who transformed into a simr monster.


    And this was not the first time Alex was seeing the gigantic white snake. He first witnessed it in the ice-covered mountains of the north. It emerged from a deep sleep from within the mountain creating a miniature earthquake that felt around the region.


    ''Was the myth about the tier 5 beast real? Could they truly sense life-threatening danger?''


    The appearance of the ck-robed men signalled an impending change in the world. Moreover, divination had foretold a tumultuous future, which aligned with the awakening of tier 5 beasts from their deep slumber.


    ''It seemed that the beast had detected the encroaching threat looming over the central continent.''


    Ordinarily, these creatures did not aid humans, but this time, circumstances might havepelled them to intervene. From Alex''sperspective, this was a favourable development. Whether they were tier 5 beasts or humans, having allies of such power was invaluable in the current situation.


    While Alex was scrutinising the corpses, the other warriors recovered from the shock of witnessing a tier 5 beast appear before them. With a slight dy, they began to walk towards the corpses. They wanted to see the remains of the monsters.


    They have never seen a simr foe before. So, they were curious to find out the inner workings of the monsters, even if it is by observing a lump of mangle flesh and bones.


    However, just as the other warriors were about to approach the corpses, Alex, the white-robed man poked the corpse of the elder with a stick and swiftly retrieved something from the ground, leaving them bewildered.


    "Rest in pieces." He said before vanishing into thin air, leaving the onlookers curious and specting about the mysterious object he held in his hands.


    ¡ª--------------


    Within seconds, Alex swiftly made his way back to his house situated on the outskirts of the city. As he reached the safety of his home, he wasted no time in tending to his wounds. He applied a soothing healing paste over the injuries and carefully wrapped them with bandages, ensuring their protection and recovery.


    Overwhelmed by mental exhaustion, sleep quickly overtook him. Drained of all his energy, Alex sumbed to slumber.


    Two dayster, Alex woke up smelling a stench that drilled into his nose.


    ''What is it?'' He thought while struggling to lift his head from the bed. The stench was killing him. It smelled worse than a decaying corpse.


    ''Is there a zombie sleeping with me? Am I in a sewer?'' Alex paused to look at his surroundings.


    He didn''t see anything noteworthy in his surrounding. The room looked just the way he remembered it. This thought was a prelude to an awful realisation.


    Alex lifted his arms and sniffed himself.


    "Fuck!" Now he knew where the horrible stench wasing from.


    He was the dead, decaying thing he was smelling. The mixture of sweat, blood and medicine that was covering him seemed to have turned into a thing far more dangerous than any chemical weapon he knew off.


    Alex regained his footing and approached the windows, his mind wandered as he mused, ''I can kill a skunk with this stench. Might even poison ake if I took a bath in it. Should I take a bath and bottle up the bathwater to be soldter as chemical weapons?'' Jokes aside, he felt like taking a bath right now.


    Without hesitation, he opened the windows, allowing a refreshing breeze to permeate his room. Instantly, a sense of relief washed over Alex, providing immediate relief from the stagnant air.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    To his surprise, he noticed that he could now move his hands with ease. The pain that should have apanied his previous exhaustionbined with his wounds seemed to have vanished. In his current state, he felt remarkably well.


    Although a noticeable scar remained, resembling three long, twenty-centimetre scratches on his back, Alex felt content seeing that his wounds had healed perfectly.


    "Although it has a rather unpleasant odour, the medicine served its purpose well," Alex reflected. "If I intend to execute simr stunts in the future, I should stock up on more." After all, he had ns to propagate the legend of the white-robed man far and wide. Determined to leave asting impression, he resolved to make thorough preparations for his uing endeavours.


    Alex cleaned his room and put the dirty clothes in the inventory. After that, he calmly stepped out of his room.


    However, as Alex stepped into the corridor, he was greeted by two small figures standing just outside his door. Engrossed in their conversation, they seemed oblivious to his presence.


    "Ammu, there is something rotten inside that room. I am sure of it," the tiny figure on the left remarked, pinching her sister''s nose in response to the foul odour.


    "Hm..." The figure on the right nodded, assisting her sister in covering her nose. She too agreed that there was an unpleasant scent emanating from behind the door.


    Malu, the more daring of the twins, pondered, "Should we take a look?"


    "But Brother told us not to enter the room," Ammu responded, her head drooping with a sense of caution.


    The two figures were none other than Arav''s sisters, Malu on the left and Ammu on the right. Now, standing in front of Alex''s room, they contemted whaty behind the closed door.


    They could distinctly smell the strong stench seeping through the gaps, and with Alex''s absence for two days, their curiosity grew, leading them to specte about possible scenarios. They were ready to investigate the room now that their brother had gone to the city for some errand.


    "Hello¡­" Seeing their antics, Alex called out to them.


    "Kya... Kya..." Alex''s voice unintentionally startled the children, causing them to squeal and jump back in surprise. They swiftly fled to the end of the corridor before mustering the courage to turn around and nce back.


    Malu cautiously peered from behind the wall, attempting to identify the source of the voice. Her gaze swiftly fell upon Alex, who was smiling warmly. Ammu joined her sister, peeking out to confirm the familiar face. With the realisation that it was Alex, the tension in the children''s nerves finally eased.


    As the shy children hurriedly scampered off, Alex watched them with understanding. He could empathise with their reaction, for he knew that if he were in their shoes, he would have done the same.


    The stench he was giving off was unbearable.


    Feeling the need for refreshment, Alex promptly made his way to the bathroom to take a thorough bath. Using warm water, he diligently cleansed his body, taking his time to ensure every trace of the previous stench was eradicated. It took him a full hour to rinse off and rejuvenate himself.


    Returning to his room, Alex was relieved to find that the air had cleared and the foul odour had dissipated. Finally, he could rx in a more pleasant environment.


    Despite his seemingly lighthearted attitude towards the dangers that surrounded him, Alex was acutely aware of the immense pressure they imposed upon him. Reflecting on the gravity of the situation, he realised that even more daunting challenges awaited him in the future.


    Nheless, he persevered, retrieving the object he had obtained from the elder''s corpse. It appeared to be a simple ring, inconspicuous and small. However, Alex''s mana vision revealed its true nature¡ªa spatial ring. Recognising its significance, he swiftly seized it, knowing that if the elder possessed any secrets, they were likely stored within this artefact. The snake''s assistance in delivering this valuable information was truly valuable.


    To his surprise, Alex discovered a multitude of ledgers within the spatial ring, containing valuable information about various organisations and individuals who had been associated with the elder. This newfound lead excited him, as he now had a clear direction to pursue and new targets to focus on.


    However, the ledgers were not the only contents of the spatial ring. Alex also came across peculiar purple lumps of flesh, seemingly preserved and almost lifelike, stored in jars. Additionally, there were mana stones boasting significant mana density, as well as various herbs. Recognising the potential value of these items, Alex carefully stored them in his inventory, intending to examine them more closely at ater time.


    As his stomach growled in protest, demanding sustenance, Alex acknowledged the need to attend to his hunger first before delving further into his discoveries. Prioritising his basic needs, he decided to address his appetite before embarking on further investigations.

 Chapter 103 Interdimensional Farm Feature, Research Pod

    ?


    The battle that unfolded upon the shores left a clear mark, transforming the area into an unrecognisable wastnd. The pristine sandy beach, once a haven of serenity, was mercilessly swallowed by the relentless expansion of the ocean. All that remained were vast pits and craters, scattered across the destendscape. The once majestic palm trees, which adorned the shoreline with their vibrant greenery, now stood as shattered and decimated stumps. The battlefield had stripped away every trace of beauty, leaving behind a sombre reminder of the destruction that had unfolded.


    As the citizens of Thira observed the aftermath of the battle, mixed emotions welled up within them. On one hand, they were relieved to learn that the cancerous threat lurking within their city had been eradicated. The eradication of the elder from power brought a sense of happiness and security. However, their hearts were also tinged with disappointment, as they reflected upon the fact that they had ced their trust in someone as treacherous as the elder of the thousand-head serpent tribe.


    The betrayal of the elder felt far more personal for them. They knew him,ughed with him and happily received the elder''s help after the city was destroyed. Yet, they never imagined him to be working with the enemies. Their hearts ached in pain as they gazed at the beach.


    Amidst the gathering crowd along the beach, a young boy, no older than twelve, hurriedly moved about, attempting to sell bags of roasted peanuts. This stretch of shoreline had once been a popr tourist attraction, drawing in numerous young couples. To earn a livelihood, the boy had taken up the task of selling peanuts as a snack to these visitors.


    Initially, he had expected the number of tourists to dwindle as thend''s natural beauty was marred by the battle. However, much to his surprise, the flow of people to the beach had not ceased. On this particr day, an abundance of visitors had flocked to the shore, and the young boy joyfully sold bags of peanuts, earning a substantial ie.


    His earnings would be sufficient to sustain his family for an entire week, a tremendous relief for him.


    Ever since his father''s passing, the burden of supporting his siblings had fallen squarely upon the young boy''s shoulders. Being the eldest among them, he took it upon himself to secure their livelihood. Amidst the turmoil and contemtion of the other citizens gazing upon the ravaged beach, the boy remained blissfully oblivious. His focusy solely on the satisfaction of sessfully selling his goods and earning the means to provide for his family for the uing week.


    With a carefree demeanour, he hummed a tune, his mind wandering as he weaved through the bustling crowd. At this moment, his thoughts were far from the profound thoughts of the older individuals. Instead, he found sce in the simple joy of making a living and the hope of a happy week ahead.


    "Hey! Kid!" Suddenly, a voice called out to him from the side. It was a man wearing white robes.


    "White-robes? Another white-robed man?" The kid inquired reflexively as he looked at the person before him. He still went towards the person while carrying his bag containing roasted peanuts.


    Like everyone else, he too had heard tales of the white-robed man''s extraordinary feats. The courage, strength, and intellect attributed to him were the talk of the town, echoing through the crowd that had gathered near the beach. As he manoeuvred through the bustling crowd, the young boy caught fragments of conversation repeatedly praising the white-robed man''s noble deeds.


    However, the child harboured doubts, convinced that the figure standing before him was an imposter. Countless individuals donning simr garments roamed the area, masquerading as the hero. Yet, not a single one proved to be genuine.


    "Yes!" Alex replied calmly.


    Inspired by the sight of Thira''s citizens proudly donning white robes, Alex entertained a daring notion: to try it out for himself. He ventured into the market and purchased a set of white robes, eagerly anticipating the thrill of blending in. However, his amusement came at a steep cost. The surge in demand had driven the prices of white robes in Thira''s shops to exorbitant levels.


    Regardless, the price didn''t bother Alex. He possessed abundant wealth, rendering the cost inconsequential.


    "Kid, give me a pack," Alex requested, gesturing towards a small bundle of peanuts the young boy carried.


    "Okay, sir, here you go," the child responded, smoothly handing over the requested package. "That''ll be two copper coins," he stated, prompting Alex to pay.


    Alex withdrew a handful of coins from his pocket and tendered the payment. However, instead of two copper coins, he gave the boy twenty copper coins. Perplexed, the child nced at Alex, unable toprehend why the man had given him so much money.


    Knowing he had requested only two copper coins, the boy wondered why he was being handed twenty.


    "Don''t worry. That''s for you. But, did you see this person around here?" Alex took out a hand-drawn picture of a person before asking the kid. He has been looking for the man in the picture for a while.


    The individual in question happened to be one of the elder''s associates. The ledger Alex had acquired from the elder''s body had shed light on this person''s affiliation with the evil organisation.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Following the elder''s demise, most of the individuals mentioned in the ledger had fled in fear. However, a handful remained, and among them, this particr individual stood out as one of the most wicked. His sinister role involved abducting innocent children and delivering them into the clutches of the evil organisation.


    Driven by the information provided by members of the spice garden, Alex ventured to the beach to investigate why this man was still loitering in the city. He yearned to uncover the motives behind the individual''s presence and the dark secrets he might hold.


    "Yeah! I''ve seen that person over on the west side of the beach," the kid cheerfully pointed Alex in the direction of the individual.


    However, before the child could turn back to face Alex, an astonishing phenomenon urred¡ªthe person vanished into thin air, as if by magic.


    ''Did I see the real white-robed man?'' The kid scratched his head while thinking.


    In mere seconds, Alex''s found the person in the portrait. With lightning speed, a stone bullet propelled through the air, striking the target directly on the head.


    The shock from the impact was just enough to render him unconscious. Seizing the opportunity, Alex swiftly approached and lifted the limp body, disappearing from the beach and retreating to one of his hideouts.


    After recuperating from his injuries, the first order of business for Alex was to retrieve the ledgers from his inventory. These valuable documents contained a wealth of information, which he entrusted to the spice garden for duplication. With their help, he uncovered the identities of the individuals mentioned within the ledgers.


    For the past day, Alex embarked on a relentless mission to apprehend each person listed in the ledger, systematically transporting them to his secret hideout. Ten of these despicable characters, including Penthe, had already fallen into his clutches, condemned to imprisonment within the confines of his hideout.


    None among them were good. Every one of them was a mass murderer, kidnapper, assassin or a total psycho. Alex had no sympathy towards them. He just wanted to use them as evidence in the future.


    After all, he nned to reveal the information present inside the ledgers to the public. And to show its validity, he nned to use the evil bastards as witnesses.


    Afterpleting his errand, Alex returned to his house in Thira. The peanuts he bought were quickly taken away by the twins, Ammu and Malu.


    Returning to his room, Alex closed the door and entered the interdimensional farm. Yesterday, when he entered the farm after a hefty meal, he had seen a weird notification popping up before him.


    After days and months of dormancy, the interdimensional farm suddenly sprang to life, initiating a conversation with Alex.


    A message appeared, stating, "[Unknown biological material detected. Please ce it in the research pod to analyse.]" Alex''s attention was immediately drawn to a peculiar item within his inventory¡ªthe purple lump of flesh he had retrieved from the elder''s space ring.


    Overjoyed by the message, Alex couldn''t contain his excitement. He believed that he had reached the farm''s maximum potential after upgrading it to level 10. However, it seems like there is more to explore.


    In the past, he tried using the research pod function to analyse seeds and improve their quality. But, for that, he needed a hundred biological variants of the same seeds as a base temte.


    Upon realising the limitations of finding numerous seed variants, Alex relinquished his hope of improving the seeds avable in the farm shop. The daunting task of acquiring such a vast array of seeds left him questioning the feasibility. Furthermore, the time it would take to gather such a collection seemed impractical.


    Aware that he couldn''t afford to waste precious time, Alex made the decision topletely disregard the task, instead assigning the members of the spice garden to acquire any seeds they could find. However, even with their efforts, not a single type of seed with a hundred variants had been obtained. Consequently, Alex had entirely forgotten about this particr feature.


    Nevertheless, the revtion that the research pod could analyse the mysterious purple lump of flesh reignited his interest.

 Chapter 104 Gene

    ?


    The research pod, despite its fancy name, resembled a simple,rge white barrel. Instead of an intricate, futuristic design with multipleplexponents seamlessly integrated, it appeared to be a singr piece crafted through 3D printing technology beyond humanprehension. A small floating disy appeared on one side, providing the necessary information and interface for operation.


    Alex walked towards it and opened the lid. The research pod was filled with a slimy liquid that adjusted volume ording to the object that was being ced inside.


    Based on his knowledge, Alex understood that the slimy liquid within the research pod could break down the objects ced inside, acting as a solvent. Once broken down, the liquid would then be transported through awork of tiny tubes that covered the interior of the research pod. These tubes facilitated the testing and analysis of the dissolved substances.


    Some might be wondering why Alex was so hesitant about analysing tier-4 seeds and materials through the research pod. Now, you know the answer.


    As exined, the substances ced inside the pod would bepletely broken down, rendering the use of expensive seeds and materials a futile endeavour. Engaging the research pod in such a manner would essentially transform it into a bottomless pit, devouring money without yielding substantial results.


    Despite his wealth, Alex had numerous ns and ambitions for the money he had acquired. Therefore, he couldn''t afford to squander it in such a manner just yet.


    Taking out the jar containing purple flesh from the inventory, Alex carefully looked at it. The flesh looked alive like it was just removed from an alive animal. But, it was not a living entity, Alex knew that. Because he couldn''t ce live creatures inside the inventory of the interdimensional farm.


    Curiously, Alex pondered over the nature of the mysterious object, gently shaking the ss jar that contained the purple flesh. As he did so, the flesh released a peculiar purple blood-like substance, swirling within the confines of the jar.


    The thought crossed his mind: "Was the elder consuming this strange entity?" The scent emanating from the jar assaulted his senses, causing a wave of nausea to wash over him. Reacting swiftly, Alex promptly disposed of the flesh, tossing it into the research pod.


    The moment Alex closed the lid, the research pod lit up and the lid began spinning slowly. It was dposing the purple flesh.


    It took over an hour of real-world time for the analysis of the purple flesh to begin. A new notification directed Alex''s attention towards it.


    [Analysis in progress]


    [A highly mutated DNA structure found. Unable to extract morphological or gic characteristics from the DNA strain.]


    [Unable to identify the organism.]


    [Tryign to construct gic rtionship map. Unable to find verifiable rtionships.]


    [Checking the feasibility of the DNA structure.]


    [Impossible to be formed naturally.]


    [Trying energyposition analysis. Mana presence found.]


    [Conclusion: Synthetic scrambled DNA structure that was being held together by mana.]


    [Creating custom test scenarios.]


    [Analysing with custom test scenarios.]


    [Conclusion: Shows parasitism when in contact with biological material of another organism. Shows mutagenic property. Show the ability to rbine gic information in favourable conditions. Shows immense ability to synthesise mana. Shows immense tensile strength and durability. Shows immense ability to regenerate.


    Grading the lifeform ording to the performance in the custom test scenario.


    A life grade of 1.5 stars is given.


    1 star is a celestial-body bound life like the host(Alex/Meru)


    2 stars will be given to life forms that can do inteary travel with just their bare body. ]


    The revtions left Alex in a state of astonishment and apprehension, as the nature and potential of the organism remained shrouded in mystery.


    However, he quickly realised the origin of the purple flesh. The life grade as mentioned by the farm notification spoke about the possibility of the creature to survive inteary travel through space. And there was only one organism he knew of that survived such a journey and appeared in the central continent.


    As you might have thought, it was the demon sealed in the north. Its origins were not a mystery. Everyone knew that it came from the sky. It''s normal for the farm to not recognise the gicposition of the demon. After all, its being was formed by consuming different animals and their gic material. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The demon could steal gic information from other organisms and evolve itself. By doing it, it gains dominance over the and its echo system, humans included. That was the n of the demon, fortunately for Alex, it failed to do so on this.


    After taking a moment to think, Alex carefully looked at the jars ced before him. There were twenty more jars each containing a lump of purple flesh. What should he do with it? Alex tried to find the answer.


    ''Were they the thing used to strengthen the warriors? Was it the thing that made the warriors rampage and turn into monsters?''


    Alex could finally see the simrities between the thing inside the bodies of the warriors who turned into monsters and the thing he was looking at.


    The purple flesh has arge amount of mana. It seems like it can be grafted onto the human body to use it as an energy source. The other ability of the purple flesh and its immense vitality together might help it survive peacefully inside the human body until it was activated.


    Usually, when a new organ is imnted into the human body, the immune system will reject it and try to destroy it. But it seems like that was not happening with the purple flesh.


    It could not only survive interspecies organ exchange, but it could also modify itself and its host DNA to camouge itself.


    Although it increased the strength of the host in the process, it was just a temporary side effect ording to Alex. With time, it will consume its host and turn into a monster, or when the host loses control over his mind, the purple flesh would show its parasitic nature to take over the host.


    ''How did they make it? Did the evil organisation acquire gic material from the demon sealed in the north? If so? When?''


    ''They might have gotten samples before the demon was sealed. Why did they steal the blue gem from the ice phoenix tribe? Was it to get more, purer samples? Fuck. If that is the case, wouldn''t that mean they are developing something crazier than the monsters?''


    "Sigh!" Alex sighed.


    The more he delved into understanding the properties of the purple flesh, the more confused he became.


    A sense of interconnectedness permeated Alex''s thoughts as he recognised the intricate web of events unfolding around him. He understood that everything held a purpose, each piece of the puzzle fitting together to form aprehensive picture. Althoughplete understanding eluded him at the moment, he remained unfazed by the prospect of missing information. Alex possessed the confidence that, given sufficient time, he would unravel the intricacies and grasp the elusive truths lying just beyond his reach.


    Nheless, his mind was consumed by a wild idea: finding a purpose for the purple flesh. Despite its unfortunate side effect of transforming those who were grafted with it into monstrous beings, he couldn''t bear to let it go unused.


    After all, in the right hands, it possessed an immensely destructive power.


    When the evil organisationunched city-wide attacks, they harnessed the power of the purple flesh by merging it with a colossal beast. Unlike humans who rejected the intrusion of the purple flesh, these creatures fused with it, bing immensely formidable. Upon their release into the city, they rampaged without restraint.


    These monstrous beings were akin to earth-shattering bombs, leaving Alex awestruck by their devastating capabilities.


    Driven by a daring n, he devised a scheme to turn their tactics against them. He intended to confront the evil organisation with colossal beasts of his own.


    [Ding] As his thoughts continued to churn, a new notification from the interdimensional farm appeared before Alex.


    [New feature, Gene Upgrade avable.]


    Alex held his breath as he read the notification. Below it, more notifications appeared.


    [Gene Upgrade can be used on all animals or nts present inside the interdimensional farm.]


    [Mana gene unlocked]


    ''It seems like the farm extracted some information from the sample purple flesh. Maybe it was used to determine the gene rted to mana/energy. If so, I need to put more attention toward the gene upgrade feature.'' Alex''s thoughts didn''t end as he saw the next notification.


    [To apply Gene Upgrade on life forms outside the interdimensional farm, please bind it as a pet. You can bind one pet currently.]


    ''Fuck! Too awesome. I was waiting to bind a strong creature as my pet. But it seems like I don''t need to wait. I can always upgrade itter.''


    His lips curled as Alex looked at the vast field before him. His mood brightened as he saw his life improve right in front of him. The new feature was a great addition to his abilities.


    Now, he needs to find a way to grow even stronger. He had to break away from the limitations of tier 3.

 Chapter 105 Evolution

    ?


    The allure of the gene upgrade function was so captivating that Alex found himself unable to sleep until he tried it.


    Upon discovering that he could enhance the genes of the animals within the farm, he made a firm decision to dedicate more of his time to the farm.


    Excitedly, Alex made his way to the research pod and essed its menu, directing himself towards the gene upgrade function.


    Inside there, he saw the only avable option. It was a menu to select the gene he was going to use to upgrade. The avable option only contained mana genes. And next to it, there was a price tag of 10,000 FP.


    Based on his observations, Alex inferred that this particr gene had the potential to bestow upon ordinary farm animals, originating from Earth, the ability to wield mana.


    Eager to proceed, Alex clicked on the mana gene option, and the interface prompted him to indicate the specific animal he intended to enhance through the gene upgrade.


    Alex, without much consideration, decided to choose a nearby cow that was leisurely grazing for his initial experiment.


    As he selected the cow, a farm notification popped up, requesting him to make the payment before proceeding with the gene upgrade. Without hesitation, Alex fulfilled the payment as requested.


    A total of 10,000 FP was deducted from his bnce, which stood at 100,000 FP. This amount would have been sufficient to create a teleportation point, a feature that proved immensely valuable to Alex. Nevertheless, he willingly paid the price in its entirety, recognising the significance of this gene upgrade endeavour.


    Some might be wondering why Alex was low on FP.


    In the past, Alex used the FP he had primarily for buyingnd. But now he couldn''t do that. Instead, he allocated his FP towards purchasing tools capable of automating various tasks on the farm, as well as teleportation points and seeds that could be utilised in the real world. These expenditures gradually depleted his FP reserves, leaving him with a diminished bnce.


    Consequently, the farm had now reached a state ofplete automation. With the implementation of advanced tools and systems, Alex found himself in a position where he could simply rx and enjoy the benefits reaped from hisbour.


    "Swish¡­" A giant floating syringe, as big as a human thigh, materialised before Alex as it flew past him through the air towards the selected cow.


    The unsuspecting cow had no time to react as the giant syringe pierced its body near the heart, injecting it with some kind of serum.


    A vibrant green liquid streamed from the syringe, infiltrating the cow''s veins. Initially, the cow let out a pained scream, but within seconds, it sumbed to unconsciousness, copsing gently onto the ground.


    Lying peacefully on the earth, the cow slumbered while the green liquid coursed through its body, reaching every nook and cranny.


    Alex remained uncertain about the precise nature of the green liquid. However, he spected that it might possess some connection to the purple flesh and purple blood he had encountered previously.


    After all, the new function was given after he analysed the purple flesh.


    The interdimensional farm was a peculiar entity. It could modify and grow by taking in information from its surroundings.


    First, it disyed this ability while Alex awakened. It took the information from the spirit guardian as a data point and extracted it to give Alex the ability to control energy.


    Even though it came from a world without mana. It could identify mana and make use of it immediately aftering in contact with it. The interdimensional farm had a great ability to adapt.


    Then it acquired some runes from the corpse of a dead beast at the time of the attack by the evil organisation on Blue gem city. This data extracted from the runes were used to give Alex the ability to teleport.


    Alex didn''t question this ability at first because of the nature of the interdimensional farm. After all, just by its name, we could tell that it had some kind of spatial ability.


    Later, it once again disyed the ability to adapt to the surroundings when it gave Alex the ability to transform tier 3 and above materials into fertiliser.


    Lastly, it extracted some information from the illusory figure of the spirit guardian of the thousand-headed serpent tribe and the blue gem. This information was used to strengthen the energy cirction skill of Alex.


    And the conclusion that Alex reached after observing the minute changes in the interdimensional farm was that it was growing along with him.


    The information it gained about the world around it was being used by interdimensional farms to grow.


    However, Alex didn''t know what it was growing towards or how fast it was growing. But, he knew that it was helpful for him.


    So, the gene upgrade function will also be a helpful tool in his endeavour. Alex concluded as he observed the cow.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Even if the ability was gained after analysis of the purple flesh, it might not be something harmful.


    The purple flesh possessed an immensely mutagenic property, capable of fusing disparate DNA sequences through the utilisation of mana, facilitating its own evolutionary progression.


    It is conceivable that the interdimensional farm acquired the mana gene by studying and analysing the purple flesh. By replicating the mechanism through which the purple flesh evolved, the farm could have synthesised the green liquid, enabling controlled evolution in a regted manner.


    This profound realisation sent Alex''s thoughts wandering, contemting the implications of this discovery. The interdimensional farm''s ability toprehend and replicate the mutagenic properties of the purple flesh showcased its immense potential for modification and maniption of life forms. The possibilities and ramifications of such capabilities opened up a realm of exploration and intrigue, sparking curiosity within Alex''s mind.


    As the pieces of the puzzle fell into ce within Alex''s mind, aplete picture began to emerge.


    He pondered the question: What truly defined the limits of biological evolution?


    The answery in the inherent nature of heredity. Organisms exist primarily to pass on their genes to the next generation, as postted in Darwinian theory through the concept of "survival of the fittest."


    Alex recognised that this hereditary process posed a limitation. A single individualcked the means tobat the forces of nature effectively. The majority of its existence would rely upon the genes inherited from its parents and any fortuitous mutations that may have urred within its own body.


    This realisation shed light on the vulnerability and constraints inherent in biological evolution. The destiny of an organism was intricately intertwined with the gic legacy it carried, with limited ability to actively shape its own evolutionary path.


    In effect, that meant that a carp couldn''t evolve into a flying dragon.


    However, mana possesses the power to defy such limitations, rendering everything possible.


    Mana transcends the confines of traditional evolutionary norms, offering a realm of boundless potential. The purple flesh''s demonstration of gene fusion and integration from different species through the influence of mana serves as a testament to this extraordinary capability.


    With mana''s involvement, the interdimensional farm can reshape and merge gic material in unprecedented ways, enabling the synthesis of traits that would otherwise be unimaginable within conventional biological frameworks. Mana unlocks a realm of infinite possibilities, dismantling the barriers that once confined biological evolution.


    Now, a carp could really evolve into a dragon.


    A single individual now had the potential to overthrow the world.


    As Alex''s thoughts approached this juncture, a shiver ran down his spine, eliciting a mixture of anticipation and awe. The revtion of a new way of life stirred within him a deep sense of inspiration, fueling his aspiration to transcend and be an enhanced version of himself.


    Driven by the desire to break through and be a formidable powerhouse, Alex made a resolute decision. While the cow slumbered serenely, undergoing cellr transformations under the influence of the green liquid, he chose to seize the opportunity and embark on his own journey towards the next level of growth.


    With that thought in mind. He exited the interdimensional farm.


    ¡ª----------


    Breaking through the barrier of tier 3 was difficult for most warriors. Most warriors never grow past tier 3 in their entire life.


    Simrly, mages had their problems while trying to break through from the journeyman level(tier 3) to the master level(tier 4).


    But, both had one simrity in their ways of breaking through. It had something to do with their ability to control mana or energy. Most of the time, it would be a limitation of the mind that prevents warriors or mages from breaking through to the next tier.


    Considering that, If Alex could find his mental limit and ovee it, he could attain the ability to store more mana in his body.


    While that was true, Alex did not fit the mould of a typical mage or warrior. He possessed a unique blend of both skill sets, making him a formidable force. His extraordinary abilities stemmed from his capability to create and distribute multiple cores throughout his body.


    So, the question remained: How could he surpass his current limitations


    While looking at it from theplexity that mages or warriors look at their breakthrough, the chances Alex had were slim. He was walking along his path with no manual or instructions to follow.


    But that didn''t prevent Alex from trying. The moment he began his endeavour he knew he had a rough path ahead.

 Chapter 106 Break Through -Ish

    ?


    With a total of ny mana cores already distributed symmetrically across his body, Alex realised the need to create ten additional mana cores to enhance his strength and reach the pinnacle of tier 3. Determined to progress, he wasted no time and initiated the process.


    He took out the mana stones he found in the elder''s spatial ring and ced them near him. After that, he took out a mana-dense herb and consumed it.


    The mana stones, akin to naturally urring crystal or jadeite formations, could be seen all around the world. And as their name suggests, they had arge amount of mana stored inside them. These valuable stones were sought after worldwide, primarily by mages who utilised them for constructing intricate mana formations.


    However, Alex employed a different approach. Hebined the power of both the mana stones and the mana-dense herb to heighten the density of mana in his immediate surroundings as well as within his own body. With the ny cores he already possessed, he set them to energy recovery mode, preparing himself for meditation.


    As he delved into a deep meditative state, a remarkable phenomenon unfolded. Mana surged and surged, drawn irresistibly toward Alex. He transformed into an insatiable ck hole, voraciously absorbing the mana present in his surroundings. In a matter of seconds, the mana was replenished within his cores, reaching the peak state of restoration and empowerment.


    To create the ten additional mana cores required for his advancement, Alex embarked on the challenging task ofpressing the mana within him.


    Each core was intended to hold one per cent of his tier 3 warrior energy. Hence, to generate a new core, he needed to meticulously iste and separate precisely one per cent of his energy, subsequentlypressing it until it assumed the distinctive form of a mana core.


    However, this endeavour proved to be far from simple. The process demanded immense mental effort, as urately measuring and separating the mana proved to be an exceedingly taxing endeavour. It required a deep focus and unwavering concentration to navigate the intricate intricacies of mana maniption and ensure the precise allocation of energy into each newly formed core.


    Alex took about half an hour to just form a basic shape of a mana core with thepressed mana.


    A tiny spec of floating light appeared near the left side of his heart. If a person could view it with mana vision, they would see tens of mana cores all across his body light up in response to the creation of the new core.


    As the newly created mana cores took shape within Alex''s body, they resembled dazzling miniature stars, emanating a radiant brilliance that intensified with each passing second. Their luminosity grew in harmony with the existing mana cores that resided within him.


    In a harmonious symphony of energy, the mana cores within Alex synchronised, vibrating at the exact frequency as the newly formed mana cores. This synchronisation served as a weing embrace, as the established cores acknowledged and integrated the presence of their newly forged counterparts.


    The mana synchronisation process yed a crucial role in enabling Alex to exert control over the newly formed core in unison with the rest of his mana cores. It ensured a seamless integration of the additional core into his existingwork of mana.


    He now possesses 91 cores distributed throughout his body. However, the slight imbnce of cores on one side caused difort for Alex, prompting him to create additional cores.


    One by one, they permeated his body until the quota of one hundred cores was met.


    Exhausted, Alex could finally find sce as he witnessed all the cores within his body spinning harmoniously.


    Finally, after enduring five gruelling hours of meditation, he achieved his initial aspiration of reaching the pinnacle of a journeyman mage.


    Now, he could be hailed as a formidable warrior mage,bining the abilities of both a mage and a warrior.


    However, for Alex. It was not enough. He was not ready to rest yet. He was motivated to go even further.


    All along, he decided to try other ways of increasing his energy/mana because he knew that he couldn''t improve as a warrior.


    There were physical limitations on his body that simply didn''t allow his to break through to be a tier 4 warrior.


    Now that he had reached the peak of tier 3 in energy level, Alex was determined to push himself even further and enhance the energy within his body, aiming to break through to the next level.


    Alex was uncertain about how to surpass his mental limits and achieve a breakthrough. Hecked a clear, predefined path to follow.


    However, he understood that he could manipte the mana within a single core, and his body could sustain the activation of up to 100 cores simultaneously.


    Therefore, in his quest to improve his mana level, Alex resolved to employ the simplest method he could think of.


    Just make more cores.


    Simr to the cores he had built, he nned to make more cores. Hundred, thousand or even ten thousand. Until he found it difficult to create cores, Alex decided to make more cores.


    Even if he could only use a hundred cores at a time, he could use the other as a spare. He was looking at the mana cores like batteries inside his body. And he found no reason not to view it like that.


    With that thought in his mind, Alex began creating another core. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    But this time, something extraordinary urred. Alex sensed a remarkable enhancement in his capacity to gather and process mana. Astonishingly, within a mere minute, he manifested a brand new mana core.


    ''Creating mana core is bing easier!'' Alex eximed.


    He didn''t know why it was, but the synchronised effect of the hundred cores in his body was making it easier to control mana.


    "Does that imply that the greater the number of cores I possess, the swifter I can generate new ones? Wouldn''t it also suggest that there is no ceiling to the number of mana cores I can produce?" The exhrating possibility of fashioning thousands of cores within his body ignited Alex''s enthusiasm.


    ''With enough time, wouldn''t I be the strongest person in the entire world?'' Alex thought with a smile.


    However, his excitement was quickly extinguished when he realised the newly created mana quickly turned dormant.


    Alex tried to use a spell with the cores. But it was incapable of releasing the spell. It was just simply existing inside his body without doing anything.


    ''What''s wrong? Let me try using the active cores.''


    Alex tried to release a spell with his active core. A simple ice spell materialised before him as he shot it towards the outside through the window. He easily emptied the mana inside one of his cores.


    ''It worked. Fortunately, nothing is wrong with my body.''


    This thought calmed Alex.


    When he looked into his body, the emptied core dimmed showing it had no more mana. However to his surprise, the previous dormant core, the new core he just created became active and began shining.


    ''Uh! It seems like I have to ground my expectations in reality. I can only use 100 cores simultaneously. But, when I exhaust a core, the extra cores would act as a substitute.''


    ''I have a hard limit of spells which require 100 cores of mana. But the more cores I have, the better it would be for me.''


    ''The number of spells I could release which might require 100 cores of mana would depend on the extra cores I am going to make. This is close to the best-case scenario I had. Thankfully I have nothing to worry about.''


    After regainingposure, Alex embarked on a fervent core creation spree. Within a single hour, he managed to generate an additional 60 cores.


    Persisting for another hour, he fashioned another 60 cores before mental fatigue overwhelmed him,pelling him to surrender to sleep.


    Now, a staggering total of 220 cores shimmered within Alex''s body, resembling a constetion of miniature stars. His mana surged rapidly, surpassing the threshold of tier 3. Consequently, his prowess in battle experienced a remarkable surge, escting to unprecedented heights.


    For example, Alex could teleport 220 times currently. It meant that he could travel 220 kilometres with just short-distance teleportation.


    It also meant that he could carry enormous objects with him while he was teleporting. Maybe, he could even forcefully teleport living beings that have much less mana than him.


    If all that doesn''t speak volumes about his battle capabilities. Imagine 220 spells raining down on his enemy.


    With a blissful smile, Alex slept peacefully. Maybe he was dreaming about his possible future.


    _____


    A weekter.


    Alex returned to Blue gem city. He was notified that Kalina was looking for him. So, after making sure that his prisoners were alive and kicking. He returned to Bluegem City.


    Alex had a feeling he knew why Kalina was looking for him. After all, his abilities were simr to the white-robed man. She might want to question him.


    He was thrilled to know that his alibi was useful all while not realising that Kalina already know of his secret identity.

 Chapter 107 Imp

    ?


    As per his usual routine, Alex''s first stop upon arriving in the blue-gem city was to meet Dhairya, his business manager and fellow tribesman.


    Dhairya promptly presented Alex with the items he had previously requested. Alex delicately held the metal cards and the newly acquired mask, examining them closely.


    However, he couldn''t help but feel perplexed by the appearance of the mask. He turned it around in his hand, attempting to decipher the purpose behind its unique design.


    "Are there no openings for the eyes?" Alex inquired, seeking rification to dispel his confusion.


    The mask consisted entirely of white material, wlessly polished into a convex shape. Its oval form exuded a smooth texture, devoid of any irregrities. It could seamlessly envelop Alex''s face, obscuring his featurespletely, without even providing a means for him to see through it.


    ''Why?''


    ''A mask that renders the wearer blind. However, Dhairya wouldn''t present a failed creation. So, what''s the secret behind it?''Alex pondered, observing Dhairya''s smirking expression.


    "Give it a try," Dhairya encouraged.


    "Alright," Alexplied, promptly cing the mask on his face.


    The moment the mask touched his skin, a refreshing wave of energy cascaded over his face. It felt akin to the touch of a ceramic te, cool and soothing. Suddenly, the mask activated an internal energy mechanism, generating a subtle yet controble suction force that securely adhered it to his face.


    As Alex ran his fingers along the surface of the mask, he could sense it as if he were touching his skin. Miraculously, he could peer through the solidyer of the mask, gazing at the world beyond. All the while no one outside could observe his eyes.


    It was a wondrous tool crafted exclusively for him, fulfilling every requirement he had requested.


    Filled with excitement, Alex proceeded toward a nearby mirror, with Dhairya wearing a smile as he followed along.


    "It''s a perfect fit," Alexmented as he viewed his reflection.


    There were no bumps or contours on the mask. It was smooth and oval shapedpletely covering his face. The featureless mask made him look even more mysterious as he donned it.


    "Of course, it has to be when you spent a 10,000 gold coin on it."


    "What!" Alex screamed in anguish as he heard the price. He couldn''t fathom how a single mask drained his wallet.


    "Oh! 10,000. Was I not clear." With an innocent smile, Dhairya inquired.


    "That''s as much as two million chickens. How did you spend that much for a single mask?"


    "No, you won''t be able to buy two million chickens with just 10000 gold coins. The price would increase drastically due to the increase in demand.


    "Besides that, how can you still measure the value object with chicken when your wealth is growing by the minute? 10,000 coins are nothing much if youpare it to the profit we made in recent months.


    "So, it was an easy decision for me to craft you the best mask I can." Dhairya unapologetically exined.


    "Ah!!! I give up. You spend it however you like, as long as we have enough money to deploy our stores all around the continent, I don''t care about it."


    "Don''t worry, the mask is worth the price. It was made from the ivory tusk of a tier 4 mammoth. It was designed to hide your identity even under the prying eyes of strong warriors. Most types of energy senses would be rejected by the mask improving your stealth while at the same time improving your defence.


    "It''s worth the money Meru," Dhairya exined the details.


    Delighted by the additional properties that enhanced his stealth and defence, Alex''s spirits soared. Once he had ensured his business matters were in order, he resolved to pay a visit to Kalina.


    Two days prior, Kalina had extended an invitation for Alex to visit the pce of the ice-phoenix tribe. Hence, it was only logical for him reach after a two-day trip from the Stonehead tribe.


    ¡ª----------


    The vibrant cityscape unfolded before Alex''s eyes, capturing his awe. At the heart of it all stood the magnificent pce, a sight he was acquainted with, yet its grandeur never failed to diminish his sense of wonder.


    Following the attack on the blue-gem city during his previous visit to the pce, the atmosphere had been sombre, and the structure itself appeared worn and deste. However, at present, the marble floors radiated vitality, entuated by the bustling and jubnt crowd that traversed them.


    Alex was directed towards Kalina''s presence, finding her seated behind a desk, engrossed in paperwork. As soon as her gaze fell upon him, she rose from her seat, extending a warm wee. A maid was promptly dispatched to procure some tea, while Kalina gradually turned her attention towards Alex and began to speak.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "I had expected to find you in the blue-gem city. Your swift return caught me by surprise. Please ept my apologies for inconveniencing you with this invitation. I was not in the city at that time." Kalina expressed in an apologetic tone.


    However, it didn''t seem apologetic at all to Alex. Given Alex''sprehensive knowledge of recent events, it seemed to him like a subtle attempt to extract information.


    Why else would she mention his presence in the city couple of days ago?


    He may or may not be right. But he had to be cautious around here to not reveal his hidden identity. So, Alex began to y along with her.


    "Why did you extend an invitation for me to visit the pce? I believed Dhairya had already discussed the matter of supplying vegetables, grains, and other food items to the city with you," Alex promptly redirected the conversation, feigning ignorance while focusing on the previous business arrangement.


    By diverting her attention in this manner, he aimed to create doubt without allowing her to confirm his hidden identity unless he willingly acknowledged it.


    "Yes, we have confirmed the orders and finalised on the appropriate price for everything. It was not the reason why I invited you to the city."


    Kalina confirmed Alex''s doubt.


    ''She is doubtful of my presence. She wants to test me¡­'' Alex thought as he weed the next words.


    "Do you have any knowledge regarding the events that transpired in Thirast week?" Kalina inquired, subtly probing for any hint. Although Penthe, the leader of the Noble Trader Association, had mentioned that Meru was present in the city during that time, Kalina sought confirmation.


    If Alex were to fabricate a lie and deny being present, Kalina could conclude that he was the mysterious white-robed individual.


    "No," Alex promptly lied, unaware of the pitfall he was stepping into. With no other option, he had to feign ignorance.


    A beautiful smile illuminated Kalina''s face upon hearing his words. She had been in close proximity to the white-robed figure when he came to her rescue. The sensation she experienced then bore a resemnce to the way Alex had saved her from the white snake. It was an unforgettable experience for her.


    As all the pieces of evidence aligned, Kalina began to solidify her conclusion that Alex was, in fact, the true identity behind the white-robed man. The truth was finally unravelling before her.


    However, the real reason she invited Alex here was for something else. She had some information the real white-robed man might be interested in.


    "Well! Let me recount to you the things that happened in Thira. A white-robed man appeared destroying one thergest Trader Association in Thira. He somehow found out that the trader association was working with the evil organisation¡­..


    Kalina spoke calmly as she described what happed in Thira. Then she paused to scrutinise Alex''s expression.


    Alex calmly sat there without much change in expression. Seeing that she had paused, he asked.


    "Why are you saying this to me?"


    "Just because we are allies. You are one of the most formidable warriors in the region under the control of the ice-phoenix tribe. I wanted to share with you the new information I''ve acquired regarding the evil organisation. Additionally, the white-robed individual possessed an identical skill set to yours," Kalina''s words halted abruptly.


    "Thank you for considering me an ally, but my abilities have no connection to any white-robed individual," Alex swiftly refuted her im.


    "I know," Kalina replied, her smile catching Alex off guard as she agreed with him.


    Why was she agreeing? Had she already confirmed his true identity?


    A multitude of questions invaded Alex''s mind. He felt goosebumps rising on his skin as he tried to make sense of her words.


    "Because the white-robed man revealed his identity yesterday," Kalina continued without giving Alex any more time to think.


    ''What? When did I do that? I don''t sleepwalk, nor do I engage in sleeptalking. When did I unintentionally disclose my identity to the public?'' Alex expressed his confusion, genuinely perplexed by Kalina''s assertion.


    Kalina''s smile broadened as she observed Alex''s confusion, further solidifying her conviction that Meru, or rather Alex, was indeed the white-robed man.


    "The white-robed man, the sessor of the primal chaos tribe, revealed his true identity when confronted by an elder from the Divine Butterfly tribe just yesterday. The news swiftly spread to the nine great tribes," Kalina exined.


    "At first, we hesitated to ept his identity, but his possession of the same skill set as the white-robed man and his relentless pursuit of the members of the evil organisation gradually convinced us. After careful consideration, we genuinely believe him to be the true white-robed man. The news of the primal chaos tribe still guarding the central continent brought joy to everyone''s hearts. Consequently, the elders of the nine great tribes began to view him as the prophesied hero, the potential victor of the uing champion''s tournament." She ryed the information that was passed onto her to Alex.


    The onught of information overwhelmed Alex, burying him in a whirlwind of thoughts. He swiftly realised that an imposter had emerged, assuming his identity and sessfully convincing everyone that he was the real white-robed man.

 Chapter 108 Info

    ?


    ''A day was required to dismantle the Noble Trader Associationpletely. Afterwards, I rested for two days to recover from my injury. Subsequently, I apprehended those who had coborated with the evil organisation. It was a day well spent. Following that, I waited for two more days before epting Kalina''s invitation toe to the Blue Gem City. To summarise everything, it hadn''t even been a week since I first appeared as the white-robed man.''


    ''And yet, in this short time span, someone had already stolen my identity.'' Alex thought.


    Contrary to Kalina''s expectations, a smile blossomed on Alex''s face. He found it surprisingly enjoyable that someone tried to steal his name and honour.


    "Ha¡­ Ha¡­" Unknowingly Alexughed.


    Kalina, witnessing Alex''s reaction, was unsure how to respond. Shouldn''t he feel a tinge of anger or sadness that his identity was being appropriated by someone else? Why was he calmlyughing from the sidelines? She thought while trying to gauge his emotion.


    "The same primal chaos tribe as me?" Those were the first words he uttered upon hearing Kalina''s ount of the past events. "Wasn''t it a secluded tribe that intentionally dispersed its members to observe the entire continent? A super tribe with strengthparable to the nine great tribes, despite having significantly fewer members."


    "Yes, that man hails from the same tribe as you."


    "Doesn''t that imply that it''s natural for him to possess the same skill set as mine? There''s no mystery behind it then. I simply hope he can carry on the fight against evil," Alex calmly remarked.


    However, Kalina refused to believe a single word from Alex. Based on her experiences, she hade to understand his modus operandi. Despite his outward appearance of calmness,posure, and easygoing nature, he was, in fact, the embodiment of chaos and rebellion. His actions often contradicted his words when he was doing something which involved his emotions.


    Kalina was indeed correct in her assessment. When faced with life-changing decisions, Alex consistently approached them from a rational standpoint. He carefully evaluated the risks and benefits before taking action. However, although rare, his emotions asionally influenced his choices. During such instances, as a coping mechanism, Alex would find a seemingly unconventional justification, something he could rationalise as beneficial in the long run, to appease his rational mind. This was the primary reason why his words sometimes contradicted his actions.


    His rational mind was not inclined towards granting favours or saving others. It was rather detached, selfish and solely focused on protecting him from all potential harm and ensuring his well-being.


    So, to change it. He needs a good enough justification to take action ording to his emotions.


    Initially, Alex''s sole objective was to lead a tranquil,fortable, and affluent life in solitude. However, everything changed when he sensed the looming threat of the evil organisation. Thispelled him to make drastic decisions at every turn.


    Unbeknownst to him, Alex gradually developed a sense of care for the people around him. He was no longer alone; he had individuals who relied on him for protection. This realisation drove him to seek strength and power, forsaking his pursuit of peace.


    It was an emotional decision.


    Likewise, to maintain a secure and uplicated lifestyle, he recognised the necessity of wealth and power. Thus, he found ways to gain wealth. The interdimensional farm was nothing but a tool for that.


    So, Kalina was right in not believing his words. Alex was certainly capable of lying. However, beyond all the lies, she could see the person who was struggling to gain control over his life. She could empathise with him.


    Just like Kalina, Alex was unknowingly putting forth his best effort. They were like-minded individuals with simr aspirations and goals.


    "After some thought, do you have any additional information about the white-robed man?" Alex inquired.


    Kalina had the urge to ask whether he was referring to the real or fake white-robed man. However, she suppressed her impulse and responded.


    "His name is Karthi. Currently, he resides in the pce of the Divine Butterfly tribe. He will be participating in the Champion''s tournament. That''s all I know," Kalina replied.


    "Well, I appreciate the information. If that''s all, I would like to take my leave."


    "Yes, you may," Kalina agreed, feeling a slight sense of regret. Despite being convinced that Alex was the true white-robed man, she longed for him to disclose it to her. She couldn''t exin why she wished for that, but all she could do was hope.


    However, Alex departed without even ncing back.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ¡ª------------


    "A man has stolen my identity as the white-robed man. It''s difficult to fathom that this individual is from the primal chaos tribe. They possess enough strength to rival any of the nine great tribes, yet he resorted to stealing my identity!"


    "I had envisioned the white-robed man to be an enigmatic figure, someone nameless and mysterious, working tirelessly against evil. Not just another person from a well-known tribe."


    "The purpose of the white-robed man''s concealed identity was to instil strength in themon people, to assure them that someone was willing to protect them. Ultimately, it was meant to empower them to rise and fight for themselves."


    "However, the man named Karthi, who ims to be the white-robed man, haspletely disrupted my n. Could he be seeking personal honour by assuming this role?"


    After careful analysis, Alex realised that the theft of his identity was no longer a significant concern to him. When he initially devised the n to hide and undermine the evil organization, he was weak and uncertain. However, now he had discovered a clearer path forward.


    With his newfound ability to create a core per minute through meditation, Alex could significantly enhance his mana capacity. This would undoubtedly elevate his strength to unprecedented levels. He no longer required his meticulously thought-out n; he was self-sufficient.


    He could now operate independently, executing his intended actions without fear for his life.


    Therefore, while Karthi served as a distraction, Alex sought to unleash chaos and destruction.


    "Karthi is attempting to exploit me, so I shall use him in return," Alex firmly decided.


    With his resolve in ce, he swiftly returned to Thira and retrieved his captives. Ensuring they were sedated and securely confined, he arranged for a flying beast to transport them, along with all the evidence of their involvement with the evil organisation, to the pce of the ice Phoenix tribe.


    Havingpleted this task, Alex set his sights on the city of flowers, Pushpam. Situated in the expansive central ins of the continent, Pushpam was under the control of one of the nine great tribes, the divine butterfly tribe. Renowned for its picturesque beauty, with moderate temperatures and lush green ins, the city held a captivating allure.


    It was in Pushpam that the imposter white-robed man, Karthi, the sessor of the primal chaos tribe, currently resided.


    Alex had two objectives in mind for visiting this city. Firstly, he aimed to track down the members of the evil organisation mentioned in the ledgers. Secondly, he hoped to gather any information rted to Karthi.


    Alex no longer needed to rely on a flying beast or any external means of transportation as he had done in the past. With his remarkable progress, he now possessed 460 cores within his body after meditating for just two hours a day. This newfound power allowed him to teleport a staggering 460 kilometres in a single leap.


    Pushpam, located 1000 kilometres away, was well within his reach if he could replenish his mana and teleport continuously for a few hours. However, instead of taking the direct route, Alex deliberately chose to take his time while travelling to Pushpam. He allowed himself approximately two days to reach the city, during which he purchased a house and established a teleportation point within it.


    By doing so, he made essing the city much more convenient and efficient for his future travels.


    Now, his primary objective was to locate the criminals who had taken refuge in the city, individuals who had coborated with the evil organisation. Additionally, he needed to devise a n to establish contact with Karthi.


    As Alex ventured deeper into the city, he couldn''t help but notice the stark contrast in architectural designpared to the northern regions. Instead of the typical use of stone and granite, the entire city of Pushpam was constructed predominantly from wood. Even the expansive city walls, stretching hundreds of meters in each direction, were skillfully crafted from sturdy wood.


    Despite the seemingly weaker material, the wooden structures exuded a sense of strength and durability. They appeared capable of withstanding attacks even from formidable Tier 4 beasts.


    Alex quickly walked towards the market. His shop, the spice garden was waiting for him to visit. The information he required can easily be gained from them.


    In less than half an hour, Alex efficiently gathered basic information about the city and its power structure from the spice garden. He discovered that some of the individuals listed in the ledger had been eliminated by Karthi. Surprisingly, this particr incident seemed to have attributed the title of the white-robed man to Karthi.

 Chapter 109 Scammer

    ?


    "Hello, sir! Would you like to experience the speciality of Pushpam?" The sweet aroma of honey drifted towards Alex, enticing his senses, while a scrawny street vendor retrieved a ss jar from his bag. The jar contained a thick, viscous liquid.


    As the street vendor shook the jar in front of Alex, the liquid slowly and gracefully swirled to one side.


    "This is honey, gathered from the vast central ins. It is produced by a rare species of magical bees that can only be found here. If this is your first visit to our city, I highly rmend giving it a try," the vendor persisted, making a persuasive sales pitch upon noticing Alex''s intrigue.


    "Don''t worry, sir. I can offer you a discount. You need only pay a single gold coin for the entire jar. It''s an incredible deal if you make your purchase right now. I''m extending this special offer exclusively for you." The vendor said when he saw Alex stop.


    His gaze swiftly fixated on the sizable money bag dangling from Alex''s belt. Recognising Alex as a first-time visitor and perceiving his affluent appearance, the street vendor identified him as the prime target for the potential scam.


    The honey he was selling was worthless, as it was merely a concoction of sugar syrup infused with a hint of flower essence to impart a golden yellow hue. A small amount of genuine honey was added to lend it a fragrance reminiscent of fresh honey.


    Byparison, the slightly clouded ss jar itself held more worth than the actual liquid it contained. And he was trying to sell that worthless honey to Alex.


    However, Alex saw through this deceptive ploy in an instant. Having recently visited the spice garden, he possessed aprehensive understanding of market values, particrly when it came to Pushpam-honey.


    Even the lowest quality of genuine Pushpam honey wouldmand a price of around ten gold coins, while higher quality variations could range from a hundred to a thousand gold coins.


    As Alex detected the vendor''s fraudulent intentions, a silent chuckle escaped his lips. He couldn''t help but find the situation rather amusing.


    Little did the vendor know that the very reason Alex came to the market was to encounter this particr street vendor. Unexpectedly, before Alex even had the chance to seek him out, fate had brought the vendor right to his doorstep.


    "It seems like you have ten jars with you. Can I buy it all?" Alex spoke fluently while fiddling with the small money bag tied to his waist.


    "Of course, you can," responded the exultant street vendor, swiftly arranging the jars into a spacious and attractive satchel. "Sir, if you desire additional jars of honey, I can certainly acquire them for you," he added, eagerly anticipating an order for more honey.


    "If fate permits, perhaps we shall meet again. And then, I can make another purchase from you. However, today, I am upied," Alex replied, handing over ten gold coins to the street vendor. He chose not to haggle, fully aware that he was being deceived.


    "Hm¡­ If fate permits¡­" The vendor said.


    While concealing his true intentions, the vendor smiled at Alex, though secretly harbouring the wish to never cross paths with him again. After all, once Alex discovered the extent of the deception, it was unlikely he would depart unscathed.


    Efficiently gathering his now empty bag, the vendor hastily departed from the bustling market, skillfully navigating through the alleyways.


    Unbeknownst to the vendor, Alex trailed closely behind him, adeptly concealing his mana. He moved with agility, discreetly shadowing the scammer through the convoluted twists and turns of the alleyways.


    Based on the insights obtained during his visit to the spice garden, Alex had learned about awork of criminals operating within the city. This nefarious group dabbled in a wide range of illicit activities, ranging from simple scams to the abhorrent practices of kidnapping and ve trading. Their reputation was notorious, and their influence extended throughout the city, tightly gripping the underbelly of the city in their arms.


    So, they were named appropriately the Spider Gang. Signifying that their webs were spread all across the city.


    The scammer, Alex had met was just one link that could connect him to the spider gang. The real person Alex was after was not the scammer street vendor. It was the unknown leader of the spider gang.


    The ledger Alex had obtained shed light on the deep ties between the Spider gang and the elder of the thousand-headed serpent tribe. So, there was no doubt in Alex''s mind that they were working with the evil organisation.


    Knowing that an entire gang would find it difficult to evade capture and go into hiding, Alex deduced that the criminals sought refuge within Pushpam City. This city is the closest location to Thira and the only ce willing to harbour them due to their connections.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The leader of the spider was extremely reclusive, with his identity that has never been exposed. From what Alex could understand, he had deep rtionships in the city that aided him in taking over the entire underground market of the city.


    Through the street vendor, Alex was hoping to unravel the inner workings of the spider gang, find their leader''s identity and if possible, destroy them from the ground up.


    ¡ª-


    Contrary to Alex''s expectations, the street vendor''s first destination wasn''t to meet his superiors and share the ill-gotten profits of the scam. Instead, the vendor made his way to a dpidated, single-room house located in the impoverished section of the city.


    Curiosity piqued within Alex as he quietly observed from a safe distance, wondering about the purpose behind this unexpected visit and the nature of the connection between the street vendor and the humble abode.


    He swiftly climbed atop the house, curiously peeking into the room. The roof was patched with wood leaving ample room for him to peek into it.


    Inside the room, Alex''s gaze fell upon a young child, no older than five, slumbering on a humble mat. A damp cloth rested gently upon the child''s forehead, offering some relief from the fever that afflicted him. Beside the child was a b


    The porridge in the bowl has already cooled down forming a thick paste. It was inedible anymore.


    As Alex absorbed the harrowing sight before him, the gravity of the child''s condition became starkly evident. Gasping for air and exhibiting signs of severe weakness, the child''s condition tugged at Alex''s heart. The child''splexion, pallid andcking any trace of vitality, spoke of its dire state.


    Caught in a moment of confusion and conflicting emotions, Alex found himself at a loss, unsure of how to respond or what course of action to take. He had anticipated encountering a despicable individual affiliated with the Spider gang, but instead, what he saw were a kind and caring father.


    As soon as the street vendor entered the house, his attention immediately turned to his son, tenderly assessing the child''s condition. Retrieving something from his pocket, he delicately mixed it with water before gently administering it to the child. Perhaps it was a form of pain relief medication, for the child''s visage began to regain a hint of colour.


    A transformation unfolded before Alex''s eyes¡ªthe child''s pained expression melted away, reced by a joyful smile upon seeing his father''s face. In this unexpected turn of events, Alex''s perception of the street vendor shifted, leaving him grappling with a newfound understanding of theplexities underlying the lives of those involved in the city''s underbelly.


    Alex found himself grappling with a moral dilemma. Previously, he had firmly believed that scamming others was a deplorable act, one of the worst ways to make a living. However, witnessing the genuine care and love exhibited by the street vendor towards his sick child shifted Alex''s perspective.


    Despite being a victim of the scam himself, Alex no longer considered his mary loss as a defeat. He felt it was worth it to be scammed by the street vendor.


    The sight of the street vendor tending to his child''s well-being struck a chord within him, creating a conflict between his pursuit of justice and the empathy he felt for the vulnerable family.


    Deep within, Alex questioned whether he should involve the child and the father as pawns in his scheme to uncover the leader of the Spider gang. He recognised that his actions would undoubtedly have a detrimental impact on their lives. This realisation weighed heavily upon him, stirring a sense of guilt and remorse.


    If only everything had gone ording to his meticulously crafted ns, perhaps he wouldn''t be grappling with such internal turmoil about exploiting a scammer as a pawn.


    As he gazed at the family inside the house, he once again saw the forced smile of the child. Trying to convince his father that he was not in pain.


    It dealt the final blow to Alex''s resolve, causing him to abandon any intention of involving the father and child in his scheme. He couldn''t bear to subject them to further harm or jeopardise their well-being.


    However, not everyone came to the samepassionate decision.


    In a matter of moments, a pair of intimidating, muscr men converged upon the rundown house. Their angry voices reverberated through the air as they confronted the street vendor with hostile intent.


    A surge of concern coursed through Alex as he observed the unfolding scene.

 Chapter 110 A Child

    ?


    The scrawny thug, among the pair of menacing figures, left no room for negotiation as he clutched the cor of the street vendor. His eyes zed with fury, fixing his gaze on the unfortunate street vendor.


    With a mere nce, one could sense his overwhelming anger.


    "Where is the money?" demanded the thin thug, his grip on the cor tightening.


    "That¡­" The street vendor stuttered for a moment, finding it incredibly difficult to speak while being yanked by his cor. He was unable toplete his words.


    "p. p." The thin man struck the street vendor''s cheeks, reddening his face. However, the street vendor did not retaliate. After all, it was his own mistake for not immediately handing over the money.


    He worked as a con for the Spider Gang, deceiving tourists with counterfeit Pushpam honey. ording to their order, he was supposed to pay the gang after the scam. However, concerned for his son''s well-being, he hurriedly returned home to check on him. This misunderstanding caused the gang members to believe that he was attempting to flee with the money, leading them to confront him in person.


    Twisting and turning in their grip, the street vendor struggled to breathe. The hand clutching his cor tightened with each passing moment. He sensed the flow of oxygen to his brain gradually being cut off.


    The thugs were formidable tier-3 warriors, leaving him with no means of escape.


    Meanwhile, the child, upon hearing the enraged voices of the thugs, struggled to stand up. Grasping onto the wall for support, he peered outside, attempting to discern themotion. The loud voices triggered panic, causing his fragile heart to beat wildly. An unforgettable memory etched inside his mind resurfaced.


    Fear gripped him as memories flooded his mind of the debt collectors forcibly evicting him and his father from their home. Could a simr be happening outside?


    Summoning all his strength, he began to move step by step towards the partially closed door. That''s when he clearly heard the voices from the outside.


    "Hey, Dumbass, stop choking him! How do you expect him to speak when you''re clutching his cor and constricting his throat? He can''t even breathe, let alone answer your questions," pointed out the bulkier and more astute thug.


    His words carried a hint of mocking tone, yet he seemed unconcerned about the breathless street vendor writhing in his partner''s grip.


    "Oh! You''re right," the thin man eximed, suddenly realising his mistake. With ease, he relinquished his hold on the street vendor''s neck and flung him aside like a discarded rag doll.


    The street vendor was momentarily airborne before crashing to the ground, face-first, enveloped in a cloud of mud and dirt. The impact was sudden, leaving him defenceless and causing his gums to bleed and teeth to dislocate.


    The street vendor was not a powerful warrior. So, he couldn''t protect himself when he was thrown away.


    As he fell, a mixture of dirty water and mud entered his mouth, forcing him to spit it out immediately. However, he couldn''t entirely expel the grimy residue, resulting in a blend of blood and dirt escaping his lips as he expelled the contents.


    Neither Alex, the street vendor, nor the thugs reacted to this scene. But the child, who witnessed his father being thrown to the ground, felt his heart shatter.


    "FATHER!" a shrill scream escaped his mouth as he desperately called out to his father. He couldn''t bear to witness his father being tossed around by the thugs.


    This wasn''t the first time the child had encountered the thugs. He had seen them before when they visited his father to collect a debt.


    They would usually show up at their home every week to demand money from his father, resorting to violence on asion when his fathercked sufficient funds. They were the familiar viins that tormented them for months.


    However, this was the first time he had witnessed his father in such a pathetic state.


    His little heart ached, realising he was the cause of his father''s current condition. His frail body acted as an insatiable sinkhole that devoured the family''s wealth, leading to his and his father''s present plight.


    The child''s scream swiftly attracted everyone''s attention.


    And the thinner thug between the two saw this as an opportunity. The best way to squeeze the street vendor into paying was by using the child as a tool for ckmail.


    He emotionlessly walked towards the child trying to capture his sickly body.


    He felt his life leaving his body while the thin man walked towards his child. He swiftly climbed to his feet and ran towards his son in hopes of protecting him. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "I have the money with me. Here is the gold coin. I can give it to you right now. Please forgive me just this one time." He begged while standing in front of his son. It was the only way he could think of to protect his child.


    Hearing this, the thin thug paused. He was delighted to hear about the money. He deliberately walked all this way to collect the gold coins from the street vendor. If the vendor was willing to hand over the gold coins, perhaps, he could prevent the situation from escting further.


    "Take it out!" The thug ordered with a smile.


    The street vendor quickly took out a small bag with some gold coins from underneath his clothes. He quickly threw it towards the thug.


    The thug captured it with ease and began counting the coins inside.


    "Twelve gold coins, fifty silver coins," he stated, emphasising the count as he lifted his gaze. Displeasure etched across his face as he scrutinised the street vendor.


    "It was supposed to be thirteen gold coins. Where are the remaining silver coins? Did you forget about repaying your debt." he growled menacingly, his toneced with intimidation.


    "That!" The street vendor was unable to exin. Obviously, he used it to buy medicine for his son. But, he dared not say it. After all, he could predict how the thug would react after hearing it.


    They gave far more importance to money rather than human life. If his child was the reason he was unable to pay, they wouldn''t mind eliminating his son. The street vendor felt fear creeping onto him as his thoughts reached this point.


    Still, summoning every ounce of courage within him, the street vendor managed to utter a few simple words. "The sales were low today. I can pay you tomorrow," he lied.


    In reality, the sales had actually been higher than usual. He had been selling honey, as instructed by the spider gang, to affluent tourists at double the price of fifty silver coins per jar. He had made a substantial profit today.


    However, it was still barely enough to cover his monthly interest on his debt. He needed fifty more silver to get some peace from the debt collectors of the spider gang.


    In the past, the street vendor was actually a wealthy merchant. His life turned upside down when his child caught an unknown illness. He ran around the city trying to find a cure while using all his wealth.


    That was why he was forced to take a loan from the Spider gang.


    But as time went on, neither was he able to repay the loan amount nor his child was cured. Desperate for some peace, he resorted to selling off all his possessions to buy a little more time from the spider gang. To make matters worse, he was coerced into bing one of their minions, one among the hundreds of scammers they deployed throughout the city.


    "It seems like this brat was the reason why you couldn''t pay the debt." The thin thug said with a cold glint in his eyes.


    With a swipe of his hand, he threw away the street vendor who was protecting his son behind his body.


    "Swish.." The body of the street vendor flew away like a broken kite and crashed into the dpidated house. The few people who heard the noise exited their houses to check on the situation. But knowing that it had something to do with the gang, they quickly retreated into their homes.


    The street fell silent, devoid of any bystanders.


    In the midst of this tense atmosphere, the thin thug began advancing towards the frail child, who stood frozen in fear.


    Observing the unfolding scene from a distance, Alex swiftly donned his white robes and made a decision. He feltpelled to intervene and rescue the child.


    With the mask securely in ce, he activated his mana vision, preparing to take action.


    However, before he could intervene, the burly thug of the duo swiftly grabbed the arm of the thin thug, who was attempting to seize the child. He shook his head at his partner, signalling him not to proceed.


    Alex was perplexed by the situation. He knew for a fact that both the thugs were bloodthirsty evil individuals with nopassion. There was no way in hell that they would feel anything about attacking a child.


    So, his action took Alex by surprise.


    But, once he looked at the child with mana vision again, all his doubts were cleared.

 Chapter 111 Trying To Convince

    ?


    "Sigh!" Alex couldn''t help but sigh as he witnessed a familiar phenomenon unfolding within the child''s body.


    A small lump of flesh, resembling a wriggling worm, was moving around near the child''s navel. It emitted a steady stream of mana, attempting to assert control over the surrounding cells.


    It aimed to mutate and alter the cells around the navel,pleting its parasitic infection of the child. Once aplished, its purpose would be fulfilled: topletely dominate the child.


    Witnessing the sight, Alex didn''t require further exnation to understand what was happening.


    The worm-like thing was the same thing that transformed many warriors into monsters right before him. And it was trying to attach itself to the child. Once it aplishes its goal, the child would be a ticking time bomb with the possibility of turning into a monster.


    However, the energy within the child rebelled fiercely against the influx of energy from the worm. The sh ravaged the child''s vitality and cells, subjecting him to unbearable torment in his fragile body.


    Alex marvelled at the child''s resilience in enduring such pain. A parasitic worm was devouring him from the inside, destroying his cells while striving to control them. Even Alex himself doubted whether he could bear such agony.


    Now, he understood why the burlier of the two thugs had prevented the other from taking action against the child.


    "It appears that the burly man was warned about attacking the child. Otherwise, he wouldn''t protect the child from the thin guy."


    "I believe the child is the result of one of their reckless experiments. After all, this is not the first encounter I''ve had with this parasitic worm. However, it is the first time I''ve seen a worm fail to fully take over the host body and its mana channels."


    "Nevertheless, it doesn''t necessarily mean the child is special. It might simply imply that he is unfortunate. The sh of mana inside his body is gradually destroying him from within. Although the worm tries its best to avoid destroying the host, fearing for its own survival, the child''s safety remains uncertain."


    "The current stalemate could worsen at any moment."


    "If the situation persists, with neither the worm nor the child relenting, the child will continue to weaken until an unfortunate demise awaits him. No one would be capable of preventing it."


    Alex spected as he closely observed the child.


    ''Helping the child appears to be an insurmountable challenge in the current scenario.'' Alex concluded after careful deliberation.


    Realizing that hasty intervention could potentially escte the danger for the child, Alex resolved to refrain from immediate action and maintain hisposure.


    He understood that exercising patience and waiting for an opportune moment, even if it meant enduring until the thugs departed, would be a wiser course of action.


    "Let''s depart for now," the burly man finally dered, effectively halting the thin man''s assault on the child. Themanding tone in his voice left no room for argument, and the thin manplied without hesitation, aware that the burly man was not to be trifled with.


    "Fine," the thin man grumbled, casting a disdainful re at the street vendor who had been making his way toward the child.


    "Don''t waste your money on the kid anymore. Settle your debts before attempting any more tricks like this. Otherwise, both of you will meet your demise at our hands," the thin man warned, before turning away from the street vendor and his son.


    Witnessing this scene, Alex finally felt a sense of relief. Although he refrained from intervening, his nerves had been taut with tension. He had been prepared to take drastic measures to protect the child if the situation had taken a turn for the worse.


    Unlike the corrupted adults he had encountered, those willing to coborate with the evil organisation and be hosts for the parasitic worm, the child before him was innocent. Incapable of making such a decision, he was a kind soul who should not be lost to the machinations of evil organisations.


    After the duo left, heads poked out from other dpidated houses nearby, trying to see what was happening outside. But none helped the father or the child. They left after taking a cursory nce.


    The street vendor limped towards his son, who was still frozen in fear. He enveloped his child in a tight embrace, his heart heavy with the realisation that he couldn''t shield his son from the clutches of the nefarious Spider Gang or his disease, no matter how much he desired to do so.


    Tears cascaded down the street vendor''s face,nding on the child''s cheeks, rousing him from his state of shock. The child''s legs gave way, weakened by the ordeal, as he reciprocated the embrace, tears of his own streaming down his pale, anaemic cheeks.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The street vendor''s profound anguish at his inability to safeguard his child was a sentiment that resonated deeply within Alex. While he was not a parent and had not experiencedparable emotions from his own parents, he could discern the unwavering love and care that the street vendor held for his son.


    ¡ª--


    The child,pletely drained of energy both physically and mentally, sumbed to unconsciousness after enduring the harrowing ordeal. The street vendor, despite his own injuries and weariness, had to lift the child''s limp body and carry him back to their dpidated dwelling, each step apanied by a painful limp.


    As he navigated the path with great effort, his mind raced with thoughts of desperation. Seeking ways to survive and acquire money rapidly, even if it meant resorting to theft or scams again. The burdens of life weighed heavily upon him, pushing him to consider drastic measures to secure the resources needed to provide for himself and his child.


    The door closed behind the street vendor as he ced the child on a sleeping mat. He swiftly brought some rag-like quilt to cover the child.


    Meanwhile, Alex stealthily made his way into the house. Unaware of the presence behind him, the street vendor tended to his child. And Alex didn''t bother him either.


    After a while, when the street vendor turned, he was shocked by an unknown individual wearing white robes and a mask.


    "Who are you?" The street vendor''s voice trembled with panic, his eyes filled with uncertainty.


    "I am someone who may be able to assist you in escaping this hell you call life," Alex replied, his presence enshrouded in the white robes he wore.


    "The white-robed man?" The street vendor''s voice wavered, his doubt evident. The white-robed man was renowned throughout the city for battling against evil. He was also the heir of the primal chaos tribe. If this individual truly was the white-robed man, it would be unwise not to ce trust in him, especially if he offered aid.


    However, before cing hisplete faith in this stranger, the street vendor needed to ascertain his true identity and the purpose behind his visit. He yearned for rity and understanding, seeking reassurance amidst the uncertainties that surrounded him.


    "Yes," Alex replied confirming the street vendor''s doubt. However, he continued shing the hope of the street vendor. "Obviously, I am the white-robed man. But not the same one you know of."


    "Why are you here?" Cautiously, the man asked while cowering his child behind him.


    "To help!"


    "Why should I believe you?"


    "Because I know what you are going through." To convince the street vendor, Alex began exining.


    "You are correct in your assessment to doubt me. But, without my assistance, your chances of escape are bleak. You find yourself trapped in the clutches of the Spider Gang, burdened by debt. Moreover, your child is unwell and afflicted by an unknown illness.


    "And more importantly, the reason for all that is the people behind the Spider Gang, the real viins that I am after. They would not let you escape even if you slip through the hands of the spider gang. The same could be said for your child. After all, they are the reason for your child''s ailment."


    Alex casually revealed the presence of the evil organisation and the reason for the child''s disease.


    "I am after the evil organisation that works behind the Spide Gang. To get to them, I need your help. That is why I am willing to help you." Alex stated emotionlessly as if everything is a transaction to him.


    The street vendor paused to think. He had heard rumours about the white-robed man. What he had done in Thira clearly showed that he was not a viin. He was challenging a mysterious organisation that was working behind the scene in the central continent.


    But, he had never heard that there were two white-robed men. Can he actually trust the man before him? His thoughts were muddied by his worries preventing him from rationally considering everything.


    Suddenly realisation dawned on him. "What do you mean by saying some people were the reason behind my son''s illness." He asked with anger zing in his eyes.

 Chapter 112 Cells, Mutants, Experiments

    ?


    As anger zed in his eyes, the street vendor demanded rification, his voice tinged with frustration. "What do you mean by saying that someone is responsible for my son''s illness?"


    Alex rxed as he realised he had managed to capture the street vendor''s attention. Until now, the street vendor had approached the situation with caution, but now, he seemed willing to listen and believe in what Alex had to say.


    "It means exactly what I stated. Your son''s illness is not a natural urrence. It has been artificially induced by the individuals behind the Spider Gang. Based on my observations, they are conducting dangerous experiments on your son," Alex revealed in a grave tone.


    "What kind of experiments?" the street vendor inquired, concerned.


    "Have you heard about the monsters that appeared in Thira? The same monsters that I have yed." Alex asked, seeking confirmation.


    "Yes," the street vendor nodded, his expression filled with trepidation.


    "They are attempting to transform your son into one of those monsters," Alex disclosed, delivering the shocking revtion.


    The street vendor''s mind spiralled out of control upon hearing this revtion. As he nced back at his son, his heart constricted with a mix of fear and anguish. The magnitude of his child''s plight was far worse than he had ever imagined.


    "Can you save him?" the street vendor finally asked, his voice filled with desperate hope, posing the question that Alex had anticipated.


    "I cannot offer a cure for your son," Alex responded, extinguishing the street vendor''s final glimmer of hope. He proceeded to exin, "However, I can assist you in safely leaving this city. I can provide you with a secure ce to reside. epting my condition and leaving the city is the only remaining option to save your son."


    Although the mysterious figure d in white robes seemed suspicious, the fact that he refrained from making false promises touched the father''s heart. Having exhausted all his resources by consulting renowned shamans, herbalists, and apothecaries, the street vendor hade to realise the hopelessness of his son''s condition.


    If Alex had made bold ims without careful consideration, the street vendor might have been unwilling to ce his trust in him. However, the absence of empty promises resonated with the street vendor, as he recognised the honesty and sincerity in Alex''s words. The desperation to safeguard his child and find a way out of this dire situation began to outweigh his initial doubts.


    "I am willing to assist you. Please help us." The heartbroken father said. If his son''s days are numbered, he wanted to spend them far away from this city, without worry, happily, catering to all his son''s needs.


    The street vendor has already resigned to fate.


    Alex was happy to hear the street vendor''s words. But, the gloomy fate of the child still made him feel a little unsatisfied by the situation. He decided to try and find a way to cure the child.


    "The information I possess regarding the Spider Gang is limited. However, I can lead you to their gathering ce. That is the extent of my knowledge. Despite this, are you still willing to help us?" the street vendor sought confirmation.


    "Yes, that is sufficient for me," Alex replied in a monotone voice, hismitment unwavering.


    And so, the terms of their agreement were finalised. In exchange for the street vendor''s cooperation, Alex pledged to protect both the father and the child, aid in their escape from the city, and secure a safe ce for them to reside.


    A sense of relief washed over the street vendor''s face, finally able to let go of the burdens that had weighed heavily upon him. Thepletion of the deal with Alex, the white-robed man, brought a momentary respite from the anxieties that had gued him.


    In parallel, Alex experienced a simr rxation of his mind. He no longer had to invest time and effort into persuading the street vendor to ept his proposal. In truth, Alex could have pursued a different path, tracking the burly man from the Spider Gang to uncover their hideouts and gather further clues.


    The street vendor''s contribution seemed inconsequential in the grand scheme of Alex''s n. However, driven by the dire need to save the child, he decided to include the street vendor in his arrangements. It was the only way he could find to safely relocate the child and the father. If he had decided to do it by force, the child may die or turn into a monster, neither was a good oue in his mind.


    To avoid suchplications and ensure the safety of both the child and the father, Alex resolved to relocate them away from the heart of chaos. It was a necessary step, a means to protect innocent lives and find a way to address the child''s disease.


    ¡ª-------


    In the dimly lit room of an undergroundboratory situated in the impoverished district of the city, a man was sewing together the flesh on a body. His presence exuded an air of malevolence, hinting at the nefarious activities taking ce within the confines of the hidden facility. Shadows danced across the walls, adding an eerie ambience to the scene as the man revelled in his action of sewing.


    The needle went through the flesh and out tying up loose flesh around it. The body, which was half alive on the table before him squirmed in pain as the needle pierced its flesh.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    It was a child, not older than six. The body whichy half dead in front of the man was a child.


    The child was tightly bound by the metallic chains and handcuffs. It prevented the child from moving while the grotesque man covered in blood operated on him.


    "Sir Kain, The specimen is showing harsh symptoms of rejection. We might need to destroy it in theing days." The burly man that threatened the street vendor stood docilely near the man that was operating and said.


    From just a nce, we could see who was the boss among them.


    The person called Kain stood unbothered by his words. He was solely concentrating on the operation. He swiftly closed the open wound near the child''s abdomen before looking at the burly man.


    "You don''t need to think, you don''t need to say what I should and should not do." Admonished Kain calmly.


    "Children, showing rejection reactions with the second-generation mutant cells is normal. Usually, many children die due to the corruption of cells. Only talented adults are capable of perfectly containing second-generation mutant cells."


    "The one you visited today is exceptional. Usually, a child would die within a week after they show a rejection reaction, just like this bag of meat before me." Kain said while pointing to the child he had operated on.


    "But, that one held on for six whole months while the mutant cells tried to devour him from the inside. He is an exceptional one. He is myst hope. How dare you say about destroying him." Kain threatened with an evil glint in his eyes.


    Kain, the actual leader of the Spider Gang, held the status of a king in Pushpam City despite being considered a weak scientist stationed in the central continent. The sess of the Spider Gang''s development was attributed to Kain''s cunningness and intricate schemes, which were fueled by the backing he received from the evil organisation once he secured his ce in Pushpam.


    Driven by ambition and the desire for fame and glory, Kain embarked on conducting wild experiments on the city''s inhabitants.


    His ultimate goal was to ascend the ranks of the evil organisation. In pursuit of this goal, he began experimenting on children. Through careful observation, he discovered that by grafting second-generation mutant cells inside children, he could create an army of controble monsters.


    Although all his experiments failed to reach his standard, he still had hope that he could seed.


    So, he continued his dark experiments by kidnapping innocent children from all over the central continent. Atst, he was close to achieving his final goal.


    If he could achieve that, he could swiftly rise among the ranks.


    And the child of the street vendor was the closest he hade to achieving his goal. The kid''s immense mental resilience along with his slightly modified second-gen mutant cells yed an important role in that.


    Usually, one of three should have happened after grafting the new second-gen mutant cells into the child.


    One, the child would perfectly be the host. However, in this case, Kain couldn''t control the mad monster that would emerge after activation.


    Second, the child would reject the cell and die. Just like what was happening to the child on his operating table.


    Third, the child would reject the cells and survive. And this condition was what Kain wanted. This was the only way for him to create the perfect monster of his dreams.


    The feeling of imminent sess inpleting his experiment made Kain extremely happy. He swiftly wiped away the blood from his hands and tapped the shoulder of the burly man before walking away, humming a tune.


    But, suddenly he turned to gaze at the burly man and spoke.


    "If anything were to happen to that child, your life woulde to an end," The menacing tone drilled the words directly into the burly man''s skull.


    After that, Kain continued walking away.

 Chapter 113 Combat

    ?


    "Do you want to hear the good or bad news?" Upon returning from scouting the area, Alex presented the option to the street vendor.


    Opting for the good news, the now rxed street vendor replied, "Good news!"


    "The good news is that we can escape at any time now," Alex revealed.


    "That''s wonderful! So, what''s the bad news?" the street vendor inquired.


    "The moment we escape, they will be aware of it and begin to chase us," Alex delivered the unsettling news.


    When he scouted the area around them, he came across some suspicious individuals who were eyeing the house of the street vendor. They would asionally walk through the neighbourhood while checking the condition of the father and son.


    Alex realised from just a nce that these men were working with the spider gang. They were informants that were put in ce to observe the child.


    "But I thought you had already figured out a way to prevent that," the street vendor interrupted in a panic.


    "There''s more bad news. That''s why I hesitated just now," Alex shrugged, preparing to share the additional information. And then he continued.


    "We cannot escape through normal means. I might need to resort to short-distance teleportation to swiftly move you away. However, I am uncertain about its impact on your son. His vitality is as fragile as a small candle in the wind. I cannot predict how multiple consecutive teleportations would affect him," Alex expressed his concerns, his worry resonating with the street vendor.


    "I have a solution to evade the watchful eyes of the observers. However, even with that option, I would still need to use teleportation once," Alex exined.


    "There are more options?" the street vendor inquired.


    "Yes, I could arrange a carriage and teleport us into it if I have a clear line of sight. Alternatively, I could release a significant amount of mana into the surroundings. While mana in such quantities may be uncontroble, it can be used as a smoke screen to facilitate our escape. However, this optiones with its own risks," Alex borated.


    "If that''s the case, may I choose the second option?" the street vendor asked meekly. He didn''t want to impose more pressure on the white-robed man, yet he couldn''t bear the thought of risking his son''s safety through teleportation.


    The nagging fear of something dreadful happening prevented the street vendor from taking that risk.


    "Okay! We can use the second option. However, there''s another piece of bad news: the fact that you and your son will be hunted by the Spider Gang," Alex revealed.


    "Why?" The torrent of bad news that followed their encounter with the white-robed man slowly drained the street vendor''s enthusiasm to escape. He could feel his energy waning.


    "Because they consider your son important enough to warrant the employment of numerous warriors for surveince. However, even that can be resolved if you can sessfully escape the city and find a secure hiding ce," Alex reassured, beginning to exin his n.


    Restricted from using short-distance teleportation, he had to devise a n that was unconventional but effective.


    ¡ª


    Fifteen hourster, at 3 am in the morning.


    The white-robed man silently materialised in the dpidated house afterpleting his preparations. The street vendor was already awake, as instructed by Alex.


    "Did you warn your son?" Alex asked in a hushed tone, aware that the calm night air could carry his voice further than expected.


    "Yes. Should I wake him up?" the street vendor responded in a whispered voice.


    "Okay, do that."


    The street vendor gently shook his child to rouse him from his sleep. The child rubbed his eyes, then looked up to see his father and the mysterious white-robed man standing before him.


    Instantly, the child''s curiosity was piqued by Alex''s presence. The intimidating white mask he wore would typically frighten other children, but this child sat up and gazed at him unperturbed.


    Alex, too, was captivated by the child''s prating stare. It reminded him of his own past; he had possessed a simr gaze.


    "White-robed man?" the child tilted his head and spoke, his voice gruff due to a dry throat, yet remarkably calm. "Are you here to help us? To save me?" The child posed a direct question towards Alex.


    "Yes." Alex nodded his head.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes. I am." He assured the child.


    Finally, the child let out a sigh and rxed. Initially hesitant to trust Alex, he began to calm down as he observed the unwavering confidence in Alex''s demeanour.


    After that, Alex sat down near the front door of the house. The thin shabby front door separated him from the outside.


    He needed a moment of preparation tounch the first step in escaping the region.


    The hundred active cores inside his body began to resonate together. He was going to release a single spell to confuse his enemies. The smoke screen he developed when he didn''t even know what a mage is.


    The excited mana inside his body began to take for tiny tendrils of smoke around him. They swished and turned in the air like tentacles. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Hundred small tentacles were formed each representing a core. Then they flowed stealthy towards the surroundings unhindered by the obstructions.


    Thirty of the mana tendrils crept through the tiny holes and crevices before reaching a distance of thirty meters. Then, they began to condense into a bead of smoke.


    Likewise, the other seventy tendrils each create a small bead of smoke after leaving Alex''s body, evenly distributed around the area.


    "Get ready." He said afterpleting his preparation.


    With the stealthy operation of mana, Alex had created hundred smoke bombs disced all around the region in an effort to hide from the eyes of the spider gang members.


    After releasing his control over them, each smoke bomb would quickly expand filling the area around him, obstructing the vision of the enemy.


    Alex was nning to make use of that time to escape with the child.


    "I will release the smoke screen in ten seconds. Get ready to run. Don''t panic if you see the smoke screen in front of you. I can control a small area around you allowing you to see where you are going.


    "Meanwhile, I will also light a fire to your house and attack the enemies.


    "It would take thirty seconds for you to reach the outer region of the smoke screen if you run as fast as you can. I will catch up to you at that time."


    Promising that, Alex began the countdown.


    "One¡­Two¡­Three¡­"


    "Nine¡­Ten."


    Swiftly the condensed bead of mana, the smoke screen exploded covering everything around him.


    With his mana sense, Alex could find the exact position of the enemies his mana smoke screen was touching.


    Wasting no time, the street vendor carried his child and ran. And as nned, Alex manipted the smoke around him to create a path towards the outer side.


    The sudden appearance of smoke shocked the members of the Spider gang who were upied in the surveince operation. They couldn''t grasp what was happening.


    Taking hold of that moment, Alex lit the dpidated house on fire.


    Like a beacon in the dense smoke, the fire quickly attracted the attention of the Spider gang members. Eight out of the ten ran towards the house trying to find out what was happening through the dense smoke.


    However, Alex was not going to make their life any easier. He teleported towards the one that was closest to him and attacked.


    A sword was used to stab through the heart of the enemy as he disappeared from his position towards the next one.


    It took him three seconds to dispose of a single tier 2 warrior. However, the same method cannot be used for the others.


    Because half the other members were tier 3. It would take him considerable time to kill them if he wants to. But that would dy him from rendezvousing with the street vendor.


    "Aarrg¡­" The desperate wail of the enemy Alex killed spooked the other members of the spider gang. They cautiously looked around in the dense some, trying to identify the location from the wail originated.


    "Aa.."


    "Aaa¡­"


    Two more individuals were quickly disposed of by Alex.


    ''Ten seconds.'' Alex''s mind calcted it exactly. As nned the street vendor and the child was nearing the halfway mark. He swiftly made way for them through the smoke screen as he attacked another tier 2 warrior.


    "Aaaar." Finally, he had disposed of all the tier 2 members who surrounded him.


    However, before he could make his way towards the other four enemies, one man quickly approached him. He was the same burly man that threatened the street vendor and his son.


    And instead of using energy like warriors, he was casting some spells.


    ''He is a mage?'' Alex quickly identified why he could find his position. Unlike warriors, Mages can see through mana using mana vision. The glowing eyes of the burly man allowed Alex to recognise him as a mage.


    "Swish¡­" Two fireballs as big as ser balls materialised around the mage as he threw them at Alex.


    ''Double casting? No, it''s a two-fireball spell. It''s made from an upgraded version of the basic fireball rune. He is a knowledgeable mage. I have to be careful.''


    Fifteen seconds has already passed as he dodged the fireball spellsing towards him.

 Chapter 114 Backup

    ?


    Only fifteen seconds remained for him to address the matter at hand and make his escape.


    "Who are you?" inquired the burly man, swiftly pinpointing Alex amidst the thick smoke.


    "I have never seen someone manipte mana like you in the central continent. To form a dense mana shroud like this, are you from the Western continent? Or a different type of warrior."


    Doubts regarding Alex''s identity clouded the burly man''s mind. While he could detect Alex''s presence through his mana vision amidst the dense smoke, he had yet to obtain a clear visual. Consequently, he was unable to see the white robes adorning Alex.


    This uncertainty prompted the burly man to question Alex.


    However, Alex was unwilling to reply. The appearance of a mage had made his life unexpectedly difficult.


    His n revolved around the idea that he could easily move within the dense shroud he created using mana while grabbing the attention of the enemy.


    However, the presence of the mage had now be an obstacle, even though they had not yet discovered the escaping father and son. It was inevitable that their search would be sessful if there were more mages among them.


    Without wasting another second, Alex conjured the aptest spell in the current scenario. A hundred wind spells materialised around him.


    "Swish..." With a swipe of his hand, they dispersed into the surroundings, depleting a hundred cores of mana from him.


    ''Smoke screens may prove ineffective against mages, but that doesn''t mean I can''t conceal my presence,'' thought Alex as the wind spells bore into the earth below.


    Simr to drills, the spells burrowed into the ground, sending soil and dirt billowing into the air. In a matter of seconds, the entire area was engulfed in a colossal storm of sand, dirt, and other particles.


    Alex didn''t know if his n would work. But it was the only way he could find to camouge his presence.


    It was important to note that mana vision could not prate solid materials; its purpose was solely to detect the presence of mana in the vicinity. However, the effectiveness of mana vision could be diminished by introducing obstructions in its path.


    Alex utilised this concept to enshroud the entire area in a dense cloud of soil.


    The abrupt transformation of the environment caught the burly man off guard. He was astonished by Alex''s extraordinary maniption of mana. Never before had he witnessed someone capable of unleashing numerous spells simultaneously.


    Unlike runes crafted for a singr spell with the impact of a hundred, Alex effortlessly controlled a hundred distinct spells.


    Even the most aplished mage the burly man had encountered struggled to manage a hundred spells independently. It defiedmon sense, and yet, the individual standing before him aplished precisely that.


    The burly man stood inside the storm brewing around him with his mouth agape. Other than having some random objects drill into his mouth, he could do nothing as Alex disappeared from his mana vision.


    Meanwhile, the father and son duo had already reached the exit of the dense cloud of smoke. Not realising what was happening around them, they closed in on the carriage prepared by Alex.


    "BOOOM!" The sound of the carriage exploding into smithereens, scattering debris in all directions.


    Upon reaching the exit, the duo found themselves swiftly surrounded by two individuals. To their dismay, it was the same pair who had fled before the battle. These were the very members of the notorious spider gang assigned to monitor the street vendor and his son.


    After rying the gathered information, they had now returned with the explicit intention of locating the father and son.


    Fortunately for them, they chanced upon the street vendor as he exited the area, carrying his son.


    It was these individuals who reduced the carriage to dust. In order to prevent the street vendor and his son from escaping, they obliterated the carriage upon spotting it.


    Thankfully, no one was present within the carriage during its destruction.


    All of these events transpired in less than a minute. The havoc and devastation caused by the spells, apanied by plumes of smoke and a sudden cloud of dust that enveloped the city, swiftly captured the attention of onlookers.


    Even though it was 3 am, numerous individuals curiously peered out their windows, attempting to discern the cause of themotion.


    Unperturbed by the spectacle they had created, the members of the spider gang wasted no time and swiftly moved to apprehend the father and son, seemingly unaffected by the chaos they had caused.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    However, before they could capture him, Alex appeared in front of the father and son, protecting them.


    He unleashed a strong punch with his mana-enhanced physique,unching one of the enemies flying away. Like a broken kite, he crashed into a building nearby.


    "Who are you?" The other guy asked.


    Undeterred by their inquiries, Alex paid no heed to their questions. Instantly teleporting near the man, he unleashed a forceful punch directly aimed at his head.


    Caught off guard by the sudden assault, the man narrowly evaded it by a hair''s breadth.


    This only heightened the peril Alex faced. As he was unable to teleport the father and child to safety, he was forced to confront the imminent battle. The possibility of a swift escape had evaporatedpletely.


    "Are you the white-robed man who gained fame in Thira? Haha... Even if the Primal Chaos tribe stands behind you, the spider gang holds no fear," the man taunted Alex, erupting into a burst of maniacalughter.


    Unbeknownst to him, the man had mistaken Alex for Karthi, the prospective leader of the Primal Chaos tribe.


    Nevertheless, Alex saw no reason to correct his enemy. Swiftly analysing the dire circumstances, he sought a means of escape from this predicament.


    Having already expended 250 cores of mana in the ongoing battle, Alex still possessed a substantial reservoir of mana within him, having acquired 1060 cores through recent preparations.


    However, he couldn''t afford to squander it within the city, as doing so would result in the loss of countless innocent lives. He needed to utilise it efficiently to eliminate his enemies within the limited time avable.


    So, he acted on the best course of action he could take.


    As he condensed mana within his body, preparing for the decisive strike, Alex listened to the words of the burly mage who had caught up with him, apanied by his assembled minions.


    "There is nowhere left for you to flee. This section of the city falls under our control, and no one wille to your aid," dered the burly mage with unwavering certainty.


    "We have you surrounded. If you choose to resist us, death is the only oue awaiting you. However, you can leave alone if you want to live." the burly man offered as an option.


    In the meantime, an increasing number of gang members were converging upon Alex, their determination evident as they prepared to go to any lengths to seize the child from his protection.


    "I have made a promise to ensure the safety of this child and his father, and I intend to uphold that promise," Alex responded in a monotone voice, concealing his emotionspletely.


    "You were the ones who intruded upon our affairs. You were the ones who attacked our organisation and took the lives of our members. Just because you are the heir to Primal Chaos, do you believe you can act with impunity?" retorted the burly mage believing that white-robed Alex was Karthi.


    "This is yourst warning before you make the entire spider gang your enemy. Surrender the child and depart," the burly man asserted once again, reiterating his determination to im the child.


    However, they didn''t attack Alex after misidentifying him as the heir of the primal chaos tribe. They were waiting for an opportunity to grab the child back from him.


    "It appears that this child holds great significance to you. So, what do you think would happen if I were to harm him?" Alex abruptly altered his tone, his voice filled with an air of menace, as he took the child into his embrace.


    The burly mage visibly flinched at this sudden change. He dared not even fathom the consequences that would befall him if any harm befell the child. After all, his master was not known for his forgiving nature.


    However, Alex had no intention of causing any harm to the child. He was merely stalling for time. In a swift motion, the condensed mana within his body shot out towards the sky like a soaring rocket. Ascending several hundred meters above the cityscape, it instantaneously captured the attention of all onlookers.


    But before they could react, the mana transformed into a colossal ball of sparkling fireworks, captivating the attention of everyone within the city.


    Among those were the strong warriors of the Divine Butterfly tribe, Karthi, the heir of the Primal Chaos tribe, and numerous other formidable warriors residing within the city.


    "Do you truly believe that the spider gang holds dominion over this city?" Alex calmly posed the question, his tone rxed, after igniting a beacon in the sky.


    "Perhaps you are unaware, but I always have backup ns," he dered with a mysterious smile, fixing his gaze upon his enemies.

 Chapter 115 Arrival

    ?


    "Looks like this is the end," Alex dered with a smile, anticipating a favourable oue.


    The beacon he ignited in the sky would undoubtedly draw formidable warriors to themotion. When they arrived, it would present him with a heaven-sent opportunity to escape.


    This was one of his backup ns.


    "You..." The burly man was left speechless, his inability to articte mirroring his confusion and astonishment.


    He too became acutely aware of the gravity of the situation.


    Even though they were in the less affluent part of the city, it didn''t ensure their safety.


    They were well aware that if they meddled with the city, the true owners, the Divine Butterfly tribe, would retaliate. That was precisely why the Spider Gang had operated covertly, infiltrating all criminal endeavours within the city.


    However, today, they had nearly exposed their ambitions by creating a disturbance significant enough to attract the attention of the Divine Butterfly tribe.


    "This is bad," the burly mage thought, hisrge forehead glistening with sweat.


    ¡ª


    A few minutes earlier.


    Inside the city, home to the Divine Butterfly tribe. In a bed chamber dedicated to the guests in the pce.


    A young man in his twenties was abruptly awakened by a mysterious sensation. He felt the blood coursing through his veins gradually warming up while his body felt cold. Initially, he experienced slight difort, but soon, it worsened, leaving him feverish.


    The feeling was strangely familiar, reminiscent of the awakening ceremony he had undergone in the past.


    However, he was already a warrior, having awakened through the tribe''s unique method. How could he experience something simr while sleeping normally?


    This shocked the young man. He woke up sweating like a pig.


    "Knock¡­Knock¡­"


    "Young master! Young master!" A voice suddenly echoed from outside his chamber, filled with urgency. Someone was trying to wake him up, assuming that he was sleeping.


    "What!" Karthi, the young heir of the Primal Chaos tribe, eximed as he hastily emerged from his room. He couldn''tprehend his protector was calling out to him in such a manner.


    Karthi swiftly rose from his bed and donned his robes, his steps purposeful as he made his way forward. The mysterious phenomenon, coupled with the unexpected arrival of his protector, filled him with a growing sense of unease.


    "Why are you here?" Karthi questioned as soon as heid eyes on his tribesman, one of the strongest warriors in his tribe. The protector assigned to him was waiting outside, and Karthi couldn''t help but wonder about the purpose of their unexpected presence.


    "Did you feel it?" The old man stood in front of Karthi while asking in a calm tone.


    His words quickly captured Karthi''s attention.


    He was not alone in experiencing the strange phenomenon with the blood. His curiosity peaked as he questioned.


    "Do you mean the sudden feverish feeling? My blood suddenly acted up leaving me in difort. Look at the sweat drenching the bed sheets."


    The bed Karthi was sleeping in was drenched with sweat. Even under extreme exercises, a warrior like him could have persevered without breaking a sweat. But mysteriously, he sweated enough in sleep to mistake him for wetting his bed.


    The old man who saw this finally confirmed his doubt. His eyes glistened while looking at Karthi.


    Thest time he experienced something simr was when Karthi was awakening. A bloodline pressure simr to now was released from his body. Everyone rted to the primal chaos tribe could feel it.


    Bloodline pressure is usually felt when someone with a vastly superior quality bloodline agitates their energy. Awakening was a form of agitation of energy used to create a bond with their spirit guardian.


    Bloodline pressure was most intensely felt during the awakening ceremony when a new bond with the spirit guardian was being formed.


    So, why was he experiencing such sensations now? It couldn''t possibly be attributed to Karthi. Even he had felt the same pressure and perspired during his sleep, affirming his suspicion that it had nothing to do with Karthi.


    So, what could have caused it?


    The old man was desperately seeking an answer. Only if he had been awake, he could have detected the origin of this phenomenon.


    "BOOOOOM! CRACK!"


    Resembling thunder tearing through the night sky, a colossal fireball erupted into view, akin to a grand disy of fireworks. The unexpected spectacle immediately seized the attention of both the old man and Karthi. They sensed strikingly familiar energy emanating from the exploding firework, reminiscent of what they had previously experienced.


    Within moments, they realised that it was something they should investigate.


    "Old man Veera. We have to hurry. Let''s go and investigate it." Karthi dered while donning his clothes properly. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ¡ª


    At another part of the Divine Butterfly tribe pceplex, a youngdy was also woken up by themotion. When she saw the fiery globe persisting in the sky without disappearing, she knew it was not anymon fireworks.


    The beacon of fire needs to be investigated, she decided as she flew from the pce of the Divine Butterfly Tribe towards the location beneath the beacon. She could feel a vast amount of energy being condensed in that region.


    She was Chitra, the tier 5 warrior of the Divine Butterfly tribe that informed about the prophecy in the gathering of nine great tribes.


    ¡ª


    Meanwhile, the members of the spider gang didn''t waste any more. They began to attack Alex as if they were crazy.


    Their reinforcements swiftly arrived at the scene, bolstering their efforts in confronting Alex.


    Alex had to use teleportation multiple times a second to avoid the joint attack of the enemies.


    Despite their best effort, they couldn''t harm a hair on his body. His impable skills of avoiding fights materialised at that moment to protect him. He weaved ducked and avoided spells cast by mages while teleporting away from tier 4 and above warriors.


    Time ticked second by second, assuring Alex his efforts were worth it.


    Suddenly, an unprecedented pressure materialised in their vicinity, unlike anything they had ever experienced. The atmosphere grew heavy as if it wouldpress and suffocate them. The movements of all the warriors became sluggish, their actions slowed to a crawl.


    In that fleeting moment, it felt as though time itself had decelerated.


    It didn''t take long for the members of the Spider Gang to grasp the gravity of the situation. Their very lives were now at stake, and the battle had escted to a level far beyond their control.


    The sheer mental pressure exerted by the newly arrived individual had the power to bring the conflict to a screeching halt within seconds.


    The only one to effortlessly bear the pressure was none other than Alex. When the sudden pressure manifested around him, cool energy seeped out from his mind calming him down.


    A smile slowly formed on his face after that. He realised that a tier 5 warrior has appeared near him. And that person was strong enough to stop the conflict to a screeching halt just with their mental pressure.


    ''It seems like I have attracted the attention of a big shot.''Alex mused to himself.


    "BOOOOOM!" The arrival of the tier 5 warrior created a deafening sound.


    "BOOM!"


    "BOOM!"


    Deafening explosions reverberated through the area as warriors materialised one after another close to Alex. Each arrival heralded a supersonic boom.


    Among the warriors, several stood out with their attire adorned by the insignia of the Divine Butterfly Tribe, captivating the gaze of onlookers.


    Alex''s attention was drawn to a fellow warrior donning white robes, a striking resemnce to his attire. Apanying this warrior was an aged veteran.


    ''Is that the fake white-robed guy? That is the fake white-robed guy. I have even attracted the attention of the copycat. Just too good!'' Alex was satisfied by his ability to garner attention.


    The standoff persisted while the Tier 5 warrior, Chitra, observed the events unfolding beneath her.


    Chitra walked through the air with ethereal grace, her eyes fixed on the scene below. Her elegance and beauty captivated the gazes of the men below, leaving them infatuated. Yet, they dared not show any disrespect.


    The sheer power radiating from her body was potent enough to extinguish their lives at a mere whim.


    However, Chitra struggled toprehend the events unfolding on the ground. Her gaze focused on a peculiar sight¡ªa man adorned in white robes and a featureless mask, his gaze fixed robotically upon her.


    Amidst the chaotic battlefield, a father and son embraced each other tightly, seeking sce amidst the turmoil.


    Chitra surmised the members of the Spider Gang were attempting to eliminate the white-robed man while simultaneously capturing the father and son.


    Witnessing this, Chitra''s gaze swiftly shifted towards Karthi and the elderly man standing beside him. Her eyes revealed an overflowing level of doubt and uncertainty.


    ''Wasn''t he the white-robed man?''


    ''Was there two all along?''


    ''Or did we mistakenly identify him as the whiate-robed man?''


    She wanted immediate answers to the questions.


    She was unbothered by the threatening amount of spider gang members that were present before her. They were inconsequentialpared to her need to find answers.

 Chapter 116 [Bonus ]Real Breakthrough

    ?


    However, Chitra''s intense gaze failed to intimidate Karthi. Instead, he met her eyes, unfazed by it.


    Nheless, Chitra decided to end the battle before talking with him.


    "Leave." She dered while looking at the spider gang members.


    Chitra was well aware of the rise of the notorious Spider Gang and the havoc they had wreaked upon the city. Despite the relentless efforts of the Divine Butterfly tribe, they had been unable to locate and neutralise the gang''s leader.


    This allowed the Spider Gang to flourish rapidly, operating covertly and manipting ordinary citizens of Pushpam into bing their minions, eventually drawing them into a world of crime.


    However, Chitra decided to halt the battle for now and spare the Spider Gang on this asion. She understood the grave repercussions that their failure to eliminate their leader would have on the city.


    Their existence wasparable to a persistent weed, and merely cutting off the surfaceyer would not ensure the safety of the city. To truly eliminate them, their roots needed to be eradicated. The time was not right to do that.


    By allowing the Spider Gang to leave unharmed, Chitra aimed to buy time and prevent innocent citizens from suffering further harm. It was a calcted choice to spare them for the time being.


    Hermanding voice reverberated through the surroundings, reaching the ears of everyone present. At that moment, a profound silence engulfed the battlefield, rendering all motion frozen in time.


    Gradually, as her mental pressure receded, the members of the Spider Gang, including the burly mage, cautiously began to retreat. They scattered in all directions, fleeing the area entirely.


    Through his unorthodox strategy, Alex miraculously managed to rescue the father and child, filling him with a surge of exhration.


    While the Spider Gang made their escape, Alex realised that he could no longer follow suit. The prating gaze fixated upon him made it abundantly clear that leaving would not be an option. He was sure of that.


    "Who are you?" Chitra, who suddenly appeared near him asked. She scrutinised his every action trying to figure out his identity.


    Having to bear the prating gaze of a tier 5 warrior was not easy for Alex. However, his white robes and mask allowed him to keep his anonymity.


    Initially, Alex intended to transport the father and son to the spice garden, where they could remain hidden for a week or two before finding a way to help them escape to the northern region, ensuring their safety.


    During this time, he nned to enlist the aid of the street vendor to gather information about the whereabouts of the Spider Gang members and ultimately eliminate their nefarious leader.


    However, with the unexpected arrival of the mage, their ability to track Alex became a significant threat. Thispelled him to alter his n and call upon the Divine Butterfly tribe for assistance.


    With the situation reaching this critical point, Alex was prepared to engage in dialogue with the Divine Butterfly tribe, entrusting them with the vital task of safeguarding the father and son.


    "I..." Alex began to speak, but his words were abruptly cut off as a mysterious vibration emanated from the ground, sending tremors through his feet.


    The sensation was subtle, yet Alex''s heightened senses alerted him to the impending danger. Simrly, Chitra also directed her attention towards the source of the vibration, searching for its origin.


    Both Alex and Chitra shared a simultaneous realisation that something was rapidly approaching from beneath the ground.


    Swiftly, Alex shifted his focus towards the street vendor and his son. Although the vibrations seemed to be honing in on Alex and Chitra, he sensed that there was something amiss about it.


    ''No one sane would dare to attack a tier 5 warrior. Their goal must be something else.


    Perhaps it was a diversion meant to distract and draw their attention away from something else.'' Alex thought.


    However, before he could respond, Chitra decisively stomped her foot onto the ground, unleashing a powerful surge of energy that rippled through the earth.


    The impact caused the ground to copse beneath her heel and a giant crater formed below her. The released energy swiftly propagated through the ground, targeting the enemy below.


    Using his mana vision, Alex witnessed a colossal whirlwind of mana dispersing from the ground, signifying the demise of the entity that had been approaching them.


    As it perished, the mana within its body dissipated into the surrounding atmosphere.


    Chitra had killed it with a simple stomp on the ground. But it was enough distraction for the real culprit toe and apprehend the child barely holding onto his father.


    A mysterious figure d in ck robes materialised near the father and son, before snatching away the child.


    As Chitra''s actions caused Alex to lose his bnce, he found himself unable to respond in time to assist the street vendor and his son, despite their close proximity.


    His voice reverberated with desperation as he screamed "NO!" at the mysterious individual. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    However, before his eyes, the perpetrator vanished from sight, utilising a type of teleportation spell, leaving the onlookers stunned and bewildered.


    A profound sense of loss washed over Alex, assaulting him with the realisation that he had failed to fulfil his promise of protecting the child and his father.


    The evil organisation had brazenly kidnapped the child right before his very eyes, employing rare teleportation spells to execute their sinister n.


    At that moment, a surge of anger, unlike anything he had ever experienced, welled up within Alex. It felt as if his entire world was crumbling around him, fueling a fierce determination to seek justice and bring those responsible to ount.


    The dense mana inside his body that he amassed due to his recent meditation began to react to his emotion. Hundreds of cores inside his body began to synchronise and reverberate.


    Usually, Alex was only capable of activating a hundred cores at a time. But this time, he was able to activate 500 cores at a time. The breakthrough he was hoping for finally arrived. His strength instantly skyrocketed to master mage rank.


    Despite his newfound ability to wieldplex spells that had eluded him before, Alex''s current state of mind remained clouded by anger, overshadowing any sense of happiness he should have felt for attaining the rank of a master mage.


    Harnessing his expanded mental power, he swiftly unleashed the immense reservoir of mana contained within his five hundred cores.


    That was just half of the mana he had. He still had five hundred more cores of mana left to use. He was keeping it for future use.


    In an instant, a denseyer of mana enveloped Alex, emanating from his core and spreading outward.


    It formed a thick smokescreen, unlike anything ever witnessed before. Its radius extended over a kilometre, expanding in all directions, shrouding the surrounding area in a mystical veil.


    And unlike the smoke screen used to inhibit vision, Alex was using it as a sensory field.


    He wanted to find the damned mage that used teleportation to kidnap the child. For that, the mana was spread thinly to sense everything around him.


    The astounding sequence of actions left all witnesses dumbfounded. The dense surge of energy that engulfed them sent rm signals echoing in the minds of every warrior present in the vicinity.


    They were perplexed by how a single individual could unleash such a formidable wave of energy.


    The disy of power exhibited by Alex, the white-robed man, surpassed the capabilities of an ordinary early Tier 4 warrior. It defied their expectations and pushed the boundaries of what they believed was possible.


    Even the strongest tier 4 warriors are incapable of releasing such dense energy without transforming into their spirit guardian possession state.


    However, the most shocked among the warriors were the duo that originated from the primal chaos tribe.


    Their eyes almost popped out as they witnessed the disy of power by Alex.


    The greyish-white smoke may have been something most people would not recognise. But as someone from the primal chaos tribe, they knew what it signified.


    A bnced affinity to all elements. One of the most sought-after abilities of the primal chaos tribe.


    The way the white-robed person used the energy was crude. But unmistakably, it was the ability of their bloodline, their spirit guardian.


    Shock and joy welled up inside the mind of the old man who witnessed it. He was happy that one more powerhouse emerged inside his tribe. He then looked at Karthi while giving an understanding smile.


    Karthi nodded back in affirmation.


    They decided to take any means necessary to include the white-robed man before them in their tribe.


    They knew that there was no known talent like the white-robed man, Alex in their tribe.


    So, it must mean that he was someone born outside their tribe''s informationwork. Still, it meant he was their tribesman. So, they were willing to happily befriend him and invite him to join their tribe.


    Now, they finally know what made their body shiver, their bloodline agitated while they slept.


    However, Alex who didn''t know of any of it suddenly disappeared from their view.


    He finally found the damned mage that dared to kidnap someone from his protection.

 Chapter 117 The Divine Eye

    ?


    With his mana dispersed within a one-kilometre radius, Alex experienced a heightened perception of the world. Anything capable of interacting with mana became remarkably clear in his senses, including both mages and warriors.


    This was the method he employed to track down the mage who had escaped using a spatial spell.


    The majority of warriors remained oblivious to Alex''s ability, and thus, his sudden disappearance caught them off guard.


    Chitra, Karthi, and the elderly man began to meticulously scan the area, hoping to detect Alex''s presence. Each held their motivations: Chitra sought to uncover the reason behind his arrival, while Karthi and his guardian wished to ascertain whether he truly belonged to their tribe.


    ¡ª


    Having swiftly teleported away, Alex''s attention shifted towards a small, run-down hut situated on the outskirts of the city.


    Despite its aged and unkempt appearance, it concealed something ominous within. This very hut marked thest known location of the vanished mage that had slipped beyond Alex''s senses.


    Alex carefully surveyed the surroundings, determined to unravel the mystery behind the mages'' disappearances.


    A solitary entrance granted ess to the hut. No guards stood watch, and no discernible mana signatures emanated from within. Alex was unable to determine the cause of the mage''s sudden vanishing.


    "They may have taken precautions to conceal the mana signature within the hut. There is more to this humble structure than meets the eye. I must proceed with caution," Alex pondered suppressing his anger.


    "I should begin my investigation by employing my mana," Alex decided, slowly extending a slender thread of mana towards the hut.


    The ethereal strand levitated over the floor, infiltrating the interior of the hut.


    However, the moment it breached the hut''s boundary, it vanished, consumed by an unseen force, eluding Alex''s senses as to its nature.


    Startled by this, Alex''s apprehension heightened.


    However, he resolved to trust his instincts and take action instead of hesitating.


    Without wasting a moment, he conjured a zing fireball and propelled it into the sky. Just as before, his intention was to invite the Tier-5 warrior and the others to pursue him.


    Alex held a firm belief that they wouldply and follow him to the designated location, spurred by their curiosity.


    As expected, the fireball that zed in the sky quickly caught the attention of the others. They begin to follow Alex''s footsteps to approach the hut.


    Without wasting a moment, Alex disregarded any lingering doubts about the possibility of it being a trap. His primary concern was locating the child before any harm befell them.


    As he stepped inside the hut, his gaze fell upon an open door leading to a cer. In the dimly lit room, the cer door stood out as the sole noteworthy feature.


    Approaching it with caution, Alex carefully opened the door, revealing an underground passage shrouded in pitch-ck darkness. The air within the passage felt stagnant and humid, assaulting Alex''s nostrils. Reacting swiftly, he pinched his nose in response to the unpleasant odour.


    Resolute in his purpose, Alex ventured into the passage. He ran as fast as he can towards the other end.


    As he progressed further, the air quality deteriorated, worsening with each step. A putrid stench of decay permeated the tunnel, causing his thoughts to spiral.


    "Did something die inside?" A troubling notion infiltrated his mind. Whatevery at the end of this subterranean pathway was undoubtedly something far from benign.


    "Drip¡­ Drip¡­" Water droplets dripped from the ceiling falling onto the muddy floor. It created a sombre ambience as he walked through it.


    To his dismay, Alex realised that his mana sense waspletely obstructed. Any mana he emitted from his body was swiftly absorbed by the surrounding walls, preventing him from utilising his mana sense.


    While observing this phenomenon through mana vision, Alex''s attention was drawn to a sprawling rune formation that extended throughout the passage, resembling the intricate roots of a tree.


    These runic roots avidly absorbed the mana he released, fortifying themselves in the process.


    This phenomenon felt oddly familiar. Just like the runic chain that bound him when he was previously imprisoned by the evil organisation and the first elder of the ice phoenix tribe.


    ''Shit, I can''t use teleport.'' Alex realised it toote.


    Still, he ventured forward unafraid of the possible danger.


    He had recently broken through to a master mage. And his physical strength with mana augmentation was simr to a tier 4 warrior. Unless an extremely powerful tier 5 warrior appeared before him, he had the confidence to protect himself.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Even if a group of tier 4 warriors attacked him simultaneously, he could barely hold on with his higher mana level.


    The only thing he had to fear was the familiar runic chain that can prevent the use of mana and energy.


    ¡ª


    After a minute of traversing the underground passage, Alex arrived at the other end. The putrid stench of decay assaulted his senses as he approached the conclusion of his journey.


    A faint glow guided Alex as he entered another room, only to be confronted by a ghastly sight. Strapped to an operating table was a child, with half of their internal organs scattered across nearby tables.


    It was a bone-chilling sight that destroyed Alex''sposure. He had now realised what the dead decaying thing he was smelling was.


    The horrible odour was being emitted by the corpse strapped on the operating table. The familiar purple flesh among the disyed organs enlightened Alex as to what might have transpired in the dimly lit room.


    Blood sttered across the walls and floor, along with the restraints that bound the lifeless body, painted a harrowing picture.


    In the depths of his being, Alex could almost hear the anguished screams and cries of the child, subject to the horrifying torment of being vivisected without anaesthesia.


    Whoever did it was worse than a human. Alex affirmed his thought as he observed the room in detail.


    "CLAP¡­CLAP¡­CLAP¡­" A sudden pping sound snapped Alex out of his thoughts.


    Alex''s eyes narrowed as the figure in ck robes emerged from the shadows, sarcastically apuding his efforts. The individual had been observing Alex''s every move, and the implications were unsettling.


    The ck-robed figure''s presence seemed to confirm Alex''s suspicions¡ªthis person was likely responsible for the gruesome experiments on innocent victims.


    "Where is the child?"


    Maintaining hisposure, Alex inquired about the whereabouts of the child, his tone betraying no hint of fear or hesitation.


    "I must apud you for your dedication, white-robed man. You were even able to hamper my ns. Even after using valuable teleportation tools, you still found me."


    Unfazed, the figure responded with a hint of disdain, highlighting Alex''s audacity in daring to question him after intruding into his abode.


    "You have nowhere left to run. The other warriors are following me. They will reach here in just a second. If you want to live, hand over the child to me right now."


    The calm attitude of the man was forcing Alex to rethink his approach. So, he decided to negotiate even after knowing the horrible things this man has done. Currently, the child''s safety was more important to him than anything else.


    "HA AH HA HA¡­" The ck-robed manughed after hearing Alex. "You have yet to realise your plight!" The man eximed. "No one ising to help you." He dered in a proud tone.


    "The underground pathways are built on top of an ancient runic formation to make a maze structure. Not even the tier 5 warrior of the Divine Butterfly Tribe can look at it lightly. The only way she can reach here is by destroying the entire formation.


    "Which would at least take hours." The ck-robed man said beforeughing once more. Paying no heed to Alex''s warning.


    "Still, do you dare to be confident?" he inquired, slowly revealing his face. As he removed the hood, a middle-aged face with distinct Western features came into view. Apart from a small scar near his left ear, his appearance appeared unremarkable.


    His lips were curled upwards in a derisive smile.


    His arrogance was obviously disyed in his manner. He paid no heed to Alex''s threat, even resorting to revealing his identity in public. It seemed like he was sure that Alex, the white-robed man would not escape from his clutches.


    "ck-robed man, who are you?" Alex finally asked, attempting to buy himself some time. The man standing before him was unlike anyone he had encountered before. Arrogant and boisterous, he seemed eager to speak without restraint.


    Alex hoped to extract valuable information from this individual while also diverting his attention.


    "Kain. My name is Kain," he dered with pomp. "You may recognise me as the leader of the Spider Gang, or perhaps as a humble servant of the Divine Eye. It''s better if you don''t call us the ck-robed men anymore." Mocked Kain.


    "The Divine Eye?" Doubt was evident in Alex''s voice.


    "HA HA¡­ I forgot that not even you know our name. The Divine Eye is our one and only lord. We, those who wear ck robes are his faithful servants. We are called the Divine Arm."


    Finally, the name of the evil organisation that eluded Alex was revealed by Kain.

 Chapter 118 Pet

    ?


    ''So, this divine creep called the Eye is behind these bad guys called the Arm?'' Alex contemted, resisting the urge to ask Kain about other body parts involved in their organisation. But he barely held back his impulse knowing that it wasn''t the right time to provoke him.


    "Ah! I see it now! You''re the dark hand pulling the strings, controlling everyone! Arm, Hand. Tomato, Tomahto. Same, same!" Unfortunately, the words that escaped his mouth were not any better.


    Kain felt as though Alex was mocking him, his eyes narrowing with anger as he fixed his gaze upon him.


    "Do you dare to mock us?" Anger finally surfaced on his once-smiling face.


    But the next second, his expression transformed like a chameleon changing colours. He resumed his smiling facade.


    "It doesn''t matter. Your death is certain. I need not waste my breath on you," he casually remarked.


    "Coward in the white robe, do you dare to reveal yourself? You''ve alreadyid eyes upon my face. You''ve seen who we are and know our intentions. It''s inconsequential now, isn''t it?" Kain proimed.


    He too was eager to uncover the identity of the white-robed man standing before him. The recent actions of this individual had inflicted a substantial blow to their organisation. If Kain could discover his true identity and eliminate him, he was confident it would bolster his standing within the group.


    "Why should I show my face and disclose my identity? It''s clear what your intentions are. If my true identity were exposed, your organisation would relentlessly hunt me down. That would hardly be favourable for my well-being," Alex countered.


    "Only a fool would reveal his identity to his enemy." He added on.


    The robotic, mocking tone of Alex was the final trigger that shattered Kain''s patience. Alex had audaciouslybelled him, one of the most aplished scientists of the Arm, a fool. This assault on his intelligence dealt a severe blow to his ego. He refused to allow somemoner to question his intellect.


    "*Smile*" Kain sneered in response. "I will find out your identity from your lifeless body. Once I ascertain who you are, I won''t hesitate to pay a visit to everyone you hold dear and im their lives." With a sinister smile, he retrieved a pitch-ck staff from his back.


    "This is the day you die, white-robed man," Kain dered, unleashing an immense burst of mana from his staff.


    But to Alex''s surprise, nothing happened. Despite the release of mana, no spell materialised, and the immediate surroundings remained unaffected.


    Confusion gripped Alex as he scanned his surroundings, searching for any signs of a possible sneak attack from Kain.


    "You needn''t look around like that. Death is closing in on you faster than you canprehend," Kain taunted, and in that very moment, indistinct figures materialised within Alex''s mana vision.


    What he saw was something he had never wanted to witness.


    The blurry figures that he saw with his mana vision were three monsters. They appeared behind Kain and stood without moving an inch. All of them were being controlled by Kain.


    Each one was smaller whenpared to the second-generation mutants he faced. Although they were as big as him, they were still small when youpare them to the monsters he hade across previously.


    Despite their transformation, the monsters retained some semnce of humanity, albeit diminished. Their appearances were not as monstrously distorted as the creatures Alex had encountered before.


    Their faces remained in a state of half-transformation, exhibiting a grotesque and unsettling visage.


    Alex quickly realised that they were children. All of them held the signature worm-like object inside their body.


    "These two are my failed experiments." He said while pointing at two monsters in the front.


    "They are mutants made by the hands of yours truly. Fight them and prove your strength. Then you can battle against him." He said while slowly patting one of the monsters with a nefarious smile.


    Quickly, Alex''s vision focused on the face of the monster that was closest to Kain.


    It was a familiar face.


    It was the same child he wanted to desperately save.


    He could feel his mana radiating from the monster''s body. There was no more doubt inside his mind. The child had turned into a monster.


    With a heavy heart, Alex realised that his promise to the child had been irreparably shattered. He had pledged to save both the child and their father, to provide them with a chance to escape the clutches of the evil organisation.


    However, he realised that he had failed.


    "The two before you are not up to my standards. They are not smart enough to understandplex instructions. Their low intelligence would result in their mana running rampant and finally death." He said without an ounce of remorse.


    The monsters before him were kids not older than ten, just the like the son of the street vendor. However, Kain viewed them as nothing more than experimental subjects.


    To Kain, their lives held no worth beyond serving as mere instruments for his intellectual pursuits.


    "Before they meet their demise, allow me to witness their full glory," Kain remarked, opting to assume the role of a mere observer in the imminent battle.


    However, Alex couldn''t hear a single word Kain was saying. The guilt he felt for not being able to save the child had already swallowed him.


    He felt his heart break thinking about the pitiful child who trusted him with his life. If he had taken some other action, could he have saved the child? The nagging thought was drilling into his mind every second.


    "What are you waiting for? You can eat him," Kain ordered the two monsters in the front to attack Alex.


    "SWISH" They leapt forward in the dimly lit room. urately hitting Alex.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "BOOOM!" He was sent backwards like a cannonball. The loud noise of crashing into the wall behind reverberated through the underground room.


    This woke Alex out of his thoughts.


    "BOOM" Before he could respond, another punch from the next monster caved into the wall. A new room was revealed behind Alex.


    Punch after punch, one after another rained down on Alex as he defended while strengthening his body with mana.


    ''The monsters are weaker than I expected. Their strength is simr to tier 3 warriors.'' Alex concluded.


    Due to him recently breaking through to tier 4, he was not worried about them. Still, he had to dodge physical attacks as much as he can to conserve energy.


    Instead of killing them, this time, his brain was trying to find any possible way to save them.


    The monsters before him were kids. They didn''t willingly turn into a monster like the others he encountered. He wanted to save them if he can.


    So, he observed their bodies with mana vision.


    The worms within their bodies served as a conduit, providing an immense surge of mana to fuel their physical enhancements. However, this excessive mana was simultaneously wreaking havoc on their frail bodies.


    Rather than witnessing signs of joy due to their immense strength, Alex could only observe the grimaces of agony etched upon the faces of these transformed monsters.


    He suddenly realised the children''s consciousness did notpletely erode when they turned into a monster.


    ''The parasite in their body has yet topletely take over the children''s consciousness.''


    ''Maybe that is the reason why they can be controlled. It was easier to control the children than the monster. It might also be the reason why they are showing expressions, unlike the faceless monsters I saw before.'' Alex concluded.


    ''If they have yet to fully transform, is there a way to reverse the effect of transformation?''


    However, Alex''s thoughts were quickly stopped by the realisation that the decay rate of the monsters'' bodies are increasing by the second.


    Painful wails greeted his ears as he bought him time to think.


    The two children before him were about topletely turn into mindless monsters. If the battle continued, there would be no way to revert to their original condition even if he could kill the worm inside them.


    The situation was getting worse by the second. He was left with only one desperate option.


    Suddenly, the mana he filled inside the card that he left on the street vendor''s son''s body activated. It quickly covered the entire body of the monster in his mana. Before Kain could react, Alex said something under his breath.


    ''Farm, activate pet function.''


    ''Assign the organism I selected with mana as a pet.'' He dered under his breath. He didn''t know if it would work. But that was the only option left for Alex to try.


    He didn''t know any other way to save the child. If his n worked, he could save the other kids too.


    ["Ding"]


    The sudden sound of a notification from the interdimensional farm greeted his ear.


    ["Data shard found."]


    ["A variant DNA structure of a life form with a life rating above 1 is present in the surrounding. The user is advised to analyse it."]


    ["Autherising live capture using pet function."]


    ["Capturing and teleporting the pet into the farm."]


    Suddenly, the monster that upied the ce near Kain was transported into the interdimensional farm.


    ["Elevating user ess."]


    ["Now, the user can transport live entity to and from the farm if the user canpletely cover the entitypletely in mana. Ten slots unlocked for pets."]


    ["User privilege increased."]


    ["All current functions in use."]


    ["Deploying the second phase of the interdimensional farm."]


    A torrent of notifications greeted Alex.

 Chapter 119 Not Pets

    ?


    Alex found himself deeply troubled by the notion of forcing a child into servitude as a pet on the interdimensional farm.


    However, as circumstances grew increasingly dire, he reluctantly concluded that this was hisst viable option.


    In the face of impending failure, the interdimensional farm emerged as Alex''s sole beacon of hope. It represented his final chance to ensure the child''s well-being.


    Consequently, when he sessfully rescues the child from peril, he can release him from the farm''s binding. That would be the best-case scenario, he decided.


    To his astonishment, upon using the interdimensional farm''splete range of functions, the system initiated an unexpected upgrade.


    After months of lying dormant, it bestowed upon Alex elevated user privileges, significantly enhancing his control over the farm.


    This unforeseen turn of events left Alex both amazed and grateful. He had never anticipated such a fortuitous urrence, regarding it as a stroke of luck that he wholeheartedly embraced, weing it with open arms.


    Recognising the urgency of the situation, samples were swiftly collected for thorough analysis by the farm.


    The interdimensional farm''s capabilities facilitated this process, enabling the extraction of vital gic data necessary for aprehensive assessment. Alex didn''t have to do anything this time around.


    It may be due to the experience in handling simr gic material, the farm swiftlypleted the analysis.


    While skillfully evading attacks from surrounding monsters, Alex was momentarily interrupted by a notification that materialised before him. As he read the words disyed on the screen, anticipation and curiosity filled his mind.


    ["The gic data extraction isplete,"] the notification dered. ["A stable gene serum is being created."]


    Alex''s heart raced with anticipation as he absorbed the next line: ["A new resistance gene has been discovered. These genes possess the ability to counteract the parasitic nature of organisms with a life rating exceeding 1."]


    A surge of questions flooded Alex''s thoughts.


    Did the child possess genes that naturally resisted the domination of mutant genes? Could this gene be the key to preventing the child''s transformation? The possibilities seemed hopeful and worthy of further exploration.


    ''It appears that the interdimensional farm extracted this particr gene, much like it did with the mana gene before.'' Alex thought.


    The implications were astounding. Not only had the farm managed to acquire the child''s resistance gene, but it also possessed the capability to synthesise a stable serum from it.


    This newfound understanding offered a glimpse of optimism, igniting a renewed determination within Alex to protect and restore the child to his best condition.


    With the interdimensional farm''s upgraded functions and its ability to harness the gic potential, Alex knew that he now possessed a potent tool tobat the perils he was going to face.


    Armed with the mana gene and the newfound resistance gene, he set his sights on uncovering the full extent of their potential and devising a strategy to safeguard the child from the clutches of the mutant transformation.


    Typically, the purplish flesh, resembling a worm, generates mana within its host, ultimately driving the host into a corner and subjecting it toplete mutation. Subsequently, the host''s consciousness is gradually overpowered by the parasitic entity.


    "However, this time, Kain''s endeavour to create controble monsters, resulted in an unintended oue: children with a limited ability to resist the mutant genes were created.


    Consequently, the farm extracted these genes from the children''s bodies.


    [Muscle enhancement gene found]


    [Increased metabolism gene found]


    [Bone density increasing gene found]


    [Muscles regeneration gene found]


    [Genes added to the gene directory.]


    One by one, the extracted genes were added to a directory.


    Alex''s excitement soared upon receiving this notification. The discovery implied that he now had the opportunity to utilise the gene upgrade function, enhancing all organisms within the farm, including the child.


    Possibly saving it.


    ["Critical Warning"]


    A sudden warning message shed across his eyes, demanding immediate attention.


    It caught Alex off guard, but the interdimensional farm swiftly sprang into action, taking immediate measures to safeguard the pet''s life, the child''s life.


    ["Pet showing symptoms of parasitism. Pet health is deteriorating. Taking preventative measures"] the message announced.


    Even without Alex''s direct intervention, the farm swiftly implemented a solution.


    ["Mana suppression activated,"]it dered.


    A colossal surge of mana descended upon the child who had been transported to the farm, simultaneously siphoning off the excess mana emanating from the child''s body. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    This process rapidly reduced the density of mana within the child''s muscles, effectively curbing the decay rate of their muscr tissues.


    Recognising that the deterioration in the pet''s health was connected to the corrosive effects of the parasite, the farm initiated its gic upgrade feature.


    Automatically and without hesitation, it began enhancing the pet''s gic makeup to bolster its resistance to the parasite''s corrosive influence.


    A giant syringe descended onto the child carrying a gene serum before injecting it into its body. The monstrous body of the child quivered in response.


    In this critical moment, the interdimensional farm proved its adaptability in handling the ever-changing situation around Alex.


    It intuitively identified the root cause of the child''s declining health and promptly responded with a series of measures designed to counteract the threat.


    The farm''s self-sufficiency in diagnosing and addressing the issue was a testament to its advanced capabilities and its dedication to safeguarding the lives under its care.


    This at first caused Alex to doubt the abilities of the farm. He even doubted if the farm has a mind of its own. He felt like he was seeing a different side of the farm and its abilities.


    With each passing second, the farm worked tirelessly, manipting the very fabric of mana and gic makeup to stabilise and fortify the pet''s condition.


    Alex read the notification one by one and calmed his heart. He felt the child was in safe hands for now. He can now focus on the real enemy.


    Kain who found the sudden disappearance of his best creation was panicking. He didn''t know how to exin it. He was sitting next to a newly created mutant monster, and yet, it disappeared right in front of him.


    Anger welled up inside his mind as he directed his gaze at Alex. He knew Alex, the white-robed man before him was the reason for it.


    ¡ª


    Alex''s joy reached new heights when he noticed Kain''s furious gaze fixed upon him. Simultaneously, he immersed himself in the final battle preparations while carefully examining the farm''s notification.


    However, Alex was aware that the farm had more surprises in store for him. Something about unlocking phase two of the interdimensional farm piqued his curiosity. It became evident that his privileges within the farm had been elevated.


    As Alex continued scrolling through the farm notification, the implications of this increased privilege gradually unfolded before his eyes.


    In the past, the farm prohibited Alex from introducing live organisms within its premises.


    However, recent changes in his privileges altered this restriction. Now, Alex had the option to pay the farm a certain amount of mana or farm points, granting him the ability to bring other living organisms into the farm.


    This newfound privilege immediately expanded his range of actions.


    The cost of bringing an organism inside depended on the amount of mana possessed by the living entity.


    For instance, if Alex wished to introduce an organism, he had to encase it with his mana and exert control over it through his mana maniption skills. After that, the farm would teleport it whole, along with his mana into the interdimensional farm.


    Alternatively, he could delegate the entire process to the farm, albeit at a substantial price in farm points (FP).


    Despite the thrill brought by the unexpected good news, Alex couldn''t help but feel a tinge of disappointment.


    The notification failed to mention any details about the farm''s potential expansion in terms of space.


    However, he remained hopeful, specting that such information might surfaceter as he encountered new developments. This thought lingered in the recesses of his mind.


    ¡ª


    "Kain! Is that it, your monsters are not enough to kill me." Alex dered looking at Kain.


    "Where is it?" Kain didn''t care about the words Alex spoke. This time, he was mad. He wanted to know why his experimental subject disappeared before him.


    After all, the ancient rune formation that surrounded them prevented spatial travel. It could also absorb all mana in the surroundings draining the stamina of the entities inside.


    Unless something that is higher grade than the ancient rune formation appeared, nothing would be able to teleport his experimental subject away from him.


    This realisation made Kain cautious. His mind spun around trying to find answers, finally asking Alex.


    "I know where your monster is. But I don''t want to say." Alex replied.


    "You have made a poor choice white-robed man. I don''t have any more time to¡­"


    "Okay, bye." Alex suddenly interjected and teleported into the interdimensional farm without letting Kainplete his words.,


    After teleporting the child into the interdimensional farm, Alex realised that he could still teleport into the farm. Only his teleport skill was hampered, not his ability to enter the farm.


    This knowledge led Alex to quickly capture the other two children who turned into mutant monsters and teleport into the farm. He immediately bound them as pets and forced the farm to take action to save their lives.


    Kain, stood outside gobsmacked by the sudden disappearance of his foe and his best experimental subjects.

 Chapter 120 AI?

    ?


    Inside the interdimensional farm, an eerie scene unfolded as three monstrous beings contorted in agonising torment.


    Their bodies, gripped by an escting surge of heat, showed the intense battle being waged within. The gene serum that was injected into their veins was valiantlybating the invasive mutant cells that had insidiously taken hold.


    Upon its introduction, the gene serum swiftly coursed through their intricatework of blood vessels, akin to a relentless wildfire determined to reim territory.


    Paradoxically, despite its inherent benefits, the alien nature of the serum triggered a defensive response within the host bodies. Unaware of its potential as a curative elixir, their innate defence mechanisms deemed the serum an intruder, necessitating a visceral resistance.


    Thus, a fever manifested within the bodies of these children, an unintentional consequence of their own cells'' decisive struggle against the gene serum.


    In the long run, however, it proved inconsequential as the gene serum remained resolute in fulfilling its purpose.


    Slowly but surely, it began prating the cell membrane, seeking out the corrupted parts of the body and viciously targeting the mutant cells within the children''s bodies. It was violently targeting the mutant cells residing in the children''s bodies.


    To fulfil its purpose, it first targeted the white blood cells inside the body. It was trying to take over the immune response that was exhibited by the body tobat the mutant cells.


    It was trying to take over the white blood cells that were deployed to destroy it and reverse the entire situation.


    White blood cells are a part of your immune system that protects the body from infection. These cells circte through the bloodstream and tissues to respond to injury or illness by attacking any unknown organisms that enter your body.


    However, the mutant cells were somehow able to hide from the white blood cells. It was somehow modifying its external features to mimic the cells of the host by exuding chemical substances.


    Despite their best efforts of white blood cells, the mutant cells somehow managed to elude detection by the white blood cells, employing modifications to their external features and secreting chemical substances to mimic host cells. Consequently, the host body failed to reject these cells, even after an unconventional grafting procedure.


    Simr to cancer, the mutant cells proceeded to assimte into the body, diverting blood vessels and resources to support their growth. Ordinarily, a white blood cell should have identified and targeted such foreign entities for elimination, but the mutant cells were adept at concealing themselves.


    Recognising this challenge, the gene serum initially focused on enhancing the white blood cells'' abilities.


    It infiltrated the cells, initiating an immune response specifically tailored against the mutant cells. The serum facilitated the transmission of information regarding chemical markers capable of identifying the mutant cells.


    Thanks to the intervention of the gene serum, the white blood cells swiftly acquired the enhanced capacity to identify and respond to the mutant cells.


    The situation took aplete turn as the white blood cells shifted their focus, aggressively targeting the mutant cells akin to bloodthirsty sharks in pursuit.


    After identifying the mutant cells as a threat, the entire body responded by releasing a higher volume of white blood cells into the bloodstream.


    Ultimately, the white blood cells began congregating around the site where the mutant tissue had been grafted, homing in on the worm-like structure within the children''s lower abdomen. With precision, theymenced biting into the mutant tissue, voraciously engulfing and consuming it.


    The purple flesh tried to resist by exuding its chemicals to prevent the attack of the white blood cells. It created toxins and other substances to save its life.


    These toxins were incapable of harming the enhanced white blood cells. They effortlessly moved in to eliminate the purple flesh.


    Due to not being fully integrated with the host, the purple flesh couldn''t fully exhibit its power. Quickly, its fate was sealed.


    Initially, the children experienced only a mild fever, but there was another reason for their intense pain. The gene serum recognised that enhancing the children''s immune response was not enough; it needed to address the damage that had already been inflicted upon the body.


    Hence, the gene serum gradually infiltrated every essible cell, seeking to remedy the existing harm.


    To aplish this, the gene serum initiated a significant increase in cell division rate. It capitalised on the expanded and monstrous bodies of the children, which provided an ample biological mass for the operation.


    During this process, the deceased mutant cells were eradicated, and their resources were utilised to generate clones of the existing normal cells. However, this demanding endeavour consumed substantial amounts of energy and mana.


    Consequently, the children experienced excruciating pain. As the mutant cells perished, their bodies began to revert to their original size, triggering intense difort.


    Furthermore, the rapid generation of new cells, resulting from the heightened cell division, exerted a toll on their bodies. This manifested in an extreme rise in body temperature, causing them to endure feverish conditions and bodily pain.


    Observing the spectacle from the outside, Alex witnessed the visible muscr contractions and rippling on the surface of the children''s bodies, apanied by the expulsion of residual cellr content. Swiftly, the children returned to their regr size, still oblivious to the ongoing transformations unfolding within them.


    This sight brought a sense of relief to Alex. Finally, one of his concerns had been resolved.


    He heaved a sigh of relief after witnessing this.


    ''The interdimensional farm is dependable. Truly a great fortune to have it.''


    [Ding]


    [Deducting 100,000 FP for the gene serum. Please kindly ensure the health of the pets.] <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Just as Alex thought that a notification popped up in his view. And unlike the recent ones, it was not that pleasant to look at.


    The farm still took FP after saving the children. As usual, no service was free from the interdimensional farm.


    Still, the knowledge that he could save individuals who have not fully transformed into mutants relieved his heart. Now, with his increased privilege, he could take people inside the interdimensional farm if he wished to treat them.


    This ability was a great addition to thwarting the influence of the evil organisation called the Arm.


    Alex quickly checked the gene serum directory to find the price for the gene serum which increases resistance to the mutant cells.


    As expected it was present inside the gene directory. The serum was being sold for 100,000 FP each.


    ''Eh!'' He eximed while looking at the price. It was a lot more than he thought they would be priced at.


    ''Didn''t the farm only charge 30,000 per person while he was treating the children? Was it a benefit that was only allowed on pets?''


    "Then, if I release them and rece them, can I get a discounted price every time?" He spoke out identally.


    But never in his wildest dream did he think that notification would pop out after hearing his ramble.


    [Current pet slot, 3 out of 10 is filled. By releasing the pets, three slots would be lost permanently.]


    [Discounted price is avable to the pets for using gene serum.]


    [The probability of the gene modification being sessful is not a hundred per cent.]


    [The best condition for the gene serum to be used is inside the farm.]


    Alex''s schemes were instantly shed away by these notifications. There was no free meal in this life, he was sure of that.


    By releasing the pets, he was going to lose 3 pet slots permanently. His eyes teared up a little after seeing that notification.


    Without FP, his life was going to be worthless.


    In recent months, he spent FP wantonly buying seeds to nt in the real world. He was already short on it.


    And suddenly he was given a way to spend a lot more. He began to realise the importance of FP.


    "But, why did the farm answer my doubts?"


    "Can it hear me?"


    [Due to the user privilege increasing and activating the second phase. The farm can now answer the user''s question based on the knowledge base it has.]


    [Yes, the farm can hear what the user has to say and respond.]


    Two notifications once again popped out creeping the hell out of Alex.


    "Are you an AI? You are an AI, right?" Alex asked promptly.


    [No, the farm does not have intelligence. It is just a tool. It can only search the knowledge base it has and respond.]


    "Shit!" Alex cussed not knowing how to react. If the farm AI was really smart, it wouldn''t reveal itself.


    Maybe it was acting. He was a little doubtful about it.


    "Give me answers about your origin and why I was transported into this world?" Alex finally asked the nagging question he had inside his mind for months.


    No one was capable of answering. But, the farm might be. That was why he asked it today.


    [User privilege not enough to ess information.] The farm replied nonchntly.


    "Shit!"


    ''It''s indeed a real AI. Even if it isn''t, I''ll treat it as one and interact with it ordingly. As long as it doesn''t cause any trouble, I won''t provoke it either.'' He thought in his mind.

 Chapter 121 Make A Path

    ?


    The farm was already operating with full automation, utilising the machines Alex had purchased from the farm shop for this purpose.


    Tasks such as ploughing the fields, nting seeds, watering, harvesting, and even storing the harvested products were all carried out automatically.


    While having an AI didn''t provide any tangible benefits for Alex, it could potentially be a disadvantage.


    However, the farm''s ability to answer his questions proved to be extremely helpful. Alex could now obtain detailed information about each feature of the farm, eliminating the need for guesswork and manual identification.


    This also meant that he could enhance his farming skills to a certain extent. As the demand for Farm Points increased, having ess to more information was a blessing.


    After some time had passed, the children fully reverted to their normal state. All the mutant cells were expelled from their bodies, leaving them in perfect condition.


    Upon observing the subsiding fever and rxed breathing, Alex utilised his mana vision to examine them closely.


    Unlike before, he immediately noticed that the turbulent mana within them had calmed down.


    However, he also noticed an oddity. One of the children still had a worm-like structure inside his body.


    Alex posed a question to the farm, "Farm! Why does the son of the street vendor still have mutant cells? I want to understand why the gene serum eliminated the mutant cells from the other children but failed to do so in his case."


    To Alex''s surprise, the farm provided a concise answer: [Even if that were true, his body doesn''t contain mutant cells.]


    "What?" Alex eximed.


    [They are cells that the child assimted,] the farm rified. [While evolving his gic makeup, he integrated these cells into his body, surpassing the rejection of mutant cells. With the assistance of the gene serum, his body naturally assimted and made them his own.]


    Alex was taken aback by this revtion. The child had seemingly defied all odds and sessfully integrated the mutant cells, destroying the consciousness that attempted to take over him.


    Though Alex didn''t fully grasp the implications, he sensed that the child had be something beyond human¡ªa being distinct from all the other hosts infected by second-generation mutant cells.


    Concerned about the worm-like tissue structure, Alex inquired, "Is the presence of this tissue harmful to the child?"


    [No, quite the opposite,] the farm responded. [By using the mutant cells as a foundation, the child has sessfully raised his life rating. He has surpassed the limits of evolution.]


    Alex found himself delighted by the current notifications, which stood in stark contrast to the previous rigid and monotonous notifications that revealed minimal information.


    "Can you predict what the effect of the now integrated mutant cells would have on the child?"


    [That would not be possible. The question is beyond the scope of the farm currently. However, the user can analyse thousands of samples of mutant cells to finallypletely identify the gic make-up. After upgrading the farm knowledge it would be possible to answer that kind of question.]


    The farm responded, stating that it was currently unable to answer the question as it was beyond its current capabilities.


    However, it suggested that the user could analyse numerous samples of mutant cells to fully identify the gic makeup. By upgrading the farm''s knowledge, it would eventually be possible to provide an answer to such a question.


    This was great news for Alex.


    Now, he had an idea of what the farm knowledge base is. It also suggested that the farm, with constant observation of its environment is improving its knowledge base. It was understanding the world around him faster than him.


    It would take long for the farm to have a better understanding of the world than him. After all, phase two was just initiated.


    The current scenario of Alex asking questions was equivalent to asking a baby to solve quadratic equations.


    ''Currently, the farm was acting like a chatbot which revealed information. But, I think it would evolve into a fully functional Artificial General Intelligence if the growth continues.''


    ''Currently, it was not an AI. But who said it couldn''t be one in the future? In my past life, I had seen a multitude of experiments with AI. Maybe the farm has yet to realise that it was an AI. That seems more usible.''


    Alex concluded.


    ¡ª-


    After Alex vanished from his sight, Kain''s face burned with humiliation, as if he had been pped. Consumed by anger, he harboured a strong desire to track down Alex swiftly and tear his limbs apart.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    To aid his pursuit, Kain channelled mana into his staff and forcefully thrust it into the ground, connecting it with the ancient runic formation surrounding him. Although he didn''t possessplete control over the ancient runes, he could still establish a connection and utilise it as a sensory device.


    Utilising the maze functionality to his advantage, Kain hoped to detect Alex''s mana signature within the vastwork of underground tunnels in Pushpam City. However, despite his efforts, he failed to discern any mana signature resembling Alex''s. This failure only further fueled his anger, pushing it to new heights.


    As frustration consumed him, Kain took charge of the maze formation, actively impeding other warriors in an attempt to vent his anger on them. His inability to track Alex made him lose his mind.


    -


    Beneath the expansive expanse of Pushpam Cityy a profound mystery, buried deep within the soil.


    Unbeknownst to many, the present-day city was constructed upon the remnants of an ancient civilisation.


    This knowledge was safeguarded by the mightiest warrior of the Divine Butterfly tribe, who was prepared to defend the secret with their life.


    However, Chitra soon discovered, upon entering the tunnel right behind the white-robed man, that their once well-kept secret was no longer concealed.


    Somehow, the Spider Gang had managed to seize control of the previously inessible ancient city, which shed light on why Chitra had found it so challenging to track their movements within her own city.


    The Spider Gang had emerged mysteriously around two decades ago. Even as a child, Chitra had been aware of their presence. They had initially operated in the shadows, biding their time before revealing their true nature.


    They swiftly established dominion over illicit activities within the city, eliminating rival gangs in the process. To solidify their power, they formed alliances with the wealthy and influential, engaging in various business ventures to amass funds for their gang.


    No one could control the corrupt individual residing in the city. That was the truth.


    By the time the Divine Butterfly tribe realised the true extent of their influence, it was already toote to eradicate them entirely.


    The Spider Gang had woven aplex web that entangled the lives of ordinary citizens, resembling a parasitic entity feeding on the vitality of the city, slowly draining it to its demise.


    The Divine Butterfly Tribe recognised the threat posed by the Spider Gang and made numerous attempts to eliminate them. However, despite surface-level defeats, the Spider Gang consistently reemerged. Their leader remained elusive, impossible to locate or eliminate.


    As Chitra grew older, she battled against the parasitic presence of the Spider Gang within her city, but each attempt ended in failure. Now, with the realisation of the Spider Gang''s alliance with the evil organisation and their ability to control the ancient runic formation within the abandoned underground city, Chitra understood why her previous efforts had been in vain.


    Chitra looked at the ever-changing path before and wondered what she should do. The maze in front of her was making it difficult for her to find the path.


    She was supposed to follow the white-robed man closely. And yet, the moment she stepped into the dark tunnel, her senses were hampered by the ancient rune formation that surrounded her.


    She tried to navigate it in the begging. But her failure caused her to rethink the method.


    "Thuck!" Suddenly, a wall nearby copsed. The ancient runic formation that spread like tree roots exploded due to the attack by some person.


    In the dim dark tunnel, a figure appeared from the dust cloud of the destroyed wall.


    "Hello!" The figure calmly looked at Chitra and said.


    It was none other than Karthi and the old man from the primal chaos tribe. They stared at Chitra for a second before resuming to talk.


    "It seems like this is the only way. The maze is not designed to confuse the enemy. It is designed to prevent everyone from finding the right path." Karthi stated.


    "So, you decided to break through the walls?" Chitra asked back.


    "Indeed, you are wee to join us," Karthi dered as he aimed his attention at another section of the wall.


    "When you are at the end of your path, make more by smashing through." He said after finally realising how to get to the other side.


    With the notion that the wall was constantly shifting, he resolved to break through all of them.


    He reasoned that taking action was more productive than pondering endlessly. This rationale drove his decision.


    Initially, Chitra hesitated to dismantle the walls, as they held a significant connection to the secrets of her tribe and the city. However, she swiftly cast aside her reluctance and joined Karthi in the endeavour.

 Chapter 122 Ancient Runes

    ?


    Alex tried the new features of the farm for a while before exiting.


    Kain, who thought Alex had already escaped, didn''t bother to wait for Alex. He had already moved on to another region.


    The ancient rune formation was manipted by the Kain to ensnare the warriors who entered his hideout.


    He carefully manipted the tunnels, creating and destroying new pathways to confuse his enemy.


    While at it, he was draining the mana of his enemies.


    However, the presence of Chitra, Karthi and his protector proved to be a difficultbination for him to distract.


    After realizing that he was changing the underground pathways constantly. They have employed a method he couldn''t predict.


    Now, Chitra along with Karthi was destroying the walls of the tunnels. They were drilling through the blocked pathways toe towards him.


    This directed Kain''s full attention to that group.


    Although Kain gave out an appearance of strength and confidence, he was bad atbat.


    If he had to face a tier 5 warrior head-on, he would lose. Kain knew that.


    And that was the reason Alex went unnoticed after exiting the farm.


    _


    The ancient runic formation that surrounded Alex was something he had never seen before. Only some rare books depicted images rted to it.


    Although he couldn''t exin it in words, Alex could see the difference and feel it.


    The runic symbols were made out of a more round and squiggly line. Contrary to the more angled and sharp look of the current generation of runes.


    Each symbol was tiny,id in a connecting pattern to the closest one, a giant tree root.


    Multiple small roots branched off from a singlerge root that existed right along the underground pathways.


    Alex as a mage could see the importance of the thicker root.


    They were channels carrying information and mana. The primary root was used to control the smaller root to exhibit different properties.


    Alex''s curiosity peaked once he realized this.


    Although not aplete mage, his interest in magic was not insignificant. The familiarity he found while interacting with runes, just like how he interacted with programmingnguages was driving Alex''s curiosity.


    ''Can I somehow manipte it?'' He thought while looking at the giant ancient runic formation that surrounded him.


    ''The outer branches of the root seemed to be the part that is actively sucking mana from its environment. It is the reason why free mana couldn''t survive in the atmosphere. That''s why I can''t send mana throughout the tunnel.''


    ''But, it doesn''t prevent the activation of spells. So, why is my teleport skill blocked?''


    Alex thought while trying to activate the teleport skill.


    However, even this time, he failed to activate it.


    ''I can travel into the interdimensional farm. It is simr to a teleport skill. The fact that it can work should also mean that I can teleport.'' Alex analyzed.


    ''Teleport skill is also derived from the farm. It allows me to travel 1 km in any direction if I could sense the exact position I will appear beforehand.''


    ''If the farm has no problem teleporting me inside, it would not have any problem teleporting me to another ce.''


    ''Shit!''


    ''My senses are the problem. It seems like I am unable to pinpoint the exact location I should appear. Due to the properties of the runic formation to hamper sense and to absorb mana in its surroundings. It is preventing me from activating teleport.''


    Quickly, Alex concluded.


    On one hand, he was thrilled to know why he failed to use teleport. But on the other hand, he still felt it didn''t matter.


    Nheless, he tried to find a way around the ancient runic formation. If the crazy person called Kain can control it, there might be some way.


    Bypletely concentrating, Alex drew out a sliver of mana. The moment it was released from his control, it would be quickly gobbled up by the runes that surrounded him.


    So, Alex carefully manipted the thin thread of mana with utmost concentration.


    He was trying to use the mana to connect himself with a single ancient rune, trying to find its property. If he could, he can find a way to break through the current limitation it employed.


    The thin greyish mana thread left his palm and slowly collided with an ancient rune.


    A rune was something which could store information, mana and some action in the form of intent.


    It activates by using the mana it has to create an effect on its surroundings.


    So, the moment the mana thread from Alex collided with the ancient rune, he was hoping to see some effect.


    And the effect he saw.


    The mana thread was immediately gobbled up by the rune. Preventing him from analyzing the information present inside or the intent.


    It was much moreplex than Alex imagined. The ancient runic formation seems to have copyright protection, like encryption.


    Alex couldn''t fathom why it was thatplex.


    After all, the current civilization, the predecessor to the ancient runes, should have been better.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    But once he interacted with ancient runes, he realized that it was not the case.


    Even though his current effort turned futile. He could see the mana pathways lighting up to transport the mana.


    And it was enough to trump the disappointment Alex felt in failure to analyze the rune.


    The mana that was being sucked in by the smaller root-like runes was being transported to the main root.


    The mana pathways that lighted up clearly showed Alex this.


    He could now see the mana flowing to the main root. But after reaching this part, it disappeared.


    However, a smile bloomed on Alex''s face seeing this.


    ''I need to create a bigger surge in mana.'' He thought while smiling.


    With his mana vision, Alex could see the runes and the flow of mana. He was going to abuse it right now.


    Quickly exhausting ten cores of mana, he let it flow towards the smaller rune roots.


    Swiftly, they started to swallow the mana eagerly.


    A surge of mana brighter than before was created flowing to the main root.


    But this time, it didn''t stop there. Alex could see the surging mana being directed through the main root towards a particr direction.


    "Ha ha ha."


    ''Finally, I got you.''


    Alex let out a heartyugh.


    He was thrilled to see the direction in which the mana was flowing.


    If his assumption is correct, the excess mana it absorbed was being directed towards the centre of the formation.


    By tracking it, he can find the core of the ancient runic formation.


    It was a boon for Alex, who was finding it difficult to escape from the maze formation that hampered his senses.


    And with that knowledge, Alex began to walk following the mana.


    Whenever he came across a split in pathways, he used the method to find the correct direction.


    Unlike Karthi and Chitra who were using their strength to move forward, Alex found a different but better way to find his enemy.


    __


    It took a while for Kain to finally notice Alex''s presence. Initially, he wanted to promptly attack Alex.


    However, seeing Alexing towards him of his own volition. He decided against it.


    It was better to direct his attention to distracting the real threat, Chitra and the others.


    __


    Due to the rtive ease in finding direction, Alex was closing in on Kain the fastest.


    Within just minutes, he was already near Kain.


    Although he had to cover a long distance on foot, Alex never felt fatigued by it.


    Finally, he found thest main root that was transporting the mana. It disappeared ahead of him into a wall.


    The wall was smooth with no indentation. It was made out of some kind of rock that was polished.


    However, Alex knew that something was on the other side just by looking at the dense runes on it.


    Hundreds of main root-like runes, just like the one he followed were merging into the wall transporting mana.


    Alex could hundreds of small bursts of mana being sucked into it.


    asionally,rge bursts of mana could also be seen absorbed into the wall.


    ''Should I just break through it?'' Alex pondered.


    He wanted to quickly find what was behind. If it was something useful to get out of this dark underground tunnel system, he was going to use it to escape.


    ''Anyway, it''s better to break it than let it siphon mana.'' He didn''t care if the wall was important or not. Alex decided to destroy it.


    Channelling twenty cores of energy, he created an earth spell. Like a drill, the pointed spear-like rock spun before crashing into the wall.


    At first, the wall resisted, but the rock Alex created was denser and more robust. The spinning action enhanced the spell''s prating effect.


    "BOOM!" "Crash" The rock spell drilled into the wall creating a wide hole big enough for Alex to walk through.


    Kain, who knew of Alex''s effort to enter, was waiting just inside. He wanted to greet Alex and wee him to a trap.


    However, before he could speak in his overly confident manner. The rock spell drilled through the wall, showering him in dust and broken stones.


    Visible steam rose from Kain''s head as heid eyes on Alex.

 Chapter 123 Battle

    ?


    Kain seethed with anger, his entire body covered in dust and debris from the shattered wall. His attempt to lead Alex, the white-robed man, to his demise had backfired, resulting in an unfortunate oue.


    "Pffu¡­"


    Spitting out a bit of dust that had entered his mouth, Kain muttered in frustration. "Shit¡­White-robed man."


    "Hah! Well, well, if it isn''t Kain," Alex eximed upon spotting Kain''s figure.


    As Alex stepped into the vast hall beyond the broken wall, Kain was the first person he noticed.


    Having sessfully rescued the children, Alex felt a newfound sense of rxation. Knowing that he could teleport into the interdimensional farm further bolstered his confidence.


    He understood that there was no reason to fear Kain. As long as he remained cautious, Kain posed no threat to him.


    "Are you here to wee me?" Alex asked nonchntly.


    He began to scrutinise the interior of the enormous hall into which he had broken. Unaware of the existence of the secret underground city beneath Pushpam, Alex''s curiosity was piqued upon witnessing the nearby structure.


    Upon breaking through the wall, he found himself in a massive hall, spanning a hundred meters in width and fifty meters in height. He couldn''t understand how a structure like this could be made underground without any pirs.


    The ambient mana within the hall was incredibly dense. Even when standing still, Alex could feel his body naturally absorbing mana. This opposite of the condition outside the hall.


    Apart from Kain, Alex noticed a peculiar structure in the centre of the hall. Emitting a radiant glow, the small dome-like structure served as a focal point for all the mana collected by the ancient runes.


    When viewed with mana vision, the intensity of light emitted by the structure was blinding. The amount of mana it contained exceeded Alex''s imagination, while the density of the surrounding runes was equally astonishing.


    "It may be the reason for the heightened mana density in this hall. It likely serves multiple functions," Alex deduced.


    Swiftly, he recognised it as the source from which all the ancient runes spread throughout the tunnels originated.


    "Kain may be controlling the entirework of underground passages through it," Alex spected.


    However, Kain didn''t allow Alex any more time to think.


    Consumed by fury, Kain prepared himself to obliterate Alex''s head into minuscule fragments.


    Thrusting his staff into the ground once again, a powerful surge of mana rippled through the surroundings.


    Recognising the familiar sensation, Alex understood that Kain was summoning the mutants to do his bidding.


    "I don''t know how you managed to escape before or what tricks you have up your sleeve, but in this room, I am a god. There''s nowhere for you to run. I will uncover the secrets from your dead body and find my experiment specimens." Kain bellowed as ten tier-4 mutant monsters appeared behind him.


    Each one of them dwarfed the half-mutated monsters that were created using children. Their transformations wereplete, devoid of eyes or noses.


    The mutant monsters possessed no discernible facial features.


    ''These mutants bear a striking resemnce to the ones I encountered in Thira. They appear deranged, consumed by their bloodlust.''


    ''But why aren''t they attacking Kain? Can he control them?'' For a brief moment, Alex felt a pang of concern that Kain possessed control over these monsters.


    However, he swiftly realised that it wasn''t the case. Somehow, the monsters were unable to detect Kain''s presence.


    To them, he was invisible. That was why he was safe from their madness.


    Thus, their predatory gaze was fixated on Alex.


    "Your mad monsters won''t even leave a scratch on me," Alex dered defiantly to Kain.


    "Let''s put that to the test."


    "BOOM!" With lightning-fast speed, one of the mutants charged towards Alex.


    Facing ten mutant monsters was no small feat. Thest time, Alex barely managed to ovee them with thebined effort of a dozen warriors.


    This time, he couldn''t replicate the same scenario. There was no one present to aid him.


    However, that didn''t mean he was destined to lose.


    Having grown in strength, Alex was no longer the same as when he faced the monsters before. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Previously, he had been a tier 3 warrior, but now he had ascended to tier 4. His physical prowess had increased, and he had acquired the ability to cast intricate spells. Thisbination of strength and magic proved to be a deadly advantage against the mutants, especially when there were no nearby organisms for them to consume.


    The mutants relied on consuming other organisms to regenerate their decaying bodies. The stronger the enemy they faced, the more mana they would exhaust, hastening the decay of their forms.


    In a battle of attrition, Alex had no reason to fear the mutants.


    So, when he saw the enraged mutantsing towards him, Alex didn''t feel any fear. He was quite rxed that he had to face fully formed tier 4 mutants.


    Confident in his abilities, Alex faced the oing mutants without fear. He infused his body with an ample amount of mana, preparing to engage in battle.


    As the first mutant lunged at him, Alex swiftly evaded the attack by shifting his body slightly.


    The massive creature missed its mark, its momentum carrying it past Alex.


    Undeterred, the enraged mutant, peculiarly contorted its body, intentionally sacrificing its back muscles and leg joints tounch a surprise attack on Alex.


    The unconventional strike would have caught most off guard, as it involved inflicting self-harm before targeting the enemy. However, Alex''s experience in dealing with mutant creatures allowed him to react swiftly and effectively against the unexpected assault.


    As the mutant lunged forward with its injured legs, Alex quickly crouched down to evade the attack. The mutant''sck of control over its fist worked to Alex''s advantage, allowing him to slip through its attack range unscathed. Seizing the opportunity, Alex swiftly closed the distance between himself and the mutant.


    Drawing the axe provided by the interdimensional farm from his inventory, Alex held it firmly in his hand. Though the axe appeared crude with its simple iron construction, it was sharp enough for his current use. Alex was confident that he could injure the mutant with this axe that was capable of slicing through rocks.


    In a fluid motion, Alex swung the axe towards the mutant''spromised knee joint.


    The de connected with precision, striking the upperyer and inflicting further damage to the already injured leg. The impact shattered the mutant''s kneecap, rendering it unable to maintain control over its massive body.


    With one knee blown out, the mutant lost its bnce and began to topple backwards, its enormous form crashing to the ground.


    Alex was satisfied with his performance.


    However, as Alex observed the nine remaining mutants closing in on him, he couldn''t afford to bask in the satisfaction of his previous sessful attack.


    The chipped and half-destroyed de of his axe served as a reminder that his weapon might not be strong enough to withstand the onught of the mutants. But it didn''t matter, he knew a way to fix that.


    "This is going to get difficult." He said while looking at the mutant that was regenerating its kneecap.


    Even though Alex said that, in his mind, he had already formed a n to counter the mutant monsters.


    Even the series of actions he had just done was not as simple as it seemed.


    Each action he had taken, from evading the initial attack and choosing the axe as his weapon to targeting the joints of the mutants, had been meticulously calcted to maximise his chances of sess. Everything had its purpose.


    He knew from his previous battle that the mutant had trouble controlling its speed and direction. Alex used this to his advantage to dodge the mutant.


    The axe was selected as the weapon to deal greater damage to the mutant. It also had one more significance. He could fix the axe instantly by sending it to the inventory and consuming some FP. That was a bonus when he needed a sharp weapon to face the mutants.


    Alex''s decision to target the kneecap and joints of the mutant monsters was based on their vulnerability and the difficulty they faced in regenerating their bodies. The head and upper body of the mutants were instinctively protected, making them challenging to prate, while their strong leg muscles made them formidable opponents.


    However, when the mutants were in high-speed motion, their ability to respond to attacks directed at their legs decreased significantly. Alex recognised this weakness and seized the opportunity to exploit it.


    By attacking the legs, specifically the kneecaps and joints, he aimed to impair the mutants'' mobility and hinder their ability to engage inbat effectively.


    Moreover, the mutants possessed the ability to regenerate soft tissue rapidly, although the regeneration speed would decrease without sustenance.


    Understanding this, Alex strategically destroyed the kneecaps, knowing that it would increase the time required for the monsters to regenerate the injury and consume more resources in the process.


    This approach would grant him an advantage in the battle of attrition, as the mutants would have to divert energy towards regeneration rather than maintain their aggressive onught.


    By targeting the weakest points and exploiting the mutants'' limitations in regeneration, Alex aimed to gain an upper hand in the battle and increase his chances of emerging victorious.


    With determination in his eyes, Alex prepared himself for the impending battle, knowing that he had to rely on his strategic thinking and resourcefulness to ovee the odds stacked against him.


    ''The mutants are stronger, faster and much more unpredictable than normal tier 4 warriors. They cannot use skills that are rted to spirit guardians or magical spells. They are in a maddened state which prevents them from taking logical actions. However, they have very high regenerative power.''


    "It seems like my initial attack was effective. Now that the test is over, let''s use it on another mutant." Alex said while looking at the mutant monsters.

 Chapter 124 Jinx

    ?


    Fortunately for him, a physical battle was not Kain''s strong suit. So, Alex only had to fight the mutant monsters for now.


    As they closed in on him andunched their attacks, he swiftly dodged to the side, skillfully avoiding their strikes. The sudden, intense movements drained a significant amount of mana from his cores, but Alex remained unfazed.


    He utilised his ability to activate recovery mode for the expended cores, allowing him to replenish his mana reserves. Consequently, the depletion of mana was no longer a concern.


    However, the same could not be said for physical exhaustion. With each blow he takes, it will put a gradual strain on his muscles, and Alex''s condition would worsen over time.


    Consequently, he had to be vignt in evading the mutants'' attacks, as the relentless high-intensity battle would further exacerbate his physical state.


    ¨C


    Despite the mutants'' swift and aggressive assault, their attacks were within Alex''s ability to evade.


    Lacking coordination, the frenzied mutants inadvertently aided Alex''s survival as he skillfully manoeuvred, evading their attacks by swiftly dodging left and right.


    The majority of their strikes missed their mark, while a few inadvertently struck their own kind. Seizing the opportunity, Alex swiftly stowed his damaged weapon in his inventory, allowing the interdimensional farm to utilise the moment to repair the axe, consuming a portion of his FP in the process.


    Once the repairs wereplete, he promptly retrieved the axe, now restored and ready for further battle.


    Till now, he had been skillfully evading the onught of the mutants, but the time hade to turn the tide. With a firm grip on his axe, he lunged towards a mutant lurking behind him, catching it off guard. The mutant struggled to change direction swiftly enough, unable to anticipate his swift manoeuvre.


    Seizing the opportunity, Alex propelled the axe forward, aiming for the mutant''s ankle. Fueled by an immense surge of mana, his muscles surged with newfound power, augmenting his attack.


    "Swish." The sharp edge of the axe collided with the ankle, striking the ligaments that held the bones together.


    "Crack." The bones shattered, and the ligaments tore apart, effortlessly severing the mutant''s ankle.


    The attack proved victorious. Once again, Alex''s tried-and-true strategy proved effective. The dim-witted mutants were incapable of mounting a proper defence against his onught.


    This aplishment elevated Alex''s spirits, filling him with a sense of triumph.


    Even Kain, observing from the sidelines, marvelled at Alex''s ingenuity. Heprehended the rationale behind Alex''s relentless focus on targeting the bones, tendons, and ligaments of the mutants.


    The mutant that had lost its ankle stumbled and crashed to the ground, tumbling along the harsh rock surface, ultimately sliding into a corner while shrieking in agony.


    With two mutants disabled, there remained eight more adversaries, but they didn''t look as menacing as before. Alex had already realised that he could win against them.


    "Eight more to go," Alex murmured, undeterred, and swiftly resumed his relentless onught. He paid no attention to Kain, focusing solely on his task of dispatching the remaining mutants.


    Giving priority to the ligaments and bones near the mutants'' crucial joints¡ªhead, legs, shoulders, and back¡ªAlex delivered precise and devastating blows. The mutants were helpless to dodge his attacks, only able to endure the onught with their brute strength.


    In quick session, he inflicted injuries upon all the mutants. Most of them were thrown to the ground, writhing in pain as their bodies attempted to regenerate their wounds as rapidly as possible. However, the absence of sustenance made it increasingly challenging for the injured mutants to regenerate, as Alex had made sure to destroy any tissue he had severed from their bodies.


    From a distance, Kain observed the battle with a smirk, manipting ancient runes to enact his own actions while Alex fought against the mutants.


    Alex, in turn, noticed the mysterious smile on Kain''s face from afar, perplexed by its presence. As he sessfully vanquished the mutants, he couldn''t fathom the reason behind Kain''s amusement.


    After all, Alex was emerging victorious, leaving no apparent cause for such a smile in their current predicament.


    "Swish." A mutantunched a sudden kick towards Alex.


    Caught off guard by the unexpected smile, Alex momentarily lost his concentration. The mutant''s kick narrowly missed severing his head, causing a surge of adrenaline to jolt through him.


    As adrenaline coursed through his veins and his brain raced with heightened awareness, a moment of startling rity pierced Alex''s mind. However, the thought that crystallised within him shattered his newfound enthusiasm.


    "Damn it!" Alex eximed, his frustration echoing through the air.


    Despite his current advantageous position, he understood that the tide could turn against him at any moment. The moment of rity had brought forth a realisation that dampened his spirits.


    The question reverberated in Alex''s mind as he deftly evaded the mutants'' relentless attacks: What would happen when the mutants faced a scarcity of sustenance?


    The answer was not difficult to discern. He had encountered a simr situation in Thira.


    ''When the mutantsck sufficient food, they resort to cannibalism. The strongest among them would consume the others until only one remains.'' Alex recollected, drawing parallels to his past experience on the beaches of Thira.


    Despite being assaulted by a dozen tier 4 warriors, only one mutant had survived by feasting upon its fallen brethren, growing stronger in the process.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    ''If these mutants were to unite, their collective strength would undoubtedly surpass that of tier 4.'' Alex realised his predicament, a sinking feeling enveloping him.


    His mind became a whirlwind of emotions, understanding the reason behind Kain''s smirk from the sidelines.


    ''Even if I desired it, I wouldn''t be able to eliminate all the mutants. What should I do?'' Alex''s panic intensified, engulfing him in a wave of uncertainty.


    ¡ª-------


    "It has been far too long since we began breaking through the walls. Are you certain we''re heading in the right direction?" Chitra voiced her doubts, her uncertainty palpable.


    "I thought the Divine Butterfly Tribe possessed the keenest intuition. I never expected you to question our path," Karthi replied nonchntly, even in the face of a tier 5 warrior.


    He continued, undeterred, "To be honest, I wasn''t entirely sure either. At first, I started breaking through the walls when I realised that the tunnels were a perplexing maze, impossible to decipher. They seemed to rearrange themselves in response to our actions. Even if we traversed them for countless aeons, we would never reach the end."


    "But now, I am certain that we are heading in the right direction."


    Curiosity piqued, Chitra inquired, "What led you to this conclusion?"


    "I can feel it. The presence of the white-robed man standing before us," Karthi dered, sensing his very blood stirring with agitation in the presence of this enigmatic figure.


    The elderly man, Karthi''s guardian and protector, nodded in agreement. Though faint, he too could discern the presence of the white-robed man, confirming Karthi''s intuition.


    -


    Karthi concentrated his energy, channelling it into his palms, preparing to strike through the wall in the direction of the white-robed man he had sensed.


    With a surge of power, a greyish glow enveloped his fist as it made contact with the surface adorned with ancient runes that encircled the walls. The runes responded, shimmering in acknowledgement. However, the sheer intensity of Karthi''s energy overwhelmed them, preventing them from fully absorbing it.


    In a reactive defence mechanism, the runes shifted, creating a path for the energy to pass through, ensuring their preservation. The forceful collision of Karthi''s energy with the wall resulted in a resounding "BOOM!" as it broke through, forming a perfectly-sized opening for everyone to walk through.


    Yet, this time, the situation proved moreplex. In the darkness thaty beyond the shattered wall, a sense of movement caught their attention, heightening their alertness. With caution, they ventured forth to explore the unknown.


    "Swish Swish¡­" Entities moved past them in the darkness.


    The ancient runes that surrounded them were inhibiting their sense. So, they couldn''t pinpoint the creatures that were moving beside them.


    "What is it?" Karthi asked.


    But the other two who were with him were staring right towards the front without answering.


    From the darkness, silhouettes of humanoid figures emerged. They were taller andrger than themon man.


    "Six." The protector of Karthi said.


    "No, eight. Two more are hidden in the ceiling." Chitra corrected.


    While they spoke, the figures of the entities before them became clearer. Even Karthi, the weakest among them could now see it.


    "Are they the monsters that appeared in Thira?" He inquired.


    "Hm," The other two nodded in response.


    "Is there a tier 5 among them?"


    "Hm." This time, it was Chitra that nodded.


    "It seems today is not our lucky day. Nheless, looking at it from the bright side, it couldn''t get any worse." Karthi spoke fluently while smiling.


    However, witnessing this, the other two looked at him and sighed.


    Karthi who saw this suddenly felt a chill go down his spine. His smile suddenly disappeared as he asked. "Is there more?" He asked in a barely audible voice.


    "Three tier-5," Chitra answered without holding back.

 Chapter 125 Best Creation Yet

    ?


    Despite being a tier 5 warrior, Chitra''sbat style was inadequate for dealing with the mutants.


    The Divine Butterfly tribe was renowned for its exceptional ability to predict the future. They possessed the uncanny gift of urately prophesying the imminent dangers that would befall them or even the entire world.


    They were in tune with the spiritual world allowing them to peer into the future and itsplexity without breaking their mind. They were a tribe that focused on mental development rather than physical development.


    However, this emphasis on mental growth presented a challenge. In terms of physical strength andbat abilities, the Divine Butterfly tribe found themselves rtively weakerpared to the other nine great tribes.


    Uncertain of her ability to handle three tier-5 mutants simultaneously while safeguarding her allies, Chitra hesitated.


    As she gazed at the slobbering colossal mutants before her, a sense of impending danger washed over her. Her intuition served as a vignt guide, warning her of an even greater threat thaty ahead if she persisted along the current path, even death. And her intuition had never proven wrong.


    However, she didn''t have any time to think. The mutants were preparing to attack them.


    "I heard that you can use teleport. Would it be possible for you to direct their attention towards you?" Chitra asked Karthi, expecting a favourable answer.


    "No, I am not able to use teleport in the tunnels. Something is preventing me from teleporting."


    However, to her dismay, Karthi was unable to use teleport.


    "What about your other skills?"


    "Other than sensory skills, I see no problem in activating other skills." Karthi showed a flickering me over his finger before saying.


    Chitra nodded seeing that.


    With determination in her voice, Chitra dered, "It will take me three minutes to eliminate the tier 5 mutants. Hold on until then." Leaving those words behind, she swiftly vanished from her position. Seizing the initiative, sheunched her attack before the enemy had a chance to strike.


    Drawing upon her inner reserves, Chitra channelled a surge of energy, propelling it towards one of the mutants. The energy condensed into the form of a fist, hurtling at incredible speed towards its target.


    Intuitively, Chitra recognised that her usual skills would prove futile against the tier 5 mutants. Her arsenal consisted primarily of mental attacks, designed to induce confusion or inflict severe damage to the psyche. However, these deranged mutants possessed unstable minds, rendering such tactics ineffective.


    The concentrated energy, resembling a formidable fist, collided directly with the mutant. With the force of the impact, the mutant''s arm was pulverised, wreaking havoc on half its body. This unexpected assault swiftly incapacitated one of the mutants, removing it from the battle.


    Chitra, an early tier 5 warrior who had recently achieved this rank, found herself on equal footing with the mutants. Their strengths were evenly matched, allowing her attacks to have a substantial impact.


    That as a cue, the other mutants began their attack. With the single purpose of killing and consuming the human before them, theyunched their attack.


    The battle endured for approximately three minutes. Even before Chitra could dispatch the tier 5 mutants, Karthi and his protector swiftly eliminated the remaining tier 4 mutants. As members of the primal chaos tribe, theirbat prowess was formidable.


    Employing sheer strength and without resorting to strategy or deceit, they swiftly decapitated the mutants and dismembered their bodies, preventing any possibility of regeneration.


    However, it was Chitra who struggled against mutants ofparable strength.


    "Ah! That was quite the exercise," Karthi confidently remarked, wiping sweat from his forehead. However, his weary physique betrayed the challenges they had endured in ying the mutants.


    "The hardships that lie ahead will pale inparison to this. It is the sense of impending doom that troubles me," Chitra said in a monotone voice.


    Her words evoked an intense emotional response from Karthi and the elderly man. Goosebumps prickled their skin, a testament to the weight of Chitra''s words.


    Chitra, a tier 5 warrior hailing from the Divine Butterfly tribe, possessed an intuition that couldn''t be disregarded. If she sensed impending death, it served as an ominous indication that they would be confronted with mortal peril in the imminent battle.


    This realisation sent a shiver down Karthi''s spine, but it was insufficient to dissuade him from pressing forward.


    "If you wish to halt, do so now. Return and gather reinforcements. I cannot guarantee your safety in the face of the perils that await," Chitra kindly reminded him.


    "Why should we? Are youing back with us?" Karthi inquired.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "No. I will continue onward. This city is my home, and I bear the responsibility of protecting its inhabitants. Unfortunately, I acknowledge that I failed in safeguarding the people. Our dyed actions allowed a malignant force, known as the spider gang, to fester within. Today, I must eradicate them," Chitra dered with determination.


    "Then we shall stand by your side. One of our own is in danger, and as the future leader of the primal chaos tribe, I will not forsake my brethren," Karthi dered, his gaze fixed on the foreboding darkness thaty ahead.


    His protector nodded approvingly, recognising the heroic determination emanating from Karthi. Despite often disying spoiled behaviour, Karthi''s true character and resolute spirit shone through. On certain asions, his actions revealed the natural charisma of a leader, drawing support and loyalty towards him. Witnessing Karthi in such a light brought satisfaction to his protector.


    "What do you mean by ''one of your own''?" Chitra inquired, her discerning the underlying motive behind their unwavering determination.


    Karthi hesitated for a moment, carefully considering his words. After contemting his options, he chose to share the truth with Chitra.


    "We believe that the white-robed man, the one we encountered earlier, is from our primal chaos tribe," Karthi revealed, shedding light on the reason behind their fervent resolve to proceed.


    "How do you know?"


    "We sensed a bloodline resonance emanating from him, and even now, I can still feel it," Karthi exined. "It is this connection that enables us to track his presence within thebyrinthine underground tunnels. The intensity of his agitation suggests he is engaged in a fierce battle. Time is of the essence, and we cannot afford any dy. We must reach him swiftly."


    "And don''t worry about our safety. We can handle it on our own." Karthi said confidently.


    Chitra nodded, acknowledging the urgency of the situation. The prospect of rescuing one of their tribe members heightened the stakes and added a sense of purpose to their mission.


    "If that is what you want to do, who am I to prevent you? Let''s move forward then." Chitra began to break the wall in the front.


    Initially, Chitra wanted to prevent Karthi and his protector from moving forward. She felt extreme danger from the direction that she was travelling. She hoped to save them by preventing them from moving forward.


    However, knowing their goal of entering the underground maze, she could bear to stop them anymore. After all, she too was driven by simr emotions.


    After a couple of minutes.


    The underground tunnel became darker after Chitra and the others moved forward through the broken walls. However, in this darkness that they left behind, a humanoid creature that isrger than the mutants appeared.


    Standing at a staggering height of twenty feet, the creature bore a distinct feature¡ªa one-foot-long horn protruding from its head. Its visagecked any facial features. Instead, it possessed a more imposing physique, with vibrant purple skin and bulging muscles that rippled across its robust frame.


    Methodically, the creature took deliberate steps toward the scattered remains of the mutants on the floor. Crouching down, it closely examined the flesh before firmly grasping it with its immensely powerful hand¡ªmuscles taut and brimming with strength. With purposeful movements, it brought the flesh, rich with nutrients and energy, toward its menacing mouth.


    With a swift motion, the creature''s fearsome jaws, reminiscent of a shark''s teeth, parted wide. The flesh was swiftly propelled into its mouth and chewed with apparent satisfaction.


    The giant that emerged from the shadows was eating the mutant flesh that was strewn across the area.


    After a while, it left the area by breaking through a wall. It was not following Chitra and the others, it was looking for anything that it could eat. It wanted to find the closest biological organism and consume it.


    Whether it was a human, mutant or a beast, it wanted to eat everything until it felt satisfied.


    -


    From a distant, vast underground chamber, Kain watched the creature''s actions with a malevolent grin of satisfaction spreading across his face.


    "As anticipated, its growth surpasses my predictions. I must bolster its power before the arrival of the tier 5 warrior," Kain mused to himself, manipting the tunnels to divert the mutants within towards the massive horned monster.


    Kain took immense risks, offering the tier 4 and even tier 5 mutants he had created as sustenance to nourish and fortify the creature. He staked everything on the development of this behemoth with the horned appendage, his greatest creation yet.


    Even the child, whom Alex had previously saved, paled inparison to the magnificence of this monster.


    Kain revelled in the audaciousness of his experiment with a satisfied grin. He wanted to test the strength of his creation against the white-robed man and the tier 5 warrior that wasing towards him.

 Chapter 126 Together

    ?


    After an arduous hour, Alex triumphantly vanquished the relentless mutants that had viciously attacked him. The hall contained an abundance of potent mana, offering Alex an opportunity to replenish his depleted reserves. However, the physical toll on his body remained irreparable.


    Dragging his weary and battered frame to the side, Alex stood in awe of the masterpiece he had unintentionally crafted. The floor nowy strewn with twitching, mutted body parts and a sea of blood from the mutants.


    Inwardly, he whispered to himself, "Even Picasso himself would struggle to create a more hauntingly beautiful painting."


    Yet, the relentless battle had taken its toll on Alex, inflicting unrelenting pain upon his body and reducing his once-powerful muscles to strained broken remnants. He knew all too well that he was in no condition to face Kain, acutely aware of his limitations.


    If he fought Kain in the current condition, Alex was sure that he would lose his life.


    Far away, Kain stood inside a rune formation he had created. It created a glowing spherical shield around him protecting him from any sudden attacks. He was carefully using his staff to control the ancient rune formation for some nefarious purpose.


    Kain, observing the chaos from a distance, maintained an air of nonchnce upon witnessing Alex''s triumph over his horde of mutated minions. These wretched creatures were nothing more than kidnapped warriors transformed into abominations, devoid of any worth to Kain except as subjects for his twisted experiments.


    A sardonic smile yed across Kain''s lips as he mockingly addressed Alex while expertly manipting the underground maze.


    "You appear rather fatigued. I shall graciously offer you some rest." he taunted, relishing in his knowledge of Alex''s weakened state.


    "Rest assured, your allies shall soon arrive, and together, we shall definitively determine who shall rightfully reign as the ruler of Pushpam City." His smile widened seeing the difficult appearance of Alex.


    "I agree, I should wait for the others," Alex said deciding to wait. Kain was stupid enough to reveal the news that his allies woulde here soon. It would be even stupider to not use this information to his advantage.


    Enveloped within an imprable rune formation, Kain remained steadfastly shielded from any potential threats. His reluctance to step outside the protective barrier was evident, making it clear that he had no intention of engaging in confrontation.


    The formidable shield surrounding Kain presented a difficult challenge, requiring a considerable amount of time and effort to dismantle. Alex knew all too well that any attempts at a surprise attack would prove futile. Consequently, he recognized that his only sensible course of action was to bide his time, allowing for much-needed rest and strategizing beforeunching a synchronized assault alongside his allies.


    With this realization in mind, Alex intently studied Kain''s every move, while Kain reciprocated the scrutiny with an unwavering gaze. The two adversaries were locked in a delicate stalemate, each cautious and reluctant to make the first move, aware that any hasty action could tip the precarious bnce between them.


    Alex took out some food and medicine from his inventory to consume in the meantime. To quickly recover his physical strength, there was no other way. He didn''t mind using this opportunity to recover.


    Kain keenly observed Alex''s actions, fully aware of his opponent''s scrutiny. However, he made a conscious decision to allow Alex to proceed unhindered, showing no inclination to intervene. Kain had his pressing agenda, a series of crucial tasks that demanded his attention and priority during this critical juncture. Consequently, he paid no mind to Alex''s presence, considering him inconsequential and unworthy of his immediate focus.


    As Alex took much-needed rest, Kain seized the opportunity to execute his calcted n. With meticulous precision, he systematically herded the mutants, one by one, toward the horned mutant¡ªa grotesque creature that seemed to hunger for its mutated brethren.


    Upon contact with the other mutants, the one-horned abomination swiftly captured and subdued them, employing a bone-crushing embrace. The second-generation mutants, dwarfed inparison to their assant, transformed into nothing more than a grotesque bag of mangled flesh and shattered bones within the suffocating grip. Despite their futile struggles and agonized contortions, escape from the hug was impossible.


    Following this grisly disy, minuscule tendrils sprouted from the horned mutant''s body, drilling their way into the helpless victim. These tendrils swiftly homed in on the worm-like structures residing within the mutant''s body. Once they reached their mark, the invaded mutant lost all control, sumbing entirely to the invasive influence of the horned mutant''s cells.


    Then, a mysterious phenomenon unfolded before their eyes. The rib cage of the horned mutant contracted before rapidly expanding to a size capable of engulfing the entire mutant within its hollow embrace. The opened ribs revealed a thoracic cavity devoid of organs, including lungs and heart. The same eerie void echoed within the creature''s abdomen¡ªno trace of internal organs remained within its grotesque form.


    This being existed solely as a vessel propelled by mana. Pumping blood, respiration of cells, and digestion of what it consumed. Everything took ce by using mana and nothing else. The creature required no conventional organs for survival, relying solely on the power of mana to sustain its bodily functions.


    Immediately after unveiling its rib cage, the horned mutant engulfed the entire mutant within its cavernous form, gradually assimting it into its being. The grotesque assimtion mirrored the actions of a microscopic amoeba, capturing and digesting its prey with methodical precision.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    ¡ª


    "BOOOM!"


    The resounding thunderous sound echoed through the air, capturing Alex''s attention. His gaze shifted towards the section of the wall he had previously sted apart. To his surprise, there was nothing there but an empty void.


    "BOOM!" Another sound erupted, intensifying the reverberations within the chamber.


    "BOOM!" This time, the sound grew even more pronounced, causing a jolt of rm to course through Alex''s body.


    "OH SHIT!" Realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.


    The deafening sounds were originating right beside the very wall against which he had been sitting. Reacting swiftly, Alex scrambled to his feet and leapt away from the imminent danger.


    "BOOOOOM!" A colossal crash apanied the destructive force that tore through the wall. Like a spider''s web, cracks splintered across its surface before it sumbed toplete annihtion.


    Exhausted, a figure emerged from the wreckage, nonchntly wiping the sweat from his brow. d in a simr white robe as Alex, it was none other than Karthi, the future leader of the primal chaos tribe. He stepped forward, his presencemanding attention.


    Following closely behind Karthi were two individuals¡ªChitra and his protector¡ªboth peering curiously through the shattered remnants of the wall. They scanned the area, relieved to find no signs of the mutant monsters that had gued their path before.


    As the dust settled, the newly arrived trio took a moment to assess the situation, their arrival injecting a fresh surge of hope into Alex''s weary heart.


    "White-robed guy!" Karthi eximed, unable to contain his excitement upon spotting the familiar figure of Alex within the chamber they had just breached.


    "Look! The white-robed guy is inside the room. Didn''t I say it? My senses are never wrong," Karthi remarked, gesturing emphatically towards Alex.


    The individuals apanying Karthi shared in his thrill, their eyes alight with anticipation as they witnessed the presence of the white-robed man, Alex, beyond the shattered wall. They had been diligently trailing him, intent on reaching the heart of the maze and uncovering the mastermind behind the spider gang.


    It appeared that their search had borne fruit. As their gazes fell upon the figure standing within a protective shield of ancient rune formations, expertly manipting the arcane symbols, a sense of certainty washed over them. They had indeed found their target¡ªthe one orchestrating the web of intrigue that had ensnared them all.


    "Why are you standing there? Go kill him," Karthi demanded, his finger pointed squarely at the man who controlled the intricate rune formation. Urgency gripped him as he sought to swiftly eliminate the looming threat and escape the confounding maze that had drained him both physically and mentally.


    Exhaustion seeped into Karthi''s bones, his energy reserves depleted from the arduous journey. The surge of dense energy he had felt upon entering the room was all that kept him upright. All he desired now was to bring a swift end to the confrontation and find respite in slumber.


    Without hesitation, Chitra conjured a colossal energy fist before her, harnessing the reserves within her own body. As a tier 5 warrior, she possessed arger energy pool, enabling her to concentrate the potent energy into a physical manifestation. With focused determination, sheunched a formidable attack toward Kain, aiming to shatter the protective rune shield that safeguarded him.


    Caught off guard, Alex could only watch from the sidelines, devoid of time to issue a warning before Chitra''s assault was unleashed.


    "STOP!" He called out in hopes that Chitra would have enough time to stop her attack. But even then, it was too slow. The energy fist zed fast, directly hitting the rune shield that protected Kain.


    "Shit!" Alex cussed aloud while covering his ear. Even before they came, he had already analysed the runes on the protective shield of Kain. So, he knew what would happen once theyunched an attack against it.

 Chapter 127 Allies

    ?


    Kain viewed the oing attack with a smile. Inside his rune formation, he was safe. He knew they would not be able to break through it with a simple attack, even if it was an attack from a tier 5 warrior.


    Within a fraction of a second, the attack Chitraunched, hit directly on the rune formation shield protecting Kain.


    However, the second the attack was initiated, a silver glow suddenly materialised to cover the rune formation shield of Kain. And this silvery glow was made up of ancient runes.


    Once the attack reached the silvery glow, it reflected the attack right back at Chitra like a mirror with the same intensity.


    "That''s precisely why one should exercise caution in situations like this," Alex remarked, turning his gaze towards the so-called "allies" who hade to assist him, and casting them a pitiful look.


    Without hesitation, he teleported to the interdimensional farm, thereby avoiding bearing the brunt of the attack himself.


    Chitra swiftly noticed Alex''s disappearance and the subsequent reflection of the attack. Understanding the implications, she took immediate action to disperse the attack by employing a counterforce.


    Creating a simr energy fist, sheunched it against the oing attack to dissipate it. The moment they collided, a giant vortex of energy formed at the ce, creating giant shockwaves that radiated outside.


    The shockwavebined with the radiated energy created a turbulent wind that picked up the scattered dust and stone inside the hall, forming a giant tornado. It took a couple of seconds for the riled-up environment to calm down.


    Already fatigued upon reaching the centre of the ancient formation, Chitra had now wasted a considerable amount of her energy due to her foolish impulsiveness.


    Neither she nor her tribe possessedplete knowledge regarding the ancient runes or the underground city, which made it imperative for her to approach the situation with caution.


    It became evident to her that the man in the centre of the formation possessed a level of mastery over it, indicating his superior understanding of the underground city and its workings. Realizing this, she concluded that defeating this man would be hard.


    ''The white-robed man might have known about this. That might be why he called out to stop my action. I should have listened to him.'' Chitra thought in regret.


    However, a glimmer of hope remained within Chitra. Despite losing some energy, she sensed a higher energy density within the room, which seemed to facilitate her energy recovery. With time, there was a possibility that she could fully regain all the energy she had lost.


    -


    Upon his return from the interdimensional farm, Alex was greeted by the sight of dust and debris strewn across the floor.


    Observing the ipetence of the supposed "allies" who hade to assist him, and recognizing the superior intelligence of the adversary he faced, Alex found himselfpelled to reassess his strategy of engaging in directbat. He realized that his calctions had been skewed by overestimating the strength of a tier 5 warrior from the Divine Butterfly Tribe.


    ''Kain has yet to suffer any significant losses. He possesses an abundance of energy and effortlessly maniptes us. The only setback he experienced was when I suddenly teleported the children away from him, resulting in the loss of a valuable experimental subject. Though he expressed anger towards me, I have not seen a hint of desperation in his face,'' Alex observed, his thoughts consumed by the situation.


    ''His expression doesn''t resemble someone on the losing side.'' this realization abruptly dawned on Alex, prompting him to reevaluate the entire scenario.


    At that moment, it became clear to him that they were mere pawns in Kain''s intricate game. They were nothing more than experimental subjects to him, rather than genuine threats.


    What led Alex to this conclusion?


    The bted realization stemmed from the failure to inflict any harm on Kain''s physical body. In contrast, Kain had achieved remarkable feats far surpassing their capabilities.


    Kain always maintained control of the situation.


    Since their entrance into the underground passage, they had encountered various dangers that they managed to ovee, albeit with some difficulty. Even in the case of Alex, Kain appeared to be deliberately stalling, attempting to buy as much time as possible.


    He never intended to kill them.


    When Kain mentioned allowing Alex to regain his strength, he spoke honestly.


    But for what purpose?


    Why was he doing all this?


    Alex was inundated with unanswered questions. Perhaps he was merely overthinking, yet he couldn''t shake the feeling that something troublesome was about to unfold.


    Interestingly, Chitra experienced a simr foreboding sensation to what Alex was feeling, but the danger she perceived seemed even more intense.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "White-robed man! For a moment, I thought you had escaped, leaving us behind," Karthi called out to Alex, a note of suspicion in his voice.


    He continued, "We have much to discuss, so don''t disappear as you usually do."


    Hearing these words from the imposter who had stolen his identity, Alex couldn''t muster any goodwill. After all, the theft of his secret identity had proven that this person was dishonest.


    He wondered what someone like that could possibly have to say to him.


    Despite his reservations, Alex nodded in agreement after hearing Karthi''s words. Meanwhile, Chitra was filled with curiosity and longing to understand why the white-robed man had intervened to prevent her from attacking Kain.


    She wanted to know all the information that Alex possessed.


    It took some time for Alex to introduce himself, exin Kain''s nature, and elucidate the properties of the shield. He even went so far as to share his spections about the potential dangers thaty ahead.


    As they listened to the ount of Kain''s actions, a burning anger ignited within their hearts. The man sheltered behind the peculiar shield was far more cruel than they had ever imagined. How could someone kill children and subject them to experiments?


    Chitra, Karthi, and their protector meticulously analyzed the information, ultimately deciding to join forces and confront the evil man known as Kain.


    "Based on your exnation, the shield protecting Kain has three functions. First, it provides a defence against physical and energy attacks. Second, it can reflect energy attacks. Third, if the shield is subjected to a force surpassing its limit, it can teleport him away," Chitra inquired, seeking confirmation that she had urately grasped all the details.


    "Yes," Alex affirmed.


    "How did you discover the functions of the rune shield?" Chitra questioned further, curious about his methodology.


    "Through experimentation and analyzing the mana properties stored within the runes," Alex replied.


    "You possess the ability to do that?" Chitra asked in surprise.


    "Yes," Alex confirmed.


    "It seems you possess the abilities of both a mage and a warrior. What exactly are you?" Karthi, who had been following the conversation between Alex and Chitra, suddenly interjected.


    Karthi believed that the white-robed man was someone from the Primal Chaos Tribe, considering his bloodline. Thus, he was perplexed as to how this individual could also be a mage. He wanted to unravel this mystery.


    Upon hearing the question, Alex paid no heed. While he considered them allies, he saw no reason to divulge his secrets. His gaze turned piercing, silently conveying his reluctance to answer.


    "HA ha ha! Let''s save those questions forter. Right now, let''s focus on figuring out how we can defeat him," the gentle old protector suddenlyughed, lightening the atmosphere. He didn''t want Karthi to antagonize the white-robed man.


    Even if Alex was not a person from their tribe, they wished to make him an ally rather than an enemy.


    Seeing this, Alex turned to reveal his n to defeat Kain. He pointed to a glowing dome-like structure present inside the hall and said.


    "That might be our only way to defeat him. Kain seems to have control over it, which, in turn, enables him to manipte the ancient rune formations that surround us. If we can sever his connection to it, we can reduce him from his current invincible form to nothing more than a master mage."


    "Why bother breaking the connection? We can simply destroy the entire thing," Karthi interjected with a heartyugh.


    Everyone looked at him with a mixture of pity and incredulity. It seemed he hadn''t been paying attention to anything that had been said. This thought reverberated in the minds of everyone present, including his protector.


    In the beginning, Chitra had some doubts about who the real white-robed man was among the two. Now, she could firmly say that it was Alex and not Karthi. Karthi would have never been able to achieve feats achieved by the white-robed man, she was sure of that.


    "In truth, attempting to destroy the ancient runes is futile. Their resilience is unlike anything I have ever witnessed," Alex responded, emphasizing the futility of such an approach. He then motioned for the group to gather closer to him.


    Whispering his n, Alex ensured that their conversation remained out of Kain''s hearing range. He even constructed a mana shield around him to block the sound waves from escaping.


    Despite Kain seemingly disregarding their presence while preupied with something, Alex believed it was essential to take precautions against him.

 Chapter 128 Charred

    ?


    Alex had devised a simple yet effective three-stage attack n to dismantle Kain''s protective rune shield. This task might have seemed impossible if he were alone, but with the aid of many strong warriors, Alex was confident in the sess of his strategy.


    In the first stage, Karthi and his protector took the lead, strategically distancing themselves from the group to avoid drawing Kain''s attention.


    They coordinated their efforts tounch a powerful energy attack at Kain''s shield simultaneously. Although the energy attack could be reflected by the rune shield, they intended to force the shield to expend a significant amount of energy, thereby weakening it.


    Without wasting a moment, Karthi and his protector swiftly executed the attack, aiming to drain as much energy from the shield as possible.


    As anticipated, the shield glimmered with a silvery light as it deflected the energy assaults. The cumtive effect of these attacks reduced the shield''s overall energy, leaving Kain vulnerable for a brief moment.


    Seizing this opportune moment, Chitra capitalized on the weakened shield and unleashed a potent physical attack. The diminished energy in the runic shield made it unable to withstand the assault, resulting in the outer shell shattering, leaving Kain exposed to physical damage.


    To Kain''s surprise, the group of warriors before him exhibited remarkable analytical skills in discerning and exploiting his shield''s weaknesses.


    This oue was beyond his expectations, evident from the widened eyes as he stared at the determined individuals confronting him.


    Despite this setback, Kain remained undeterred. He knew he possessed another powerful ability - the capability to teleport away from danger. Within the confines of the hall, his mastery over the runic symbols granted him precise control, enabling him to effortlessly evade any impending threats.


    Thus, he remained confident and unfazed by the broken shield, fully aware that he could reconstruct it with the mana he had amassed in a matter of seconds.


    If given enough time, Kain could once again take refuge behind his protective shield, reassuming a secure position.


    However, little did he know that the group of warriors had more tricks up their sleeves, and their determination to defeat him was unwavering. The battle was far from over.


    Seeing Kain standing without any form of protection. The warriors present attacked to quickly end his life.


    Alex was waiting patiently for this moment. The attack from the other three zed towards Kain.


    However, Kain disappeared before the attack could reach him.


    "NOW," Alex screamed while activating his mana vision. He peered into the space around him to see the change in the density of the mana. He was trying to figure out the ce where Kain would materialise.


    Even if it was a space-rted skill which was impossible to be seen. He could find the disturbance in mana to predict the location of Kain.


    Due to the information Alex ryed, the group knew that Kain could teleport to avoid danger. So, the attack theyunched was a feint to distract Kain. Hearing Alex call out, they quickly directed their focus towards the position Alex was pointing towards.


    Promptly, they threw away any caution to attack the ce with everything they have. In a battle of life and death, they had to be decisive. They had no time to think or regroup. If they could perform the task given to them, they knew that everything they had done would turn futile.


    The energy attack that materialised like a giant drill was created by Chitra. Karthiunched an energy beam that quaked the space itself. And his protector created a giant fireball towards the location Kain was going to appear.


    Three attacks merged, making it almost seem like a meteor entering Earth in a zing fury.


    Even before the spatial ripple materialised to let Kain out, the powerful surge of energy had already covered the location. The timing was just right that even Kain could not have predicted it.


    Just as Kain materialised at the exact location Alex pointed at, he was greeted by the giant zing meteor that was about to disintegrate his body. There was no time for him to respond or escape.


    One could see the fear in his eyes when he saw the giant fireball just inches away from his face. Just the energy radiating from it was enough to blind him.


    However, not even giving him any time to close his eyes, the giant fireball mmed into his body. Thebined attack of the three warriors rained on him.


    "BOOOOM." Like a nuclear explosion, the space quaked and a giant dust cloud rose from the point of impact. Just the shock wave was enough to throw the body of everyone to the side.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    The exhausted body of the three warriors was forced to step away due to the strength of the shockwave.


    Alex let out a relieved sigh while looking at the dust could.


    "No one would emerge unscathed from that," he thought while peering into the dust cloud with mana vision. He had yet to notice any peculiarity, but he was almost certain that Kain was dead.


    After all, it was abined attack by two tier 4 warriors and a tier 5 warrior. Even tier 5 warriors would not escape unscathed from such an assault.


    "Did we seed?" Karthi asked, mustering thest bit of strength he had. Exhaustion overwhelmed him, leaving his body devoid of any energy, barely holding on.


    He was the one who had destroyed the walls to make his way towards Alex, making him the most exhausted among the group. He hadn''t even had any time to recover his energy yet. He wanted to quickly assess the enemy''s condition before rxing.


    Chitra and the protector also peered into the dusty smoke, trying to find Kain''s corpse. However, as they looked, they saw something rise from the zing fire on the ground.


    Half of its body waspletely charred ck, and tiny worm-like flesh squiggled on the outside. It had no hair, with tattered clothes covering the lower body. A giant gash could be seen right across its face, between its eyes. This being, resembling a monster from a horror movie, was none other than Kain.


    The squiggly flesh was a regeneration spell trying to heal his body.


    Although Kain was unable to dodge the attacks of Chitra and the protector, he had managed to barely avoid Karthi''s attack, only sustaining an injury to his face. Otherwise, he would have lost his head due to the energy beam that contained the element of space.


    Nevertheless, the damage sustained by his body was critical. He was at death''s door. Even a gentle breeze could probably knock him down in his current situation.


    "CRaa¡­" The corpse-like Kain suddenly turned his head towards the warriors surrounding him. His body creaked, and a painful cry escaped from his mouth. Even though he was blind, and steam wasing from his eyeballs, he urately identified where his enemies were.


    He slowly opened his mouth to say something.


    However, he was unable to articte any words from his destroyed vocal cord. Only the eerie visual of broken muscles and charred skin rippling was visible to the audience. Nheless, bearing through his pain, he mouthed something.


    A chill went down everyone''s spine as they saw it. Even now, after bing a half-corpse, the man was threatening them.


    "You will die," were the words Kain mouthed with his cracked lips. After that, his lips curled into a smile.


    It was as if Kain couldn''t feel pain, both mentally and physically, disying the monstrous nature of his character. No one else in his ce would have been able to maintain their sanity after enduring such an ordeal. Yet, he seemed unaffected, revealing his true dark and dangerous nature.


    Alex quickly recognized the danger posed by this man. If Kain survived this day, he would be an unstoppable monster. Alex knew he had to act now to prevent such a catastrophic oue.


    With determination, Alex retrieved a silver spear from his inventory and aimed it directly at Kain,unching it like a lightning bolt towards the weakened body of his adversary. The spear streaked through the air, aimed straight at Kain''s heart, with Alex certain that it would be fatal.


    However, to his surprise, Kain didn''t even flinch or attempt to dodge the iing spear. Instead, an evil smirk spread across his face, showing he waspletely unfazed by the threat.


    ''A moment of miscalction has made me like this. It is time to pay them back,'' Kain thought in his heart.


    Just as the spear was about to pierce Kain''s body, a being suddenly dashed forward and stood in front of him. With a swift motion, the being caught the spear between its thumb and middle finger, effortlessly stopping the projectile in its tracks.


    Alex had thrown the spear with all his strength, but in the hand of this being, it looked like nothing more than a small needle. The being nonchntly tossed the spear aside after intercepting it.


    This being was none other than the single-horned mutant that had been devouring other mutants inside the underground maze. Now, it was protecting Kain, acting as a shield against Alex''s attack.


    "Hah¡­My perfect creation is here." With a cracking voice, the newly regenerated vocal cord, Kain said with a smile. He was slowly regaining his strength with each second.

 Chapter 129 Recruitment!

    ?


    The appearance of the monster caught everyone by surprise. It was different from all the mutants they had ever seen.


    For instance, the monster was giant, towering over any second-generation mutant. The purple skin with rippling muscles spread fear into those who saw its imposing figure.


    And most importantly, the monster had an easily distinguishable horn sprouting from its forehead. It almost looked like a rhinoceros that was walking on two legs.


    "What''s that?" Karthi inquired in a hushed tone.


    "Could it be an entirely new breed of mutant? Something previously unknown to us?" His voice quavered as he attempted to rationalize the presence of this grotesque entity before them.


    "I thought mutantscked cognitive abilities. Then, Why is it shielding that man?"


    His questions remained unanswered. Like Karthi, everyone else was perplexed by the appearance of the giant mutant monster. They were also trying to find a reasonable exnation for its appearance.


    However, among the group, the most shocked was Chitra. As a tier 5 warrior, she could feel a threat from the mutant that just appeared. She could feel her energy being riled up inside her body, warning her not to mess with the creature that appeared.


    "It''s dangerous. Much more dangerous than we could imagine." Chitra had the premonition that if they battled against the creature, they would lose their life for sure. So, she warned the others.


    "It is a tier 5 mutant. We will die if we battled against it."


    "Is escaping a viable option?" As an elder tasked with safeguarding the life of the next head of the primal chaos tribe, the protector asked Chitra. If possible he wanted to escape with Karthi.


    "No, Escaping doesn''t seem viable and I don''t think we have a choice anymore."


    -


    After the shocking appearance, the creature stood still without moving an inch. It stood as if it was waiting for Kain''s order.


    Kain took this opportunity to heal his wound. He took out a ss tube and downed the purple liquid inside it. This increased the rate at which his body was healing. Those who witnessed it could do nothing but wait.


    "Aarrh!" Kain wiped the residue of the purple liquid from his lips, his gaze locked onto his adversaries.


    "I had no intention of resorting to it, but your actions left me no choice. Tsk¡­ I had hoped to reserve it for my experiments," hemented, releasing a dissatisfied sigh as he let the ss tube fall.


    Despite his dire circumstances just moments ago, he had managed to weather the perilous ordeal.


    When thebined attack of enemies was about to destroy his body, fortunately, he made the quick decision to call his minion, the giant horned mutant and use every bit of mana to dodge and defend against the attack. He even sacrificed part of his body to defend his head.


    It was a cold calcted decision to mitigate the risk as much as he can.


    Kain was proud of his achievement.


    -


    Alex, employing his mana vision, easily discerned the nature of the purple liquid. Its mana signature bore a striking resemnce to the purple flesh found in second-generation mutants.


    ''Did Kain utilize this liquid to be a mutant?''


    ''It certainly appears so. His rate of healing is akin to that of a mutant,'' Alex deduced.


    ''Yet, the purple liquid distinguishes itself from the purple flesh that requires grafting. Could this liquid be an improved and more refined variant, one that transforms individuals into mutants?''


    ''I must remain cautious around him.''


    Alex, drawing from his experience, was aware that not all mutants housed the squiggly, worm-like entities within their bodies. This knowledge had been shared by Ethan, the thirteenth prince of Srion. These entities were referred to as third-generation mutants.


    The liquid consumed by Kain might possess the potential to generate third-generation mutants. Although they might be inferior in strengthpared to second-generation mutants, theycked the inherent vulnerabilities of thetter. This rendered them considerably more perilous over the long haul.


    ''The remorseful expression Kain exhibited while employing the third-generation mutant serum suggests its limited avability. At least that''s a positive aspect,'' Alex spected.


    Within a mere span of minutes, Kain managed to fully rejuvenate. His once scarred and charred form swiftly returned to its optimal state. From the brink of death, he had miraculously resurrected himself.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Alex, Chitra, Karthi, and the protector could all sense Kain''s gaze fixed upon them, a weighty presence that prompted them to remain motionless, unwilling to provoke a reaction.


    Upon healing his wound, Kain swiftly reverted to his characteristic demeanour of overconfidence and arrogance. He extracted a fresh set of robes from his spatial tool, donning them with an air of nonchnce. Next on his agenda was the retrieval of his staff, which had been forcibly dislodged from his grip during the explosion.


    Alex maintained a rtivelyposed stance as he observed these actions unfold. He possessed the advantage of being able to retreat within the confines of the interdimensional farm, a resource that granted him a degree of safety in such tense circumstances.


    He knew there was some risk associated with overly depending on the interdimensional farm. By chance, if something prevented him from teleporting inside, he might die pathetically. So, he decided to explore his option cautiously.


    ¨C


    "I always wanted to study the body of a tier 5 warrior. I never thought that I would have the opportunity so soon." Kain turned to the audience and said. Among the audience, he was precisely looking at Chitra.


    For some reason, Kain was trying to talk with his enemies. So, he initiated the conversation with some absurd words. He was directly threatening Chitra.


    After the horned mutant appeared, his confidence rose through the roof. It was as if he didn''t put even a tier 5 warrior in his eyes. He was back to his old self.


    "What do you mean?" Alex asked realising that it was an opportunity. He might be able to extract some information from the big mouth.


    "Haha¡­ Is it truly that challenging toprehend?" Kain taunted.


    "Are you nning to end our lives?"


    "Why not? That seems to be an apt punishment for ruining my ns. Not only did you meddle in my experiments, you even tried to kill me. What did you expect after doing all that?"


    "Huh! It appears you have a point there." Alex could have said an infinite amount of things to counter the loose argument of Kain. But would that even matter in a life-and-death scenario? So, he simply agreed with Kain this time.


    Kain was startled by the unexpected consensus between them. After all, the one that did the most harm to him was Alex. Still, a curiosity stirred within him,pelling him to uncover why this individual shared his perspective.


    "Ha ha ha¡­ You don''t quite fit the mould of a hero, as the story goes. You bear a striking resemnce to someone like me," Kain remarked, a heartyugh escaping him as he gazed at Alex.


    Onlookers struggled to make sense of the scene unfolding before them. When they feared for their lives, the figure in white robes and the malevolent viin conversed with an air of nonchnce, as if nothing else held significance.


    ''What is happening?'' A unified thought sprang up among them.


    "We might share some traits, yet I can assure you that the differences between us are far more significant," Alex replied to catch the attention of Kain.


    "I beg to differ." Kain retorted. "I heard about your conquest to defeat the Divine Arm. And in your path, you didn''t mind leaving a river of blood and a mountain of corpses. For achieving your purpose, you were willing to kill anyone that stood in your path. Wouldn''t that make you simr to me-"


    "-After all, I am doing the same thing. To achieve my purpose I am doing everything I can. Like you who deemed our purpose meaningless and our life worthless, I am doing the same. In my mind, my experiments are much more important than the lives of others."


    Kain said with a smile. Even after what Alex had done to him and his organisation, he was kind of liking the masked man hiding behind the white robes.


    Finally, he asked.


    "Would you like to join our organisation and serve the almighty? I can give you this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Kain said, his words startling the onlookers.


    "I''m afraid I must politely decline your offer," Alex responded with courtesy.


    "Such a pity." Kain shook his head regretfully. "What about the rest of you? Do you wish to join our organisation and take part in rebuilding this world?" Kain graciously offered the same opportunity he had given to Alex to the others.


    The same as Alex, the others shook their head rejecting his offers.


    "Such a pity indeed. Now, I have to dispose of you and clean up this city. I have wasted enough time as it is. At least, I get to experiment with the corpse of a tier 5 warrior. Thank you for that." Kain took out the staff and mmed it to the ground while speaking.


    A sliver of mana originated from his and went to the horned mutant.


    Like a bolt of lightning, the horned mutant ran forward, striking its fist towards Chitra.

 Chapter 130 Bleak

    ?


    The movement of the horned mutant sent shivers down Chitra''s spine. Fortunately, she was prepared for the battle to begin.


    While Kain was healing from his injuries, the other warriors, including Chitra, were regaining their energy. That was just one of the reasons why they didn''t attack the horned mutant as soon as they saw it.


    Seeing the horned mutant sprinting towards her, Chitra decided to dodge the attack. In a direct physical confrontation, she was weaker than the horned mutant. So, she had to dodge it by any means necessary. If not, injuries would build up in her body easily.


    "Swish..." The air pressure from the punch of the horned mutant brushed past her as she narrowly dodged its fist.


    "Aaah!" Chitra groaned.


    To avoid the attack, she had to contort her body into an unnatural position. The attack was too fast for her body to react normally. Thankfully, herbat sense and the intuition of the divine butterfly tribe allowed her to evade the attack.


    "BOOM!" The attack that missed mmed against the outer wall of the giant underground hall. With a thunderous sound, the wall broke into a thousand pieces, scattering in the air.


    Taking advantage of this opportunity, Chitra distanced herself from the horned mutant.


    Just one attack from the mutant was enough for her to gauge its strength. It became apparent that she would lose if the situation didn''t change.


    Meanwhile,


    The protector of Karthi also deduced the obvious oue of the battle after witnessing the scene. His extensive battle experience enabled him to objectively assess the scenario and take action.


    He stealthily crept behind Karthi, gathering energy in his palm. He swiftly lifted his palm and struck Karthi''s neck in one effortless motion.


    The energy surged into Karthi''s body, stunning him for a moment. Using this opportunity, the protector sent another wave of energy into Karthi''s body to immobilize him.


    Within seconds, Karthi lost his ability to move. His body went limp as he fell to the ground. The protector swiftly caught his body, preventing it from hitting the floor.


    "I have no choice," he said, gazing at Karthi, who was rolling his eyes in anger.


    Although immobilized, Karthi remained conscious. He could see and hear everything happening outside. He wanted to scream at his protector for doing this to him even though he knew the reasoning behind his action.


    "Mr White-robe, it''s time for us to part. If you want to escape, we can leave together," the protector said, ignoring Karthi''s piercing gaze.


    "You''re free to leave if you wish," Alex replied, his gaze fixed on Kain.


    "While it''s regrettable that I have to abandon you, a warrior with the bloodline of the primal chaos tribe, I pray for your survival. May we meet again." The protector immediately decided to escape with Karthi without wasting any time.


    He was entrusted with protecting Karthi with his life, and he was determined to fulfil that duty. This thoughtpelled him to forsake everyone else and flee. Even Alex, someone with the primal chaos bloodline strong enough to resonate with their blood, was abandoned to fulfil his mission.


    Lifting Karthi''s limp body and cing it over his shoulder, the protector dashed for the exit - the same route they had used to enter the underground hall.


    "Do you believe you can escape this ce?" Kain, who witnessed this, was irritated by the protector''s actions. He was unwilling to let them flee.


    Flexing his muscles, Kain rushed towards the exit to block the protector and Karthi. He wanted to test his new mutant body. However, a powerful kick pushed him back. Alex had intervened before he could reach the exit.


    "Let them go," Alex said calmly after pushing Kain back.


    He then took out two chairs and sat down on one.


    "You''ll miss the spectacle if you chase after them. Let''s see how your greatest creation fares against a real tier 5 warrior," Alex suggested, tapping the chair next to him. He invited Kain to sit beside him and watch the battle between Chitra and the horned mutant.


    Although Alex had given him a solid kick, Kain''s now healed and enhanced body waspletely unaffected. He brushed off the dirt from his robe and locked eyes with Alex.


    Kain was now a mutant, a third-generation one without the weaknesses of the second-generation. Even though he was not as strong as the rampaging second-generation mutant, his physical abilities had greatly increased.


    He had no reason to fear Alex.


    Nodding, Kain walked over to the chair and sat down next to Alex. Alex''s suggestion was too enticing to decline. Kain was someone who savoured his sesses, and the horned mutant represented one of his greatest sesses. Alex used this knowledge to capture his attention and prevent him from pursuing Karthi and the protector.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    So, like old friends, they sat side by side and began to observe the battle between the horned mutant and Chitra.


    -


    Meanwhile, Chitra was locked in a desperate battle with the horned mutant.


    The initial attack had been straightforward and crude. However, as time passed, the mutant began employing intricate attack patterns that were increasingly difficult for Chitra to evade. Despite twisting and contorting her body in unnatural ways, evading the mutant''s attacks became more and more challenging.


    One might have expected the mutant to tire and slow down after expending so much energy on its attacks. But even in that regard, Chitra received unfortunate news - the horned mutant showed no signs of slowing down in the least.


    "Who do you think will emerge victorious?" Alex asked Kain, who was seated nearby. He was curious to hear Kain''s response.


    "Why even bother asking? The oue of this battle is already predetermined. The tier 5 warrior from the divine butterfly tribe can''t possibly defeat my masterpiece."


    "And how can you be so certain?"


    "How can I not be?" Kain smirked. With an eerie smile, he continued, "I have yet to issue themand to eliminate its enemies. The creature is merely toying with its prey." Kain dered proudly.


    ''Interesting, that exins how Chitra is managing to dodge the monster''s attacks,'' Alex thought as he observed the battle through his mana vision.


    ''While it''s difficult to precisely gauge the energy within a tier 5 warrior''s body, I can perceive the energy density within the horned mutant''s body. The energy it expends in its attacks,pared to its actual reserves, is minuscule.''


    ''Chitra is struggling just to dodge these attacks. I can''t fathom how she would evade more powerful attacks if the creature were to utilize more energy.''


    ''Furthermore, with each passing second, the creature is refining itsbat techniques. Just as I anticipated, it''s far more intelligent than any of the second-generation mutants I''ve encountered.''


    ''Escape is the only viable option now. I can''t hope to stand and win against it. If only I had an opportunity to eliminate that wretch, Kain.'' Alex admitted his powerlessness while ncing at the excited Kain.


    ''Even with my newfound strength, I still feel utterly impotent. I am pretty useless, aren''t I?''


    Alex''s observations were on point. He was pretty and useless at the same time.


    "What would happen once you order the horned mutant to kill its prey? After all, Just like that monster, Chitra has yet to show her full power. I presume you''re aware that a tier 5 warrior possesses the unique ability to summon their spirit guardian for a brief duration. How do you think your creation will fare against such an ability?"


    "Naturally, it will prevail. If you believe this is the mutant''s final state, you''re sorely mistaken. At its peak, it can absorb far more energy. But that''s a matter forter; I''m in no hurry to destroy my toys. I want to witness its growth gradually¡ª"


    "¡ªIf possible, I want to capture a live tier 5 warrior for experimentation. Let''s say that''s thepensation for destroying all my ns."


    As Alex heard Kain''s words, an ominous feeling gripped him. Yet, there was nothing he could do to prevent what was about to unfold. Once again, he found himself wishing for a miracle. Some aspects were beyond his control, and this sensation of powerlessness lingered, stifling him.


    ''My future is bleak as usual. It seems like the world won''t allow me to live a peaceful life.''


    Still, his mind raced, attempting to absorb all the information Kain had generously shared.


    ''The horned mutant has untapped growth potential. It''s capable of absorbing much more energy. Kain''s interest lies in capturing Chitra alive, exploiting her vulnerabilities.''


    While Alex pondered, Chitra felt the grip of exhaustion tightening around her. Each passing moment drained her strength, while the horned mutant seemed to grow even more relentless.


    In this fleeting skirmish, she had already sustained minor injuries. Her clothing bore multiple tears, some stained with her blood.


    ''I can''t afford to hold back any longer. Dying tactics won''t suffice. The time to act is now.'' Chitra''s decision was abrupt; she leapt backwards, her crystalline eyes emanating an intense gleam.


    Something deep within her was being awakened.


    Without allowing the horned mutant a chance to react, she channelled a tremendous surge of energy. Delicate tendrils of power extended from her, entwining with the ceiling''s architecture, temporarily slowing her adversary''s advance.


    "Spirit Guardian Summoning," she dered resolutely, her hands pressed to her chest.

 Chapter 131 Spirit Guardian Summoning

    ?


    Spirit Guardian Summoning was the ultimate skill of a tier 5 warrior.


    While using this skill, a warrior would call forth an illusory image of their spirit guardian into the real world. And once summoned, the spirit guardian will enhance the warrior''s power while using many skills to assist them inbat.


    It was akin to temporarily allying with a deity. As a result, the strength augmentation it provided far exceeded the boost gained by possessing a spirit guardian.


    The spirit guardian of the divine butterfly tribe, as its name implies, manifested as a colossal butterfly possessing extraordinary temporal abilities. This mythical creature was believed to traverse time and even foresee the future¡ªa god-like entity existing beyond the naturalws of this world.


    Upon uttering the phrase ''Spirit Guardian Summoning,'' Chitra''s closed palms formed a dense energy sphere. Swiftly, the energy dissipated from her form as if a mere illusion. In an instant, a connection was forged, trading energy within her.


    This process resembled the opening of a portal to another realm. The condensed energy aided the temporary descent of the spirit guardian into the real world.


    Chitra''s body began to radiate light at that precise moment. The emitted glow intensified every passing second, potentially blinding any onlookers.


    This luminous aura surrounding her separated, coalescing into a river of shimmering particles that condensed above her, materializing an illusory image of a colossal butterfly.


    "Flutter¡­ Flutteer¡­" The gentle sound of wings in motion roused Alex from his stupor as he observed Chitra.


    Although the scene before him looked like it was straight out of some movie, he could grasp the reality instantly. What he was seeing was absolutely real.


    The Divine Butterfly that materialised behind Chitra looked immacte and beautiful. A being made of pure light.


    The fluttering thin wings of this being held sparkling dots simr to stars in a night sky while its eyes resembled ck holes, like a deep abyss that you could never escape from. What it was seeing and experiencing was something beyond humanprehension.


    Under the gaze of the colossal butterfly, Alex felt a surge of energy coursing through his body, as if it was delving into his past, present, and future in a mere instant. His existence seemedid bare before the entity.


    Unintentionally, his energy responded to the Divine Butterfly''s gaze, snapping him out of his daze. Despite not being an adversary, the mere presence and gaze of the illusory Divine Butterfly held a tangible influence over his body and mind.


    However, when he looked at Kain, he saw a person that was looking nonchntly at the image of the spirit guardian that appeared.


    ''Is he not experiencing the same sensations I am?'' Alex mused, a chill creeping down his spine.


    Meanwhile, the spirit guardian scrutinized the beings before it. Its all-seeing eye delved into the future, attempting to foresee the battle''s oue.


    initially, it looked towards the towering mass of flesh. The horned mutant was the first in the list of dangerous beings present. When Chitra called it forth, it knew instinctively that it was rted to this towering mass of flesh.


    Past, present and future merged into a single frame in its eyes. All information about the horned mutant began to unravel before the Divine Butterfly''s eyes. Every life experience the horned mutant had became instantly clear before it.


    And some of the possible divergent futures were also revealed before the Divine Butterfly''s eyes.


    Within seconds, it could judge the inevitable oue of the battle that was about to begin.


    The Divine Butterfly looked at Chitra with pity after that.


    ''Do you desire knowledge?'' Though conveyed through a mere gaze, Chitra instinctively grasped its meaning. The spirit guardian extended an offer to share its insights.


    ''Please, reveal it to me,'' shemunicated through the established telepathic link.


    Observing this exchange with mana vision, Alex discerned a unique quality to this energy transfer¡ªit almost resembled an individual''s life force.


    This vital energy existed in limited quantities within a person, sustaining their life. However, the substantial portion Chitra transmitted could potentially shorten her lifespan by a year.


    Was such a sacrifice necessary? Alex pondered as he bore witness.


    Before he could form aplete thought, a mysterious urrence transpired. A solitary star upon the wings of the Divine Butterfly radiated more brilliantly than its counterparts. After a brief moment, it detached from the wings, descending toward Chitra.


    With open arms, Chitra epted the star. Alex deduced that, in exchange for her life energy, she gained something.


    The fallen star held the insights gleaned from the Divine Butterfly''s observation of the horned mutant. It encapsted the mutant''s experiences and the myriad potential divergent futures.


    Chitra''s form trembled as she absorbed the star-like particle of light. The deluge of information proved overwhelming to assimte instantly.


    Yet, the Divine Butterfly''s inquisitiveness remained unsated. Despite the immediate danger posed by the entity in question, it continued to regard Kain, probing his life experiences.


    However, this time, the insights gained from Kain were not transmitted to Chitra. The spirit guardian recognized the present unsuitability of such knowledge.


    Subsequently, the Divine Butterfly directed its attention to Alex.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    ''???''


    Its focus intensified.


    ''???''


    Yet, it encountered an enigma¡ªsomething obstructing its ability to read this individual''s experiences.


    What is it? It didn''t know.


    A form of energy impeded its perception, an urrence entirely unprecedented in the lower world.


    There is hope!


    Amid its astonishment, the Divine Butterfly chose to postpone further investigation. More pressing matters demanded attention, as the horned mutant prepared tounch another assault.


    While Chitra assimted the new information, the horned mutantunched its attack. Simr to before, it showed its physical superiority as it jumped towards Chitra who was floating in the air.


    "BOOM!" Creating a small shockwave and crushing the part of the floor beneath its feet, the horned mutantunched itself towards Chitra.


    However, a thickyer of energy forced the horned mutant to the ground. It was none other than the Divine Butterfly that protected Chitra.


    ¨C


    "Do you still believe that it can defeat a tier 5 warrior?" Alex asked Kain who was sitting beside him.


    "Not in its current state." He paused while looking at the horned mutant that was thrown to the ground.


    "Although the Divine Butterfly tribe was said to be one of the weakest inbat, their abilities are not weak. They are worthy to be called one of the nine major tribes. It''s always fascinating to witness a tier 5 warrior battle without holding back."


    "But even then, the power of the spirit guardian summoning was within the scope of my prediction. Currently, the mutant is at a standstill with the warrior. Neither are going to win or lose if the situation persists." Kain elucidated with a smirk.


    "If the situation persists without any change? What do you mean?"


    "You will see soon. But let me observe why my creation is struggling. Maybe I can improve it in the future." Kain was still thinking about improving his creation.


    ''Even now, he is nning to destroy many lives.'' Alex realised the underlying meaning behind Kain''s words. After all, Kain was not a person that was going to be regretful of his action. He was a psychopath obsessed over mutant research that was willing to do anything to achieve his goals.


    ¨C


    The protector and Karthi swiftly navigated their way out of the subterraneanbyrinth, retracing the path they had initially entered through.


    However, upon emerging from the depths, an unexpected sight awaited them¡ªan assembly of countless warriors from the Divine Butterfly Tribe. Most among them bore the marks of a fierce battle, evident through the bloodied scars and wounds that adorned their bodies.


    Bafflement clouded the minds of the protector and Karthi as they absorbed the scene before them. A shared question echoed within their thoughts: What transpired here?


    However, this doubt was short-lived. The moment they stepped out of the modest hut and cast their gazes beyond, the rationale behind the Divine Butterfly Tribe warriors'' battered appearance became chillingly clear.


    Multiple corpses, both human, beast and mutant were piled near the hut. The area itself had been cordoned off by the warriors, who had triggered a citywide emergency alert.


    One of the eminent members of the Divine Butterfly Tribe stepped forward to wee the protector. They were treated with respect by the members of the Divine Butterfly tribe.


    Seeing this, the protector wanted to quickly exin the situation under the ground. He wanted to call for help if he could.


    But just as he was about to speak, a pir of energy rose from under the ground. Suddenly, the members of the Divine Butterfly tribe felt their spirits tremble. Their bloodline was reacting with the surge of energy.


    Even though Karthi and the protector only sensed the surge in the energy. It was apletely different experience for the Divine Butterfly tribe. They instinctively knew what it was.


    ''Spirit guardian summoning! Something bad is about to happen.'' The members of the Divine Butterfly tribe thought simultaneously.


    -


    "BOOOOM!" With a thunderous sound, a sturdy metal door within the residence of the Divine Butterfly tribe was broken open. A middle-aged woman who was in solitary meditation emerged from behind the door.


    That was none other than the head of the Divine Butterfly tribe. Even she was shocked by the torrent of energy released by the summoning of the spirit guardian. With an ominous feeling gasping her heart, she stepped on thin air and began moving towards a direction.

 Chapter 132 Uncertainty

    ?


    As Chitra absorbed the information imparted by her spirit guardian, the Divine butterfly held the horned mutant at bay.


    Whenever the horned mutantunched an attack on Chitra, the Divine butterfly would emerge to thwart the assault. The energy sts from the Divine butterfly were usually sufficient to repel the horned mutant''s advances.


    The ample energy within the underground hall enabled the Divine butterfly to execute energy attacks effortlessly, without strain. Without this abundance of energy, the Divine butterfly''s presence in the real world would have been significantly shortened.


    Had this not been the case, its real-world manifestation would have been greatly curtailed.


    After a while, the horned mutant recognized the futility of its onught. As long as the Divine butterfly protected Chitra, the horned mutant realized it could not approach her. Consequently, it altered its course of action andmenced a direct assault on the spirit guardian.


    The Divine butterfly weed these attacks, effortlessly evading them while showcasing a variety of its abilities.


    The horned mutant found itself unable to make contact with the ethereal form of the Divine butterfly fluttering in the sky.


    Kain and Alex observed this battle with profound interest. To them, witnessing a conflict of this magnitude was an exceedingly rare opportunity.


    The appearance of the spirit guardian was a seldom-seen event in the realm of reality. Tier 5 warriors summoned spirit guardians primarily due to their incapacity to manage the present circumstances. Summoning a spirit guardian was a choice reserved for situations where victory seemed unattainable without their aid.


    This was because summoning a spirit guardian carried its own set of caveats and potential consequences.


    Firstly, the act of summoning required a substantial amount of energy. Furthermore, once summoned, ensuring the spirit guardian''s assistance was not always guaranteed. Not all spirit guardians possessed the amiable disposition of the Divine butterfly.


    Secondly, upon the conclusion of the summoning period, the summoner would experience an immediate weakening, rendering them temporarily as feeble as a tier 4 warrior. Such an oue was undesirable for any tier 5 warrior.


    Hence, instances, where a tier 5 warrior had to resort to summoning their spirit guardian for aid, were exceedingly rare.


    -


    Kain, driven by a sense of amusement,manded the horned mutant to eliminate the Divine butterfly, even though he was fully aware of the impossibility of such a task. It wasmon knowledge that no one could vanquish a spirit guardian.


    Despite its utmost efforts to carry out the directive, the horned mutant found itself incapable of even making contact with the Divine butterfly''s form. This failure provoked a profound fury within the creature.


    As itunched its assaults against the Divine butterfly, a perplexing phenomenon unfolded. Two manifestations of the spirit guardian materialized before the horned mutant, creating a state of bewilderment. Upon selecting one of these apparitions and initiating an attack, the chosen embodiment of the Divine butterfly would distort and vanish right before its eyes.


    Persistently, the horned mutant made repeated attempts to assail the spirit guardian. However, on every asion, the form it had singled out for attack dissolved before any strike couldnd. This inexplicable urrence left the onlookers baffled.


    Even Alex and Kain were perplexed by this ability. They were both looking at the body of the Divine butterfly with mana vision. Two bodies were indistinguishable from each other even while using mana vision to observe.


    "Is this an illusion skill?" Alex posed the question, not expecting an answer.


    "I doubt it," Kain responded.


    "But how can identical bodies manifest simultaneously in different locations?" Alex mused.


    "It could be a form of clone skill. The spirit guardian might have divided its essence into two to deceive the mutant," Kain came forth with his analysis.


    "But that wouldn''t ount for the sudden disappearance of the chosen body upon the mutant''s random attack. Creating a clone only to dissolve it would be wasteful in terms of energy," Alex reasoned.


    Kain shared Alex''s perplexity.


    Alex, however, continued his deduction. "Unless it had foreknowledge of which clone the mutant would target." He eximed, a realization dawning upon him.


    The Divine butterfly was known to possess the power of glimpsing into the future. It stood to reason that it could anticipate the mutant''s initial attack. Thus, it could generate a significantly weaker clone solely to deceive the horned mutant.


    Consequently, the authentic form, brimming with energy, coexisted alongside a feeble duplicate constructed from a negligible energy reserve.


    The inferior clone would invariably be the target of the horned mutant''s assault.


    "Damn, this game was rigged from the very beginning," Alex eximed in realization.


    Upon hearing Alex''s deduction, Kain too came to the same conclusion. Now the reason behind his struggles against the white-robed man became evident. This adversary possessed not only formidable strength but also an uncanny level of intelligence for a warrior.


    Doubts began to creep into Kain''s mind. Was this white-robed figure genuinely a warrior?<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "It seems like the spirit guardian is taunting you with its tricks. The mutant you created seems too stupid to handle intelligent beings. Was its immense strength the only trick it has up its sleeve?" Alex mocked Kain.


    "Hr¡­" Kain snorted in response. He pped his cane on the ground sending a pulse of mana towards the horned mutant.


    Just like a trained dog, after receiving the message through the mana pulse, the horned mutant changed its strategy.


    With the new strategy, the horned mutant began its attack.


    The Divine butterfly always created a clone just five seconds before the attack would reach it. Kain saw this pattern when he analysed the movement of the divine butterfly.


    Why was it always the same? Why was it five seconds?


    It might have something to do with the way the Divine butterfly was dodging the attack. Kain realised this from his observation. So, he ordered the mutant to attack with a new strategy in mind.


    Initially, viewing the spirit guardian as an unbeatable being clouded his judgement. But once he started to analyse everything carefully and methodically. Simr to how he treated his research on mutants, everything became clear to him.


    The tricks of the mutant began to unravel before him. Kain''s confidence rose and a wide smile was stered on his face while thinking of his greatness. In his mind, he was the most intelligent person alive at that time.


    Like a bullet, the horned mutantunched itself towards the Divine butterfly. Even this time, it randomly selected one of the bodies of the divine butterfly as its target.


    "SWISH!" The air pressure erupted as its palm thrust into the chest of the Divine butterfly.


    "Swoosh..." Yet again, akin to the previous instance, it was a mere clone.


    However, the assault didn''t cease there.


    "Five seconds," Kain enunciated, providing a clue to Alex with a knowing smile.


    In the interim between the horned mutant''s sessive attacks, a realization crossed Kain''s mind. The Divine butterfly''s ability to evade an attack hinged on a five-second interval, which seemed to be its limit for foreseeing future events. Kain''s pride swelled as the horned mutant''s palm approached the alternate form of the Divine butterfly suspended in the air.


    Just as the horned mutant''s strikended upon the other manifestation of the Divine butterfly, it fragmented like an illusory mirage, vanishing as if it had never existed.


    A spontaneousughter burst from Alex''s lips at that very moment, mirroring the absurdity of the situation.


    Simultaneously, Kain''s confident smile crumbled into oblivion.


    The five-second assumption proved fallible. The carefully constructed stratagems Kain had devised tobat the Divine butterfly dissolved into mere fiction. Reality underscored the horned mutant''s utter incapacity to make contact with the ethereal form of the Divine butterfly.


    Seizing on the revtion implied by "five seconds," Alex, having discerned its significance, spoke up with a yful grin.


    "It appears your hypothesis wasn''t urate," he remarked to Kain.


    Unperturbed by Kain''sck of enthusiasm, Alex continued, unfurling a more audacious theory.


    "Shall I present you with an even more oundish notion? Do you know what uncertainty is?"


    "Huh?" Kain''s countenance disyed a mix of bemusement and intrigue.


    Amusement danced in Alex''s eyes as he pressed on, elucidating his conjecture.


    "The clones that confronted the horned mutant weren''t mere illusions; they were genuine manifestations, each representing a distinct position the Divine butterfly could have upied. Upon your decision tounch an attack, the Divine Butterfly shifted its position to an alternative location where it would remain unscathed.


    "The moment the decision has been made, the location of the Divine butterfly became firm. Usually, it took the horned beast five seconds to make that decision. But not the other way around.


    "So, it could always dodge the attack without much problem. It was a rigged game from the start. And obviously, in front of a being that could see the future, you lost." Alex rubbed it in and gloated with thest sentence.


    "You can never touch it unless you target her." Alex gave the clue while pointing at Chitra who was immersed in absorbing the information. Tears were falling from her eyes as she absorbed the information.


    But due to Alex''s words, the interest of Kain and the horned mutant was once again directed towards her.

 Chapter 133 Sisters

    ?


    The spirit guardian stood as an unbeatable force, and this realization prompted Kain to direct the horned mutant''s aggression towards Chitra.


    Once again, the Divine Butterfly assumed the role of Chitra''s protector, expending vast amounts of energy to deflect the relentless onught.


    However, it didn''t remain alone in its defence for long. Chitra emerged from her daze, her rity restored.


    Upon awakening, her gaze met the fierce advance of the horned mutant, only to witness the Divine Butterfly warding off its ferocious assault.


    Despite having acquiredprehensive knowledge about the horned mutant and insights into future events, she chose a different path, defying all expectations. With determination, she stepped purposefully towards the menacing creature.


    Tear brimmed in her eyes as she witness the monstrous form of the horned mutanting towards her. A memory that she buried deep within her psyche was awakened by the information transmitted by the Divine butterfly.


    She grasped that the abominable monster she battled was an inevitable oue of her actions. A surge of regret engulfed her being as this realization settled in, the tears in her eyes bearing witness to her turmoil.


    Chitra was currently thirty-one years old. She worked hard to be one of the strongest warriors in her tribe. And she had a reason to do that.


    Most of her time was spent fighting evil or training. And she was proud of her past for doing so.


    Her status and fame were built by her own hands through the work she had done.


    However, as she confronted the horned mutant and delved into its history, the foundation of her world crumbled like a sandcastle eroded by the tides. In an instant, the feeling of superiority forged by vanquishing evil and the joy derived from her cherished aplishments transmuted into a sombre mncholy.


    She was not a great person worthy of respect. If not, how can she allow something like that to happen and be oblivious to it all this while?


    Memories of the past and the future merged into a blur, leaving behind only guilt.


    -


    Chitra''s motivation to grow stronger and fight evil did not stem from the need for fame, glory or mary rewards. It was regret and guilt that drove her.


    In this life, she wanted to protect everything and everyone around her. And to actualise that, she needed power. After all, she failed to do so once due to her powerlessness. She was unable to protect what was dear to her once.


    Achieving tier 5 was something she did to find sce from the guilt and regret she had due to her failure to protect what was dear to her in the past.


    -


    Fifteen years ago, Chitra was a happy little girl. A weak little girl that enjoyed her life as much as she could. Within the shade of the Divine Butterfly tribe, she could get everything she wanted and do everything she wanted.


    So, one day, she went to explore the city. But failed to notice that someone was following her secretly. As a mediocre warrior, at that time, she couldn''t detect the person who was following her.


    She spent the day visiting several shops all across the market of Pushpam. She bought and tinkered with everything she felt curious about. She was making the best of her time.


    But, when she entered an inn to eat something. She noticed a familiar figure following her closely. It was none other than her twelve-year-old sister L. She sneakily followed her sister without the knowledge of her sister.


    "Sister, How can I be a great hero that protects everyone when I am kept like a prisoner inside our residence? Let me explore the world. Let me see the world for what it is just once." Once she was caught, L said that with a beautiful smile melting the heart of her stern sister.


    Even though children were not allowed to roam the city without supervision, Chitra did not want to spend time taking L back. So, she decided to take her along while she explored the city.


    The sisters had a wonderful time as they explored the city. They came across traders and people from nine different regions of the continent. Spoke to some, and bought sweets and specialities from the nine regions while they explored.


    For Chitra and L, it was they were truly happy at that time.


    But, their happiness was short-lived. Something happened while they were returning to their residence.


    Something caused the underground organisations in the city to rile up. A battlemenced in the streets of the city forcing a crowd to form. They were fleeing from the dangerous area. And in that chaos, Chitra lost sight of her sister for a short while.


    And that was the instance that she regretted the most in her life.


    After losing sight of her sister, she was unable to find L again. She informed her tribe and searched the area again and again. But it was of no avail.


    L was not found after that day. This led Chitra to drown in sorrow for many years. But somehow, she overcame the guilt. She began to strive for achieving her new goal. To be a person capable of protecting everyone that she loved. A simr goal to what her sister L had.


    ¨C<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Present¡­


    Glistening teardrops reminiscent of crystals cascaded from Chitra''s eyes in session as she gazed upon the colossal, horned mutant assailing her. Not a trace of resemnce to her sisters could be discerned in its form.


    But she knew from the images shown by the divine butterfly that the creature before her was her sister L.


    "ARrrrh." A muffled scream escaped her lips as she gasped for air. She couldn''t stop the tears flowing from her eyes.


    The angered horned mutant, that was trying to kill her was her own sister. This realisation devastated Chitra more than she could imagine.


    And the images of the cruel experiments that Kain conducted on her made her body weak.


    The desperate cries of her sister and horrifying images made Chitra lose her sanity for a moment. She stepped forward opening her arm to hug the monster that was nearing her to tear her apart her heart.


    Maybe, it has already fulfilled its purpose of tearing apart the heart of Chitra.


    The Divine butterfly had to intervene to protect Chitra from her own stupidity.


    Alex, who witnessed this without knowing anything couldn''tprehend what was happening before him. He turned to Kain, but he could only see the person smile mysteriously as he was having the finalugh.


    Although he failed to attack the Divine butterfly previously, that anger was reced with a mysterious smile.


    "Why are you smiling?" Alex felt an odd feeling seeing the crazy bastard smile. So, he finally asked the question that was haunting him.


    "It seems like she has realised it."


    "What? What did she realise?"


    "That the final winner will always be me." The smile Kain disyed widened. He was now smiling from ear to ear.


    "Care to borate?"


    "Hm¡­ I will take that as your dying wish and borate. How do you think I made that mutant?"


    "By doing human experiments?"


    "You are half correct. It was the result of hundreds of thousands of human experiments. But experimentation was not enough to create something like that. It also needed some luck.


    "Fifteen years ago, luck finally blessed me. Even though I was not doing serious experiments, one of my failed creations suddenly grew a horn. Different from all the mutants that I have made. It was stronger and better than all other mutants, even capable of epting orders."


    "And it''s that mutant," Kain stated the obvious.


    "But what does it have to do with the current scenario?"


    "It has everything to do with it. You know that a live human was used to create a mutant. So, who do you think I used for that experiment?" Kain asked Alex even though he would not be able to answer.


    "Who?"


    "Her sister. Ha ha ha¡­" Kainughed while saying that aloud.


    "WHAT!" This was the first time Alex had raised his voice against Kain. Unknown to him, anger was swallowing Alex.


    Alex was someone that prided himself in his ability to control his emotions. But somehow, something was triggered inside him this time.


    Alex was given a detailed report about the city by the spice garden when he came to the city. It did include the missing case of L, the sister of one of the strongest warriors in the city, Chitra. And he remembers it clearly.


    The child was just twelve years old when she was kidnapped, tortured and turned into a monster. When Alex realised this, his blood boiled. He wanted to snap the neck of the bastard Kain, then and there.


    For fifteen years, after turning her into a monster. The evil bastard might have tormented her. Using her as part of different experimentation. The same would have happened to the street vendor''s son if not for Alex''s intervention.


    "Unfortunately, it was a lucky coincidence that I made the horned mutant. I have been trying ever since to produce a simr one. When I was so close to achieving it, you and your group messed it all up." Kain said nonchntly at Alex who was trying hard to suppress his anger.

 Chapter 134 Fate

    ?


    Anger, disgust, and frustration enveloped Alex upon hearing Kain''s words.


    Fortunately, Kain could not discern the contortions on Alex''s face, which revealed aplex mix of emotions. If he had seen it, he would have used it to his advantage.


    Following Kain''s exnation, Alex gained insight into Chitra''s altered behaviour. He empathised with the pain she experienced upon witnessing her sister in such a state.


    Just as Chitra moved to embrace the horned mutant, L, in a careless manner, the Divine Butterfly intervened, preventing a potentially fatal oue. Without this intervention, Chitra''s life would have been extinguished at that very moment.


    Despite her status as a tier 5 warrior, her vulnerable state rendered her susceptible to the horned mutant''s attacks.


    After forcefully detaching Chitra from the horned mutant, the Divine Butterfly emitted a beam of energy aimed at Chitra, jolting her out of her stupor. This temporarily restored Chitra''s sanity.


    In that moment of rity, she recognized the grievous error she hadmitted. Nheless, tears continued to stream down her cheeks, an outward manifestation of her inner emotional turmoil.


    "I understand," Chitra finally uttered, nodding her head in acknowledgement toward the caring gaze of the Divine Butterfly.


    After careful contemtion, she resolved to confront the horned mutant head-on. Despite their sisterly bond, dying action was no longer an option. Dwelling in pain and suffering would yield no progress.


    Should L''s salvation prove unattainable, Chitra determined it best to grant her a swift demise. This decision crystallized as she found her inner calm.


    "My sister aspired to be a formidable warrior, a hero that would protect everyone. Yet your actions have transformed her into a monstrous being. I will never forgive you." Chitra addressed Kain, her seething anger manifesting as an energy attackunched at him.


    Though aimed at Kain, the attack''s proximity prompted even Alex to evade hastily.


    "I do not need your forgiveness," Kain retorted with casual indifference. He effortlessly manipted the horned mutant to deflect the energy barrage.


    Amused by his prowess, Kain erupted into heartyughter. The battle had exceeded his expectations, highlighting the unanticipated potential of his creation.


    ''Maybe, what I have created is God.'' He thought as he saw the horned mutant battling the spirit guardian.


    ''As a person that can create gods, I am the almighty.'' Kain decided himself.


    The godplex that he always had emerged and took form in his psyche. And finally, that triggered his next series of actions.


    "Let me show you the true power of my creation." He said while releasing a torrent of mana from his staff towards the centre of the underground hall.


    The giant dome-like structure in the centre of the hall responded to his mana releasing a torrent of mana outwards. And the shell that war protected it dimmed and broke down just like the shell of an egg.


    This structure was where all the ancient runes that proliferated the underground maze conjoined.


    It was this structure that gave Kain the ability to create a runic shield that could protect himself from the attack of tier 5 warriors. It was also this structure that allowed him to gain the life-saving ability to teleport.


    So, no one could have predicted that Kain would destroy the dome-like structure in the centre.


    But before anyone could process why he would do that. A sudden influx of energy originated from the centre of the now-destroyed dome.


    An object the size of a ping pong ball emerged from inside it.


    Kain controlled this object with his staff and threw it towards the horned mutant. The mutant happily took the object and swallowed it whole.


    The entire sequence unfolded in a blur, leaving no room for reactions.


    Even Chitra and the Divine Butterfly were taken aback because the future was slightly changed from the one they have seen.


    A change had been wrought upon the sisters'' fate, a truth discerned by the Divine Butterfly. In a sudden shift of focus, it fixed its gaze upon Alex, the enigmatic figure it could not decipher.


    Did his role intertwine with these developments? The Divine Butterfly''s curiosity peaked.


    Upon ingesting the ping-pong ball-shaped object, an energetic vortex materialized, drawing in the ambient energy from its surroundings and leaving only a small residue behind.


    The horn jutting from the horned mutant''s skull began to emanate a vivid purple glow, its brilliance escting over time.


    The object that the horned mutant ate was the ancient runes core. It contained a vast amount of energy. All the energy was sucked away from the underground maze and its surrounding, even from the unfortunate living things that entered it.


    It had all that energy stored inside it.


    Kain had essentially dismantled the protective runic barriers epassing the core, presenting it as a gift to the horned mutant, which greedily devoured the offering.


    Within seconds, the entire body of the horned mutant strengthened to an unprecedented level with the new supply of energy. It regenerated the wounds in its body and returned to its apex condition.


    Now, Alex was certain that the horned mutant had the superiority of energy over the tier 5 warrior and the spirit guardian that was present.


    The situation took a turn for the worst at that moment.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Once again, Alex found himself on the losing side. Although Kain revealed that he had some hidden cards up his sleeve, Alex never imagined it to be something like this.


    The question of what he should do once again rang inside his head.


    Of course, he hated Kain. He detested his very existence. He wanted to help Chitra and if he can, he even wanted to save the child called L who was turned into the horned mutant.


    But, was he capable of doing that?


    Doubts crept into his mind unknowingly.


    It was not cowardice that prevented Alex from deciding on his next course of action. But, it was reason and logic.


    Fighting against an enemy that he had no chance of winning was stupid. All his brain cells were screaming that at Alex.


    But something inside Alex was asking him to break away from logic and reason.


    So, what should he do?


    "FUCK!" The dilemma presented itself as an unsolvable question. Alex cursed aloud in the moment submerging all his worries.


    He took an immediate decision.


    ''Future me can worry about the future. Now, let me do what I want to do.'' Some might say it was an irresponsible choice, but Alex was satisfied with it.


    He suddenly turned towards Kain who was smiling from the side and said. "You shouldn''t have done that."


    Kain was amused by Alex''s words.


    "What?" He asked back.


    "Everything. Your very existence is unpleasant to bear. And you seeded in making me lose all reason."


    "*SMIRK*, What can you do about that?" Kain taunted.


    "Let''s see."


    Alex disappeared from his position and emerged near Kain. And at the same time, Chitraunched her attack towards Kain.


    Kain sent the horned mutant to battle Chitra while he weed Alex''s attack with his own body. He was confident in his abilities to take care of Alex, the white robe man.


    Just as he emerged, Alex released a kick, flexing all the muscles in his leg simultaneously. It almost tore through the sound buried and contacted Kain.


    "Is that it?" Kain, who became physically superior after bing a mutant asked.


    Although the kick was strong, he could easily block it with his bare body.


    As a mage, what Kain feared the most was a warrior who could approach for closebat. But after bing a mutant, he realised that this weakness became non-existent.


    The kick that connected with his shoulder was easily deflected by the push of his arm.


    Alex leapt back noticing Kain''s strength. Kain was showing the strength of a tier 4 warrior.


    ¡ª


    Meanwhile, the horned mutant, with its horn shining in a purple glow began to assault Chitra. They collided together creating shockwaves that rippled through the atmosphere.


    The Divine butterfly flew around like a guardian protecting Chitra. Although it was strong, it didn''t have much-attacking power.


    It could only deflect the attack of the horned mutant by using concentrated beams of energy.


    ''Future is vtile, I can only look up to a second inbat.'' Chitra realised this as she battled the horned mutant. Although she realised that it had something to do with the white-robed man, this also meant that there was hope for her.


    If it was the future she saw, her fate was sealed. She would have died without a doubt. But, the appearance of the white-robed man somehow changed that. Although it seriously affected herbat ability to peer into the future.


    It was a sacrifice worth enough to gain the opportunity to change her fate.


    ¨C


    Even though there was hope, she was still in for a beatdown. Chitra has yet to realise that. The horned mutant was still toying with its prey. The real battle was about to begin. The deciding battle that would overturn the fate of the entire world.


    And in that battle, Alex was at the forefront.

 Chapter 135 Ultimate Skill

    ?


    The kick by Alex was just a test to measure the strength of Kain. He knew that Kain was strengthened by mutant cells, so the quickest way for him to test that was by attacking first.


    With just a kick, Alex urately grasped the level of physical strength of Kain.


    And it was within his expectation.


    Kain was as strong as a tier 4 warrior physically. But, Alex didn''t feel threatened by it. After all, he had the same level of physical strength.


    However, it didn''t mean that Kain was easy to defeat.


    Kain was a master-level mage before he became physically stronger. So, the threat of magic still exists.


    ''Whenparing skills, I am not good enough to be a master mage. And I don''t have that much experience in physical battles. Usually, I win against my enemies by overwhelming them by using teleport and by using unpredictable mana attacks.''


    ''I don''t think the same will work this time. This is my first battle against a real master mage. I have to be careful and avoid his spells.''


    ''A mage can release a devastating attack if given enough time. I also need to be quick in my response.''


    Alex concluded after careful deliberation.


    Within a second, Alex formed an ice spell on his palm. It was the best spell he could use in the closed space.


    The ice spell consumed one core of energy and took the shape of a sphere.


    Instantly, it wasunched at Kain.


    "Swish." The crystal-like sphere sped towards Kain in a straight line.


    Contrary to his usual passive self, Alex led the attack.


    Although the spell looked like a solid sphere, it was made out ofpressed and cooled air, just like liquid nitrogen. And Alex was using it to attack Kain.


    If Kain was not careful, it could do more damage than a fire spell that consumed the same amount of mana.


    "Take it and chill down," Alex said, hoping that Kain would take the wrong decision.


    But, unlike the mutant monsters and warriors that Alex fought against, Kain was a mage. He had one special skill that most warriors have a hard time using called mana vision.


    Just as Alex condensed the mana in his palm, Kain knew that it was an ice-rted skill. He could see the ice elementing together in his palm to form the spell.


    In response to the fast-moving ice spell, Kain had already devised to nullify it.


    Instead of receiving the spell with his body, he conjured a wall of earth in front of him. The ice spell collided straight with the wall. The earthen wall cooled instantly and absorbed the effect of the ice spell. Only a small portion of it froze revealing that a spell like that would be easy for Kain to block.


    ''A single Earth spell to block my ice spell. Usually, warriors have a difficult time blocking long-range attack spells like the ice spells. They usually resort to dodging rather than blocking. But it seems like the battles between mages arepletely different.''


    "What are you waiting for? Why are you not attacking me?" Alex asked Kain.


    Kain was giving him ample time without bothering to attack.


    Alex doubted that he was not taking their battle seriously. Was he that confident? He thought as he asked the question.


    "You tested my physical skills. So, I wanted to test your skills as a mage. It is amusing to an oddity like you, with both the abilities of a warrior and mage.


    "Besides that, you are weak. Your spells are also weak. It does not warrant my attention."


    Kain spoke showing his confidence.


    Alex too realised this. His arsenal of spells would be nothing in front of a master mage. The rune he learned were only of the low-level spells. In a battle of who can cast the superior spell, Alex would lose.


    "I agree."


    ¡ª


    While Kain and Alex exchanged blows, the battle between Chitra and the horned mutant was progressing in a bad direction.


    The horn on the mutant''s head stopped getting brighter. It has achieved its peak state. And it began its real assault.


    The diminished ability of Chitra to foresee the attack began to interfere with her ability to dodge the attack of the mutant. She had to take most attacks head-on or deflect them with energy.


    It slowly began to drain Chitra.


    Now that the core of the rune formation disappeared, the energy density in the hall decreased. She could feel the energy of the Divine butterfly decrease.


    In reality, foresight was a greatbat ability. But due to some reason, the ability was hard to use currently at its full potential.


    ''Should I use my ultimate skill?'' A thought popped up in Chitra''s mind. This was thest straw that could change her fate. In a situation where even her fate was undecided with the chance of bing worse, this was the only solution she could reach.


    She suddenly turned to look at the Divine butterfly. The fluttering Divine butterfly sensed her wish.


    It decided to follow through with the ultimate attack alongside Chitra.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    The tiny specs of light simr to stars that were present in the pitch-ck wings of the divine butterfly began to glow.


    It began to shimmer in a multitude of colours.


    "SWISH" The Divine butterfly shook its wings. All the light particles detached from the wings due to the sudden motion of the wings. And these light particles began to flow towards Chitra.


    The light particles looked like a rainbow that was turned into dust, shimmering and glowing at different intensities.


    They fell towards Chitra and began to merge with her body.


    At that moment, the illusory figure of the Divine butterfly turned transparent and flickered. The body of the Divine butterfly was drained out of all the energy by using that skill. It was barely maintaining its form.


    After merging with Chitra, some of the light particles formed a rainbow cloured wing behind her. A beautiful butterfly wing that was semi-transparent and shining in a thousand different colours at the same time.


    The horned mutant was aroused by this scene. Chitra looked like a delicious meal for it. It wanted to quickly consume her.


    "Infinite Transformation," Chitra muttered under her breath.


    At that instant, all the energy in the surrounding stagnated.


    All eyes focused towards Chitra.


    For a moment, Chitra turned into a Divine being. A demi-god, a deity. It felt like she transcended time and space.


    Till now, she was floating in the air,bating the horned mutant.


    After unleashing the skill "Infinite Transformation" she took a step forward in the air.


    But instead of her body moving forward. Another figure of Chitra materialised near her. One of the figures was stepping forward while the other stayed still.


    Now, there were two Chitras.


    But it didn''t end there.


    The figure that stepped forward split into two, each moving in a different direction. Then to four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two¡­.


    Within just a few seconds, the entire hall was filled with the figure of Chitra. There were hundred or even a thousand figures, all surrounding the horned mutant.


    The infinite transformation was a skill simr to what the Divine butterfly had shown before. Instead of splitting its body into two, Chitra used the skill to create almost a thousand different bodies of her.


    Each was real. The embodiment of a possibility.


    The working of the Infinite Transformation skill was simple. It showed the different possibilities of the user.


    Currently, Chitra wanted to attack the horned mutant. After she had selected this goal and activated the skill, all the possible ways she could attack the horned mutant materialised instantly.


    Instead of trying it one by one. All the possibilities converged in that instant and became real.


    It was an attack that broke the rules of reality. Something unattainable without the help of the spirit guardian. The ultimate attack of the Divine Butterfly tribe.


    Alex, Kain and even the horned mutant froze seeing the skill Chitra unleashed.


    Almost a thousand different Chitra fluttering in the air with rainbow wings was a beautiful sight. Simultaneously it was also horrifying.


    Finally, Alex realised the extent to which a tier 5 warrior''s power reached.


    They were far more powerful than he imagined.


    -


    The circling bodies of Chitra finally initiated the attack towards the horned mutant. Together, they dived towards the mutant with the best attack they could.


    Some were energy attacks. Some were physical attacks.


    And thebined might they unleashed was unfathomable.


    ''Was the horned mutant about to lose?'' This thought popped up in Alex''s mind.


    "BOOOM!" With a thunderous sound, the underground hall shook. The simultaneous attack impacted directly onto the horned mutant.


    Dust rose and the shockwave travelled through the earth.


    Even the people in the city above felt it like an earthquake.


    The earth was overturned and a crater with a diameter of fifty meters revealed itself after a while.


    Even Alex had to teleport away from the shockwave to dodge the stone and gravel that travelled at the speed of bullets, propelled by the heavy impact.


    As soon as he emerged, he looked outside, trying to view the condition outside.

 Chapter 136 Still Alive

    ?


    Alex had escaped to the farm to escape from the shockwaves. He teleported out after waiting for a couple of seconds.


    In the time between Alex entering the interdimensional farm and exiting, havoc was unleashed inside the underground hall.


    The shockwave reverberated through the ground, cracking and destroying the ce. The polished stones that were used to build the hall crumbled and became tiny pebbles.


    The force from the impact of Chitra''s attack churned the entire area like a tsunami wreaking havoc.


    Even after Alex appeared outside, it took him a couple of seconds to get his bearing. Because the ce he once stood had already turned into a crater.


    The moment he appeared, he almost fell by a couple of meters.


    The cloud of dust was still circling in the air. He could barely see a couple of meters in front of him.


    "Cough¡­Cough" He coughed as he tried to locate familiar figures in the dust cloud. He wanted to what happened to the horned mutant, Chitra and even Kain.


    ''If that attack couldn''t kill the horned mutant, nothing can kill it.''


    Lifting his hand, Alex released a torrent of mana, three cores worth to surround him.


    ''If the dust will not clear anytime soon, I have to clear it on my own.'' He decided.


    The mana that he released took the form of a grey cloud. He released it outside while making it weakly interact with the atmosphere. Although it was the first time Alex was attempting something like that. He easily achieved his desired oue.


    Once the mana cloud he released pushed away the dust cloud from around him. He was able to quickly make an area without any dust.


    So, he finally had a grasp of his position.


    "Huh!" He gasped while looking at the unrecognisable surroundings.


    While some of his mana was used to settle the floating dust, it could also sense the entities around him.


    Finally, Alex saw the person he was looking for.


    It was Chitra.


    She was barely holding on, sitting half-crouched on the floor. She looked drained without any power.


    Tears were flowing from her eyes like a river. Even when her body was exhausted beyond reason, she was holding on without losing consciousness with determination.


    The thought that she might have killed the horned mutant, her sister, tormented her.


    However, the illusory image of the Divine butterfly that guarded her was nowhere to be seen.


    ''Did the spirit guardian disappear? It seems the skill was cancelled due to her exhaustion. And her condition will not improve for a long time. The exhaustion thates after summoning a spirit guardian is different from normal ones. She will be weakened for a long time. ''


    ''I just hope the sacrifice she made was worth it.'' Alex thought.


    If only he could find the dead body of the horned mutant and confirm it. He would have been happy to end it here and return. The things that happened in thest couple of hours were far too much even for him.


    Expanding the area that his mana covered, Alex tried hard to find the horned mutant and Kain.


    Kain was found easily once he increase his detection range. But still, the horned mutant has yet to be found. However, he could sense the presence of another life spread all around him.


    But suddenly, he detected a clump of meat. It showed clear signs of life.


    Alex initially thought it was the mutant. However, he could feel a different energy from it that was different from the mutants.


    ''Sure does look like something a mutant would leave behind.'' Alex thought as he sensed the oddball of flesh.


    If he had time, Alex would have observed it a bit more. He wanted to go towards it and collect some samples.


    However, fate seems to have other ns for him. The ceiling cracked in some ces and came crashing to the ground.


    When a part of the ceiling crumbled and fell to the ground, with it came something that he never wanted to see.


    It was an arm of the horned mutant.


    ''Why was it in the ceiling?''


    Soon, Alex became aware of other life signatures.


    ''In the ceiling, below the ground, near the wall. All around him, signs of life were popping up.''


    And they begin to exude energy.


    In response to their release of energy, from the centre of the crate, the same ce the horned mutant stood and Chitra attacked, a giant skeleton rose from the ground.


    It dug through the ground and climbed up.


    It had only one arm, and one leg with most of its flesh gone.


    With just one nce, Alex recognised it as a horned mutant.


    ''It did not die!''


    ''It survived the attack.''


    Chitra''s attack was nothing to scoff at. Even though the divine butterfly tribe was called a weak tribe without muchbat ability, the ultimate skill she showcased was beyond what Alex couldprehend.


    A thousand Chitra materialised while attacking the horned mutant simultaneously.


    ''How can something survive that?'' <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    The skeleton of the horned mutant stood up and shook its body in response to the energy released by its scattered flesh.


    Instantly, thin mana extended it from like strings connecting it to the scattered flesh.


    After that, like a rubber band, the extended string of mana was called back, retrieving the mass of flesh connected to it.


    "FUCK!"


    ''The horned mutant survived by splitting itself into parts while the main skeleton structure tanked the attack. With its flesh, it could recover again.'' Alex realised this fact instantly.


    But, the horned mutant didn''t give him any time to intervene.


    Swiftly, it began to recover its body. And the dust had already settled in. Now, Kain could also see what was happening.


    "Ha ha ha¡­Excellent. Splitting its body in danger. Sending parts of the body away from the epicentre of the attack. Even then, surviving against the ultimate skill of a tier 5 warrior.


    "Beyond excellent."


    "*p* *p*"


    "Only I could create something like that." Kain, who realised the current situation said in glee.


    "Double Fuck." Alex said after witnessing his action.


    If it was just Kain, Alex stood a chance. But, against the horned mutant and Kain, that was an impossible fight.


    He could see no weakness of the general mutant in the horned mutant. Besides that, it proved it has some intelligence and the ability to follow orders.


    Thinking about fighting against them was giving Alex a headache.


    ''Fortunately, Kain broke the ancient runes present in the area. This will allow me to teleport away. It was a good idea to release mana outwards.''


    ''Now, should I take Chitra with me?''


    Alex smiled just as that question popped up in his mind.


    Without giving any time for others to react, Alex teleported towards Chitra instantly. He wanted to save the weakened Chitra and escape.


    However, contrary to what he imagined, saving Chitra was not an easy job.


    Just as he materialised near her, an earth spell came crashing towards him. The spell was strong, way stronger than any spell he could create.


    A rock bullet the size of a football came at a breakneck speed and crashed into Alex.


    "BANG." The impact caused it to scatter into pieces while throwing Alex away like a rag doll.


    This was the first real setback Alex had after gaining the teleport ability. Kain predicted his action and urately hit him, even after using teleport.


    "HUH!" Alex eximed as he realised what had happened to him.


    "Did you mistake me for a fool?" Suddenly, Kain asked with a smirk.


    "When I said this is the day you were going to die, I meant it." He dered while looking at Alex who was holding his injured left hand.


    Reflexively blocking the rock bullet seemed to have damaged his arm. It was not in a shape that it can be used anymore.


    "Don''t even think about escaping," Kain warned.


    ''I could have escaped alone if I wanted to shithead. *imaginary sigh* Being a good person is so hard nowadays.''


    Although the rock bullet knocked away Alex, he was still nearer to Chitra than Kain. So, Alex quickly came near Chitra to take her and teleport outside.


    But, just as he touched Chitra and tried to teleport away. Something prevented him.


    As long as he touched an object and encapste it in mana, he would have been able to teleport away easily.


    However, this time something resisted his teleportation.


    And it was none other than Chitra.


    "Why?" Alex asked.


    Chitra held back her tears while looking at the recovering body of the horned mutant and resisted the teleportation.


    She was resolute in her decision to not leave with him.


    Although Alex could understand her reason, he still wanted her to leave and live, to fight another day.


    "Sigh! You don''t know what''s good for you. Leaving with me is your only chance to live." Alex said trying to convince the lunatic, Chitra.


    "Leave me alone," Chitra said with determination.


    "Triple Fuck."


    "This world is so fucked up." Alex was fed up with it.


    "Incapacitate her." Meanwhile, Kain instructed the horned mutant who almostpleted healing. "And Kill him."


    "Why me? You could have killed her too. Why do you wish to send me to theher world alone?"

 Chapter 137 Final Goodbye

    ?


    The horned mutant followed Kain''s order without dy. Even when it was injured and in pain, it was able to maintain reason and follow Kain''s orders.


    The giant muscr leg of the mutant sank into the ground as it propelled its heavy body towards Alex and Chitra.


    "It''sing towards us. Don''t delude yourself into thinking that you can do anything against that monstrosity. Let''s leave." Once again Alex asked Chitra. And it was thest time he was going to ask.


    "It''s not a monster. It''s my sister¡­" The exhausted Chitra pushed herself off the ground and stood up.


    "I wish to live. But that doesn''t mean I fear death. If it is my fate, I am going to wee it. I could not save my sister then. So, I am going to try a little harder now?" epting her fate, Chitra smiled.


    That smile shook Alex to the core. And her words resonated with him.


    She was simr to him in some ways.


    She desperately wanted a second chance. And this was her second chance in life. It was her chance to wash off the regrets that piled on.


    To prevent her from taking action when she got her second chance was the worst thing he could do. Death might be better than that.


    Alex realised this fact.


    You don''t need to help me. You can leave alone if you want." Chitra said while preparing to receive the attack of the horned mutant.


    "Fuck!" Alex whispered under his breath. His voice was barely audible. Even Chitra couldn''t hear it.


    "I think I should also try a little harder," Alex said as if he had some great realisation. After all, this was also his second chance.


    "Nothing preventing you."


    "Yes."


    "BOOM!" The horned mutant released a vigorous punch towards the duo that was conversing.


    The attack was more powerful than what Chitra could handle. So, It was Alex''s turn to flex his abilities.


    He used a couple of low levels simultaneously.


    Unlike Kain, who knewplex spells and runes, Alex was different. His spells were simple when they werepared.


    But he had one upper hand. Alex could use a multitude of spells simultaneously and effortlessly.


    Just as the horned mutant neared them and struck out its fist, he created an earth spell that decrease the friction between the earth and the mutant''s legs.


    He didn''t stop there, he used an earth spell to lift the ground. And at the same time released a torrent of fireball spells towards the head of the horned mutant. These spells were created and released quickly without leaving any time for the mutant to react.


    The horned mutant sensed the fireballsing towards it first.


    The fireballs were non-lethal to the horned mutant. So, it dove straight in without any care.


    But that was exactly what Alex was expecting to happen. By not taking action, the horned mutant fell right into his trap.


    The fireball was able to dull the sense of the horned mutant temporarily, enough to prevent it from noticing the mana that was umting in the ground.


    The earth spell was activated next, raising the ground level and decreasing the friction.


    When all thatbined and happened simultaneously, the beast could not stop itself.


    The ground rose under it and became a ramp. And the speed it was travelling made it look like a stunt bike that wasunched upwards through the ramp.


    The horned mutant missed Chitra and Alex as it flew into the air in an uncontrolled motion.


    "I could do this all day," Alex said.


    "It won''t be enough." Chitra cautioned. "It is weaker now. Once it regains its strength, it a stomp of the mutant would have been enough to destroy the earth ramp that you created.


    Besides that, I think it has be less intelligent after the battle. It is not showing the battle intelligence that it once showed."


    "It is weaker!" Chitra''s words made Alex finally realise it.


    "Yes, it is weaker. Why?" Alex mused. "It retried all the scattered flesh. I saw that myself. So, it should have been able to regain most of its power. Then, why is it weaker?"


    "Maybe, it didn''t retrieve all the flesh! Did that also affect its intelligence?"


    "AAH! FUCK! That''s it! The horn on its head is not glowing!" Alex had a startling realisation. This changed the entire situation.


    Alex released a torrent of mana promptly and began to actively look for any part of the mutant that it was unable to retrieve.


    And he found what he was looking for soon. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    The lump flesh, the oddball he saw before was still squirming in the ground.


    However, it had a different mana signature from the mutant. But, Alex was sure that it was something that was inside the mutant.


    This lump of flesh squirmed on the ground without doing much. Even the horned mutant couldn''t retrieve it by extending mana tendrils from its body.


    ''What is it?'' Alex couldn''t understand. But it was something that deeply connected to the mutant. He was sure of that.


    If Alex was trying to describe the squirming oddball of flesh, he would say it was simr to the grafted flesh seen in people who are second-generation mutants. It looked simr to the worm-like entities present in the second-generation mutants.


    But it was different.


    ''If it was a grafted flesh, it would havepletely taken over the body of the host once it transformed into its current self. It might be something different. But essential to the mutant, I need to take hold of it.'' Alex decided and teleported.


    However, the mutant didn''t allow him a breather. Although weaker and not as intelligent as before, the horned mutant was not a threat he could take lightly.


    It jumped around while trying to attack Alex.


    So, he had to teleport away multiple times expending a lot of mana.


    At the same time, Alex also inched toward the odd flesh ball that wasying on the ground.


    As time went by, the horned mutant began to get enraged. It lost its calm and began to turn violent.


    The punches and kicks became stronger, but it was slowly inching towards total madness. This waspletely different from the way it fought before.


    "AAAArrrrhhh!" Suddenly, the mutant raised its head and screamed towards the sky.


    Finally, thest straw had been broken. The monstrosity becamepletely enraged.


    It rushed towards Alex and suddenly made a turn for Chitra. Itpletely disobeyed Kain and went to attack Chitra with the intent to kill.


    Even Kain couldn''t figure out what had gone wrong, much less Alex. While both of them stood startled by the sudden change, Chitra was nearing death.


    The maddened horned mutant had travelled more than Alex expected. Even if he could teleport, Alex was incapable of saving Chitra.


    The hand of the horned mutant took the form of a knife and was directly thrust towards Chitra''s heart.


    Chitra would die.


    Alex was unwilling to ept that. So, he had already initiated teleport.


    His body immediately materialised near Chitra. But, his reaction speed and body were not quick enough to prevent the monster frompleting its motion.


    Alex could only watch in slow motion as the knife-like palm extended forward. It pierced into the body of the Chitra effortlessly. Just like plunging a hot knife through butter, the hand of the horned mutant pierced into the defenceless body of Chitra.


    "*Swish*" Suddenly, the world paused.


    A torrent of mana, like a pir rose from behind them and flew into the sky. The mana originated from the odd lump of flesh. It was releasing tremendous energy outward, even enough to interfere with the naturalw of the world.


    Time was slowed to a standstill at that moment.


    Nobody could move. Everyone felt an unnatural power interfering with the world.


    After releasing all the energy outwards, the lump of flesh turned grey, decayed and dissipated into thin air.


    Some energy that was left lingering near coalesced into a spec of brilliant light. Then it turned into a tiny colour full butterfly with rainbow-coloured wings.


    In the frozen world, it was the only thing that could move. It fluttered its wings gently and moved towards the mutant.


    Finally, taking its time, itnded gently on the side of the horned mutant''s hand that was trying to pierce Chitra''s chest.


    Meanwhile, Chitra was having apletely different experience. Her emotions were plunged into turmoil the moment she saw the colourful butterfly materialise in thin air.


    When it neared her, her doubts were instantly cleared.


    ''Sis¡­'' If she could have cried, a river would have formed from her tears.


    She realised what that butterfly was.


    "Sister. This is all I can do to help you. Survive and live well. I hope we can be sisters in the next life too." A childish voice greeted Chitra.


    It was L, she was saying her final goodbye to her sister.


    The time that was frozen till now was unlocked. It began to flow forward.

 Chapter 138 Pet 4

    ?


    It was like a miracle.


    No one could have predicted what had happened.


    The moment when time began to move forward, the world was engulfed by a bright light. Everything turned white.


    During the bright sh, the tiny butterfly released a tremendous amount of energy. This energy waspletely directed at the body of the horned mutant. From its arm to the entire body, the energy upied every cell in its body.


    It was much more than any cells of the horned mutant could hold. It began to crumble from the inside like a sandcastle.


    Initially, the cells erged. But soon, the cells began to explode and decay. In an instant, the body of the horned mutant turned to ash and disappeared.


    Everything happened so fast that no one could witness it.


    The sh of light remained for a moment. Finally, after a while, Alex''s eyes adjusted as he saw what had happened.


    The body of the horned mutant, from his extended arm and upwardspletely disappeared.


    The arm that pierced the body of Chitra looked like it was separated from its body by an extremely sharp de. The bones and flesh were cut with utmost precision so that they wouldn''t cause any harm to Chitra.


    ''It is dead. The horned mutant is finally dead.'' Alex realised this fact.


    Kain stood like a sculpture without moving. The defeat of his prized creation devastated him. The battle he was so confident of winning came to an abrupt end with the death of the horned mutant.


    He decided to escape leaving behind Alex and Chitra.


    ¨C


    The battle ended with heavy losses on both sides. The spider gang was destroyed while the Divine Butterfly tribe sustained heavy casualties.


    And in the underground cavern, Chitra was barely staying alive.


    Although the battle ended, it left behind its mark on her body. The giant hand of the horned mutant that pierced her was still present inside her body.


    Due to her quick reaction when the attack came, she was barely able to avoid getting her heart punctured. However, it still tore through her body, just below the shoulder de. Even her ribs were heavily damaged.


    Her entire right arm turned limp as she could barely sense the part of the body. Blood was gushing out of her wounds with each second.


    Once the piece of the arm that was stuck inside her was removed, she would instantly die of blood loss.


    ''What did you mean by live on? Sister, I don''t think I can survive this.'' Chitra thought with a heavy heart.


    She didn''t cry after that. Or she couldn''t. Her body simply couldn''t produce any more tears.


    Alex didn''t know what to do at that moment. The person before him was injured and at the death''s door. He didn''t know if there existed a miracle medicine that could save a person sustaining as heavy injuries as Chitra.


    "I don''t know what to do. I have never teleported a person as injured as you. So, I am unable to predict what would happen. You might even die while I am teleporting you out." Alex stated.


    "I don''t know either. I have never been wounded like this before." Chitra spoke in a low voice.


    "It seems like your lungs still work!"


    "No. The remaining energy I have is barely holding the body together. I would die the moment I release the control over my energy. That is my fate. I could sense my death nearing me even as we speak."


    "But still, I want to live," Chitra said with a mncholic smile. Because that''s what her sister said her to do.


    "Wouldn''t your tribee here now? Will they be able to save you?" Alex asked to see if there was any hope for her. After all, Chitra was a tier 5 warrior. If there was something that could save her, she would at least know about that, right?


    "They woulde here. But, they wouldn''t be able to save me." She turned to Alex. Her eyes turned blurry as she was beginning to nod off. She was exhausted and sleepy. And if she gave in to that impulse, she knew she would never wake up.


    Forcing herself to wake by biting on her tongue, Chitra gazed at Alex.


    "If I die before theye. Can you ry myst words to them?"


    "I can."


    "Then. Say that I found my sister. And say that she passed on without any regret."


    "Okay. Is that it?"


    "Yes."


    "But, what if there was a way?" Alex suddenly asked. "A very risky way to save your life?" Alex suddenly asked.


    "Huh!"


    Alex captured Chitra''s full attention with his word.


    "What way?" After a moment of shock, she asked back instantly.


    "There might be a way to save you. And I am not sure if that would work. If failed, even your corpse would not remain. Would you like to try it?"


    ''Is this the opportunity that the Divine butterfly predicted? The opportunity to change my fate!'' Suddenly a thought infiltrated her mind.


    She knew the white-robed man was unpredictable. His future was shrouded by something powerful, even the Divine butterfly couldn''t read his future or past. If he was saying something like that, she believed there was hope.


    "YES!" Chitra said resolutely.


    "Uh!" Alex was surprised by her willingness.


    ''Yes! Ahh! It''s better than dying I think. Now I am kind of realising why the evil organisation has such influence in this continent. I have too much power at the negotiation table when I can decide on the life and death of the other person.''


    ''Desperation can force others to align with my interest.''


    ''Although, I cannot sense desperation, fear or greed from her. She still wants to live. And she wants to take that opportunity even when she knows the risk.''


    ''What made her think that I was a good person? What if I was someone like the evil organisation? What if I used her to do something improper after saving her? She threw caution to the wind, this fool.''


    ''Anyway, it''s not my ce to think about all that. I gave her hope, So, I should follow through.''


    Alex decided as he released a huge amount of mana into the atmosphere. Although he was a tier 4 warrior, in terms of mana quantity, he was not any weaker than an early tier 5 warrior.


    Chitra, who saw this was surprised.


    "What are you doing?" She asked in a panic.


    "Don''t reject the energy. ept it and allow it to engulf your body. This is the only way to save you. After that, I will teleport you somewhere. So, don''t panic when you see the surroundings change." Alex warned.


    The mana swirled around and began to cover the entire body of Chitra. And as Alex suggested, she allowed the mana to engulf her body. She didn''t reject its presence anymore. Or else, like thest time, Alex would have been unable to teleport her.


    "Okay. I am beginning."


    "Farm, turn her into a pet," Alex said aloud.


    "What!" Chitra, who heard it couldn''t react properly.


    Pet! What kind of pet? What farm? Was he not going to teleport me? Why Is he suddenly talking about pets?


    Chitra couldn''tprehend Alex''s words. But she felt something was wrong.


    [Ding. Confirming the entity''s life signs. No rejection was detected.]


    [Entity is epted as farm pet 4. You can rename the pet if you want.]


    [Would you like to rename it?]


    "Yes! Rename it to Chitra."


    [epted.]


    [Pet''s health condition deteriorating. In critical condition. Please allow the farm to take action to improve health.]


    "Allowed."


    [epting order. Analysing the "Chitra''s" condition.]


    [Puncture wound on right shoulder. Scap injured, Ribs injured, Lungs injured, heavy damage to muscles, nds and soft tissue.]


    [Suggesting method of treatment. Energy Istion treatmentbined with gene serum and nutritional supplements.]


    [Chances of survival - 10 percentage.]


    "Sigh! As expected. The chance of her surviving with the help of the farm is also low."


    "What!" Chitra, who heard it was once again surprised by what Alex was saying. To her, Alex seemed like a crazy person that was bbering while looking at the sky.


    But suddenly, she saw something pop up in her vision. A little icon of the farm was seen in her vision. And her curiosity was quickly directed at that.


    But before she could find what that was, she was teleported to an unfamiliar ce.


    ''What is this ce?'' She said while looking at the nts that surrounded her.


    ''A vegetable farm?'' She concluded after observing for a second.


    Meanwhile, Alex was improving the n provided by the farm. The ten per cent chance of survival was too low. So, he had to do something crazy.


    "Farm, including the grafting of mutant cells into the n. First, graft the mutant cells, andter inject the gene serum that gives the resistance. Also, include the regeneration gene serum in that."


    "What is the chance if we do it like that?"


    [Fifty per cent.]


    ''It''s a lot better than before. If she survive, she would be even stronger.''


    "Let''s do it," Alex suggested without wasting any more time. Chitra was in critical condition, and as time went by the chances of her survival were slowly decreasing. He was forced to make a quick decision.


    [Initialising treatment.]


    [To ensure the safety of the pet, Isting the space upied by the pet.]


    Suddenly a silvery metallic sheen materialised around Chitra like a cocoon. And all the energy was drained from inside it. She fainted instantly after that.


    Then the cocoon was moved to another vacant area near the farm.

 Chapter 139 Chitra Left

    ?


    Chitra was temporarily safe. The interdimensional farm was trying its best to save her.


    Alex used the little bit of free time to treat his injuries. His broken right arm has begun to swell. Leaving it like that was not preferable.


    Taking out some emergency supplies from the farm warehouse, he began to clean his wounds.


    Most of his wounds were small, minor flesh wounds. Even with only one hand, he cleaned them easily. Then, he spread some of the medicine he acquired from the mupan. Although these medicines were painful, they were great in healing the wounds of warriors.


    After that, he tied a loop of cloth around his neck and hung the broken arm over it. Treating a broken arm was not as easy as he imagined. So, he left it forter for the professionals to do it.


    Now, it was time to leave the hell hole. Alex exited the farm with that thought in his mind.


    However, just as he exited the farm, he was greeted with a bone-chilling and dangerous gaze. A middle-aged woman was looking at him as if she would kill him any second now.


    ''I didn''t do anything. Please don''t kill me.'' Alex almost screamed out as he saw the woman seething with anger.


    However, she didn''t do anything to Alex, the white-robed man. She just observed him with angry eyes.


    Nheless, Alex took a breath and waited. He wanted to see what the woman would do. Besides that, he didn''t want to deepen the misunderstanding even further by opening his damned mouth.


    After all, exining was not his strong suit.


    "Where is Chitra?" Finally, the woman opened her mouth to ask.


    ''Yahoo! For a second I thought she was someone from the evil bastard''s organization. But it doesn''t seem to be the case.'' Alex heaved a sigh. He rxed his tense muscles after that.


    ''This woman is surely rted to Chitra or the Divine butterfly tribe. She might even be the backup Chitra was expecting. If she was with the evil organization I would be dead already. A tier 5 warrior like her doesn''t need to be polite with me otherwise'' Alex deduced after careful thought.


    "Who are you?" Still, to confirm his doubts inquired about the identity of the woman.


    "What!" Suddenly, the new person that emerged from the side eximed.


    "You don''t know!" It was none other than the protector of Karthi. After sending Karthi to get medical care, he entered the underground maze in hopes of finding Alex.


    Now, he stood shocked about the ignorance of Alex.


    "The person before you is the leader of the Divine Butterfly tribe. The strongest tier 5 warrior in the city. Be polite." The protector whispered his suggestion.


    ''That makes sense! Thanks for the tip protector guy.'' Alex quickly grasped the identity of the person before him.


    ''She is the matriarch of the Divine butterfly tribe. Her name is Salwa or something? Then I should be polite.''


    "Greetings!" Alex bowed, disying his respect.


    "In regards to Chitra¡­" Alex intended to continue, but Salwa interjected.


    "Yes, where is she?"


    "I understand your impatience, but please allow me to exin," Alex requested, sensing the urgency while also aiming to rify the situation.


    "Regrettably, she has left¡­"


    "What!" Alex tried to exin but was again stopped by Salwa''s words.


    Salwa''s rage ignited upon hearing this news. But the rage was not directed at Alex. Concurrently, a pang of heartache gripped her. Chitra was akin to a sister ¨C the thought of her demise was agonizing.


    "Um!" Seeing this, Alex panicked. He was about to exin that Chitra left for some ce, leaving behind herst words. But, before he could say that, the other side mistakenly thought that she died.


    ''What should I do? Anyway, I should clear up the misunderstanding. Or else, I would be in deep trouble. I don''t have a corpse to prove that she died.''


    "Um! Hello! I didn''t mean it like that." Alex said before the situation could spiral out of control.


    "What do you mean by that?" Salwa asked again. But this time, in a nicer tone. For a moment, when she saw Alex for the first time, she lost control of her emotion. But now, she had realised her mistake and asked him politely.


    "I apologize for any misunderstanding. By ''left,'' I meant it quite literally. She sustained severe injuries from the mutant monster. However, through some unexined phenomenon, she was rescued. Subsequently, she departed the area, entrusting me with a message to convey to you." Alex paused for a moment and continued. This time, no one interrupted him.


    "She left after asking me to say that she found her sister. And she reminded me to say that L passed on without any regret. After that, she left this ce."


    ''Although the part about leaving was a lie, it''s better for them to believe that. I don''t know if Chitra would survive for sure. It''s a white lie.'' Alex said to himself.


    His exnation was simple for everyone to understand. But it was hard for them toe to terms with it.


    Chitra didn''t die. That was a good thing. But, how did she find her sister while battling against the evil organisation? Alex''s exnation opened the way to more questions than answers.


    "How do you know L? What exactly happened here?" Salwa inquired.


    This time, Alex turned towards the protector.


    "You didn''t exin anything?"


    "I did. That''s why she is taking you seriously. Or else you would have been imprisoned the moment you appeared."


    ''Uh! That''s correct. Why would anyone believe a white-robed masked man that was hiding his identity? It seems like the protector vouched for me.''


    "Then, let me exin from the beginning." Alex began to recount the things that happened.


    From meeting the street vendor to Chitra escaping, he exined most of it with the information he has. But he lied about some things to keep his secrets hidden.


    "That''s why she met L. L was turned into a mutant by the evil viin named Kain. He was also doing inhumane experiments on other children. To save them, I had toe to this ce. Fortunately, I could rescue the children.


    "I have brought the rescued children to a safe ce and returned to investigate further.


    "I also think that L was the reason for the unexined phenomenon. She somehow saved us."


    Alex concluded his words.


    At first, it was only the protector and Salwa that were present inside the underground cavern. But soon, many high-tiered warriors of the Divine Butterfly tribe came to investigate the area. And they gathered near Alex as he recounted his experience.


    A small had formed near him unknowingly.


    Their blood boiled in anger when they realized how far the teeth of the evil organisation had sunk. And the cruelty of Kain and the spider gang made some of them mad.


    "Should we kill him?" Finally, a riled-up man in the crowd asked.


    ''Kill who?'' But this time, it was Alex''s turn to be confused.


    "KILL HIM." Suddenly, the crowd spoke aloud drowning the sound of everything. Anger was visible in their eyes.


    ''Do you mind exining who the ''him'' is?'' Alex thought as he looked at the protector.


    "They meant Kain. Leader Salwa captured him." As if he understood what Alex meant, the protector exined.


    Hearing this lifted Alex''s mood greatly.


    "That''s great. I wanted to tear him from limp to limp myself. But I am willing to share this opportunity with those who have suffered injustice. After all, sharing is caring. But, I also think he is valuable as a witness. You need to extract all the information from him before disposing him."


    "That''s what we are going to do." The protector agreed.


    Salwa just raised her hand at that moment and calmed down the crowd instantly. From just this action, you could see the respect everyone had for her.


    "The Divine Butterfly tribe would like to invite you toe to their residence. Would you mind that?" Salwa asked Alex after the crowd calmed down.


    "Do I have any other choice?"


    "Yes, you can leave whenever you want. We won''t prevent you from leaving. You don''t have to reveal your face or name. We just simply want to invite you as our guest and exchange information." Salwa suggested calmly.


    "Always happy to help. So, where should I live while we share information? As you can see, my arm is broken. I need a healer to tend to it." Alex said cordially.


    Quickly, a person was assigned to guide Alex. The protector also tagged along as Alex made his way towards the residence of the Divine Butterfly tribe. Alex quickly realised that they were staying near each other.


    But, he didn''t know if that was a good thing. If there was someone that could find his identity, it was none other than the primal chaos tribe. Their proximity worried him a little.


    Nheless, he decided to ept the fact. The reason for hising to the residence of the Divine Butterfly tribe was to maintain a cordial rtionship with the nine major tribes. He didn''t want them to hunt him down like an enemy whenever they saw him. That was also the reason why he spent his time reasoning with them.


    So, he also decided to befriend the primal chaos tribe in the meantime.


    Just as Alex neared his new residence, he had a nagging feeling that he forgot something. That''s when he realised that hepletely forgot about the street vendor.


    ''Fuck! I totally forgot to return the kids that I saved.''

 Chapter 140 End Of The Day

    ?


    A single day that felt like an eternity finally ended.


    Aftering to the residence of the Divine Butterfly tribe, Alex treated his broken arm. He could now sleep in a bed without pain. He entered the interdimensional farm to sleep that day.


    Throwing away his clothes, he washed himself to rub off the filth that covered him. Then he jumped right onto a bed.


    Time went by quickly.


    Alex woke up from sleep after many hours. He didn''t know how long it had been since he began to sleep.


    With a refreshed mind, he checked the interdimensional farm. He felt it had been too long since he cared about the farm.


    The lush green vegetation that existed on the farm looked beautiful. Alex felt his face was being washed over by cool and gentle air. His mind gained rity and calm.


    ''It seems like the exercise that I had yesterday was great. I had a great sleep today.''


    ''What should I do today? My broken arm is almost fixed. I have no problem using it for light tasks.''


    ''Oh! That''s right. I should check on Chitra first. I don''t want a corpse on my farm.''


    Alex hurried away to another corner of the farm. There, he could still see the cocoon made out of spatial energy. Inside that, Chitra was sleeping peacefully like a baby. It was not easy to see what was happening inside the cocoon. Still, he could see the wounds on her body had closed.


    ''She looks pickled. Should I change her name to pickle warrior or something?'' Great ideas, one by one, flowed into his mind.


    ''She is healing fine. The body is already fixed. It might take a little more time topletely heal her.''


    "Farm, exin the status of Chitra," Alex called out to the farm AI. He wanted to know in depth what was happening to her body.


    [Survival rate has risen to seventy per cent. The majority of the flesh wounds are healed. Regenerating and strengthening the bones, ligaments, and tendons needs to bepleted.]


    [Gene serum is slowly being integrated into her body. With time, the survival rate of the pet would increase.]


    "Can you exin in depth? I want to know what effect the mutant cells had on her. I also want to know if they can bepletely removed once her condition improves."


    Previously, the mutant cell was grafted into the Chitra. Alex ordered this crazy procedure to increase the chance of her survival. He knew that it was a crazy idea. So, he wanted to know if his action would create harmful side effects.


    The second-generation mutant cells were known to be very intrusive. Once ittches onto its host, it will slowly change the gicposition of the host and develop inside them. And finally, it will transform the host into a maddened second-generation mutant.


    Alex didn''t want the same to happen to Chitra. So, he was extremely curious to know.


    [The farm took a creative approach of grafting second-generation mutant cells. Instead of grafting it like another organ into the host''s body, the farm split the flesh lump into more minor parts. These smaller parts were then redistributed in the area with the most wound to immediately heal the fresh wounds. Or else the life of the pet would have been at risk.]


    ''Hm. That makes sense.''


    [Simultaneously, the gene serum that enhances regeneration and the gene serum that resists mutant cells were supplied to the pet''s body.]


    [While the mutant cells healed the host to preserve its life, the host cells slowly gained the ability to resist the mutant cells. This ensured the survivability of Chitra till now.]


    "What will happen to the mutant cells still inside the body. As far as I know, the cells have yet to be eliminated. Wouldn''t it create problems in the future?"


    [Currently, Chitra cannotpletely regenerate the entire area near the wound. It would approximately take one month before all the mutant cells can be removed from the body.]


    "Okay, that''s good." The promise that the mutant cells could be removed calmed Alex down. If not, Chitra would turn into an uncontroble monster. He didn''t want that to happen on his watch. The monster Chitra would be a pain in the ass to defeat.


    Alex rxed after hearing the reassurance of the farm AI. Although it would take some time for Chitra to heal, he was willing to bear with it and wait.


    Suddenly, Alex remembered something and decided to ask the farm.


    "Farm, can you still sense the pets 1, 2 and 3?"


    Pet 1 was the street vendor''s son. 2 and 3 were orphans. To save them, Alex used the gene serum that resists mutant cells.


    Yesterday, he left them in the care of the street vendor and the Divine Butterfly tribe. So, he wanted to know how they were doing.


    [General direction in which they exist and the physical state can be sensed with the pet function. A guiding arrow icon can be created in the vision to assist the user in finding the pets. Would you like that?]


    Farm AIpletely changed the way Alex interacted with the farm. It could now suggest options and create helpful tools for Alex. It was much better than what he had previously.


    "A way-pointing feature like apass. Great! You are bing more and more valuable. Good work, farm. Now create the way pointer thing."


    [Creating waypoint function.]


    Suddenly, an arrow lit up in Alex''s vision. ording to which pet he thought about, the waypoint turned.


    "Nice." Alex thought before quickly putting on some fresh clothes. Still, he had to dress up like a psycho in white robes and a mask. That was the only problem Alex faced as he exited the interdimensional farm.


    ¨C


    Some were waiting outside Alex''s room to invite him to have breakfast. Alex decided to first check up on the children that he had saved before going to eat breakfast.


    Looking at the guiding arrow in his vision, Alex walked around the building to find where the children and the street vendor lived.


    "This ce looks fantastic. Theplex wooden architecture and the amazing view of the garden. You treat your guest well." Alex said as he appreciated the view outside. The beautiful garden and a simple pond in the middle of it were calming. The architecture seemed to have some slight influence on the eastern region.


    His room was in arge vi inside the core of Pushpam city. This area was entirely for the use of the Divine Butterfly tribe.


    Just like the ice phoenix tribe had their pce and inner city region, the divine Butterfly tribe had something simr. The entire area in the core of the city was for their use. It was the residence of the whole tribe.


    Alex curiously looked through the area while praising the architecture and serene beauty of the environment.


    The guide who was following was pleased to hear. So, the guide exined to Alex everything he was curious about. Soo, they reached the ce Alex wanted to go to.


    Although this building that the children resided in wasparatively worse, it was by one means terrible. They were treated well and with respect.


    Alex came across the street vendor as soon as he reached the room. He was sitting near the bed peacefully. And his eyes were fixed on the body of his son.


    "The children have yet to wake up?" The sudden voice from his side startled the street vendor. But, once he realised that it was Alex, he quickly greeted him with a bow.


    "Yes, sir." The street vendor replied.


    ''Farm, give me a status report on their condition.''


    [Showing visual representation of the status of the pets.]


    Suddenly, graphs and charts materialised in Alex''s vision. Each denotes some rted status of the pets. And just by focusing his attention on a pet, he could view their stats now.


    ''The graph shows the heart rate with indicator show if they were within the threshold. Charts are showing MP, HP, and stamina? That''s something new. Nheless, they are useful information.''


    ''It looks like there is nothing wrong with the children. They might wake up once the gene serum''s effect wears off.''


    "They are looking good. You don''t have to worry about their health. They will wake up once they are fully healed."


    "Yes sir, Thank you for saving them." The street vendor politely said. He was thankful to the white-robed man. And he expressed without holding back.


    However, Alex didn''t want the old guy with the kid calling him a sir anymore. He felt ufortable by it. So, after checking the kid''s condition, he decided to do one thing before leaving.


    ''Farm, unbind them from the pet function.'' Alex suddenly said while looking at the kids.


    [The pet slots would be permanently lost once the pet is unbound. Do you wish to relinquish control over pets 1, 2, and 3?]


    The farm asked for confirmation.


    ''Yes.'' Alex confirmed without hesitation. His decision was final. The farm realised this and unbound the children from the pet feature.


    Although he lost three slots for pets, Alex left with a smile.

 Chapter 141 Shame

    ?


    "This is great. The bread is mildly sweet and incredibly soft. The texture feels divine in my mouth. This is the best bread that I ever ate." Alexmented. He quickly moved to grab more and eat. The breakfast that the Divine Butterfly tribe provided was heavenly for Alex.


    Alex was having the time of his life while eating the breakfast the Divine Butterfly tribe provided. He was currently in arge restaurant of the Divine Butterfly tribe. This restaurant was inside thepound of the tribe. And they mainly served the members of the tribe.


    So, the quality of the food was excellent. In Alex''s words, it was luxurious.


    "How did you make it?" Unable to bottle up his curiosity, Alex asked the guide who was following him around.


    The guide gave a contended smile once he heard this. He was d that he could be of service to the guest of his tribe.


    "They are honey bread made by adding our region''s speciality." The guide replied.


    "Pushpam, honey?"


    "Yes. If you want more, I could pack some for you." The guide suggested. Normally, he would not have dared to suggest something like that. Warriors treated as guests of the tribe usually were old men who couldn''t even take a joke. Offering something like that would have been interpreted as disrespect or a threat.


    But, with Alex. He didn''t feel the usual air of dominance that an influential person has. He was much easier to get along with.


    "Uh! Thanks. Then, pack some for me. I will get thatter." Alex said with a gleeful smile.


    ''Once I have this, I will reverse engineer this marvellous creation.'' He thought while looking at the bread.


    ''Even god won''t be able to stop. Ka ka ka¡­''


    Meanwhile, the guide quickly went to pack some bread. He didn''t want to disappoint the guest.


    Alex ordered a multitude of food that he had never tasted before. And after eating them, he almost decided to settle in Pushpam.


    "Sir, allow me to guide you to the meeting hall. You are invited to attend the meeting." The guide who returned with a pack of bread said. He then guided Alex towards the meeting hall.


    Alex knew that something serious was about to happen. So, heplied with the request and approached the meeting hall. His goal was simple when he decided to attend the meeting. It is to share and gather as much information as he can.


    The thing that limited him the most currently was information. And he was happy to get some for free.


    ¨C


    The meeting hall was small. And inside it, there were only a small number of people. Among them, Alex saw some familiar faces.


    Karthi and his protector and the leader of the divine butterfly tribe, were some of the people he knew personally. And ten other tier 4 warriors were attending the meeting, some old and some young. Their faces were familiar, but Alex didn''t know them personally.


    Almost everyone was present when he entered the meeting hall, sitting around a giant table. And they were discussing something with each other.


    The presence of the white-robed Alex caught the attention of everyone. They gazed at him with curiosity.


    ''Am Ite? Usually, I am not. But this time, the breakfast was too good. Thus, you tribe that made the breakfast is the reason behind myteness.'' He wanted to scream at them when he saw their gaze.


    "Come, Sit here." Suddenly, the protector of the Karthi quickly called out to Alex.


    Alex''s nervousness decreased once he saw a familiar figure calling out to him. Although he didn''t know the person that much, he knew this guy was dependable.


    The protector is sane, can make quick decisions urately and has the willpower to follow through. Alex didn''t care if he was good or bad. But he was sure that he was not stupid. And an intelligent person is always better than an unintelligent good person when looking for allies.


    "Okay." Alex nodded and ced his delicate ass on the empty chair near them.


    "Let''s resume the meeting. The person we were waiting for had arrived. If you have any questions that you wish to ask, please ask right now." The protector said to take the attention of Alex.


    But the tactic of misdirection didn''t work this time. The majority of the people still focused on only Alex.


    Finally, a person stood up. And as expected, his question was directed at Alex.


    "White-robed person. What is your name?" The person that asked the question was a younger member of the Divine Butterfly tribe. And obviously, he was irked by the hidden identity of Alex. So, he asked without any pretence.


    "I cannot reveal that." Although initially nervous, Alex kept hisposure when he answered the person. He knew it was unsettling to have someone with an unknown identity sitting amongst them. But still, he was not willing to share his identity with them.


    "Why?"


    "Because it could put my family and friends at risk."


    "What if we could promise that we wouldn''t reveal your identity to the public." The person was unwilling to give up.


    *Smirk* Alex could only smirk at this remark.


    "What do you mean? Do you think that we will reveal your information to the public? Do you think we are that untrustworthy?" The person questioned in a slightly angry tone.


    "Trust. Promises. I don''t think we are that close." Alex said in a sharper tone. Everyone knew what he meant.


    "WHAT! How dare you? We trusted your words when you described what happened in the underground hall. But why can''t you trust us? Do you take us for a fool? Did Chitra really leave the underground hall on her own? Did you do something to her?" Finally, questions, one after another, were shot at Alex like bullets from a machine gun. And some of them urately hit the mark.


    It was true that Alex lied about some of the events that had transpired in the underground hall.


    ''I expected something like this to happen when I agreed to stay here. This young man is astute.'' He praised the guy in his mind.


    ''Age is around thirty. A young tier 4 warrior that desperately wants to find Chitra. Does this guy like her? It might be possible. I would feel bad for separating them if the feelings go both ways.''


    ''Anyway, let''s think about thatter and use my trump card.''


    "Your leader believed me. I don''t think I need to exin any further." Alex directed his gaze towards the woman who was peacefully sitting.


    "She also promised me to keep my identity a secret. I don''t have to reveal it, either."


    This stopped the conversation dead in its track. The young man didn''t have much more to say after that. All his enthusiasm to question Alex drained when he saw the leader of their tribe looking at him.


    "I¡­"


    "Sit." Before he could say another word, an elder interjected. This caused the young man to pause and finally sit.


    "Sorry, that was my son. He seems to have misdirected his anger towards the evil organisation towards you. I hope you don''t mind." The first elder of the divine butterfly tribe tried to pacify Alex.


    This meeting was critical for the tribe. The first elder knew that and prevented something terrible from happening.


    "I don''t mind."


    "Let''s continue the meeting then. Our tribe would like to share the information we have gained from interrogating the prisoner. Let''s move to that." The first elder stood up, holding a parchment. It contained the information that the divine butterfly tribe gained by interrogating Kain.


    "The prisoner Kain is a member of the evil organisation called the Divine Arm. And as we know it, also the leader of the spider gang. He began his activity in Pushpam two decades ago by taking over the underground organisation in the city."


    "After taking control of the underworld, he participated in many illegal activities, including human trafficking and kidnapping."


    "Our tribe failed to protect the city due to ourx security. Even members of our tribe had fallen victim to the nefarious schemes of Kain and his organisation. L is a notable person on that list. She was the sister of Chitra, who was kidnapped fifteen years ago. She was turned into an inhuman fighting monster by them."


    "There are countless victims of the evil organisation that I have not mentioned. And they are waiting for us to take action."


    "I think we should begin by addressing this." The first elder paused after speaking up to this point.


    The question struck the audience with the intensity of a bullet. Those who had anger in their heart finally recognised the real problem. The first elder''s exnation made them understand they were also part of the problem.


    If the tribe had done a good job safeguarding the public, all this mess wouldn''t have happened. They could have detected the danger early on and dealt with it.


    The tribe with the best foresight failed to do that. They were a joke in front of reality.


    Shame washed over all the people that were present inside the meeting hall.

 Chapter 142 Negotiation

    ?


    The silencested for a good minute. The problem was a difficult one.


    The divine butterfly tribe is the ruler of Pushpam. And it was their responsibility to maintain the safety of the citizens in the city. By no means could they shirk this responsibility.


    The thriving city developed due to the safety and opportunities it could provide. Without those, would the city remain as it is?


    "How about giving reparations to those who were harmed by the evil organisation." Another elder suggested. And the majority of the members of the divine butterfly tribe nodded in response, agreeing with him.


    However, the first elder wanted more than this response.


    "Citizens are the most essential part of a city. What would happen when they migrate away? Would reparations be enough?" The first elder posed the question to remind them about what would happen.


    Alex, who heard it felt a light bulb go off in his brain. He finally understood where this man was going with his speech. The first elder directed them at the possible future where the citizens would lose trust in nine great tribes. And the chaos that would ensue due to that.


    "Although Chitra was able to prevent the damage done to the city, she had to pay a heavy price. She disappeared, leaving us guessing if she was alive or dead. And the information about what happened is being circted to the public. Surely, it would affect the grace and dignity of our tribe."


    "When you add the simr events that transpired in Thira and Blue gem city. The damage it would do to the public image of the nine great tribes would have a snowball effect. By then, the trust we built would disintegrate into nothing."


    "To prevent that, we should act now. With reparation, we must take the initiative in battling the evil organisation. We cannot wait like we always do anymore." The first elder boldly suggested.


    "We have to ensure the safety of the citizen. We must rebuild the trust we have lost. We should fight back for once. Just like how we did in the past against the sealed demon." His voice cracked at the end when he said it.


    His heavy words resounded in the ears of the members of the divine butterfly tribe. They were once again reminded of who they really are. One of the nine great tribes. The tribe with the foresight and ability to prevent a great cataclysm.


    They have to step in.


    These words invigorated the others. Even Alex felt that his words made sense. And his usual bullshit detector was not warning him against this man.


    ''Although the son was stupid, I think the father is not.'' Alex thought. The actions of the first elder were utterly different from his son''s. The father had answers, dissimr to the son with too many questions.


    "The reason why we invited the White-robed man and the primal chaos tribe was for this reason." With a dignified voice, the leader of the divine butterfly tribe finally spoke. Salwa knew what would happen in the meeting even before itmenced. Her position warranted her to know these.


    With the first elder''s support, she wanted to know the opinion of the tribe before she decided to take action.


    Suddenly, the other members of the tribe were enlightened. The presence of the white-robed man and the primal chaos tribe now made sense.


    "The prophecy predicts perilous times. We, as one of the nine great tribes, are vital. But, our strength would not be enough to survive what is aboute. For that, we need the help of everyone, that include the other tribes and the citizens.


    "We cannot allow their morale to decrease. For that, we will work together with other tribes and share information. I predict, in this future, this prevent us from being blindsided by the evil organisation." Salwa said. When she said the word predict, it affected everyone differently. Her power and prestige made her words instantly believable.


    "Is there anyone with a differing opinion?" She finally asked the others.


    "What are you nning exactly?" This time, it was Alex that broke the silence. He was the only one fearless enough to ask a question to Salwa.


    "The n is to create an information-sharingwork bybining resources of all the nine great tribes. After that, all information about the evil organisation would be transmitted through it." Instead of Salwa, it was the first elder that answered Alex.


    "The effort to organise ismendable. But is it really possible to create such awork? Would the other great tribes participate in this?"


    "Not just great tribes. We n to include all the tribes we can. And about their participation, we have yet to confirm. But I can say that more than half of the nine great tribes will work with us. The remaining would join soon once they realise the importance of the information we can provide." The first elder stated calmly.


    He was confident that the divine butterfly tribe could convince the other tribes. Even as a neutral tribe, their power and influence over the continent were immutable. Their tribe excelled in dealing with information. Some about the past, some even about the future.


    No one in their right mind would want to lose their friendship with the divine butterfly tribe.


    "Okay. I will believe in your words for now. But you have to confirm what role I y in this all." Alex wanted the answer desperately.


    He wanted to know why the Divine Butterfly tribe treated him so well.


    "Because of the prophecy," Salwa stated immediately. This drove everyone into a frenzy.


    "What do you mean?" The now alert Alex asked.


    "Because the prophecy stated the rise of a hero. A champion that could save us all from doom."


    "What does it have to do with me?" Alex asked with a serious tone.


    "Nothing," Salwa spoke clearly. And this surprised Alex. For a moment, he thought that she would call him a hero. But it doesn''t seem to be the case. In her own words, she said he had nothing to do with the prophecy.


    So, why?


    "Your words are making it even more confusing. If you have something to share, share it clearly." Slightly annoyed by how Salwa treated him, Alex asked in a steamer voice.


    "Do you not fear death?" The young man, the son of the first elder, stood up and asked Alex. His hands were visibly shaking in anger. He was trying his best not to punch, who was disrespecting the leader of his tribe by raising his voice.


    "I do fear death. But that doesn''t mean that I surrender before my fears." Alex stood up and looked eye to eye with the annoying man. The situation turned tense for a moment.


    "SIT!" The first elder had to speak once again to make his son sit.


    However, Alex remained standing. He clearly showed that he didn''t need to obey anyone in that room.


    "Sorry for that." Once again, the first elder apologised. "We invited you to ask for your help." He stated.


    "We could identify that you are trustworthy because even the primal chaos tribe was willing to vouch for you. And yourbat power is high. From what we know, you are hunting down the members of the evil organisation. Even the white robes you wear show your attitude to the evil organisation. So, we want to ask for your help.


    "Although our leader said you are unrted to the prophecy, that is just the partial truth. As an individual that lives in the central continent, you are connected to the prophecy. But not directly.


    "So, we still need your strength."


    Alex finally sat down on his chair. Thankfully, the first elder escted the situation.


    "What do you want me to do?"


    "We want you to act as if you are the hero from the prophecy." The first elder prayed in his heart before stating the reason.


    ''I don''t need to ask why to know what they are nning. Once, I agreed to act as the hero from the prophecy. I will grab the public''s attention, which would raise their morale. At the same time, I would be the target of the evil organisation. They could kill two birds with one stone.''


    Alex realised their ploy instantly. But he didn''t care much about that. After all, he created this persona for that exact purpose.


    "Okay," Alex stated with a calm voice that startled the first elder and Salwa. They never expected an easy answer like that.


    "Do you not need to know why?" The first elder curiously asked.


    "I could guess why. So, what benefits would it entail to be the beacon of hope temporarily? You know I would be in danger when you suggested that, right? So, I presume the benefits would be just as good."


    "Ha ha ha¡­" The first elder really liked Alex''s answer. He wants reasonable people like Alex to be his ally.


    "Of course, we can negotiate on that."


    "Then let''s do that."


    After that, Alex went into full-on negotiation mode. He asked for resources he desperately wanted and a way tomunicate with the informationwork while hiding his identity.


    Although he was negotiating as if he would work for them. He was also creating a n in his mind to use the resources of the divine butterfly tribe. For example, anyone can wear white robes until his identity is a secret.


    ''My pet would have a lot of work to do once she is woken up.'' Alex thought in his heart.

 Chapter 143 Drama

    ?


    The negotiation between Alex and the first elder of the divine butterfly tribe ended soon after that.


    In return for Alex''s service, the divine butterfly tribe promised to give Alex a gold pendant. But it was not just any gold pendant. It was a unique pendant that signifies his identity as an ally of the divine butterfly tribe.


    The pendant was made from an alloy of gold and some other metal. A beautiful butterfly image was engraved on it, signifying its origin. The pendant was small. It was circr and looked slightlyrger than a coin.


    Alex took the pendant happily and stored it in his inventory.


    ''This can help me immensely. With this item, no one can question my identity. With the divine butterfly tribe as my backer, I can walk sideways in any city without arousing suspicion.''


    ''The pendant is worth more than any material wealth they could give me.''


    But it didn''t mean that Alex refrained from asking for material wealth. He also casually asked for a hundred thousand gold coins from the divine butterfly tribe.


    Although it was a bit much, the first elder finally agreed to it after Alex promised to use it within the confines of the city. It''s just redistribution of wealth, the first elder thought.


    Some of the members of the divine butterfly tribe vocally expressed their displeasure in the meeting once Alex gained all the benefits. But once the first elder described the benefits of this partnership, most realised their mistakes and refrained from talking anymore.


    With that, Alex ended the negotiation about his remuneration.


    In reality, the divine butterfly tribe had the power to get everything they wanted without asking for Alex''s permission. They could spread misinformation about the white-robed man and make him a hero.


    They could have manipted the public view on the matter without lifting a finger.


    But they had to do it right to befriend Alex and have a fighting chance in protecting their homnd. Although the person behind the mask was currently hidden, the divine butterfly tribe believed that it wouldn''t be the case for long.


    Even the primal chaos tribe supports the white-robed man.


    Befriending him was the best action they could do in this situation. By spending some money, they finally allied with a possible future powerhouse. That was a worthy exchange.


    ¨C


    The negotiation with Alex ended peacefully, but the meeting has yet to conclude.


    Currently, the divine butterfly tribe decided topensate those affected by the evil organisation. They also befriended Alex, decided to create an informationwork and took the initiative to find and destroy the evil organisation called the divine arm.


    However, they had one crucial thing left to decide.


    "Thest thing on our agenda will be the information we extracted from Kain." The first elder stood up.


    "The prisoner Kain is the evil mastermind behind many horrible things in the city. I have collected detailed information that he hadmitted." The first elder took a giant book and mmed it onto the table.


    "You can read about them." He stated while looking at the book.


    "We are conducting a serious investigation to uncover the goals of the spider gang, Kain, and the evil organisation." The first elder stated and paused.


    After a slight dy, the first elder continued. "We also found some information I wished to share with everyone."


    ''It seems like the first elder is different from all the others. He had done his due diligence.''


    "To simplify it, I havepiled a list of all the people that may have directly interacted with the evil organisation. The rtionship between them is spread out like a spider web. So, our first mission would be observing and extracting information from these people.


    "Secondly, we will inform other tribes and carefully destroy them. And the best time to do that would be during the champion''s tournament. I am saying this to prevent individuals from causing chaos within the system."


    "We have to be systematic and deliberate with our actions. We cannot allow our rage to blind us. And there is a reason for taking action like this." The first elder directed his gaze at the members of his tribe.


    This time, he was speaking his mind to prevent those from his tribe from acting out. Many lost their life in the night battle. If appropriately addressed, it could avoid problems in the future.


    "Now, let''s begin by informing you about my findings."


    "Kain is a mage from the western continent. He used our city as a hub for his human experiments. But the evil organisation had different goals from him. They wanted to unravel the ancient city''s secrets buried below Pushpam."


    "Ancient city!" This word caught the attention of everyone, including Alex. The ancient city was new information for Alex.


    "Not many, even in our tribe, know about the mysterious city buried beneath our feet. But, it seems like the evil organisation knows about it. And they were doing experiments with mages to unravel the formation covering the ancient city." The first elder began to exin in detail.


    Alex, who heard it, gave special attention to the words he was speaking. He, too, wanted to know what it was.


    "The information we gathered about the ancient city during the hundreds of years since the founding of Pushpam was minimal. We could only excavate the outeryer of the town and observe. No one could pass through the formation and look at what is inside it. But we still believe it is a city due to the architectural construction found in the peripherals."


    "Many of you might already know what I am speaking about. But the genuinely shocking part of the information is the ability Kain showed. He could somehow control the ancient formation near one of the defensive nodes."


    "Protective nodes are where the ancient formation that covers the entire ancient city originates. There are hundreds of protective nodes all across the city, buried deep underground. Kain showed us that he can take control of the protective node."


    "So, it is right to believe that the evil organisation can take control of the hundreds of nodes below our city." The first elder paused after saying that. He could see the people near him panic.


    "But don''t worry. They have yet to do that." The first elder spoke in a lighter tone.


    "Did you check it personally?" Finally, an elder couldn''t hold back and asked. It was the second elder of the divine butterfly tribe.


    "Yes. I checked it personally."


    "And what did you find out."


    "The good news is that other than some newly excavated areas, we have yet to find the intrusion of the evil organisation. However, the bad news is that Kain destroyed one of the nodes." The first elder spoke his mind.


    "Why is that bad news? Wouldn''t breaking the node help us gather more information about the ancient city."


    "Yes. But it would also be the same for evil organisations. They could also find more information if they want."


    "How about stopping unknown people from excavating the node? Wouldn''t that prevent evil organisations?"


    "Ah! It''s also what I wanted to discuss. And the reason why we should take the initiative inbating the intrusion of evil organisations. If we want to stop the evil organisation from excavating the remain of the ancient city, we have to make the existence of it public." The first elder stated as a matter of fact.


    And his words held reason. Without making their existence public, how can they guard it? More than a few members who know about it will be needed to protect the hundreds of nodes. It is time that they publicised their existence.


    The divine butterfly tribe kept it hidden till now because it had no effect on the city above it. But that was about to change.


    "Is there no other way?"


    "No."


    "Leader?" The second elder called out to their tribal chief, Salwa. "Do you also believe this is ourst resort?"


    "Yes. That is also why we invited the primal chaos tribe to this meeting." Salwa spoke.


    "After making their existence public, we will invite all the other tribes to find the mysteries of the ancient city. Everyone is allowed to research ways to find the entrance to the buried ancient city." Salwa said.


    "Yes, we will ce a bounty on it. This will be the opportunity the city desperately needs. It will be a focal point to invite more people into the city." The first eldermented from the side.


    "Once it is publicised, there is no turning back." This time, it was Karthi that spoke. As a representative of the primal chaos tribe, he wanted to remind them of that.


    "We know. This is the best time to do it. This is better than letting the evil organisation intrude on our territory." The first elder responded.


    ''What is this? A y? A drama? It seems like everything has already been decided. Somehow, I have also be an actor in this y.'' Alex realised that a littleter.

 Chapter 144 Home Has Changed

    ?


    Alex returned home after agreeing to the demands of the divine butterfly tribe. The remuneration he received was satisfying for him to do that.


    The divine butterfly tribe, as suggested, began to create an informationwork. They immediately called other great tribes for a meeting, in which they decided to develop the informationwork.


    As expected, there were voices of opposition from some tribes. After all, the nine great tribes didn''t have a great rtionship with each other. But, the opposition was squashed when the majority decided to participate in the endeavour with the divine butterfly tribe.


    Thus, the neutral divine butterfly tribe became the centre for information.


    All tribes, small, big or great, were allowed to approach them with information about the evil organisation. Later, special teams would act on the knowledge they gained and punish the evil.


    The formation of the special team wouldmence once the Champion''s tournament began. All the other tribes agreed to allow the youngsters that performed the best in the champion''s tournament to be at the helm of the special teams.


    In this meeting, the divine butterfly also revealed information about the ancient city buried beneath Pushpam. It was a shocking revtion to most. They never expected something like that to exist in theirnd. Once again, reminding them that the world was bigger than they expected.


    Once the information was revealed, everyone wanted to jump in and explore the underground ancient city. The divine butterfly tribe happily received their enthusiasm with open hands.


    Everyone was allowed to excavate the ancient city if they could without disturbing Pushpam''s citizens. To do this, the divine butterfly tribe had other goals. By allowing the other great tribes to excavate the city, there will be an influx of mighty warriorsing to the city. And that will significantly increase the safety of the city.


    The other goal was the increase in business opportunities in the city. Pushpam will thrive and grow even after the attack, they thought.


    Like that, the meeting ended.


    The chiefs of small andrge tribes were also informed about the meeting and their decisions. And the action of the divine butterfly tribe was about changing the world.


    ¡ª


    One month went by quickly.


    As suggested, the divine butterfly used the name of the white-robed man better than Alex could. They informed everyone and backed him up for his actions. With this backing, Alex was allowed to go anywhere he wanted in the nine regions of the central continent.


    Although his identity was kept hidden, he received respect from everyone he met. The golden pendant was worth more than he expected.


    However, the investigation that Alex did alone hit a wall. The evil organisation was cruel and decisive when it disposed of the trail leading to them. Many that interacted with them died mysteriously, leaving no room for Alex to do a follow-up investigation.


    The central continent once again returned to a moment of peace. But everyone knew that this peace would notst for long.


    Alex returned home once he realised he had no more trail to follow.


    ¡ª


    Back home, the residence of the stone head tribe had changed immensely when he returned. With the money they gained from farming, they renovated the entire vige they were living in.


    Now, the vige had already taken the shape of a town. New buildings that Alex never saw greeted him as he walked through the vige. Some were made by merchants to amodate the growing market of the stone head vige.


    The products that the stone head tribe farmed were increasing in demand with the wealthy. The traders had to move into this isted region in the northern mountain to quickly purchase the products once they were avable. They need to do so to gain the opportunity to profit by upselling the products.


    Traders were not the only people that migrated to the town of the Stone head tribe. Some adventurous souls also flocked to the city. They were visitors who aimed to enjoy their time and gain experience.


    It was more apt to call them an adventurous tourist.


    These tourists stayed in the town, explored nearby areas and spent all their hard-earned money there. The vigers were likewise busy while amodating the people. This scene made Alex smile gleefully.


    He even asionally saw people wearing white robes telling some stories to the kids that surrounded them. It was a happy scene that warmed Alex''s heart.


    Everything was going better than he expected.


    Strolling by enjoying the view, he went towards the Mupan''s house. It took a while for Alex to find the location of the Mupan''s home. The vige had changed enough for him to lose his way.


    After a while, he reached a familiar building. The circr house with drawing on the walls.


    ''Yes! That is it.'' Alex recognised it with just a nce.


    Although it was renovated, he could identify the house with no problem.


    Alex quickly walked towards it and entered it.


    "Hello, I am Back!" He called out, expecting to hear a reply. But he saw some people staring at him oddly.


    Currently, Alex was wearing his old and worn-out clothes. Besides his signature white robes, every one of his clothes had been tuned to a simr condition. To say the least, he didn''t have anything else to wear.


    Due to the long days of travelling and teleportation, his hair could have been more tidy. With a look, anyone could mistake him for a beggar who hadn''t bathed for days. And that was precisely what happened when he enthusiastically opened the door and jumped in.


    "Hello." This time, Alex asked meekly. Although he was smart sometimes, he didn''t realise his current condition. The fact that he couldn''t get a hold of mirrors made it worse.


    "Ah! Aren''t you!" Suddenly, the old man that was present among the group finally eximed. He somehow recognised Alex through the camouge that he wore.


    "Yes." Pouting a little, Alex said.


    "Meru!"


    "Yes."


    "Come here and sit." The mupan swiftly stood up and walked towards Alex. He invited Alex to sit with them.


    ''I thought you were in some kind of meeting. Why are you suddenly inviting me to sit with you.''


    "Am I disturbing you? Should Ie another time?" Alex asked politely. He didn''t want Mupan''s guest to feel awkward.


    "No, No, No. Come sit here. Why are you suddenly acting sensible? Is it because of the young woman among our guests?" Mupanughed out aloud.


    ''A young woman? Mupan has a knack for creating misunderstandings.'' Alex didn''t even notice the presence of the so-called woman.


    The guest of Mupan was wearing nice clothes. They looked like wealthy and important people.


    "No." Alex simply stated as a reply to Mupan''s question. He nonchntly walked towards the guests and the table they were sitting near. Calmly, he took the seat near the Mupan.


    Now, Alex could see the face of the guest. His eyes widened when he saw the person sitting there.


    "Hello, Hidden Master." The kid called out with a smile.


    "Meena!"


    "You remember me! I am happy to be remembered by the hidden master." The kid giggled happily after saying that.


    ''SHIT! Why is she here?'' Alex thought in his mind. If Alex had to name the looniest person he had ever met, she could have ranked top in that. So, he was curious to know why she was here.


    "Why are you here?"


    "To meet you. I was talking to Mupan about when we could meet you."


    ''Does this brat have some kind of sixth sense. She appeared as if she knew that I would return home.''


    "Why do you want to meet me?"


    "I am not the only one. My sister would also like to meet you to discuss something. I just came early to look around. She woulde soon."


    "Which sister of yours? The crazy one or the poker face?" Alex''s words irked the bodyguards of Meena. His words were obviously disrespectful towards the ice phoenix tribe and their princesses. They wanted to teach the rude kid in front of them a lesson.


    "Ha ha¡­The crazy one." However, Meena didn''t take offence to his words. She answered with a slightugh.


    Seeing this, the bodyguards stopped what they were about to do. They hid their difort and looked at Alex.


    ''Kalina ising here? Why? What''s there to discuss between us?''


    "Are you mistaken about something? If she wanted to discuss business, she could have gone to Dhairya, presently in Blue gem city. She doesn''t need to travel this far and meet with me."


    "Maybe it has nothing to do with business."


    ''Wouldn''t that mean it is personal?'' While Alex was thinking that, the gaze of the bodyguards sharpened. Their princess, the next leader of the ice phoenix tribe, had something personal to discuss with the rude brat before them. They were unwilling to believe that.


    "Oh! Is that so." Alex stood up immediately. "We can talk about thatter then. A chick is about to hatch. Or should I say a butterfly is about toplete its metamorphosis? Anyway, I am busy currently." Leaving behind these words, Alex promptly teleported away.


    He didn''t want hisst few brain cells to die by conversing with the oddity from the Ice Phoenix tribe.

 Chapter 145 Plop

    ?


    Although Alex disappeared abruptly, Meena didn''t mind it. She became excited. Thest time she saw him teleport, he threatened to kill her in front of her grandmother. This memory excited her.


    ''The hidden master is strong!'' She eximed while looking at the empty chair.


    Simrly, the bodyguards that came with Meena were also perplexed by the quickness of Alex''s actions. They couldn''t even react when Alex disappeared. They could do nothing to prevent him from harming them if he was an enemy. They finally realised how dangerous he was.


    ''Thank god he was not our enemy.'' A thought shed through their mind.


    Despite Alex teleporting away rudely, the ice phoenix tribe members experienced treatment befitting the royalty they are. Mupan spent the next few hours procuring them a nice ce of residence. He even gave them plenty to eat and drink and left them for their devices.


    ¨C


    Alex teleported right towards his home after exiting Mupan''s house. He could easily find his odd home among the newly renovated houses.


    Looking at home, Alex smiled.


    ''It has been too long.''


    ''Mani''s and Unda''s house looks great, instead of renovating the old wooden cottage. They have built it from the ground up, incorporating the method of construction that I have imparted. Nice!''


    Alex was relieved to see it. Although he didn''t have much interaction with Mani after transmigration, he knew that Mani was the person that looked after him the most. After his parents died, he looked after him like his own son.


    Initially, Alex avoided Mani to prevent him from understanding his secrets. Transmigration, unconventional knowledge, mysterious way of getting vegetables. All these could have added up and created doubt about his identity as Meru. And the one that could have been most sensitive to it would be Mani. This exact fact caused Alex to avoid Mani.


    But that didn''t mean that he didn''t care about him. That was why he was happy to see the excellent condition of Mani''s house. He was d that they were not facing any difficulties.


    Without any dy, Alex entered his home.


    ''Uh!''


    Alex couldn''t sense the thick smell of mould he expected.


    The entire house appeared clean, as though someone had regrly maintained it. No traces of dust or fungus were visible. The house remained just as he had left it.


    ''Did someone clean it?''


    "That''s wonderful. I should express my gratitude properly. But before that, I must check on the chick about to hatch."


    Alex entered the interdimensional farm once he reached his bedroom.


    ¨C


    The farm looked just as usual. Automatic machines ran around the ce, harvesting mature crops. Sprinklers sprayed fresh water outwards, drenching thend. And some devices were carefully nting seeds and applying fertilisers. It was a great scene to watch.


    After gaining the automation tools, the farmpleted its duties without Alex''s intervention.


    Seeing this, Alex smiled.


    ''The cheat ability that I gained after transmigration is handy. I could farm with automation tools and create gene serums to cure people, even those on the verge of death. Really handy!''


    Alex strolled towards the spatial cocoon that was covering Chitra and healing her. This was the reason he entered the farm. He wanted to know what her condition was.


    The entire cocoon was made out of curved space. In the beginning, Alex could see what was happening inside the cocoon. But as of now, the cocoon looked like an egg. A murky white liquid has filled its entirety, preventing Alex from seeing Chitra''s condition.


    ''At a nce, it looks like a chicken egg. So, it is my right to call the thing that hatches from it a chick.''


    "AI, please show the timer for theplete healing of Chitra," Alex called out to the farm AI while mulling over chicken eggs.


    Just after he ordered, A floating timer appeared above the cocoon. This timer showed time in the real world.


    Alex was familiar with this timer. When he realised he couldn''t know what was happening inside the cocoon or when the healing procedure would bepleted, he asked the farm AI to show an indicator.


    The AI decided to show a timer with the exact time when Chitra would bepletely healed. Before, the time had days, hours, minutes and seconds in order. But now, it was just showing a counter of twenty minutes.


    Slowly, the timer was ticking down to zero.


    ''Twenty minutes! I have to wait for twenty more minutes. Ahhhh''


    ''Anyhow, let''s check on the farm in the meantime.''


    Alex decided to observe the farm while he waited.


    Currently, the farm has features for animal husbandry and agriculture. And when he had excess FP, Alex slowly improved the gic makeup of the farm animals he could rear.


    The entire animal husbandry side now had mutated animals that could use mana, from cows, pigs, goats, chickens, and ducks to fish. By analysing the purple flesh, everything was improved with the gene serum he got.


    Every animal on the farm was now a tier 1 magical beast. In the wild, a tier 1 beast would have been dangerous. But inside the farm, they were docile. They didn''t show any rage or anger.


    They were perfect to be reared by people.


    While he mutated the farm animal, Alex also unlocked the ability to buy infants of the new type of farm animal from the shop. Now, he could quickly multiply their number.


    But there was one small problem. The limited space in the interdimensional farm. He quickly realised he had no room to rear all the farm animals. And it was not a problem he could solve immediately.


    However, he had hope. Now that he could take live organisms to and from the farm, he had a wild idea about what to do with the farm animals.


    He could use the real world rather than trying to rear them on the farm, just like what he had done with the seeds. Now, he can use the real world as his barn, coop and pond. With some help from the Stonehead tribe, that seemed possible.


    So, Alex was happy to see the animals run around happily in the barn. He quickly gathered some chicken eggs, milk and returned after observing them for a while.


    Simrly, Alex had grand ns for the agricultural part of the farm. Once he gets many seeds, he will improve the nt gene using the research pod.


    Even though he walked around the entire farm, only five minutes passed.


    Time was moving at a snail''s pace. Alex couldn''t hide his boredom as he walked around.


    So, to prevent his boredom, he began to make some food. Chitra was about to wake up soon.


    ''After not eating anything for months, she would at least be hungry, right?''


    ''Let''s make a simple breakfast then.''


    Alex quickly took out the cooking utensils from his warehouse. He ced a table near him and neatly arranged the ingredients.


    ''Just milk and eggs. Simple breakfast should be simple.''


    ''Can she even eat these after waking up? Maybe I should make some porridge? No, I think a tier 5 warrior can digest eggs and milk just fine.'' He thought back and forth, but he finally decided to make some egg dishes.


    ''Some need to be hard-boiled; others can be made into an omelette, scrambled eggs and some sunny sides.''


    ''No extra ingredients are needed except salt and pepper.''


    ''Great.''


    Alex was enthusiastic as he began to make the food. However, his enthusiasm actually revealed his real intentions. Alex was not cooking for Chitra; he just wanted something to eat.


    Alex lit a fire on his makeshift stove. And above that, he ced a pan. He waited until the pan was heated.


    A sizzling sound came from the oil when he poured some oil into it. He waited for the oil to heat up.


    He poured the egg he had beaten into the pan. The sizzling sound once again greeted his ears. With that sound came the familiar scent of omelette. After sprinkling some salt, Alex controlled the me carefully as he mixed the egg.


    As he moved the spat through, the egg turned to smooth textured lumps from a vicious fluid. When it reached the consistency he imagined. He swiftly rolled the egg into the shape of an omelette.


    Like that, he made a simple omelette. Now, he had to do it several times to have enough to satiate his hunger.


    It took Alex a few minutes to make all the dishes he wanted.


    He neatly arranged the food items on tes on the nearby table. Scrambled eggs, omelette, sunny side up and some freshly boiled milk. He took out the honey bread that he got from the divine butterfly tribe and ced it nearby.


    The simple breakfast was ready now.


    Time went by in a jiffy as Alex did something he enjoyed. Chitra was about to wake up.


    So, Alex redirected his attention to the cocoon. He grabbed a bed and ced it nearby as he awaited the counter to reach zero.


    10


    9


    .


    .


    2


    1


    0


    "Plop."

 Chapter 146 Chi-Ck/Tra Awake

    ?


    [Ding]


    [Healing Complete. Initiating discharge procedure from the spatial cocoon.]


    A notification sounded in Alex''s head. And with that came a ''plop'' sound like a broken bubble.


    A torrent of murky water was discharged out of the spatial cocoon, revealing the person''s blurred figure inside it.


    ''The chick has finally hatched.''


    "Farm AI, please move the person to the bed I have ced," Alexmanded. He didn''t want to throw Chitra on the floor.


    [Using 8FP to move the spatial cocoon.]


    [Pet is being transferred to the bed.]


    ''Uh! Again, using FP.''


    The farm gave out two notifications. And that was within the expectation of Alex. After all, he allowed the farm to use small amounts of FP without a confirmation message.


    Confirming the use of FP every time was a hassle. So, he allowed the farm to use it in moderation. Up to a thousand FP could be used without confirmation.


    Alex could make 100,000 FP daily after selling most crops and animal products. But, his consumption rate of FP was just as high. He had to spend FP to buy seeds for the outside farm, gene serums to modify the livestock, and even to create teleport points. This caused his high FP consumption rate.


    This meant that he had only a small reserve of FP. About 400,000 FP or so. Although Alex was a little saddened that he had to spend some FP to move the cocoon, he was not bothered by it.


    He believed that FP should be spent. A stagnant reserve of FP will not give him any advantage. It is better to invest in the farm and make more.


    After epting Alex''s order, the farm transferred Chitra quickly to the bed.


    ''Did it think I would change my order if it didn''t do it fast. Was the farm AI that desperate for FP.''


    "Thuck." Like a roasted damp cloth, Chitra fell out of the cocoon onto the bed. The impact of her body into the cocoon made a rough ''thuck'' sound.


    Alex''s gaze instinctivelynded on her, his concern driving him to assess her well-being.


    And her condition was ringly apparent.


    ''Crap! She''s... naked.'' Alex''s hand shot up to shield his eyes, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.


    ''What happened to her clothes? Although they were torn from the battle, how can they just vanish?''


    The farm''s healing processes had apparently removed the shredded remnants of Chitra''s attire during her healing. Consequently, as she was expelled from the protective space cocoon, her bare form was unveiled to the world.


    Now bathed in the afterglow of her rejuvenation, Chitra was a vision of elegance. The once-etched scars and battle-inflicted wounds had all but evaporated, dissolved into nothing through the healing procedure.


    Presented before him was a goddess, an embodiment of grace and allure. Her shape¨C refined; her skin¨Cwithout a blemish.


    ''Bunnies.'' An intrusive thought sparked in his mind. Alex''s mind was tangled in wandering thoughts, his fingers forming unintended gaps through which his gaze inadvertently fell upon her form.


    "No." Suddenly, taking control of his mind, Alex threw some bed sheets over her body. Finally, it was covered.


    "Uh! Sigh!" Finally, Alex rxed, his cheeks still flushed.


    ''For a moment, I thought I had lost it. Fortunately, my mind was strong.'' Hemented in his mind. He was actually proud of his aplishment.


    "AI, why is she not waking up. It has been a few seconds since she was discharged from the cocoon?"


    [The healing procedure isplete, and it is a sess. Please wait patiently.]


    "Did something go wrong with her head?"


    [The chances do exist. But the probability is extremely low. Tier 5 warriors have strong minds.]


    "But her heart was broken when she realised that her sister died. Can she really pull through her pain and anguish?"


    [User''s worries are irrelevant.] The farmmented.


    While Alex conversed with the farm AI, the eyelids of Chitra fluttered, and her body shivered. Her senses were awakening.


    "AH!" Suddenly gasping for air, she sat up without thinking. Her mind wandered as images formed in her eyes. She was barely able to see the outside world. The lights were still strong for her eyes to see in.


    It took a moment for her eyes to adapt to the outside world.


    ''Where is this ce?'' Chitra thought.


    And that was when she noticed a person before her. He was wearing odd, worn-out clothes. And he was looking at her with his mouth wide open. The face of this unfamiliar man was flushed, and he was having difficulty making direct eye contact with her.


    ''A creep?''


    Suddenly, a cold wind blew over her skin. Chitra looked down when she felt the wind. And her bare body came into her vision. She noticed that she was naked and was sitting up, revealing everything.


    "AHhh!" A shrill scream escaped her lips. She grabbed hold of the sheets and quickly covered her body. Her face flushed in anger.


    "Per-vert." A word escaped her lips. Her anger peaked at that moment, realising the man was looking oddly at her.


    "Die."


    A giant energy hand materialised behind as she threw it forward. The energy contained in it was deadly. And it was directed at poor Alex, the only other person on the farm.


    Although some farm notifications sounded that moment, Alex had no time to review them.


    "Oh! Crap!" Alex eximed when he saw the energy hand flying towards him.


    However, the current Alex is different from the past. He trained hard in the past month to better control his mana. He had improved as a warrior and a mage. And he also enhanced his mana quantity, reaching almost 5000 cores.


    He currently had mana equivalent to five tiers and 4 warriors. Although he could only control 1000 cores at a time, he was still strong enough to deflect the iing attack.


    Alex deflected the hand by releasing a hundred wind attribute spells to create a simr torrent of mana.


    To just deflect that attack, Alex had to use about five hundred cores of mana. A tremendous amount when you consider that an average peak tier 4 warrior only had equivalent to 1000 cores of mana inside them.


    "STOP! PLEASE! I AM NOT A PERVERT!" Meanwhile, Alex didn''t forget to scream his words out to clear the misunderstanding.


    "What are you? If not a pervert?" Chitra, however, didn''t believe his words. She was still prepared to throw another attack at Alex.


    "Don''t you remember what happened?" Alex realised that it was a difficult situation to escape from. So, he asked to spark her submerged memories.


    And this indeed had an effect. Chitra''s eyes suddenly widened, and she went into a reverie. Her mind began to travel into the past, recollecting fragments of her memories.


    With each second, emotions overwhelmed her. Tears brimmed up in her eyes when she finally remembered the past.


    If an outsider was looking at this, it was a scene that could lead to many misunderstandings.


    Alex, an entric man adorned in tattered garments, stood alongside a stunning, naked woman who tightly clutched her bedsheets. Her eyes appeared distant, immersed in contemtion, and teeming with emotions. Her countenance revealed many feelings, primarily tied to a sense of injustice and profound loss.


    What did this man do to this woman?


    That was the first question anyone would have had if they had seen them.


    However, Alex was innocent this time. He didn''t do anything. Chitra cried due to the pain that resurfaced with her memories. The psychological pain was immeasurable at that moment. And she had to relive that moment again in her mind.


    "Do you remember it now?" Alex woke Chitra from her reverie with his words. He didn''t want her to be stuck in the memories of her past.


    "The white-robed man?" Chitra inquired while looking at Alex.


    "Yes. This is the real me, without any disguise. And for your knowledge, I am absolutely not a pervert. You were the one who sat up. And my eyes identally moved on their own." Although Alex wanted to clear the misunderstanding, he almost made it worse.


    Nheless, Chitra didn''t turn violent this time. She realised her part in the mistake.


    "Where is this ce? Where are we?" She inquired.


    "It is a little tricky to exin. Let''s say this is my farm. A farm that can breakmon sense. I think you would know it better as a pocket space."


    "Your farm? A pocket space?" Chitra looked around and inquired. "Why are we here?"


    "You were in desperate need of medical attention. So, I brought you here to patch you up. And I think I was sessful in doing so. Do you feel any pain or something?" Alex said while pointing at her.


    "No, I feelfortable."


    "That a relief."


    "But I can see an odd thing in the periphery of my vision. It looks like a symbol, an image perhaps?"


    ''A symbol? An image? Don''t tell me¡­''


    Chitra''s sudden disclosure made Alex panic. Because he could also see something simr, and that was the farm icon that allowed him to enter the interdimensional farm.

 Chapter 147 Pet Feature

    ?


    ''Can the pets also see that?'' Alex panicked.


    It was not the first time Alex was creating a pet. He used it in the past to save the mutant children. However, this was the first time Alex was interacting with a pet. The children were previously relinquished from the farm''s control when they fully healed. It makes sense that he didn''t know about the existing function.


    "What are you seeing?"


    Alex directed his question at Chitra. He wanted to know in detail what it was.


    ''After all, people with something wrong with their brain can see unnatural things in the peripheral vision. It cannot always be associated with an otherworldly farming simtor with me.''


    Chitra took some to respond this time. She spent the time thinking over what she was about to say. Although the white-robed man was not an enemy, she was unsure what she saw was rted to him.


    "Do you know something about it?" She asked back, unwilling to share the information easily.


    "I wouldn''t know if you are unwilling to say what you are seeing."


    "As I said before, it is a cartoonish image. At first, I thought it was some kind of symbol, but it was not one. I am sure about that."


    "Are you sure there is nothing wrong with your head or eyes?"


    Alex''s question irked Chitra. Her eyes turned fierce for a moment. But she calmed down quickly. The person before her was her saviour.


    "I am sure." She spoke, biting her lips.


    "Then, it could only be something rted to me." Alex rubbed his temples after saying that.


    However, Chitra didn''t allow Alex any time to mull over it. She quickly asked the following question. She knew that no ordinary thing could make her hallucinate. It must be something powerful.


    "What is it?"


    "Why can I see it?"


    "This is abnormal. I would like an exnation for that."


    Chitra was reasonable with her questions. She didn''t attack him or get angry with the current situation. She was amicable once she realised her current position.


    "Hm¡­ The truth is that I don''t know. But wait for a minute. It would take some time for me to ess the information."


    Alex couldn''t answer questions of Chitra immediately.


    "Before that, You can wear this." Alex threw a spare white robe at Chitra. He couldn''t let her be naked all this time.


    "You can wear that ande to the table. I have prepared some food for us to eat."


    He pointed at the table nearby while walking towards it. He satfortably on a chair beside it and began asking the question Chitra asked the farm AI, the only thing that could know about their current situation.


    "Farm. Do you have something you would like to say?"


    [What information would you like to know?]


    ''What kind of question is that? Of course, I would like to know about the pet function. Did I overestimate the ability of the farm?''


    "About why the pet is seeing the farm icon. I thought I was the only person who could see that."


    [The farm can allow the pets to use the farm features. The user can determine what features are avable for the farm. In simple terms, the farm abilities, as you call it, will be avable for the pet. And the portal which they can use is by the farm icon.]


    "Well, I wouldn''t call it simple. Your exnation makes it even moreplex. Can you describe this feature with some examples?"


    [I can.]


    [Example: The user can teleport into the interdimensional space of the farm. Simrly, the pets can teleport into the farm by concentrating on the icon.]


    "Huh! I am happy to know that. But wouldn''t that mean a pet dog, who cannot concentrate on the icon, will not be able to teleport in on their own volition? Did the farm expect me to create intelligent creatures as my pet?"


    [Intelligent creatures are preferable. Only intelligent creatures have the will and intelligence to use farm ability.]


    "Sigh! You could have told it before." The pet function was more helpful than Alex predicted. He was a little discouraged that he had just lost three pet slots. However, he didn''t regret the actions. Even with the new information, he would have made the same choice again in a simr situation.


    "Anyway, what other abilities can the pet use?"


    [Currently, they only can ess the farm space. The user can allow the pets to use other features like the short-distance or long-distance teleport point ability. However, these have some prerequisites.]


    [The pet can only do short-distance teleport if the pet is within 1000 meters of the user. Simrly, the pet can ess the teleport point feature when it is within the radius of the teleport point.]


    ''I expected limitations like that. Still, it''s pretty useful.''


    "What about warehouse and inventory function? Do the pets have that too?"


    [Pets can ess the warehouse and inventory if the user allows it. But, they are also limited by the proximity of the user. They can only use the feature once they are within a kilometre distance of the user.]


    ''Great!'' Alex was excited to know this.


    He thought deeply about the new features, and hundreds of possibilities emerged.


    ''What if I can use pets inbat?''


    ''Seven pets that can work together to assist. Every one of these pets uses teleport and inventory functions. They can also escape to the farm when their life is threatened. That''s super cool. I don''t have to fight alone anymore.''


    ''I am like a tamer now. But better.''


    Alex was thrilled by the notion.


    Simrly, he could also use pets to do his work in real life. With enough teleport points built worldwide, they can travel anywhere, anytime, while doing their bidding. There was also this possibility too.


    However, a straightforward issue arises: how can he achieve unconditional obedience from his pets? Intelligence brings forth the challenge of potential rebellion.


    "Damn it, I have no intention of exerting force. I''m not aiming to be the next ve lord. I must contemte deeply before choosing a pet." Alex spoke aloud his thoughts.


    Meanwhile, Chitra was looking at what Alex was doing. She could hear the words he was speaking. Although she couldn''t understand most of it or what the AI was replying to, she could form a general guess about what was happening.


    And one of the words she heard the most while he spoke with thin air was ''pet''. Lastly, she also listened to the words ''ve lord''. This spooked her a little.


    The young man before her was talking to thin air about pets and ve lords. And somehow, she felt he was talking about her when he said pet. This further intensified her doubt.


    ''What''s going on?'' Her mind was about to scream for help.


    After all, she had reason to doubt Alex. She expected to see an older mature man behind the mask and white robes. But, what she got was a bum-like youngster. He called himself the white-robed man and introduced himself. He has yet to say his name.


    Still, she trusted his words and waited patiently to get the answer to her question.


    But that''s when he began talking to air about pets.


    ''Does this person have a screw loose?'' She thought.


    ''Maybe it is more than one screw.''


    -


    "Thanks, AI. Now, I have a general understanding of the pet feature. I just hoped that you could have said earlier."


    [Please read notifications from the farm before saying that.] The farm replied.


    That''s when Alex remembered the notification he heard when Chitra mistook him for a pervert and attacked.


    Alex swiftly nced at the notification history. Indeed, it contained some information regarding the pet feature and the ability to enable pets to utilise the same farm abilities as the user.


    Additionally, there were warnings concerning Chitra''s mental state. There was even a notification inquiring whether he required assistance in maintaining control.


    ''Uh! I could have stopped Chitra. There was a method to maintain control over the pet. Cool! I wish I don''t have to use that. Because, like the children, I don''t n to let Chitra leave. She will have to work sometime before she can gain her freedom.'' Alex thought with a sly smile.


    The sly smile looked horrifying to Chitra. She wanted to wake him up from the reveries and ask if she could leave. The pocket space she was currently in was making her ufortable. She somehow had the feeling of powerlessness drill into her. It''s as if she had no control over her life.


    "Um." She spoke, trying to gain Alex''s attention.


    "Uh!" Alex woke up from his reverie and gazed at Chitra. His lips curled and revealed the best smile he could make.


    "Hello, Chitra. Let me introduce myself. I am Meru of the stone-head tribe. I hope we can work together in the future." He said with a pleasant smile.


    Chitra didn''t know how to respond to that. What working together? What was he saying?


    ''Can you first exin what I saw in my peripheral vision?''


    Chitra could have never imagined her plight since she asked Alex to save her life.

 Chapter 148 World Comes Crashing Down

    ?


    Alex introduced himself by revealing his name and affiliation to the stone-head tribe. Chitra rxed after hearing that.


    "You are from the stone head tribe. I don''t remember hearing about that tribe. Where are you from?" Chitra consciously deflected the part about them working together. She felt that nothing good woulde out of exploring that part of his words.


    "As you already know, I am from the Divine Butterfly tribe. My name is Chitra." She stated while tidying her hair with energy.


    Although she mistook Alex for a homeless individual, she looked like one too. So, she quickly corrected her appearance while Alex talked to the farm AI. She had already dried her body and cleaned it by dispersing energy.


    Now, she had already regained her elegant appearance. However, the white robes, which were a little loose for her body, made her look cute simultaneously rather than imposing.


    "Thank you for saving my life. I am extremely grateful to you." Chitra stated while looking directly into Alex''s eyes.


    Alex was pleased with these words. He failed to notice that she had deliberately excluded the term ''working together''.


    "So, Can you exin why I see the thing in my vision?"


    "Of course I can," Alex replied.


    He took some bread and eggs and consumed them in the meantime.


    "You can also have some. I prepared enough for the both of us." He pointed at the food and said.


    "And about the thing you are seeing. It is a harmless symbol connecting you with this spatial ne, my interdimensional farm. And it will grant you some amazing abilities."


    "Could you exin why I am connected to this spatial ne? And what does it have to do with pets? I heard you mention the words pets and ve previously."


    Chitra couldn''tprehend what he was saying.


    "Ah, that." Alex realised that he had to tactfully make her understand the pet feature. Angering her could make his life difficult.


    There are three ways to persuade a person. Alex had heard about them in the past. And these ways are called logos, ethos and pathos.


    If he was using logos, he could give a logical exnation. This method can easily convince those who are inclined to logical reasoning.


    Ethos depends on the credibility of the person who is doing the persuasion.


    Pathos depends on emotion.


    ''Exining this stuff is hard. Was there a difference between a pet and a ve when talking about conscious, intelligent people. Any lies I might say to cover up the current situation would bite me in the backter. That leaves me with only one option. I must tell the truth while sounding as convincing as possible.''


    ''I have to be reasonable, logical and make her believe it was the only thing I could do to save her from death. I think that might be enough.''


    Alex paused to think. He thought deeply about how to convince Chitra. And finally, he began his exnation.


    "You were at death''s door. And saving you was impossible with conventional methods. So, I brought you into this space. Here, I used the help of the interdimensional farm to save you. Fortunately, I was the owner of the interdimensional farm. Or else, you would have died then and there."


    "However, to bring you into the farm and provide you with the best care. I had to assign you as a pet of the farm." Finally, Alex stated with a simple smile.


    "What¨C"


    "But don''t worry. It is not at all harmful to you."


    "How can you be so sure?"


    "Because I know it. I can vouch for it with my life."


    Alex proimed. He was betting on the credibility and trust he built up as the white-robed man to calm the anger of Chitra.


    "Can you release me from its binding now? I havepletely healed. Wouldn''t it be better to release me from the bounds of the ''inter'' something ''farm''?" Chitra urately grasped the situation and asked.


    No one wants to be a pet. And that was the same for Chitra.


    "I can. But the advantages it provides are fart to great to dismiss it. Pet is just a technical term that can''t harm you. I won''t do you any harm. Do you really wish to be unbound from it before you know the abilities it can provide?"


    Although Alex''s reasoning has a gaping hole, just like a doughnut, he pushes forward to make the best out of the situation.


    Chitra paused after hearing Alex''s words.


    After all, the person before her was her saviour. She didn''t know what price he paid to save her. She felt a little bad about outright rejecting him.


    "What ability? How can it be an advantage?" She asked, not realising that she had already fallen prey to Alex''s reasoning.


    Simultaneously, Alex also realised that she was almost convinced by his words.


    ''Nice.'' He thought.


    "It is better to show you." He stated with a smile. "Let''s go." He stood up while saying. He walked away from the chair and began talking with the farm AI.


    He wanted to find a way to take Chitra out of the farm. And farm AI gave him simple instructions on how to do that.


    As the owner of the interdimensional farm, he could exit with the pet if he just imagined it. It was simple and efficient.


    "Come here." He called out to Chitra.


    "We are going to leave the farm space. You might slightly feel nauseous. The sudden change in environment might shock. But don''t worry, it''s not dangerous."


    "Hmm." Chitra nodded in response.


    "Ok, let''s begin." Alex went towards Chitra and grabbed her hand.


    This shocked Chitra.


    Alex had no reason to hold her hand. He could have teleported out just by imagining it. But he did it anyway.


    *Swish* Alex and Chitra disappeared, leaving behind a vacuum. The air in the surrounding area swiftly came together into the void, creating a swirling burst of wind.


    They appeared in the real world instantly. And the location they appeared in was inside Alex''s bedroom.


    Chitra lost her footing due to the sudden change in environment. Alex grabbed her tightly in his arms to prevent her from falling to the ground. Suddenly, they were close enough to feel each other''s breath. It almost looked like they were hugging.


    Alex felt her finger clutching onto his arms, and their eyes met. Time paused in that awkward moment, neither of them not moving an inch.


    "Cough¡­ Cough¡­" Suddenly, a gentle cough woke them up from the awkward silence. They scrambled away from each other while trying to find the person who coughed.


    "It seems like I havee at the wrong time. My dear Meru has grown up into a man." The person who coughedmented while looking at the panicking Alex and Chitra. This man was none other than the Mupan of the Stone head tribe.


    He was looking for Alex and came to his house to find him. He called out to Alex many times, but no one was responding. So, he decided to enter the house.


    Meru was like a grandson to him. He didn''t feel like it was unusual to enter his house. Thinking he was sleeping, he went directly to the bedroom to wake him up.


    But, never in his wildest imagination did he think another person would be with Meru inside the bedroom. He was shocked! And then felt a little happy.


    He wanted to leave them to their devices and quickly find the exit. He thought it would be improper to disturb them if they were doing it.


    However, another pair of eyes also observed Alex and Chitra through the open door. The person disyed a rainbow of colourful emotions, from annoyance to slightly angry.


    This person was none other than Kalina. She came to the stone-head tribe to meet Alex. So, she was with Mupan when they entered his home.


    It took a while for Alex to grasp his situation.


    And he had a general understanding of the misunderstanding that might have formed. However, he had no escape from the awkward situation. He could only me his bad luck. It was, after all, a coincidence. Like Mupan, Alex could have never predicted the scenario ying before him.


    "Hello, Mupan." He called out to Mupan, who was preparing to leave the room. "Don''t leave." He said desperately.


    "It''s just a misunderstanding." He said with a blush.


    Meanwhile, Chitra was also blushing. Her face looked like a ripe apple.


    Finally, Chitra also noticed the presence of Kalina. They had met previously when the prophecy was revealed in the meeting of the nine great tribes. Although they didn''t interact much with each other, they could recognise each other.


    ''Did she also misunderstand the situation?'' Chitra desperately wanted to clear the misunderstanding.


    Meanwhile, Kalina felt like her world came crashing down. It took her a while to recognise Chitra. But once she recognised her, she couldn''t fathom what was happening before her.


    Chitra was a respectable tier 5 warrior. Someone that would be revered like a god. Why was she in Meru''s bedroom?


    She was a person that Kalina respected. A person that she looked up to.


    She was envious of her beauty and strength.


    Her valiant image when she punished the young prince of the volcanic dragon tribe was still fresh in her mind.


    She wanted to be like Chitra in the future. And yet, she came across that person inside Meru''s bedroom.


    How could her world note crashing down?

 Chapter 149 Whose House?

    ?


    "Ah!" The Mupan nodded after hearing Alex''s exnation. "So, it was our misunderstanding. You teleported here, but her foot slipped, and you had to hold her. That makes perfect sense. I almost thought I intruded while you were doing it. Sorry, my mistake."


    The Mupan satfortably in a chair that Alex ced and said.


    Chitra breathed a sigh of relief. But the blush on her cheeks did not diminish.


    However, Kalina still scrutinised Alex and Chitra.


    "Why did you suddenlye to my house?"


    "Princess Kalina wanted to meet you. I brought her here expecting to meet you."


    Alex turned to look at Kalina. He saw her gaze wandering around the room, asionally stopping over Chitra''s body.


    "Why are you here?" Alex asked directly. There was no need for pretence between them.


    "I am here to share some information I thought you might be interested in," Kalina replied. However, her eyes trailed towards Mupan.


    "Oh!" Mupan understood what it meant. "Let me leave." He stood up promptly and made his way towards the exit. His presence was not needed anymore.


    Mupan opened the door and left without saying another word. Alex took the time to serve some tea to his guests. He sipped the warm tea before asking.


    "Now, speak your mind,"


    "What about that person?" Kalina asked while she looked at Chitra.


    "She is with me."


    "A tier 5 warrior of the Divine Butterfly tribe is with you?"


    "You know her?"


    "How can I not?"


    "Hm." Alex nodded. "Anyway, she is with me. She knows most of my secrets."


    Kalina''s eyes widened, hearing Alex''s response.


    "What is your rtionship?" Kalina''s curiosity drove her to ask the question. She leaned forward instinctively to better hear the response of Alex.


    "An ally."


    "An ally? Then it''s okay." Kalina rxed back into her chair. It seems like her curiosity was satisfied.


    Even though she wanted to ask many questions, she realised there would be a better time for that.


    Kalina took some to think. She sipped the tea that Alex served while looking at Chitra. Finally, she asked the question that was haunting her.


    "You are the white-robed man, right?"She disyed a cunning smile while speaking. The question was said in a way that seemed like she was sure of it.


    Chitra was a little stunned. Her hand holding the cup shook slightly, almost revealing her emotion. Fortunately, the tea did not spill outwards.


    "Why do you think that?" Alex kept hisposure and asked. There was no doubt or dy in his actions.


    "You are not surprised by it!" Kalina turned her head slightly. "I thought you would react differently. I thought you wanted to keep it a secret." Then she scanned Chitra''s figure. "Even she knows about it."


    "All secrets woulde to light one day. That is the fate of secrets. Why should I be surprised?"


    "You are not even denying it," Kalina stated.


    Alex just nodded in reply.


    Kalina thought she would see a panicking Alex once she revealed his secret. But, he kept his calm unflinchingly. It was supposed to be a happy moment of victory for her. But, his action drained all the joy from the situation.


    "Sigh." Kalina''s eyes drooped, and her cheeks pouted.


    Kalina''s expression and actions flew over Alex''s head. He didn''t think about them deeply. But it was not the same for Chitra. She noticed something peculiar in Kalina''s eyes.


    "So, How did you figure out my identity?" Alex was the one to break the long silence.


    "Coincidence and luck. I questioned Penthe. He revealed to me that you were present in the city. And the skill set of the white-robed man was simr to yours. Putting one and one together, I concluded that you were the white-robed man. Besides that, she is wearing a simr white robe." Kalina pointed to the white robe Chitra was wearing.


    "Wouldn''t that mean you knew my identity before I went to Pushpam? Knowing I would be interested, you told me about someone impersonating me."


    "Yes. But even then, you tried to protect your hidden identity. So, I didn''t reveal it." Kalina stated.


    "Ha ha ¡­" After hearing Kalina''s exnation, Alexughed. He was impressed by her deductions.


    Kalina smiled back at him.


    "Did you meet the imposter after travelling to Pushpam City?" Kalina wanted to know what happened between the real and fake white-robed men.


    "Yes. And it was a misunderstanding¨C"


    "¨CKarthi was just mistaken as me because of her tribe." Alex pointed at Chitra.


    "You can''t just me our tribe. Karthi likes wearing white robes. He fought against members of the evil organisation in our city and even had the same skills as you. How can we not mistake him for you?" This time, Chitra, who was silent up till now, spoke. Her beautiful voice quickly captured everyone''s attention.


    The fangirl within Kalina stirred, nearly revealing her public affection. However, her consciousness prevailed on this asion, thwarting her from any immediate action. As the heir of the Ice Phoenix Tribe, she couldn''t afford to disy her peculiar tendencies in the presence of others.


    After speaking, Chitra paused. Her shy blushing self was nowhere to be seen. She had regained her confidence and grace.


    Carefully nting the teacup on the table near her. She turned towards Kalina and spoke.


    "Hello, I am Chitra. A warrior of the Divine Butterfly tribe." She introduced herself with the least amount of words.


    "We have met previously. When the prophecy was revealed."


    "Yes. I remember you." Kalina reciprocated by saying that she recognised her.


    The pleasantries were done. Then they talked about the meeting they had met for the first time.


    Alex looked at them from the sideline without interfering in their conversation. He took the final sip of tea and rxed in his chair.


    Kalina and Chitra observed thezy Alex.


    ''The personality he shows as the white-robed man and his Meru is vastly different.'' The thought came to their mind simultaneously.


    Chitra liked Kalina. They quickly became friends. Kalina reminded her of her younger sister. It made their bond even more special.


    Righteous, beautiful and caring. Those were the words Chitra would have used to describe Kalina.


    "I hope we can be friends." Finally, Chitra said.


    "Yes." Kalina happily agreed.


    Chitra was like an idol to her. How could Kalina not agree? In the meantime, she felt a little anger towards Meru, who tainted her idol.


    "So, sister Chitra. Why are you here? I can provide you with assistance. You don''t need to bother with that man." Kalina asked.


    "Uh!" Chitra stumbled around for words. Even she didn''t know why she was there. Alex had yet to exin the entire situation. She only knew she was hurt and was brought to the interdimensional farm for healing.


    She had no information about what happened in the outside world while she was healing.


    "You don''t need to know that." Alex suddenly started helping Chitra out of the predicament.


    "Why? Wasn''t she here to delve into the specifics of the informationwork that the Divine Butterfly Tribe is constructing?" Kalina inquired, seemingly taking it for granted, unaware that Chitracked any information about events urring in the outside world.


    This time, it was Chitra''s turn to be confused.


    "Eh! How long has it been since I was injured?" Suddenly, Chitra inquired. Obviously, her question was directed at Alex.


    "A month," Alex replied concisely.


    "I was in aa for a month!" Chitra eximed.


    "You were in aa?" Kalina followed suit.


    "Does the tribe know that I am alive?"


    "I exined to them vaguely. It is assumed that you are alive. When I met the leader of your tribe, I said that you went out of the city to recuperate. I didn''t specify where and how you would recuperate from your injuries." Alex specified the details.


    "I need to leave right now. Thank you for helping me. I have to visit my tribe and let them know that I am safe." Chitra stated. She stood up from her chair promptly to leave. Kalina also stood up reflexively.


    "Sigh!" Alex rubbed his temple seeing this. All his ns when to drain the moment Mupan and Kalina appeared.


    ''Convincing Chitra is a no-go.'' He realised the reality.


    "Do you want to leave right now?" Alex asked.


    "Yes."


    "Do you know where you are? Or how to travel to Pushpam?"


    "No." This time, Chitra replied meekly.


    "How about the distance you would have to travel?"


    "No."


    "Then why are you standing up. Sit down and hear what I have to say." Alex said in amanding voice.


    She didn''t know why, but Chitra immediately sat down. The same could be said for Kalina. She sat down without evenprehending why. Neither feared Alex, but somehow, his words were convincing.


    "We are in the northern region, on the domain of the ice phoenix tribe. Currently, we are in the vige of the Stone head tribe. You can''t just run back to Pushpam even if you want to." Alex rified.


    Even if a tier 5 warrior can travel thousands of kilometres in a single stretch, they wouldn''t do something crazy like that. Chitra thought she was near her home when she stood up to leave.


    "You can stay here today, and I will help you return to your city," Alex said to Chitra.


    "Yes, sister Chitra, Let me show you the room." Kalina intervened, as it was her house, and pulled Chitra to a room. "I can stay with you today to give youpany." She stated while walking away from Alex.


    Alex looked at this scene gobsmacked.

 Chapter 150 A Familiar Feeling

    ?


    Alex''s home had two rooms. One was his bedroom, and the other was for guests. Kalina and Chitra decided to stay in the guestroom. They didn''t even bother asking for his permission.


    Sun sunk into the mountains as time went by. Alex went around the vige and visited Mupan, Mani and the chieftain. He talked with them for a while to show that he was safe. He was reciprocating their kindness. Meanwhile, he also gave them some gifts he had prepared.


    Unda was pleased when he saw Alex. He jumped around in his chubby body, expecting to get some delicious treats from Alex.


    Alex didn''t let down Unda. He gave some of the Pushpam honey he bought to Unda. And it was the natural honey, not the kind that scammers sold.


    At first, Unda didn''t understand what it was. But after tasting the dense honey inside the jar, his eyes shone like brilliant stars. He was mesmerised by the taste.


    "Big brother Meru, do you have some more," Unda asked without hiding his greed. His chubby hands were directed to the bag Alex was carrying.


    "No, Remember to share it with your friends," Alex stated and disappeared from the ce, leaving behind the greedy little munchkin.


    It was better to say Alex escaped with his life. If he had not, the kids would have covered him like flies.


    He returned home after a while.


    Before entering, he heard loud noises from behind his house. Some people upied the house''s backyard, and they were doing something there.


    Alex paused but quickly approached the backyard to know what these people were up to.


    "BOOOM!"


    "Thuck." Something heavynded on the floor.


    When Alex neared the backyard, he realised that the heavy thing thatnded was Poka. The burly guy was hurled to the sky by someone and fell head-first into the floor. When he fell to the ground with his hammer, he made a giant indent in the shape of his body on the floor.


    "What the heck is going¨C" Unknowing, Alex said.


    But before he couldplete his words, he saw Charam and Kanal being thrown away like a used rag. Their bodies, however, flipped in the air as they fell to the ground gracefully. At least they kept their bnce when they were thrown away.


    Nobody was injured in the bout. But the backyard had better days.


    "Huh! Hidden master." The person that threw away his peer hopped towards Alex.


    ''Only one person calls me hidden master.'' Alex thought as he rubbed his temples. He knew that annoying brat had found him.


    "Meena, you are here?"


    "Yes, great master." She nodded her head happily.


    Alex turned to look at Chithra and Kalina, who were in the audience. His eyes hinted at them at his question. ''What the fuck was going on?''


    Kalina took the hint and stepped forward.


    "They sparred with my sisters. And they lost."


    ''That I can see with my very own eyes.''


    "Could you perhaps borate?"


    "This happened because of you. Your peers imed that they were as strong as you. Meena, however, disagreed with their im. She called you a hidden master and said your strength was unfathomable.


    "This ignited an argument that resulted in a sparring match."


    "And thus, she wiped the floor with them," Alex said while gazing at his peer with pity.


    Poka was severely beaten and bruised. Charam was exhausted, and Kanal looked like she had lost her soul.


    Defeat at the hand of a twelve-year-old has given them a shock.


    ''They might be feeling the same thing I felt when I yed FPS games in my past life. The kid kicking their butt may have wounded their ego. But I think it is a great learning experience. Knowing that there are stronger people outside might motivate them.''


    "Guys, you fought well. Defeat is not the end." Alex gave out words of encouragement and called them towards his home.


    "After moping, you can fix the backyard."


    "Okay." Poka, Charam and Kanal replied.


    "Then, let''s have a party," Alex said.


    "A party! Yeah!" Meena was the first to jump with excitement. "Can I have some fried chicken?" She asked with great expectation.


    "Yes, you can."


    "Hi, hi¡­" She giggled, showing her pearly white tooth.


    Kalina was perplexed seeing the rtionship Meru had with her sister. Meena was usually a cautious kid. She disliked most of the people they met during events in her tribe. And this was due to extraordinary sense. She had this ability to sense hostility and malice since she was young.


    So, she could quickly identify those who approached her for their own benefit. This also prevented her from having friends. After all, real friends were hard to find in this world.


    This also fueled her naughty personality. She treated others just the way they treated her. As time passed, it became a habit of hers, distrusting everyone.


    That was why Kalina was fascinated with the rtionship Alex built with Meena. Even though they only met a few times, they had some baseline of trust.


    "I like cooking for everyone, but I also hate freeloaders. So, this time, everyone here will help me cook." Alex stated while looking at the scattered people around him.


    Meena was the first to nod once she heard what Alex said.


    "Yes. Meena cane here and help me wash these vegetables. Clean them well and ce them here." Alex said while pointing at a table.


    The bodyguards were shocked to see their little princess made to do work. They wanted to step in, but Kalina stopped them.


    The excited Meena hummed a song as she began cleaning the vegetables. It included bell peppers, onions, cucumbers and a wide variety of vegetables that can be used to make sd dressing.


    "Charam, go wash the utensils." Alex pointed at his pans, bowls, tes and other cookware collection.


    "Kanal, light the fire under the grill."


    "Poka can chop up those firewood."


    He gave orders one by one. They dly performed their duties without missing a beat.


    "And Kalina. Come here?"


    "Me!"


    "Yes, you. Did you expect some special treatment?"


    "No, but."


    "Come fast."


    "Yeah." Kalina took some time to process what was happening. But she still went along with it.


    "You can chop up the vegetables that your sister washes. Dice them up nicely and evenly and ce them on the table. I will use it when I need it."


    "Hm.." She hummed a yes while nodding. Kalina never thought that even she would be asked to work.


    Kalina took the knife immediately and began to chop up the vegetables. Within a second, she rhythmically moved the de up and down. Without even knowing, she began to enjoy the feeling of cutting vegetables.


    "That''s it. Nice." Alexmented from the side. But Kalina was immersed in her own world. She couldn''t even hear Alex''s words.


    "Now, Chitra. Come here." Finally, Alex called out to the tier 5 warrior without any fear.


    "Why?"


    "You are the eldest among us. It is your responsibility to take care of us. So, why are you standing there without doing anything? Come and help us."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes. You can be my assistant for today. You will help me with whatever I have to do. asionally, you can go and help the others."


    Chitra nodded in affirmation.


    Like that, the giant family began to prepare the food. It was a calming moment for everyone.


    Poka, Kanal and Charam took their mind off the defeat they encountered and once again became lively.


    Kalina immersed herself in the rhythm of cutting vegetables.


    Meena asionally stole some vegetables and ate them sneakily.


    And Chitra, who was desperately looking for answers, found a little sce.


    Like that, they prepared their meal.


    It took more than an hour to finish preparing the meal. And the food they made smelled delicious. Knowing they had a part to y in the meal prepared before them assured them they could consume it.


    The sun had already set. And it was time for dinner.


    The food items were moved towards arge dining table that Alex ced in the yard. Everything was neatly arranged on the table, from fried, grilled and roasted chicken to soups, sds and bread.


    It was a hefty meal. But Alex knew that nothing would be left over. Because Unda, his dear neighbour, hade to his house after smelling the delicacies.


    "I wish every day could be like this." Alex raised a ss of lime juice and said.


    His words resounded in Kalina''s and Chitra''s minds. They knew what his words meant. Like Alex, they, too, wished for peace. But can they get it? It was not a question they could answer.


    Their emotions churned until Alex spoke, reeling them back to reality.


    "Let''s dig in. Don''t shy away from eating as much as you want." He said happily while grabbing some of his favourite dishes and moving them to his te.


    Like that, the day ended.


    They looked like a giant family together.


    Today was a happy day.


    Everyone was satisfied with today.

 Chapter 151 Better

    ?


    Kalina, Chitra and Meena stayed in Alex''s house. Others went home.


    Alex was the first to wake up. He tip-toed his way out so as not to disturb anyone. He wanted to visit the farm of the Stonehead tribe. But Kalina was waiting for him outside the house.


    "Hello."


    "Yes," Alex replied nonchntly. He was expecting to see her.


    "What do you want to say?" Alex strode towards her and asked. "Let''s talk while we walk."


    Kalina paused for a moment. But she still followed him.


    "Why are you not surprised to see me?"


    "Do you always reply to a question with another question?"


    "No."


    "So, why can''t you answer my question before asking me something?"


    "It is hard to read you. You are never surprised. Your thoughts and actions are always peculiar. That''s why I am prone to ask more questions around you."


    "Hm¡­" Alex nodded. "But don''t put me on a pedestal. I might just be acting."


    "Even if it is acting. You seem to be able to fool others. I would love to learn that skill."


    As they talked, the duo quickly neared the vast expanse of farnd. Previously, this ce was uncultivatable. The entirend was rocky. Shrubs and weeds infected thisnd. But now, the Stonehead tribe had sessfully turned the whole area arable.


    The fertile valleys between the mountains were used to grow crops. The sloped hills were transformed for use in terrace farming. Small streams of water were diverted through canals for irrigation.


    Even after Alex''s absence, the entire area was maintained perfectly.


    Kalina stood in awe as she saw this. It was the first time she was visiting the farnds of the Stonehead tribe.


    "This is the secret to your wealth!" Kalina eximed.


    Alex gave a pleasant smile upon hearing her words.


    "Now, are you sure we can provide the vegetables and meat the blue gem city would require during the Champion''s tournament?"


    "Hm¡­" Kalina nodded her head.


    "What did you want to discuss?"


    "At first, I came here with the pretence of sharing information. I wanted to meet you and know if you will reveal your hidden identity as the white-robed man. But that n fell through the moment I met Chitra. Now, I want to discuss what will happen from here on."


    "What''s there to discuss? You always did what''s best for your tribe. I will do the same."


    "Wouldn''t a cooperative rtionship be better?"


    "No. There can only be cooperation between two equals. I don''t yet think that I am strong enough to be in a cooperative rtionship with you or your tribe. We can only use each other for our own benefit."


    "Are you willing to be used?"


    "It''s not like you care if I agree or not," Alex stated in a gloomy tone.


    "I do. I did not reveal your identity as the white-robed man to my tribe. Your secrets are still safe."


    "Why?" It was Alex''s time to ask the question.


    Kalina had no real reason to keep his identity secret. So, he didn''t understand why she did it.


    "I didn''t. That''s all that matters. Maybe I am waiting to use it for some purpose."


    "Do you want to threaten me by saying I should reveal my identity to the public?"


    "You always tend to see the most pessimistic oue. Why would I want to threaten you? We were in a life-and-death battle before. And you saved me. Maybe I just want to repay the favour by keeping that information secret." Kalina chided.


    "Is it so hard to trust me?" She directed her question at Alex while tightening her grip.


    Alex, however, didn''t give an answer. He looked at deeply for a moment.


    "Trust? Let''s say I trust you." He chose the diplomatic answer over his real feelings.


    "You don''t have to answer like that¡­"


    "Like what?"


    "That¨CI am not desperate for your trust." Kalina rxed her grip. She was evidently disappointed.


    Alex could see that from her words and facial expression. He felt a little guilty. He was not trying to make Kalina sad.


    Kalina was a trustworthy individual. That was a fact. But Alex was unwilling to ept that. In his mind, the word ''trusting'' always hints at the possibility that someone would be able to break his trust.


    His instinct was to close himself up. Only a few could get past the fort he had created around himself.


    And that was why he chose a diplomatic answer.


    "Let''s move on." Alex avoided Kalina''s eyes and moved forward.


    They ran together over the hills to a higher vantage point. Now, they could see the entirety of the farnd. It was giant, muchrger than what Alex made. The stone head tribe had developed thend even after Alex''s disappearance.


    Hundreds of hectares ofnd had seemly turned into farnd.


    ''How did they achieve it?'' Alex thought. Even he, with his magic, could not have made that muchnd into arablend. Eliminating the weeds was aplicated process which needed a lot of mana.


    So, how could the weak stonehead tribe do that?


    "This is great." He smiled.


    "Isn''t it?" Mupan suddenly appeared behind them and said.


    "Where did youe from?"


    It was early in the morning. Why was the Mupan on the hills near the farnd?


    "From the cottage over there." Mupan pointed at the cottage present on the hilltop. Alex didn''t notice it before, but it became clear to him now. Behind the trees over to the south, he could see a cottage.


    Some people were gathered near it.


    "What are you doing here this early?" Alex asked.


    "Hehehe¡­" Mupanughed, hearing Alex''s question. "Do you like to know?" He questioned, waking the curiosity of Alex.


    Alex nodded.


    "Come follow me."


    Mupan invited Alex and Kalina to the cottage. Near, there was a group of people. They were carrying spats, knives,dles andrge cauldrons. Some were busy chopping vegetables while others busily mixed the cauldrons'' contents with theirddles.


    "They are preparing the breakfast for the workers. Come, enter." Mupan exined while he entered the cottage.


    Just as Alex entered the cottage, he saw a familiar face. But he couldn''t recall where exactly he had seen this person.


    "We were about to discuss some things about the farm when I noticed you," Mupan stated.


    Alex, however, did not know who this person was. He obviously knew all the important people in the Stonehead tribe, so he was perplexed that he couldn''t recognise the person before him.


    "Hello." Even then, he politely greeted the elderly man.


    "It has been too long since I ate tier 3 mammoth meat. It seems like today is your treat, Mupan." The elderly man said, looking at Mupan.


    "Shoot!" The Mupan toned down his curse. But his disappointment was evident.


    "What is going on?"


    "I bet with him that you are smart, and you will immediately recognise him. But it seems like I lost. Do you not know this guy?" Mupan said while pointing to the person beside him.


    "He looks familiar."


    "Think harder."


    "Can you give me a hint?"


    "You saw him before."


    "Is that really a hint?"


    "Yes, think harder. Or else I would lose the meat of the tier 3 four-tusked mammoth meat. I was meaning to use it sparingly." The Mupan begrudgingly said.


    ''It''s not like I asked you to bet with a stranger. Why are you looking at me like that?''


    But seeing the pitiful look of Mupan, Alex thought harder. After transmigrating, he had only met a few people.


    ''I just have to think about what happened in my life sequentially.''


    "That''s it!" Alex eximed.


    "Say his name." Mupan encouraged Alex.


    "Isn''t he Thadi from the woond tribe?"


    "HAHAHAHA¡­." The Mupanughed. His face brightened after hearing Alex''s reply.


    "Yes, I am." The elderly person replied. He was a little disappointed that he couldn''t scam the mammoth meat from the Mupan.


    Thadi was one of the elders of the woond tribe that Alex encountered. They were a tribe that existed near the Stonehead tribe.


    "How''s Uli and the others doing? Did he marry the princess of the ice phoenix tribe?" Alex asked casually.


    Kalina, who was near, widened her eyes, hearing his words.


    Thadi didn''t know the person besides Alex was Kalina, the princess of the Ice Phoenix tribe. Or else, he would have jumped in to correct Alex.


    "Uli and the others are trying their hand at being chefs. They have improved a lot in recent times. They are doing the restaurant business really well. I don''t know if Uli would marry the princess, but he is trying his best¡­" Thadi said.


    The Mupan quickly cowered Thadi''s mouth and prevented him from speaking.


    "Ha ha¡­" He let out an awkwardugh. Then he whispered something in the ear of Thadi.


    Thad''s eyes bulged out instantly; they were about to pop.


    "Sorry." He quickly stood up and apologised to Kalina.


    Kalina graceously epted the apology.


    Alex, who caused the misunderstanding, stood nearby with a smile. He was a menace.

 Chapter 152 Anti Weed

    ?


    After a while, the conversation continued.


    "We have built a cooperative rtionship with the woond tribe. Thadi is here to help us with farming." Mupan stated the obvious.


    He began to exin the actual rtionship they had built up clearly.


    "After you left the tribe, we could not create arablend. The weeds grew faster than we could ever control. Even with a vastnd, turning all that into arablend was impossible if we couldn''t handle the weeds.


    "Magical method of heating water and pouring over the entire region was not feasible for our tribe. Our skills did not allow us to do so.


    "We had reached a bottleneck."


    Mupan exined the problem he faced.


    "And we couldn''t sit still. As our wealth increased, the consumption of wealth also increased. We were about to hit a ceiling with no more potential for growth."


    "We had to find a way to solve this problem."


    Alex seemed to have realised where Mupan was going with his exnation. A sly smile appeared on his face.


    "Then what happened?" He questioned.


    "We had to find someone that could clear out the weeds. Someone that we can trust."


    "That''s why you asked the woond tribe for help?"


    "Yes. We realised that their ability to control nts could y a great role in helping us farm."


    Mupan''s exnation made sense to Alex. The woond tribe was a tribe of carpenters. They used their ability to mould and shape nts for their work. So, it was within reason to believe they could find and eliminate weeds.


    "How exactly did you help the Stonehead tribe eliminate the weeds?" Alex turned to Thadi and asked. He wanted to know the specific action they did.


    "Do you know about my tribe''s skills?" Thadi asked back.


    "Yes, In a general sense, I know what your tribe can do. Your tribe is known for carpentry and the ability to control nts."


    "That is correct. We can control nts. We can control a nt to take a specific shape and size. Sometimes, they go as far as manipting them entirely by making them grow fast."


    "That seems even more overpowered than I thought. You can even fasten the growth rate of the nts?" Alex asked, not hiding his thoughts.


    "Yes," Thadi replied, shocking Alex. His mind wandered, thinking about the possible use case for this ability.


    "However, It is not without limitations."


    The following sentence Thadi spoke captured Alex''s attention. He freed himself from the realm of imagination and came back to reality.


    "As you might have thought, we cannot grow a sapling into a tree within minutes. Even if we could do so by using a vast amount of energy, the tree would lose its life force and die shortly. We could change the size and shape, not the tree''s maturity. There was a limit to which we could control nts."


    This sparked a thought in Alex''s mind.


    "That''s why you can''t use this ability to farm, right?"


    "Correct. If we nt a seed, we cannot make it bear fruit by supplying it with energy. We can only make it change the shape and size, giving the illusion that it is growing. For carpentry and creating dead woods, these are enough. But it is a useless ability in farming. Whatever we grew with the ability would die shortly. That was not the preferable oue in farming." Thadi said and sighed.


    "HM¡­" Alex nodded. "Even if you could grow an apple tree instantly, you won''t be able to make it bear fruit. Even if you could make it bear fruit, the tree would die shortly due to the immense change that it experienced." Alex kept on nodding his head as if he understood the dilemma.


    "Then, what about the tree that surrounds your tribe? How did you make a giant wall of trees covering the entire perimeter of your vige?"


    "Our ancestors nted those trees. We controlled their shape in a limited manner to suit our needs. Just enough that we wouldn''t disrupt the life force of the trees. It took decades of hard work to make a living wall around our tribe."


    Alex quickly realised the pros and cons of the woond tribe''s skills. Suddenly, a bulb lights up in his head. He found the way they helped clear the weeds.


    "Did you perhaps use your ws to your benefit?" Alex found the crux and asked.


    "Yes," Thadi revealed a gentle smile. His opinion of Alex increased. He is as intelligent as Mupan said, thadi thought.


    "We used our w to help the Stonehead tribe," Thadi said, taking a seed from his pocket.


    Alex nced at this seed curiously. It was an unfamiliar seed. He couldn''t identify it.


    "This is a seed of one of the weeds seen in this area," Thadi said while lifting it for everyone to see.


    Even Kalina curiously looked at this scene from the sidelines.


    "When I put my energy into it, look what happens to the seed," Thadi said while channelling his energy into it.


    The energy gathered like a tiny string through the hand of Thadi and began flowing to the seed. The energy was small enough that nothing happened immediately after he poured the energy.


    But, the seed suddenly trembled, epting the influx of energy. A tiny tip of the root materialised on it, moving downwards.


    The seed was beginning to germinate.


    It wanted to drill its way into the soil. But it was on Thadi''s hand currently. It couldn''t find the soil.


    Slowly, the root curved in.


    That was when the tiny shoot of a nt emerged carrying a small leaf.


    The growth rate was increasing with time. The cells multiplied faster as the size of the nt increased.


    From gentle movement, the nt began to tremble violently on the hand of Thadi.


    Slowly, it gained the shape of a grass. The fibrous roots thickened beneath it into a clump, and the des of grass shook violently.


    At that time, it looked more like an animal than a nt.


    This scene captured everyone''s attention. Even Kalina, the princess of the Ice Phoenix tribe, was seeing something like that for the first time.


    Finally, the trembling stopped as the grass looked fully grown.


    "That is the limit for this grass," Thadi stated.


    "As you said, there is no flower. You did this with every patch ofnd that you helped expand?"


    "Yes."


    "This is great. Without flowers, the grass cannot reproduce. But what will happen to rhizome?"


    "Look closely," Thadi stated while lifting the grass.


    Alex could observe nothing for a few seconds, but after a minute, the nt began to show signs of death.


    "The leaves have wilted. The entire nt has dropped into a fatigued state. Can it be saved if it is ced in a suitable condition?"


    "No, it cannot be saved with food and water. The nt has grown beyond its life force. It has exhausted its life. It will die shortly¨Cno, it is dead already. It would take more time for the entire nt body to dpose."


    "Oh!" Alex gave out a knowing nod.


    He now finally understands how the woond tribe helps the stonehead tribe. If they can do the same with every weed, they could eliminate all the weeds.


    "Can you target a specific nt with the ability you have shown?" Alex was curious to know.


    "If we can see the seeds, we can target them. However, it will not work with underground roots or seeds. We have to target the entire area when it happens."


    "How much area can you reim per day with this method?"


    "About a hectare if we allocated all our resources fornd remation."


    "That''s not a small amount ofnd. You could turn the entire mountain weed-free in a couple of months." Alex realised the potential.


    At first, Alex almost thought of them aspetition once he recognised that the woond tribe was working on the farm. Then, after realising what their abilities were, he knew that they would never be theirpetition. It was a mutually beneficial alliance. Alex was willing to share profit as long as they worked for him.


    "Is the Mupan treating you well, elder?" Alex asked.


    "Yes. We are happy with the present condition." Thadi nodded.


    Alex was happy with that reply. He didn''t need to know the exact amount of money involved in the transaction between the stonehead and woond tribe. He was pleased if everything moved as nned.


    This was a pleasant surprise for Alex. He weed the active involvement of making their tribe better.


    It was better than their previous outlook. Now, the tribe was not solely dependent on hunting and gathering. It was a significant improvement.


    "Then, I am leaving. Continue your conversation, Mupan." Alex said. He walked towards the exit after giving the elders a bow.


    Kalina followed him.


    They walked back together.


    Kalina had many things she wanted to speak about. But, the sour note of their previous conversation made her hesitant. They went home without uttering a single word.

 Chapter 153 West

    ?


    Sometimeter that day.


    Alex and Chitra were talking.


    "I have a way to go to your tribe quickly," Alex paused. Chitra was his ''pet'', so he knew a way for them to travel to Pushpam quickly.


    But his abrupt pause meant he was unwilling to share that with Chitra.


    Chitra realised this fact instantly.


    "What do you need me to do?" She asked.


    "Well, nothingplicated. Saving you was a difficult task, and it cost me a lot. But it would be worth it if you can help with some things." Alex''s eyes glinted.


    "What would you need my help for?"


    "I want you to find a person."


    "A person that you are interested in. I presume this person is not normal, right?"


    "Ha ha ha. You catch on quickly. Yes, this person is challenging to find. I was tracking him even recently. But he suddenly disappeared from my sight. Can you do it?"


    "..." Chitra, however, didn''t answer immediately. She looked at Alex deeply. Some mental calction was always needed when interacting with people like Alex. She knew that.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t force you to do anything. Tracking this person and knowing his whereabouts would only benefit you and your tribe."


    "Even the skill that I will impart to you to travel fast will benefit you greatly." Alex tried his best to convince Chitra.


    "Does it have something to do with ''pet'' and ''ve''?"


    "..."


    "Your memory is great." Alex gave a thumbs-up with a smile. If it was impossible to hide, he had to ept it.


    "Those words are just a technicality, but the abilities they allow you to wield will be worth it. If you agree to my demands, I can show you how to use it."


    "You know I could return to my home even without using your abilities, right?"


    "Yes," Alex replied.


    It was something Alex knew. Chitra didn''t need to depend on him to survive anymore. She could make her own decisions. There was no real reason to ept Alex''s demands.


    For some time, neither spoke.


    "Okay, I am willing to find the person you are desperately searching for. Now, show me your ability."


    Chitra took a leap of faith this time. She knew that he was trustworthy by evaluating his actions up till now.


    Alex''s lips curled into a smile upon hearing her words.


    Watching him smile made her reconsider her decision.


    "Come with me."


    Alex stepped forward and grabbed Chitra''s arm.


    "I will teleport us to a ce where we can test the skills." He said before disappearing from the ce along with Chitra.


    Soon after, they reappeared on the mountaintop near the vige. That was the best vantage point Alex could see from his house. Then, he used the teleport again to a forest just a kilometre away.


    Chitra felt nauseous as they finally stopped. The sudden warping of space and gravity made her queasy. She turned to look at Alex at that moment.


    Alex was standing there without any expression.


    Chitra couldn''t imagine how Alex could do that. Was he not affected by the warping of space? She thought in her mind.


    "Okay. We are now far away from the vige. Let''s begin."


    "Farm. Allow Chitra to inherit all the skills imparted by the farm." Alex stated.


    [Please confirm by saying. "I allow."]


    "I allow."


    [Confirmation processed. Chitra can use the skill of the farm."]


    "Who are you talking to?" Chitra asked.


    "You will know soon enough. The skills have been imparted to you. Can you feel any difference?"


    "No, I feel the same."


    "No sensation of energy being released from your body or something?"


    "No,"


    "..."


    "It''s normal."


    "I don''t think it is normal. You don''t know what''s happening, do you?"


    "Everything is under control."


    "Not something a person who has everything in control would say."


    "You would believe me after I show you this." Alex moved towards a giant rock.


    "Can you see this rock?"


    "Obviously."


    Suddenly, Alex released a plume of smoke and touched the rock. He quickly moved it to the inventory while the smoke covered Chitra''s vision.


    The smoke cleared as quickly as it appeared.


    "Ta-da¡­" Alex said while pointing at the ce the rock was in.


    "The stone is gone?"


    "This is one of the abilities of the interdimensional farm. And you can do the same."


    "Isn''t it the same as a spatial tool? Storing some stone away is not that great of an ability." Chitra showed her disinterest in his antics.


    "Not just a stone. I can store hundreds or thousands of these stones when Ibine the inventory and warehouse skill of the farm."


    This information revived Chitra''s interest.


    "How can I do it?" She finally asked.


    "By thinking about storing the item."


    Alex exined in detail how to use the inventory function and warehouse. And this fascinated Chitra. With that, he also exined the limits. Chitra could only use it within a kilometre distance of Alex. This instantly destroyed the joy she felt.


    But that didn''t matter to Alex. He was like a professional salesman selling the benefits of the farm.


    He continued exining how to enter the farm and use the teleport and teleport point, even about farming vegetables in the interdimensional farm. Some of his secrets were also revealed to Chitra.


    Chitra was satisfied after hearing about the benefits. It was better than she thought.


    "So, I have to use the teleport point to return to Pushpam faster." Chitra nodded understandingly.


    "Yes. Now, what do you think about my demand? It''s worth it, right?"


    "Yes," Chitra affirmed.


    "You can''t go back on your words. You have to find him." Alex asked for confirmation once again.


    "Yes. I don''t break my promises."


    "Then, go home. You can speak with the farm AI if you have doubts about the farm feature. It will help you. The information about the person you have to find is in the inventory. And please don''t spend all the FP."


    Alex decided to send away Chitra while giving her some warning.


    Chitra took a moment of pause. Finally, she spoke when their eyes met.


    "Thank you." She was grateful to Alex.


    Then, in a sh, she disappeared towards the teleport point Alex had ced. She quickly hopped teleport points one after another to reach her home.


    "At least she knows how to say thank you." Alex went back to his home.


    ¡ª


    Two days went by.


    Kalina returned to Blue Gem City after a while. Meena followed her sister back.


    Alex spent the days rxing. The simple routine of waking up early, eating avish breakfast, rxing until evening, training a little and sleeping again was so calming to his mind.


    He spend the days reflecting on his life and enjoying the benefits it gave.


    "How peaceful it would be if I could spend the rest of my life like this." He spoke aloud while sipping tea in his backyard.


    Suddenly, space warped near him. Ady appeared near him.


    "Sigh." Alex sensed it and sighed.


    "You came earlier than I imagined."


    "I found the person you were looking for." Chitra expressed the reason for her early return.


    "That was quick. Did you use all the resources of the Divine Butterfly tribe?"


    "No, I was lucky." Chitra lied. She had used all the methods she could to find the person.


    "Where is he currently?"


    "On the western continent."


    "Ah! That''s a long distance away."


    "Just two thousand kilometres away. A hop with a teleport point would be enough."


    "I have never gone to the western continent. There is no teleport point to hop to." Alex stated.


    "Ah!" Chitra realised her mistake.


    "And, didn''t I say to not use teleport point for everything? I can see the FP draining every day. Did you think I didn''t see that?"


    "I had to use it. The leader of the tribe was not present in Pushpam when I went here. I had to find her and exin what happened to me." She showed a helpless expression when she spoke.


    "Why did you want to find this person?"


    "Ah! Thee was a fellow tribesman. But suddenly, one day, he ran away from home."


    "But, why did you say I would benefit from finding this person? I just can''t understand it."


    "You will understand once we find him. Are you ready to go to the western continent?"


    Alex''s sudden question didn''t startle Chitra. She knew it wasing before he spoke. If he used every resource avable to find this person, it would be for nothing.


    She came prepared to find this person.


    "When I met the leader of my tribe, she asked me to stay low until the Champion''s tournament. Nothing is preventing me from taking a trip to the west."


    "Then, let''s go. You go to Thira using the teleport point and wait for me at the front gate. I want to test something."


    "What?"


    "I want to know how long it would take me to reach there using short-distance teleportation. I don''t think It would take that much time." Alex said with a smirk.


    Alex''s confidence was due to the five thousand mana cores spread out inside his body. They were rotating like tiny stars inside his body. It was the result of his continuous training.

 Chapter 154 Thira

    ?


    [A/N: Unedited]


    Thira changed for the better in the past few months.


    However the same could not be said for the thousand headed serpent tribe. They lost the trust of the people when the scandal of the first elder was revealed.


    The first elder  of the thousand headed serpent tribe had betrayed the city and his own tribe. His actions tarnished the reputation of his tribe.


    But, remembering the sacrifice of hundreds of warriors of the thousand headed serpent tribe, the citizens didn''t revolt against them.


    Many died, they didn''t want any more blood to be spilled in Thira.


    ___


    Chitra had used a teleport point that was present on Alex''s house in the exterior of Thira.


    "Thuck" Shended on the floor making a loud noise.


    She had appeared at the center of the house. Like usual, she felt nauseous after each teleportation. But still, she held it in.


    Vomiting would have been unsightly.


    Unknown to Chitra, two kids had alreadye to the room. Their curious eyes peered into the room from outside.


    "Hello." Chitra sensed them the moment they opened the door. She called out to the owner of those familiar eyes.


    However, the kids didn''t respond. They released a sigh in disappointment and fully opened the door.


    These kids were the sisters of Arav. The twins Malu and Ammu.


    Arav was the beast tamer that Alex befriended when he first came to Thira. He lost his family in the battle that ensued in Thira previously.


    So, he was currently working as the caretaker of Alex''s property in Thira.


    Arav was currently not home. So, the twins were the first toe to the central hall once they heard the noise.


    But the person they saw was not the one they were expecting.


    They assumed it was Alex and came running there. After all, whenever Alex came, he would bring some treats to the children.


    That was why they showed disappointment.


    "Hello kids. Do you remember big sister?" Chitra asked when she noticed the children were not responding.


    "Sigh!"


    "It''s just sister Chitra." Malu said, dissatisfied.


    "When is brother Meruing?" Ammu asked with expectation.


    From their words, Chithra could easily deduce that they were not thrilled to see her.


    "He will arrive here soon." Chitra answered Ammu.


    "Hi hi¡­" It caused Malu to giggle with some naughtiness in her eyes.


    "No, don''t do it." Ammu instantly recognised the thoughts of her sister. She knew that when her sister was up to no good when she giggled like that.


    "I haven''t even done it yet." Malu said. "But, can I, just this once, ce a bucket of water near that ce." She pointed at the ce Chitra teleported to and asked.


    She was expecting Alex to teleport to the exact ce. So, she wanted to prank him.


    "No. Don''t do it. What if you soak the treats?" Ammu chided.


    However, suddenly a person appeared behind them like a ghost. He made no noise and observed the kids.


    "Ammu, just this once."


    "No means no. The snacks will spoil."


    "It''s just water, not muddy water or sewer water "


    "I don''t want to eat something that is soaked."


    "Uh¡­"


    Malu finally gave up. Neither was afraid of pranking Alex. But both disliked the fact that the snacks he might bring would spoil.


    Chitra, who saw Alex teleport behind the kids, wanted to warn them. She danced her eyes around to make them notice him. But, they were too busy in their own world.


    "Ah, I am so sad." Alex gave out a sigh and spoke.


    This frightened the kids. They turned their heads like frightened deers. Their eyes widening to their maximum.


    "Oops." Their voices echoed.


    "Giggle giggle." Shortly after, they erupted into a giggle that felt like the chimes of a bell.


    "Brother Meru." They happily weed him.


    Or should I say they wee the snacks he brought.


    The children could see some kind of package in Alex'' hand. And they instantly recognised it as some sweet snacks that he used to bring.


    After all, Alex never disappointed them.


    "Big brother Meru. What do you have in your hand?" Malu asked with expectation.


    "Should I give this to you? I thought you were nning to drench me when I was about to teleport in."


    "Ah¡­ But we didn''t do it."


    "Still, you guys conspired to do it."


    "No, I didn''t. I stopped her." Ammu raised her hand and spoke.


    "Are you sure? I thought you wanted to save the snacks that I brought." Alex scrutinized the tiny figure.


    His question stumped the kids. They knew they were caught red handed. Their faces turned red in shame.


    "Don''t make fun of them. Give them the snacks." Chitra said.


    Although the kids were a little naughty, they were not bad by any measurements.


    "Okay. Okay. I was about to give them this." Alex raised the pack of treats. He handed them over to the kids.


    Their eyes shone bright like a star when they epted the snacks.


    "Thank you brother Meru." They said,


    They ran away shortly after receiving the snacks.


    Alex didn''t disappoint them. He had brought all the snacks the kids liked. They ate it in glee.


    Last month, after leaving pushpam, Alex traveled across the central continent. Stopping at different regions for a short while to create TP''s.


    And he would asionally return to his home in Thira. That''s how he formed a great rtionship with the kids.


    Him, buying them treats most of the time had made them wait for him with great expectations.


    Alex watched them gobble down the snacks and smiled.


    They were not always smiling and happy. It took them great effort to get behind the death of their family. He was thankful to see them smile.


    "If I had known, I would have brought them some snacks. Every time Ie here, they give me a disappointed look."


    "Just be thankful that you didn''t get pranked by them. This was not their first attempt and it will not be thest. So, think twice before using this TP." Alex said.


    He knew Chitra had used the TP in Thira before. That''s why the children were not surprised to see her.


    He gave a friendly warning to prevent her from using the TP if she was not in a hurry.


    "It took a minute." Chitra said. She remembered what Alex had said before she TPed away.


    "Oh! That''s a little surprising. I am sure that it took more more than one minute. In fact, it took me about five minutes to reach Thira. Then I went to buy some snacks, costing me a total of six minutes. What is happening?" Alex began to ponder deeply to unravel the mystery. And then he reached a conclusion.


    "It takes the same amount of time to travel. Even if I was using short distance teleport rapidly or using TP. Both take approximately the same amount of time. One is not faster than the other."


    "I didn''t judge the time wrongly. I was careful when I counted to one minute."


    "I didn''t say that you were wrong."


    "Then, how could we feel differently?"


    "Let''s not make itplicated and say that what felt instantly to you was a lot of time in reality. How exactly it is a mystery. But I am pretty sure about my conjecture."


    "You and your farm are beyondmon sense. The me who is trying to unravel the mystery is the senseless one." Chitra said after giving up any thought of finding an answer.


    She just wanted to move on with the day.


    "When are we going to the west?" She asked. A small part of her was thrilled to go on this journey.


    As a tier 5 warrior, a young prodigy of the divine butterfly tribe, she didn''t have much freedom to travel. This was the first time in an eternity that she was traveling across the central continent on her whims.


    She was thankful for Alex for giving her this ability.


    And the fact that they were about to explore a vastly different continent with different type of energy users excited her.


    "Now would be an appropriate time."


    "Then, let go?" Chitra exited the house and began to walk.


    "Not that direction. Go west, that''s where the port is."


    "I know."


    "..."


    Alex said some parting words to the children and left the house. They wanted him to buy different kinds of snacks when he returned. So, Alex promised them to buy them some western snacks.


    Then, he found Chitra and led her towards the port. Ships were the only way they could go to the western continent.


    Short distance teleport would use too much mana and put him at risk. Mana was something he should use sparingly. Or else, he wouldn''t have enough if he came across some danger


    He recklessly used short distance teleport previously knowing that he would be safe in Thira. The same could not be said for the unknown west.


    The sea in itsel


    f was dangerous, teeking with a wide variety of dangerous magical beasts. Even tier 5 beings inhabit the ocean.


    It would be foolish of Alex to jump into it without any consideration.

 Chapter 155 Fishing

    ?


    [A/n: edited]


    "Aye, sir cap-tian. We want to hail your ship and cross the ocean. Can you take us along?" Alex spoke while mimicking an ent he heard on the ports. All the Westerners he saw on the dock were talking like that.


    The man with an eye patch looked at him, amused by his antics.


    Alex was wearing Western clothes and a hat. And beside him was Chitra wearing simr clothes.


    At a nce, they looked like a westerner. But just a bit of scrutiny could quickly reveal his identity as a person from the central continent.


    Now, acting like a westerner, Alex was trying to hitch a ride to the western continent. To the Srion Empire.


    "Why are you speaking like that? You are a strange man?" The eye-patched man said. He was the captain of the merchant ship currently docked at Thira''s port. Most of his crew called him Captain Will.


    The same question also rang inside Chitra''s head.


    "We carry grains, not people?" The eye-patched man, Will, rified.


    He was about to reject Alex.


    "Please, sir, we want to return to our ancestors'' homnd. Please." Alex said mncholicly that he really believed the lies he was speaking.


    "..."


    But Will was not going to buy his half-assed act.


    "You have plenty of space on your ship. Two more would not matter, right?


    Alex had spent thetter half of the day trying to find a ship that he could use to travel to the West. But, most of the vessels were filled with cargo. They were unwilling to ept two unknown individuals as passengers in their month-long journey back home.


    "Kid. You are not fooling anyone. I can see that you are a person of the central continent with just a nce. Smuggling in people when they have banned outsiders froming would cause my head to fly." Before anything, Captain Will stated the obvious.


    "And don''t bother asking around anymore. No one will be willing to take you along."


    "Even you will not?"


    "SIGH" Will looked at the strange kid and sighed.


    "What if I can give you a lot of these." Alex suddenly opened a bag containing gold coins. The shiny gold pieces were in full disy before Captain Will.


    The eyes of Captain Will glittered for a few seconds. He was bewitched by the gold.


    "I heard no one was willing to sell grains to you. Your reputation plummeted after everyone knew you worked with the first elder, right?"


    "That bitch from the thousand-headed serpent tribe." Cussed aloud, Captain Will. His anger reignited when Alex mentioned the first elder.


    "You have no grains aboard, the most valuable item you can transport. That''s why you are shipping some ostentatious objects rather than useful things.


    "I know that you are hard-pressed for money. How about making a deal with me. I can give you plenty of gold. Fortunately, you are going to the exact ce I was headed to. This is a solution for both of our problems."


    If put nicely, Alex was negotiating with the captain. The truth, however, was that it was an attempt at bribery.


    Captian Will paused to consider the risk benefits. He was almost ready to ept Alex''s demands. He just needed a little more assurance.


    "You don''t have to worry. I can leave the ship before you dock the ship." Alex said while levitating slightly above the ground, showing his mastery of wind magic.


    That was the final straw.


    After a long pause, the captain nodded. He allowed Alex and Chitra to board the ship.


    "Come with me." Saying that the captain brought them to the ship. He prepared a room for them to stay.


    Alex handed over the bag of gold coins and sealed the deal.


    ____


    After a while¡­


    "This room is small," Chitra spoke.


    "Hm. Hm." Alex hummed affirmatively.


    "I feel cramped. It doesn''t even have enough air for us to breathe."


    "Hm. Hm."


    "Are we about to set sail?"


    "Hm. Hm."


    "Do you really believe these sailors are dependable?"


    "Hm¨C"


    "Don''t. Just speak properly."


    "Yes¨C" Alex raised his head and made eye contact with Chitra. "¨Cthey are dependable. Do you think they became sailors by doing nothing? The proper knowledge to navigate the ocean without angering any strong magical beast is not a skill anyone can master. They are masters in their way of life. If they are not dependable, who is?"


    "Still, the ce is small."


    "Huh!"


    "I am entering the farm," Chitra said, disappearing into the farm space.


    "Well, that''s better for my ears." Alex was actually pleased to find that Chitra entered the farm. Unlike before, Chitra had turned into a chatterbox as their familiarity increased.


    His ears felt better, knowing that questions would no longer be shot at him like bullets.


    Alex exited the room and walked around. His curiosity was sparked as he noticed the harmonious motion of the crew.


    They moved as if their heartbeats were even synchronised.


    The sail of the ship was finally being lowered. They were about to depart.


    Captain Will was giving directions in quick session, aiding the synchronised movement of the crew.


    Leaving the port was a tricky manoeuvre. Everyone''s attention was entirely directed towards that single purpose.


    At that time, a giant gust of wind swept towards the ship''s sail.


    It was an unnatural phenomenon; Alex noticed this quickly.


    There was a person on the ship that was controlling the wind. The wind mage was helping the docked ship leave the port.


    Alex was thrilled to see a fellow mage.


    The mage only controlled the wind for about five minutes. Once the ship moved into open waters, he went back to rest.


    ''I think he is a journeyman-ranked mage. His spell was simr in strength to the skill of a tier 3 warrior. Should I ask him some of the doubts I have about magic?''


    The thought lingered in his mind for a second before he stopped himself. He didn''t want to disturb the mage who was resting.


    He knew he would get another chance to learn from the mage in the one-month journey across the sea.


    ¡ª---


    A couple of days went by.


    Chitra asionally exited the farm and looked around before rxing on the farm.


    Alex wanted to do the same to quell his boredom. But, if he had done the same on a moving ship, he would reappear near thest ce he entered the farm.


    He would have fallen straight into the ocean if he had done something stupid like that.


    The farm was connected to Alex. And it moves with the position of Alex in the real world. This prevents Alex from entering the farm during the one-month-long voyage.


    "Hey. Can you give me one of those?" Alex walked over to some of the fishing crew members and asked.


    Alex was pointing at the fishing line and rod they were using.


    To not die of boredom, Alex realised fishing was the best way.


    "This! I can sell it to you."


    "How much?"


    "A silver coin¨C"


    "Take it." Alex took out two coins and handed one over to the crew member.


    "If you can teach me how to fish with this, I will give you this," Alex said while flicking the other silver coins between his fingers.


    The crew member happily taught Alex how to fish. He exined how to hook the bait and throw the line in detail.


    "Fishing is an art. You need patience and luck tond a fish. So, don''t be disappointed if you can''t catch one." The crew member said.


    "I can see that."


    Alex said while looking at the measly amount of fish they captured.


    Even after casting fishing lines for hours, they could barely catch enough for the entire crew to eat.


    There were twenty mouths to feed on the ship, Chitra included. So, there were about twenty mackerel-like fish spread over the boat.


    "Can I catch anything big with this?" Alex asked.


    This made some of the crew membersugh. Even the person who was exining chuckled.


    "You can if you are a master mage. You can reinforce the line and hook with enough mana to capture something big. Ha ha¡­"


    While the crew members said that to demotivate Alex, he became even more motivated.


    After all, he was kind of a master mage. A warrior mage who can use both a mage''s and a warrior''s abilities.


    The crew stopped fishing soon after and went to do their work. The mackerel-like fishes were sent to the kitchen to prepare for tonight''s dinner, leaving Alex alone.


    Alex began to fish.


    He cast the bait far away from the ship. The slow movement of the ship dragged it along the ocean.


    On his first try, he caught a tiny fish, smaller than the size of his finger.


    ''Even though a little small, I seem to have luck.''


    He cast the bait again, this time by channelling mana into it. The tiny fishes began to avoid it, sensing the mana on the bait.


    However, simultaneously, the bait began to attractrger fish.


    Currently, Alex was just using a sliver of mana. He wanted to try what result he would get.

 Chapter 156 Fishing - 2

    ?


    The thread of mana extended along the length of the fishing line.


    The slender line was crafted from an unfamiliar material to Alex. It resembled a braided cord woven from a variety of different materials.


    The bait trailed behind, following the ship''s course. Small fish that sensed the presence of mana steered clear, while slightlyrger ones were enticed.


    The crew used deceased fish as bait, a technique Alex adopted.


    However, for most fish, the limp, lifeless body of the used bait fish was unappealing. This exined why the crew struggled to catch a substantial amount of fish.


    As the mana infused into the bait, the flesh rekindled a semnce of vitality, drawingrger fish toward it. They circled around the bait at insane speed.


    However, Alex didn''t know it. He waited patiently for a fish to pull on the line. He was ready to pull back and hook the fish as soon as he felt it.


    Seconds ticked by.


    It has already been a minute since hest cast the line.


    ''I think my luck just ran out. Or was my luck excellent since I got a fish on my first try.''


    ''Maybe I should reel in the fishing line and try again. The bait might have slipped away from the hook. That might be why nothing is biting it.''


    Different thoughts popped up in Alex''s mind. At least fishing was not boring him.


    Just as he was about to reel back the line, a force was transmitted to his hands. Something had bitten the bait. And it was pulling on the line with tremendous force.


    ''What is it? Did I catch a whale?''


    The stiff rod that Alex wielded started to flex. The rod, as rigid as a nk, was bending in an unnatural position. This spooked Alex.


    Nheless, without hesitation, Alex pulled up to hook the monster that was pulling on the line. He used body reinforcement to stabilise his form and pull back.


    Fortunately, the rod and the line reinforced with his mana could sustain the strain easily. It was just that the mana he used to strengthen the line was quickly dissipating as he fought with the fish. Alex had to steadily supply and control the mana to strengthen the line and the rod.


    ''That''s why you have to be a master mage. In this world, mages are dependent on runes to control mana. Only some can handle mana effortlessly with will. And most of them are master mages.'' Alex thought as he pulled back on the rod even harder.


    Then suddenly, he smiled at the realisation that he might actually be as good as master mage.


    ''The reeling mechanism on the rod is not good enough. There are no bearings or ways to control the pull force. I just have to do everything with mana.''


    Even after struggling for a minute, Alex had only reeled in one-tenth of the line.


    He had cast the line far away. It was too far forfort.


    "I would like to see the fish at the other end," Alex said as he continued his fight.


    For the fish, it was a fight determining its life and death. So, it was unwilling to give up.


    ''I have to hold on until the fish is tired. I might be able to reel it in faster after that.''


    Alex''s mana around the body intensified as he braised for a long fight.


    Time went by as half the line was reeled in. The fish dashed left and right, trying to unhook itself or to break the line. But neither worked.


    The mana supplied was stable and consistent.


    ''A little bit more.''


    The line finally neared the ship. Alex looked down to check the size of the fish.


    But the turbulent water made it harder for him to see.


    "Just a couple of meters more."


    Alex saw the fish.


    A tail shed on the ocean''s surface as it disyed its body before Alex.


    "What the actual F?" It shocked Alex beyond words.


    Reeling harder, Alex raised the rod up.


    "What is this?" His mind couldn''t grab hold of the reality.


    Just as the fish was pulled out of the water, the weight Alex felt decreased. Alex slid back at the sudden change in force. His body lost bnce for a second before stabilising shortly.


    Alex quickly raised the struggling fish into the ship.


    The fish he had pulled up was slightly bigger than the one he previously caught. At a nce, no one could find the difference in size between the two fishes.


    But Alex quickly realised that there was something odd with this fish.


    "The fish I caught previously was small and easy to reel in. It didn''t feel like I hooked a whale when reeled in. Why was it the case?"


    "Perhaps it is a magical beast!"


    That was the only possible reason Alex could think of. How else can a fish weighing less than half a kilogram feel like it weighs hundreds of kilograms?


    "There might be some magic to the existence of this fish?"


    Alex unhooked the small fish and looked at it in detail.


    It looked better and contained a higher concentration of mana inside the body. Its body''s scales glowed silvery-blue and steadily released a stream of mana outwards. It was a pretty fish.


    "Maybe the scales have something to do with its unnatural ability."


    ''There is only one way to know for sure.'' Alex thought.


    "Farm AI, please conduct a gene analysis on this specimen; try to use Chitra''s help rather than spending FP for everything. Last time, you ripped off FP for just transferring the specimen into the research pod." Alex said as he threw the fish into the farm space.


    [Executingmand.]


    The farm replied back in affirmation.


    [Deducting 100 FP for waking up Chitra.]


    "Sigh¡­"


    [The specimen has been transferred to the research pod.]


    The fish had died on its way to the research pod. Chitra threw it in and closed the lid. Sheined about the smell of the fish before walking to wash her hands.


    The research pod, which looked like abination of a barrel and a rice cooker, began to dpose the tissues and cells of the fish Alex captured. It was slowly deciphering the gic makeup of the fish.


    "After analysis, give me a short report," Alex asked the farm.


    Meanwhile, he continued to ce a new bait on the hook and try fishing again. Even though the fish was smaller than the ones the crew caught, it was a thrilling experience to capture it.


    Alex wanted to feel it again.


    "The effectiveness of the bait is increasing as I increase the mana. Should I try something differently this time?" Alex decided to change his tactics.


    He had already familiarised himself with using the fishing line and rod. He controls his mana well, allowing him to capture magical beasts. These factors led him to up the stakes.


    Instead of a sliver of mana, this time, he would fill the bait with enough mana to make it seem like a beacon in the sea.


    "A silver coin to buy another rod and line. I can try with it until the lines break or until I destroy it with mana. After all, there might be a limit to how much mana it can withstand."


    Alex prepared himself to throw the bait into the sea.


    Just as he was about to throw, some of the crew walked by. He saw the tiny fish he had caught and smirked.


    "What a big fish!" Leaving a sarcasticment, they sat nearby.


    It was obvious that they were mocking Alex when they saw the fish he had caught.


    Alex wanted to scream back, ''Size doesn''t matter'' to those guys. But he refrained from doing so.


    Channelling a steady stream of mana, Alex reinforced the fishing rod and line before throwing the bail outwards.


    The bait flew about fifty meters before falling into the water. The water swept away, down into the ocean.


    ''Now is the time to test my hypothesis.''


    Alex began to channel mana into the fishing line.


    One core of mana quickly upied the fishing line and rod.


    ''There is no change to the material. I can add more.''


    Alex quickly sent out ten cores of mana.


    ''More? How about a hundred.''


    Without dy, Alex spent a hundred cores of mana.


    Now, he could see a slight change in the material used to build the rod and line. They were beginning to fall apart. Alex toned down the mana output to less than 90 cores to prevent the line from breaking.


    While Alex carefully controlled the mana on the fishing rod and line, a sea creature sensed the bait.


    The dense mana on the bait felt like a delectable treat to it. The temptation was bing harder to control. It wanted to dive in and bite the bait.


    Suddenly, the mana in the bait began to increase. From feeling it was just a treat, the creature started to feel it would be its best meal. A hundred cores of mana were enticing it to bite in.


    Finally, The creature, unable to without its urges, dashed to the bait. It dived like a bullet and bit it.

 Chapter 157 Tuna

    ?


    "SHIT!" Alex eximed as something pulled him forward.


    He slid across the floor and almost fell into the ocean. Fortunately, he quickly mobilised his mana to bind himself to the floor. Physical reinforcement allowed him to bear the straining from the rod.


    The sudden motion of Alex didn''t go unnoticed. The crew members who were nearby saw him jerk forward. They curiously looked at him.


    Never did they see a person being pulled across the floor while fishing. Usually, the line and rods were weak enough to break when they experienced that much force.


    They purposely built the rod and the line like that to prevent anyone from going overboard while trying to catch a meal.


    The crew wanted to jump in and help him. However, seeing that he stabilised his form, they decided not to.


    However, that didn''t stop them from moving closer to Alex and seeing what he had caught. They strolled towards Alex, expecting the line to break any second now.


    "It might be a magical beast. Yes, some of those will take the bait when they are starving. Don''t worry; the fight willst for some time, and then the line will break." A man came to Alex''s side and said.


    "That''s correct. It might be some small magical beast. You are lucky to have one take the bait." Another man said.


    However, Alex ignored them. He knew it was not any tiny magical best because he had caught one previously, and that didn''t pull him like the fish he was battling against.


    As the battle between the fish and Alex continued, the railing preventing Alex from falling into the ocean began to disy cracks. This created panic among the crew.


    The fish was trying very hard to swim away and escape. The force it transmitted to Alex didn''t decrease for a minute.


    "It might not be just a small magical beast." Someone from the crew finallymented.


    "It has already been three minutes. A magical beast could have broken the line by them."


    "Then, why isn''t it broken yet?"


    "How would I know that, idiot?"


    The crew members argued back and forth about the situation in front of them.


    "Should we call the Captain? The deck and the railing are slightly damaged. Who gave him the fishing line?" The person looked around.


    "I¡­"


    "Then go call the captain. Who are you waiting for?"


    "Um¡­ Yes."


    "Someonee and help me support that guy. He will go overboard if we don''t help."


    The crew quickly decided.


    They were about to go and pull Alex back.


    ¡ª


    Meanwhile, the fish felt a slight pain on its upper lip.


    It was the same creature that bit the mana-filled bait Alex threw.


    It was supposed to bite the delectable bait and dive deep into its home. But something began to pull on it.


    The hook that dug into its flesh was causing it slight pain.


    But for the monstrous fish, it was nothing. Yet, it felt annoying. It tried to dive deeper instinctively.


    That was the moment when Alex felt the force on his hands. After a while of pulling, the fish seemed to have realised that the annoying thing causing it pain was more severe than it thought.


    So, it began to apply consistent force. This caused Alex to creep closer to the ledge slowly. The railing near Alex was breaking due to this.


    ¡ª


    The crew quickly gathered around Alex. They were about to pull on him. But, just as they were about to grab him, someone spoke from the side.


    "Don''t pull on him." This person was none other than the wind mage that was currently present on the ship. His eyes were glowing when he spoke that.


    "I can see mana reinforcement on the line." The mage spoke with sweat running down his spine.


    The mana vision showed the mage what was going on.


    The intense glow of the fishing line and the steady and delicate flow of mana was something that even the wind mage could not make. He was even a journeyman-ranked mage. It was still impossible for him.


    And yet, Alex efficiently controlled that amount of mana without a problem. He smiled as he pulled on the fishing rod, enjoying the feeling.


    What does that mean?


    It was apparent to the mage that Alex was stronger than him. Possibly even a master-ranked mage.


    "You don''t need to help him."


    The mage quickly realised that Alex was not struggling against the fish. He was just enjoying the feeling. After all, this was the most fun he had since he began his voyage to the western continent.


    "But the railing is about to fall apart. The ship will be damaged if we let him do it."


    "You don''t have to worry about that." The mage spoke in amanding tone, shutting up the crew members.


    ¡ª


    Alex was thrilled by the sensation he was getting from his hand. The fish on the other side of the line was pulling on him steadily. The force was increasing with each second. He could feel the determination of the fish to not give up.


    ''Little fishy. I will catch you today.'' Alex decided.


    Just after the fish bit, Alex began to supply a steady stream of mana to enhance the line. The mana leaked from the string constantly as the fish thrashed around.


    Mana consumption increased as the fish applied more force and thrashed around. At first, it took some work for Alex to grasp the correct amount of mana he could pass along the fishing line. After all, any mistake would destroy the line and thus free the fish.


    Alex couldn''t allow that to happen.


    So, he began to employ a new strategy to catch the fish. Instead of passing his mana through the fishing line, he began to pour mana over it.


    With his delicate control, Alex slowly moved his mana towards the fish. Alex did something simr when distributing smoke bombs across the Pushpam city. So he didn''t have a hard time.


    "What!" The wind mage eximed as he saw this. He couldn''t believe his eyes. He had never seen a person use mana as delicately as Alex. His eyes shone as he observed it in detail.


    Finally, his mana neared the end of the line.


    He could finally sense the being thrashing and turning at the end of the line.


    For Alex, mana was like his eyes. He could clearly see the outline of living organisms present inside the cloud of mana he could create.


    So, he steadily released mana into the water around the fish. As usual, the mana turned a murky white once it spread into the water. It created a smoke screen underwater.


    The smoke screen began to spread around the fish.


    One core


    Two core


    Three core


    About 50 mana cores were needed to create a smoke screen covering the fish. The density and viscosity of the water made it harder for the mana to flow easily. And the movement of the fish made it even harder for Alex to cover it entirely.


    But he still covered it in its entirety.


    Now, he could see the shape and size of the entire fish.


    A giant bulbous head was the first thing he sensed. It had two huge beady eyes on its head. The mouth was slightly opened as it struggled to pull out the hook lodged inside.


    The body was elongated and streamlined with a spindle shape. Colour was not visible to Alex, but he could barely identify the fish.


    ''It''s a tuna! A giant one at that. It''s almost as long as two people stacked on each other.'' Alex smiled when he realised the fact.


    ''How long has it been since Ist saw a tuna, much less tasted it. I can''t give up now. I need to catch using any method at my disposal.'' He decided promptly. Till now, he was ying with the fish. He didn''t feel the necessity to capture it. He was willing to take a loss.


    However, he changed once he recognised the fish. It was too good to lose.


    ''A giant magical tuna.'' Just the thought made his mouth water.


    Stepping on the railing, he pulled a little back to give him room to breathe. The mana he released clouded the giant tuna''s eyes. It couldn''t see anything.


    Alex decided to make use of this opportunity.


    He suddenly released a thousand cores of mana into the sea. It turned into a river from a thin mana tendril and flowed above the fishing line.


    Quickly, the mana reached near the tuna. It expanded outwards instantly like an explosion. Everything within a kilometre radius under the sea was covered by his mana. The ocean turned murky white, almost mistaking it for diluted milk.


    The wind mage who saw this felt his feet turn weak. He couldn''t understand how a person could manipte so much mana instantly without using any runes. Everything Alex did was beyondmon sense.


    He fell to his knees and covered his eyes in panic. The dense mana almost blinded him when he used mana vision on it.


    The crew members ran to support him.

 Chapter 158 Caught

    ?


    "Who is that person?" The wind mage asked.


    In the beginning, he was uninterested in Alex.


    Alex was just a freeloader he came across on his voyage, nothing more or nothing less. That was his opinion.


    So, he didn''t care about Alex at all.


    "That?" The crew member who was holding him asked, amused. He was pointing at Alex while asking.


    "Yes, that person. I have seen him before and know he is travelling with us. But who is he?"


    "He is called Meru. The captain brought him."


    "His name is simr to that of the people of the central continent. But the way he is using mana is different. He is simr to the mages of the West in that avenue. I never thought that he would be this strong¡­"


    "How strong is he, Jhon?" Suddenly, Captain Will appeared near the wind mage and asked.


    The mage, Jhon, took some time to think. He confirmed again before replying. "Much stronger than me. He is a master."


    John was convinced Alex was a master.


    ''Only a master is capable of a feat like that.'' He thought in his mind.


    "A master!" Will eximed. He knew Alex was a strong individual. After all, Alex had previously shown his ability to wield mana when he disyed wind magic.


    But Will could have never imagined that he was a master mage.


    ''Fuck! Was I disprespectful towards a master mage?'' Will thought.


    Master mages were people whomanded both immense power and profound respect within the magicalmunity and beyond. Disrespecting them was something he would have never dared to do.


    After all, Captain Will was a nobody in front of a master mage. A master mage could quickly sink his old ship and obliterate it.


    ''Fortunately, I agreed to his request.'' Will thought.


    "Then, I should apologise for my misconduct, right?" Will turned to Jhon and asked.


    "Uh! You disrespected him? Wasn''t he someone rted to you? Was that not the reason why you brought him? Outsiders are banned from entering, you know that, right?"


    "Don''t worry about that. He is strong enough to warrant special attention if your statement is true. Meru promised to leave our ship before it docks. I think the words of a master mage are believable."


    "Hm." The wind mage hummed and nodded.


    "Anyway, what spell did he use right now. The ocean has turned murky white after he did something. Do you know what it is?" Will asked curiously.


    "I don''t know what spell it is. But it is something extraordinary. The entire ocean is covered in Meru''s mana. It seems like he is determined to catch the magical beast."


    "A spell that not even you can decipher. Maybe it is a spell that Meru personally created."


    "He is a master, so it might be possible."


    Both nodded their head in agreement.


    ¨C


    Meanwhile, the giant tuna panicked. Its entire vision was covered by a murky cloud. Even mana was bing more challenging for it to sense.


    It began to thrash and turn. The fishing line, however, didn''t break.


    ¡ª


    ''The mana is spread over a kilometre diameter around the ship. I can easily sense the position of every living thing in this region. That includes the giant tuna.''


    ''Fortunately, there are not many strong magical beasts in the water. Or else, they might have been proked by my disy of might.''


    ''Now that things havee to this. I should dive in head first.'' Alex thought that both figuratively and literally.


    He raised the fishing rod and lodged it on the railing of the hip. Before the mana runs out, the fishing rod wouldn''t break. Alex was sure of that.


    "Crack!" The railing began to make weird noises.


    The ship jerked to and fro due to the sudden force directly applied to the vessel. The giant tuna didn''t stop trying to pull down Alex. This force resulted in the motion of the ship.


    Just after that, Alex teleported to where he had seen the giant tuna. It took Alex approximately 0.2 seconds to teleport and reappear near the tuna.


    However, that was enough time for the giant tuna to break the line. 0.2 seconds was all it took for Alex to realise this.


    After breaking away from the fishing line, the fish began to swim faster towards any direction it felt like. After all, it couldn''t see where it was going.


    The giant tuna tried desperately to escape and survive.


    "I won''t let you get away that easily," Alex spoke. And instead of words, his mouth released a curtain of bubbles. He was already underwater when he chased after the tuna.


    "The reason I released the smoke screen is for this exact purpose. I will hunt you to the end of the earth.


    Alex followed the tuna with his magical abilities. He focused on the figure and began the hunt.


    Teleport was consecutively used to chase after the tuna.


    Although Alex knew how to swim, swimming was not one of his strong suits. So, he was cautious when he chased after the turn.


    It took a while for Alex to catch up. Before teleporting to the giant tuna, he had to predict where the tuna would go and act ordingly.


    The tuna was not happy to see Alex intrude on its territory. It wanted to quickly chomp on Alex. It propelled itself towards Alex once it realised he was ying with its life.


    Murderous rage was written on the tuna''s face as it began its assault on Alex.


    Alex weed the assault with open arms. He wanted to catch the fish, and it was delivering itself to him. Why should he not take the chance?


    Using the opportunity, Alex dashed towards the tuna.


    Both man and beast rapidly moved in the water as they closed in on each other. They were en route to a head-on collision.


    Instead of panicking, Alex was thrilled to see it.


    Among the tuna and Alex, one was about to die.


    The open mouth of Tuna closed in on Alex. The sharp white teeth of the tuna were menacing to look at. And still, Alex swam towards it.


    Just as they neared a couple meters away, Alex began to cast a spell. It was not anything special.


    It was the generic ice spell that Alex knew. From his action, one might assume Alex was preparing a spell to attack the tuna. But that was not the case. He, in fact, had a sillier reason for that.


    After preparing the ice spell, Alex took out a giant barbecue skewer.


    "Fish, thanks for the meal," Alex said.


    The tuna was just a couple of meters away. It had almost bit Alex.


    The nonchnt Alex gripped the barbecue skewers tightly beforeunching himself towards the tuna''s head. Doding the razor-sharp teeth of the tuna, he stepped on its head.


    Gripping the metallic skewer, Alex plunged it directly into a portion of the head. It now pierced the brain.


    The brain of the tuna turned into a mush after Alex''s attack.


    Instantly, the tuna died. It stopped all its motion.


    However, Alex still needed to be done. He willed the ice spell he created and froze the entire tuna and water surrounding it. The tuna became encased in a thick iceyer.


    Alex was trying to quickly turn the temperature of the tuna down. And he was sessful in doing so. The tuna was preserved entirely without any damage.


    "Easy." He smirked as he touched the frozen tuna that was as long as two people.


    Alex ced his hand over the tuna and willed it to the inventory. The frozen body was quickly stored inside.


    After that, Alex made his way towards the ship. With a teleport, he reached the boat. His clothes were wet, and his hair was dishevelled. He looked like a madman. But no one dared to disrespect him.


    The crew, the captain and the wind mage knew how strong Alex was.


    Alex took out a towel and began to dry himself. Meanwhile, he nced around at the curious eyes around him.


    "I caught it." He stated calmly.


    "Take a look." He removed the tuna from the inventory and ced it over the ship''s deck.


    The sight of the giant fish mesmerised the people around.


    "It is a giant blue tuna!" The crowd eximed simultaneously.


    "It is a powerful magical beast and, simultaneously, a delicacy among the nobles. Only a few are caught every year, so the demand for its meat is very high. The tuna can probably sell for upwards of twenty thousand gold coins. What kind of luck did he have to catch it the first time he fished?" The wind mage, John said.


    His words made the eyes of the crowd shine. The look they gave Alex was different from before.


    Some were jealous, others felt admiration, while others imagined eating the fish and bathing in gold coins.


    "Does anyone know how to cook it?" Alex asked while looking around.


    "I know." The wind mage stood up. He wanted to be noticed by the master mage. So, he was willing to work.


    "Then, let''s use it for dinner," Alex said, handing over the giant tuna.

 Chapter 159 Gut

    <h4>Chapter 159 Gut</h4>


    The wind mage, John, had instinctively answered when Alex asked if someone could cook it. But, a momentter, he realised the problem. He raised his head immediately and walked towards Alex.


    "Are you sure you want to cook it?" He asked in a doubtful tone.


    The fish was a magical beast¡ªa giant blue tuna. It was worth more than all his wealth. Is it okay if they cooked it? This doubt sprung up in John''s mind, quelling his excitement.


    "Don''t you know how to cook it?" Alex asked back.


    "Yes, I know how to prepare it. It can be prepared in many different ways. The tuna is most delicious when we eat it raw. But that''s not the problem. It''s too precious to be consumed by us." John wanted to say more.


    "You don''t have to worry about that. Let''s enjoy the evening with this meal." Alex interjected.


    He was not even interested in hearing the price of the fish. The amount of wealth he had was astronomical whenpared to the cost of the tuna. It didn''t matter to him if he sold the tuna or not. But, it would matter to him if he couldn''t eat such fresh fish.


    "Then, I will prepare it for dinner." Finally, John gave up. He realised that Alex might have umted much wealth as a master mage. In reality, Alex earned his wealth through an interdimensional farm and business. However, John could have never guessed that.


    The crew and the captain were too stunned to speak or even understand what was happening around them. They looked at the giant blue tuna inside a frozen block of ice and salivated.


    However, John''s word ''dinner'' rang inside their head.


    "Dinner!"


    "Dinner?"


    "FOOD!"


    The crew eximed.


    "Is it okay for us to eat that?"


    "Is he allowing us to eat that?"


    As the people of the sea, the ship crew knew the value of the giant blue tuna. They knew its meat was precious and worth thousands of gold coins. So, they couldn''t believe that they were allowed to eat that.


    Their eyes glowed when they finally realised the truth. A smile bloomed on their face. The same was true for Captain Will.


    ¡ª


    Alex was curious about how John was going to prepare the magical beast. So, he hung around nearby. Seeing that, the crew members brought him a chair to sit on. They had unknowingly begun to treat Alex better.


    Other than the few who were tasked with controlling the ship, the rest of the crew, even those who were sleeping, came to see the spectacle of John preparing the fish.


    John didn''t mind the presence of the crew. He had known them for years. So, he didn''t mind them watching him. But he was mindful of Alex''s eyes watching from the side. It somehow looked imposing to him.


    "Hm. Sir Meru, can you help me with something before we begin?" He called out to Alex.


    "Yes."


    "Can you help me create an ice bed on the table? I am not well versed in creating ice spells." He said while pointing at a table.


    "No problem," Alex replied nonchntly and helped create a block of ice on the table. First, he developed ayer of water and froze it with an icy spell. It was a two-step process which looked like a single spell to theyman.


    Everyone was amazed by the spells Alex disyed.


    ''Is making ice that rare?'' Alex thought in his heart. Then he quickly went back to sit on his chair. He was excited to observe how John was going to prepare the tuna.


    "First, I am going to remove the iceyers," John informed the audience.


    Alex had covered the entire fish to maintain its freshness. Now, John had to remove it to ess the tuna inside.


    The giant blue tuna was about four meters long. Slightly longer than two people stacked on top.


    The ice covering around it extended from the head to the tip of the tail. And it had a thickness of three inches. To cut this apart, John took out a sharp. He mumbled something, and a rune appeared on top of the knife. He walked forward towards the tuna.


    Without dy, he plunged the knife into the iceyer. The de cut the ice like it was cutting through butter. It might have been a magical instrument to disy such sharpness.


    John slid the knife across the tuna''s body, starting from the head and ending at the tail. He sliced the ice that was near the dorsal fin.


    After that, he pulled the ice apart and cracked it like cracking an egg. The ice cracked and fell to the deck of the ship. The tuna was then turned sideways andid on the ice-covered floor.


    Now, the entire tuna became visible to the audience. It was long and blue with giant beady eyes. It was a beast capable of killing any crew members on the ship.


    The crew, who saw the tuna, gulped nervously.


    Fortunately, the tuna didn''t bite their line. Fortunately, they didn''t have to dive into the ocean to catch it.


    Then they looked at Alex in awe of his strength.


    It didn''t even take Alex ten seconds to kill the beast ande back.


    ''He is strong.'' A thought resounded in their heart.


    Meanwhile, John prepared a neat table nearby to move the sliced parts of the fish.


    "Gutting the fish is difficult. I will try my best not to puncture the gut inside." Like a professional, John said before moving on to gutting the fish.


    The tuna was propped up by the icy bed beneath. It was lying on its side, in the perfect position to gut.


    John walked towards the stomach of the fish and touched it. He activated his mana vision at the same time to visualise the internal parts of the fish. But, this was a challenging skill. Even among the mages, there were different types of mana vision. Not everyone had the talent to gauge the depth of internal organs urately.


    Even to John, a journeyman-ranked mage, it was impossible if the fish was not dead.


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