《The Annihilator: Killer Of Gods》 Chapter 1 Death in Darkness, Born out of Darkness "911, what is your emergency?" a voice spoke through the phone, prompting a youngdy to reply in a scared yet hasty tone. "They... they''re dead," she said, her voice trembling. She remained hidden behind her door, peeking outside at what appeared to be a scene ofplete and total carnage. In the midst of it all, a man sat in a pool of blood, surrounded by the lifeless bodies of three people: two children¡ªa boy and a girl¡ªand a woman. His appearance showed no bitterness or sadness, but to a keen observer, the pain in his eyes was unmistakable. "Come again, who is dead and what is your location? Ma''am, are you in danger?" The voice spoke again, trying to understand what thedy said. It sounded vague at first, so more rity was needed, typical of some call center protocols. "I think the young man killed his wife and two children. I am at 124 Blue Avenue Drive," she replied, still maintaining her fear. Yet, curiosity couldn''t be subdued as she continued to peek through her gate. "Find a ce to hide, help is on the way," The phonedy said cutting the call and then forwarding it to the nearest police units. Later on, police and paramedics arrived at the scene, and the man was taken into custody. Throughout the ordeal, he never spoke a single word. All he did was look deep into the universe with painful and teary eyes. His pain was now visible, and for some reason, the police who handcuffed him all looked scared for unknown reasons. He was taken to the nearest police station, where he was detained andter brought to court for the murder of his wife and two children. They asked him a series of questions, but through it all, he remained silent, not even bothering to get himself awyer. His entire demeanor was akin to a lifeless body forced to continue living. He had lost all strength, along with his love, in the form of two beautiful children and a beloved wife. Who would be able to endure something like that? He lost his will to live, yet the heavens didn''t allow him the chance to die. While awaiting his court date, he was locked in a 3-meter square room with no fan. For a whole month, he just sat there, emotionless. He talked to no one, simply waiting for whatever fate had in store for him. "The people vs. General Karsha Damon," the bailiff announced as the day of the court hearing arrived. An enigmatic youngwyer could be seen sitting beside the man used of killing his children and wife. The man identified as General Karsha Damon was indeed a respected general in the United States Army. He had spent all his 32 years serving his country, participating in numerous operations that led to the capture and assassination of many notorious individuals. He had been awarded many times for his bravery and valor. Yet here he sat, in an orange jumpsuit, ready to receive a sentence that would shape his life for the worse. He appeared doomed, yet he didn''t seem to care. On the contrary, thewyer sitting beside him seemed to be doing all the crying. The prosecution gave their opening statement, describing the general as a cold-blooded killer who had lost all self-control. They painted him as a man who brought the carnage of the battlefield into his home. They went further, narrating in graphic detail how he stabbed his children repeatedly in the heart and neck, ending their lives in the most painful way possible. The general, however, simply let his tears flow down his face. He wasn''t angry despite the damning portrayal; he was heartbroken by the description of how his children died. He wanted to scream out his anguish, but under the table, thedywyer, who bore an uncanny resemnce to him, held his hands. She also had tears streaming down her face. The man being depicted as the most notorious killer was herst remaining rtive. She knew her brother didn''t kill his family, yet here they were, facing the horrific usations. She was furious, but as awyer, she held herself back and remained professional, albeit barely. When the prosecution finished their opening arguments, thedy also gave hers. She, on the other hand, sang praises of her brother/client''s love for his family, describing how he would go to heaven and hell just to provide for them. She highlighted his aplishments as a soldier and how he saved countless lives. Her entire speech celebrated the greatness of the man they were about to condemn. But despite her impassioned plea, the final verdict went against them, and the man was sentenced to death by electrocution. A week after the verdict, the day of the execution arrived. It became a major media event, with numerous outlets broadcasting the death of a man they believed to be innocent yet guilty. A little after noon, the television began broadcasting the live execution. Strapped into the chair was the most respected General in all of US Army history. However, when his face was shown, there was no fear or panic in his eyes. Instead, a chilling, murderous look gazed into the camera with deadly intent. "What are yourst words, General Karsha?" the priest asked, showing no empathy toward the man about to face a 2000-volt electric charge. The air hung heavy with anticipation as the man slowly began to speak. "I used to tell my men, a man is onlyplete when he has his better half and little ones running around the house. And a man is forever broken when all those are taken from him." He paused for a moment before continuing. "There won''t be any sorrow for the wicked, just as there won''t be any pain for the unjust. I lost my family, yet I am the one being executed. I don''t know who killed my family or why they did it, but they should pray this is where my story ends. Because if not, I will crawl my way back just to hunt them down and inflict the most grueling pain imaginable." The priest took a few steps back, feeling the weight of pain, intent, anger, and sorrow in the man''s words. "I will be back," he concluded, his short sentence filled with threats and anguish. To most observers, it sounded like the ramblings of a madman. But deep within the heavens, a tall figure with a battle-hardened, sinister, bloodthirsty, and cunning demeanor let a smirk slip across his lips as he gazed into the universe. A few secondster, a small smile escaped his lips, prompting him to utter a sentence, "Finally, after hundreds of thousands of years waiting, I finally found a worthy opponent." With that, he stood up and then vanished. Back in the execution room, the priest anointed the General''s forehead before the executioner looked at his watch, adjusting the helmet. "General Karsha Damon, you are hereby sentenced to death by electrocution," a man dered, and immediately, the executioner pulled down the lever, sending a surge of electricity into the general''s body, snuffing out his life force in an instant. [General Karsha''s POV] As the announcer proimed his sentence, he sighed, bracing himself for what was toe. He felt a surge of electricity course through his body, and for a few moments, his worldview darkened. When the haze cleared, he found himself no longer in the chair. He was naked and floating lifelessly in an unknown space. He had heard stories about how people reunited with their loved ones after their deaths, yet for some reason, he felt that wasn''t for him. He had promised revenge, and as someone who believed in fairy tales, he knew he wouldn''t find peace until he fulfilled that promise. Even so, he couldn''t help but wonder why he was just floating in an unknown space instead of being on his way to the afterlife. With no answer forting, he remained there, floating for an unknown amount of time. However, being in one ce for so long began to wear on him. His patience started to thin, and just as he was about to lose it, a deep voice spoke from behind him. "Now, now, why the rush? Didn''t you promise revenge just a few days ago?" The heavenly yet hellish being emerged from the shadows, surprising General Karsha. He took a couple of steps forward, ncing at the imposing figure.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Ie in peace," he said, allowing a small smile to escape his mouth. However, General Karsha didn''t lower his guard. He stood there, giving the 6-meter-tall figure a warning look that seemed to say, ''if you take another step, I will end you''. It was a ratherical sight, especially considering his nakedness, which brought another huge smile to the figure''s face. Without saying another word, the figure shrank down to a more human height and casually waved his hand, manifesting a robe to wrap around General Karsha. "Like I said, Ie in peace. No need to be hostile. I am here to fulfill your dying wish, so try to appear friendly since I hold the power to grant you what you want and also to send you to the deepest part of hell," he said, expecting a reaction from General Karsha. However, to his surprise, the general just stood there, looking at him with a straight face. The figure was taken aback by the reaction of the man he thought would be more receptive. However, seeing the ''I don''t give a fuck'' look on General Karsha''s face piqued his interest. It''s not every day someone manages to impress him, especially a mortal, and to do so effortlessly was remarkable. "Straight to the point then. I won''t tell you my name or who I am, but I can grant you a chance to get back at the people who took everything from you," he continued. This time, General Karsha reacted. "And I presume you want something in return..." Chapter 2 Selecting the Darkness Born "Listen up. You''re here because you belong to nobody; you belong to me now. You have no one to return to since your families sold you off for their own gain. So forget any notion of leaving this ce," a soldier addressed a long line of bare-chested children, young men, and women. "Each of you will be assigned a supervisor. Listen to them and ensure you don''t ck off, because trust me, you don''t want to know the consequences if you do." The children, young men, and women looked like rejects from society. Their bones were visible through the thinyer of skin covering them, their pain and hunger evident. They were what people called ves in the world of Quinox. From most people''s viewpoint, even domestic animals held more value than ves. It was a harsh reality. Most ves were the product of their families'' greed. Parents often sold their children into very for a few gold coins. Though considered barbaric elsewhere, in Quinox, it was normalized. The long line of ves standing is thetest batch shipped to the ve mines. They are there to work for their masters, spending the rest of their lives mining for rare gems and gold that will fill the pockets of the rich and powerful. It''s just the way it is, and there is no stopping it. "Except you. The rest of you can follow my men; they''ll assign you to your designated work area," the soldier added, gesturing toward a frail-looking young man who appeared to have not eaten in years. "You, my friend, won''t have the privilege to have it easy like the rest of them," the soldier said, describing the barbaric nature of the work the ves have been doing as normal and easy. "Your family killed five of my men. It''s a p to my leadership, so for your punishment, you will spend the next 10 years in the ''Pit''." The frail-looking young man just stared at him with an indifferent look. However, a murderous intent could be seen behind those innocent blue eyes. Yet, he did his best to suppress it. After the soldier said a few more words, the young man was dragged away. On their way, all the old residents there kept giving him sorrowful looks. They knew what the pit was and how many had survived it - none. Throughout the discovery of the part of the mine described as the Pit until now, nobody had been able to survive a week there. The fact that the young man who had just arrived was being dragged there prompted the veterans to cast sorrowful looks at him. Time passed, and the new batch started adapting to their new life. Some were there because their families sold them, while others ended up there because of bandits. However, within the most dangerous area of the mine, there was a young man who was there because his whole family had been ughtered by their business rivals. He survived because, at the time of the ughter, he was away on an errand. By the time he returned, the scene of the lifeless and headless bodies of his parents and siblings greeted him. He didn''t even get to mourn then, as the moment he surfaced, their enemies captured him and sold him to the ve buyers. He was just 17 years old but couldn''t cultivate because of his faulty meridians. Four of the nine pathways that facilitate Mana or energy flow were blocked, preventing him from harnessing Mana. While others might be able to work continuously for hours, he couldn''t. Unluckily for him, he was assigned to the most dangerous area of the ruin. There was no supervisor, as they all knew nobody would be able to survive in that ce. However, weeks passed, and the young man remained alive, albeit barely. Months passed, and soon half a year had gone by, yet he remained alive, still thriving. ==================== "That is the best I can do for you," the being said to General Karsha, who was gazing at the projection of the frail-looking young man who was about to die. The whole scene of what happened to the young man named Austin was yed like a movie to him by the mysterious figure standing behind him. He told him about transmigration and the benefits thate with it if he managed to rise to the top as a powerhouse. Unable to return him to Earth, he gave him the choice to select from three individuals in three different worlds who were about to die. The being promised to transmigrate his soul into the body of any of them. The first two were ideal choices since they were both cultivators. However, to the being''s surprise, General Karsha rejected the two and opted for the frail young man who couldn''t even channel mana. "Transmigrate me into that young man or let my soul go," General Karsha said with a determined look. He had made his choice, and there was no doubt in his voice. "How are you going to be my opponent if you can''t cultivate?" the being asked in an annoyed tone. However, General Karsha just looked at him with a curious gaze before answering.N?v(el)B\\jnn "You are about to reincarnate me; don''t tell me you can''t do something as simple as fixing meridians. If you are that useless, then I don''t think you are worthy to be my opponent now or ever," the being was taken aback by the arrogance and fearlessness of the mortal in front of him. Once again, the mortal surprised him. It takes someone with bottomless courage to even look him in the eyes, yet this mortal ssifies him as a weak entity. And if that wasn''t bad enough, he looked him in the eyes while saying it. ''This mortal has some balls on him. It seems I have found the right one. I only hope he doesn''t disappoint me,'' the being had a surge of emotion pass through his body as he could tell the mortal standing before him was not a normal human. He was way too courageous, and for once, he was tempted to hand him a sword so they could have a quick spar. But in the end, he just sighed and spoke. "I will grant your wish, Mortal. But bear in mind, you have 1000 years to rise to the level where we can have our duel. Don''t disappoint me, Mortal," the being gave in to his demand before gazing into the far distance. "Your time hase," he said as he waved his hand and a small portal appeared. "Walk through that, and the next time we meet, make sure you rise to the level where we can have our duel," the mysterious figuremanded before vanishing, leaving General Karsha behind. With a determined look, Karsha gazed into the portal. After a few seconds of calming and collecting his thoughts, he stepped into the portal. However, just before the portal closed, a red light flew inside. ================= Back in the Pit, the frail-looking young man could be seen digging for food. Inside the Pit, he could sustain his thirst and hunger by feeding on small insects that lived in tiny holes in the ground. These insects were rich in water and protein, so without any other choice, he had been surviving on them for a whole year. He hadn''t seen the sun all that time, and for a non-cultivator like himself, that wasn''t easy. The first few weeks were the hardest for him. However, after a few months, he started adapting. He spent his days just digging for food since nobody expected anything from him. He was literally in a pit, and since he wasn''t a cultivator, climbing out was just a pipe dream. Because of that, he didn''t even attempt to try. He just continued to live. However, today was different. The area where he was digging was about to copse. The copse wouldn''t kill a cultivator but would easily kill a non-cultivator like him. "Come on," he muttered as he continued to dig, oblivious to the danger looming over him. Just as he was about to uncover the insect, a crack resonated through his leg. He tried to move back, but it was toote. The 2-meter radius around him sank, falling 30 meters. He mmed hard on the ground, instantly snuffing out the pitiful life he had been holding on to. His bodyy lifeless on the floor, surrounded by debris, with a few chunks of solid sand burying his right leg and left hand. The bodyy there for almost 24 hours without any reaction. However, a few minutes after the 24 hours had passed, a reddish light started enveloping the body. Beneath the light, a dark reddish smokey aura began seeping out. The wounds on his body instantly healed, and his physical appearance underwent a slight change. His previously dark brown hair turned slightly longer and milky red, framing his now perfect cheekbones. His blue eyes turned golden, giving him a much more handsome appearance. It would take a keen observer to identify the now sleeping body as the previously frail-looking Austin. Although he still maintained his frail physique, that wouldn''t be for long, as the mana around the surroundings started entering his body at a fast pace. Despite all this, there was no visible reaction from the body. It remained still for another 24 hours until suddenly, a burst of mana erupted from it. When it subsided, the body slowly stood up, looking more energized. He stretched his body for a few seconds before raising his head and looking at the 70-meter-deep pit he was in. "I should have picked the other two sect geniuses since they were bound to die on a t surface," he shook his head and then sat down. However, the moment his buttocks touched the floor, a message appeared before his vision. Ding... < God Killer System Initializing...> < God killer System Rebooting > < Note: The system will take 24 hours to fully boot up so the host is advised to remain still throughout the process> "What the F****..." Chapter 3 God Killer System Online The message hovering before Karsha''s eyes left him in a state of shock. He couldn''t believe or understand what he was seeing. Although he had heard his children talk about novels where the protagonist rises to the top with the help of a system, he hadn''t read any of those stories to know more about it. All he knew was that when the system awakened, he would be granted some cheats that would enable him to rise above all. He was a soldier, a very good one, and the prospect of having such an entity to guard and protect him on his journey left him in a state of shock yet filled with expectation. He was an army general, and in most armies, the general is the strategist. The fact that he now had something that could further enable him to explore what the cultivation world had to offer made him forget his pain for a moment and let the joy he was feeling sink in. He stayed in the lotus posture for a whole twenty-four hours, just looking at the countdown. As he had expected, when the counter hit zero, a new message appeared. Ding... < God Killer System is Online > < All functions are online > < Ding! The God Killer system has fully integrated into the body of the host. Which means I can help the host in his cultivation journey. I have limited functionality at the moment, but as the host rises in strength, more functions will be unlocked which will further add to the usefulness of my existence > < Ding! The system has awarded the host one item for the 24-hour wait > < Item: Devil''s Tooth Long Sword > Rank: Rare Ding... < Ding! Congrattions to the host for unlocking a passive ability > [Ability: Imitate] -- The host can imitate the fighting style of others and assimte them into his skills. This can be archived by either watching or engaging in a fight. Ding... < Name: Karsha Damon > < Age: 18 > < Sex: Male > < Race: Human > < ss: None > < Title: None > < STR: 10 / AGL: 11 / HEA: 12 / STA: 12 > < Mana: 1000 >n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Karsha gazed at the message floating before his eyes with a sly smile. He could already sense his strength, and now that he could see it quantified, he couldn''t help but let loose a small smile. However, a nagging feeling crept through his mind. The data shown stated he was 18 instead of 32. "At least make it 25 so I can know I am still an adult," heined. But before he could ponder it further, the system replied to him. < The body you inhabit is that of an 18-year-old person. Although your soul is 32 years old, your body is not. Your age is determined based on the physical and bone density of the body you are living in. > The reply addressed that nagging feeling, yet he still couldn''t understand a few things. Since the system seemed ready to answer his questions, Karsha started bombarding it with inquiries. "Who are you, and what can you do?" he asked. < I am a system that helps my host to cultivate more efficiently. I have many functionalities that will further help boost the speed at which the host cultivates. > "Tell me more about these functionalities," Karsha asked again. < For now, I can help the host circte Mana, Absorb Beast Cores, give reward quests, and assist in leveling up. > "I don''t know about leveling up since I am stuck in a pit 70 meters deep underground," Karsha said as he rested his head on his knee. He hadn''t attempted the challenge in front of him yet, knowing the current him wasn''t strong enough to escape the pit. Being 70 meters deep underground, there was no way a frail-looking human like him could climb out. Although the mysterious being had kept his promise and fixed his meridians, enabling him to cultivate, Karsha hadn''t even begun on the path of cultivation. He merely possessed all the basic stats an average human would. So despite having Mana, he wouldn''t be able to use it to escape the pit. Having a system but no way to fully utilize it sure sounded like a failed protagonist. However, while he was wallowing in self-pity, the system had other ideas. Ding... < System Daily Quest Activated > < Quest: Do 100 sip-ups and 100 push up > < Rewards: +10 attribute points to be distributed freely > Karsha gazed at the message for a few minutes, trying to process it. Despite his limited knowledge when it came to matters of the system, he understood Stamina and other human attributes well. As a soldier, he had trained extensively, utilizing various techniques to maximize strength and agility. They ran for agility, did squats and lifting for strength, coupled with stamina training and healthy eating for overall health. He knew that the higher you trained, the stronger you became, so the fact that he now had a system willing to reward him for doing what he had done almost all his life came as a huge surprise. Without wasting any more time, he assumed the push-up posture and began his quests. However, his anticipation and expectations were crashed when he felt his body refusing to obey hismands. As he aimed to push up, his arms turned to jelly, leaving him t on the ground. He had been so eager toplete the quest that he had forgotten about the limitations of the body he now inhabited. "Aiyaaa, This is too troublesome. Why did I choose this body again?" Karsha questioned himself. He had been the one to select the weak, frail body, mainly due to how tenacious he saw Austin to be. But now that he was in this body, he couldn''t help but curse himself for picking such a feeble vessel. Despite having the spirit and determination of a soldier, the body he inhabitedcked all forms of physical strength. The body was weak. The bones were too fragile for 100 push-ups. If he wanted to achieve that, he would need a week to gradually train the body to a more suitable form. However, spending a week on this training would mean another unproductive period for him inside the pit. He had 1000 years to be strong enough to duel with the mysterious being that granted him a second life. If he had to spend a whole week just training his body for 100 push-ups, he might as well sit there and do nothing. But aside from the duel with the mysterious being, he also had to seek revenge for both his family''s killers and Austin''s family''s killers. He needed strength, and since the system had provided him with a way to attain it, he fought through the pain and began training. He understood it wouldn''t be a quick process, but he was determined to defy the odds, as he always had. Karsha''s determination was something he could count on. He wouldn''t let a weak body stop him from achieving his goals. So without allowing his recent setbacks to overwhelm him, he began training his body. He started with less intense push-ups, gradually increasing the angle as his body adapted. For 10 whole hours, he trained his body with push-ups and sit-ups. However, even after 10 hours of effort, he couldn''t manage a single sessful push-up. The system didn''t fail to highlight hisck of strength. < Push Ups - 0/100 > < Sit-Ups - 0/100 > Another 2 hours passed, but still no progress. However, Karsha could feel his bones strengthening, so without wasting any more time, he pushed himself further. Luckily for him, on the 18th hour, he managed to register his first sessful push-up. < Push Ups - 1/100 > A small smile escaped his lips as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. He still had 6 hours to go before the first quest ended. So after registering his first push-up, he pushed himself further. Two hourster, he managed to record 90 push-ups and 10 sit-ups, but it seemed that was all his body could take. His breath turned ragged as he gasped for air. His only constion was that he still had 4 hours left and only 10 push-ups remaining. After resting for 30 minutes, he started again. This time, however, he aimed to stop only when he finallypleted the quests. "Damn it," Karsha cursed, realizing that 20 minutes remained but he still had 15 more sit-ups to do. His bones and muscles ached from the strain he had put on his body. Thest few hours were spent achieving something that would have taken others weeks. Yet, he couldn''t help but curse himself for being weak. If he failed toplete the sit-ups, he would fail the quest and lose the attribute points. Fighting through the pain, he pressed on. "Come on, Karsh, almost there," he said, encouraging himself as he pushed through thest 5 sit-ups with just 2 minutes remaining. "You got this, Karsh. You are stronger than this," he kept psyching himself as he pushed for thest two. His legs and whole body shook as if he were standing on a massage machine. Sweat dripped down his body as he continued to push through the pain. "Come on,e on,e on... YES!!!" he shouted as hepleted the 100th sit-up with only 10 seconds remaining. Hey back t, letting his consciousness slip into a brief sleep. However, hovering before his eyes was the message of the quest: < Quest Completed: 100 Push-Ups, 100 Sit-Ups > < Day 1 questplete, +10 Attribute points added to be distributed freely > Chapter 4 Great Developments Karsha remained unconscious for a whole 5 hours. When he woke up, he was greeted with a message aboutpleting the first quest and earning 10 attribute points, along with a new quest: Ding... < System Daily Quest Activated > < Quest: Do 100 sit-ups and 100 push-ups > < Rewards: +10 attribute points to be distributed freely > He received the same quest as the first one, making him wonder if the system wasn''t impressed with his performance. After a little thinking, he let out a sigh and proceeded to start his second quest without adding the 10 points he had already earned. His reasoning was simple: using the points now would be disadvantageous, so he aimed to pile them up and then use them when he truly needed them. Additionally, if he could train his body to the point where he could do 1000 push-ups within an hour, he would be able to climb out of the pit. He had already calcted how long it would take him to climb out, and he wanted to achieve it purely through brute strength. If necessary, he would add the points along the way. He started the second quest with the same energy he had the previous day. His determination remained unwavering as he began stretching to loosen his stiff muscles. Slowly but steadily, hemenced his quest and started recording almost sessful push-ups immediately. It took him 16 hours to finally finish the quest. Afterward, he rested for a few hours and then began digging for insects to eat. He didn''t inherit any of Austin''s memories, but he had seen Austin digging for insects in the video the mysterious being showed him. He didn''t even bother asking the system whether the insects were healthy or not; he just wanted something to quench his thirst and hunger. After a few hours of digging, he stopped and rested for a while before starting the third quest. As before, he didn''t distribute the points, choosing instead to endure the pain and gain strength through his own efforts. As the days passed, Karsha continued to receive the same quest, which he managed to clear with increasing efficiency. On the fourth day, hepleted it within 10 hours. By the fifth day, he had improved further, finishing the quest in just eight hours. With each passing day, his progress elerated. By the eighth day, he managed to clear the quest in under two hours. And by the tenth day, his training had paid off significantly, as hepleted the quest within just one hour. His relentless dedication and perseverance were paying dividends in his journey toward strength and freedom. The 11th-day quest came with slight modifications. Ding... < System Daily Quest Activated > < Quest: Do 250 sip-ups and 250 push up > < Rewards: +15 attribute points to be distributed freely > And so, that became his daily routine. Karsha trained for hours every day, diligentlypleting the quest and stockpiling the attribute points, seemingly without a clear purpose. From the 11th day to the 29th day, he pushed himself to do up to 400 push-ups and sit-ups every day. However, when the 30th-day quest arrived, Karsha wore both an excited and grave expression on his face. Ding... < System Daily Quest Activated > < Quest: Do 500 sip-ups and 500 push up within 10 hours > < Rewards: A leather armor and +30 attribute points to be distributed freely > This time around, Karsha wouldn''t only be receiving attribute points but armor as well. However, he would have toplete all the activities within 10 hours. He managed toplete the 450 push-ups and 450 sit-ups within 16 hours, only achievable because he didn''t take any breaks in between. However, this time he would have to aplish it within just 10 hours. It seemed impossible, yet he had to find a way. Without wasting a moment, he began with the sit-ups, pushing himself beyond his current capabilities. Slowly but steadily, he was able to finish 200 sit-ups within 2 hours. However, seeing the countdown disying only 8 hours remaining, Karsha knew he wouldn''t be able to make it. He could feel his body giving up, but that was when he issued amand that began to change everything. "System, kindly add 4 points to my strength and 4 to my stamina," Karshamanded, seeing there was no way out. As he expected, the system responded by adding the points to his attributes. The moment they were added, he felt his body strengthen. His soft and jelly-like legs were filled with energy as if he hadn''t just lost all strength in them. Capitalizing on this newfound strength, he began the push-ups,pleting 300 within an hour. Under normal circumstances, such a significant increase in strength wouldn''t result from just adding 4 points. However, Karsha, instead of relying solely on his attribute points, had been diligently training his body to the next level. Adding the points had elevated his already heightened strength to the next level. Ding... < Congrattions to the host forpleting the quest > < 35 points added to be distributed freely >n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om < Tiger skin leather armor added to inventory > Karsha sat on the ground, gasping for air after exerting his body for the past 9 hours. Despite the pain and determination, he had managed toplete the quest within the allotted time. He needed the armor, and more importantly, he needed the stat points. With over 400 points to distribute, he knew he was set for now. All he needed to do now was figure out how to escape the pit. Over thest 30 days, he had devised a series of solutions. However, they all relied on him being able to hold on for at least an hour. So, training his muscles had been a good thing. "System, take out the armor," Karsha ordered, and immediately, a dark leather armor appeared in his hands. He proceeded to wear it. < You can ask me to equip it for you next time > The system made sure to remind him of its capabilities. Karsha, on the other hand, saw it as a normal thing as he started brainstorming the best approach to escape the Pit. His first n involved climbing by using stones and vines on the side of each wall, but as a strategist, he saw the w in that approach. So, he began making ns for situations where he might have to adapt and take a new approach mid-climb. After three hours of strategic reasoning, Karsha came to a roadblock. For his n to work, he needed a dagger to create spaces he could step in and hold while climbing. Unfortunately, luck wasn''t on his side, and the only thing at his disposal was a long sword. With no solution in sight, he temporarily shelved his ns and resumed his training and questpletion. His 31st quest only yielded 50 points, without any additional gifts. This trend persisted until his 40th quest, where he was awarded a bottle with limitless water. His 50th quest rewarded him with a manual on how to manually cultivate. By harnessing the mana in the air, a cultivator could easily absorb it and use it to enhance their martial prowess. Although Karsha didn''t give it much thought at the moment since he didn''t need it, he stored the information for future reference. On his 60th quest, he received 80 points and a boot that granted the wearer the ability to move at an incredibly high speed. The speed of movement depended on the wearer''s agility, making it a valuable asset for those with high agility attributes. On his 70th quest, Karsha still couldn''t get his hands on a dagger. Instead, he received basic items that would prove useful once he escaped the Pit. Another manual on swordsmanship was among his rewards, covering fundamental concepts like parrying, thrusting, blocking, and shing¡ªessentially, how to defend and counterattack with a sword. His 80th quest provided him with a more advanced version of the sword manual, along with 100 attribute points to further enhance his abilities. The 90th quest granted him a health regeneration pill with 100% purity. Karsha stored all these items in his inventory, knowing he had no immediate use for them. As his 100th quest arrived, Karsha received 120 points and a manual on elemental awakening. However, feeling frustrated by the continuous absence of the dagger he so eagerly needed, he didn''t bother to read it. Spending over 100 days inside the pit without obtaining the tool he required had begun to wear on his patience. Despite the setback, Karsha''s physical strength had reached new heights, as evidenced by his ability to perform 500 push-ups within an hour. Nevertheless, the absence of the dagger continued to test his patience and determination. The soldier in Karsha wouldn''t let frustration get the better of him, so he continued tackling the quests daily, adapting to the changing rules. Sometimes he had toplete the quest without taking a break, and other times he had to finish within a limited amount of time. After the 60th quest, he found the subsequent challenges rtively easier, managing to clear them quickly and cutting the allocated time by almost half. Despite his growing efficiency, the system didn''t make it easy for him. However, everything changed when the 110th quest arrived. Ding... < System Daily Quest Activated > < Quest: Do 4000 sip-ups and 4000 push up within 10 hours > < Rewards: A Rare Rank Unbreakable rope, Twin daggers, and +300 attribute points to be distributed freely > "Finally!" Karsha shouted with joy as he gazed at the quest message. Without dy, he started the quest, which took him 7 hours toplete. Upon finishing, he retrieved the rope and daggers. He had asked for only daggers but got something even better¡ªan unbreakable rope. "Time to get out of here," he muttered, a determined look on his face as he prepared to make his escape. Chapter 5 Escaping the Pit "Damn it," Karsha cursed out loud as he threw the 200th ''Anchor.'' He tied the rope to the sword, creating an anchor, hoping he could secure it to a stone or wood outside the pit so he could climb out easily. However, thest five hours were spent throwing the anchor without catching anything. His frustration had reached a new height, making him keep cursing out loud despite knowing it wouldn''t change anything. His initial n was to use the dagger to dig handholds and footholds as he slowly climbed up. However, after analyzing the situation, he gave up on that idea since there were too many risks involved. The only thing he could do now was focus on anchoring. After taking a huge gulp from his water bottle, he started throwing the anchor again. As he had expected, there wasn''t anything outside that would enable him to secure the tether. But he didn''t stop; he continued in the hope he would get lucky. He turned from one direction to the next, throwing the anchor, but it all resulted in nothing. However, after an hour of throwing, he felt the anchor lock onto something. Without wasting time, he started pulling the rope slowly, and just as he had hoped, the anchortched onto a stone, creating a somewhat strong tether. He examined the steadiness of the tether by pulling it with his full body weight. After a few minutes of testing, he let out a huge sigh and prepared to start climbing immediately. He sheathed the two daggers at his side and began climbing the rope. Instead of climbing straight up, he exerted half of his weight on the vines and stones protruding from the side of the wall. He let half his weight rest on the rope while the vines and stones supported the other half. Slowly but steadily, he climbed up 40 meters, leaving him only 30 meters to go. Crossing the 50-meter mark, he started using one dagger as an anchor while holding onto the rope with one hand. He was not yet a cultivator, so falling from 50 meters might prove fatal. "Almost there," Karsha said as he climbed past the 60-meter mark and slowly moved to the edge of the pit. Even though he wasn''t fully out of the pit, he allowed himself to smile a little. It was safe to say he was out of the pit since the next step he took upward allowed him to touch the edge of the opening. Using his strength, he let go of the rope and jammed another dagger into the top of the opening, using it to lift himself up. "Haa," Karsha let out a huge sigh as hey on his back with his eyes closed. It had been an hour of climbing, and the fatigue alone was enough to render him immobile for a while. "Hahahahahaha," he let out a hugeugh as hey on his back. "I did it," he said with a huge smile as he slowly sat up. He then drank a mouthful of water, ready to start exploring the outside of the pit. However, just when he was about to move, a system message appeared. < Careful host, someone is approaching > Reading the message, Karsha became alert and started looking for a ce to hide. Finding the perfect spot, he concealed himself behind a stone standing three meters tall with only one opening. His dark armor helped him blend in, making him difficult to see unless someone looked closely. Two minutester, someone walked in holding a sharp sword. "Huh, where did thatughtere from?" the person questioned as he continued to look around. Karsha, hiding behind the rock, couldn''t help but curse himself for being reckless. It appeared his harmlessughter had drawn someone''s attention. Now that the soldier was here, Karsha needed to deal with the situation. The soldier was standing near the anchor Karsha had used to climb out of the pit. Karsha had failed to take it back, which meant the soldier might either take it away and alert his master that the frail-looking boy was still alive or look around himself and try to score some points. Choosing arrogance over caution, the soldier started looking around, hoping to find Karsha. Capturing him would surely prove valuable. Karsha immediately positioned himself, ready to go for the kill. He was a soldier, so killing was not new to him. Even if it were, he wouldn''t let this particr soldier go, as he recognized him from a video showing soldiers dragging Austin to the pit. Though Karsha was not yet a cultivator, he could sense the strength of his opponent, making him refrain from facing him head-on. That would be suicide since the person was both physically and spiritually stronger than him. Opting for the only viable strategy, he nned a sneak attack and hoped for the best. There was no telling if others were aware of theughter, so he aimed to kill the soldier and dispose of the body as quickly as possible. He took out a small stone from therge rock and threw it to the side, hoping to catch the soldier''s attention. Luckily for him, the soldier appeared startled, so the small sound forced him to move toward the noise. Slowly but steadily, the soldier approached Karsha with his back turned. Karsha, being a soldier himself, knew where to stab for a quick kill. Without wasting a second, he stabbed his right dagger deep into the side of the soldier''s neck and plunged the second into his eye, ending him instantly.N?v(el)B\\jnn There was no struggle. Karsha was an expert in killing, having earned many medals for single-handedly assassinating high-value targets when there seemed to be no way out for him and his team. He didn''t even bat an eye as he gazed at the body with two daggers sticking in the neck and eye. A few secondster, he felt his strength rising to a new height. The air around him seemed to thicken, and his senses heightened. He felt the dense air start to enter his body. Before he could ask the system what was happening, a series of messages appeared. < You have killed a Level 5 ''Advance'' stage cultivator 100 stat points, 200 Exp Points obtained > < Bonus Reward > Passive Skill: Thrust - Increase sword thrusting damage output by 25% Ding... < Congrattions to the host for bing a cultivator > < Current Stage: Level 1 Apprentice > < 2000 Mana point has been added > < System Remark: Looks like there is hope for you just yet. > Karsha read through the message with a huge smile. He could feel the changes in his body, and as a soldier, he was pleased with the transformation. He saw infinite possibilities presenting themselves, waiting for him to seize them. After removing the daggers, he proceeded to loot the body. He retrieved his ring, already familiar with its significance. He also stripped the body of its clothes. However, before he could dispose of the body in the pit, the system intervened. < Won''t you check for core? You can do that by cutting through the chest if it didn''t fall out on its own > Karsha didn''t hesitate as he immediately stabbed his dagger into the dead body and began cutting. Within seconds, he found a small yellowish orb. Without a second thought, he removed it and pushed the body into the pit. After washing his hands, he stored his rope, ring (containing unknown items), and daggers in his inventory. "What now?" Karsha asked as he held the core in his hands. "Do you wish to absorb the core?" the system prompted. "Yes," Karsha replied immediately, eager to see the effects of the core. The small, stone-like orb dissipated into thin air when he selected yes, yet he could feel his strength rising once again. < The host has absorbed the core of an ''Advanced'' stage cultivator > < Congrattions to the host for advancing to Level 2 Apprentice > < Rewards > - 10 Stats points - 5000 mana Points - 1000 Exp Points Karsha chose to keep his stat points untouched since he hadn''t found himself in a situation where he needed them just yet. "System, how many stages are there for me to be strong enough to travel back to my world?" he asked, the question weighing heavily on his mind. As expected, the system only provided a partial answer. < There are many stages, but the ones applicable to your level are Apprentice, Cultivator, Advanced, Master, Grandmaster, Semi-Saint, Saint, Sage, Great Sage, King, Expert, and Emperor, > the system replied, cautioning him to focus on the matters of this world for now. For now, Karsha understood that focusing on getting stronger was paramount. He didn''t need to look too far into the future. If he wanted revenge, there was plenty waiting for him just outside the ve''s mine, and even within. Once he became strong enough, he would know, and then he could take appropriate actions. Karsha simply smiled and took out the basic sword manual from his inventory. He understood the system''s warning and refrained from asking further questions. Picking up his sword, he began practicing. For the next 30 days, he devoted himself to daily quests and sword practice. He performed thousands of thrusts, parries, cuts, shes, and swings. After feeling confident in his skills, he made up his mind to finally leave the mine and pursue his dreams. "Time to get out of this damn ce..." Karsha dered, determination shining in his eyes. Chapter 6 This is where your story ends THE SLAVE MINE: a ce where those deemed worthless by society are sent to live out the rest of their lives. They are forced to work so that others may livefortably. Age, shape, or condition doesn''t matter; once you are taken to the ve mine, there is no return. You either work or face being thrown into the pit, never to be seen again. Despite the harshness of the situation inside the mine, no one in their right mind chooses to be taken to the pit. They still hold onto the hope that someday they will gain their freedom. But of course, that is just a fool''s dream. The mine is inescapable. There are no openings that allow anyone to walk out, even if they somehow manage to elude the soldiers patrolling the area. The only way in and out is through the main door, which stands 7 meters tall and is covered with protruding spikes. Only the leader of the mine, who possesses the key, has the privilege of opening it. Therefore, for anyone to escape, they must first obtain the key to unlock the door. In other words, Karsha, who is now nning to escape, must first get the key from the Mine Boss, or as they call him, the King, to open the main gate. But even if he miraculously managed to get the key, he would have to traverse a 10-kilometer distance to reach the gate. This 10-kilometer is filled with soldiers of various shapes and sizes. There is no way he could move through them all without alerting a single person. Then there is the issue of what will happen to him outside of the mine should he manage to escape. On his body is a mark, the mark of a ve. All those sent to the ve Mine are branded on their chest or back. If he is discovered with the mark outside the mine, he will either be captured and sent back or killed on sight without any mercy. They frowned upon ves, so having one among their ranks was something they wouldn''t tolerate. It''s a dire situation for all ves, but of course, Karsha isn''t aware of this. His only focus is to escape this damn mine. For the past few weeks, he has been training his sword skills. His nature as a soldier, coupled with his talent for stealth, led him to conclude, "As long as I don''t face them head-on for now, I will be okay," Karsha said to himself as he took a sip from his water bottle. "System, kindly add 20 points to all my stats," Karshamanded. The stakes had risen, and there was no longer any reason to hold back. His current body wasparable to that of a peak beginner stage cultivator, yet he still felt weak. He needed to address this and to start, he must kill more soldiers and absorb their cores. He had noticed that killing them and absorbing their cores provided an added bonus to his stats. < Points distributed sessfully> < Status > < Name: Karsha Damon > < Age: 18 > < Sex: Male > < Race: Human > < ss: None> < Title: None > < Realm: Apprentice - Level 2 > < STR: 24 / AGL: 31 / HEA: 32 / STA: 32> < Mana: 6000 > < Exp: 100/5000 > Avable Stats: 12,000 Avable Exp: 0 Skills: [Imitate]. [Thrust] Karsha read through his status and couldn''t help but see a new light at the end of the tunnel. He observed all the changes in his status and couldn''t help but feel proud of his achievements. He practiced his thrust skill continuously for a day, and now all he needed was a live target. He understood that practicing and the real thing were opposite experiences. He needed to practice on moving targets that could also fight back. "I guess I will have to stick to my level for now. I still need to get the damn key from that idiot," Karsha said with a cold look. He hated the leader of the ve mine, even though he knew the man was just doing his job. The mine was owned by influential figures in the world of Quinox. They owned almost everything, so soldiers like the leader of the ve mine didn''t have a say when ordered to do something. However, from what Karsha saw through the video, he could tell all the soldiers were content with their job. So he vowed deep in his heart that before he left the mine, he would kill the leader and any soldiers that stood in his way. His hatred for the bastard ran deep. Now that he was getting stronger, he aimed to eliminate perhaps the person who might pose a threat should he manage to escape. The soldier in Karsha knew he had to tie up all loose ends. The soldiers in the mine were the ones who had seen him up close, so he intended to eliminate them before leaving. If he managed to escape, there wouldn''t be anyone left to describe him before they could draw pictures of him. He had no doubt that none of the ves would betray him. They were already suffering, and Karsha''s escape would only inspire them to revolt and seek their own freedom. Karsha may appear righteous in front of them, but deep down, he desires to create chaos among those who will pursue him. He wants them to divide their forces and chase after others who will also manage to escape. Using them as a distraction while appearing as a hero to achieve this is perfect for him. He doesn''t care about anyone or anything; the only thing he desires is freedom and strength. The only downside to his n is reaching the gate. While he can manage to confront the leader and, if lucky enough, assassinate him, getting to the gate presents a significant challenge. He would have to cross over a hundred soldiers, and those soldiers are no pushovers. They are cultivators with strengths that surpass his own. Acknowledging his shorings, Karsha began formting his n, and as he had anticipated, the system chimed in with a quest. < New Quest: Escape the ve mine within two days > < Rewards > - 1000 Stat points - 10,000 Exp - Rare Rank Long Sword - Tiger strike Dual sword ManualN?v(el)B\\jnn < Kill the ves Mine Leader and escape with 100 plus others > < Rewards > - Hidden Karsha let out a heavy sigh. He had already made ns for this, so getting paid to do the same thing sounded like a stroke of luck for him. However, he had initially nned to aplish all this within a week, but now he had only 2 days to do everything. He needed to first observe their movements and timing to move around undetected. However, now that his n for reconnaissance had been thwarted by the system, he had to devise a new n. "Two days, huh? Let''s see if the soldier in me is still alive," Karsha said after brainstorming for a few minutes. His new n was simple: he would use the first day to kill or assassinate as many soldiers as he could, raising his level as high as possible. Then, he would move on to kill the leader. Once the leader was dead, he would make his way to the gate, anticipating a bloody 10-kilometer run. Stowing his sword and drawing out his daggers, he began to move, signaling the start of a night that promised bloodshed, a night that would be remembered as the day the ves pushed back. The revolution was about to be born. ================= "I heard a new batch of ves will be arriving tomorrow," a soldier said to hisrades as they sat during what appeared to be their break time. "Good for us, at least they will be fresh meat to torment," another soldier said as he took a bite from a roasted chicken. From their expressions, it was evident that they derived some form of pleasure from tormenting innocent souls sent to the mine. They seemed to relish breaking a new soul, ensuring they understood there was no going back for them. All soldiers in the mine were like that, and since nobody could hold them ountable, they often joked about it as if it were a normal thing to do. Unfortunately for them, lurking in the shadows was a trained soldier and assassin, determined toplete his quest by any means necessary to be stronger. He was General Karsha Damon, the untamed General. "Thud." A noise echoed just a few meters away from the two soldiers, causing them to turn their attention in that direction. Since it was dark, neither of them wanted to investigate - at least, that was their n until another thud urred in the same direction. "Let me check it out; it might be one of those useless ves trying to escape their assignment," the first soldier dered as he stood up and ventured into the darkness. However, after five minutes passed without his return, the second soldier began calling out. With no response forting, he rose to investigate himself. Before he could take three steps, a dagger materialized from the darkness, piercing his eye and ending his life instantly. "This is where your story ends," Karsha dered as he emerged from the shadows. Glinting before his eyes were the rewards he had gained from killing the two Advanced stage cultivators. < You have killed a Level 4 ''Advanced'' stage cultivator > < You have killed a Level 6 ''Advanced'' stage cultivator > Chapter 7 Killing the leader < You have killed a Level 4 ''Advance'' stage cultivator > < You have killed a Level 6 ''Advance'' stage cultivator > < You have killed a Level 7 ''Advance'' stage cultivator > < Congratutaltiosn to the host for leveling up > < You have killed a Level 5 ''Advance'' stage cultivator > < You have killed a Level 5 ''Advance'' stage cultivator > < You have killed a Level 3 ''Advance'' stage cultivator > < Congratutaltiosn to the host for leveling up > < You have killed a Level 5 ''Advance'' stage cultivator > < You have killed a Level 2 ''Advance'' stage cultivator > < You have killed a Level 5 ''Advance'' stage cultivator > < Congratutaltiosn to the host for leveling up > < You have killed a Level 4 ''Advance'' stage cultivator > < You have killed a Level 9 ''Advance'' stage cultivator > --- --- --- < Congrattions to the host for leveling up > < Congrattions to the host for leveling up > < Current Stage: Level 3 Beginner > A series of texts continued to float before Karsha as he moved from one ce to the next, killing as many soldiers as he could before daybreak. He had started a little after 8 PM, and now, sitting with 38 cores and a chicken leg he had taken from the first two soldiers he killed, he surveyed his progress. It was still 3 AM, yet he wasn''t done with his killing spree. He aimed to eliminate as many soldiers as possible to make his movement from the mine to the gate easier. "Thirty-eight cores, huh? I wonder what stage I will be able to rise to after absorbing them," Karsha mused. He had already devised the perfect n: to use the night to raise his level to new heights before going after the big gun. He nned on killing the leader before daybreak, so his only chance now was to make good use of the cores. "I wonder what level their leader will be at if his soldiers are all in the advanced stage," Karsha sighed before sitting in a lotus posture. "System, help me absorb the cores," he muttered in the darkness. < Does the host wish to absorb the cores > - Yes - No "yes" Giving the go-ahead, the cores dissipated and a series of text started appearing before his vision. < The host has absorbed the core of an ''Advanced'' stage cultivator > < The host has absorbed the core of an ''Advanced'' stage cultivator > < The host has absorbed the core of an ''Advanced'' stage cultivator > < The host has absorbed the core of an ''Advanced'' stage cultivator > < The host has absorbed the core of an ''Advanced'' stage cultivator > < The host has absorbed the core of an ''Advanced'' stage cultivator > < The host has absorbed the core of an ''Advanced'' stage cultivator > --- --- --- < The host has absorbed the core of an ''Advanced'' stage cultivator > < Congrattions to the host for leveling up > --- --- --- < Congrattions to the host for leveling up > < Current Stage: Level 4 Advance > "Not enough," Karsha muttered as he started moving again. He hadn''t received any rewards from the system, but that was okay because he made sure to loot the soldiers before disposing of them. He wasn''t one to let valuable items go to waste. Plus, he had an inventory where he could stash away the looted items without anyone knowing. He wasn''t naive enough to believe that using a space ring was the best choice for him. Realizing he was stillcking in strength, he spent another two hours killing and absorbing cores. The more he killed, the more his killing intent and bloodlust intensified. He seemed to be enjoying the killing. By the end of the two hours, 68 soldiers had died, and floating before Karsha was the message he wanted to see. < Congrattions to the host for leveling up > < Current Stage: Level 1 Master > < Congrattions to the host for bing a Master stage cultivator > < New Skill Unlocked > < Blink - Tier 1 > -- The host can blink into the shadow of any object or person within 20 meters. Note: The distance will be extended as the host rises in rank. He didn''t celebrate nor let this hinder his n; he just stared at the messages with a calm expression. He still had an hour before daybreak but had not yet killed the leader. Without wasting any more time, he gave an order to the system to add 100 points to each stat before he started blinking from shadow to shadow. The ability couldn''t havee at a better time. Sneaking around had proven to be very difficult, as a keen observer could easily spot him and take action. However, with the blink ability, he was able to traverse several kilometers with ease. Having already mapped out the entire mine, he didn''t need to move randomly. Instead, he now had a clear route to follow. ================ In a room adorned with opulent and costly golden objects, a young guy was seated on a chair without any clothes on. Right in front of him, a young woman was crawling, seemingly attending to his little brother. She grasped it in her hand, gently caressing it for a brief moment before taking it into her mouth. "Mmm," the young man moaned in pleasure as he started experiencing heaven. Thedy moved her head back and forth, massaging his member with her lips and tongue. The expression on the young man''s face said it all: he was in heaven, sitting on the pinkest cloud. Little did he know that someone was on the way to end his pitiful life. After giving him blowjob for a while, thedy crawls onto hisp and slowly positions herher region on the shaft standing 6 inches hard. She slowly sat on it while moaning in pleasure, She seemed to have found the perfect little brother to y with so wasting no time, she started moving he hips as he rode the life out of the young man. Their moan and groans echoed throughout the room. They didn''t bother with privacy as the main door leading to the room was even slightly opened. For thirty straight minutes, thedy rode the young man until they both came. Thedy fell on the man out of exhaustion. They both slipped into a pleasure sleep hugging each other. However.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om standing beside a cardboard was a young man who seemed to have watched the entire process with no expression whatsoever. He came there to kill the leader, a mission he deemed challenging. However, now, lying vulnerable before him was the very man he nned to kill and to add a cherry on top, another soldier was apanying him. Thedy was one of the soldiers who had dragged Austin to the pit. But even if she hadn''t been part of that group, Karsha wouldn''t let an opportunity to reduce the number of soldiers slip away. So taking out his long sword, he blinked and appeared before the two soldiers sandwich together. His shadow prompted the man but before he could open his eyes, Karsha drove his sword through the back of thedy piercing the heart of the young man in the process, "This is where your stories end" He said coldly without even bothering to remove the sword for a few seconds. Taking out the sword, he took out a space ring and stored the two bodies inside before stowing it in his inventory - no evidence, no crime. Without even bothering to check the messages, he moves through the room looting almost anything of value. He didn''t spare any chance since he knew almost all the things in the room were from the hard work of the ves. He had already removed the space rings from the two lovebirds. After clearing almost the entire room, he proceeded to stash some food items into his space ring. Then, he moved to the small office within the room and stashed all the documents without even bothering to check which ones were valuable and which were not. nning to seek vengeance for Austin''s family, taking the documents seemed like a prudent choice. He further grabbed some explosives from the cardboard nearby, not forgetting the keys to the main gate. Still, with 30 minutes remaining, he moved around and began nting the bombs. If it weren''t for the system quest, he would have moved to the second phase of his n, now that killing the leader waspleted. 20 minutester, Karsha reappeared inside the leader''s room, where he found a ''Do Not Disturb'' sign on the table. He hung it outside the door, signaling his desire for privacy as he awaited the opportune moment. Knowing that the ves would begin their shifts early in the morning, he nned to capitalize on the chaos caused by the explosives set to detonate shortly after 9. Settling into afortable sofa, he patiently waited. ==================== BOOM! A massive explosion erupted beneath a watchtower, targeting five soldiers standing nearby. Karsha''s initial n was to disable all archers, so he strategically nted the majority of the explosives under the watchtowers. BOOM! Another explosion shook a different watchtower, prompting themanding officer to mobilize soldiers toward the st site. However, Karsha had already anticipated this move. Before they could react, he appeared before them, clutching his longsword with eyes zing crimson. "If you wish to escape this ce, arm yourselves and fight," Karsha dered, summoning over 60 swords from a space ring and hurling them towards the ves. With those words, he lunged at the ten soldiers with a speed that only three Master stage cultivators among the soldiers could perceive. "I want to leave here," dered an elderly man as he seized a sword and charged at a soldier. Inspired by his bravery, the other ves followed suit, each grabbing a sword, signaling the start of the revolution. Chapter 8 The Revolution that shook the world Karsha''s movement on the battlefield was so swift that even the Master stage cultivators struggled to keep up with him. He had added 100 points to his Agility, coupled with level-up benefits and his boots. His boots were a reward he received afterpleting the 60th-day quest, allowing him to move at almost twice his normal agility. So, if he could move 20 meters per second, wearing the boots allowed him to move 40 meters per second. It was a broken item that came at the most opportune time. Additionally, he grew stronger with each opponent he killed. In the world of Quinox, a cultivator only rises in the ranks by absorbing cores from their kills. However, in Karsha''s case, he rose in the ranks as he killed his opponents. The higher the number of kills, the stronger he became. He was like a walking cheat, requiring kills to get stronger. He had many ways to rise in levels and to increase his attributes to the maximum. However, on the battlefield now, he was utilizing only the basic forms of the sword technique he received from the system afterpleting the 70th-day quest. This technique had only one move called [Rapid Thrust]. It utilizes momentum from his speed to thrust his sword. It''s mediocre at best, but with his [Thrust] skill making his thrusts 25% more powerful, his presence on the battlefield at the moment is nothing short of amazing and terrifying. He is like an untamed swordsman, bathing in the blood of his victims. The longer the fight extends, the more dangerous he bes. Even the ves fighting and those watching couldn''t help but shudder at the way Karsha was ying the soldiers. He appeared to have no fear as he moved from one soldier to the next, thrusting his sword through either their heart or stomach. His whole body was bathed in blood, indicating the level of massacre he was unleashing on the pitiful soldiers waiting for their master toe and save them. Of course, that was just a fool''s dream. Their master, or leader, or king, was long dead. He died after a night of pleasure with his mistress. Karsha wasn''t a demon; he wouldn''t have killed them while they were at it. He waited for them to finish before sending them to the Netherworld. It was his way of showing them mercy. Karsha''s initial n was to make his way to the gate and escape without engaging in any battles. However, after receiving the quest, he changed his n and added 100 points to each of his attributes. He is now a Level 3 Master, but his stats areparable to those of a Level 7 Master. This,bined with his savage fighting style, left the pitiful soldiers at a loss. All their watchtowers were destroyed by the explosives nted by Karsha, so those adept in long-range attacks had long died from the explosions, leaving only those proficient in closebat to fight. The ves were also holding their own against the soldiers. They were wise enough to know they couldn''t fight a trained soldier one-on-one, so they teamed up three-to-one, using all their small and weak fighting skills to defend and try to fight back. However, some of the ves who used to be soldiers were able to hold their own against the soldiers while looking out for their fellow ves. It was a heated morning for all of them. They had slept only to wake up to what appeared to be the revolution of the year. The one responsible for all of this, Karsha, was currently making his way to the door, looking like a red demon. As Karsha began his killing spree, his demeanor started changing. The more he killed, the more dangerous the air around him became, affecting his aura. In his previous life, Karsha had killed hundreds, if not thousands, of people. However, since he couldn''t manifest his aura then, he could only appear dangerous. But in the world of Quinox, where mana and cultivation exist, all the killing he did in his previous life started to transform his new body into the killing machine that he once was. The more he killed, the more sinister his aura became. He was bathed in blood and exuding a powerful murderous aura. The sheer amount of savagery he was unleashing had transformed him into a killing demon. While he may have been a savage to the ves and a menace to the soldiers, he was focused solely onpleting his quest. The killing and appearing heroic were all part of the quest to him and nothing else. He didn''t care about the ves or whether they survived. He just wanted to leave and hoped 100 of them would also make it out after he unlocked the gate. Although he had killed almost 50 percent of the soldiers, the ves were also doing their part. They all knew survival wouldn''t be easy, but after Karsha had cleared almost half of the soldiers, they saw hope. Those initially standing by began picking up weapons from the fallen soldiers and started ganging up on the remaining soldiers, who were now trying to run for their lives. However, the gate was closed. The gate that was used to block the retreat of the ves had now be an obstacle for the soldiers trying to escape. The ve mine was built in such a way that the only way out was through the main gate. What they saw as a way to contain the ves had now turned into their prison. Their leader was nowhere to be seen, which meant he was long dead, leaving them on their own. Karsha had overheard a soldier saying there would be a new batch of vesing in today, so he knew he had to leave before they arrived. He couldn''t possibly stay when the soldiers outside came in with reinforcements. He had already seen through the video the mysterious being showed him that there were soldiers outside who regrly came to pick up fresh batches of ves to be shipped to the ve mine. By the time they arrived, he would be long gone. Of course, he already had ns toe back and destroy the ruin for good, but today was not that day. He simply wished to unlock the gate, which was guarded by 50 soldiers ring at him with murderous intent.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Looks like you survived the pit," one of the soldiers said. He appeared to have immediately recognized Karsha, as he was one of the three soldiers who had thrown Austin into the pit. Karsha wasn''t particrly scared of the 50 Advanced-stage cultivators blocking him. His surprise came from the fact that the soldier instantly recognized him. He had looked at his new appearance in a mirror he found in the leader''s office and could tell that his new look was a blend of his previous self and Austin. In short, he looked more like his previous self than Austin, yet the soldier was able to recognize him almost immediately. This discovery further fueled his anger and determination to kill all the soldiers before leaving. So, wasting no time, he charged at the 50 soldiers with only one goal: to kill them all and then go back to kill the rest. Gaining freedom but constantly looking over his shoulder was not the kind of life he wanted to live. He shed with the soldiers, pushing his agility to the limit. He didn''t particrly feel threatened, so from the start of the battle until now, he hadn''t added any points to his stats. He just maintained his default stats and intended to keep it that way until he reached the 7th level in the Master stage. The higher he rose in levels, the slower the progression became. He had noticed this since breaking into the Master stage; he couldn''t level up quickly like in the previous stages. He now had to umte a lot of EXP to advance, which meant he had to kill a lot of humans or monsters. Killing the advanced-stage cultivators wasn''t helping him much now. They merely addedughable points to his reserves. But even though they didn''t contribute much to his cultivation, the soldiers still stood between him and freedom. Desperate to gain his freedom, he subconsciously started exuding a dense murderous aura, akin to a berserker in rage mode. The initially arrogant soldiers who saw him as a mere nuisance shuddered when they felt his gazend on them. "Thud." Three heads fell almost simultaneously as Karsha appeared behind a soldier. He knew he didn''t want to waste his time, so instead of facing them head-on, he merely blinked from one shadow to the next, leaving headless bodies in his wake. "You won''t get far, ve. The mark on you won''t allow you to have the freedom you so desperately crave," thest soldier said as Karsha drove his sword through his heart. Karsha paid no heed to his words, standing by the door and unlocking the huge padlock. He turned back and gazed at the ves now ganging up on the few soldiers left. He couldn''t help but let a small smile escape his lips. "You all are free to go. But before that, take whatever will be useful to you before leaving. Farewell, fellow ves." Karsha didn''t even bother to take care of the remaining soldiers, knowing they were as good as dead. The ves who heard him nodded in acknowledgment before turning back to kill and loot the whole ce. They left nothing of value behind. All the mining equipment had been thrown into the pit, and all the mined minerals had been pocketed in a "you get what you get" format. Those who were fast and wise went for the space rings on the fingers of the dead soldiers, allowing them to pocket many valuables. Seven hours after the ves escaped, hundreds of new ves were shipped to the ce. Upon arrival, they saw the entire area drenched in blood and immediately sent distress signals back to the nearest town. However, it was toote; the escaped ves had long scattered in different directions. Chapter 9 On the Run In less than 10 hours, word of the ve Mine''s downfall reverberated across the Central Continent of Quinox, reaching nearly every inhabitant. Quinox consists of different continents governed by various races. There is the Dragon Monarchy, the Vampire Kingdoms, the Human Empire, the Elven Forests, the Dwarven Mountains, the Beast Cities, the Orc Strongholds, and many others, although their influence isn''t as significant. Races like the Trolls, Ogres, Dark Elves, and Demons are also present. They aremonly ssified under the term "Monsters," known for their nature of killing for fun. All these races are scattered across the world of Quinox. However, at the very center, there are three kingdoms: the Drono Kingdom, the Kronox Kingdom, and the Xorax Kingdom. These three are collectively known as the Central Continent. These three kingdoms are recognized throughout the Central Continent as the Three Legacy Families. They are one yet distant from each other. Under these three Legacy Families, there are numerous Great Families and Prestigious Families that act as their hands and eyes throughout the continent. These three families hold immense power, and even though they are not on good terms in some ways, no outside empire dares to invade them. They arepetitive, and thanks to their branches, which extend to the Great Families and Prestigious Families, conflicts and potential wars are often contained on a smaller scale to prevent esction. Despite their internal rivalries, they are formidable when united, thanks to their legacy and the families that support them. Among the Great Families that served the Drono Kingdom, the Jacobson Great Family stands out for their prowess inmerce, particrly in trading and selling goods. They are considered the wealthiest among their peers and control various revenue streams, including the ve Mine.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om However, despite its significance, the ve Mine represents just a fraction of the Jacobson Family''s extensive business interests. Driven solely by profit, the Jacobson Family reacts swiftly to any threat to their financial interests. Within 10 hours of Karsha''s uprising and the subsequent fall of the ve Mine, news of the incident reached one of the branch families affiliated with the Jacobson Family. These branch families serve to extend the legacy families'' influence and reach across the continent. When the news reached the patriarch of the Akido Prestigious Family, he became infuriated to the point of ordering the soldier who brought the news to be beheaded. The fact that their business, controlled by their branch family, was now in shambles left them in grave danger. They already knew how the Great Family they were associated with would react. "What should we do?" an elderly man with a bald head and white beard asked, sitting among seven others in what appeared to be an urgent meeting. When the news of the fall of the ve Mine spread, the patriarch called for an immediate meeting to address the chaos. "What is there to discuss? We just need to mobilize a team to hunt down these good-for-nothing ves and send them back where they belong," a younger version of the old man spoke, revealing his arrogance andck of respect for his elders. "Arrogant and foolish! Do you really think I haven''t thought of that? Do you even hear yourself? You want us to send people after ves who have long run away. Can you identify them just by looking at them? Can you tell if someone is a ve or not just by looking at them?" The old man asked a series of questions, effectively silencing the young, arrogant man. "So I thought," he added, making his stance clear as a knowledgeable elder. "So what should we do if sending a team is not viable?" the patriarch, who had been seated the entire time, asked. He was known to be a very calctive but impulsive person. He wouldn''t bat an eye at killing someone over something trivial, but when a more calcted approach was needed, he always delivered. This was one of the reasons he was selected as the patriarch and why the Jacobson Great Family gave him some respect. "This will cost us, but I believe we can catch most of them by letting the other Great Families lockdown and implement measures to identify the ves before they enter any city. After all, they will try to get back to civilization, and through this, we will be able to identify and capture them before they fully integrate into society," another elder suggested, presenting his solution to the problem. It was a hopeless situation; however, what the elder suggested was the way forward. To catch the ves who had yet to enter any city, they just needed to block the way into the cities and employ methods to identify these individuals. Crude but viable. "Gruden, alert the other Great Families and let them know of our current situation. Inform them why we want them to lock their cities for at least a while as we round up the ves," the patriarch said to the young, arrogant man, who nodded in response. The meeting ended there, and they all returned to their duties. The next two weeks would be spent rounding up the ves unfortunate enough to fall into the series of traps set by the Great Families. However, those wise enough to evade capture remained atrge, with the chances of them being caught extremely low. Of course, those who were caught refused to rat out Karsha, who had stood as the leader of the revolution. ================ Two weeks prior, Karsha dashed out through the gate, never once looking back. He bolstered his stamina, health, and agility by an additional 100 points, making him swift as the wind. With no particr destination in mind, he simply ran for what felt like an eternity. His only constion was the stash of snacks and meat he had pilfered from the leader''s kitchen. Nevertheless, his actions would forever be etched in the hearts of the escaped ves, as well as those who only tasted freedom for a fleeting moment. They owed it all to Karsha. Many of them had spent their entire lives toiling in the mine, only to relish a few precious days of respite before inevitably being recaptured and returned to their shackles. After a full day of relentless movement, Karsha finally came to a halt beneath a tree, quenching his thirst with water from his bottle. ------------- < Mana Water Gauge > Rank: Rare Item Type: Support Abilities: [Impurity-Free Water] - As long as the wielder possesses mana, an endless supply of impurity-free water flows from its depths. ------------- Despite its modest rank, the item held immense value, particrly to someone like Karsha who paid little heed to item rankings. All he desired was to grow stronger, to return to Earth, and to avenge his family. "Well, I suppose I''ll need to rest a while before continuing," Karsha muttered, leaning against the tree as he reviewed his quest. Sleep wasn''t a luxury he could afford, not while he remained in uncharted territory. Instead, he decided to rest briefly, allowing his body to recover while keeping his senses alert for any potential threats. --------------- < Quest Completed: Escape the ve mine within two days> < Rewards > - 1000 Stat points - 10,000 Exp - Rare Rank Long Sword - Tiger strike Dual sword Manual ---------------- Now getting the hang of how the system works, he extended his hand and another long sword appeared. The sword in his hand was simr to the [Devil''s Tooth] he had received after the 24-hour wait for the system to reboot. They were the same length, but the new sword had a faint reddish metal that seemed to emanate warmth. Its handle was meticulously designed to make wielding it asfortable and rxing as possible. The de bore the inscription "Dragon''s Fury," etched in elegant script. Karsha dragged his hand over the surface of the tattoo. As soon as his hand touched the de, a series of texts popped up in front of his eyes. --------------- < Dragons Fury > Rank: Rare Item Type: Weapon Abilities: [Agni], [Dragon Gaze] [Agni]: Pouring Mana into the sword produces a fire that, when shed, sends an arc of pure me. [Dragon Gaze]: To enemies prepared to face off against the wielder of Dragon Fury, merely gazing at the sword will render those with low mental capacity catatonic for 5 seconds. Those with high mental capacity will have their senses lowered by 30%, giving the wielder a significant advantage to disy the arrogance of Dragon Fury. The sword in Karsha''s hand was indeed formidable. Possessing all the qualities of a great sword, and with its innate ability to render those with low brainpower catatonic for a few seconds, it held significant power. However, the dilemma remained: which of the two swords would he choose? He had used the [Devil''s Tooth] for the past few weeks and had grown ustomed to it. He hadn''t paid much attention to the new sword, as itcked a stronger innate ability like Dragon Fury. Yet, Karsha, having used it for the past few weeks, felt inclined to believe that the sword suited him best. He had seen explosive growth in his swordsmanship. Nevertheless, having to choose between the two swords proved to be a challenge. However, the system had already anticipated this dilemma and provided a solution: the technique he received frompleting the escape quest allowed him to wield both. ================= < Tiger strike Dual sword Technique Manual > Rank: Divine -- A tiger is fast and deadly, embodying raw power, agility, and intelligence. Now, imagine harnessing those qualities and infusing them into the art of dual swordy. The result? A potential for greatness, a path to rise to the top using only swords and wit. Note: Greetings, this is the God of Swords. Those who seek to learn this technique should understand that it despisesziness. If you are inclined to idleness, kindly relinquish the manual before invoking my wrath. =============== "Gulp," Karsha swallowed nervously, not because of the description of the manual, but due to the warning left by the God of Swords. He was eager to open up the manual and start learning, but his attention was diverted by the sight of a tiger approaching, standing a whopping three feet tall. Without hesitation, he threw the divine technique manual into his inventory in a fit of rage before stowing it away. "I guess there''s no rest for the ve," Karsha uttered a joke before dashing toward the tiger, which seemed to have a smirk on its lips. This expression didn''t escape Karsha, who instantly felt like he had fallen into a trap. Chapter 10 The Tier 5 Mutant Monster Boom! Karsha shed with the 3-meter-tall tiger, radiating an intense murderous aura. He was pushed back for a few seconds, realizing that his current strength wouldn''t suffice to battle the tiger, which stared back at him with pity evident on its face. "System, add 100 points to all my attributes," Karshamanded. Immediately, the systemplied, imbuing him with renewed energy. Without hesitation, he dashed at the beast again, which remained steadfast in its position. Boom! Karsha was thrown back once more. However, this time, he managed to push the tiger back a few meters. Acknowledging this minor victory, Karsha concluded that his strength was now close to or perhaps exceeded that of the beast. But even if the beast is stronger than him, he can tell he is at the level he can take on such a monstrosity. Wasting no time, he dashed at it again, sword swinging. Karshacked suitable fighting skills. The only techniques he knew were thrust, parry, sh, and stab, along with basic concepts of swordy. Being rtively new to swordsmanship, he realized that facing a beast of unknown strength required gaining an advantage. "sh!" Karsha swung the Dragon''s Fury, unleashing an arc of fire at the beast. However, the creature effortlessly sidestepped, evading the attack as though it were nothing. "sh, sh!" Fire arcs continued to shoot forth toward the beast, which seemed unfazed by the lethal attacks, simply evading without bothering to retaliate. Given Karsha''sck of technique or skill, he could only rely on the active abilities of the Dragon Fury sword to attack from a distance. In closebat, which he had already attempted, the beast''s speed and defense proved too formidable. Although he could enhance his attributes by allocating more points, this strategy would ultimately be disadvantageous in the long run.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om While having a system offered greater control over abilities and attributes, excessive reliance on it could diminish one''s potential. While the system could facilitate strength gains, it also risked limiting natural talent and potential. Recognizing this, Karsha continued to sh his sword in the hope that the minor damages inflicted by some of the fire arcs would eventually wear down the beast''s stamina or health. Unbeknownst to him, however, the beast was not just any Tier 5 monster¡ªit was a Mutant. Monsters are ranked based on Tiers,parable to the stages of humans. However, beyond the Tiers, there are three different forms: Alpha Monster, Mutant, and World Boss. Then there are sses associated with these forms of monsters: Lesser, Great, Dark, Terror, Cmity, Devil, and Abomination. Alphas are strong, but a mutant, even if it''s a Lesser mutant, could easily overpower a monster that is a Tier higher. They are cmities that no cultivator would willingly face in battle. Yet here is Karsha, who after escaping the Pit of Darkness, is now fighting for his life against a Tier 5 Lesser Mutant. For Karsha to believe he could defeat a Mutant with a Tier 1 skill from his sword, he either had confidence from somewhere or he was simply disying unchecked courage and determination. Nheless, he continued to swing his sword, hoping to uncover a solution amidst the chaos. Heter switched from long-range to closebat while formting many solutions in his head. He had numerous ideas. However, how to execute them remained a mystery, as his current abilities barely kept up with the beast. All his thrusts, stabs, and shes were effortlessly evaded by the beast, causing Karsha to curse inwardly about how it toyed with him. The beast showed no effort to retaliate; it barely acknowledged Karsha''s attacks, treating them as insignificant. In other words, the creature insulted Karsha''s stance as a warrior. He was a soldier at heart, and one thing soldiers detested was not being taken seriously. Simrly, warriors in both cultivation worlds, even without Mana, preferred to be treated with respect. Some even sought to die a warrior''s death, believing it would secure them a ce in the afterlife. Because of this, Karsha started to get angry. However, unbeknownst to him, the anger he felt wasn''t solely his own; it emanated from the beast. The aura emitted by the beast had a unique property. Those who inhaled it for too long would be influenced, and a slight trigger would send them into a pit of despair, where their anger would consume them, ultimately leading to their demise. Karsha, however, didn''t know this, so he continued to sh his sword pointlessly. The only saving grace was that the beast hadn''t yetunched an offensive, as its aura had already begun to work on Karsha. Ten minutester, Karsha remained in his reverie, continuing to sh in what seemed to be a pointless and hopeless struggle. Twenty minutes passed, and Karsha remained in his trance, showing no signs of snapping out of it. However, a closer look at his eyes would reveal a different story. Though his mind was now consumed by anger and despair, his eyes disyed a red pupil with a determined gaze. The aura surrounding Karsha began to change, with his hair turning white and his once blue eyes shifting to a blood-red hue. Slowly but noticeably, Karsha''s speed increased, his attacks intensified, and the density of the aura around him grew. The more he fought, the denser his aura became. Initially arrogant, the beasts began to feel the pressure, yet throughout it all, Karsha remained in a trance-like state. Thirty minutes passed, and the beast''s body was now drenched in blood, yet it remained standing, showing no signs of sumbing to the injuries inflicted. Its gaze remained unyielding as it red at Karsha. The aura exuding from it was so potent that the grass around it started losing its vitality, turning crispy. BOOM! A huge aura exploded from the beast as it dashed toward Karsha, who now looked like a blood demon in berserk mode. His entire face was painted red with blood, and his whole body radiated an intense murderous aura. He shed once again with the beast, but despite the beast now attacking instead of defending and dodging, Karsha also held his own. He didn''t appear to be suffering; he moved in a calcted yet sluggish manner. The beasts, now wary of Karsha''s prowess, also started shooting darts made of blood at him, which he merely deflected with his sword. The beast employed an ability known as "Blood Dart," which essentially shoots pointed darts made of blood toward its targets. Though it may seem simple, if one of these darts pierces the body, it initiates corrosion from within. This ability is corrosive, primarily targeting the blood. If left unchecked, there is an increased risk of the blood within the body being corroded, rendering the cultivator lifeless. Even a minor injury can prove fatal. It is an overpowered ability and indispensable. But now that Karsha is on par with the beast, he can defend and evade the attacks effortlessly. Because Karsha was in a trance-like state and didn''t give the beast any breathing space, the parrying onlysted for 20 more minutes before the beast sumbed to the injuries and the fire that continued to burn through the wounds inflicted on its body by the active ability of the Dragon Fury. Although Karsha was in his trance-like state, the "Dragon Fury" yed its part and inflicted fire damage, contributing to the rapid deterioration of the beast''s health. The three-meter-tall tiger fell with a heavy thud, raising dust in the air and causing Karsha to close his eyes for a moment. When he reopened them, the blood-red eyes were nowhere to be seen. Instead, a pair of blue eyes indicated that Karsha was now out of his trance. But that was when he felt the pain. The strength he used to kill the monster wasn''t his own; he had merely tapped into a power far beyond hisprehension. Although he was empowered, it also took a huge toll on his body. His body wasn''t strong enough to handle such power, so when he finally returned to his normal form, he felt weak, dropping onto his back. Karsha leaned against the tree once again, slipping into a short sleep. He was just too tired to resist the urge to sleep. However, a noticeable phenomenon started around him ten minutes into his slumber. The beast, now lifeless on the floor, began glowing blood-red, and the four meters around it started turning darker. Within the darkness, a small light could be seen rising from the body of the beast. After emerging from the beast''s body, it flew and entered Karsha''s forehead. His hair immediately turned white for a few seconds before returning to its natural red. There were no other outward changes; however, a series of texts started popting Karsha''s vision. < Berserker Mutant Tiger Bloodline Retrieved > < The Bloodline has awakened a Unique ss > < ss: Berserker Swordsman: Locked > < The host will have to absorb the bloodline to unlock the ss fully> < Absorption duration: 66 days > < Note: The host will have to find more bloodlines to enhance the effect of the ss since it is a unique ss > < Note: The berserker effect will stay hidden, making only the swordsman ss public > < Note: The host will have to train his swordsmanship skill to unlock all the benefits thate with the ss > =============== < You have killed a Tier 5 mutant beast: Berserker Mutant Tiger. 1000 Stat Points, 100,000 MP, 20,000 Exp Points obtained> < Passive Ability: Berserker Fury > Chapter 11 The First Enlightenment Karsha woke up an hourter with a splitting headache. He hadn''t felt rxed for almost a year, having spent thest several months training and building his strength so he could escape the Pit and the ve Mine. The body he now inhabited was just too weak. Karsha, despiteing from a world where cultivation was merely a fairytale depicted only in movies and books, knew he had been stronger than he currently was. But since he couldn''t return to his old body, he had to ept his reality and focus on what he could do now to strengthen himself. "Hah," he sighed, then took out his water bottle and gulped down three mouthfuls of water. "I guess I have to ask the system to rify some things for me." After his recent encounter with the beast, Karsha became more aware of hisck of skills and techniques. He had watched many cultivation movies back on Earth, and from them, he knew that cultivators possessed skills, spells, and techniques they used to fight their opponents. However, at present, he has none of these skills. Clearly, he had already forgotten about the Divine Rank technique in his inventory. Techniques also have their ranks, just like weapons and the ranks for beasts and humans. These ranks were simr to those of weapons, starting from Common and going up to Divine. A Divine Rank technique was akin to possessing the most valuable thing in the world. Every cultivator sought after powerful weapons and techniques, mostly in the legendary rank and above. They did this not because of their beauty, but for the significant damage output these techniques and weapons could deliver. Learning the technique would grant them skills, and these skills were measured in tiers. Currently, most people knew up to only Tier 15 skills, and those with such high-tier skills were the influential and powerful cultivators in Quinox. However, there are situations where those who manage to master their skills to a certain level gain insight and are able to upgrade their skills to the next tier, thereby attaining Tier 16 and beyond. But this process is exceedingly slow. Being able to raise a Tier 5 skill to Tier 10 is something many would consider a great feat. However, in situations where they acquire Divine techniques, the skills they inherit are always in the 10th Tier and sometimes higher. All skills acquired from Divine techniques or weapons are always Tier 10 and above. A Divine technique is often a package that contains multiple skills. For example, a technique for swordsmen might include three or more skills that make up the technique. Thus, if a swordsman gains a Divine technique, they will inherit three or more Tier 10 skills. This, of course, depends on theirprehension speed and soul strength. Mental strength is also required in some situations. Divine techniques contain more skills than lower-ranked ones, making them a must-have for any cultivator. However, Karsha discarded his Divine technique and decided to face the monsters without any skills. It wasn''t entirely his fault, but he knew something had to be done since he had already learned this lesson the hard way. "System, care to tell me how and where I can acquire my own spells, skills, and techniques?" He knew he had the best assistant to provide him with answers. However, the system remained silent. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say the system was mad at him. He asked several times, but the system stayed quiet. Karsha had a lot of thinking to do, but at the same time, he couldn''t help but wonder whether the system had abandoned him. But that wasn''t possible since he had already fused with it, and floating before his eyes when he woke up was a series of texts he had just brushed through. "Ha, I guess the system is off for the day. Back to the Tiger Strike technique, I guess." After spending five minutes asking the unresponsive system, Karsha gave up and took out the Divine technique again. ------------------ < Tiger strike Dual sword Technique Manual > Rank: Tier 8 - A tiger is fast and deadly, so what happens when a person takes a tiger''s fury, agility, and smartness and turns it into a dual swords y? I see potential, and that potential is someone rising to the top with only his swords and wit. Note: Hi, This is the God of swords; whoever is about to learn this technique should know it hateszy people. So, if you are that type, kindly drop the manual before you invoke my wrath. ------------------- "This guy sure is dramatic," Karshamented as he read the description once again. The note added to the manual was poetic. The God of Swords was the master of the sword. He had many techniques under his belt, and for one of them to find its way to Karsha was a big deal. However, Karsha didn''t seem to think that way as he started flipping through the book. "Aiya, I hate reading," he sighed as he read the content on the first page. "As the heavens echo and the thunder roars, the tiger shall rise and battle. They will say it is a legendary battle that will stay with us forever." That was what the Tiger God said before he fell at the sword of the God of Swords. It was a great battle that showed the God of Swords he wasn''t perfect when it came to swordy. So, he repeatedly reyed the battle with the Tiger God, hoping to find where he slipped up and what he could do about it. s, he couldn''t fix his loopholes, so he created a divine technique that, if fullyprehended, could rival the "Seven Scriptures of the Sword God." I sought to learn it, but the requirements were too unique and streamlined, so I threw it into the universe, hoping to find the destined person meant to rise and surpass me. The Tiger Strike Dual Sword Technique is the result of 199 days of battle. It contains most of the skills of the tigers and the God of Swords. Be serious, and don''t ck off." "I guess the God of Swords doesn''t know how to form proper sentences," Karsha chuckled as he read the remainder of the text, which was written in both the first and third person. "To the destined person, know that you will be unstoppable if you manage to learn this technique. However, your road to the top will be filled with dangers.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The strongest will want to challenge you, and the weak will be jealous. You will be the center of attention, so if you ck off, your name will be short-lived. Learn and make me proud since I will also be one of the people who will challenge you." "Tsk, this man sure knows how to brag. It''s just a technique; why exaggerate something so trivial to the point that it looks like the greatest technique in the universe?" Karsha chuckled as he let his rxed nature take hold of him. He was known for joking about anything, sometimes even toying with dangerous targets he was instructed to eliminate. "I guess there is nothing inside," Karsha said as he flipped through the book, which appeared to be empty. He wanted to throw it away, but just when he was about to, a flynded on his forehead, making him swat it off using the manual. However, the moment the book touched his forehead, a series of messages appeared before his eyes. < Does the host wish to learn the Divine technique: Tiger Strike Dual Sword Technique? > - Yes - No "Why not? Yes, I want to learn," Karsha said in a nonchnt manner. As soon as he answered, he felt a surge of information enter his mind. He immediately experienced a head-splitting pain as millions of pieces of information continued to flood his mind. Five minutester, the process ended, and Karsha slowly lifted himself from the floor. The pain had made him roll around like a baby crying for its mother. Just as he sat down, his eyes flickered, and his body stiffened. The air around him began to change as he sat there motionless. It wouldn''t take a genius to observe that he had entered his first enlightenment after absorbing the book''s content. For someone to enter enlightenment, they must have reached a certain level ofprehension of a technique or skill. However, Karsha hadn''t even startedprehending the ability yet managed to enter enlightenment. It''s a strange phenomenon that has never happened before. But as if that wasn''t enough, the blood-red aura that emitted from him during his trance reappeared, looking sharper this time. It no longer had the same gloomy feel. The longer he stayed in the trance-like state, the sharper his aura became. The only thing that didn''t change was his malnourished body. His slim and bony frame remained the same, yet his aura had developed to the point where, if he were to face the Tier 5 beast again, he wouldn''t struggle. Ten days after entering the trance-like state, Karsha opened his eyes, looking sharper and more dangerous than before. He immediately retrieved his sword and began shing it randomly, a small smile escaping his lips. "So, this is how it feels," Karsha said as he continued to randomly sh his sword. Twenty minutes in, he retrieved the second sword and started executing a series of dual swordsman moves. He shed with one sword and parried with the next, executing thrusts and defenses seamlessly, or performing double shes simultaneously. It was a normal thing to do, yet for someone who had just acquired a technique for dual swordsmanship, his movements, and strikes looked perfect, as if he had been training with the sword all his life. "Looks like I have to find more monsters to practice the basics," Karsha said as he nced toward the direction the Tier 5 monster hade from. He then approached the monster''s body and took it into his inventory. Without wasting a second, he dashed at full speed in that direction, leaving only dust in his wake. However, as he departed, an old woman appeared out of thin air and stood where Karsha had been sitting for the past 10 days. She observed the departing figure of the General, then vanished into the distance, muttering to herself, "Looks like I have found the perfect candidate for the trial," before fading into thin air. Chapter 12 The Red Eye Tiger After leaving the location where he confronted the Tier 5 lesser Mutant, Karsh journeyed for a full hour without encountering a single beast. The deeper he ventured, the darker the forest grew. Yet, he never met or sensed even one beast. Nheless, he persisted in his pursuit. He never stopped to consider the possibility that he might be heading in the wrong direction. Two hours passed, yet he continued without pause, and still, he did not encounter a single beast. But throughout it all, Karsh remained focused. He had just experienced his first enlightenment. As someone who craved strength, this initial enlightenment left a deep mark on him. Enlightenment varies for almost every technique, skill, or attainment of a new height in spirituality. It is the way one perceives the maximum potential of whatever oneprehends. So, if you are a mage practicing a technique and manage to attain enlightenment, you will be shown the true strength of the technique or skill you are learning. In Karsh''s case, he had just experienced the first form of the Tiger Strike Dual Sword Technique. The technique is unique, so for him to be the first person privileged to experience its full might, he knew he had struck gold. During his enlightenment, he was introduced to the first form of the technique known as "Red Eye Tiger." As the name implies, this skill draws inspiration from the acute vision and agility of a tiger. Tigers, renowned for their heightened senses, serve as the foundation for the Tiger Strike Dual Sword Technique''s initial form, demanding that the wielder hone both their senses and agility. However, Karsha sensed there was more to this skill and was eager to unlock its full potential. The essence of this ability lies in harnessing the speed, strength, and intelligence of a tiger to outmaneuver opponents within a controlled setting. Mastery of the technique demands exceptional agility and acute senses. During his enlightenment, he observed a clone of himself employing the skill within what appeared to be a controlled environment. In this heightened state of awareness, he discerned various techniques merging to create something entirely new, a feat Karsha aspired to achieve himself. With speed amplified fivefold, the wielder gains the capacity to dispatch adversaries of higher stages swiftly. However, sess hinges upon the individual''s proficiency with the sword. While the skill enhances speed, it is the wielder''s swordsmanship that ultimately determines victory inbat. Fortunately for Karsha, the system had already tailored a perfect technique for him. The basic sword movements he had been practicing in the ve mine were, in fact, preparation for the [Red Eye Tiger]. This skill imposed no extraordinary requirements; it evaluated one''s strength and agility before applying amplification. At present, Karsha only had ess to a two-fold amplification. Yet, upon emerging from enlightenment, he felt more attuned, indicating he needed to delve further to explore his newfound heightened abilities without dy. Four hourster, Karsha halted, opting to rest briefly before continuing his journey. He retrieved some dried bread from the stash he had pilfered from the ve mine''s leader and began to munch on it. After thirty minutes, he rose, visibly rejuvenated. From his inventory, he produced a small orb and pressed it, causing it to emit a brief glow before levitating. This orb was the hidden reward he had earned afterpleting the quest to escape the mine, known as [Seeker]. Its primary function was to detect objects such as humans, monsters, treasure, and more within a one-mile radius of its owner. Karsha recognized that without guidance, he risked aimless wandering, potentially leading to getting lost¡ªa situation akin to another prison from which he would struggle to break free. He thenmenced following the orb, and after traversing for 20 minutes, Karsha encountered his first monster. Thanks to his newfound heightened senses, he immediately discerned the monster''s strength, leading him to conclude that it was considerably weaker than the one he had battled days before. He halted, locking eyes with the monster, which returned his gaze. Without exchanging a single word, the two lunged towards each other. "Tsk, too slow," Karsha remarked, observing the beast''s movements almost in slow motion. His Red Tiger Eye remained dormant, as his own speed and instincts sufficed. After dispatching the beast, he kept its body and resumed following the orb. Within an hour, he dispatched twenty beasts effortlessly. While the exercise was beneficial, he couldn''t help but yearn for a more formidable opponent. Venturing deeper into the forest primarily to test the effectiveness of his Red Eye Tiger skill, he found the necessary conditions to activate it had yet to manifest. All he encountered were mere cannon fodder. Nevertheless, he noticed something peculiar. The Red Eye Tiger skill seemed to activate only when faced with opponents possessing greater speed than his own. This was merely conjecture for now. The skill might have already been activated, unbeknownst to him. Regardless, he pressed on, realizing he had nowhere else to be; lost in the woods, he drewfort from his experience as a soldier who had spent countless hours on stakeouts. He spent another five hours dispatching weak monsters, despite his desire for more challenging foes. Soon, nightfall descended, prompting Karsha, drawing from his experience as a soldier in his previous life, to climb a tree and settle in for rest. Perched in the tree, he deemed it safer than remaining on the ground, particrly in unfamiliar territory where dangers lurked. Less than a minuteter, Karsha sumbed to sleep; however, as he drifted into slumber, the same old woman materialized once more. Standing 300 meters away from Karsha''s location, she kept a watchful eye on him. "You possess his aura and determination; I sincerely hope you won''t disappoint me. There is only one chance remaining, and if squandered, the world as we know it will cease to exist," the Old Woman sighed. She continued to observe Karsha, who was deep in sleep. The desperation in her eyes was evident, yet she refrained from approaching him. "I will monitor you for a few days; if I perceive this as a futile endeavor, I will simply choose the youngdy and hope for the best," she remarked before vanishing, reappearing ten miles away. With a flick of her hand, two three-meter-tall monsters emerged and began to make their way toward Karsha''s location.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ================== "Tsk, as feeble as the others," Karsha muttered as he drove his sword into the gut of a three-meter-tall lion. Having awoken merely an hour prior, he found himself confronted by two beasts stronger than those he had dispatched hours earlier. Despite being asleep, his senses had alerted him to their presence when they drew within 200 meters. This prompted him to wake up only for him to find the beasts no more formidable than the cannon fodders he had encountered previously. "I suppose I''ll have to continue following the orb; I''ve got nowhere else to be, and gathering experience and stat points from ying beasts seems like a sound n," he mused. "Seventy beasts down, yet none have presented a challenge. How tedious," Karsha remarked, perhaps prematurely. Suddenly, emerging from twenty meters away, was a twelve-meter-long snake with a diameter of four feet. It advanced toward Karsha, who stood firm, gripping both swords tightly. "This one appears more formidable than the rest," Karsha thought to himself, a small smile escaping his lips. "Finally, a worthy opponent," he added, preparing to engage. However, before he could make a move, a system message appeared before his eyes. < Red Eye Tiger Skill Activated > < The skill will need 3 minutes to be fully registered by the system > Note: Don''t let the poison touch your skin since it is radioactive. Try not to die for the next 3 minutes. "I knew it," Karsha eximed aloud as he read the message. However, his sudden outburst triggered the snake to spit out greenish fluid, hurtling toward Karsha''s face at a rapid pace. Fortunately, forewarned by the system, he somersaulted, narrowly evading the poison by a hair''s breadth. Bullets of radioactive poison continued to assail him, but with his agility and flexibility, he effortlessly evaded each one. He moved with grace, showing no signs of being cornered; instead, he relished the challenge. Three minutester, a new message materialized before him. < Red Eye Tiger Skill active > < The host can now use the first form of the ''Tiger Strike Dual Sword Technique.'' > "Red Eye Tiger," Karsha said as he dashed at the snake. "sh, sh." The sounds of two shes reverberated as the snake''s head tumbled to the ground. "What was that?" Karsha eximed in astonishment. He couldn''t fathom what had just transpired. First, he had activated a skill while in motion; the next moment, he found himself standing before the snake. He couldn''tprehend how he had gotten there, as it all unfolded within a fraction of a second. It happened too swiftly for even his keen senses to perceive. All he witnessed was the gradual descent of the snake''s head, while the surrounding environment appeared to slow down for a brief moment. It was a surreal experience. Without hesitation, he decided to replicate it, but just as he prepared to move, a greenish orb shot forth from the snake and entered his forehead. Ding < Green Viper Venom Extracted > < This Venom will be absorbed when the system is done upgrading to Version 2.0 > < System cannot absorb any more venom until it finished upgrading> Time Remaining: 55 days Chapter 13 The Mysterious Old Lady by the Riverside "Hah," Karsha eximed as he settled down, prepared to absorb the beast cores he had amassed. It had been a week since unlocking the [Red Eye Tiger] Skill, during which he had hunted Tier 1 to Tier 3 monsters relentlessly. Unbeknownst to him, the system remained silent regarding his kills ever since the blood from the Mutant beasts merged with Karsha. Nevertheless, he could still ess his status window, which indicated he was almost at the crossroads of breaking into the next stage, the Grandmaster stage, upon absorbing the gathered beast cores. "It seems I''ll need to seek out stronger monsters, as the weaker ones are slowing my progress," he remarked, noting the gradual decrease in his leveling speed. Initially, ying even the weakest of foes had provided significant Attributes and Exp points. Now, he had to dispatch several before advancing to a single level. And it worsened whenever he ascended a level. Despite ying close to 70 beasts over the past week, Karsha had only managed to ascend to Level 7. With each level gained, he could sense his strength increasing,pelling him to exploit this unique situation. Yet, he found himself only encountering cannon fodder to kill. He nned to find his way to the nearest human settlement after breaking through, so he spent all day hunting and amassing monster cores to aid his breakthrough. Now littered before him is a mountain of monster core ready to be devoured by him "< Does the host wish to absorb the beast cores >" -- Yes -- No The system, as always, inquired, and without hesitation, Karsha selected Yes. The cores promptly dissipated into thin air. However, a new window materialized before Karsha after the absorption of the beast cores. < Congrattions on ascending to Level 8. 10 points added to be distributed freely > < Congrattions on ascending to Level 9. 10 points added to be distributed freely > Karsha sensed that a breakthrough was within reach with just the slightest movement, yet despite his efforts, no message signaling his ascension to the Grandmaster stage appeared. He couldn''t conceal his disappointment at this new development, but he understood it was beyond his control. Encounters like this were inevitable. He recalled hearing his son, Michael, once talk about pills designed to aid cultivators who had reached a bottleneck in their progression to break through. "I still have much to discover about this world. Perhaps Michael was onto something; technology does have its merits," Karsha murmured, casting his gaze skyward to mask his inner turmoil. Michael was his eldest child, and back on Earth, they often engaged in debates about the impact of technology on society. Naturally, Karsha leaned towards skepticism while his son embraced technology. These debates were among the many activities they used to bond over, given Karsha''s frequent absences. With a sigh, he resolved to press on for now. However, just as he prepared to rise, another window materialized, prompting him to settle back down and started to read. =========== < Unique Quest > Quest Category: Single Quest Quest Name: Breakthrough Quest -- You have reached a bottleneck in your cultivation; to break through, you mustplete a certain quest, which will be evaluated based on your performance. < Quest > -- Kill Six Tier 5 Monsters and One Tier 6 Monster. -- Absorb their core < Reward for questpletion > -- The reward will be based on the final evaluation. The grade for evaluation is as follows: S, SS, SSS, SSS+. SSE The system will enter version 2.0, which will include some added benefits. Note: The rewards are hidden until the quest ispleted sessfully. Note: The quest will officially start once the bloodline absorption and ss have been activated. Time Remaining: 48 days. Note: To start the quest, say ''Start Breakthrough Quest'' and ''Stop Breakthrough Quest'' to stop. ============ Karsha continued to read through the messages with a solemn expression. While the immediate issue troubling him had been resolved, he couldn''t shake the nagging thought of whether he couldplete the quest with a high rating. Confronting a Tier 5 monster had been a struggle enough; he pondered how he would fare against a Tier 6 adversary. "No need to dwell on that now; I still have 48 days to prepare," Karsha muttered as he rose to his feet and began searching for a path forward. "I suppose I should start by finding a river. Mom always used to say, ''If you''re lost in the woods, look for a river and follow it downstream. It''ll lead you home.''" He traversed the forest for another three hours, devoid of any sense of direction. Lost in the wilderness, Karsha found it hard to believe his current predicament.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I can''t believe I escaped a pit only to be ensnared in the woods," he mused, taking a gulp of water. "I suppose I''ll continue moving in that direction," he resolved, preparing to head southwest. However, as he took three steps, a breeze carrying the scent of grilled fish wafted past his nose. His attention immediately shifted in a certain direction. Not only were his vision and hearing heightened, but his sense of smell had also received a boost. Capitalizing on this, he decided to move southeast instead. "I hope the person grilling the fish can help me find the nearest town," Karsha remarked as he pressed on toward the tantalizing aroma. With each step, the scent intensified, causing his mouth to subconsciously water. After a few minutes, he reached the riverbank, where he beheld a scene of pure tranquility: a river flowing with crystal-clear blue waters, from which white smoke gently billowed. "Excuse me, could you please tell me the direction to the nearest town?" Karsha inquired, approaching ady whose back was turned to him as she diligently seasoned two sizable tpia over an open me. "You look like someone who could use a decent meal. Why note and join this granny for some nicely grilled fish?" A warm, weing voice spoke out to Karsha. Expecting a young woman based on the voice, Karsha was taken aback when the figure turned around. Instead of a youthful maiden, he was met with the sight of an elderlydy, resembling someone''s grandmother. "I don''t want to intrude on your perfect afternoon pic, Grandma," Karsha hastily replied, concealing the surprise that shed across his face. However, his attempt to decline was swiftly rebutted by the olddy''s next words. "I''ll tell you the location once we''re finished eating," she replied, her smile revealing only five remaining teeth. Karsha couldn''t help but wonder which teeth she nned to use to chew the perfectly grilled fish. "Hah," he sighed, resigned to his fate as he approached the olddy. "I''ll eat, but besides the directions, I also want the recipe for this delicious grill," Karsha quipped, attempting to lighten the mood. Instantly, the atmosphere around them shifted. Sensing no ill intent from the olddy, Karsha surmised she was either genuinely kind-hearted or attempting to manipte him for her own benefit. With no way to discern the truth, Karsha took his seat and eagerly began devouring his portion of fish. "Young man, what''s your name, and why are you in this part of the forest? Don''t you know it''s forbidden to wander around the ''Ancestral Burial Site''?" the olddy inquired, her question nearly causing Karsha to choke. "What do you mean by forbidden? I didn''t see any sign," he replied, feigning innocence as he nced at the old woman. Karsha would be lying if he said he wasn''t panicking at the very moment. While he isn''t aware of such a ce, the fact that he hunted there means he defiled the ce and if anybody finds out, they will surely make a big deal out of it. "Hah, it seems you''re not aware of the rules," the old woman sighed. "Since no harm is done, I suppose there''s no need for further exnation. Just make sure to avoid this ce in the future. If caught, you won''t find it easy," she warned before taking a sip of her wine. "And before you ask, understand that I am a guardian, exempt from such rules. Nevertheless, I still adhere to them and ensure no harmes to this ce," she added, preempting any questions Karsha might have had. "Thank you for the information. I''ll certainly remember never to stop here again," Karsha replied, resuming his meal. She offered only a slight nod before delving into her own fish. Twenty minutester, Karsha wiped his mouth with his hand and took a swig of water from his bottle. He felt thoroughly satisfied with the grilled fish he had just enjoyed. In fact, he wouldn''t be exaggerating if he dered it the best he had ever tasted in his entire life. "Congrattions for epting the legacy of the Divine Alchemist; use your gifts well and make sure to follow the instructions left behind by ''Master Trinity''," The old woman spoke prompting Karsha to ask what she was on about. "What legacy are..." Before Karsha could finish his sentence, the olddy touched his forehead, instantly sending him into a deep sleep. "Sorry for forcing this upon you, but I can''t live a day longer, and the legacy of Master Trinity shouldn''t be lost with me. I hope you''ll understand when you wake up," were thest words Karsha heard before sumbing to unconsciousness. =========== "Congrattions on epting my legacy," A voice spoke, snapping Karsha awake. "Where am I?" He immediately asks as he notices his surroundings have changed. Chapter 14 Becoming Alchemist Apprentice "Congrattions on epting my legacy. It seems she has finally reached her limit," a voice spoke suddenly, snapping Karsha awake. He looked around to find the source of the sound, but he couldn''t see anyone. The surroundings were lush and green, and the air was filled with vitality. "Where am I?" Karsha asked. He knew someone had brought him here, or more precisely, the mysterious old woman had brought him here. He asked, hoping for an answer. As he had hoped, the voice spoke again, "Wee to my domain; I am Trinity Rizz, also known as the Divine Alchemist." An old man with a pure white beard, almost touching the floor, spoke as he materialized out of nowhere. "You, my friend, have been chosen to inherit my legacy. Are you willing to ept me as your Master?" The old man didn''t even give Karsha a chance to speak, getting straight to the point. However, Karsha, who had just been tricked by the old woman, decided to y it safe. This time, he wanted to be more cautious and understand everything about the man before making any decisions. "I mean no disrespect, but why should I ept anything from you after what that old woman did to me?" The old man smiled, hearing Karsha''s question as aint. He is merely a consciousness left behind by his real self. He can''t address Karsha''s concerns directly, so to avoidplicating matters for the boy, he decides to approach it differently. "It doesn''t matter how you found your way here; the most important thing is that thest remaining Hell Sister selected you to be my disciple. Now, I don''t have to tell you how significant this opportunity is. You will be the sessor of the Divine Alchemist, inheriting all his knowledge in the field of alchemy." The old man spoke sweetly, aiming to charm Karsha. It would have worked on most people, but Karsha was different; he was a 32-year-old living in the body of an 18-year-old. He wouldn''t be easily convinced to take on something he didn''t fully trust. His caution was also influenced by how he ended up here.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om He had been forced toe to this ce, which alone was a sign that he should run far away and never look back. However, since he couldn''t leave without the permission of the old man or thedy who brought him here, he knew he had to y his cards carefully. "Say I choose to ept your legacy; what makes you think I will even use it once I am out of this ce?" Karsha asked. "You can choose to do that; however, before you make the biggest mistake of your life, let me tell you a little about myself and why they call me the Divine Alchemist," the old man replied. The environment around Karsha changed as he was transported to a new ce. He found himself in an old, makeshift home where a sickly young woman and a young boy were seated. The boy''s head rested on the woman''sp. "Rizz, I know you hate your father for what he did to us, but remember this: don''t let anger consume you. Keep love in your heart always," the woman said,bing the boy''s hair with her fingers. The young boy nodded to his mother''s advice. "I know you want to make pills, so I asked Uncle Randy to sign you up at the Heavenly Alchemy Sect. You''ll be leaving the day after tomorrow. Study hard so that one day, you will be the best alchemist in the world," she stated, making the young boy lift his head and shower her with kisses. "You are the best, Mommy. I promise to work hard to find a cure for you," the young boy said. The scene around Karsha changed again. He was then taken several years into the future, where the same young boy, now a 30-year-old man, stood in front of a gravestone. "It''s been five years since you left, Mommy. I hope you are at peace wherever you are," the young man said. "I recently became a grandmaster alchemist, yet I couldn''t find a cure for your sickness. Even though you are long gone, I still aim to find a cure so that other families won''t be torn apart by that disease." He added as he ced a white lily on the grave. "I came to tell you that I will be taking the trial this year. I know you would hate this idea, but if I pass, I will gain knowledge from the Primordial Era. So, Mommy, what do you think? Should I walk the ''Divine Path'' or give up?" The wind blew gently, making the young man smile. He had decided to take on one of the most dangerous paths in the world of cultivators. Somewhere in the universe, there are ten trials believed to be from the Primordial Era, the first era of humans, known for its great power and knowledge. A trial that rewards those courageous enough to walk its path is considered a monumental achievement in Quinox and beyond. Gaining knowledge from the Primordial Era as an alchemist would allow him to rise to the pinnacle of his field. However, walking the path is perilous. Many had tried and failed, yet Rizz now stood before his mother''s grave with his mind made up. He would walk the path, and if he survived, he would gain the most incredible knowledge an alchemist could ever hope for. But if he failed, he would be erased from existence. "Well, Mommy, see you soon," Rizz said. "Oh, I almost forgot; if I fail, I will be erased from existence, so I guess this is my potential goodbye," he joked before departing. The scene then shifted, spinning through countless years. It appeared that what happened in the trial could not be shared outside. Karsha continued to watch as the years passed. He was skeptical at first, but after seeing the old man''s memories, he could tell they meant him no harm. From what he observed, the old man had a great heart. Many would sumb to pain and sorrow when they lost a loved one because they failed to save them. However, the old man hovering behind him had taken his pain and used it for good. He never gave up, even after his mother died, so Karsha gave him a thumbs up in his heart. Karsha had been in simr shoes before. When his parents died, he was the one who held his small family together. Unfortunately, his siblings also started dying a few years after that. Even after losing three siblings, he never broke down as most people would. He took his pain and used it against his enemies. So, seeing the old man endure the same pain but choose to stay positive made Karsha raise his respect to a new level, even though they had technically kidnapped him. After the scene spun through countless years, it finally stopped. In the new scene, the man known as Rizz emerges through a very bright door, wearing a pure white gown and looking like an ancient ancestor visiting his descendants. The whole world came to wee him. For the first time, someone had managed to clear a trial. On that day, even the gods sent down their avatars to congratte the young man on his achievement. It is not an exaggeration to say that most gods would fail if they took the trials. They are known to be the strongest, yet a trial from the Primordial Era is something they wouldn''t take for granted. However, the young man standing before them had cleared the trial, albeit in only 1,000 years. His sect weed him, and from that day forward, he became the most important person in the whole world. Kings, queens, emperors, monarchs, and even some gods came to him for favors. For a god to risk sending an avatar down to the mortal world meant they truly valued him and were willing to risk vulnerability to get what they wanted. As promised at his mother''s grave, he created the antidote to Mana Poisoning and even taught the recipe to ordinary alchemists. Many tried to be his disciples, but he politely declined their offers, always ensuring he did so graciously. Although he was now powerful, he believed that power should not lead to arrogance, especially toward those who sought his guidance. He consistently tried to satisfy the general public. At most auctions, his recipes were always the hot items. Sometimes, he even gave recipes to random geniuses aspiring to be alchemists. In short, he never changed from the kind soul his mother had raised him to be. Yearster, he fell in love with a mysterious sword maiden who was admired by many. When she married him, nobody objected. They lived happily for many years. Despite never having children, which for some reason never bothered them, they remained content. All they cared about was their happiness, of which they had plenty. However, their happiness was short-lived when it was revealed that his wife was the sessor of the long-extinct Asura n. Known for their carnage and strength, the Asura n was regarded as evil and was frowned upon by many across different worlds. Because of this discovery, people began hunting her down. Being thest of her kind meant that once she was dead, the entire Asura n would cease to exist. It was a devastating moment in the old man''s life. He tried to use his influence to protect her, but s, she was killed by a joint assault from many powerful factions. Before she died, she showed him a vision of the destruction of Quinox and other worlds. She also revealed the path forward. The vision, however, required one to walk the most dangerous path of all the trials - The Hell Road. Chapter 15 The first and last disciple of the Divine Alchemist "You didn''t really want me to inherit only your legacy. You were merely sugarcoating the real reason," Karsha said in a calm voice. "You wanted someone to do what your beloved was meant to do. She was supposed to take the Hell trial, wasn''t she?" he then asked. The old man gave him a casual nod. "I know you might look down on me, but know this: I am doing this because of two things. First, I want to save my world from what I saw in the vision. You might see this as me dreaming about something impossible, but I believe whoever the ''Hell Sister'' chooses has the potential to achieve what many have failed to do. Second, I want to revive my beloved''s legacy. Yes, I want someone to bring back the Lost Asura n. I know it is a long stretch, but I believe with the preparations I have made, you will be able to achieve this if you are up for it. You can, of course, choose to ignore this and simply wish to be taken out of this dimension. I won''t force it on you. But before you do that, know that should you choose to ept this legacy and the assignment thates with it, you will be able to achieve your dreams faster than you had hoped," the old man said. Karsha, who was skeptical at first, started to see a path opening for him. For some reason, his blood began to boil when he heard the old man talk about the benefits and the possibility of him walking the Hell Path. He felt inexplicably drawn to the path and the mention of Asura. He knew it would be more dangerous than he had hoped, yet there was no uncertainty in his mind. He was certain he wanted to follow the path beingid in front of him, the path that led to walking the Hell Path, or as most people called it, the Hell Road. Inheriting the legacy of perhaps the most influential person in the world, even if the legacy had nothing to do with fighting, also sounded like a good thing. Unbeknownst to him, should he choose to ept the legacy, he would walk away with something far more valuable, knowledge, wealth, and a lot of charm -lol. "Do I have a timeframe to aplish all you want from me? I''m not stupid; I don''t want to undertake something I wouldn''t be able to control at my own pace," Karsha inquired. "There is no timeframe. It will depend on your strength and how fast the prophecyes to pass. So I encourage you to get stronger faster because no matter how powerful the individuals in the world are, the threat I saw in the vision can only be stopped by the one who walks the ''Hell Road,''" the old man rified, and for a moment, Karsha felt the pressure. "What about Alchemy? Would I be able to make money from it?" Karsha asked again, a question that brought a huge smile to the face of the old man. "You can''t count your money since the mere fact of you even bing an Alchemistes with its own benefits," the old man said. Despite being a mere consciousness, Karsha could feel he had seeded in convincing the young man. "Good. Tell me about Alchemy first, and if I like your answer, I will ept the legacy and bring glory to your name and the Asura n," Karsha stated. The old man then proceeded to exin all there was to know about his legacy. He would impart the entire legacy to him, but only a small fraction would be assimted into his memory. The rest would only unlock as he began mastering the craft. Upon epting the legacy, he would be a Grandmaster capable of concocting 100% pure pills. Karsha wasn''t familiar with the jargon the old man was using, but he assured him he would understand once he epted the legacy. In the world of Alchemy in Quinox, there were stages to it: Beginner, Master, Grandmaster, Saint, Sage, Great Sage, Expert, Emperor, Divine, and God. Bing a Grandmaster instantly was an achievement nobody else would be able to match. However, he was now set to be the first andst disciple of the Divine Alchemist. Such a status would make him the most talented alchemist in the entire world. Karsha asked a series of questions, which the old man answered to the best of his abilities. He then proceeded to describe the things Karsha would need in his quest for greatness. "You will be bestowed with a divine fire that can only be used for alchemy. However, it will remain locked until you break into the Sage stage of Alchemy. So, for now, find an alchemy shop and purchase any fire that you feel confident you can control. Additionally, my divine cauldron will remain locked until you reach the Sage level. Unfortunately, there are no gold coins for you at this stage. You must work and earn your own money, which I believe bing a Grandmaster will make easier. But fear not, as you ascend in the field of alchemy, you will uncover most of my hidden knowledge and wealth. Also, share your knowledge with those you deem worthy to possess the wisdom of the divine alchemist. Lastly, can you tell me which ss you''ve taken? Don''t leave anything out. I want to understand why you''ve been chosen by the ''Hell Sister,''" the Old man asked. For someone to be chosen by a Hell Sister, signifies potential. Hell Sisters are beings born when the legacy of a long-dead or ascended beings who are seeking out a sessor to inherit their mantle. Their purpose is to seek out the perfect candidate to carry on their Master''s legacy. They don''t choose randomly; for Karsha to be selected, there must be something special about him. The question remains: how can they discern which being has the potential to inherit their master''s legacy? The answer is simple: they gauge the person''s potential from the ss they''ve awakened. In Karsha''s case, he had awakened a unique ss, prompting the Hell Sister to travel 120 miles just to take a look. What she saw intrigued her, so she began to follow Karsha closely, ensuring she wouldn''t choose the wrong person, despite his immense potential. After a few weeks of observation, she concluded that Karsha was indeed the one she sought. To lure him, she employed her grilling skills. Karsha stared at the old man for a few moments before speaking, "I have awakened a unique ss called ''Berserker Swordsman,''" Karsha revealed, causing the old man to gaze at him with puppy eyes for a full five minutes. "Keep this ss a secret, and when the timees, make the right choice," he advised, surprising Karsha with hisck of probing. "Very well, Master. How shall we proceed?" Karsha inquired, but his answer came quicker than he had anticipated. < Does the host wish to ept the legacy of the Divine Alchemist? > -- Yes -- No Karsha chose to ept, and immediately upon doing so, the old man''s voice resonated in his mind, ''Bring glory to the Asura n.'' His vision then darkened as countless pieces of information flooded into his consciousness. Yet this time, there was no sign of pain in his expression, leaving him to wonder if the system was to me for his earlier difort. A torrent of knowledge about various flowers, herbs, fruits, recipes, monsters, and nearly everything else inundated his mind. As time passed, he began to feel drowsy. The sheer volume of information proved overwhelming for his mental capacity to handle. However, just as he was about to lose consciousness, a system message appeared.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om -- The mind Vault will serve as storage for excess memory and can only be essed when the host is eligible to do so. < Vault Transfer activated > Karsha felt his mind lighten immediately, prompting a sigh of relief. After two whole days, he opened his eyes. He anticipated seeing the old man, but instead found himself back on the riverside, where tworge tpia were perfectly grilled and spiced for consumption. Beside the grilled fishy a ring atop a note. He quickly picked up the note, reading, "Hi, I know you might be upset about what I did to you. I have no excuse, but I hope you don''t take offense. Also, I hope you ept the legacy and be the first andst disciple of the divine Alchemist. To make amends, I''ve grilled the best tpia you''ll ever taste in your entire life. I''ve also left something small for you. The ring is a spiritual item that requires soul contracts before use. Form a contract with it to ess the things avable at your current level. As you ascend, your ess will expand. Additionally, the nearest town is 10 miles north of the river. Lastly, the recipe you requested will be transmitted to you upon forming a contract with the ring. Thank you for epting this gift, and I hope we meet again. Goodbye, Hell Sister." Karsha observes the ring for a few seconds before trying to put it on his finger. However, before the ring could enter his finger, the system window appeared before his eyes. < Does the host wish to form a soul contract with the ''Nine Cmity'' Ring > -- Yes -- No "Nine Cmity, huh?" Karsha mused before selecting yes. His consciousness was sucked out for a moment, making him blink in surprise. When he gained hisposer, a new message appeared. < Congrattions on forming a contract with your first spiritual item > < Nine Cmity Ring > Category: Storage Space Rank: Spiritual Segment: Nine Segment. Note: The host can only ess the first segment. The remaining segments will be unlocked as the host rises in rank. =========== Without even bothering to check the content in the ring, he just slipped it on his finger and started devouring the grilled fish with a smile as he read thest message. < You have learn a new recipe; Grill like a pro > Chapter 16 Meeting Xian The tpia bones were arranged neatly on the leaf where the grilled fish had rested before Karsha arrived. Having eaten his fill, Karsha decided to take a break before continuing northward. Despite the woman''s warning about the forest, Karsha dismissed it as mere jest, so after resting for two hours, he resolved to bathe for the first time in many months. Although he asionally cleaned himself using his water bottle, the presence of a river nowpelled him to take a proper bath. Knowing he would soon be reentering human civilization and mindful of the impression he would make, Karsha understood the importance of presenting himself well. Emerging from the river minutester, he felt rejuvenated. He then utilized his system to don his leather armor, enhancing his appearance to appear more human. ncing around, he searched for anything else that might prove beneficial in the long run, but his efforts yielded nothing. "If Michael''s words hold true, I''ll be able to sell the carcasses of the beasts I''ve in once I reach a human settlement," Karsha mused aloud. With curiosity piqued, he peered into the ''Nine Cmity'' space ring and was surprised to discover several items inside. ================ < Brown Ivy Cotton Robe > A simple and ordinary garment crafted from pure cotton. It absorbs heat, providingfort to the weary wearer. Additionally, it possesses a self-healing ability, eliminating the need for stitching when torn. Note: Before venturing into the human world, ensure you bathe and dress in appropriate attire. "Tsk, quite the sassy one," Karsha chuckled, retrieving the brown robe. The system disengaged his armor and outfitted him in the robe. "Much morefortable," he remarked before reentering his consciousness into the ring. "Hmm, 10,000 gold coins. Is that all she can do?" Karsha muttered as he peered inside the ring. Remarkably, he discerned the quantity of gold coins with just a nce. Initially surprised, he opted to dismiss the thought and focus on being more productive. He proceeded to transfer the ring containing all the gold coins he pilfered from the ve''s mine and poured them into the Nine Cmity Soul Ring. "25,000 gold coins. I suppose I''ll manage to sustain myself for a while; Michael always used to say that gold coins hold greater value than copper and silver." All his decisions stemmed from the knowledge he absorbed from his son. Michael had a penchant for web novels, so Karsha would asionally pose questions to connect with him. He never imagined he would require this knowledge one day. Nheless, he let go of that thought and proceeded to identify the other items in the ring. However, there was one item he couldn''t identify, and since the system was barely operational, he decided to revisit itter. < Stamina Pill > -- Consume to get back a portion of your stamina instantly Purity level: 98% Rank: Common Quantity: 100 --------- < Health Pill > -- Consume to get back a portion of your health instantly Purity level: 97% Rank: Common Quantity: 100 --------- < Mana Potion > -- Consume to get back a portion of your mana instantly Purity level: 99% Rank: Common Quantity: 100 --------- "Well, I guess she did leave some goodies, too. Thank you, Hell Sister," Karsha remarked. He then began moving toward the north, following the instructions of the olddy. He understood the necessity of crafting a convincing backstory. With the ve mine temporarily destroyed, he knew the owners would be on high alert. Thus, he needed apelling narrative, and if necessary, he would resort to bribery to expedite his entry into a town. Slowly but steadily, he started bridging the 10-mile gap, as thedy had advised. =================== "Damn you, Wang Jun. I will kill a Tier 4 monster and show you and your demented subordinates that a Xian shouldn''t be trifled with," a boy of Karsha''s age cursed as he continued to traverse the forest, disying a mix of annoyance and determination. "I shouldn''t have trusted those good-for-nothing sons of bitches," he muttered again, his anger tangible. He then sighed before tightening his grip on his sword. "Just a Tier 4 monster will suffice. This alone will catch Sister Mei''s attention and secure my ce in the Blood Expedition." The young man, lost in his frustration andints, remained oblivious to the 3-meter-tall lion-type beast sneaking up on him. "I will show them I am worthy...Huh!" he eximed abruptly, leaping forward to evade a w attack from the Felroar Lion, a Tier 5 monster. "Ahhh, a peak Tier 5 Monster. I am finished," the boymented, his mood shifting to one of pity. A mere Level 3 Grandmaster stage cultivator, how could he possibly fare against a Peak Tier 5 Monster? Although the Tier 5 monster wasparable to a Grandmaster stage cultivator, it was a well-established fact that monsters were generally more resilient than humans. With stronger bodies and thicker skin, they posed a formidable challenge. Killing them while in the same rank was exceedingly difficult, and for someone who had beenining just moments ago, he realized he had unwittinglynded himself in a precarious situation from which escape would not be easy. "Why am I gued by such misfortune? Betrayal, and now facing a monster I couldn''t possibly dream of defeating," he muttered, tightening his grip on his sword. "But to return to my family, I''ll confront you with every ounce of my being." With determination fueling his resolve, the young man charged at the beast. The beast roared in response, matching his aggression as it charged toward him. They shed, and despite being sent flying backward, the boy managed to draw blood from the creature. He swiftly rose to his feet, only to be met by a sudden w mming into his back out of nowhere. "Cough, Cough," he coughed out blood as his body collided with a nearby tree. Despite the pain, he refused to surrender, repeatedly rising whenever thrown aside. His unwavering determination overshadowed the agony coursing through his body as he searched for an opportunity to strike. Yet, the monster''s speed proved insurmountable. Felroar Lions were renowned for their swiftness and devastating attacks. Thus, the boy persevered through the relentless assault, enduring each blow while waiting for an opening that seemed elusive amidst the creature''s relentless onught. "I''m sorry, Mom, Dad, Big Sister, Little Ying. Brother couldn''t keep his promise of bing the best in the world. I hope you don''t miss me too much," the boy murmured as he closed his eyes, preparing for the beast to im his life. Seconds stretched into minutes, yet he still felt his head firmly attached to his neck. Tempted to open his eyes, a part of him urged against it, and heplied, keeping them shut. "I assume you came here to kill a beast. If you don''t want it to die by my hand, then perhaps it''s time you awaken and finish the job yourself," a voice spoke, prompting the young man to snap his eyes open. His gazended on Karsha, seated atop the wounded monster. "Staring won''t kill it, little brother," Karsha remarked, extending his hand and offering a dagger to the bewildered young man, who couldn''t believe what he was witnessing. Since he hade to kill a beast, he didn''t want to miss out on the drop and core. Thus, he moved swiftly, taking the dagger from Karsha and driving it into the lion''s neck. Perhaps due to still being in a state of shock, he continued to stab the lion even after it had long been deceased. "That should suffice, young brother; the beast is already dead," Karsha remarked with a smile. "Thank you, senior brother. I am Xian from the Sunlight Sword sect," he introduced himself, still catching his breath. "And may I know the identity of this esteemed elder brother?" he inquired. "I am Karsha, merely a solitary traveler passing through," Karsha replied, offering his water bottle to the parched young man. "I think I am lost and would appreciate your guidance to the nearest town," he added.N?v(el)B\\jnn "The nearest town is just 2 miles in that direction," the boy informed him, returning the water bottle to Karsha. "Since you''ve aided me inpleting my trial, I intend to return to the city soon. If you wish, we could journey together," he proposed, expressing his desire to acquaint himself with the young man before him and, if possible, extend an invitation to their sect. He was teetering on the edge of death, and if not for Karsha''s intervention, he would have likely perished. In his eyes, Karsha was his savior, his benefactor. Feeling indebted, he desired to repay him before parting ways. Little did he know, that Karsha could have saved him sooner but opted to wait for the most opportune moment, wanting the boy to experience the trials he faced. Karsha saw the boy as a potential means to gain entry into the city and, perhaps, glean more insights into the world of cultivation. Whatever the boy thought, Karsha had already factored into his ns. He calcted everything before making his move. He has been observing the body for the past three hours waiting for the most opportune time to strike. "Very well, I''ll journey with you," Karsha agreed, offering to apany the boy. "I''m intrigued to learn more about the test you underwent and, if possible, obtain some information about your sect." "I''ll dly share, big brother," the boy responded enthusiastically. ''Hold on, when did I be ''Big Brother''...'' Karsha mused to himself, noting the sudden change in address. Chapter 17 Sunlight City After Xian extracted the core and stowed the body of the Felroar Lion in his storage ring, he retrieved a Health and Stamina potion and downed both in a single gulp. He then assumed a lotus posture to allow the potion to take effect more efficiently. ''Tsk, 57% purity, what a joke,'' Karsha chuckled inwardly as he observed the potion. For some unknown reason, he could discern the purity level with just a nce. ''Wait, how did I know that?'' he pondered internally once again, quickly attributing it to the memories inherited from the Old Man. The legacy not only epassed the teachings of the Divine Alchemist but also contained memories and adaptations from Rizz Trinity''s journey to prominence. Karsha possessed knowledge of various approaches to the same task, and based on what he knew so far, the potion Xian had consumed ranked among the lowest. He could tell that the young mancked the means to acquire a higher-tier potion, given that even his sword was ofmon rank. Karsha had inherited more than he could have hoped for. Apart from the alchemical knowledge, he also possessed insights into various aspects of cultivation. Like names of monsters, weapons, techniques, skills, and many more, he could still feel he had more to learn from the small knowledge he had ess to, but since he would soon be going back to human civilization, he knew he would have all the time in the world. Of course, the fear of not being able to enter the city because of the ve Mine issue still hangs on his neck. Back on earth, whenever fugitives escape, the borders and roads of a whole town, if not cities, will be closed, preventing the fugitive from running away. He knew the same thing would be happening here. It was also part of why he had spent nearly a month in the forest, hoping for the heat to die down. But now that the time hade for him to transition into a more hospitable area, he knew he had no choice but toply. ''One step at a time. If the borders are closed during the day, I''ll sneak in at night,'' he resolved. One way or another, he would find a means of entry. There was no turning back now. "Brother Karsha, we can begin moving now," Xian announced as he rose to his feet and started heading north. "Brother Karsha, you seem lost in thought. Is something troubling you?" Xian queried, noting the perplexed expressions on Karsha''s face. It was evident that he was troubled. "Would they request my identification details before permitting entry into the city?" Karsha voiced his concern. "At first, they didn''t, but a few weeks ago, the ve mine in ''Drono City'' nearly copsed, resulting in the escape of hundreds, if not thousands, of ves. As a precaution, officials in Sunlight City now mandate that everyone possess and present their identification cards at the main entrance before entering or leaving the city. However, if Brother Karshacks his identification, he can obtain one upon entry. You''ll need to pay 10 Gold coins at the Identify Guild for your personalized ID," Xian provided additional information beyond what was asked. "Is that so? Then please guide me to the Identify Guild once we enter the city," Karsha responded with a sigh of relief. He had anticipated a more rigorous approach from the city guards, but Xian''s exnation eased his worries. Once fully integrated into the city, the likelihood of anyone identifying him as a former ve would diminish. ''One step at a time,'' he reiterated to himself inwardly. "Tell me more about Sunlight City," Karsha prompted. Eager to please his savior, Xianunched into a detailed description of the city, depicting it as magnificent and grand. Sunlight City stood as one of the four major cities within the Drono Kingdom, which itself was the smallest among the Central Continent''s realms. The popce of the Drono Kingdom primarily consisted of traders, hunters, and cksmiths, predominantly humans. "In the Central Kingdom, there are three kingdoms, each governed by a Legacy family," Xian continued. "These families wield significant influence, overseeing the kingdom''s daily affairs and holding sway in various enterprises. Their reach extends far, and no endeavor goes unnoticed by the Legacies." Then there are the Great Families,prised of powerhouses who pledge their allegiance to the Legacy families, dedicating their lives and souls to serving them. In return, they reap considerable benefits. As these families expand, they seek connections with Legacy families, recognizing the advantages of such affiliations. These Great Families y a crucial role in the daily operations of the kingdoms, ensuring their smooth functioning. Sunlight City, in particr, is under the dominion of three Great Families, all ultimately answering to the Drono Legacy family. Leading these families in Sunlight City are the Sunlight Great Family, alongside the Varon and Uzi Great Families. Their influence permeates throughout the city, with their businesses spanning various sectors. Additionally, they hold significant shares in the Kingdom, with one of thergest sects in the entire Drono Kingdom bearing their name. The Sunlight Sword Sect stands as one of the foremost sects in the Central Continent. Renowned for nurturing numerous prodigies, they annually ept a new cohort of talented cultivators, further solidifying their strength. While they may not be deemed the best, as per Xian''s assessment, their influence within the Drono Kingdom is undeniable. Of course, seeing the chance to sell his sect to Karsha, Xian went ahead and exined everything there is to know about the sect.N?v(el)B\\jnn "The Sunlight Sectprises three stages: the Outer Stage, the Inner Stage, and the Core Stage. Upon passing the entrance exams, cultivators are ced in the Outer Stage, where they undergo studies. After reaching the Grandmaster stage, they are eligible to take the Inner Stage exams. In the Inner Stage, numerous benefits await. In addition to weekly perks, cultivators can undertake missions with varying levels of difficulty and rewards. Afterpleting a mission, you will be allowed to take a new one. There are danger levels to the type of missions you can pick. Moreover, the Inner Stage offers opportunities for exploration, including ruins and dungeons. Exceptional disciples may even apany the sect on ventures to conquer gates and explore tombs. Gate conquests aremon in the Inner and Core Stages of the sect. Upon gate conquests, contributors are duly rewarded by the world. Consequently, our sect elders stipte that promising disciples must conquer at least two gates annually. However, this is not mandatory; some opt to remain in the Inner Stage, focusing on dungeon and ruin exploration. Others venture into the outer reaches of tombs. Then there is the core stage. To get to the core stage, you have to fulfill one of three tasks, which is a set of tasks that is mandatory in all the sections in the Central continent. The first task is to conquer at least 10 Tier 8 gates. The gates can be conquered in teams. However, the one breaking into the Core stage should be the one tond the final blow on at least two of the final bosses of each gate. This is considered the easiest method. The second way is to go to the inner section of the dark forest and hunt for a specific monster that will bemunicated to you by the sect masters. It may seem straightforward at first, but to be able to enter and leave the dark forest, you will have to battle many monsters, which mostly leads to the death of many promising talents. So because of this, the sect master doesn''t mostly rmend this. Thest way is challenging the nine-star pagoda. Nobody knows what goes inside since those who ventured in returned with their memories wiped. Nobody was ever able to clear it, making it the only trial that hasn''t been used before to break into the Core stage." Xian said,pleting his speech. Karsha, who had been paying close attention, couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. It seemed challenges awaited him at every turn. His ambition to be a Core disciple now appeared more daunting after hearing Xian''s description. However, as they neared the city gate, he refrained from asking further questions and readied himself for whaty ahead. "Look who''s back. If it isn''t the youngest prodigy of a no-name family," one of the guards jeered as he approached Xian, who seemed to have a friendly rapport with the guard. "At least I''m an Inner Stage disciple. The same can''t be said for a mere gate guard like yourself," Xian retorted, elicitingughter from the other guards. "And who''s your friend? He looks unfamiliar," the guard inquired after hisughter subsided. "His name is Karsha. He''s a wanderer who happened to pass by and saved me from nearly being eaten by a Felroar Lion," Xian replied nonchntly. He and the guard are friendly. They always jab each other when ever they get the chance. "Is that so," the guard said, scrutinizing Karsha, who maintained a neutral expression despite feeling intense fear inwardly. "You can enter, but make sure you get your ID before heading out again. There are fugitives running around, and we wouldn''t want you to be mistaken for one," the guard warned, giving Karsha a slight push on the back of his head to usher him through the gate. ''I am letting you go today because you saved Xian. Don''t make me regret this, ve,'' a voice echoed in Karsha''s mind as he took a few steps through the gate. Panic surged through him, but he maintained hisposure, continuing to walk forward. The guard, noticing his reaction, smirked at Karsha''s efforts to appear unaffected. Chapter 18 Sunlight Sword Sect Perhaps because the guard could immediately tell that Karsha was a ve, the color drained from his face. This did not escape Xian''s notice. "Is something troubling you? You look pale," he asked, looking even more concerned than Karsha. Xian wanted to repay the person who had saved him from the jaws of death. But seeing that person appear as though he had just escaped death himself made Xian act like a caring younger brother. "I am fine. I just remembered something frightening. Nothing to worry about." Of course, Karsha wasn''t going to tell him the truth. He knew he would forever be branded by the ve mark, but he didn''t really care. He also knew that once he became strong enough, his status as a ve would change because no one would dare oppose him even if they knew. The only solution to his problem now was to be strong and popr, whether in a good way or a bad way. ''Although I can''t be strong now, I still have ways to be an important figure, at least in this city.'' Indeed, Karsha was now a Grandmaster stage Alchemist. All he needed was to tame a fire and practice a few times to fully assimte the knowledge into his muscle memory. "Xian, take me to the identity guild, and after that, we can go to your sect so that I can sign up." Karsha had made up his mind. He would be a disciple of the Sunlight Sect, and once he was strong enough, he would leave and explore all the other amazing ces Quinox had to offer. He also nned to eradicate the entire ve Mine, as his suffering in Quinox began there. Many families suffered because their loved ones were captured and sold into very. Of course, some families bathed in wealth because they sold their children, deeming them useless. Most of these children were nieces and nephews who had lost their parents in one way or another. Karsha was well aware of all this, thanks to what the mysterious being had shown him and the memories he had inherited from the old man. He understood the far-reaching influence of those Legacy families, so he knew he had to be stronger before making any move. His system and ss were still undergoing rebirth, so for the time being, he would stay with the sect. Once he felt confident enough, he would take action. And what was the best way to do that? If not by making a name for himself through Alchemy. ''If what Old Rizz said is true, a Grandmaster Alchemist in this city will fetch me some money.'' If there is one thing Karsha loves, it''s money. His previous life was hard, but he always made sure his family livedfortably. He consistently worked hard for money, and now, armed with a whole encyclopedia of Alchemical knowledge, he knew he had to make good use of it and make a name for himself while earning some money on the side. ''I will be the talk of the town.'' Karsha didn''t even stop to consider the possibility that drawing attention might bring doom to his doorstep. He didn''t have the luxury to think about that now. He was too excited about the gains he would soon reap from his alchemy skills. --- After registering at the identity guild, he and Xian headed to the Sunlight Sect. They spent nearly two hours at the guild due to the number of people there. "Thank you for paying the fees for me," Karsha said to Xian, who wore a happy smile. Xian knew that spending ten gold coins wouldn''t be enough to repay the person who saved him, but he still went ahead and paid. ''Baby steps,'' he thought. He knew if he tried to put a price on being saved, he wouldn''t be able to repay it anytime soon. But taking it step by step seems like the way forward. Because of that, Xian wanted to handle the smaller tasks, like running errands and paying for cheaper items, to ensure his benefactor didn''t experience any hardship while in the sect. Of course, Xian wasn''t doing this without expecting something in return. Coming from a poor family, spending ten gold coins was a significant expense for him. However, if he managed to recruit Karsha to his sect, he would be awarded 500 gold coins. Karsha would have to pass the entrance test for Xian to earn that reward, but Xian was confident that someone who could kill a Tier 5 monster would pass the test easily. "Big brother," Xian called out, prompting Karsha to snap out of his thoughts. Seeing he had Karsha''s attention, Xian continued, "The outer area of the sect is not veryfortable. You will also receive minimal resources, which will only contribute to small advancements in your cultivation. So, when you take the test, show them your potential. If you are lucky, you will be directly admitted as an inner disciple." "Although you are a Peak Master, the sect can make an exception and make you an inner disciple," Xian said earnestly. He wanted Karsha to join him in the inner area, so he exaggerated a bit. Karsha could sense Xian''s enthusiasm but chose to go along with his n. Karsha wasn''t one to hold back when dealing with problems. Back on Earth, to kill a drug kingpin, he had loaded barrels of petrol and dropped them from a helicopter, setting the entire 12-acreplex aze. It was a barbaric way of killing, yet he did it with a huge smile on his face. He didn''t care about the opinions of those he deemed unworthy, so hearing the varied tone of the person he wanted to take as a subordinate made him sigh inwardly. Initially, he nned to tone down his approach, but after hearing Xian''s opinion, he knew he had to adjust his ns. He hadn''t spent almost a month in the forest for nothing. "What will the test be like?" he asked. "It varies based on your ss, but it mostly involves battling monsters," Xian replied. Karsha nodded as they continued toward the sect, which he could see in the distance, shining magnificently. Soon, they arrived at the front gate, which looked like it was made from diamond jade. It stood 100 meters tall and 70 meters wide, looking majestic and shiny. "Look who''s finally back. I hope you manage to pass this time," a woman in her 50s said, casting a knowing smile at Xian, who returned it with equal confidence. "I passed this time, Elder June," Xian replied confidently, causing the Elder to arch her eyebrow. "And who might your friend be?" she directed her attention to Karsha, who had a curious look on his face. The presence of the woman before him was formidable, making him wonder if he could survive a single blow from her. He considered using his [Info] skill to gauge her strength and perhaps uncover her true identity, but he quickly advised himself against it. Despite sensing something unusual about the old woman, he decided not to dwell on it. "He is Karsha; he wants to join the sect," Xian said with a smile.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I hope you are not bringing anotherzy worm this time," the Elder remarked with a hint of warning, suggesting she wouldn''t defend him if he wasted the sect''s resources again. Sensing her skepticism, Xian smiled and reassured the Sect Elder that Karsha was the real deal. "You will get your token as an outer sect disciple once you pass the test," Elder June said after taking down Karsha''s details. "Xian, take him to test area 13. It seems to be empty at the moment." Xian and Karsha slightly bowed and entered the sect, heading toward the exam area. They saw many people there, each with different emotions on their faces. Some smiled, while others frowned or had teary eyes, clearly having failed their tests and now wallowing in self-pity. "Ha, that kid is not simple. I hope he wins you those 500 gold coins, Xian, I really do," the sect elder said as she watched the two boys walking away in the distance. She had been watching over Xian ever since he joined the sect. His parents had helped her mother when she was attacked by some dangerous people years ago. She was on the brink of death, but the couple, despite having little themselves, gave what they could to nurse her back to health. When she regained her health, she made them a promise: if they ever had a son or daughter, she would personally take him or her to the Sunlight Sect and ensure they grew up to be a powerful cultivator. She sighed and then sat back. The boy currently with Karsha was going through a lot and needed to take care of himself while also supporting his family. The 500 gold coins he could earn would help him buy a few things and send some money to his parents. "He is here to take the Swordsman trial," Xian said, cing the brown paper Elder June had given them in front of a timid-looking young man who seemed to hate everything about life. The young man stared at the paper for a while before pointing toward a specific door. "Neen years old and still a Master stage cultivator. What a waste," he smirked, shifting his gaze away from Karsha, who was almost at the entrance. "Good luck, Brother Karsha; I''ll be waiting for you here," Xian spoke, encouraging Karsha, who would soon win him 500 gold coins. Karsha smiled at him before entering the door. However, when his eyesnded on the instructor inside the room, he couldn''t help but gulp. "Don''t just stand there. Get into the formation; I don''t have all day," ady spoke in an annoyed tone. Her irritation made Karsha wonder what could possibly make such a damsel have that unpleasant look on her face. ''Here we go,'' Karsha thought as he stepped into the formation. "Start," the instructormanded. Chapter 19 Taking The Outer Area Test Karsha was pleasantly surprised when he met the demented gaze of the test instructor. Despite thedy''s beauty, she wore an unfriendly and hostile expression, making Karsha, who initially wanted to strike up a conversation, quickly abandon the idea. Though he is an extrovert unafraid of talking to anyone, he knows when to back off. The stern face of the incredibly beautiful youngdy before him was a clear sign to tread carefully. Thedy looked a little younger than him, but Karsha could tell she was older. She had the features of a pampered princess from a very influential family. Her blonde hair cascaded down her back perfectly, entuating a face that Karsha thought was perhaps the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. But her hostile expression marred that perfect picture. Karsha didn''t dwell on it any further as he unsheathed the ''Dragon''s Fury'' and stepped into the formation. "Clear the test by killing all the monsters to pass the exam," thedy said in a calm yet annoyed tone. Karsha gave her a slight nod. The formation activated when thedy ced a beast core on a small tform beside her. The core was instantly consumed, causing the formation to glow. Karsha experienced a slight twist and turn in his surroundings and then the room''s atmosphere changed. Forced to close his eyes momentarily, Karsha opened them to find himself standing on a field. ''Hah, that was a weird feeling.'' He felt a little lightheaded but quickly shook it off. ncing around, he ensured he was alone for now. ''I guess I have to wait a while for the beasts to show up,'' he thought inwardly. However, his thoughts were instantly shattered by the window that appeared before his eyes. < Wee to The Outer Area Trial for Sunlight Sword Sect >N?v(el)B\\jnn < First Trial: Kill Ten Tier 1 and Two Tier 2 Monsters> ''Tsk, what a joke,'' Karsha sneered inwardly when he saw the message. He had anticipated a challenge, but it seemed he wouldn''t have to do much from what he now saw in front of him. ''I will just end this as quickly as I can.'' Shortly afterward, 12 monsters started moving toward him, their gazes filled with killing intent. ''Tsk,'' a chuckle escaped Karsha''s lips again as he gazed at the 12 monsters. "So long, bitches," Karsha said as he activated the [Red Eye Tiger] skill and instantly moved toward the approaching monsters. "Swing!" Karsha swung his sword, appearing behind the monsters in a sh. It didn''t take even a second for all 12 monsters to drop dead on the ground. His skill, Red Eye Tiger, was the first skill he had obtained from the Tiger Strike Dual Swordsman technique. ============ < Red Eye Tiger > Rank: Tier 10 Rating (Mastery): C -- A skill derived from a highly skilled swordsman. This skill enables the swordsman to blend various skills together, forming a potentposite skill that can be activated seamlessly. Furthermore, the activation time and speed of each skill incorporated into Red Eye Tiger are amplified twofold. -- Additionally, every skill integrated into Red Eye Tiger benefits from the influence of a Tier 10 skill, enhancing their effectiveness beyond their original capabilities. [Note: Enhance your mastery of the skill to unlock additional benefits.] ============ Not a single one of the monsters managed to survive his single attack, causing Karsha to sneer inwardly. He had spent almost a week mastering the move. When he first used the [Red Eye Tiger] skill, he felt enlightened, prompting him to spend a whole week incorporating his own attack skill into its amplification ability. What he achieved now was the result of close to 130 hours of practice. Since his [Blink] skill had been added to the [Red Eye Tiger], the blinking was now amplified by two times its original speed and distance. He moved while blinking simultaneously. Those slower than him would perceive only a single instantaneous movement, while those matching his speed would witness him darting into the shadows of his opponents at an incredible speed. It was a remarkable skill with the potential for further development. However, since the system was now focused on awakening his unique ss, he knew he had to wait and learn more about it before adding more skills to it. Despite this, he was content with his achievements as he stood and waited for the test to conclude. Inside the room, the earlier instructor, who had worn a weird expression, now appeared shocked. Out of curiosity, she had decided to watch the test. However, when Karsha moved, she found herself unable to track his movements. All she saw was the boy disappearing and reappearing behind the horde of beasts. She attempted to understand the situation but couldn''t muster an answer. All she could manage was to gaze at the boy standing in formation and wish she had been a bit friendlier earlier on. Yet, now that the trial was concluded, she understood the likelihood of encountering the boy in action again was rtively low. Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted when the formation glowed once more, signaling the onset of a new trial. Despite her desire to witness the boy''sbat prowess again, the woman promptly approached the formation. However, what she witnessed nearly caused her to copse. The original control of the formation had locked her out, leaving the formation to operate autonomously. Swiftly retrieving a token from her space ring, she addressed it, "Elder June, we have an issue at test area 13. Pleasee quickly," all the while still observing the boy within the formation, who also appeared to realize the trial was not yet concluded. < Second Trial: Kill Twenty Tier 1 and Two Tier 2 Monsters> "I suppose that wasn''t the only test," Karsha concluded instantly upon seeing the message disyed before him. He didn''t feel threatened as the approaching monsters posed no real danger. However, after dispatching the 22 monsters, he suddenly realized he was far from finished with the trial. Hovering before him was another message that left Karsha wondering what was happening. Based on what thedy had said before he entered the formation, he was supposed to clear a single trial, but now he found himself on the third, with no indication of when it might end. < Third Trial: Kill Thirty Tier 1 and Ten Tier 2 Monsters > ''Is this trial faulty or something?'' Karsha pondered inwardly as he swiftly dispatched the monsters, concluding the third trial. ''Well, this works to my advantage. I will heed Xian''s advice and demonstrate my capabilities to this test instructor,'' he mused before turning his attention to the fourth trial. Meanwhile, outside the trial, Elder June appeared beside Xian, who looked concerned about Karsha''s progress. "Elder June, what brings you here?" Xian asked promptly upon the elder''s appearance. "Just a minor matter. Go to the gate and oversee operations there for me. I have some matters to attend to within the test area," Elder June directed. Xianplied without hesitation, receiving a nod of approval from the elder before he left for the Sect gate. Elder June then made her way into the test area. Anticipating trouble upon her entrance, she was surprised to find nothing amiss, except for the perfectly lit room, and thedy beside the formation looking as if she had seen a ghost. "Little Mei, what''s the matter?" Elder June inquired as she approached the youngdy. However, thedy remained silent, merely pointing at the formation. Following her gesture, Elder June''s gaze fell upon the formation, and what she saw left her in a state of shock. Karsha could be seen standing amidst 50 monsters, with almost half being Tier 2 creatures and 2 Tier 3 monsters. "What happened to the trial? It was supposed to only have 12 monsters. How is he facing close to fifty, including Tier 3 monsters?" Elder June questioned, but Little Mei merely shrugged in response. Elder June proceeded to inspect the formation, confirming the instructor''s observation before contacting her. The formation appeared to be operating independently. Just as she noticed this, the formation glowed once more, indicating themencement of another trial. < Tenth Trial: Kill Thirty Tier 1, twenty Tier 2 Monsters, and ten Tier 3 monsters > Karsha seemed unperturbed, standing patiently as the beasts approached. Despite the changes in the formation, he retained control over the battlefield. "Swing!" Karsha materialized behind the monsters, swiftly striking with his sword. As always, the monsters fell instantaneously, leaving Elder June gaping at the formation in disbelief. Unlike Little Mei, she witnessed Karsha''s movements, yet she couldn''t fathom how he aplished such feats. ''That shouldn''t be possible,'' she thought to herself. ''He''s just a master stage cultivator; he shouldn''t possess that level of speed,'' she reiterated, still fixated on theposed boy who showed no signs of panic. "Elder Yang, inform the sect Master that we have a pressing issue at test area 13 that demands his immediate attention," Elder June instructed into her token after witnessing Karsha''s remarkable movements. ''We cannot afford to overlook this boy,'' she thought to herself as she observed him preparing for the Eleventh trial. Meanwhile, on the receiving end of themunication, a man in his fifties stared at hismunication device, deliberating whether to ry the message to the sect Master. After a brief moment of contemtion, he knocked on the door and entered a grand mansion, capable of housing thousands. "What is it, Elder Yang? Don''t you realize we are in the midst of an important meeting?" an irate elderly man demanded, fixing his gaze on the elder, who instantly regretted his intrusion. "My apologies, Elder Chen, but Elder June appears to be encountering difficulties with the test at Area 13 and requires the sect Master''s immediate attention," the elder conveyed in a shaky tone, feeling the weight of the pressure bearing down on him. "Tsk, that troublesome woman, I wonder what mess she''s gotten herself into this time," another elder remarked, turning towards an older, yet vigorous-looking man with a long, pure white beard. The elderly man simply smiled before motioning for the three elders to apany him. Though unsure why, he sensed that he was about to witness something extraordinary and didn''t want to miss out. However, inside the test area, a new message appeared before Karsha: < Twentieth Trial: Kill Fifty Tier 1, thirty Tier 2, Ten Tier 3, and Two Tier 4 Monsters > Chapter 20 Who is that Kid < Twentieth Trial: Kill Fifty Tier 1, thirty Tier 2, Ten Tier 3, and Two Tier 4 Monsters > Karsha just stared at the message in front of him with a slight smile. If his assumption is correct, his quest to impress the sect''s elders will start now. He used less than 10 minutes to get to the 20th trial, meaning thest 8 minutes or so was used trying to impress the instructor and hope she calls the other elders. ''I will keep going at it till I can''t take it anymore.'' Karsha said inwardly as he prepared for the iing monsters, ''Too bad the system can''t add points to my stats till the ss is fully awakened.'' he added. The system is currently doing its best not to hurt its host. At first, it was able to handle most operations even though it was just version 1.0 with limited functionalities. But that was then. It wasn''t running too manyplex operations then, so it was able to handle other matters. Now, however, it is different. Because of the ss awakening within the system, it is using most of its capabilities to keep the ss in check, especially since it is a unique ss. A slight miscalction will hurt its host, so to avoid that, it shuts down most of its functions and dedicates the capacity to handle essential matters. Unfortunately for him, the system deemed him strong enough to go on without maximizing his stats, so that function was shut down. But because Karsha knew he would be getting those functionalities back and even get an upgraded version of the system, he didn''tin. Without hesitation, he activated the [Red Eye Tiger skill], swiftly appearing behind the monsters. There was a slight dy this time, but it was not significant enough to cause him concern. Simr to the previous trials, the beasts fell without any resistance as their heads were cleanly sliced off. "This is just too bizarre. Xian, where on earth did you find this freak from?" Elder June muttered, her eyes fixed on the boy standing in the formation as if she had witnessed a specter. "I wonder if the sect master has heeded my request. Although dismantling this formation would resolve the issue, he needs to witness this phenomenon firsthand. Perhaps this boy could even conquer the Pagoda," she mused to herself once more. "June, why did you interrupt our meeting?" the elder known as Elder Chen who has a stern expression demanded as they made their way inside through the discreet back entrance reserved for sect elders. Upon their arrival, the young woman known as Little Mei was already kneeling on the floor. Three men and ady, with a thoughtful expression, joined them, indicating her status as one of the senior elders of the sect. "Greetings, sect master," Elder June addressed, deliberately ignoring the irate elder''s protest. Though visibly displeased, he remained silent as the sect master started to speak. "Elder June, what seems to be the issue?" the old man inquired in a calm and affectionate tone, causing the recently agitated Elder to rx slightly. "It''s the trial formation. It''s locked us out and is conducting the trials autonomously," she exined. "Ah, so you disrupted our meeting over such a trivial matter, treating us as if we were your subordinates," Elder Chen interjected once more, eliciting a shudder from Little Mei behind Elder June. "That wasn''t the primary reason for my call. The main concern is the participant in the trial," Elder June rified, pointing towards Karsha, who appeared to be reading the message for the 21st trial. "It would be best if you witnessed it firsthand, as I''ll be able to provide an exnation," she added, noticing the formation about to initiate another trial. The elder merely smirked before directing his attention to the formation. Simultaneously, Karsha finished reading the message and braced himself for the imminent onught.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om < Twenty-first Trial: Kill Fifty Tier 1, thirty Tier 2, Ten Tier 3, and Ten Tier 4 Monsters > ''Here we go again,'' Karsha muttered inwardly as he focused on the approaching horde of monsters. After calcting his movements, he activated the Red Eye Tiger skill. As always, he materialized behind the monsters. However, this time, it took him approximately two seconds to manifest behind them, indicating an escting difficulty in the trial. While Karsha remainedposed, the same could not be said for the sect elders observing. Even the sect master wore a look of astonishment. "How is that possible?" one of the elders eximed in disbelief. "Who is that boy?" the stern Elder Chen demanded to know. "He''s Xian''s friend," Elder June seized the opportunity to present a positive image of the boy, whom most of the elders knew for his diligent and hardworking character. "Ah, so it''s your kid''s friend," the Sect Master said with a slightly smug expression. "Dad, for thest time, he is not my kid; I just admire his character and decided to take care of him," Elder June retorted. Of course, Elder June was quick to reject the offer and even referred to the sect master as his father. "Do you know anything about him? His background, his family, and where he is from?" the Angry Elder asked a series of questions. Elder June simply shook her head, causing the elder to frown. It''s one thing to discover a genius and another to determine whether he is worthy of being trained, as most sects don''t want to waste resources training prodigies from Great Families or even Legacy families. "Little Mei, summon Xian here at once," the Sect Master ordered, and immediately, the scared-looking youngdy dashed out, visibly relieved. The aura emanating from the elders was not easy for her to endure. Although Elder June attempted to shield her, she wasn''t quite strong enough. As they continued discussing the issue among themselves, Karsha''s 22nd trial began, and as usual, he cleared it in less than three seconds. The 22nd trial featured almost the same number of monsters, with a slight increase in Tier 2 and Tier 3 monsters. But this increase was inconsequential in Karsha''s eyes since he didn''t sense any threat from them. He proceeded to clear two more trials, leaving the elders astonished at how effortlessly he handled the challenge. They continued to observe and didn''t even consider destroying the formation. "Elder June, what''s going on? Is Big Brother okay?" Xian inquired as he entered the room,pletely ignoring the elders, or rather, not even noticing their presence. "He is fine, Xian; the Sect Master just wants to talk to you," Elder June replied. It was only after Elder June responded that Xian noticed the presence of the other individuals in the room. He immediately bowed, but to his surprise, the Sect Master lifted his head, leaving him to wonder what Karsha had gotten him in. However, his concerns were short-lived when he heard the Sect Master speak. "Don''t be scared; I won''t kill my own grandson," the Sect Master said, casting a sidelong nce at his daughter. To add salt to the wound, Xian also gazed at the elder with a smile. Elder June''s mouth twitched a couple of times, nearly all the elders smiling in satisfaction. Among them, only the Sect Master could evoke such misery from her. "So tell me, grandson, who is your friend, and which family is he from?" the Sect Master asked. "Grandpa, he isn''t from any prominent family. He''s an orphan who spends his time hunting monsters. If not for wanting to repay him for saving me from a Tier 5 monster, I wouldn''t have even considered him worthy of joining the sect," Xian answered truthfully, prompting raised eyebrows from all present. If what Xian said was true, they had stumbled upon a gem. Although the sect bore the name of the Sunlight Great Family, its daily activities operated independently. They had their own ambitions, and to find such a gem who had nowhere else to turn, they knew they''d struck gold. While the elders were jubnt, the instructor standing behind Elder June had a different thought running through her mind. ''I have to get close to him, perhaps he can help me clear a Tier 8 gate and finally be a core disciple.'' However, Xian, noticing the elders'' intrigue in his Big Brother, decided to y the hand he was dealt and stick it to the house. "Grandpa, I also believe Big Brother Karsha is an alchemist. He asked me to take him to an alchemist shop after the trial. He wants to purchase a cauldron and some herbs," Xian dropped another bomb, causing thedy Elder to raise an eyebrow. "Handsome, strong, and intelligent. I can work with thisbination," thedy Elder said as she gazed at Karsha, who was about to undertake his 28th trial. "I think we should destroy the formation before he gets hurt," the angry elder, Elder Chen, suggested. However, to his surprise, Xian objected. "We can''t do that; destroying the formation will harm Big Brother. He only exits when he can''t handle the monsters anymore." The Sect Master nodded at Elder Chen before turning his gaze to the young man, who seemed to be more than meets the eye. They then shifted their gaze back to the trial as Karsha continued to clear each trial effortlessly. In less than an hour, he had cleared 40 trials, leaving the elders staring at him with shocked expressions. Who wouldn''t be shocked? Karsha could dispatch Tier 5 monsters in less than 10 seconds. It was a sight to behold. However, when the 41st trial activated, Karsha felt the pressure and reached for the [Devil''s Tooth], but before he could make a move, something mmed into his body, sending him flying backward. He immediately lost consciousness upon hitting the floor. "Mei, take him to the inner area and ensure he is ced in afortable room. Grandson,e with me; I have a task for you," the Sect Master said as he gazed at Karsha, who was deep in slumber. Chapter 21 The New Inner Area Disciple "Mei, take him to the inner area and ensure he is ced in afortable room. Grandson,e with me; I have a task for you," the Sect Master said, gazing at Karsha, who was deep in sleep. The force that had mmed into Karsha was a Tier 6 monster. Its movement was so fast that Karsha couldn''t even track it. Although he could kill a Tier 5 monster in less than 10 seconds, facing a Tier 6 monster was a different matter entirely. Tier 6 monsters areparable to Semi-Saints and are beyond the capabilities of a Master stage cultivator, even one as extraordinary as Karsha who has control over his stats and can adjust them to his liking. Karsha is no ordinary cultivator; he has a system that allows him to maximize his attributes. Cultivators measure their prowess based on their attributes, which is crucial when selecting opponents. Although Karsha is unaware of this, cultivators in Quinox have screens disying their stats, skills, avatars, and techniques. These screens, while limited in functionality, still disy their stats numerically. Had Karsha managed to scan a Tier 6 monster, he would have discovered that their stats were far superior to his own. It might look something like this. - Strength: 1200 - Agility: 1100 - Endurance: 1150 - Intelligence: 1050 - Dexterity: 1080N?v(el)B\\jnn Meanwhile, Karsha''s stats are far inferior to this. But that is, for the time being, once he breakthrough to the Grandmaster stage, he would be able to match up with those realms above him. < Name: Karsha Damon > < Age: 18 > < Sex: Male > < Race: Human > < ss: Berserker Swordsman (Locked) > < Title: None > < Bloodline: Berserker Mutant Tiger (46%) > < Realm: Master - Level 9 > < STR: 320 / AGL: 310 / HEA: 320 / STA: 320> < Mana: 120,000 > < Exp: 20,000/300,000 > Stat Points: 14,000 Technique: [ Tiger strike ] Passive Skills: [Imitate],[Thrust] Active Skills: [Berserker Fury: A],[Red Eye Tiger: SS] He has unlocked many options on his stat window, indicating significant progress since escaping the ve Mine. Compared to an average cultivator, he is on the same level as an intermediate Grandmaster stage cultivator. He is that strong, and he could advance even further once he finishes absorbing the Mutant Tiger bloodline. Despite his formidable nature, he is still nowhere near capable of killing a Tier 6 monster. He has a long way to go, but that''s okay because he can address this challenge when the system finally upgrades to Version 2.0. Although he wouldn''t dominate a Tier 6 monster, he could hold his own against one, and if fortunate, he might be able to kill one without sustaining any injuries. After all, whether he likes it or not, he would need to kill two Tier 6 monsters before breaking through to the next stage, the Grandmaster stage. Karsha continued to sleep like a baby, oblivious to the chaos he had caused throughout the Sect, particrly in the inner area. It is well known that to be admitted to the Inner area, one must first spend at least two months in the outer area. But Karsha skipped that and went straight to the inner area. Murmurs began to spread when they discovered that a neer had been ced in a room in one of the best sections of the inner area. Adding fuel to the already burning fire, there were rumors that Fairy Mei, one of the most talented disciples in the inner area, had stayed in Karsha''s room after carrying him there two days ago. Those who witnessed this began bringing others to the area where Karsha was currently sleeping. He had been asleep for two whole days, utterly exhausted. The past years had been spent doing his best to escape the ve Mine. After finally aplishing that, he had to go on the run, spending weeks sharpening his skills in preparation for the unknown. Now that he finally had a moment of safety, his body and mind agreed to let him rest until he was fully recuperated. Thus, he had spent the past 48 hours in deep sleep. However, as more people gathered and the noise increased, Karsha was forced to wake from his peaceful slumber. To his surprise, when he awoke, the instructor, who had an unpleasant expression on her face, was sitting in a chair right across from him. "Took you long enough," she said, finally standing up. "Sorry, I haven''t had a good night''s sleep in a while," Karsha said with a guilty look. He could tell thedy had been awake the entire time, meaning she hadn''t slept and had been guarding him for the past 48 hours. "Don''t worry about that. The Sect Master assigned you to this room, and that odd friend of yours came by. He said you shoulde to the entrance when you wake up." Thedy started moving toward the door. "Please wait," Karsha called out. "I''m new here, and I still don''t know theyout. Could you direct me to where Xian is waiting? I promise this will be thest time I trouble you," Karsha said with a smile. He could tell he was pushing his luck, but some part of him didn''t care and wanted to get to know thedy better. The beautifuldy stopped in her tracks and contemted for a while before speaking. "Wash up and get dressed before following me." Her words stung a bit, but Karsha saw it as a win and allowed a small smile to escape his lips. Karsha was an extrovert in his previous life. He might look cold sometimes, but deep down, he was a lively person who didn''t shy away from approaching a damsel. Even in his previous life, his wife used to say that if they lived in a cultivation world, he would have formed his own harem of hundreds, if not thousands, of beautifuldies. Of course, he mostly just brushed it off with a smile. However, now that he had been miraculously transported to a cultivation world, he couldn''t help but remember what his now-deceased wife used to say, ''I guess Annabeth was right;dies in this world are eye-catchers.'' Karsha freshened up and changed into a white robe that was sitting on his bed. Naturally, he made sure not to change in the room since he still had the ve mark on his body. However, the youngdy standing by the door could tell he was hiding something. But since she didn''t want to pry into his business, at least not yet, she simply let it slide. After 10 minutes, Karsha was fully dressed and ready to go. "Make sure you follow my instructions and don''t ept any challenges from anyone," she warned. Karsha wanted to ask what she meant; however, when he opened the door and saw the crowd outside, he immediately understood. "That is a lot of people," Karsha said as he closed the door. "Let''s go. Follow my lead," she said as she opened the door. "Look, it''s Fairy Mei!" a disciple shouted, alerting everyone. "Who is that guy behind her?" another asked, referring to Karsha. "Please tell me that is not Fairy Mei''s lover," someone else said, and soon, the whole area erupted into a chaotic symphony of spections about Karsha''s rtionship with thedy they were all infatuated with. "Hey, you skinny guy, I challenge you to a battle to the death. Who do you think you are to make a move on Fairy Mei?" A young man with short brown hair said, letting his killing intent seep out. Seeing this, Karsha couldn''t help but scoff. Although it was just a sliver of the guy''s killing intent, he could tell his own would be enough to cripple, if not kill, him. Perhaps noticing the unshaken look on Karsha''s face, the brown-haired guy grew angrier and lunged at Karsha, weapons drawn. However, when the guy got within three meters of Karsha, a slight smirk appeared on Karsha''s lips. The charging guy couldn''t help but feel he had fallen into a trap when he saw Karsha''s eyes. To confirm his fear, a powerful kick struck his stomach, sending him flying. His body mmed into a nearby wall, leaving a crack. The whole ce fell silent, like a cemetery. Karsha dusted off his leg and palm before shifting his gaze to the disciples staring at him with their jaws wide open. "Ha, that was a close one," Karsha said as he directed his gaze toward a certain direction. A few secondster, Elder June appeared, flying on her sword. "You are a troublesome one, aren''t you?" she said, hovering three meters above the ground. All the disciples there, including Fairy Mei, bowed. Seeing everyone bowing, Karsha followed their lead and bowed. "You can raise your heads," Elder June said. "You went too far, newbie," she added, crossing her arms over her chest. "What can I say? I had to defend myself. That guy nearly took my head off. Hope you saw that too," Karsha replied, his toneced with a hint of sarcasm. "Tsk, you and I both know you could''ve evaded that attack." Elder June chuckled at Karsha''s response. "I acted on instinct. I guess I brought the wild with me," Karsha said with a small smile. "You are trouble. I hope you don''t bring down this ce." Elder June shook her head. Arguing with the boy in front of her would lead nowhere. "Let''s go. The Sect Master and the elders have been waiting for you for the past two days. You don''t want to keep them waiting any longer." Without his permission, Karsha started floating in the air. "Go freshen up and meet me at the mountain peak," Elder June said to Fairy Mei. Then, both she and Karsha started flying towards the residence of the Sect Master, where Karsha would decide what to do with his second chance at life, even if it was a borrowed one. Chapter 22 Meeting The Sect Elders After flying for five minutes, Karsha and Elder Junended in front of a grand mansion. Its exterior was constructed from pure gold, making the pirs shimmer with a golden glow under the rays of the setting sun. Karsha gazed at the building for a few seconds before following Elder June inside. Back on Earth, the only ce you could see something like this would be in a mansion belonging to powerful tycoons or wealthy families with businesses everywhere. But even they couldn''t use pure gold to build something like this. To Karsha, who was used to living in a modest four-bedroom apartment with his family, the exterior looked like heaven. When they entered, Karsha let his jaw drop as he admired the opulence. The entire room was decorated in gold, from the chandelier to the curtains. Everything gleamed, making the awestruck general wonder where this person had acquired such immense wealth. "Finally. We waited for two days while you had all the dreams in the world," Elder Chen, the angry looking elder, snapped, bringing Karsha back to reality. "I am sorry. I was too tired from my travels and overslept," Karsha apologized politely making sure to sound as polite as he could be. "Ha. Don''t bother; we weren''t in a hurry anyway," said Elder Lin, focusing her gaze on Karsha''s body as if she was searching for something. "Traitor," Elder Chen muttered, feeling betrayed by Elder Lin''s statement. They had all agreed that when Karsha arrived, they would use the fact that he had made them wait for two whole days to guilt-trip him into staying in their sect. However, Elder Lin''sment shattered that n, making the irate elder feel betrayed. "Don''t worry, Grandpa, I''ll make it up to all of you." Sensing the tension, Karsha sought to ease it. He knew that if he could bring a smile to Elder Chen''s face, he might get away with a few things since he intended to cause a lot of trouble. His reasoning was simple: the more people knew him, the faster he would integrate into society, making him more present in their eyes and minds. This, of course, would dispel any suspicions that might arise about the ve mine incident. Additionally, the more people who knew him, the more secure he would be, even if someone eventually found out. He may have already started causing chaos by sending the young master of a great family to the infirmary just a few minutes ago without him even knowing it. Of course, Karsha wasn''t aware of that yet. However, he would soon learn that the young man he had kicked was a young master from the Varon Great Family, a family specializing in espionage and assassinations. "You better keep your promise, young man; I''lle asking for that favor soon enough," Elder Chen said, allowing a small smile to escape his lips. "Since he is here, I guess we should start with why we called him," the Sect Master said. "We called you here to get to know more about you and see if it is worth expending the sect''s resources on you," Sect Master Xu continued, making their intentions clear to Karsha, who was also curious about the purpose of this meeting. "First, tell us the name of the family you are from," he asked, directing his question at Karsha. Karsha felt as though a predator''s gaze hadnded on him. The feeling he got from the old man was many times more unsettling than the one he had felt before being sucker-punched during the trial. An average cultivator would have crumbled under that gaze. However, Karsha was different. He had witnessed many terrifying things in his previous life, so only a few things could scare him now. He was almost immune to fear. "I am not from any family. Well, I used to have a family, but they are all dead now, so I am all alone," Karsha replied, making sure to convey the pain of losing his family and that of Austin''s family. He didn''t inherit Austin''s memories, but from what the being who transmigrated him had shown him, Austin''s family was killed by their business rivals. He even learned their names, so even without Austin''s memories, he could remember the names of those who killed the family of the body he currently inhabited. Perhaps feeling the pain in his reply, the Sect Master sighed in guilt. He had initially intended to shake down Karsha and make sure he wasn''t an heir to any family before epting him into the sect. Although they had heirs of other families in the sect, they didn''t give them much special treatment since their families already took care of that. However, there were a few disciples they personally paid attention to. These few disciples came from no family or low-status families. These disciples were more inclined to contribute greatly to the sect''s development once they became strong enough to undertake expeditions to tombs, ruins, dimensional gates, and more. Elder June, who was standing behind Karsha, gave her father an annoyed look before patting Karsha on the shoulder. "Sorry to hear that. Xian said the same thing, but we didn''t believe him. We just wanted to confirm, that''s all," Elder Lin quickly dissolved the tension. "It''s okay, they are gone; the best I can do is get stronger and seek revenge on those responsible," Karsha said with a dangerous smile. Seeing this, the Sect Master sighed inwardly. He would be lying if he said he wasn''t intrigued by how Karsha was handling the situation. Although Karsha tried his best to hide it, the pain within him didn''t escape the eyes of any of the Elders. "So tell us, what are your ns now that you are a disciple of one of the most powerful sects in all of the Central Continent?" Elder Lin asked. "Nothing long-term yet. For now, I just want to be strong enough to protect those I will call friends and family," Karsha replied. He would be lying if he said he had any clue about how to proceed, especially since the system was still out ofmission. "Also, I made a promise to a very powerful old man that I will take alchemy very seriously, so I n on practicing alchemy alongside my sword," he added. "Is that all?" Sect Master Xu asked, sounding surprised by Karsha''s answer. "That will be all for now. Of course, I n on making a name for myself, so if you ept me into the sect, I might bring a trouble or two to your doorsteps. But fear not, I won''t cause any great trouble that will threaten this beautiful establishment," Karsha responded with a confident smile. The smiles on the faces of the Elders widened at Karsha''s response. They were more than happy with his n. Initially, when they heard about what had happened to his family, they thought he would focus all his attention on getting stronger solely to avenge them. However, after hearing his ns for the foreseeable future, they felt relieved and pleased. In short, Karsha was the perfect disciple. They nned on nurturing him to be a powerhouse. Seeing his carefree nature and hearing his bnced approach, they knew he had the potential to be a great student. With few obstacles in his path, they believed he could rise to the peak with their dedicated guidance. They had witnessed his performance during the trial, so they were confident they wouldn''t be wasting their time on him. Despite being at the Master stage, his talent was evident. The Sect Master wanted to ask more about this, but after another stern look from his daughter, he decided to hold back and askter. However, Karsha was no ordinary 19-year-old. He was a 32-year-old living in the body of a 19-year-old. He noticed the Sect Master''s lingering curiosity, so without waiting for anyone to ask him about it, he went ahead and exined the situation. "You don''t have to worry about my cultivation base. I can break through whenever I want. I''m just holding back for a few weeks to improve my mastery of certain skills," Karsha said, deriving his exnation from the knowledge he had gained from the legacy of the divine alchemist. Surprisingly, the elders nodded, signaling they epted his reason. "Good. To be an Inner Area disciple, you have to be at least at the Grandmaster stage, so do well to raise your mastery quickly and break through. The longer you stay at the Master stage, the more trouble will find its way to you," Sect Master Xu said. Karsha nodded before turning to Elder June. "Can you please direct me to where Xian is?" Karsha asked. Since the Sect Master had now confirmed that he was not from any prominent family, they could n how to approach his cultivation. They had a lot to discuss, and Karsha had no business being there for it. He simply wanted to get out quickly and catch some fresh air. Elder June nodded and gestured for Karsha to follow her. As they left the room, the elders began their discussions, confident that they had made the right decision in epting Karsha into the sect. "Follow me," Elder June said as she started moving out of the mansion. Karsha gave the interior onest look before following her. After leaving the mansion, Elder June led Karsha to a small house where Xian was practicing calligraphy. When Xian saw Karsha approaching, he immediately dropped what he was doing and ran toward him. "You''re awake! I came to your ce yesterday, but you were still asleep, and Sister Mei chased me away, thinking I would wake you."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Karsha gave him a slight smile before taking a seat. He then retrieved his water bottle and took a sip before speaking. "Are you not hungry? Because I am starving. Let''s go eat something." Chapter 23 Sunlight Pavilion Karsha and Xian left the small apartment and began making their way to get some food. Karsha had been relying on rations for the past month and only got to eat something good after meeting the Hell Sister by the riverside. Fortunately for him, he inherited the Legacy of the Divine Alchemist. Despite having no prior experience in alchemy, inheriting the Legacy was enough to elevate him to the Grandmaster stage. Strangely, with just a little practice, he would be able to start concocting pills with 100% purity. His luck extended even further when the Hell Sister left him a ring filled with valuable items. Although he could only ess the first space in the Nine Cmities Space Ring, he was confident that unlocking the other spaces would yield even greater rewards. In the first space alone, he found 10,000 gold coins and other items, causing him to grin from ear to ear. He felt ted, especially when hepared the value of a single coin to its dor equivalent back on Earth. However, had he known that the gold coins he prized so highly were merely used for random items in this world, he would have realized that his 10,000 gold coins were just a small drop in a muchrger ocean. "You look happy, Xian," Karsha observed, noting the young man''s livelier demeanorpared to a few days ago. "I am. I was able to make 100 spirit stones by recruiting you. I hope you aren''t mad or anything," Xian replied with a smile. "Good for you," Karsha responded with a smile. He could tell Xian was quite poor, so earning some money by recruiting him must have been a big deal. "But what is a spirit stone, and what is it used for?" Karsha genuinely asked. Despite his newfound knowledge in alchemy, he still had much to learn about the cultivation world. Asking Xian, who seemed reliable, was a good ce to start. Additionally, Karsha sensed they were being followed, so he decided to keep Xian talking as a distraction. This would allow him to stay alert to their surroundings while also learning more about the cultivation world. Xian, eager to help, began to exin. "Spirit stones are essentially the highest form of currency in the cultivation world," Xian began. "A low-tier spirit stone is equivalent to 100 gold coins, and a high-tier spirit stone is worth 10 low-tier spirit stones. "However, spirit stones are not only used as currency; as the name suggests, they contain spiritual energy that can be absorbed to aid in cultivation. Although their spiritual energy is minimal, when used inrge quantities, it can help raise your cultivation level slightly." Xian paused for a moment before continuing. "Of course, to have that many spirit stones, you have to be from a rich and powerful family like one of the Great Families or the Legacy Families," Xian added. "Who are these families I keep hearing about?" Karsha asked. The Sect Elders had already questioned him about the possibility of his belonging to a Great Family. Although he denied it, he still had no idea who these great families were. The talkative young man beside him seemed like the perfect person to ask. "The Great Families run most businesses for the Legacy Families. There are countless Great Families, and under a Legacy Family, there can be over 50 Great Families. For example, the Sunlight Great Family owns this town and almost all the businesses within it. However, the Sunlight Great Family is a subsidiary of the Drono Legacy Family. "And before you ask, the three Legacy Families are the overlords of the Central Continent. Under no circumstances should you mess with anyone from those families. In fact, don''t antagonize anyone from even the Great Families. You don''t want to disappear overnight," Xian warned. Karsha gave him a sly smile. For some reason, he felt he had already crossed that line. While listening to Xian, he kept his other senses alert to the people following them. He could tell they were not friendly and started nning how to deal with them. Just as he was reaching a conclusion, a voice entered his mind. ''Take Xian away, ve. I will handle these bugs.'' The voice sounded too familiar, but since someone wasing to their aid, Karsha didn''t question it and decided to follow the instructions. ''Come and see me when you are free. We have some things to talk about,'' the voice spoke again. Before Karsha could fully register it, he felt the presence of one of their pursuers vanish, indicating they were no longer alive. "Xian, we better hurry; I''m almost dying of hunger," Karsha said, hastening his pace. Xian followed obediently. "Don''t worry, Big Brother, I will take you to the best restaurant. Although I sent most of my money to my family, 100 gold coins will be enough to eat there," Xian said proudly. Although still young, Xian had been working very hard for the past five years to earn money and support his family back home. His dedication and determination had earned him respect and protectiveness from many people. One of those people was the mysterious guard who had just saved them from the assassins of the Varon Great Family.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Sinceing to Sunlight City, Xian has been working tirelessly every day to earn a living. His life back home wasn''t easy, so when he found himself in arger market, he knew it was up to him to ensure his family had a better life. He started with minimal jobs that paid a few gold coins and gradually moved on to more dangerous jobs as he grew in strength and cultivation. Right now, Xian is a Grandmaster stage cultivator and an Inner Area disciple. He can now take on jobs that pay significantly more than his previous ones. Additionally, he can recruit new members to the sect, and if they pass the Outer Area exams, he receives 500 gold coins. Despite his efforts, none of the recruits he brought had made it far enough to pass the first trial¡ªuntil Karsha, who cleared it in less than a second. Xian''s luck changed when he met Karsha. After Karsha cleared the trial, Xian earned the favor of a very powerful elder and received 100 spirit stones, equivalent to 10,000 gold coins. He sent 99 spirit stones back home and kept only one, leaving him with just 100 gold coins. Wanting to impress Karsha and repay a small portion of his debt, Xian decided to take him to one of the nicest and most expensive restaurants in Sunlight City. "Sunlight Pavilion," Karsha muttered, standing in front of one of the fanciest restaurants in town. "Yes, this is the Sunlight Pavilion, one of the best restaurants in the city. We can eat here; I''m sure they have something we can afford," Xian said, making sure to emphasize the need to stay within their budget. Karsha nodded slightly before walking inside. "Wee to the Sunlight Pavilion; please follow me to an empty table," a youngdy said politely, leading the two, who clearly looked out of ce, to a table in the far right corner of the room. "The servers wille by with the menu shortly, but while you wait, kindly indulge yourself in the freshly brewed fruit juice. It''s on the house," thedy said before walking away. Instead of returning to the entrance, she entered a private room where four young men, including one whom Karsha knew all too well, were dining. She whispered something to one of them before leaving. A few minutester, the waiters arrived with the menus. "I will have these three," Xian ordered, not bothering to check the prices. "I will have the same," Karsha echoed. They were out of their element, and without checking the prices, they didn''t realize that the menu presented to them was the most expensive one. Only wealthy families used that menu at the Sunlight Pavilion, often spending thousands of gold coins on a single te. By ordering six tes, Xian and Karsha had unknowingly incurred a significant expense that couldn''t be easily paid. Unaware of this, they focused on enjoying the delicious fruit juice while they waited for their food. A whileter, two servers came carrying six bowls of food and ced them on Xian and Karsha''s table. "Enjoy your meal, friends," one of the servers said, leaving the two ravenous diners to devour their food as if their lives depended on it. It didn''t take long for them to clear their bowls. The food was just that delicious. To make matters worse, the servers came back and asked if they wanted more. This offer, of course, was eagerly weed by the two, who didn''t realize they were falling into someone else''s trap. They ordered three more bowls each. The food was so delicious that they cleared everything in less than ten minutes, leaving no residue. They then ordered three more bowls each before finally feeling satisfied. However, by the time they were done, almost everyone in the restaurant was watching them. "Why are they looking at us?" Karsha asked when he noticed the stares. "I guess they are just surprised at how much we can eat. Just look at them¡ªthey''re still on the same te they had when we finished our first three bowls," Xian said, having no idea of the trouble they were in. He assumed the people were just impressed with their eating prowess. "I guess so," Karsha nodded. The two then looked around at the people nearby, smiling obliviously to the trouble they had caused. A few minutester, the waiter brought their bill. Xian took it with a proud smile, but when his eyesnded on the total amount, his world came crashing down. "We''re fucked," were the only words that escaped his mouth. Chapter 24 Is He From A Rich Family or Something... "We''re fucked," Xian said as he gazed at the total price of the food they had consumed. "What''s wrong?" Karsha, having heard Xian''s first sentence, asked, noticing something amiss by the look on Xian''s face. The usual cheerful expression had been reced by a grave one. "We''re about 999 Spirit Stones short," Xian replied. "The total cost of the food we ate is 1000 Spirit Stones, and I only have 1 Spirit Stone," he added, looking as pale as a ghost. "We''re definitely in trouble," Karsha cursed. "Indeed, you are in trouble," a voice interjected, prompting Karsha, Xian, and nearly everyone else to turn in the direction of the speaker. "Isn''t that the heir of the Varon Great Family?" one of the patrons whispered as they observed the young man with brown hair approaching Karsha''s table. Following him was the boy who had attacked Karsha earlier, and strangely, trailing behind them was Fairy Mei herself, looking surprised upon seeing Karsha standing with Xian and ncing in their direction. ''Please be polite,'' was the only thought running through her mind. Karsha, however, remained emotionless when he saw her. Instead, he focused on the young man who gave him an impending sense of danger. ''He is strong,'' Karsha thought inwardly. "Young Master Vance," Xian said, addressing the young man who had been eyeing Karsha since he emerged from the private room. "Xian, it seems you and your friend here have found yourselves in a sticky situation," Vance remarked with an evil smirk. "Not really, we were just finishing up here," Karsha interjected, not giving Vance the opportunity to toy with Xian, who appeared as though the weight of the world was about to crush him. "And who are you again?" Vance asked. "I don''t recall ever mentioning my name," Karsha replied, dismissing the reactions of the onlookers. Had he bothered to observe their expressions, he would have noticed looks of caution and advice such as ''Tread carefully, young man'' or ''Be polite and answer his questions like an obedient child.'' However, Karsha chose not to heed any of them. He proceeded in the direction of arrogance without hesitation. "You''ve got some guts on you, boy," Vance said, letting his killing intent slip. "Tsk, why the hostility?" Karsha chuckled as he noticed Vance''s shift to a hostile demeanor. "We''re all friends here; why resort to violence? From where I''m from, you introduce yourself first before asking for someone else''s name. It''s a sign of respect." Gasps escaped the lips of everyone watching. Xian, hiding behind Karsha, kept tugging on his robe to stop, but Karsha paid no attention. He didn''t know why, but he felt a deep-seated animosity toward the young man. He couldn''t understand why, but he was determined to deny him the satisfaction he sought. "You''ve got some guts, boy. Do you know who I am? Do you know which family I''m from? Do you have any idea who..." "Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk," Karsha interrupted, raising his index finger as a sign for Vance to stop. "Let me guess, you''re about to use your family name to threaten me. But guess what, I don''t give a damn. Look into my eyes, pay close attention to my beautiful blue eyes, and tell me whether they care about who you are or the family you are from." "Honestly, I don''t know why you''re here. We didn''t invite you, so what''s your purpose? Are you perhaps a waiter here?" Once again, gasps escaped the mouths of everyone in the restaurant. "Are you courting death? Do you know who you''re messing with?" ady standing behind Vance spoke, showing clear disdain toward Karsha. "And who are you?" Karsha didn''t even bother looking at her when he asked. This action only fueled young Master Vance''s anger further. "Who am I, huh? Are you from under a rock or something?" the youngdy retorted. "Enlighten me, since you seem so keen on me knowing your name," Karsha said with a sly smile. "You''re in serious trouble, boy. If I were you, I''d start begging for forgiveness before this esctes any further," one of the customers in the restaurant said, feeling pity for Karsha, who seemed to be provoking some very powerful individuals. "I don''t see where I''m in the wrong here. We didn''t ask them toe here. They came on their own, so forgive me if I don''t have any respect for them. They could have minded their own business and left us alone. But because of their arrogance, they decided toe and cause us trouble. Where I''m from, you respect those who respect themselves." "You''ve just dug your own grave, kid. The young man you are disrespecting is the heir of the Varon Great family, and thedy is also the heiress of the Uzi Great Family. You''ve just disrespected perhaps two of the most powerful people in the whole of Drono Kingdom. If I were you, I would start crying," a young man said as he summarized the situation for Karsha. They all expected to see the same look on Xian''s face appear on Karsha''s face; however, to their surprise, he just startedughing. "I don''t know why I should be the one apologizing. They were the ones that came to our table and started unting their titles. I will not apologize, and neither will my friend." Karsha said. He then turned toward Xian, "Can I see what spirit stone looks like?" he asked, snapping the pitiful guy from his fear. With shaky hands, Xian retrieved a pentagon-shaped stone¡ªor perhaps a crystal¡ªthat radiated faint mixtures of light. He handed it to Karsha, who admired it for a moment, turning his back to the two heirs fuming with anger. ''So that''s what these things are,'' Karsha thought inwardly, a small smile escaping his lips. He handed the spirit stone back to Xian before turning to face the two heirs. "I know you were the cause of this," Karsha said. "You told the waiters to present us with the most expensive menu, hoping we wouldn''t be able to pay, so you could use our misfortune to antagonize us. Well, I have to be the bearer of bad news: my aunt left me some wealth before departing this world. God rest her soul," he added, making a prayer sign and looking upward, probably showing sarcastic respect. "As I was saying, she left me with some wealth. I''m sorry to disappoint you, heirs, but you won''t be getting thestugh today." Karsha then gestured for the waiter who had brought the bill toe closer. He retrieved 1000 spirit stones from his space ring and handed them to the waiter. "I guess this will cover our food." Vance''s demeanor shifted when Karsha gave the spirit stones to the waiter. ''Is he from a rich family or something?'' he wondered inwardly, only to discard the thought after Karsha''s next sentence. "I am not from any rich family, and after seeing how these two conducted themselves today, I wouldn''t want to be associated with any great family. They''ve lowered my respect for them." After saying that, Karsha took Xian''s hand and started moving toward the door. "Stop right there, brat; where do you think you''re going?" Vance shouted. Karsha sensed the danger and immediately pushed Xian away, sidestepping just in time to avoid a sword that nicked his cheek, drawing a few drops of blood. "We''re not done here," Vance said, charging at Karsha again. Karsha smirked before disappearing into Fairy Mei''s shadow, leaving the Varon heir''s sword embedded in the door frame. However, he underestimated the depth of Vance''s anger. Instead of pursuing Karsha, Vance turned toward Xian, who was regaining hisposure after Karsha''s push. "No, you don''t," Karsha said, drawing his sword and blinking away just as Vance charged at Xian. Instead of appearing beside Xian, Karsha appeared behind the young man who had attacked him earlier at the sect. He ced his sword against the boy''s throat and, in a cold voice that sent shivers down everyone''s spine, spoke, "If a single hair drops from his head, I won''t hesitate to slit his throat." Vance stopped in his tracks, his eyes fixed on his brother, who was frozen with a sword at his throat. "You wouldn''t," he said. "Try me," Karsha replied, his tone remaining cold. The entire restaurant fell silent. No one dared to make a sound. They never imagined the situation would escte to this level. "Hahaha, what a brave kid. You sure have some guts to go against not one but two heirs from powerful families," a voice spoke from within one of the private rooms. A few secondster, a man around forty years old walked out. As soon as everyone saw him, they lowered their heads in respect. "I am Hugh Varon, father of these two. Tell me, young man, what is your name?" the man introduced himself. Karsha arched an eyebrow before replying, "I am Karsha Damon, an Inner Area disciple of the Sunlight Sword Sect." "Well, Karsha, don''t you think it would be best if you let go of my child? He doesn''t seem to be handling the sword-to-the-throat situation very well," Hugh said, ncing at his son, who had clearly wet his pants. "I promise they won''te after you and your friend again," he added, noticing the skepticism on Karsha''s face.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Okay-dokey. I will take you at your word. Next time won''t be this peaceful," Karsha added, issuing a subtle threat before letting go of the boy. Without wasting any time, he took hold of Xian''s hand and activated Red Eye Tiger, instantly vanishing from the restaurant. ''That kid has some guts. I have to investigate his origin,'' Hugh thought before looking at his two sons with disappointment written all over his face. Chapter 25 This is bad, this is very bad "Tell me everything. Don''t leave a single detail out," Elder June demanded, ring at Karsha and Xian, who were now seated outside Xian''s room. As Karsha looked into her beautiful brown eyes, he couldn''t help but wonder, *Is she really old, or is she in disguise?* The truth was that Elder June was indeed in disguise, and only a few people knew about it. She was a genius who had managed to enter the Saint Stage at a very young age. To prevent the Great Families and the Legacy from trying to take her away, the Sect Master ensured she always disguised herself before going out. Inside Karsha''s mind was theplete knowledge of the Divine Alchemist, hailed as the greatest alchemist of all time. Because of this, Karsha could tell when a pill had been used to alter someone''s appearance. Although he couldn''t outright say it, he knew thedy sitting before him was not truly an old woman. She was in disguise, but since he didn''t want to pry into her business, he kept quiet¡ªfor now. When the time came, he would determine whether she was indeed old or young. "This is what happened," Karsha began, narrating the events that urred in the restaurant about an hour ago. After fleeing from the restaurant, Karsha, and Xian hade straight to the Sect to find Elder June, who had already warned them to be more careful when outside. Karsha wanted to forget about the incident and move on, but Xian insisted they report it. So, without wasting time, they went to Xian''s resting area, where Elder June also resided. Xian was quick to report that something was terribly wrong. He was a nobody, so finding himself in such a situation made him panic. Even Elder June, after hearing Xian''s report, had a grave look. Messing with a Great Family is a huge problem, especially for someone with no status. She always cautioned Xian to stay far away from the Great Families. However, she never anticipated that a total stranger would put the one person she vowed to protect in danger. Though she was strong, if the Great Families came after Xian, there was little she could do about it. In the face of absolute strength, she was but a bug that could be squashed at any time. "This is bad, very bad," Elder June said, letting a small panic set in. Karsha, who initially thought the situation wasn''t that serious, changed his mind when he saw the look on Elder June''s face.N?v(el)B\\jnn "We are sorry, Elder June," Xian said, trying to calm the situation. However, Elder June just red at him, anger written all over her face. "Sorry isn''t going to cut it, Xian. You two messed with not one but two Great Families. Even if they let you go now, they won''t let it slide. You two are in serious trouble that neither I nor the Sect Master can fix," Elder June said. Karsha panicked a little when he heard her words. Xian, on the other hand, had tears streaming down his face. He was a nobody who had managed to get into one of the best sects in the Central Continent. However, given the current situation, he might have to run back home and try to stay hidden for as long as he could. Messing with the Great Families was a bad move, and deep down, Xian continued to curse Karsha for bringing this trouble to his doorstep. "You two have to disappear for a while," Elder June said after a few minutes of thought. "You have to be out of sight for a while," she added. Karsha, however, had a different thought in mind. "Elder June, I don''t think that will be necessary," he said after brief consideration. "Oh, and why is that?" Elder June asked. "I was the one who caused the trouble. Xian is just an innocent bystander. If there is any punishment from the Great Families, I will bear it. There''s no need to run from something so trivial," Karsha said, disying a hint of arrogance. "Oh, so you think messing with the Great Families is trivial, huh?" Elder June spoke with her eyebrow raised, a sign that she was getting angry. Of course, Karsha was oblivious to this¡ªa fact he woulde to understand in the future. "In case you are not aware, the Varon family is on great terms with the Sunlight family. Although this sect is an independent establishment, the Sunlight Family has some stakes in it. This means that when ites to decision-making, they have a say in it. So tell me, what do you think will happen when the head of the Sunlight Family finds out you insulted not one but two heirs from not one but two of the most powerful families in the whole Drono Kingdom?" "This is bad," Karsha said once he recognized the gravity of the situation. "You think," Elder June red at him with angry and almost teary eyes. Seeing this broke Karsha''s heart for unknown reasons. "But even though it seems bad, I will not let Xian bear the consequences. I will take the responsibility when the timees," he added. Elder June pondered the situation for a while. What may seem like a typical situation to many, the Great Families wouldn''t see it that way. They prided themselves because of their status in the Kingdom. They would want to make an example out of Karsha just to show the general public who is in charge. However, they wouldn''t outright kill him. No, they would find a way to make him regret his actions before dying. He wasn''t the first and wouldn''t be thest. "Go back to your sleeping area and don''t leave until Ie to fetch you," Elder June said, and Karsha obediently started moving to his room, which was at the other end of the sect, about 6km from Xian''s ce. ===================== "This is bad. When he said he would bring trouble, he actually meant it," Elder Lin remarked upon hearing Elder June''s report about the Karsha and Vance incident. "At least he has some dignity and decided to take responsibility," she added. "Setting a duel to the death will be disadvantageous to the kid; he is still a Master while Vance is a Semi-Saint," Elder Chen said, trying to figure out a solution as fast as he could. "They wouldn''t go for a duel even if we suggested it. They will use one of their cruel ways to kill him," Elder Ben, a muscr elder slightly younger than the rest, said. He was a swordsman and also a banished child from one of the Great Families, so he knew their ways of doing things. "This is bad, very bad," Elder Lin reiterated. "How should we proceed? If we wait and don''t do anything, I''m afraid we will be losing a great asset over something so trivial," Elder June chimed in. In hindsight, the situation was indeed trivial, yet the Great Families wouldn''t see it that way. "There is little we can do at this moment. All we can do is wait and see what they will do," the Sect Master Xu finally said. He had been racking his brain for solutions, but there was no easy solution when it came to dealing with the Great Families. "June, keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn''t do anything rash while we wait to see what the Great Families have in store," Sect Master Xu concluded, ending the meeting. ============= "28 days to go," Karsha muttered as hey t on his bed. Finally back in his room, instead of seeking a good night''s sleep, his mind went into overdrive, brainstorming ways to navigate the sticky situation he found himself in. "Mom was right when she said my mouth would one day get me in trouble," he sighed, recalling his mother''s words. "There''s no need to regret it now. At least Xian won''t be getting into trouble with me," he reasoned, then attempted to catch some Z''s. In 28 days, the system would upgrade to version 2.0, and his ss would finally unlock, opening a whole new world of opportunities for him. The current system could only perform minimal functions. However, he was confident that once the system upgraded to version 2.0, it would be able to do more for him. He had an advantage over many. With his system, he could ascend levels faster than an ordinary cultivator. With the system aiding him in absorbing monster cores, he wouldn''t need to waste days, if not weeks, just absorbing a single core. Although the system was pushing him to maximize and assimte his strength before breaking into the next stage, he knew that with constant training, he would be able to rise through the ranks faster than anyone. Then there was the situation regarding drops. In Quinox, cultivators relied on drops to gather resources to aid them in their cultivation. They would embark on hunts specifically for drops. Although rare, drops were precious, akin to items crafted by cksmiths and artisans. Drops, especially those in higher categories, held significant value when auctioned. Avatars were another rarity. Like drops, avatars were scarce, often leading to bidding wars when one appeared in auction houses, sometimes extending beyond the confines of the auctions themselves. However, Karsha was different. With his system, he had a higher chance of acquiring these items than ordinary cultivators. But now that his system was non-functional and he might be sent into the wild as a form of punishment, he knew he was in deep trouble. Initially, he nned to keep quiet until his system was back online with the new upgrades. However, his anger upon seeing Vance got the best of him. He didn''t know why, but he would soon discover that it had something to do with the Austin Family. After all, the assassins who killed Austin''s parents were from the same Varon family currently plotting how to get back at him and the Sect. Chapter 26 We Have to Kill Him Karsha remained indoors per Elder June''s instructions. He hadn''t stepped outside his room for the past ten days, spending his time solely on eating and sleeping. He acknowledged that he had botched his n. Initially, he intended to start causing trouble once the system was back online. However, allowing his emotions to prevail resulted in antagonizing not just one, but two Grea families. Given these families'' strong ties with the Sunlight Great Family, the punishment they''ve been devising for the past ten days wouldn''t be child''s y. Karsha spent thest ten days analyzing the situation and specting on how he could have handled it differently. After countless calctions, he arrived at only one conclusion: had he kept his emotions in check, he could have managed the situation more calmly. However, that was all in the past now. He still had 18 days before the system came back online. Yet, early in the morning, Elder June visited him, informing him they would be meeting the sect Master and the Varon Family repster that day to know the punishment they have for him A little after 4 pm, Elder June arrived and picked him up. "So, what should I expect?" Karsha asked as he and Elder June soared through the air. It was more like being carried through the air, as Elder June was the one doing the flying. "They will attempt to strong-arm you, hoping you''ll cower in fear and ept their proposal. My advice to you, though, is to stand your ground and not yield to their demands. You might not realize this, but their actions are motivated by a desire to retaliate against the sect. Your conduct will determine the oue, depending on your level of stubbornness. Even if you''re at death''s door, do not bring disgrace upon the sect. The great families must understand they are not above reproach," Elder June dered, clenching her fist in anger. Karsha, taken aback by her words, pondered. Just a few days ago, she expressed concern over the gravity of Karsha''s situation. Now, she was advising him to maintain his integrity when confronting the great families ¡ª even encouraging him to disy arrogance, a trait inherent to Karsha''s character. Perhaps she had overreacted previously, but now, with clearer judgment, her counsel seemed rational. After five minutes of flight, theynded in front of the grand mansion. Karsha couldn''t help but marvel at its magnificence once again. Momentster, the gates opened, and Karsha and Elder June proceeded inside. Upon entering, Karsha''s gaze fell upon the man who had defused the situation at the Sunlight Pavilion ten days prior: Hugh Varon, Vance''s father. Two others sat beside him. The moment theyid eyes on Karsha, expressions of disdain and anger contorted their faces. Karsha merely smirked, further incensing them, as he followed behind Elder June. Once settled, the sect Master began speaking, "We all know why we''re here, so let''s not waste anyone''s time." Hugh Varon cast another nce at Karsha beforemencing his address, "Today, we, as representatives of the Varon, Uzi, and Sunlight Great Families, are here to announce the punishment deemed necessary by the three families for the young man who disrespected the Varon and Uzi heirs." "After a brief deliberation, we have devised two punishments. You must choose one andply without resistance." Karsha felt his heart burning with fear and anger, the same anger he experienced upon encountering Vance. Elder June noticed his agitation and gently sped Karsha''s hand from behind, prompting Sect Master Xu who saw this to raise an eyebrow. Oblivious to the scrutiny, Karsha and Elder June stood waiting for Hugh to read the punishments. "The first punishment," Hugh paused, locking eyes with Karsha, "You will publicly kneel and beg forgiveness from Vance, Cai, and Joe. You will serve them for..." "The second punishment, please," Karsha interrupted, refusing outright to entertain the idea of begging those dimwits. Cai is thedy from the Uzi family and Joe is the young man Karsha kicked a few days ago and held a sword to his throat, Vance''s younger brother. However, this action didn''t sit well with the three representatives from the great families, evident from the bulging veins on their foreheads. Meanwhile, the four elders and Elder June entertained different thoughts. ''Nicely done, Kid,'' the Sect Master Xu silently praised Karsha, giving him a thumbs-up in his heart. ''Proud of you, kid,'' Elder Chen inwardly beamed with pride, his grin stretching from ear to ear.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ''This boy is something else,'' Elder June whispered to herself, her grip on Karsha''s hand tightening. All the elders wore proud expressions. Initially, they had anticipated Karsha taking the easy way out. However, witnessing his bold and arrogant action dispelled that notion entirely. Their amusement, however, was short-lived. Hugh, observing the smug looks on the elders'' faces, Hugh''s anger soared. Instead of announcing the second punishment as nned, he took it a step further, sealing Karsha''s fate. Originally, they intended for Karsha to join an expedition team to a Tier 6 dimensional Gate to hunt specific monsters. However, Karsha''s abrupt and rude interruption prompted a change of ns. "The second punishment is this: you will be exiled to the Snake Ind for 60 days. If you manage to survive this period, all offenses will be forgiven." "You''ve gone too far, Hugh. How can a kid survive in that ce for 60 whole days?" Sect Master Xu, though outwardly calm, erupted into anger upon hearing the second punishment. "That is his punishment, and there is nothing any of you can do to change it," Hugh retorted smugly. "Not even the king can alter this verdict. He will be sent to the ind for 60 days, and that is final," he added with a tone thick with anger. "You bastard, who do you think you are?" Elder Chen''s hand went to the hilt of his sword, ready for confrontation. However, Karsha intervened just as the situation was about to escte. "Just to rify, you want me to go to a ce and survive there for 60 days," Karsha stated. "Yes. You leave in 10 days'' time, so if I were you, I would bid farewell to my loved ones," Hugh replied with a satisfied smile. "At least that''s better than kneeling before those good-for-nothing heirs of yours," Karsha retorted, ensuring his statement was heard by all. Instantly, the smiles on the faces of the Great Family representatives turned into scowls of anger. Hugh red at Karsha, his face turning beet-red, before gesturing for the other two representatives to follow him. He wanted to have thest word, but the way things were unfolding, lingering for another moment would only make him appear foolish in front of the kid. Karsha, observing the reactions of the family representatives, maintained his smile, shining like the morning sun. However, once they exited the mansion, he felt the weight of the world crashing down upon him. "You''ve got some guts, kid, but Snake Ind has nothing to do with guts. You''re in serious trouble," Elder Lin remarked as she approached Karsha. "You''re in deep trouble," she added solemnly. They had anticipated the Great Families devising something dangerous, but sending a Master stage cultivator to Snake Ind took their treachery to another level. "What exactly is this Snake Ind?" Karsha inquired, attempting to delve into the memories of the Divine Alchemist but finding nothing. He sensed the danger of the ce, yet remained ignorant of its true peril. "Snake Ind, also known as Venom Ind, is thest ce any human should venture. It''s teeming with the deadliest snakes imaginable. No one has ever returned alive, so little is known about it," Elder June exined, prompting Karsha, who had been standing, to sink into a chair. "I''m doomed," he muttered. "Yes, you are, Kid. The Varon Family really wants you gone, and judging by how things are unfolding, they may just seed. No offense, Kid, but you simply don''t have what it takes to survive in that ce," Elder Chen remarked. "Let''s entertain a hypothetical scenario where you manage to survive encounters with Tier 5 snakes; I highly doubt you''ll stand a chance against Tier 6 ones. It''s rumored that the indprises ten sections, each ruled by a Tier 7 Mutat," Sect Master Xu added gravely. "You''ve got guts, kid, but I don''t see you surviving a Tier 7 monster." Karsha listened to their remarks in silence. ''I''m screwed'' was the only thought echoing in his mind. Indeed, he was. The destination awaiting him was no ce for humans; even a simple bee sting could be lethal. And even if, by some miracle, hested a few days, he wouldn''t stand a chance against Tier 6 snakes, which are everywhere on the ind. The ce was teeming with such vicious creatures that even Saints like Elder June wouldn''t survive a single bite. "How much time do I have to prepare?" Karsha inquired. "Ten days," Elder June replied. "Good, I still have time," Karsha said, rising from his seat and making his way toward the door. "Where are you going?" Elder June asked, following him. Once again, the sect master raised an eyebrow, puzzled by his daughter''s unusual behavior. "I''m going shopping with Xian. Want to join us?" Karsha invited, and to his surprise, Elder June nodded. "I''ll have to watch over you until you leave, considering the Varon family might try to eliminate you before the ten days are up," she exined her reason for apanying them. "Sure, Elder June," Karsha said with a sly smile. "Tsk," Elder June smirked as they exited the mansion and made their way toward Xian''s residence. ============== "That kid is arrogant," one of the representatives remarked after they departed from the Sect. "Are we going to let him roam freely for the next 10 days?" he questioned. "We have to kill him," Hugh dered with an evil grin. Karsha had humiliated them, and as retribution, the Varon Family would do their best to eliminate him before the 10 days psed. Chapter 27 The Serpentine Antidote Recipe "Snake Ind. The Snake Ind," Xian shouted when Karsha told him where he would be spending two months on Snake Ind. Xian''s face turned pale upon hearing Karsha''s words. "Yes, that Snake Ind," Elder June shook her head before responding. She, too, was going through a simr situation as the young man who saw Karsha as his big brother. "This is very bad," Xian said as he sat down. "Snake Ind is thest ce a person should go. These great families sure are wicked for forcing a Master stage cultivator to stay there for 60 days," Xian continued, sounding like he had some hidden knowledge about the ce. "You sound familiar with the ce," Karsha, picking up on it immediately, asked. "Of course, I am familiar with that ce. My grandfather told me about it," Xian revealed, causing Elder June, who was leaning two meters away from them, to take a step forward. "What do you know about that ce? Even a small detail will do," Karsha asked, hoping for any detail that might help him when he entered the ind in nine days'' time. "You better sit down, both of you," Xian said, sounding mature. "What I am about to share is hidden knowledge in my family, so I will appreciate it if it stays between us," he added, ensuring they understood the gravity of the situation. "Hold on, Xian," Elder June said as she retrieved an artifact from her storage ring. She then activated it before gesturing for Xian to continue his narrative.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "On the outside, my family looks like a poor vige family with no future. However, we are descendants of a very powerful healer. I don''t know if any of you have heard of him, but my grandpa was known throughout the Central Continent as the ''Lone Healer.''" Elder June, who was listening, arched an eyebrow. "Your grandfather is the Lone Healer?" she asked. Xian simply nodded, a proud smile escaping his lips. "He is known for curing most sicknesses caused by snake venoms and other deadly poisons. Long story short, he was a very powerful healer; however, he died from poison even he, the Lone Healer couldn''t find an antidote for it. A few years before he died, he told me about hisst voyage. In order to create the ultimate poison and antidote, he and a group of 20 Great Sages went on an expedition to retrieve the Venom from the Ten Overlords." "The Ten Overlords?" Karsha asked. "The Ten Overlords are the protectors of the ten sections of Snake Ind. He said the ind is divided into ten sections, and a Tier 7 Mutant rules each section. These Tier 7 snakes cannot rise to the next tier due to a curse ced on the ind." "So, because they knew the highest Tier there were the Tier 7 snakes, they were confident they would be able to get what they wanted without much difficulty. But they were wrong. He said when they got to the ind, they discovered there were more than ten sections. There was actually an 11th section that housed a very peaceful breed of snakes known as the ''Purple Tail Anaconda.'' They are very peaceful yet deadly. Of course, he was a healer, so he knew all those types of snakes, so he knew they shouldn''t antagonize them. However, hispanions didn''t listen and went straight into ambushing the Purple Tail Anacondas. It was a battle they could have won, but during the battle, the ten overlords came. He initially thought they were there to attack them; however, to their surprise, the 10 overlords came for the Anacondas. It was a brutal massacre. All hispanions died, and even he was poisoned by a Tier 7 Purple Tail Anaconda. He managed to escape, but because of how powerful the Venom was, he only managed to suppress its effect for 40 years. He couldn''t retrieve the recipe they were after, but he came upon something very important. The ten overlords hated the Purple Tail Anaconda, and from what he saw, their rivalry and constant battles were what made the ce very dangerous. There is no way a person can survive there since the air itself is poisonous. And should you find yourself against a Purple Tail Anaconda, you shouldn''t resist since you''ll be dead before knowing it." A cold sweat broke out on Karsha''s forehead when he heard Xian''sst sentence. He had heard about how dangerous the ce was, but never in his wildest imagination did he think there would be Tier 7 monsters running around there. Currently, he could only handle Tier 5 monsters. Even a Tier 5 Alpha or Mutant would pose a challenge for him, yet he would be going to a ce where 10 Tier 7 Mutants were roaming about. But if that wasn''t dangerous enough, there was another breed of snake that was even more dangerous than the others. And from what Xian said, these peaceful snakes wouldn''t be so peaceful anymore. The attacks from humans caused hundreds of their kind to die, meaning they wouldn''t show any kindness to any human that appeared in their territory. "Did your grandpa say anything about the Ten Overlords?" Karsha asked, trying to see if there was a way he could stay alive for a few days, eight days to be exact. It was then his system and ss would be activated. "Yes. The Ten Overlords are the key ingredient in making the Master Antidote," Xian said, and immediately Karsha heard him, and the recipe appeared in his mind. "Ah, the Serpentine Antidote," Karsha muttered. Elder June, who immediately recognized the name, asked, "You know of the Serpentbane antidote?" "Of course I do; I am an Alchemist, after all," Karsha said with his chest puffed up, forgetting he was bound to die in a few days, lol. "With a bit of practice, I can craft pills with 100% purity." "Stop joking, brat. This is not funny," Elder June said, anger evident as veins popped on her forehead. Karsha, feeling her anger directed at him, began reciting the ingredients, "1 drop of Fangtongue Frog Snake Venom, one drop of Acidcoil Corrosive venom, one drop of Bloodfang Vampire venom, one drop of ScaleCrusher venom, one drop of ShadowCoil venom..." "How do you know that?" Elder June asked, her face almost touching Karsha''s. "Like I said, I''m an alchemist. But it''s no use. I don''t have the venom from the Ten Overlords." "Follow me, you too, Xian," Elder June said as Karsha and Xian floated after her. Their destination was back to the grand mansion. A few minutester, theynded at the entrance of the Mansion. "Father, you have to save Karsha. He cannot be allowed to die in that vile ce," Elder June spoke immediately after they entered the Mansion. "June, what is the meaning of this?" Sect Master Xu, upon hearing his daughter''s voice, asked in an annoyed tone. "He has a way to save mom," Elder June replied almost immediately. "What did you just say?" he asked. "He has the recipe for making the Serpentbane Antidote and even said he can craft the pill with 100% purity," Elder June said, revealing to all the Elders who were still discussing Karsha''s case. "And you believed him. What makes you think he can do that?" Elder Lin asked, a hint of anger visible on her face. "One drop of Fangtongue venom, one drop of Acidcoil venom, one drop of Bloodfang venom, one drop of Scalecrusher venom, one drop of Shadowcoil venom, one drop of Infernoscale venom, one drop of Mistshroud venom, one drop of Thundercoil venom, one drop of Crystalisk venom, one drop of Abyssal Leviathan venom, three leaves of Healing Thyme, two petals of Golden Lotus, one pinch of Ground Mandrake Root, one sprig of Moonlit Mint, 1 ounce of Dragon''s Blood Resin, 1 ounce of Dragonhide Gtin," Karsha listed all the ingredients without skipping even one. "How did you know this?" Elder Lin asked with a shocked look. "My Master gave it to me." "Who is your master?" This time, Elder Chen asked. "Even if I tell you, you wouldn''t believe me," Karsha smiled. Indeed, if he told them his master was the greatest Alchemist to have ever walked the face of the earth, they wouldn''t believe him. "Tell me, Lin, is the recipe the right one?" Sect Master Xu, on the other hand, asked the most obvious question. "Even though I don''t know the whole recipe, all the ingredients he mentioned are in what I know. I think he is right." "Of course I am right; my master wouldn''t lie to me," Karsha said in a prideful tone. "Kid, how sure are you that you can concoct a pill from these ingredients should we get them all?" Sect Master Xu asked. "Well, for now, I have to practice and attain Saint level before I can concoct a Rank 5 Earth Grade Pill, but I am confident I will be able to do it. All I need is a new cauldron and me for practice." Since he hasn''t practiced yet, he still has to get the technique into his muscles before he can break through. "Kid, I need you to survive on the Ind. Also, if you can, I want you to help me cure my wife, and in return, I will give my daughter to you," Sect Master Xu said, surprising everyone in the room. They all knew who the daughter was. However, when they saw Elder June wasn''t objecting to her father''s statement, another surprise hit them. "Please, save my mother, and I will marry you," Elder June said as she transformed from her wrinkled look to a very beautiful, angel-like youngdy in her 20s. For a minute, Karsha stood there frozen. It wasn''t because of the promise or the attention he was receiving. It was more from the face that was staring back at him. Elder June was the definition of beauty. She has beautiful blue eyes, the same as Karsha''s, but a closer look into those two big orbs showed her blue eyes had a certain allure. Then came her perfect bone structure and long silver hair flowing down her back. She is just too beautiful. Even the three elders couldn''t help but admire her beauty. "I...I will try my best to stay alive and extract the Venom. As long as I don''t die the first few days, I promise you I will be able toe back with the Venoms," Karsha said, still staring into her beautiful blue eyes. "Xian, buddy, we have to go out again. Let''s go sell some monster bodies and buy some recipes. I have a beauty to win over," After saying that, Karsha started dragging the pitiful Xian, who was also lost in Elder June''s beauty, out of the Mansion. Chapter 28 My Master is the Divine Alchemist "Xian, take me to the alchemy shop," Karsha said, "I have to start making preparations," he added, pulling Xian, who was still lost in thought. "Hold on, kid," Elder Lin said. "Did your master perhaps tell you where we can secure the rest of the ingredients?" As an alchemist, she knew how challenging it was to secure the necessary herbs and flowers for concocting pills. "Unfortunately, he didn''t tell me that," Karsha replied. Even though the venoms could be secured another way, it wouldn''t be as fast as going to Snake Ind, where all the Ten Overlords were in the same ce. "Too bad, but not impossible. With enough funds, we can buy them," Elder Lin said, sighing. Indeed, with enough funds, they could buy the other ingredients. "If I may, would the ingredients be used to cure only Grandma?" Xian asked. Elder June, who was standing beside them and already aware of Xian''s origin, was quick to answer. "Yes. The ingredients will only be used to cure her." She could tell where the boy was going, so she made sure none of the Elders messed it up. "Then, as long as Big Brother survives the ind and returns with the venoms, I will bring the other ingredients," he stated, leaving the elders in the dark. "What is this kid ying at?" Elder Chen couldn''t help but feel annoyed by Xian''s statement. "Uncle, please stop. If he says he can secure the ingredients, let''s give him a chance," another elder interjected. "To try? One of those ingredients can cost as much as a million spirit stones. Where is he getting that much money from?" Elder Chen asked, disying a hint of arrogance and irritation. "You can if your grandfather was the Lone Healer," Xian replied, wanting to end the discussion before it escted. His revtion left the elders in shock, their jaws dropping. In doing so, he also inadvertently disclosed his rtionship with the Lone Healer. "There you have it. Xian is the grandson of the Lone Healer. He may not look like it, but since we all know the Lone Healer doesn''t sell his services, it is safe to assume that his descendants are poor," Elder June remarked. In truth, if the Xian family wanted, they could sell the herbs and flowers left behind by the grandfather for millions, if not billions, of spirit stones. However, because of the Lone Healer''s beliefs, they didn''t do that. They continued to care for the Lone Garden. Xian, who had now found a second family, was willing to convince his family to help cure the grandmother he couldn''t wait to meet. Elder June''s mother is the original sect master, but after she got injured, her husband took over. A few years ago, a Tier 9 uncontrolled dimensional gate opened near the sect, and if not for her quick and decisive decision-making skills and strength, thousands of disciples would have died. She, along with most of the sect masters and even some core students, battled the monster and managed to prevent that disaster. However, she paid a huge and fatal price for it. The final boss, akin to a Great Sage stage cultivator, took a bite at her. It was a ''Blue Venom Serpentara.'' These are the only snakes with venom that don''t have an easy cure. Most antidotes can be created from the venom itself. However, the Blue Venom Serpentara doesn''t have that weakness. To cure a bite from it, you have tobine the venom of ten distinct snakes and some other ingredients. Thesebinations will produce the antidote called ''Serpentine Antidote,'' poprly known as the Master Antidote. The Blue Venom Serpentara is so vicious that a single bite could kill even the strongest cultivator in under 24 hours. After the battle, when Sect Master Xu discovered his wife had been poisoned, he used a Legendary-ranked artifact to put her in aa and has been searching for a way to cure her ever since. It had already been 15 years, but he couldn''t even crack the surface. However, standing before him were two kids who could perhaps cure her. Even if his daughter didn''t ept the promise he made, he was willing to go to heaven and earth to make sure Karsha saved his wife. "Good, this is good," Sect Master Xu said as a teardrop fell from his eye. "Kid, do your preparations ande back in nine days; I have something for you," he added. "June, change your appearance back and make sure you protect him when he is outside." His daughter nodded and transformed back. "See youter, Elders," Karsha said as he started to leave. Elder June and Xian followed behind him. Once they were out of the room, Elder Chen spoke, "For some reason, I don''t think that kid is afraid of being sent to the ind." "I think so too. Especially when you promised him little June," Elder Lin said with a small smile. "But are you sure about this, Old Xu? Do you really want to go along with this promise? The Prince still hasn''t given up, and I don''t think he will take this lightly." "I wasn''t the one who made the decision. It was June," Sect Master Xu replied, leaving the three elders in shock. "What are you saying, Old Xu? When did June make that decision?" Elder Lin asked. "You three should pay more attention," Sect Master Xu said with a smile. "What is it that June hates the most in this life?" he asked. "Physical contact," Elder Lin answered, still not understanding what the Sect Master was getting at. "When that brat from the Varon Family was giving that Kid his punishment, June stood behind him, holding his hand through the whole process. If that isn''t enough to show you where her heart is, then I don''t know what else to say. Plus, if he manages to cure June''s mother, I am sure she will do everything in her power to ensure June marries that kid, even if he doesn''t want to." "Tsk, from the way that kid was looking at her, I don''t think that will be a problem," Elder Ben said. "But I think they suit each other. They both have troublemaking traits." "This is going to be a disaster," Elder Lin said, shaking her head in defeat. "Let''s not focus on the negative aspects just yet. We still have to ensure the kid survives the ind. Him dying there won''t be helpful to us, will it?" Sect Master Xu stated. "I doubt he will need my alchemy skills, but I will prepare some antidotes for him," Elder Lin said. "He mentioned something about surviving for a few days. Let''s give him as many life-saving artifacts as we can find," Elder Chen suggested. "You''re not thinking about giving him that item, are you?" Elder Lin asked, concerned. "Yes, I will give him the Lotus Blossom. That can protect him for six days; he will have to fend for himself after that," Elder Chen replied. The Lotus Blossom is a legendary life-saving artifact that wraps around the owner and can even withstand attacks from Tier 8 monsters. Once activated, it remains active for six days before deactivating and bes useless until it can be used again after 30 days. It was one of the drops Elder Chen obtained when the Tier 9 Dimensional Gate appeared near the sect 15 years ago. "I will run some errands and see what I can find," Elder Ben added. "Let''s try and gather things that can protect him for as long as possible." ================ After leaving the mansion, Xian, Elder June, and Karsha began making their way outside the sect. Karsha needed to get a cauldron and alchemy fire since the ones in his legacy were not yet avable for him to use. He had to break through to the Saint stage to start essing those benefits. Cauldrons and alchemy fires from a Divine-level Alchemist are incredibly valuable. Getting them now would diminish their value. Additionally, since most alchemy fires are picky, the legacy was designed so that before they unlock, Karsha would have to attain a certain level of proficiency. "So, who taught you alchemy?" Xian asked when they were about 500 meters away from the mansion. "Do you really want me to tell you? I doubt you will believe me," Karsha replied. He didn''t have a problem telling Xian and Elder June; the issue was whether they would believe him. Nevertheless, since they wanted to know, he would tell them. Whether they believed him or not wasn''t his concern. "My master is the Divine Alchemist," Karsha said, revealing his master''s identity. "Hahahahaha, good one, big bro. You don''t have to tell us if you don''t want to," Xianughed out loud, prompting some nearby disciples to stare at them. Clearly, Xian didn''t seem to be buying what Karsha was selling. "When you feelfortable and willing to reveal your master''s identity, I will be d to listen," Xian said, ending his sentence withughter. "Never mind, I knew you wouldn''t believe me anyway." Karsha just gave up and let Xian have thestugh, knowing that one day, he would be the oneughing. "Don''t ever tell anyone you are the disciple of the Divine Alchemist, not even my father," Elder June cautioned Karsha. "If people knew, they would..." "I know; I won''t tell anyone," Karsha immediately replied, understanding the implications of Elder June''s words. If people knew he was the disciple of the Divine Alchemist, many woulde after the knowledge in his head. Additionally, some might target him due to his association with the husband of one of the deadliest Asura swordmaidens. "Xian, let''s go to where I can sell monster bodies first before going to the alchemy shop." A few momentster, they arrived at the Hunter''s Guild, where monster bodies can be sold. Karsha nned on offloading his goods before heading to Snake Ind.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 29 Value of a Mutant Aside from the typical guilds formed by adventurers and ns on the Central Continent, some cover the entire region. An example of this is the Identity Guild, where individuals register their identity before taking any action in any city or vige they find themselves in. The Hunter''s Guild, as its name suggests, is where peoplee to sell their kills from hunting in the forests, dimensional gates, or dungeons. While there are other avenues for selling these bodies, since Karsha is under the watch of the Varon and Uzi families, Elder June suggests they utilize the Hunter Guild. Although he might lose some spirit stones due to their purchasing rates, it''s a better option than none. "Wee to the Hunter Guild; how may I assist you?" Ady greeted Karsha and hispanions as they entered.N?v(el)B\\jnn "I''m looking to sell some monster bodies," Karsha replied. "How many are we talking about?" Thedy asked, her excitement evident upon hearing they hade to sell monster bodies. If she manages to purchase from them, she will receive amission on top of her daily wages. "About 90, give or take," Karsha said with a serious expression. "I see," thedy responded, sounding disappointed. She could sense Karsha''s cultivation base, and based on her experience as a buyer, she knew the highest tier he could kill was Tier 3. So, having 90 or more implies he has the majority of Tier 1 and Tier 2 monsters. "Yes, I have 64 Tier 3, 20 Tier 4, and 10 Tier 5," Karsha added. "WHAT?" The buyer, Xian, and Elder June all eximed loudly, drawing attention from everyone in the room. "Hey, keep it down," a customer shouted. "Tell me you''re joking. Did you just say you have 10 Tier 5 monster bodies with you?" "WHAT?" This time, almost everyone shouted upon hearing the buyer''s statement. "Why, is something wrong? I''m not lying. I have the monster bodies with me. I can show them to you if you want." Karsha, mistaking their shocked expressions, tried to defend himself. "Please wait here. I''ll be back," thedy said as she hurried toward a certain office. "What''s wrong?" Karsha asked, turning toward Xian. "You''ll find out in a few minutes." Xian, however, decided to wait for thedy to return. A few minutester, thedy came back with another person. "I am Hando, the manager here. What is your name, young man?" "I am Damon. Please, can you tell me why everyone is staring at me like that?" Karsha asked, noticing the stares from the people in the room. "You, my friend, have done the impossible. You are selling 10 Tier 5 monsters at the same time. Since this ce was built, you''re only the second person to achieve that. This makes you a VIP seller, so of course, people will stare at you like that," Hando replied, rifying the situation. "Oh, I see," Karsha simply nodded in understanding. He wasn''t particrly interested in the whole VIP seller thing. He just wanted to sell his goods and be on his way. "Can we see the goods?" Hando asked, prompting everyone to step back. Karsha then moved forward to an empty space and began unloading the monster bodies. Within a few seconds, the entire area was filled with bodies of monsters ranging from Tier 3 to Tier 5. They varied in shapes and sizes, from serpents to bears to tigers. The more the beasts fell from his ring, the more shocked the people became. It wasn''t that they hadn''t seen beast bodies before; they had seen plenty. However, what struck them about the falling bodies was their wounds. Each had only one wound, indicating that all the beasts died from a single attack. "Young man, were you the one who killed these beasts?" the manager couldn''t help but ask. "Of course, I killed all of them. But I have to be honest, the next beast sustained a little more damage from the attacks. I hope that won''t be a problem," Karsha said as he retrieved the body of the Berserker Mutant Tiger. The moment the body touched the floor, the entire ce fell silent. Karsha, who had finished unloading, was taken aback by how quiet it had suddenly be. "Elder June, what''s going on?" Karsha asked. "You... You killed a mutant all by yourself. And it''s not even a Tier 3 mutant, but a Tier 5. Do you have any idea what you''ve achieved?" Elder June eximed. However, Karsha just maintained his ignorant look. "You have no idea, huh? Where are you from, and howe you know nothing about anything?" Elder June continued to observe Karsha''s ignorance about many things. She had been watching Karsha since hepleted the outer area exams, and at every turn, the young man seemed to have no grasp of how things worked around there. He always appears to have no idea what is going on. Of course, he had no idea Karsha transmigrated into the body of someone who couldn''t cultivate. But if that wasn''t the worst of it, he also hasn''t recovered Austin''s memories yet. So, he is but a walking body without any memory of this new world. "You''ve achieved something great, young man. Killing a mutant beast will fetch you 10 times the price of a normal beast," Hando replied, and Elder June nodded in affirmation. "Good for me then. I guess I will kill more mutants in the future," Karsha said with a smile. Although his reply sounded arrogant, Hando could tell the young man before him was different. He actually meant what he said. So, as a good businessman, he decided to start building a rtionship with him. "Because of your achievement, I have decided to buy the bodies using the market price," the manager said, making sure Karsha knew what he was getting at. "So, a Tier 3 beast will go for 1000 low-tier spirit stones each, Tier 4 will go for 2000 low-tier spirit stones, and Tier 5 will go for 4000 low-tier spirit stones." "But since you have a Lesser mutant among the bodies, that one will fetch you 20,000 low-tier spirit stones, bringing your sum total to 121,400 low-tier spirit stones." "Congrattions, young adventurer," the manager said as he retrieved a space ring and handed it over to Karsha. "The funds are in; you can keep the ring for future transactions." Everyone, including Elder June and Xian, just stood there, staring at Karsha, who had no idea his legend had started spreading throughout Sunlight City. Selling 10 Tier 5 monsters at a stand is something Saints and above would do. A Master-stage cultivator has no business going after Tier 5 monsters. However, Karsha not only killed 10 of them but also a mutant, which is also a Tier 5 monster. ''This kid is something else. I should get close to him,'' Manager Hando said as he looked at Karsha, who just stood there transferring the spirit stones from Hando''s space ring to his. ''This plus the 19,000 spirit stones will be enough to buy some things I will need for the expedition,'' Karsha said inwardly. He had no idea what the stones inside his ring were when he first formed the soul contract with it. He thought they were just random stone sitting there without any value, so he left them there. It was only after seeing one up close that he realized he had been sitting on money. However, while Karsha was reeling in joy, there was someone else inside the room keeping an eye on him. Ever since the issue with Vance and the other heirs at the restaurant, people had been monitoring him, even within the sect, without any of them noticing, not even Elder June. It could only mean one thing: the person was stronger than even Elder June, so noticing their presence would be next to impossible for someone like her. However, the person who had remained hidden for almost two weeks now without making a single mistake had just slipped up, and Karsha noticed him. When Karsha retrieved the mutant, everyone in the room reacted, but one person standing at the back remained still, observing what was happening through the corner of his eyes. Such behavior might fool an ordinary cultivator, but a former soldier who spent hours on stakeouts wouldn''t be fooled by something like that. Karsha noticed him, but unfortunately for this mysterious individual, he failed to realize that Karsha had already blown his cover. That, of course, was bad for him, but good for Karsha, who nned on teaching him a very good lesson. "I''ll see you next time, Hando. Make sure you fill your pockets because the next goods will send a shockwave throughout the whole Kingdom," Karsha said before he and hispanions prepared to leave the Hunter Guild. His n to be the most liked and well-known person in the whole kingdom was just being realized. Initially, he had considered using trouble to achieve that, but after his dispute with the heirs, he knew choosing violence was not the way, at least while he was still weak. Now, however, he realized he could achieve the same thing by hunting powerful monsters and selling them. This way, he would be able to make a name for himself and make some powerful friends too. "I''ll be sure to wee you with open arms," Hando said with a satisfied smile. Karsha then took out 100 spirit stones and handed them over to thedy who had initially received them. "See youter too," he said before walking out of the room, leaving a happy buyer, a blushing attendant, and shocked spectators. His next stop was the Alchemy Guild, where he nned to buy all the items he would need for the trip and then some, for a very unlucky spy who hadn''t realized his cover was blown. Chapter 30 Are You Even an Alchemist After leaving the Hunter''s Guild, Karsha and hispanions began making their way to the Alchemy Guild. Of course, the spy was following them from a safe distance, ensuring he wasn''t discovered. Karsha, who had already detected his presence, continued to chuckle to himself as he devised a wicked n for the spy. In the spy game, strength means little; it''s all about intelligence and quick-wittedness. A mere foot soldier with great expertise can easily outmatch a reckless trained spy. Karsha knew this all too well, having eliminated a few spies himself over the years. He used his experience to identify and neutralize threats before they could be dangerous. So, when he discovered the spy tailing him, he knew what had to be done. As someone who had trained hundreds of spies, he knew the perfect way to handle it. He wasn''t concerned about the spy''s cultivation level because he didn''t n on facing him in a fair fight. He wasn''t one to preach about the honor of a warrior when facing an dishonorable threat. "Big Brother, did you really kill that Mutant?" Xian, who had been quiet for some time now, asked. "Of course. It took me some time, but I managed to kill it. But I have to say, the Mutant is far stronger than the other Tier 5 beasts," Karsha answered without bothering to look at the shocked expression on Xian''s face. "You... You seem unconcerned about the fact that you encountered a Mutant and came out alive," Elder June, who also seemed astonished, spoke. "Karsha, Mutants are not beasts that you can easily fight ande out unscathed. They are dangerous and far more difficult to deal with. So the fact that you killed one, and a Tier 5 at that, you have to understand why people would be shocked hearing that," Elder June exined, and Karsha, who was paying close attention, couldn''t help but smile. "So, aside from Mutants, are there others stronger?" He asked. Since the situation called for it, he had to capitalize on it and learn something. After all, he is but a walking empty vessel. "Yes, there are others, but they are rare. Before the Mutants, there are Alpha beasts that have three sses: Lesser Alpha, Great Alpha, and Dark Alpha. They are mostly leaders of packs and move with other monsters. Then there are the Mutants, who can be considered an upgraded version of a monster. There are Lesser, Great, Dark, Terror, and Cmity Mutants. Let''s say a monster of the fire type that has evolved to be a Mutant; their fire will be increasingly powerfulpared to a normal monster." "How high are we talking?" Karsha asked. "About a 400% upgrade. That is how high they can rise. My mom used to say that a mutant has the power to face normal monsters that are even two tiers above them," Elder June replied, making sure Karsha understood. "I see," Karsha nodded. "What about the rest? Are there more categories?" he asked.N?v(el)B\\jnn "After the Mutants, there are the World Bosses. Unlike the Alphas and Mutants, World Bosses have two strengths: their own and that of their pack. They lead huge packs of monsters on raids. The higher the number of monsters under them, the stronger they get. Killing them is only possible if you manage to kill all the monsters under them. Of course, those strong enough can go after the World Boss while the monsters under them are still alive. However, that approach is not advised. A World Boss, just like an Alpha and a Mutant, also has sses: Lesser, Great, Dark, Terror, Cmity, Devil, and Abomination," Elder June dropped yet another bomb, and this time, Karsha''s face showed some reaction. "How strong are they actually? I mean, the World Bosses," Karsha, who couldn''t believe what he was hearing, asked. "Nobody knows, or at least I haven''t met anyone with information on that. But rumor has it, these monsters are the leaders when Tier 10 and upward Dimensional Gates open. There haven''t been any Tier 10 gates opening in this kingdom for a very long time, so that theory can''t be verified, but many believe there are World Bosses out there." "Sorry to ask, but what are these Dimensional Gates?" Karsha, who kept hearing about the Dimensional Gates, couldn''t help but ask at the first chance he got. In response, however, Elder June just replied with a few words, "This world is at war with some unknown worlds. Either we conquer them, or they conquer us." That was all she said, leaving Karsha to ponder what to do with it. He digested the information for a while, but just when he was about to ask a question, Xian spoke, "We are here, the Alchemy Guild." They stopped in front of a very tall building designed like a cauldron. From the look outside, it didn''t take Karsha long to realize it had twelve floors. They entered the first floor, which was on the ground level. Stepping through the doors, they were greeted by the faces of many people going about their daily activities. There was no dy inside since everyone seemed busy with something. "Let''s go over there; that''s the section for cauldrons," Xian said as they started moving toward a store with a cauldron sale post on their counter. "Wee to Happy Home Cauldrons. How may I be of service to you today?" a man who looked like he was in his early 50s asked. "We are looking to buy a cauldron," Karsha answered. "Then you are in the right ce. We have some of the best cauldrons out there," the man said. "By the way, my name is Orga." Karsha could sense the man''s cunning nature from far away but decided to go with the flow and see how he would try to scam a master scammer who prided himself as the best scammer to ever walk the earth. ''This guy won''t know what hit him. Is he even an alchemist?'' Orga thought inwardly as he pressed a button, and a small door opened, revealing a lift leading to the next floor. "Kindly follow me," he gestured, and without dy, they were standing on the second floor, where many could still be seen going about their activities. "We have cauldrons ranging from themon grade to legendary. You can start from this section and let me know which one you prefer," Orga said, stepping back. Under normal circumstances, a seller would guide the buyer through their goods, presenting the pros and cons of particr items. However, Orga saw an opportunity to scam three kids¡ªyes, three kids. Elder June had altered her appearance to that of a 16-year-old, average-looking girl. Because of this, the seller saw no threat and just wanted to cheat them. However, he picked the wrong bunch. Inside Karsha''s head was the knowledge of the Divine Alchemist. Picking a cauldron was child''s y to him. To prove this, Karsha walked to a section Orga never thought the boy would go to: the Named Cauldron section. Named Cauldrons are cauldrons that have been given names based on three factors. First, the material used in crafting them. Cauldrons are crafted from rare and sturdy materials. Most of these materials can be monster bodies, bones, cores, metals, and many more. Theye in various forms, and depending on the quality of the material, the cauldron produced from it will also bear those qualities. Thenes the second factor: the magical properties. Not all cauldrons have magical properties. Some are just big bowls with nothing special about them. However, there are a few that possess magical properties. These magical properties further enhance the user''s sess when crafting pills. Lastly, the person who crafted the cauldron ys a significant role. There are many artisans out there, and they all have their own ways of building their art. If an artisan manages to craft something phenomenal, they usually give it a name to ensure that even after years, they will still be remembered when the name of the item is mentioned. However, named cauldronse with a challenge. Not everyone can use them, as most of these cauldrons have restrictions or tests that must be passed by the one who wants to use them. Many have tried but failed to get the approval of a named cauldron. Because of this, prices for named cauldrons are rtively lower than those for unnamed cauldrons. Despite this, they are more powerful than ordinary cauldrons of the same rank. Karsha, after moving to the Named Cauldron section, began browsing through the cauldrons. Each cauldron had a name, a short description of its magical properties, and a price attached to it. He saw cauldrons with various magical properties, but after a quick nce, he would move to the next and then the next for almost 30 minutes. [Zealot Fire Cauldron: Epic] - 16,000 - Crafted by the famous artisan known to have risen to the Sage level when he was just 1,000 years old. This cauldrones with a unique fire that further helps in removing impurities from the pills before they fully solidify. [Himlin Dark Cauldron: Rare] - 14,000 - Using the dark fires of the ck dragons, the famous craftsman known as Himlin built this cauldron, which has two magical properties: > Self-heating: The cauldron self-heats without the alchemist having to heat it manually. > Self-solidifying: The cauldron can solidify the pills after every ingredient has been added. Karsha continued examining the cauldrons, considering their magical properties and craftsmanship, carefully evaluating which one would best suit his needs. --- --- --- Karsha went through nearly thirty cauldrons but didn''t pick any of them. The one he wanted wasn''t among the ones on disy. So, after he bypassed thest cauldron, Orga sighed in relief, thinking he was back on track. However, the next second, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he saw Karsha walk toward a certain cauldron sitting in one corner. [Lonely Cauldron: Epic] - 5,000 - You have what it takes to craft great pills; why don''t I apany you on this journey? > Self-Healing: No matter how shattered this cauldron is, it will always heal back over time. "I choose this cauldron," Karsha said as a small smile escaped his lips. ''Gotcha,'' he thought. Chapter 31 Taming the Lonely Caudron "Young Master Vance, I have located the brat you asked me to spy on," a young man said as he rushed into a room where Vance, his junior brother, and the heiress of the Uzi family were dining. "Where is he right now?" Vance asked a touch of authority in his voice. "He and two others are at the Alchemy Guild," the young man, one of Vance''s minions, replied. "Good job, Nye. You did well," Vance said, bringing a smile to Nye''s face. "First Brother, are you going to the Alchemy Guild?" Joe, Vance''s junior brother, asked. "Yes. Dad said we should teach him a lesson before he is sent to the ind in ten days. Breaking a few bones will be enough." Vance nodded and then stood up. "Take us there." They then began moving toward the Alchemy Guild. Initially, their father didn''t want to get on Karsha''s bad side. So, for the ten days, Karsha spent in the room, he sent his best men to investigate his origin, but they came back empty-handed. The only information they were able to get was his name and age. They tried all their channels but came up empty. Even after reporting this, Hugh knew there was a chance Karsha might be from an influential family, so he made sure they didn''t go too far while devising a punishment for Karsha. The softer the punishment, the less negative impact it would have on Karsha and any potential trouble from his family, if he had one. However, all that went out the window when Karsha rubbed it in their faces by showing he didn''t care about the Great Families. This was a huge insult to them, so when Hugh got back, he called his son and instructed him on what to do. Vance, a Semi-Saint, knew there was no way Karsha would be able to resist his oppression. Vance, who felt insulted during the restaurant incident, saw his chance to break a few bones. He sent his minions to start tracking Karsha''s movements and report back to him when they found his location. ============== Back in the Alchemy Guild, on the second floor, Karsha stood beside the Lonely Cauldron with a smile. He could see the veins popping on Orga''s face. The cauldron he picked was an Epic-ranked item with a price tag of 5,000 spirit stones,parable to that of amon-ranked cauldron. Although Karsha would have to pass the test ced on the cauldron before he could purchase it, Orga knew he would be losing thousands of spirit stones if Karsha passed the cauldron''s approval. "Is there something wrong, Mr. Orga?" Karsha asked, trying to rub it in more. "Nothing is wrong, young man. However, I must say it is a peculiar choice. Are you sure you want that cauldron? There are other great cauldrons around; you can pick any other, and I might even give you a discount," Orga said, trying to change Karsha''s mind. "The one you picked is called the Lonely Cauldron. It has never epted a master before and has high expectations," Orga added. "I think I will go for this one, Mr. Orga," Karsha insisted. "Hey, look over there; that kid seems to have picked the Lonely Cauldron," someone shouted, drawing people''s attention to Karsha and Orga. "How arrogant. Many have tried and failed. How can such a young man win the approval of the only cauldron that has never had a master?" one of the onlookers said. "Even so, I''m going to see whether he can achieve that." One by one, people started gathering around the shop, eager to see how Karsha would tame the cauldron. "Well, kid, it looks like you have yourself an audience. Go on, get cracking," Orga said in a defeated tone. "Wait, isn''t this the cauldron with the reward ced by Master Artemis?" one of the people standing there asked. Hearing this, many started nodding. "Young man, are you the one trying to tame the cauldron?" he asked. "Yes," Karsha nodded. "Per the instructions set by the Saint-level alchemist, Master Artemis, should you manage to tame this cauldron, you will be rewarded with one chance to pick anything below the Legendary rank without worrying about the cost." "Is that so?" Karsha said as he narrowed his eyes. To be frank, he already knew how to tame the cauldron; the only thing stopping him was the crowd gathering around. He needed an audience, and since the people seemed eager to see him do the impossible, he stood there waiting and weing them. He had already made a name for himself at the Hunter Guild and intended to do the same in Alchemy. The more people who knew about him, the higher his chances of diminishing the respect held by the great families. "Kid, how confident are you that you can tame the cauldron?" the young man asked again. Karsha just smiled. "I can do it in my sleep," he muttered arrogantly. "What an arrogant brat. People from the great families have tried and failed. Who are you to think you can do any better?" someone from the crowd shouted. In response, Karsha smiled and said, "And what makes you think those people are better than me?" The harm was already done; there was no use being gentle. "What a brat." "Very arrogant." "He has no idea the forces he is messing with." --- --- --- More people continued to curse at Karsha, who seemed to be aplishing yet another milestone. His hatred for the legacy families grew with every second, and if rubbing it in their faces wasn''t enough, he would teach them a better lesson soon. "Okay, kid, show us what you can do. Master Artemis is watching," the young man said. "Well then, here goes nothing," Karsha said as he lowered his body and gazed at the cauldron while maintaining eye-level contact. "I seek to craft, I seek to heal, I seek to destroy. There is no end to what I seek, but something is missing. I have no hope to build, but with passion, I know I can. I have many things to aplish, but there is no time to do it all. I have people counting on me, but there is no certainty whether they can count on me. Ick the strength, but I possess the knowledge. Be part of the process. Show your might. Let your light shine. Be who you are meant to be. Be mine, and let us rise together." As he finished his incantation, the room fell silent. All eyes were on Karsha and the Lonely Cauldron, waiting to see if he could achieve what so many before him had failed to do. Karsha recited random sentences, leaving the onlookers baffled. They expected him to light his alchemy fire and attempt to concoct a pill, which is the traditional method for taming alchemy cauldrons. Instead, he just stood there, reciting seemingly random words. To the crowd, this appeared to be pure madness. "Hey, brat, what do you think you''re doing? Is that how you tame a cauldron?" one of the onlookers shouted. "Do you think we are kids to be yed with as you please?" another shouted. "He''s just an arrogant brat with no respect for his elders. I say we teach him a lesson," someone chimed in, and soon, more people joined in. Karsha, however, stood there with a smile on his lips. He wasn''t concerned about themotion because, at that very moment, a system notification appeared before him.N?v(el)B\\jnn One of the very few functions left was his ability to form contracts. < Does the host wish to form a contract with the Lonely Cauldron? > - Yes - No Karsha promptly chose "Yes." "Hey, look, the cauldron is increasing in size," one of the onlookers said. "No way. He actually did it. He has tamed the Lonely Cauldron," another onlooker shouted, drawing everyone''s attention. Soon, more and more people started rushing over. "Who tamed the Lonely Cauldron? I am willing to pay him 10,000 low-tier spirit stones to teach me," a bulky man said as he started walking through the crowd. "I will pay 50,000," another person said. "Damn you, Hill. Can''t you allow me to have this?" the bulky man said, sounding annoyed. "Ha, my family will benefit more from this," Hill said, using his family as a sign of intimidation. It worked. The bulky man halted in his step, not wanting to get on the wrong side of these great families. "Hey, kid. I am Hill from the Xonox Great Family. Sell the method to me," Hill spoke in an authoritative tone. Karsha, who heard him perfectly, just looked away. "So, Mr. Orga, this marks the conclusion of our transaction." He handed him 5,000 spirit stones. "Pleasure doing business with you." "Hey brat, I am talking to you," Hill shouted, noticing Karsha was ignoring him. "It''s not for sale," Karsha said as he, Xian, and Elder June started moving toward the next store, which had images of different fires hanging in front of it. "I am from the Xonox Great Family. You will sell the method, or we will take it by force," Hill threatened, causing a chill to run down the spines of the onlookers. The mention of a great family is a disaster many wish to avoid. They know the dangers thate with those names, so whether they are right or wrong, they instantly step back to avoid their wrath. However, Karsha was different. He already hated them, and since they had doomed him twice, he held no respect for them. "A no is a no. Take the hint and move on," Karsha said. "How arrogant," a familiar voice to Karsha spoke. Soon, the face of the heir of the Varon Great Family appeared, with the heiress from the Uzi Great Family and Vance''s junior brother walking behind him. ''Finally,'' Karsha thought inwardly, having anticipated their arrival. "Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in. If it isn''t the doofuses from the Great Families." At that moment, Elder June felt her world crash down around her. Xian, too, felt a wave of dread. Chapter 32 A Dish Best Served Cold "Well, well, well, look who the cat dragged in. If it isn''t the doofus heirs from the Great families," Karsha remarked, instantly causing Elder June and Xian to feel their world crumbling. It wasn''t just them; almost everyone on the second floor, including the sellers, wore expressions of shock. And why wouldn''t they? They all recognized the three heirs and their entourage who had just entered the hall. They were the heirs of the great families. So, for someone tobel them as doofuses was a jolt to their sensibilities. However, Karsha stood there with a smile on his face, unperturbed by the potential consequences. After all, they had already sealed his fate; what more could they do? "Why, cat, got your tongue?" Karsha taunted, directing his question to Vance, who was brimming with anger. "You''ll pay for this." With those words, Vance unsheathed his sword and lunged at Karsha, who simply blinked away and reappeared 20 meters from Vance. "Is that all you''ve got?" he goaded, and Vance took the bait, charging forward once more. But Karsha blinked and materialized beside Orga, who had left his shop and now stood not far from the crowd. "You''ll have to do better than that, Mr. Great Family Heir," Karsha taunted before blinking away once more. Vance, feeling like he was being yed with, became so enraged that he began exerting his Semi-Saint strength. His speed increased, but it was futile. Karsha wasn''t engaging in a one-on-one battle with him. He was simply toying with him, provoking his anger to observe his reactions. Last time, he missed the opportunity to eliminate his younger brother due to Hugh''s interference and the risk to Xian''s life.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om However, circumstances were different this time. They had a Saint among them, so Karsha knew Vance wouldn''t dare harm Xian. With that assurance, he chose to goad Vance and humiliate him in the process. "Feeling tired already?" Karsha taunted once more. "I had no idea the heir of the Varon Great Family was this weak." "You bastard, face me like a real man!" Vance shouted in frustration. But no matter what he did, Karsha remained just out of reach. "A real man? What a joke. You want me to face you like a real man? Where was that dignity when your family condemned me to die on Snake Ind?" Karsha seized the opportunity and dropped the bomb, sparking murmurs among the onlookers. "Snake Ind? Isn''t that where they send criminals to die? Why would they send a kid there? What crime could he havemitted?" one spectator queried, voicing a series of questions. "I haven''t heard anything that would warrant such punishment," remarked a young man. "It seems the incident at the Sunlight Restaurant a few days ago wasn''t taken lying down by the Great Families," another observed. "What happened there? Tell us," the crowd demanded. "It was just a minor altercation between two young men. Nothing serious. No one was killed. Just a misunderstanding," someone exined. "If that''s the case, why are they sending him to Snake Ind?" a flurry of questions arose, and Karsha, alert to the reactions, couldn''t help but smile. His n to tarnish the reputation of the Varon family and garner sympathy from the people had begun. He is aware he doesn''t have the strength to fight them now, so he resorts to using the people t tarnish their image. "You bastard, I''ll skin you alive!" Vance''s shout pierced the air once more. He increased his speed and charged toward Karsha, only to miss him as Karsha blinked away when Vance was just a meter from him. "I don''t know what''s so great about your family, but pray I die on Snake Ind. Because believe me, if I return alive, I''ll make it my mission to destroy everything you hold dear," Karsha dered, blinking from one location to the next. "You have my word on that," he added. "If you''re a man, face me, and let''s settle this," Vance challenged, as he resigned from chasing after Karsha who was just too fast for him. "I''m willing to face you one-on-one. But you''ll have to wait until I return from the ind. I have more pressing matters than wasting my time on an idiot like you." Karsha''s words further added to Vance''s anger which seemed to have reached new heights. However, before they could enter another cat-and-mouse chance, a voice boomed across the entire second floor of the Alchemy Guild building. "That''s enough. This establishment is dedicated to Alchemy. If you have no business here, then leave, and don''t dare use your family name to intimidate anyone," a man in histe 50s stepped forward, apanied by the young man who had earlier spoken about the reward for taming the Lonely Cauldron. "Master, that''s him, the one who tamed the Lonely Cauldron," the young man pointed at Karsha. "Young man, I heard you tamed the Lonely Cauldron. Do you have a moment to speak? I am Master Artemis," the man introduced himself. "I have all the time in the world, Grandpa," Karsha replied, seizing the opportunity to extricate himself from the tense situation. He blinked and materialized before Elder June, nearly causing her to have a heart attack. "Big brother,e find meter for the details on how I tamed the cauldron," Karsha instructed the burly man before he, Xian, and Elder June followed Master Artemis. They entered a lift that ascended to the top floor. Stepping out, they were greeted by a sumptuous spread of fruits. Karsha gulped audibly at the sight before him. "Please, help yourselves," Master Artemis offered, noticing their interest in the fruits. Karsha and Xian wasted no time and began loading their tes. Meanwhile, Elder June chose a seat where she could observe everything and intervene if necessary. After loading up their tes, Karsha and Xian took seats at a round table and began devouring the fruits like hungry demons. Sometimeter, Master Artemis initiated conversation, "I heard you tamed the Cauldron using a rather unorthodox method. Care to share where you learned the Speech Method from?" Karsha, in the midst of munching on an apple, his interest was quickly shifted to the Old Man. "You''re familiar with the Speech method of cauldron taming?" he asked. "I''vee across it in my readings, but I''m no expert," replied Master Artemis. "So, where did you learn it?" "It was taught to me by my master. He imed it was the simplest and most effective method," Karsha exined before taking a bite of another apple. "And who might your master be? I may be acquainted with him," Master Artemis inquired curiously. "Well, his name is Jubal. But I doubt you know him; he''s not a regr in these parts," Karsha responded, fabricating his master''s identity. "I see," Master Artemis nodded. "So, what level have you attained in Alchemy?" "I''ve reached the Grandmaster level, with a purity rating of 98% for Common Grade and 80% for King Grade," Karsha casually replied, eliciting astonished looks from everyone inside the room. "Hey kid, you know it''s wrong to disrespect your superiors," the young man with Master Artemis said in an angry tone. "If you''re a Grandmaster, howe you don''t even have an Alchemy me?" he asked, still maintaining his angry tone. Karsha, sensing something might be wrong with what he said, stopped chewing and turned his attention to the young man. "Sorry if I sounded arrogant, but I''m not lying when I say I''m a Grandmaster. The issue with my Alchemy me is actually a funny story. I had an ident while practicing to get my purity to 100%, so to save me, my master had to take away my me. However, now that I''m all healed up, I wanted to get a new me so that I can start practicing again," Karsha said, lying through his teeth. He may have the knowledge, but he doesn''t have the practice. However, that''s not a problem. He has the understanding of how to control the me from a divine alchemist. If he''s talented enough, he''ll be able to craft an 80% pure Common-grade pill or a 60% pure King-grade pill. In alchemy, there are grades of pills, ranging from Common, King, Earth, Heaven, Divine, to God. Most alchemists were only able to reach the Rank 4 Heaven grade. That''s because, after the King Grade, the pills are divided into Ranks. Earth-grade pills, despite their purity, are ranked from 1 to 9. Simrly, Heaven-grade pills have various ranks, but Divine-grade pills have 6 ranks. A God pill, on the other hand, has only 1 rank, so a god pill is a god pill. The reason why they could only reach that rank is that after Rank 4 Earth grade, there will be a heavenly judgment after concocting a pill. It determines the usefulness of the pill and bestows blessings if it deems it worthy. Purity measures how impurity-free the pill is, but the quality is determined by the Rank of the Pill. As the rank rises, the judgments be severe, making most alchemists have the means to endure up to only Rank 4 Heaven grade. The current person with the highest purity level in pill-making in the whole of Sunlight City is Master Artemis. But even he wouldn''t be able to craft a Rank 5 Earth-grade pill with 80% purity despite being a Saint-Level alchemist. So, for a 19-year-old to say he has a purity level of 80% came as a shock and insult to them. But Karsha wasn''t one to care about those things. He just wanted a fire to prepare for the Snake Ind. "I would like to see you try to craft an 80% pure King-grade pill," Master Artemis spoke. "And in return, I will give you anything you want from the Alchemy guild," he added. "Anything you say," Karsha, who saw an opportunity to win something, replied in a curious tone. "Yes, anything." "Good. Where can I buy Alchemy mes?" Karsha asked, a glint in his eyes. "You can im one for free since you have tamed the Lonely Cauldron," the young man said. He then walked to a corner of the room and pressed a button. "You get to pick from the top of the line." A door opened, revealing different types of mes. ============== However, on the second floor, whispers began to circte about the Varon Great Family''s controversial choice to dispatch a 19-year-old to Snake Ind over a mere misunderstanding with one of their heirs. Karsha had triumphantly executed the initial phase of his scheme, poised to rally the support he craved. The Varon family had tangled with the wrong person and were about to confront the repercussions of their actions. Chapter 33 Picking the Alchemy Flame The door swung wide, unveiling a spectacr array of mes, each dancing with its own unique ir. They flickered in a kaleidoscope of colors, burning with varying degrees of ferocity. This particr section was dedicated to the wild, untamed mes, from which Karsha had to choose one to tame. Fortunately, there was no need to fret about the expense ¨C he was free to select any me that caught his eye. However, there was a catch: he had to choose a me from the ranks below legendary, specifically those under Tier 5. Karsha was only in the market for a temporary me, as his master had already entrusted him with superior ones. This new acquisition would be perfect until his mastery of alchemy reached the threshold set by the Divine Alchemist. With all these perks included in the legacy, Karsha had little concern about procuring powerful mes or cauldrons. For the time being, he would make do with the trusty Lonely Cauldron. "You''re free to select any me below Tier 5, and if you seed in taming it, it''s yours to keep. You won''t have to pay anything," the young man with Master Artemis said. "Good for me, then. But I have a question," Karsha stood up from his chair before speaking. "Can we stay here for a few more days while I get my groove back on?" "Absolutely. You and yourpanions can stay for as long as you want. Meals are on the house as well," the young man replied abruptly. He was eager to see if Karsha could indeed concoct an 80% pure King-grade pill, as he had been boasting he could. Although both he and Master Artemis doubted Karsha would be able to do what he imed, they still decided to see what he could do. Maybe he would prove them wrong. After all, they had never met someone who could disrespect people from the Great Families like they were nobodies. Additionally, Karsha had tamed a cauldron that many had tried and failed to control. These two qualities indicated that he was no ordinary boy but a strange one hiding in the skin of a 19-year-old. ''What a strange fellow,'' the young man thought inwardly. However, since everything would be happening in a few days, he refrained from asking any more questions. "Big brother, what type of me will you be picking?" Xain, curious to see what type of me Karsha would choose, asked. Even Elder June was curious. "That one," Karsha immediately replied, pointing to a me that burned with aggressive sparks. "The Devil''s Breath," the young apprentice eximed in a shocked tone. "Are you looking to cook your face taming it?" he added. "I n not to, big brother," Karsha replied, noticing the young man''s scared and shocked expression. "The Devil''s Breath is not that aggressive if you get to know it." He walked close to the me and, as he had done with the cauldron, began speaking to it. "O fiery me, Ie not to subdue you with force but tomune with you in harmony and understanding. I am but a lonely soul that requirespanionship. I dance on the edge of danger, yet I always strive to be the best. I know nothing, yet I wish to learn everything. I seek to tame your wild energies, to forge a bond that transcends mortal understanding. I am the alchemist, the weaver of destinies, the custodian of the eternal mes. Together, we shall dance upon the wind of creation, shaping reality with the power of ourbined will. O mighty me of alchemy, I seek not tomand you but to understand you. O me of alchemy, join me on this journey of discovery and transformation. Together, let us ignite the fires of possibility and awaken the dormant potential within us." As Karsha continued to speak, the mes seemed to flicker and began to dance in response, as if acknowledging Karsha''s invocation. Slowly but steadily, the me started entering Karsha''s body. Master Artemis, who had been seated, now stood, gazing at Karsha with reverence. He recognized the speech but regrettably didn''t understand its essence. To use the speech method, an alchemist mustprehend the essence of the mes and their behavior. It''s not something that can be taught; it must be understood intuitively. Even if it was transmitted to you, like how Karsha received the legacy, you still need the talent for it. For Karsha to use this method to tame not one but two treasures in a single day, all on the first try, indicated immense potential. His brain had developed to a point where he possessed aprehensive understanding of how the Cauldron and the me behaved. By simply observing them, he could grasp their nature and the best way to tame them. He could freely give the speech to the old man, but it would be a waste since the old man wouldn''t understand its essence. All he could do was watch as the young man tamed the violent me without resorting to the crude and dangerous methods most alchemists used. "Our bond will know no bounds, for I know your name, O mighty me. They call you violent, but I call you understanding. For I speak your name with understanding. You shall be called the ''Devil''s Breath,'' the breath of Alchemy, The breath of Creation." Karsha ended the speech as thest of the me entered his body. To his surprise, a system message appeared before him. < Ding! You have tamed a Tier 4 me: Devil''s Breath > < Devil''s Breath > -- Even the fiery mes from the devil''s bowl can be used to create instead of destroy. -- Using this me will guarantee a 60% sess rate in concocting pills. Master Artemis and the young man stood in awe as Karsha sessfully tamed the Devil''s Breath me. This remarkable achievement further cemented their belief in Karsha''s exceptional talent. Karsha read the description with a smile. He had only wanted a me, but somehow, he had managed to tame one that guaranteed a 60% sess rate for every crafted pill. Now, all he had to work for was the remaining 40%, which wouldn''t be much of a struggle for him. After all, he was the disciple of the Divine Alchemist; the knowledge he possessed was out of this world. He wouldn''t have to worry about small errors since he already knew what needed to be done. The only thing he had to practice was me control. But even then, Karsha was confident he would get the hang of it after a few trials.N?v(el)B\\jnn "All done," Karsha said as he summoned the green me from his palm. "Teach me how to do that, Big Bro," Xian, who had seen how effortlessly Karsha tamed the me, asked for the method. He is a swordsman, but many didn''t know that he had another ss that allowed him to tame monsters. Of course, the pitiful guy hasn''t utilized that ss since he''s too scared to use the method that came with it. With that method, he''d have to beat the monster into submission, or the beast itself would willingly allow itself to be tamed. However, with the method Karsha just used, he can tame a monster a tier below him without having to either fight it or riskmunicating with it, hoping it won''t be a violent monster. "You don''t have to worry about the essence; I already have that covered," Xian said, indicating that he had everything it took to learn the method. "I''ll give you the method, for sure. But for now, I have to prepare for my trip to Snake Ind," Karsha said, revealing his ns. "For someone being sent to Snake Ind, you look awfully calm. Are you not afraid of that ce?" Master Artemis, observing the youngsters, spoke. He knew from his apprentice that Karsha had been sent there. However, throughout their short interaction, he hadn''t seen the scared look that people doomed to die on that ind usually have. From what he saw, Karsha seemed to have the demeanor of someone eager to go there. It could be a coping mechanism, but the fact that he had that look meant he wasn''t afraid. "I was afraid at first, but not anymore," Karsha replied. "What changed?" Master Artemis asked again. "I found a purpose. Initially, I was worried because I didn''t know what I would be doing there. However, now I know what I will do and how to do it." "And what is that?" The old man asked once more. "For that, you''ll have to wait for my return. However, I don''t think I should reveal what someone like us can achieve in a ce full of venom," Karsha replied. He wasn''t foolish enough to divulge his main purpose for going there, but as someone seeking ways to secure resources, he knew he had to say something. As expected, the old man''s face lit up. "You n on creating poisons and antidotes from the venoms," he said, to which Karsha simply nodded. "I n on creating many poisons and antidotes before the 60-day period ends," Karsha rified, ensuring the old man understood his goal. "Young man, how confident are you about surviving the ind?" Master Artemis inquired. Karsha smiled before replying, "At first, I was only 70% certain, but after discovering something to live for, that percentage has risen to 90%. However, there''s still room for improvement." Elder June, in her disguise, felt a warmth run through her chest upon hearing Karsha''s reply. "Are you truly confident?" The old man asked. "As I live and breathe," Karsha replied, causing the old man to arch an eyebrow. "Good. I will assist you with whatever you need in terms of alchemy. In return, you will bring me ten vials of venom from snakes of my choosing," Master Artemis said, making Karsha smile. "Of course, you can bring more, for which I will pay handsomely." "You have yourself a deal," Karsha said, extending his hand for a handshake. The old man reciprocated, sealing their agreement. "Nate, take him to the stores and let him pick whatever he wants. It''s on the house." And just like that, Karsha had won himself a powerful ally who would stand by him through thick and thin. Chapter 34 Is this what a true genius looks like Karsha, Xian, Elder June, and Nate, the apprentice, started moving from one store to the next. They avoided returning to the second floor since Master Artemis had warned them that the heirs of the Varon Family were still there with their minions. So they stuck to the floors above and began selecting the herbs Karsha would need to concoct the antidotes he would take to Snake Ind. He had no idea what kind of venom would find its way into his bloodstream, so he nned to make as many antidotes as possible.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Of course, he already had the recipes stored in his head; he possessed thousands of recipes any alchemist would kill for. But that was just a small portion of what was truly contained in the legacy. He hadn''t even scratched the surface yet. The ess he had now was merely to guide him into the realm of alchemy. He would have to gradually raise hisprehension, and as he ascended, more and more knowledge woulde to him. Even the knowledge the Divine Alchemist acquired from walking the path of alchemy was included in the legacy. This meant that if Karsha continued to rise in levels, he would one day unlock that section. When that happened, endless possibilities would open for him. "I''ll take these three herbs and that root. Oh, add the cikic root too," Karsha kept pointing at items, and Nate continued to store them in his space ring. Deep in his heart, he felt a pang as Karsha kept selecting expensive items without concern for their value. Given the opportunity to choose anything he wanted for free, and in return, to deliver the venom of ten snakes of Master Artemis''s choosing, both parties considered it the best deal. Although Master Artemis might seem to be at a disadvantage now, he knew that once Karsha returned from the ind, he would get his money''s worth. "Xian, do you have a pill in mind?" Karsha, having gathered all the ingredients he needed, asked. This was a one-time opportunity, and since he would be risking his life, he intended to take as much as he could from the old man. "I want a body constitution pill and an impurity removal pill," Xian answered after a brief pause. "And oh, a strength enhancement pill," he added. Nate nced at Karsha for a moment before heading to a store to gather the required ingredients. Taking advantage of the privacy, Karsha turned to Elder June. "Elder June, do you need anything as well?" Elder June arched an eyebrow and pondered the request for a while before shaking her head. "I see. Too bad; I''ve already selected an ingredient to create a new body transformation pill for you. The ones you''re using are not safe for your health," Karsha said without hiding anything. If there was one thing the legacy had given him, it was the ability to discern when a pill was harmful for consumption. He could tell that the pill Elder June was using would have adverse effects on her, but since he didn''t want to pry into her private affairs, he remained silent. However, now things were different. He knew the Elder, appearing like a 16-year-old, had made a promise, and even though he wasn''t doing this solely because of that promise, he wanted to leave a mark on Elder June''s heart. A mark that would one day develop into something more. Since he would soon be venturing into the unknown, he saw it as a way to ensure the angel remembered him in his absence. After several rounds of selections, they returned to the top floor, where Karsha retrieved his cauldron and sat in the middle of the room. He paid no mind to the audience. His sole focus was to test how well he could control the me. After meditating with the cauldron for a few moments, Karsha smiled before tapping its side. Instantly, a dim yet potent me emerged and began circling the cauldron. "Here goes nothing," Karsha said after waiting for five minutes. He then resummoned his green me and began heating the already slightly hot cauldron with the me. "That will be enough," he dered, stopping the heating process. After recalling the me, he carefully selected three ingredients - Ginkgo Biloba, Rosemary petals, and Lemon Zest. He waited for a few seconds, then in one fluid motion, he threw everything into the cauldron and resumed heating it. Master Artemis, seated in the back, raised his eyebrow when he observed Karsha tossing the ingredients into the cauldron all at once. In alchemy, it is an established rule that when concocting a pill, the ingredients must be added one after the other. There was no denying that rule. However, there are people who disobey that rule and toss multiple ingredients at once. Such individuals are regarded as geniuses. But even these geniuses only toss a maximum of two ingredients at once. Only a select few go as far as three, but even they exercise caution since doing so has a high chance of causing an explosion. However, Karsha had just nonchntly tossed in the three ingredients, too. He didn''t even take the ideal seriously. He simply ced the three ingredients in and started heating again. ''This young man, who is he?'' Master Artemis wondered, ''Is this what a true genius looks like?'' he added. Five minutes had passed since Karsha tossed the two ingredients into the cauldron, yet there had been no explosion. Instead, the only thing emanating from the bubbling mixture was the tantalizing aroma of medicinal essence being extracted from the herbs. Another ten minutes passed, and still, there was no explosion. Master Artemis, who had been sitting originally, now stood from his chair and began walking closer to the center of the room where Karsha was calmly heating the cauldron. ''How is this possible? This fragrance is almost 100% Pure King-grade Pill,'' Master Artemis eximed, inhaling the scent of the Stamina Pill Karsha was concocting. After working on the pill for close to an hour, Karsha slowly withdrew the me. Sessfully withdrawing the me, he opened the cauldron, allowing a plume of ck smoke to escape. As the smoke dissipated, a white pill hovered at the center of the cauldron. "96%, huh," Karsha muttered as he used a pill bottle to collect the pill. "You... you crafted a 96% king-grade pill in less than an hour," Elder June, who had been quiet for almost the whole time, finally spoke, her tone filled with shock. "Yeah, too bad. I was aiming for at least 98%," Karshamented, disappointment evident in his voice. Unbeknownst to him, the legacy he carrieses with its own set of expectations, almost as if it possesses a sentience of its own. Witnessing the disciple of a Divine Alchemist produce only a 96% pure pill, and a mere King-grade at that, made Karsha feel as though he had failed a crucial test. However, the people gathered around him wore a different expression. "What kind of monster are you? You just crafted a 96% pure king-grade pill; what''s there to be disappointed about?" Elder June said, gazing at Karsha with a shocked expression. "Do you even understand what you''ve achieved?" Master Artemis asked, causing Karsha to furrow his brow. "You have just broken a record set by the King of Alchemy in the whole of the Drono Kingdom. If news of this gets out, you will either be in danger or revered by many," the old man said, his expression a mix of shock and happiness. Karsha, noticing the happy expression, let a smile escape his lips. "I am sensing there is no reason to be rmed since you have no ns of revealing my existence," he asked. "Of course not. Why would I do that? You are still too young, and doing so will only endanger you," Master Artemis replied. Who in their right mind would reveal someone like Karsha''s existence to the general public? The young man standing before him is a money mansion. With him joining the Alchemy guild, it won''t take them long to rise through the ranks and be the best there is in the whole Drono Kingdom. Then, after amassing great support from powerhouses, Karsha''s existence will be revealed, which will soon help them win more support from other kingdoms. With that much power and support, no one will be able to touch the young man. Unbeknownst to him, the legend of the then-divine alchemist was but a mere spectacle; soon, the legend of the Young Asura Alchemist would spread far and wide in the world and the universe alike. "You can keep that if you want; I don''t have a need for it," Karsha said, handing the pill to Elder June. After gulping down five mouthfuls of water, he sat down and began preparing another pill. This time, he aimed to create a pill with a purity of 98% or higher. ============ High above in the heavens, nestled beneath an orange tree, an old man with a long white beard puffed on a 30-centimeter-long pipe, his smile faint but content. With a snap of his fingers, a stunning youngdy with fiery red hair and eyes materialized and knelt before him. "Your sister had indeed found the best disciple for that Old Alchemist," The Man said pulling another mouthful of smoke. The redheaddy smiled. "He is indeed the chosen one to fulfill Master Rizz''s legacy," she nodded. "Indeed," the old man exhaled a plume of smoke before continuing, "At this pace, he''ll be advancing to the next stage in a matter of days. We can''t allow that, so I need you to do me a favor." "What is it, Master?" "I need you to expedite his journey to the ind. Instead of ten days, make it three. He mustn''t break through while on the human continent," he instructed, and without hesitation, the hell sister rose, transforming into a slightly older woman. "We can''t afford for his enemies to detect his presence this early," the old man added solemnly. "I won''t fail you, Master," thedy vowed before vanishing into thin air. "Good luck, kid. Your destiny awaits," the old man muttered, drawing another mouthful of smoke before reclining in hisfortable armchair. "Your destiny awaits..." he echoed softly. Chapter 35 The unexpected but welcomed news "97%, huh? Not bad, but still not good," Karsha muttered as he held another stamina pill inside a pill bottle. It was his second attempt, but despite his n to craft a 98% pure pill, he only managed to raise the previous 96% by a percent. But that wasn''t all he was trying to improve. He knew he had to do something about the time it took to concoct each pill. He had taken almost an hour to concoct a single pill. Although that might seem like a great feat to someone like Master Artemis, Karsha, who carries the legacy of the greatest alchemist ever to walk the path of alchemy, saw it as a poor performance and aimed to improve that, too. Setting down the pill, he went back to making a new one. This time, he aimed to improve both the duration and the purity simultaneously. He had to since he wouldn''t be able to sit in one ce for long once he was sent to the snake ind. A little over 50 minutester, he finished with the pill, only to achieve another 97% pure pill. However, he managed to lower the time to a little over 50 minutes, which was an improvement over the previous attempts. He set that pill aside and started making a new one. In all three trials, he had only crafted King-grade pills. He hadn''t yet attempted Earth-grade pills. Knowing he needed more experience, he refrained from taking on that challenge right away and continued to enhance his mastery with King-grade pills. As time went by, Karsha made significant progress in reducing the amount of time required to concoct a single pill. Despite his efforts, he couldn''t raise the purity level to 98%, but he didn''t focus on that since he wanted to reduce the preparation time further before concentrating on purity again. On the first day, he focused on reducing his preparation time, and soon, he was able to trim it down to a little over 30 minutes. ============== Back at the sect, the three elders and the sect master wore solemn expressions. "How is this possible?" Elder Chen eximed aloud. "The ce is set to open in nine days. How could it have been shifted to just two days?" His voice wasced with shock. "I have no idea either," the sect master replied, sounding even more shocked and grave. "All I know is that the kid has two days to prepare because the portal to Snake Ind will be opening two days from today," he added. "What are we going to do? We have not made any adequate preparations for him," Elder Lin asked. She had initially nned on concocting some pills for Karsha, but with only two days left, she wasn''t sure she would be able to do that. "We have to inform him, and I hope he manages to make some preparations on his end," Sect Master Xu said. "I think that is a sound idea," Elder Lin agreed, and the other elders nodded in approval. Taking out amunication token, Sect Master Xu began contacting Elder June, who was staring at Karsha with her jaw almost on the floor. After a whole day of practicing, Karsha managed to lower the duration of each pill-making session to 30 minutes, and right when he aplished that, he was able to make his first 98% pure pill. But that was just the beginning. His next pill, instead of maintaining the usual purity level of 98%, rose to an astonishing 99%, mere breaths away from reaching the threshold of perfection¡ªa purity of 100%. Yet, it wasn''t this achievement alone that left them in a state of shock. After Karsha sessfully created the 99% pure pill, he ventured into crafting an Earth-grade pill. Aware of his wager with Master Artemis, everyone began to pay much closer attention to him. To their surprise, it took him only 45 minutes to finish the pill. This was a significant improvementpared to his first trial. But even though this was impressive, it wasn''t what captured their attention. Their focus was on the purity level of the pill. The bet required him to make an 80% pure Rank 1 Earth-grade pill. However, when he retrieved the pill from the cauldron, they all experienced the shock of their lives. The purity of the pill he crafted rose to 94%, astonishing everyone, including Master Artemis. They couldn''t fathom the reality unfolding before them. It''s rare to see Earth-grade pills with 90% purity and above in this part of the continent, so witnessing something so extraordinary left them in great shock. However, their moment of happiness and astonishment was interrupted when Elder June received grave news from her father, the sect master. "What is wrong?" Karsha asked, noticing the grave look on Elder June''s face. "It''s the portal to Snake Ind; it will open two days from today," she replied softly. "Well, that''s unexpected but wee," Karsha said, epting the news without showing any surprise. "Why are you so calm? You nned to make preparations over the next few days. Now, you have just one day to prepare. How is that a good thing?" Elder June, heartbroken by the sudden news, couldn''t help but ask. Karsha''sposure seemed bizarre to her. A normal person would be freaking out right now. "I knew the Great Families would do something like this, so I mentally prepared for it. Although it will throw a wrench into my ns, it''s nothing I can''t manage," he replied while tossing a few herbs into the cauldron. "Nate, get my cauldron; Karsha needs all the help he can get," Master Artemis said. He knew Karsha was just being brave and, with his excellent knowledge of making antidotes, he knew he had to help. "Thank you," Karsha said, giving him a slight nod before beginning to make a new pill to boost agility. Seeing the young redheaded boy trying to be brave brought pain to the hearts of the three people standing around him. Elder June couldn''t help but sigh. She knew there was nothing she could do to help. All she could do now was pray that Karsha somehow managed to make adequate preparations before the time arrived. ''You have to survive,'' she thought inwardly. After a few hours of crafting, Karsha stood up and stretched. "Master Artemis, I will be out for a few hours. I hope you don''t mind making some more pills for me," he asked, and the old man just nodded. Karsha walked to a table and wrote some recipes. "I want three of each. I''ll try toe back early so you won''t have to do all the work," he added, handing the recipes to Master Artemis. "This..." Master Artemis started to speak as he read the first recipe. "No need, Old Man. This is just the start of our great friendship. There''s more where this came from," Karsha said with a smile. Taking out three pills from his space ring, he handed them to Xian and Elder June. "That''s a transformation pill. Let''s disguise ourselves and head to a ce where I can buy some skill books," Karsha said. He swallowed the pill, and immediately, his face began changing into that of apletely different person. Even his height increased by a few inches.N?v(el)B\\jnn ''Kalusha is going to be pissed when he sees this,'' Karsha thought, a small smile escaping his lips. His new appearance resembled one of his best friends, a soldier. Xian also transformed into apletely different person. However, Elder June decided to change into a male rather than another woman. "What?" she asked in a male tone when she felt their gazes on her. "Nothing. You look handsome," Rasoul said, unable to hold back hisughter. His resoundingughter filled the room, and even Master Artemis couldn''t help but smile. "Well, I had to. They saw two boys and ady enter. They will be expecting the same thing again, so I changed to a guy to avoid any unnecessary trouble," she exined, ensuring they understood her reasoning. After changing their clothes, they left the Alchemy Guild without arousing any suspicion and began making their way to a ce where they could buy skills and techniques. "So, big bro, what are your ns when you get to the ind?" Xian, who had been quiet since hearing the news a few hours ago, asked. "I will spend the first few days cultivating since I am just a few steps away from breaking into the Grandmaster stage. I believe it will take me about two weeks to aplish that. Then, I will spend another two weeks studying the ten overlords. Once I am confident I can defeat them, I will use the remaining 30 days to hunt them," Karsha said, revealing his grand n. Of course, he didn''t mention that he would be taking it easy for the first couple of weeks since the system would activate 14 days after he entered the ind. "Sounds like a very simple n. I hope all goes well," Xian said before lowering his head. "Don''t worry, Xian. I''ve been through worse; the ind is no different. I just have to stay alert and avoid wandering into the territory of any of the overlords until I am confident I can face them." "I know that, big bro. But be careful. My grandpa said that ce is no joke." "I will, and don''t worry. I''ll bring back a lot of goodies for you and June here," Karsha said with a smile. "Sounds weird. Just call me June," Elder June, who was finally beginning to feel morefortable around Karsha, said. After all, she was only 45 years old. Karsha, of course, epted the offer. Shortly after, they entered a shop where Karsha would purchase the skills necessary to survive on the ind. His choice today would determine the oue in theing days. Whether he selected the right skills or not would ultimately decide if he could survive the ind and return. Chapter 36 The Eight Elemental Skill Books "Wee to the Happy Skill Books Shop. How may I be of service today?" a youngdy greeted Karsha and hispanions with a polite smile as they entered the store. "We are looking to buy some skill books," Karsha replied, ncing at the neatly arranged shelves. "And what kind of skills are you hoping to buy today?" the shop attendant asked. "Sword skills will do. I want ones rted to the elements," Karsha replied. He didn''t want any fancy skills since he only intended to assimte them into the [Red Eye Tiger] skill. He could merge the skills he learned into the Red Eye Tiger skill, giving him the offensive power he craved. Currently, he was only using basic sword skills he had learned back in the pit and the forest. He didn''t have any particrly offensive sword skills. So, with the ability to merge or blend newly acquired skills into a single one, he knew he had to choose the right ones. From his master''s legacy, Karsha knew the best way to approach the unknown was to be prepared on multiple fronts. He didn''t know the attributes of the snakes he would be facing, so he aimed to learn skills associated with all eight elements: Fire, Water, Wind, Ice, Light, Darkness, Earth, and Lightning. Every living being can wield one or more elements if they have an affinity for them. Most people can control only a single element. However, with Karsha''s system that allows him to learn new skills, he knew he would be able to master all elements, regardless of his natural affinities. "Karsha, you do know that unless you have an affinity for an element, you wouldn''t be able to learn its skills and spells," Elder June said. "I know that, but since I don''t know whether I have an affinity or not, I have to give it a try. Who knows, maybe I will get lucky." Karsha, of course, wouldn''t disclose the system''s identity and prowess to anyone. Because of the system, he had learned a Divine technique in less than five minutes. Who''s to say he wouldn''t be able to learn elemental skills without needing an affinity for them? The shop attendant led them to a section filled with skill books rted to the elements. Karsha began scanning the titles, looking for ones that would best suit his needs and integrate well with his Red Eye Tiger skill. As he examined the books, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of anticipation. Each skill he acquired would bring him one step closer to mastering the elements and ensuring his survival on Snake Ind. "These are all the elemental skill books we have. They''re rare and hard to acquire," the shop attendant emphasized, ensuring Karsha understood their rarity. "Feel free to browse and choose the ones you want," he added, refraining from mentioning the price since Karsha hadn''t asked. Xian, however, wasn''t one to overlook a potential scam. "How much does a skill book cost?" he inquired. The shop attendant paused for a moment before responding, "A skill book is priced at 5,000 spirit stones for Tier 1 and 10,000 spirit stones for Tier 2, following that order. However, there''s a discount for those purchasing more than five books at once," he exined. Karsha, now holding the books in his hand, was surprised to see their details and even an option to learn them without buying them. However, Karsha wasn''t one to steal from the poor, so he refrained from doing so. Of course, it would be a different case for people like the Varon Family, who were the sole reason he was now pursuing skill books. After reviewing all the books, Karsha selected the eight he wanted. < Skill: Lightning Strike > Tier: Tier 2 -- Infuse your sword with lightning and thunder, enabling precise strikes. Each sword strike releases a potent lightning bolt, dealing damage proportional to the skill''s potency and the wielder''s mastery of the element. ============== < Skill: Darkness Aura > Tier: 2 -- Harness the darkness surrounding you through your sword, striking your target with ominous force. The attack carries a 40% chance of triggering "Darkness Devourer," which steadily consumes 5% of the target''s HP per second for 10 seconds. ============== < Skill: Fire Beam > Tier: 3 -- By expending Mana, the swordsman envelops their de in mes. Each sword strike leaves behind a lingering ze, continually draining the target''s health as long as the wielder maintains Mana. ============== < Skill: Illuminate > Tier: 2 -- "Where there is darkness, there must also be light." Drive your sword into the ground, creating a vortex of illuminating energy that dispels all darkness. Enemies imbued with dark elements suffer a debuff of 30% on all stats for 2 minutes. ============== < Skill: Earth Spike > Tier: 3 -- By shing with the sword, the earth responds, birthing razor-sharp spikes that erupt from the ground, piercing the target with lethal force. When in muddy terrain, the wielder can transmute the mud into quicksand, consuming the target without resistance. ============== < Skill: Wind de > Tier: 3 -- Harnessing both wind and Mana, execute a swift sword sh, unleashing a razor-sharp arc of air that silently strikes the target, bypassing their senses. -- Mastery of this ability demands focus and a deepprehension of wind patterns to execute the strike effectively. ============= < Skill: Water Domain > Tier: 3 -- Drawing upon the water element, the user can manifest a domain of swordsposed of water. Each sword within the domain carries 70% of the wielder''s attack power. -- Remaining within the sword domain grants the wielder a 20% buff if the target stays within for 20 seconds. -- Furthermore, the wielder gains a 50% buff if the target fails tond a clean attack within 60 seconds of entering the domain. < This domain can integrate with any other domains the wielder possesses > ============== < Skill: Ever Freezing Ice Domain > Tier: 4 -- With a single sword sh, the area within 300 meters of the caster is enveloped in freezing ice. Any targets within this domain suffer an instant 50% debuff for 10 seconds, diminishing to 25% over the next 60 seconds. -- Additionally, the domain can immobilize enemies by conjuring rapidly rising pirs of ice through sessive sword shes. < This domain canbine with any other domains the wielder possesses > ================ "This will do for now," remarked Karsha after carefully selecting the eight skills he intended to purchase. Despite being only Tier 2 and 3, the skills were impressive, and with the Red Eye Tiger boosting them even further, he knew he had made a good choice. Take the Water Domain skill, for instance. Not only would he receive a buff when an enemy was within the domain for 20 seconds, but he would also gain a further buff if the enemy failed tond an attack within the subsequent 60 seconds. In total, he would enjoy a 70% buff within a minute if the enemy failed to attack or escape the domain. The buff would continue for as long as the domain remained active. Then, there was the Ever Freezing Ice Domain skill, where the target would lose a whopping 50% of their stats for 10 seconds. This effect,bined with the Water Domain effect, would ensure Karsha had the upper hand for at least 10 seconds. While he might be receiving a 70% buff to his stats, the target would be suffering a 50% debuff. If Karsha yed his cards right and was able to trap the enemy for 60 seconds, he would be able to deal significant damage before the 10 seconds ran out.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ''Maybe I should buy more domain skills in the future,'' Karsha mused inwardly, feeling satisfied with his find. "I now need assassin skills, but with the Blink skill, I don''t think anything here will surpass that," he added. The Blink skill was indeed the best there was. He could time his target, and when they became vulnerable, he would blink and appear behind them,nding a deadly strike before blinking away. ''I am still at a disadvantage here, but with the Red Eye Tiger Skill, I can at least run away if need be.'' "I''ll take these eight," Karsha said, handing the skill books to the shop attendant. He nced around to see if there were any other skills that caught his eye, but nothing seemed promising. "Good skill books are only found in auctions. The ones here are merely the basics," Xian remarked, indicating to Karsha that they wouldn''t find anything exceptional in this shop. Selling skill books in regr stores wasn''t profitable; however, in auctions, where multiple buyerspeted for the same item, sellers could fetch much higher prices. "Should we go to an auction house and try our luck?" Karsha suggested, but Xian shook his head. "There''s no auction today, at least not in this city. Plus, we don''t have the money to bid for any skills even if we went." "Buy this one; I''ll ask Father to give you any skill book of your choosing when we go back," Elder June chimed in. As the daughter of the sect master, she knew just how many skill books were in her father''s possession. While some may not be useful to Karsha, she was confident he could still find some sword skills. "Thank you," Karsha thanked her politely and then paid 100,000 spirit stones before leaving with the books. He was given a 10,000 spirit stone discount on his purchase, leaving him with 21,300 spirit stones. As they passed by some pastry shops, Karsha spent 10,000 spirit stones on pastries and dry bread that couldst for some time. Of course, these were not ordinary mortal foods, so they were expensive. Not knowing the true value of monster meats, he spent another 10,000 on fried chickens, intending to use them as bait while eating the rest. Initially, he had contemted killing the spy tailing him, and using his body parts. However, given the unforeseen turn of events, he had no choice but to consider alternative strategies for the time being. Chapter 37 Moments before stepping into the Island "Chin up, Xian; that ce is no different from what I survived this past year," Karsha said as he stood before a portal swirling with blue and white colors. He was about to enter Snake Ind, but before doing so, he needed to calm the young man he had taken a liking to. "Just do me a favor; don''t go out so these idiots won''t have a chance to do anything to you." As the saying goes, a dying man knows no fear. Karsha, who was about to enter the portal, knew he was literally walking into the lion''s den, so he didn''t care who he insulted; after all, his chances of survival were slim. Hugh Varon, standing a few meters away, clenched his fists in frustration. Not only did the boy have a smug and rxed look, but he also had the guts to insult an entire great family and get away with it. He had hoped to see a scared boy, but he was disappointed. Karsha, who had spent thest two days preparing, was confident he would be able to survive the next 14 days until his system activated with a new upgrade. During the past two days, he had done many things, from learning new skills to practicing for a few hours. He wanted to be familiar with the skills since his first 14 days depended on them. He found out that once the skills were added to the Red Eye Tiger skill, they received a buff of a Tier 10 skill. However, although the skills were now elevated to Tier 10, he could not unleash their full might with his current strength. He would only be able to unleash their true power if he managed to upgrade them to higher tiers and he also bes stronger. But even with this setback, Karsha was satisfied. He was now confident he could handle Tier 6 monsters without too much struggle. He noticed that as he added more skills to the Red Eye Tiger skill, his speed also increased slightly. He also concocted more pills, and with Master Artemis''s help, he managed to stockpilerge quantities of Mana Recovery Pills, Stamina Pills, Health Pills, Agility Pills, and various antidotes. He was really grateful to the old man. Since they were just transacting, Karsha took the list of snake venoms the old man wanted and promised he would do his best to get them for him. The old man even took him to a restricted section of the alchemy guild where Karsha was allowed to pick one treasure. It wasn''t a difficult choice for him since he knew exactly what to choose. < Aura Concealer > -- Conceals anything that produces any form of scent. That was the description of the Rare-ranked item he was allowed to select. He knew crafting pills on the ind would attract attention, so he intended to conceal the aroma for as long as he could. This was also why he learned to reduce the time it took him to concoct a single pill. After finishing up at the alchemy guild, they went back to the sect. Surprisingly, the old man and his apprentice came along. Back at the sect, the Elders and the Sect Master also gave him the treasures they possessed. Unfortunately for Karsha, in Quinox, transferring an Avatares with a cost to ordinary cultivators, especially if the person transferring it has already contracted with the Avatar. So he wasn''t able to get any Avatar, but he did receive life-saving treasures from Elder Chen and Elder Ben. [ Elder Chens Treasure ] < Lotus Blossom > Rank: Legendary Category: Life-Saving Treasure -- Sit in a lotus posture and activate the treasure. Petals of the Lotus flower will blossom and create a protective dome around the user. This dome Can withstand attacks from Tier 8 monsters and below for 6 days. Cooldown: 30 days ======================== [ Elder Ben''s Treasure ] < Life Switch > Rank: Legendary Category: Life-Saving treasure -- Find a safe ce and put the artifact down. Wherever you are, when in danger, just will it, and you will be teleported back to where the artifact is. Note: The artifact won''t work if the location you are in has been sealed. Cooldown: 20 days ======================== The two treasures were legendary items, meaning Karsha would be walking onto the ind with two legendary life-saving artifacts. As if that wasn''t enough, Sect Master Xu also gave him a legendary item, but it wasn''t a life-saving artifact. < Attack Nullifier > Rank: Legendary Category: Defense -- Activate once every 5 days for 5 seconds to defend against any form of attack. ======================== A simple artifact but one that could save him in dangerous moments. Elder Lin also gave him some antidotes and potions, each with its own effects. In all, Karsha was able to acquire some great items from the Elders. Before he left, he asked to see Elder June''s mother, whom he intended to cure once he returned. The poison from the Blue Venom Serpentara, a Tier 9 monster, was extremely lethal. Upon inspection, Karsha realized the venom was slowly making its way to her heart. Before leaving, he wrote down the ingredients for a pill and gave them to Master Artemis. The pill would slow down the venom for a while. With his n to y all 10 overlords, he was confident he could cure herpletely once he returned. Strangely, a few hours before he left, Elder June, now back to her elderly self, gave him a space ring filled with arge number of fried beast meats, adding to Karsha''s supply of fried chicken. Karsha nearly fell back on his butt when he saw the enormous amount of meat inside the space ring. His reaction managed to force a small smile out of June, who was trying her best not to tear up. She had been observing Karsha for the past week, and he never ceased to surprise her. She also gave him a ne, which Karsha immediately hung around his neck. There was no description when he tried to inspect it, so he assumed it was just an ordinary ne. "Laugh all you want, brat. Your punishment is waiting for you just behind that portal," one of the elders from the Varon family said, also clenching his fist in anger. "Nah, I don''t think so. I happen to have a perfectyout of the ce, so I''ll do just fine," Karsha replied with a wry smile. This further fueled the fire of anger burning in the hearts of the Varon family representatives. Even Vance, standing behind his father, continued to grit his teeth in anger. Like everyone else, he wanted to see a scared boy. However, Karsha didn''t give them that satisfaction. "Go on, kid. We''ll be waiting right here when you get back," Master Artemis said with a sly smile. He apuded Karsha''s confidence in his heart. Not everyone would appear that calm in the face of danger. However, Karsha didn''t just surprise him with his intelligence and finesse in the field of alchemy; he also showcased his warrior side and even continued to mock an entire Great Family. If only they knew that Karsha used to be a mortal without any special powers, yet he stood and faced thousands of enemies on the front line with nothing but guns and bombs. And he continued to do so almost every day of his life beforeing to their world. To Karsha, the term "danger" holds little weight. He has long made peace with all forms of peril. The only thing he fears is failing his family and those he cares about.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om While others perceive the snakes on the ind as hazardous, Karsha sees them as obstacles hindering his path to his destination. Just as he confronts obstacles, he is prepared to face the ind too. "Hey brat, if you don''t die on that ind, I will kill you myself," Vance, unable to tolerate Karsha''s antics any longer, roared at the top of his voice. "Keep quiet. The adults are talking," Karsha, seizing the opportunity to further provoke Vance, replied with a wry smile. Vance, unable to contain his anger, charged at him, but he was too slow. Karsha had already unsheathed his swords and jumped into the portal freely. "So long, motherfuckers." That was thest thing Vance heard before the portal closed. It would open again in 60 days'' time. While the Varon Family elders retreated back to the city, the Elders, Sect Master Xu, Master Artemis, his apprentice Xian, and Elder June remained behind. They had already made preparations, so they would be there for the next 60 days. "That kid never ceases to surprise me," Master Artemis said as he settled back in an armchair. "I can''t wait to see the surprise he will bring back this time." "You sound like he will survive ande back without a single scratch," Elder Chen asked. "Haven''t you noticed? The kid isn''t scared of the ind; on the contrary, it seems like he wants to go there for something. It''s as if something is pulling him there," Master Artemis answered, causing others who had the same assumption to arch their eyebrows. "So it wasn''t just me. It seems you all noticed the same thing," he added. "Whatever it is that wants him to go to the ind, I''m sure that when he returns, he''ll be a force to reckon with." "Maybe I should give my niece to him so that we can form some familial bond," Master Artemis said, but immediately after uttering those words, a murderous gazended on him, making the old man instantly retract that thought. Sect Master Xu and the Elders who saw June''s actions couldn''t help but smile. It seems their angel has fallen for someone." =========== [ Back to the heavens ] The old man gazed down for a quick second before smiling, "Good luck, kid. You are about to embark on your first adventure. Show me what you''ve got." Chapter 38 The Island, The Map, and Ayarr Karsha expected to find himself amidst a nest of snakes when he leaped into the portal. To his surprise, he emerged in a forest with trees towering 200 meters tall. However, appearing in a safe ce didn''t prompt him to rx or lower his guard. Clutching his swords tightly, he began to navigate through the forest, searching for a suitable location where he could settle down and prepare for the primary purpose of his journey. He had many objectives to achieve during the 60 days he would spend there. First, he needed to find a secure haven to rest and establish a camp. Then, he would seek out various snakes below the Tier 5 rank and extract their venom for antidotes. With antidotes for various snake venoms, he knew he would be able to move without worrying about sumbing to a snake bite. After that, he started looking for the Tier 5 snakes from which Master Artemis wanted him to extract the venom. He also aimed to locate the section where the Purple Tail Anacondas resided, ensuring he avoided it since he was confident the snakes wouldn''t appreciate his presence. After all, his ancestors may have caused them to lose some of their kin, so a human suddenly appearing there will be seen as a threat, and they might retaliate instantly. He is weak now, so he ns to stick to the levels he can manage and only dive deeper when he is up for it. "This ce is safer than people paint it to be." Of course, Karsha had to jinx it. "I spoke too soon." Lying on the ground with its head raised one meter in the air is a Tier 4 snake, flicking its tongue in anticipation. The details of the snake immediately appeared before his eyes. < Grey Scale Cobra > Level: Tier 4N?v(el)B\\jnn HP: 12,000 Attack Power: 256 - 410 Defense: 460 Skills: Lethal dash, Tail strike Karsha sighed when he saw the details of the snake in front of him. He anticipated facing another mutant or Tier 6 monster, but upon seeing the snake''s details, he knew he could take it down in one go. "So long, Mr. Snake," Karsha said before activating the Red Eye Tiger skill. He didn''t use any of the elemental skills he had learned, since the speed and his sword alone were enough to deal with the beast. The snake didn''t even see when or how it happened, as the only thing it saw when its head fell to the ground was the lifeless 8-meter-tall body lying t. < Ding! Congrattions on killing a Tier 4 Grey Scale Cobra. 10,000 Exp added, 10 Stat points added > It all happened so fast. Karsha walked over to the head and extracted the venom, storing both the Core and body in his space ring. Without anything else impeding him, he started moving slowly in no particr direction. He was just wandering, searching for a safe ce. With no map in hand, he decided to move in random directions, hoping to find somewhere he could rest for a few hours. "At this pace, I''ll be able to map out the whole forest. Maybe I should create a map and sell it when I get out of this ce," Karsha mused. Two hours passed in the blink of an eye, but he couldn''t find any safe ce to rest. Stopping by a tree, Karsha drank some water before assuming a meditation posture. He had covered a lot of ground in various directions, and with his photographic memory, he was able to map out the ces he had already been, preventing him from repeating patterns. However, the moment he closed his eyes, he heard a hissing sound emanating from behind him. Instantly, he stood up and turned, only to find another Grey Scale Cobra charging at him. "Another one," Karsha muttered, immediately activating his skill. With a swift motion, he disappeared from his spot, reappearing behind the snake, cleanly severing its head. His speed was everything, so he ensured he didn''t miss a beat when he activated it. He extracted the venom and, without any dy, stored the body in his space ring. Because of the sudden appearance of another Grey Scale Cobra, Karsha decided the ce wasn''t safe for meditation. Picking a random direction, he began heading there. Thirty minutes into his walk, he encountered another Grey Scale Cobra. After killing it, he realized he had stepped into the territory of the Grey Scale Cobras. But with no way out, he had to stick to his n of finding a ce to rest. Luckily for him, the sun was still shining, so he didn''t suffer any sneak attacks from the snakes. Also, he didn''t have an antidote for the Grey Scale Cobra venom, so adding to his schedule, he knew he had to find a ce where he could make an antidote for the poison as soon as possible. But even after five whole hours, he couldn''t chance upon any safe location, so he kept moving. He had to find a safe ce before nightfall, or else he would be in trouble. After moving for another two hours and killing close to ten Tier 4 Grey Scale Cobras, he finally encountered a Tier 5 one. With the sun now setting on the horizon, Karsha knew he was running out of time. So, activating his skill, he blinked and appeared behind the beast. With the Red Eye Tiger skill in overdrive, the Tier 5 snake didn''t even notice his sudden movement. < Ding! Congrattions on killing a Tier 5 Grey Scale Cobra. 20,000 Exp added, 20 Stat points added > "What''s this?" Karsha muttered when his gazended on an orb on the floor where the head of the Tier 5 Grey Scale Cobra hadnded. He walked close to it and picked it up. After admiring it for a few seconds, he gently tightened his grip around it, but to his surprise, the orb shattered, and a scroll appeared in his hands. < Ding! Congrattions on obtaining a drop: Map of the Snake Ind > Immediately, a window appeared before his eyes. < Map of Snake Ind > Rank: Epic Category: Map Blue Mark: Safe Zone (Tier 1) Green Mark: Average Zone (Tier 2, 3, and 4) ck Mark: Danger Zone (Tier 5 and 6) Red Mark: Cmity Zone (Dangerous Snakes) [Additionally, the map has a quest that, ifplete, new features with be added like the location of the Ten Overlords and more] < Quest > < Survive a night in an Average zone and kill 40 monsters. ----------------- "Even half active, yet you never cease to surprise me," Karsha, new to all this, muttered with a smile. "I''ll do the questter. First, I need to find a ce to settle down." Saying that, he opened the map. Surprisingly, like a GPS map back on Earth, a marker of his current location could be seen on the map. He also noticed a green mark and some blue marks, but they were all far from him. Then, he used his finger to move the map like a touchscreen. Once the marker moved, he realized he was standing in the middle of a danger zone, so without any hesitation, he started blinking toward a green mark that wasn''t too far from him. "Let me find a blue marker first, and then I can go there. Even if I don''t find a safe zone now, I can survive the night since they are all Tier 1." After stopping at the green marker, Karsha, who was well-versed in using maps, started surveying the surroundings. "Aha, this ce will do for the night." Tracing the location, he began moving. After two minutes, he arrived in front of a small waterfall with a cave right behind the flowing water. "Cobras are not known to be strong swimmers, so I''m confident this ce will be safe for the night," Karsha said. He then stored the map in his inventory and began walking toward the cave. Karsha sighed after inspecting the whole cave without finding any danger. "Let me rest for now and start making antidotes for the quest." Saying that, Karsha lit up a dim candle he had bought, which was meant to act as a snake repellent. But with his senses sharp as ever, he knew that even in his sleep, the slightest threat would be detected by his senses. He then slipped into sleep, ignoring the Tier 1 snakes that might chance upon him in the cave. ============ [ An unknown Area ] "What is it, Mother?" A youngdy with eyes reminiscent of a snake asked when she saw her mother twitch and then gaze in a specific direction. After a whole minute without saying anything, the woman sighed. "A human has entered the ind, and he is currently in the section of that maniac," she spoke, her disdain evident regarding the overlord in the section Karsha was currently in. "You mean the Scalecrusher section, the Serpent Spire?" the youngdy asked. "Yes," the woman answered. "Should I eliminate him?" thedy asked, brimming with confidence. "No, go and observe him from a distance. The moment you realize he is a threat to our kin, kill him without a second thought," the woman replied. "I will do as you say, Mother," the youngdy said. She then stood up and started heading toward Karsha''s location. "Sister Ayarr, I want toe with you!" a young girl, about 12 years old, shouted when she saw the youngdy. Unlike her elder sister, who had the appearance of a human except for her eyes, the young girl still retained some snake scales on her neck and arms. "Starr, where I am going is dangerous, so stay here and protect Mother with your amazing skills," Ayarr said, cupping both cheeks of the little girl. "Okay, Sister Ayarr. But bring me something good when you return." "I will. Now, off you go. Go y with the others." With that, Ayarr melded into the shadows and disappeared. Chapter 39 The Book, The Pill, The Enlightenment, and The Reward "I should be sleeping by now," Karsha muttered as he narrowed his gaze at the five Tier 5 Grey Scale Cabras. Two stood before him while the remaining three circled around him. He had woken up around 5 a.m. and spent three hours concocting two different types of antidotes for the Grey Scale Cabra venom. Both were King-grade pills with 99% purity. He didn''t want to waste time making Earth-grade pills. However, during the process, he couldn''t shake the feeling that he was undermining his own potential. He didn''t fully understand the sensation, but since he was in a hurry, he ignored it and proceeded with the King-grade pills. "Let me try the ice domain skill and see." Saying that Karsha swung his sword, and immediately, the 200 meters around him froze in pure ice. It happened in an instant, clearly influenced by the Red Eye Tiger skill. The five snakes within 10 meters of him felt their movements restricted, making Karsha smile before he dashed toward the two in front of him. He had ten seconds to kill the five snakes, now akin to Tier 3 snakes, since their stats had been reduced by 50% thanks to the domain skill debuff. With a quick sh of his sword, the heads of the two snakes fell. He then blinked and appeared beside one of the three remaining, delivering the same precise strike. Thest two didn''t get a chance to attack; before they could act, Karsha was already behind them,nding a lethal sword strike. However, when thest snake fell, Karsha sensed the presence of other Tier 5 snakes within the 200-meter domain. He could even feel their movements. Some were fleeing the domain, while the brave ones were heading in Karsha''s direction. "So that''s how it works. I can pinpoint the location of anything within the domain," Karsha realized. Noticing a new feature of the domain, he started moving toward the snakes within the area, and like the others, with a single sh, their heads fell. The snakes couldn''t do anything to him, even when the 50% debuff was reduced to 25%. Although some managed to shoot out their venom, Karsha, moving at heightened speed, dodged those attacks easily. "That will be thest of them," he muttered after killing the 12th snake. "What do we have here?" Karsha said as he picked up an orb from the ground. He shattered it just as he had with the first one, and instantly, a small book appeared in his palm. Boldly written on the cover was the title: "Know the Skills and Weaknesses of the Scalecrusher Mutant Overlord." Karsha inspected the cover for a few seconds, but no message appeared, so he proceeded to open it. However, the moment he did, the system window appeared. < Ding! Congrattions on acquiring 1 out of 10 pieces of the Book of Annihtion > < Gather all ten pieces toplete the Book of Annihtion > < Book of Annihtion > -- The ten overlords, also known as the ten barbarians of the outer sections of Snake Ind, have ruled with an iron fist for long. Gather all ten pieces and learn the skills and weaknesses of the ten overlords. Gossip: Legend has it that killing Tier 5 mutant snakes will produce the pieces. "This seems fun, but it has to wait for now. I need to break through first before doing anything reckless like going to all ten sections just for a piece of a book," Karsha said, storing the book in his inventory. He then proceeded to store all the bodies while checking for other drops. However, his luck wasn''t good, and he found nothing. "It''s still too early to stop. I guess I will continue exploring the danger zone. With the domain, I should be fine against a Tier 6 monster," he muttered under his breath before walking toward the east. After seeing the effect of the domain, Karsha knew he would be able to hold his own against a Tier 6 snake. Unless, of course, there were more than one, in which case he would need an exit strategy. After moving for about 1 km, he stopped and activated his water domain upon encountering three Tier 5 snakes. Simr to the ice domain, the water domain also imposed a 25% debuff on the snakes, which were struck by hundreds of water swords hovering above Karsha. There was no evading it. When the water swords struck the three snakes, their speed and defenses were lowered by 25%, allowing Karsha to effortlessly dispose of them with one swift move. "No drops again," Karsha said after inspecting all three bodies. He then stored them before moving further into the forest. But no matter how many snakes he killed, his luck just wasn''t good enough. After five hours of hunting, he went back to the cave. "I guess I will spend the next few days trying to raise the purity level of my King-grade pills," he decided. Realizing he needed to kill time, Karsha opted to use the days ahead to improve his alchemy skills. He returned to his small waterfall residence. Initially, he thought a King-grade pill with at least 90% purity would be enough to cure June''s mother. But after inspecting her condition, he realized he needed to concoct at least a Rank 5 Earth-grade pill with 97% or higher purity topletely nullify the poison. "I need to raise my purity level to at least 98% if I want to save Elder June''s mother," he muttered before retrieving the Lonely Cauldron from his spiritual space ring. He rubbed it, letting the cauldron know they were about to create pills. After heating the cauldron for a while to ensure it was ready, Karsha retrieved the required ingredients, enough to craft three pills. "Devil''s Breath, let''s surprise the heavens." He summoned the green mes, which danced on his palm, eager to show the heavens the might of its master, the youngest Grandmaster alchemist. After heating the cauldron for a few minutes more, he threw in the ingredients and began heating it again, starting the process of extracting the medicinal essence from them. Since he aimed to raise the purity level from 94%, he made sure he didn''t make any mistakes. The extraction took him 20 minutes, which was reasonable for someone of his skill level. After all, he wasn''t the Divine Alchemist, who could do it within a minute. "Let''s solidify and ensure no impurities enter this time." As if understanding his words, the cauldron and me started reacting. The cauldron shook gently, and the me further enveloped it. Focused on controlling the me, Karsha felt his understanding deepening rapidly. Tapping into this newfound rity, he began controlling the me in ways he hadn''t tried before. Unbeknownst to him, the taming speech wasn''t solely for taming; it went beyond that. For some reason, his understanding of this speech had risen to new heights, allowing him tomunicate with almost anything. So when he asked the cauldron and the me to help him, they listened. What was happening now was the result of his brain absorbing the knowledge from the cauldron and the me, transmitted to him via the ''Taming Speech.'' (Authors Note: In future chapters, more light will be shed on this mysterious speech.) The process continued for ten minutes, during which Karsha''s control of the me and cauldron rose to a remarkable level. Two minutes after the process ended, the cauldron shook, and a white light shot into the sky. Karsha, sitting in front of the cauldron, didn''t even flinch as his consciousness had left his body; he had entered enlightenment. He remained seated in the same spot while a pure white pill hovered before him. The scent of the pill spread throughout the forest, attracting many snakes. However, most of them didn''t know where to go and simply continued to enjoy the aroma of the pill. ===========N?v(el)B\\jnn [Deep within the Forest] A veryrge, terrifying snake raised its head as a white light suddenly appeared in the sky. It flicked its tongue for a few seconds before retreating into its cave. However, three Tier 6 Grey Scale Cobras began moving toward the light as it entered the cave. At their current pace, they would arrive within the hour, but Karsha, sitting at the center of all this, remained motionless. Simr scenes urred in nine different locations, but once they discovered the light wasing from the Scalecrusher quadrant, they didn''t bother dispatching their people to investigate. After 45 minutes, the three snakes appeared a kilometer from Karsha. They stopped and gazed in the direction of the small waterfall. Once they confirmed the location of the person who triggered the white light, they started moving closer. However, when they got within 200 meters of Karsha, a beautiful youngdy appeared out of thin air. "Hiss!" The three snakes hissed, their pupils constricting as they charged at Ayarr, who had a small smile on her lips. She had been following Karsha for the past week, per her mother''s orders, only to act when she sensed Karsha posed a threat to the Purple Tail Anacondas. After a full day of following Karsha, all she had seen was a weak human somehow killing their enemies, so she allowed it to go but kept a close eye on him. When the light beamed up, she sensed that Karsha wasn''t ordinary, so she got close to inspect what he was doing. However, her warrior side awakened when she sensed he had entered enlightenment, prompting her to stand guard. Although she was a snake in human form, she knew what enlightenment was and how dangerous it was to disturb someone in such a state. To her surprise, three Tier 6 cobras appeared out of nowhere. This alone added to her happiness since she would get to kill three of her enemies while maintaining her integrity as a warrior. She faced off against the three Cobras while Karsha remained enlightened the whole time. ============ [ 4 hourster ] "What the heck!" Karsha shouted at the top of his voice the moment he opened his eyes. Lying before him were three Tier 6 Grey Scale Cobras, barely breathing. Sensing something had happened, Karsha immediately began surveying the surroundings. After two minutes of scanning and finding nothing out of ce, he turned to the three snakes with a wry smile. "I don''t mind extracting some rewards from you lot," he said. With that, he engulfed his sword in mes before swiftly moving and killing the three snakes, which couldn''t even move their bodies. Chapter 40 The Three Drops < Ding! Congrattions, you have killed a Tier 6 Grey Scale Cobra. 40,000 Exp added, 400 Stat points added > < Ding! Congrattions, you have killed a Tier 6 Grey Scale Cobra. 40,000 Exp added, 400 Stat points added > < Ding! Congrattions, you have killed a Tier 6 Grey Scale Cobra. 40,000 Exp added, 400 Stat points added > Three messages appeared before Karsha''s vision after he dispatched the defenseless snakes. A smile crept onto the corner of his lips as he read through the messages. Unable to resist, he opened his status window to check how far he had progressed with the Exp and Attribute (Stat) point farming. < Name: Karsha Damon > < Age: 19 > < Sex: Male > < Race: Human > < ss: Berserker Swordsman (Locked) > < Title: None > < Bloodline: Berserker Mutant Tiger (66%) > < Realm: Master - Level 9 > < STR: 320 / AGL: 310 / HEA: 320 / STA: 320 > < Mana: 20000 > < Exp: 2000/30000 > Avable Stats: 21,000 Avable Exp: 803,000 < Technique > [ Tiger strike ] < Skills > [Imitate: Passive / [Thrust: Passive] / [Berserker Fury: Passive] - Locked / [Red Eye Tiger (Tier 10): SSS] "It seems the new skills have merged with the Red Eye Tiger skill. But what is that SSS? It was previously SS," Karsha wondered when he saw the unique upgrade to his skill. "Could it be that I have raised the level?" He pondered it again, but with no answer forting, he started poking around the Red Eye Tiger skill. Unlike techniques that cannot be upgraded to the next grade, skills have two ways of measurement. They can be in Tiers, which determine the strength of the skill, and Ratings, which determine the Mastery of the skill. However, Karsha has a system, so the sky isn''t even the limit. For most people, the Rank or Tier of a skill cannot be raised. So a Tier 10 skill will forever remain Tier 10, but not for someone like Karsha. However, their ratings can be raised. Skills are rated based on their Mastery. These ratings range from F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS, SSS+, SSE... The higher the ratings, the more the damage output. So, for Karsha to have a rating of SSS on one of his skills meant he could generate more output than someone with an A or B rating, despite them having the same Tier of skills. When he received the skill, it was only rated SS; however, after merging or assimting nine other skills into it, it finally managed to climb thedder to SSS. But that wasn''t all; the skills that had merged with the Red Eye Tiger could also be upgraded if Karsha continued to use them and his understanding continued to expand. In short, if he kept adding skills to the Red Eye Tiger, he would be able to raise the rating to SSS+ and even SSE. Additionally, by continuously using the skills that had been added, he would be able to raise their ratings, further strengthening the skills and adding to the already powerful output that the Red Eye Tiger would enhance. < Red Eye Tiger (Tier 10): SSE > -- [Lightning Strike (Tier 2): D] / [Darkness Aura (Tier 2): D] / [Fire beam (Tier 3): D] / [Illuminate (Tier 2): D] / [Earth Spike (Tier 3): D] / [Wind de (Tier 3): D] / [Water Domain (Tier 3): C] / [Ever Freezing Ice Domain (Tier 4): C] "Looks like using the skills often will increase their strength," Karsha remarked, quick to pick up on the reasons behind the alphabets. He smiled with satisfaction. So far, he has only used the water and ice domains, causing them to rise to a C rating while the others remain at D. Ayarr, concealed and watching Karsha, couldn''t help but wonder what the boy was up to. She continued to observe theplicated expressions appearing on Karsha''s face. However, since she intended to remain hidden, she refrained from taking any action, like asking him what was going on. "Looks like I''ve hit the jackpot this time around, three orbs." Heughed like a maniac before walking toward the three orbs. He picked the first one and shattered it. Immediately, Skinlike leather armor made from the skin of the Grey Scale Cobra appeared in his hands. The details of the armor immediately appeared. < Dark Scale Leather armor > Rank: Rare Category: Armor -- A light leather armor made from the skin of a Grey Scale Armor. Wearing this will meld with your skin, adding an extrayer of protection against physical attacks. -- Defense: +80 -- Strength: +50 -- Health: +100 Note: It has self-healing abilities, so damage to it will heal over time. "Good armor," Karsha remarked as he removed his ck leather armor and equipped the new one. True to the description, the armor melded and seemingly merged with Karsha''s skin, transforming it into that of a Grey Scale Cobra. His previous white skin now turned brownish with scales all over. The only parts unaffected were his arms and face. "This is great. I don''t even feel restricted in the slightest." After moving his joints a few times and ensuring the newly addedyer wouldn''t restrict his movement, he equipped his dark armor and proceeded to shatter the second orb. Instantly, a brown-covered skill book appeared in his hands. The cover bore the same pattern as the Grey Scale cobras, a brown scale in nature. < Ding! Congrattions on Obtaining a Tier 3 Skill book: Cobra Strike> < Skill: Cobra Strike > Rank: Tier 3 -- When the skill is activated, the user''s swords will be imbued with the venom of the Grey Scale Cobra. Every strike carries an amplified dose of this venom. -- 5% of the target''s HP will be drained for every sessful strike. -- Additionally, 15% of the target''s HP will be drained for every critical hit. < Does the host wish to learn his skill > -- Yes -- No ''Yes'' < Congrattions. You have learned a new Skill: Cobra Strike > < Does the host wish to add it to Red Eye Tiger Skill > -- Yes -- No "Yes," Karsha replied, having already witnessed the effect of the Red Eye Tiger on the new and weak skills. He quickly incorporated the new skill. He wasn''t a fool. The ce he was in now was extremely dangerous, and even though he had miraculously managed to kill three Tier 6 monsters without breaking a sweat, he sensed that something wasn''t right. Thus, he knew he had to strengthen himself while waiting for the system to activate his ss. ''I can''t always rely on the system since it has been unreliable for weeks. I need to get stronger.'' Looking at the three monstrous snakes stretching 12 meters long, he knew that if he were to face them, he wouldn''t stand a chance. He wasn''t that strong, and the fact that the system could go offline anytime made him start to see things differently. If he managed to gain some strength before the system came back online, he would be able to further enhance his abilities. In doing so, he would not only be more powerful but also gain confidence in himself. ''I need to start taking risks.'' He then picked up the third orb and shattered it. He expected something significant to appear; however, when the orb shattered, only a small vial of blood materialized in his palm. < Ding! Congrattions on obtaining the king-rank blood of a Grey Scale Cobra > < Grey Scale Cobra Blood (Consumable) > Rank: King -- Once consumed, the blood will temper the body and strengthen it, which will further add to the defense and strength of the consumer. -- +100 points will be added to all attributes -- Additional rewards will be added once the host consumes the blood. [Note: It is extremely painful when consuming blood, so prepare before consuming.] "Sounds like something I should consume right about now," Karsha mused. As an alchemist, he understood the effects of a potent body-tempering treasure, so he could discern that the blood was a good start. "After all, it''s king-grade blood. Who wouldn''t want to consume that?" Consumable bloodes in various ranks: Common, Rare, King, Saint, Sage, Monarch, Mystical, Divine, Primordial, Immortal, Supreme, Celestial, God... Therefore, the fact that he had just obtained king-rank blood meant he was more than fortunate. After storing the beasts in his space ring, Karsha sat down and drank the blood in one gulp. Immediately afterward, his pupils constricted and narrowed as he felt his body undergo a stretching sensation, akin to a taut rope. A few secondster, he experienced agonizing pain all over his skin, causing him to bite down on his lips as he endured it. His bones reformed, and his skin changed slightly, bing thicker and more resilient. As time passed, the pain intensified, yet Karsha showed no sign of giving up. With the blood coursing through him, he continued to absorb everyst drop, determined to gain all the additional benefits while fortifying himself.N?v(el)B\\jnn Twenty-four hours passed in the blink of an eye, yet he persisted in absorbing the blood. Forty-eight hours came and went, and slowly, five days psed, yet Karsha remained steadfast in the cave. However, on the seventh day, a booming sound resonated through the cave, sending dust flying out and catching Ayarr''s attention. She arched an eyebrow as she watched Karsha emerge from the cave with a new appearance. He had undergone noticeable changes. His previously slim body had gained some additional flesh, and his facial features had subtly transformed, turning the once average-looking Karsha into a more striking young man. His short red hair had grown slightly, now cascading behind him. However, the most prominent change was in his eyes. The once ocean-blue irises had shifted to a darker, bluish-red hue, and his eyelids now bore a slightly darker pigment, giving him a gaze that could captivate anyone''s attention. "Six days more, time to strengthen my skills," Karsha dered as he began to move back into the forest, where he would spend the next few days honing his skills and simultaneously enhancing their proficiency. Chapter 41 A Total Massacre (1) After spending seven days absorbing the king-grade blood from the Grey Scale Cobra, Karsha confidently and strongly walked out of the cave. His transformation had added ayer of protection to his defense and strength. Aside from his outward appearance, Karsha had undergone a significant internal transformation. His blood vessels had widened, allowing blood to flow more freely when channeling his energy. "I have be much stronger than before. Let me use thest few days before the system activates to gather some items," he thought. With both his armor and now-hardened body protecting him, he was confident he could handle a Tier 6 monster without relying on the domain. < Ding! You have sessfully absorbed the Blood of the Grey Scale Cobra > < +100 Stats points have been added to each attribute > < Additionally, +200 points have been added to all attributes after sessfully absorbing all the blood > < Further details will be revealed when the system reactivates > < Name: Karsha Damon > < Age: 19 > < Sex: Male > < Race: Human > < ss: Berserker Swordsman (Locked) > < Title: None > < Bloodline: Berserker Mutant Tiger (66%) > < Realm: Master - Level 9 > < STR: 670 / DEF: 700 / AGL: 610 / HEA: 720 / STA: 620 > < Mana: 6000 > < Exp: 2000/30000 > Avable Stats: 21,000 Avable Exp: 803,000 < Technique > [ Tiger strike ] < Skills > [Imitate: Passive / [Thrust: Passive] / [Berserker Fury: Passive] - Locked / [Red Eye Tiger (Tier 10): SSS] "This will do. I''ll stick to this section for now. When the system activates, I''llplete the breakthrough quest and then venture into the other sections to hunt down the pieces of the book while dealing with the old man''s venoms. Once I gather everything, I''ll make my move against the ten overlords," Karsha muttered as he gazed deep into the forest. "Let''s go kill some more snakes. Hando, I hope you have enough cash on you," he added, eager to sell the bodies of hundreds of snakes.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Karsha had amassed arge quantity of Tier 4 monsters and even a sizable pile of Tier 5 monsters. If he were to appear at the hunter guild right now, he would be the talk of the entire kingdom. Ayarr, observing Karsha closely, couldn''t help but be intrigued by his facial expressions. As a snake, concepts like gestures and expressions were rtively unfamiliar to her, so whenever Karsha disyed an expression, she made an effort to understand its meaning. Despite her efforts, Ayarr found herself unable to understand anything. However, that didn''t deter her from continuing to try, all the while keeping a watchful eye on Karsha as he finally stepped into the forest to farm for drops and experience points. Karsha needed skill books to enhance his Red Eye Tiger skill and treasures that could aid him during his battle with the overlords. With a week already passed, he knew he had to make adequate preparations first. Upon reaching the danger zone of the forest, Karsha unsheathed his sword and began searching for monsters to kill. It didn''t take long for him to spot his first target. Tapping into his Red Eye Tiger skill, he unleashed the lightning skill ''Lightning Strike.'' The lightning bolt shot from his sword, instantly immobilizing the Tier 5 Grey Scale Cobra, which didn''t have enough time to evade the attack. The lightning strike didn''t stop there. Once it immobilized the target, it started draining the monster''s HP. The longer the lightning danced around its body, the higher the HP consumption. Karsha, having witnessed the effect of the lightning strike, began strategizing how to use the skill more effectively. He knew using the ability in one-on-onebat would be a waste since a fast target could easily dodge each lightning bolt. ''What if I use this attack in the water domain? Wouldn''t that be a sight to see?'' he thought. Because the skills had been merged with the Red Eye Tiger, multiple abilities could be activated simultaneously. Thebination of water and lightning would be devastating for monsters but advantageous for him. Karsha knew he had to test this idea. He quickly disposed of the snake before moving deeper into the forest, ensuring he hadn''t entered any cmity zones. Ten minutester, he encountered another Tier 5 cobra. Since it was alone, he swiftly eliminated it before continuing his search. He needed multiple targets to see if he could use thebined attack on them. If sessful, he could further incorporate other skills, creating a new ability that would benefit from the Red Eye Tiger and thebined power of multiple different skills. If he managed to merge different skills thanks to the Red Eye Tiger, he would not only create a powerful new skill, but each time he leveled up his mastery of thebined skill, the individual skills would also receive a boost. "Hiss," Karsha, now deep in the danger zone of the forest, stopped in his tracks when he heard hissing soundsing from multiple directions. An evil grin spread across his face as he spotted the first three targets. They were all Tier 5 monsters, causing him to smile widely. He knew that selling one of those creatures would fetch him a substantial amount of spirit stones. Additionally, it was moments like these when he typically obtained valuable drops. Despite the three monsters standing in front of him and multiple targets encircling him, he still wore a happy smile. ''I hope this works,'' he thought inwardly before activating the water domain, which instantly spread across the 200 meters around him. Without wasting any time, he activated the Lightning Strike. Initially, he expected the attacks to shoot forward randomly. However, the moment the lightning strike entered his sword, the hundreds of water swords hovering above him were immediately imbued with lightning. Seeing this, Karsha''s grin widened. Thebined effect of water and lightning was visually stunning and incredibly powerful. Each lightning-charged water sword became a deadly projectile, capable of striking multiple enemies simultaneously. The Tier 5 monsters didn''t stand a chance as the electrified water swords rained down upon them, immobilizing and draining their HP rapidly. With the debuff effect active, the monsters didn''t stand a chance. The moment the water swordsnded on them, 25% of their stat points were drained. Additionally, since the swords were imbued with lightning, the electrical effect was triggered, further depleting their HP. Initially, Karsha thought he would have to move to take down the immobilized targets. However, when the effect was triggered, he was shocked. Instead of the targets losing small amounts of HP, the effect intensified, and within 10 seconds, all ten monsters were drained of their HP and died. ''Does this mean I''ve already be this strong?'' he wondered. While he understood that some of the effects came from the domain, he knew it shouldn''t be that powerful. The only logical conclusion was that his newfound strength had significantly enhanced the lightning strike skill, meaning his attack power had increased dramatically. Skills used within a domain are typically more powerful than when used outside of it, but the attack power he witnessed was beyond his expectations. ''I need to experiment with this before adding any new skills to it,'' Karsha thought. As a soldier, he understood the importance of thoroughly understanding his weapons before using them in battle. He walked toward the bodies and started inspecting them, looking for drops. However, after checking all ten bodies, he didn''t find anything, so he stored them and continued moving further into the forest. With his ability to instantly activate multiple skills, he began his massacre while experimenting with every variation of the Water Domain and Lightning Strikebination. He managed toe up with four variations. The first variation was [Water Carpet]. He discovered that the swords could be dissolved by wetting the floor. With the lightning dancing on the surface, all targets within a 200-meter radius would receive a 25% debuff, and the intensifying lightning would take care of the rest. The second variation was [Lightning Rain]. When the domain is active, the water swords turn into rain droplets imbued with lightning. There is no escaping or dodging this, as the entire domain would be filled with an endless rain of lightning and electricity. The third variation was [Lightning Spear]. Using the domain, he could pinpoint the locations of his targets. Once pinpointed, he would directly tap into the lightning and create spears. Each spear carried 70% of his attack power, so with the debuff on the monsters, it only took a few seconds for them to sumb. While his techniques might not kill a Tier 6 monster or even a Tier 5 mutant outright, Karsha knew he could render them immobile for a few seconds, giving him enough time tond a killing blow. Thest variation was the strongest but slightly dangerous. While the domain would instantly reduce the target''s stats by 25%, if he managed to keep them in the domain for 20 seconds, he would receive a 25% buff. If he remained untouched for 60 seconds, he would gain an additional 60% buff. With an 80% buff, he knew he could potentially kill multiple Tier 6 targets if he yed his cards right. Thisst variation was called [Water Buff Dy]. All he had to do was keep the targets in the domain for 60 seconds. Once he got the 80% buff, he would be able to kill all his targets without needing to use any other skills. With these four variations, he ventured further into the forest, leaving bodies in his wake. Ayarr, observing from afar, smiled beautifully when she saw Karsha killing her enemies. The Purple Tail Anaconda hated all other snakes since they were the sole cause of death to her kin. So, seeing Karsha kill them without any reservations, she began to like him a little, though not enough to lose sight of her objective. After killing over a hundred Tier 5 snakes and obtaining only three drops, Karsha finally encountered his first Tier 6 Cobra. "Human, you have some gutsing here," the snake spoke, to his surprise. "I will make sure you suffer before taking you to my lord," the snake hissed as it dashed at Karsha, who wore an evil grin. "I''d love to meet your lord," he replied before activating the water domain skill Chapter 42 A Total Massacre (2) nk! "What the fuck" Karsha shouted when his sword, instead of cutting the skin of Tier 6, produced a nking sound rather. He had engaged in closebat with the Tier 6 Cobra for the past 5 minutes, yet he wasn''t able to deal any significant damage. "How strong are you?" He muttered before checking since he didn''t have much time to check before the snake attacked. < Grey Scale Cobra > Level: Tier 6 HP: 65,000 Attack Power: 780 ~ 1100 Defense: 860 Skills: Lethal dash, Tail strike, Poison shot, Poison beam, Metal Body "Too strong," Karsha muttered. Even with the buff from the water domain, he couldn''tnd any decisive attacks; all his sword strikes that managed to connect felt like they were hitting metal armor. ''What is this snake made of?'' he wondered. Initially, he thought he could handle a Tier 6 monster without using the domains. However, his current experience showed him he was far from capable of killing a Tier 6 monster, even one without the strong defenses of the Tier 6 Grey Scale Cobra. "Weak," taunted the snake, whose ability to speak never ceased to surprise Karsha. Like Karsha, it had been searching for a way tond a lethal blow. Yet every time it locked onto him, Karsha would blink away, effortlessly evading all its attacks. It was clear that Karsha was no match for it, but that didn''t mean killing the annoying human would be easy. The only way to kill someone was tond an attack, yet all its attempts were being effortlessly evaded, fueling the snake''s anger. "You seem much stronger than those three I killed a week ago," Karsha remarked, noticing the snake''s attempts to provoke him. He decided to y along. Since the snake could talk, he knew he had some leverage to toy with its mind. And what better way to taunt a snake than to remind it of the death of its friends? "I will kill you, human," His words seemed to provoke the snake, which shot its venom, aiming to blind him. However, Karsha was too fast and dodged the attack before it even reached two meters from him. "The funny part was that they couldn''t even resist. Theyy there like idiots as I severed their heads from their bodies," he added, making the snake hiss once more. "I don''t mind giving you the same ending. All you have to do isy down like a bitch and let me behead you." The snake''s body shimmered and then started turning darker. Seeing this, Karsha smiled because he knew the snake was about to unleash its most powerful attack. But that was also the moment its defense would be lowered. "I only have one shot at this. It better work." After training his variations for a while, he decided to add the ice domain. However, just as he was about to have that chance, the Tier 6 snake showed up. But that wasn''t all. The rating of his Lightning and Water skills had now risen to ss A. However, even though the skills had been upgraded, he didn''t gain any benefits, meaning the debuff on the snake was just 25%, and with the stats he saw, despite the debuff, the snake was still at the Tier 6 stage. He needed to weaken the snake further so that when itunched its attack, he would have the opportunity tond a decisive blow. And what was the best way to do that? If not weakening if not pping it with another debuff. With the ice domain, he would be able to reduce the snake''s stats by 50% for 10 seconds. Coupled with the existing 20% debuff, he was confident he could deliver a fatal blow before time ran out. "Meet your end, human," the snake spoke before a dark beam shot from its mouth. It unleashed its strongest skill, [Poison Beam]. This attack allowed the snake to condense its venom and shoot it as a beam. If hit by it, your skin would start corroding as the venom ate away at every cell on and gradually within your body. The venom was so potent that if it managed to enter your body, even your bones wouldn''t survive the aftermath. Karsha, seeing the snake about to attack, activated the [Ever Freezing Ice Domain], instantly reducing the effectiveness of the attack by 50%. He wanted to move andnd a killing blow immediately; however, before he could do so, something stronger mmed into the domain from the outside. With the ice effect added, the 300 meters were frozen solid, meaning nothing could enter nor leave - at least, not freely. Using the sensing feature in the domain, he pinpointed where the disturbance wasing from. However, sensing immediate danger, he thrust his sword forward, causing the hundreds of swords hovering above him, now infused with electricity, to shoot toward the snake. With a 50% debuff, its defense had been considerably lowered. When the swords struck its body, a loud hissing sound escaped its lips, making Karsha smile wickedly. "Die now, buddy." Saying that he blinked and appeared right in front of the snake. With a single strike, he severed its head from its body. "Boom!" The domain was struck again, making Karsha narrow his eyes toward the direction once more. "Since you are so eager to get in, why don''t you enter and never leave again?" Karsha blinked and appeared where another Tier 6 cobra was trying hard to break the domain. He waited for the opportune moment, and just as the snake poised to strike the domain again, Karsha deactivated it, causing its body to m hard onto the ground. Without dy, he reactivated the domain, reducing the snake''s abilities by 50%. "Farewell," he murmured, igniting his sword in mes and swiftly moving to the side of the snake preparing to attack. With one decisive stroke, he severed its head. "Ha. That was a close call. Am I really that weak?" Karsha, now seated atop the 12-meter-long snake''s body, muttered. < Ding! Congrattions on killing a Tier 6 Grey Scale Cobra. 50000 Exp gained, 500 Stat points added > Initially, he believed he could handle a Tier 6 monster easily; however, his perspective shifted after encountering these two Tier 6 Cobras. "How will I confront the Overlords if I struggle against their minions?" Despite being only a Master stage cultivator, he couldn''t shake the feeling of being week. He wasn''t used to weakness; in his past life on Earth, he was a resilient young man who never lost a fight since joining the army. Life had always been smooth for him; even inbat, his instincts never failed. However, he failed to realize he wasn''t the sole cultivator in this world anymore. The snakes possessed their strength and dignity. They wouldn''t bow down and let a mere human defeat them. Their pride won''t allow submission. Even if Karsha surpasses them in strength, they''ll resist, much like he was doing. The strong prevail over the weak; such is thew of the jungle. After several minutes of contemtion and no snake crashing into the domain, he moved to inspect the bodies for any loot. With three drops already in his possession and nning to spend the night in the Average area toplete the quest for additional functions of the map, he refrained from shattering them immediately. "Two more drops, eh?" he muttered, holding two orbs in his hands. "I still have time; the ughter must continue," he added before storing the two bodies and resuming his journey. Having just dispatched two Tier 6 monsters, retreating didn''t seem prudent since he still needed to integrate the Ever Freezing domain into the four variations he had created. With the debuff effect of the ice domain, he felt confident in his ability to survive against a single Tier 6 Cobra. That was his current limit, but if he seeded in integrating the ice domain into the variations, he might stand a chance against multiple Tier 6 targets. Pressing on with his ughter, he delved deeper into the forest. Armed with the life-saving artifact Elder Ben had given him, he knew that at the first sign of danger, he would teleport away. Three hours passed quickly, but the massacre continued. The more he battled the snakes, the more powerful his attacks became, driving him to never stop. After another two hours, he sessfully integrated the Ice domain into the first Variation, the Water Carpet. With the ice integrated, if a target steps into the water, the surrounding water will begin freezing, reducing its movement by 10%. Moreover, if the water infiltrates a wound on their body, there''s a 30% chance a freezing effect will trigger within. He named it [Ever Freezing Water Carpet].n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Thirty minutester, after dispatching 20 Tier 5 cobras, he infused ice into the second variation, renaming it [Frozen Lightning Rain]. Simr to the prior effect, the new variation inflicts physical damage from the ice while the lightning continues draining the target''s HP. As the battle prolongs, the effect grows stronger. The second variation resembles the skill of a Magnus. Nheless, since victory ultimately favors thest one standing, Karsha didn''t dwell on it. Though he attempted to integrate the third and fourth variations, the night hindered his progress. Thus, he opted to return to the Average zone, where he intended to spend the night toplete the Map quest. Unaware of the lurking danger in the area he had just departed, he embarked on the quest to kill 40 Tier 4 monsters before daybreak. ================= A few minutes after Karsha''s departure, a Tier 6 monster emerged in the location where he had vanquished the two Tier 6 creatures. It slithered through the 300-meter radius, flicking its tongue for a few moments before fixing its gaze on the next location¡ªthe small waterfall where the other three Tier 6 snakes had met their demise. Chapter 43 The New Map, New Quest, The 3rd Variation < Ding! Conftationsonpleting the Map Quest sessfully> < New functions have been added to the Map > < New Function > -- The location of the overlords will be marked by the golden color when in their section. This location will be updated in real-time ensuring the owner of the map where to go. -- The gateway to the inner section of the ind will be marked by orange color when the owner of the map kills all overlords. Additionally, if the owner of the map manages toplete the quest assigned by the map, two new functions will be unlocked. < New Quest > < Kill Two Tier 5 Lesser Mutant monsters on this ind > ================ After spending the whole night killing hundreds of monsters instead of just forty, Karsha unlocked the two additional functions on the map. It wasn''t as easy as he had hoped; when night finally fell, he could only rely on his senses. The snakes, on the other hand, had night vision, making the first few hours a nightmare for him. He got poisoned nine times, forcing him to consume all the antidotes he had prepared for the Grey Scale Cobra venom. The only pill left in his possession was the 100% Pure Rank 1 Earth Grade Pill he had concocted, which led to his first enlightenment in Alchemy. During this enlightenment process, more information from the legacy flowed into his mind, deepening his understanding of the pill-making craft. He was nowparable to a Saint-ranked alchemist. However, since he hadn''t yet concocted any Rank 2 pills, he still considered himself a Grandmaster. The mysterious old man had hurried Karsha''s trip to the ind because he didn''t want people to notice the light beaming in the heavens. This beam only urred when an alchemist achieved perfect purity for pills of Earth grade and above. Although Karsha currently couldn''t concoct a Heaven-Grade Pill, he knew that once his understanding of fire control advanced and he obtained a more powerful me, he could surely attempt it. Karsha''s understanding of all forms of speech meant hisprehension had also improved. It wouldn''t be long before he began concocting Heaven-Grade Pills¡ªpotent enough to topple kingdoms and empires. Even Rank 2 Earth-Grade Pills could spark bidding wars when auctioned. "I guess I will have to stay for a few days until I finish the second quest before going back to the cave," Karsha muttered, storing the map away. Ayarr, who had been watching all night, was shocked to see that Karsha always had an antidote whenever he got poisoned. She had expected him to be dead by now; however, whenever the redhead got poisoned, he simply put a pill in his mouth and continued fighting. As a snake, the concept of alchemy was entirely foreign to her. She knew nothing about pills or antidotes. She wasn''t very intelligent by human standards, but she understood that whatever Karsha was consuming was likely why he could withstand the venom''s effects. Still, she resisted the urge to make any move that might reveal her presence since she was on a mission. "Two Tier 5 Mutants, huh? I guess the five days left will be more fun than I thought," Karsha said, taking out the pure Earth Grade Pill he had concocted. < Grey Scale Cobra Antidote > Type: Pill Grade: Rank 1 Earth Grade Purity: 100% < Effects > - Consume, and for the next 72 hours, you will be immune to the Grey Scale Venom from Tier 6 and below. - Grants the consumer +200 HP for the next 72 hours "I have three days to find and kill two mutants. No time to waste," Karsha muttered, darting toward the danger zone where he would spend the next three days hunting mutants. The map surprised him. Whenever he encountered or was about to encounter a mutant, a dark dot would appear on the map. So using this reference, locating the mutants would be rtively easy. =============== [ The small Waterfall - Karsha''s hideout ] The Tier 6 snake that came to investigate the death of its two fallen brethren finally arrived at the small waterfall. It began snooping around, searching for signs of the other three that had died a few days ago when Karsha was in his enlightenment. After searching for a while and finding nothing, it decided to leave. However, as it exited the waterfall''s vicinity, it stopped and blended into the surrounding dried leaves. When their overlord had dispatched the first three Tier 6 snakes to investigate the mysterious white light, he expected them to return within a day. However, six days passed with no sign of them, prompting him to send two more. Unfortunately for those two, they encountered the very person responsible for theirrades'' deaths and met the same fate. When they also failed to return, another was dispatched. It is a known fact on Snake Ind that although the ten overlords will team up against the Purple Tail Anacondas, they don''t like each other and truly despise one another. Despite this, the overlord sent another snake when the first five didn''t return. However, this new cobra was no ordinary Tier 6; it was a Tier 6 Great Mutant Cobra, far more intelligent and powerful than its predecessors. Under normal circumstances, it would have darted away after finding nothing at the waterfall. But this time, it decided to stay hidden, patiently waiting for a clue or an opportunity to reveal itself. Upon seeing the water and the cave that seemed to have been recently upied, it sensed that someone would return. As a Cobra Captain, it was determined to uncover who had been bold enough to infiltrate their domain and y their kin. But it miscalcted; while it was casually lying in wait, Karsha was also heading toward the quadrant for the Mutant Cobra, and soon, he would paint the whole ce red. ============= "First target located," Karsha muttered to himself. Under a tree, a Tier 5 Mutant, spanning 10 meters long with two horns adorning its scaled head,y sleeping. Eager to incorporate the Ever Freezing domain into his variations, Karsha stealthily advanced toward it. He needed to be within 300 meters to cast the domain. Using his blink skill, he moved silently. The Mutant Cobra remained oblivious, continuing its slumber. However, when Karsha closed the distance to within 100 meters, the cobra opened its eyes and raised its head. But it was toote. Karsha, leveraging the Red Eye Tiger skill, activated three abilities simultaneously. "Huh, 400 meters radius now," he noted as the domain expanded. Instead of the usual 300-meter radius, a 400-meter domain opened. Histe-night hunting had paid off. "Stronger than even the Tier 6 cobras," Karsha muttered. With the second variation, Frozen Lightning Rain, already pouring down ice and lightning, the Mutant''s HP quickly plummeted into the red zone. Karsha eyed it, waiting for the perfect moment. With a swift blink, he appeared behind it, driving his two swords into its neck. He knew attacking while it still had high HP would be futile. Lacking stronger offensive skills, he relied on the domain for an advantage. Taking a cautious approach, he waited until the snake''s HP dwindled into the red zone. With a 70% debuff in ce, it didn''t take much effort to finish it off. "One down, one more to go," Karsha muttered. After securing the body, he started following the dot again, heading deep into the forest. With his domain and newly enhanced variations, Karsha felt confident in his abilities toplete the task before continuing his hunt. With the 100% pure antidote coursing through his veins, he knew he couldn''t waste even a second of it. The 72 hours were a gift, and wasting time would mean squandering valuable resources.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ------ "Finally, I''ve integrated the Ice domain into the third variation," Karsha murmured triumphantly, standing atop a Tier 6 snake. Five long ice spears crackling with electricity impaled the creature to the ground, blood flowing like a river. It had been three days since he began hunting the mutants. In that time, he had managed to y five Tier 5 mutants and three Tier 6 Cobras. Out of these eight kills, he had acquired two more drops, adding to the five he already possessed, each orb yet to shatter and reveal the items within. One of the orbs came from a Tier 5 mutant, while the other came from the Tier 6 snake. Besides that, he had now added the Ever-Freeze Ice domain to the third variation. The effect remained the same, but the lightning spears now had a solid form. The ice spears imbued with lightning could deal physical damage and temporarily immobilize the target. After storing the bodies, he started heading back since his immunity to the venoms was over. He had to go concoct more pills with the Venoms he had acquired now. ============== Two hundred meters from the cave, the Tier 6 mutant snake that had been lying motionless raised its head when it noticed sudden movement a hundred meters away. Karsha, who had just blinked back to the waterfall, started moving toward his cave, oblivious to the danger approaching him. Ayarr, hiding three hundred meters away, saw the Tier 6 mutant monster nearly reveal itself. However, when she looked northwest, she saw something huge making its way toward the waterfall at a very fast speed, so she decided to remain hidden. But when she saw Karsha walking, unaware of the dangers closing in on him, she couldn''t take it anymore. She threw a pebble toward the mutant monster. Karsha heard the sound produced by the pebble. However, before he could turn, a brownish liquid mmed into his back, followed by a powerful strike from the mutant''s tail, sending him flying five hundred meters away. His armor immediately started corroding as the venom began eating through the leather. "It''s over, human," the snake hissed as it began crawling toward Karsha, whoy lifeless on the ground. Chapter 44 Karshas fate The Tier 6 mutant cobra crawled slowly toward Karsha, whoy on the ground, still recovering from the tail m it delivered. The attack had been swift, leaving him little time to react. Despite possessing the Red Eye Tiger ability and the blink skill, he found himself unable to respond quickly enough. The mutant had concealed its presence so effectively that, despite his usual keen sense of danger, he couldn''t anticipate its movements. Had it not been for the sound of the pebble, the mutant might have easily seized him, possibly even biting off his head. "It burns," Karsha muttered, feeling the venom''s burning sensation. Instantly, he stood up and activated his domain.N?v(el)B\\jnn As the mutant slowly approached, it felt an immediate drop in its movement and strength. The domain''s 70% debuff began suppressing it. Karsha, still not fully recovered, immediately activated the first, second, and third variations. With no time to waste, Karsha could feel his skin burning from the venom. Though it hadn''t directly hit his skin,nding instead on his clothes, its potency was evident. Within seconds, the armor was stripped from his back, leaving only the Grey Scale armor, which also began corroding, albeit slowly. As more and more spears imbued with lightning struck the mutant, its HP bar began dwindling. Under the pressure of the three variations, the mutant failed to notice Karsha''s sudden movements. It only reacted when a sudden attack struck its tail so it was forced to look back at Karsha. The moment Karshanded the sword strike on the tail, he blinked away, leaving only a small residue of fire in the wound. "What have you done to me, human?" the mutant snake hissed, suddenly feeling the pain from its tail. "Why are my strength and speed reduced so much? Why can''t my skin withstand the attacks?" It started asking a series of questions as the domain continued to suppress its attributes. While it seemed like it was under a 70% debuff, Karsha could tell it was stronger than it appeared. The attacksnding on it, although lethal against Tier 5 or even Tier 6 monsters, were a different story for a mutant. With higher stats than a normal monster, even though its overall strength had been lowered by 70%, it still held on and tried to retaliate. Ten secondster, the 50% debuff from the ice domain reduced to 25%, making the overall debuff 45%. But Karsha didn''t care; the snake was losing too much blood from the wounds he had inflicted. All he needed now was to inflict more wounds on its body. With its HP almost in the red, it would soon sumb and drop dead. Pushing his agility to the limit, he started blinking and shing the body of the mutant with his swords engulfed in fire. This might have been the best time to add more skills to the Red-Eye Tiger, but that thought didn''t even cross Karsha''s mind. All he needed to do now was end the battle so he could remove the armor that continued to heat up on his back. "Die already!" Karsha screamed at the top of his voice as he kept shing the snake''s body. Part of him kept screaming at him to run away, yet the allure of seizing another Tier 6 mutant monster body, core, and if lucky, an orb made him disregard that and greedily continue his attack on the snake, which, even though it was at death''s door, still persisted to hold on for a few more seconds. "Die!" He roared again as he leaped three meters high and descended, plunging his sword into its neck. Immediately, it fell, and he received the kill notification. Hurriedly, he stored the body, and luckily for him, he obtained his eight orbs. He picked them up and was about to rush toward the core when he felt a very dangerous presence approaching his location at a very high speed. Wasting no time, he hurried to the core, even though he knew he had to run. With the core secured, he started blinking away at a very fast pace. Each blink took him 200 meters, so within a second, he traveled 1km and kept going since the presence he felt continued to approach, even though he was far from the scene of the fight. Ten kilometers away, and he could still feel the presence following. ''What is that, and why do I feel so hot?'' Because of the sudden presence he felt, he forgot to remove the armor, so the venom continued to eat away at his armor, and soon, it would reach his skin, hence the heat. "For heaven''s sake, what is that following me?" Karsha eximed aloud, still feeling the presence trailing him. Even after moving 30km away, he could still sense the danger. The further he moved, the closer the presence got. Curious, afraid, and losing HP, Karsha decided to look back and see what was causing him to lose control of his body. So, deactivating his blinking skills, he started running using his legs. Ayarr, who was following but concealed her presence, nearly spat out blood when she saw what Karsha intended to do. She had sensed the presence long before Karsha did, and she knew exactly what it was. So, when she saw Karsha nning to turn, she couldn''t help but fear for his life. "This isn''t a horror movie," Karsha muttered before stopping momentarily and looking back. "I''m dead." That was the only thing he said before turning back and blinking again. However, the few seconds he used to look back allowed the behemoth following him to close the gap further. "I''ve been poisoned," he muttered again as the venom touched his skin. His vision started turning blurry, and his movements became sluggish. The venom began its work. First, it would blur his vision and then reduce his speed and reaction time. Once that was done, it would start consuming his liver and other essential organs, leaving the heart forst. He had already experienced the first phase, so he knew what to expect. However, when he felt his liver being devoured, his heartbeat quickened. He grabbed some random antidotes he had brought from outside and consumed them all. But no matter how many he swallowed, the venom continued its relentless assault. "This isn''t fair," Karsha muttered as he continued to blink from one shadow to the next. "This isn''t how my story should end," he spoke again, still fighting to avoid being consumed. "I should be the one going after the overlords, not the other way around." Yes, the monster chasing him was the overlord of the section he was in¡ªScaleCrusher, the overlord of the Crimson Spire. After sending six of its minions to investigate the source of the light but receiving no response, it decided to take matters into its own hands. However, upon witnessing Karsha y one of its soldiers, it became infuriated and began chasing him for revenge. Karsha had no idea an overlord was pursuing him. However, when he turned and saw it, he instantly recognized it as one of the monsters he hade to the ind to kill and extract the Venom needed for the Master Antidote. "I have to survive," Karsha spoke as he gulped down a Health potion Elder Lin had given him. If he couldn''t neutralize the poison''s effects, he would keep boosting his health until he could find a ce to quickly concoct a remedy. With his Alchemy level now at the Saint-level, concocting a King-grade pill would take him less than 20 minutes. All he had to do now was escape from the snake chaining him, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn''t increase the gap. "I haven''t gotten my revenge yet. I haven''t avenged Austin''s family yet. I haven''t saved June''s mother yet," Karsha, almost blind, continued to mumble as he moved. He could feel the pressure closing in from behind. So, in hisst moments, he couldn''t help but mumble his regrets. He regretted not standing up and fighting when his family was killed. But now that he was given a second chance, he knew he had to fight to be stronger. Although he had promised revenge, he had already made peace with the deaths of his family. He believed that until the living made peace with the dead, the dead would never rest in peace. So, although he desired revenge, he epted their deaths and moved on. The moment he epted the mysterious figure''s offer, he let go of his past and started a new path. A path he nned to walk with his head held high. A path he promised to walk to get back at those who would threaten him and his family. The path he intended to tread was to aid those in need, to lend a hand to those who couldn''t fend for themselves. Moreover, he aimed to grow strong enough to seize control of his own fate. With numerous ambitions and aspirations driving him forward, Karsha''s grand dreams were on the verge of being shattered by a vengeful overlord monster seeking retribution for his fallenrades. However, amidst the looming threat, Karsha remained resolute. "No, this isn''t where my tale ends," he dered. With determination in his voice, he reached for another health potion, downing it swiftly. Then, without hesitation, he consumed a King-grade agility pill. As the two medicines took effect, his speed increased slightly, and he blinked continuously. Just when despair seemed inevitable, he began to hear the distant sounds of a waterfall. Summoning every ounce of his strength, he pushed himself toward the sound. Momentster, he could hear and vaguely see a magnificent waterfall flowing with grace. His speed increased again, eager to reach it before the Overlord caught up to him. Maybe due to exhaustion or fear, Karsha didn''t bother to gauge the waterfall''s height. Thus, when he found himself atop it, he paused, casting a nce back at the Overlord several hundred meters away. "I''ll be back," he dered, ripping his shirt off and standing in nothing but his pants. With a confident leap, he plunged 200 meters down into the river, its currents swirling with unknown dangers. In an instant before losing consciousness, he glimpsed a breathtaking woman appearing seemingly out of thin air, speaking words Karsha couldn''t quite hear. Yet, amidst the chaos and his almost unconscious state, he made out two distinct words. "The Annihtor." Chapter 45 The Annihilator Karsha, deep in his sleep, felt something poking and tracing a circle on his face. However, being deeply asleep and with his battered body failing to respond, he disregarded it and continued slumbering. Nevertheless, the persistent sensation of something brushing against his face kept unsettling him. Slowly, he began to exert his will over his body. Eventually, he managed to open his eyes slightly, but all he could see was a blurry figure. He attempted to adjust his eyes in hopes of clearing the blurriness, but no matter how many times he tried, he couldn''tpel them to obey. After several attempts, he relinquished the effort and decided to focus on his hearing instead. "The Annihtor." He heard giggles followed by the word he heard before losing consciousness. ''Was I dreaming, or is this all reality? What is going on?'' Seeing he couldn''t do anything, he started wondering about what he saw and heard. ''Was thatdy real, or am I just losing it.'' ''I am even alive.'' ''How long has it been since I drowned?'' ''Did somebody save me'' ''That is right, I escaped from the Snake Overlord. But did I survive that jump?'' A series of questions kept popping up in Karsha''s head as hey motionless. He could tell he wasn''t dead yet¡ªhe could still feel his heartbeat, and as someone who had died before, he knew he was still alive. However, he just couldn''t bring himself to open his eyes and stand up. His body was bruised and battered from the 200-meter fall into the river. Right now, he was undergoing healing and tissue regeneration. --- "What the fuck?" A shout echoed from inside a cave, prompting a youngdy to run inside immediately. Inside, Karsha, who had just woken up, continued to stare at two young girls with peculiar eyes. "Who are you, and what do you want?" he asked, stunned. "Where am I?" He added, distancing himself further. He wasn''t a fool. He knew the young girls before him were not human. Although they appeared human, their eyes and the scales on their bodies said otherwise. The two girls, however, started giggling when they saw Karsha''s sudden behavior. It was all new to them since this was their first time seeing a human. "Starr, Hope, get back," a voicemanded. Ayarr, who had just entered the cave, made the two little girls halt in their tracks. Karsha, who had just seen the beautiful snakedy, spoke in a curious yet tense tone, "It''s you. You are thedy I saw before drowning at the waterfall. Who are you, and where am I?" he added, making sure he stayed far from them. "Get your sleep, Annihtor; there will be time for questionster," she said, and with a wave of her hand, Karsha felt dizzy again before falling back into a deep sleep, whichsted for another two hours. When he woke up this time, he felt more in control of his body. He stood up and did some light stretches to test how well his body had healed. As he stretched, he felt leaves sticking to his back. Removing one, he realized they were medicinal leaves meant to heal internal injuries. His abundant knowledge from the Legacy came in handy, so he refrained from removing the rest of the leaves. He then proceeded to search the cave for any signs of the two little girls he had seen earlier. Finding no trace of them, he began to move toward the entrance. As he drew closer, he could hear the sounds of people conversing and children giggling intermittently. "So I wasn''t dreaming. Those children aren''t just an illusion," he muttered, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the sudden light streaming in through the cave entrance.e. A few secondster, Karsha stepped through the entrance. Once his vision adjusted to the sudden light, he was awestruck by the scene before him. The entire ce resembled a cave, but it wasn''t the cave itself that was intriguing. It was the towering trees, reaching up to 200 meters high, that caught his attention. The trees intertwined their leaves to form a natural canopy, covering nearly the entire area. Karsha stood there for a few seconds, admiring the breathtaking sight. "You are awake," a voice spoke, snapping Karsha out of his daze. "Follow me," she added before starting to walk in a certain direction. "The Annihtor." "The Annihtor." "The Annihtor." "The Annihtor." The same word kept escaping the mouths of people as they saw Karsha walking behind Ayarr. They all had a reverent gaze in their eyes when they saw him. "Why are they calling me The Annihtor?" Karsha asked, his curiosity getting the best of him. "You will know in a moment, Annihtor," Ayarr answered, calling him the same name. "The Annihtor... that does have a nice ring to it," he muttered under his breath. Ayarr, walking two meters in front of him, let a small smile escape her lips. "Are you the one who saved me?" Karsha asked again. "Yes," Ayarr replied. "Now follow me and make sure you walk in my steps." Instead of just answering, she added an instruction Karsha had already been following. From the moment he saw the tree canopy, he knew he had to be cautious. The ce didn''t seem ordinary at all. The air felt differentpared to the air outside. ''Why does this ce feel so weing?'' Karsha wondered, feeling a strange attraction to the ce. With no answersing to mind, he continued to follow Ayarr. Soon, they arrived at the entrance of a white building made entirely of stone. "Follow me," Ayarr said again as she entered the door. After a moment of hesitation, Karsha followed her inside. "You are finally awake, Annihtor," a voice spoke directly into Karsha''s mind, prompting him to raise his eyes and look forward. The moment his eyes fell on the woman before him, a wave of emotion quickly filled his heart. The woman sitting there, despite her serpent-like eyes, was an exact replica of Karsha''s mother, who had died when he was fifteen years old. She had been a medic in the US Army and had died in the line of duty. Her sacrifice had been what triggered Karsha to enlist and join the army. Karsha just couldn''t get enough as he just stood there staring at thedy. "I am sorry, you just look exactly like my mother," Karsha said, noticing the curious gaze on him and immediately apologizing. "I am fine now, and thanks for the hospitality, but can you tell me where this ce is and why people here refer to me as the Annihtor?" he asked. "Before I answer that, can you tell me more about your mother?" the woman asked, surprisingly interested in his mother. Karsha, still looking at her, smiled faintly. He resisted the urge to hug her, as he really missed his mother. "She was a very beautiful and loving mother. Also, she was a brave warrior who, despite herck ofbat skills, never ran away from the front lines. Her caring nature wouldn''t allow her to run while others were suffering on the front lines," he said, pausing to wipe away teardrops before continuing. "When I was a kid, I used to hate her for always leaving us to take care of strangers. However, when I understood what she did, I started following in her footsteps. She was my inspiration and will always be my inspiration." At this point, his tears started falling like a waterfall. He had loved many people, but his mother was one of a kind. She was his mentor and inspiration. Everything he did was to make her proud. All his achievements were for his mother. Now, standing across from someone who looked exactly like her, memories came flooding back. "She sounds like an amazing woman," the woman said with a loving smile. "She was the best," Karsha added, forcing out a smile.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Let me tell you a story," thedy said, gesturing for Karsha to take a seat on a wooden chair. He obliged, curious about what she had to say. "A very long time ago, this beautiful ind was discovered by a peaceful race of snakes called the Purple Tail Anacondas. With no danger lurking in the shadows, they settled here, and for years, they lived in harmony. There was no war, no battles. However, all that changed when one day, the ind began to transform. It was plunged into eternal darkness, and a new breed of vicious snakes emerged from the shadows. The years of peace for the Purple Tail Anacondas came to an abrupt end. What followed was over a hundred years of war, during which many of my kind perished in the never-ending battles. Despite the prolonged conflict, we eventually prevailed and managed to wipe out the invaders, regaining our peace once again. But that peace was short-lived. Out of nowhere, ten powerful snake monsters emerged with their own armies. These ten savages fought for territories, and when they discovered our existence, they turned against us. Another series of battles ensued,sting many more years. The more they fought, the more my people died. We were helpless against them and suffered greatly. However, one day, out of nowhere, the Purple Tail Anaconda deity descended from the heavens and ced a curse on the ind. The curse restricted the strength of the ten savages to only the seventh level." She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in before continuing. "But the deity also ced a bane on us. Although we are restricted to the seventh level, we cannot attack the ten savages unless they attack us first. It was apromise the deity brought to us as a way of bringing peace to my kind. "But before he left, he gave us a prophecy. He said, and I quote, ''A day wille when the one called the Annihtor will appear on this ind, my children. When the one with the S mark on his back appears, protect him and let no harme to him, for he is the one who will bring this once peaceful ind back.''" Karsha, who heard thest sentence, felt a pull tugging at his soul, drawing him in a certain direction. He didn''t attempt to resist; instead, he surrendered to the pull without uttering a word. "All hail the Annihtor," thedy shouted, and as she did, the heavens rumbled. Karsha was lifted off his feet and began floating toward a veryrge statue. The statue, towering and majestic, depicted an imposing figure holding a sword aloft, its eyes seemingly alive with a fierce light. As Karsha was drawn closer, he felt a strange sense of familiarity and destiny intertwining. He didn''t know what awaited him, but he felt a deep connection to the prophecy and the people who called him the Annihtor. Chapter 46 The One Called The Annihilator "All hail the Annihtor!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "All hail the Annihtor!" "All hail the Annihtor!" "All hail the Annihtor!" --- --- --- Echoes of various sounds, emanating from both the adults and younger serpents, continued to reverberate throughout the expansive evergreen area where Karsha awoke. Having surrendered to the pull, Karsha continued to float four meters above the ground toward the statue, while everyone else kept their faces to the ground, chanting the slogan. As the statue finally came into view, Karsha was able to see its appearance. To his shock, however, he couldn''t discern the true likeness of the person the statue was meant to represent. All he could make out were the two longswords sheathed behind the figure and the long hair tied into a ponytail, with only a few strands falling on the side of his face. He tried squinting his eyes to see if he could discern who the statue represented, but s, he couldn''t make out anything clearly. There seemed to be distortions when he attempted to focus his eyes, so he gave up and continued to float slowly. As he approached within 10 meters of the statue, two beams of light shot from its eyes and entered Karsha''s forehead. His vision darkened for a moment, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself standing on scorched earth. He stood at the center of a zing battlefield, with corpses littered all around. The air was thick with the smell of burnt flesh, and the ground beneath him was wet from the continuous flow of blood, resembling a waterfall. "I am peace, I am darkness I have no mercy. I am mercy I have no sadness. I bring sadness They shall call me evil, But I am evil, I am good, I am both They don''t like to say it, but I am their worst nightmare I am their nightly dreams. I am their dream. They call me by many names: the berserker, the asura, the devil, the carnage, the destroyer. I have no preference, but I prefer to be called by my true name The Annihtor..." A voice spoke, and as Karsha listened, his body on the outside started to change. His eyes, which had a blueish-red hue, turned dark red. They glowed with such a murderous intensity that those with weaker wills would wet their pants at the mere gaze. His slightly less frail body also underwent a transformation. His muscles and biceps began to form, his stature increasing by a few inches, making him appear somewhat over 6 feet 2 inches tall. His red hair elongated and now flowed freely down his back. A new dark cloak-like armor materialized around his body, and two dark swords could be seen sheathed behind him. "My legend shall be known across the stars Gods shall cower at the mention of my name I shall cleanse the star of filth and restore the legend of the great Inquisitor. THE ANNIHILATOR." When the voice ceased, Karsha felt his vision darken once more, and when he opened them, he found himself staring at the statue. However, this time, he could see the face clearly. The face staring back at him was his own. It looked exactly like him, and the striking thing was that he could see the statue''s mouth move as it spoke. "Your legend has just begun. You are the Annihtor, the one with destiny dancing at his fingertips. You write your own destiny. You do not y by the rules, nor should you think fate ys by them. Be who you are meant to be because if you fail, the whole universe and the ones you call your loved ones will be annihted. Fate is a bitch dressed in white." "Hahahahahaha!" Laughter filled with pain, anger, and sorrow escaped Karsha''s lips. His eyes exuded a dark smoke, and his long hair flowed gracefully in the air, "And they shall know my name, The Annihtor, killer of Gods." "All hail the Annihtor." All the purple tail Anacondas hailed his name as he descended. His dark eyes returned to their usual blueish-red hue, and the armor and swords vanished. However, his now handsome self remained unchanged, and all the wounds on and in his body had healed. His armor waspletely burnt, and the Grey Scale armor was also gone. He was left with only his trousers, yet he didn''t seem to care. Once on the ground, he walked toward the woman who bore a striking resemnce to his mother. "Thank you for saving my life. I owe you a debt of gratitude," he spoke with a genuine smile. He appeared to have found a sense of purpose, something to work toward. "Don''t get me wrong, Ayarr only fished you from the river when she saw the mark. What saved your life is that ne around your neck." The woman said, pointing at the ne, "The person who gave you that ne must really love you because sealing that much life force would render them weak for many years. They might not even be able to cultivate again," she continued. Karsha, who knew who gave him that ne, arched an eyebrow as he held onto it. He had tried inspecting it when June gave it to him, but no data showed up; he assumed it was just an ordinary ne. But now that he knew how much had been sacrificed to ensure his safety, a wave of guilt washed over his heart. "It''s one thing to want to save your mother and another to go this far just for my safety. Why would she do something like that?" "Is there a way to reverse the effect?" He couldn''t let such a woman waste her life for his sake. "Yes. The person would have to awaken her constitution, and once they did, the effect would be reversed," the woman replied, leaving Karsha to ponder it. "How can she awaken it?" "It can happen naturally, or since you are a human, you can use one of your medicines to help her. I believe they call it the Constitution awakening pill." Ayarr, who was listening to his mother, raised her eyebrow. She knew her mother was knowledgeable, but she hadn''t seen her geek out like that before. In the second phase of the legacy memories, he got many recipes, most about constitutions. So he immediately dived into it, and within a few seconds, he got what he wanted and more. ''Constitution awakening pill and Constitution strengthening pill. That will do the magic.'' "Are you an alchemist? You seem to know more about it," Karsha asked as he took a meat from his space ring and started chewing. A little snake girl standing behind the woman looked at the meat with a drooling face. "Here you go," Karsha, who had noticed her gaze on the meat, took out one and gave it to her. "Thank you, big brother." ''Big brother'' Once again, Karsha was taken aback. Ayarr looked at her sister with a small smile like her mother. "I don''t know about alchemy. I just read from books I got from the humans that infiltrated this Sanctuary year again," The woman answered. Karsha immediately understood who she was talking about. The Lonely Healer, Xian''s grandpa, Xian had already told him about his grandpa, so he immediately understood who she was referring to. He wouldn''t me her since they were just defending their home. ''If there was someone to be med, then the fools who decided to attack the Anaconda should be med,'' he said inwardly. "But still, the fact that you found a liking to it ismendable. Not many can learn alchemy or even memorize the names of pills and recipes," he remarked. The woman just smiled weakly. "I needed to, after all. The gray-scale cobra poisoned four of our shadow guards during that battle, so I started looking for ways to save them." "And were you able to help them?" Karsha asked. The woman, Ayarr, and Starr, all three of them, shook their heads. In response, Karsha just removed his cauldron and began heating. "You saved me, so let me return the favor". Saying that he started concocting Earth-grade pills. He already has enough venom to create more than 1000 pills. Two hourster, he stood up and handed four pills over to Ayarr''s mother. "Just put it in their mouth, and they will wake up in a few hours." He has already concocted enough pills to help himst few weeks in the wild, so giving them four seems like nothing to him. "Thank you." With teary eyes, thedy thanked her and hurriedly left the room with Starr. "Thank you for saving me from drowning." Karsha, who is now with the Serpent Assassin, decided to use the time to thank her. She was the one who saved him from drowning, after all. Although the ne saved him, he knew he wouldn''t have survived if Ayarr hadn''t pulled him out of the water. He had a brush with death but managed to survive, all thanks to the beautiful serpentdy standing before him. Had he not wasted time taking the orb and the core of the Tier 6 Mutant cobra, perhaps he would have been able to escape without having to jump into the waterfall. But now that he was alive and had managed to get a look at one of the Savages he would be fighting, he knew he had to make adequate preparations, and that started by breaking into the Grandmaster Stage. He still had the breakthrough quest toplete. He would have to kill six Tier 5 monsters and 1 Tier 6 monster to break through, but since the system had been upgrading for the past two months, he had to wait for all the Tier 5 and Tier 6 monsters. Had it not been for the system undergoing an upgrade, he would have already reached the next bottleneck from the massacre he caused in the Crimson Spire. < Ding! The system will be upgraded in the next 10 minutes. The host is advised to be in lotus posture during the process > Just when Karsha was about to strike up a conversation with Ayarr, the system message appeared. "Please, kindly take me back to the cave; I have to rest for a few hours," he asked, and without any objections, Ayarr led him back to the cave. The moment he entered, he sat in a lotus posture and waited patiently for his best assistant toe online finally. < System Upgrade sessfully > Chapter 47 Version 2.0 System < System Upgrade Sessful > The moment the first message appeared, Karsha smiled warmly. He had missed the system dearly. Without its continuous gifts of items, he might have died inside the pit before ever finding a means of escape from the ve Mine. It was because of the system that he was able to train his body. The daily quests also helped him gain additional strength from the attributes, and ultimately, he could level up quickly, all thanks to the system. Not havingplete ess to it for the better part of thest 66 days had made him feel somewhat dull and slowed down in many aspects. But that''s over now; the system is back, and soon, he will regain ess to everything and more. < Ding! The system has sessfully upgraded to version 2.0 > < All locked features have been unlocked, and the host can now have unrestricted ess. > < Ding! The system has unlocked additional functions after the upgrade. > < New Functions Unlocked > < Venom Extractor > -- Once the host ys a monster that possesses venom, the venom essence will be automatically extracted and absorbed into the host''s body. -- Any Kind of Venom that enters the host body will be absorbed. -- By absorbing different types of venom, the host''s resistance to poison will rise ordingly. [Current immunity: 0.2%] --------------- Karsha had already absorbed the first venom back in the forest when he had just escaped the ve mine, but because the system was undergoing an upgrade, the absorption was halted until the upgrade was finished. Now that he had ess to the system, he could see that the Green Viper Venom he extracted 55 days ago had only contributed to 0.2 percent of his total immunity. This was good news for him. He would soon be able to ingest poisons without worrying about any negative effects, as his immunity would continue to rise with each new venom entering his system. "With the many snakes on this ind, I can raise my immunity level significantly before leaving. This massacre will be legendary," Karsha giggled inwardly before shifting to the next function. < Bloodline Extractor > -- Because of the unique ss you have awakened, whenever you kill something that has a bloodline, it will be extracted and absorbed by the ss. -- The higher the bloodline absorbed, the more powerful your ss bes. -- It is advised to absorb bloodlines from Bloodthirsty Monsters and Humans. -- The higher the bloodlust, the more powerful the ss. Note: The absorbed bloodline will only affect your ss in leveling up to the next Tier. Excitement surged through Karsha as he realized the potential of this new function. The prospect of bing stronger by absorbing the bloodlines of powerful creatures and enemies was exhrating. He could feel the power within him, ready to be unleashed. "This ind is full of opportunities," he thought. "With each kill, I''ll be more formidable, and soon, no one will be able to stand in my way." "Not that I''mining, but isn''t this turning me into a bloodthirsty maniac?" Karsha muttered with a grin. "Then again, I am the Inquisitor, the Annihtor. Killing is literally in my job description." Heughed out loud, making Ayarr, who was right outside, wonder what was happening inside the cave. The bloodline extractor function allowed him to enhance his ss''s power even further. A berserker ss was already strong, but Karsha could make it even stronger by absorbing other people''s bloodlines. The higher the bloodlust of the target, the more powerful his bloodline would be. ----------------- < Body Tempering > - Using valuable and powerful resources, the host can temper his body by either eating or bathing in them. - Consumables can be ingested, and the necessary resources will be extracted and used to strengthen the body. - Non-consumable resources must be made into a bath, and the host will soak in it. The system will extract the needed essence and use it to temper the body. - The system will extract all medicinal effects, and at the host''smand, the body tempering process can start or end as desired. - Unabsorbed essence will be stored forter use. Note: This process is painful, so the host should be prepared before beginning body tempering. --- In cultivation, body tempering is the method by which cultivators strengthen their bodies. Medicinal essence from valuable treasures is extracted, and when consumed or soaked in, it tempers the body. The more powerful the resources used, the greater the effect. However, the process is painful, so most people can only temper their bodies for a short time. Prolonged exposure in the bath may result in injuries to the body and possibly the organs. Often, the materials go to waste because the baths are single-use. However, with the system acting as a medium to hold the essence, Karsha can absorb more essence and use itter to temper his body. He doesn''t have to stay in the bath continuously. It''s a cheat, but since nobody isining, there''s no need to worry. --- < Ding! Congrattions to the host. The system store has been enabled. You can now shop for Avatars, skills, techniques, weapons, armor, and many more items from the system store using Killer Points. > < Killer Points can be earned by killing monsters andpleting quests. > "Great feature. I will definitely check it out," Karsha muttered. He didn''t waste any time on it and proceeded to the next message. --- < Skill upgrade system enabled. > < Congrattions, you can now use Skill Points to upgrade your skills to the next Tier. > < Skill Points can be earned bypleting quests or killing monsters. > Skills are rated in Tiers starting from Tier 1 upward. The higher the tier, the more powerful the skill. Unlike skill ratings, which can be enhanced by continuous use, tiers cannot be improved. A Tier 1 skill will forever stay Tier 1. However, in Karsha''s case, he can upgrade the tiers. He just needs to earn enough Skill Points to do that. It''s a cheat that shouldn''t exist, but thanks to the system, he will now be able to not only raise the ratings but also elevate the tier of the skills themselves. "System, how many skill points do I need to upgrade the Red Eye Tiger skill to Tier 11?" Karsha, already seeing the advantage of this new feature, asked eagerly. < Red Eye Tiger (Tier 10): SSS > [Next upgrade: 0/1000 Skill points] "Holy molly," Karsha eximed out loud when he saw the staggering 1000 skill points needed for the next tier upgrade. "What about the rest?" [Tier 1 > Tier 2: 100 Skill Points] [Tier 2 > Tier 3: 200 Skill Points] [Tier 3 > Tier 4: 300 Skill Points] [Tier 4 > Tier 5: 400 Skill Points] [Tier 5 > Tier 6: 500 Skill Points] [Tier 6 > Tier 7: 600 Skill Points] [Tier 7 > Tier 8: 700 Skill Points]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om [Tier 8 > Tier 9: 800 Skill Points] [Tier 9 > Tier 10: 900 Skill Points] [Tier 10 > Tier 11: 1000 Skill Points] "That is a lot," Karshained, but he knew he needed to focus on the important details since he didn''t have any skill points yet. Upgrading the skill would be incredibly useful, but it would also be costly. Luckily for him, the next message brought a smile to his lips. ----------------- < System Converter enabled > - Are you out of particr system points and want a quick fix? Worry no more. I got you. I can convert EXP to Attribute, Killer, or Skill points and vice versa. < Conversion Rate > - EXP to Attribute: 10,000: 1 - EXP to Killer Points: 1,000: 1 - EXP to Skill Points: 10,000: 1 - Killer Points to Attribute: 1: 1 - Killer Points to Skill Points: 100: 1 "This is just too much. How am I going to get that many points?" Looking at the conversion rate, Karsha knew he was in for a ride. The rate was daunting. To get a single attribute point, he would need to spend 10,000 EXP. "System, how much EXP do I have?" < EXP: 30,604,900 > "Well, I guess I killed a lot more than I thought." Seeing the millions of EXP, Karsha let a small smile escape his lips. "Convert all into Skill Points." < Ding! Conversionplete. 3,604 Skill Points converted > "Good. Upgrade Lightning Strike to Tier 6, Water Domain to Tier 6, and Ever Freezing Ice Domain to Tier 6." < Ding! Skills Upgrade sessful > < Skill: Lightning Strike > Rank: Tier 6 New Upgrade: When used inside a domain, an attack has a 70% chance of triggering Heaven''s Wrath. Heaven''s Wrath: - When triggered, the whole domain will turn into a vortex of thunder and lightning, and the strength of the lightning will be amplified by 200% for 2 minutes. - All enemies caught within the domain will experience a 20% debuff for 2 minutes. - Other skills used during the 2 minutes will receive a 120% boost. --- < Skill: Ever Freezing Ice Domain > Rank: Tier 6 New Upgrade: When the target''s HP drops below 10%, there is a 20% chance the domain will trigger the Devil''s Spear. Devil''s Spear: - The domain will condense a 3-meter-long spear that contains 170% of the host''s total attack power. - If other skills are used inside the domain, they will be imbued into the spear. --- < Skill: Water Domain > Rank: Tier 6 New Upgrade: At will, the host can trigger Mana Eater Rain. Mana Eater Rain: - Using the water in the air, the host can trigger a rain that drains the mana of all enemies inside the domain. - The enemies will keep losing 2% of their mana for 30 seconds. "Holy molly, this is just too much. With this, I will be able to take down even a Tier 7 monster without much struggle." Karsha spoke, his voice full of joy when he read about the effect of his newly upgraded skills. However, aside from the new upgrade, the overall strength of the skills has also increased. Now, his three variations have doubled their previous strength. With the new upgrade, if he were to face off against the Tier 6 mutant again, he would be able to wipe the floor with it. < Berserker Mutant Tiger Bloodline absorptionspleted > < Ding! Congrattions, your ss has been unlocked > < Berserker Swordsman: Tier 1 > Chapter 48 The Berserker Swordsman < Berserker Mutant Tiger Bloodline absorptionpleted > < Ding! Congrattions, your ss has been unlocked > < Berserker Swordsman > The Berserker is considered the strongest ss by many. While some argue that Mages or Magi hold that title, it may not necessarily be the case. The Berserker ss is highly esteemed and formidable, deserving of great respect. Berserkers possess immense strength and unwavering determination. They do not fear danger, nor do they retreat from it. To some, Berserkers are seen as bloodthirsty creatures, oftenbeled as maniacs, psychopaths, and even evil. However, Berserkers are moreplex than that. They embody the essence of carnage incarnate. Their rage knows no bounds, and some struggle to control their insatiable hunger and thirst for blood. They are the most feared of creatures, their fury, thirst, and hunger serving as their strength. They embody carnage and bloodlust, making them a force to be reckoned with. Then there is the next ss, the Swordsman. Swordsmen handle their swords with love and dedication, in stark contrast to the bloodthirsty nature of Berserkers. While a Swordsman may not hunger for blood, they do not shy away from shedding it. They cherish peace and are willing to fight for it. A true Swordsman values life but won''t hesitate to take it if it means achieving peace. There are many Swordsmen, some good, most bad, but at the end of the day, a true Swordsman is neither good nor bad. They consider their swords an extension of their body. Without their swords, they feel iplete. When a Swordsman goes mad, the carnage they leave in their wake can''t be described with words. They are focused individuals, but when provoked, their swords speak, making the Swordsman one of the most dangerous sses a cultivator could ever aspire to. So, when the two most dangerous ssese together as one, the sheer amount of danger they carry goes beyond mere understanding. On one side, there is the Berserker ss that grants immense strength and a hunger for blood, and on the other, the Swordsman ss that grants resilience and determination. Combining the two, you get a person who may value peace like a true Swordsman, but when provoked, will go above and beyond to destroy everything. With the power of a Berserker and Swordsman flowing through their body, they can do whatever they want without any limitation. [ Berserker Swordsman ] With the fearlessness, fury, revenge, hunger, thirst, bloodlust, and rage of a Berserker and the spirit, focus, sharpness, danger, and lethality of a Swordsman, be thebination of both and show your foes you are the definition of carnage. < Berserker Rage: Passive > (Unlocked) When activated, the Berserker will gain a 120% increase in attack power for 5 minutes. The ability can be used again after a 5-hour cooldown. < Berserker Damage: Passive > (Unlocked) Gain increased damage output by 10% for every 10% health loss. It stops after losing 50% of your health, and the boost can be used until 10 minutes after the battle. It doesn''t deactivate when the Berserker Rage is activated. < Berserker Fearless: Passive > (Unlocked) The Berserker bes immune to fear and intimidation. < Weapon Mastery: Passive > (Unlocked) Swordsmen gain increased resilience inbat, reducing damage taken by 5% for every 20% of their health lost (up to 50%). < Fighting Spirit: Passive > (Unlocked) Swordsmen gain increased resilience inbat, reducing damage taken by 5% for every 10% of their health lost (up to 50%). [ Note: The Passive abilities evolve with the ss. Also, as the ss evolves, more abilities will be unlocked ] "Finally, I can use my swords more." The Swordsmanship ss will allow him to utilize his swords, and the Berserker will further elevate the strength of his attacks to a whole new level. The Berserker Rage alone will make him an overlord. When the rage is activated, the skills being used will also receive a boost. Since the skills are equivalent to his attack power, when his attack power jumps to 120%, the skills will also gain the same effect. "So if I luckily get Heaven''s Wrath and Devil''s Spear activated inside the domain, does it mean I can further boost their attack power by activating the rage ability?" Karsha, who has begun making ns for his uing battles, asked. < Yes. They will increase in attack power. However, the duration for each skill will not increase > "That''s good enough. With this, even the Overlords will have a hard timeing against me. I need to further increase the tier and ratings of my skills."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The Ever Freezing Ice Domain, Lightning Strike, and Water Domain are already Tier 6 skills. But he wants to elevate them further. His encounter with the Overlord has left a deep mark on him, and as someone who craves revenge, Karsha knows he must make adequate preparations so that the next time he meets the Overlord, he will be able to walk away unscathed. From the pressure he felt from the Overlord, he had already anticipated it would possess the strength of dozens of Tier 6 mutants. The Overlord had been there for hundreds of years, immensely powerful. If not for the curse ced on them, they would have likely evolved to Tier 10, if not higher. Soon to be a Grandmaster stage cultivator, he will be facing ten of those monstrosities. If not for the Venom needed to cure June''s mother, he would have remained hidden until the 60 days psed, then retreated to the Human world. "I need to increase my strength for the next few days and focus thest 30 days on those monsters," Karsha sighed. "I will start with the monster that nearly killed me." "If I manage to break through, I can further enhance my attributes and narrow the gap between them and me." His current stats were pitiful. If not for the Red Eye Tiger skill being a Tier 10 skill, he wouldn''t have been able to kill even a Normal Tier 6 cobra. But thanks to the amplification effect of the Red Eye Tiger, he managed to kill two Tier 6 snakes within seconds. "I need more skill points," he screamed inwardly. At the end of the day, all he needed were skill points. Without them, he wouldn''t be able to increase the Tier of his skills. However, after seeing the conversion rate when he converted his Exp to skill points, he knew obtaining them would be extremely hard. "I also need to add more skills to the four Variations. I can''t work on new ones now, but at least I can use the next few days to add the other skills. Maybe I will get something strong from it." He stopped thinking about it, and since he could not get any quick Exp fix, he sat downfortably. But just when he was about to retrieve the eight drops, a thought entered his mind. "System, since I cannot level up now, can I absorb the monster cores and convert them to Exp?" With the breakthrough quest yet to bepleted, Exp is useless to him. However, now that he can convert experience to skill points, the hundreds if not thousands of cores he has gathered can be useful. < Monster cores can be converted to exp > And the system, true to its nature, didn''t fail Karsha. With nothing gooding from the cores at the moment, he knew he had to use them somehow, and thankfully, he can finally convert them to Skill Points. < Does the host wish to absorb the monster cores > -- Yes -- No "It''s always a yes system. Do it," He eagerly answers. < Ding! You have received 6,060,790 Exp > "Convert all to skill points." He wasted no time and gave the order for the exp to be converted. < Ding! You have sessfully converted 6,060,790 Exp, Skill points received; 606 > "Good enough. I can manage this for now." He then retrieved the newly upgraded map. "At least with these new upgrades to the map, I will be able to reap more benefits from identifying monsters that will drop. < Map of the Ind > [New Features ] -- After ying 20 Tier 5 monsters in a specific section, you can pinpoint monsters that will yield drops upon their death. They will be marked with yellow pins. -- The map can now reveal the whereabouts of different breeds, Mutants. Mutants are guaranteed to leave behind drops upon their demise. The Snake Ind isposed of ten distinct sections, each ruled by an overlord. Within each section, various breeds of snakes inhabit thend. Karsha has only encountered the grey-scale cobra thus far, but there are many others. The ind, in its entirety, surpasses the size of the Earth. His exploration thus far has been limited to a small portion of it. Therefore, in reality, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of different snake breeds inhabiting the ind. Since he ns to explore and extract more venoms whilepleting the old man''s assignment, the map will undoubtedly prove useful. With the map now capable of identifying the different breeds, he can navigate the ind more efficiently without the need for manual search. "This map sure has its perks. I guess I will need it toplete the old man''s quest." Of course, the new upgrade also came along with a new quest to unlock more features. < Map Quest > Quest: Kill an overlord monster and 10 Tier 6 Mutants to unlock the following feature. -- Get the location of the hidden doorway to Alcatraz, the Domain of the fallen Leviathans "Fallen Leviathan," Karsha brushed his temple and adjusted how he sat. "I wonder what they are." < Ding! The host can now start the Breatthrugh quest > < Duration: 2 Days > "Well then, let''s see what these orbs can give..." He then retrieved the first orb and shattered it. Once shattered, the orb turned into a dark dagger with a very sharp tip dripping a very thick and dark liquid. The smell of the liquid is pungent, making Karsha seal his nose with one hand and hold the dagger in the other. < Ding! Congrattions, you have received a Rare rank dagger: Necroxis Death Dagger > Chapter 49 Guardians Embrace < Ding! Congrattions, you have received a Rare rank dagger: Necroxis Death Dagger > < Necroxis Death Dagger > -- A dagger forged from the bones of a Tier 8 grey Scale Cobra and its tip dipped in a concentrated venom from a Mutant Grey scale cobra. Rank: Rare Rating: High-Tier Category: Weapon [Abilities] -- Death Wound: Once cut by the dagger, the poison will slowly eat the internal organs leaving the target bleeding from the inside. -- Assassin Pride: When in the hands of an assassin, there is a 30% chance to inflict a non-stop bleeding effect on a target. --------------------- The first item Karsha acquired from the orb was a dagger crafted specifically for poison killing. Its de was fashioned from the bones of a breed of snakes known for their blood-eating venom. The venom extracted from the grey-scale cobra possesses a unique property: it eats through the blood of its target. Drawn to blood, even if itnds on armor, it will continue corroding through until it reaches the blood inside the target''s body. Karsha had already lost two pieces of armor due to the corrosive effect of the venom. Once inside the body, it swiftly devours all organs unless an antidote is administered promptly. "I need to extract and absorb their venom before facing their overlord. Who knows, it might just save my life," Karsha mused. Unbeknownst to him, this decision might actually save him multiple times. Getting immune to that venom should be his utmost priority. With immunity to venom from all creatures, he would be able to move around the ind without a care. He took out the next orb and broke it like the previous one. A small vortex of energy swirled around his hand for a few seconds. When the energy dissipated, a pair of ck leather bracers appeared in his hands. The ck leather vambraces were adorned with intricate silver studs resembling the ws of a beast. The leather was supple and worn as if it had been molded to fit the wearer''s arm perfectly. The bracers were lined with a soft, crimson fabric that seemed to pulse with faint, malevolent energy. --------------- < Ding! Congrattions, you have received an Epic rank bracer: Bracer of the Beast > < Bracer of the Beast > -- The Bracer of the Beast grants the wearer increased strength, allowing them to deal more damage inbat and perform feats of physical prowess with ease. Rank: Epic Rating: Low-Tier Category: Armor Passive: Strength Boost - +20% increase in physical damage output < Legend > The Bracer of the Beast is said to have been crafted from the hide of a fearsome beast, one that roamed thend long ago. Its creator, a mysterious warlock, imbued the bracer with dark magic, allowing it to tap into the wearer''s inner ferocity. Those who wear the bracer are said to be consumed by primal energy, their senses heightened and their strength amplified. ---------------- "Another boost, and it fits perfectly too," Karsha said as he read the description of the bracers and decided to wear them. Although they looked ideal for a brawler, Karsha knew he wouldn''t let them go to waste. With the +20 strength boost, his sword damage output would also increase. As a Berserker blessed with immense strength, these bracers were perfect, providing protection while contributing to his power.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He may not yet exhibit the typical berserker traits, but the strength is still there. All he would need to do is put down his sword and start using his ws. But being blessed with both the Berserker ss and Swordsman ss, he was in a unique position to use both without any limitations. He was a Berserker Swordsman; there was no changing that. Beyond the strength boost, the bracers were also infused with ck magic. ording to legend, wearing them would unleash his inner strength. This inner ferocity referred to the inner demons within him. This darkness could be unleashed, adding to the wearer''s true strength. And since there were no drawbacks, he could use the bracers for as long as he wanted without sumbing to the darkness. After admiring the bracer for a few minutes, Karsha retrieved another orb and crashed it. After the energy dissipated, another ck leathery item appeared. < Ding! Congrattions, you have received a rare rank Sheath: Shadowstrike Sheath > A dual sword sheath that can be worn on the back appeared taking the spot as his third drop. The Shadowstrike Sheath is a sleek and mysterious ck dual sword sheath, adorned with intricate silver trimming that seems to shimmer in the light. The sheath is made of supple, high-quality leather that feels soft to the touch but is deceptively durable and able to withstand the rigors of battle. < Shadowstrike Sheath > -- Even your swords need an enhancement. Treat your swords right and they shall be yours forever. Rank: Rare Rating: Low-Tier Category: Armor -- +10% increased damage output for both swords for 2 hours -- +10% increased critical hit chance for both swords for 2 hours -- +10% increased attack speed for both swords for 2 hours -- Passive ability: "Shadowstrike" - When the wearer attacks with both swords, there is a 20% chance to trigger a shadowy strike that deals additional damage to the target. "Another armor piece. If I didn''t know better, I''d say the system is gearing me up for the battles ahead," Karsha remarked as he tried on the new sheath, even though he was still bare-chested. He retrieved his Dragon''s Fury and Devil''s Tooth and sheathed them. "Fits perfectly. I guess it is a good item." With the swords sheathed behind him, his appearance started to resemble the Annihtor persona he had yet to fully awaken. What he had experienced so far was just the awakening. He had yet to fully take on the identity and im full ownership. But since that was a story for another day, his focus now was on the sheath. With the strength and speed boost, his overall attack speed had increased to a staggering level. He already had the Red Eye Tiger skill offering a great boost in speed. So, coupled with this, his overall attack speed had reached another level. Then there was the strength boost. Just from the bracers and the sheath alone, his strength had already been boosted by 30%. Additionally, there was a critical hit enhancement, giving him a 10% chance ofnding a critical hit. Although it''s just a 10% chance, Karsha is bound to exchange countless sword attacks with his opponents. One of these attacks will trigger a critical hit, and once he triggers one, the next one won''t be far behind. "This sheath is just too good. At this rate, I will be able to handle multiple targets without having to use the domain." With a 20% chance of triggering a follow-up attack, if his luck is good, he will be able to end his target bynding a strong attack just once. "Let''s see what I get from the next orb." He shattered the fourth orb, and behold, armor appeared. "This is more like ninja leather wear than armor. I wonder what it can do." Karsha, who hadn''t even read the description yet, startedining. The armor that appeared wasn''t like those worn by ancient warriors with metal tes protecting almost every part of the body. It looked more like a superhero costume made from leather fashioned from the skin of an animal. < Ding! Congrattions, You have received an Epic rank of armor: Guardian''s Embrace > < Guardian''s Embrace > Rank: Epic Rating: High-Tier Category: Armor -- [Guardian''s Shield:] The armor grants the wearer a passive shield that absorbs up to 10% of the damage dealt to them. -- [Vitality Boost:] The armor increases the wearer''s vitality, granting them an additional 20% health and 10% stamina. -- [Regeneration:] The armor slowly regenerates the wearer''s health over time, restoring up to 20 health per second. -- [Protection Aura:] The armor emits a protective aura that grants nearby allies a 10% reduction in damage taken. -- [Evasion:] The armor grants the wearer a 20% chance to dodge attacks, making them harder to hit. -- [Resilience:] The armor makes the wearer more resilient to status effects, reducing the duration of harmful effects by 50%. -- [Empowerment:] The armor grants the wearer a 10% increase in damage output and a 5% increase in attack speed. "Holy sh*t, this is just too much. System Equip it fast" Karsha eximed out loud once again making Ayarr turn her gaze toward the entrance of the cave. ''Why is he still up? Didn''t he say he wanted to rest'' She wondered inwardly, ''Humans are just too weird''. Inside the cave, the armor materializes around Karsha''s body. His appearance turns to that of a superhero just without the cape. But his overall appearance is akin to Batman without his cape. It covers his body from below his neck to the toe. It also came in a short sleeve instead of a long leave. But with the bracer matching the ck color of the armor, he has no reason toin. The armor appeared to have been crafted from sleek leather, likely sourced from the hide of a formidable beast. Embedded steadily into the chest area was an emblem fashioned from a dark crystal. Not a trace of metal was present; the texture was soft to the touch. The trouser part featured a single pocket on the left leg, housing two fingerless gloves. Itcked any aesthetic appeal, devoid of any hidden runic features both on and within. However, when Karsha pressed the emblem on the chest of the armor, a message appeared in front of his eyes. < Guardian''s Might Triggered, the host will receive a 200% boost in all stats for the next 20 minutes > < Cooldown: 2 days "Holyshit, did I just waste a full 20 minutes of strength boost?" Karsha when read the message eximed out loud making Ayarr shake her head in annoyance. "I suppose the 2-day cooldown can be managed." After donning the fingerless gloves, he equipped the bracers, sheath, and even the boots he acquired in the ve mine. "With this, I am set for the next few months," he mused, scratching his temple. "System, unequip all and convert 10,000 attribute points to skill points, then use them to purchase a simple long sleeve and trousers from the store." After issuing themand, he retrieved the fifth orb and shattered it. < Ding! Congrattions, You have received a Gold Ranked Bow: Phoenix Tears > Chapter 50 Death Scripture < Ding! Congrattions, You have received a Gold Ranked Bow: Phoenix Tears > < Phoenix Tears >n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Rank: Gold Rating: High-Tier Category: Weapon -- zing Arrows: The Phoenix Tear''s bow can fire arrows imbued with the fiery essence of the phoenix, dealing massive damage to targets and igniting mmable materials. -- Phoenix''s Wrath: The bow''s arrows can summon a burst of fiery energy, striking all enemies within arge area and dealing massive damage. -- Inferno''s Fury: The bow''s arrows can unleash a devastating st of mes, striking all enemies within arge area and dealing massive damage. -- ze of Glory: The Phoenix Tears bow can fire arrows that imbue the wielder with fiery energy, increasing their strength and speed for a short time. [ Cooldown: 10 Minutes ] -------------- The Phoenix Tears bow is a breathtakingly beautiful weapon, with a slender, curved frame that seems to be made of pure crystal. Its limbs are adorned with delicate etchings of phoenix feathers, and its string is made of a gleaming silver material that shimmers with a fiery light. "Too bad I don''t use bows. I''ll just auction it off when I get back," Karsha said. Despite the bow''s overwhelming power, it wasn''t meant for him. He was a swordsman, and using bows was not one of his strengths. The bow is perfect for AOE (Area of Effect) attacks. With its fiery abilities, even the strongest army will break formation when an arrow is unleashed. The effects of [ze of Glory] can create chaos on the battlefield. With the increase in strength and speed, the attacks not only deal significant damage but also make the wielder faster and more urate. In a short time, they can unleash tremendous damage upon their enemies. The Inferno Fury ability has its perks. With its vast range, it is best showcased onrge-scale battlefields. All the abilities imbued into the bow are top-tier. In the hands of a skilled archer, it could be devastating. "Too bad I can''t use it. Of to the next one I guess." He then retrieved the sixth orb and shattered it. < Ding! Congrattions, You have received An Epic Rank Artifact: Soulguard > A beautiful and intricate piece of jewelry, with a delicate silver chain and a pendant that resembles a stylized winged shield, materializes in Karsha''s hands. The pendant is adorned with small, shimmering gemstones that seem to pulse with a soft, protective energy. "This is beautiful, but can only be used by ady" Karsha admired the ne with a satisfied smile, "This is best given to someone that needed it. I have a system to protect my soul." Having a cheat system sometimeses in handy. < Soulguard > Rank: Epic Rating: Low-Tier Category: Artifact -- Soul Protection: The Soulguard ne grants the wearer partial protection against soul attacks, preventing any damage or effects that target the wearer''s soul. -- Spiritual Shield: The ne creates a spiritual shield around the wearer, absorbing a set amount of damage from attacks that target the wearer''s spirit. -- Soul Healing: The Soulguard ne slowly restores the wearer''s soul over time, healing any damage or corruption that may have urred. --------------- Although it only partially protects against soul attacks, the Soulguard ne is still a valuable artifact. The soul is the most fragile aspect of the human system, and attacks targeting it can be exceedingly dangerous, capable of causing death with minimal resistance. Without any protection, the soul is vulnerable and susceptible to damage at any time. However, with the Soulguard ne offering partial protection, individuals facing soul attacks can manage to survive without losing their lives. In the world of Quinox, soul protection artifacts are highly prized, often fetching prices in the millions, if not billions, due to their rarity and the difficulty artisans face in creating them. Should Karsha choose to auction this seemingly simple ne, he would undoubtedly walk away with a considerable sum of spirit stones. But being unaware of its value, he just stored the ne in his inventory and retrieved the seventh orb. "Here we go again," he said, shattering the orb. < Ding! Congrattions, You have received a Tier 3 Skill Book > < Skill: Sword Storm > Tier: 4 Rating: C -- By fusing Mana into the sword, the swordsman can create a projection of their swords that contains 80% of their attack power and use it to attack from all directions. [ Current Projections: 10 ] --------------- A small skill book appeared in Karsha''s hand, bringing a smile to his face. With another sword skill at his disposal, he could further enhance the effect of the swords created from water and ice within his domain. The swords currently have 70% of his attack power, but with this new addition, he could increase their attack power to 80%, further strengthening the already formidable nature of his domain. The Red Eye Tiger skill is like a container that can hold multiple types of skills. The more skills loaded into it, the more powerful it bes. With its amplified nature, the skills added to it can be unleashed without any dy. It also allows for multiple skill activations with minimal Mana loss. Additionally, with the variations containing many effects from the same skills, he just has to activate the skills, and the variations can be automatically triggered without wasting any extra Mana. < Does the host wish to learn this skill > -- Yes -- No "Yes, I want to learn it," Karsha muttered, feeling a wave of happiness wash over him. "I must add this to the Red Eye Tiger and then incorporate them into the Variations." With more skills added to the variations, he can fight in closebat while the domain also does its work. Yes, it is an overpowered skill that will continue to grow in power as more skills with higher tiers and good ratings are added. < Congrattions, You have learned a new skill: Sword Storm > "Kindly add the new skill to the Red Eye Tiger" He then retrieved thest orb and shattered it without any hesitation. < Ding! Congrattions, you have received the first Volume of the Death Scripture > "Death Scripture, the fuck is that" Just like the death note where there are names of people to be killed, the death scripture contains scriptures that when spoken, will grant the speaker immerse power for a limited amount of time. The Death Scripture is not a skill, neither is it a technique. Its nature is more like a spell of a Magnus. The more scriptures spoken, the stronger the speaker gets. < Death Scripture > Note: The scriptures take the HP of the speaker to activate, so know the limit you go. First Scripture: "By the power of darkness, I invoke the strength of the ancients." Effect: +50% strength and damage output HP Cost: 10% Second Scripture: "My de shall be the instrument of thy demise, oh enemy." Effect: +100% strength and damage output HP Cost: 20% Third Scripture: "I call upon the spirits of thend to aid me in battle." Effect: +150% strength and damage output, HP Cost: 30% Fourth Scripture: "My will is strong, my de is sharp, I shall not be defeated." Effect: +200% strength and damage output HP Cost: 40% Fifth Scripture: "I am the instrument of death, my de shall be the harvester of souls." Effect: +250% strength and damage output HP Cost: 50% Sixth Scripture: "I call upon the power of the underworld to grant me strength." Effect: +300% strength and damage output HP Cost: 60% Seventh Scripture: "My de shall be the judge, the jury, and the executioner." Effect: +350% strength and damage output HP Cost: 70% Eighth Scripture: "I am the master of my own destiny, my de shall be the tool of my will." Effect: +400% strength and damage output HP Cost: 80% Ninth Scripture: "I call upon the power of the gods to grant me the strength of a thousand warriors." Effect: +450% strength and damage output HP Cost: 90% Tenth Scripture: "I am the bringer of death, my de shall be the harvester of all souls." Effect: +500% strength and damage output HP Cost: 99% [Note: The higher the HP poll, the more powerful the scriptures ] -------------------- "Holy shit, isn''t this like telling me to recite my own death poem?" Karsha muttered as he immediately threw the book away and stood up. The allure of power was fine, but when the price was his life, it wasn''t worth it. Karsha already had a domain that granted him buffs and debuffed his enemies. Additionally, his bracer and sheath increased his strength and damage output. If hebined these with the scriptures, he could easily overpower those in the realms above him. Yet, the price was simply too high. Using his lifeline for strength was something he wasn''t ready to embrace¡ªat least, not yet. "It''s been a few hours; they should be awake by now," he said as he stood up and let the system equip the clothes he had ordered. It was a ck leather jacket and dark jeans. The style was notmon in this world, but since Karsha wasn''t from this world, he let the system equip it. Once he was satisfied with his new appearance, he left the cave. "Holy shit, were you here the whole time?" Karsha eximed in shock when he saw Ayarr standing right at the entrance. "You know what, don''t answer that. You''ve already been stalking me for two whole weeks," Karsha said, raising his hands in surrender as he started walking back to the white house. "Youing?" he asked, snapping Ayarr out of her own thoughts. Chapter 51 The Great Varon Family Troubles It had been 16 days since Karsha entered the ind. The main culprits responsible for his exile were the Varon Great Family. While Karsha bore most of the responsibility for his situation, the fact that the Varon Family went to the extent of sending a Master Stage Cultivator to Snake Ind as a form of punishment was humiliating enough to make them lose face. Those sent to the ind were usually the worst criminals, not someone who merely had a misunderstanding with someone his age. There was no killing involved, which meant that even if they wanted to punish him, sending him to Snake Ind shouldn''t have even crossed their minds. But since the damage was already done, there was no going back. However, Karsha, who wanted to make the Varon Family regret their decision, had already set ns in motion a day before his departure. Kay, a bulky hunter who specialized in rare herbs and monsters, was one of the people who had tried to buy the taming method from Karsha when he used it to tame the Lonely Cauldron at the Alchemy Guild. Kay hunts for monsters that people prefer alive rather than dead, but his method is the crude one. He always suffers when hunting to capture such monsters. However, with a method like the Taming Speech, he would be able to capture most of these monsters without much difficulty. Of course, there was the issue of understanding the essence behind the Tame Speech, but since Kay was so confident in buying it, Karsha didn''t mind. He saw an opportunity to make the Varon family suffer while he was also suffering on the ind. A day before his departure, Karsha met with Max and struck a deal. Max was to help him spread the word about the Varon Family''s n to send him to the ind, and in return, Karsha would give him the Tame Speech for free.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Going against a great family was dangerous; however, when an offer like no other was presented, all forms of fear ceased to exist. Max, who desperately needed the Tame Speech, readily epted the offer and began his underground work. Within a week, he had managed to enlist many information guilds in the underworld, and like an explosion, the rumors began to spread. "Have you heard? The Varon family sent a 19-year-old Master Stage cultivator to Snake Ind over a disagreement with their heir, Vance," a young man sitting behind a tavern table said, holding a cup of mead. "I''ve been hearing the same thing, but I thought it was just one of those rumors," another person seated across from him replied. "Apparently, this is not a rumor. The whole of Snake Peak has been closed, and the sect master and elders of the Sunlight Sect haven''t left that ce for thest two weeks." He spoke and then gulped down a mouthful of mead. "So, the kid sent there is a disciple at the Sunlight Sword Sect?" "That''s what I heard. Some are even saying he''s an Inner Disciple. However, nobody knows him." "This is just too embarrassing. I never thought a great family would stoop so low and engage in such a shameful endeavor," one of the young men remarked as they continued to criticize the Varon Great Family. Meanwhile, in one of the luxurious buildings in Sunlight City, a meeting between some members of the Varon family was also taking ce. "Hugh, exin yourself, and make sure I like your answer," demanded a man who, despite living for hundreds of years, appeared only to be in histe 50s. His voice carried the weight of authority. Hugh, the main culprit behind sending Karsha to Snake Ind, broke into a cold sweat. The man he was about to speak to was Varon Axel, the Patriarch of the Varon Great Family. Axel was a Mid-stage Great Sage cultivator, a being akin to a Tier 10 monster. In all of the Drone Kingdom, only a few people had managed to break through to the Great Sage level, and Axel was one of them. His strength on the battlefield was nothing to joke about, and because of that, many feared the Varon family. Although they were a family of spies and assassins, Varon Axel was an axe user with a brawler ss. He was powerful and merciless. Even though Hugh was his son, Axel wouldn''t hesitate to squash him like a bug if necessary. Hugh took a few steps forward, nced around the room, and then began to speak. "Forgive me, Patriarch, for my rushed actions, but I had reasons for what I did. "I intended to send him and some members of our hunting team to carry out an assignment in the Thunder Desert, or he could apologize to Vance and serve as his servant for two years. However, when we went to administer his punishment, he insulted the family." "In my anger, I didn''t think clearly, and before I realized it, I had already punished him by issuing the Snake Ind punishment. Yet, instead of showing remorse and offering an apology, he continued to insult the family. Out of frustration, I left without mitigating the situation. I understand that my actions were wrong, but I couldn''t tolerate someone insulting our family without facing consequences." The faces of the elders gathered in the room turned red. The anger coursing through their bodies was evident in their eyes. "How is he still alive? Why didn''t you kill him before the time for him to enter the ind came?" one elder demanded. "I assigned de, but someone was protecting Karsha from the shadows, preventing de from getting close enough to kill him. And strangely, the time for the portal leading to the ind was miraculously forward a few days, so we didn''t have enough time to assassinate him," Hugh, still sweating buckets, answered. The patriarch hadn''t spoken yet, leaving Hugh uncertain of his fate. Until Axel spoke, Hugh would remain on the hot seat. But that didn''t mean he wouldn''t answer the questions being hurled at him. "From our investigation, the only Saint Alchemist in the whole of Sunlight City is on his side. Care to exin how that happened?" ''You had to ask that, you bastard,'' Hugh cursed the elder who posed the question. Master Artemis is the only Saint-Level Alchemist in the entire Sunlight City. Having a good rtionship with him is invaluable. However, now that he appears to be on Karsha''s side, they couldn''t help but wonder if Hugh''s decision would sever that connection. "I also learned that the boy was able to tame the Lonely Cauldron. Clearly, he is someone Old Master Artemis would value, considering he has been staying at Snake Peak for the past 16 days," another elder chimed in, causing Hugh to feel like he was drowning. "Not only him but also the Sect Masters are there. Clearly, there is something remarkable about that kid," another elder added, further stoking the fire. The more the elders spoke, the darker Hugh''s expression became. He felt as though his soul was sinking into the darkest abyss, hoping nobody would discover his vulnerability. The elders showed little concern for his emotions; their attentions were fixed on the potential damage to the family. They were aware that should anything happen to Karsha while on the ind, both the Old Alchemist and the Sunlight Sword Sect would forever hold disdain for the Varon Great Family. The Sunlight Sword Sect is one of the seven powerful sects in the Drono Kingdom. Among them, it ranks second, nearly equal to the Royal Drono Sect, which stands at the top. These sects serve as training grounds for young prodigies who will one day defend against invaders from outside and enemies within. They wield immense power, and the Varon Great Family knows that losing the Sunlight Sword Sect as an ally would be a significant blow. The Varon family wants nothing more than to punish the one responsible for this predicament, but since the Patriarch has not spoken, they dare not act recklessly. Snake Ind is dangerous, and the chances of a Master stage cultivator surviving there for 60 days are slim. Given this reality, their only option is topensate the sect and hope their offering is epted in good faith. "Hugh," the Patriarch finally spoke, "you have brought great shame to our family. No matter how justifiable your actions were, there is no excuse for what you''ve done. Not only did you strain our rtionship with the Sunlight Sword Sect, but you may also have jeopardized our connection with Master Artemis. You have tarnished the family name, and for that, you will be punished. I don''t care how you do it, but you must find a way to repair the rtionships you have damaged, or death will be the least of your worries. Leave my sight and do not return until you have fulfilled your objective." Hugh felt his legs turn to jelly when Axel spoke. Being punished was even more painful than having his head severed. He not only angered the sect, but he also found himself on the wrong side of Master Artemis and possibly the entire Alchemy Guild. Failing to re-establish those connections would mean certain death for him and possibly his entire family. After Hugh dragged himself out of the mansion, Axel turned to his elders. "Gideon, what do you know about that kid?" A blonde-haired man with a bulky physique responded, "As far as I know, he just appeared one day and passed the Inner Court exams. There''s nothing on him. We don''t even know his age. The only thing we know is his name, Karsha Damon." "Then he might have no backing or very strong backing. We have to tread carefully here." Axel pondered the information for a while before giving his final verdict. "Keep an eye on Snake Peak. The fact that the Sect Masters and Master Artemis are waiting means he might not die on that ind. We need to assess him well before taking any actions." After everyone left, Axel, the patriarch of the Varon family, walked close to the window and gazed deeply into the heavens. "There is danger on the horizon," he spoke softly, then sighed. "He should die on that ind, as he will die when he returns anyway." With an evilugh, he vanished from sight, leaving the echo of his sinisterughter resounding through the whole mansion. Chapter 52 The Five Shadow Guards Karsha, oblivious to the machinations against him, continued to advance steadily toward the white house where he intended to ask Ayarr''s mom some questions about the ind. So far, he has discovered some secrets about the ind. Initially, he thought there was only one ind. However, after winning the map, he discovered there was an inner area with a hidden gateway somewhere on the ind. Then there was the discovery of another gateway leading to a ce called Alcatraz, where a race of monsters known as Fallen Leviathans lived. There was also the Abyssal Leviathan Snake, the strongest of all the overlords. However, the map didn''t specify what kind of monsters they were, so he nned to gather as much information as he could before starting his missions. Aside from his mission to kill the ten overlords, he had a few other tasks toplete first. First, he had toplete the breakthrough quest within two days. Of course, killing Tier 5 and even Tier 6 monsters was something he had already achieved, sopleting the quest would be easy. Secondly, he had to hunt for the remaining nine pieces of the Book of Annihtion, which detailed the skills and weaknesses of the ten overlords. To do this, he needed to visit the remaining nine sections and kill Tier 5 mutants until he found the pieces. Now that the map could identify mutants, he was confident he could aplish this easily. This would also help him familiarize himself with each section. Thirdly, he would use the time to gather the ten venoms he had promised the old man. He needed venom from Tier 5 or above snakes: Amber Ambusher, Auric de, Grey Scale Cobra, Bloodstone Brawler, Obsidian Razor, Lava Wyrm, Jade Emperor, Ice Queen, Frostbite, and Bloodseeker. These snakes were scattered throughout the ind, but with the newest upgrade to the map, he could easily locate them.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Fourth, he had to farm for experience, skill points, and killer points. He nned to upgrade his skills to at least Tier 8 and incorporate as many as he could into the variations while raising their ratings to at least an A. It was going to be 13 days of non-stop killing, and Karsha was prepared for it. Lastly, he nned to absorb as much venom as he could. He also wanted to extract as much blood essence as possible to further temper his body. There was the issue of his Berserker Mutant bloodline, which could extract suitable bloodlines to enhance the strength of his ss even more. ''Ha, thirteen days won''t be enough. I need more time,'' he muttered to himself. He didn''t know how long it would take to kill all ten overlords, so he dedicated a whole 30 days. If he managed to kill them all in less than thirty days, he''d have extra time for other tasks. But for now, he needed information, and the one who could answer his questions was waiting for him. "Big Brother!" A little snake girl dashed at Karsha the moment he entered the white room. "I finished the meat you gave me." Karsha, who wasn''t ustomed to dealing with children, felt the need to resolve the situation quickly. "Here you go." He retrieved another piece of meat and gave it to her, hoping she would rush back to her mother. However, the girl used her sharp, finger-like ws to hold onto his clothes, indicating she had no ns to leave his side. ''Perhaps giving her the meat was a bad idea,'' Karsha thought inwardly before lifting his gaze toward the woman he wanted to meet. To his surprise, four other people inside the room looked like they had just woken up from a million years of slumber. "You''re here," Lady Illo said with a bright smile. "Are they..." "Yes, they are the ones who were poisoned when the humans invaded our domain and caused the ten savages to attack us," Lady Illo immediately answered without Karsha even having to ask. "They are the five shadow guards," she added. "Five..." Karsha raised an eyebrow. Clearly, there were only four people seated, so if they were five, who was the fifth person? "Haha, Ayarr, you weren''t wrong. Humans do have weird expressions," Lady Illoughed out loud, disying aplete 180-degree shift from her previous queenlike demeanor. "Ayarr is the fifth shadow guard, and yes, she has been following you for almost a week now." "I knew it," Karsha eximed with a satisfied sigh. "Wait, so you didn''t know I''ve been following you all this while. You just said I''ve been stalking you, were you lying then?" Ayarr asked, noticing how happy Karsha was. In her mind, Karsha had known about her existence since he told her just a few minutes ago, but from the currently satisfied smile on his face, she could tell he was lying then. "It''s called reverse psychology. I act like I know something even though I don''t, and ording to the reaction I get from you, I can tell whether my assumption is right or wrong," Karsha exined, leaving everyone with a dumbfounded look. "It''s a human thing," he added. "Anyways, I am Karsha, a Master stage cultivator." Karsha smiled as he introduced himself. He now looked handsome, much more handsome than when he first entered the ind. The awakening had changed a lot about him. His physique underwent the most significant change; his previous lean body had now added some flesh and muscles. Although he was still a long way from having a Chris Hemsworth physique, he could now hold his own with thedies. "A Master stage cultivator? What is that?" Ayarr asked, attempting to use facial expressions but failing horribly. "Oh, you''re not humans, so you don''t know that. Well, based on how monsters are categorized, a Master stage cultivator is on the same level as a Tier 4 monster." Humans don''t use the Tier system to measure cultivation bases; their system starts with Apprentice, Cultivator, Advanced, Master, Grandmaster, Semi-Saint, Saint, and so on. Monsters, on the other hand, use the Tier system. Tier 1 is equivalent to an Apprentice level human, and it follows from there. "Wait, if you''re Tier 4, then how can you kill Tier 6 and even a Mutant so easily?" Ayarr, who had witnessed Karsha''s battles, asked with a shocked expression. That expression was neutral to all beings, so she got it right. "I guess I''m not your average Tier 4 monster," Karsha replied, his shoulders held high. "Big Brother is awesome," Starr, who held a chunk of meat in her hand, said with a beaming smile. "Yes, Big Brother is the best," Karsha, who may have started to develop a liking for the little snake, ruffled her hand with a smile. "Big brother, do you want me to do your hair? Big sister Ayarr doesn''t let me touch her hair," Starr asked with puppy eyes. Looking into those cute snake eyes, Karsha couldn''t bring himself to resist, so he gave her the go-ahead, leaving the six adults in the room to shake their heads in pity. A decision he would regretter on. "Are you really the Annihtor?" one of the four shadow guards asked. He was a young man with short blue hair and blue snake eyes. Unlike Starr, who still had scales on her neck and hands, he had wless human skin. "I am nowhere near bing the Annihtor, but I would like to be him one day," Karsha neither confirmed nor rejected the idea of him being the Annihtor. Imagine a being that, when his name was mentioned, even gods would shudder and wet their pants. Many called him the destroyer of worlds, the bringer of chaos, the god killer. Legends about the Annihtor were legendary, and for someone who wasn''t even ready to kill one overlord, taking on that title would be pathetic. Karsha knew he had to earn that title. Killing the ten overlords was a start. For him to take on that title, he would have to work for it. "Okay. By the way, I am Dhaka, Tier 7 Purple Tail Anaconda, the leader of the Shadow Guards. I am a swordsman." For now, he would hold back his feelings and see how they progressed; after all, he had just woken up from over 40 years of slumber. "I am Tifa, Tier 7 Purple Tail Anaconda, I am a mage" A petite snake with silver hair flowing down her back also introduced herself. Her eyes are deep blue with a whitishyer decorating the pupils. Her perfect bone structure coupled with her glossy lips spoke volumes. "I am Killian, also a Tier 7 Purple Tail Anaconda. I am a shieldbearer" Killian is a slightly pale-looking young man. Maybe because he had just woken up from a Poison sleep. His hair is dark and his eyes are also as dark as the night sky. He is an eye-catcher. He is muscr and perfect for his role as the juggernaut. "I am Alida, also a Tier 7 Purple tail Anaconda. I am an Archeress" The fourth person who appears to be a perfect reincarnation of the Goddess of fire spoke. Her eyes were as fiery as the crimson night sky. because of her serpentine eyes, her gaze feels more predatory than a normal human would. Her red hair, a carbon copy of Karsha''s own flowed down her back like a waterfall. Unlike Ayarr and Tifa, who are C cups, Alida boasted an F cup, which stood firm and round in the white gown she was wearing. Her nipples struggled to be free from bondage. She was just gorgeous, and as someone who had traits of a pervert in his blood, Karsha took a screenshot of her perfect image, nning to revisit it when all was settled with the Overlords. "And she is Ayarr, an assassin, also my daughter," Lady Illo said. Karsha nced at his stalker for a few seconds before shifting back to Lady Illo. "So, tell me, Karsha, why are you on this ind?" Lady Illo asked, her gaze demanding an answer. In a casual and nonchnt tone, Karsha replied, "Oh, it''s quite simple; I am here to kill the Ten Overlords." Chapter 53 Starlight Serenity The room fell silent after Karsha''s deration. Even the ten-year-old, who had been diligently braiding Karsha''s perfect red hair into dreadlocks, stopped. Karsha had just revealed himself to be akin to a Tier 4 Monster and intended to challenge the ten Overlords¡ªbeings so terrifying that even the Tier 7 shadow guards wouldn''t dare to confront them, not even in their nightmares. There is a reason they are called the Overlords. Besides merely holding the title and being Tier 7 entities, they are also Mutants. But not just ordinary Mutants¡ªthey are a higher form, called Terror. There are Alpha Beasts, Mutants, and World Bosses. Beyond these three recognized categories, there are sses, starting from Lesser, Great, Dark, Terror, Cmity, Devil, and Abomination. Alpha Beasts have three sses, Mutants have five, and World Bosses have seven. For example, when a Tier 6 Monster fights a Tier 5 Monster, the Tier 6 Monster will win. However, when a Tier 6 Monster fights a Tier 5 Dark Mutant, the Tier 6 Monster wouldn''t even know how it died. Despite being a tier lower than Tier 6 Mutants, their stats are far superior to Tier 6 Monsters. Their attributes are often higher than those of monsters two stages above them. It is not an exaggeration to say that a Tier 5 Terror Mutant can effortlessly defeat a Tier 7 Monster. They are that powerful. So for Karsha, who is nearly insignificant in the eyes of the Overlords, to actually be nning on going against them, they couldn''t help but look at him with various emotions. "Why the strange looks? I wasn''t nning on going now. First, I''ll have to advance to Tier 5 and make adequate preparations." Perhaps misinterpreting their shocked expressions, Karsha added more details, only adding to the astonishment of the humanoid serpents around him. "Are you serious? Look, I know you''re strong and have even managed to defeat a Tier 6 Mutant, but challenging an Overlord shouldn''t be on your mind right now. You''re not strong enough," Ayarr, who had already witnessed Karsha in action, reprimanded him. "You might stand a chance when you reach Tier 7 or perhaps even Tier 8." "Ha, looks like I have underestimated the Overlords," Karsha said, shaking his head, which snapped Starr back to reality. Once she was jolted back to her senses, she continued weaving his hair. "You certainly did, and to be frank, I envy your innocence," Lady Illo said. "The ten Overlords are what we refer to as the Ten Savages. Their existence is so terrifying that even a Peak Tier 7 like me wouldn''t dare confront one, let alone all ten," she added with a sad smile. "I lost most of my people because of those Savages. They''re too powerful. If I were you, I would focus on getting stronger first before even considering challenging them." "That''s the thing, Lady Illo. I don''t have much time, and the venom from the Overlords is the key reason I came to this ind. I need it to cure the mother of a dear friend of mine," Karsha exined, revealing that the ten venoms from the Overlords are crucial ingredients. Still, he remained oblivious to the true nature of why he was there in the first ce. Destiny and its friend Fate certainly have a way of weaving the lives of many. While Karsha''s reason foring to the ind remained unchanged, an ancient being had already set in motion a path that inexorably led Karsha toward something much bigger than he could understand. Avoiding it was not an option. Once he stepped onto that road, there would be no turning back. Unfortunately, he had already taken the first step by awakening the Annihtor''s destiny. Now, he was on the path to bing the Annihtor and much more. However, while that might sound exciting, the reality was quite different. He had to earn it. Bing the Annihtor was inevitable, but before that, he had to prove himself. Eliminating the ten Overlords was just the beginning. Whether he liked it or not, his destiny wouldn''t allow him to leave Snake Ind without fulfilling this initial phase, among many others. "I know you''ll advise me to stop, that I''m not strong enough. But I don''t see myself that way. I may not be strong now, but I won''t remain weak for long. I will defeat the Overlords, and that''s why I''m here. But I''ll need your help. I need details on the Overlords; every little piece of information is valuable. I may not be able to repay the favor now, but I will surely repay it in the future," Karsha dered, his determination unwavering. He hade a long way, and there was no turning back now. "Hmm, your determination is strong, but I doubt it will be enough," Lady Illo said. "There is little to nothing known about the Overlords. The little I know is from when they attacked my domain 45 years ago." They are terrifying. I won''t joke about that. Their mere presence is enough to kill the will of a warrior. Among all ten, Mistshroud is the weakest, but even so, I doubt I can defeat him. From what I have gathered, they don''t easily leave their domains, as if they are guarding something. And since the Purple Tail Anaconda cannot attack them because of the curse, we never tried to either. It''s not like we can do anything anyway. I don''t know their weaknesses, and from what I understand, the only way to kill them is to know their weaknesses and skills. At least, that''s the knowledge my ancestors left behind. I will say it again: going against those ten Savages with your current strength is pure madness." Karsha might not be the strongest, but he is the smartest. In his previous life on Earth, he was known for always doing the impossible. He would take on impossible assignments and always make them possible. Killing the ten overlords might demand great strength, but it also necessitates strategic thinking. This strategic approach revolves around understanding the abilities and weaknesses of the targets. Karsha recognized the importance of gathering information on these aspects. Even though Lady Illo didn''t possess much knowledge, he sensed there was a way to defeat them; he just hadn''t discovered it yet. ''I must gather thest nine pieces of the Book of Annihtion,'' he thought. With theplete book in his hands, he would know the weaknesses of the overlords and how to best fight them. "Thank you, Lady Illo. Even though it''s not much, I still appreciate it." "It''s nothing," Lady Illo responded. "But how are you going to travel between sections? The ind is veryrge, so traveling between sections will take you days if not weeks. Since you said you don''t have much time, I hope you have a way to move between the sections easily." Karsha was taken aback by the sudden question. "It''s just an ind. How big can it be?" "Hahaha, Snake Ind is not as small as you might think. It''s incredibly vast, and to move from one section to the next, you''ll have to traverse huge distances." "Right now, you are closer to the Crimson Spire, the domain of the ScaleCrusher Titan snake. To go to the next domain, which is the Crimson Canyon, the domain of the Bloodfang Vampire snake, you''ll have to travel about 460 miles," Lady Illo added. Karsha''s mood continued to darken, but a sudden thought entered his mind, clearing all forms of darkness from his face. ''System, do you have something in the store that can help me fly?'' He now had ess to the system shop, so he could easily buy something using Killer Points. Since he had already converted 10,000 Attribute Points to Killer Points, he could use them to buy a flying treasure, provided the system has some. < Ding! Avable Flying Treasures in the Killer store > < Sea Sprite''s Gift > Rank: Rare Rating: Low Tier Category: Flying Treasure -- Appearance: A delicate, ornate boat with a slender hull and wings made of iridescent shells, adorned with seaweed and pearls. -- Speed: Up to 50 knots (93 km/h) -- Abilities: Grants the ability to fly over water without sinking, and boosts speed by 20% when flying over the ocean. [ 4,000 Killer Points ] < Skybound Schooner > Rank: Rare Rating: Low Tier Category: Flying Treasure -- Appearance: A sturdy, three-masted schooner with billowing sails and a hull made of glowing, otherworldly wood, adorned with brass fittings and golden ents. -- Speed: Up to 70 knots (130 km/h) -- Abilities: Grants the ability to fly through clouds and dense fog, and boosts speed by 30% when flying through windy conditions. [ 6,000 Killer Points ] < Moonlit Galleon > Rank: Rare Rating: Low Tier Category: Flying Treasure -- Appearance: A majestic, ornate galleon with a ck hull adorned with silver trim andnterns, and wings made of a shimmering, moonlit fabric. -- Speed: Up to 60 knots (111 km/h) -- Abilities: Grants the ability to fly through the night sky without being affected by darkness, and boosts speed by 25% when flying during a full moon. [ 7,600 Killer Points ] < Wind Dancer''s Delight >n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Rank: Rare Rating: High-Tier Category: Flying Treasure -- Appearance: A sleek, aerodynamic boat with a slender hull and wings made of a lightweight, almost invisible material, adorned with colorful streamers and feathers. -- Speed: Up to 80 knots (148 km/h) -- Abilities: Grants the ability to fly through turbulent air without being affected by wind resistance, and boosts speed by 40% when flying through stormy weather. [ 10,000 Killer Points ] < Starlight Serenity > Rank: Epic Rating: Low-Tier Category: Flying Treasure -- Appearance: A graceful, ethereal boat with a slender hull and wings made of a shimmering, starlight-infused material, adorned with glittering gemstones and celestial charts. -- Speed: Up to 119 knots (220 km/h) -- Abilities: Grants the ability to fly almost undetected. The more crowded the area, the quieter it gets. [ 12,000 Killer Points ] ''No need to debate this. Just convert some more attribute points to Killer Points and buy the Starlight Serenity," Karsha decided, recognizing the necessity of traveling swiftly and discreetly. "Don''t worry Lady Illo, I came Prepared," Karsha said as he retrieved the Starlight Serenity boat from his inventory. The small boat in his hands began to expand, assuming its magnificent form. After reaching a length of five meters and a width of six feet, it came to a halt. With a huge smile, Karsha spoke, "I can travel the whole ind within a day..." Chapter 54 Bane of the Gods "Big brother, what''s that?" Starr asked, marveling at the majestic Epic Rank flying treasure hovering three feet off the ground. The boat had the appearance of a normal paddling boat, but the wings attached to it were simply beautiful. With colors shimmering under the dimly lit sun, the entire sight resembled the pnquin of a king. Aside from its beauty, the boat was spacious enough to amodate twelve peoplefortably without any need for squeezing in. "Do you want to go for a rideter?" Karsha asked the little snake who had turned his hair into dreadlocks. "Yes!" Starr eximed, her face lighting up with happiness. "Alright, we will go for a rideter," Karsha promised, then turned back to Lady Illo. "I have some more questions I hope you can help me with. May I ask?" Karsha spoke with a guilty look. He knew he was getting more from the woman than he had given. Although he had saved their people from fatal poison, what they did for him was far more significant. His life was millions of times more important than the lives of the four shadow guards he had helped. So, for him to be stockpiling favors, he couldn''t help but feel guilty. "Don''t worry, Karsha, go ahead and ask," Lady Illo said with a smile, giving him the go-ahead. "What do you know about the Inner Area of Snake Ind?" Karsha asked. Immediately, the people in the room turned pale. "Where did you hear that from?" Lady Illo asked in a shocked tone. Seeing the expressions on the faces of the Snake humans, Karsha knew something was wrong. He refrained from revealing the existence of the map. He needed to assess the information first and decide whether to reveal it. "An old man who came to this ind long ago told me before he died. He said there is a gateway to the Inner Area of Snake Ind. As far as I know, there is only one Snake Ind, so I am wondering if you know anything about it." Karsha lied through his teeth since the information he had was purely from the invaluable map he obtained on his first day on the ind. "Listen carefully, Karsha, no matter what happens, never look into the Inner Area of the ind," Lady Illo replied, her expression as pale as the white dune. ''Something isn''t right. I need to get to the bottom of this,'' Karsha thought, seeing the pale look on Lady Illo''s face. He knew there was something significant they were hiding from him, and he intended to uncover the truth. "That''s exactly the look that appeared on the faces of the people when they heard I would be banished to this ind for 60 days back in the human realm," Karsha said, looking like he was about to do something he shouldn''t have. "I know this must sound like a shock to you, but I already have a sure way to locate the gateway to the Inner Area, and believe me when I say, I will one day go there," he said with a smile. "I know you want the best for me. Believe me, I appreciate that, but I also want to know more about the ce. Right now, you are the only one who can tell me. One way or another, I know destiny will take me there, so it''s better to be prepared now thanter." Lady Illo continued to gaze at the young man sitting in front of her, her expression filled with a mix of emotions. She was well aware of what Karsha desired, but revealing it now posed significant risks. However, upon hearing Karsha''s reasoning, she couldn''t help but contemte whether withholding the information would ultimately harm him instead of safeguarding him. After all, he was the Annihtor. If anyone was qualified to embark on such a quest, it should be him. "Mom, tell him," Ayarr chimed in when she saw the dilemma her mother was in. "He should know about that now instead of finding out the hard way." "Alright. Listen well, Karsha, for I will only say it once," Lady Illo said. "I already told you about how terrifying the Ten Overlords are. Now, picture a scenario where those Ten Savages, instead of being overlords, are rather treated as puppies."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Karsha arched an eyebrow as he listened. He didn''t know why, but he started regretting his decision. If the monsters he was about to face were mere puppies in that ce, then how would he appear when he stepped there? "From what little I know, the Ten Overlords are nobodies that have been banished from the Inner Area. They are merely bugs there, and their importance is insignificant. They don''t have the power to reside there, so they are banished to the section where they can be someone important. But that is not the terrifying thing about that ce. Long ago, there was a very powerful Serpent Beast that reigned supreme over many species; his legend was above all else. Legend has it that he had risen to a level where, though he wasn''t a God, people feared him more than Gods. Even the gods are afraid of him. However, an incident happened, and for unknown reasons, he was never heard from again. Some say he died and entered the cycle of reincarnation. Others say he ascended into Godhood, among many other theories. However, the truth of the matter is that this terrifying existence died from unknown causes. Yet, he left behind his legacy. They say his legacy epasses the entirety of this ind, but in reality, his legacy lies even beyond the Inner Area. ording to the legends passed down by my ancestors, those who wish to seek his legacy must enter the Inner Area and can only leave when they seed. Failure means death." Karsha broke into a cold sweat as he listened to the serpentdy. An existence that could even make the gods tremble¡ªhow was that even possible? "Can I rise to that level someday?" he wondered, but for now, he needed to hear more about the mysterious beast. "Do you perhaps know his name?" Karsha, feeling drawn to the story, started probing for more information. But s, Lady Illo just shook her head. "No one knows his name. ording to my ancestors, people refer to him as the Bane of the Gods." "Isn''t that name a little dramatic?" Karsha said, but immediately after he did, he felt like he was being watched. Though the gaze he felt wasn''t malicious, as someone who had trained to remainposed in the face of danger, he didn''t even flinch. "Onest question and I promise I won''t ask anymore," Karsha said with a slightly embarrassed look. Lady Illo simply nodded, giving him the go-ahead. "Do you know anything about the entrance to the Hidden Realm of the Fallen Leviathan?" Karsha innocently asked, but once again, his innocent question left the serpents with pale looks. "Again, where did you hear that from?" Lady Illo asked, raising an eyebrow. For a snake to have such an expression, it meant she meant business. "You would be surprised how much humans know about this ind. I read about it in a book a few weeks ago," Karsha remarked. Revealing the truth to her was not something he nned on doing anytime soon. Despite her resemnce to histe mother, he knew she was not her. Trusting her with major secrets was not something he intended to do, at least not yet. "Why did I even ask?" Lady Illo, who could tell Karsha wasn''t telling her the truth, decided to give up and just let him in on yet another secret. "I don''t know where the gateway is, nor do I know much about the Fallen Leviathans. But what I can tell you is that they are monsters rejected by the heavens. Everything about them is chaos, so don''t even think about stepping into that realm. After all, the guardian guarding the doorway from the inside is a Tier 8 Dark Mutant. Killing it is next to impossible," Lady Illo cautioned. Lady Illo sighed and then added, "Come to think of it, maybe you should stick to the Overlords here. They are much more within your level." Karsha smiled bitterly upon hearing the advice from the snakedy. "Thank you for answering my questions, Lady Illo," Karsha expressed his gratitude before standing up and leaping into the hovering boat. He needed time to digest the information he had just absorbed, and what better way to do that than with a ride across the countryside? "Let''s go for a ride, Starr." Taking her slender hands, he lifted her inside, and the boat started moving outside. "We will be back soon," Karsha dered. With that, he channeled a small amount of mana into the boat. To his surprise, the boat dashed forward at incredible speed, leaving dust in its wake as it moved forward. Not only did it speed ahead, but it also continued to rise into the air. Once they were out of sight, Lady Illo looked at the five guards in the room and smiled. "I hope you are all aware of what is about to happen and what needs to be done." They all nodded with bitter smiles. "Mother, do you think he can kill the overlords?" Ayarr asked. "I don''t know, but from what your grandfather said about the prophecy, the Annihtor will liberate this ind and break the long-existing curse." Lady Illo stood up, approached the five shadow guards, and said, "I hope you five are ready to swear your allegiance to the Annihtor. You made an oath, after all." The five nodded in understanding. Even though they could not directly attack the overlords, they could still provide some assistance, like helping him kill more monsters for drops, experience points, skill points, and many more. "We won''t fail the Purple Tail Anaconda and the Annihtor," the five shadow guards dered as they stood and departed tomence preparations to apany Karsha, who would spend the next 13 days getting ready. The final 30 days would mark his move against the Ten Overlords, beginning with the ScaleCrusher who had nearly crushed him to death. Chapter 55 Completing the Breakthrough Quest After flying around for an hour, Karsha and Starr returned to the white house, looking like children waiting for the ice cream truck. "Big brother, I want toe with you," Starr said, clinging to Karsha, who was about to head back into the wild toplete his quest. "Where I''m going is very dangerous. It contains bad monsters that eat children. Big brother is going to kill them and thene back to take you out for a ride." Despite Starr looking like a kid, she was a Tier 4 snake beast, even stronger than most Grandmaster stage humans. Nodding her head, Starr let go of Karsha''s hand and ran to her mother. Karsha sighed and then turned to the five snakes, fully dressed and standing behind him. "Are you sure you want to follow me? It might get dangerous, you know." He had already been told by Lady Illo that the five Shadow guards would be going with him. Although they couldn''t attack the overlords, they could still take care of their minions. With multiple races of snakes in each section of the ind, the overlord had generals who managed the day-to-day activities of their quadrant. These generals were like bodyguards, protecting the overlords. Karsha had already killed six of these generals from the Crimson Spire, the section of the Scalecrusher Titan snake. However, some still remained, and since their job was to protect their overlord, should Karsha go after the overlord, they might hinder him. However, with the five Shadow Guards apanying him, they could hold back those generals while Karsha faced off against the overlords. "We are ready. We''ve trained our entire lives for this moment," one of the guards said. Hearing this, Karsha smiled faintly. His smile widened when a system message appeared. ``` < Would you like to form a party with the five Shadow Guards? Keep in mind that when the party is formed, every kill made by any of the five guards will contribute to Experience Points (Exp), Skill Points, and Killer Points. Additionally, the chances of your party obtaining a drop increase by 50%, and there''s a 30% increase in obtaining an Avatar. > -- Yes -- No ``` ''Yes,'' Karsha responded, not willing to miss the chance for his party to obtain an Avatar. During the one-hour flight with Starr, he asked the system many questions and learned about what an Avatar is. ording to the system, when a beast, monster, or human dies, their consciousness and essence can be condensed into an animated form. They remain alive and may retain their memories and skills. The system exined that there are three types of Avatars: [Servant Avatar]: These are ordinary avatars who retain some skills. They do not recall their past and cannot advance in tiers. Additionally, if they have a form that wields weapons, they cannot use external weapons but only use their bodies as weapons. [Emperor Avatar]: These avatars manage to retain their memories and most of their abilities. They can absorb monster cores to increase their cultivation base, wield external weapons, and evenmunicate if they have that ability while alive. Some can even transform into humanoid forms. [Mystical Avatar]: These avatars retain all their memories and skills. They can evolve into higher life forms by absorbing monster cores, gems, ores, herbs, and more. They mostly look exactly like their original selves when they were alive. Obtaining a Mystical Avatar is considered an amazing achievement. Mystical Avatars can be upgraded to be very powerful subordinates if the owner has the resources. With the system increasing their chances of getting an Avatar by 30%, Karsha didn''t know whether tough or roll on the floor. "Good, then hop on. We have a lot to do," Karsha said. He took out the boat and made it float. Once they were all inside, he channeled his mana into it. Like the speed of light, they were gone, leaving behind Starr with teary eyes and two chunks of meat in both hands. "Don''t worry, Starr. Your big brother is strong. He will be fine. He will be back soon," Lady Illo said as she wiped the tears from the face of the adorable snake child. ----------------- Meanwhile, after leaving the Sanctuary of the Purple Tail Anaconda, Karsha and his team of five Shadow Guards started making their way back to the Crimson Spire. Karsha nned to kill the six Tier 5 and one Tier 6 monsters he had already marked on the map as his trial for the breakthrough quest. "Before going after the overlords, I will first have to travel across the ten sections and do some tasks that will involve a lot of killing. I hope you guys are ready for it," Karsha said with an evil grin. The five Shadow Guards nodded promptly. "Good. We will make a quick stop at the Crimson Spire, where I will revisit some old friends before we continue our journey," Karsha added. He then pressed a button inside the boat, and a transparent dome covered them. They would need about an hour and a half to reach the Crimson Spire, so he nned to use that time to get to know the five guards better. "I''ve been meaning to ask, why is it that the Purple Tail Anaconda can take human form but not the other snakes?" Karsha asked. "That''s because they are monsters, and we are beasts," Dhaka, the leader of the five Shadow Guards, answered, his shoulders held high. "What''s the difference?" Karsha asked with a confused look. He wasn''t well-versed in the literature of the Beastkins, but as far as he knew, beasts and monsters were the same. So why was Dhaka saying they were beasts while the other breeds were monsters? It just didn''t make any sense. "Beasts are more evolved versions of monsters. We are civilized and have rules that don''t harm our people or others. We have leadership that considers the well-being of their people and not their selfish desires. Monsters, on the other hand, are different. Theyck these traits, as their only inclination is towards violence. Unlike us, who understand the value of peace, monsters prefer constant violence and never-ending killing. Theyck an understanding of the value of life, which sets them apart from us. Their knowledge is limited, their brains are not fully developed, and theyck discipline. As a result, they will never be able to evolve into a higher existence like us and other beasts. Furthermore, their inability to evolve may stem from the influence of the curse ced on this ce," Dhaka exined. Karsha nodded silently, absorbing the wisdom. "Thanks for the education, this clears up a lot of things," Karsha said. Dhaka nodded in acknowledgment.N?v(el)B\\jnn "By the way, what techniques do you have, and how effective can you fight in your human form?" Karsha asked again. This time, Ayarr responded. "We are not like you humans, who seem to have a way to learn just any skill. Beastkins get their techniques from their innate talent." "Innate talent?" Karsha asked. "Innate talent is a trait every beast is born with. For instance, I possess an innate talent for shadows and swift movements. Thus, when I assumed my human form, I became an assassin. However, this doesn''t imply that Ick skills. While I cannot acquire new skills like humans do, my innate talents have a way ofpensating for that. As I progress in my cultivation, my innate talent evolves, enabling me to acquire more skills," Ayarr exined, leaving Karsha dumbfounded. From what he had just heard, unlike humans, beasts get their skills from their innate talent, something humans don''t have. In other words, their innate talent awards them skills that are best suited for them, unlike humans, who have to learn hundreds and practice until they find the one best suited for them. ''This is amazing. I wish I had something like this,'' Karsha thought to himself. He then continued with his questions, and before they realized it, an hour and a half had passed in the blink of an eye. "We''re here," Karsha said, stopping at the small waterfall after confirming the terrifying monster was no longer there. Thanks to the map, he was able to locate its position, so they didn''t hesitate to stop there. "I''ll be back in an hour or two," Karsha said, jumping out of the boat and disappearing in an instant. Blinking through one shadow after another for a few seconds, Karsha reappeared in the danger zone and started making his way toward the assembly of ten Tier 5 monsters just a few hundred meters away from him. "Let''s see how strong my skills have be," he murmured, then signaled the system to equip his new armor. Once his body was covered with ck leather armor, he muttered, "Start Breakthrough Quest." As he said this, Karsha activated his domain, and to his surprise, it expanded to a radius of one kilometer. "Huh, fifteen Tier 5 monsters and a Tier 6 monster. What a lucky encounter," Karsha muttered with an evil smile as he activated the first, second, and third variations instantly. He expected the spearsced with lightning, which is the third variation, to be the only attacks raining down on the sixteen monsters. To his surprise, the first variation, Ever Freezing Water Carpet, instantly froze a one-meter-tall ice wall around the targets. Immediately, the second and third variations merged, forming slightlyrger ice spearsced with lightning. "Merge Variation: Death Spear," Karsha uttered. Like rain, the spears began to shower down on the restricted monsters. A few secondster, system notifications started ringing. < Ding! Congrattions on killing a Tier 5 Grey Scale Cobra. 30000 Exp added, 300 Stat points added > < Ding! Congrattions on killing a Tier 5 Grey Scale Cobra. 30000 Exp added, 300 Stat points added > < Ding! Congrattions on killing a Tier 5 Grey Scale Cobra. 30000 Exp added, 300 Stat points added > < Ding! Congrattions on killing a Tier 5 Grey Scale Cobra. 30000 Exp added, 300 Stat points added > < Ding! Congrattions on killing a Tier 5 Grey Scale Cobra. 30000 Exp added, 300 Stat points added > --- --- < Ding! Congrattions on killing a Tier 6 Grey Scale Cobra. 50000 Exp added, 500 Stat points added > --- --- < Ding! Congrattions onpleting the Breakthrough quest...> Chapter 56 The Grandmaster stage, System Rewards, Choices (1) < Ding! Congrattions onpleting the Breakthrough Quest...> Karsha read the notification with a happy smile. He then deactivated the domain skill and started blinking back to the safe zone, but not before storing the sixteen bodies and cores in his spiritual space ring. Once he was far enough and out of the Danger and Average zones, Karsha activated the domain again and sat down. The domain had grown stronger than it was a few days ago, so since he was now in a zone where only Tier 1 monsters dominated, he felt safer. Thanks to the domain, he managed to clear a one-kilometer radius of a safe area. He then turned back to the system notifications and started reading through them. < Congrattions, you have passed the Grandmaster promotion test sessfully with an SSE rating > [Reason] = The host has shown an excellent understanding and control of his skills, creating four Variations and merging two Variations to form a more powerful skill. Also, the hostpleted the test in less than ten seconds. < Ding! Congrattions, you will receive four categories of rewards forpleting the test with an SSE rating > < SSE reward categories: Level Up Rewards, Passive rewards, Active rewards, and System Rewards > < Level Up Rewards > < Congrattions, you have advanced to Level 1 Grandmaster stage > [ Reward 1 ] - All stats are multiples by 3. Additionally, +100 Stat points have been added to all stats and +200,000 points have been added to Mana [ Reward 2 ] - 1,000 Skill Points, 100,000 Killer Points, 1,000 Attribute Points, and 200,000 Exp have been awarded to the host. [ Reward 3 ] - All skills have received a one-tier upgrade. "Holy smokes, this is wonderful! I feel even more powerful now. This is just great," Karshaughed wholeheartedly, his excitement palpable. He hadn''t expected to be this fortunate. With his stats multiplied by three, his overall attack power would be on par with a Peak Tier 6. However, that was just for the time being. With the system capable of adding points to his stats whenever there is space, he could further boost his stats, increasing his attack power to new levels. Thenes his second reward, which is even more amazing. Not only does he receive a staggering amount of skill points, but he has also obtained enough Killer points to buy more amazing items from the store. "I will check out the storeter. For now, I need to focus on getting even stronger within a few days." Being someone who understands the need to be prepared, Karsha refrains from essing the store now and instead ns on training and finding ways to best utilize the store. With the few things he has already bought from the system, he knows the system store holds the key to many of the problems he will face in the future. It''s better to save up Killer Points now and use them when needed. As for the third reward, he would soon discover just how much stronger the domain had be. With both the Water Domain and Ever Freezing Ice Domain, along with Lightning Strike, upgraded to Tier 7, their newfound strength would soar to new heights. "This is good. Let''s see what else the system has for me." =================== < Passive Rewards > [ Select two out of the five skills listed below ] [ Sword Intent ] - Coat your swords with an aura that increases damage output. All sword attacks are enhanced by 150%. Note: The host must learn how to channel the sword aura manually before the full 150% will take effect. [ Harden ] - The host''s defense will double whenever the host advances in realms. [ Rapid Regenerate ] - The host''s HP will regenerate at 5% per second. [ Illusion Gaze ] - Gain 40% resistance against illusion attacks. [ Humor ] - Using appropriate words, you can sessfully defuse about 80% of hostile situations. "I mean, seriously. Who wants to have a peaceful talk with their enemy who is trying to kill me?" The humor passive skill is indeed great. But Karsha is not here to have a peaceful talk with the ten savages. His main objective is to obtain their venom, and there is no way he can achieve that through peaceful negotiation. The humor passive ability cannot assist him in his impending sh with the ten overlords. Then there is the illusion gaze. With 40% resistance against illusion attacks, the chances of him getting caught in an illusion can be reduced by 40%, meaning he has to focus only on the remaining 60%. Although it might not seem like much, an illusion is dangerous, especially if caught mid-battle. However, with 40% resistance against it, the wielder will just have to have strong enough mental strength to deal with the rest. It''s a great passive ability, but what Karsha needs now is an offensive ability, so he lets go of this one. However, he didn''t hesitate when he saw the Rapid Regenerate. The ability to regenerate HP at a rate of 5% per second is something he needs right now. He has the Death Scripture''s first volume that requires HP instead of Mana to activate. While the scriptures require a percentage instead of a direct figure to activate, Karsha knows that the higher his HP pool, the more powerful the damage output. Someone with an HP pool of 200,000, using 90% of it to activate the 9th chapter, will have a higher damage output than someone with an HP pool of just 100,000. With the rapid regeneration, if Karsha is not under constant assault from an opponent, with his HP pool full, using the scripture will unleash its full might. The Rapid Regenerate is the perfect ability for him right about now. It''s just 5%, but with only 20 seconds required, he will be able to regenerate his HP back to its full capacity in no time. He ignored the Harden ability and picked Sword Intent. He needs all the buffs he can get, and since he can get a 150% buff even though he hasn''t yet mastered Sword Intent (aura), it sounds like a great ability. Once he was done picking the [Sword Intent] and [Rapid Regenerate], he moved to the third category. ----------------- < Active Rewards > [ Select three out of Six Active Skills Listed ] [ Berserker Fury: A ] (Tier 5) - Sacrifice 50% of your HP points and gain a 170% increase in attack power for 10 Minutes. [ Cooldown: 10 Hours ] [ Rage Swordsman: A ] (Tier 5) - Engage in relentless Closebat and for every 10 minutes in battle, there will be a 50% increase in attack power and a 20% increase in defense. [ Rapid Counterattack: A ] (Tier 5) - When in closebat, for every sessful Critical hit, you will get a 90% chance tond another critical hit in rapid session. [ Rage Whirlpool: A ] (Tier 5) - Using Mana, create a chaotic sword whirlpool that inflicts damages based on the amount of Mana pumped into the skill. [ Asura sh: A ] (Tier 5) - Using Mana, engulf your sword with Asura dark mes that inflict continuous damage from the mes left burning on the targets. [ Death Move: S ] (Tier 5) - Sacrifice 90% of your HP and MP and unleash an attack that has a 90% chance to deal a killing blow. There is no cooldown. "Damn it, system, why do you have to make things so difficult," Karsha cursed as he began going through the skills again. The Berserker Fury is a powerful ability to have. Just like his passive ability, Berserker Rage, which grants him a 150% upgrade in all stats, Berserker Fury focuses on attack power. The higher the attack power, the more the damage output. But that''s not all. Because this is an active ability, Karsha can cheat the universe by using Berserker Rage first to elevate his stats, and then when all stats rise to a new height, he will sacrifice 50% HP, making the output even more robust.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om And since the damage output is determined by how much HP is sacrificed into the attack, the temporarily elevated HP will make Berserker Fury raise the attack power to the next level. In short, Berserker Fury and Berserker Rage are a perfect match that shouldn''t be separated. Then there is the Rage Swordsman skill that grants a 50% buff on attack power and 20% in defense when engaged in closebat for 10 minutes. All he has to do is engage inbat for 10 minutes, and his attack power will level up by 50%, and even his defense will also get a boost. The Rapid Counterattack is also a good skill. With a 90% chance tond a critical strike, Karsha can utilize that moment and use a powerful skill tond a killing blow. For instance, should he manage to trigger that 90% chance, he can employ the Death Move skill, which has a 90% chance of dealing a killing blow. Thebination of the two skills is just as perfect as Berserker Fury and Berserker Rage. The Rage Whirlpool is perhaps the skill he would need inrge-scale battles. With the ability to create a chaotic whirlpool of swords, he can easily kill multiple targets due to the countless swords that will keep shooting at the targets. It may not be the strongest, but inrge-scale battles, it will probably be the only skill that can handle that much horde. It''s an Area of Effect type of skill that will make anyone kill for it, but Karsha just ignored it and picked his best three. Although Karsha wanted all six skills, he was limited to only three. And since he would be facing Behemoth very soon, he knew the power buff skills woulde in handy. Therefore, he picked [Berserker Fury], [Death Move], and finally [Rage Swordsman]. With thebination of Berserker Fury and Berserker Rage, he could be overpowered and might even be able to bridge the gap between him and the Overlords. < Ding! Congrattions, you have been awarded by the system forpleting the Breakthrough quest. > < System Rewards > Chapter 57 The Grandmaster stage, System Rewards, Choices (2) Type: Pill Grade: Tier 1 Earth Grade Purity: 100% < Effects > -- Consume by, and for the next 72 hours, you will be immune to the Grey Scale Venom from Tier 6 and below. -- It also grants the consumer +200 HP for the next 72 hours < ce the items to be synthesis into the formation > Karsha casually tossed the three pills into the formation. With more than one of these pills in his possession, Karsha didn''t hesitate and just toss the pills into the formation. < Synthesising. > < Synthesispleted > < Grey Scale Cobra Antidote > Type: Pill Grade: Tier 2Earth Purity: 100% < Effects > -- Consume and for the next 168 hours, you will be immune to the Grey Scale Venom from Tier 6 and below. -- It also grants the consumer +1000 HP for the next 168 hours. "Damn, this thing is awesome," Karsha eximed, a wide grin spreading across his face as he beheld the final product. Though the pill hadn''t ascended to the next grade, its newfound effects were magnificent. The initial 72-hour limit had been extended to an impressive 168 hours. But that wasn''t even the most remarkable aspect. He''d also gain an additional 1000 HP for a full week. Even if he didn''t need the antidote, the allure of an extra 1000 HPpelled him to ingest one every seven days, ensuring his HP pool overflowed. "This is incredible. I need to gather more ingredients, concoct more pills, and explore this synthesis even further," Karsha mused aloud, popping the pill into his mouth and relishing the sensation, feeling rejuvenated, like a newborn. "Hmm,bining different poisons will be fun to watch," Karsha said with an evil smile. "Oh Varon Great Family, how I pity you." Heughed like a maniac before shifting his focus to the next reward. ================ [ Persona ] -- Create and assume the persona that used to belong to people. This persona will be different from your original self and you can only use the talents and abilities of these personas. For example, if the person assumed is an assassin, you will have the skills and experience of the Assassin without having to train for years to master them, -- The host can create up to seven Personas. Creating a persona will require a significant amount of resources, tasks, and actions that will be listed when the host obtains a persona. -- In your Persona form, your other identities will be concealed from everyone, even Gods. < Avable Persona > [ The Annihtor ] (Locked) [ Empty ] [ Empty ] [ Empty ] [ Empty ] [ Empty ] [ Empty ] "Hahahahahaha!" Karsha burst into a fit ofughter. "Are you for real, system? This is the best gift yet. I can now kill people using different personas." Another resoundingugh followed. "No evidence, no crime!" "I can get away with anything I do," he muttered. "System, what are the requirements to unlock the Annihtor Persona?" < The host is required toplete the following before they can gain full ess to the Persona. > < Note: The Persona will be partially unlocked with limited functionalities afterpleting the third task. Completing more tasks will unlock additional functions. > [The Nine Deadly Trials] - First Trial: Kill the Ten Overlords. Absorb their venom, absorb their bloodline, temper your body with their blood, and absorb their core. - Note: This action must be performed while in the Grandmaster stage. - [Status: Done] - Second Trial: Kill the gate guardian guarding the gateway to the inner section of Snake Ind. Absorb its core, venom, and bloodline, and temper your body with its blood. - Note: This action must be performed while in the Grandmaster stage. - [Status: Null] - Third Trial: Kill the guardian of the gateway leading to the domain of the Fallen Leviathans. Absorb its core, venom, and bloodline, and temper your body with its blood. - Note: This action must be performed while in the Grandmaster stage. - [Status: Null] Fourth: ??????????????????????????????????????? Fifth: ??????????????????????????????????????? Six: ??????????????????????????????????????? Seventh: ??????????????????????????????????????? Eight: ??????????????????????????????????????? Nine: ??????????????????????????????????????? "What the fuck, all of this for just one persona? This is a certain death! I don''t even know how strong the Overlords are. How am I going to fare against a Tier 8 Dark Mutant?" Karsha screamed at the top of his voice, overwhelmed by the dangerous tasks ahead just for a single persona. The Nine Deadly Trials seemed insurmountable, even for someone like him. ording to Lady Illo, he''d be facing Tier 8 Dark Mutants. If he was already struggling against Tier 7 Terror Mutants, how could he possibly stand against these abominations? "I have a long way to go," he admitted. Completing the first trial was something he intended to do soon, but the second and third trials were not on his immediate agenda. He had no ns to return to the ind anytime soon. Though he aspired to explore both the inner sanctum of Snake Ind and the domain of the Fallen Leviathans, his priority was reaching the Saint Stage first. His current cultivation stage was simply too low. Battling a gate guardian with his current strength is just suicide. Although he intended to find ways to raise his cultivation faster and return to the ind, he now realized he needed to focus on bing the strongest Grandmaster stage cultivator first. He had toplete the three trials while still a Grandmaster. Instead of breaking through to be a Semi-Saint and then a Saint, he needed to be an exceptionally powerful Grandmaster. It was a daunting task, even for him. Bing the Annihtor was proving to be incredibly difficult, and Karsha had yet to fully grasp the true nature of the dangers he must face. The three trials ahead seemed insurmountable, and he felt lost contemting what must be done. However, while Karsha was wallowing in his thoughts, the system seemed to have other ns. < Ding! Congrattions, you have awakened two new attributes > [ Charm ] -- The more handsome you have, the more charming you will be. Also the more attractive you get, the more dangerous you be to your enemies. Current Charm Points: 100 [ Fame ] -- Complete the Quest and earn fame points. The higher your fame points, the more likely people will like you. "Wierd but it Looks like Big Daddy''s in for quite the adventure," Karsha murmured under his breath as he read the descriptions of charm and fame attributes. With increased fame came a flood of admirers, and being a charmer himself, he knew he''d hit the jackpot. His breakthrough had brought him substantial gains. With new features promising even greater power, along with a plethora of formidable skills, he felt unstoppable. Then there was the synthesis system, offering the potential to bolster his equipment even further. But while all this seems like a good thing, the catch Karsha always knew woulde along with his gains immediately appeared in the form of the system restricting him. < The host cannot absorb Monster Cores Below the Tier 6 stage > "Nothinges free I guess. With this, I will have to be rich as fast as possible if I want to advance quickly." After reading through other messages he opened his system screen. < Name: Karsha Damon > < Age: 19 > < Sex: Male > < Race: Human > < ss: Berserker Swordsman > < Title: None > < Bloodline: Berserker Mutant Tiger > < Realm: Grandmaster-Lvl 1 > < STR: 1,160 / DEF: 1,310 / AGL: 1,130 / HEA: 1,160 / STA: 1,160 > < Attack Power: 1600 ~ 1980 > < Mana: 800,000 > < Charm: 100 > < Fame: 0 > < Exp: 1000/1,000,000 > SP: 1,000 KP: 101,000n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ST: 19,000 Exp: 700,000 < Technique > [ Tiger strike ] < Skills > < Passive > [Imitate]/ [Thrust]/ [Berserker Fury]/ [ Sword intent]/ [ Rapid Regenerate ] < Active > [Red Eye Tiger: SSE] (Tier 11) / [ Berserker Fury: A ] (Tier 5) / [ Rage Swordsman: A ] (Tier 5) / [ Death Move: S ] (Tier 5) / ============= < Red Eye Tiger (Tier 10): SSS > -- [Lightning Strike (Tier 7): D] / [Darkness Aura (Tier 3): D] / [Fire beam (Tier 4): D] / [Illuminate (Tier 3): D] / [Earth Spike (Tier 4): D] / [Wind de (Tier 4): D] / [Water Domain (Tier 7): C] / [Ever Freezing Ice Domain (Tier 7): C] / [Cobra Strike (Tier 4): C] "Enough of this. I''ll test my limits before the 13 days are up," he decided as he deactivated the domain. After scouring the area without finding anything of value, he vanished into the shadows and made his way back to the waterfall. "You''re back so soon," Dhaka stated as Karsha reappeared at the waterfall. "Yes, it went quicker than I anticipated," Karsha replied before leaping into the flying boat. "Let''s start the hunt at Thunder Peak, home to the ThunderCoil Lightning Snake." Without dy, Karsha tapped into his Mana, and in an instant, they traveled several kilometers toward the next domain, where the true massacre would begin. Chapter 58 Getting the Second Piece of The Book of Annihilation After traveling 543 miles, Karsha and his party arrived at the borders of Thunder Peak. Halting approximately 200 kilometers away, they gazed at the peril before them. Even from this distance, Karsha could feel his hair standing on end. The relentless onught of thunder and lightning engulfing the area was noughing matter. Thunder Peak loomed as a rugged mountain range, characterized by deep valleys and jagged peaks. Thunderstorms swept through incessantly, casting bolts of lightning across the sky and roaring like a ravenous dragon. The air crackled with electricity, and even the ground seemed to pulse with an electric current. "This ce is dangerous," Karsha muttered under his breath. "I think we should move quickly and leave before we get caught in any electric storms." Knowing he had no resistance against lightning, Karsha decided to exercise caution. His understanding of the lightning element was limited. While he could tap into lightning using a skill, he could not manipte the element manually like most mages. Only those proficient in the lightning element would have some degree of safety when entering Thunder Peak. "But since hecked such capabilities, Karsha knew he had to tread carefully. "We''re here to hunt down Amber Ambushers and Auric de snakes. A Tier 5 or 6 will be okay. Gather all their drops and store them in these space rings," Karsha instructed, pulling out fifteen space rings from his inventory and distributing them among the five shadow guards. "Stay close and retreat immediately at any sign of danger. Your safety is the priority here." With that, Karsha infused mana into the boat, propelling them closer to the Thunder Peak section. "Let''s make this quick," he added, jumping down into the Safe Zone section and stowing the boat. "Dhaka, they''re your team now, so you''re in charge. Ensure their safety above all else." Dhaka nodded and began issuing orders to his team. Meanwhile, Karsha couldn''t help but praise the system for the message that had appeared before him. < Does the host wish to create a simplified copy of the Map? Cost: 1000 KP > -- Yes -- No ''Yes, my friend, you are the best,'' Karsha muttered appreciatively as a small map materialized in his hands. Examining the low-grade version, a small smile crept onto his lips. "Take a look. The blue area marks our current location, a safe zone where only Tier 1 monsters roam," Karsha exined, pointing to the map. "The green area represents the Average zone, where Tier 2, 3, and 4 creatures can be found." "However, our targets are Tier 5 and 6 monsters, which are in the ck area," he continued, indicating another section on the map. "There might be mutants, so don''t venture too deep and avoid staying in one ce. Spread out." With his instructions given, Karsha left the group to handle their tasks. He had already informed them he had personal matters to attend to, so they shouldn''t worry about him. Entering the Danger Zone, Karsha proceeded cautiously. The deeper he ventured, the more perilous it became. Even the leaves crackled with electricity in some ces. Once deep within the danger zone, Karsha focused on hunting for the second piece of the book of Annihtion while also enhancing his skills to fortify his domain further. "Let''s start with fire," Karsha dered as he activated his domain. To his surprise, it now extended over a radius of 2 kilometers. "I guess the upgrade did its work," he muttered to himself with satisfaction. With a mere thought, his armor equipped itself. Drawing his swords, he dashed towards a Tier 5 monster trapped a couple of hundred meters away. Thanks to his agility, which had tripled in just a few days, Karsha appeared almost instantaneously in front of the Tier 5 monster andunched into close-quartersbat. Utilizing his basic swordsmanship skills, Karsha shed, dodged, and countered with precise stabs and thrusts. The Amber Ambusher snake he faced was swift, even faster than the grey-scale cobra, but within his domain, Karsha moved with enhanced speed and agility. Though he could have dispatched the monster quickly, Karsha aimed to hone his skills, engaging in several minutes of intensebat before delivering the finishing blow. Three minutes into the fight, Karsha activated his Fire Beam technique. mes engulfed his swords, and each swing sent arcs of fire towards the Tier 5 snake''s head. He shed in rapid session, aiming to overwhelm and defeat it using the fire beam skill. The more Karsha shed, the stronger his ability became. His Fire Beam skill started at Tier 4 with a D rating, but Karsha''s current nature was akin to that of a monster, with an exceptionalprehension speed. As he wielded his ming swords and unleashed attacks, his understanding of the skill improved rapidly. Within ten minutes of continuousbat, he elevated the skill''s rating from D to B. He could have pushed it further, but a system message interrupted, indicating he had sessfully killed the Tier 5 Amber Ambusher. Karsha immediately ceased his attacks. "What is this feeling? Why do I feel like I''m on the verge of unlocking something in my swordy? I need to use it more," Karsha muttered, his focus consumed by the sensation stirring within him. Despite the system notifications, his mind was fixed on the battle with the Tier 5 Amber Ambusher where he sensed a potential breakthrough in his swordsmanship, abruptly halted by the creature''s demise. "I need to explore this further," he murmured to himself, retrieving the map and spotting five Tier 5 monsters moving eastward toward his domain. "Why wait? Let''s greet them," he decided, deactivating his domain and started moving towards the approaching monsters.N?v(el)B\\jnn Closing the distance, he activated his domain once more, mes enveloping his swords. "Let''s see if I can replicate that feeling," he challenged himself as he dashed towards the monsters, unleashing a barrage of fire attacks. His speed allowed him to execute over 30 sword strikes in a mere second, but that was just the beginning. As he continued his assault, the damage output intensified with each blow. His mastery of the skill is increasing at a shocking speed. Karsha decided to forgo using the domain variation so he could focus on understanding and integrating the Fire Beam skill. "Why can''t I feel it anymore?" Karsha muttered in frustration. Despite dispatching the third monster, he couldn''t replicate the previous sensation. "I need more monsters!" Karsha roared like a lion after dealing with thest two snakes. He stored the monsters and their cores before swiftly dashing towards more potential targets. With the map in hand, he scanned for densely popted areas. "Ten Tier 5 and Two Tier 6. That should keep me upied for a while," he calcted, selecting his next targets. Blinking into the shadows, he swiftly moved 4 kilometers away to begin his hunt anew. ============ Meanwhile, the five Shadow Guards also began their carnage in the most gruesome manner possible. Dhaka, one of the Shadow Guards, brandished his sword as he faced off against five Tier 5 monsters. "Ayarr, you can start," Dhakamanded confidently. Being Tier 7 beasts, the Shadow Guards felt no threat from the Tier 5 monsters; instead, it was the monsters who sensed impending doom. Escape was futile, especially as Ayarr, the assassin of the team, melded into the shadows and reappeared with her daggers aimed at the snakes'' eyes. She relied solely on her shadow meld ability, her strength alone enough to dispatch even a Tier 6 monster. "I believe the Annihtor instructed us to secure all orbs and monster bodies once we finish them off," remarked Tifa as she began storing the monsters in her space ring. "What do you think he needs so many monster bodies for?" she asked curiously. "I don''t know, but in the two weeks that I followed him, I saw him kill over 1000 monsters and store their bodies. I think humans need them," Ayarr replied, the most informed among the five Shadow Guards about Karsha''s methods. "If he wants the bodies, then let''s surprise him. Let''s hunt only Tier 6 monsters. I believe this will strengthen the bond between the Purple Tail Anaconda race and the Annihtor," Dhaka dered his resolve firm. The others nodded in agreement and thus began their hunt for Tier 6 monsters¡ªa decision that would not only greatly benefit Karsha but also send shockwaves across the entire central continent upon his return. ============== "Damn it, why can''t I recapture that feeling," Karsha muttered angrily as he drove his sword into the head of a Tier 6 monster. He had been battling the creatures for the past 10 minutes, but the exhration of his initial fight eluded him. "The atmosphere is growing more perilous. I must proceed with caution," he thought, charging towards thest remaining Tier 6 monster, which was on the brink of death, and unleashing a barrage of me attacks. Momentster, the 12-meter-long snake, almost as wide as a 64-inch television, copsed lifeless. < Ding! You have in a Tier 6 Amber Ambusher. 20,000 EXP added, 70 Stat Points added, 3000 Killer Points added, 20 Skill Points added > < Ding! Venom extracted and absorbed. > < Ding! Bloodline extracted and absorbed. Your ss strengthens. > < Ding! Blood extracted and absorbed. Can be used for body temperingter. > < Ding! Congrattions, you have received a drop. > Karsha raised an eyebrow at the final message. Retrieving the orb from the system inventory, he shattered it. < Ding! Congrattions, you have received the Second Piece of The Book Of Annihtion. > "At least my efforts weren''t in vain..." Chapter 59 10,000-Year-Old Lightning Fruit "Two down, eight to go," Karsha muttered, ncing at the book in his hand. He felt a sense of relief, knowing that the Shadow Guards were handling the Old Man''s mission. Consulting the map, Karsha discovered that the Amber Ambusher and Auric de monster snakes were located in the Thunder Peak section of the forest. Confident in his decision, he had assigned the Shadow Guards to deal with them. Karsha had three main objectives. First, he aimed to kill as many different breeds of snakes as possible to absorb their venom, bloodline, and blood essence. Second, he sought to locate the pieces of the Book of Annihtion, a task he had aplished within an hour. Finally, he nned to deepen his understanding of the sword and integrate as many skills into his domain as possible, while enhancing their ratings to higher levels. His goal was to elevate his skills to at least an ''S'' rating before the crucial day arrived. With the Shadow Guards assisting him in farming skill points, he intended to acquire no fewer than Tier 7 skills for battle. The higher the tier, the greater the damage output.N?v(el)B\\jnn Once he had assembled all the pieces of the Book of Annihtion, the real mission would begin. With the book''s guidance, he could discern the weaknesses of his targets and determine the most effective strategies. ording to Sun Tzu, "It is better to know thyself and know thy enemy." Understanding his enemy''s capabilities would help Karsha adapt his tactics. Compared to the overlords, Karsha was weak. These behemoths had the power to level entire kingdoms. Without any information, Karsha would be squashed like a bug before he even faced them. However, with the Book of Annihtion, he could level the ying field to a ratio of 30:70. He would still be outmatched, but armed with knowledge of their weaknesses, he might just manage to survive. "Tsk, the Shadow Guards sure like to show off. But I can''t me them; they just want to impress me," Karsha said, ncing at the dozens of messages from kills made by the Shadow Guards. They had taken down Tier 6 monsters and even some mutants. "Well, color me impressed. I hope the drops increase as well. We have less than a day here, so let''s make it count," Karsha said. Like a ghost, he blinked into the shadows and started heading toward a group of Tier 5 and four Tier 6 Auric de monster snakes. Experience new tales on empire ================ "That will be thest of them," Killian said, mming the butt edge of his shield onto the head of the Tier 6 monster snake. As a shield bearer with a body-enhancing attribute, his current form was that of a 3-meter-tall, handsome demon, rather than his usual 2-meter-tall, bulky, handsome snake man. His muscles expanded and contracted as he lifted and mmed his massive shield. "Alida, handle the venom. Your fire can neutralize almost any venom," Dhaka instructed. The F-cup archeress removed her dagger and began extracting the venom into the vials Karsha had given them. "I found another five orbs. I guess we''re luckier than Karsha... I mean, the Annihtor," Ayarr said, her face flushing red with embarrassment. "Don''t be embarrassed, Ayarr. He already told us to call him by his name. No need to have that tomato face," Dhaka joked. Despite his words, they found it difficult to address Karsha by his real name. It wasn''t their fault; they had grown up hearing legends about the Annihtor. Meeting him in person, even though he still had a long way to go, made it hard for them to use his human name. "That will be the tenth one. We have to gather more," Tifa, the mage, said, her voice filled with childlike excitement. Her happiness since learning that the Annihtor had helped wake them from a 45-year poisoned sleep hadn''t waned. A naturally cheerfuldy, Tifa found joy in even the smallest things. "Let''s kill more. Since we''ve secured more than enough venom from both Amber Ambusher and Auric de monster snakes, we can now expand the hunt to other breeds," she added. The group nodded in agreement and began heading further into the valley. =============== Meanwhile, Karsha arrived a few meters from the dozen snake monsters. Instead of deploying his domain, he sensed something was off and decided to investigate first before attacking. Using his blink skill, he moved from one shadow to the next, approaching the monsters cautiously. The closer he got, the more ominous the vibe he felt. "What''s that?" Karsha muttered under his breath as he gazed at a tree bathed in lightning. "No, I''m out of here." Below the tree, two Tier 6 Dark Mutant snake monsters were sleeping. Surrounding the two mutants were twelve Tier 5 monster snakes and two additional Tier 6 monster snakes. "This is suicide. I''m out of here," Karsha repeated, but before he could blink away, the system notification window appeared. < Ding! You have discovered a 10,000 Lightning Fruit. Consuming will awaken the Lightning Element and grant the host''s strength and speed > < Kill the 12 Tier 5, Tier 6, and the two Tier 6 Dark mutants and secure the lightning Fruit > Category: Single Quest Rating: SS (Dangerous) Duration: 20 Minutes Failure: The host will get a 60% debuff on all stats for 10 days and cannot absorb new Venom till the countdown is over. < Rewards > -- +50 to all stats -- 3,000 Skill points -- 5,000 years Lightning Fruit -- Legendary Rank Technique (Lightning base) [ Note: Kill the Mutants in closebat and get a hidden reward ] "Damn it, why did I evene here?" Karsha cursed his luck as he gazed at the formidable line-up he had to clear in just 20 minutes. "System, how many skill points do I have?" [Skill Points: 3,560] "Good, upgrade Lightning Strike, Water Domain, and Ever Freezing Ice Domain to Tier 8." < Ding! Upgrade Sessful. Skills: Lightning Strike, Water Carpet, and Ever Freezing Ice Domain have been upgraded from Tier 7 to Tier 8. Does the host wish to see the new upgrades? > "No. Now use the rest of the points to upgrade Fire Beam." < Ding! Upgrade sessful. Fire Beam skill has been upgraded from Tier 4 to Tier 6. > Feeling a surge of power, Karsha prepared to face the daunting challenge ahead. With the clock ticking, Karsha made his way closer to the tree. Once he was within 100 meters, the Tier 6 mutants sensed his presence, but they were too slow. Karsha had already activated his domain and appeared beside one of the mutants with two ming swords in hand. He unleashed a barrage of me attacks, sending hundreds of fiery strikes at the mutants. His three domain skill variations were activated, but there were slight changes to them. The first variation, [Ever Freezing Water Carpet], instantly froze the Tier 5 monsters and managed to slow down the Tier 6 monsters. But that wasn''t all. On the surface of the ice carpet, a greenish me started burning. The Tier 5 monsters, already suffering from a huge debuff, began losing HP rapidly. The green mes devoured their health at an rming rate, indicating just how intense the fire was. Chunks of HP vanished every second, showcasing the overwhelming power of Karsha''s domain attack. The second variation, [Frozen Lightning Rain], had also transformed. Frozen shards coated with lightning continued to rain down with incredible force. Initially, the damage output wasn''t significant, but now it has skyrocketed. The upgrade came from the greenish fire coating on the tips of the shards, simr to the first variation. However, the most significant and remarkable change urred in the third variation. Previously, the frozen lightning spears were thin and less than a meter tall. Now, they had increased in both width and length, extending a little over 2 meters with razor-sharp edges. But the most striking aspect was that the spears, instead of being merelyposed of lightning, were now engulfed in fiercely burning green mes. The ice had also transformed, appearing sturdier and almost metal-like. The Tier 5 and Tier 6 monsters stood no chance against this overwhelming power. As Karsha targeted the Mutants, he knew facing even one under normal circumstances would be daunting. Yet, capitalizing on his domain''s debuff, he continued to attack while skillfully evading their counterattacks. "This feeling again," Karsha muttered, ten minutes into the battle, sensing the familiar sensation. "I need to understand this before the fight ends," he resolved, focusing intensely on the sensation, momentarily distracted from the damage he inflicted. Unbeknownst to him, his attacks had grown significantly more potent. The mes emanating from his swords had intensified in temperature, leaving deep burn marks with each strike against the snakes'' bodies. After five intense minutes, the first mutant fell. However, Karsha lost in contemtion, failed to notice that his attacks had be three times stronger than before. By the time he snapped out of his thoughts, thest mutant fell just two minutes before the end of the allotted 20 minutes. "Damn it. I was so close," Karsha cursed aloud as the sensation vanished instantly after thest mutant fell. The three variations had already dealt with the Tier 5 and Tier 6 monsters within the first 10 minutes. A barrage of system messages continued to pop up, but he chose to ignore them, his attention fixated on the single lemon-sized fruit bathed in lightning. < The host must secure the fruit and consume it immediately > The system chimed in, jolting Karsha out of his frustration. With the system''s guidance, he approached the tree and plucked the fruit. "Let''s get back to the safe zone first," he said, blinking into the shadows and swiftly moving back to the safe zone to consume the 10,000-year-old Lightning Fruit. Chapter 60 Consuming the 10,000-Year-Old Lighting Fruit After moving a couple of kilometers away from the danger zone, Karsha stopped and opened his domain in the safe zone. < The host can nowpress the size of the domain to make it sturdier against outside attacks. > The domain was originally 3 kilometers in radius, covering a wide area whenever he activated it. However, having arge domain meant reduced sturdiness. Now that the domain was Tier 8 with an S rating, Karsha could reduce its radius, thereby increasing the sturdiness of the outeryers. Using this newfound ability, Karsha reduced the domain to a 100-meter radius. "System, how strong is the outeryer of the domain?" After reducing the radius, Karsha felt the domain grow significantly stronger. < It can handle multiple Tier 7 attacks for an hour. > "Well then, I guess I don''t always have toe back to the safe zone in the future," Karsha said as he sat in a lotus posture and retrieved the Lightning Fruit. <10,000 Lightning Fruit> The fruit of legends. It is said to contain pure lightning energy drawn from the heart of the storm. Those who manage to consume it are blessed with immense lightning power and speed. [Effects] -- Elemental Awakening: Upon consumption, the user will awaken the lightning element, granting them the power to channel the storm at will. -- Enhanced Agility: The consumer will experience a significant boost in their speed permanently. -- Thunder Blood: Those blessed by the heavens will gain white lightning, while those cursed by hell will gain dark lightning. "Well, this is right up my alley." With determination, Karsha tossed the 10,000-year-old Lightning Fruit into his mouth and began to chew. "Argh!" Karsha screamed as he felt an intense surge of electricity coursing through his body when he swallowed the fruit. His entire body turned red as lightning started to course through his blood vessels and meridians. "Damn it, why is this so painful?" Karsha cursed through gritted teeth, enduring the agony pulsating through his body. < Host, absorb the energy, and circte it through your body. > The system directed Karsha, who was in great pain, to immediately start absorbing the energy. As soon as he did, he felt the pain gradually lessening. "Damn it, system, why didn''t you say something five minutes ago?" Karsha cursed again. If the system had spoken up earlier, he wouldn''t have suffered as much. "What is this feeling?" Karsha wondered inwardly as he continued to absorb and circte the energy through his body. "Why are there two energies inside my body, and why are they fighting each other?" < Ding! Congrattions, you have received both white and dark lightning. > < Ding! New Quest > < Combine the two energies to form the ancient lightning called Yin-Yang. > < Reward > -- Lightning Scroll (Manual containing ways of the storm) "Way ahead of you, system. Ie from Earth, where the legend of Yin-Yang is widely known. All I need to do is find the state of attunement where light and darkness can coexist without conflict," Karsha dered. With calm resolve, he began to slow his breathing. If a monk were present, they would instantly recognize the technique Karsha was employing. It was a powerful method called ''Panda Inner Peace'' that allowed the user to enter a state of profound inner calm, enabling them to understand everything clearly without being distracted by external influences. Unlike enlightenment, the ''Panda Inner Peace'' technique is more akin to a deep breathing method, but it goes much deeper. It taps into the core of the human body, slowing down its interaction with the surroundings. In this state, everything within the subconscious bes as clear as the sky and as in as white cloth. Karsha had spent a year in a monastery in China after returning from his first tour in Afghanistan. Having lost many friends, he sought to clear his mind and find inner peace. He was in a dark ce then, but thanks to the teachings of the monks, he managed to ovee his turmoil. He learned many valuable things during his time there, but never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he would need those teachings in a real cultivation world. ''Monk Huan was right, knowledge is indeed power,'' Karsha said inwardly as he began ying with the dark and white lightning. Despite the yin and yang lightning shing like titans, He made it appear effortless, and within ten minutes, system notifications started popping up. < Ding! Congrattions, you have sessfullybined the energies to form Yin-Yang Lightning. > < Ding! Quest Completed > < Reward: Lightning Scroll (Manual containing ways of the storm) > < Ding! +200 has been added to strength and agility, All lighting base skills have received a tier upgrade. > < Name: Karsha Damon > < Age: 19 > < Sex: Male > < Race: Human > < ss: Berserker Swordsman > < Title: None > < Bloodline: Berserker Mutant Tiger > < Realm: Grandmaster-Lvl 1 > < STR: 1,410 / DEF: 1,310 / AGL: 1,280 / HEA: 1,160 / STA: 1,160 / INT: 2,670 > < Attack Power: 1800 ~ 2380 > < Mana: 200,000 > < Charm: 100 > < Fame: 0 > < Exp: 20,000/1,900,000 > SP: 4,700 KP: 806,000 ST: 39,000 Exp: 10,500,000 < Elementals > [ Yin-yang Lightning: Low] < Technique >n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [ Tiger strike ] < Skills > < Passive > [Imitate]/ [Thrust]/ [Berserker Fury]/ [ Sword intent]/ [ Rapid Regenerate ] < Active > [Red Eye Tiger: SSE] (Tier 11) / [ Berserker Fury: A ] (Tier 5) / [ Rage Swordsman: A ] (Tier 5) / [ Death Move: S ] (Tier 5) ] "I like the new interface," Karsha joked as a mix of white and ck lightning danced around his arm. "I feel more powerful." Standing up, he unsheathed his swords. Instantly, the des were enveloped in Yin-Yang lightning. "That feeling again. Damn it, when is it going to manifest itself?" The same tingling sensation he had felt in his sword reappeared. However, this time he didn''t pay it any attention, focusing instead on the Yin-Yang lightning. "Let''s see how powerful you are," he said, swinging the sword with terrifying strength. A surge of ck and white lightning shot out in the form of a razor-sharp arc and mmed into the wall of the domain. Boom! A huge explosion urred upon impact, creating a massive hole in the domain. But as if that wasn''t enough, the entire domain started shaking and, in an instant, crumbled. "Kwark," Karsha coughed out blood as the domain copsed. "Damn it, that was dangerous," he muttered. "Thud." Karsha felt a thump, prompting him to look down. "Damn it," he cursed again, seeing his Dragon Fury sword melted down to the hilt. The attack was too powerful for the sword, causing it to melt. The Yin-Yang lightning is a formidable element that only a few have ess to. Its terrifying poweres from the direct sources of lightning, known as the heart of the storm. While many possess lightning-based elements, only a select few draw their lightning from the source itself. Others merely tap into it through secondary channels. This distinction makes the lightning from the heart of the storm particrly terrifying. Enjoy more content from empire It contains pure lightning energy, devoid of impurities. Karsha, however, has not only merged the Yin (dark lightning) and Yang (white lightning), but he has achieved perfect synchronization between the two. Because of this, he has the potential to channelrge amounts of energy from the source without any drawbacks. The higher his understanding of the element, the more terrifying the force he can wield. "System, you better keep your promise. Where is the manual you promised?" Karsha demanded with an evil grin, having activated the domain once again. < Congrattions, you have received a Divine grade scroll, "Heart of the Storm" > "That''s more like it." Karsha retrieved the book almost immediately after receiving the message. A blue-covered scroll appeared in his hands, its cover depicting a lone figure bathed in lightning, wielding two raised swords. He opened it, revealing a single paragraph on the first page. "Hmm, after thousands of years of trying, I finally managed to create this technique. But s, it''s toote for me to use it. Time sure has a way of ying with us. I will be leaving this scroll behind, and whoever gets hold of it should know this - the heart of the storm is not for the weak-hearted. Fare thee well, I hope we meet again someday." "Yes, I want to learn it," Karsha responded, expecting another wave of information to flood his mind. To his surprise, only aplex diagram imprinted itself in his mind without any difort. It felt as though his mind had ample space for storing vast amounts of information. Karsha''s mental state was indeed monstrous. This might be due to the teachings he obtained from the monks back on Earth, or perhaps he was naturally gifted with a powerful mind and photographic memory. That might be the case, but it wasn''t the whole story. While Karsha was naturally gifted in mental strength, hisprehension ability¡ªessentially his IQ¡ªwas truly monstrous. Even back on Earth, his intelligence in leading soldiers was on an entirely different level. Now that he could enhance his intelligence, it had grown exponentially, enabling him to understand almost anything with ease. He was able to learn the entire technique instantly; the only thing left was practice and deeper understanding. With his exceptional talent, he might even surpass the creator of the lightningprehension technique sooner than expected. Karsha then opened the message for the quest he hadpleted while securing the aligning fruit. He ignored the rest and went straight to the hidden reward he had won after killing the monsters in closebat. < Ding! Congrattions, you have unlocked a new system feature; Soul Sub Space > Chapter 61 System Subspace < Ding! Congrattions, you have unlocked a new system feature: System Subspace > < System Subspace > - The system has developed a space where the host''s consciousness can enter and train. It is the optimal environment for mastering skills and techniques. - Rank: Tier 1 (Upgradeable)n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om - Time flows differently in the subspace. One hour in the real world equates to 24 hours there. - Train with dummies that possess a wless understanding of your skills, helping identify areas for improvement. - Respawn urs after each death. "Holy smokes, this is perfect," Karsha eximed,ughing maniacally. The system''s subspace is indeed an excellent ce to master all skills. Spending 24 hours in the subspace is equivalent to spending just one hour in the outside world. Mana is also avable there, allowing Karsha to practice and even attempt to raise his cultivation base. However, doing so would defeat the primary purpose of the subspace. Having an entire day to master a skill while only spending one hour in the outside world is incredibly beneficial. Mastering a skill is difficult and requires a significant amount of time. Before a cultivator can master a single skill, they often need to spend months, if not years, practicing. For those with lowprehension, even spending a year might not be enough. Some cultivators may need up to a hundred years to master their skills to the SSE stage. However, the system offers Karsha the chance to train for an entire day inside the subspace while, in reality, only an hour passes. Thus, spending a whole week in the subspace equates to just seven hours in the outside world. For someone like Karsha, who has a monstrousprehension speed, spending just a week there will be more than enough to significantly improve his skills. "I need to finish these tasks in 10 days and spend three days in my subspace to train and master all my skills to at least an SS rating." Karsha initially nned to use the 13 days to achieve S-level mastery. But now that he has stumbled upon a golden opportunity, who wouldn''t want to capitalize on it? Spending three days outside is equivalent to 72 days inside the subspace. That''s more than enough time to master all his skills to at least an S rating. "I need more skill points," Karsha muttered, his killing intent leaking out. He then retrieved the Legendary-rank technique he had won from the previous quest. ------------------- < Stormstride Ninefold Path > -- This technique harnesses the raw power of lightning to propel the cultivator with unparalleled speed and agility, allowing them to traverse vast distances in the blink of an eye. Rank: Legendary Type: Movement < Does the host wish to learn this Technique > "Yes. I want to learn in" The information of the technique flooded his mind like a tidal wave. "This Technique is golden. Too bad I only have ess to the first three levels. < First Three Levels > [ Initiate''s Bolt ]: At the first level, you learn 108 different movementbinations that utilize lightning and speed to traverse the battlefield. After Mastering all 108 levels, you will be able to rapidly move through obstacles using any form of movement tactics while leaving shes of lightning in your trail. Note: 108 movementbinations must be mastered before advancing to the next level. [ Thunderstep ]: At level two, you will learn to use the lightning more closely. You will learn how to ride the lightning from one point to the next. You will learn to cover great distances with just a single stride. You will also be able to use the lightning as offense while juggling between each movement technique. Note: Master all 64 techniques before advancing to the next phase. These 64 techniques can be achieved bybining one or morebinations from the first level. Note: Combining all and furtherbining the 64 to 32 will advance your understanding of the Lightning element even further. [ sh Dash ]: At the level practitioner achieves near-instantaneous movement, disappearing and reappearing in a sh of lightning. This advanced technique enables them to weave throughplex environments with ease, bypassing obstacles and adversaries alike with lightning-fast precision. Note: Master the 8 disappearing acts before advancing to the fourth stage. --------------- "Wow, this is a great technique. System, take me to the Subspace for a day," Karsha said. He felt his consciousness leave his body for a moment, and his vision darkened briefly. "Wow, this ce is huge," Karsha eximed as he gazed at the infinite expanse of grasnd stretching far and wide. There were no mountains or tall trees; the whole area was just in grasnd. The only distinct feature was the three moons in the sky. There was no sun or stars, giving the whole space a gloomy look and feel. < To advance to the next tier, the host will need 1,000,000 Tier 5 monster cores, 500,000 Tier 6 monster cores, or 250,000 Tier 7 monster cores. > Perhaps noticing Karsha''s dull-eyed look as he surveyed the area, the system decided to provide him with a way forward. "That many?" Karsha screamed at the top of his voice as he read the system message. "How am I going to get that many monster cores?" < I advise the host to upgrade this space to Tier Two and unlock new features. > Experience new stories on empire Karsha brushed the suggestion aside and decided to run a few movementbinations from the first level of the Stormstride Ninefold Path, Initiate''s Bolt. < Running the first sixbinations. > A clone resembling Karsha materialized in front of him, appearing like a twin. Electricity crackled across its body, making it look like the god of lightning. "Start," Karsha muttered. Instantly, his clone dashed forward, leaving behind a faint trail of crackling energy. "What the hell? When did he move? How was he able to move that fast?" Karsha shouted. The clone moved so quickly that he couldn''t see it until it was a few kilometers away. The sudden movement was astonishingly fast, and the more Karsha observed, the more shocked he became. However, as he continued to watch the clone, the movements started to make sense, and his understanding began to deepen. In an instant, he began to capture the movements like a series of photographs. The strange part was, as he continued to observe his clone executing the perfectbinations, he felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. It felt like he had once performed thosebinations himself. This feeling alone enhanced his understanding to a new level. < Six morebinations have been added. > The system added six morebinations, but that wasn''t enough to stop Karsha. He felt like he couldprehend all the movements within a day. "What is happening to me?" Karsha muttered, feeling strange sensations coursing through his body. He had been training for a few minutes in the subspace, but in the outside world, only a short time had passed. His understanding was expanding at a rapid pace, something that shouldn''t be possible. He could feel hisprehension deepening with each passing moment, a sense of rity and insight that defied exnation. It was as if the subspace was elerating not just time, but his very ability to learn and master skills. "This... this is incredible," Karsha said, realizing that the subspace was enhancing his abilities far beyond his expectations. "At this rate, I''ll be able to master all my skills in no time." < Six morebinations have been added > < Six morebinations have been added > < Six morebinations have been added > < Six morebinations have been added > --- --- --- < Six morebinations have been added > --- --- --- < Congrattions, you have sessfullyprehended the first level of the Stormstride Ninefold Path technique. > < Does the host wish to start with the second level? > "No. I need some time to think," Karsha said, closing his eyes and entering deep thought. "Something is wrong with me. How was I able to learn 108binations within an hour?" Karsha questioned rhetorically. "I need to figure out what''s going on with me before I identally hurt myself or someone close to me," he muttered, then stood up. "Let''s see how great this technique is," he said. In a sh of lightning, Karsha vanished from sight, leaving only a trail of crackling energy behind. The firstbination is simple: gather momentum in the legs for an instantaneous dash. The second involves sidestepping while running, an evasion tactic useful when dodging projectiles. The thirdbination is zigzag running, while the fourth deals with coating the feet with lightning energy to further amplify speed. The fifth involves using the momentum to leap into the air, covering a great distance. However, when Karsha reached the sixthbination, something changed. Instead of the usual ck and white lightning tes forming on the ground to boost his speed, a golden disk appeared. Once he stepped on it, his speed multiplied by five, allowing him to cover a few kilometers instantly. But this was a dangerous and foolish move. His body, though strong, was not yet capable of handling such extreme speed. "Damn it, that hurts," Karsha groaned as he dusted off his clothes. The instantaneous speed boost was too much for him, causing him to trip and fall hard on the ground. "System, what was that?" he asked. < The host''s understanding of the Initiate''s Bolt has reached the SSE stage and is on the verge of entering assimtion. However, the host is still too weak to use the assimted form of the technique. > "Well, I am already fast, so lower it to the SS level and raise it when I attain the level for SSS, SSS+, SSE, and Assimtion or whatever you call it." < Noted. > "That''s more like it," Karsha said as he started moving again. After running through the entire 108binations three times within three hours, he stopped and looked at the clone. "System, I need two swords and equip the clone as well. It''s time to test my swordy against a perfect version of myself." Two swords appeared in Karsha''s hands. "Let''s see where I amcking," he said, vanishing from his position and shing with the clone, who immediately used the secondbination to sidestep. Karsha jumped into the air, raising both swords. Using the momentum, he shed down hard at the clone, who used the 30th movement to create a lightning. The clone ran in a circle so fast that the lightning energy left behind formed a. Boom! Karsha''s sword mmed into the, and he was sent flying, mming hard into the ground and dying instantly. "Haha! That is awesome. Again!" Karshaughed like a maniac the moment he respawned. He dashed at the clone, who maintained a neutral expression. They shed again, executing dozens of attacks within a second. "Again," Karsha said as he respawned the second time. "Again." "Again." "Again." --- "Again," Karsha said for the hundredth time. Instead of being enraged by being continuously killed, a satisfied smile adorned his face. "Again." And just like that, Karsha continued his fight with his clone for 36 straight hours before stopping. "This is awesome!" he shouted like a maniac. For the first time in 36 hours, he managed to execute all 108binations without getting his head chopped off. He looked at the clone and muttered, "I''ll be back, pal." His consciousness faded again, and in an instant, he was back in the real world, where only an hour and a half had passed. Chapter 62 Heading to the Blazing Desert Karsha opened his eyes within the domain, a broad smile ying on his lips. For some reason, he felt like he was finally unlocking his true potential, and though the sensation was unfamiliar, he relished it. The adrenaline rush and the thrill of shing with his perfect clone were exhrating, and he craved more. ''I like this. I need more of this,'' was the singr thought running through his mind during the fight. Yet, despite feeling on the brink of unlocking something profound, he sensed an internal barrier hindering his progress, akin to the resistance he felt in his swords. Whenever he neared a breakthrough, something within him prevented it from fully manifesting. Though frustrating, he understood that confronting this obstacley in his future, but not now. For the moment, the system and destiny had other ns for him. As his consciousness returned, he was bombarded with hundreds, if not thousands, of notifications from the Shadow Guards he had defeated. There wasn''t a single notification about killing a Tier 5 monster. All the notifications were from Tier 6 and Tier 6 mutants, meaning Karsha now had a plethora of Killer Points (KP), Skill Points (SP), and Experience Points (Exp). Since these rewards couldn''t contribute to Attribute or stat points, they were all allocated to the three points. Most of the kills were of other breeds of snakes in the Thunder Peak quadrant. While Karsha was pleased with the rewards, he also felt concern for their safety. Not receiving any notifications about his party members'' deaths, he continued reading through the rest. Just as he was about to close the window, a new message popped up, catching him off guard. < New Chain Quest Triggered > < After the discovery of the Lightning Fruit, a chain quest has been triggered and the host mustplete all within 10 days > [ New Quest. ] -- Obtain the absolute fire crystal from the zing desert and absorb it. -- Location will be marked on the Map. -- Uponpletion, the next quest will be updated. < Rewards > -- Legendary Rank sword (Fire Type sword) -- High-Level Fire Crystal "Another quest, huh? Keep theming," Karsha spoke, grinning from ear to ear. "I need to get the Shadow Guards back. Our job here is done." He stood up and deactivated the domain, ready to head back and look for the Shadow Guards. However, just as he was about to move, a voice called out from 1000 meters away. "We''vepleted the task you assigned us," Dhaka spoke as he and his team started walking toward Karsha. "Oh, you''re here. I was just about to head back in to look for you," Karsha said with a smile. "Since you''re done with the task, we can move to the next location." "Okay," all five Shadow Guards replied in unison. "By the way, how many monsters did you kill and what did you gain?" Karsha feigned ignorance and asked about their kills. "We killed 5 Tier 5 monsters, 803 Tier 6 monsters, and 53 Tier 6 mutants," Dhaka replied with a smile. "Wow, that''s awesome," Karsha eximed, trying his best to sound shocked, which brought smiles to the faces of the five Shadow Guards. "We also managed to collect 120 Orbs," Ayarr, in charge of the drops, added. This time, Karsha''s surprise was genuine. "120 orbs? That''s a lot," he said in a slightly surprised tone, though he quicklyposed himself. "Yes, we killed a lot before reaching the 120 mark. I hope that will suffice for this section. I know you enjoy this stuff," Ayarr added, making Karsha smile brightly. He indeed fancied the drops; after all, he obtained an armor set from them. "You guys should break them and see what we can get. We''re moving to the next location, the zing Desert, home of the Infernoscale fire serpent," he continued as he retrieved the flying boat, and they all jumped in. It would be a two-hour journey, but since they didn''t spend much time in Thunder Peak, they might just be able toplete two sections in a day. "Tifa, you can steer the boat; I will be meditating. The rest of you can break the orbs and see what cool items we can find from them." After giving the instructions, he settled at the back and allowed his consciousness to slip back into the System subspace, where he would spend the next two days running the 108binations again with his perfect clone. Explore hidden tales at empire Inside the subspace, Karsha engaged in another intensive duel with his clone. He wasn''t initially proficient in swordy, but as he continued to spar with the clone, his understanding began to expand. He started to identify and correct the mistakes he had been making, swiftly adjusting his techniques by mirroring the wless disy from the clone. He knew he still had a long way to go, but with the clone as his training partner, he felt he could progress faster than others. For two whole days, Karsha and the clone continued their intense training. This time, he only died once, and that happened early in the duel. Since then, he had managed to defend and even counter a few times. Though he still had much to learn before he could take the offensive, the fact that he could counter at all showcased his exceptionalprehension speed. "I''ll be back again, pal," Karsha said to the clone before exiting the subspace. The first thing hended on was a stockpile of weapons, skill books, scrolls, artifacts, and much more. "Wow, that is a lot of items," Karsha said, scanning through the array of weapons, skill books, scrolls, artifacts, and more. He was on the lookout for something that might suit him, noting that most of the items were geared towards assassins, shieldbearers, archers, mages, and finally swordsmen. "So, the drops are determined by who kills the monsters," Karsha quickly deduced the distribution mechanism. While a swordsman might asionally receive drops for daggers or other weapons, it seemedrgely random. Judging from the items in front of him, the majority were tailored to the ss of the one who made the kill. Given that the five Shadow Guards belonged to different sses, their drops were shared ordingly. There were only five swords, and four of them were short swords, which meant Dhaka, the sole swordsman in the group, would be the one to wield them. Although Karsha could technically wield any sword, he had a preference for longswords. "I''ll be taking this one; the rest are useless to me. You can share them among yourselves," he said decisively, picking up the longsword and leaving the five guards visibly shocked, their jaws hanging open in disbelief. "Are you sure? These are all valuable items," Alida asked, uncertain about his decision. Karsha simply shook his head and began swinging his new sword to familiarize himself with its weight and bnce. < Amber Jinx Longsword > Grade: Epic Category: Weapon [ Abilities ] - The de of the Amber Jinx Sword secretes a potent venom upon contact with an opponent''s skin, causing paralysis or weakening over time. - When swung with precision, the sword can create illusionary duplicates of itself, confusing enemies and making it difficult for them to discern the true location of the de. "This is a good sword. I only hope it can withstand the yin-yang lightning," Karsha muttered, testing its capabilities with each swing. < The host can use synthesis tobine two or more swords, including short ones, to form a stronger sword. Note: You can synthesize up to Tier 4, which is the Legendary Grade level. > "Shit, I forgot about that. I will try that on the next drop," Karsha muttered to himself, realizing he had already given away the drops to the Shadow Guards. "We are here," Karsha announced as they arrived at the borders of the zing Desert. "Damn, this ce is hot." Even from 20 kilometers away, the intense heat was palpable. "Are you guys okay?" Karsha asked, noticing the difort on the faces of four of the five Shadow Guards. Alida, however, seemed unfazed, feeling quite at home in the fiery environment due to her strong affinity for fire. "Damn it, I should have concocted fire resistance pills too," Karsha cursed under his breath. He hadn''t anticipated the extreme heat of the ce. With no other immediate solution, he turned to his trusted assistant, the system. ''System, do you have a fire-resistance pill?'' Karsha inquired. < Yes. 100KP for Common Grade, 500KP for King Grade, and 10,000KP for Tier 1 Earth Grade. Higher grades will be made avable as the host advances in ranks. > ''What are the effects of the Earth Grade Pills?'' Karsha asked further. < Fire Resistance Pill > Grade: Earth Purity: 100% -- Gain 90% immunity to fire for 4 hours. ''Alright, buy 8 pieces'' "This is a fire-resistance pill. Since you four seem to be having trouble with the heat, this pill will help you withstand the environment," Karsha exined, handing over the pills to Dhaka, Tifa, Killian, and Ayarr. "Alida, since you''re unaffected by the heat, you won''t need one." "It''s not 100% immunity, but it should give you about 4 hours of protection. I''ve given each of you two pills just in case you need to stay longer than expected. Try to leave the desert before your pills run out," he advised them. The five nodded in understanding before jumping down. "Ayarr, take the boat with you. It mighte in handy," Karsha instructed.N?v(el)B\\jnn "But won''t you need it?" Ayarr asked, concerned. "I''ll manage. See you guyster," Karsha assured them. With that, ck and white lightning enveloped him, and in the blink of an eye, he was 3 kilometers away, speeding toward the zing desert. The five shadow guards gazed at his trail with their eyes wide open. "He never ceases to amaze me," Dhaka said, shaking his head. Chapter 63 Fire Euphoria Karsha continued to streak like lightning toward the zing desert. With the lightning element now awakened, his speed had increased manifold. Initially, he could move at 200 miles per hour, but now he could reach over 450 miles per hour, demonstrating just how fast he had be. However, this newfound speed didn''t mean he could outrun any of the Overlords. Perhaps he could outrun the Scale Crusher; although it was an Overlord, it wasn''t known for its speed. It was more of a juggernaut, excelling in offense and defense butcking in swiftness. Still, Karsha couldn''t rely on speed alone in a one-on-one fight against an Overlord. He was far from ready for such a challenge. Even the weakest Overlord had a minimum attack power of 12,300, meaning that even if Karsha managed to use his domain ability against them, they would still possess more than enough attack power to either break free from the domain or overpower him with brute force. He knew he was weakpared to the Overlords, who were just that powerful. To kill them, he needed all the help he could get. He might be a berserker, but in the face of a Tier 7 Terror Mutant, he was nothing more than a bug that could be crushed with a single swing. "General Godwin will certainlyugh at me if he finds out I took another suicide mission for power," Karsha chuckled as he sped toward the zing desert. His training officer, General Godwin back on Earth, used to caution him against taking on suicide missions. The military had incentives for soldiers who managed toplete such missions. There was, in fact, a lot of money involved, which tempted those greedy for wealth to pursue these dangerous tasks. Of course, the mortality rate was extremely high. "Your life is precious, and since you''re not cats, I hope you value that one life," Karsha repeated, mimicking the tone of General Godwin. "The Lightning Fruit is amazing, which means the Absolute Fire Crystal will be equally amazing," Karsha said, smiling foolishly. The temptation to absorb the Fire Crystal was irresistible. He could feel the electrical energy coursing through his veins as he moved. The Absolute Fire Crystal is great, but so is the danger surrounding it. For a crystal to be called "Absolute," it must contain the pure, condensed essence of fire¡ªthe purest form of fire energy. Absorbing it will not only enhance the fire element running through the body of a cultivator but also grant a significant offensive boost. A mage would receive a significant enhancement to their fire spells, while a swordsman like Karsha could imbue his sword attacks with fire essence, increasing their damage output. Furthermore, there''s the defensive aspect. The power of an Absolute Fire Crystal grants substantial resistance against fire attacks. If Karsha currently suffers 100% damage from a fire attack, after absorbing the Absolute Fire, that percentage could reduce to 10%, granting him 90% immunity to fire. "Almost there," he muttered. Approaching the zing desert, Karsha stopped using the Yan-Yang Lightning technique and started blinking from one point to the next. He first appeared in the safe zone but slowly made his way to the danger zone. The desert was extremely hot. Strangely, the deeper he moved, the hotter it got. Although the name suggests it is a desert, there are trees everywhere. The only odd thing about these trees was the dried leaves still hanging from the branches. Of course, like any desert, it had dunes of sand. The whole ce was like a sea of sand that kept getting hotter the further he walked. "I mean, this ce is a literal hell. Why not call it Hell Desert and be done with it?" he muttered. Flicking his hand, his favorite water bottle appeared. "Good thing I can always count on you," he said, gulping down a mouthful and pouring some on his head. A sizzling sound was produced when the water hit the sand. "This ce sucks," Karsha''s voice echoed across the desert. "It''s been ten minutes, and there isn''t even a single snake. What is going on?" Unlike the previous sections, where every three steps produced a monster, Karsha had already spent 20 minutes in the dune forest without encountering even a Tier 1 monster. The mysterious forest had a strange appeal to it. Most of the monsters preferred the inner sections, where the heat was more intense. To find a single snake, Karsha would have to move deeper into the danger zone. Of course, there were Tier 1 monsters, but they usually stayed underground and only emerged when disturbed. This peculiar behavior was one of the many reasons the zing Desert was considered one of the top three most dangerous ces on Snake Ind. "Even though I didn''t pay much attention in Madam Kathrin''s chemistry ss, I do know fire and ice don''t have any simrities," Karsha said with an evil smile. "Why don''t we lower the temperature around a 3 km radius?" In an instant, his domain covered a 3 km radius. The ever-scorching dunes turned icy as his freezing ice domain took effect, giving the whole ce a new feel. Karsha waited. Ten minutes passed. He continued to wait, scanning through the admin privileges he had in his domain. Twenty minutes. Thirty minutes. "Fuck, I am in a cemetery. Where the fuck are the snakes?" he wondered, brushing his hand against his temple. ------------------- Simultaneously, the five shadow guards were engaged in a fierce battle with three Tier 6 Lava Wyrm snakes. About 20 kilometers away, another three Tier 6 Inferno Fang serpents were closing in fast. Dhaka, their captain, was leading the fight. As a swordsman with water attributes, fighting the snakes was a headache. The pill Karsha had given them was working, but it wasn''t enough to withstand a direct inferno attack. Despite being a reptile, Dhaka was sweating profusely, his skin dripping with sweat. Ayarr, the assassin, was the only one having it easy since her role in the fight was to look for openings and attack. Tifa continued to raise defenses while using her healing magic on her teammates. Killian, the shieldbearer, kept tanking the attacks with his robust shield. Alida, the archeress, took to the skies, raining down arrow after arrow. "This is madness. How are you not sweating?" Dhaka asked, his voice dry.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Benefits of being unique," Alida snickered as she continued her assault. "This is not my domain. I am meant to be in the waters," Dhakained, his frustration palpable. "Hey, what happened to ''Let''s impress the Annihtor?''" Ayarr asked, her tone tinged with a hint of sarcasm. "I guess our boss wants to use his charm on him. I mean, he is a great charmer," Killian said as she tanked a tail attack from one of the Lava Wyrms. "Don''t get me wrong, Darkyboy, you are a real charmer. I''m sure you can win him over with just a smile." They allughed, Dhaka included. "Let''s wrap this up. I think we have somepany 10 km away," Alida said as her arrow struck the head of one of the Tier 6 Lava Wyrms, killing it instantly. "I have a question, though," Ayarr said, stabbing a dagger into the neck of the second snake. She smiled and asked, "What is he going to do with the Venoms? I mean, the Annihtor." "You tell us. You were the one that spent two weeks tailing him," Dhaka replied, his sword cutting a deep wound into the belly of thest snake. Tifa''s ice shard finished the job. "We can always ask him. No need to be ignorant about everything," Alida said. They all gazed at her before nodding in agreement. With that settled, they charged at the approaching enemies, raining down countless attacks as if their lives depended on it. --------------------- After waiting for almost 40 minutes, Karsha deactivated the domain. No monster snakes had shown up, and the mark the system gave him as the location of the Absolute Fire Crystal remained unchanged. "Deeper we go, then. I''ve escaped an Overlord before; I can do it again," Karsha muttered as he started blinking deeper into the forest. The deeper he went, the hotter it got, but somehow, Karsha was only sweating on his forehead. "That smells nice. I wonder what could smell like that," Karsha thought as his nose picked up a unique, intoxicating aromaing from within the dune forest. A good smell at the center of a demon forest screamed danger, but the Annihtor decided to approach it and experience it up close. The closer he got, the more intoxicating the smell became. "Wow, this feeling is great. I want more," Karsha said, despite the distinct smell making him wary. < The host is getting closer to an Absolute Fire Crystal. Be cautious. > "Finally. That was a long 40 minutes wasted," Karsha said, realizing he had been searching in the wrong ce. Now, he had found something euphoric and wanted more. However, 2 km away from him, a 24-meter-long, 1.5-meter-wide snake opened its fiery red eye. It flicked its long serpentine tongue and gazed in Karsha''s direction. "That feels ominous. Let''s see what we''re dealing with," Karsha said as he activated his 3 km wide domain, now only 1.5 km away from the creature. "Oh shit, that isrge. I''m out of here," he muttered, ready to make a run for it. However, the system message halted his steps. < Absolute Fire Crystal discovered. > < Quest activated > < The host has 30 minutes to kill the Tier 6 Dark Mutant and extract the crystal. > < 29:59 > "Oh shit, I''m fucked..." Karsha muttered, feeling the pressure of the ticking clock and the looming danger. Enjoy new tales from empire Chapter 64 Fighting a Lossing Battle Imagine standing at the edge of a bottomless pit, where a single tap on the back is all it would take to send you plummeting into the depths, the darkness swallowing you whole. That heart-shattering feeling is what Karsha experienced when he saw the monstrosity he was meant to fight. "I mean, I''m up for Tier 6 Mutants, but this snake monster is too colossal for a tiny bug like me," Karshained, his voice trembling like a massage chair. The snakey 54 meters long, its head alone having a surface with a diameter of 1.5 meters. Its eyes were as big as Five basketballs, radiating red, murderous smoke. Its obsidian fangs, 60 centimeters long, pierced through the sides of its mouth like curved daggers. The scale carapace-like skin was dark red. "This is insanity. How can I fight this?" Within 20 seconds, Karshained over 20 times, showing just how terrified he was. < The host should take this as a practice run for the battle with the Overlords. > The system, not knowing when tofort and when to encourage, decided to make Karsha curse even more. Taking this as practice was all well and good, but Karsha had been overconfident and failed to notice that not every monster could be provoked. < Mutant Lava Wyrm > Tier: 6 ss: Dark Mutant Attack Power: 5200 ~ 7200 Skills: ???????????????????? The information alone left him wondering if the system had intentionally omitted crucial details. Such skills were essential when facing an opponent; omitting them was like teaching someone to fly a ne without exining how tond. < Standing and doing nothing is not going to help. Complete the quest. > "I know that, system. No need to rub it in my face," Karsha muttered as he unsheathed the Devil''s Tooth and the Amber Jinx Longsword. His eyes focused on the monstrous creature, which appeared rxed yet ferocious. "Let''s see how fast I can end this madness," he dered, dashing toward the monster, yin-yang lightning streaking behind him. His sudden movement mirrored the firstbination from the Initiate Bolt technique he had mastered within the subspace. ''Thunderous Dash''¡ªthe name said it all. Gathering the electricity flowing through his body into his legs, Karsha propelled himself forward with immense force, creating a thunderous roar. One could harness such momentum to deliver a devastating blow if skilled enough. After all, no matter how sharp a sword is, it requires force to cut through even a thread. However, despite Karsha''s recent advancements in swordy, when hended his first sword strike, his de bounced off the monster''s tough skin. "That''s not good. That shouldn''t have happened, right?" Karsha questioned, his movements not slowing at all. "This is not good," he muttered again. The lightning continued to streak behind him as he fought. The massive body of the Lava Wyrm crawled across the ground, its tail pping the walls of the domain and creating cracks. "Thud." The same sound was produced again, making Karsha frown. The attack shouldn''t have produced that sound. Despite putting all his effort into the strikes, the scaly skin produced a rubber-like sound instead of the expected nk. The sharpness of the swords wasn''t inflicting any significant damage. The only upside was that whenever hended an attack, a small portion of the monster''s HP was drained away. The domain had taken effect, and the monster received a debuff, albeit temporarily. The Domain was proving to be a great advantage, allowing Karsha to control the fight within its confines. However, what happens when the domain fails to suppress the target? What happens when the target is too strong to be controlled in such tight quarters? More importantly, what happens when the target possesses fire attributes? Under normal circumstances, these three questions wouldn''t appear in the same sentence. I mean, who would be unlucky enough to face an opponent who fits all three criteria? Karsha, the unlucky guy, found himself fighting the behemoth that seemed more interested in breaking free from the domain than attacking him. The snake''s tail mmed hard, creating cracks and widening them with each subsequent m. Five minutes passed, and the domain continued to weaken. Karsha ran around the monster, attacking it while doing his best to avoid being mmed. "It''s damn it, this domain won''t hold. I can try using brute force and attempt to create an opening. I mean, what did I learn the 108binations for? I should test it out and see how effective it is." "Boom!" Karsha dashed forward again, but this time, he jumped into the air. He spun, creating a of lightning energy. Utilizing the momentum from the jump, he crashed forcefully onto the snake''s back, causing it to crash to the ground. -10,000 "sh, sh!" Two sword attacksnded on the monster''s side, producing the same thud sound as before. The cracks widened, and eventually, the domain walls fell in 9 minutes. "Here we go." Saying that Karsha channeled his yin-yang lightning into his sword and dashed at the snake. It spat bullets of venom, but Karsha deftly dodged them, making it look like child''s y. In reality, Karsha used the secondbination, ''Zephyr Shift''. Zephyr Shift enabled swift sidestepping mid-dash, allowing the user to evade iing attacks almost subconsciously during a dash. It can be used to evade most forms of projectile attacks if not all. In this instance, Karsha was saved from an agonizing burn from the venom of the Lava Wyrm, thanks to the secondbination. He circled the massive body of the beast, sending an attack or two before retreating. This time, however, the attack packed a serious punch. The yin-yang lightning took a huge chunk of the monster''s HP, but in return, the monster mmed its tail, sending Karsha hurling back like a ragdoll. "Damn, that hurts," he groaned as he mmed into a tree 1 km away. His body was bruised, but his armor remained as neat as ever¡ªck as coal, dark as midnight. Karsha stood up, feeling like he had just survived a car crash. "This is madness. If I''m suffering like this, how am I going to face the overlords?" Perhaps the Dark Mutant heard his plea for help, a mistake Karsha shouldn''t have made. This harmlessment provoked the Dark Mutant into attacking in rapid session, aiming at Karsha with its venom. Venom darted like bullets, threatening to burn the soul out of Karsha''s body. He found himself in a perilous situation, arching his body in constant maneuver. It could have been worse if he had faced the Dark Mutant before consuming the Lightning Fruit. Thanks to the awakening of his lightning and speed boost, he narrowly evaded the venomous projectiles. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Karsha eximed his body, mind, and soul in agony under the relentless assault. The Dark Mutant showed no mercy, continuing its never-ending barrage of attacks. "I''m tired of this shit!" Activating Bolt Blitz, Karsha moved in a zigzag pattern, closing the gap between them. His swords crackled with unholy electricity. His movements shifted seamlessly from one form to the next, evading the venom bullets that never ceased. Helpless, but relying on the OP 108 movementbinations, he managed to bridge the gap. The Lightning-infused sword shed with unholy intensity, but the effort was futile against the rubber-like nature of the Dark Mutant''s skin. It only left a small scratch on its body. As the first ten minutes passed, Karsha felt a surge in strength, his power increasing by 50% as his Rage Swordsman skill activated, adding a significant buff to his attacks. Unable to rely on the domain, Karsha focused on debuffing the monster to buff himself. The blessings from his sheath, the sword buffs, and the passive ability of his sword intentbined with the 50% boost from Rage Swordsman propelled his attacks to new heights. The snake began losing substantial chunks of HP, but Karsha wasn''t faring any better. The Dark Mutant showed no signs of slowing down. Bothbatants unleashed barrages of attacks while defending and evading. Karsha constantly evaded, though it proved challenging. The constant twisting and turning left his body sore and in pain. Yet, this pain was a blessing. Had he been slightly slower in his evasions, both his armor and body would have turned to ash. Karsha had already glimpsed the vast disparity between himself and the Overlords. If he struggled against a Tier 6 Dark Mutant, Karsha knew he had a long way to go before he could even scratch the skin of one of the 10 Overlords. Realizing this, Karsha''s mood shifted. His face contorted with rage, and his eyes gleamed with determination. "That damn feeling again. What''s happening to me?" The sensation he had been experiencing in his swords resurfaced. This time, however, Karsha decided to delve deep into it¡ªa risky move, but one that proved fortuitous. He couldn''t afford to waste any more time; already, 20 precious minutes had slipped by. The sensation intensified, stronger than ever before. Your journey continues at empire His attacks grew more intense, dealing massive damage output. In what seemed like an instant, five minutes had passed. < The host has less than 5 minutes toplete the quest > Karsha focused solely on harnessing the sensation within his sword, ignoring everything else around him. Three minutes flew by swiftly, during which the snake''s skin became riddled with wounds and sword marks. Subconsciously tapping into an innate talent, Karsha amplified his sword attacks exponentially. "Almost there," Karsha muttered, feeling the sensation within his grasp. But suddenly, the system message appeared before him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om < Quest Completed, Congrattions host. > "What the hell..." Karsha cursed out loud. Chapter 65 Fury plus Rage equals Massacre Karsha stood there, consumed by rage, his eyes zing with fury. This was the third time this strange sensation had slipped away from his grasp. Just as he was beginning to understand that peculiar feeling, the monster would die, abruptly halting the process. Strangely, whenever the monster died, the sensation died with it. It was infuriating beyond measure, and Karsha had reached his limit. He couldn''t take it anymore. < The host is advised to retrieve the crystal and vacate the region; dangers are approaching. > "Let theme," Karsha muttered, deep in his rage, ignoring the system. He was angry and needed to vent that anger somewhere, so if those snakes decided to be his punching bag, he was happy to oblige. The reason he hadn''t encountered any monsters before encountering the Dark Mutants was because of the Dark Mutant Karsha had just in¡ªor, more importantly, the fist-sized crystal embedded in its head. The crystal contained a condensed form of fire essence, its energy formidable. Because it was powering the Dark Monster, none of the other creatures dared to attack it. They kept their distance, allowing it to maintain its domain. The crystal is valuable but dangerous. The other snakes knew that, so they stayed far from the domain of the Dark Mutant Karsha had just killed. After all, who would be foolish enough to remain close to a monster that could enter a rage at any moment under the influence of the stone crystal? The nature of the crystal isplex, with many forms. There is the white crystal, which contains the essence of an absolute healing me, and the golden crystal, which holds the essence of the divine me. Each form contains different variations of mes. However, the fist-sized crystal embedded in the monster Karsha had just killed was ck¡ªck as obsidian. The light around it was constantly devoured. It was the strongest form, and Karsha had just in a being that wielded it. The moment it died, the others noticed and all wanted it. The only thing standing in their way now was Karsha. He wanted the crystal, and his rage from the failedprehension had risen to new heights. "Berserker Rage," he muttered, his eyes lighting up. The 150% mad rage boost surged through him, making him feel more powerful and dangerous. Activating his yin-yang lightning, Karsha dashed forward, instantly reaching the first snake. His right sword shed its belly with lethal intensity, and blood gushed everywhere. He blinked, appearing in front of another snake,nding an overhead sh that killed it instantly. With the same vigor, he dashed toward the next snake, running rapidly around it and encasing it in a lightning. The snake''s crawling was halted, and Karsha, now in full rage mood, shed his sword, sending two arcs of fire that killed it instantly. "Domain," he muttered under his breath. The domain appeared, sealing in 12 Tier 5 and 3 Tier 6 snakes. Karsha, with over four minutes left of his rage ability, dashed at a Tier 6 snake while the variations in the domain bombarded the Tier 5 monsters with deadly attacks. Inside the domain, Karshamanded everything. The variations ignored the Tier 6 monsters but continued to inflict damage on the Tier 5 monsters. His movements were swift and deadly, allowing him to move quickly across the battlefield. Perhaps due to his intense anger and rage, he didn''t notice it, but his sword attacks had evolved during his battle with the Dark Mutant. The attacks had multiplied, bing more powerful than they used to be. Strangely, the more he used them, the more powerful they became. However, Karsha hadn''t noticed any of this yet. His focus was solely on releasing his pent-up anger on the pitiful snakes. Three minutes passed quickly. With two minutes left, Karsha continued to pile up bodies. Within three minutes, he had killed over twenty snake monsters and showed no signs of stopping. He still had Berserker Fury, so he wasn''t worried about running out of time. He could have used both Berserker Rage and Fury during his battle with the Dark Mutant. Thebination would have boosted his attack power by 320%. However, Karsha wanted to test his strength, and the result had been disastrous. If it hadn''t been for the sensation he felt, he would have failed the quest, risking the loss of a legendary-grade weapon in the process. Although he would have seeded in killing the monster eventually, he wouldn''t have been able to do so within the given time frame. Stay connected via empire Now that it was over, he felt no need to hold back anymore. He let his rage take over, and as a berserker, it was only natural to vent his anger through a massacre. As more bodies piled up, the other monsters grew wary. Their numbers started dwindling. Only the ones confident enough advanced toward the dead Dark monster. Of course, they were met with sword attacks that instantly cut the thread holding their life force. Gradually, the snakes stoppeding, but dead bodies littered the battlefield, numbering in the fifties. Karsha stopped by the Lesser Monster and jammed his sword into its skull. He twisted it clockwise and counterclockwise. The fist-sized dark crystal released a gush of energy, making Karsha, now back to his normal form, feel weary. The stone released another burst of energy, then another, and then another. A system notification appeared, but before Karsha could read it, the crystal exploded. Instead of dispersing into the air, the energy from the explosion entered Karsha''s body almost instantly. His entire body quaked, his eyes turning blood red. The pain from the absorption began taking a toll on his body. Had it not been for his armor, visible signs of his body cracking would have been seen. His skin started to crack, and a fiery aura began seeping through the fissures. The veins on his forehead popped as they pumped blood through his body, and his already red hair became even redder. The transformation was excruciating. Karsha, enduring this ordeal, continued to grit his teeth through the pain. He had already experienced so much suffering that "pain" had be a rtive term. But what he was experiencing now was a new level of agony. His skin continued to burn, turning redder and redder. The absolute fire crystal he had absorbed was tempering his body. The transformation was the result of the crystal cooking his skin to make it more resistant to fire attacks. His body was undergoing a rebirth, akin to the shedding of old skin and the growth of new. In this context, Karsha''s skin and organs were beingpletely cooked by the essence of the me. After ten minutes¡ªand, strangely, no monster snakes approaching him¡ªthe pain began to subside. His eyes slowly returned to their normal red hue, but his hair had undergone some changes. His hair extended, falling freely down his back. His bone structure had also undergone some changes, enhancing his already handsome features.N?v(el)B\\jnn Though his height remained the same, the definition of his muscles and abs had also improved, giving him a clean-cut six-pack. When the pain finally subsided and Karsha regained his senses, he finally saw the system messages. < Ding! Congrattions, you have extracted and absorbed the venom of a Tier 6 Dark Mutant, Lava Wyrm. > < Ding! Congrattions, you have extracted and absorbed the bloodline of a Tier 6 Lesser Mutant Lava Wyrm. Your bloodline grows stronger. > < Ding! You have acquired the blood of a Lava Wyrm. Consume and use the essence to temper your body. > --- --- --- < Ding! Congrattions, you have sessfully absorbed aplete Absolute Chaos Fire Crystal. > < +200 has been added to all stats and +20,000 to Mana. > < You have gained 95% immunity against fire. > < Two Tier upgrades have been applied to all Fire-type skills. > < Ding! Congrattions, you have awakened a form of fire element: Chaos Fire. Affinity: Low. > "Looks like I didn''t suffer for nothing," Karsha remarked, essing the Fire Beam skill. Initially, the description of the ability read, ''Using Mana, the swordsman can light their sword on fire. Each sword cut will leave a residue of fire that will keep eating away the Health of the target for as long as the wielder has Mana.'' However, after absorbing the fire crystal, the skill underwent a significant evolution. [ Fire Beam: B ] (Tier 8) -- Channel enough fire essence into the sword and strike, sending a three-meter-tall arc of mes toward the target. -- The strike will contain 120% of the total attack power of the user. [ Note: The higher the amount of fire essence gathered, the more powerful the attack. ] Karsha absorbed the new OP nature of his fire attack. His only concern now was the amount of fire essence he possessed. Unlike most skills that require Mana, this ability required fire essence, and he had no way to determine how much he had. After all, he was still a beginner. How much fire essence did he actually possess? That question, however, was answered sooner than he anticipated. Instead of picking up the shining drops on the ground, Karsha opted to draw his Devil''s Tooth sword and began channeling fire essence into it. The process was quite simple. He tapped into the new presence he felt in his dantian, the energy flowing through his veins, meridians, and body, much like channeling Mana. After gathering enough fire essence, Karsha shed his sword vertically. Immediately, the temperature around him soared, and a towering three-meter-tall half-moon arc,posed entirely of pure fire, surged forth from the strike. The arc traveled with fiery intensity and collided with a ten-meter-tall boulder, shattering itpletely. "What the heck..." "Thud." Another sword down. Chapter 66 Call of the flame Karsha continued to stare at the destruction with a solemn expression. The sword had turned crispy and crumbled apart, adding to the spectacle and making the entire scene even more astonishing, dangerous, and incredible. Inparison, the lightning strike seemed pale. Though it was also a formidable skill, Fire Beam was on another level. Its attack power was more than sufficient to obliterate Tier 6 lesser mutants. Karsha had just endured a battle with a Tier 6 Dark Mutant. If not for the otherworldly feeling that had regrly aided him, he wouldn''t have emerged unscathed. But that was no longer a concern, as a single attack from the Tier 8 skill could now obliterate such creatures. He had grown stronger, thanks to the Chaos Fire crystal and the Tier 8 skill. "I need a good sword that can harness the full might of this skill," Karsha muttered. He then turned back to the system and began reviewing the messages once more. < Questplete sessfully > < Rewards > -- Legendary Rank sword -- High-Level Fire Crystal < Ding! Next quest Triggered > Discover hidden stories at empire [ Next Quest ] -- Retrieve the Healing Seed from the Fangtongue Forest and absorb it. -- Location will be marked on the Map. -- Uponpletion, the next quest will be updated. < Rewards > -- A Life-saving Treasure --------------------- After reading through the messages, Karsha retrieves the New sword. A long red sword appeared in his hands. The entire de of this new sword is crimson red, radiating infernal energy. Immediately Karsha held it, he could feel the fire essence within him constantly getting absorbed into the sword. The essence absorbed wasn''t wasted either. Perhaps, due to Karsha''s newfound affinity for the fire element, he could feel the dangerous energy building up within the sword. The longer he held the sword, the more dangerous that energy became. "sh," he casually swung the sword again. Another enormous arc of fire erupted from the de, creating a forty-meter-long crater on the ground. The earth split beneath the force, and the intense heat of the attack turned the soil around the impact zone ssy. "This is a good sword" he then turned to the descriptions of the sword. < Call of the me > -- A legendary rank sword, said to be made from the borns of a Great Alpha Fire-Tiger. Rank: Legendary Rating: Low-Tier Type: Long sword Category: Weapon [Enhance] - The sword sword multiplies the strength of every fire-type attack by two. [Absorb] - When held, the sword constantly absorbs and stores the fire essence of the wilder. [Call of the me] - By channeling 80% of the fire essence into the sword, the wielder can unleash a wave of me that burns anything ites into contact with. -------------------------- "This will do for now," Karsha said, unsheathing the sword. He walked around, gathering and storing the bodies of the snakes he had in, as well as collecting the orbs dropped by his kills. He managed to acquire five orbs. He shattered the first three, resulting in three Tier 3 fire-type skills. He wasn''t disappointed; with his synthesis ability, he couldbine these to create a new skill. The fourth orb produced another longsword, not of the fire type, but as Karsha could synthesize weapons, he knew it would still be useful¡ªa High-Tier Rare rank sword. The fifth orb, however, gave him exactly what he had been searching for. < Ding! Congrattions, you have received the Third Piece of The Book Of Annihtion. > The main reason Karsha came to the zing Desert was for the quest and to acquire the third piece of the Book of Annihtion¡ªa crucial tome that would give him an edge over the 10 overlords. He needed all the help he could get, and thanks to the system, he could make adequate preparations before facing any of the overlords. The Book of Annihtion was central to his strategy. With it, he could identify the weaknesses of the overlords and exploit them effectively. Going against them without knowledge of their skills would be suicidal. nning his actions meticulously was imperative. Strength alone wouldn''t suffice; he needed strategies. They were called overlords for a reason¡ªthey possessed immense strength and an array of formidable skills. Facing them head-on without a n would be reckless on Karsha''s part. The Scale Crusher that had pursued him could be considered the overlord with the strongest defense. Its scales were too tough for normal attacks to prate. Against a creature of that nature, finding loopholes in its defense and exploiting them was essential. Karsha understood the necessity of the Book of Annihtion. It was his only path forward, and now that he had obtained the third piece, he was ready to move on to the next location. He managed to acquire two pieces in just a day. While he still had a long way to go, at this rate, he anticipated assembling all the pieces within a few more days.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Initially, he had intended to use the time to train his skills. However, now that he had ess to the subspace, spending too much time outside felt like a waste. A day spent outside equated to squandering 24 days inside the subspace. That was far too much time to waste. Karsha resolved not to waste any more time. He needed to swiftly gather the remaining pieces of the book. Thanks to the five shadow guards assisting him,pleting other tasks had be easier. Watching his points rise rapidly, Karsha knew the shadow guards were diligently fulfilling their assignments. He was immensely grateful for their help. With them managing the other tasks, he could focus on bing stronger for the impending showdown. After Karsha thoroughly scavenged the area, he dashed back to the rendezvous point where he and the Shadow Guards would regroup before heading to their next location. As system notifications continued to flood in, indicating the Shadow Guards were still in the desert killing snakes on his behalf, Karsha opened a 100-meter-wide domain and settled down. Retrieving the blood from the Lesser Mutant, he consumed it in one gulp. The moment the blood entered his system, the system began absorbing it, tempering his body with the essence of the fire element contained within. Karsha felt his strength surge to new heights as he continued to absorb the fire essence. After 30 minutes, he opened his eyes and let a small smile escape his lips. His strength had surged once again, and strangely, he had be even more handsome. The body tempering appeared to have a profound effect on both his inner strength and physical appearance. The Karsha returning from the Drono Kingdom was no longer the same man. He had transformed, now remarkably handsome and possessing even greater strength. If Vance, the arrogant heir of the Varon family, were to stand before him now, a single attack would suffice to end Vance''s existence entirely. < Ding! Congrattions, you have tempered your body with the blood of a Tier 6 Lesser Mutant Lava Wyrm. +100 added to strength and stamina. All fire-type skills have received a boost in damage output. > "They still haven''t returned, huh?" Karsha smiled, allowing his consciousness to slip into the subspace. He reappeared in the same ce, the unchanged green fields stretching before him. "I need to gather enough Tier 5 cores for an upgrade. I hate this in grasnd." The clone stared at him indifferently. Karsha met its gaze with a smug expression on his face. "System, let''s run the Fire Beam skill for now. I need to master it to S rating as soon as possible," Karsha instructed. He intended toplete the quest swiftly so he could focus on training inside the subspace, knowing that upgrading the skill would facilitate clearing the remaining challenges. A crimson sword materialized in his hands, identical to the clone''s weapon. With the clone possessing a near-perfect understanding of the skill, Karsha approached and began observing closely. One advantage of the subspace was that whenever the clone executed a skill, Karsha effortlessly grasped the technique behind it. Inside the subspace, hisprehension speed had been elevated to a new level. This,bined with his already exceptionalprehension abilities, made the learning process exceedingly efficient. He was exceptionally astute, particrly within the subspace. The clone channeled fire essence into the sword and shed. The ignition of the me shot forward with such brilliance and intensity that Karsha had to briefly close his eyes and endure a mental strain for a few seconds. When he opened his eyes, Karsha saw the 200-meter grasnd transformed into a wastnd. A five-meter-wide crater stretched across the terrain for the entire length. "This is too powerful," Karsha muttered, his eyes burning with determination. The destructive force unleashed by the clone''s attack was simply overwhelming. Though Karsha''s current grasp of the skill was limited, he knew it wouldn''t remain so for long. His resolve to grow stronger, fueled by his monstrousprehension speed, would be the key factor in achieving mastery. As long as the clone continued using the skill, Karsha believed he could soon replicate and even surpass its power. After all, on the outside, the shadow guards wouldn''t return for another three hours. Those three hours equated to 72 hours inside the subspace, and Karsha nned to dedicate that time to practicing just one technique¡ªFire Beam. Chapter 67 Fire Beam Evolution "Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. Failure will never overtake me if my determination to seed is strong enough." That is the quote Karsha left in his yearbook. He lives by that principle: determination above all. With enough determination, one can aplish anything they set their mind to. Karsha embodied this belief when he witnessed the incredible power of the Tier 8 form of the Fire Beam. The mastery of the skill disyed by the clone was rated as B, spurring Karsha''s determination to reach greater heights. After 72 hours of practice, Karsha began mastering the sword moves by mimicking the clone''s techniques. The first twenty-four hours showed small growth, but not enough to make a significant difference. Karsha was able to achieve the same damage output as the clone, but that wasn''t all. He applied the same methods he was learning from the clone to his lightning strike technique as well. It was a slow process, but once Karsha achieved his objective, he began focusing on the Fire Beam. He nned to return to the lightning strike once his mastery over the Fire Beam had reached a satisfactory level. Once he focused on mastering the Fire Beam skill, Karsha began replicating the clone''s moves. The near-perfect skills of the clone continually opened doors for Karsha, allowing him to advance his understanding and leading to a breakthrough faster than he had expected. The skill evolved alongside Karsha''s mastery. As hisprehension level increased, the skill grew more robust. At a B rating, the arc created was only 3 meters in length¡ªa significant figure but not enough to intimidate an Overlord. However, after twelve hours of non-stop practice, the skill became even more powerful. If the previous version could destroy a 30-meter-tall mountain, the new version, once Karsha achieved ''A'' mastery, could obliterate a 100-meter-tall mountain. With this breakthrough, the skill advanced further. The arc now extended three additional meters in length and became more stable, taking on a more solid form. The arc grew razor-sharp, and the me turned darker, with its heat multiplying. Lacking a target to practice on, Karsha decided to use the empty grasnd as his opponent. After just three strikes, Karsha managed to create a huge crater. The crater had a width of 12 meters and a depth of over 100 meters. The devastation was evident, and Karsha was thrilled. Who wouldn''t be happy? Creating such an enormous crater was a clear sign of how powerful the skill had be. Karsha was ted but knew he still had a long way to go. There were still the S, SS, SSS, SSS+, and SSE levels to achieve. If the A rating was this powerful, who could say how formidable the skill would be once he advanced his understanding further? Karsha was a man of focus, determination, and purpose. He was focused on one thing: bing powerful. He was determined to master his skills to their utmost potential, and his ultimate purpose was to kill the ten Overlords and begin his journey toward world domination. One skill alone wouldn''t suffice, but a highly developed skill would certainly make a significant difference. The only downside was that he still wouldn''t be able to master the skill before his self-imposed deadline¡ªat least, that was the case until he discovered the subspace.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om With the time difference, Karsha could master multiple skills and even advance his understanding of the elements. He had a manual for the Yin-Yang Lightning. The Yin-Yang Lightning was designed for both offense and retreat, but Karsha aimed to add a defensive aspect to it. Additionally, he discovered that his understanding of the fire element started advancing as his mastery over the Fire Beam improved. He could feel his grasp on fire energy growing stronger by the second. Great changes were urring within him, and as he continued to practice the skill, these changes began to manifest. Initially, it took him a little over ten seconds to gather enough fire essence into his sword. The process was rtively slow, and in an active battle, charging enough essence into the sword would be challenging. No opponent would be foolish enough to stand by and let him charge up his skill. Those ten seconds were more than enough time for his opponents to swarm and kill him. But that wouldn''t be a problem for long since he seemed to have found a way to hasten the essence-gathering phase. With his expanding knowledge and understanding, he discovered a method. Rudimentary but effective. To solve his charging time issue, Karsha went back to the basics. He started with his swings and shes. He began by channeling as much essence as he could in under two seconds and swinging his sword to release an arc. It was weak, but it was still an arc. He then repeated the process over 500 times. Mastery requires continuous practice¡ªthis is the rule of muscle memory. Using this method, Karsha was able to subconsciously train his body so that within two seconds, the amount of essence gathered in his sword began to increase. But he didn''t stop there; he aimed to reduce the time to just over a second and repeated the process all over again. The longer he maintained this state, the faster he could feel his essence movement expanding beyond its usual pace. But that wasn''t the only remarkable development. Although hastening the rate at which his essence was channeled seemed like a significant achievement, the truly extraordinary event urred when the Fire Beam skill began to change. Karsha intended to use a crude and tedious method to speed up his essence channeling. However, in the process, he unknowingly pushed his mastery to the S stage and triggered an evolution of the skill. The Fire Beam evolved, adding a significant enhancement. Initially, he could only charge his sword and unleash a devastating blow. However, after two days of relentless swinging and shing, the skill incorporated a new technique. [Rapid sh]: Rapidly sh your sword to release fire arcs using the little fire essence channeled into it and the fire essence in the air. The description might seem cryptic, but the process is straightforward. It means Karsha can sh his sword multiple times within a second, and the little essence gathered in the sword will release a razor-sharp fire arc capable of inflicting damage. But while using fire essence from the air might seem like a waste, the skill doesn''t stop there. Besides his own essence, which can run out, there''s the ambient fire essence in the air, simr to the surrounding Mana. Karsha could replenish his essence thanks to the fire energy in the air and the crystal he had absorbed. His attacks would not only harness the power of his own essence but also incorporate the essence in the air. This meant that if he managed to release a 10% fire essence attack within a second, the ambient essence could further boost it to 15% or even 20%, depending on how dense the essence around him was at that moment. It''s a valuable addition that buys time for stronger attacks, making it especially advantageous for him. As a dual swordsman, he can utilize one sword for Rapid sh while charging the other with fire essence to unleash a devastating attack. He wouldn''t have to pause and charge his sword before attacking. With his dual swordsman nature, he can unleash two different attacks simultaneously, provided his body can handle it. Certainly, there is the matter of energy consumption, such as Mana and Fire Essence. As long as he has enough energy, he will be able to unleash different forms of attacks simultaneously. However, there''s also the issue of focus. For him to aplish this, he must concentrate on both attacks he is forming. His mind must control both processes simultaneously, as any mistake could result in a backfire, potentially injuring him. Karsha''s mental capacity is strong but not sufficient to handleplex calctions every microsecond. Concentration is key when forming an attack. He must determine how much energy to pour into the attacks while ensuring the process aligns perfectly with the intended oue. Within a second, his mind must runplex calctions involved in forming an attack. He has to determine energy input and output, the flow of energy within the sword, the formation of the attack, and the unleashing process. All these activities require intense focus and concentration. A slight mistake could result in a catastrophic bacsh, leaving him vulnerable. If that happens, he could find himself in a dangerous situation that might lead to his death if he''s not careful. Continue your adventure at empire Karsha wasn''t initially aware of the mental strain required, but thanks to the system, he found out. For thest 24 hours, he focused on training his mental strength to handleplexputations. It was a painful process, but he started making progress, albeit slowly. Within 24 hours, he managed to achieve a dual attack, though it was a pitiful attempt. While using the Rapid sh ability of the Fire Beam with one sword, he managed to charge the other sword with essence. However, he could only maintain this process for a little over three seconds before a mind-splitting pain surged into the core of his brain. "Damn it," Karsha gritted his teeth but let out a small smile. "No pain, no gain, I guess." He deactivated the domain, and, as before, the shadow guards appeared behind him. "I guess we''re all done here. Time to visit the Fangtongue Forest," Karsha said, jumping into the floating boat. With Alida at the helm, they started moving toward the Fangtongue Forest, also known as Venom Forest, the domain of the Fangtongue Vampire Serpent.. Chapter 68 Agni Flame Sea The journey from the zing desert to the Fang-Tongue Forest proceeded as usual. During this time, the shadow guards shattered all the orbs. This time, they managed to acquire only twenty orbs, but the yield was even better than before. After shattering the twenty orbs, they obtained ten weapons, five artifacts, and five skill books. Most of the artifacts were for enhancement, so Karsha didn''t take any. He also gave away the weapons since they were not suitable for him. However, he kept all the skill books despite them being Tier 5. With three skill books already in his possession, acquiring five more Tier 5 fire-type skill books meant he could sessfully synthesize a new and enhanced skill book. Despite its magnificence, synthesis can only enhance items to a certain level. Skills can be synthesized up to Tier 7, and weapons can reach Legendary rank. No matter how high the tier of the items used for synthesis, the highest attainable levels are Tier 7 for skills and Legendary Rank for weapons. Karsha had the option to learn all eight skills and use the subspace to elevate his mastery quickly. However, this would be wasteful since he already possessed a Fire Beam he could use both within and outside the domain. He hasn''t tried using it inside the domain; however, using it outside the domain has proven to be quite powerful. After his fight with the Dark Mutant, he realized just how fragile his domain was. Withoutpressing it to a few hundred meters, any strong monster would be able to break out at any time. He needed to strengthen the domain. Since most of the monsters are toorge to fit inside a 200-meter domain, Karsha began focusing on enhancing his skills outside the domain. With the Red Eye Tiger skill, the amplification will further boost his damage output even when outside the domain. In addition to the skills he gained after breaking through to the Grandmaster stage, Karsha now possesses four powerful skills. He has two domain skills, both Tier 8, with his mastery over them rated A and above. Additionally, he has the Tier 9 Lightning Strike skill, where his mastery is also rated A. Under the lightning element, he has the Stormstride Ninefold Path movement technique. It''s a great technique, one that, if mastered, will significantly enhance his speed and movement. He has only mastered the first level, Initiate''s Bolt, where he can channel the yin-yang lightning through his body to aid in 108 different movements. He has mastered all of these movements and is now applying them in his battles. Once he is satisfied with his mastery, he will move on to the second level to further advance his understanding. Lastly, there is the Tier 8 Fire Beam skill. Thanks to the Absolute Fire crystal and the subspace, he advanced his mastery from D to S within 72 hours. During this time, he achieved a breakthrough, evolving the Fire Beam and adding "Rapid sh" to its repertoire. Now, he could boldly im that his strongest skill is the Fire Beam. Although it requires time to gather enough fire essence tounch an attack, he can use the Rapid sh to deal significant damage. Once he masters Dual Attacks, he will be able to execute both Rapid sh and the Mega Fire Beam Attack simultaneously. Despite the recent failure of the domain, Karsha knew how useful it actually was. With the debuffs and variations he had created, discarding the domain would be a huge loss. If he wasn''t going to discard it, then he had to make the domain more robust, even in its 3km form. He needed more skills, and they had to be of higher Tiers to strengthen the domain. The more skills he added and the higher their Tier, the sturdier the domain would be. He could individually learn the eight skills, but that would be a waste. With his synthesis ability, he couldbine the eight fire-type skills, and with some luck, achieve an even more powerful skill. Karsha stood, walked to the back of the boat, and sat in a lotus posture. He then activated the synthesis, and a green formation appeared. "ce the items to be synthesized into the formation," the system prompted. Karsha took out the eight skill books. Two of them were fire ring skills. When used, these skills would allow Karsha to create a ring of fire around himself and his opponent(s), providing a 10% debuff to the opponents and elevating Karsha''s attack by 10%. The third skill is Fire Lance. As the name suggests, Karsha can use the mana inside his dantian and in the air to create firences. Thesences deal 10% damage for critical hits and 5% for normal hits. The fourth skill is a sword-type skill called Fire Aura. It coats the edges of the sword, enhancing its sharpness and sturdiness, and also increases the damage output. The fifth and sixth skills are Fire Rain and Fire Drops. By pumping mana into these skills, Karsha can activate fire rains that deal continuous damage from the pool of mes falling on the ground. Fire Drops has a simr effect but with a twist. In addition to dealing with damage, it also provides health to the wielder, making it both an offensive and healing skill. The seventh skill is a summoning skill called Call of the Fire Serpent. By using mana, Karsha can summon a fire serpent that sprays fire from its mouth. The me from the serpent contains poison, which slowly eats away the HP of the targets. Thest skill is called Fire Gaze. With this skill, Karsha could shoot fire beams through his eyes. Although it''s only Tier 5, Karsha knew that once upgraded, it would be a powerful skill. As a swordsman destined for closebat, the Fire Gaze skill, being a sneak-type attack, would allow him to strike his opponents unexpectedly and deal critical damage. However, after a few seconds of pondering, he recognized that strengthening his domain was the priority. Reluctantly, he let go of the urge to keep the skill and tossed it into the formation as well. "Synthesizing. Note: Based on the items used, the final product will havebined properties," the system announced. The formation emitted a sizzling glow, and after a few seconds, the eight books vanished. Momentster, the formation emitted another glow, producing a red-covered skill book. < Synthesispleted. > < Ding! You have synthesized a Tier 7 fire-type skill book: Agni me Sea. > ---------------------- < Agni me Sea > -- Why call it destruction when fire is just being itself, the essence of destruction?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Tier: 7 Readtest stories on empire Rating: A [me Sea] -- Engulfs the area within 500 meters in a sea of mes, consuming 10000 MP every second. Deals 5% damage every 10 seconds. Adding fire essence increases damage output by 120%. [me Serpent Summon] -- Allows the wielder to summon me serpents that emit hypnotic mes and shoot fire beams from their eyes. Each serpent requires 1000 MP per second. The wielder can summon up to 100 serpents. [Agni Sword] -- By sacrificing 100% of fire essence, the wielder can summon the sword of the fire deity for 10 seconds. Attacks with this sword carry 2% of the deity''s total attack power. Using the sword demands full focus and a strong body, and caution is advised. < Does the host wish to learn this skill? > Karsha hesitated, considering the immense power and the potential risks involved. However, recognizing the strategic advantage and the enhancement it could bring to his arsenal, he decided: "Yes, I will learn this skill." ------------------------ "Damn, this is an incredible skill," Karsha muttered to himself. Thest ability aside, even the first and second abilities are formidable. With the first ability alone, he could engage in a game of hide and seek with his target. Inflicting 5% damage every 10 seconds meant that no matter how powerful his opponent was, their HP would steadily dwindle over time. As for the second ability, summoning serpents that sprayed mes and shot fire beams was already a potent offensive tactic. The skill seamlessly integrated elements from the Fire Gaze and Serpent Summon skills found in thebined skill books to create the Agni me Sea. These two abilities alone were more than sufficient for Karsha''s needs. The third ability, allowing him to wield the sword of the fire deity for 10 seconds and imbuing its attacks with 2% of the Demi-god Agni''s total attack power, was incredibly powerful. It was said that deities were Demi-gods selected by the gods themselves to act as their intermediaries in direct contact with mortal domains. Since the gods couldn''t directly interfere in mortal affairs, they empowered deities to choose apostles who could carry out their will without facing divine retribution. Though not divine beings like gods, deities wield formidable power that often rivals that of gods themselves. Some deities possess abilities so potent that they can easily bring about death. The Fire Deity Agni is among these formidable beings, and for Karsha to have direct ess to wield Agni''s sword holds significant meaning. The strength of the 2% attack power carried by the sword depends on the amount of fire essence Karsha possesses. Fortunately, with Chaotic mes coursing through him and an Absolute Fire Crystal embedded in his consciousness, acquiring the necessary fire essence posed no issue for Karsha. "Add it to the Red Eye Tiger," Karsha dered. Chapter 69 Healing Seed "Take this. Just pour your Mana into it and speak. I will hear you, and I can also speak to you," Karsha exined as he handed Dhaka amunication token. As beasts living on a secluded ind,munication tokens were new to them. Since they wouldn''t always be together, Karsha deemed it best to stay in contact. After searching the system store, he bought amunication token with a 100-mile range. With the token, he would be able to contact them, and they would also be able to contact him. The shadow guards were like referrals that kept filling his ount with points, so making sure they were always safe was the least he could do. Jumping down from the flying boat, Karsha let his gaze scan the entire forest. The Fangtongue Forest was dense, with towering trees standing over 300 meters tall. The air felt smoky and thick, a clear sign of how poisonous it was. The ground was also dangerous; a little carelessness could easily be fatal. From a high vantage point, the outer area of the forest is filled with trees bearing brown leaves, while the inner area has trees with more greenish-red leaves. Despite appearing to be just trees, the nts are actually poisonous. Everything within the forest is toxic, including the insects. It''s not called the Venom Forest for nothing. However, since the poison doesn''t kill instantly, Karsha estimated, with the help of the system, that a Tier 5 cultivator would be able to survive three hours in the outer area and one hour in the inner area. He could solve the issue by obtaining venom from the snakes in the area and crafting antidotes, but that would be time-consuming. Instead, he reached into his space ring and retrieved some standard antidotes given to him by Elder Lin. Though not highly potent, these antidotes would sustain the shadow guards for four hours, even in the inner area. "Take these pills as soon as you feel the effects of the poison," Karsha instructed, handing each guard a pill. He declined to take any antidote, believing he wouldn''t need it. Training his blood to adapt to poisons made the Venom Forest an ideal location for him. While his goal seemed daunting, it was within reach. Although he couldn''t withstand just any poison yet, as most were too potent for him, he was confident. Once his blood adapted by absorbing enough poison, he would be able to walk the path of perfect poison immunity¡ªsomething many could only dream about, even gods. Flying the boat, the five shadow guards sped toward the huge forest teeming with poison and danger. He watched them speed away with a satisfied smile. He was indeed proud of them. Because of their dedication, he had not only amassed thousands of skill points but also acquired more than enough Tier 6 monster bodies to sell and even auction. After all, he couldn''t kill a million monsters and use their cores to upgrade the Subspace; he had to buy them. And since he was poor now¡ªnot that he had ever been rich¡ªhe needed all the monster bodies he could get. He drank some water, flexed his muscles beneath his sleeveless leather armor, allowed an evil grin to spread across his face, and then dashed toward the forest, ck and white lightning trailing behind him. The forest was deep, very deep, and Karsha loved it. Any normal human or beast would feel ufortable breathing in the poisonous air; however, Karsha was different. Instead of harming him, breathing the air actually benefited him. Using the map to navigate, Karsha sped toward the location of the healing seed without bothering with any of the snakes. Many monster snakes of different shapes and sizes caught glimpses of someone passing, but with the speed he was going, they couldn''t react. He was just too fast. However, as he drew nearer to the location, he reduced his speed. The air near the ce became faint, clearing the poison from it. The air, instead of being poisonous, became nourishing. Karsha could feel his muscles loosening up, his body gaining strength, and his inner wounds healing. Three hundred meters from him stood a ten-meter-tall tree emitting a bright light, surrounded by ten Tier 6 Great Mutant monster snakes, each radiating a faint golden aura. Their bodies were covered in tiny, perfectly arranged pentagon-shaped scales. Their eyes were yellow like ripe mangoes, and their fangs were as white as moonlight stones. Despite their magnificent appearance, a single horn sat atop each of their heads, making them look even more intimidating. Yet, their overall appearance was undeniably majestic. However, Karsha, fully aware of the danger posed by these stunning yet lethal creatures, didn''t let their appearance deceive him. He remained on high alert, devising strategies to approach them and execute a surprise attack. For the next two hours, Karsha kept a watchful eye on the Jade Emperor mutant monster snakes, assessing them with a calcting gaze. He sensed the imminent danger they presented and concluded that a single misstep could lead to dire consequences. "This has to be fast and precise," Karsha muttered, his gaze fixed on the sleeping snakes, each over 20 meters long and more than a meter wide. They were huge and dangerous. He also noticed the seed embedded at the base of the tree, its healing effects extending to the ten snakes. Killing them swiftly and efficiently was imperative; wasting time would be catastrophic. With no control over the seed yet, its healing factor spread to all those around it. Karsha would be healed ording to the seed''s healing speed and strength, as would the ten monsters. The only way out was to kill all ten mutant snakes as quickly as possible. Prolonging the fight would lead to unforeseen consequences that could be catastrophic. "With this much healing factor, I can use it without worrying about any side effects," Karsha contemted, considering the idea of using the Agni sword. The moment the sword appeared, he would have 10 seconds to use it before it disappeared. . "This will also help me understand just how powerful my domain has be and how strong I am," he said, convincing himself. Deep down, he knew using the sword now was a bad idea. He was still weak, but from what he could see and feel, he knew that obtaining the seed would solve most of his problems. HP and regeneration are among the core factors every cultivator craves. Every cultivator fights using their stamina, strength, and mana. These core attributes are what most people consider a priority, but they are not the only essentials. Health and regeneration abilities are perhaps what many should have dedicated their time toward. Without high HP and fast regeneration of mana and stamina, their lives would always be in danger.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The healing seed was meant to solve that. With the seed, he would be able to heal his injuries and regenerate his stamina and other attributes at a much faster rate. "Let''s see just how strong the domain has be," Karsha murmured as he slowly closed the distance between him and the monsters. "Here goes nothing." Karsha expected something simr to the [Ever Freezing Water Domain] to appear. However, what appeared was nowhere near the previous elegant domain. What emerged could be summed up in one word: Hell. The 4km around him was instantly engulfed in mes, transforming the entire area into a sea of fire. Although not literally a sea, the ground was covered in mes standing up to three feet high. But that wasn''t even the terrifying part. Within the mes, countless three-meter-tall snakes could be seen swimming. Explore more stories with empire Despite their miniature bodies, these small snakes were adding greenish mes to the already dark inferno. The domain had undergone drastic changes, changes that seemed to have made it even more powerful. The water was nowhere to be seen, but Karsha, standing in the middle of the domain, could feel a nourishing mist seeping into his body. The water had turned to mist, which seemed to y the healing function of the domain. The ice, however, had formed into colossal three-meter-tall spears covered in mes, hovering above Karsha and scattered all over the domain. At once, Karsha felt his strength shoot up by a huge margin. But that wasn''t all; he could also feel the variations within the domain growing stronger even without him activating them. "This... I don''t even need the Agni sword. With this much power, I can take care of these monsters." Karsha felt his strength surge, while at the same time, the monsters seemed to lose a significant amount of their power. In short, the evolved domain was far stronger than its previous version. The ten mutant snakes roared in anger, their tonesced with rage. They raised their heads, ready to pounce. However, Karsha had already charged his sword with fire essence. "Show your might," he said, shing his sword diagonally with all his strength. A dark me, about seven meters in length, shot forward, tearing through the air with fiery intensity. At the same time, the third variation activated, raining down spear after spear. The fire beam struck the first monster leading the charge, decapitating itpletely. This was followed by another strike and then another. Within 20 seconds, Karshaunched seven strikes, each one killing a snake. It was only after thest snake fell that Karsha realized the role the Red Eye Tiger skill had been ying all along. Outside the domain, it took him close to 8 seconds to charge his sword, but inside the domain, he could charge it within 3 seconds. The difference was clear, and Karsha could feel it. Ignoring the dead bodies and the floating orbs, he quickly dashed toward the tree, paying no heed to the massacre happening around him. As the spears rained down, notifications of kills flooded into his mind. The domain covered a 4km radius, so many snakes were caught within its confines. The miniature snakes continued to spray their mes, further intensifying the damage output of the sea of mes. It was a massacre, and at its center stood Karsha, holding a basketball-sized crystal-like object in his hands, smiling like an idiot. He wanted to appraise it before storing it in his inventory. However, just as he was about to do so, the domain quaked, followed by an ear-piercing roar. < Be advised, host. Tier 6 Terror Mutants are heading your way. > < New quest avable> Chapter 70 Overlord Appearance, Reality Awakening < Host, be advised: Tier 6 Terror Mutants are heading your way. > < New Quest > - Objective: Eliminate all Terror Mutants and collect their Venom and Bloodline. Absorb the Healing Crystal and use the mutants'' blood to strengthen your body. Duration: 1 hour Rewards: Hidden "Hmm, ''Hidden rewards,'' huh? I suppose now''s the best time to test my speed in dispatching these terrors within my domain." Monsters are ssified into four groups: Normal, Alpha, Mutant, and World Boss, each category determining their strength. Normal monsters are ubiquitous in everyday life,cking any special attributes. Simr to normal monsters, humans are also ordinary beings without distinctive traits. However, humans cease being normal when they evolve, absorbing bloodlines from other races to be formidable entities. This evolution can lead them to be either an Alpha or a mutant. Bing an Alpha is rtively straightforward; they are akin to normal monsters but exert dominance over others, akin to kings in the human domain. A king''s strength relies on the prowess of their subordinates; even if the king is weak, strong subordinates deter opposition. Alphas, therefore, are powerful monsters leading packs of monsters. Then there are mutants¡ªAlphas who have evolved further, bing self-sufficient and powerful entities that do not require subordinates to maintain strength. These beings can take on a pack of Alphas and their subordinates without any external assistance. They are mighty and terrifying. They are strongest when alone and typically operate solo, though they are not incapable of forming packs. Whenever a pack of Mutants moves, a World Boss follows. The World Boss is the strongest of them all, monsters evolved beyond the typical mutant stage. Their presence is rare, especially within human territories. Encountering a World Boss is akin to facing inevitable doom. Moreover, while two creatures may both hold the title of Alpha, some subsses further differentiate them based on their strength, despite being in the same category. Among Alpha monsters, there are Lesser Alphas, Great Alphas, and Dark Alphas. Despite sharing the Alpha title, a Lesser Alpha will submit to a Great Alpha, just as a Dark Alpha can dominate both Greater and Lesser Alphas. Mutants are ssified into various sses: Lesser Mutants, Great Mutants, Dark Mutants, Terror Mutants, and Cmity Mutants. Among them, a Cmity Mutant stands as a fearsome nightmare, one that not even ten Terror Mutants would dare challenge. Then, there are the World Bosses. Simr to Mutants, they too are ssified as Lesser, Great, Dark, Terror, Cmity, Devil, and Abomination. These World Bosses are formidable entities not to be trifled with.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Even the Overlords that Karsha is bound to confront are merely Terror Mutants. They haven''t ascended to the Cmity level ¡ª at least not yet. Karsha may be strong, but even a Lesser World Boss can crush him with a single move. They are terrifying, and fortunately for him, he wouldn''t be encountering any on this ind. On the other hand, Dark and Terror Mutants are within his capability. He may be weakpared to a Cmity Mutant, but the same cannot be said for Dark Mutants unless there are five of them with eyes burning with rage and fury. To make matters worse, their gaze is fixed on the basketball-sized crystal Karsha is holding. It seems Karsha may have vited some rules of the Bloodfang Forest, and the five approaching Dark Mutants are thew enforcersing to administer punishment. "Right," Karsha snapped out of his daze and quickly stored the seed. "Wee to my domain." When the monsters approached within 3 km of him, Karsha opened his domain, enveloping them all. The mes surged, undting like a turbulent sea. Walls sprouted spikes of ice, and the third Variation, now even more potent, activated. Three-meter-tall spears, engulfed in dark mes, began shooting toward the five Dark Mutants. "Impossible," Karsha muttered as the spears bounced off the snakes'' skin. "Merge," Karshamanded. Instantly, ten spears fused into a spinning, razor-sharp, five-meter-tall spear aze with dark fire. "Take that!" Karsha pointed his finger at the first approaching monster andunched the spear with lightning speed. Thanks to the Red Eye Tiger, the spear shot through the air with unprecedented velocity, faster than it ever could outside the domain. The spear tore through the air, aimed straight at the snake''s eye. A roar reverberated through the domain, threatening to tear its very fabric apart. The snake howled in agony, its life diminishing, The five-meter-long spear impaled the snake''s eye, burying nearly 80% of its length into the creature''s body. < You have killed a Tier 6 Dark Mutant Jade Emperor Monster snake. You''ve gained +300 skill points, +22,000 Killer Points, +200 Stat points, +66,000 Exp > < Jade Venom Extracted and Absorbed. Your blood grows stronger > < Jade Bloodline extracted and absorbed. Your ss Grows Stronger> < Jade Consumable blood extracted and absorbed > "Fire beam," Karsha muttered, shing his sword vertically in a spinning motion. The dark me arced out, striking the second monster and pushing it back several meters. The creature attempted to raise its head, but the wound inflicted by the fire beam was too severe. Karsha, noticing this, smiled wickedly before merging five spears and thrusting them into the snake''s torso. < You have killed a Tier 6 Dark Mutant Blood Sucker Monster snake. You''ve gained +300 skill points, +25,000 Killer Points, +300 Stat points, +76,000 Exp > < Sucker Venom Extracted and Absorbed. Your blood grows stronger > < Sucker Bloodline extracted and absorbed. Your ss Grows Stronger> < Sucker Consumable blood extracted and absorbed > "Two down, three to go," Karsha muttered as he swiftly maneuvered backward, propelled by his incredible speed. With a quick motion, he began charging his sword once more. Thanks to his domain, the sword imbued with fire essence in less than five seconds. Fully charged, Karsha utilized his blink skill to close the distance to the third snake. Experience tales at empire The dark me sliced through the air, striking the third snake squarely at its neck. However, Karsha had underestimated the fourth snake, which was significantly longer than the others. Its tail alone stretched over 20 meters. Unlike the Jade Emperor, which boasted nearly smooth skin, the baster Blood Spike Snake had scaly skin adorned with spikes all over its body. A single strike from it would undoubtedly leave a severe wound. Karsha found himself within its attack range. The monster''s tailshed out in a lightning-fast strike, but Karsha sensed it just in time and blinked away, only to find himself surrounded by the three monsters. They closed in on him from both sides. Unable to blink to a ce he couldn''t see, Karsha felt trapped, akin to being swallowed by a massive whale. "I am fucked" < No shit host > Even the system recognized that Karsha was in deep trouble. His overconfidence from his advantage in the domain had clouded his judgment, leading to a reckless attitude. Now, it hadnded him in serious trouble. The baster Bloodspike snake whipped its tail again, but Karsha managed to evade using his movement technique, though narrowly. However, the two Jade Emperors capitalized on his vulnerable state. The first Jade Emperor mmed its colossal body into Karsha, who had no way to evade it. His body was sent flying through the air like a ragdoll, crashing hard onto the ground. Before he could recover, the second Jade Emperor also pounced, mming its body against Karsha''s fragile form. Once again, he couldn''t dodge in time, crashing down heavily with mes rising into the air. "Damn you all," Karsha cursed aloud, struggling to regain his footing despite enduring his thirtieth body m. His eyes burned with rage, his breath ragged, his muscles tensed, and his grip on his sword loosened. Suddenly, a massive me descended into the domain, engulfing Karsha and causing the entire area to tremble. The three snakes circling him were forced to retreat. When the mes subsided, a two-meter-long sword with sharp edges and a blood-red de covered in intricate engravings hovered before Karsha. As he gripped the sword, energy surged through Karsha''s body. Without a word, he swung the sword three times in rapid session, shing in all directions. The sword slipped from his grasp as he copsed to the ground, his body mming hard but remaining conscious. The fate of the three beasts, however, was far more severe. One Jade Emperor lost its head, another suffered a gaping wound across its belly, and the baster Bloodspike''s head hung by a thread. With just the Rapid sh technique, the sword had effortlessly dispatched three Tier 6 Terror Mutants in a single stroke. Karsha hadn''t even used the powerful fire beam attack; the Rapid sh alone, infused with minimal fire essence, demonstrated the incredible strength of a deity''s sword. "ROAR!" Another deafening roar echoed from 60 kilometers away, instantly shattering the domain. Karsha, jolted awake from his prone position on the ground, swiftly retrieved hismunication token and spoke urgently into it, "Guys, we have an uninvited guest. Don''t worry about me, head to the Crystal Caverns NOW!" "I''m taking these." Surveying the bodies, cores, and drops around him, Karsha couldn''t afford to leave them behind. Blinking from one to the next, he swiftly collected everything before turning his attention to the approaching forest. < The host is advised to leave now. > Despite a surge of terror deep down, Karsha hesitated only briefly. He couldn''t pass up the chance to confront his opponent, but as he glimpsed the Overlord approaching, his resolve faltered. "You''re right, System. I should leave," he admitted, swiftly changing course. With lightning speed, Karsha bolted away, leaving crackling trails of energy in his wake. Emerging from the forest depths was a colossal serpent-like monster, towering 98 meters tall. Its eyes gleamed green, and its fangs stretched three meters in length. The sleek red scales covering its body shimmered in the light. "Damn, how am I going to take that thing down?" Once again, Karsha found himself being relentlessly pursued by an Overlord. Chapter 71 A Close Call [ 2 Minutes Ago] "We have to go NOW," Dhaka urged, his voice trembling and his face pale as he stored themunication token. "What... what happened?" Alida, the subus-like snakedy and archer of their group, asked anxiously. "The Savage ising. Karsha said we should move to the next location," Dhaka exined, hastily storing the bodies of the monsters he had in. Despite their hasty departure, he ensured that no monster bodies, cores, or orbs were left behind. "We have to go after him," Killian, the shieldbearer, said, his face equally pale. Though they were Tier 7 snakes, the gap between them and a Tier 7 Terror was likeparing a pond to an ocean. Confronting the Overlord was beyond their capabilities, so fleeing was the only logical choice. However, Killian, along with the others, was determined to save Karsha, the Tier 5 human in their group. As monsters, they knew they had an inherent advantage over humans, especially those of the same Tier. Their strength and speed were naturally superior to those of normal humans. Seeing Karsha perceived as weak made them apprehensive about leaving him behind. Even Ayarr shared the same sentiment. However, Dhaka, the leader, swiftly intervened. "He insisted we should depart and assured us he would join uster. I believe we should trust his judgment andply with his instructions. Besides, how can we assist when weck the means to defend ourselves against such savagery? Our best course of action is to depart and trust that he will catch up to us." After a few seconds of contemtion, Alida retrieved the boat and started flying away from the Fangtongue Forest. Given the structure of the forest, it would take them approximately an hour to escape the territory of the Fangtongue Vampire Snake.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ------------------- "Damn it, how can I feel so small in front of a monster I''m training to kill?" Karsha cursed aloud as he sped toward the zing Desert. Thirty kilometers behind him, the nearly one-hundred-meter-long snake chased him dangerously close. Pushing his speed to the limit, Karsha berated himself for his perceived weakness. Indeed, he felt weak, and he knew it all too well. In theing days, he would face ten such behemoths, and at this moment, he couldn''t even confront one for a single second without fleeing like a frightened child. "Am I this weak?" he wondered. Though he felt his strength surge every time he killed a monster, when a real threat appeared, he ran away like a rat. "If I''m this weak, how am I going to face the being who brought me to this world? Damn it!" His speed surged again as the system added 10 more points to his agility. The agreement he had with the being was to duel in 1,000 years. He had already wasted a year, leaving him with 999 years to prepare. But to face someone many regarded as a maniac who relished crushing his opponents, he had to be exceptionally strong¡ªso strong that even a World Boss wouldn''t pose a threat to him. Experience tales at empire "I need to get stronger and faster. I need all the help I can get. I wish to be stronger and faster," Karsha muttered to himself, doing his best to escape the behemoth closing in on him. Unbeknownst to him, deep within an unknown area, red eyes opened, and a small smile revealing white teeth appeared in the darkness, reminiscent of Thanos''s smile in *Avengers*. "Your wish is mymand," an icy voice spoke. A dark orb flew out and dispersed into sparkles. Oblivious to the double doom he had unwittingly summoned upon himself, Karsha continued to run with a singr focus, intent on leading the monster away from the shadow guards. Thirty minutester, Karsha could still feel the snake relentlessly pursuing him, slowly bridging the gap. Initially, there had been 30 kilometers between them, but now, after half an hour, the overlord had closed the distance to 10 kilometers, pressing Karsha into a corner. Following in the shadows was the dark orb, which seemed to possess consciousness. Unlike typical orbs obtained from killing monsters, this particr orb appeared of its own ord and, instead of entering Karsha''s body, chose to follow him, waiting for an opportune moment to act. Karsha remained oblivious to the dark orb following him. His movements were steady and unchanging, despite running for the past 30 minutes. His n was simple: lead the Overlord far away and then use the life-saving treasure Elder Ben had given him to teleport back to the flying boat. He had left it inside the boat, anticipating an event like this. Since he didn''t want to lead the monster to his teammates after killing five of its immediate subordinates, he led it in the opposite direction, far away from them. With the artifact safely on the boat, all he had to do was wish to be teleported, and he would be. Forty-five minutester, the monster closed in to within 5 kilometers, and it would soon be close enough to attack. Sensing the tension in the air, the ck orb flew and merged itself with Karsha''s back. At that moment, Karsha received a message from the system: < You have received a Gift from ?????????????. Do you wish to ept > Without hesitation and disregarding the system''s warning, Karsha opted for "yes." His mental fortitude surged as he swiftly shifted between movementbinations. As Karsha confirmed his decision, the next message nearly caused him to trip over a sharp stone. ncing back, he gave the monster onest look before teleporting away. The snake, realizing it had been deceived, roared in anger, its fury shaking the entire forest. Despite its rage, there was nothing it could do at that moment. However, the seed of hatred had been firmly nted in its mind, and the next encounter between them would likely involve a serious confrontation about ying pranks on elders. -------------------- [ The shadow Guards ] Forty-five minutes ago, when the shadow guards decided to heed Karsha''s instructions and move toward the Crystal Cavern, there was no joy aboard the magnificent boat. Ayarr, who had a closer bond with Karsha despite her indifferent demeanor, kept turning back every few seconds, her anxiety palpable. Both were on high alert, knowing that escaping from an Overlord was no easy feat. "It''s been over 30 minutes, and he''s still not back. We shouldn''t have left him," cried Killian, his frustration palpable. "We didn''t abandon him. He asked us to leave, and that''s precisely what we''re doing," Dhaka tried to sound positive, but even he struggled with a guilty conscience. "He will be fine. He escaped from an Overlord once; he can do it again," Ayarr said, bringing some resolve to the apprehensive shadow guards. Two days had already passed on their quest, but because Karsha always separated from them whenever they traveled to the next location, they didn''t have much time to interact with him. During their rides to the next destination, he spent most of his time meditating or training inside the subspace. Theycked knowledge of Karsha''s true power, and because of that, they struggled to ept the reality before them, despite their belief that he was the famed Annihtor, destined to rise to the pinnacle of strength and unleash rage and fury upon his enemies. As they continued toward the Crystal Cavern, Ayarr couldn''t shake the feeling of dread gnawing at her. "I hope you''re right, Dhaka," she muttered, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of Karsha. "For all our sakes, I hope you''re right." Just then, the air shimmered, and Karsha appeared on the deck of the flying boat, breathing heavily but unharmed. His sudden appearance startled everyone. "Everyone, we need to move quickly," he called out, catching his breath. "The Overlord will not forget this, and we need to be far away before it decides toe after us again." "You... When did you get here? Do you have any idea how worried we were?" Ayarr eximed, tears streaming down her face. Alida and Tifa wore simr expressions of relief and concern. "Snakes can cry," Karsha thought, cursing himself inwardly. He could feel the emotional turmoil of all the shadow guards, a clear sign of how much they had been worried about him. "Sorry about that. I wanted to lead the monster away so you could have a clean escape. I''m sorry I made you worry," Karsha said, doing his best tofort thedies. He aimed to rise to the top as the strongest, yet he would always be weak when it came todies. His one weakness. Karsha had a soft spot fordies, especially damsels in distress. Seeing three incredibly beautiful snakes shedding tears made his heartache. "How about this: we spend the next three days collecting all the things I need so we can return to the Sanctuary. We need to rest before the big day," Karsha suggested, holding onto Ayarr and Tifa. They all nodded, which made him feel a little better. "Also, we won''t separate again. We''ll stick together, and once I acquire what I need, we''ll move to the next location." Afterforting them a little longer, Karsha moved to the back of the boat. He could sense that something bad had happened, something that needed to be investigated. Originally nning to teleport back to the boat after leading the creature away for over an hour, Karsha changed his n upon seeing the message from the unknown entity. Sitting down, he turned to the system. It was time to see what he had epted into his life. However, the moment his eyes scanned the first message, his heartbeat skyrocketed. < You have been Cursed > Chapter 72 The Dark Prince Curse Karsha stared at the message with a nk look on his face. He wasn''t sure what happened or how it happened, but looking at the message in front of him, Karsha instantly knew he is fucked. < You have been Cured by the Dark Prince > ''Who the fuck is the Dark Prince?'' Karsha screamed inwardly. It didn''t make sense; none of this made any sense. One moment he received a gift, the next he was cursed by some unknown entity that even the system didn''t have any idea who he was. < Host, I currently don''t have any information on who the Dark Prince is, but I can tell the curse is from someone very powerful. Proceed with caution > The system is only in the second version, which also means it doesn''t have enough capabilities to know everything there is to know. It has to be upgraded to a higher version to be able to help Karsha more. Continue reading stories on empire Karsha, fullyprehending the system''s limitations and the gravity of the situation, refrained from asking further questions. Instead, he turned his attention back to the system and began to read, determined to navigate the challenges ahead with caution and resolve. < The Dark Prince Curse > [ Message from the Dark Prince: Let me guess, you''re feeling pretty upset and gloomy right about now. Perfectly understandable. I mean, who would be in the right mindset after receiving a curse as a gift? I know this maye as a shock to you, but you haven''t been cursed in a bad way. You''ve simply been chosen by me, the Dark Prince, to be one of the select few to wield the Dark Prince Hell Art. Isn''t that what you want? To be stronger and crush your enemies under your foot? Well, I heeded your prayers and answered. I will be bestowing upon you the greatest technique known to the entire dark universe: the Dark Prince Hell Art. Is it free? Hell no. Who in their right mind would make something so grand-free? Who am I, a charity worker? Don''t be ridiculous. I merely seek entertainment, and since you need strength, I am giving it to you in exchange for some amusement. Let me exin how it works. I have bestowed upon you the Original Dark Prince Hell Art¡ªmore precisely, the first two levels. You will have the ability to learn and master these initial levels. The rest, however, will be locked. I know what you''re thinking, but fear not, I don''t make ns with loopholes. You will have ess to the first two levels to ensure you understand what you''ll be missing out on if you fail to pursue the remaining seven levels. Yes, there are nine levels in total, each more powerful than thest. You will understand soon enough, hehe. Additionally, within the technique is a one-time use teleportation rune that will transport you to the Dark Ruins, where theplete technique awaits. When you are ready to ept the remaining levels, tap into the rune, and you will be teleported to the Dark Ruins. ¡ª Travel the Dark Ruins, ughter the arcane, absorb the blood, and be the Dark Prince. That about sums everything up. You have been cursed, human, don''t mistake that... ] Karsha sucked in a cold breath as he read the message from what seemed to be a narcissist, a maniac, if not the devil himself. The message was a clear indication of how sinister the person calling himself the Dark Prince was. Who in their right mind goes around the universe dishing out curses? ''Is that even normal? And what is this about the Dark Universe? Why does it sound familiar?'' Karsha wondered about many things, but with the system not having the capabilities yet, he let that slip from his mind and focused on what was within his grasp. ''I have been cursed with a technique, and from how that maniac describes it, I guess it''s pretty great,'' he thought, letting his emotions calm a little before turning back to the message. ''Travel the Dark Ruins, ughter the arcane, absorb the blood, and be the Dark Prince.'' ''This doesn''t sound like something I should take lightly. Was I cursed with only a technique, or is there more to me bing a Dark Prince?'' Karsha asked himself once more. These days, he seemed to be asking himself a lot of questions. His mind was full of tasks, and as it stood, he had no way of knowing how he would address them all. Mental fatigue was taking its toll, and Karsha seemed to have a boatload of it. He was under immense stress, and as someone who had lived a life of constant life-and-death decisions, he was nearing his breaking point. From witnessing the murder of his family to forging a contract with a battle-maniac unknown entity, to reincarnating into the fragile form of a child who had lost everything, Karsha had endured a tumultuous journey. He had been thrust into a year of rigorous training just to escape a treacherous, 70-meter-deep pit, only to find himself manipted by a hellish sister and bestowed with divine knowledge in alchemy. His actions had enraged a Great Family, leading to his exile on an ind teeming with venomous snakes. And as if that weren''t harrowing enough, he had to face battles against monstrous foes, each one a hundred times stronger than him. Now, to add to his trials, he found himself cursed by an unknown entity, one who seemed to derive pleasure from the suffering of others. ''Ah, fuck, a bad day in the office, I guess,'' he muttered, brushing that off to the back of his mind. He moved on to focus on the technique he had received. < Congrats, you have received a forbidden divine rank technique; Dark Prince Hell Art > < Dark Prince Hell Art > -- Ahh, another lucky bastard or should I say another prey has fallen victim to my ploy. Well, this is the greatest technique you can ever wield, be sure to master it, trust me, you will need it one way or the other. Hahahaha Rank: Divine Levels: Nine ( Two Avable ) [ Level 1: Sword Pool (F) ] Using mana, Materialise the Mighty Avatar of the Dark Prince which will open the pool of countless swords. Based on your mastery of the skill, summon the swords and let the Dark One Rain down hell on your enemies. F = 10 swords E = 100 swords D = 1000 swords C = 10,000 swords B = 100,000 swords A = 1,000,000 swords S = 10,000,000 swords --- --- SSE = ????????????? < The higher your cultivation, the stronger the Avatar, and the mightier the attacker''s power > [ I hope you like what you see, now get up from your slumber and get busy. You have a lot to archive and don''t even think about underestimating this technique ] [ Level 2: Giant Sword ] Based on the sword pool mastery, With a thought,bine the floating swords into one mega huge sword and let the Dark Prince Avatar have fun with it. A strike from it contains a certain percentage of the wielder''s total attack power and the Dark Prince''s Might. F = 100% Attack Power E = 150% Attack Power D = 200% Attack Power C = 250% Attack Power B = 300% Attack Power A = 400% Attack Power --- --- SSE: 10,000% Attack Power < Note: To unlock this level, the host mastery of the first level should be at least B > [ Let me guess, you like what you are seeing right? Well, you have a choice to make, but first master the two levels when you want to do more, use the rune toe to me.N?v(el)B\\jnn Don''t even think about ignoring me ] -------------------- "Well, I guess he wasn''t exaggerating when he said this is the strongest technique there is," Karsha remarked after reading the description, unable to deny the Dark Prince''s words. The technique was remarkable; both levels were impressive. With the multitude of swords he could summon, Karsha realized he had found something that could narrow the gap between him and the Overlords. While maintaining the avatar would require mana and the swords he had summoned, the ability to conjure over 10,000 swords at once and continue summoning until he exhausted his mana was not to be underestimated. With enough mana, he could keep summoning swords nonstop. "This technique is great, too bad it came from a maniac," Karsha muttered. The system''s voice cut through his thoughts, offering an unexpected perspective. Karsha''s eyes widened as he considered the possibilities. Karsha sighed, acknowledging the system''s blunt truth. "So, it''s not just about summoning swords; it''s about mastering my elements andbining them with this technique," he mused. "Looks like I have a lot more training ahead of me." "I need to end this quest within the next three days. I have a lot to do and little time on my hands," Karsha murmured to himself. Initially, he had nned to spend ten days on the quest, but now that he had ess to the Subspace, where a day there equated to just one hour outside, he knew he had to expedite things. Finishing the quest quickly would leave him with at least eight days to spare. Eight days outside would trante to 192 days inside the Subspace¡ªnot much, but with his sharpprehension speed, even ten days would be a gold mine for him. As for visiting the Dark Prince''s Domain, he would save that forter. Right now, his sole focus was on killing the Overlords. Taking out an orb, Karsha shattered it, causing a golden light to engulf his surroundings for a few seconds. A small smile escaped his lips as he saw the small book appear in his palm. < Ding! Congrattions, you have received the fourth piece of The Book Of Annihtion,> Karsha stored the book and was about to take out a healing orb when a system notification halted him. He turned his focus back to the system message, mentally preparing himself for what he had already anticipated. < Ding! You have received a second Persona: The Dark Prince. > Chapter 73 The Second OP Persona Karsha received two great rewards from the system when he became a Grandmaster after breaking through with an SSE rating. The synthesis and Persona abilities were excellent additions to his array of skills. Karsha was strong, especially whenpared to his peers. In his current state, he could easily crush any human in the Grandmaster stage without breaking a sweat. However, there was a limit to his strength. When faced with opponents stages above him, he struggled to get the job done, especially if those opponents were Mutants. He had already killed a mutant when he was just starting his journey. Although he gained a lot from the battle, it was far from easy, a clear testament to his body''s limits. But that limitation could be ovee. The Persona ability, although it might not seem like much at first, was perhaps the greatest gift Karsha would ever receive. Unlike clones, Karsha''s Personas would hold their own unique abilities. The limitations ced on him would not affect his Personas. In simple terms, the Persona can be a Saint while Karsha himself is just a Grandmaster. However, unlocking a Persona is particrly difficult. Nobody knows just how strong the Annihtor Persona will be, given that the first three trials to unlock it are far too challenging for his current state. Although he has ns to kill the ten Overlords, he never intended to confront the two Guardians just yet. He nned to survive the Overlords and return to the human world, where he would train and break through to the Saint stage beforeing back to the ind to face those two. Although he could advance further to the Great Sage stage, it wouldn''t matter since the curse on the ind would limit his cultivation stage to the Saint stage (Tier 7). Thus, he intended to be a Saint first before challenging the two Guardians. However, the path to unlock the Annihtor Persona strictly states that he mustplete all three trials while still in the Grandmaster stage. This challenge seems impossible for someone currently at the Grandmaster stage. The Tier 8 Guardians are all Great Mutants, ording to Lady Illo, meaning even ten Overlords wouldn''tst an hour against them. Karsha is but a bug in front of the Guardians, and he knows that. However, should he manage to unlock the Annihtor Persona, he will be incredibly strong¡ªstronger than he can imagine, and that is all he wants. He craves strength, and he has been provided with a roadmap. Getting there will depend on his determination and ability. Recently, he was awarded yet another Persona. Although it is currently locked, it''s still a Persona. Once unlocked, he can im another overpowered personality to add to his arsenal of skills. The potential to harness these powerful Personas means Karsha could eventually transcend his limitations and achieve the strength he so desperately seeks. Your next read is at empire < Ding! You have received a second Persona; The Dark Prince > < Avable Persona > [ The Annihtor ] (Locked) [ The Dark Prince ] (Locked) [ Empty ] [ Empty ] [ Empty ] [ Empty ] [ Empty ] [ The Dark Prince ] Many years ago, a princess from an unknown realm found herself in a mysterious world. No one knew her origin or how she came to be in such an unfamiliar and seemingly feeble ce. Her beauty and power seemed out of ce in a realm where strength ruled supreme. Yet here she was, amidst a society governed by weak cultivators. Devastated and filled with anger and coldness, her mere presence couldy waste to an entire forest. After venting her frustrations for a week, she sought refuge and pondered her next move. It was then she encountered Damon, an unassuming farmer who preferred tending his crops to engaging with others. He was an introvert, timid and withdrawn, quick to flee from any social interaction. Unfortunately for him, the charming, elegant princess took refuge in his humble home, and that marked the beginning of his troubles. Instead of behaving as a guest or stranger, the princess took charge, subtly exerting control over the hapless Damon. Despite enduring constant scolding and insults, Damon remained stoic and silently bore the princess''s dominance. His introverted nature had long been his downfall, enduring years of torment under the princess''s rule. Unbeknownst to either of them, Damon was actually the son of a Demon Emperor who had reincarnated into this world but lost all memories of his former life. The reincarnation hadn''t gone smoothly, leaving him to live as a weak individual for over 25 years. Everything changed when the princess, fleeing from her enemies, was discovered. A fierce battle ensued, the powerful attacks of thebatants wreaking havoc and beginning to tear Damon''s world apart. People perished in horrifying ways, men, women, and children were reduced to grisly remains. It was a devastating spectacle. As days passed, more than 80% of the worldy in ruins, yet Damon remained unscathed. In fact, he appeared healthier than ever before. Memories of his past life began to resurface, old wounds reigniting a burning rage within him. His demeanor shifted, and before thebatants couldprehend what was happening, darkness engulfed the entire world. Subconsciously, Damon tapped into histent cultivation, unleashing the full might of the Dark Prince Hell Art. With the world nearly obliterated and its inhabitants gruesomely perished¡ªmore like disintegrated¡ªhe showed no restraint. The air echoed with cries of agony, rage, and despair. Yet, after merely 10 minutes, the cacophony of suffering fell silent, leaving only two figures standing amidst the destion. There were no words, only seething fury in Damon''s eyes, the reincarnation of the Dark Prince. His wrath and anguish were not directed at the fallen, but at the betrayal he had endured from his own kin and beloved. For millennia thereafter, Damon trained relentlessly, honing his skills for the day he would exact vengeance. Surprisingly, apanying him on this descent into madness was the enigmatic Princess, her origins still shrouded in mystery...] [ To unlock the Dark Prince Persona, you must firstplete the initial Four Demon Trials: ] [ The Demon Trials ] - First: Achieve mastery of the first two levels of the Dark Prince Hell Art technique up to SSE rating. Incorporate three or more elemental aspects into the technique. Consume the Demon''s fruit and fully absorb its essence. [ Status: Started ] - Second: y 10,000 Tier 7, 1,000 Tier 8, 200 Tier 7 Terror Mutants, and 20 Tier 8 Lesser Mutants. [ Status: Done ] - Third: Journey to the Dark Ruins and vanquish 1,000,000 Fiends to prove your valor. This must be aplished using only your swords. [ Status: Pending ] - Fourth: Defeat the ck Demon General. [ Status: Pending ] -- Fifth:?????????????? -- Sixth:?????????????? -- Seventh:???????????? -- Eighth:????????????? -- Ninth:???????????? ---------------------------------- Karsha was dumbfounded. "I mean, the Trials for the first persona are nearly impossible, but seriously, how am I supposed to kill 200 Tier 7 Terror Mutants when I couldn''t even stand up to a single one of them?" The Overlords were Terrors, towering behemoths that Karsha, as a weak human, was nowhere near ready to confront. And now, just when he thought he might obtain an overpowered Persona the easy way, he was faced with yet another daunting challenge. Forget about the first Trial; even the second, third, and fourth trials seemed impossible to him. He had some knowledge of the monsters in this realm, but he had no clue about Dark Fiends and their strength. Even if he somehow managed to y 10,000 Tier 7 Terror Mutants, he had no idea what awaited him in the Dark Ruins. The fear of the unknown was more terrifying than any devil standing before him. ''And who in the world is the ck Demon General?'' Karsha muttered in frustration, closing the window. "I''m tired of all this," he muttered as he reached into his inventory and retrieved a Healing Seed. "What''s that, and why do I suddenly feel my strength returning?" Alida asked immediately as the orb appeared. "It''s called a Healing Seed. As the name suggests, it heals you. Whether it''s your health, stamina, or mana, anything that needs regeneration will be restored," Karsha exined, setting the orb down gently. "Take a few minutes to mend your bodies before I absorb it." He could absorb the orb with a simple thought, but he wanted his teammates to fully recover before proceeding. "Thank you," Dhaka acknowledged with a nod. His wounds began closing instantly, and his strength returned swiftly. After ten minutes, the shadow guards stopped absorbing the seed, fully healed and rejuvenated. They stepped back, allowing Karsha to absorb the remaining energy. < Does the host wish to absorb the Healing Seed? > "Yes." The orb fragmented into sparkling light, merging into Karsha''s form. Immediately, his body glowed brilliantly for a few seconds before settling into calmness. His eyes gleamed with a radiant golden aura that emanated outward, apanied by a darker aura tinged with impurities. After approximately ten minutes, both the golden and dark auras faded, reced by a dazzling white light that enveloped Karsha''s entire being, cocooning him within its brilliance. The five shadow guards observed the cocoon with a mixture of awe and curiosity. It was their first encounter with such an event, and despite their serpentine nature, their expressions flickered through various emotions. Even if they understood what was happening, it seemed there was nothing they could actively influence.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Momentster, the cocoon trembled and began to dissipate. The shadow guards watched intently as it dissolved into nothingness. Left in its wake was Karsha, now seated with a posture exuding a golden aura that entuated his already striking appearance. Hisplexion had smoothed further, and though his eyes remained crimson, they now shimmered with a golden hue, casting a captivating gaze. Unaware of the admiring stares from the three snakedies, Karsha focused on the system notifications that had appeared. < Ding! Congrattions, your Rapid Regeneration passive ability has evolved. > Chapter 74 Infinity Healing The healing fruit, though it may not look like much, is a powerful consumable treasure that many would kill for. It contains the water element, which, like most water elementals, is designed for healing. Typically, it is used to awaken water elements, but in Karsha''s case, it has awakened more than just an element. The healing seed is more than a mere catalyst for elemental awakening. As its name suggests, it is a seed that grows and blooms into a magnificent nt. The more the nt blooms, the more it yields. In Karsha''s situation, the benefits he will reap from the seed are akin to the nt blooming. As the seed matures, so too will the benefits he gains. Of course, there''s the matter of nurturing the seed. It''s not an exaggeration to say that this seed is more than just a simple seed; it''s a source of unimaginable power. < Congrattions! You have sessfully absorbed the healing seed. > < You have awakened a water element: Healing Water. > < Ding! Congrattions, your Rapid Healing passive skill has evolved. > < Congrattions, your mastery over the water element has increased to; High. > < You have unlocked a new passive skill: Life Force Regeneration. > < Your Charm has increased significantly. +400 > Many messages appeared before Karsha, but the system, knowing he wouldn''t bother to read everything, only disyed the most important ones. After absorbing the lightning fruit and the Absolute Fire Crystal, he awakened the Yin-Yang Lightning and Absolute Chaos Fire elementals. Now, however, he had awakened Healing Water. The saying "water is life" was not an exaggeration. Indeed, the element he had awakened was primarily for healing. It had no aggressive side; its main and only function, as the name suggests, was for healing. But that is where its importance lies. In the world of cultivation, items or artifacts with a single function are often regarded as inferior to those with multiple functions. However, some items, despite having only one function, are still considered powerful in their own right. For example, the fire element can be used in various ways: for offense, defense, and even healing in some cases. Even the water element can do that since it has different variants. For instance, Arcane Water can be used for both offense and defense. However, Healing Water is solely for healing, which, in this context, does not even fall under defense. But that isn''t a problem. Healing Water is more than it appears to be. It has a great healing ability that can aid a cultivator in many ways. Of course, if someone without any offensive abilities awakens such an element, it might be considered a weakness. However, in the hands of someone like Karsha, the healing seed is a gold mine. A warrior like him will benefit greatly from the healing abilities of Healing Water. < Congrattions, your Rapid Healing passive skill has evolved to Enhanced Rapid Healing. > < Enhanced Rapid Healing (Passive) > -- Regenerate from any injury at a speed of 1000x per second. -- Regenerate lost limbs and other body parts. -- Recover Mana, Stamina, Elemental essence, and other attributes at a very fast pace. Originally, the Rapid Healing ability only allowed for regenerating a small portion of attributes and mana. Now, however, he can regrow limbs. And that''s not all¡ªhis mastery is currently at the High level. This means that if he masters Healing Water to even higher levels, he could potentially regrow a heart. The significance of even just this passive ability is more than Karsha could have ever asked for. He has achieved what many spend years chasing simply by absorbing a seed. This seed has the potential to cause chaos in empires if discovered. Its value is so immense that it could disrupt the entire world. If the Healing Seed were to be auctioned, it would sell for billions, if not more. Many powerhouses would fiercelypete to acquire it due to its limitless benefits. Inside Karsha''s dantian (core) now lies a seed that has already begun to grow. If nurtured properly, it could one day make him immortal even before he formally achieves immortality. With the ability to regrow limbs and other body parts, who is to say he wouldn''t be able to regenerate a full body from his soul after death? The prowess of the Healing Water is limitless, and Karsha has barely scratched the surface of its potential. < You have unlocked a new active skill: Life Force Regeneration > < Life Force Regeneration (Active) > -- When your HP drops below 2%, all regenerating skills will stop, and you will gain a 2550x regeneration speed for 2 minutes. -- When your life force is almost drained, 60% of your avable HP will be converted to life force, remaining active until your life force is fully healed. "Undead me," Karsha smiled happily as he read the description of his newest skill. The ability to regenerate life force is something few can achieve easily. The power to restore the force that holds life together is beyond human understanding. When a child is born, they are assumed to have a full life force, which is 100%.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om However, as they grow, their life force¡ªdetermining their age and status¡ªstarts to drain until it runs outpletely. When this happens, the person''s soul exits their body and moves on to the next ne of existence, the spirit realm. Life force is a mysterious energy that no one can confidently say they have figured out. It is beyond mortalprehension, so no matter how talented an individual is, they would not be able to regenerate life force at will. However, Karsha had just awakened an ability that defies the impossible. With this skill, he can recover his life force whenever it is almost depleted. In other words, when his life force falls below a critical level, he will receive an instant 60% recovery. If necessary, he can continue to exchange his HP for life force until it is fully restored. If he chose to, he could remain in a state of perpetual youth, something that shouldn''t be possible unless he attains divinity and bes a god or immortal. "There must be a catch to this," Karsha muttered under his breath. He stood up, stretched his body, and opened his eyes. "Not to be rude, but why are you five staring at me like that?" Karsha asked, meeting the gaze of the five shadow guards. "You... you, what have you done to yourself?" Ayarr asked in a startled tone. "What do you mean?" Karsha inquired. "You have be handsome again," she replied. She had witnessed Karsha''s appearance when he first came to the ind. She had also seen the gradual transformation as Karsha became more strikingly handsome. His previously bony self had transformed into a more handsome young man who could hold his own with thedies. While he might not be the most handsome man, he was undeniably attractive in his own right, and this transformation had urred in less than two months. Now, however, he had be even more striking. So handsome, in fact, that he could easily make thedies swoon. His eyes had undergone another change. The red hue now had a hazy golden tint. His skin had gained added smoothness, and his cheekbones had be even more refined, giving him a strikingly handsome look. Despite Starr twisting his red hair into dreadlocks, it had extended slightly, cascading freely down his back. His muscles had expanded somewhat, and he had experienced a slight increase in height. While he was a berserker, his growth in height and weight hadn''t progressed as drastically as one might expect, but he was steadily moving in that direction. His current height, akin to Captain America''s stature, gave him a strong physical presence. At neen years old, he was still in the process of growing into adulthood. It would take some time before he reached his full potential as a true berserker. "Well, lucky me, I guess," Karsha smiled bashfully. It''s not every day a guy receivespliments about his handsomeness from ady. "We will be moving to Crystalisk next. We won''t spend much time there, so let''s try to get things done as quickly as possible so we can move on to the next ce," Karsha added. Though he had wished to explore these locations, now that he had acquired techniques that could bridge the gap between him and the overlords, he intended to train and deepen his understanding of these skills before facing them. To achieve this, he would utilize the subspace where time ran differently from the outside world. With his monstrousprehension ability, which was crucial to mastering skills, he nned to dedicate as much time as possible to increasing his understanding and proficiency in all such skills. He believed that with sufficient mastery, he would be able to defeat the overlords effortlessly. If it weren''t for the Book of Annihtion and the quests the system had given him, he would have long ago entered closed cultivation to begin mastering his skills. But for now, he needed to be stronger, and since the system seemed to be guiding him toward items that would further enhance his power, he had noints about that. ----------------- And just like that, Karsha and the shadow guards spent the next three days moving from one ind to another, killing and retrieving the items the system required of him. He hadn''t failed to retrieve any, so after three days of relentless battle, he finally assembled the Book of Annihtion and collected all eight items directed by the system. "Why does it feel like I''ve been to this ce before?" Karsha muttered under his breath as he and the shadow guards hurried away from the Eternal Abyss section of the ind. It was the domain of the Abyssal Leviathan, the mightiest of all the Overlords. "Well, I guess I''ll find out soon enough..." Channeling more mana into the flying boat, they sped away as swiftly as possible. His next n was to absorb all the items and train his skills and techniques. Chapter 75 The Queens Embrace "Big brother, you''re back!" Starr eximed as she jumped into Karsha''s embrace the moment he descended from the flying boat. They had spent just five dayspleting the entire task. "Yes, I am back," Karsha replied, lifting the adorable little snake child. For some reason, he had grown more attached to the little snake child than he had anticipated. This newfound connection seemed to be a positive change for him; unknowingly, he was bing more lively than he had been back on Earth in the Human Kingdom. The snakes were bing his family, although he was not yet aware of it. While he felt a bond with Lady Illo, the same couldn''t be said for the rest of the purple-tailed anacondas; to them, he was simply a human who would one day be a behemoth feared by many. "You look stronger and more handsome than you did five days ago. What happened to you?" Lady Illo asked, her gaze curious. "I have no idea, Lady Illo. It just happened, and I have a feeling you''ll ask the same question 18 days from now," Karsha replied casually, causing the snakedy to arch an eyebrow. "Do you n on going anywhere in the next 18 days?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Yes, I will need a quiet and isted ce to cultivate for the next 18 days to make final preparations," Karsha announced. Originally nning to face the Overlords in 30 days, acquiring the Subspace had altered his strategy. With such a valuable treasure at his disposal, Karsha intended to maximize his training and master his techniques. Once he felt sufficiently confident, he would embark on his mission. Twenty days would be ample time for his preparations. "So, you haven''t given up on the idea of confronting the Overlords," Lady Illo remarked, sensing Karsha''s determination. Despite this, her maternal instincts urged her to at least attempt to dissuade him from any rash decisions. "How could I abandon my quest, Lady Illo? I''vee too far to turn back now," Karsha replied with a smile. "Besides, I am the Annihtor. Facing opponents stronger than me shouldn''t be an issue," he added confidently, prompting the gathered snakes to nod in agreement. Truly, he was the Annihtor, and eliminating the Overlords seemed like the next logical step. Though he was still on the path to fully embodying that title, vanquishing the Overlords would mark a significant milestone. "If you say so. But if you ever decide to abandon that quest, know that none of us will think any less of you," Lady Illo said earnestly, and Karsha nodded in understanding. If not for his promise to June, he might have seriously reconsidered the entire endeavor. "Ayarr, take him to the ce. I have a feeling he will appreciate it there." After a few more exchanges and tousling the hair of the young snake child, Karsha and Ayarr headed towards the cultivation site where Karsha would spend the next 18 days. "Dhaka, tell me, do you think he can defeat the Overlords?" Once Karsha and Ayarr were out of sight, Lady Illo turned to Dhaka, the leader of the Five Shadow Guards. "I believe he will handle the Overlords with ease, My Lady," Dhaka replied with a sly smile, recalling how Karsha had fearlessly acted as bait to ensure their escape. Observing Karsha''s rapid growth, Dhaka, who had lived for many years, was confident in Karsha''s abilities to dispatch the Overlords without much difficulty. "You seem quite certain," Lady Illo remarked, intrigued. "I am, Mdy," Dhaka affirmed confidently. Lady Illo smiled and then walked away. Karsha remained a mystery she had yet to unravel. She knew understanding him would take time, but for now, she would observe his progress. Soon enough, she would discover who exactly this young man was. After a twenty-minute walk, Karsha and Ayarr arrived at their destination. It was not what Karsha had expected. Instead of a cave-like abode simr to where he had spent time by the small river, he found himself surrounded by something entirely different. Despite the presence of a waterfall, the ce was lush with greenery. The air was remarkably pure, calming Karsha''s soul as he breathed deeply. Towering trees formed a canopy that filtered the sunlight into shimmering rays, casting a serene glow. Strangely, the Mana here felt denser than in other parts of the ind. "What is this ce?" Karsha asked in awe. "We call it the Queen''s Embrace. This ce has been here since before the Purple Tail Anaconda appeared on the ind," Ayarr exined. "This is just the outer area of the Queen''s Embrace. The ce we''re heading to is behind the waterfall," Ayarr added, a smile ying on his lips. The astonishment on Karsha''s face spoke volumes. "Another area?" Karsha asked with curiosity. "Just wait until you see what''s behind the water," Ayarr replied cryptically, guiding Karsha deeper into the waterfall. As they ventured further, Karsha''s interest grew more intense. With each step, the air thickened with Mana and gained a noticeable purity. "This ce is truly magnificent," Karsha eximed, unable to contain his wonder any longer. Ayarr smiled serenely as they continued deeper into the waterfall. Despite the cascading water around them, they moved effortlessly as if unaffected by the flow. "We''ve arrived," Ayarr announced after another ten minutes of walking. Emerging on the other side of the waterfall, Karsha and Ayarr were greeted by a scene of such breathtaking beauty that Karsha could only stare in awe,pletely captivated. The trees, though not towering, formed a dense canopy that enveloped the entire area, creating a tranquil atmosphere. Their branches and leaves intermingled, casting soothing shadows over the ground. The Mana here was exceptionally dense, even more so than in Karsha''s Subspace. He also felt an inexplicable pull towards something deep within the ce. "What''s in that direction?" Karsha asked, pointing southwest. "We call it the White Tablet. We don''t know much about it; the closest anyone has approached is 500 meters. No one has been able to surpass that mark," Ayarr replied, adding to Karsha''s intrigue. Karsha was eager to explore further, but before he could inquire, Ayarr spoke again, "You''ll be cultivating in that area since it offers greater benefits than this ce." Karsha grinned knowingly and followed Ayarr. As they moved 700 meters closer to the White Tablet, Karsha felt his mind opening up. Strangely, more memories and knowledge from the legacy of the Divine Alchemist began flooding into his consciousness. ''This sensation is incredible. But why do I feel so familiar with this ce? In fact, why does this entire ind feel familiar?'' Karsha pondered silently. Since arriving on the ind, Karsha had been experiencing a peculiar sensation. Somehow, he felt an inexplicable familiarity with the ind, a connection akin to someone who had lived there their entire life. Instinctively, he recognized this sense of familiarity, yet despite his efforts, he couldn''t recall the reason behind it. It was as if something was blocking his memories. ''Well, time will reveal all,'' he sighed inwardly. "For now, I need to get closer to that tablet. Perhaps I''ll find some answers to these inexplicable attractions." "We can only go this far," Ayarr announced when they reached the 500-meter mark. Her steps halted abruptly as if an invisible barrier prevented her from advancing any further. Meanwhile, Karsha felt apelling tug emanating from the tablet 500 meters away. Instead of resisting, it drew him closer irresistibly. He attempted to resist but found the pull too strong to resist. "How are you moving?" Ayarr asked incredulously as she watched Karsha proceed beyond the 500-meter limit. "I''m not sure how, but I don''t feel any resistance," Karsha replied, bewildered. Before he could receive a response, he was pulled further away, leaving Ayarr behind. After soaring through the air for a few moments, Karsha found himself standing before a monumental stone tablet standing 30 meters tall, adorned with intricate runic symbols. The stone''s surface was smooth yet its edges were jagged. Atop the tablet, a phrase written in blood-red ink caught his eye: "The Arcane Time Tablet." The system message shed before Karsha''s eyes as he gazed upon the 30-meter-tall tablet emanating a strange aura and temporal fluctuations. Recognizing its significance from its name alone, Karsha was about to inquire further with the system when another message appeared, bringing a satisfied smile to his lips. Karsha absorbed the messages with growing excitement. The implications of the Time Tablet''s effects were profound, promising elerated learning and extended time for cultivation. He felt a surge of determination to make the most of this newfound advantage in his quest to master his skills and prepare for the challenges ahead. Karsha smiled cheerfully, settling into a rxed position right in front of the Time Tablet. With deliberate care, he retrieved one of the five items they had discovered across the ind with the Shadow Guards. Instantly, the temperature around him plummeted. "Thirty-two days, huh? That trantes to 768 days inside the subspace," he muttered to himself, then burst intoughter. "This is perfect! Whoever left this here, you''re the best!" he eximed, before taking a bite of the Ice Queen Fruit. Chapter 76 Ice Queen Wrath With time slowed for Karsha, he would now be spending a little over two years inside the subspace, granting him ample opportunity to fully unleash his skills. Even without the threefold boost to hisprehension speed, these two years would prove sufficient. Thanks to the rapid progress he had achieved, Karsha could push the mastery of his skills even further than he had initially hoped. Additionally, the treasures the system had led him to would further enhance his elemental abilities. Karsha had been fortunate, and he was making the most of it to prepare for the Overlords. With two days allotted for each Overlord and the Book of Annihtion in his possession, he would be unstoppable if he utilized these two years well. < Ding! You have eaten the Queen Fruit. The host is advised to remain calm and let the ice energy run through the meridians. > Karsha, seated in a lotus posture, was frozen still, making him look more like an ice sculpture than a human. This wasn''t a bad thing, as it was a result of him eating the Ice Queen fruit. In most fiction, Ice Queens are scorpion-like ice monsters or beasts that reign supreme with their ice-cold powers. They have the temperament of ice, so cold that a single touch can shatter bones and burn bodies. Indeed, ice can burn anything ites into contact with. While the burning effect isn''t as intense as fire, the slow-burning mes of ice are more powerful than most fire variants. However, this icy fire is rare and can only be obtained by killing an Ice Queen, a task deemed almost impossible. Killing an Ice Queen is akin to going against an entire world. Aside from killing and absorbing the core and life crystal of such an evolved beast, seeking out the fruit called Ice Queen is another way to attain such formidable elemental power.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The Ice Queen fruit is a condensed form of the Ice Queen essence, primarily containing the icy fire said to be the absolute form of ice. Just as there are Absolute Light, Fire, and Darkness, there is Absolute Ice¡ªa type of ice ekement considered stronger than most, if not all, other types of ice. Once fully absorbed, Karsha would gain the Absolute Ice Elemental and a significant boost in his ice skills. For ten minutes, Karsha remained frozen solid but still alive. He was absorbing the essence of the Ice Queen fruit, carefully ensuring he didn''t go overboard since he could feel the essence was more than he could currently wield. Unfortunately for him, it is a fruit, not a seed that can be nted like the Healing Seed and further nourished to yield more gains in the future. The Ice Queen fruit is a one-time-use item, and Karsha knew that, so he was making the best of it. < Ding! You have absorbed enough Ice essence. > < Ding! You have awakened the Absolute Ice Element. > < Ding! All ice-based skills have received two-tier upgrades. > < +300 Points added to all stats. +200,000 Points added to Mana. +200 Points to Charm. > < You have gained a new skill: Ice Queen Wraith. > < Ding! Congrattions to the host; you have gained the Ice Queen Recognition. Master your ice element and gain the favor of the Ice Queen. > The ice around Karsha cracked and soon crumbled, revealing a magnificent mane radiating a chilling aura, akin to that of the Prince of Ice. Karsha had once again undergone some subtle changes. He had gained even more charm, making him appear even more handsome, yet now a subtle danger lurked behind those magnificent red-golden eyes. The charm attribute he had awakened stated that he would exude a charm that was benevolent to his allies and malevolent to his enemies. As his charm continued to increase, Karsha started to appear both more terrifying and equally charming. He had be someone many would envy. The current him is just too gorgeous to the point he will be extremely irritating for any dude to see him around their women. "I feel stronger, much stronger than before," Karsha muttered. He then essed the system and decided to check the skill he had gained from the Ice Queen fruit. ------------------ < Ice Queen Wrath > Rating: E Tier: 10 -- By gaining the recognition of the Ice Queen, you can now summon her in battle, and as long as you have enough Mana, you can maintain her avatar which holds a certain amount of attack power from the Ice Queen herself. [ Ice Dance ] -- Materialise an Ice Vortex that sucks everything inside and inflicts continuous damage for as long as the wielder has Mana. Note: It takes 4000 MP every second [ Ice Rain ] Stay connected via empire -- By tapping into the Absolute Ice, create spears of rain that strike with lethal precision further inflicting icy damage for as long as the wielder has Mana. Note: It takes 8000 MP every second [ Starry Ice ] -- Create small star-like ices that explode with fury upon contact with a target or targets. Note: The higher your mastery of the ice element and the skill, the more ice stars you can create. [ Ice Queen Wrath ] -- By expanding 20,000 MP you will gain 15 seconds to let loose 2% of the Ice Queen''s total attack power and watch how powerful one can get when utilizing the Ice element. [Cooldown: 60 mins] Note: This skill has been condensed from excess ice essence from the Ice Fruit so the higher your mastery over the ice element, the stronger the skill gets. ---------------- "Holy shit. This is incredible," Karsha eximed, unable to contain his happiness. He hadn''t expected to gain such a powerful skill from eating a mere fruit. With this skill, especially thest ability, he would be able to end some battles within 15 seconds. Coupled with his super-hyper regeneration speed, he could regenerate his Mana within seconds. "With this and the sword from Agni, I can be likened to an apostle of two powerful deities," Karshaughed wholeheartedly before willing the skill to activate. Immediately, the temperature around him dropped drastically. Behind him, a 30-meter-tall, incredibly beautiful Ice Queen Avatar materialized. Despite her human-like appearance, her scorpion features were visible. She had four scorpion-like legs extending from behind her, giving her the appearance of a majestic queen with six hands. She wore a crown on her head and held a staff ending with a star-like sculpture firmly in her grasp. Her eyes shone with the intense cold of ice, sending chills down the spine. "Is this an Avatar or the real deal?" Karsha muttered, unable to wrap his mind around what he was staring at. The avatar looks magnificent to the point that most people would mistake her for a real person. Turning away from the time tablet, Karsha focused on the [Ice Dance] ability. The Avatar casually swung her staff, conjuring a massive yet rtively weak ice vortex that stood 50 meters tall with a circumference of 45 meters. "I guess I''ll have to master the skill before I can wield its full might," Karsha thought inwardly before dismissing the Avatar. Though the skill showed great potential, he knew that without sufficient mastery, he would only waste his mana. The vortex created moments ago was impressive but insufficient for confronting an Overlord. Even a Tier 4 Monster could withstand its pull, let alone an Overlord. Nevertheless, it was promising that, despite being at the E stage of mastery, he could unleash such an ability, capable of eliminating anything below Tier 3. With further mastery, he would unlock the full potential of the skill, gaining yet another formidable ability to aid him in the future. "The Ice Queen''s recognition," Karsha muttered as he essed thest notification he had received. < Ice Queen Recognition > - The Ice Queen, the most powerful entity in the realm of ice,parable to the gods themselves in mastery of the ice element, has acknowledged you as a wielder of the Absolute Ice Element. From this day forward, you are designated among the chosen few tasked with bringing glory to the ice element. Those selected are destined to ascend the ranks and stand beside the Ice Queen as equals in their own right. If you should one day surpass the Ice Queen in rank, you will receive an unknown blessing known only to few, and gain a formidable ally. For now, you are under the Ice Queen''s influence, meaning you can be summoned at any time to aid her and her allies. You have the option to decline a summons, but this will impact your ranking. The hierarchy is as follows: Foot Soldier, Soldier, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, General, Commander... Answer every call and umte points to advance your ranking, unlocking mysterious benefits. [Your Rank: Foot Soldier] "Dude, how can I be reduced to a mere foot soldier? I''m about to face Overlords here; surely I deserve more respect," Karsha grumbled, feeling slighted by his current rank despite his past as a general. Yet, he realized he hadn''t yet contributed anything significant to benefit the Ice Queen and her allies. To advance in rank, he needed to heed a call from the Ice Queen or achieve something substantial in her service. With none of these aplishments under his belt, Karsha, despite his expertise in warfare and battle, remained a lowly foot soldier. Only by earning points and recognition could he climb back to the top and earn the recognition he sought from the Ice Queen. "What am I even dreaming about?" Karsha muttered, settling back down. He retrieved the next item, ''The Titan Stone Seed''. As he held it, the ground around him began to react. Karsha could feel the stones and earth responding to the seed''s presence, some even levitating in the air. Ignoring everything else, Karsha focused on absorbing the Titan Stone Seed. In an instant, the seed dissipated and entered his body. < Ding! You have absorbed the Titan Stone Seed. You have awakened the Diamond Earth Elemental. > Chapter 77 Titan Defense Art "Absorbing the Titan Stone seed was perhaps the easiest endeavor thus far. Unlike the tedious processes involved with fire, healing, lightning, and ice, this time he simply absorbed it, and that was it. However, that doesn''t mean he gained nothing. This seed could be said to have bestowed upon him more than he could have ever hoped for. The notifications that appeared before him seemed almost otherworldly. < Ding! Congrattions! You have awakened the Diamond Earth Elemental. > < Congrattions! You have unlocked a new passive ability: Titan Physique. > < +500 to all stats, +1000 to Defense, +100,000 to Mana. > < You have absorbed a 10,000-year-old Titan Stone Seed. Your body will now grow stronger and tougher each time you level up, tripling in ranks. >" < Diamond Earth Elemental > Stay connected through empire - With the defense of a Titan and nearly imprable fortifications, you can be who you are meant to be: a true Titan. - This element enhances your defenses and bestows upon you the ability to create near-imprable barriers using earth, stones, metals, rare minerals, and more. - The stronger your mastery, the more formidable your defense bes. The sky is the limit, Titan. "Finally," Karsha smiled contentedly as he read the description of the new element. "It seems I don''t need to search for any more defensive techniques, as this provides everything I require." He retrieved a technique book obtained from the system uponpleting the quest for the Titan Stone seed¡ªa defensive technique thatplements the awakened element. With the book in hand and a smile dancing on his lips, he turned back to the system to continue reading the remaining messages. -Simr to a normal physique, this passive ability grants the host strong skin and bones, enabling them to withstand intense pressure and attacks. The higher your mastery of the earth element, the more potent the effects of this physique." "Not the best, but certainly appreciated," Karsha remarked, feeling akin to wearing a coat crafted from Titan''s hide as he examined the ability. Despite his initial apprehension, he quickly realized he was being short-sighted. An ability that evolves with the cultivator is exceedingly rare. Most skills require mastery, meaning once one''s understanding teaus, so does the skill''s growth. However, with the potential to develop alongside the cultivator''s mastery of their element and rank, the possibilities are limitless, especially for someone like Karsha, who possesses monstrousprehension abilities. He simply needs to continue deepening his understanding of the earth element, and as he ascends in rank, his skin and bones will grow in tandem. "With the additional stats, my attack power has also increased. I''m getting closer every second," he noted. With enhanced stats, he could unleash even more formidable attacks, especially whenbining them with the Red Eye Tiger skill. At this rate, he would soon narrow the gap between himself and the overlords before their inevitable confrontation. < Does the host wish to learn this technique > "Yes," Karsha replied turning the technique book into a particle that entered his body forming a runic symbol in his consciousness. < Congrattions, You have learnt a legendary rank technique; Titan defense Art > < Titan Defense Art > Rank: Legendary Type: Defense Technique Levels: 6 -- Using the Earth, stones, and metals as allies, create the perfect defense that can withstand any attacks based on your mastery level. Level 1: Titan wall -- Erect thick walls that can withstand attack from multiple directions. Inside the walls, you can withstand any attacks by constantly reinforcing the walls with your Mana and Earth Essence Level 2: Titan Fortress -- Expand your walls to create arge enough fortress that can cover a 100-meter radius. When there are allies inside the fortress, they can channel their Mana into further strengthening the walls. Foes caught within the walls won''t be able to activate their defense skills for 30 seconds. Level 3: Titan Palm -- By understanding the earth''s elements enough, conjure a huge palm of stone that wraps around you and absorbs all attacks. The absorbed attacks can be converted into energy that can be channeled by the host to strengthen his attacks. Level 4: Colossus shield -- At level 4, you will gain the ability to temporarily summon colossal shields from the chaos era. Depending on your Mastery, you can summon up to 15 shields with ranks starting from the Divine Grade. Level 5: Unmoving Titan -- At this level, after you have gained enough understanding of the earth element, you will be able to conjure or summon titans from the Chaos era. These summoned titans will use their defense to help you withstand attacks from those realms above you. You can summon Titans with Realms Four Stages above you. Level 6: Titan Ascendance -- After Mastering all levels and gaining enlightenment in the field of defense, you can transcend mortal defense and be one with the earth. With that, the earth, metals, and minerals will bend to your will, enabling you to create imprable defenses. --------------------- "Hahahaha. This is just incredible. With this, I can face those above me without worrying too much about their attacks." With a plethora of levels now at his disposal, Karsha could withstand attacks to a significant degree. He could even tank attacks from opponents with three times his attack power. The defense technique was truly remarkable, and with time and mastery, he would be able to confront any opponent with confidence in his defense. Karsha could conjure titans and colossal shields reminiscent of the Chaos era. While hecked direct knowledge of what transpired during that tumultuous time, the fact that these shields belonged to colossal titans spoke volumes. The Chaos era, true to its name, was a period marked by immense turmoil, witnessing the rise and fall of numerous powerhouses. It was during this epoch that the Titans, renowned for their unparalleled defense, rose to prominence. Their formidable prowess in offense and defense was so legendary that the mere sight of them on the battlefield, wielding massive weapons and shields, would sow chaos. Thus, the era earned its name as the Chaos Era. For Karsha to acquire a technique allowing him to summon shields and titans from that turbulent period was truly cause for celebration. The idea of having fifteen shields surrounding him, offering defense from attacksing from all directions, was a prospect anyone would cherish. However, such a powerful technique came with its drawbacks. Because it was tied to his mastery of the earth element, a deep understanding of earth maniption was essential to enhance his mastery. Even with three times the usualprehension speed, mastering the maniption of the earth posed a challenge that even prodigies struggled with. Understanding the nuances of elemental maniption was far from straightforward. One must first grasp how the earth moves, its tactile qualities, and how to transform it without altering its core nature. Moreover, there was the potential to transmute earth into metals and other minerals with sufficient mastery. Upon reaching such a pinnacle of mastery, one could transform vast expanses into solid diamonds and raise them as impregnable defensive barriers. At this level, traditional defense techniques became obsolete, as one could shape the very earth beneath them into an imprable fortress. "I need to move quickly," Karsha muttered as he retrieved the next item from his inventory. It was obtained after defeating 12 Tier 6 Mutants and a Tier 6 Dark Mutant. The Luminous Crystal was a highly sought-after item, carefully chosen by the system for Karsha''s elemental awakening. Having already awakened variants of elements, the Luminous Crystal was intended to aid in awakening the Light element. The crystal was coveted by many, some willing to resort to violence to obtain it. It contained a concentrated essence of light, capable of awakening andying the foundation for the Light element. Its worth is beyond measure. Rumors circted that those who sessfully absorbed the Luminous Crystal could wield the purest form of light, rivaling even those born with divine light. Beings born with pure divine light are the sole ones capable of harnessing the most potent form of light. They bear the responsibility of maintaining the bnce between good and evil¡ªdarkness. Those aligned with light are often referred to as divine beings, while those aligned with darkness are known as Dark Borns. Should Karsha seed in awakening his Light element, he would gain the ability to withstand dark attacks, elevating him to the status of a divine born. However, the process of absorbing luminous light is intricate. Karsha must first purge all traces of darkness from within him to make way for the light. Yet, that would be wasteful, considering the darkness that already courses through him. While he doesn''t possess the darkness elemental, he does wield the Dark Prince Hell art technique, sufficient to draw the ire of the Divine ones. But who is Karsha? He is someone opposed to Behemoth, needing a blend of all aspects to secure victory. He is also supported by a system tasked with aiding his cultivation. He is an existence destined for ultimate strength. Limiting him is inconceivable. With the system''s will, the crystal dispersed into light particles and instantly enveloped Karsha in a golden cocoon of light. The cocoon radiated increasingly brighter, causing Ayarr, who sat 500 meters away, to close her serpent eyes for a full 20 minutes.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "What is with this human?" she pondered, finding no immediate answer, she went back refocusing on her cultivation. Within the cocoon, a battle ensued between light and darkness. After 20 minutes of intense struggle, light and darkness reached apromise, granting Karsha something that would make both Dark Borns and Divine beings envious. Chapter 78 Golden Aura During the Chaos Era, the Divine Temple was renowned for recruiting talents and guiding them toward purity and light. Among those they recruited were warriors given the moniker "Golden Warriors." These warriors had awakened a unique form of the light element known as "Golden Light." This Golden Light was the most potent form of all light elements, endowing its wielders with remarkable properties. The Golden Light element was both defensive and offensive, making it an unparalleled multipurpose element. What set the Golden Light apart from other light elements was the aura it emitted. This aura, despite its calming nature, possessed a powerful nullifying effect that halved the impact of all forms of attacks¡ªphysical, mental, and spiritual¡ªwhenever it was activated. This meant that if an attack intended to kill struck one''s body, soul, or mind, the aura would reduce its damage by 50%, significantly weakening its initial effect. But that''s just for defense. When ites to offense, the golden aura can amplify attack power by 100%. Simr to a Sword Aura, the Golden Light also boosts the attack power of any weapon, spell, or ability. Legend has it that if one manages to increase their mastery of the light element to the Perfect Affinity level, they can merge it with Sword Aura, significantly enhancing the damage output of sword attacks. However, while the Golden Light is potent, ites with numerous challenges and dangers. Many believe that the Golden Light results from the fusion of light and darkness. While this is partially true, the Golden Light actually emerges when the light finally epts the darkness and coexists with it. Instead of constant conflict, Light and Darkness have adapted to the point where they can both reside within the dantian of a cultivator without risk. As a result, the Golden Light has acquired some properties of darkness, making it a stronger defense against all forms of dark attacks. All attacks using the darkness element are instantly reduced by 80%, rendering them nearly powerless. Additionally, darkness attacks fueled by the Golden Light cannot be easily defended against normal light. As a result, Light Elementals, particrly Divine Light Wielders and Darkness Borns, harbor intense hatred for the Golden Light Knights, considering them their archenemies. With the ability to resist both light and darkness and the power to amplify their attacks by infusing them with golden light, the Golden Light Knights are nearly impervious to both Light and Darkness attacks. For Karsha to have awakened such a light means he has obtained another powerful element. Though he doesn''t fully understand its potential yet, this new power will serve him well and may even save his life in the days toe. The light cocoon shuddered intermittently until it crumbled, revealing a glowing young man with almost golden eyes. Hey naked, curled into a posture reminiscent of a sleeping baby. One remarkable effect of the Golden Light is its ability to bestow a heavenly appearance upon its wielders. Those who manage to elevate their elementalprehension to the Perfect stage be exceedingly handsome or beautiful, surpassing even angels and fairies. Karsha, who has already awakened five elements and constantly tempers his body with the blood of powerful beasts, experiences elerated evolution. This evolution enables him to absorb an extraordinary amount of essence from anything he absorbs, further enhancing his handsomeness. Although he has no control over his appearance, the system ensures that he bes an eye-catcher. His new appearance has undergone another significant transformation, making him even more striking. His skin has be smoother, and his hair is even redder. His golden-red eyes have be more predominantly golden, with only a hint of red remaining. His biceps and overall physique have also enhanced, giving him a more confident andmanding presence. On his forehead is a unique runic tattoo in the shape of a pentagon. Inside this pentagon-shaped tattoo is an engraving that trantes to ''King.'' After the cocoon vanished, Karsha returned to his sitting posture. When he opened his eyes, the pentagon rune on his forehead glowed, causing his eyes to sh with a golden aura and instantly sending him into a trance. Karsha had entered his first enlightenment for an element, instantly elevating his affinity for the Light element to a high level. Enlightenment for an element is when one gains a profound understanding of the element and the intricacies involved. For a cultivator to gain enlightenment, their understanding of the element must be so deep that guidance in the enlightened state will take them to the next level. For Karsha to enter enlightenment without yet delving into the meaning behind the Golden Light is significant. However, despite this impressive feat, he is still just a child trying to find his way in the cultivation world. The enlightenment stemmed from the knowledge imparted by his master, the divine alchemist. This master was a light elemental cultivator who had achieved incredibly high mastery in the path of light. He was a very powerful light cultivator, so for Karsha to have ess to that much knowledge meant his understanding was instantly elevated to the High Affinity Level. However, because he had yet to fully grasp the ways of the light, his consciousness was pulled into a state of calm where he could gain a deeper understanding of the path of light. Karsha remained in his enlightened state for about ten hours before returning to reality. When he emerged, his body was enveloped in a golden light¡ªa golden aura. "This sensation is incredible. I feel stronger and closer to understanding what has been bothering me all this time," Karsha muttered in a calm tone. He thenmanded the system to buy him some normal clothes, as the golden aura had disintegrated his trousers and jacket. The aura around him appeared calm, but a closer inspection would reveal that it was anything but serene. Turning back to the system, Karsha read through the messages. Most were congrattory notes for awakening the Golden Light and attaining his first enlightenment.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om However, one message stood out. < Ding! Congrattions, You have received the Mark of Inheritance. > < Mark of Inheritance > Many call them Golden Light Knights; others call them Holy Knights. But since the beginning of time, they have been known as the Ascendents. They rose from the depths of darkness and embraced the light. They fought with determination and became the force upon which the universe relied. They are destined to rule alongside the gods. They are the Apostles of the Divine, the yers of Immortals. They are the greatest, the lone ones, the elite¡ª they are the Golden Children. Chaos is here; darkness looms. The greatest shall fall, and the weak shall be consumed. They areing, and there is no stopping them¡ªat least, that is what they believe. A day ising when the Golden Child will be born, destined to shine brighter than the night star. The one meant to control the chaos, the yer of fate, the friend of Destiny. Seek out the beacon and light the path, for the day they rise, your legend shall begin. Your destiny awaits, Golden Child. Heed the call when you receive it. "If I didn''t know better, I''d say someone is ying with my destiny. What''s with all this about answering calls? I came to the ind to retrieve venoms, for fuck''s sake." Karsha''s anger had risen to the point where he could no longer control it. First, it was the Dark Prince who tricked him into epting his technique. He needed strength, so it was assumed he asked for it. Then came the Ice Queen''s recognition, where he was meant to heed a call whenever she summoned him. While that might sound advantageous, Karsha didn''t need thatplication now, especially since he still had the Gate Guardians to defeat¡ªif he survived the Overlords. Now, he had to seek out an inheritance, light the beacon of hope, and be the Golden Child when the time came. "And who the fuck are these people that areing?" he wondered, still seething with anger. "I need some rest." He turned back to the system and began reading the remaining messages. < +300 added to all stats. +200,000 added to Mana > < +1000 added to charm > < Congrattions, you have unlocked a passive ability; Golden Aura > < Golden Aura > -- Channel your golden aura to block 50% of Physical, Mind, and Soul Attacks. -- You can also coat your weapons with the golden Aura which increases the attack power by 100% "At least something good dide out of this," Karsha muttered, still visibly angry and unaware of what he had gained. Soon, however, he would understand why the system had put him through all this trouble just to awaken eight of the major elements in existence. Discover more stories at empire Taking out the seventh item, Karsha willed the system, and the fist-sized seed in his hands dispersed into particles of light that entered his body. Externally, there were no visible changes. Internally, however, Karsha''s cells underwent constant regeneration. "What the hell is happening to me?" Karsha panicked. But before his fear could escte further, a system message appeared. < Ding! Congrattions, You have sessfully absorbed the Vanishing Seed. > Chapter 79 Silent Wind < Ding! Congrattions, You have sessfully absorbed the Vanishing Seed > The message appeared before Karsha''s eyes, but the changes in his body never ceased. His cells were constantly regenerating, steadily building his foundation even further. The Vanishing Seed was one of the most challenging items for Karsha to retrieve when the system tasked him with securing it within 20 minutes. The seed came from a snake called the Grey Horn Ember. Initially, Karsha underestimated the snake, but when he confronted it, he broke into a cold sweat. The seed rendered the snake nearly invincible to all attacks. Its speed surpassed Karsha''s capabilities, and if not for the domain, he wouldn''t have been able to locate andplete the quest on time. The snake was so fast with the seed that Karsha could barely keep track of its movements. Now that the seed was in his body, it implied that he would transform into someone worthy of possessing it. The seed had to transform Karsha into a being capable of fully harnessing the power of the Wind Seed. For someone who had already begun tempering his body, the seed seemed to have found the perfect candidate. What is currently happening to Karsha''s body is a process of modification and regeneration. It modifies his existing cells and generates new ones, making his body more adaptable to the energy hidden within. When someone awakens an element, they gain ess to a unique energy source called essence, often referred to as Elemental Essence. This energy is simr to Mana, but distinct in its properties. It allows the wielder to harness the element they have awakened. While the essence is fundamentally the same for all elements, the amount one can harness increases as their affinity with the element grows. Additionally, the more elements a person can wield, the stronger their essence bes. Karsha has now awakened seven elements, seven of the most powerful elements in existence. This means his core is now brimming with essence that can be harnessed at any moment. Karsha is possibly the first to achieve this feat, granting him a significant advantage over his peers. This advantage lies in the essence and elements at his disposal. Even without Mana, he can still utilize the essence of the elements to empower his attacks. While Mana is generally more robust than essence, a wielder''s affinity can rise to a level where the strength of their essence surpasses that of Mana. All Karsha needs to do is increase his elemental affinity. However, this requires continuous training. For the Wind element, though, Karsha has gained a permanent enhancement. His body is being rebuilt to handle extreme speed, which will be invaluable as he trains for the remaining levels of the Stormsride Ninefold. As a swordsman, Karsha is meant to achieve extreme speed¡ªso fast that when he wields his sword, his presence will be almost invisible.N?v(el)B\\jnn With the Wind element added to his abilities, Karsha is close to achieving that goal. < Ding! Congrattions, You have awakened a Wind Element; Silent Wind > < +1000 added to agility, +500 added to other stats, +100,000 added to Mana> < You have unlocked a passive ability; Silence > < Silent Wind > -- With the wind as a conduit, your movement bes swift and silent. You can tap into the essence of the wind and move with great speed while maintaining near Zero presence. The wind is your walkway so walk it to the end. "I always wee good things," Karsha grinned from ear to ear as he read the poetic description. With an element like this, he would be able to move more swiftly and strike with lethal precision. What was there not to be happy about? Initially, he struggled to keep up with the overlords. His first encounter with the Scalecrusher made him realize just how slow he was. Had it not been for the waterfall, he would have died that day. Now, however, he had awakened a unique element that had elevated his speed to the next level. As if that wasn''t enough, the element he had awakened was the undisputed Silent Wind, a type of wind element that excels at concealing the wielder''s presence. While many people and monsters are known for their high speeds, they can still be tracked using sensing techniques or spiritual senses. Their presence remains detectable, and no matter how fast they move, countering their attacks is still possible. However, the Silent Wind surpasses most techniques and abilities. Its primary function is speed, but before that, it excels at concealing the wielder''s presence based on theirprehension level. Although Karsha is not yet invisible, once hisprehension reaches a certain point, tracking his presence will be nearly impossible. When that happens, he will be a presence from which many will flee. Fighting something fast that cannot be sensed is a challenge few would relish. Readtest chapters at empire "I wonder what the Varon family will say once they realize they sent me to an ind full of treasures instead of danger," Karshaughed loudly. Being banished to an ind full of venomous snakes seemed like the worst fate imaginable, and as a result, the Varon family faced disdain from almost everyone. They intended to doom Karsha, but that was far from the truth. While neither Karsha nor the Varon family may know it, the Old Man and the Hell Sister yed a significant role in getting him to the ind. The rest, of course, rested on Karsha''s shoulders. While the system might have made things easier for him, the fact that he didn''t fail any of the quests speaks volumes. The ind that was supposed to be his grave has now turned him into a force capable of fighting those three stages above him and even holding his own against those four stages above him. While this might be true for a select few, the fact that he can squash anyone in the Grandmaster Stage speaks volumes. And this is just the beginning of his cultivation journey. Once he unlocks his Persona, he will be even stronger than he currently is. Of course, a significant part of his sess is thanks to the Purple Tail Anacondas that aided him when he needed help. Had it not been for Ayarr''s timely intervention, he would probably be dead by now. He owes them a lot, and true to his word, Karsha will do whatever it takes to kill the Overlords, even if it''s thest thing he does. "I will be sure to teach these arrogant heirs a lesson or two. I will show them that General Karsha is no pushover," he dered. Turning back to the system, Karsha began reading the rest of the messages and learning about his newest passive ability. < Silence > -- Based on yourprehension of the Silent Wind element, your presence will be almost invisible making you an existence akin to a Phantom. While the element alone would be enough to hide his presence, Karsha is still at the beginner stage of his Silent Wind element. At this level, the element can only conceal him from those with weaker or lower cultivation stages. Currently, even Grandmaster cultivators can sense his presence. However, with his new passive ability, he can hide his existence to a certain degree even at this stage. While that may not seem like much, Karsha is no ordinary cultivator. He wields almost all eight primary elements and possesses incredibly high agility. His speed is already on par with a beginner Saint. Such speed,bined with a slight ability to hide his presence, means that even those at his level will struggle to keep up with him. While Semi-Saints and Saints might be able to detect his presence, Grandmaster stage cultivators will find it challenging. Moreover, not all Semi-Saints and Saints will be able to sense him urately. He is invincible among his peers, and this advantage will only grow as he advances his understanding of the Wind element. "System, be sure to purchase cultivation methods I can use to increase my mastery of the elements. I trust your judgment to surprise me." "Now to thest item, the Forbidden Fruit." A cold sweat appeared on Karsha''s forehead as he mentioned it. He obtained thest fruit from the scariest section of the ind, the Eternal Abyss. It is the domain of the strongest overlord, the Abyssal Leviathan. While the Overlord didn''t make an appearance when he was there, Karsha could swear he felt something calling out to him from within the forest. The feeling was anything but good. He sensed dread, chaos, and pain emanating from the darkness, which terrified even him. Had it not been for the venom he sought, stepping foot on that ind again would have been out of the question. There is little to no light on the ind; the deeper you go, the darker it gets. Karsha could even swear he felt a distant gaze upon him when he obtained the demonic fruit. Even the fruit scares him. It''s a pitch-ck, apple-like fruit. Unlike many fruits that have distinct colors, the Demon Fruit is entirely pitch ck. Its appearance alone is enough to signal danger to anyone. Karsha signed and then retrieved the demon fruit. At once, darkness started gathering around him. The fruit in his hands started absorbing the darkness and little by little, it started cracking. The visible crack could be hardly seen on the cover, but Karsha could feel them. The fruit was so dark even as it started to crack, Karsha couldn''t see the cracks. < The host is advised to consume the fruit and absorb its essence. Further dy will attract dreadful spirits... > Karsha didn''t need to think twice. He immediately tossed the fruit into his mouth, feeling an immediate darkening of his vision. Dark smoke began to emit from the sockets of his eyes, making him look the opposite of the golden aura he had exuded just a few hours earlier. Perhaps due to the dreadful essence of the fruit, Karsha''s skin started to crack, with dark fumes seeping through. The process continued for about two hours until he was once again cocooned, this time in pure, absolute darkness. "Arrgh!" A hoarse scream escaped his mouth, making the cocoon shudder in response. The essence began to be absorbed, and Karsha was in for a world of pain once again. Chapter 80 Born Out of Darkness Inside the cocoon, more and more cracks appeared on Karsha''s body as the Demon Fruit essence continued to transform the very fabric of his being. The main reason Karsha consumed the Demon Fruitst was due to the system warning him of the possible side effects. While there are various easier ways to awaken the Darkness element, using the Demon Fruit is considered an unconventional method. In fact, if an expert found out Karsha had used a Demon Fruit merely to awaken his element, they would either cough up blood in outrage or kill him outright for wasting such a valuable treasure. The Demon Fruit is meant to be used whenprehending Darkness-rtedws like Death, Decay, and simr concepts. Using it as a mere trigger to awaken an element is something many would consider a waste. However, who is Karsha? He is someone with a God-killer system destined to battle and kill gods. Using a Demon Fruit to awaken an element is but a normal thing to him. This reckless and power-hungry decision, however,es with a hefty price: pain. The pain thates from consuming a Demon Fruit without already possessing the Darkness element is unbearable. Karsha was really in over his head, and now he was paying the price. His body continued to crack, and he screamed in pain within the cocoon. There was no one present to sympathize with him; he was his own witness. Slowly, five hours passed, and the process continued unabated. Eventually, the cracks on his skin began to heal, and the darkness around him seeped into his body. Unlike his previous awakenings, which involved terrifying changes, this time only minor alterations manifested in his physique. However, his eyes underwent a profound transformation, appearing utterly terrifying. Instead of his golden-red eyes, he now had pitch-ck eyes. They held no beauty, only terror.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om This new gaze was more sinister than even his previous blood-red eyes. Staring into thoserge, round ck eyes conveyed only one clear message¡ªdanger. The new temporary eyes appeared to be a doorway to the deepest abyss. Looking into them threatened to pull your very being into the darkest depths. After the cocoon dissipated, Karsha essed the system and began checking his messages. He had received quite a few, most of them warnings about the dangers of consuming the fruit. However, a few messages stood out. < Ding! Congrattions, you have sessfully consumed a 10,000-year-old Demon Fruit > < Ding! Congrattions, you have awakened a darkness element: Absolute Darkness > < Because you couldn''t absorb all the darkness essence, a part has been condensed to awaken an innate talent ability: Third Eye; Demon Gaze > < Because you couldn''t absorb all the darkness essence, a part has been condensed to form one active skill, one passive skill, and a skill book > < You are advised to master the Absolute Darkness element to awaken the full potential of the Demon Gaze > Karsha''s eyes widened as he read through the messages. While this may sound like a normal thing to someone like Karsha, the darkness element he had awakened is anything but ordinary. There are various forms of Darkness, there is decay darkness, Control darkness, and death darkness. While their use is quite literal in their naming, there exists a form of darkness that reigns supreme over all other manifestations of darkness: the Absolute Darkness. True to its name, Absolute Darkness is absolute, endowing it with immense power. It embodies properties of decay, death, and all other facets of darkness, possessing the ability to adapt to any form of darkness. It epasses every aspect of darkness, rendering it the most potent form. However,prehending Absolute Darkness requires understanding the essence of all forms of darkness. As the saying goes, great poweres with great responsibility. It''s not an overstatement to say that Karsha has awakened the strongest element in existence, yet remains unaware of it. Since the system can only provide limited guidance for now, Karsha remains in the dark about many things. But perhaps, that is for the best since knowing a lotes with its share of troubles. < Absolute Darkness > -- They say the night is when darkest beings can reign supreme, while that may be true, there is no need to wait for the night if you can create your night. Tap into the essence of the absolute darkness and be the bringer of nights, the prince of darkness, the shadow demon. "Poetic as ever. Makes me wonder if this is the universe doing or the system" Karsha smiled heavily as read the description of the Absolute darkness element. ------------------ < Third Eye: Demon Gaze > -- They say two eyes are enough, but what if there was a third eye? One that has direct contact with the soul, consciousness, and terror. [Demon Gaze] -- Gaze into the eyes of your enemies and make them experience what real fear feels like. What ever you can think of, your third eye can do. -- The third eye can be used to house terrifying existence by capturing them and storing them in the depths of your gaze. -- You can also capture the deepest fear of your targets and store them in your third eye. -------------------- "System, what is an innate ability?" Innate abilities were new to him, so he turned to his one and only helper, the system. < Innate abilities are abilities that originate from within the consciousness of a person. They are inherent and cannot be learned externally. > "So that means I always had this terrifying skill even before I transmigrated to this world," Karsha asked again. < That is correct. > "Holy shit, I was this terrifying and didn''t even know it," Karshaughed out loud. "System, how strong is my third eye?" < At this point, it''s nothing but a void of darkness, so you can only use it to intimidate. However, when you start storing darkness and terror, you can incapacitate even those three realms above you. > "So I need to capture nightmares, huh?" Karsha let an evil grin spread across his lips. "I wonder what kind of nightmares Vance has every night." < Let''s not get ahead of ourselves, host. You still need to increase your mastery of the darkness element if you want to have a shot at capturing nightmares, fear, or pain. > "You don''t have to worry about that, system. I know my limits," Karsha said confidently. He then turned his attention back to the system, ready to explore his new abilities and chart the path ahead. --------------- [ Death Beam: C ] (Tier 10) -- By using 10,000 MP, shootser focus razor sharp beams of pure darkness from the eyes. This beam contains all kinds of terror so even if it doesn''t draw a hole in the target''s head, it will leave them some terror package and mental shock. ---------------- "Turning me into Superman, huh?" Karsha smiled slyly. The ability to shoot beams that deal with both physical and mental attacks was something he hadn''t expected. But then again, he had just awakened a third eye, so it wasn''t too strange to add a skill that allowed him to shoot focused beams. While many wouldn''t believe in such a bizarre ability, Karsha had already started formting ways to use the Death Beam for sneak attacks. "What''s the best way to kill your opponent if not by staring daggers at them and then, in an instant, BEAM! A hole right through their head, killing them instantly?" he mused to himself. "I like this skill," Karsha said, letting his happiness run wild. Turning back to the system, he essed the passive skill, eager to explore its potential. ------------------ [ Erase (Passive) ] -- When looking at people, the chances of them noticing your gaze are next to impossible. "Creepy, but I like it," he said, retrieving the skill book. He had expected something other than eyes, but to his surprise, the skill book was also eye-rted. However, it was a good one. --- < Eternal Demon Gaze > Tier: 10 Rating: E -- Manifest a magnanimous eye that carries the terror of a thousand. Let those who gaze into it experience a world of terror. Stay updated with empire -- It takes 10,000 MP to activate and 5,000 MP every second to maintain it. < Does the host wish to learn this skill? > "Yes," Karsha replied immediately. While the skill might seem underwhelming at first nce, he already saw the potential behind the Huge Demon''s eyes. "Also, add it to the Red Eye Tiger. I will be adding it to the domain," Karsha instructed. < The host has awakened all 8 elements, and the skills affiliated with these elements have been automatically added to the domain. Master them to unlock the full potential of the Death domain. > "Wait, when did that happen?" Karsha eximed. He had been struggling to add new skills to the domain, finding the process extremely difficult. Now, however, the skills had automatically been integrated into the very domain he had been wrestling with. He couldn''t believe it. If Karsha knew he had achieved in less than a month what many geniuses would take hundreds of years to aplish, he would have pped for himself. At his level, having a domain that powerful shouldn''t have been possible. He needed to be at the Great Sage stage andprehend aw to even consider forming a domain. Yet, Karsha had not only formed a domain, but he had also incorporated three different elements into it, making it seem like a walk in the park. Now, he had somehow gained a domain with all 8 elements incorporated into it. While this was already impressive, the real shock woulde when he managed to raise his affinity for all 8 elements to High. Once he achieved that, he could transform the domain into something even more terrifying. < After awakening all eight elements, the Red Eye Tiger skill has evolved, unlocking a unique ability called Inclusion. Its use is simple: whatever skill is added to the Red Eye Tiger will automatically be added to the domain. > "So, I can add as many skills as I want?" Karsha asked. < Yes. There is no limit. However, low-tier skills will have little to no effect on the domain. > "That''s good enough. I guess I''ll start my training now. I only have 36 days to master my skills," Karsha said, smiling evilly as he let his consciousness slip into the Subspace. For the next 864 days, he would train and master his skills inside the subspace, while spending only 36 days in the outside world¡ªmore like 18 days, thanks to the Time Tablet doubling the training period. Chapter 81 The Second Level of the Stormstride Ninefold Path From the beginning, Karsha nned toplete the quest and start training for his biggest challenge -killing the 10 Overlords. During the way, he had luckily chanced upon some items and techniques that further elevated his strength to the next height. One of the greatest gifts he had got was the subspace where he could train 24 hours there but just spend an hour in the real world. It was a great gift that couldn''t havee at the most opportune moment. So now that he is done with the quest and has awakened the 8 elements, his next n is to start the training. 864 days sounds like a long time but in the world of cultivation, that could be considered a blink of an eye. He first wanted to train his movement technique to the second level before tackling the other techniques and skills. With the first level mastered to the S rating, Karsha can now move to the next level, the Thunderstep level. The first level saw him learning 108 different steps where each step modifies the previous or the next. With each step at his fingertips, Karsha could now switch between movements without even thinking it. The movementbinations have now merged with his muscles so depending on the move he wanted to make or the attack he wanted to evade, he could easily do that without having to twist his body trying to evade a projectile forcefully. But while the first level is more about the hands-on approach, the next level has to deal with tapping into the lightning to move insane distances at a very fast speed. The second level deals with Karsha harnessing the thunder and lightning to move very fast and quickly. This level can also be used as an offensive move where Karsha could capitalize on the lightning at his disposal to not only evade but deal some damage. While that may not be a very powerful move, the lightning which has the effect of paralyzing targets can buy him some time to either counterattack or retreat depending on the situation. But to master the second level, Karsha has to revisit the first level. The second level is essentially the merging of the first-level movementbinations to create a more powerful one. The first level has 108 levels and for Karsha to attain an S rating in order to advance to the third level, he has to merge thebinations together to form 64 different variations. It means he can pick twobinations and merge them to form a new and advanced technique. He can also choose to merge the three to further elevate the power of the new movement formed. While it may sound easy, merging movements is far more difficult than one could hope. He first has to understand the essence of each movement, ess their likeness, and draw a line where the two or three moments could meet in other to form a new and robust version. Since it is a movement technique, Karsha has to understand how they are formed, he will then have to break them down to the atomic level and rebuild them back up while making sure there is no ovepping. Ovepping is when even a slight movement interferes with other moments. Let''s say the technique requires Karsha to start by moving his right leg while swinging his left arm, there will be an ovepping when instead of the left arm, he swings his right arm along with his right leg. When that happens, the damage will just be otherworldly. So for Karsha to get this right, he would have to be Dr. Frankenstein, he has to dissect the movementbinations and merge them with other techniques to achieve something new. ''I guess this will be fun then'' Gazing at his perfect clone created by the system, Karsha smirked. He envies the clone. What is there not to envy, here he is, trying to master and technique, and standing in front of him is his identical clone that has mastered the technique and even has different variations Karsha could try. The clone is just over the top and Karsha who is just starting to like the clone couldn''t help but smirk anytime he look at his serious face. But at least he has a clone that can help him create many different variations without him having to do it all by himself. Yes, the clone has created different variations, variations in the 300s and Karsha will have to select only 64 from them. Once selected, he will have to try to understand the way they are made and then master them to make them his own. Yes, it is a cheat but since no one is present to caution him against it, he could go on without any hindrance. ''Mastering the second level to 8binations will surely elevate my yin-yang lightning in the process. Perhaps, I can finally enter the Master stage killing two birds with one stone Karsa had initially wanted to master 64binations, however, that was when he got the blessing of the time tablet making him gain an additional 18 days which is 432 days in the system Subspace. With the added time and heightenedprehension speed, Karsha wanted to test if he could indeed achieve that goal. Well, he could attempt it since the clone already possessed thebinations; all he had to do was select and master them. "Let''s get started then, I don''t have all day," he thought. With that, the clone began executing variousbinations. Karsha''s brain immediately went to work. Indeed, hisprehension speed had tripled, further advancing his intelligence. While his intelligence may also contribute toprehending the techniques, Karsha needed to genuinely grasp the essence of each movement. Then, with that understanding, his intelligence could flourish, ensuring heprehended the intricacies of the movement. After the clone executed about 256 different variations, Karsha made it run in one more time. The ideal took 3 hours each time making Karsha have all the time to grasp it. He understood most of the variations at a single nce, but wanting to ensure he didn''t make any mistakes, Karsha again made the clone run it five more times. After the fifth time, a system notification shed into Karsha''s vision making him smile slyly. < Ding! You have attained an S rating in the Stormstride Ninefold Path: Second Level - Thunderstep > < You have mastered 64 differentbinations > < You have to master the techniques to advance to the next level >n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Karsha read the message with a smile. He then stood up and started executing the 64 new variations. 10 days went by but he still persisted making sure he drills the technique into his bones and muscles. 30 days, then came 40 days. After the 40th day, Karsha stopped and sat down. He then wished for the clone to further merge the 64binations. The clone true to its nature started executing another set of movements, more advanced and powerful than the previous ones. Like always, Karsha''s brain went into an overdrive making him grasp most of the movements at first nce. After 4 hours, the clone executed about 98 different variations making Karsha enter a deep thought as he essed the differentbinations and selected the ones he wanted. Selecting the wrong technique will surely leave him disappointed in the end. While that may be less likely, the chances of him not having the most powerful variations will one way or the other hinder his progress in the future. ''I envy you clone, I really do. How I wish I could be like you'' Karsha thought inwardly as hemanded the clone to start another set of the Variations. The clone executed the variations over and over again making Karsha''s understanding increase every time the clone ran a vrations. Five dayster Karsha had only selected 30 variations remaining two toplete the second set thereby attaining the SS rating. Find exclusive stories on empire ''While having a ring of lightning around me while running sounds fun and dope as fuck, I already have the lightning chain, an even better version for both offense and movement. I guess a cyclone is'' Karsha who was caught between two movement techniques pondered on it for a while before selecting a movement that would soon be his favorite. He then went ahead and reviewed another set of variations before picking thest one making him finally have his 32 set. With him already understanding how they work, it didn''t take long for the system notification to appear. He then used 20 days to run the 32binations for muscle understanding. < Ding! You have attained an SS rating in the Stormstride Ninefold Path: Second Level - Thunderstep > < You have mastered 32 differentbinations > < Ding! Your mastery of the First level has been raised to SS rating > ''Clone me, let''s start the third step, 16 Variations'' With 65 days gone, Karsha who has mastered 32binations has now started with the 16binations. 10 dayster Karsha still continued to watch the clone execute the 24 variations with a strong look. While the other variations looked easier, the 24 variations now have hundreds if not thousands of connections. Missing even 1 will mean he will have an iplete technique. That will be catastrophic so adding another 5 days, Karsha ran the variations again. On the 80th day, Karsha let a small smile escape his lips as he finally understood the essence behind 15 variations leaving only one more to go. He had already picked thest variation, it''s just that the connections he had to study are in the thousands making him run that particr variation over 100 times. < Ding! You have attained an SSS rating in the Stormstride Ninefold Path: Second Level - Thunderstep > < You have mastered 16 differentbinations > < Ding! Your mastery of the First level has been raised to SSS rating > After the 85th day, Karsha finally grasped thest variations making his mastery enter the SSS rating. He then willed the clone to start the 8binations. "Holy shit" Karsha cursed out loud when the clone executed the first variation. The variation is perhaps the mostplex and robust one he has seen so far. Chapter 82 Mastering the 8 Variations "Holy shit," Karsha muttered, staring at the hundreds of thousands of connections required for a single variation the clone was executing. He couldn''t help but curse out loud in disbelief. "It''s just tooplex." The variation was called [Cyclone Dash]. True to its name, the technique involved fusing lightning with wind to create a miniature cyclone that not only propelled the wielder forward but also dealt offensive damage. The variation was more of an attack-movement technique than just a mere movement one. Despite its power, Karsha couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed by the nearly 3,000 connections he needed to understand to master the technique. The exact number of connections is 2,896, making it almost three times the variations he had mastered in the previous steps. "How am I going to get this done on time?" Karsha wondered aloud. With an added 18 days, he allotted 200 days to master the second level of the Stormstride Ninefold Path. His goal was to master the second level within those 200 days before moving on to the next stage. However, with 2,896 connections contained in just a single variation, mastering it andpleting the others in time seemed like a child''s dream. However, Karsha didn''t let that hinder him. He still had 115 days left. Even if he couldn''t master all 8 variations, he could at least master half and finish the restter. After all, he could still ess the system Subspace in the human world. While this might be a viable n, he knew he had a better chance against the overlords if he mastered all 8 variations. "This is just another challenge in your path, General Karsha. No need to let it ovee you," Karsha said in a strange voice, perhaps mimicking someone from his past life on Earth. Since that seemed to encourage him, he turned back to the clone and startedprehending the connections. With his enhancedprehension speed, he began to understand some aspects almost instantly. The connections were linked not only to his yin-yang lightning but also to his silent wind, giving him a slight increase in his understanding of the wind along the way. While this wasn''t enough to break into the Medium affinity stage of the Silent Wind element, it was still progress. Two days went by in a sh, but Karsha never moved a finger. In that time, he hadprehended about 700 connections, but that wasn''t enough. There were over 2500 connections, and before he could master Cyclone Dash, he had toprehend them all. Five dayster, he hadprehended 2400 connections, but the task only became more difficult. The connections grew increasinglyplex. He had to understand how each one interlinked with the next, how theymunicated with each other, and how best to link them together. He had to ensure he didn''t mistake one connection for another. Eight dayster, Karsha let a small smile escape his lips. He hadprehended 2890 connections, leaving only six more to go. The remaining six connections were about linking all the other connections to form something akin to a nucleus. Imagine the connections as threads that need to be tied together to form a. Thest six connections were the threads that linked all the others together. While this might sound rtively easy, linking the wrong thread meant starting all over again. It was like connecting a live wire to a neutral one. ''You have only one shot at this, Karsha. Don''t mess it up,'' he thought to himself. After encouraging himself some more, Karsha started watching the clone continue to execute the variation. Two dayster, Karsha smiled as he let his mind rx a little. He had finallyprehended all 2,896 connections. The was now connected and ready to be cast. He had expected the first variation to take more time, but surprisingly, it only took 10 days. Well, it was his fault for underestimating his intelligence and the effect of the time tablet. However, his mind was now exhausted, so he needed to slow down and let his brain recover before starting on the second variation. After five hours of rest, Karsha beganprehending the second variation. It was called Rapid Thunderstep Surge. This variation involved fusing electric charges into the cells and using them to propel the body forward at an incredibly fast pace. At top speed, the person would look like a blur. It was an improved version of the Rapid Burst variation from the 108 variations in the first level. "1,002 connections, huh?" Karsha arched an eyebrow as he read the number of connections he had to master. Although there were just 1,002 connections, they were nothing like the first set. The first variation involved using wind and electricity to move. Now, however, he had to fuse electricity directly into his cells. Thankfully, as the clone executed the movements, Karsha could see the flow of electric charge passing through his veins, meridians, and cells. The visualization was so clear that it made Karsha marvel at the power of the system and its subspace. "Simple enough," he thought. After spending an entire day watching the clone execute the movements countless times, Karsha began the fusion process. He started from his feet and gradually worked his way up to his upper body. Eight dayster, Karsha was still left with 10 connections toprehend. He had linked the energy cells in almost every part of his body. The only part left was his most vital organ¡ªthe brain. Even linking the heart had been rtively simple for him. However, the brain was a whole different challenge. He knew he had to proceed slowly. Fortunately, with how much he had observed the clone, it didn''t take long for him to link 5 neurons without much difficulty. He proceeded to link the remaining connections, and by the end of the tenth day, all 1,002 connections had been established. "Arcing Blitz," Karsha said aloud. After resting for six hours, he beganprehending the third variation. Surprisingly, this variation only had one connection, albeit a very important one. With the wind already linked to the first variation, all he had to do was advance that connection to the next level. After just five days, Karsha understood what needed to be done. He had to infuse the wind into the lightning. While the first variation involved infusing lightning into the wind, now he had to reverse the process, which proved rtively straightforward. The Arcing Blitz allowed him to glide with extreme speed, akin to the wind. When he needed to escape while delivering onest blow, the Arcing Blitz was key. It enabled him to traverse obstacles effortlessly, using the momentum and wind to ascend gracefully and descend with lightning speed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om After he was done fusing the wind into the lightning, he moved on to the fourth variation, which also took him 10 days toprehend. This one was called Electroburst Dash. Simr to the first and third variations, it used the wind, making it even more powerful than expected. Electroburst Dash utilized both wind and crackling electricity to propel the user forward at extremely high speeds. The remarkable aspect was that the speed with which one started moving could be maintained, allowing the user to sustain their top speed for as long as they wished. This fourth variation was ideal forrge-scale battles, where numerous targets could be taken down with lightning-fast speed. It was incredibly powerful, and after meticulous weaving and connecting, Karsha managed toprehend it fully. He then moved on to the fifth variation, which took him twelve days toprehend. While that may seem like a long time for a single variation, Karsha truly struggled with this one. The variation was called [Tempest Flicker]. It was a technique that made the user flicker in and out of existence. Essentially, the person had to supercharge their cells, making them so vtile that their body could transform into something akin to an afterimage. His cells would be in an excited state, allowing him to expand his body to the point where an iing object would pass right through him. This technique was incredibly advanced and could have taken many years to understand. Unbeknownst to Karsha, he hadprehended part of the spacew, a feat that required significant effort andpensation. The sixth and seventh stages took him just ten days each. The sixth, [Thunderp Leap], involved charging the cells in his legs to propel himself upward. This ability allowed him to leap into the air and descend with a thunderp, enabling him to evade and counter before retreating. The seventh variation was [Static Surge Glide]. This movement allowed him to glide like the wind while weaving a chain of lightning in his wake. He would move so fast that all anyone could see was the lightning chain he had woven, which would trap targets, allowing him to escape or counter. "One more to go," he thought, contemting thest and greatest variation: The Sonic Bolt Dash. This variation transformed the user into a streak of lightning that shed across the battlefield. The surge was so powerful that, at full mastery, the user could cover 100 kilometers in a second. In the blink of an eye, they could move and kill a target without anyone knowing what had happened. Karsha spent about twenty days mastering all 3,000 connections. He tried various methods to understand the connections, but theirplexity was overwhelming. However, after slowing down and carefully watching the clone perform the variations repeatedly, he finally managed to grasp it. "This feels like forever," Karsha sighed. He then stood up, stretched for a while, and activated the eight variations. Instantly, he surged forward, executing a series of maneuvers. Watching him jump up and descend with a thunderp was both beautiful and terrifying. He had achieved something remarkable, though he would only fully understand its significance when the real challenge began. < Ding! You have attained an SSS+ rating in the Stormstride Ninefold Path: Second Level - Thunderstep > < You have mastered 8 differentbinations > < Ding! Your mastery of the First Level has been raised to SSS+ rating > "Time to build some walls, I guess," he said, feeling aplished with the movement technique. He then moved on to the defense technique, the Titan Defense Art, intending to master the first two levels. Chapter 83 Titan Defense Art First Level (1) Having an offensive or movement technique is undoubtedly advantageous. You can easily evade or neutralize your targets without much stress. In fact, many prioritize offense over defense. However, while offensive and movement techniques are great, defense is extremely important. Most argue that being fast enough or possessing wless movement techniques can help evade any attack. But what if evasion is not an option? What if you find yourself in a situation where the only recourse is to raise your defense? In such scenarios, having the best defense bes imperative. Fortunately, Karsha has acquired one such technique. The Titan Defense Art is an immensely powerful defensive technique that can rival even the most formidable techniques employed by powerful shieldbearers, who are renowned for their robust defenses. This technique originates from the Chaos Era¡ªan era of power, war, and chaos. The danger was everywhere, and the only way to survive was to be the strongest. It was during this time that a race called the Titans emerged. These colossal beings wielded shields and weapons that towered several meters high. They possessed such immense strength that a single blow from them was enough to level an entire moon. Known as behemoths in that era, they truly lived up to their name. What makes them stand out in defense is the natural element every single Titan awakens¡ªthe Earth element. They are masters of bending the earth to their will. Their control over the earth element is unparalleled, and almost all their defensive and offensive skills revolve around it. For Karsha to have acquired a defense technique from the Titans, he has indeed struck gold. However, this technique isn''t one that simply requires the practitioner to follow a pre-set path and master existing forms. Instead, it is about understanding the Earth elemental and using it to shape one''s own defense. The first level is called Titan Wall. However, Karsha won''t be able to ess pre-made walls that he can summon by spending MP. Instead, he mustprehend the ways of the Earth''s elements and use them to shape walls capable of withstanding powerful attacks. However, that is easier said than done. To create something as formidable as the Titan Wall, Karsha must first gain a deep understanding of the Earth element. He needs toprehend how it feels, how it is shaped, and how each grain of sand moves against the other. He must also understand how the earth responds to external influences. Once he masters the basics, he can progress to the transformation phase, where he will learn to manipte the earth into any shape or form. He must understand how to align each grain of sand to create a solid block or how to mold the earth into towering walls. To delve deeper, he will need to revisit the fundamentals, focusing on the transformation of matter and learning how to transmute earth into other minerals. This means learning to transmute earth into gold, diamond, or even Vibranium. It all depends on his understanding and creative abilities. Naturally, Karsha, ever ambitious, aims to craft a defense so formidable that many would deem it imprable. However, achieving this goal requires him to push the limits of his mind and unravel the intricacies of the Earth''sposition,prehending each atom and how theybine to form solid and powerfulpounds. "Ha, at the end of the day, it''s just another challenge to ovee so I can rise higher," Karsha let out a weakugh. He knew it wouldn''t be easy, but a part of him kept urging him to follow that path. "System, how far can the clone help meprehend the ways of the earth?" Find your next read at empire < The Subspace is only Tier 1, so the clone''s affinity to the Earth Element is only Medium. This will allow it to transmute the Earth into Krystallos metal. > "Great, but what is Krystallos?" Karsha asked, expecting this response. He wasn''t disappointed¡ªin fact, he had hoped for something like this. While having a clone with a near-perfect understanding of his technique and a space to learn it almost effortlessly sounded appealing, Karsha saw it as a cheat. He craved challenges and wanted to experience these things firsthand. The clone was useful, but it could not exceed the SSE level when using a skill. For someone to rise above that level, they would need to gain enlightenment, and as a clone, it didn''t possess such capabilities. However, when ites to elemental mastery, the clone doesn''t have the same level of proficiency as it does with other skills and techniques. The subspace regtes the clone''s abilities, and since the subspace rank is currently at Tier 1, the clone only has a medium-stage mastery of the elements. This means it is limited to only a few things, one of which is the strange word the system had just introduced to Karsha. < Krystallos is what you call a diamond in your world. Diamonds are minerals that can be used for various purposes. However, in transmutation, the created minerals bear different names to distinguish them from the real metals. > "So after Krystallos, are there any other levels of metals I can learn to transmute?" Karsha asked. < Yes. The order is as follows: Gold (Aurum), Diamond (Krystallos), Vibranium (Vibranus), Adamantium (Adamos), Celestium, Kyreum, Arkonite, Nexarion, and Eternium. So far, these are all the metals I know that can be transmuted from the Earth element. Who knows, maybe there are many others out there. > Karsha looked at the order and let a defeated sigh escape his lips. His imagination had been too limited. How could he think a diamond was the strongest metal of all? Perhaps it was because, on Earth, diamonds are regarded as the hardest natural material. "How the hell are Vibranium and Adamantium real?" he muttered. Back on Earth, these two metals are purely fictional. Vibraniumes from the Panther god Bast, and Adamantium is from the remains of the Celestials¡ªboth are made-up things. So, seeing that they are real and knowing that one day he mightprehend them, Karsha couldn''t help but ask rhetorical questions. "Does it mean the superheroes are all real?" "So Superman and the others are all real. Damn, does it mean I can one day meet Wonder Woman?" "Damn, I''m getting too old for this shit," he grumbled, turning his focus back to the matter at hand. Karsha let out another sigh before asking the system onest question. "How strong is a diamond defense, and what rtion does it have with my Earth element?" < A diamond defense is strong enough to withstand Tier 10 attacks and even lower the damage output of a Tier 11 attack. While that may not seem like much, imagine a 3,000-meter-tall mountain and visualize a spearman throwing their spear into the mountain. The spear strikes the base of the mountain and instantly crumbles. That''s how strong a 10% attack from a Tier 10 individual is. > "That sure is powerful. All the more reason for me to upgrade this Subspace," Karsha remarked. At its current tier, the ce was merely a vast grasnd with no mountains or rivers. Visualizing this would be meaningless. < Regarding the connection between your element and diamond, there indeed is a connection. While your current mastery is limited, you have a strong affinity for the diamond mineral. This means your chances of sessfully transmuting a diamond are extremely high. > "That''s what I like to hear," Karsha smiled happily. He allocated only 300 days for the defense, considering it the most important task. If after 300 days he wasn''t able to create the diamond defense, he would consider extending the time. After all, it''s better to be safe than sorry. Karsha then turned his attention back to the clone, and as expected, the clone began bending the earth. The initial process was very simple¡ªso simple, in fact, that Karsha could instantly understand it. It involved feeling the sand and how the grains interacted with each other. Much like the movement technique, where he could see the threads linking each connection to the next, this process had a simr framework. All he needed to learn was how the earth felt, how it behaved, and how best to use that feeling and behavior to control it. Days went by, and Karsha remained focused. The clone had run countless processes, providing Karsha with a wealth of perspectives to explore. He had differentbinations to try and multiple connections to establish, but he wasn''t in any rush. He aimed to achieve what many considered an impable design. He sought to create a formidable defense that would serve as the foundation for his fortress. It wouldn''t be easy, but for the first time in a long while, Karsha felt confident in his ability to construct something truly remarkable by understanding the fundamentals.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Ten dayster, Karsha remained in the same posture, observing the clone at work. Hisprehension had significantly improved. He could now sense the earth around him and even began to feel a peculiar connection with the sand as if he couldmunicate with it. This connection seemed distant, yet just barely out of his reach. It drew closer, and for the first time, Karsha knew this was the way forward. If he could tap into that sensation, he would be able to bend the earth to his will, gaining a deeper understanding of its nature. After all, the best way to truly know someone is tomunicate with them. If Karsha manages to gain mastery over this skill, he will be an entity akin to the true Titans from the Chaos Era. He will be someone who can effortlessly interact with the earth around him and bend it to his will. However, that is easier said than done. While the prospect of attaining such power is enticing, he must first establish an unbreakable connection with the Earth, allowing him tomunicate with it. Twenty dayster, Karsha''sprehension of the earth''s elements continued to soar. It was escting so rapidly that even Karsha himself couldn''t fully grasp what was happening. If only he knew he had an innate talent formunicating with anything, he would have realized he was much more extraordinary than he had thought. Chapter 84 Titan Defense Art First Level (2) Karsha is what they call a universal enigma, someone who can understand and decipher anynguage, sound, or echo. This talent is both a curse and a blessing. The curse lies in his ability to hear almost anything and understand it easily, and the blessing is precisely the same: he canprehend anything with rtive ease. Karsha''s talent is unique, and if utilized well, he will be able to grasp the essence behind anything effortlessly. However, the curse means that even sounds meant to be simple and pleasing now hold meanings for him. He can no longer enjoy something as basic as listening to the wind at the beach. The waves carry hundreds of messages, and as a universal enigma, Karsha can subconsciously decipher all of them. Thus, his gift is both a blessing and a curse. There is no telling what kind of disgusting things he will be able to understand. But at this very moment, Karsha is using the blessing part of his gift without even realizing it. The ability to converse with elements is extraordinary. No one else can im such luck. It''s unheard of, so for Karsha to have this unique ability means he is truly blessed. "Almost there," Karsha thought. Twenty dayster, he could finally feel himself grasping the final thread that would allow him to form amunication channel with the element. He sensed his reach connecting with the element, and for the first time in many days, a smile crept from the corner of his lips. On the twenty-second day, Karsha let a sigh escape his lips as he finally formed a connection with the element. However, to his surprise, the connection that was supposed to be with only the Earth element extended to the other elements as well. In short, the connection was established with all eight elements. That''s when the problem arose. Due to the unique nature of his bond with the elements, Karsha''s brain became flooded with information from all 8 elements. He couldn''t discern which information belonged to which element, as they all melded together into a chaotic jumble. "This is bad. How do I sort through this information and differentiate each element?" Karsha was at a loss. Despite his expanded reach with the elements, he couldn''t decipher how to proceed, as all the necessary information tomunicate with them had be jumbled together. "One step at a time, I guess," he thought. After running multiple scenarios in his mind, Karsha came up with a solution. He willed the clone to perform one elemental move for each element, hoping this would help him identify which thread belonged to which element. For forty days, Karsha sat and observed the clone. Day by day, his understanding expanded. By the fortieth day, he managed to untangle the information and establish a clear connection with the elements. Forgetting about the other elements, Karsha immediately initiatedmunication with the Earth element. In less than a second, he received a response, but it didn''te in the way he expected. The response wasn''t an alphabet-typemunication cipher; instead, it came in the form of unique andplex runic diagrams. These diagrams contained various runic symbols that required multiple interpretations to understand their essence. But while this might seemplex to others, for Karsha, the understanding clicked instantly. He was able to interpret the runic diagrams effortlessly. "How did I do that?" he wondered. But since his brain didn''t fail him, Karsha started conversing with the element as naturally as a human would with another person. Two dayster, Karsha smiled broadly. He had achieved what he wanted: he could finallyprehend the Earth Element and bend it to his will. With thisprehension, he was ready to begin the transmutation phase, for which he already had a clear n in mind. "Does this mean I am now friends with the elements?" Karsha pondered. His talent indeed is unusual. Forming such a deep connection with an element was unheard of. "Well, I guess there are benefits to being friends with the elements of nature," Karsha mused. With that thought, he began practicing how to manipte the earth. He started by isting each grain of sand, recognizing that even in its simplest form, it represented an element. Drawing from basic scientific principles, hebined these elements to form apound, but thispound would be far more profound than one might expect. The newpound Karsha sought to create would possess a unique nature. Typically, transmutation urs after thepound is formed. However, after two days of conversing with the element, Karsha learned that to create the strongest form of diamond, he had to transmute each grain of sand into a diamond before amalgamating them to form apound. It''s the most difficult path one could take, but Karsha, with the elements as his allies, was confident he could achieve it without much struggle. All he had to do was follow the understanding he gained from the Earth element. Fifty days went by in a sh, and Karsha was still not doneprehending the intricacies of atomic transmutation. Yes, what he was trying to achieve was called atomic transmutation, transmuting the element at the atomic level. The process isplex and time-consuming, but Karsha has time on his hands and, with his eleratedprehension speed, he is confident he can achieve it without much struggle. < Your understanding of the Diamond Earth Element has increased > On the 55th day, Karsha received his first progress report afterprehending the essence of transmuting elements at the atomic level. This modest achievement filled Karsha with satisfaction and motivated him to press on. The next stage involved learning how to assemble these atomic elements into a solid and robust wall. Karsha didn''t allow this small achievement to inte his ego. Wasting no time, he embarked on the second phase of his endeavor. He needed to ensure that assembling the small grains of diamonds would be wlessly executed. They must not be statically packed together. He had to impart some dynamic nature to the structure so that when an attacknded on it, the force would be evenly distributed among the small atomic grains that had been linked together. < Your understanding of the Diamond Earth Element has increased > < Your understanding of the Diamond Earth Element has increased > < Your understanding of the Diamond Earth Element has increased > < Your understanding of the Diamond Earth Element has increased > --- --- --- < Your understanding of the Diamond Earth Elemental has increased > On the 70th day, Karsha smiled. He stood up and flicked his hand. Instantly, the ground shook, and slowly, the earth rose to form a 5-meter tall wall with a thickness of about 1 foot. The wall shone with a diamond-like grace, making Karsha swallow hard as he admired its beauty. He couldn''t help but wonder how wealthy he could have be if he had possessed this power back on Earth. "Don''t let this get to your head," Karsha reminded himself, aware of how a small achievement like this could corrupt weaker minds. He knew he had to remain focused. Summoning his sword, Karsha activated the Fire Beam attack, releasing a densely packed arc of me that mmed into the diamond wall. He expected it to shatter immediately, given the wall''s mere foot thickness. However, to his surprise, the attack bounced off the diamond, leaving only a small mark. "More power," he muttered. Charging the attack with even more mana and essence, Karshaunched another attack. This time, the wall shook slightly, and a crack appeared. The third attack, even more powerful than the previous ones, finally shattered the wall, making Karsha smile with satisfaction. He had indeed expected the diamond to shatter on the first attack, but it took an attack strong enough to split a small mountain just to leave a crack. "To thest phase, I guess," Karsha remarked, turning back to the clone. He willed the clone to perform somebinations, using it as an experiment to determine the best method for stackingyers of the walls withoutpromising their strength. On the 85th day, Karsha smiled as he stood up and beheld the new diamond wall he had created. It stood 7 meters tall, 5 meters wide, and 1 meter thick. "I have to say, General Karsha, you have outdone yourself this time," Karsha mused, admiring the magnificent diamond wall standing 10 meters away from him. From his perspective, the diamond was transparent, allowing him to see through it. However, those standing opposite him would perceive only a translucent wall made of diamonds. BOOM! An attack mmed into the wall, leaving only smoke marks. Karsha, who had channeled about 40% of his mana, stood with his mouth wide open, gazing at the wall in awe. The attack he had used was powerful enough to kill a tier 6 monster, yet the wall stood tall and unmoving. It was bizarre. To confirm the wall''s strength, Karsha instructed the clone to use the Fire Beam skill at full capacity. Karsha aimed to test the fire beam with SSE mastery to gauge the strength of his Titan wall defense. The clone walked to his side and raised its sword. Instantly, the sword lit up with scorching hot mes, making Karsha break into a cold sweat. The power emanating from the sword was so immense that Karsha instinctively took a few steps back. "So this is how powerful a Tier 8 skill with SSE mastery feels," Karsha thought, instantly motivated to achieve even more. The clone swung the sword down in a vertical arc, releasing a 10-meter-tall wave of pure me that hurtled through the air with fiery intensity. The entire space around Karsha shook as the attack approached the diamond wall. Find your next adventure on empire At that moment, Karsha realized that no matter how many diamond walls he stacked together, he would never be able to fully defend himself against that attack. However, he didn''t let that discourage him. As he watched the arc m into the diamond wall, there was a second dy before the first crack appeared. Recognizing what needed to be done, Karsha immediately formed anotheryer behind the first wall. Then another, and another. Within two seconds, Karsha expended about 200,000 MP to form sixyers of walls, stacking them one behind the other. The attack took three seconds to shatter the firstyer and another six seconds to break through the second, third, and fourthyers. Despite losing half of its power, the me arc managed to shatter all the walls, demonstrating the immense power of the Fire Beam attack at SSE mastery.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Damn," Karsha smiled, impressed by the formidable power he had witnessed. Chapter 85 Building the Strongest Fortress "So that''s how it is huh, I just have to let a small gap appear between eachyer" Karsha who understood the reason behind theyer shattering came up with a solution. By leaving gaps between theyers, the energy traveling through the walls will lose contact with the nextyer, making eachyer absorb new energy without overloading. Eachyer will absorb its new energy bringing down the power level of the attack for the nextyer to absorb. "I can use this to build the fortress." Karsha seeing a way forward for the next level started formting ways to build the strongest fortress. The second level has to do with stacking up the Titan walls to create a strong enough fortress. While the fortress may not seem like a strong defense, it will all depend on Karsha. How he builds it will determine how strong the defense will be. In other to build a firm house, the foundation has to be strong and perfect. Karsha has already established that. His foundation is as strong as ever. He has created the strongest diamond defense and using that, he will be able to create the best fortress that can house a couple of hundred allies. But of course, just like the first level, Karsha has toe up with the structure of the fortress. There isn''t any predefined shape that can be molded by him, He has toe up with the blueprint. Luckily, Karsha has watched two of the greatest superheroes created by Humans over the century. "Blending the Batcave and fortress of solitude should be enough for this level" Karsha smiled weakly as memories of his time at the cinema with his family shed through his mind. However, he didn''t let that get in the way of things. He has a mission and form ones, Karsha is nning on killing two beds with one stone. Blending the Batcave and the Fortress of solitude means Karsha will have both a defense and offense and for that, Karsha has to seek permission first from the two elements he intends to use. The Batcave will utilize the Diamond, which he will attempt to persuade the Earth element to provide. For the Fortress, Karsha will be reaching out to the Ice element, with whom he already has a connection. A connection that Karsha himself has begun to doubt was established by him. Despite his doubts, since he requires assistance, he ns to contact the elements, as proceeding without doing so may vite some unknown rules of which he is unaware. He learned about some of these rules from his conversation with the Earth element. While he can technically create a diamond, he cannot sell it, as this would undermine the purpose and value of genuine diamonds. However, he could use it personally for decoration and other purposes. With this in mind, Karsha initiated a conversation with the Earth element, as he was already acquainted with it. The conversationsted three days, and on the third day, Karsha and the Earth element finally reached an agreement. All that needed to be done now was to contact the ice. He intends to use the ice for both defense and offense. He already has a simple mechanism in ce that using the Ice will be perfect for. His conversation with the ice element was quicker than he had thought. He got to know about all the rules there is to using two elements together. Basically, there was no rule against that. However, the process isplex and to Karsha''s surprise, the element challenged him. If he manages to bend the two elements together to form the defense he wants, he will be granted knowledge on how to cultivate all elements together. This offer was enticing and Karsha of course epted it. However, it was the same offer that made Karsha believe his suspicions. The elements rather reached out to him, and not the other way round. He wasn''t the one that initiated the connection, it was rather the elements, and for whatever reason that was, Karsha decided to remain oblivious for now. Ten Overlords await and wasting time on matters of the unknown is but a waste. With the knowledge already acquired from his conversation, Karsha startedprehending the ways of the Ice. He has about 215 days for his 300 days target to reach and he intends to create the strongest and the grandest defense in the history of the universe. < Your understanding of the Absolute Ice Elemental has increased > < Your understanding of the Absolute Ice Elemental has increased > < Your understanding of the Absolute Ice Elemental has increased > 40 dayster Karsha still continues toprehend the ice element. Strangely, instead of how he uses the hands-on approach for the earth element. Karsha was rather in a lotus posture muttering some strange sounds. Around him, frozen solid with the temperature in the negative zone. He was using what he got to know from the element as the Ice Mantra. It''s aplex Runic Enigma-type technique that allows the user to understand theplex nature of the element by breaking it down to the atomic level and building it back up atom by atom. It''s aplex technique that requires absolute focus and for one, Karsha has gotten the focus he required. His mind was in a state of came yet an overdrive. He was crunching countlessbinations, Variations, and forms and at the same time maintaining a focused mind. < Your understanding of the Absolute Ice Elemental has increased > < Your understanding of the Absolute Ice Elemental has increased > On the 70th day, Karsha opened his eyes. His demeanor has transformed. Although he is just a consciousness, the Aura he is now exuding has a chilling nature to it. If Auraes in levels, Karsha''s own will be somewhere at the Grandmaster level. The process transformed him, a feeling that even traveled to the outside world. Around 100 meters around him was frozen solid leaving only the Time Tablet unaffected for obvious reasons. "We start now." Saying that Karsha started with the building blueprint in mind. Imagine a rectangr structure with a wide enough area to house a couple of hundred people. The rectangr structure will have thin walls, 4 feet thick to be precise. However, these walls with be linked together by pure absolute ice. The ice which is absolute meaning it has all the nature of other ice will act as a fusion link between the walls. But that is just for the structure. Inside the walls, there will be several chains that can be held onto in case the defense is tanking powerful attacks. This will also allow the allies that will be caught with the defense walls to channel their mana easily which will further increase the steadiness of the fortress. Then once that was done, The ice and diamond which look simr in appearance will be fashioned into a dome that instead of having a static nature will be made maliable. This is to enhance the energy absorption ability Karsha has in mind. Yes, Karsha will be channeling that energy to power some Ice cannon he will be leaving inside the defense. He already has a way to do that. His mastery of the earth element is now higher than before so creating a mere cannon will be easy. If only Karsha knew making this decision would soon set him on a path that would enable him to create a real imprable defense and heaven-shattering attacks. Once that was done, he intended to add onest skill to the domain of which the system would be taking care of. He wanted to disce some of the energy. Once all this is put together, the ice acting as the offense will reminiscence the defensive mode of the fortress, and the imprable rectangle structure will be the hidden Batcave. "I am a genius" Karshaughed heavily looking at the magnificent structure the clone had fashioned based on Karsha''s rmendation. The fortress expands a little over 100 meters in diameter and stands 5 meters tall. However, the magnificencees from the glittering diamond reflection of the real fortress that looks more like a house than a defense structure.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om So with a little over 100 days to go, Karsha got to business as he started creating the defense, even making some small adjustments. It took him exactly 100 days to finish it. "Alright clone Me, bombard the fortress with some attacks." The clone materialized a sword and started sending a barrage of attacks. The fortress stood firm against all odds. However, when the clone used the SSE form of the Fire beam attack, a huge crack appeared in it. Of course, that could easily be fixed by pouring more Mana into it, however, Karsha realizes something else. "Even though the second level is powerful, it still requires a lot of Mana to activate. Maintaining it is another problem." Indeed, the second level requires him to expend 50,000 of his Mana to create and 10,000 every second to Maintain it. Although he has more than enough Mana for that when in battle, everyst drop of Mana is essential. "I suppose it''s fortunate that allies within the fortress can channel their Mana," Karsha sighed, allowing his mind to crunch some numbers before a small smile escaped his lips. "Ah, why worry? I can easily regenerate Mana in no time, thanks to my enhanced regeneration ability. There''s nothing to fret over, I suppose." With a 70% increase in speed for regenerating his Mana and Stats, Karsha could use as much Mana as he wished without concern. He allowed the Clone to bombard the defenses for ten whole days while assessing how to utilize his defenses to their fullest potential. Over the course of these 10 days, Karsha explored all the mechanisms he had incorporated into the domain. Once satisfied with the results, he deactivated it and decided to rest for a while. "I guess it''s time to see if the Dark Prince Art lives up to the Hype" With movement and Defense, Karsha moved to the offense technique he was cursed with, The Dark Prince Hell Art. A technique that will one day put Karsha in the path of Chaos and Blood. "Let''s summon some swords I guess" Chapter 86 The Dark Prince Hell Art Mastery (1) The Dark Prince Hell Art was a technique steeped in a curse. In fact, the entire technique was a curse. The being who bestowed it upon Karsha was a true maniac, one who found entertainment in the suffering of others. Over the years, countless innocents have fallen prey to this ploy. They sought powerful techniques, only to encounter a sadist who thrived on their misery. The Dark Prince himself was a powerful entity who rose to prominence hundreds of thousands of years ago. Emerging from the ashes of a ruined world, he ascended to the pinnacle of power. Rumor had it that during his peak, a Demon King offered him the position of Demon Lord. Surprisingly, the Dark Prince declined¡ªa position that could have cemented him as an unchallengeable powerhouse. But despite rejecting such a potent offer, no one dared toe after him or plot against him. He was that powerful, and much of his formidable reputation stemmed from his go-to technique¡ªthe Dark Prince Hell Art. This technique, whichprised nine levels, was a heaven-splitting attack that no one in their right mind would dare confront. It was said that during the Dark Invasion, the Dark Prince single-handedly cleared a Tier 14 gate while he was just at the Expert stage (Tier 12). Yes, he killed a Tier 14 Terror World Boss while being merely an Expert stage cultivator. Though others had achieved simr feats, they had to use all their might to aplish it. The Dark Prince, however, became legendary because of the manner in which he did it. He killed a Tier 14 Terror World Boss, a significant achievement in itself, but the true shock came from those brave enough to witness the battle. Many said it was a hard-fought battle, while others imed he was holding back. Truth be told, those who witnessed the battle reported that the Dark Prince only activated up to the seventh level of the Dark Prince Hell Art. No one saw the eighth or ninth levels, which were rumored to have the power to shatter an entire world. The fact that he only used the first seven levels was both mind-shattering and mind-numbing. However, shortly after that invasion, the Dark Prince vanished, leaving everyone wondering where he had gone and when he would return. After years of waiting with no news of the maniac, people eventually gave up searching for him. Then, about 100,000 years ago, individuals randomly started acquiring the technique coveted by many powerhouses: the first two levels of the Dark Prince Hell Art. This triggered another wave of rumors about the long-lost Dark Prince. As more people began obtaining the technique, the rumors subsided. However, it was then that many of these individuals started disappearing, never to be heard from again. All who received the technique initially rose to prominence, only to vanish mysteriously, one after the other. Years passed, and the number of people acquiring the technique dwindled until itpletely stopped 10,000 years ago. Since then, no one had gotten lucky¡ªor unlucky¡ªuntil Karsha broke that deadlock. He broke 10,000 years of deadlock and became the sole holder of the Dark Prince Hell Art, and perhaps, he would be thest. However, what no one, not even the Dark Prince, could have anticipated was that thest person to receive the technique had an entirely different n for how toprehend and utilize it. ============ < Dark Prince Hell Art > -- Ahh, another lucky bastard or should I say another prey has fallen victim to my ploy. Well, this is the greatest technique you can ever wield, be sure to master it, trust me, you will need it one way or the other. Hahahaha Rank: Divine Levels: Nine ( Two Avable ) [ Level 1: Sword Pool (F) ] Using 10,000MP or more, Materialise the Mighty Avatar of the Dark Prince which will open the pool of countless swords. Based on your mastery of the skill, summon the swords and let the Dark One Rain down hell on your enemies. F = 10 swords E = 100 swords D = 1000 swords C = 10,000 swords B = 100,000 swords A = 1,000,000 swords S = 10,000,000 swords --- --- SSE = ????????????? < The higher your cultivation, the stronger the Avatar, and the mightier the attacker''s power > [ I hope you like what you see, now get up from your slumber and get busy. You have a lot to archive and don''t even think about underestimating this technique ] [ Level 2: Death sh ] Based on the sword pool mastery, With a thought,bine the floating swords into one mega huge sword and let the Dark Prince Avatar have fun with it. A strike from it contains a certain percentage of the wielder''s total attack power and the Dark Prince''s Might. F = 100% Attack Power E = 150% Attack Power D = 200% Attack Power C = 250% Attack Power B = 300% Attack Power A = 400% Attack Power --- --- SSE: 10,000% Attack Power < Note: To unlock this level, the host mastery of the first level should be at least B > [ Let me guess, you like what you are seeing right? Well, you have a choice to make, but first master the two levels, and when you want to do more, use the rune toe to me. And don''t even think about ignoring me ] ============== The first level of the Dark Prince Hell Art, known as "Sword Pool," involves creating a pool filled with swords and summoning them based on the wielder''s mastery level. In Karsha''s case, his current level of mastery allows him to summon only 10 swords. This may seemughable, but since he has never utilized the skill before, his mastery remains at the F level. Despite this apparent limitation, Karsha had already devised a n to master the Dark Prince Hell Art. Traditionally, mastering the skill would depend significantly on his mental and soul strength. While summoning swords might seem straightforward, maintaining the Pool''s opening and managing each summoned sword would ce a substantial strain on his mental strength. Undeterred, Karsha was ready to implement his strategy to master the technique. He knew that this journey would be challenging, but he was determined to rise above and unlock the full potential of the Dark Prince Hell Art. If his mental strength is low, he would essentially be wasting a perfect technique that shook the world years ago. However, who is Karsha? He possesses both robust soul and mental strength, far exceeding that of the average cultivator. Mastering the skill would be a breeze for him. But Karsha wasn''t one to walk the easy path. No, he intended to wield the strongest version of the technique, even more powerful than its original form. Karsha had awakened eight powerful elements. Out of these, seven could potentially transform the technique into something extremely formidable. Take the Yin-Yang Lightning, for example. If he could integrate this lightning into the technique, he would elevate the damage output to the next level. So, what would happen when all elements were added? Karsha knew he had encountered a rare opportunity, and for the first time and many weeks, he wanted to do things his way and see the oue. If he manages to incorporate all his elements, then even the first two levels will be enough for him to shake the entire world. "This will be challenging, but I must do it if I want to rise to the top," Karsha sighed. The path he was about to embark on was perilous and arduous. He didn''t know how the original owner of the technique would react to his decision. Deviating from the intended path would undoubtedly infuriate any being, regardless of their might. However, after careful consideration, Karsha arrived at a singr conclusion. "Fuck the Dark Prince. He fucked me first, so I''ll fuck him back. If he doesn''t like it, he can go cry to his mama for all I care." Karsha stood tall, his shoulders held high. Within a year, he had aplished something that would take many hundreds of years for others. His growth was explosive, securing his ce in the universe as a genius. From his appearance to his recent connection to the elements, he had indeede a long way. Once he dealt with the Overlords, he would seek out the remaining levels of the Dark Prince''s Hell Art. Once all nine levels were unlocked, Karsha knew he would be one of the prodigies destined to rise to the apex. "Alright, Mr. Clone, time to get back to business," hemanded. The clone, whose sole purpose was to demonstrate the power and perfection of Karsha''s skills, sprang into action. Instantly, the area within 200 meters of the clone began to darken. The entire space, which only the SSE attack had previously been able to disturb, started to tremble as darkness enveloped the surroundings. Then it appeared. Arge head with a bone crown perfectly set on it began to emerge from the darkness. The head rose, soon followed by its neck, upper body, and finally, its lower body, until it stood imposingly.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The being stood nearly 200 meters tall, its body as dark as obsidian, creating a terrifying overall appearance. The aura emanating from the creature was dense and thick, causing Karsha to break into a cold sweat as he gazed upon the Avatar of the Dark One. As if that weren''t enough, a purple formation appeared above the dark figure, opening into a swirling pool of darkness devoid of any emotion or feeling¡ªa deep, dark vortex. Suddenly, hundreds of swords began emerging from the swirling pool. Each sword was unique, varying in shape and appearance, but all were long swords. Karsha watched this unfold with a calm expression. He was analyzing the technique, seeking to understand how he might incorporate the elements into it. As the swords rained from the pool, the Dark One raised its hand exerting some kind of unknown might into the swords. Within seconds, a crater was created,rge enough to swallow two Titanic ships and still leave enough room for ten more cargo nes. Surprisingly, the clone had used only a C-level mastery of the skill. But that was enough for Karsha to conduct his survey. "So that''s it, huh," Karsha smiled as he finally devised a n to incorporate the elements into his technique. "Hahahaha!" Heughed, exhration coursing through him. The day of reckoning was nigh as Karsha prepared to transform his already dangerous technique into something even more formidable. Chapter 87 The Dark Prince Hell Art Mastery (2) After understanding how to imbue the elements into the Dark Prince Hell Art, Karsha wasted no time and began the process immediately. With much to aplish, he dove right into it. The process proved to beplex. Simr to transmuting the Earth, Karsha had to deconstruct the technique and understand how to incorporate all the various elements withoutpromising the technique''s foundation. Aiming to enhance its power even further, he had to exercise greater caution than ever before. A small mistake could cost him dearly. Slowly, Karsha began to peel back theyers of the technique until he reached its core. The core was where he could add the element. However, when he reached the core, instead of opting for one of his powerful elements like fire, ice, or lightning, Karsha chose to utilize the Golden Light. The Golden Light, which in some ways acted like a sword aura, had the effect of multiplying the damage output many times over. Karsha aimed to make the swords more powerful before they even emerged from the portal. The main reason Karsha chose to go with the Golden Light was its apparent simplicity. This, of course, would ease theplexity of the process. However, there was a catch. While the element would help Karsha easily elevate his mastery, imbuing the swords with the Golden Light required two critical things: mental strength and focus. Karsha needed strong mental fortitude and unwavering focus. He was about to reweave the foundation of the technique and, like programming, include a backdoor that wouldter allow him to ess the core whenever he wanted to add a new element. To aplish his goal, Karsha had to do two things. First, he needed to create a backdoor. Then, he had to imbue the Golden Light into it. This requiredplex weaving, and Karsha, in a lotus posture with eyes closed, essed the Core Rune of the technique and began weaving the backdoor. "Almost there," Karsha muttered through gritted teeth, enduring the pain. His mind was under immense pressure from the task he had taken on. The process had started five days ago, and Karsha was still not done. It was aplex and mind-shattering endeavor. However, he was drawing closer. Despite the intricate andplex process, Karsha didn''t let it overwhelm him. After another day, system notifications appeared before his vision, making him smile happily. < Ding! You''ve sessfully established a weaver link with the technique: Dark Prince Hell Art > < Due to your understanding of Runic Symbols, you have unlocked a secret ss: Rune Master > < You can now establish a connection with the technique and incorporate elements safely. > < Ding! Your mental strength has increased greatly. Congrattions! > < Because your mental strength has increased, your third eye has also improved. You can now see strength, fear, and pain. > "System, tell me more about the Weaver Link." < The Weaver Link is, as Earth humans say, a backdoor to a system. In this case, a backdoor to the core of the technique: Dark Prince Hell Art. This link has made it possible for you to act as the administrator of the core. "This means you can ess the core and change its structure to your liking. You can modify the technique based on your mastery. All this happens at the core, the central part of the technique." "This is great then. I don''t have to worry about imbuing my elements anymore. I can simply add them," Karsha smiled greedily as he read the system reply. However, that smug look disappeared when the system spoke again. < I don''t think you understand what I meant, host. I didn''t say you can add the element anyhow; I said you have ess to the core, which will allow you to add the element. > "Exin further," Karshamanded, still at a loss. < The Weaver Link provides direct ess to the core, making it easier to reach. However, the core isposed of billions of runicbinations. Thesebinationse together to form the technique. To change something, you first have to understand all the runes. While your unusualprehension ability might make this seem simple, billions of runes are not something you can master in a day or even a year. You will have to master all the runes and find ways to modify the core without crashing the whole technique. > "So, to add an element, I have to understand the runes and integrate my element without altering the core structure of the technique?" < That is correct. > "Damn it," Karsha cursed aloud. He had expected challenges, but not to this extent. Now, he had to understand the runes that made up the core of the technique and learn how to manipte them to aplish his goals. "Not to brag, but why am I getting more intelligent by the second?" What Karsha didn''t realize was that he now had a connection with nine incredibly knowledgeable entities that were positively influencing his thoughts. Ny-eight percent of the Divine Alchemist''s knowledge was stored in his mental bank. A year and a half ago, Karsha was just a normal soldier with intelligence limited to nning and strategic thinking. Now, he was the youngest Saint-level Alchemist and an aplished Grandmaster-stage cultivator. The knowledge from the Divine Alchemist''s legacy significantly contributed to his progress. Even though he had ess to only 2% of the legacy, that knowledge was more than enough to elevate him above most alchemists. Moreover, the recent connection with the elements has further augmented Karsha''s already substantial pool of knowledge. This newfound wisdom was beginning to have a profound effect on him. He found himself bing more knowledgeable by the second, causing him to ponder the extent to which his knowledge would continue to expand from this point. Although he was a Universal Enigma, his understanding of certain things had be extraordinarily profound. Just a few days prior, in the outside world, Karsha wouldn''t have been able to exin simple Runic Symbols. However, in the past weeks within the subspace, he had been experimenting with runes daily, even before bing a runemaster. His understanding now far surpassed that of many Runemasters. He had studied andprehendedplex runes for days, achieving in weeks what would take others years to even begin to understand. A Universal Enigma is an anomaly, someone blessed with profound mental strength andprehension ability. They are meant to be incredibly smart, but that intelligence also brings inherent dangers. Karsha, who didn''t even know he was a Universal Enigma and should be considered a genius among geniuses, decided to take up the challenge and learn runes. Even if he couldn''t add all elements right now, adding at least three seemed feasible. However, his optimism was soon shattered by the system. < Since the technique has been restricted by its creator, you can only add a maximum of three elements. However, due to your low mastery of the elements, you can only add one element for now. > Karsha smiled bitterly as he read the message. "I guess the heavens don''t want me to have it all." Karsha felt a pang of disappointment. However, he failed to recognize that what he was attempting was not only ambitious but also extremely dangerous. Once he seeded in adding an element, the technique would not only be increasingly perilous but would also surpass the true nature of the original Dark Prince Hell Art, making him the progenitor of a new variant of the technique. This meant that once Karsha mastered the full technique, he could further alter its nature and even add his ownyers to it. This, of course, would depend on his runic mastery. But as a Universal Enigma, it would only be a matter of time before he began creating his own skills and techniques. Karsha pondered which element to add first. Since he could only add one element now, he might as well choose the strongest one. Among all the elements, he considered the yin-yang lightning to be the most powerful, so he decided to add that one. However, the problemy in theplexity of adding the lightning element. Incorporating the yin-yang lightning demanded a deeper understanding, making the process highly intricate. Caught in thought, Karsha pondered the way forward. "Ah, being greedy sure has its downsides," he smiled before making his decision. Even though the Golden Light was not as powerfulpared to other elements, his mastery of the Light Element had risen to a high level, making it the first element to reach that level. This meant the process would be simpler. Additionally, with a 100% boost in attack power, Karsha was eager to see how powerful the technique would be once he seeded in adding the Golden Light. With that in mind, Karsha beganprehending theplex nature of the runes that constituted the technique. He started by understanding the general form of the runes and then broke them down to study the keyponents before dismantling them altogether. < Ding! Your understanding of Runes has increased. > Karsha received his first progress report but paid no attention to it as he dived deeper into the dismantling process. Ten days went by in a sh, but Karsha remained focused. On the fifteenth day, another message appeared. < Ding! You have achieved a milestone in Rune Mastery. > At that moment, Karsha finally aplished his goal. He had broken down the technique and could now add the Golden Light element to it. Because his mastery of the Golden Light energy had reached the master level, the process wasn''t overlyplex. Before long, Karsha began weaving the element into the technique. < Ding! Your mastery of the Runes has increased. > < Ding! Your mastery of the Runes has increased. > < Ding! Your mastery of the Runes has increased. > < Ding! Your mastery of the Runes has increased. > ---n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om < Ding! Congrattions, you have attained a Pseudo-level up in Rune Sorcery. > Chapter 88 Golden Swords The entire process took Karsha 45 days. However, after days of meticulous weaving, Karsha was able to achieve what many had failed at. He sessfully incorporated the element into the technique, further increasing its damage output. The 100% power boost of the Golden Light element was now imbued into the core of the technique, raising its power output permanently by 100%. With this aplishment, Karsha was now left with the task of mastering the technique. His current mastery was at the F level, which meant he could only summon 10 swords. Initially, this might not seem like much, but after imbuing the Golden Light element into the technique, Karsha was eager to test its newfound power. "Mr. Clone, activate the first-level defense," Karshamanded. The clone obeyed without question, activating the first level of the Titan Defense Art, Titan Wall. Karsha smiled as he beheld the majestic diamond walls standing 7 meters tall, 5 meters wide, and 1 meter thick. Anyone would admire the tall, magnificent wall, if not for its imposing nature, then certainly for its beauty. "Sword Pool," Karsha muttered, and at once, the 200-meter-tall avatar of the Dark One appeared behind him. Raising its hand, arge dark swirling pool materialized in the sky. At first, Karsha couldn''t help but frown. He had expected the nature of the technique to show some simrities to the Golden Light. However, when the technique was activated, the Golden Light was nowhere to be found. The pool was as dark as ever, showing no sign of even a small golden hue. His worry was cut short when the first sword emerged from the pool. While the pool was a swirling mass of pure darkness, the swords that started appearing from its depths had a golden aura around them. Each sword looked as if it had been dipped in golden oil. The Golden Light, manifesting as an aura, wrapped around the swords, giving them a radiant appearance. "Magnificent," Karsha muttered as he gazed at the 2-meter longswords emerging from the Sword Pool. After admiring the swords for a while, he willed them to shoot toward the defense the clone had raised. At once, the ten swords shot forward at an incredible speed, making Karsha arch an eyebrow. The speed at which the swords moved was so fast that even with the movement technique Karsha was mastering, the chances of him walking out unscathed would be slim, especially if the swords numbered in the hundreds of thousands. "What if there are thousands?" Karsha shuddered as he noticed small cracks forming in the diamond walls from the barrage of swords ramming into them. "I need to master this technique fast and unlock more swords," he muttered. The greedy side of Karsha surfaced as he realized the technique would be crucial for many of his future endeavors. Mastering it was imperative. [ Level 1: Sword Pool (F) ] Using mana, Materialise the Mighty Avatar of the Dark Prince which will open the pool of countless swords. Based on your mastery of the skill, summon the swords and let the Dark One Rain down hell on your enemies. F = 10 swords E = 100 swords D = 1000 swords C = 10,000 swords B = 100,000 swords A = 1,000,000 swords S = 10,000,000 swords --- --- SSE = ????????????? ============ The first level of the technique focuses on unlocking the swords, which serves as the foundation for the second level. The more swords unlocked, the more powerful the second level bes. "At least an A-level mastery will be okay," Karsha muttered, gazing at the sword pool and the Avatar. He wanted nothing more than to teach the overlords who the real Overlord is. He had been running from them for too long because he was weak andcked powerful skills. But with this technique and a little luck, he might just be the Overlord of the ind in less than ten days. However, for that to happen, Karsha needed to master the first two levels, with the first level being the most critical. The more swords he managed to unlock, the higher his chances of forming a very powerful giant sword at level two. He then began toprehend the technique. Luckily for him, the process was simple. He had to form a connection with the swords, which required mental and soul strength. This connection would allow him to control the swords at will, but it required a lot of mental strength. Fortunately, Karsha possessed a strong enough mind to handleplex and countlessputations without feeling any stress. Creating connections with the swords was right up his alley. Sitting in a lotus posture, Karsha let his mind drift into the dark, ominous swirling pool of shadows as he began forming connections with the swords within. The process was akin to imprinting his will onto the swords. Karsha, who had some understanding of Runesmithing, immediatelyprehended this and began working without dy. < Ding! Your mastery of the first level of the Dark Prince Hell Art has increased. > < You have attained E Mastery. 100 swords unlocked > Despite the process being rtively easy for Karsha, it took him an entire day to advance to the second step. The reason was that Karsha was meticulously selecting the swords with which he was forming the imprint. For some reason, Karsha felt the swords were real, something that shouldn''t have been possible. However, since no harm was caused, he chose the swords he felt the strongest attachment. He didn''t know how, but he felt an attachment to the swords, and for some reason, he also sensed the same sensation he experienced during his battle with the mutant snakes. The only difference now was that he felt the sensation even without being engaged in any battle, indicating that the longer he spentprehending the technique, the higher his chances of unlocking this sensation. < Ding! Your mastery of the first level of the Dark Prince Hell Art has increased. > < You have attained D Mastery. 1000 swords unlocked > Five dayster, Karsha managed to reach the D level, gaining the ability to summon 1,000 swords. However, while this was a significant achievement, Karsha''s focus was on the sensation that kept growing stronger by the second. The more he linked with the swords, the more intense the sensation became. For the first time, Karsha was in the right mindset, allowing him to sense the sensation even more clearly. ''Why does this feel familiar to me?'' he wondered but didn''t dwell on it. He still had a long way to go and little time to do it. He had already spent over 400 days, leaving him with a little over 400 days to go. As Karsha progressed,prehending the technique began to take longer than he had hoped. However, the more connections he made with the swords, the easier it became, even though it was still time-consuming. < Ding! Your mastery of the first level of the Dark Prince Hell Art has increased. > < You have attained C Mastery. 10,000 swords unlocked > Thirty dayster, Karsha reached the C stage, unlocking 10,000 swords. Without dy, he started working toward B mastery, where he would be able to unlock 100,000 swords. The sensation also became clearer to Karsha, bringing a slight smile to his face. He could vaguely sense it, and from the feeling alone, he knew he was on the verge of gaining something profound. Although he had reserved some time to deal with the Overlords, spending some of it on this endeavor was something Karsha didn''t mind doing. He needed all the help he could get, and if what he was sensing awakened, he would be capable of achieving much more than he already had. "Almost there," Karsha thought inwardly. Another 50 days had passed, and he was still not doneprehending the next stage. However, he was drawing nearer. Connecting with 100,000 swords was no easy feat, but Karsha was determined to surpass expectations when he left the ind. Being able to summon a million swords would make him stand out among his peers. Although he was a Grandmaster stage cultivator, if he managed to unlock one million swords, he could easily defeat a Saint and potentially injure or even kill a Sage. He was getting stronger by the second and would soon be even more powerful than he could have ever imagined. To achieve that, he needed stronger techniques and skills, and training in the Dark Prince Hell Art was the best fit for him now. < Ding! Your mastery of the first level of the Dark Prince Hell Art has increased. > < You have attained B Mastery. 100,000 swords unlocked > "That''s more like it," Karsha muttered after unlocking the 100,000 swords on the 61st day. With the sensation almost within reach, Karsha began forming connections with more and more swords. If he could unlock a million swords, he would be able to form an incredibly powerful sword once he proceeded to the second level. His mastery of the first level determined the strength of the second level. The more swords he unlocked, the stronger the sword he could form in the second level. Karsha, who wanted nothing more than to be a formidable force, started using his brain capacity to its fullest. Thanks to the time tablet amplifying hisprehension speed, Karsha''s mind entered a different dimension. His already impressiveprehension speed skyrocketed, allowing him to link more and more swords by the second. Seventy days went by in a sh, but he was still not close to unlocking the A level or fully grasping the sensation that was almost within his reach. Despite this, Karsha didn''tin. He remained in the lotus posture, continually linking more swords. Another twenty days passed, bringing Karsha''s total time spent to over 700 days, leaving him with only 146 days to go. However, since he aimed for the A level, he would not stop until he achieved it. The sensation felt closer than ever. Karsha could tell that one more breakthrough was all he needed to unlock the secret sensation. Because of this, he didn''t allow his brain any rest, channeling all his focus into creating connections with the swords. "Almost there," he thought. After another six days, Karsha let a small smile escape his lips. He was closer than he had thought. He just needed a little more time, and one million swords would heed his call when summoned. The sensation hung by a thread. The prospect of having one million swords at his disposal made Karsha grin from ear to ear. < Ding! Your mastery of the first level of the Dark Prince Hell Art has increased. > < You have attained A Mastery. 1,000,000 swords unlocked > The message appeared after two days, making Karsha sigh and smile broadly. His smile grew wild as he realized he had finallyprehended the sensation that had been guing him all this time. < Ding! You have met the requirement to unlock a sword ability >n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om < Ding! You have unlocked sword Aura > < Ding! You have unlocked a new skill; Sword Aura EX > < Ding! Your mastery of Rune has increased. Congrattions, you have attained Master level in Rune Sorcerer > < Ding! You have unlocked a new Passive ability; Weaver Eye > Chapter 89 Sword Aura EX < Ding! You have met the requirement to unlock a sword ability > < Ding! You have unlocked sword Aura > < Ding! You have unlocked a new skill; Sword Aura EX > After being gued by the sensation for so long, Karsha could finally feel it enter his body, making him grin from ear to ear. He felt the power he had unlocked, and as someone craving strength for his uing battles, the Sword Aura couldn''t havee at a more opportune moment. His happiness extended to the fact that he had finally achieved ''A'' mastery of the first level of the Dark Prince Hell Art: Sword Pool. He could now summon 1,000,000 swords from the pool, all imbued with the Golden Light essence. Karsha had spent a great deal of time trying toprehend the sensation he felt whenever he used his sword in battle. It grew stronger as time passed, but no matter how hard he tried, he had never managed to fully grasp it. Now, he could feel a window of opportunity opening for him. But that would have to wait. He still had the second level to master and little time left to do it. < Sword Aura > -- You can nowce your sword with an energy that boosts the damage output of the sword. -- This can be used without Mana. The description the system provided was vague, but Karsha, now having the ability to use Sword Aura, could tell it was an incredible and significant power boost. Sword Aura is something many swordsmen chase after. It defines a true swordsman. This aura, when mastered, can amplify the damage output of sword attacks by staggering percentages. Initially, it can only be used on swords, but as mastery increases, it can be projected into an arc that deals devastating damage. It can also be used to suppress opponents. The more the aura grows, the stronger and more terrifying it bes. But, like all things, this requires mastery from the swordsman. Rumor has it that if a swordsman masters the sword aura to a certain stage, they will be able to split the fabric of reality with a single swing. However, that remains a dream for many since the only ones able to achieve something like this are Sword Sages. Swordsmanshipes in different levels. There is the Beginner, who has just started using the sword and has little to no mastery. Then there is the Master level, where, after constant use of the sword, the swordsman begins to understand the essence behind swordsmanship and finally steps on the path of true mastery. These individuals are called Master Swordsmen because they have mastered most sword skills. Karsha is currently at this level. The Grandmaster level is a stage where the swordsman''s mastery of techniques reaches unparalleled heights. They have mastered most of their skills, and some even gain enlightenment, which helps them break past their current mastery and step into the next level of swordsmanship.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Then there is the Saint level, where swordsmen are known as Sword Saints. To reach this level, a swordsman must attain at least three enlightenments and have ess to sword aura. For many swordsmen, this is the stage where they awaken their sword aura. Although only a select few manage to do so at the Grandmaster stage, most swordsmen awaken their sword aura at the Saint stage. Following the Saint level is the stage that many swordsmen strive to achieve: the Sage level. These individuals are known as Sword Sages, and in most worlds, they can be counted on one hand. This level is so prestigious that many devote years to honing their skills in hopes of ascending to be a Sword Sage. Rumor has it that those who attain Sage-level mastery of the sword can ess the ''Domain of Thousand Swords'' and challenge ancient sword spirits to win their approval, making them their sword spirits. At this level, swordsmen can utilize sword aura to a profound extent, enabling them to split the heavens with a single sword strike. However, there are other levels beyond the Sage level, but these are so rare that few can im to have seen one¡ªthough they might have heard of a few. These levels include the Sword Kings, Sword Emperor, Sword Monarch, Sword Sovereign... However, while these levels determine the mastery of swordsmen, the aura they channel is an entirely different matter. Sword Aura isplex and hard toprehend. There can be situations where a Sword Sage might have a more powerfulprehension of Sword Aura than a Sword King. Understanding Sword Aura is very profound, so many swordsmen chase after it. Once they awaken it, they focus on raising their sword mastery to ensure that even with a little Sword Aura, they can unleash powerful attacks. The known levels of Sword Auraprehension are Lesser Sword Aura, True Sword Aura, Golden Sword Aura, and Enhanced Sword Aura. Karsha is currently at the first level, which is just the initial phase but still incredibly powerful. Sword Aura is intricate, requiring a deep understanding of the sword. Even at the Sword Sage level, many can only boast about attaining True Sword Aura. But that mastery alone is enough to elevate the power of the sword by many folds. Those who manage to awaken Sword Aura are true geniuses of the sword path and are considered true swordsmen. For Karsha to be counted among these select few, he is indeed greater than he gives himself credit for. < Sword Aura EX (Passive) > -- The power of your sword Aura will be increased by 200% when activated. "Just 200%?" Karsha read the description with a straight face. He could tell the Sword Aura was significant, but gaining just 200% at this level left him disappointed. He had expected more. This Sword Aura awakening had gued him for a while, so finally unlocking it, he anticipated great things. But that is just for this level. Once he breaks through to the True Sword Aura, the power level will multiply many folds. Although 200% is not enough now, it will increase as he masters the Sword Aura. But that is somewhere in the future. Karsha needed strength right now to face the Overlords, so he expected more. His swordsmanship is also mediocre at best since he hasn''t had enough time to spar with the clone. The clone is a perfect swordsman at the Master level, so sparring with him is a sure way of mastering his swordy. Unbeknownst to Karsha, although his Sword Aura is currently at the first stage, its power far surpasses that of a typical Sword Aura. The reason is simple: Karsha possesses an element called Golden Light. While not technically a Sword Aura, this element can be utilized simrly. It possesses a unique attribute known as Golden Aura, which amplifies attacks by 100%, thereby sharing some properties with Sword Aura. Consequently, even though Karsha''s Sword Aura is only at the first stage, he can unleash attacks far more powerful than his level would suggest. Moreover, with [Sword Aura EX] further amplifying the aura, the strength of his sword attacks would be enhanced many folds. He was perhaps the only swordsman at the Master level with such immense power. Even without Mana, Karsha, in his current state, could easily cleave through many attacks and defenses using his sword aura. Despite his initial disappointment, Karsha didn''t dwell on it much. His focus shifted to the next set of messages. < Ding! Your mastery of Rune has increased. Congrattions, you have attained Master level in Runesmithing > < Ding! You have unlocked a new Passive ability; Weaver Eye > The past few days had seen Karsha ying around withplex Runes. It all started when he formed connections with the elements. Since theymunicated using Rune Diagrams, Karsha''s brain was forced to understand them. Of course, as a Universal Enigma, learning and understanding new things came rtively easily to him. He hadprehended Runes and, without even realizing it, had stepped into the Master stage. Of course, this all happened in a virtual way of some sort. He hadn''t actually written any runes yet, but he didn''t expect to struggle much now that he was a Master level Runesmith. However, while that was great, gaining an ability after breaking through levels was even greater. < Weaver Eye (Passive) > -- To a certain extent, you will be able to see throughplex formations and arrays to understand the essence behind them. -- You can perceive the foundation of a rune and how to draw them easily. -- With enough Mastery of Runes, you will be able to see the makings of a skill or technique and how to modify them. [Note: The Weaver''s Eye grows with your mastery of the Runes and your third eye ] "Tell me, system, how can I draw runes, and more importantly, what are runes?" Despite being a Rune Master, Karsha still hadn''t grasped the essence of runes. His nature as a Universal Enigma allowed him toprehend runes, yet he struggled to understand their physical manifestation. His existence was like a glitch in the matrix, defying expected norms. Here he was, a certified Rune Master who could not physically draw runes. < Runes are symbolic representations ofplex energies and principles. To draw them, you need to channel your understanding and energy into a physical form, such as inscribing them onto surfaces, in the air, or manifesting them with your aura. > "So, at my level, would I be able to draw runes?" < Even though you are at the master stage, youck fundamental knowledge when ites to runes. You may possess the information butck an understanding of the basics. But this can be remedied once you learn the basics of runes and how to draw them. You can purchase rune books from the system store, though it will cost you Killer points. > "Oh, really? Then how much would I need to spend on a Rune book and an inscriber?" Karsha is the curious type. He wants to learn everything about anything, and thanks to his robustprehension speed, he wouldn''t have to worry much. He has about 130 days to go, and since the second level involvesbining the swords he linked within the first level to form one big sword, he knows he won''t need much time to master it. So why not spend a few days exploring the nature of runes and how to draw them? Chapter 90 Golden Colossal Sword Descent After inquiring about many things from the system, Karsha settled for one book and a basic Inscriber that totaled 25,000 killer points. But instead of learning it right away, he stepped back and decided to focus on the second level of the Dark Prince Hell Art, Giant Sword. [ Level 2: Giant Sword ] Based on the sword pool master, With a thought,bine the floating swords into one mega huge sword and let the Dark Prince Avatar have fun with it. A strike from it contains a certain percentage of the wielder''s total attack power and the Dark Prince''s Might. F = 100% Attack Power E = 150% Attack Power D = 200% Attack Power C = 250% Attack Power B = 300% Attack Power A = 400% Attack Power ---n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om --- SSE: 10,000% Attack Power < Note: To unlock this level, the host mastery of the first level should be at least B > The second level represents a significant advancement from the first, indicating that the creator likely anticipated mastering the initial level to the ''B'' level would prove exceptionally challenging, thereby making the second levelparatively easier. At this stage, Karshabines the swords to forge a Giant Sword capable of striking with immense speed and power. To ess the second level, the user must have mastered the first level of the technique to at least an ''A'' level, establishing connections with a million swords. This task would be daunting for many, but not for Karsha. In hindsight, achieving this milestone typically requires years of dedication. However, Karsha managed to aplish it in just 200 days. With a million connections formed, he now taps into that vastwork of swords to create a single, formidable giant sword. This transcends normal understanding. Karsha is an anomaly that the technique''s creator did not factor into his calctions. Not only has he imbued the swords with an element, but he has also awakened their sword Aura, enabling him to imbue the swords with this Aura, further enhancing their might. His mastery reaches the A level, boosting the Giant Sword''s attack power by 400%. But that''s not all¡ªthe golden light amplifies it by another 100%, and the Sword Aura EX adds 200%. This brings the total attack power increase to 600%, making it his most potent technique yet. Karsha''s lips curled into an evil grin as he envisioned the dismay on his enemies'' faces, especially the Varon family, as a Giant Sword descended from the heavens, destroying their property and cutting down their soldiers and heirs. "I''m not evil," his evil grin blossomed into heartyughter. He had indeed exceeded expectations, even from those who doubted him. ess to such a powerful technique at his level was unprecedented, especially with seven more levels yet to unlock. Of course, unlocking the final seven levels would be perilous. But armed with an enhanced version of the technique, Karsha was certain to sow chaos even with just the first two levels. "We''ll see who has thestugh," Karsha set his sights high. His target was the entity who had manipted his plight into a trap, cursing him with the formidable sword technique. "I suppose he did me a favor," he mused. Standing up, he stretched his joints. "If I get the chance, I''ll still give him a good beating." Karsha activated the Dark Prince Hell Art, and as always, the sinister avatar of the Dark Prince materialized, towering like a titan. The pool appeared, and immediately, countless swords began emerging from its dark depths. < The host must assign a one-word name forbining the swords. Note that this name cannot be changed > the message read. Karsha smiled as he read the message. Initially unsure how to merge the swords¡ªwhether through his connections or by sheer will¡ªhe found his answer in the message. After pondering for a moment, he struggled to settle on a word that would enhance his presence on the battlefield. "Annihte," Karsha dered after a few minutes of contemtion. It was the word that would strike fear into his enemies'' hearts when spoken aloud. < Word Registered. > By spending 50,000 MP, Karsha could form a colossal sword that harnessed 700% of his total attack power. Additionally, the description mentioned something called the Dark Prince Might, though its purpose remained unknown to him for now. "Raise the fortress defense," Karshamanded his clone, intending to test the strength of his defense. He wasn''t interested in verifying his attack power; instead, he wanted to gauge the effectiveness of his defense. Although he knew it was unlikely his defense would hold against the strike, he proceeded with the test. "Annihte," Karsha muttered, and immediately, a million swords merged to form a colossal, magnificent golden sword towering 120 meters tall and 30 meters wide, razor-sharp on both edges. Intricate ck engravings adorned its surface. A reddish-gold aura decorated the sword''s edge and tip, emanating immense power. Despite its terrifying appearance, the sword''s magnificence was undeniable. Karsha gazed at the sword in awe. "This should suffice," he smiled, then pointed his index finger downward. The colossal sword descended with incredible speed. "Bang!" The sword collided with the fortress, creating multiple rapidly expanding cracks. Within three seconds, the fortress crumbled into pieces under the immense force of the sword. The impact was so powerful that when the sword struck and shattered the fortress, Karsha was blown backward. Dust filled the air, casting a brown hue over the entire area. When the dust settled, a massive cratery before them. "Damn, that was dangerous," Karsha eximed, wide-eyed as he surveyed the enormous crater. It could easily bury tens of thousands of soldiers with room to spare. The momentum behind the sword had been overwhelming, augmented by the Golden Aura and Sword Aura, resembling the impact of a meteorite from the heavens. With the Dark One still towering behind him and his mana almost fully regenerated, Karsha began summoning another wave of swords to attempt the strike again. This time, he aimed to gauge the sword''s speed and its optimal use in battle. Over the next few days, Karsha meticulously explored his technique, destroying the ground as he experimented. Thanks to his super-fast mana regeneration, he could recover his mana in mere seconds. Each day was dedicated to examining the giant sword. After three days of intensive practice, something remarkable urred. < Your understanding of the Giant Sword has increased. A new form has been added. > < Ding! You have achieved a breakthrough. The new sword formed is a variant of the Giant Sword called the Golden Colossal Sword Descent. > < Golden Colossal Sword Descent > - Utilize your connection with the swords to form a giant sword within the depths of the sword pool, emerging with the blessings of Light and the curses of Darkness. - Its speed is twice that of the initial form. - This form requires half the mana and carries 500% of the wielder''s attack power, along with the Sins of Darkness. [Note: The attack power increases with the host''s mastery of the Technique ] "Wait, what?" Karsha eximed aloud as the message appeared before his eyes. The Giant Sword alone was formidable, holding 400% of his attack power with an additional 300% augmentation, enough to shatter even his strongest defenses. It was devastating, but there was more. The second form, the Golden Sword, surpassed even that. It wielded 500% of its attack power and moved twice as fast as the first form. Moreover, the mana required had been halved, enhancing its potency beyond the first form. However, there was a limitation: he could only use it twice a day, making it a rare and precious asset. "This is madness," Karsha remarked, feeling his confidence surge to new heights as he retrieved a book from his inventory. Having achieved his initial goal, his next task was to learn how to inscribe runes. < 10,000 Symbols of Runes > -- This contains the 10,000 basic rune symbols and possiblebinations. Learning his book will get you started drawing your first rune. Karsha, with the help of the system immediately learn the book. At once, his mind was filled with different rune symbols. He sat in lotus posture as he let his mind go to work. After sitting for 2 whole days, Karsha opened his eyes and smiled. He then retrieved a knifelike pen from his inventory and held it between his fingers like a painter. < Klix Inscriber > Rank: Rare (Low Tier) Ranking list: #95412 -- Tap into the essence of the Runesithing and inscribe your first Rune. "System, what is the ranking list?" Karsha inquired, intrigued by this new aspect of the item. < The ranking list is aption of all Inscribers in existence, > the system replied. "Ah, I see. So, how does the number one Inscriber fare?" Karsha''s curiosity piqued further, but the system''s response halted his pursuit. < Some things cannot be bought, host, > the system replied cryptically. Undeterred, Karsha took the inscriber as instructed by the 10,000 symbols of Runes and began drawing¡ªor rather, attempting to draw. Despite his initial ineptitude, his determination drove him to spend the next ten days repeatedly practicing and refining his rune-drawing skills, but in the end, he couldn''t even draw a single rune symbol. Chapter 91 The intelligent Rookie Rune Master < Ding! Congrattions, you have drawn your first Rune > After eleven days of relentless inscribing, Karsha finally managed to draw his first rune. He had tirelessly attempted for ten whole days, facing failure at every turn. Yet, he never gave up and persisted until, on the eleventh day, he registered his first sessful rune. This might seem unusual, but Karsha''s intelligence, especially regarding Runesmithing, was remarkable. Inside his mind wereplex runes that even Grandmaster-stage Rune Masters would struggle with. His nature as a universal enigma allowed him to grasp the intricateplexities of runes. However, when it came to the physical act of drawing them, his brain seemed to interfere. Karsha realized that all the knowledge was jumbled in his mind. Although he had learned the basic runic symbols, his understanding ofplex runes, thanks to his studies and modifications of the technique, made drawing those intricate symbols almost impossible. His brain struggled to separate theplex runes from the basic ones. He tried many times but ended with the same result. Despite his repeated attempts, he was too knowledgeable for his own good. Since when was brilliance a problem? Karsha, who hadn''t been among the brightest in school back on Earth, mused over this as he discovered the issue on the fifth day. It was unfortunate in some way, but he managed to find the source. Once the problem was identified, his brilliant mind came up with a solution¡ªthough not a quick one. To fix his ovepping issue, he had to inscribe all the runes that were jumbled in his mind. All he had to do was draw them, whether they were right or wrong. For five days straight, Karsha tirelessly inscribed over 100,000 runes, never ceasing until he achieved sess. When he finally inscribed the correct rune, Karsha realized he had reached the threshold to begin his journey as a Rookie Rune Master. Despite being arguably the most brilliant Rune Master in the entirety of the Drone Kingdom, if suchparisons were even possible. "Finally, I can start from kindergarten," Karsha eximed, a smile gracing his face and dimples appearing on both cheeks. Now that he had located a basic rune symbol, he could start drawing them based on theirplexity. He then began to inscribe the runes, almost instantly achieving sess, akin to writing the alphabet in English. Karsha meticulously inscribed the keyponents thatposed the runes, the characters that formed the intricate tapestry of the runguage. < Ding! You have mastered all the 10,000 basic runes. You can start drawing runes now. > After spending two whole days going through the 10,000 symbols of runes, the system message finally appeared. Karsha knew he was nowhere near the stage to start making big moves, but he felt he had achieved something incredibly profound. Mastering all 10,000 runes within two days was amendable feat. He didn''t just barely manage to achieve it; Karsha was able to perfectly draw the runes as if he had years of experience under his belt. Under normal circumstances, he should have struggled with it, but it went more smoothly than he had expected. Drawing runes demands focus and strong mental strength. However, to be able to inscribe them quickly, a person''s soul must be very powerful. Without a strong enough soul, it is impossible to inscribe runes. Runes are the building blocks of existence. They shape life, form the heavens and space, control the flow of time, and determine the cycle of life. ying with them is dangerous and requires great mental capacity and soul strength. For Karsha to be able to inscribe that many runes means he possesses all the qualities to be a great Rune Master. However, that wasn''t what concerned him. He was able to draw the runes with great precision. The feeling he got while drawing was akin to someone who had done it before. Strange as it may sound, Karsha felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu during the drawing process. He could literally feel his soul rejoicing at every stroke of his inscriber. It was strange, but even so, Karsha felt that great things awaited him through the use of runes. When he finished with the 10,000 marks of runes, instead of using thest 82 days to focus on his training, he asked for more. "Tell me how to use the runes in battle," he requested, his resolve firm after gaining that brief awareness of the unknown. If he can discover a way to use Runes inbat, wouldn''t that be great? < There are many ways to use runes in battle. However, these processes require great focus and concentration since your soul strength cannot handle quick inscribing amidst the battle. The runes can be used to augment weapons, which, at your level, will only temporarily increase the weapon''s damage output. They can also be used to strengthen defenses. While this process isplex and time-consuming, there are basic runes that can elevate your defenses for a short time. To get the best out of the runes, you need to dive into drawing formations. This is where the true strengths of runes can be utilized. Formations can take many forms: offense, defense, buffs, debuffs, and more. It all depends on your mastery. Your intelligence and imagination also y a crucial role. You can create anything you imagine if your mastery is high enough. When ites to runes, there are countless possibilities. It all depends on what you want to achieve. You can draw restrictions, prohibitions, seals, arrays, and much more. > Karsha read the system reply with excitement burning in hisrge golden-red eyes. He knew he had to unlock the way forward, the way to get the best of everything. Right now, he needed a way to defeat the Overlords, so he spent the past year in the Subspace training and building the strongest defense. Now that he had achieved that, he needed a way to enhance its effect. Runes were the answer, and now that he had set his path on mastering them for unknown reasons, he wouldn''t let the chance slip by. "System, I need manuals on Concealment and Strengthening Runes," Karshamanded, his strategic mind taking over. "If you can''t face them head-on, sneak up on them," hismanding officer used to say back in the day.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Concealment would erase his presence to a certain extent, and with his Silence passive ability, he would remain even further hidden, making it difficult for his opponents to locate him. With the strengthening runes, he would be able to bolster himself and his defenses before going into battle. Although he was already strong, adding more strength couldn''t hurt. The system instantly provided two manuals: [Chameleon Concealment] and [Titan Body]. [Chameleon Concealment] contained various methods to create runes that could hide someone''s presence to a significant extent. *Titan Body* outlined strengthening techniques that a Rune Master could employ to enhance themselves and their defenses. Karsha wasted no time and studied the two manuals, flooding his mind with various runic diagrams. There were both simple andplex diagrams that could be drawn depending on one''s mastery. After a careful analysis of all the different runes, Karsha selected one for each purpose. For concealment, he chose *Silent Breath*. This rune lowers the heartbeat and hides the person''s breath, making it almost impossible for people to sense their presence, even when using spiritual senses or any other detection abilities. Karsha considered many factors before selecting [Silent Breath]. For one, the method required only five runic symbols, and given his speed and mastery, he could draw it in under ten seconds. There were more advanced forms avable, but since this was the easiest and fastest to draw, Karsha opted for it. The others could wait for now. For the strengthening method, he picked *Self-Heal*. Simr to the ability of his [Lonely Cauldron], this rune, when applied to defenses, would automatically heal any cracks and weaknesses using the mana in the air. Additionally, it strengthened the defense by 200%. This buff onlysted for five minutes once activated. However, drawing this rune could be aplished in under thirty seconds, ording to Karsha''s estimation based on his mastery. With these selections, Karsha felt more prepared. The next phase of his journey as a Rune Master had begun, and with his new abilities, he was ready to face the challenges ahead. Karsha wasted no time as he began inscribing runes, striving to increase his speed as much as possible. The faster he could write, the stronger his soul and mind would be. Two dayster, Karsha paused, gazing at the purple-colored runes floating in front of him. He had been practicing tirelessly for forty-eight hours, honing his speed significantly. It may have been a minor achievement, but it was enough to potentially make a difference in the heat of battle. The ability to draw runes amidst the chaos ofbat could mean the difference between life and death in dire moments. However, it required absolute focus, a feat that not many could maintain when facing danger. Yet, Karsha had transcended that limitation. Even before bing a cultivator, he had faced dangers no ordinary mortal should have to endure. He had fought on the frontlines and undertaken numerous life-and-death missions. Now equipped with newfound abilities, he was fearless in the face of danger. After a few hours of rest, Karsha stood up and decided to check on his domain. He discovered that after awakening the eight elements, the Red Eye Tiger skill had evolved, integrating all other elemental abilities into the domain, renaming it ''Death Domain.'' He hadn''t fully explored it yet, but he had added a new skill: *Eternal Demon Gaze*. This skill allowed him to materialize arge demon eye that contained terror beyond mortalprehension. Those who gazed into it would experience a world of horror. However, since he hadn''t captured any Nightmare horrors yet, the only thing the *Eternal Demon Gaze* could do was stun the target for a few seconds. But those few seconds were enough to inflict significant damage. "What the hell?" Karsha eximed out loud when he activated the domain. He had expected some changes, but what he saw was beyond his expectations. Chapter 92 The Death Domain A domain with a radius of 5 kilometers emerged, aze with the fury of fire and darkness. Undergoing significant transformations, it incorporated unique characteristics and attributes. The previous domain of fire and ice hadpletely evolved into something new. While it still retained its raging fire, there were substantial changes to the other elements, including the fire itself. The newly named ''Death Domain'' had transformed into a literal hell. Expanding and metamorphosing, the domain had be a genuine realm that could be cultivated to the next level. In the world of cultivation, domains manifest in various forms, each following unique patterns achievable only once cultivators reach the Sage Stage and beyond. Upon reaching Sage status, cultivators gain ess to a new form of energy known as Spiritual Qi. This energy, more potent than Mana, offers significant advantages. Spiritual Qi enables the creation and maintenance of domains. Domains can be created in different ways. Karsha used skill books that manifested as the domain itself. Others manipte elements to mold something they can control. Alternatively, some harness spiritual energy directly, considered the most effective method for domain creation. Forming a solid foundation is crucial, which is why the Sage stage is rmended for starting to form a domain. Domains can take years to form, and even if a cultivator is clever enough to form one at the Sage stage, they cannot use it until they be a Great Sage or even higher. At the Great Sage stage, cultivators can begin toprehend the intricacies of their domain. Through this understanding, they can shape and strengthen their domains. Those who start forming a domain at the Sage level gain an initial advantage, provided they can understand thews of the domain effectively. The deeper their understanding of thesews, the more powerful their domain bes. That''s why most people avoid challenging Great Sages without some understanding of domainws¡ªit''s crucial knowledge before attempting to form one. However, Karsha achieved something even Great Sages would struggle with: he formed a domain many times stronger than those created by early-stage Great Sages. Although hecked control over the domain, gaining ess to Spiritual Qi would resolve this limitation. The primary challenge with Karsha''s Death Domain was his inability to dictate its behavior. Buffs and debuffs were already integrated into the skills he used, and he couldn''t alter them even if he desired. The only thing he could do was identify his allies, ensuring they weren''t adversely affected by the domain. Full control woulde once he made the domain his own using Spiritual Qi. But that was eptable for someone like Karsha. The domain had evolved, and he could now trap even a Great Sage within it¡ªfor a limited amount of time, of course. Great Sages are no joke, even if they are just average. The domain had grown to the point where it could withstand a few attacks from a Tier 9 cultivator. The outeryer had be so sturdy that for some people, it could act as a defense. However, this depended on Karsha''s understanding of the earth''s elements. Once he manages to gain ess to Spiritual energy, he will be able to make the domain his own, thereby gaining control over the effects it will have on himself and his opponents. This control will increase even further once heprehends thews of the domain. In short, Karsha shouldn''t have been able to create a domain at this level while still at the Master stage. It''s simply not possible. But thanks to the first form of the Tiger Strike divine technique, he was able to create arge and powerful domain, which will only continue to grow as more skills are added. The Red Eye Tiger simply amplifies any skill it picks. With more skills avable, it canbine them to form something new, something more powerful. Currently, Karsha has a domain that can kill those below Tier 5 without him needing to do anything. Even Tier 6 opponents will struggle under constant attacks¡ªwhether from ice spears, earth spikes, or fire snakes. The evolved domain has integrated all variations into a skill that can be activated at will. It consumes the same Mana as the domain itself; for instance, if Karsha spends 10,000 Mana to activate the domain and 5,000 Mana per second to maintain it, he doesn''t need additional Mana for the variations¡ªthey are included in the maintenance cost of the domain. The first variation is now named "Call of the Spear." When the domain activates, ice and earth elements transform into spears that shoot rapidly. Ice rains down from above while earth spears shoot up from below. Notably, the earth spear has a diamond augmentation, reflecting Karsha''s evolving mastery of the element within the domain. This development allows Karsha to effectively eliminate Tier 5 and even Tier 6 opponents without lifting a weapon. The second Variationbines Earth, Water, Ice, Lightning, and Fire elements. Earth and Water elements transform the ground into soft mud or quicksand, engulfing anything standing on it. The Ice element forms spears that extend 2 meters long, infused with Fire and Lightning, creating the offensive aspect of the second Variation. With targets trapped by Earth and Water, the ice spears can strike them, leaving no chance of escape. Additionally, this variation includes another form that requires Mana to activate, known as "All in One." When the second Variation, "Earth Prison," is activated, the domain owner can use 50,000 MP to create a 10-meter-long spearbining all elements, which can be shot in any direction. In summary, the "Call of the Spear" and "Earth Prison" variations suffice for Karsha to handle Tier 5 and 6 targets. These variations also significantly hinder the movement of targets caught within the domain, including flying monsters or cultivators. Beyond the variations, the buff and debuff effects have also improved. Upon activation, the owner receives a 70% buff for as long as they maintain sufficient Mana. Targets experience an immediate 60% debuff that persists as long as the domain remains active. While its power may have diminished, the Death domain now offers numerous advantages to anyone within its reach. Even Great Sages experience a debuff, and attacks aimed at the domain lose 50% of their total power thanks to the Golden Light element. The blink skill has evolved within the domain. Now, Karsha can blink anywhere within the domain''s 10 km diameter. Outside the domain, this skill only works for a few meters, but inside, it allows him to traverse great distances in an instant, rendering him invincible within his domain. Yet, the most striking and perhaps greatest change is the terrifying eye suspended in the air, emanating darkness all around¡ªthe "Eternal Demon Gaze," a Tier 10 skill that has undergone enhancements, bing even more fearsome. Despite Karsha''s limited mastery (F grade) of the skill, the eye appears more terrifying than it would outside the domain. To master this skill, he must deepen his understanding of the darkness element and capture nightmares and horrors with his third eye. The more horrors captured, the greater the eye''s chilling effect on those who gaze into its depths. Even now, those who gaze into it will feel disoriented for three seconds, providing Karsha enough time to execute a quick attack. The duration can be shortened based on the person''s mental fortitude, but overall, the "Eternal Demon Gaze" remains effective in battle even without nightmares within. "This domain is chaotic," Karsha muttered, though an evil grin spread across his face. Clearly, he was contemting the havoc he could wreak with this domain. He could blink to the rear of enemy lines and activate the domain, covering a radius of about 5 km, sealing in hundreds, if not thousands, of soldiers.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Their deaths would also feed into the development of his "Eternal Demon Gaze," absorbing their fears as they perish. This would allow him to enhance the eye''s power without distraction duringbat. Moreover, Karsha noticed changes within the domain. His skill activation time, previously doubled, was now tripled, enabling him to activate skills three times faster than outside the domain. "I need to synthesize more skills and add them to the Red Eye Tiger," he mused. With the domain growing stronger, the skills needed to affect it would also need to be more potent. Fortunately, his synthesis ability allows him tobine weaker skills into more powerful ones. The more skills he synthesizes, the stronger the resulting skill will be, further augmenting the domain''s effects upon integration. Gathering numerous low-tier skills won''t be an issue once he returns to the human world. "Once this entire quest is over, I''ll focus on acquiring more skills and synthesizing them. If I''m fortunate, I might even find a way to cure Lady Yi Ran." After deactivating the domain, Karsha proceeded to inspect his skills. However, he discovered that he could not upgrade them further until reaching Level 4 Grandmaster. He then practiced the Fire Beam, raising its mastery to SS, allowing him to create an 18-meter-tall fire arc enhanced by sword aura. Karsha also mastered "Ice Queen Wrath" to level A, exceeding his earlier expectations. The Avatar of the Ice Queen now channels 350% of his total attack power, supplementing the initial 2% from the Ice Queen herself, making the skill as potent as the Dark Prince Hell Art. He can now have control over the ice without having much affinity for the ice element. With everything set, Karsha allowed his consciousness to return to his body. Retrieving 5 orbs from his inventory, he began shattering them in preparation for the imminent battle. Chapter 93 Final Preparations Karsha retrieved five orbs. Thest battles yielded more than he had expected. Even Ayarr and Dhaka obtained an Avatar, a Tier 6 Avatar. Unfortunately, they are Servant-grade Avatars, so they cannot evolve. However, that''s still an achievement¡ªthey managed to obtain something. Karsha, who had obtained a legendary-grade sword from one of the quests, is now equipped with three swords and a dagger for the uing battles. He also obtained about twelve orbs, excluding the ones the five shadow guards acquired during the rapid massacres. Karsha, being generous, selected five for himself and gave the rest to the guards. He knew that without their help, he wouldn''t havepleted the quests on time. They not only helped him farm for experience points but also filled up his Killer Points and skill points to the brim. He now has more than enough points to upgrade all his skills by three tiers once he reaches Level 2 of the Grandmaster stage. They''ve also helped him secure more than enough Venom to give to the Old Man, with plenty left over. They assisted in gathering ample monster bodies and cores, and for the first time, he received three items called Bone Shards. He didn''t dwell on them much, but when he held them, he felt they were more powerful than even the monster cores. The quest also rewarded him with something simr, but time will tell what they are and how best to use them. Overall, Karsha gave away most of his gains to the Purple Anaconda race in gratitude for their help. He kept five orbs for himself, having already trained his offensive skills: the Dark Prince Hell Art, the Ice Queen''s Wrath, and the Fire Beam skill. He has also built a solid defense and mastered his movement technique to the next level. Additionally, he received a flying ive from one of the quests. Now, he can stand at a distance and control the ive to strike with lethal precision. His mental strength is high enough to control it from up to a kilometer away, so he kept it. Although primarily a swordsman, Karsha exercises caution; despite his recent upgrades, he is still nowhere near the strength of an Overlord, a Terror Mutant. Striking from a distance when the opportunity arises will surelye in handy. After all, he won''t need much Mana to control the ive¡ªjust his mind. With a brain as vast as the ocean, that wouldn''t be a problem for him. The legendary items he received from the Sect Master and the elders are also in his possession. Although he had already used the Life Switch legendary item, it hasn''t been twenty days yet, so he can''t use it again. But that''s fine; he still has the Attack Nullifier, which can nullify any attack once activated. Karsha is confident he won''t need it, but having it on hand will undoubtedly be useful. With his domain now stronger than ever, he will be able to use it in conjunction with his defense techniques to block any attack. He has done all he can for now; the only things left are the five orbs. He shattered the first orb and waited for the item to appear. Once the mist cleared, a ne rested on his palm. Karsha was taken aback by the unexpected item. He had anticipated somethingrger, but instead, he held a ne, quite the opposite of what he had in mind. However, he wasn''t disappointed; on the contrary, he was eager to see what it was. < Ding! You have received an Epic rank item: Unknown Emperor''s Ne > [Unknown Emperor''s Ne] Rank: Epic Tier: High Tier Type: Unknown -- A ne said to have belonged to an unknown Emperor who, to save his people, ced a curse on them, banished them to a farawaynd, and killed himself. His legend was lost over time, but his ne remained. Abilities: [Emperor''s Curse], [Emperor''s Quest] "Bizarre," Karsha muttered, raising an eyebrow as he read the item''s description. It was indeed strange, and he felt a sense of foreboding about it. However, with the ne already in his hand, the best he could do was read its abilities. [Emperor''s Curse]: Those who wear the ne around their neck will receive the curse of wisdom and truth. [Emperor''s Quest]: Before he died, the emperor left three quests, thest pointing to his legacy. Those who wear his ne will receive a chain of quests leading to great wealth beyond anyone''s imagination. "Bizarre," Karsha repeated, feeling the description was vague. Nevertheless, he wasn''t one toin. As a Grandmaster stage cultivator, he felt he hadn''t yet encountered the true horrors of cultivation. He knew he would need a lot of money to progress and be more powerful. If a ne could curse him with wisdom and truth while providing ways to make money, he was up for it. After all, he had already received markings from unknown entities that would one day demand his help with little pay. He needed to have his own pursuits on the side. He needed something to do after leaving the ind, and what better than a little treasure hunt adventure? He hesitated for a moment, then ced the ne around his neck. For a while, nothing happened until the system broke the silence. < You have been cursed with wisdom and truth. You will gain wisdom from every little theory, but you cannot lie to women about your true feelings. > "That''s it? I guess there''s nothing to worry about then," Karsha muttered, feeling relieved. He had expected something bizarre, but this curse seemed manageablepared to the Dark Prince''s curse. "I''ll check out the questter," he decided, then shattered the second orb. Shortly after, a beautiful sword appeared. At a nce, he could tell it was meant fordies. It had a thin de with a crown-like handle adorned with golden ornaments. Along the edges, some runic markings caught Karsha''s attention. "In ourst days, we shall know those who care about us." That was the trantion of the rune. "This is a beautiful sword. I guess I''ll give this to June when I get back," he mused. < Ding! You have received a legendary-ranked item: Princess Sword > [Princess Sword] Rank: Legendary Tier: High Tier Type: Sword -- During her death, the princess of the lost kingdom ced her life force into this sword in the hope of finding someone worthy. The sword is thest piece of the beloved princess, loved by her people. They called her the Morning Dew, but her real name was Alita, the lost child. Abilities: [Untainted], [Purity], [Divine Light] [Untainted]: Once you hold this sword, your heart bes incorruptible. You will be free from all forms of corruption, living your days with a pure and untainted heart. [Purity]: Your presence will always be weed with love and affection. You will know no hate or malice. [Divine Light]: All attacks from this sword will carry a piece of divinity that cleanses all darkness in its path. Karsha marveled at the sword''s abilities. "This is truly a remarkable weapon," he thought. "June will surely appreciate this." He carefully set the Princess Sword aside but couldn''t get his mind off the description of the sword. "I guess today is a day for weird items" Karsha sighed before shattering the next orb, He knew the sword wasn''t something that he could use so he just stored it and moved to the next item. However, when the orb shattered and the next item appeared, Karsha was nearly through off bnce. "Another Legendary item, and from the same Princess." In his palm is a ne made from diamond, shining with grace and beauty. Karsha held it with a calm look. [Princess Ne] Rank: Legendary Tier: High Tiern/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Type: Ne -- To save her beloved who was away fighting to save someone dear to her, the princess divided her heart in two and gave him one and hoped he would always know she was alive ande back to him. Abilities: [Sustain], [Protect] [Sustain]: The life force in the ne will keep rejuvenating the wearer''s life force till it runs out. [Protect]: The ne will protect the wearer''s heart from pain and suffering for as long as it has strength "This is kinda sad. What happened to the beloved then?" Karsha, cursed with wisdom, began formting theories from the simple yet bizarre description of the sword. If the other half of her heart went with her beloved, what happened to them? Did he return or perish in his quest? "Why does this sound familiar?" Karsha had many questions running through his mind, but only time would tell if he would get those answers. "Another flying ive, huh?" Karsha held a green-colored ive in his hands. The fourth orb had given him another epic-grade flying ive with only one ability, Silence Piercer. It made little to no sound, making it hard to track. However, Karsha wasn''t satisfied with just that, so without any hesitation, he activated Synthesis and ced the two ives inside. A whileter, the system notification appeared, making Karsha grin from ear to ear. < Ding! You have synthesized a legendary-grade item: Vanishing ive > [Vanishing ive] Rank: Legendary Tier: High Tier Type: Flying Weapon -- A ive formed from thebination of two other ives. Mastery of it is best. Abilities: [Silent Death], [Double], [Vanish] [Silent Death]: The ive travels with little to no sound, striking with lethal precision before the enemy notices. [Double]: The ive appears double to those who sense and notice it. Their luck will determine which ive they defend against, the real or the fake. [Vanish]: In some cases, the ive willpletely vanish from sight and only reappear a few inches away from the target. "Well then, I guess this will be my favorite weapon from here onward." Karsha tossed the ive into the air and used his finger to direct it a few times before storing it. He then shattered thest orb. < Ding! You have received a legendary-grade item: Unknown Emperor''s Watch > "Really..." Chapter 94 Emperors Watch Karsha held the watch in his hands with a calm yet curious gaze, focusing on the runic engravings on the strap. It appeared to be a regr wristwatch but had an ancient look to it, worn out as if it had endured countless struggles before reaching him. The strap was brown with red pigmentations scattered throughout. The bezel, silver like most Rolex watches, had runic engravings that seemed to shift colors depending on the environment. The hour hand was broken but functional. However, Karsha noticed that despite the watch appearing to work perfectly, it would only move for 30 seconds before resetting. "It never moves past the 30 seconds," Karsha observed. The time disyed, 12:45 PM, remained constant no matter how long he watched the watch. "This is interesting," Karsha murmured, his curiosity piqued despite the impending battle with the Overlords looming just a day away. The curse of wisdom had found something intriguing to focus on, and Karsha was determined to explore it. "I wonder who this unknown emperor is," he pondered aloud as he turned the back of the watch. There were more engravings there, but most of the runes were indecipherable to Karsha, despite his prowess as a universal enigma. They appeared ancient and mysterious, withholding their secrets for now. However, Karsha managed to make out a few words: "Timeless," "Denial," and "Hatred." These three runes caught his attention. "Timeless... Could that rte to the 30-second loop?" Karsha wondered aloud. He perceived the watch''s constant reset every 30 seconds as some kind of looping mechanism. The fact that it remained stuck in this loop hinted at a deeper mystery thaty beyond his current understanding. "Timeless," Karsha mused, contemting its meaning as something beyond or outside of time itself. His mind began to weave intricate theories, connecting the term to the abilities of the Emperor''s Curse ne. It dawned on him why it might be called a curse¡ªhis newfound wisdompelled him to scrutinize every detail, turning small theories into significant considerations. While this could be beneficial in some situations, it also risked oveplicating straightforward matters with unnecessaryplexity. As for "Denial" and "Hatred," they remained elusive concepts to Karsha. He acknowledged his limitations, knowing he wasn''t an encyclopedia of knowledge. However, deciphering a few words from the runes hinted that he was on the path to understanding their deeper meanings. While "timeless" seemed linked to the mysterious behavior of the watch, "denial" and "hatred" posed puzzles he had yet to unravel. Karsha recognized that he still had a long journey ahead in uncovering the mysteries surrounding the items gifted by the unknown emperor. With three quests yet to explore, he anticipated there would be ample opportunities to formte and test theories about the watch and its enigmatic runes. Unaware of what awaited him, Karsha turned to the system and began reading the description of the watch. [Unknown Emperor''s Watch] Rank: Legendary Tier: High Type: Wrist Watch -- I used to think anyone saying ''I have time, yet I am out of time'' must be crazy. How can someone have time yet be out of it? It just doesn''t make sense. Nheless, there must be some logical implications behind this sentiment. Time, in context, remains a mystery that few truly understand. It''s a mystery many still strive toprehend, but that doesn''t mean itcks meaning. There''s a reason for day and night, and in between, we mark various times: dawn, morning, midday, afternoon, evening, and midnight. This concept hinges on time. So the phrase ''I have time yet I am out of time'' sounds vague yet somehow true. Well, perhaps in some cases, this rings true, but in my case, I indeed ran out of time. It was a moment when many would say, "Time is a sneaky little thing." If you find yourself holding this watch, whether in the future, past, or any time, gosh, my head hurts just thinking about it. I suppose if you have this watch now, you too must feel time slipping away. However, I won''t let you repeat my mistakes. Use this watch wisely, and it will serve you well. I hope you someday find the missing hour hand though. Your time is timeless; your hatred cannot be denied. Farewell, traveler. "This is kind of sad, yet poetic," Karsha remarked as he looked at the watch once more. It must be thest item the unknown emperor left before being lost in time. "I wonder if this happened in the future or the past." The fact that time ys a role in this situation means nobody truly knows when thest emperor perished. It could be in the distant future or the farthest past. "Gosh, my head hurts." Karsha entertained numerous theories in his mind, but his strong mental fortitude kept him grounded. He was curious about many things. Who was the emperor, and why was he out of time if time is indeed the essence of space and its entirety? Did that mean, time indeed conspired against him? "Or is it just a metaphor, and I''m overthinking it?" Karsha pondered aloud. If the unknown emperor was simply messing with him, did that mean he was overanalyzing things? "That''s not possible. Maybe he truly was out of time," Karsha sighed, then turned back to examine the only ability that came with the watch. Perhaps he could gain some understanding from it.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Ability: [Rewind] [Rewind]: Before losing all his time, the unknown emperor inscribed his remaining moments onto his watch. This act was meant to grant the chosen one some mastery over time, a feat he himself could never aplish. -- Decode the 24 runes and utter the incantation; you will gain the ability to rewind or reverse time for a limited duration. Structure: 3 Runes = 30 seconds 8 Runes = 60 seconds 15 Runes = 90 seconds 24 Runes = 120 seconds "Oh, so that''s what those words are for. I suppose this exins why he''s running out of time even though he still has time." Karsha must have partially deciphered one of the words, but not entirely correctly. Here''s an improved version of the passage: The fact that the unknown emperor could imprison time suggests he possessed ample time yet faced its scarcity. He likely realized that regardless of the amount of time he had, he could never escape its grasp. He must have exhausted every conceivablebination, only to eventually run out of time. "But how is that possible? How does one imprison time?" Karsha gazed at the watch once more. The watch in his hands contained imprisoned time, yet time itself remained unfettered. If time is free, how could he have imprisoned something so inherently unrestrained? How did he manage to ensnare time, even if only for 120 seconds? "My head seriously hurts. All this talk about time is making me dizzy." Karsha ced the watch back on his wrist and drew a line on the ground. Taking a deep breath, he then uttered¡ªor rather, thought¡ªthe three words. "Timeless," "Denial," "Hatred." In an instant, his vision darkened. He felt his mind stretch for a split second and then return to normal. However, as his vision cleared, Karsha experienced a slight headache. "It''s gone." Searching the floor, Karsha couldn''t find the Rune he had inscribed, indicating he had sessfully rewound time by 30 seconds. The line on the floor was to tell him if indeed time has been rewounded and seeing it no more means the time has been moved back 30 seconds. "This is incredible, but I don''t think I can endure another 30 seconds." Despite his remarkable achievement, he sensed that wielding such power wasn''t meant for him. And he was right. Karsha was merely a Grandmaster stage cultivator,ckingprehension ofws or Spiritual Qi in his body. The fact that he could breach the barriers of time, allowing it to flow around or through him, meant he had vited the fundamental principles ofwprehension. Without any understanding, he had not just broken the first rule but all rules, and time was unforgiving. What he experienced felt more like time dtion, his mind stretched to epass the entire process, making him endure the entirety of the experience in a single sh. Millions, if not billions, of pieces of information, surged through his mind in the blink of an eye¡ªan overwhelming torrent that left Karsha reeling. Yet, he knew he would limate to it in time. He had a long journey ahead, and understanding the concept of time was now at the forefront of his ns. Unbeknownst to him, Karsha''s mind had already begun to grasp the intricacies of time. Each use of the watch brought him closer to unraveling its fabric. The process will be painful but if he endures and never back down, he will one day gain the ability to harness time in any form he deems necessary. His first task was toprehend time itself: its essence, its flow, its weave, and how to wield it. These were daunting concepts beyond his current grasp. However, one certainty remained: deciphering all 24 runes would lead him to the answers he sought. After quenching his thirst with a few mouthfuls of water from his bottle, Karsha retrieved a ck book from his inventory. "The Book of Annihtion." Chapter 95 The Book Of Annihilation Karsha held the book in his hands, his expression calm yet resolute. "So this is it¡ªthe book that will help me wipe the overlords out of existence." His heart raced with anticipation. When he had first arrived on the ind, he never imagined he woulde this far. Initially, Karsha had nned to rely solely on his own strength to grow stronger and defeat the overlords. However, after a harrowing encounter with the Scalecrusher Titan snake shattered his confidence, he reluctantly turned to the mysterious book he acquired shortly after arriving. There was a fine line between arrogance and recognizing the need for assistance, and Karsha knew when to admit he needed help. When the shadow guards offered their aid, he epted without hesitation. He understood that the battles ahead would surpass any he had faced before. For too long, Karsha had evaded and fled from the overlords. But now, clutching the ck-covered, diary-like book known as the Book of Annihtion, he felt a surge of determination. Tears threatened to well up in his eyes as he whispered to himself, "Well, it''s not like I never anticipated this day." He sighed, then took a sip from his water bottle before casting another nce at the book. With a resolute nod, he opened it. The first page was in white except for the centered title: "The Book of Annihtion, " Below it, intricate Rune diagrams formed another inscription. "Volume 1 of 7," Karsha read aloud, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Wait, what does this mean? Haven''t I found all ten pieces of the book?" The realization dawned on him that the book in his hands was just the first volume of a seven-part series. What implications did this hold? Did he need to find all seven volumes before he could unleash its power? No, that couldn''t be it. Karsha flipped to the next page, finding it filled with handwritten text in ink. Before he could contemte its contents, a system message appeared before his eyes. < You have discovered the hidden diary of the unknown Emperor, Master of the unknown, the nameless one > "Wait, what?" Karsha''s voice echoed with disbelief through his surroundings. "What is the meaning of this?" He felt a mix of frustration and curiosity swirling within him. First, he received a ne from the mysterious emperor, cursed with wisdom and truth. Alongside the curse came three quests promising to lead him to hidden treasures. Then there was the watch, granting him the ability to rewind time-based on his mastery of tranted runes¡ªcurrently allowing him control over 30 seconds. And now, the book intended to aid him in overthrowing the ten Overlords seemed to be the diary of the same enigmatic figure, referred to by multiple titles: "Master of the Unknown, the Nameless One." "I mean, what the fuck is going on?" Karsha''s patience wore thin. From being recruited into the Ice Queen''s secret army to being heralded as the Lightbringer and the Friend of Hope and Destiny, he had been swept into a whirlwind of fate-altering events. And now, here he stood, holding a diary that promised knowledge capable of upending his world. "If I didn''t know better, I''d say someone else is controlling my destiny. But then again, is anyone truly ever in control of their destinies?" Karsha sighed deeply, steeling himself as he began to read the handwritten texts inscribed within the pages. "Ha, I know this may sound cringe, arrogant, and crazy, but I defeated fate. I, son of the unknown, master of the unknown, bringer of the unknown, managed to defy fate itself. But at what cost? Life sure has its way of toying with the innocent sometimes. Well, what do I know? We bask in the light and celebrate, but when darkness descends, we recoil. Such is life. We embrace the good and shun the bad. But what if the bad holds the lessons we desperately need? We choose to ept everything pleasant and reject the unpleasant, all to gain approval or maintain ourfort. I''ve witnessed this cycle countless times. So I find myself asking: who orchestrates it all? Who pulls the strings, weaves the tapestry, and decides our fates? The answer I eventually found was far fromforting, yet I never expected it. Fate, that cunning entity, holds sway over everything¡ª the good, the bad, the nonsense. We dance at its whim, merely pawns in its game, enduring for years until it tires of us, discarding us to y out its designs anew. But it must end. So I tried to end it, at least in my own way." Karsha''s focus entered into reading the book. He knew he was about to learn something big. "I was there. I saw it all¡ªwatched it burn to the ground, devoured by darkness, never to be seen again. They came¡ªeyes burning with insatiable hunger, bloodlust, and wickedness. The innocent, the wicked, the bad, the good¡ªall perished. So I ask myself: who are they? Why are they here? What are they doing? I got my answer sooner than expected. They are the doom, the bringers of disaster, the children of ??????? and the Nine ?????????. I know their names, but they cannot be spoken aloud, not yet. I watched everything I loved, have loved, and will love burn. Was there even ground? Hahaha, everything burned. I felt anger, happiness, impending rage¡ªall of it. So I acted. I, the unknown, took action¡ªan action that cost me everything. But I wasn''t sad; I knew I couldn''t match them. So I set out, searching. If I couldn''t defeat them, I would find those who could. It took countless years, but I persisted. Why? Because if I stopped, failed, or gave up, there would be nothing left. After eons of searching, I found nothing¡ªor did I? After pausing for a minute, it became clear I sought something in the wrong way. So it dawned on me and I asked, why look outside when you can look within?" "This question answered itself sooner than expected, showing me a path forward. So I gathered my knowledge, my madness, and confronted fate¡ªthe all-knowing. I fought her and, well, she handed me my ass, but I discovered what I sought. There, within the tapestry of fate, in the sea that flows endlessly, I found them: the Unknowns, those outside fate. Seven strings intertwined with another I couldn''t quite decipher¡ªthey were beyond fate''s grasp, untouchable. Seven strings bound by another. They are the ones I sought. So I named them: ?????????, ?????????, ?????????, ?????????, ?????????, ?????????, ?????????. I know their names, but fear not, they are not lost or hidden; they wait to be called. Not yet, though, for there is the 8th string I could not name. I was killed, banished, or buried. But before all this, I charted the roadmap, the matrix, thebyrinth to follow. I did not do this for personal gain, but for our collective gain¡ªor mine¡ªor perhaps there was nothing to gain at all. So If you are reading this, then you have a choice to make. Be the seeker of the untamed or not." "Here we go again," Karsha muttered, flipping the book to the next page. This time, a spiral diagram greeted him, centered with a ring red circle. "Those who seek are destined to be seekers of fate. But that is not your path, for you will defy fate. Those brave enough to challenge fate be the unknowns, the lonely, the defiers. I dare say, the greatest adventure is one without end. But what happens if you break it? Well, that''s if you dare take the next step. A drop of your blood is all it takes to im the title: Seeker of the Untamed. Seek the 7 untamed and bring absolution to the cosmos, or watch it burn down, yet again." "Ah, I expected something like this," Karsha sighed. The remaining pagesy nk, waiting for his blood to reveal their secrets. To learn the weaknesses and strengths of the Overlords, he mustmit to this path. If he wants the secrets within the book, he will have to brave the unknown first and that is said to be the most difficult thing a person can do. "The spiral shone for a brief moment before subsiding. Karsha dropped his blood without hesitation. It was all or nothing; he needed whatever advantage he could get against the Overlords. < Ding! You have received a title: Seeker of the Untamed >N?v(el)B\\jnn [Seeker of the Untamed] -- From this day forth, fate will shun you and seek to end you. Yet, your destiny will be your own, determined solely by your actions. "Ah well, nothing like a little something to get started," Karsha remarked, flipping eagerly to the next page. Expecting to find a string of text detailing the weaknesses of the Overlords, he was surprised to find another page filled with text. However, the new texts had nothing to do with fate; they detailed the aftermath of the actions of the unknown emperor and their impact on his people. The identity of the unknown emperor remained a mystery to many, including Karsha, although he was beginning to uncover more about this enigmatic figure through the text. The unknown emperor was revered for his knowledge, wisdom, and dedication to truth. Yet, beyond these attributes, little else was known about him. Now, Karsha was about to delve deeper into his story, discovering knowledge that would someday answer many questions and potentially save lives. Bound to walk the path of the fateless, he embraced the journey ahead. "Ah, here we go again. Taking fate as an enemy won''t be easy," Karsha sighed, resigned to immersing himself in these mundane texts for the time being. He began to read. "I cursed my people... why?" Chapter 96 The unknown People "I cursed my people...why?. Well, it''s a long story actually. What drives a person to go to great lengths and even run the risk of invoking the wrath of fate? Well, this is the story of the unknown race. Eons before my battle with fate, I had to curse my people in other to save them from annihtion. It''s strange really, I mean, people might ask, what could have made a being who went against fate to result to curse in other to save his own people? Well, I had to curse them to save them from me. You see when I was nning to go against fate, I also doomed my people alongside me. So I cursed them and banished them to the sea''s time before I ran out of time myself. However, I didn''t doom them forever, I left a way to remove the curse and revive their lost glory. I made it so that when they were back, they wouldn''t remember who they used to be. I cheated fate and time to make this happen, but in doing so, I have to sacrifice some things. Inside this diary or what I love to call, the Book of Annihtion is the key to breaking the curse. This is my way of saying sorry to my people. There are three seals, the first seal contains ten keys has been imnted in the heart of the lost prince and his cohort. Kill them and use the key to unlock the first seal. The first seal will break the first curse freeing my people. When the timees, you will know the way to the second seal and then thest. However, there is no rush, the best thing is to go ording to the nid out in this book. This will show you the weaknesses of the lost prince and his cohort. But know this, nobody knows where the lost prince and his cohort came from, not even me, however, I needed ways to save my people so I used them, they were my prisoners at that time. So make sure you are prepared before confronting them. Acting on impulse will only cost you. I never intended for this to happen, yet here we are, fate is indeed a sneakily little bastard. I think by now you have established that the monsters living on this ind are snakes. Well, that about covers everything. However, let''s talk about the Lost Prince and his cohort. Many years before the banishment, this strange breed of snakes invaded my territory. Nobody knew where they came from or why they were there. The only thing we knew then was that they were dangerous and deadly, especially the Lost Prince. The name Lost Prince was what his cohort used to call him. He was a very powerful monster who feared no danger. When I took action and used everything in my arsenal to capture, he had alreadyid waste to many cities. Many yearster, when I became powerful enough, I interrogated them. But no matter the torture I put them through, the only thing they said was the word, ''Uno'' which means One. They said nothing else. I tried looking for their origin but s, I had to give up that quest and let nature take its course. They are scary creatures that cannot be tamed. They have no fear, and for one, I am jealous of them. If you are going to face them, you must face them with the same mindset. Don''t let fear take over your mind and heart. You must maintain aplete and total mindset free of any form of fear. As I said, I never wished for this to happen, so I also made sure, the person who will be taking on the title of the Seeker wouldn''t suffer much in their Quest. I don''t know whether you will be able to seed, but I have prepared 10 items outside the key that after killing each monster, you will be rewarded with. Know this: you must not reveal the origin of these items to anyone. They must also never be given to anyone. I repeat they should not be given to anyone. The unknown must remain unknown. However, if one day you manage to find my legacy, you may give away as many treasures as you wish, but never give away anything that the Unknown Emperor has specifically made. There are times that must remain hidden. These items should remain hidden from anyone knowing about their origins. Each page contains the strength, skills and weakness of a Cmity as well as the reward your will gain after ying them" "This is indeed strange. What have I really gotten myself into" Karsha broke away from the book for a minute. At first, he thought he would only be reading the book on how to kill the Overlords. However, now, he is not so sure, "Everything about this unknown Man screams danger" He sighed and then drank from his water bottle. The way things are moving seems to be going too fast. Of course, he needed to be strong fast too, but that doesn''t mean things should be going along that fast. At any point, he can be summoned by the ice queen to assist her. Then there is the situation whereby he has now be bestie with the element. Karsha knew his life from now onwards would be anything but easy. But while he weed that, he knew he had to catch some rest now and then. But now, not only has he taken upon himself to be the seeker of the untamed. He has taken a challenge that will take him on perilous adventures bound to be littered with danger all around. "At least there will be ten gifts waiting for me to im" On the bright side, there are the ten items he is bound to reap after killing the Overlords. "But if the snakes on the ind are the unknown race, what about the Anaconda race, where do they fit in" The Anaconda race pride themselves as beasts instead of the Mindless snakes littered all over the ind. ording to Lady Illo, the Anaconda deity was the one who ced the curse on the ind limiting their strength to Tier 7. However, they somehow retain their sanity. So if that is the case, then why are they not affected by the three seals? "Well, I guess the answer is simple then. This ind belongs to them. The other snakes were their guest who became hostile against them. Maybe that''s what prompted the diety to ce the curse on them" Karsha''s brain worked many theories. "Ah, my head hurt." He ced the book in his space ring and then stood up. "I wille here again, once everything is taken care of. Saying that, Karsha started moving back to Ayarr who had spent thest 18 days 500 meters away from the Time Tablet. "Please don''t tell me you''ve been here waiting for me all this while," Karsha asked once he appeared a few meters away from Ayarr. "What happened to you? Are you okay" She asked a series of questions but before Karsha could answer, she spoke again, "Ah, what was I even asking that for? Look at you, you look way better than 18 days ago" Karsha raises an eyebrow as he looks at the little brush on the snakedy''s face. "Is that blushing I see there, Ayarr? The others must hear this" After spending some time with them, Karsha has somehow be a little okay around the five shadow guards, especially, Ayarr who he found out is rather shy. Karsha of course, as extrovert as he is wasn''t one to let boundaries hinder friendship. Ayarr looked at him for a few seconds with an ''I will kill you myself if you say anything'' gaze. Karsha just smiled and then spoke to the system. A secondter, a hovering board appeared under his feet. Grabbing Ayarr by the waist, he lifted her onto the hoverboard and they started moving back to the Sanctuary. "Big brother" Starr was the first to see Karsha, and like always, she jumped into his embrace. "Big brother, Starr misses you so much" Ayarr who was standing behind Karsha now gave her sister some looks that could never be described. But the little snake child didn''t care about it. She was too absorbed in the hug with Karsha to focus on such trivial matters. "Big brother misses you too," Karsha said as he let the little snake down. "Starr will be going everywhere Big brother goes next" Karsha who may have promised the little snake girl let a small smile escape his lips. "Big brother will take you to everywhere you want, once the bad guys are dead." "Starr, let your big brother have some breathing space. He has things to do" Lady Illo and the four remaining shadowguards approach Karsha. Following though are five other snake people that at first nce Karsha could tell they are all Peak Tier 7. "Karsha, these are the elders of my Anaconda race. They wanted to see you before you left for your mission" Karsha observed the five snake elders with a calm look. However, just behind those golden red eyes, his third eye was crying toe out. Karsha knew what was happening but refrained from giving in. The third eye has an effect that many would consider a vition of their privacy. The third eye can to some extent see the weakness as well as the strength of others. The higher he grew, the more that third eye would also develop. However, using it will prompt the person to make them aware of their privacy being invaded. Karsha theorizes that, as long as he manages to increase his mental strength and his [Silence] ability, he will be able to cancel out that effect. But that is for the future to decide. using it now will make the Elders angry and make him be their enemy for something so simple. So because of that, Karsha held himself back. "But of course, please lead the way" Karsha gestured and the five elders, Lady Illo, the five shadow guards, and Starr started moving to the white house he metdy Illo in.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 97 Personal Guards Karsha followed behind the five elders, the shadow guards, and Lady Illo, all while cradling Starr in his arms. The small snake child had surprisingly wormed her way into his heart. Karsha, who had always preferred to stay away from small humans, found himself growing fond of Starr. The reason for his aversion was rooted in painful memories. He had missed the births of both his first and second children, a regret that had led to him sleeping outside for a whole week. Every time he saw small human children, he was reminded of those unfortunate moments. However, the little snake child had managed to change all that. Starr not only altered his view of her but also transformed his perspective on children in general. Karsha found himself bing a devoted lover of small animals and children, his heart softening in ways he hadn''t thought possible. But while that is good and all, at the moment, though, Karsha''s focus wasn''t on Starr but on the five elders moving ahead of him. Thanks to his newly acquired Silence skill, he was able to observe them closely without drawing attention. The skill allowed him to look at people and remain undetected, a useful ability given the situation. None of the elders seemed to notice his gaze, or perhaps they chose to ignore him. After all, they were snakes with senses far superior to those of humans and most beasts. He sensed the weight of their presence, but something else caught Karsha''s attention. The elders bore a striking resemnce to the previous shadow guards of the Purple Tail Anaconda race. It struck him suddenly: these five elders were the very mentors who had trained the current generation of shadow guards. Though he hadn''t used his third eye, Karsha discerned the simrity between the elders and the shadow guards he had spent a week observing. One was nearly invisible, her movements elusive and eerie¡ªa true assassin who had once trained Ayarr, the current stealth expert. The second elder, a graceful woman with a lithe frame, moved with the precision of a swordmaiden. Her calm and swift demeanor mirrored that of the first elder butcked the unsettling aura. Clearly, she had once mentored Dhaka, now the leader of the shadow guards. The third elder, also a woman, exuded the grace of a mage. It was evident to Karsha that she had been the mentor of Tifa, the mage among the current shadow guards. Then there was the slim elder, agile and sharp-eyed. Karsha deduced that this elder was an archer and the one that trained Alida¡ªthe subus-like snakedy¡ªin the arts of marksmanship. The appearance of thest elder struck Karsha differently. While the others resembled ordinary humans, this elder resembled a mountain giant, towering at nearly three meters tall with a massive, muscr build suited for wielding heavy shields and weapons. His intimidating presence and formidable appearance indicated he was a shieldbearer, akin to Killian, the humorous member among the current shadow guards. Despite not being adversaries, Karsha instinctively began profiling the current shadow guards. His past life as a soldier ingrained in him the necessity to stay several steps ahead of potential foes and even further ahead of allies, who might betray him unexpectedly. Observing the five elders only intensified his curiosity about their origins and the race they belonged to. Were they part of the unknown race cursed by the unknown emperor and somehow managed to resist the curse, or were they merely inhabitants of this ind while the Uknown race were distant visitors? Perhaps they hailed from a forgotten era, or maybe even the future. After all, the Unknown emperor said he sent them way and left them at the mercy of time. He has many theories. However, Karsha decided to table these theories for now. There would be time to ponder themter. His immediate concern was deciphering the elders'' intentions and navigating their inquiries without revealing too much. Ideally, he hoped the questions woulde from the male elders, given his vulnerability to the curse he had willingly epted from the unknown emperor through the ne. But he knew he couldn''t control that. So, as always, he began strategizing how to manage the truth. His keen intellect was well-equipped for such challenges. Additionally, he needed to understand why the elders sought this conversation and where they had been during his first and second visits to the Sanctuary. Soon after, they entered the white room and took their seats. Lady Illo naturally assumed her ce on a throne-like structure, while the five shadow guards positioned themselves behind her. The elders settled into the remaining chairs, Karsha noticing a new addition¡ªa vacant chair awaiting him. "I''m sure you know who we are, given your keen interest," thedy sword maiden spoke, her words confirming that they had indeed noticed Karsha''s scrutiny. Thankfully, there was no hint of hostility in their demeanor. ''Damn this stupid skill,'' Karsha cursed inwardly, thinking about his [Silence] ability, before allowing a small smile to appear on his lips. He knew the skill is too good to be true, but then he knew he was just too weak making the skill not live up to expectations. "My apologies. I tend to analyze everything I see. I couldn''t help but notice the simrities between you five and Ayarr, Alida, Dhaka, Tifa, and Killian. Are you the previous generation of shadow guards?" Karsha inquired politely yet with evident curiosity. Fortunately, the elders appeared receptive rather than probing, showing interest in his observational skills. "You''re quite astute. Indeed, we were the shadow guards before these youngsters took over. We passed on our roles to them approximately fifty years ago and have since focused on our own cultivation," one of the elders responded, surprising Karsha, though part of him had suspected this since their first meeting. The shadow guards Karsha had spent a week with were noticeably older than him, both spiritually and physically. However, learning that the current generation had assumed their roles fifty years ago left him slightly unsettled. ''I suppose it''s only natural seeing this is a cultivation world'' Karsha sighed inwardly before posing the question that had been weighing on his mind, "Why have we gathered here today?" "We wish to learn more about you and your intentions regarding the 10 Savages," the sword maiden, evidently the leader of the elder generation of shadow guards replied. "I am Karsha Damon, a human, and a Grandmaster stage cultivator, what you refer to as Tier 5," Karsha began, considering his response carefully. "I specialize in swordsmanship and alchemy, and I''m currently learning to be a RuneMaster. As for the Overlords, my goal is nothing less than killing them and breaking the curse on this ind." The curse from the Unknown Emperor made it so he would always look for the truth and also have less resistance when asked to speak the truth by ady. Because of this, Karsha nearly divulged more than he intended. Despite his efforts to restrain himself, a minor detail slipped out, piquing the interest of Lady Illo and the five elders. "You... you know about the seal," Lady Illo reacted first, her voice tinged with surprise and curiosity.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Yes, three seals, to be exact. I suspect they are what have bound this ce, the inner ind, and possibly the core ind under the curse," Karsha replied, carefully omitting any reference to the unknown race from his answer. "And how do you intend to break the seal?" The shieldbearer''s deep voice rumbled through the chamber, making Karsha subtly tense. He kept hisposure, though, determined to impress the elders. "Each Overlord holds a key. Gathering them will lift the curse, allowing your ranks to ascend and grow stronger," Karsha exined confidently. The elders, Lady Illo, and the shadow guards now look at him with a newfound respect. Initially skeptical of a mere Tier 5 existence, the elders now regarded Karsha with newfound respect. They sensed there was more to him than met the eye; perhaps if she were to be a beast, he would have qualified to be a dark mutant or even a Terror Mutant. "You five, step forward and stand behind him,"manded the sword maiden, motioning to the shadow guards. Dhaka and his team obeyed, standing staunchly behind Karsha. "You know your duty. Our ancestors foretold this day: ''When the Annihtor appears, the shadow guards shall be his army, restoring the ind to its former glory,''" Karsha reminded them solemnly. "You''ve sworn an oath. May the Purple Tail Anaconda guide you, even unto death." The Elders said in Unison. "We won''t fail Our Race and we won''t fail the Annihtor" the shadow guards vowed in unison, their arms crossed over their chests in a gesture of determination. They are about to fulfill the role they''ve trained for. They will be Karsha, who is bound to be the Annihtor''s guard. < Ding! Your bond with the five shadow guards has deepened. > < Ding! You have formed a close bond with five individuals; Shadow Guards > < Ding! The shadow guards are now your personal guards. They can be summoned by you from anywhere > < Ding! Because of your bond with the shadow guards, you can bestow techniques, skills, weapons, Avatar, and many more to them without any issue > Karsha smiled politely as he read the messages. This unexpected turn of events had ced him in a position he hadn''t anticipated, but he knew it was a golden opportunity, one he intended to capitalize on fully. The Shadow Guards were revered as the pinnacle force of the Purple Tail Anaconda, and now they were pledging themselves as his personal protectors. It was a significant honor, and Karsha pondered what he could offer them in return for their loyalty. Chapter 98 Fairy June is back After Karsha epted the five shadow guards as his personal protectors, they returned to the cave where he had awakened a few days ago after leaping into the waterfall to escape the Scalecrusher Titan snake. Now that he had five Tier 7 beasts as his guards, he no longer wanted to hold back. With one day left before their tasks began, he decided to bestow some skills upon the five snakes.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om At the start of their campaign, Karsha had instructed them to keep their skill books. Initially, when they told him they couldn''t learn skills like humans, he understood it was because they relied solely on their instincts and did not embrace new methods. They could only learn skills they acquired themselves, meaning they could only learn from skill books dropped by monsters they had killed. Although this was disadvantageous in some situations, Karsha saw it as an opportunity for them to at least gain something from their kills instead of letting it go to waste. They would have to y higher-tier monsters to obtain higher-tier skills. However, since they couldn''t directly attack the Overlords unless provoked, they had only managed to acquire skills ranging from Tier 4 to Tier 6. Now that Karsha could transfer skills to them despite their beastly nature, he saw an opportunity to synthesize their numerous skill books and bestow the newly formed, powerful skills upon them. Ayarr brought 34 skill books, Dhaka brought 36, Tifa the mage brought 24, Alida the Archeress brought 42, and Kilian the Shieldbearer brought 37. Karsha wasn''t reckless, but he nned to synthesize all of these books to form a single, powerful skill and bestow it upon his guards. Taking the skill books, he went inside the cave, leaving the five snakes to guard him as he began his magic. ============ Back in Sunlight City, on the mountain peak where the portal to Snake Ind had been constructed, many people started to gather. It wasn''t normal for such a crowd to assemble, but this situation was peculiar. People noticed that the Sect Master of Sunlight Sword Sect and his elders had been camped at the mountain peak for the past 40 days. Initially, this seemed ordinary, but when the only Saint Alchemist in all of Sunlight City joined them, it drew significant attention. This piqued the interest of other sects, great families, and prestigious families across Sunlight City and neighboring towns. At first, people came and left after a few hours, learning about the young man sent to Snake Ind by the Varon family through rumors circting from the mechanisms Karsha had put in ce before heading into the forest. Karsha''s n to gain poprity and divert suspicion from his midnight activities was beginning to bear fruit. However, the same mechanisms started drawing too much attention. While this could seem problematic, Karsha had Saint Alchemist Altemis as his backer and the entire Sunlight Sword Sect behind him. He would be just fine. But what truly began to cause chaos was a decision made by June two days ago, a decision that would change everything for Karsha as he prepared to face the Overlords. Two days earlier, June had approached her father, the Sect Master, and the elders to discuss something important. She had been pondering it for weeks and had finally made up her mind. "June, I know you want your mother back, but how can you be sure the young man will survive the ind? Making this decision will not only affect you but also the boy you''re trying to protect. And if, somehow, he manages to return from the ind, don''t you think he will be the center of attention, especially when seen with you?" Sect Master Xu said to June, who was in disguise. She wanted to remove the disguise and wee Karsha with her true face. However, doing so would invite all forms of danger to Karsha. It was well known throughout the Drono Kingdom and the neighboring kingdoms that the daughter of Sect Master Xu was a rare beauty. Even the Third Prince of Drono Kingdom had pursued her once and never stopped. When Sect Master Xu''s wife fell into aa after being bitten by the Blue Venom Viper, June vanished, and Elder June appeared in her ce. Many had tried to find her, but after a few years of unsessful attempts, they stopped searching, though their eyes remained fixed on the sect, waiting for the day she would return. Now, she wanted to reappear for Karsha. Her reasoning was simple: she wanted to ensure that the General, who was currently risking his life for her mother, was recognized with a higher status, even if he was just a nobody. By showing that she was with Karsha, she hoped to protect him from the Varon family. They wouldn''t dare attack him while she was by his side. In doing so, the Varon family would think twice before taking any actions once Karsha escaped the ind. "I know he is alive, Dad. I made sure of that," June spoke, her voice carrying the weight of certainty. "What do you mean by that?" Sect Master Xu asked. However, before June could answer, Master Altemis interjected. "I believe June here gave part of her life force to the little brat." The faces of the Sect Master and the elders turned pale upon hearing Master Altemis''s words. "Is it true?" Elder Chen was the one who spoke now. June just nodded her head, not daring to open her mouth. It was well known that if a person divided their life force, they lost part of themselves, meaning they lost half of their strength and everything that came with it. They also wouldn''t be able to cultivate again. They lose half of everything, so things like cultivation would cease. They were essentially doomed never to recover again. "Why would you do something so foolish, June? Do you have any idea what you''ve done? What this will cost you?" Sect Master Xu shouted, his anger palpable. "I did what I could to save Mom, and I don''t regret it," June replied, her tone defiant and childlike. It took every ounce of self-restraint for Sect Master Xu not to p her. "And what would your mother say when she finds out what you''ve done? Do you even know how long you have to live now?" Since she had cut her life force in half, her chance of living for 5000 years as a saint had been drastically reduced. And because she couldn''t cultivate anymore, even a minor illness could be fatal for her. She was essentially doomed, and that was why Sect Master Xu was so angry. However, now that part of her life force was inside Karsha, she could tell whether he was alive or not. Because of that, she knew he was still alive. Or perhaps, Karsha was dead, and the ne she had given him was just lying somewhere on the ind. "Master Altemis, tell me there is a cure for this," Sect Master Xu pleaded, his voice almost breaking. If there was one thing his wife cherished, it was their daughter June. The prospect of her finally waking up only to find out their daughter was dying was unbearable. "There is a cure, but it''s almost impossible to obtain. From what I know, such pills cannot be bought easily. Thest time I heard of it was at the Shilox Auction, which will be happening again in four months. The only thing that can save her is a Tier 8 Earth-grade pill called the Constitution Awakening Pill. It wasst sold for billions of High-Grade Spirit Stones at the Shilox Auction." The faces of the elders and Master Xu fell when they heard the old Alchemist''s words. "However, if you go to the other empires, I am sure you will be able to secure some by spending a couple of million High-Grade Spirit Stones," he added, trying to lighten the mood. However, the mention of high-grade spirit stones left the elders feeling defeated. While 100 gold coins are equivalent to 1 spirit stone, other forms of spirit stones have different values. A spirit stone has two forms: low grade and high grade. One hundred low-grade spirit stones are equivalent to 1 high-grade spirit stone. So suggesting the sect spend millions on a single pill was like telling them to challenge a demon to a duel. It was just too expensive. Even June, hearing this, couldn''t help but lower her head in defeat. They are all at a loss for words. June''s decision has caused all of them to be angry and sad at the same time. "However, now that I think about it, the boy she did all this for is a very brilliant alchemist. I''m sure if he finds out, he will be able toe up with the recipe and even know how to concoct it. I think we should rx and wait for him toe back first. That youngster terrifies even me when ites to alchemy. I am sure he will be able to cure her in no time." The faces of the elders regained some color. June, hearing this, smiled silently. She knew what the old man said was true, so she decided to put her trust in Karsha. "Do whatever you want, June. After all, you can die anytime for making such a terrible decision without telling me," Sect Master Xu said, ensuring June knew she had messed up. June was quick to shed her disguise, revealing her goddess-like appearance. Her beauty immediately overwhelmed the elders. Without lingering, she went outside the tent and sat beside Xian, who had been staring at the gate every passing second. The moment she emerged from the tent, words began to spread about the reappearance of Fairy June, the most beautifuldy in all of the Central Continent. Karsha, who at that very moment was preparing for his battle with the Overlords, had no idea about the kind of youth currently gathering at the mountain peak to catch a glimpse of Fairy June, his woman. He would return from the ind only to be greeted by angry young men, all vying for June''s attention. But s, the angel had already fallen for the demon general, Gen. Karsha Damon. Chapter 99 Karsha and His Personal Guards While chaos started to unfold in the outside world due to June''s decision, Karsha remained inside the cave synthesizing the skill books the five shadow guards gave him. Afterpleting the Breakthrough quest with an SSE rating, he was awarded two talent abilities -Persona and Synthesis. What the synthesis does is, it takes ordinary items like skill books, weapons, and artifacts and merges them together forming a more powerful version of the item. Common Grade weapons can be synthesized to form a rare or epic-grade weapon same as skill books can be merged to form a new and powerful version of the skill. The sky is the limit. All Karsha needed was to get his hands on skill books. Once he has enough, he will be able to merge them to form more powerful higher-tier skills. So because of this and his recently enhanced connection with the shadow guards, Karsha decided to use the synthesis ability to create a more powerful skill from the skill books they''ve earned during his quest for the Venoms and awakening the 8 e elements. And with each shadow guard giving him over 30 skill books, Karsha entered the cave and would onlye out after creating five new skills for his Tier 7 shadow guards, the Purple Tail Anaconda lethal force. Although their mastery of the skill Karsha would be bringing out wouldn''t be high enough to make a difference in theiring battles, Karsha knew it was going to be a long battle, and what was the best time to train a skill if not in an active battle? Once Karsha leaves the cave, they will journey to the first location in the Book of Annihtion. Initially, Karsha nned to go by his own n, however, the book which happens to be a diary of the unknown Emperor seems to have a different idea. But still, it pointed Karsha to the ce he wanted to start from. He suffered his greatest defeat at the hands of the ScaleCrusher Titan snake. He almost died and if not thanks to the ne June gave him beforeing to the ind, Karsha would have indeed died. So deed within, he nned on killing that snake first before facing the others. It''s like facing his own heart demon. That Overlord caught him off guard and for payback, he nned on delivering one huge blow. However, while that may be the case, Karsha still has to traverse a great distance to get to the location the map is showing him. If he were to fight all those snakes before facing the Overlord, he would be exhausted and would only be offering himself on a silver tter to the mad titan. To prevent that from happening, the five shadow guards will hold off the Overlord''s subordinates while he confronts their boss. Although his mission is to break the curse and free the snakes from years of torment, it can''t be done peacefully; a bloodbath is inevitable. Thanks to the skill books the shadow guards gathered, he is now merging them to form powerful versions that would be capable of holding back the snakes while Karsha goes after their bosses, the Overlords. After about three hours, Karsha came out of the cave and gestured for the five shadow guards to follow him. Alida already has the flying boat they''ve been using so when they are in the clear, Karsha instructs her to take it out and fly it toward where he went for his 18 days of training. After a few seconds, they appeared at the waterfall. Karsha didn''t instruct them to move ahead so they stopped and dismissed the boat. "I am pretty sure you five have sensed some closeness with me after pledging your oath the second time," Karsha asked making sure they understood what he was saying. The five guards nod their heads. "Good. What that connection means is, that you five and I are now linked by destiny. I can summon you anywhere I am and I am sure you can also do that. I don''t really know how it works, but in short, I can summon you five at any time from anywhere" Karsha expected weird reactions from all five guards, but to his surprise, they just smiled at him. "You don''t seem surprised," He asked. "No, we are not surpise. This is what we''ve waited for our entire lives. We trained to be the Personal guards of the Annihtor, and now that we can, it just feels so great" Alida replied. showing a lively and majestic smile. "And you guys are okay bing my Personal Guard?," Karsha asked again. He knew his life would be full of dangers, so he wanted to make sure they knew that. "We are okay. No matter the danger you are in, when you call, we wille" Dhaka, the swordsman and the leader of the shadow guards answered, his voice full of determination and resolve. "Good then. I guess it''s good we will be facing the Overlords a few hours from now" Karsha sat on a log of wood just a few meters from him. The shadow guards also walked closer and sat on the rocks after Karsha gave them the go-ahead. He then retrieved the bow he has been saving all this while from his inventory. It''s a High Tier Gold Grade Bow. There are grades of weapons. Common, Rare, Epic, Gold, Earth, Heaven, Legendary, Divine, God, and in some aspects there are Spirit weapons. The spirit weapons are mostly weapons that grow with their owner. There are some that be stronger by absorbing the blood or soul of the people they y. The more they absorb, the more powerful they be. So a soul weapon that has a grading of a Rare weapon can grow to be a divine weapon and then finally attain spirituality bing a true spiritual weapon. But the bow Karsha is holding is a Gold grade bow called ''Phoenix Tears''. It''s one of the items he got when he first appeared on the ind, weeks ago. "Alida, I believe this bow will serve you well," Karsha said, extending his hand to offer the bow to the subus-like snakedy. She was the archer of the group and had a high affinity for the fire element. A bow enchanted with fire meant she could unleash powerful fire attacks without expending too much energy. Alida gently received the weapon and thanked him. Karsha smiled before turning to the others. "I don''t have any weapons for you right now, but I will soon give you something better." He looked at Alida, who raised an eyebrow. "You included," he added with a smile. The five shadow guards all possess higher affinities for the elements. Alida is of the fire type, so when dealing with fire, she is the one to call. Her archery skills are also the best. Karsha doesn''t spend much time observing them as they fight, but from the little she sees, Alida''s control over the Bow and arrow is very good. Where there is Dhaka, the swordsman. He is known for his very high affinity for water and high affinity for ice. He has affinities for two elements making him extremely powerful. His swordsmanship is also great. Had Karsha asked or used the system to check, he would have seen that Dhaka was nearing the Saint level. He also has ess to the first level of Sword Aura, so he is really good with the sword. Then there is Kilian, the shieldbearer and the most physically feat person in the group. He has an High affinity for the Earth element, but he is a few sites away from having a perfect affinity for the Earth element. Both his defenses and offenses are great. Karsha saw how he used his spiked colossal shield to m hard into the face of a Tier 6 snake, killing it instantly.N?v(el)B\\jnn It was very powerful and Karsha couldn''t help but wonder what would happen if he got his hands on a powerful skill or technique. Then there is Tifa, the magician. She uses spells to attack, defend, and heal, but mostly she goes for the kill whenever she has the chance. She also has a High affinity for Lightning, Light, and Ice. Just like Dhaka, she has an affinity for more than one element. She is lethal and her decision-making skills are great. Karsha alone saw her use a spell, but the damage output was too great that Karsha couldn''t help but wonder where she was getting the Mana to fuel her spells. Lastly, the most dangerous member of the group, Ayarr the assassin. She has excellent affinities for Darkness and Wind. Karsha contemted giving her the wind seed in his possession, but after some thinking, she decided against it. She already has an excellent affinity for the wind element, giving her the seed will be great but a waste especially seeing as she is already a Tier 7 behemoth. Her control of the Wind and Darkness is great. She is deadly. During their time in the Eternal Abyss, Karsha witnessed how she moved using the darkness and shadows to her advantage. She is swift and deadly. She is also a good scout and spy so Karsha has an all-rounder team at his disposal. The question is, will they be able to hold back the mutant snakes long enough for Karsha to finish off their boss? The answer is no, but at least, they will be able to do something and leave the rest to Karsha. It was also the reason why Karsha is synthesizing the skills for them. "The next skill I will be transferring to you all is an improved version of the skills you gave me. I don''t know how you measure your skill Mastery but I expected you all to achieve SS mastery before the end of the battlesing. Use this chance to raise your mastery and I promise you, once this is over, you will be the most powerful beast on this ind and beyond." "Alida, you are first" Alida rose and walked toward Karsha and knelt. A very pleasant fragrance assaulted Karsha''s nostrils but he didn''t react. He just ced his thumb on Alida''s forehead and started transferring the skill he synthesized for her. Chapter 100 Karsha is ready, I think... "Big brother, make sure you kill the bad guys so that Starr can fly around with you," the little snake girl said as she hugged Karsha onest time before he left for his final quest: killing the ten overlords. After transferring skills to the five shadow guards, Karsha also used the runes he had learned so far. He applied [Silent Breath], making them nearly invisible. Ayarr, with her natural assassin skills, benefited greatly; unless a Tier 6 monster is a Terror or Cmity Mutant, sensing her would be impossible. He also applied [Self-Heal] runes to their bodies, granting elerated healing and a 200% boost to their defenses. Since this buff onlysts for five minutes, Karsha stacked the runes multiple times, ensuring they wouldst longer when activated. But that was all he could do for them. Knowing his mastery wasn''t great, he avoidedplex runes that required more soul power and mental strength to draw. Unbeknownst to Karsha, his achievements were far beyond his imagination. Rune Masters are incredibly rare. Nowadays, they are known as Array Masters, a subset of Rune Sorcerers who primarily deal with creating formations and arrays. Formations involve prohibitions and restrictions ced on artifacts that can be harnessed by an individual or a group. Arrays, thoughplex and hard to draw, are valuable additions to one''s power. They can enhancebat effectiveness, adding multipleyers of protection or attack power, depending on the formation''s core function. Like Rune Masters inscribe runes, arrays require precise inscriptions. The symbols used are like cheap knockoffs of the true runic symbols Karsha has mastered. Arrays can be used for various purposes, such as seals, enhancement, alchemy, and more. Karsha''sints about his inadequate mastery would be surprising to him if he knew how advanced he actually was. He is far ahead in the field of arrayspared to most array masters. As an alchemist, he can create pills and poisons with rtive ease¡ªtasks that are challenging for most, but mere symbols with meanings to Karsha. He will realize thister and perhaps see the need to learn more. After enhancing his personal guards, Karsha and his team went to say goodbye to the Elders, Lady Illo, and the little snake girl, Starr, whom Karsha couldn''t help but pamper. "Big brother promises he will kill them and take you on a ride," Karsha reassured her before jumping into the flying boat. "You five, make sure to protect him at all costs," Lady Illo instructed. Although the Purple Tail Anaconda can''t kill the Overlords, they can still eliminate the monsters guarding the way to them. "We will," the five shadow guards bowed to the five elders. After a few moments of talking with loved ones, they joined Karsha in the flying boat, leaving the Sanctuary to embark on their deadly mission. Karsha sat at the back of the boat, analyzing his ns. He had achieved a lot over the past weeks and had be rtively powerful. But the question remained: was he strong enough to face the Overlords? The Overlords were Tier 7 Terror Mutants. From what he read in the Book of Annihtion, these ten snakes were far from ordinary. Like the Unknown Race, their lineage was unimaginable, even beyond the knowledge of the Unknown Emperor. Given this, Karsha knew he would have to rely on his strength and hope for the best. He had a strong defense capable of blocking powerful attacks. His [Titan Defense Art] was currently at Level Two, allowing him to create a fortress made of diamond and ice in addition to the Titan wall. However, this defense required a significant amount of Mana. The first level required 50,000 MP to activate and 10,000 MP per second to maintain. The second level required 70,000 MP to activate and 20,000 MP per second to maintain. He could also pour more Mana into it to further strengthen it. But Mana was not a problem for Karsha. His monstrous regeneration ability meant he could quickly recover his Mana, and his current Mana points were higher than most Semi-Saints and even some Saints. Then there was his offense. His Domain had evolved into [Death Domain], which now had two powerful variations. The first variation, [Call of the Spear], formed ice and earth spears that shot from both above and below¡ªice from above and earth from below. The second variation, [Earth Prison], turned the ground into mud or quicksand and shot ice spears infused with fire and lightning. These variations required no additional Mana; once the domain was active, they could be triggered. Of course, Karsha could add more Mana or essence to further strengthen them. Additionally, there was a form of the second variation that required 30,000 MP to activate. This form used all elements to create a 10-meter-tall spear that shot based on the domain master''s direction, turning Karsha into a literal Mage within his domain. The domain also provided a 60% debuff to all enemies caught within it and a 70% buff to Karsha and his allies. Within his domain, Karsha was nearly godlike. However, he was still at a disadvantage. His many buff skills had time limits and cooldown periods. To kill the Overlords, he would have to rely heavily on his skills. Thankfully, he still had [Ice Queen''s Wrath] and [Fire Beam] in his arsenal. With his mastery of [Ice Queen''s Wrath] at A and [Fire Beam] at SS, Karsha was confident he could deal considerable damage to the savage snakes. Then there was the great [Dark Prince Hell Art], the skill Karsha was counting on to causemotion in theing battles. It was his trump card for when all hope seemed lost. Though he hadn''t used it in battle yet, he had already mastered its two avable levels. The [Sword Pool] and [Giant Sword] were both overpowered skills that could dominate any battlefield. With a million swords under his control, Karsha couldmand an entire battlefield from a single spot. Surprisingly, these swords felt real, not created from Mana or any special energy, making them even more lethal. In the second level, after awakening the sword aura, Karsha could form a second sword inside the dark pool andunch it with extreme force and pressure. Coated with both golden light and sword aura, the swords'' strength had risen to new heights. They could break the strongest defenses and cleave through obstacles with ease. The first level gave him control of a million swords, and the second level offered two forms of the giant colossal swords. With these abilities, Karsha felt ready to face Tier 7 Terror Mutants, monstersparable to a Peak Tier 8 human. Once a human bes a Sage and gains ess to spiritual Qi, forming their sea of consciousness¡ªalso known as the Soul Sea¡ªthey be incredibly powerful. Karsha''s mastery and his arsenal of skills positioned him well for the battles, he is not a Sage yet, but his attack power is incredibly solid, so he doesn''t have any fear toward the Overlords anymore. With the Berserker boost skills in his arsenal, Karsha was now an Overlord himself. If he used these skills the right way, he could easily dominate the other Overlords. However, if all hope was lost, Karsha could turn to his Tier 7 skill, [Agni me Sea]. This skill was powerful, but itsst form, which allowed him to summon the sword of the Fire Deity Agni, was beyond imagination. For a brief moment, he could wield the sword of one of the strongest deities¡ªFire Deity Agni. Using the sword, he could activate the Fire Beam skill, which would contain 2% of Agni''s total attack power. This would require Karsha to exert his soul and mental strength. Although his strong regeneration abilities could handle this, for a minute or two after using the sword, Karsha would be weak, leaving him vulnerable to his enemies. This made it ast-resort skill. Unless he was in dire trouble, using it was not advised. However, as he grew stronger, he could start using it regrly without suffering too much bacsh. < Name: Karsha Damon > < Age: 19 > < Sex: Male > < Race: Human > < ss: Berserker Swordsman > < Title: None > < Bloodline: Berserker Mutant Tiger > < Realm: Grandmaster-Lvl 1 > < STR: 4,600 / DEF: 4,500 / AGL: 4,200 / HEA: 4,400 / STA: 4,400 / INT: 6,800 > < Attack Power: 6100 ~ 10,380 > < Mana: 430,000 > < Charm: 2,000 > < Fame: 0 >n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om < Exp: 49,000/1,900,000 > SP: 7,700 KP: 1,806,000 ST: 41,000 Exp: 25,500,000 Elementals:[ Yin-yang Lightning: Beginner ],[ Absolute Chaos me: Beginner ],[Healing Water: Beginner ],[Absolute Ice: Beginner ],[Diamond Earth: Beginner ]/ [Golden Light: Grandmaster],[Silent Wind: Beginner ], [Absolute Darkness: Beginner ] Technique:[ Tiger strike ], [ Stormstride Ninefold Path ], [Titan Defense Art] < Skills > Passive: [Imitate], [Thrust], [Berserker Fury],[ Sword intent],[ Enhanced Rapid Healing ],[Golden Aura],[Weaver Eye], [ Sword Aura EX], [Life Force Regenerate], [Silence], [Erase] Active: [Red Eye Tiger: SSS (Tier 11)], [ Berserker Fury: A (Tier 5)], [ Rage Swordsman: A (Tier 5)], [ Death Move: S (Tier 5)], [Ice Queen Wraith: A (Tier 10)], [ Death Beam: SS (Tier 10)], [Agni me Sea: A (Tier 7)], [ Death Beam: C (Tier 10)], ============== Red Eye Tiger:[Lightning Strike (Tier 9): A], [Darkness Aura (Tier 3): B], [Fire beam (Tier 8): SS], [Illuminate (Tier 3): B], [Earth Spike (Tier 4): B], [Wind de (Tier 4): B], [Water Domain (Tier 8): A], [Ever Freezing Ice Domain (Tier 10): A], [Cobra Strike (Tier 4): C], [Eternal Demon Gaze (Tier 10): E ] "Yeah, I am ready. These worms won''t know what hit them," Karsha said inwardly, gazing toward the approaching forest¡ªthe Serpent Spire¡ªwhere he would face the first Overlord, ScaleCrusher, the Titan snake. Chapter 101 Fall of the Scalecrusher (1) After closing his status window, Karsha retrieved the Book of Annihtion once more and quickly skimmed to the page where the tasks began. The book didn''t show all the Overlords, only one at a time, so for Karsha to get the next information about the Overlords, he had to kill them in the order listed in the book. The first on the list was ScaleCrusher, an Overlord known for its incredibly hard skin, scales, and everything covering it. It had the strongest defense among the Overlords, and Karsha would be facing it first. He was pleased because this was the same decision he would have made, with or without the Book of Annihtion. After his near-death experience with that snake, he had nned to get stronger and kill that Overlord first before going after the rest. Killing ScaleCrusher would help him conquer some of his inner demons. ''I really hope I get something good after killing this monster,'' Karsha thought inwardly, drawing blood from his thumb and cing it on the circle inside the book. The page wasbeled "ScaleCrusher, Titan Snake." [ Task 1: Kill the ScaleCrusher ] [ ept this task by cing your blood in the circle below ] Karsha didn''t even bother with how weird the book was. He had already seen a lot more in the short time he had been on the ind. He even had a system inside his soul guiding him at every turn, so what''s there to admire orin about a book demanding his blood? [ Task epted ] [ You have epted the task to kill the ScaleCrusher, Titan of Snake, the defender of the Lost Prince Cohort. ] [ The ScaleCrusher is one of the strongest members of the Lost Prince Cohort. During their reign, it acted as the defender, using its colossal body to shield against any attack. No matter the attack''s strength, not even a dent was left on its scale-like armor. Many tried and failed, so in the end, I had to intervene and capture it myself. Your task is to kill the unkible snake and extract the Destiny Key hidden within its soul. Your reward will be greater than you can imagine. ] --- [Name: ScaleCrusher] [Rank: Tier 7 Terror Mutant] [Title: Titan Serpent, Unbreakable Defender, Armor Skin] [Strength: 14,000] [Defense: 16,900] [Stamina: 13,000] [Health: 21,000] [Attack Power: 12,800 ~ 19,600] Skills: [Imprable Scale], [Tail Smash], [Razor Tail], [Poison Stone Dart] [Imprable Scale]: The ScaleCrusher can harden its skin, transforming it into an imprable scale that deflects all attacks. [Tail Smash]: The ScaleCrusher''s tail is a formidable weapon. When mmed into a target, it can pulverize bones into paste and powder. [Razor Tail]: The ScaleCrusher can transform its tail into a razor-sharp spear capable of prating any defense. [Poison Stone Dart]: The ScaleCrusher can shoot poison darts made of stone at incredible speeds, delivering lethal toxins to its targets. Explore stories at empire ================ Weaknesses: [Spinal Weakness], [Jointed Scale] [Spinal Weakness]: Scalecrusher''s spine is its weak point. A powerful strike to the spine near its head can sever its nervous system, rendering it paralyzed. [Jointed Scales]: The joints between Scalecrusher''s armored scales are less protected. Targeting these joints can allow a sword to prate deep into its flesh. ================ Reward: [Symbiotic Skin Armor] [Bonus Reward: Kill it within a day and receive a hidden reward] ''Ahh, this snake is way stronger than me, and here I thought I had closed the gap between us,'' Karsha sighed. Compared to the ScaleCrusher, his stats were just pitiful. As a Grandmaster, he still hadn''t fully ustomed himself to his strength, so the system was holding onto his Exp for now. Once that was sorted out, he would be able to move to the next level and gain more strength. Thankfully, he had the perfect opportunity to level up. With opponents much stronger than him, Karsha would have to go all out. This situation would allow him to level up quickly, as catching up to his strength would be easier. However, unless he managed to break through the Grandmaster stage and be a Semi-Saint, the gap between him and the Overlords would always remain significant, no matter how fast he leveled up his Grandmaster stage. Moreover, the Trials for the Annihtor persona required him toplete all three trials while still at the Grandmaster stage. This meant Karsha would have to hold back his progress until those trials were done. In short, he wouldn''t be breaking through anytime soon. But that was okay, as he could still add to his stats whenever possible. With thousands of stat points at his disposal, he wouldn''t need to break through to increase his strength. Although breaking through would give him a significant boost, Karsha could still manage with his current strength. He just needed to avoid angering powerful people once he returned to the human world. "We are here," he said as they arrived at the small waterfall he had turned into his home when he first arrived on the ind. The ce was simple and cozy, serving as his temporary residence before the Overlord chased him away. "Alright, let''s go on foot from here." Stepping down from the flying boat, Karsha, and his shadow guards started following the map. They had to move deeper into the forest, and Karsha needed to venture further into the area known as Serpent''s Spire. Although the entire forest was called Serpent Spire, the main area where ScaleCrusher resided was particrly dangerous. Getting there would be perilous, but with his shadow guards handling ScaleCrusher''s subordinates, Karsha wouldn''t have to do much fighting himself. With his Silence Passive ability, which hid his presence based on his elementalprehension, Karsha, despite only having a low affinity, was confident he could move through the forest without much hindrance. As they moved through the forest, they tried to avoid as many snake monsters as possible. Thanks to the map, their movement was not only fast but also quiet. After moving for ten minutes, they stopped and gazed at the mountainous environment about 20 kilometers away. "That is the Serpent Spire, the real one. From here onwards, we will have to fight our way through," Karsha said with a cold gaze. The shadow guards shared the same look in their eyes. "Once we move 10 kilometers, I will leave you guys. When you see me start fighting the monster snake, you can withdraw since the other snakes won''t interfere in our fight," he instructed. After this, they continued moving. Karsha didn''t take his swords from their sheaths. He wouldn''t need them for now. Floating in front of him was histest weapon, the Vanishing ive. It was a high-tier legendary-grade weapon he had synthesized from two ives. The metal pole of the ive was about 1 meter long, and the de was about 45 centimeters long. It was razor-sharp on its single edge and engraved with dark runic symbols. "Make sure you retreat when things start to heat up. After this ce, we still have nine more to go, so prioritize your safety. You wouldn''t want to miss out on the remaining fun," he said. With that, the ive shot forward at a very high speed. Soon, messages started sounding in Karsha''s head, his vision window flooded with notifications of his kills. He made the system clear the messages as they appeared. Though moving at his normal pace, his senses spread about 1 kilometer all around, allowing him to keep killing as far as his senses could reach. Ayarr melded into the shadows, unleashing her lethal attacks on the monster snakes. Dhaka followed behind, his sword coated with sword aura. Alida went into action, shooting arrow after arrow with unerring precision. She never missed; all her arrows found their targets no matter what. Kilian also joined the fray but stayed close to Alida, since her defense was the weakest among the five shadow guards. Having a shieldbearer as a guard allowed her to unleash her attacks without worrying about defense. Lightning danced around her body and everywhere she stepped turned to ice. Tifa, the mage, began her own carnage. Her lightning bolts shot forward with lethal precision, paralyzing any snake unfortunate enough to be hit. Ice spears followed to deliver the killing blows. She was lethal and brilliant at every turn. Slowly, they neared the 10-kilometer mark. Karsha, observing how well they handled themselves, silently activated his domain, which covered the remaining distance. "See you guys soon," he said before using his blink skill to teleport away, causing the domain to vanish. As soon as the domain disappeared, Karsha felt a presence not far from him. The ce where Karsha appeared was filled with towering stones. Some ovepped each other, forming a natural canopy that provided some shelter, while others created rugged, challenging terrains, making navigation difficult. Using his earth element, Karsha sensed how deep these stones extended into the ground. The stones that were deeply buried had numerous scratches on them as if worn down by time and weather. When Karsha saw the markings, he let out a sigh and continued onward. The higher he climbed, the more dangerous the ce became. Some of the stones looked like they were made of metal, their surfaces gleaming like polished steel rather than natural earth rock. With his earth element, he could feel their nature and knew they were not ordinary stones. However, he didn''t dwell on it since he was there for a reason. "Boom." The mountain quaked. Karsha, who was climbing, held onto a stone for support and gazed toward the peak of the mountain. ''Looks like it''s awake and has sensed my presence,'' Karsha thought with a heavy heart. ''This is it, the monster that nearly killed me. I will get my revenge today.'' The mountain continued to quake for some time until it stopped. Then a loud roar echoed throughout the forest. In a cold voice, Karsha spoke.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Hello there, it seems today is your lucky day because I am here to end your unbearable existence..." "Human..." In a mocking tone, the snake monster spoke. Karsha smiled and then responded, "No, I am the Annihtor, Killer of Terror Mutant Snakes." Chapter 102 Fall of the Scalecrusher (2) "Hello there. It seems today is your lucky day because I''m here to end your tormenting existence," Karsha gathered his courage and spoke, feeling a surge of newfound bravery rece his fear. "Human..." The snake monster responded mockingly. Karsha smiled confidently and retorted, "No, I am the Annihtor, Killer of Terror Mutant Snakes."N?v(el)B\\jnn "Human, you''ve killed many of my soldiers," the snake said, its tone now dripping with murderous intent. Karsha smirked and casually remarked, "I was just farming for Venom and Skill points. Nothing personal, homie." The snake roared in anger and lunged forward. Standing 3 kilometers away, Karsha finally saw one of the Overlords without fleeing like a scared child. The snake was a colossal 80 meters long, with a head the size of a truck. Thanks to his enhanced sight, Karsha could make out every detail of the snake''s body. For a moment, panic gripped him¡ªthe snake''s body was covered in ck, armored steel scalesyered intricately to form a formidable armor. Discover hidden tales at empire Thanks to leveling up his cultivation base, Karsha''s hearing had reached a heightened state. He could now hear the faint sound of the snake''s scales scratching against each other like stones grinding metal. The creature''s eyes were a calcting blue, and staring into them almost paralyzed him. Its gaze felt like falling into a pit of tormenting thorns. ''This creature is strong, terrifying, and seemingly unkible,'' Karsha thought inwardly, but he stood his ground, watching as the snake came into clear view. Perched on its head was a steel-like crown adorned with razor-sharp spikes. Coiling its tail, Karsha observed its end¡ªa razor-sharp appendage coated in steel, capable of piercing through anything. The snake exuded a relentless, murderous aura that made Karsha curse silently. "You killed my soldiers, Human. I will kill you and feast on your flesh!" the snake roared again. Karsha unsheathed his swords, calmly responding, "I have simr intentions, though feasting on your flesh isn''t part of the n. I aim to end you swiftly, extract your Venom, and sell your body to the highest bidder. Be respectful, and it will all be over soon." The ive hovered behind Karsha, his grip on his swords unwavering. "This is it then," he muttered, activating his domain to epass the entire 10 kilometers around them. The snake flinched, seemingly affected by the debuff, but it was a fleeting reaction. Karsha anticipated this and prepared for it. So he swiftly closed the distance between them, activating his Fire Beam skill. Energy surged through his sword, unleashing an 18-meter-tall arc of fire that struck the snake''s side. A nking sound echoed as the attack bounced off the snake''s tough scales. "HUMAN!" the creature roared, preparing to charge at Karsha, who had blinked 6 kilometers away in an instant. "Not so fast, Mr. Snake," Karsha retorted, activating the second variation of his domain, [Earth Prison]. The ground turned muddy, slowing the snake''s movement. He then calls forth the first variations raining and shooting both diamond and ice spears. Ice spears, infused with fire and lightning, rained down on the snake. Karsha watched with a faint smile. Though the damage seemed minimal, he knew he was making an impact, albeit slight. The snake gained traction and lunged at Karsha with incredible speed, but he was prepared. His ive whistled through the air aimed at the snake''s eye. As it neared within three feet, the snake lowered its head, attempting to strike with its tail and destroy the ive. Karsha reacted swiftly; the ive shot upward, evading the tail''s strike. However, he underestimated the creature''s agility. By the time he refocused, the snake had distanced itself 200 meters away. The scales on its tail rearranged, forming a hard, sharp, and spiked appendage. Coiling its body, the tail shot forward at tremendous speed. The metallic scales at the tip of the tails seem to be spinning as the tail shoots forward. "Titan Wall!" Karsha eximed. A 7-meter tall, 5-meter wide, and 1-meter thick wall emerged from the ground, stacking fiveyers between Karsha and the approaching tail. Eachyer was a meter thick, creating a formidable 5-meter thick defensive barrier. The defensive maneuver cost Karsha 250,000 MP, but his regeneration abilities were more than sufficient to replenish it within seconds. Each wall requires 50,000MP, but thanks to hisrge Mana pool, he was able to form fiveyers of defense. Boom! The pointed tail mmed into the diamond walls, instantly shattering the first twoyers. Despite the disadvantage, Karsha smiled, sensing the incredible force behind the tail strikes but also realizing his defense was holding¡ªfor now. Theck of poison in the tail attacks was a small relief. "It''s all brute force," Karsha thought, trying to stay calm despite having absorbed so much venom, knowing his poison resistance was still less than 2%. Poison from an Overlord would be deadly. "Got you now!" After the fourthyer shattered, Karsha used the dust as cover and blinked away. Simultaneously, his ive shot forward. Karsha knew the snake was fast, but he was faster. Activating the second level of his movement technique and tapping into the second of eight variations, Karsha charged his cells with yin-yang lightning and invoked his wind element. He shot forward, charging his swords with Mana and Fire essence. Sensing danger, the snake turned to face Karsha, who was almost upon it. Two 18-meter-tall arcs of fire shot from his sword, aimed at different parts of the snake''s body. Sensing the immediate attack, the snake coiled its body and braced for impact. The two attacks mmed into its body creating a metal sound. The snake Roared in arrogance and was prepared to charge at Karsha, but at the very moment, it noticed something sh behind it. Karsha grinned and swung his swords once more, aiming for the snake''s right eye. The snake roared and coiled its tail to defend, but simultaneously, Karsha''s ive shot forward toward the left eye. Focused on protecting its right side, the snake left its left eye vulnerable. The ive, propelled by Karsha''s force, reached its mark in less than a second, piercing the eye''s center. Blood gushed forth as the snake let out a pained groan, now blinded in its left eye. "One down, one to go," Karsha muttered, his confidence rising. Without hesitation, he activated his skill, [Ice Queen Wrath]. The lifelike avatar of the ice queen, now appearing more human than beast, materialized. "Starry Ice," Karshamanded. Small star-like shards of ice formed and shot toward the snake, which was reforming its scales. Initially, Karsha was unsure how to prate its defenses, since the first appearance should have no openings. However, now, Karsha''s tactic changed after blinding the snake. Sensing the imminent danger, the snake began reforming its scales to reveal its true but also vulnerable form. As the Scalecrusher armored itself, taking Karsha seriously after losing its left eye, Karsha also realized he had discovered the weakness the Unknown Emperor had mentioned. Karsha identified the snake''s spinal weakness¡ªa cord-like bone running from its head to its tail. Breaking it could paralyze the monster. He also noticed the jointed scales, now rearranged after its armor formed. Observing closely, Karsha pinpointed where the scales were joined, realizing a strong enough strike could injure the snake. ''The question is, will I get the chance to make such an attack?'' Karsha pondered. With the snake armored up, the battle had be more perilous. Were it not for his domain, Karsha would have sustained more injuries by now. The domain debuff had reduced the snake''s stats by 60%, yet it still outmatched Karsha in strength. Using his overpowered Blink skill within the domain, Karsha evaded the snake''s attacks by blinking randomly, avoiding getting too close or staying in its line of sight for long. Despite this, Karsha remained on high alert, knowing the snake had yet to unleash its most powerful attack. With its imprable scales now in ce, the only skill left unused was [Poison Stone Dart]. This skill from Karsha''s perspective is perhaps the strongest and the most lethal of them all. The poison stones that form into pointed darts and shoot at a very fast pace sound like if you are slow and don''t have strong enough defenses, you will be a practice target. Karsha, from the start of the battle, was on high alert for that particr skill. And now that he had angered the snake, it wouldn''t be long until the snake started using it. If he is lucky enough, he will gain an opening tond a critical attack, but if not, then he can only rely on his defense and domain till he manages to gain an opening. "Roar" The snake roared and mmed its body against the domain. The whole mountain and the domain shook. The now imprable and colossal body of the snake despite the debuff was too powerful for the domain. "Crack" The side of the domain where the snake struck cracked. Karsha''s heart sank. Then boom, another attacknded on the wall creating another crack. Karsha''s face turned pale. Chapter 103 Fall of the Scalecrusher (3) The more the snake attacks the domain, the wider the cracks be. If the domain falls, the snake will regain 60% of its strength¡ªa scenario Karsha couldn''t allow. If that happened, not only would he fail to defend, but he''d also die without understanding how. As the snake prepared to strike again, Karsha spoke defiantly, "What''s wrong, Monster? nning to run?" The snake turned to face Karsha, who allowed a mocking smile to spread across his face as he activated his first Variation. [Call of the Spears] Diamond spears erupted from the ground while ice spears rained down from the sky. Unluckily for the snake, the misty ice smoky look from [Ice Queen Wrath]''s [Starry Ice], which he had activated, enveloped the area. The Avatar of the Ice Queen mmed her staff into the ground, causing stars to explode and further obscuring the snake''s vision with mist. Karsha, however, could see clearly through the haze. Charging his swords, he unleashed two 18-meter-tall fire arcs that tore through the icy mist towards the snake. The attacks rebounded harmlessly off the snake''s scale armor dealing no significant damage. Undeterred, Karsha charged his swords again, infusing them with both [Golden Aura] and [Sword Aura]. But he hadn''t attacked yet. Karsha activated his passive abilities, [Sword Aura EX] and [Sword Intent], taking no chances now that he had forced the snake to use one of its trump cards. The swords vibrated. Karsha couldn''t help but let an evil smirk escape as he said, "Eat this, monster." He swung the two swords with terrifying strength. This time, the 18-meter-tall sword arcs looked different. The fiery power was multiplied several times over. The heat they emitted was hundreds of times hotter.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The golden aura blended with the intensified fire, coating the razor-sharp arcs amplified by both [Sword Aura EX] and [Sword Intent]. The two fire arcs whistled through the air and struck the snake''s side. A pained roar escaped its lips as it was thrown back hundreds of meters, crashing into the ground. The mountain trembled once more, echoing the chaos. Karsha didn''t let up, using the [Arcing Blitz] variation of his second-level movement technique to glide at incredible speed, closing the gap between him and the monster snake instantly. Two more fire arcs descended on it, then another two, and another two after that. Karsha knew he had to seize the advantage. Seeing the snake struggling to recover, he maximized the damage he could inflict in this small window of opportunity. Hundreds of fire beam attacksnded on the snake, causing blood to appear on its otherwise imprable body. Karsha''s skill activation time inside the domain was incredibly fast, except for maybe the Ice Queen Wrath, which took a few more seconds. With his enhanced activation speed, he could unleash his fire beam skill almost every second, charging his swords continuously. Boom! The snake struck out with its tail, but Karsha blinked away using his blink skill. Another roar echoed from the snake; clearly, it was frustrated that none of its attacks were connecting. "Human, you are dead," the snake hissed, its body dripping with blood and suffering from a 60% debuff that slowed its healing. The wounds inflicted by Karsha''s sword aura made healing even more difficult. "I couldn''t agree more with that arrangement," Karsha replied with a smile, though he remained alert. He noticed the cord-like spine along the snake''s back beginning to glow. Karsha wasn''t sure how the Poison Stone Dart worked, but seeing as it started to transform into what resembled Godzi, he knew something was about to be fired from its mouth. He stayed on high alert, keeping his gaze fixed on the snake. The first and second variations remained active, raining down spears relentlessly. Karsha''s gaze remained fixed on the snake, the glow on its spinal cord intensifying. "Anytime now," Karsha muttered to himself, preparing for the impending assault. As expected, the snakeunched its first dart. The speed was astonishing, but Karsha managed to dodge it. It was only a warning shot, though; soon, more darts followed. Electricity sparked in Karsha''s eyes as he faced hundreds of iing darts. Initially opting to dodge, he activated Yin-Yang Lightning and his movement techniques, swiftly gliding through the barrage aimed at him. Knowing even a graze from a dart could poison him, Karsha moved with lightning speed, surpassing even his clone inside the subspace. Pushing himself to the limit, his lightning and wind elements enhanced his already rapid movements. His senses heightened by the domain, Karsha could pinpoint the snake''s movements and the wounds he had inflicted on its body. "You''re insane, Karsha," he muttered to himself, using the ive to widen the wounds before they could heal. He called himself crazy because of the sheerplexity of what he was attempting. Dodging the darts required his senses, which demanded focus and mental capacity. Simultaneously wielding the ive added anotheryer of challenge which requires focus and mental capacity. Dodging hundreds of poisonous darts while controlling a flying ive was truly insane¡ªonly a madman would attempt such a feat against a monster that could squash him easily. But Karsha didn''t care; his sole focus was on dodging and fighting back. His speed and sensitivity allowed him to evade the darts, though he soon noticed the domain''s walls were taking a beating. If not for the golden light absorbing 50% of the damage, the domain would have suffered serious harm. Realizing he was closer to the domain than he thought, Karsha began nning to shift towards its center. The ive continued to do its job well, causing more blood to flow from the snake''s body. Unable tond a single attack on Karsha, the snake grew increasingly furious¡ªbut that was exactly what Karsha had been waiting for. The snake''s spinal cord glowed even brighter, and suddenly, the darts shooting out had a golden light coating their tips. Their speed increased, and their numbers multiplied. "This is it, I guess," Karsha muttered as the yin-yang lightning danced around him. His eyes crackled with electricity, and like a ghost, he began flickering in and out of existence. He had activated one of the eighth variations of the second level of his movement technique, [Tempest Flicker]. This allowed him to flicker in and out of existence, letting solid objects pass through him without causing damage. However, Karsha wasn''t about to bet his life on this alone, so he kept evading the attacks. As more and more darts rained down on him, he made his move. "All in One," he dered, activating the second form of his domain''s second variation. Instantly, 30,000 MP was drained from his mana reserve, and a 10-meter-long spear made from all eight elements appeared. The spear was magnificent, with a diamond-ice appearance. A snake made of fire coiled around it, while yin-yang lightning danced along its length. The golden light coated the spear''s tip, and ck dots decorated the pole. Water added durability, and the wind carried it toward the target when shot. Karsha stole a nce at the spear and smiled while evading the darts. He moved, jumped, somersaulted, and twisted his body at unnatural angles, dodging the never-ending poison darts. "Now," Karsha whispered, as the ive glided through the air toward the snake''s right eye. Learning from its previous mistake, the snake turned its head to the left rather than trying to block the attack. However, it failed to notice the 10-meter-long spear positioned on its left side. "Bye-bye, right eye," Karsha smirked, directing the spear into the snake''s second eye. The resulting roar was so loud that cracks began to form in the domain, causing the mountain to shake and stones to shatter. Away from the battlefield, the five shadow guards watched the mountain, their fists clenched and teeth gritted. The battle between Karsha and the ScaleCrusher had raged on for three hours. Fortunately, about an hour after the fight began, the other snakes ceased their assaults, almost as if they wanted Karsha to win for reasons unknown. Back inside the domain, Karsha smiled at the spear buried in the snake''s eye. He then conjured three more spears and drove them into the eye as well. With the snake blinded and its senses dulled by the debuff, it was unable to perceive what was happening. The three spears struck true, and Karsha conjured another to strike into the left eye. Looking up, he dered, "They said you are unkible. Well, I guess I''m about to kill the unkible." His tone is both sarcastic and prideful. He walked back a few meters and snapped his fingers. The spears embedded in the snake''s eyes exploded, both inside and out. The monster snake roared, but the roar was cut short. Its head, once 12 meters in the air, came crashing down onto the mountain. The mountain shook, and the domain quivered. The ive shot forward at high speed, striking the joint where the spinal cord met the head, instantly severing it. The speed,bined with Karsha''s golden aura coating, boosted its attack power by 100%. Karsha stood there, waiting for something to happen. A few secondster, the system message appeared. Continue your journey on empire < Ding! You have killed a Tier 7 Terror Mutant known as ScaleCrusher, the Titan Snake > Chapter 104 Rewards After Killing the ScaleCrusher Karsha stood there, gazing at the colossal body of the Titan snake crashing to the ground. The mountain trembled, and dust billowed into the air. After severing the snake''s spinal cord, system messages started ringing. A wide smile spread across Karsha''s face. Against all odds, he had in a Tier 7 Terror Mutant, which was mind-blowing. The very snake that had nearly killed him when he first arrived on the ind nowy dead before him. It was surreal, and Karsha found it hard to believe himself. He wouldn''t have believed it if not for the kill notification floating before his eyes. He, a mere Level 1 Grandmaster, had taken down a Tier 7 Terror Mutant without sustaining a single injury. It was unbelievable, but as the messages confirmed, Karsha knew he had indeed defeated the first Overlord in under five hours. Karsha jumped andnded on the snake''s head, which could amodate more than 50 people. Its colossal body loomed over him during the battle, and now seeing it up close, Karsha couldn''t help but shudder. The scale of the creature he had just killed was awe-inspiring; its body felt like pure metal under his feet. "This will fetch a good price," Karsha smiled, then turned to the system. "The domain is still active, and the defenses are up. Any monster foolish enough to intrude will meet their end." With that assurance, Karsha started exploring the messages he had received after Killing the first Overlord. < Ding! You have killed a Tier 7 Terror Mutant known as ScaleCrusher, the Titan Snake > < +300 added to all stats and 5000 points added to your stats reserve > < +100,000 added to Mana. > < +1,000 skill points added > < + 20,000 killer Points > < 150,000 Exp added to Experience Point Reserve > < You have received a Consumable; ScaleCrusher Blood Essense > System Rewards: [Mountain Breaker Spike Shield], [Emperor Grade Avatar] Unknown Emperor Rewards: [ScaleCrusher Skin Armor], [Destiny key], [Bonus: Mutant Core] < System Extractors Enable > < Venom of the ScaleCrusher has been extracted and is being absorbed by the host. Progress: 2% > < Bloodline of the ScaleCrusher has been extracted and is being absorbed by the host ss. Progress: 2% > "Wow, that''s a lot," Karsha said, his face lighting up with a huge smile as he read through the messages. He had gained 300 points to his stats, with the system adding about 100 points during the battle itself. As he assimted his newfound strength, his experience points began to rise, inching him closer to breaking into the second level of the Grandmaster stage. With another 300 points added, he could feel his power surging. "An avatar, huh? I remember the sect Masters saying transferring them isplex," Karsha mused aloud. The sect elders could have provided him with avatars, but in Quinox, transferring an avatar was considered challenging and came with a price. So despite their desire for Karsha''s sess, they couldn''t simply offer him one. This was why they had given him three Legendary items instead. But Karsha was different; with his system, such challenges were manageable. He could transfer skills to others, including avatars. It was a significant advantage coveted by many. Fortunately, he had managed to secure an Emperor-grade Avatar. Avatars came in three grades: Servant, Emperor, and Mystical. Servants are basic avatars. Theyck memories from their previous life, retain only a few skills, and are fixed at their Tier level. They can''t learn new skills or speak. They are basically useless, especially if they are Tiers lower than you. The Emperor grades, on the other hand, can speak, recall their memories, skills, and techniques, or at least parts of them, and level up by absorbing cores. They can learn new skills, and some can even transform into humanoid forms. However, their appearance gives away that they are Avatars, and their decision-making can be wed, though they generally follow instructions well. The greatest of all are the Mystical-grade Avatars. Essentially, they are cultivators without souls, indistinguishable from real beings in appearance and feel. They retain all memories, skills, and techniques from their previous life. If they possessed soul weapons before their death, they could summon them in their Avatar form despitecking a soul. Mystical Avatars can learn new skills, transform into humanoid forms, wield external weapons, and make autonomous decisions aligned with their Master''s interests. They are considered the pinnacle of Avatars, offering unparalleled versatility and capability. However, they are exceedingly rare and highly coveted for their unique abilities and lifelike qualities. [Emperor Grade Avatar: ScaleCrusher ]: An Avatar of the legendary ScaleCrusher, the unkible. After years of Carnage, it has finally met its end in the hands of a beautiful Human. This avatar has retained two skills and can learn five additional skills. It can also level up by absorbing monster cores. "Ohe on system, beautiful human, really" Karsha let a small smile escape after seeing the system antics. He then turns back to the system. [ Name: ScaleCrusher Avatar ] [ Rank: Tier 7 Dark Mutant ] [ Attack Power: 10,000 ~ 15,500 ] [ Skills ] Passive: [Heal]: It can heal itself after sustaining damage during battle. [Shadow Realm]: The avatar can stay in your shadow and canmunicate with you via Telepathy Active: [Imprable Scale]: The ScaleCrusher can harden its skin, transforming it into an imprable scale that deflects all attacks.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [Poison Stone Darts]: The ScaleCrusher can shoot poison darts made of stone at incredible speeds, delivering lethal toxins to its targets. [ Note: The avatar cannot level its mutant ss and cannon transform to a humanoid form ] Karsha grinned, impressed with the potential of the Emperor Grade Avatar despite its regression to a Dark Mutant. "This is a great find," he muttered to himself, nodding in satisfaction. The Avatar might have transformed, but its immense size and power still made it formidable against powerful monsters. "Alida will make good use of this," Karsha decided, thinking of the practical applications for defense and offense. He retrieved the Mountain Breaker spike shield, its massive size nearly catching him off guard. "Whoa, that''s huge," he eximed, steadying the shield with his quick reflexes. The shield stood at 2 meters tall and half a meter wide, adorned with razor-sharp spikes extending from its surface, each about 10 inches long with menacing tips that appeared poisonous. Karsha quickly essed the shield''s details, eager to learn more about its capabilities. < Mountain Breaker Spiked Shield > Rank: Legendary Tier: High Type: Weapon, shield -- The wielder of this shield gains the following skills Abilities: [Unbreakable]: The shield gains additional size and weight, making it incredibly strong and capable of easily blocking powerful attacks. [Mad Dash]: The wielder receives a 250% boost in all attributes, enabling them to dash at high speed and m the shield into their target. [Spike Fury]: Channeling force into the spike, the wielder ms it into the ground, creating an earthquake that disorients targets. Venomced spikes then shoot from the ground, striking the disoriented targets. "Kilian is going to love this," Karsha eximed. The juggernaut of the shadow guards had only an Epic grade shield, which meant he would be upgrading to a shield of an even higher grade. This new shield also boasted three powerful skills capable of shattering mountains and blocking volcanoes. There was no doubt Kilian would be thrilled with it. < The host is advised to absorb the Core and Blood essence > As Karsha admired the shield, he was suddenly reminded of the urgent task at hand¡ªthe Core, about the size of a basketball,y on the ground. He swiftly retrieved it, then leaped back onto the fallen Titan''s head. "Alright, system, let''s get to it," he said. Unlike previous cores that had instantly dispersed into his body, this one entered like smoke, albeit much slower. But as the smoky energy began to permeate his body, Karsha felt his consciousness expand. Suddenly, it seemed to detach from his physical form, experiencing a strange enlightenment. Although the energy continued to enter his body, Karsha in his half-unconscious form didn''t show any expressions. Far from the domain, the shadow guards had been staring at the now-silent mountain for the past 20 minutes. "Did he seed? Did he kill the ScaleCrusher?" Kilian, known for panicking over even minor issues concerning the Annihtor, asked anxiously. "How are we supposed to know? We''re all standing here with you," Ayarr replied, trying to appear calm, though her worry was evident. Facing a Terror Mutant was no joke, especially for a mere Human who is just a Tier 5 cultivator in their eyes. "Should we go there?" Alida suggested, but Dhaka shook his head firmly. "We''d have to fight through those 7 Tier 7 Dark Mutants guarding the entrance. It''s too risky." "What are we supposed to do then, just stand here and do nothing?" Kilian''s frustration grew. "Yes, that''s exactly what we''re going to do," Dhaka affirmed. Despite his reluctance to wait idly, he knew protecting his team came first. As their leader, ensuring their safety was non-negotiable, even if it meant they might resent his decision. Kilian wanted toin once more, but before he could say anything, a voice entered their heads, "Coast clear, guys,e over." Without waiting for a reply, they vanished from their spot and instantly appeared inside the domain. They were startled by the sight of colossal snakes, so instinctively, they drew their weapons. Before they could take action, Karsha''s voice rang out from atop the ScaleCrusher''s head. "Well then, I managed to kill the Unkible," Karsha announced. The five shadow guards looked up to see Karsha, now radiating a golden aura after finishing absorbing the core. "You... you killed it?" Ayarr asked in a shaky tone. Karsha smiled confidently and replied, "I did, Ayarr. I killed one of the Overlords. Impressed?" Chapter 105 Impenetrable Skin The five shadow guards stared at Karsha with eyes widened to the extreme¡ªjaw-dropping disbelief etched across their faces. The Overlord, an entity even the bravest Purple Tail Anaconda wouldn''t dare challenge,y dead before them, and the one who slew it now sat nonchntly on its head, smiling. ''He''s a monster,'' was the only thought that raced through their minds. These were beasts themselves, yet in Karsha''s presence, they couldn''t help but feel dwarfed. He was a monster among monsters, beyond any doubt. Karsha nced at the awe-struck guards and couldn''t resist widening his smile. "What are you waiting for? Come on, climb up." The shadow guards hesitated for a moment, but realizing the snake was dead, they leaped onto its back, still in a state of shock. "Don''t worry, we''re inside my domain. No snake can enter," Karsha reassured them, studying their expressions for a moment before asking, "What did you discover after I left?" When Karsha had used his domain to cover the 10km distance, he had sensed something but had been too preupied with enemy territory to investigate. Now, with the shadow guards present, he knew they might have found something significant if all had gone well. "Nothing grand, but there are seven Tier 7 Dark Mutants guarding the entrance to this mountain. They could be the Overlord''s personal guards, but I have my doubts," Dhaka replied. "Oh, and why is that?" Karsha asked. "Well, during the battle, they didn''t budge. They just stood there. When you were fighting the Overlord, it seemed like they had a more pressing task, something more important thaning after us or aiding the Overlord," Dhaka exined. Karsha quickly connected the dots. "Then there''s only one possibility¡ªthey''re guarding something crucial," Karsha concluded, though he briefly entertained the idea of investigating further, he dismissed it. There would be time for thatter. "What should we do then?" Dhaka asked. "We''ll be moving to the next location soon after I finish a few things. You guys should rest and recover your strength." "We didn''t do much. Once your battle with the Overlord began, the snakes stopped attacking, so we had it easy," Ayarr admitted, epting the reality that the ScaleCrusher was indeed dead. "Alright then, while I focus on my tasks, use this time to retrieve the venom sacs from the snake for me," Karsha instructed. The shadow guards sprang into action, leaving Karsha to concentrate on his next objective. He produced a reddish orb-like object, roughly the size of a tennis ball. Faint golden wisps escaped from it as Karsha closed his eyes, bracing himself for the pain toe. With determination, he bit into the consumable blood of the ScaleCrusher, devouring the entire sphere. Instantly, the system sprang into action, extracting the essence of the blood. < The host has consumed the consumable blood essence of the ScaleCrusher > < Essence extraction in progress: 10%, 20% ... 100% > < Temperingmencing: 3... 2... 1... > Karsha gritted his teeth as the system began using the blood to temper his body. Almost immediately, he was drenched in sweat. The process was excruciating; as the blood belonged to a Tier 7 Terror Mutant, its potency intensified the pain to new heights. Karsha endured the intense pain for about an hour before a burst of bloodthirsty aura exploded from his body. The entire domain was instantly suffused with a stifling presence that nearly caused the five shadow guards to pass out, saved only by Karsha swiftly retracting his aura. Simultaneously, the system began chiming with a series of notifications. Karsha let out a slight groan before shifting his focus to the system window. The pain had subsided, but the absorption process continued in the background. < Ding! Requirement met. Your body has broken through to the first stage: Iron Body. > < You have gained +100 years to your lifespan, +200 to all stats. > < Your senses have significantly heightened. You can now perceive up to 10km around you. > < Your skin has toughened, capable of withstanding direct attacks from weapons below Earth Grade. > < Ding! Due to your body''s breakthrough, Venom and Bloodline absorption speed has increased. > < Ding! You have absorbed 40% of the Bloodline of the ScaleCrusher. > < Your Berserker Swordsman ss has grown stronger. >N?v(el)B\\jnn < Your Aura has evolved. +1000 Charm. Congrattions! > "Sorry, guys. I didn''t expect to make a breakthrough just now," Karsha smiled, noting the pale faces of the shadow guards. His aura had affected them, but more importantly, they were concerned for Karsha''s well-being. Seeing that he was perfectly healthy, they resumed extracting the venom sacs. Meanwhile, Karsha retrieved the next item. He had achieved an Iron Body, the first stage of body tempering¡ªa milestone many spent their lives pursuing. In the realm of body cultivation, there are numerous stages: Iron Body, Bronze Body, Silver Body, Golden Body, Diamond Body, Heavenly Body, Primordial Body, Celestial Body, Supreme Body, and finally God Body. There are records of other stages above God''s body but they are mere records. Nobody has ever seen someone with such a body before, so most just focus on this stage. Truth is, getting an Iron body isn''t easy. But once you''ve got it, things start looking up. Of course, that''s if you''ve got the cash to buy all those pricey herbs and treasures. Body tempering costs a fortune, so most folks just steer clear of it altogether. But for the brave souls who do dive in and achieve that Iron body, it pays off big time. It''s the ultimate boost, both physically and spiritually. Those who temper their bodies find it way easier to break through to higher stages. But for Karsha, it''s been a different story. Since day one, he''s been tempering his body with blood, a method unique to his ss that gives him an intense bloodlust few can match. While others absorb just a fraction of the essence from their kills, Karsha takes it all in. The aura he emits is only the beginning of his power. As he absorbs more blood essence, his aura grows even more bloodthirsty. His current aura alone can disorient your average Saint. Just one kill of an Overlord has already boosted him significantly¡ªwho knows how far he''ll rise after defeating all ten? Karsha gazed at the orb-like object before him. It looked like rock or metal, yet somehow neither. It was one of his rewards for ying an Overlord. < Do you wish to absorb the Symbiotic Skin armor > "Yes," Karsha replied eagerly, though inside he was overflowing with joy. ording to the memory from the Divine Alchemist''s legacy, symbiotic skin armor was a lifelike armor that could meld with a cultivator''s body. After absorption, it melds with the person''s skin, granting unmatched defense. Karsha, sensing the ancient nature of this symbiote, couldn''t contain his joy. With the system''s aid, the process took under ten minutes before a message appeared. "Now we''re talking," Karsha grinned happily. He could feel his skin bing so resilient that even a sword thrust couldn''t prate it or leave a mark. Not that he''d let anyone stab him, but with his symbiotic skin, even sneak attacks while he slept wouldn''t harm him. With his skin gaining a literal sentience, it could react to attacks without his awareness. He was more protected than ever, all from ying just one overlord. He leaped from the snake''s head andnded beside his five personal guards. Before themy three basketball-sized Venom Sacs oozing poisonous gas. "They are even bigger than expected," Karsha grinned, waving his hand. He stored both the snake''s body and venom in his spiritual space ring. He retrieved the colossal shield. "Kilian, looks like you need an upgrade." He handed the shield to the muscr shadow guard, who broke into a wide smile as soon as it appeared. "Go ahead, give it a try," Karsha said, nodding. Kilian stepped forward, took a deep breath, and activated [Spike Fury], mming the shield into the ground. The entire mountain trembled, and then it happened: the ground erupted with 2-meter-long spikes coated in venom. Soon, they began shooting out. Karsha and the others quickly backed away. The Spike Fury was terrifying. After a few moments, it subsided, and Kilian returned, grinning like a devil. "Thank you, Karsha." "Alright, Alida, give me your hand." Karsha took her hand, and instantly, Alida''s eyes lit up with excitement and shock. "An Emperor rank avatar." "Yeah, you need more defense, so let''s use our friend Mr. ScaleCrusher for that," Karsha replied with a smile, deactivating the domain. "Alright, time to go." With trembling hands, Alida swiftly summoned and floated the boat. They jumped in, and with a sh, they departed, heading toward their next destination: Venom Swamp, the domain of the Acidcoil Overlord. Soon, the swamp would witness the downfall of its second Overlord. Chapter 106 The Fall of Acidcoil (1) The next stop is one of the most dangerous parts of the snake ind: Venom Swamp, named for its treacherous marshy terrain. Karsha and his shadow guards have been there briefly before, sticking to the outskirts of the Inner Area. They''ve only scratched the surface, but Karsha knows it''ll be a whole different game when facing the overlords deep within. Despite his affinity for water and earth, navigating the swamp is a whole new challenge. On top of that, his understanding of these elements is still basic, so his control isn''t perfect. He''ll need to be quick and precise in his attacks to survive. His domain gives him an edge, but will it be enough? Probably not. But Karsha''s ready for this. He invested in a hoverboard from the system since he can''t fly yet¡ªsaving that skill for when he reaches Saint or Grandmaster swordsman status. But realistically, achieving those levels seems far off for him. For now, he must maintain his cultivation at the Grandmaster stage and only break through after defeating the guardians of Snake Ind''s Inner Area and the Guardian of the gateway to the domain of the fallen leviathans. It''s a distant goal, but with the hoverboard, he can move swiftly. His experience with lotive hoverboards back on Earth made adapting to the flying one rtively easy, even though he''s limited to hovering just 2 meters above ground. That''s enough to navigate the poisonous waters of Venom Swamp. "So, you canmunicate telepathically," Ayarr asked Karsha after they left the borders of ScaleCrusher, the fallen Overlord''s domain. "Not exactly. I can onlymunicate with you five. It seems tied to our bond," Karsha replied. Then he asked, "Do you have the same ability?" "No, like you, I seem tomunicate with you and the others through telepathy now," Ayarr answered, her voice tinged with sadness. Karsha, ever the general, knew he had to address any internal issues before the battles ahead. "Is everything alright, Ayarr?" he asked. "I''m okay," she replied, but Karsha sensed something amiss, she wasn''t speaking the truth. But before he could inquire further, Alida spoke up. "She''s just upset about her brother," Alida exined. "Brother?" Karsha raised an eyebrow. He had no idea Ayarr had a brother, or much about the shadow guards for that matter. "Yes, she had a brother who couldmunicate telepathically," Alida confirmed. "Where is he now?" Karsha asked innocently. The shadow guards'' expressions darkened at his question. "He... he disappeared about 45 years ago when humans attacked us, drawing the Overlords to our sanctuary. He was the Shadow Guard assassin back then," Dhaka answered solemnly. Karsha sensed their sadness and decided not to push further, but he wasn''t finished speaking. "If he vanished and didn''t die, then he''s out there somewhere. I believe he''ll find his way back to you all someday," Karsha said reassuringly. Knowing he didn''t die in battle, Karsha, with his sharp mind, concluded that Ayarr''s brother must still be alive. Where he might be now was a mystery to both Karsha and the Shadow Guards. Yet, Karsha was certain that as long as he was alive, he''d eventually return to his people. That much he was sure of. The shadow guards nod and Karsha retrieves the book and epts the next task. [ Task epted ] [ You have epted the task to kill the Acidcoil, the Corrosive serpent, The Acid Venom Lord] [The Acidcoil is one of the deadliest members of the Lost Prince Cohort. It is a very powerful snake that likes to y in muddy waters and use its corrosive nature it to infect the air and water. A single drop of its corrosive venom is all it will take to eat your entire skin and devour your blood. Getting too close to it is the quickest way to die. It has a veryrge body and excretes potent venom that can eat through even metals, but as long as you don''t get too close to it, you will be safe.] [Name: Acidcoil] [Rank: Tier 7 Terror Mutant] [Title: Corr0sive Venom Lord] [Strength: 11,000] [Defense: 12,200] [Stamina: 11,000] [Health: 19,000] [Attack Power: 11,200 ~ 15,400] Skills: [Acid Spray]: Acidcoil can spray a stream of corrosive acid from its mouth, melting through armor and flesh with ease. [Corrosive Spines]: The spines on Acidcoil''s back can beunched like projectiles, embedding in targets and releasing a potent acid that eats away at their insides. [Toxic Mist]: The serpent can release a dense, poisonous mist from its mouth that spreads across the swamp, causing severe burns and respiratory failure in all living beings caught within. [Swamp Merge]: Acidcoil can dissolve into the acidic waters of the swamp, bing one with the environment, allowing it to reappear anywhere within the swamp''s boundaries. ============= Weaknesses: [Neck nds]: The nds that produce Acidcoil''s corrosive secretions are located just behind its jaw. Destroying these nds with a targeted strike can significantly weaken the serpent. [Soft Belly]: Despite its armored scales, Acidcoil''s underbelly is rtively soft. A deep, forceful cut here can cause fatal damage. ============= Reward: [ Mask of Malevolence ] [Bonus: Kill it within a day for a hidden reward ] "Guess it''s a good thing I''ve got literal thick skin now," Karsha mused to himself as he reviewed the skills of the second Overlord he was about to face. While this one was slightly weaker in physical strength and speedpared to ScaleCrusher, its abilities were far from weak. Everything about this snake was corrosive. Karsha knew he''d need to tread carefully to make it out alive. Not only did the snake have corrosive scales, but its venom was also highly corrosive. In alchemy, that venom would be perfect forbating infections'' antibodies. Karsha would be fighting it in an enclosed space¡ªhis domain. While this gave him advantages, it also came with downsides. The confined area meant he''d have to finish the fight quickly before the domain filled with corrosive gas. Luckily, his body tempering meant he didn''t have to worry too much about his skin and blood, though he couldn''t linger in the domain too long to avoid poisoning. Since it had only been a day since he absorbed ScaleCrusher''s venom, his resistance to poison hadn''t significantly increased yet. He''s still absorbing the venom. It had been just 9 hours since he started the quest, barely 12 hours in total, and Karsha was already onto his second task. Initially nning to spend two days on each Overlord with 20 days left, his journey across the ind convinced him there was more to explore. Now, he aimed toplete the tasks quickly and fully explore the ind. As they approached the borders of Venom Swamp, Karsha turned to his guards and spoke, "As usual, once the fight starts with me and the Overlord, fall back and stay aboard the flying treasure, just in case the locals here aren''t friendly." They nodded in agreement, aware they''d encounter more snake monsters than on the previous ind. Nevertheless, they were eager to face the challenge, especially Kilian and Alida, who had received upgrades. Kilian wielded a colossal spike shield of legendary grade, while Alida sported a Phoenix bow and the Emperor grade Avatar of the fallen Overlord Scalecrusher, known for its defense and devastating attacks. The two of them are now filled with vigor and eagerness. Stronger than before, Karsha could see they were more than ready to follow his lead. Upon entering the Swamp, they were hit by a pungent wave of poison in the air. Karsha took immediate note and nned to wrap up the battle swiftly. The shadow guards sprang into action, carving a path deeper into the swamp for Karsha. Using his domain, he pushed through the skirmish and closed in on the Overlord. Venom Swamp sprawled before them, a daunting expanse of murky waters and dense mangroves. The air hung heavy with humidity and the acrid stench of poison. The dark, opaque waters concealed untold dangers beneath. Twisted trees with gnarled roots loomed over the swamp, draped in long, hanging moss. Ground-level mist obscured sight, casting an eerie, otherworldly ambiance. Acidic pools bubbled ominously, while the unstable ground hinted at constant peril with every step. Karsha maneuvered deeper on his hoverboard, pushing forward for about 10 minutes until he abruptly halted, eyes widening at whaty ahead. It nearly knocked him off his board.N?v(el)B\\jnn The Acidcoil, a colossal beast stretching over 70 meters long appeared within sight. Its slimy, mottled-green scales gleamed with corrosive secretions, interspersed with toxic spines oozing caustic fluid that could melt flesh and bone on contact. Its sickly yellow eyes glowed malevolently in the perpetual darkness of the swamp. Massive jaws lined with jagged, acidic teeth dripped with corrosive saliva. The air around it crackled with acrid vapor, and its slithering movement left a trail of dissolved vegetation. Karsha couldn''t help but gulp. "Looks like you''ve been expecting me. Lucky me, I guess..." he quipped, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere. Chapter 107 Fall of Acidcoil (2) "I see you''ve been expecting me. Lucky me, I guess..." Karsha threw out a sarcasticment despite the terrifying sight of the snake. The serpent stared at him for a long moment before speaking, its voice rumbling ominously through the mist. "You''ve got nerveing after the rulers of this ind. Since Titan couldn''t kill you, I''ll ensure your end here." It roared, stirring the air with a misty charge. Karsha swiftly distanced himself using his movement technique, but before he could widen the gap, the snake merged into the swamp and vanished. Hovering 2 meters above ground, Karsha activated his domain, sensing the serpent''s movements beneath the murky waters. Maintainingposure, Karsha smiled faintly and triggered two variations of his domain: [Call of the Spear] and [Earth Prison]. The ground beneath transformed into sandy mud, limiting the snake''s mobility. Ice spears rained down from above. The [Earth Prison] Variation can muddy or sandy the ground when activated. Although it will only be a minimal effect, it still is enough to restrict the movement of the monster inside the swamp. "Quit hiding and fight like the monster you are!" Karsha taunted, though he noted the spears'' damage output was minimal. To inflict serious damage, the snake needs to leave the swamp and confront him head-on. But that''s not its style¡ªit thrives by blending into its surroundings and using that advantage to overpower its prey. Karsha knew this well, especially since one of its abilities was merging with the swamp itself. "The air here''s toxic. Can''t let this drag on," Karsha muttered to himself, already formting a n. The mist began to swirl within his domain, obscuring the air with a thick fog. If Karsha didn''t take down the snake soon, he might have to deactivate his domain, which would restore 60% of the snake''s strength it had absorbed. It seemed like a losing battle for Karsha, but he had an ace up his sleeve that the snake didn''t¡ªhis extensive skillset, including the second form of his domain second variation called ''All in One''. This particr skill cost a hefty 30,000 MP, but Karsha wasn''t phased. Since his sh with the first Overlord, he''d amassed over a hundred thousand points in Mana. Now, he could conjure a dozen spears instantly, and thanks to his enhanced regeneration, he could recover his Mana in under five seconds.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Karsha raised his hand, conjuring four spears infused with all eight elements. He unleashed them on the unsuspecting creature, which quickly realized it was facing a formidable opponent. The ten-meter spears struck deep into the ground as Karsha deftly maneuvered within his domain, always a step ahead of the monstrous snake. "Oh, crap!" Karsha eximed as he was thrown off his hoverboard, narrowly dodging a bone-like spear nearly five meters long. The creature activated its ''Corrosive Spine'' ability,unching projectiles at Karsha, who struggled to evade on the uneven ground. "Damn it!" A bone spear grazed his hand, deflected by his now thicker and tougher skin thanks to his Iron body and symbiotic skin. Five projectiles aimed at Karsha''s chest forced him to dodge, only to be met by another volley. With little time to react, Karsha swiftly employed one of the eight movement techniques he had mastered. Using the Tempest Flicker''s technique, he transformed into a bolt of lightning, allowing the projectiles to pass harmlessly through him. Seizing this brief advantage, Karsha blinked away from the creature and drew his swords. The monster''s head and back were exposed, but its two weaknesses remained hidden underneath. To exploit them, Karsha needed to force the creature to reveal its entire body. "Two fiery arcs, imbued with Golden Aura and Sword Aura, erupted from Karsha''s swords and struck the creature''s head. Two more followed in rapid session, then another. Despite the powerful onught, the creature remained submerged beneath the murky waters. "This thing''s more cunning than I thought," Karsha muttered inwardly, undeterred. If exploiting weaknesses wasn''t an option, brute force would have to suffice¡ªthe approach he had initially nned. Meanwhile, the fog thickened, making the air dense and increasingly hazardous. Less than thirty minutes had passed, and Karsha''s domain was already turning into a hostile environment. "Call of the me," hemanded, followed by "Fire Beam!" Karsha''s left sword burst into mes, while his right sword also ignited with a more intense infernal energy. The left sword, known as [Call of the me], drew upon 80% of its fire essence, unleashing a devastating st that scorched everything in its path. With one of his three legendary-grade swords in hand, obtained afterpleting the Firestone quest to awaken the fire element, Karsha raised both swords high. His eyes zed with fury as he brought them down in a vertical sh. A torrent of fire surged from the de, transforming into a massive lion that charged at the creature. Sensing the impending danger, the colossal snake raised its head and coiled defensively. The fiery lion was followed closely by the fire beam attack, crashing into the snake''s body and eliciting a roar of agony. "Take that, you punk!" Karsha shouted triumphantly, then swiftly activated two more skills. "Agni Sea me," hemanded, and simultaneously, "Ice Queen Wrath." Under normal circumstances, fire and ice would oppose each other due to their elemental natures. However, being wielded by Karsha, these conflicting elements worked in tandem. To his left, a sea of mes spread out, burning a swath 500 meters wide, while to his right, the ground froze over, revealing the majestic Avatar of the Ice Queen standing tall. "me Serpent Summon!" Karsha called out,bining it with "Ice Queen Wrath." "Hundreds of ten-meter-long snakes materialized, spewing fire in all directions. The Overlord roared once more, its agony palpable this time. Karsha grinned, and the Ice Queen joined the fray. Instantly, the domain''s temperature plummeted below freezing. Countless ice shards materialized and homed in on the Overlord, freezing it in ce for a brief three seconds. The shards pelted down relentlessly, each causing the snake''s cries of pain to intensify. The mes were snuffed out, leaving nothing but ice within the domain. "Ouch!" Karsha eximed aloud as acid sshed onto his arm. His armor offered no protection against the pain. Meanwhile, the Overlord retaliated with its Acid Spray ability, hurling acid at Karsha while enduring the icy assault from the Ice Queen. The thickening mist threatened to obscure Karsha''s vision entirely, casting a veil over the battlefield. If he doesn''t make a breakthrough soon, he will suffocate from the mist now almost covering the entire domain. "Should I use it?" Karsha pondered the idea of employing the Dark Prince Hell Art, but after a moment''s consideration, he dismissed the thought. He wanted to test his limits without resorting to his trump cards. Besides the Dark Prince Hell Art, he also possessed the Death Scripture. However, the risk associated with sacrificing HP for power made him hesitant to use it, relegating it strictly to ast resort. Summoning the Agni Sword was another powerful option, but its use could prove fatal to both him and his target, adding to his reservations. Therefore, he nned to rely on his other skills during this battle, ensuring they were capable of aiding him effectively. Avoiding closebat with the snake due to its danger, he assessed his options carefully. "I can''t keep this up." With the mist thickening and his vision already blurring before thirty minutes had passed, Karsha faced the prospect of losing his senses and potentially perishing within his domain if he didn''t deactivate it soon. "Use it now, deal with the consequencester." Focusing yin-yang lightning into his sword, Karsha swung, creating a spectacr yet lethal arc of lightning. The aded gracefully on the hard skin bursting into a wave of lightning. The creature howled in agony, causing the entire domain to tremble. In response, the snake surged from the depths, roaring furiously at Karsha. "Human!" Its voice dripped with murderous rage, but Karsha met its re with a smug smile. "Now that you''re out, why don''t I send you on your way?" Karsha dered as his ive crackled with electricity and shot toward the creature''s eye. The snake swiftly dodged by plunging back into the swamp. Like a volcano, it erupted from the murky waters and lunged at Karsha. Karsha smirked, murmuring, "This is where your story ends." Six spears surged forward, aimed at the creature''s neck nds. It coiled defensively, using its armored back to deflect the spears. However, in that same instant, a voice echoed in its mind. "So long, sucker." The ive streaked at lightning speed, slicing open a ten-meter stretch of the Overlord''s belly, unleashing a torrent of blood. Undeterred, Karsha pressed on. Three icy spears followed, piercing the open wound and sealing the creature''s fate. With a resounding thud, the seventy-meter-long snake copsed, spraying water everywhere. Gasping for air, Karsha didn''t wait for the system to announce the kill before deactivating his domain. He had barely held on in those final moments. < Ding! You have killed a Tier 7 Terror Mutant known as Acidcoil, the Corr0sive Venom Lord > Chapter 108 Mask of malevolence Karsha continues to gasp for air even coughing now and then. The toxic mist of the snake wasn''t as easy as he had anticipated. The fact that his own domain went against him means the creature was more than it appeared to be. Karsha also noticed it''s not every time he can use his domain. The toxic mist would have taken time to get that dangerous had it not been for the domain. The domain was the perfect container so even though it was huge, the toxic umted quickly and started to thicken which raised the toxicity to the next level. "Cough" Karsha coughed once more before he heard the system notification. It appeared when he deactivated the domain, the creature was still alive albeit barely clinging on to its life. Had it not been for thest 10 spears, it would have gotten back up, but Karsha was more thorough than most. When the untamed general kills you, you stay dead, forever. After making sure he was okay, he moved far back from the location of the dead Overlord and sat on his hoverboard. He then used the connection between him and the shadow guards to summon them. "Wow, that was fast" This time around, it was Dhaka''s turn to look shocked. 200 meters from their location, the colossal body of the Overlordy dead. "Well, he might have made things difficult for me so I killed it faster than I had anticipated." Many will cough out blood if they hear Karsha speak this way. Even the Shadow Guards who are Monsters themselves looked at him with weird emotions. Karsha has so many things he wants to do before going back to the human empire. He wanted to be at least a middle-stage Grandmaster before going and to do that, he had to fight and assimte his strength. His current exp progress looks something like this 1,500,000/1,900,000 He is almost close to breaking into the second Level. So he needed to extend his time with the creatures, however, both the first and second came with unique conditions.N?v(el)B\\jnn The first defense was so hard that he had to use everything in his arsenal just to kill it. He didn''t get to use closebat so his progress was slow. And the second was too corrosive he couldn''t get close to it. Thus he had to use the ive and skills to kill them. "I guess I shouldn''t be shocked, you are the Annihtor after all," Dhaka said with a small smile. Karsha also smiles. "Alida, can your new friend help us with the Venom Sacs." Alida nodded and summoned her Avatar. The colossal body of the ScaleCrusher appeared and then moved toward the body of the fallen Overlord. Karsha then turned his focus to the messages floating before his eyes. < Ding! You have killed a Tier 7 Terror Mutant known as Acidcoil, the Corr0sive Venom Lord > < Ding! You have killed a Tier 7 Terror Mutant known as Acidcoil, the Corr0sive Venom Lord > < +300 added to all stats and 5000 points added to your stats reserve > < +100,000 added to Mana. > < +1,000 skill points added > < + 20,000 killer Points > < 200,000 Exp added to Experience Point Reserve > < You have received a Consumable; Acidcoil Blood Essense > System Rewards: [Corrosive Twin Dagger], [Emperor Grade Avatar] Unknown Emperor Rewards: [Mask of malevolence], [Destiny key], [Bonus: Mutant Core] < System Extractors Enable > < Venom of the Acidcoil has been extracted and is being absorbed by the host. Progress: 10% > < Bloodline of the Acidcoil has been extracted and is being absorbed by the host ss. Progress: 5% > Karsha felt ted to see he had gained yet another Avatar even if it was just an Emperor. The fact that he has gotten two back-to-back means he is indeed lucky. Then there is the Twin dagger which means it''s a pair. Although he doesn''t use the dagger, there is a member of his team that uses it, and getting something from the snake that nearly killed him means the daggers are not simple. Then there is the destiny key and the usual Mutant core the system didn''t provide any information on. However, this time around, the reward for killing the Acidcoil Terror Mutant is rather peculiar. It''s a mask unlike the previous where he got a symbiotic skin armor. Karsha didn''t directly take it out, he first went ahead and essed the details. He expected the usual, but to his surprise, there was a message attacked, of course, the message was from the Unknown Emperor... [Unknown Message]; Before wearing this mask, read this first and be sure to understand what you are getting yourself into. [Message: Many years ago, the Mask of Malevolence was created by a cabal of dark sorcerers who sought to harness the power of an imprisoned demon lord known as Zalgorath the Malevolent. Zalgorath was a being of pure malevolence, feared across dimensions for his ability to corrupt and destroy entire worlds with his gaze. The sorcerers bound Zalgorath''s essence into the mask, using it as a tool to spread fear and chaos. Over time, the mask''s sinister influence consumed its creators, driving them to madness and eternal torment. The mask was lost for ages, whispered about only in the darkest legends, until it resurfaced in the hands of a desperate cultivator seeking forbidden power. He was a ve who escaped his master and was seeking ways to get back at him. He caused chaos in many worlds until he stepped into mine. I captured him, killed him, and took the mask. For years I studied the mask trying to find a way to remove the Malevolence corruption from it. But even with my mastery of Rune''s I couldn''t so I did the only logical thing, I locked it away. You might be wondering why I am gifting it to you. Well, after years of research, I found out that those with powerful and big souls will be able to tame the demons hidden with the mask and use it without getting corrupted. Never form a contract with this mask until you are strong enough to use it. There is no telling what will happen if you are not strong enough. Good luck, Unknown Emperor ] "Isn''t that great" Karsha smiled slyly before focusing on the details of the mask. He wouldn''t want to discard it without at least knowing what it can do. [Mask of Malevolence] Rank: Spiritual Type: Mask Abilities: [Hellish Vision]: The mask grants the wearer the ability to see inplete darkness and perceive invisible entities, but with a horrifying twist. The wearer sees the world through Zalgorath''s eyes, witnessing visions of torment and suffering that can drive lesser minds to insanity. [Malevolent Gaze]: The mask''s eyes can unleash a paralyzing fear in those who meet its gaze. Enemies are struck with overwhelming dread, their resolve shattered, and their minds gued by nightmarish visions. This ability can cause hallucinations and induce a state of mindless terror, rendering foes unable to fight or flee. [Tormentor''s Insight]: The mask reveals the deepest fears and vulnerabilities of those around the wearer. This terrifying insight allows the wearer to exploit these weaknesses with devastating precision. Striking at these points causes excruciating pain and psychological trauma. [Soul Shatter]: The mask can emit a horrifying scream that directly attacks the souls of those within its range. This scream fractures their very essence, causing immense spiritual pain and potentially driving them to madness or death. [Phantasmal Manifestation]: The mask allows the wearer to summon horrifying phantasms¡ªghostly apparitions that embody the deepest fears of their enemies. These phantasms can physically interact with the world, causing harm and terror, and are nearly impossible to distinguish from reality, even to the most trained eyes. [Despair''s Embrace]: The mask grants the wearer the ability to envelop an area in a dark, oppressive aura that saps all hope and joy from those within it. This aura not only weakens the will and resolve of enemies but also has a chance to drive them into a state of suicidal despair. Allies are not immune to this effect, making the mask a double-edged sword. [Fear Harvest]: The mask has the terrifying ability to capture and absorb the fear, pain, nightmares, and horrors of both enemies and spiritual beings. When activated, the mask emits a dark energy that ensnares these emotions and essences, drawing them into the mask. Even terrors, horrors, and nightmares themselves fear the mask, for it can consume them, growing stronger with each captured essence. The absorbed fears and nightmares can then be unleashed as powerful attacks or used to bolster the wearer''s own power and resilience. [Note: Using this Mask without a strong enough soul and mind will drive the wearer mad and consumed by darkness making the wearer susceptible to possession by Zalgorath, the forgotten Demon Lord.] "Oh wow, this mask is Manace," Karsha said as he let out a sigh. "Although this mask is powerful, I can''t take the risk, at least not yet. I still have 8 more of these monsters to kill and can''t afford to make any mistakes" Making his mind up, Karsha decided to revisit the maskter. However, he felt he had to at least see what the mask looked like. So after a few minutes of contemtion, Karsha reached into his inventory and took out the mask. The moment the mask appeared, the heavens darkened and a swirling pool of darkness started forming in the sky. Karsha looked at the mask and shuddered. A grotesque, nightmarish mask That looked like it had been crafted from the twisted, contorted face of a long-forgotten demon lord stared back at Karsha. The mask''s hollow eyes glow with a sickly yellow light, and its mouth is frozen in a terrifying snarl. Ancient runes are etched into its surface, pulsating with dark energy. Karsha was tempted to put it away, however, just when he could do that, the mask flew out of his hands and entered the swirling pool. Karsha instantly had a chill run down his spine. The thunder roared again and a voice spoke from within the swirling vortex of darkness, "Come forth the chosen one, your destiny awaits" Karsha didn''t even have time to react, at once, he was lifted into the air and before long he was dragged into the vortex leaving the shadow guards with puzzled looks on their faces. Chapter 109 Unknown World Karsha was sucked into the vortex of darkness without having the slightest resistance. It was as if he had lost control of his body to an unknown, mysterious force beyond hisprehension. Karsha felt dread, and for the first time in many years, he truly experienced real fear. However, he didn''t let panic set in. As he moved through the vortex, still under the control of this unknown force, he started to look around and analyze his current situation. Aside fromplete and total perpetual darkness, there was nothing else he could see. He tried using his senses, but what could a Grandmaster''s senses do in this situation? In short, Karsha waspletely out of options, with the only choice being to wait and see what would happen. After an unknown time, a wave of unknown energy washed over Karsha and he immediately fell unconscious. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in the middle of a thick forest. However, that wasn''t what he noticed at first, under normal circumstances, when a person opens their eyes, they are supposed to see either white light rays from the sun or the moon, however, what greeted Karsha was red rays. All the light passing through the leaves and branches of the towering trees is red. Karsha instinctively took out his legendary rank flying ive and made it float on top of his head. His senses scanned the 10km around him but came out empty. He didn''t panic but subconsciously felt danger so he started moving steadily. The more he moves, the more lost he bes. once again, Karsha found himself in an unknown forest and there was no map to direct him, he just moved at random. He had asked the system for a map but the system''s reply never changed < The system doesn''t have the capabilities yet to create a map of an unknown world > Karsha understood why. The system despite being 2.0 still has limited functionality. While it may be bad in some situation to have such a unless system, Karsha actually understood it. Suppose he has a system that can do everything, then he wouldn''t have to have wasted his time gathering all the 10 pieces of the Book of Annihtion that have awarded him the Symbiotic skin armor. In some way, the system is growing with him and that''s a good thing. He will get to do the work and reap the benefits while the system helps him where he can''t, like absorbing the venom and bloodline. But even though he couldn''t get anything out of the system, he managed to get something. He gets to know he is in a different world which means he is far from home. Karsha has the knowledge of the Divine Alchemist but still remains oblivious to the structure of the cultivation world. Perhaps, the Old man might have thought knowing about something while you have no capabilities to im them is useless so he might have ced them far back in the legacy. "Huh, A tier 6 monster" Karsha''s senses picked up on something. He immediately became alert and started moving even more cautiously. < You have killed a Tier 6 Monster; Green Horn Lizard > Karsha walked closer to the monster to observe what it looked like. The ive struck it right through the neck. The Monster looks like a lizard but muchrger. It has shimmering scales and a horn on it head. The color of the horn is green. He didn''t linger much longer as he just stored both the core and body. Of course, the system extracted the Venom and bloodline, however, instead of a consumable, the system just directly extracted the blood and used it in the body tempering. Slowly, Karsha''s senses started picking up on more and more monsters the more he moved around the forest. Of course, he didn''t allow them to notice his presence since before they could pick up on him, he killed them. "This is madness" Karsh picked up ten more monsters each Tier 6 and they were all moving in his direction all around. The ive whistles through the forest like lightning killing monsters with just one swift attack. In under 2 hours, Karsha has killed over 50 monsters and the number keeps rising. More monsters kepting after him and Karsha was forced to use his hoverboard which allowed him to travel faster than his own moving and also allowed him to have some vantage points as he moved. "Damn it" As more and more monsters started to show, Karsha was forced to activate the domain and instantly activated both Variations and even the All in one skill. The killing became more lively this time. After clearing the 10km around him, Karsha will use the blink ability to blink 10 km away, deactivate and reactive the domain, and then continue with his massacre. Soon, Mutant monsters started to appear and their strength started to rise too. Lesser Mutant came, then Great and soon Dark started showing up, but they are all Tier 6 and Karsha has gotten stronger than a few hours ago. Soon, Ice Queen Wrath entered the flow, and then Agni Sea me. His Mana is around 550,000 and thanks to the enhanced regeneration, his Mana is always full. However, despite the rapid regeneration of his Stamina, Karsha started to feel fatigued. Perhaps, this is from the two Overlord battles. But Karsha didn''t allow it to stop him, as more and more monsters starteding, he was forced to unsheath his swords again and began yet another massacre thatced the whole forest red making even the red world even more redder. "I never should have touched that Mask" Karsha started regretting but his regret wasn''t enough to stop the horde of monstersing so he pressed on and started unleashing fire beam after fire beam. Then slowly, the Terror Mutants started showing up. Karsha''s body is dripping with sweat, his hair messy yet he never backs down. The golden Aura surrounded his body and his swordsced with sword aura making the already powerful attacks more deadlier. "Rage Swordman" Karsha for the first time activated his Tier 5 skill he got after breaking into the Grandmaster stage. This skill grants him a 50% increase in attack power for every 10 minutes he spends fighting. However, it only works if he is fighting in closebat. For the past 2 hours, Karsha had been fighting using his sword so he activated it and started shing, thrusting, and stabbing his sword as he moved through the horde of monsters with a terrifying speed, thanks to his ''Stormstride Ninefold Path'' movement technique. After the first 10th minute, Karsha felt an explosive increase in his attack power making him start unleashing stronger sword attacks. Another 10 minutes passed and the massacre never ceased, however, Karsha was tired and his movements started turning sluggish, however, he wasn''t there yet. He wasn''t at the stage he would have to drop his weapons and give up. He still has the strength and will of a soldier running through his veins so he pressed on. After another hour, Karsha''s attack power has gotten more terrifying but he is losing the strength to use it. Then it happened. Something mmed into the domain from the outside creating a crack. However Karsha didn''t panic, he hadn''t used all his aces yet. However, the crack widened gain when the thing mmed into the domain for the second time. Then another mmed and then the next. Soon, more and more cracks started appearing. The only thing holding the domain together is the golden Aura. Since it is cutting the damage in half, the attacks that could have shattered the domain just left a crack. However, that could only hold for long. Another m finally broke the domain making Karsha cough out blood. For a moment, his soul left his body when he saw the creature that broke his domain. "What, A Tier 7 Terror Mutant" Karsha''s voice was calm yet shaky. He took a few steps back and raised his head once more and looked at the face of the monster. It stood about 80 meters tall but its body was huge like a double-decker bus, even bigger. Under normal circumstances, Karsha would have let out a snarkyment, but in the face of this monster, he immediately activated his fortress defense, and then for the first time, he activated his trump card "Dark Prince Hell Art, first form: Sword Pool" "Make it rain" The terrifying avatar of the Dark Prince appeared standing behind the fortress, and then the pool opened. At once, hundreds of thousands of golden swords appeared from the pool.N?v(el)B\\jnn Karsha then activated two more skills, [Sword Aura EX] and [Sword Intent]. The Dark one raised its hand and gestured down. At that moment, Karsha saw the true might of the Dark Prince Hell Art. Swords, long swords rained down from the pool and started striking the kong-looking monster. It rose defence but the swords are just too many. Some stabbed into its hands, some its belly, and some bounced off its skin, but there were thousands appearing every second since Karsha''s Mana Pool is just too huge. It took less than five minutes for the creature to fall and the messages started flowing in. Karsha who was inside the fortress sensed another presence, However, before he could make a move, another presence came from behind him. But he didn''t panic, on the contrary, he made a move no normal cultivator would have been able to make mainly due to the fact that they wouldn''t have the Mana to to do something that crazy. At his front, thousands of swords started raining down on the monster, However, from behind, a Golden sword slowly appeared from the depth of the sword pool and aimed at the creature that was instantly pressed under pressure. For the first time, Karsha understood what the Dark Prince might really is. The sword shot and struck the creature in the back burying it deep to the ground. Karsha was tempted to unleash another sword but before he could make a move, an energy was over him and knocked him unconscious yet again but not before he killed Three Tier 7 Terror Mutants in under 10 minutes with just one technique. Chapter 110 The Man With The Glasses Inside a dimly lit room, there was nothing but a bed and a single chair. Hanging on the wall was the skull of an unknown monster, so massive that it covered half of the wall. The walls were painted with ancient runes and appeared to be made of ck limestone. The room was silent, and on the bedy a young man, his upper armor removed. His boots and bracers were still on. He appeared peaceful, yet a closer look into his beautiful but terrifying golden-red eyes revealed a different story. He was incredibly handsome, with an exquisite jawline that framed his perfectly refined cheekbones. His skin was as white as a cloud and as smooth as butter. Suddenly, the young man''s eyes jolted open. He immediately leaped from the bed and retrieved his swords. The upper half of his armor instantly wrapped around him. He looked around the room, scanning with both his eyes and his senses, which extended to a radius of about 10 kilometers from where he stood. However, because of his low cultivation base, he wasn''t able to sense anything. At once, his mood shifted from calm to danger. His eyes flickered making his usual golden red eyes turn darker. The he saw it, inside the room, there were runic symbols everywhere. The Man is Karsha who has woken up in an unknown room. His face was not happy at all and his Weaver Eye passive ability activated when his Third eye resurfaced making him see the true nature of the room where he currently is. For a moment, his mind was filled with awe for what he was seeing. As a Rune Master himself Karsha was able to see the strings ofplex Runic Tapestry woven to form the chair, the bed, and the chair. The skull however is real but has been made bigger using runes. Karsha looks at theplex but magnificent Runic craftsmanship and can''t help but praise the Rune Master in his heart. The Rune symbols used are all foreign to Karsha yet he felt somehow he could understand them. In truth, Karsha was absorbing andprehending the runes as he observed them thanks to his Mind and Nature being a Universal Enigma. However, as he stared and continued to stare at theplex Rune, Karsha knew he was nowhere near understanding it. The Runes are just tooplex and ancient. The only saving grace is, they are not dangerous for those who look at them. Before long, Karsha spent 2 hours just looking at the Runes but couldn''t evenprehend a single rune. "Would I be able to draw such aplex rune someday" Karsha muttered to himself but to his surprise, a voice responded from behind him, "With enough practice, you can achieve anything with the big brain of yours" Karsha turned around and to his surprise, the face the greeted him was that of a Nine year old human. He was stunned yet didn''t let his guard down. He remained vignt because despite the voice feeling Childest, Karsha could sense a deeper voice behind it. And to make matters worse, his third eye saw through the person or more like saw something that should be there. There were Runic symbols connected into aplex Rune Core. This can only mean one thing, the person standing before him is not a human, at least not when ites to possessing blood and soul. "You know it is not good to look at a child with those terrifying eyes" The child spoke, a little smirk gracing his face. "Says the not-so-human" Karsha also smirked looking at the child attentively. The child''s smirk widened into a smile when he heard Karsha''s reply. "Quite observant, I see. You even managed to see through my creation." This time, the voice that spoke was more manly and heavy. Karsha gulped when he heard it, but he did not lose hisposure. He held onto his swords and gazed back at the child, ready to spring into action at any second. "Why the hostility? Is this how you repay your saviors?" The voice spoke again, this time with a hint of sarcasm. Karsha was taken aback by this but didn''t say anything. He looked at the child and spoke, "Who are you, and where am I?" The child smiled and answered, "You, my friend, are in an unknown world called Shadowfield, home of the Shadowfiend, the children of Zalgorath, the demon lord, the terrifying one, the shadow demon." Karsha''s face turned pale when he heard the reply. It is safe to say, that just a few hours ago, he read about the Malevolent demon that gued the universe with his terrifying powers but was imprisoned before he could be uncontroble. Hearing he is currently standing in a world that belongs to worshippers of this dark and sinister being made him more apprehensive. "No need to look terrified. I won''t hurt you or anything" The voice spoke through the child again. Karsha just looked into those eyes and couldn''t help but curse the Unknown Emperor in his heart. Without the mask awarded to him afterpleting the second task by killing the Acidcoil overlord, none of this would have happened. "Why did you bring me here, I don''t believe touching a mask would have caused this" Karsha questioned. The child smiled and gestured for him to follow him while he spoke, "I didn''t bring you here my friend, you brought yourself" "What''s that supposed to mean? I didn''t remember ever making ns oning to an unknown world while in the middle of a quest" Karsha asked again but this time, the child didn''t reply, he stopped and looked Karsha in the eyes. "Looks like you are still asleep." The reply was vague but Karsha knew it had a deeper meaning so he asked, "Who is asleep, I am right behind you" Karsha replied but the child didn''t reply to him. He just shook his head and continued to move. Karsha wasn''t done so he started asking some more questions. "Who are you?" "Where are you taking me" -- -- -- "Talk before I cut off your head even if you appear as a child I won''t hesitate because I know you are older than this" Karsha asked countless questions but the child never answered him, not even once. Soon, they entered a new hall full of people, but Karsha was quick to notice these people were all made from Rune. However, his mind was shifted from his questions as he began admiring theplexity of the runes used to create the humans walking about, some doing chores, others writing in scrolls. They appear in various genders, ages, and sizes. There are children like the one leading him and there are men and women writing on countless scrolls. There are some too performing alchemy using every huge cauldron. Of course, the cauldron is real but the people concocting the pill are not humans but puppets made from runic magic. However, Karsha who also practices the same magic was intrigued by howplex the runes used to make them look. "I call the Papermen. They are created fromplex Arrays and Talisma paper" The child spoke looking at how Karsha''s focus was shifted from him to the people working in therge hall. The child smiled but didn''t say anything. Soon, Karsha''s focus was shifted to three people obviously papermen too, however, these three are moreplex than the others. At one nce, Karsha could tell these three are more human than papermen. That''s because they are exuding an aura so powerful that Karsha subconsciously wiped an invisible sweat from his forehead. "Ah, these three are the best of my creation. They are not mere papermen. They are formed from Array tablets or what most ancient Rune Masters call Rune Stones. They are more human than they appear" Karsha didn''t understand anything he said so he asked. "What are Array Tablets or this Runic stone" The child smiled and answered. "Rune stones or as most people call them, Array Tablet are treasures that contain spiritual energy and can hold runes or arrays for as long as there is spiritual energy in them. Karsha nodded but was still lost so he asked, "I thought Runes is something you draw in the air and apply them how you like" The child smiled and then pushed open a huge door. They walked through and started walking down a stair. "That is if you are just casually using it. You can do that for mine issue, however when in active battle, you wouldn''t have time to draw runes so putting them in Talisma paper, Array Tablets or Restriction gs is the best way. You just have to retrieve them and channel your energy into them" This time, Karsha nods in understanding. He had wondered the same thing. When he was first looking for a way to use Rune in his battles. After browsing through many Runic techniques, he settled for only two. The rest all require him to send close to five minutes to draw. Of course, this was due to his weak soul strength. But even wasting just a second in battle could cost one his life. So he always wondered how he could use them without having to waste time drawing them. He knew as his mastery advanced, there would be moreplex rune techniques that would require Months if not years to draw. So there has to be a way to hold them. So hearing there are three different ways to hold runes, Karsha''s interest in Rune magic became more lively. He wanted to learn all he could, even forgetting he should be on his guard. The fact that he was quickly drawn into the world of RUnes was something he himself didn''t quite understand. However, that doesn''t mean he wasn''t interested. Looking at the child in front of him, Karsha couldn''t help but imagine himself creating an army of papermen.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "You seem to have an interest in Rune Magic young man," A door was opened by the child, and in the room, a Man with sses on spoke feeling the room with eerie sound. Chapter 111 A Lesson in Rune Magic The voice sounded eerie, like thousands of trapped souls screaming in unison. Karsha felt a chill creep down his spine but kept hisposure. Instantly, he was on high alert. The being staring at him wasn''t ordinary. Karsha couldn''t gauge his cultivation level, and even with his third eye active, he couldn''t discern anything about the man¡ªno weaknesses, no intentions, nothing. It was like staring into a vast, empty void. Karsha could tell this guy was way out of his league, so he didn''t even think about acting hostile. "Indeed, I find it fascinating," Karsha replied, trying to answer the question, making the figure in sses smile. "I can see you have what it takes to learn it. After all, you managed to see through my creation. Not many could do that," the man said. Karsha smiled. "Thanks for thepliment," he responded. The man nodded and gestured for him to sit down. Karsha took a seat on a chair carved from an unknown wood. It felt solid, unlike the makeshift one in the room where he woke up a few hours ago.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I can tell you''re curious about why you''re here. I''ll exin everything in due time. But for now, why don''t I take you through the art of Rune Sorcerer since it seems to fascinate you?" Even if Karsha had any objections, he kept them to himself. He couldn''t even tell when the man moved to a cab and retrieved three items. The guy moved like a ghost¡ªdefinitely out of his league. Karsha''s gaze remained on the man, but deep down, he felt his soul on the verge of abandoning him. The man looked at him, amusement clear on his face. "Don''t be rmed. If I wanted you dead, you''d have been gone a long time ago." Karsha studied him for a moment before smiling. Indeed, considering how the man moved and the fact that Karsha couldn''t even sense him, it was clear that if he wanted him dead, it would have happened already. There was no need to be on guard, as he wouldn''t even know when it happened. The old man before him was far beyond his ability to fight back. "Much better," the man mused, seeing Karshae to terms with his situation. "Like I was saying, why don''t we have a lesson on Rune sorcery? Under normal circumstances, I would have asked you to kowtow three times and be my disciple, but since this is a special situation, I will make an exception." The manid out three items on the table: a piece of purple paper, a rectangr-shaped stone, and a g about a foot long. There was no auraing from any of the items, but Karsha felt a strong energy emanating from them, especially the stone and the g. An ordinary person wouldn''t sense or see anything, but Karsha''s third eye allowed him to perceive the hidden energy within. "What is your name, young man?" the man asked, adjusting his eyesses to look directly at Karsha. Karsha hesitated before answering, "I am Karsha... Karsha Damon." "Well, Karsha, this Senior is called Teye. I am a Mage Rank Rune Master, or as many call it, a Rank 8 Array Master." Karsha, having no idea what the man was talking about, remained still, just staring at him. Old Man Teye smiled and began to exin. "In the world of Rune Magic, there are different fields. It''s so broad that over the years, people started forming branches and naming them as they liked. Array Masters were the first to appear. These people specialize in creating huge arrays using different rune-casting methods. They create things like Elemental talismans spells, seals, prohibitions, and restrictions. "Later, they evolved and managed to incorporate runes into alchemy, forming a new branch called Array-Alchemy. They used both arrays and alchemy to create more powerful pills beyond mere imagination. "Then, yearster, those specialized in formations also appeared, calling themselves Formation Masters or Formation Experts. These people specialize in using runes to create formation techniques. These techniques are so advanced that they can only be deployed by meeting specific requirements. They also came up with different ways of creating prohibitions and restrictions." Teye reached into his space ring and brought out a small scroll. It looked ordinary, but Karsha could sense a dense bloodthirstiness emanating from within it. "This is a scroll," Teye exined, holding it up. "It''s a variant of Talisman paper and stores formations. The stored formation only activates when specific conditions are met. This particr scroll is called the ''Circle of Thousand Dead.'' As the name suggests, it activates by sacrificing a thousand dead bodies. Once activated, it can be used." He continued, "There are automated formations that perform their functions on their own, and there are manual ones where the owner controls the functions. These formations can also be imbued or crafted into walls, pirs, mountains, and towers. Some people even create entire mansions that are essentiallyrge formations, turning them into powerful weapons. "It''s a great branch of Rune Magic that should be exploited. However, all these branches fall under the umbre of Rune Magic, so someone like me can perform these tasks. Still, a Rank 8 Array Master will have more experience in that specific field than I do. But all the same, it''s advisable to follow the path of Rune Magic since it covers all fields." Karsha was stunned. At first, he wanted to learn runes for simple things like empowering his swords and armor. Mainly, he just wanted to know some runes to strengthen himself. He never knew there was a whole world out there just waiting for him to explore. The man named Teye retrieved another item from his storage ring. It was purple in color and shaped like a person, resembling a paper cutout. He then picked up the purple paper from the table and began to speak. "This is Talisman paper. This paper is used to store arrays that can be used once. Spells ranging from elemental tow can be stored in this paper and activated using spiritual energy. Once activated, it can''t be used again." Karsha looked at the child-like figure standing beside him and sighed. "Yes, Karsha, they are all Talismans in one way or another. The only difference is that they are active because of the spiritual energy sustaining them. Once it runs out, they will disappear," Teye rified, noticing Karsha''s expression. "Hold on," Karsha interjected, "there are thousands of these Paper People out there. Does that mean they are all under your spiritual energy?" Teyeughed. "Of course not. There are 1,700,000 Paper Men currently active, each performing tasks. Do you really think I have that much spiritual energy to sustain them all? My Spiritual Qi is not enough for them all." Karsha was puzzled. Seeing his confusion, Teye smiled and began to exin. "Tell me, why do people absorb Monster Cores?" he asked. "Because it contains energy that can push their cultivation forward," Karsha replied. Teye nodded and continued, "Exactly. The core contains energy that can be absorbed to elevate one''s cultivation. "But aside from that, people use cores for a variety of things. Some use them for alchemy, others for cksmithing, artisanship, and many more. The energy inside the core is more than it appears to be. You''re still a Grandmaster, so you wouldn''t know this yet, but aside from Mana, there are other energies. In fact, once you reach the Sage stage, your Mana will be converted to spiritual Qi. This new form of energy is far more powerful than Mana¡ªmany times more powerful." "So what does that have to do with Arrays?" Karsha asked. "Well, for someone to break into the Sage stage, they have to fully saturate their Mana Core so that it can finally be a Spiritual Core. The cores you gain from monsters or humans after killing them contain spiritual energy. Once you absorb them, they are converted into energy that will be absorbed by your Mana Core. "What this means is, even though a Grandmaster stage cultivator like you doesn''t have spiritual Qi yet, you can still use Monster Cores to activate your runes. You just have to use high-quality cores, like Tier 4 and above." "So all these Papermen are being powered by Monster Cores?" Karsha asked, and Teye nodded. "They are all running on Tier 7 Monster Cores," Teye said. Karsha nodded at first, but then his face turned pale. "T...Tier 7?" he asked, his voice shaky. "Why do you sound shocked? Tier 7 monster cores are a waste to someone like me, you know. We, the children of Zalgorath, aren''t poor," Teye spoke with a smug look on his face. He adjusted his eyesses and repositioned himself in his chair. Karsha still looked shocked. "As I was saying, Talisman papers can be used only once. However, theye in different qualities: Low Tier, Medium Tier, and High Tier. The Low Tier can hold just a few runes, up to 1,000. The Medium Tier can hold up to 100,000 runes, and the High Tier can hold over 100,000,000 runes. "The higher the number of runes inside a Talisman, the higher its grade. These grades apply to all three items. Like weapons that have grades such as Common, Rare, and Epic, Runes (arrays and formations) also have grades. I''ve only seen up to grade 13, so I won''t go beyond that. The grades start from 1 to 13. "Each grade is determined by the number of runes ced in them. For example, this Paperman standing beside you is a Grade 4 Talisman. It has about 12,000 runes in it. The more runes a Talisman holds, the more powerful it bes. I''ll exin the dynamicster, but you get the idea. "The grade of a Talisman is determined by the number of runes ced in it. However, two more items don''t follow the one-time use rule of the Talisman. These two items are also hard toe by since creating them is extremely difficult." Chapter 112 Ice Dragon Bone Knife A white, rectangr stone floated before the man, surrounded by a faint spiritual energy that made it glow slightly. It looked both cute and powerful at the same time. "This is a Rune Stone, or what you might call an Array Tablet," the man exined. "Just like the purple papers, this is used to hold Arrays too. But unlike the paper, this can be used over and over again unless it''s destroyed. It alsoes in grades, from Low Tier to High Tier, and holds the same amount of runes as the paper." Karsha looked at the tablet in awe. It was magnificent. The energy pulsating from it was incredibly powerful, suggesting that the one floating before him was maybe a Medium or High Tier. "In arrays, many array masters spend years buildingplex arrays," the man continued. "Since they can''t spend all that time drawing every single rune, they need a medium to store them, and that medium is the Runestone." "This Medium Tier Rune Stone is empty, which is why it''s nk. Once runes are inscribed on it, it will change color." The man reached into his space ring again and retrieved a pen-like knife. As soon as it appeared, the temperature in the room dropped. "This is my Inscriber as most people call it nowadays, but most ancient array masters call it a Rune Knife or Array de," he said with a smug look on his face. "You''re probably wondering where this ranks on the inscriber chart," the man said, even though Karsha knew he would answer regardless. To keep the man happy, Karsha nodded. "It''s 47 on the chart," the man answered. Karsha couldn''t help but feel a pang of envy. His own inscriber ranked somewhere in the hundreds of thousands. But the ice-cold-looking knife in the man''s hands was ranked 47, suggesting it was perhaps a soul tool or even above the Heaven Grade. The man exhaled and began drawing symbols in the air at an incredible speed. Karsha, who prided himself on being fast, couldn''t even track the man''s hand movements. In under 10 seconds, the room was filled with countless rune symbols. The man ced the knife on the table and channeled his energy into the Rune Stone. Instantly, the runes began to move and entered the stone. In less than 5 seconds, all the runes in the room had transferred to the Rune Stone. The man exhaled again and smiled at Karsha, who was clearly in awe. "Nothing to be amazed about. That was just a low-grade rune, with only 2,500 symbols," the man said. Karsha''s eyes widened. The man had drawn over two thousand runes in less than 10 seconds and treated it like it was no big deal. How high must his mastery be to achieve something like that? Of course, the man had already mentioned he was a Mage in Rune Magic. There are ranks such as Apprentice, Master, Grandmaster, Sage, King, Expert, Monarch, Mage, Archmage, Grand Archmage, and many more. However, since Karsha knew little about runes, he didn''t realize that what the man did was anything but special. It could even be achieved by a skilled Rune Saint.N?v(el)B\\jnn "This is just a simple Ice Dragon spell. Here, take it; it might be of help one way or another." He tossed the tablet to Karsha, who caught it and immediately gazed inside. He could see the symbols of the arrays and how they connected to form the spell. It was simply magnificent. "You can activate it using a Tier 3 core, but I rmend something higher if you want to unleash the full power of the spell. It''s a Tier 15 spell, after all." Karsha''s hands shook when he heard the tier of the spell. His fire beam skill was only Tier 8, yet it possessed great attack power. How much more terrifying would a Tier 15 spell be? "Thank you," Karsha said, cing the Rune Stone in his space ring. "This is a restriction g," the man continued, lifting a g off the table. "This g can hold restrictions such as attack arrays, defense arrays, binding arrays, and many more. Like an array tablet, it can also be used multiple times. It''s almost the same as the Rune Stone, but it can only be used for restrictions and formations. It has the same grades and ranks as a Rune Stone." He ced the g back on the table and readjusted his eyesses. "However, just like in alchemy where pills beyond the 4th Rank Earth grade attract heavenly judgment, Rune Stones or restriction gs holding Grade or Tier 5 runes will attract heavenly judgment as well." "Some of these judgments are dangerous, depending on what you''re creating. However, most tribtions are more like blessings. They further elevate the strength of the runes, making them extra powerful. You can even die from some of these tribtions, just like when you break past the Great Sage cultivation stage." At this point, Karsha was lost. The man was saying so much that, even though Karsha was smarter than most, he just couldn''t keep up. Tribtions, Spiritual Qi, and the like all sounded foreign to him. He knew he would understand all of this one day, but he wished he could grasp it now and delve deeper into itter. However, before he could ask any questions, the man spoke again, cutting him off. "Tell me, how far have you gotten into Rune Magic?" Karsha wasn''t upset at being interrupted and answered almost immediately. "I only know and can draw about 10,000 different symbols," he replied. The man raised an eyebrow at Karsha''s answer. What Karsha didn''t know was that the 10,000 symbols he had perfected were the building blocks of Rune Sorcery. Many struggled to learn those symbols, so for Karsha to have mastered all of them in just two days was astonishing. If the man knew about that, he would probably fall off his chair. "Care to demonstrate?" the man asked. Eager to impress, Karsha immediately retrieved his mediocre Rune Knife and got to work. He drew the first symbol in under 3 seconds, then the next, and the next. In under 2 minutes, about 50 runes were floating in the room. The man''s eyes moved between the floating runes and Karsha, a look of awe on his face. "How long have you been practicing?" he asked. "A couple of days, I think," Karsha replied honestly, which only added to the man''s astonishment. "These are perfect, wless even," the man admired as he looked at the runes. "Young man, you have a bright future in Rune Magic if you continue on this path. Never stop." He stood up and walked back to his cardboard. Karsha didn''t see it, but deep within those red eyes, the man was somehow sad. He didn''t let it show, though. He sorted through his books and picked two, then walked back to the table and sat down. "In ancient times, Rune Masters developed 10,000 Symbols, 666 Symbols, and 66 Symbols. Don''t think too much about it¡ªthat''s just how they''re named. "The symbols you just drew are part of the first 10,000. These symbols represent the general understanding of runes and how they look. Inside these two books are the 666 Symbols and 66 Symbols. "Learning these willplete your knowledge of the alphabet of runes. Then, from these symbols, you can start creatingplex arrays, restrictions, and more. Although you can do quite a bit with just the 10,000 symbols, I advise you to learn the remaining symbols before venturing into the world of arrays and formations." Karsha took the two books, and just as he did, a system message popped up. He ignored it, nning to deal with itter. Now that he felt the man meant him no harm, he knew he could take things easy. "However, young man, I have to advise you on something," the man said, his tone growing serious. Karsha noticed the shift in mood and couldn''t help but straighten up. "You have an advantage over many. You have a third eye, and on top of that, you also possess the Weaver''s Eye ability." Karsha''s heart skipped a beat. The third eye was a secret he had nned to keep to himself, yet somehow, the man knew. Before Karsha could respond, the man continued, "I apologize if I seem impolite, but I couldn''t contain my curiosity. You see, I once knew someone with a third eye. She was an excellent Rune Master, and I learned a great deal from her. In fact, it was through her that I discovered how to unlock the true power of the third eye. You need to open it by imnting a spirit eye. I strongly advise you to obtain a spirit eye and imnt it. Only then can you unlock the full potential of your third eye." Once again, Karsha was taken aback. A spirit eye? He wondered what that was but couldn''te up with an answer since the knowledge he possessed didn''t cover it, and the system wasn''t helping at the moment. It was due for another upgrade, one that Karsha was confident would start bringing out its full might. So he asked the only man who could answer his question. However, before the man could respond, a bell rang, echoing throughout the house. The man pped a stone-like object on the table, and a projection of a with three rings rotating around it appeared. The man sighed and looked at Karsha. "It is time to know why you are here, Chosen One." Chapter 113 Zalgorath, the Shadow Demon Although Karsha was enjoying the lesson on Rune Magic, he knew sooner orter he would have to face the music. He was brought to this red for a reason. After touching the Mask of Malevolence, he had stepped into something beyond his imagination. The lesson on Rune Magic was just something the man wanted to teach him out of curiosity. Seeing the man shift from a lively Rune Master to a scary, unknown figure made Karsha sigh inwardly and brace for whatever wasing his way. The sooner he faced it, the sooner he could go home. Looking at the old man, Karsha hesitated for a bit before asking, "Why am I here, and why do you keep referring to me as the Chosen One?" The man sat back in his chairfortably before answering, "You, my friend, have been chosen by the Mask of Malevolence as the sessor of the Demon of Shadows, Zalgorath the Terrifying¡ªthe shadow demon, themander of fear, pain, and nightmare." Karsha''s heart skipped a beat or two as he saw the man speaking with pride. An aura of danger, pain, and suffering seemed to exude from his already terrifying body. Cold sweat broke out on Karsha''s forehead as he looked at the man with aplicated expression. He didn''t speak further or try to ask any questions, as he understood the gravity of the situation. However, that didn''t mean he was going to sit and do nothing. But what else could he do in this situation? He had been pulled into a world without the slightest resistance. What could he do against someone who could easily destroy him with just a finger? At every turn, Karsha was at a loss, so he knew it was best to let the man speak all he had to say before making any decisions.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "You may be wondering who Zalgorath is and what he has to do with any of this," the man asked rhetorically before proceeding to exin. Karsha maintained his neutral expression for now. "Since you held the mask, you must already know its origin¡ªthe pain, fear, horror, and terror it embodies. You must be aware of the demon of dread, the shadow demon. You must know about the group of sorcerers who forged the mask and the chaos it has caused. You must understand the pain it has brought to the world and why you are skeptical about bonding with it." As the man listed many dreadful aspects of the mask, Karsha couldn''t help but feel something terrible was about to happen to him, yet he wanted to know more. "The mask is dangerous; we all know that. However, what if I told you the mask is actually good and was meant for someone who can channel its energy without losing their will and heart to its nightmares? What if I told you the Mask of Malevolence was made for the one destined to be the true demon lord, the shadow demon, the yer of nightmares, the terrifying one?" Karsha continued to stare at the man as he talked about the mask, which would scare anyone. The most dreadful thing a person could ever own was the Mask of Malevolence, yet the man was referring to it as a good thing. Was he perhaps crazy in the head? "To understand where this is going, we have to go back thousands of years and learn about the origin of Lord Zalgorath. Back then, he was a mere swordsman who spent his days honing his sword skills. There was nothing special about him; even his peers used to make fun of him for how weak he was. He wasn''t a cultivation genius, nor was he a wealthy heir. In fact, he was an average cultivator at best. But he was tenacious; he never backed down from a fight. Because of his can-do spirit, he caught the attention of a very powerful Magic Swordsman. Despiteing frompletely different worlds, Zalgorath started studying under his new master. Many yearster, he became a Sword Saint, a qualification that allowed him to be a General in his world. He grew better, more powerful, and deadlier. Soon, he caught the attention of the first princess of their kingdom. They secretly fell in love and started meeting in secret. They enjoyed each other''spany so much that one day, the princess waste to return. This drew the attention of the princes and the king. After discovering who had been involved with their princess, Zalgorath was banished to the depths of the abyss. However, before he was cast away, his master visited him onest time and told him just one phrase: ''When the timees, make the right choice.''" Karsha''s heartbeat quickened as he heard the phrase. It wasn''t the love story between Zalgorath and the princess that had his heart racing; it was the phrase the Master had said to his disciple. Karsha had heard those exact words before¡ªwhen he was inheriting the legacy of the Divine Alchemist. The Divine Alchemist had said the same thing to him. Back then, he hadn''t understood its meaning. Now, he was starting to see a connection and hoped to gain some insight into why the mask had chosen him. "He was banished to the abyss, and for thousands of years, no one heard of Zalgorath. His name was lost to time and forgotten. But after years of silence, the once unremarkable Zalgorath returned, more dangerous than ever. His calm demeanor had been reced by dread, chaos, and horror. He became a force of terror. For years, heid waste to hundreds of worlds, making his presence known throughout the universe. But while many saw his actions as pure horror and evil, what Zalgorath was doing was, in a twisted way, for the greater good. You see, the worlds he destroyed were not innocent. Zalgorath targeted demons and their allies. The humans who had allied with the demons were eradicated. We all know that in war, innocents often suffer. Yet, that didn''t stop Zalgorath. He continued his relentless crusade, driven by his mission." "Ever since he emerged from the abyss, Zalgorath''s life took a drastic turn. Yearster, he started gaining supporters, but so did his enemies. His carnage was so brutal that the Heaven Path began preparing to subdue him before he becamepletely uncontroble." Karsha raised an eyebrow at the mention of a new term in the man''s narrative. The Heaven Path is known for practicing a form of cultivation considered ''good,'' though in reality, they''re anything but. They are less brutal than the demons and thus deemed benevolent. On the opposite side is the Dark Path, which is where Zalgorath''s wrath was primarily directed. As time passed, Zalgorath''s influence grew to immense proportions. He became a legend, and eventually, a new n called the Shadowfiend was formed. They worshipped Zalgorath, the ordinary soldier who had returned as a shadow demon. His mastery over shadows was nothing short of extraordinary. After years of chaos, the Heaven Path finally decided to act. Theyunched an attack and, ultimately, seeded in sealing Zalgorath. Despite their efforts, they couldn''t kill him, no matter how hard they tried." Karsha swallowed hard. The thought of a being so powerful that an entire race couldn''t kill him was daunting. For a moment, he wished that the Mad Demon had died instead. The idea that they could only seal him, not kill him, brought a sense of dread. Karsha had killed many people in his past life as a soldier on Earth. He wasn''t innocent, but even he was taken aback by the horror surrounding the shadow demon. "So, if he was sealed, where did the maske from?" Throughout the story, he hadn''t heard of Zalgorath ever using a mask. If he was sealed, shouldn''t all his followers have perished too? "You''re right. All of Zalgorath''s followers were eradicated. The forces that opposed him hunted them down and wiped them out." "Then where did the sorcerers who created the maske from? If all his followers were killed, where did youe from?" Karsha asked, piecing together that the man in front of him might be linked to the sorcerers. His intuition was correct. "Many years after Zalgorath was sealed, seven individuals were drawn to this by an unknown force. Just like you, we were pulled here. It was then that we uncovered the truth. Zalgorath had foreseen everything, so he made preparations. We learned the secrets and the reasons behind Zalgorath''s transformation through a vision he showed us. It became clear that the Mask wasn''t meant to bring corruption into the world. Instead, it was meant to help the One destined to be the next Shadow Demon to cleanse the universe of corruption and liberate it. Thest message we received was: ''They areing, and only the light-bringer, the Shadow Demon, the untamed, the unhinged, the yer, the crusader, the Annihtor can stop them.'' That was the final revtion before everything changed. We created the mask and set it loose, searching for the One." Karsha''s sweat started to drip more profusely. It was bing clear that he was on the brink of inheriting the legacy of the Demon of Shadows. "This entire world is the legacy left behind by the Demon of Shadows for his sessor," the man said, rising to open his cardboard once more. "Young man, you''ve been chosen by the Mask of Malevolence. This means it''s your destiny to inherit the legacy." Karsha sighed heavily, his mind racing. "Can one choose to reject this legacy?" he asked, his voice barely steady. The man''s eyes twinkled with a knowing smile. "Nothing to fear, young man. Embracing this legacy is actually a great thing. After all, you are the Annihtor, aren''t you?" He noted Karsha''s shock and grinned wider. "Also, this is your destiny. You''re thest one to house the Seed." The moment the man said that, Karsha felt something stir within him. For a fleeting second, he could have sworn he heard a voice in his head¡ªa voice that sounded eerily like his own. Chapter 114 Zalgoraths Legacy Inside his head, the voice spoke just one word, but it was enough to make Karsha feel his mind open up. The doubt he had been carrying instantly vanished, and his mindset shifted from skepticism to anticipation. It was as if he had been expecting this voice for a very long time. Though he didn''t show any of these emotions on his face, the man remained unaware. The voice had simply said his name: "Karsha," using his own voice. The experience was strange yet somehow clear to Karsha. He felt a deeper aspect of himselfing to light. His understanding seemed to soar with every second he focused on the voice. He was tempted to explore this newfound rity, but something held him back. He tried to dive deeper, but it was as if he were locked out of his own mind. Questions swirled in his thoughts: ''What was that?'', ''Where did this ritye from?'', ''Who am I?'' But he had no answers. So, he turned back to the man, who had a lively yet bittersweet expression on his face. Karsha managed to read the emotion this time but didn''t get the chance to delve into it before the man spoke. "I can''t tell you much about the seed, because that''s all I know. In fact, I was instructed to mention it when I met you. You may not realize this, but I''ve known about you for a very long time and have been waiting for you." Karsha looked at the man, skepticism etched on his face. Since he had transmigrated, he wondered if the man knew about Austin, not him, since he was just wearing Austin''s skin. But he was mistaken. "General Karsha Damon, third son of Dr. Kleo I and General James Damon. You enlisted right after high school because you wanted to follow in your father''s footsteps and save lives like your mother. Your father died in the line of duty while you were still in training, and the day you graduated, your mother also passed away. Yet you didn''t let it overwhelm you. Instead, you channeled that pain and used it to drive you against the enemy. You rose through the ranks quickly and became a general by the age of 27. You also married your childhood sweetheart and had two lovely children, Michael and Micha. But everything came crashing down when you returned home one day to find your entire family ughtered. You were framed for their murder and executed. And now, here you are, standing before me as a Grandmaster-stage cultivator with a destiny so immense that only few could carry it." For a moment, Karsha was tempted to draw his swords and attack the man before him, but something held him back. His mind saw an opportunity, so he decided to press forward. "You know about the Earth?" The man looked at him and smiled, then began speaking, "As I was saying, it is your destiny to be here at this very moment, talking to me." He sidestepped the question, but Karsha didn''t dwell on it. He could tell from the system''s guidance that he was too weak to grasp such matters fully. "In fact, this entire world we are in is the legacy left behind by the Demon of Shadows. This ce was prepared for your arrival. Now that you are here, you can finally embrace your destiny and walk the path of shadows as you were meant to." "Can you tell me more about this legacy and how I can ept it?" At this point, Karsha didn''t care about the risks. He was ready to gain additional strength, no matter the cost. The man smiled and waved his hand. A scroll materialized, and the room plunged into darkness. When the darkness lifted, Karsha was met with a sight so horrifying that he took a few steps back to steady himself. They appeared in a room that seemed to be filled with blood¡ªor at least, that''s what it looked like at first. At the center was a bath brimming with what appeared to be more blood, which seemed to be boiling or exuding vapor. The bloodthirsty aura emanating from it made it clear that this was no ordinary bath. Hovering above the bath was the horrifying Mask that had brought him to Shadowfield, the red. The mask seemed to be absorbing energy from the bath. Karsha turned to the old man and asked, "What is this?" "This is the bath," the man replied. "This is where you will ept the legacy and rebuild your body." "Rebuild?" Karsha echoed, confusion in his voice. "Yes," the man confirmed. "You might call it body tempering. You will temper your body in the bath so that the mask can fuse with you without much difficulty." "The mask is the key to unlocking the legacy. By fusing with it, you will gain the right to undertake the Trial of Darkness. Of course, you''re not expected toplete the trials immediately. Your task now is to ept the legacy and gain the mask''s recognition." The man continued, "There are seven trials in total." He retrieved a scroll and began to read from it, his expression serious. "To fully inherit Zalgorath''s legacy and unlock the full potential of the Mask of Malevolence, the chosen one must endure and ovee seven harrowing trials. These trials are designed to test your resolve, strength, and willingness to embrace malevolence while ensuring you do not sacrifice your will, soul, or love. Each trial is a grueling journey into the depths of terror and evil, pushing you to your absolute limits." 1. The Abyssal Descent The first trial plunges the chosen one into the Abyss, a dimension of pure chaos and darkness. Here, they must navigate abyrinth of shifting shadows, where the very environment twists and turns to trap and confuse. They must confront their deepest fears personified as grotesque apparitions and resist the lure of despair that seeks to swallow their soul. 2. The Gauntlet of Souls In the second trial, the chosen one must face the spirits of those who have fallen to the mask''s influence. These tormented souls challenge the chosen one in a series ofbat trials, testing their physical prowess and mental fortitude. Each spirit is a formidable opponent, representing the essence of malevolence that once consumed them. 3. The Mirror of Malice The third trial involves confronting a twisted reflection of themselves in the Mirror of Malice. This doppelg?nger embodies the chosen one''s darkest desires and worst qualities. To seed, they must ovee their darker self without sumbing to the temptation of merging with them. 4. The Trial of the Forsaken The fourth trial requires the chosen one to traverse the Forsaken Wastes, a deste realm where the ground is littered with the remnants of those who failed to save their loved ones. They must endure harsh environmental conditions, including relentless storms, extreme temperatures, and toxic mists that erode their willpower. 5. The Chamber of Nightmares In the fifth trial, the chosen one is imprisoned in the Chamber of Nightmares, where they are subjected to their worst fears through vivid, terrifying hallucinations. These nightmares are so realistic that they blur the line between illusion and reality, making it difficult to distinguish friend from foe. 6. The Pit of Betrayal The sixth trial ces the chosen one in the Pit of Betrayal, where they are forced to relive moments of betrayal and treachery from their past, and future. They must navigate a maze filled with echoes of these betrayals, confronting the individuals who wronged them and the choices they made. 7. The Convergence of Shadows The final trial is the Convergence of Shadows, where the chosen one must merge their essence with that of Zalgorath without losing themselvespletely. This involves a ritual that requires them to channel Zalgorath''s power while maintaining control over their own will." He put the scroll away and turned his gaze back to Karsha. "These are the Seven Trials of Shadow, and you mustplete them within 300 years. If you fail to finish them within this time frame, your soul will be consumed by Zalgorath''s essence, and you''ll be turned into a mindless monster." Karsha fell into deep contemtion, considering the severity of the trials. Each one seemed to be filled with unimaginable evil, demanding that he endure immense pain and torture to unlock the power hidden within the mask and beyond. Despite the grim nature of the trials, Karsha remained resolute. His primary goal was toplete them swiftly so he could return to his quest. He had no idea how long he''d been away or how the Shadow Guards were faring in his absence. "So, how are we going to proceed?" Karsha asked. The man looked at him with a smile that was anything but cheerful. Karsha sensed that something significant was about to happen. But before he could ask any more questions, he felt his body start to float toward the bath. "I''ve waited over 60,000 years for this moment. Young man, this old man is deeply honored to meet you before I take my final breath." As he spoke, Karsha''s body was slowly lowered into the hot bath at the center. "I, Teye of the Seven, have fulfilled thest wish of the Lord of Shadows. May my soul find rest among my brothers in the Land of Shadows." As Teye uttered these words, Karsha''s ive floated beside him. Although Karsha could sense he was controlling it, he hadn''t intended for it to levitate. "Once you are reborn, you will know what to do next. I leave you my Rune Knife and the Arcane Codex. Never stop drawing runes," Teye continued. Suddenly, the ive shot forward and drove itself into Teye''s forehead, killing him instantly.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Karsha was stunned by the man''s actions. He tried to scream, but no sound emerged. He struggled to break free from the mysterious energy holding him, but it was futile. Desperation and confusion clouded his mind as he tried to figure out his next move. But before he could think further, something began to happen to him, and the system messages started to appear before him. Chapter 115 The Chosen One Rebirth < Ding! You have killed a Monarch Stage Cultivator known as Teye Kx > As Karsha floated in the center of the bath, he watched life slowly drain from Teye, the man who had profoundly inspired him to embrace Rune Sorcery. The rapid sequence of events left Karsha feeling both overwhelmed and out of control. The influx of system messages flooded Karsha''s mind, revealing the shocking truth: Teye, the man he had inadvertently killed, was a Monarch¡ªa level far beyond what Karsha could have fathomed. Monarchs are immensely powerful, existing several realms above the Grandmaster stage. Their strength isparable to that of Tier 16 Monsters, whose single strike could devastate an entire within seconds. Realizing the magnitude of what he had done, Karsha understood that this was no small matter. Before he could fully process the information, the environment around him shifted dramatically. As Teye''s body touched the ground, a formation was triggered. Threads of ethereal energy began to rise from the boiling bath, wrapping themselves around Karsha. He had intended to delve into the system messages andprehend what had just transpired, but the immediate threat demanded his attention. With no choice but to focus on the encroaching threads, Karsha steeled himself for whatever was toe. In an instant, red threads cocooned Karshapletely and slowly lowered him into the boiling, blood-like medicinal bath. As he was submerged, three Papermen emerged from the Old Man''s body, transforming into exact copies of him. One of these copies moved to the corner of the room and picked up three items and a bottle. The copy approached the bath and tossed the three items into it. Had an experienced alchemist been present, they would have likely choked on their shock at the sight. The first item was an Abyssal Lotus, a rare flower that only blooms in the darkest depths of Shadowfall. Known for its extraordinary regenerative properties, this flower blossoms just once every 100,000 years. Tossing such a precious flower casually into a blood bath for body tempering seemed like a waste. In fact, even Karsha would be astonished¡ªafter all, a single petal from this flower would be essential for creating the Constitution Awakening Pill for June, who had sacrificed half of her life force for him. Though Karsha wouldn''t know the true value of the flower, it was indeed a waste. Using it to craft regeneration pills would certainly be a more valuable use than just dropping it raw into a boiling bath. The second item was a Shadowsteel Shard, fragments of a mysterious metal imbued with the essence of the Abyss. This metal is said to be the hide of a powerful tortoise monster from the deepest part of the abyss and was renowned for strengthening the body and enhancing resilience. They are rare because they''re considered World Boss monsters that seldom go on raids. asionally, they''ll surface and cause chaos. Breaking through their metal bodies is nearly impossible. So using a fragment of such a formidable material to strengthen Karsha''s body and bones is an extraordinary and generous gesture by the Seven Sorcerers. The third item is the Essence of Malevolence, a distilled extract of darkness that has been condensed and refined for over 50,000 years. It''s not an exaggeration to say that the Essence of Malevolence tossed into the bath has been refined for the past 100,000 years. The aura it emitted was incredibly potent. However, the most shocking item was the pill inside the bottle. It was a Rank 9 Heaven Grade Soul Strengthening Pill, one of the top three soul-enhancing pills. It''s designed to strengthen the soul and is usually reserved for those who have reached the Sage stage. Since Karsha is only a Grandmaster with just a Mana core, using such a high-quality pill for body tempering is a monumental waste. While it will make his soul immensely stronger after the tempering, using it for this purpose is a colossal waste of precious resources. But at the moment, no one seemed to care, mainly because there was no one around to notice or protest. The Abyssal Lotus would enhance Karsha''s regeneration and healing abilities. That''s the nature of the lotus. The Shadowsteel Shard would improve the resilience of his bones and skin, boosting his strength and defense. The Essence of Malevolence, on the other hand, focused on mental and spiritual enhancement. However, the power of these items was overwhelming for Karsha to endure. To counter this, the man had made Karsha kill him so that he could absorb his energy and use it to process the essence of the four items. The man''s body floated before the bath. Simr to Karsha, threads emerged and wrapped around him, channeling his energy into the bath. Inside, the cocoon began to turn golden as the energy seeped in. Karsha, peacefully asleep within the cocoon, started transforming. His body first turned transparent as the golden energy from the man entered him. The energy wrapped around his bones, tempering them. This process continued for a while before his body returned to its normal state. Then, his physical appearance began to change once again. His hair, which remained red, grew slightly longer and became more attractive. His facial features stayed the same, but just as he had gained the crown-like tattoo on his forehead before, another tattoo began to appear. A tattoo of a bone mask, simr to the Mask of Malevolence, appeared on his forehead. On his back, a tattoo of ck wings took shape. His muscles also underwent a remarkable transformation, giving him a physique reminiscent of Captain America¡ªdefined six-pack abs and biceps as impressive as a Viking''s. He looked stunning, even for a man. The golden aura enveloped him, tempering his body to withstand the intense process. He continued to receive messages in his mind, but he was in no state to check them. After some time, red threads of energy began to flow into his body. It took a few hours for the red energy to fully integrate, and when it did, the cocoon shook violently and then exploded, shattering the bath. Blood sprayed everywhere, making the already red room even redder. As the mist cleared, Karsha was revealed, hoveringpletely naked in the air. After about five minutes, he slowly opened his eyes, which now disyed an even more intense, murderous, and bloodthirsty gaze. Although his golden-red eyes retained their charm, the fierceness within them was overpowering. He looked at the mask hovering before him. Without uttering a word, the mask moved and settled onto his face. As soon as the mask touched him, the blood in the room began to flow into it. Karsha remained still, showing no sign of panic. He stood there as more and more blood filled the mask. After about thirty minutes, the room was left clean. < Does the host wish to sign a soul contract with Mask of Malevolence> Karsha answered "yes" in his mind, and immediately, the mask exuded a dark aura and a humming sound. Outside the room, a dark pir of light shot up, casting a shadow over the world for a few minutes before the red hue of the room returned to its usual state. The mask disappeared from Karsha''s face as he received the system message confirming a sessful contract. Boom! A dense, bloodthirsty aura erupted from his body, shaking the entire room. If his aura on Snake Ind had been powerful enough to incapacitate a Semi-Saint, this new burst could easily suppress a Saint and even make a Sage break a sweat. The aura was thick, oppressive, and brimming with murderous intent, filling the entire room. At its center stood Karsha, who appeared to be in a daze. After several minutes of emitting this overwhelming aura, Karsha was lowered down, and his armless armor wrapped around him. His X-shaped sword sheath, with his two swords, appeared on his back, and his ive floated right behind him. Karsha approached a small door and opened it. He climbed the stairs and soon emerged in the room where he and the man had been talking. He settled into a lotus posture and, almost instantly, a darker and denser aura began radiating from his body. Karsha spread his hands, and the aura flowed into them. He then brought them together and began condensing the energy using his alchemy me. After a few hours, the aura stopped emanating from his body. Another hour passed, and the aura in his hands had transformed into a slightlyrger pill. After about fifteen hours, the pill started exuding a powerful energy. Karsha smiled and swallowed it. His eyes darkened momentarily before returning to their normal hue. He channeled the energy from the pill to all the essential points in his body, then exhaled and copsed into a deep sleep thatsted a couple of hours. Condensing an aura isn''t easy, but Karsha''s expertise in Alchemy allowed him to extract andpress his aura into a more potent form. This ancient technique enhances the effectiveness and control of the aura. Letting your aura run wild diminishes its impact while condensing it grants greater control.N?v(el)B\\jnn After his rest, Karsha woke up refreshed, feeling his strength elevated to new levels. His abilities were noticeably stronger, and he could sense a change within his body. Although he didn''t yet know what the change was, he was confident he would find out soon. He rose from the floor, sat in a chair, and turned to the system. The first message he saw nearly made him topple off his chair. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!