Defiance of the Fall

Zac coughed with some embarrassment , feeling he had committed a rookie mistake . He even opened up his wounds in his eagerness to help out , which made him feel doubly stupid .

Well , it’s just some random trinket at the first level , - Ogras shrugged . - Even if it turned out to be real it would be worth a pittance at best . -

Zac nodded in agreement , before looking around in curiosity .

What now? Do we need to kill the Goblins as well? - Zac asked .

Ogras was about to speak when a hidden door suddenly slid open in the wall opposite them , showcasing a lit hall inside . The three immediately walked inside and found a platform that looked just like the entrance to the tower itself .

Is that it? - Zac asked , and he couldn’t help but feel some disappointment at the lack of excitement .

The first floor is essentially a tutorial floor , - Ogras smiled . - Anyone who has gained the requirements to receive a token should have no trouble completing it . Almost half of all climbers finish the second floor as well . -

Then why the carries if it is so easy? - Zac asked .

The problem comes from the third floor , - Galau explained . - The final level is especially tough for the average elite . Many are willing to buy the carry just for that trial alone . A few might have been able to complete it themselves if they went all-out , but they would rather pay a few billion to guarantee a reward and the better title . -

Zac nodded in understanding and the three stepped up on the platform , and it immediately started to hum into life . He looked back toward the stairs they came from , and it was a bit unsettling knowing that the whole world he had just visited might just cease to exist since it had fulfilled its purpose .

The next moment he found himself sitting by a table in a rowdy tavern , with Ogras and Galau joining him . The other customers were almost all some sort of beastkin , resembling panthers a bit with their golden eyes and black fur . The occasional humans and elf-like humanoids could be seen as well though , meaning the place they found themselves in wasn’t completely homogenous .

Most of the beastkin seemed like warriors rather than the farmers in the last floor , and pretty much everyone was decked in armors and some manner of weaponry . A few of them almost looked like a walking arsenal as they were covered in daggers , swords , and anything sharp they could carry .

Even though they looked pretty ferocious Zac still sensed they weren’t too strong , perhaps around level 50 or so at best . He would personally place them at the same strength as the Valkyries . Zac guessed they actually wouldn’t meet any peak F-Grade warriors until they reached the final level of the first floor after having seen the average strength of the first two levels .

The Kingdom of Eyrvar has launched a quest to clear out the Fungal Depths of Lake Varia . Claim the riches in the depths before the mercenaries or the Royal Army

Lucky , - Ogras said with a whistle . - A treasure quest . -

How’s that lucky? - Zac asked with confusion . - Aren’t most of the treasures fake anyway? -

Well , yes . But if you snatch a whole hoard of items , then chances are that at least one or two of them is real , - the demon explained .

It seems we’re not the only ones after the treasures though , - Galau whispered as he listened in on the conversations on the neighboring tables .

Excuse me , - Ogras said as he walked over to the table next over with a large cask of the local liquor he bought from a waiter . - We just arrived to the area and heard about the quest . Mind if I ask you a few questions? -

Sit down , lad , - the mercenary said , his eyes peeled on the jug of liquor .

Why did the kingdom give suddenly give such an order? - Ogras said , feigning interest .

The depths are crawling with those goddamn monstrous crustaceans . They would rather waste our lives than their own in clearing it out , - one of the men said with a snort . - Rumors are there is an evolved alpha leading the swarm . -

Crustaceans? Like big lobsters? - Ogras asked with confusion .

More like crabs , - the mercenary explained . - Nasty pincers and sharp legs . Pretty smart too . -

So why are there so many taking up the quest if it’s so dangerous? - the demon probed .

The pearls , - another man said after taking a huge swig . - It’s no secret in this area so I might as well tell you . Some clams produce magical pearls in the lakes at the bottom of the caverns . Those pearls can be used to prolong your lifespan . Each pearl is worth a pretty penny , and you can keep what you find according to the kingdom . -

I see , thank you . We will have to think about if we’re ready for something like before heading down , - Ogras nodded - thoughtfully’ as he turned towards Zac’s table . - Oh , by the way , when will people start the mission? -

Tomorrow , - a beastman burped . - That’s why we’re getting drunk today . -

Let’s go , - Ogras said with a loud voice to Zac and Galau . - We are behind these people . We need to gather provisions and weaponry if we want to join tomorrow . -

His words elicited a couple of guffaws from the beastkin who kept drinking contentedly . Zac and Ogras followed the demon out of the tavern , and they found themselves in the docks of an alien port city . A few enormous ships were anchored a few hundred meters out to sea , and dozens of smaller vessels could be seen sailing back and forth .

A constant bustle was taking place with people coming ashore or embarking , even though it was the dead of night . Zac whistled with appreciation as he looked around . Was this what Port Atwood would look like when it advanced? He had been afraid that the use of naval ships would decrease as people became stronger , but perhaps that wasn’t necessarily the case .

What gear would we need for something like this? - Zac asked with some confusion as he turned to Ogras . - Doesn’t sound too complicated . -

Of course we don’t need to gather gear from some shabby store here , - Ogras snorted . - I just wanted to head out immediately without arousing suspicion . Do you want to let those animals get their paws on our pearls? -

It could be some basic specimens of Longevity Clams] they were talking about , - Galau added thoughtfully . - Their pearls can be used in concocting pills that improve longevity just like he said . Each pearl is worth millions on the outside . Tens of millions if their quality is good enough . We’ll make a great profit if even a handful of the pearls are real . We’re pretty lucky to get a scenario like this . -

Lucky , yeah… - Ogras said as he shot Zac a pointed look .

Chapter 404 - Remuneration

Zac understood what the demon was inferring . Was his uncommonly high Luck Attribute finally starting to bring him some fortuitous encounters? So far his Luck had mainly been helping him stay alive from ambushes , but he had long known that the attribute could also increase the chance of lucky encounters .

His Luck had increased from 149 to 182 after gaining his two Fragments , which wasn’t a small boost . It meant that he also had passed the old attribute limit of the F-Grade , 175 points . Perhaps that came with some new boosts as well? Zac couldn't tell , and there seemed to be no one that knew how it worked in his surroundings either . Even Alyn only had a hazy knowledge of the subject , and his attempts at getting information packets on the subject had failed . So Zac could only speculate , apart from the fundamental knowledge that higher numbers were better .

It didn’t take a lot of effort for the trio to learn of the location of the so-called Fungal Hollow . It was a region a few hours north of the town where a river caused a large section of brackish water . A mid-sized mountain rose out of the ocean in the middle of the delta , and that mountain contained the Fungal Hollow .

The group wasted no time as they pushed north , using the moonlight for sight as they ran along the coast . They passed a few fisherman’s villages immediately after exiting the town , but soon enough the coastal line turned completely desolate . It was probably due to people not daring to live neighbors with aggressive crab beasts who could emerge from the depths at moment's notice .

The moon and its luster reflecting on the ocean waves were the only sources of light until they finally saw a few large braziers burning in the distance . The flames came from the fortress that the kingdom had built to keep a watch on the river inlet and to both counter the crustaceans and to stop any enterprising pirates from sailing inland .

The moment they saw the flames Zac knew they were close , but they didn’t continue to the settlement ahead . Zac instead took out one of his Creator Vessels from his Cosmos Sack , and they immediately set sail . Galau seemed to be a bit confused by ship , as the Creators had actually put the insignias of the Allbright Empire on them to mask their true origin . But he didn't bring it up , and Zac didn't bother to come up with some excuse .

Zac hadn’t expected to use the boat for its intended purpose , but he had rather been inspired by Alea’s tactics . The Creator ships had blown up half a town with the help of their offensive arrays in the battle with the undead , making them a great offensive tool . Their hulls were also extremely sturdy to survive the beasts of the sea , making them good shelter in a bind .

But now it came in handy as it allowed them to reach the mountain reaching up through the muddy water without giving away their actions to the royal army . Infiltrating the mountain didn’t prove much trouble either , and they smoothly proceeded further and further down into the depths of the mountain hidden by Ogras’ shadows .

The interiors of the mountain reminded Zac a bit of a miniature version of the Underworld , as there was a mix of tunnels and caves large enough to house small villages . But instead of molemen the caves were half-submerged in water and crawling with crabs that were up to three meters tall . But Zac could see that the beasts were even weaker compared to the mercenaries , though there were far more crabs than beastmen . Only a couple of swings of Verun's Bite] would be needed to decimate a whole cave .

But they didn't want to start a battle because that might alert scouts hiding on the mountain , so Ogras led them through a confusing maze of tunnels in their descent . Now and then they were unable to proceed without walking perilously close to the crabs , but with the help of Ogras and their array disks they could slip past without raising any alarms .

It only took them half an hour to reach the bottom , which was an enormous cave that seemed to lead out to the ocean . There was a shallow and crystal-clear lake covering most of the area , and the three immediately spotted their target . Quite a few crabs were walking about , and they noticed that the largest crabs were actually eating the clams , shell and all .

Perhaps the clams and their precious pearls could help the crabs to evolve , or at least level up?

But the so-called crab king was nowhere to be seen , and Ogras soundlessly killed the few dozen crabs in the cave before they sealed the exits with sound-proofing arrays . After that they had free rein to loot pearls to their heart's content .

Even Galau seemed to finally get over his despondency due to his life plan going awry as he cracked open one clam after another to look for a pearl . There was an almost manic gleam in his eyes as he arduously forced open the shells and It made Zac think of Calrin . He had to admit the squirrely young man had the right temperament for a merchant .

Unfortunately for Galau , he traveled with two people far stronger than him . He had the will but not the power to loot the treasures in front of him . It took him almost twenty seconds to force open one of the sturdy clams , but Zac simply crushed them with a twist to extract the pearl within .

Ogras wasn’t as strong , but he managed to poke holes in the shells with pinpoint accuracy , allowing him to take out the pearls without even forcing open the shells . In the end , it was Zac who came out a winner , claiming almost half of the pearls , with Galau barely getting a fifth of them .

The moment the last pearl was extracted a prompt sounded out and a teleportation array appeared by a bank of the subterranean lake . Seeing how easily they completed the floor Zac better understood that things weren’t quite equal for everyone who entered . Getting a suitable floor quest could both make and break someone’s climb . If it was Zac climbing alone the second level would have played out pretty differently .

He would have no doubt been spotted soon after entering the mountain , and then he would have been forced to fight his way down to the treasures in the depths . Perhaps even the kingdom on the other shore would be alerted , turning the situation extremely chaotic .

Considering they were still only on the first floor Zac would no doubt have been able to blast through all resistance without breaking a sweat , but it might play out differently on the later floors . He could only pray that his high Luck would overpower the animosity the System seemed to have toward him , giving them suitable challenges at the end of their climb .

The following levels went quite smoothly where they completed one quest after another without encountering any real trouble . They didn’t rush at all , but it still only took them 3 days to reach the 9th level . Galau’s mood had gotten noticeably better as time went , and by this time he had mostly recovered from the shock .

He even seemed to be a bit excited about the prospect of having befriended a future powerhouse , often reminding Zac to come to him in case he wanted to sell loot from mystic realms or the like in the future .

The ninth level placed them at the foot of a mountain , and the quest was to defeat the Bandit Lord who had made the peak his home . It was the first time the quest directly told them to do battle . The other 8 quests had been possible to complete with only minimal battle , with the option of finding the floor guardian to kill instead .

In fact , they had barely fought at all during the first eight levels . Only a few unlucky sentries had been taken out so that they could complete the quest the intended way .

Climbing the first floor had given Zac a good grasp of how things worked , and he realized that it was always better to complete the quest than killing the floor guardian . Following the quest almost always taught a valuable lesson or led to some sort of treasure , whereas killing the guardian would make you miss that opportunity .

The treasures might turn out to be fake in the end , but the gained knowledge was real , and Zac vowed to only kill his way out of a level if he really couldn't figure out the quest .

I can take charge of this one , - Galau suddenly said as they ascended the mountain , showing unusual proactivity .

What’s going on? Have you accidentally eaten some stimulants? - Ogras said as he shot the merchant a suspicious stare . - What if you faint again and get yourself killed? -

Galau deflated a bit , but he mustered his courage as he stuck out his chest .

You have done most of the work , so I should contribute a bit as well , - Galau said .

Zac smiled a bit , somewhat understanding Galau’s thoughts . He was no doubt a bit cowardly , but he did have a good heart . He wanted to help out and prove his worth during the climb , but he knew that they soon enough would encounter challenges that might prove too dangerous . So he wanted to knock out a few floor guardians early to shore up his contribution .

That’s nice of you , but that’s okay , - Zac smiled . - Days have passed without me fighting , and I could use the exercise . I get a bit antsy if I don’t fight for too long . -

Unless you want to see him rampage again due to lack of bloodshed? You missed most of it last time , - Ogras snorted . - It's quite spectacular . -

Galau paled as he looked at Zac like he was a dangerous animal before he restrained himself .

Well , I will simply stay back and support then . It is good to exercise a bit as you’re recuperating . But remember , moderation is important , - Galau coughed .

Ogras only rolled his eyes as they continued up the mountain .

But that brings us to another topic , - Galau said , looking a bit uncomfortable .

What’s that? - Zac asked as he looked around for hidden traps .

Our original agreement was for you to help me reach the thirtieth floor so that I could convince my elders to let me start a business . But now that your extraordinary might have been put on open display , that has ruined any chance of that happening . In other words , shouldn’t we revisit the issue of… remuneration , - Galau said , his voice getting lower and lower as he saw Zac and Ogras stop and direct emotionless stares at him .

I agree , - Ogras eventually said , getting a surprised glance from Zac . - The price you quoted was for a carry by two unknown cultivators . But now you are hiring one of the most famous youths in the sector . How can 3 billion be enough? -

Wh- - Galau stammered . - I- I just realized it would be bad form to change the terms mid-climb . I apologize for bringing the matter up . -

If you say so , - Ogras snorted .

The three reached the peak soon enough and found a weathered fort take up a large part of it . There was only one way to enter unless you climbed up the sheer wall , but that would no doubt leave you exposed to bandits staying in the base .

You guys stay here , - Zac said as he openly walked toward the closed gate .

What he said earlier was partly true , there were a few things he needed to confirm . First of all , he was simply curious about the power of a floor guardian . He wanted to personally fight all of them so that he would be able to give helpful pointers to the people of Port Atwood . As far as he knew he was the only one who had a token so far , but as people started to reach level 50 more would no doubt get the chance to come here .

And even if no one from Port Atwood got a token there were still Thea and Billy , both of whom should qualify for this place as far as Zac was concerned .

But the part about needing to fight to avoid losing control was a lie . The splinter in his mind had been completely silent since his outburst in the Pill House , and it didn’t even release a smidgeon of the odd energy that usually seeped into his mind .

He was rather worried about something having happened to his skill after having seen the black trees surrounding him as he woke up from his stupor in the rubble of the Pill House . Zac had his guesses what was going on , but he needed to confirm them .

Energy surged around him as he walked forward , and a red array sprung up around the fortress , signaling that he had been spotted . That was just fine for Zac , as he released Hatchetman’s Spirit] . The scenery of the mountain top started to drastically change as one tree after another started to grow .

The trees quickly rose to over fifty meters in height , and some even started to grow from the wall of the fortress , making it seem that the place had been deserted for hundreds of years . The trees themselves were of a traditional leafy variant with green leaves and brown trunks with bark .

There was one exception though , a singular stout tree that appeared just behind Zac . Its trunk was still light brown , but its leaves shone with a golden luster . Around the tree four white ropes were tied , each of them full of intricate knots . Hanging from the ropes were some unknown talismans , but Zac couldn’t recognize the script on them .

It looked like something that fit in an old temple , and it did emit a dense aura of life . Zac’s cells swelled to life as he felt one with Nature . It was like he was strolling through his own garden rather than toward some Bandit’s lair . Zac looked around and sighed in relief .

It looked like the Splinter hadn't corrupted his skill fractals after all .

Chapter 405 - Floor Guardian

The bandits quickly understood that the trees sprouting up everywhere were bad news , and various attacks soared out to destroy them . But the projectiles harmlessly shot straight through , hitting the mountain or sailing far out into the air .

It had taken Zac a while to understand the skill as well , but he eventually figured it out . The trees were mostly projections , a way for his spirit to change the surroundings to suit him better . It created an effect similar to a Dao Field , where he was at his optimal state while his interlopers were somewhat weakened .

The only - real’ tree was the tree behind him that provided a direct buff to his Strength and Vitality , providing 10% each without any downsides like Hatchetman’s Rage] . Zac also guessed that the skill counted as being inside a forest , which renewed the boost he got from Forester’s Constitution] .

Attacking that tree would work , and cutting it down would cancel the skill . But the tree wasn’t just helpless . Each rope on the tree represented one defensive charge that could be used to protect itself or Zac , allowing it to stand long enough for Zac to come and protect it if needed .

The skill even worked as a detection skill as the trees essentially were his eyes and ears . Anything within his forest was within his purview , and it would take a pretty good stealth skill to move about unnoticed .

All in all , it provided a little bit of everything , helping Zac round out his Hatchetman Class . It wasn’t as flashy as Ogras’ equivalent where he turned into a shadowy angel with his 5-meter wings , but it was a skill that he could always use to gain an edge during battle . Zac also guessed it would be useful in the battle against the undead , as the golden tree emitted an intense amount of life which might counteract the miasma .

Its functions did overlap a bit with the general skills Mental Fortress] and Nature’s Barrier] he had bought for himself , but no one would say no to having multiple layers of defense .

When the bandits noticed that their attacks didn’t have any effect they instead focused their attacks on Zac , but it was extremely hard for them to hit him . He was in his own forest now and being one with the surroundings pushed the efficiency of Loamwalker] to new heights , making him seem like a forest spirit that flitted back and forth amongst the illusory trees .

He reached the gate without getting hit once and one swing of his axe cracked the shield and gained him entry .

Another bounty hunter? - a gruff voice sounded the moment he entered the fortress . - But my head is not so easily claimed . -

Zac immediately sensed some danger and jumped forward , but he was still caught inside a massive explosion . The bandit had used an offensive array like a mine . A snap could be heard from behind as one of the ropes fell from the tree , and a green wind rose simultaneously to protect Zac from the flames .

Zac was a bit surprised a floor guardian would fight dirty like that , but he soon found his bearings as he spotted his target . It was a humanoid who stood almost three meters tall , and the humanoid most closely resembled an ogre , though his skin was dark grey .

There was no hair on his head , and there were four large tusks in his mouth that created a bestial image for the bandit . He was a mix of fat and muscular , with a big belly but arms thick enough to look like trees .

Zac actually felt that Verun’s Bite] might be more suited for a being like this , or better yet billy's massive club . But the guardian was unarmed , perhaps only relying on his massive and meaty fists . He wore thick bracers to protect his forearms though , and a couple of knives almost as large as swords could be seen dangling from his belt .

He was also accompanied by a dozen or so bandits who all were of the same race , though they were almost a meter shorter than their boss . The bandit lord tried to slap one of the trees with his massive palm in annoyance and growled when it passed straight through .

I don’t know why you play with these dumb illusions . It won’t save you , - he said before he stomped the ground , seemingly in frustration .

The area rumbled for a second before a dozen spikes shot up at Zac . Each of the spikes was imbued with some sort of Dao , though only an early seed and Zac was taken a bit by surprise once again . He had thought that the ogre would be a similar class as himself going by his attire , but it looked that he was rather some sort of geomancer .

A large fractal blade grew out in front of the edge of Verun’s Bite] , and it soon enough detached as Zac instructed it to hunt down the bandits while he focused on the big boss . The illusory trees even moved about , forming what looked like an arena that enclosed the two of them .

It was nothing like the cage of his other class , and the bandits could simply walk straight through the enclosure if they wanted to . But it still had its uses . Zac had noted that a higher concentration of trees around him increased his control over the area , making him sense the tiniest fluctuations of Daos or Cosmic Energy . Perhaps getting boxed in like that also negatively impacted the mental states of his enemies , making them feel trapped .

But the bandit didn't seem bothered by getting - trapped - inside the ring of trees at all , and his beady eyes glared straight at Zac as he summoned a large boulder to chuck at him . It contained the same Dao energy as before , but Zac simply turned the boulder to gravel with a punch .

The floor guardian of the first floor might be the first peak F-Grade warrior he had encountered since entering the tower , but the ogre was far from being a match to someone like himself . Zac only decided to battle because he wanted to take a look at his skill once more , and now that he could confirm Hatchetman's Spirit] worked as usual again he saw no need to prolong the fight .

One step brought him in front of the Ogre , but the huge bandit was prepared . A chain of explosions erupted , swallowing the two in an inferno . Zac had multiple ways to defend against such a surprise attack , but since he had his new skill up and running he might as well use it .

Another snap from behind allowed him to be enclosed in nature's embrace once more , and after a brief hesitation he also imbued his body with the Fragment of the Coffin to make sure he avoided his wound opening up again . The flames raged all around him for over ten seconds , making Zac look around in confusion .

Had the bandit lord decided to blow himself up?

But the flames eventually abated , and Zac could once again see the ogre in front of him . He was covered in a layer of rock , and Zac had seen the earth-mages among the demons perform the same trick . The Ogre had found an interesting fighting method that took advantage of the high durability of a geomancer , but how could his Endurance match up to a monster like Zac? He would need a far larger bomb to break through his defenses .

How are you ali-? - the bandit roared , but he didn’t get any further as space split from a swing of Zac’s axe .

The body of the bandit lord fell apart into two neatly separated pieces , and a small surge of cosmic energy entered his body before it dissipated once more . The underlings had already been decimated by his Fractal Blade , and it returned to hover around him once more .

Zac released Hatchetman’s Spirit] , and his two companions joined in short order . Neither of them looked too surprised that the battle took less than a minute , and they stepped into the teleportation array that had appeared in the courtyard of the fortress .

But this time Zac wasn’t transported to a new world to explore , but he rather found himself in the black space that might as well be the System’s waiting room . As expected a prompt appeared soon after .

First Floor Complete . Rewarding Title

Choose Reward : Weapon , Skill Crystal , Nexus Coins]

Zac looked over the three options and chose Skill Crystal after just a second of deliberation . It was just the first floor , so none of the options were likely to be anything amazing . A Skill Crystal might benefit someone back home though , or it could at least be put in the Merit Exchange .

The darkness disappeared and Zac found himself on the deck of a boat sailing on a turquoise ocean . Apelike humanoids scurried around all over the ship , and all of them wore the same type of livery indicating they came from the same force .

A crystal had appeared in his hand and he infused some of his energy into it to see if it was something he could use immediately .

Frozen Enclosure – Create a sphere of ice that surrounds you . The strength of the shield increases with Intelligence

Zac sighed and put the crystal away . He had no affinity with Ice , like all other elements , and it was obviously a mage’s skill . It would probably have a terrible efficiency if he learned it , so he didn’t bother . His sister might find it useful though as she was an Elementalist . There were only so many skills a Class gave , and this might be a nice addition .

Galau appeared a second later , and Ogras came last after half a minute . Neither of them had very excited expressions , meaning they hadn’t made any huge hauls either .

Didn’t think that you would immediately get the title , - Zac commented as he opened his Title screen .

The New title had appeared , and just as expected it was a Permanent Title , rather than a Limited one .

Tower of Eternity – 1st Floor . Strength +5 , Endurance +5 , Vitality +5]

I think it’s to lessen the need for a second run , - Galau said . - It’s still worth it to come back here if you make large gains , or if you were unlucky during the first climb . But the things you gain inside the Tower generally won't warrant another tower run . -

I got five points in three attributes , is it the same three attributes for everyone? - Zac asked .

No , - Galau said with a shake of his head . - It boosts the three attributes you focus the most on . -

It made sense . Zac would have preferred some Dexterity or wisdom to shore up his weaknesses , but he knew that the third floor at least provided all attributes . And the fact he got the title immediately worked in his favor . There was no way he would be able to return to this place , and getting the titles directly meant that he would have an even better chance of reaching a higher floor .

What did you think about the boss? - Ogras smiled .

The weakest a peak F-Grade warrior could possibly be , - Zac said . - I can’t believe anyone who arrives here wouldn’t be able to defeat him . -

Failing is exceedingly rare , but now and then someone messes up horribly or underestimates the challenge , - Galau said . - But failing on the first floor is generally pretty shameful . Not something you’d share with others . -

Things will quickly get harder though , - Ogras warned . - Of course , it won’t be too bad while we’re still on the second floor . But don’t get lax . -

Zac nodded as he closed his eyes to rest . Even if a couple of days had passed he still felt some lingering pangs from the wound in his side , though he could use most of his strength if the situation called for it . If it wasn’t for the pill he got from the Zethaya he would no doubt still be bedridden , and that fact alone made Zac mostly forgive Boje’s actions .

The ship soon anchored outside a solitary island , and the tree found out the quest was to look for clues to a hidden inheritance of an - Ascendant’ , which was what these apemen called a D-Grade powerhouse after some probing .

Can we take the inheritance for ourselves? - Zac asked , feeling they had hit the jackpot .

Quit dreaming , - Ogras snorted .

Some quests task you with finding clues to extremely valuable items , such as divine treasures or long-lost inheritances like this one . But those are almost always fake . It is a huge gamble to try to snatch such a thing , - Galau started to explain .

First of all , the inheritance is likely not on this island . We would have to set sail with these apemen for weeks rather than continuing on to the next floors , - Ogras continued . - And when we finally arrive we’ll most likely just find another teleporter to the next level . -

But it is possible for it to be real? - Zac asked .

There have been some reports of such things turning out to be true , but the odds are extremely low , even worse than with treasures . It’s only really worth trying for such a thing if you find yourself stuck , unable to climb any further , - Galau answered .

That's one of the reasons why people keep pushing themselves to climb even if they know they won't beat the floor guardian they're at . Their title won't improve from climbing another few levels , but they might find an opportunity like this , - the demon added .

Chapter 406 - Penalties

The trio soon joined the monkeys in scouring the island , and with the help of Galau’s superior investigative skill they found an odd fluctuation beneath a lake . They could have explored it themselves and risked falling out with the simian sailors , but they instead called for the captain who awarded them each with a small sack of E-Grade Nexus Crystals as thanks .

Most of the crystals would most likely turn to dust the moment they exited the Tower , but they would work just fine while they were still inside . So all of happily took the reward as it meant they would save on their own stock .

The following floors went quite smoothly as well , as the difficulty could be easily managed by anyone of them . Zac did however note that the setting of the quests started to subtly change . The quests first floor had all taken place in civilized areas such as towns or established countries , with the exception of the floor guardian hiding on a mountain top .

But that changed with the second floor . The surroundings they found themselves in were more wild and untamed . The first level of the second floor took place on the tropical island , and the seventh was on an island as well . The third level took place in a fallen kingdom where order was rapidly crumbling .

They were tasked with escorting one of the surviving children of a once-great noble house to an ally waiting outside the town , and were ambushed by both rebels and random bandits who saw how richly decked the lordling was . But a blast of Zac’s massive and blood-drenched aura was all it took to force them all to run for the hills , allowing them to complete the quest without lifting a finger .

Zac felt he learned a lot from their quests , and he more and more understood the crazy gambit of the Lotus Emperor . He had split himself into 10 000 incarnations to live a multitude of lives . If this method ever came to fruition and he could fuse his incarnations back into one being , just how deep would his knowledge of the universe become?

The final level of the second floor was a simple quest to save a faltering town bordering a massive forest from a dangerous beast in the area . After asking around they learned it was some sort of recently evolved reptile and that it possessed shocking speed .

It’s usually like this , - Ogras explained . - The final level of a floor almost always requires a proof of strength to conquer . You can’t just luck into a quest that suits your skillset . Strength is ultimately the true language of the multiverse . -

The 9th level of a floor requires you to defeat a floor guardian 95% of the time , with the final 5% requiring proof of Strength in other ways , - Galau nodded in agreement . - And be careful , the strength will sharply rise compared to the things you’ve fought so far . -

It’s only the second floor though , - Zac said , but he still took out his axe just in case .

That’s true , but the attributes of the beasts are around 40% higher because there’s three of us , - Galau said .

That much? - Zac said with surprise . - What would happen if I brought 10 people to carry? -

Nine is the limit , and the floors would be almost three times as hard , - Galau said . - Most carries only bring one or two people . Taking too many might negatively impact your own climb . -

Wait , will we still be penalized after leaving you on the 32nd level? - Zac asked with a frown .

A 40% boost in attributes wasn't a problem now , but what if it stayed when he assaulted the 5th and 6th-floor guardians? That would be a pretty huge handicap , and he wasn't so sure that 3 billion Nexus Coins were worth it .

Any floor one enters together with others will be adjusted accordingly , even if some people drop out early , - Galau answered before a hesitant expression entered his face . - I didn’t mention it because I was sure you knew . -

So we’ll be only be penalized on the fourth floor? - Zac mused . - That’s not too bad . -

He had high confidence in defeating a floor guardian of the fourth floor even if it had a 40% attribute boost , and afterward the penalty would decrease , making it not too difficult bringing Ogras compared to going at it alone .

The benefit Ogras would bring would no doubt supersede a 20% bump in the enemies’ strength .

Any idea of how to find the beast? - Zac asked after they had walked in the forest for two hours .

I thought it would show itself since we’ve restrained our auras , - Ogras muttered before he turned to Galau . - You should have something to solve the situation . -

Ahem . . . The person providing the Tower Carry generally includes all the materials for the climb itself in the price , - the merchant said . - But I do have some items for sale that might help . Best prices in the forest , heh . -

Both Ogras and Zac stopped when they heard the mention of money , and another standoff commenced .

But then again it’s just a small trinket , - Galau stammered , clearly feeling the pressure . - Here . Simply place this in an open space . If the beast is near-by it will no doubt come . -

Galau handed Zac a small ball with a stench that made his nose-hair curl up . It smelled like thing contained a mix of old diapers and rancid meat , all pressed together into a ball of unholy horrors . The stench was so unbearable it made him question life , and the only reason he didn’t throw it away was that he was afraid it would break into pieces making the smell even more unbearable .

What the- - Ogras groaned , looking about ready to hurl . - I’ll keep watch from the trees . -

The next moment he disappeared , no doubt to escape the smell . Galau was already running as well , leaving Zac with the hot potato still in his hand . He didn’t want to spend one more second than necessary with that cursed object in his hand , so he simply left it on a stone and jumped into some bushes that were just outside of the smell .

At least the ball turned out to be pretty effective , and their target arrived just 30 minutes later .

The beast was actually a large snake rather than a reptile , and his hair stood on its end when he looked at it . He still was a bit emotionally scarred after his desperate battle with a mutated snake during the first week of the integration . He had been way too close to death at that time , and there was still some lingering fear deep in his heart .

The snake was at least not as big as Slither , Verana’s pet , as it only reached a bit over ten meters in length . It was a deep brown with green spots on its back , and for such a large snake it was pretty slim . It slithered between the trees with surprising agility , and it reached the puke-ball in the blink of an eye .

An enraged hiss emerged from the snake’s maw when it realized that it was just bait rather than whatever the ball pretended to be , but at that point Zac was already running toward it with his axe at the ready . However , the snake turned its head with shocking speed and spat out a green mist that immediately covered a hundred meters in front of it .

Zac’s brows rose in shock and he hastily infused his body with the Dao of the Coffin as he held his breath . The mist was clearly poisonous , and Zac frowned in consternation when he realized the mist burrowed itself into his pores even after having activated his defensive Dao .

He was just about to switch to the Seed of Trees to start purifying the invading poison , but he noticed a startling change that made him stop . The Dao of the Coffin might have failed in keeping the poison out of his body , but that apparently didn’t mean it was helpless against it . It was actually refining it instead .

The mental energy that was spread throughout Zac’s body was attacking the poison like white blood cells , and turning it into normal Cosmic Energy that seeped into his body . In other words , the Snake’s attack was restoring Zac’s energy rather than harming him .

Was this the effect brought on from the Dao of Rot? He had already discovered the properties that were akin to those of Hardness , but now he also witnessed the Rot . His thoughts briefly went to the lotus locked inside the coffin in his vision , the basis of his Dao Fragment . Corruption locked in a hard exterior .

So what if the hard shell let poison seep through? The interior was meant as a prison for such things anyway .

The Snake hadn’t realized that its wide-scale attack was ineffective though , and it immediately went in for the kill when it noticed that Zac had stopped moving . But a flash of light was all it saw before its massive head was removed from its body . The beast was still too weak to prove a worthwhile opponent for him to hone his skills , so he didn’t want to waste any time on it . He was more interested in observing the changes inside his body .

Zac sat down in the middle of the poison haze , and he slowly tried to understand what the Dao Fragment did , and if there were some other benefits it could bring . Unfortunately , he didn't find out anything else , but it was an interesting topic to keep looking into . Galau and Ogras arrived soon after the poisonous clouds dissipated , and the demon immediately headed for the carcass .

Do you need an antidote pill? - Galau asked as he reached for his cosmos sack .

No need , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - A poison of this level won’t affect me . -

Galau nodded in understanding , not seeming too surprised by the fact that Zac was fine . Having some means to handle poison was a basic precaution for any wandering warrior , so Galau probably thought he had some skill or treasure that protected him . But there still was some hesitation as he looked at Zac .

What? - Zac asked .

Why aren’t you using your shield? You paid so much for it but I’ve only seen you take it out to play with a few times , - the merchant asked . - Are you thinking of repurposing the material after all? I could buy it off your hands , but you would make a small loss . -

Zac blankly looked back at Galau for a second , realizing what he meant . It must truly look a bit odd for him to pay through the nose for the shield only to not use it at all .

Why bother defending against weaklings like this? Might as well directly kill them to get things over with . Would almost be a dishonor to such a nice shield to waste it on some large worm , - the demon said from the side as he extracted a large sack from the head of the snake .

The gall bladder? - Zac asked curiously . - Do you know how to make antidotes? -

What antidotes? - the demon snorted . - I want it for my liquor . -

You can do that as well? - Zac asked with interest . - Does it have any benefits? -

It might have some benefits if the wine is good enough , - the demon said after some deliberation . - But I mostly want it for the taste . Haven’t been able to drink any good snake wine for a while . Besides , it better than just stowing it away and hoping the gallbladder is real . -

Zac nodded , understanding that this might go under the - eat anything you can while still inside the tower’-umbrella , and left the demon to his devices .

Galau helped Zac extract the fangs and poison sack . The poison wasn’t very strong , but who knew if it would come useful in the future . An array had already appeared in the clearing not far away , and Zac started to walk toward it .

Wait , - Galau suddenly said , and Zac noted that the demon hadn’t moved either .

What? - Zac asked with confusion .

Take a look at this , - Galau said as he took out a small array disk .

He placed a Nexus Crystal inside the disk , and it lit up and fired a projectile straight into the air a second later like a firework . It looked a lot like one of those flare guns that you kept on a boat in case you got stuck at sea , and it illuminated the whole area in a blue luster for almost a minute before it dimmed .

What’s that for? - Zac asked .

For us to find him , - Ogras explained .

The change of the third floor is that we will no longer emerge at the same position , - Galau explained . - We will be placed in the same area , but there will usually be some sort of barriers between us . Beasts or cultivators , for example . But it can also be arrays or other things . -

So you’ll shoot off one of these when we arrive at a new level , and we’ll come to pick you up? - Zac asked .

Exactly . Blue means no danger , red means I’m in danger . So , uh , if you see a red light please hurry , - Galau said .

Was this how you did it as well? - Zac asked .

Pretty much . The guy who helped me had a mother-daughter array that allowed him to find me , and I simply hid in the shadows until he showed up , - the demon nodded .

Fine , let’s go , - Zac said with some anticipation as he walked toward the array . - Perhaps we can finally find some decent sparring partners on the next floor . -

Galau didn't say anything , but rather just looked at Zac like he was a lunatic .

Chapter 407 - Mastery

Sweat ran down Zac’s back as he weaved back and forth among the pack of plagued Apes . Their quest was to cleanse the area of corruption , but Zac had found the insane beasts living in the area excellent sparring partners .

The progression through the third floor had gone quite smoothly , but the quests started to become harder . Twice they decided to just find and kill the guardian rather than completing the quest as it was simply more convenient that waste multiple days on a single level of the third floor .

One of the times they had been tasked to lead the defense of a town beset by a beast horde for three days until reinforcements could arrive . Zac had hoped to use those beasts to work on his skills , but they proved too weak to make any real progress . After a few hours all of them were tired of killing an endless deluge of critters who were only around level 50 to 60 , and Ogras flashed over to kill the alpha to end the level early .

The other time some knowledge of arrays was needed , and neither of them would be able to solve the problem without spending a couple of days in research . They once more decided to not waste time on such a low level and destroyed the body of the deceased ancestor that the array was supposed to restrain . It made the descendants quite pissed off , but it didn't matter to them as they moved on to the next world through the array .

They had also gotten a chance at seeing Galau’s skills in battle , and Zac had to admit that he was much stronger than expected . Due to his timid character and somewhat cowardly nature Zac had always thought that he wanted to switch occupation mainly due to lack of talent in combat . But that probably wasn't the case .

A red flare had illuminated the sky when they arrived at the sixth level , making Zac hurry over with the help of Loamwalker] . He had found Galau desperately fighting off a huge pack of mangy wolves with a large two-handed sword . Both the choice of weapon and the aggressive battle-style created an odd disconnect with the usually timid youth , and Zac could only attribute it to his Clan .

They seemed to be solely focused in one direction in hopes of one day creating a real powerhouse , and all their youth were probably required to follow the same heritage . The heritage itself was one that felt pretty similar to his own battle-style , one of full-frontal assaults and massive swings causing widespread destruction .

The sword even contained a familiar feeling as it crushed rather than cut the beasts , and Zac realized it was a high-tier Dao Seed of Heaviness . Galau had chosen a different path than himself though , so the feeling the swings emitted were slightly foreign to Zac . They seemed to go more in the direction of Ilvere , focusing on momentum and impact .

The scene had made Zac question how someone with such a class would swap into a mercantile class , and the answer was simple . Galau’s hope was to gain the option of choosing a traveling merchant class with the help of his year of trading in the Base Town , and the impressive profits he had accrued .

Such a class would be a hybrid class , focusing both on battle and business . After all , one would need the prerequisite power to defend oneself while traveling the endless worlds of the multiverse . A merchant couldn’t simply put his life and his goods in the hands of hired guards , he needed some capabilities of his own in case the guards proved insufficient or if they even turned on him .

Otherwise , the third floor was not much different compared to the second . The settings of the quest were quite similar to the second floor , with the differences being the enemies being stronger , and that they started in different locations .

Most average warriors they encountered were between level 60 and 75 , and the level guardians were all recently evolved just like the snake of the second floor . The three had continued to push through the levels at a rapid pace , and only stopped their progress at the 8th level at Zac’s insistence .

His body was finally as good as new , perhaps even better than usual as the Splinter was still completely silent in his mind . That together with the setting made Zac confident that he could finally make some progress with his skills . He had essentially spent the first two floors as a vacation to decompress from the constant running back and forth on Earth .

It was only after he had slowed down in the Base Town that he realized he was tired to the bone . Stress and trauma had accumulated on top of each other , but he had simply pushed it deep down as there were too many things that only he could handle . And if he didn't , then people would die .

Besides , the enemies were too weak for him to be able to push himself at all , which made it pretty much impossible to improve his skills . Simply activating a skill over and over wasn't enough to improve the proficiency of the skills . It was as a lot more efficient to find insight in the midst of battle .

And the monkeys were simply perfect sparring partners .

The corruption they were supposed to root out had turned them extremely aggressive and almost as tireless as zombies , and their bodies were sturdy enough to take a beating without dropping . Best of all , there was a huge number of them occupation the valley , so the risk of him running out of targets in the short run was quite slim unless he unleashed Deforestation] .

A punch imbued with murky energy ripped toward him , but he effortlessly redirected the force downward with his palm , giving him a huge opening to cut the beast’s head clean off . The edge of Verun’s Bite] was already by the throat of the monkey , but it only left a shallow cut before Zac backed off again .

The monkey became doubly enraged after having been toyed like that , and a burst of black energy rose from its sturdy frame .

Zac felt he had thought about the Dao in a too shallow a manner until now . He had considered them almost the same as a skill , a boost that would make his active skills more powerful . But the Dao was so much more than that . The Dao was the deeper truths of the universe , what everything was based on .

This was something he had realized after talking with Galau over the past days . The youth wasn't some great warrior , and neither was he from some peak force in the sector . But his family could be considered a strong Peak D-Grade force with hundreds of D-Grade warriors , and they had a rich warrior culture .

The way the youth spoke about the Dao was a lot deeper and more reverent compared to Zac , like it was the basis of everything . Even worse , Galau hadn't strictly said it , but he had indicated that if Zac didn't get a deeper grasp of the Dao , then he risked getting stuck in a bottleneck . Or even worse , create a shaky foundation for future cultivation .

This was something that Zac absolutely wanted to avoid , but he somewhat knew the reason for his current predicament . For one he came from a world recently integrated , and the Dao wasn't an ingrained part of his life yet . But more importantly , he had advanced too fast .

Not only that , but he had also done it mostly through artificial means . Some of his insights came from battle , but it was mostly his skill visions and treasures that had propped up his Dao through unnatural means .

His situation with his Dao insights was akin to Pill Toxicity as he saw it . He had eaten too many - pills’ related to the Dao , and while he had gained a tremendous burst in power in just one short year , it had damaged his foundations . He felt he needed to get a better command of his Daos if he wanted to keep smoothly progressing in the future .

Having a lacking understanding of his own Daos would not only negatively impact his fighting prowess , but it might hamper him in all kinds of ways .

Alyn often talked about the importance of a foundation . The most important part of becoming a successful cultivator was taking things one step at a time , and not hurrying for quick gains . Moving too quickly might inadvertently cut your path of cultivation short , as you find yourself having created a cracked foundation that couldn’t support your continued progress .

Luckily there wasn’t any actual toxicity in his body , he was only suffering from progressing too quickly . The problem was easier to solve than such a troublesome matter like actual pill toxicity . He would simply have to slow down his cultivation as soon as he had dealt with all the threats to Earth .

He would take a couple of years to digest everything he had learned since the start of the integration and stabilize his foundations while shoring up his weaknesses . It would slow down his progress , but it would probably also quicken it in the long run . Besides , wasn’t there some time to do it now?

He kept the Fragment of the Axe active in his axe as he tried to pry out all the secrets it contained . The words written at the beginning of his guide to formations felt all the more poignant as he marveled in the feeling of man and axe becoming one .

It is folly to believe the study of formations to be differentiated from other pursuits such as Alchemy or even fighting . All are children to the same parent , the boundless Dao .

It was not that his skills became stronger by infusing them with the Dao of the Axe . The skills themselves were part of the Dao , and imbuing them with the truth of their origin allowed them to exhibit their real power .

Or something like that , Zac couldn’t be too sure .

But he felt he was on the correct path , and he kept at it for hours , a lone human fighting a sea of enraged beasts . The church that had - hired' them for this mission stayed outside the valley , as the corruption could affect people as well .

However , Zac had found that his Dao of the Coffin had no trouble refining the energy just like with the poison , grinding it down to unattuned Energy that was expelled from his body . Zac suspected that if he wasn’t stuck in a bottleneck he’d even be able to use the cleansed corruption to open up nodes , though he would have to sit in this valley for years to absorb enough energy for a single node .

But Zac felt it was an important distinction . He might not be able to absorb Cosmic Energy like a Cultivator , but he could perhaps build his own system . He could get himself poisoned on purpose , and then slowly convert the poison into energy .

He wasn’t sure if it was efficient enough for it to actually be worth the time and suffering , but it was worth keeping in mind . For now , he let his Dao Fragment passively course through his body as he focused on the axe .

There would be time to work on the Dao of the coffin after they had left Galau on the 30th level .

He had considered swapping over to his Draugr form in this secluded valley , but he had eventually decided against it . He really wanted to try his two new skills , but he still didn’t have a too great a grasp on Galau’s capabilities . The Allbright nobleman might be spying on him at this very moment , it wasn’t like he had the ability to know if that was the case .

He had already drawn a large enough target on his back from his actions , and he didn’t want to tack on the fact that he ran around with two classes . Who knew how the reaction would be if that got out to the forces waiting in the Base Town .

It didn’t mean he had nothing to do just because he couldn’t work on his Undying Bulwark class . His primal axe kept sweeping along the aggressive monkeys following a set pattern , switching between sweeping arcs meant for widespread destruction , and quick jabs meant to maim or grapple enemies .

It was the method provided by Axe Mastery] , and he had been working on pushing that skill toward the peak the past day . He was swapping between using the training fractals to guide him for an hour and then trying to apply those tactics in battle against his extremely willing sparring partners .

The monkeys were luckily extremely fearful of his Dao Field for the Dao of the Coffin , likely because it could destroy the corruption in their bodies . The moment he unleashed his Dao Field , which now had a diameter of over a hundred meters if he pushed it , the monkeys would run for the hills .

Pushing Axe Mastery to the peak was probably not something that would help him in the tower , but it was still something that needed to be done . It was proof of a basic grasp of his weapon , and something that would positively impact his class choices . How would he get a good axe class if he couldn’t even be bothered to max out his most basic axe skill first?

His efforts paid off soon enough , and a prompt told him that he had finally reached the peak of the skill . A familiar sense of pressure in his mind made Zac’s eyes lit up , and he quickly flashed away from the valley while he blasted his Dao Field at full force to deter the monkeys from following him .

He found a secluded spot and put multiple layers of arrays down before he sat down and closed his eyes . The skill had actually provided him with another vision , and Zac’s heart beat with excitement as he let the vision take him away .

Chapter 408 - Creation

A warrior drenched in blood swung his intimidating two-handed axe , causing a wave of destruction to ripple outward . The attack created cascading explosions that cleared out a large swathe of rabid rats that tried to drown a town . There were millions and millions of them , but the axe warrior stoically took down one swarm after another .

The vision changed to a wiry warrior with two jagged hatchets who created blur with his frenzied swings in the arena . The swordsman desperately blocked one strike after another , but he was soon drowned in the avalanche of attacks . One of the hatchets snuck behind the guard and cut off the swordsman’s arm , and from there the result was a foregone conclusion . The arena erupted in cheers as the Hatchetman held a decapitated head in the air triumphantly .

A man donning a gentle expression sat beneath a tree in a glade , carving an intricate figurine with the sharp tip at the edge of a grisly war axe . One could have thought he used a small engraving knife judging by the intricate details of the wood carving . But a snap of the twig brought the man out from his reverie , and he looked up to see a group of beasts encroaching on his domain . The congenial face was instantly swapped with one of fury , and the axe started to drip with blood as he lifted it toward its targets .

The warlord laughed maniacally as she decapitated one warrior after another with a swing of her axe . She had some time ago forgotten how to use a shield as she was consumed by her bloodlust , and she instead used it to cave in skulls or break bones . Her axe keened with its master's glee , and the two created a song of madness and fury as they roved the battlefield together .

One scene after another flashed past Zac’s eyes , showing all kinds of axe-wielding warriors in the midst of battle . Some relied on raw strength while others on speed as they launched furious swings at their enemies .

Some had fused their axework with various elements , often ones rife with destruction . Flames and blood were common traits , as were wind . But one of the more powerful warriors shown actually seemed to use insight into the Dao of Space as his swings could pass right through a mountain to hit the target hiding on the other side .

There were also some unexpected usages of the axe . One vision showed a man wielding what looked like a halberd like it was a massive paintbrush , and he drew large fractals in the air with the weave of his weapon that unleashed massive attacks . Another one used hundreds of small flying axes that rapidly spun around him like a swarm of angry wasps .

There was a clear inclination toward certain types of elements and styles of battle though , which Zac felt made sense as not all and Daos fit equally well with the characteristics of an axe . Some had created successful systems that stood out from the norm , but most followed the pattern of a blood-soaked warrior , just like himself .

However , Zac started to frown when he didn’t sense any insights coming from the barrage of visions . He was starting to wake up and it was usually at this point that he would incorporate the visions into his Dao , pushing it one step further . There was no resonance and no Dao Stars descending on him to push his fragment to middle grade . It was almost like he had just watched an action movie .

It was cool , but it didn’t connect to him on a deeper level . Zac kept trying to grasp onto something to spark an epiphany , but he reluctantly had to give up after an hour after the vision ended . He looked up with a frown , unsure what had gone wrong .

Was it because of the Tower?

He had already known since the start that improving one’s Dao within the tower was pretty much impossible . Time dilation cut one’s connection to the - heavens’ as Ogras explained it , and Zac immediately understood what he meant after his first real battle .

There was usually a resonance to his actions when he fought , like his moves and attacks contained a deeper truth . But that was completely missing inside the tower . The Daos still worked just fine , but everything felt hollow for lack of a better word . This didn’t affect the strength of the Daos or his skills , but it was simply impossible to move his Dao Fragments forward this way .

It was so bad that he was even pretty sure that he wouldn’t be able to gain anything after exiting the Tower . He had initially thought he could fight a couple of harsh battles inside the Tower , and then ponder on the fights outside . But he had already realized that this was likely a fool’s dream .

There were no sparks of insight born through battle in the tower , and the Dao was clouded for him . And perhaps this was what had ruined his vision bestowed from his class . Had he missed the opportunity to push one his Dao Fragments to middle grade because he had pushed one of his Skills to the Peak while inside the tower?

It would be extremely frustrating if that was the case , but Zac had some reason to believe that there was something else in play . Ogras had already said that you could benefit from things such as Dao Treasures while inside the tower , even though the effect was worse than outside . The Treasure itself contained Origin Dao , which allowed him to move his Dao Seeds forward even inside the time chamber provided he had the necessary insights to match .

It should have worked the same way with the Vision , as it was an epiphany brought by his class . But there was not even a hint of pushing his Dao forward , which made Zac a bit suspicious there was another possibility . What if it wasn’t a Dao vision?

The skill Axe Mastery] was essentially a basic training skill that would allow him to gain a fundamental understanding of his weapon , and reaching the peak meant that he had completed the basic training course . But that didn’t mean he had mastered the art of the axe .

He was still just a beginner , a brute who fought more with his attributes than any sort of mastery of his weapon . What if the vision was a way for him to gain inspiration as to how to move forward from his basic mastery . It showed him various masters who had forged their respective paths with the axe , opening a world of possibilities for him .

That might have been the first step in attaining the Fragment of the Axe if one followed the normal proceedings . He would first master Axe Mastery] , and from the vision gain inspiration on how to improve his combat further . That would eventually lead to an insight that could form a Dao Fragment . But he had skipped this normal path due to his access to all the Origin Dao on Earth and the Dao Funnel .

Or perhaps he was simply deluding himself to make himself feel better , Zac thought with a sigh . But he felt he wasn’t all that far off from the mark with his guess . He would have heard about a second vision by now if there was such a thing as the Mastery-skills were extremely common .

He wasn’t in any mood to ponder on his Daos or the Vision any longer in either case , and he instead took out one of his information packets instead . He perused them a little whenever he was free or when he needed to clear his head . This time he once again looked at the package that broached the subject of Arcane Classes .

The restrictions for attaining an Arcane class still felt distant even after gaining his Second Dao Fragment due to the lucky encounter with the calamitous Lotus . The most basic requirement was a Medium Mastery Dao Fragment , but that was just the start .

Zac had until recently felt that achievements wouldn’t be a bottleneck for someone like him . He had achieved almost the impossible by rising up as a terrifying Progenitor who had snatched up most of the titles on Earth . Not only that , he somehow had gained dual races and classes , pushing his power and attributes to shocking levels .

Those advantages had snowballed into a list of achievements that would probably even shock the scions of the powerful clans in the Base Town . How many would be able to close multiple incursions in a week , while fighting all alone?

However , Zac had been thinking about achievements too shallowly . The most important facet of gaining the fabled rank of an Arcane Master is not defeating strong enemies or accumulating a large number of titles . It is about creation , about a spark of genius that opens up new avenues .

Zac grimaced when he reread the snippet from the information package he bought the other day . This seemingly innocuous paragraph almost felt like it was targeted right at him . It would appear that the largest bottleneck to gain an arcane class wouldn’t be his Dao Fragments , but rather this part .

What is creation? It is about leading rather than following , a desire to push boundaries further and reach a higher sky . If you simply follow a Heritage to get stronger you have likely already failed . Each Arcane Master is unique , a genius across the eons .

How can one reach the peak by mindlessly following others?

The words resonated deeply with Zac , and he was doubly thankful that he had come to the Tower in the end .

Until now he’d kept moving forward with a reactive mindset . He had been thrown into this messy reality unwillingly and had tried to make the best of the situation one decision at a time . He had tried to be proactive when he chose his Undying Bulwark Class , but his lack of knowledge had still made it backfire a bit .

He was still pretty sure it was mostly fine though , as it was obvious that he could steer the class in other directions more suited for his cultivation path .

It was only after meeting Yrial he got a proper cultivation path and started to think about cultivation from a long-term perspective as well . But even then he simply followed Yrial's path and modified it for his two classes . His master had walked the path of a cycle , and Zac followed in tow without thinking too deeply about it .

That wasn’t to say that his path of life and death was bad . He still felt it was the by far best option considering his unique situation . But was there really a need to create a cyclic change as Yrial did with fire and ice?

He needed to figure out something that would be perfect for himself if he wanted to have a shot at an Arcane class . Or was the path he had devised already good enough to be considered a 'creation' as the information packet described? Zac's instincts told him that wasn't the case .

But try as he might , Zac couldn't just conjure a unique path out of thin air . His foundations were too shallow for something like this . Perhaps the old Abbot could do it as he was obviously a great genius in the Dao of Karma , but Zac wasn't talented in that way . He could only pray that getting pushed to the limits over the following months inside the Tower would open a path for him , something great enough in the System's eyes .

For now , he would focus on what he could do . His skills were the most obvious apart from getting better acquainted with his Daos . He opened up his skill window the first time in a while to take a look .

Normal Skills

Proficiency

Description

Inquisitive Eye

Early

See through their secrets . Upgradeable

Book of Babel

-

Enlightenment through understanding .

Mental Fortress

Late

Enduring Stability . Upgradeable

Thousand Faces

-

If you hate who you are , change it . Upgradeable

Nature's Barrier

Late

Brave thousand storms with Gaia's protection . Upgradeable

Beauty Yrial's Great Transformation Skill

-

If only this skill could fix your face as well .

Class Skills

Proficiency

Description

Axe Mastery

Peak

The seed of Dao is planted . Upgradeable .

Chop

Peak

There is greatness in simplicity .

Forester's Constitution

Middle

Man and Nature , one entity . Upgradeable .

Loamwalker

Late

Trod the unbroken path . Upgradeable .

Nature's Punishment

Peak

Awaken the wrath of the world . Upgradeable .

Hatchetman's Rage

Late

Burn with the vengeance of a forest fire . Upgradeable .

Deforestation

Middle

Their army is the forest and you are the Hatchetman . Upgradeable

Hatchetman's Spirit

Early

Oneness with nature . Upgradeable .

He had to admit his success was pretty varied and random . He was still only on Middle proficiency at Forester’s Constitution] , but he had already reached Peak with Nature’s Punishment] . Meanwhile , Cyclic Strike] wasn't even added to the list because he hadn't even reached early proficiency yet .

Zac had also been shocked to see that Hatchetman’s Rage had skipped Middle proficiency entirely to jump to late-stage after his rage-out at the Zethaya Pill House .

It seemed that his Splinter had greatly assisted him in his skills related to anger , as many of his recent gains had come from the Splinter pushing his rage to new levels . First , it was witnessing Alea falling in battle , and then it was the battle in Base Town .

Even Deforestation had jumped one grade , which had to be considered a great speed of advancement since he had only used the skill a handful of times .

It was great that the splinter also provided some benefits , but made him slightly leery . He didn’t want to rely too much on anger when fighting , even though it boosted his strength . But rampaging was what beasts did , and Zac didn’t want to prove Ogras right by turning into an actual Netherbeast . He felt he had at least a decent head on his set of shoulders , and he should try to apply it to his fighting .

Or was he better off leaning into the anger?

Chapter 409 - Fermentation

Zac quickly discarded the thought of letting his anger take the wheel . That felt like a great way to become a raving lunatic , especially with the splinter still in his head . He would gladly take the upgrades it provided him , but he didn't want to rely on it any more than that .

The splinter only helped with a scant few of his skills though , and a few other skills showed disappointing progress . Inquisitive Eye was still stuck on early proficiency , which didn’t really surprise Zac . He no longer used it since it had essentially become superfluous for him . There was no point in using it on weak enemies , and strong enemies were too powerful for the skill to work on them .

He had tried to purchase the ocular skill Galau used , but the youth didn’t possess the actual crystal . He had bought the skill from a Skill House on his home planet , which essentially was like an open Dao Repository .

Warriors short on cash could spend some time working in conjunction with the inscribers of the Skill House to produce skill crystals , and the remuneration would depend on the quality of the skill and the number of uses the crystals contained in the end .

The subject of Skill Crystals had always made Zac a bit confused , especially the high price they commanded . He had always wondered why they weren’t cheaper . Couldn’t you just copy the skill a thousand times and sell it across the multi-verse? Such a thing would no doubt push the price down from the exorbitant prices they had today .

But it was through Galau he finally realized that creating skill crystals was extremely arduous . First , it needed the owner of the skill to have completely mastered it . Just reaching the peak of the skill wasn’t enough , one needed to know its ins and outs completely to the point that it almost came like breathing to them .

Secondly , it required a skilled inscriber to translate the insights of the warrior into an inscription embedded in the crystal . The two had to work together for months , sometimes even years for high-grade skills , to create the crystal , creating a huge opportunity cost .

Of course , this process could be somewhat sped up if the inscriber and the warrior were the one and the same . In fact , many wandering cultivators learned the basics of inscriptions for this very reason . If they ever found themselves hard on cash they could spend some time refining a skill crystal or two . It wasn't as good money as hunting powerful beasts , but it also didn't put your life at risk .

Some even traveled the multiverse collecting popular skills in order to learn them and resell crystals at other planets for a profit . The fact that skill crystals usually only lasted for a couple of uses guaranteed a constant demand as well , as long as the skill was strong enough .

Inheritance crystals like the one in his Dao Repository were far rarer , and they required extremely expensive materials to not deteriorate after a skill fractal was extracted . It also required a peak D-Grade inscriber at the least , and it wasn’t something some hobby inscriber could create . The Inheritance Crystals in the Tower of Myriad Dao was no doubt the result of a labor of love that took the original Brazla centuries to complete .

As for the other lacking skills like Forester's Constitution] and Hatchetman's Spirit] , Zac wasn't really sure how to progress them . Forester's Constitution had only upgraded once , and it was while he ran through the corrupted forests of the Dead Zone . Since then there had been no improvements in the skill , making Zac believe it might need constant exposure to various forests to progress .

Unfortunately , that wasn't something he could train on command , and he could only hope that some of the following levels would take place in locations that would benefit the skills . As for Hatchetman's Sprit] , he had no idea how to improve it just yet .

For now it looked like he was done with his training session , and it would probably be more efficient to delve deeper into his Daos on the higher floors . Zac got back to his feet and quickly made his way back to the small town some distance from the valley that the Church had turned into a temporary command central .

How goes the investigations? - an acolyte standing guard asked as Zac approached .

I think I may have found a lead , - Zac answered off-handedly . - But I need to confer with my associates . -

That’s great! - the acolyte exclaimed . - Your colleagues are currently meditating in your courtyard . -

Zac nodded and walked toward his courtyard , where he found Galau going over the haul from the past floors while scribbling in a book . His focus was so great that he only noticed Zac’s return when he stood right next to him .

Oh? You’re back? - Galau asked . - Are you taking a break or are we done with this level? -

I have accomplished what I needed here . I will probably go higher if I want to improve my other skills , - Zac said . - Where’s Ogras? -

He’s out back with the barrels . He might actually have a talent for brewery , - the youth said .

Who knows? - Zac smiled . - He might change vocations as well . -

Did you find anything about the corruption? - Galau asked .

I found a spot in the valley with much denser energies compared to the rest , the source is probably around there , but we might need your eyes to pinpoint the source . I also have an idea of how to deal with it , - Zac said as he walked toward the back of the house .

But he suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to Galau .

Are you familiar with mastery-skills? - Zac asked .

Of course , why do you ask? - Galau asked with confusion . - I have the Sword Mastery] due to my class . -

I just reached peak proficiency and was shown a bunch of visions . But I didn’t gain any Dao insight from it . Is that because of the Tower? - Zac asked , some worry creeping back into his heart .

Dao vision? - Galau repeated before he shook his head . - No , the mastery skill doesn’t provide that . The visions simply give various examples of how you can further your studies , but it’s not required to follow . If you have a Heritage you’ll simply follow that instead . -

Zac sighed in relief , realizing he had been correct with his guess . He thanked the youth and went around the back of the building the church had allocated for them .

What the- - Zac exclaimed the moment he walked around the corner , as the whole backyard was filled with over a dozen massive barrels , each holding hundreds of liters of liquor .

Just how much did you buy in the Base Camp? - Zac asked with shock as he walked up to a vat to smell the fragrance .

Half of it was bought inside the Tower , remember the 21st level? It was dirt cheap over there , - Ogras smiled . - I am experimenting and trying to improve my odds of keeping my stuff . -

How’s so? - Zac asked with interest .

Refined items have a higher chance of staying in your Cosmos Sack when leaving this place , but I have no skills in refinement . So I throw various things into the vats to see what will happen , - the demon explained and pointed at the bottom of the large vat in front of Zac . - Look inside . -

Zac threw Ogras an amused look before he peered into the bottom of the massive container , and his brows rose when he realized just how wasteful the demon was . Apart from a few handfuls of various Spiritual Herbs they had picked up along the climb there were dozens of small shimmering balls lying at the bottom .

Are those the longevity pearls we found? - Zac said with surprise .

Yes , that is now my - Ten-thousand-year wine’ . I am sure it will be a great hit , - the demon said with glee .

You know people will think that the wine has been fermented for ten thousand years if you call it that? - Zac snorted .

Exactly , which will allow me to charge me more for it . Not my fault they don’t know their wine , - the demon shrugged .

Zac was about to refute , but he honestly didn’t know what to say . Instead , he could only change the subject to why he came back here .

I’m done with things here , - Zac said . - I think I will need to find real enemies if I want to improve my other skills . What about you? I haven’t seen you working on your skills at all . -

I got my class twelve years ago . Even if I was hiding my amazing talents from my family , most of my skills would have reached the peak by now , - the demon said with a roll of his eyes . - Only the new skills I got at level 75 remain , but those will not improve because I activate them among some trash monkeys . -

Zac nodded and took out and looked at the Tower Token . It had been inside a fortified bag that ran along the small of his back the entire time , as it wasn’t possible to put inside a Cosmos Sack for some reason . It was a truly mysterious item . He had clearly crushed it to arrive at this place , but he found it back on his waist in perfect condition when he arrived at the Base Town .

It looked mostly the same , with one side covered in inscriptions . But since he entered the tower there was also a small corner that said how long he had stayed inside . It was written in some general script that was widely used across the multiverse . Zac still didn't really master the language just yet , but he at least knew the numbers .

Twelve days had passed since they entered , meaning roughly 3 hours had passed in the outside world . Had things calmed down on the outside now , or was a whole army already stationed and waiting outside the tower? The bounty had remained on his head all this time after all according to Ogras .

I know that look , - Ogras snorted as he placed a heavy lid on one vat after another before he stowed them away in his Cosmos Sack . - Just focus on the climb . We can't do anything about what's going on outside , apart from climbing as high as possible . -

You're right , - Zac sighed .

The three set out from the town in short order , and Zac led them to the area where he had found the high concentration of corruption . Zac kept his Dao Field out at all times as he was tired of fighting the monkeys , and they arrived at the spot uncontested . But when they were a few hundred meters from where Zac guessed the source was Ogras stopped with a sour expression .

I won't go closer than this . That energy is wreaking havoc in my body , any closer and it will get annoying to cleanse , - Ogras explained with a frown . - You'll have to deal with this alone . -

Zac looked over at Galau who looked pretty bad as well , even though he had produced some sort of talisman that cleansed the area around them . It looked like he wouldn't be able to use his ocular skills to figure things out .

It's fine , I'll do it , - Zac shrugged . - But you'll have to deal with the monkeys after I leave . -

His target was a large black boulder that seemed placed there rather than a natural part of the valley , but as Zac walked a few circles around it he couldn't figure out what was so special about it . There were no inscriptions on it , and he couldn't find any other signs it had been tampered with either . So why did it emit such nasty energies?

Just break it , - Ogras shouted from the distance as he sliced a frenzied monkey into pieces . - These bastards won't relent while you are over there . -

Zac nodded and went back to do what he did best . Why bother wracking his brain when one good punch would do the trick?

One massive slam was all it took for the boulder to be reduced into rubble , and Zac started to sift through the wreckage for clues . It only took him a few seconds as a thick black haze shrouded a particular piece of the rubble , and even Zac started to feel the effects of the corruption even though he ran the Fragment of the Coffin to the fullest .

He could probably destroy the source with a swing of his axe , but curiosity got the better of him and he walked over to get a better look at the object . A quick inspection from the distance made it clear it was some sort of fossilized bug that had turned into what looked like onyx unless it was an extremely lifelike sculpture .

The bug was slightly larger than a baseball and appeared to have three sets of wings and six sets of legs , making it diverge from the beasts of Earth . It was also evidently clear that it was long dead , so why did it emit such terrifying energies?

Please hurry , the corruption is getting dangerous! - Galau shouted from the distance .

Zac shrugged and threw fossil or statue into his Spatial Ring , and it joined all the other foreign objects he had collected over the past 20-odd levels . The moment he stowed away the bug the corruption in the area started to dissipate almost immediately , allowing Ogras and Galau to relax a bit .

Was it that easy?

Perhaps it wasn't meant for people to be completely immune to the effects on this floor , but they rather had to figure out a way to destroy the item from a distance . Zac looked over at the other two , and Ogras shrugged as he pointed at the array that had appeared among the rubble from the boulder . Zac shrugged before he joined the two as they moved on to the final level of the third floor .

This time they found themselves on a set of expansive steppes and the only break from the sea of tall grass was a small nomadic village in the distance .

Challenge the chieftain for the defining treasure of the tribe

You can wait here , - Zac said as he started to walk toward the village , but he was suddenly stopped by Ogras .

Wait , let me do this one . -

Chapter 410 - Heartless

Looking down on me , will you? - Ogras muttered to himself while cracking his neck as he moved toward the village . - I still remember you running around in a bloody dress like a lunatic . -

Ogras had seen the look in his eyes , and the words of caution had sounded like some elder cautioning children to not run too close to the Barghest pit .

Of course , Ogras knew that Zac’s remarks came from a place of concern , but it was a stark reminder that the gap between the two kept widening . It felt like there was an untapped and unceasing wellspring of potential inside that monster’s body , and if the man didn’t evolve soon he’d start fighting D-Grade Powerhouses .

Just a few months ago Ogras had still felt confident in defeating him if he went all out and utilized some underhanded tactics . But now? He didn’t even dare think about it . If Ogras wasn’t mistaken the guy actually possessed two Fragments now on top of his already monstrous body . And if that wasn’t enough he had enough Luck to bend reality around him in his favor .

Was the man the second coming of The First Defier? Would he also rip the heavens in two while still being a piddling mortal less than a hundred years old?

Ogras could only snort at his wild imagination and refocus on the task at hand . He had spoken with vigor just now , but he truly wasn't completely confident in taking on this task . Judging by everything he knew of the trial he believed that the 3rd floor shouldn't prove too difficult with his recent improvements , but he couldn't be sure .

I fed you so many good things you asshole , you better contribute to your daddy today , - Ogras muttered as he tapped the metal casing around his shadowlimb with his spear .

A subdued shudder made the metal cast hum for a bit , but Ogras couldn’t tell if the annoying critter living in his shadows agreed or not . But the thing hadn’t actively worked against him during battle at least , and it mostly seemed somewhat cooperative .

Now if it could only stop trying to possess him as well , then everything would be swell .

At least the creature came with some benefits now . Using the Fruit of Bonding] had actually turned it into a registered companion , which was a lot better than the crude way that asshole had stitched their souls together . It even came with a small attribute bonus now , boosting both Dexterity and Intelligence .

Name

Ogras Azh'Rezak

Level

75

Class

F-Rare] Shadowblade

Race

E] Demon

Alignment

Earth] Port Atwood

Manual

F] Grey World Mudra 14%]

Titles

Demon Slayer I , Adventurer , Giantsbane , Disciple of David , Overpowered , Full of Class , Rarified Being , Tower of Eternity – 3rd floor , Betrayer , One Against Many , Butcher , Chosen of Dao , Invasion Breaker , The First Step , Beastmaster

Limited Titles

Astral Pond – 20m

Dao

Fragment of the Umbra - Early , Seed of Mirage - Middle

Companion

F] Ka'Zur Planeswalker

Strength

272 Increase : 8% . Efficiency : 100%]

Dexterity

541 Increase : 23% . Efficiency : 105%]

Endurance

148 Increase : 8% . Efficiency : 100%]

Vitality

99 Increase : 8% . Efficiency : 100%]

Intelligence

108 Increase : 13% . Efficiency : 100%]

Wisdom

69 Increase : 8% . Efficiency : 100%]

Luck

49 Increase : 8% . Efficiency : 100%]

Free Points

0

Nexus Coins

F] 480 687 176

His title screen might not match up to that brute , but Ogras still felt a sense of accomplishment as he looked over his attributes . He had superseded even his most optimistic calculations by over 30% , mostly thanks to his Fragment and new titles .

He had even passed his dream-goal of hitting 500 Dexterity without eschewing his Strength in a bid to get a better class . Just the thought of evolution almost made his hand twitch in anticipation . He had kept himself from checking the crystal after the experience with the funnel , not wanting to let himself become complacent in this place .

The mediocre start to his path of cultivation would require a long time to correct , and he needed to eke out every advantage he could get . Upgrading his Tower Title was the first step , and next he needed to sniff out some Limited Titles to fill out his quota and boost his somewhat pitiful number of mid-grade Titles .

He was truthfully a bit surprised he hadn’t heard of any leads on Earth . Had that odd Mystic Realm pushed aside all the smaller ones that usually globbed onto a newly integrated planet? It would be nice if they could get their hands on a Trial Array , like his family’s Astral Pond . But the chances of that happening before they evolved were pretty slim .

Besides , such arrays could take years to set up , and even if MacKenzie had shown shocking skill with arrays it required deeper insights . He remembered that their pond had taken the ancestors 80 years to create after expending countless treasures .

It seemed unlikely he would gain any new titles before he evolved , but such was life . His vision had been broadened lately , but that didn’t mean he could become greedy . Hopefully , Zac would get one as a reward by The Ruthless Heavens after gaining control of the whole baby planet .

Ogras threw a last look back at Zac and their mobile crystal mine before he went toward the barbarian camp . A large humanoid chieftain holding two massive scimitars walked out to meet him , and he only roared as he slammed the flat side against his bare chest , creating a sound that resembled the call of the Azh’Kir’Khat war drums .

Hey there , - Ogras hollered with a smile . - If you would be so kind to hand over your defining treasure then we'll be on our way! -

You want to claim the Whisk of O’Chagga , stonewalker? - the man shouted . - The spirits won’t allow such sacrilege! -

The demon could help but blanch at the corny situation , but the mention of the whisk made him perk up . Such a thing would obviously go to himself since he was the one who fought . Who knew? It might turn out to be something valuable .

And if not , perhaps it could be crushed and thrown into one of his vats . He had never drunk liquor infused with ancestral spirits , should be quite the experience .

But now was not the time to think of such matters . He had gained a lot lately , and it was time to put it to the test . This was not only a battle against the Tower or some dumb barbarian , it was a battle against himself . Against the version of himself who had cowed in the distance and who had only been able to look at a battle of this caliber with jealousy .

The ground suddenly rumbled , and Ogras looked over with a frown to see a large tiger rush over , each leap taking it over twenty meters forward . Had that god damn barbarian actually tricked him? That posturing with slamming his blades was actually to call his mount?

Shadowspears immediately rose out of the ground to skewer the animal while a few also shot toward the barbarian’s eyes in an effort to distract him . The appearance of some prehistoric beast was an unwelcome addition to an already tense situation , and Ogras wanted to deal with it as quickly as possible .

The reflexes of the beast were nothing to scoff at though , and a few frenzied swipes destroyed most of the spears , with only a few managing to create shallow wounds in its flank . Ogras tsked in annoyance when he saw the tiger successfully join the barbarian who jumped onto its back .

The treachery of a stonewalker , as expected , - the barbarian roared , a line of green blood running down his face from a wound to his left cheek .

Ogras didn’t bother answering as he immediately infused Cosmic Energy into the large fractal covering his shoulder blades . There was no point in holding back against his enemy , and he decided to activate Grey World Arbiter] immediately .

It would be a bit embarrassing if he fought a long and arduous battle on the third floor after talking big and wide . It would make him look like a wastrel that ran his mouth based on someone else’s strength . The two large wings grew out from the fractals and he felt power entering his body as he rose to the sky , and he immediately launched a barrage of shadows at his landbound foe .

Coward! - the barbarian roared when he saw Ogras move outside the reach of his beast .

Ogras snickered as he infused his spear with shadows to launch a Shadowlance] , but he barely had time to start the infusion before a storm of wind blades rippled toward him as the chieftain frenziedly swung his two scimitars in front of him .

The blades were a bit reminiscent of Zac’s axe-blades , but they were extremely thin and had a pale yellow hue that resembled the long dried stalks of grass covering the plains they stood on . The blades flew toward him with pretty annoying speed , and worse yet was that the attacks acted just like blades of grass in a storm , swaying back and forth in an unpredictable manner .

But Ogras had no problems playing that game . Darkness swallowed him as he activated Darkside] to enter the Grey World , allowing him to move with a speed that almost seemed like teleportation to outsiders . He flashed back and forth , but he felt his connection with the Grey World weakening .

It seemed that the vast plains’ connection to the grey world was pretty weak , which wasn’t surprising with the lack of permanent shadows due to the even terrain . But it was enough for him to move behind him the chieftain , and he immediately launched a strike toward the nape of the man's neck .

Hitting the head increased the likelihood of a lethal strike as it was a larger target , but a head could be swung away with a wider arc than the neck itself . But the panther’s muscles rippled the moment Ogras appeared , and the two moved away with shocking speed , barely avoiding the lance of condensed shadows that ripped through the air .

Ancestors! - the chieftain roared as he looked at Ogras with some fear in his eyes for the first time , and the air above him shuddered .

A massive , but hazy , projection of a warrior wielding a spear condensed above him , and it emanated a pressure that even superseded the warrior himself . Ogras groaned in annoyance as he watched the huge man turn his spear toward him .

Cultivators relying on ancestral protection were pretty annoying , as they had the ability to call on their long-dead ancestors . As more old goats died over the years the ancestral spirits only got stronger , making the current chieftains harder and harder to deal with .

Luckily such classes were pretty rare in the multiverse as there were hefty downsides to this system . Venerating your ancestors to this degree put mental blocks in your mind , making them gods and yourself a mortal . Surpassing them became almost impossible , which created gradually declining bloodlines .

Besides , such cultivation systems had other weaknesses as well . Ogras’ mouth widened in a bloodthirsty smile as the straps holding his cast together snapped open and the metallic container fell to the ground .

A massive sea of shadows spread across the grassy fields , washing out the colors in the area . But Ogras didn’t instruct the shadows to head toward the massive guardian in the sky , but rather created a grey tsunami that rippled toward the small village to the side .

You! - the chieftain roared in anger , and the whole area shook as the fury of the ancestor ignited .

Screams from children could be heard from the village as weak shields were erected by warriors who had stood by to witness the battle of their chief and spiritual pillar . But the expressions in their eyes indicated they didn’t hold much confidence in rebuffing the storm of shadows that threatened to consume the whole village .

The huge projection in the air suddenly exploded in a flash of yellow light , and a massive shield sprung up around the village that easily rebuffed the wave of shadows . It was like the sea of shadows tried to swallow a sun , but the blinding light quickly drained the shadows of their strength , destroying most and forcing the rest to flee .

The ancestral guardian had sacrificed his form to keep his descendants safe , while the air around the chieftain distorted as he seemed to charge up a massive attack directed at Ogras who sneered at him from a safe distance .

A pitch-black arm suddenly emerged from the chest of the chieftain , holding a still-beating heart in its hand . The Ogras who hovered in the air slowly faded , as the true Ogras rose out of the chieftain’s shadows . The mount roared in anger when it sensed the fate of its master on its back , but a massive explosion from the shadows beneath blasted open the panther's belly , spreading its innards all over the ground .

The Seed of Mirage and some misdirection had allowed him to launch a quick strike to end it all , and the massive collision of energies had distracted the sharp senses of the panther for long enough to move himself and his explosive array close enough to strike .

Relying…on . . despicable tactics… heartless , - the man coughed out as his mouth filled with blood .

Perhaps , but I am alive and you are dead , - Ogras smiled as he crushed the heart and released a burst of shadows that rampaged inside the body of the dying warrior , instantly killing him .

If the Heavens are heartless , why shouldn’t I be the same? -

Chapter 411 - War

Zac witnessed the battle with a small frown , and the screams and cries of the villagers in the distance felt extremely discordant in his ears . His eyes followed Ogras as he looted the fallen Warrior and even put the mangled remains of his mount in his Cosmos Sack before he returned .

Why did you have to do it like that? - Zac asked as the demon walked up to them . - You could have won in a head-on fight as well . -

But the risk to my wellbeing would increase , - Ogras answered with a refreshing smile as he refastened his metal casing around the congealed shadows . - Besides , I knew he would choose to protect the village rather than attack me . Those kinds of bloodline warriors have extremely close-knit communities . -

Still , - Zac sighed but didn’t press the matter further .

It wasn’t his business how Ogras fought , and he knew that the demon was simply using smoke and mirrors with his shadow-wave , rather than actually trying to kill the children in the village . The demon knew as well as the others that killing innocents would likely cause a real mess .

The still gave Zac a bad taste in his mouth as it reminded him of the Flame Golem’s attempt to kill his army back in the Underworld with the wave of lava . It was an - anything-goes’ attitude to battle that was unnecessary in a place like this . Ogras didn’t even push himself to his fullest , and even if he failed Zac could step in to defeat the chieftain .

That weak heart of yours will be the death of you one day , - Ogras snorted as he looked over a whisk he had looted from the body of his enemy .

Let’s just go , - Zac said as he turned toward the array , engraving the hateful stares of the villagers in his heart .

Remember , please hurry , - Galau said as he followed Zac .

We know , - Zac nodded . - Though I think you’ll do just fine on your own if in a pinch . Your skill with the sword is pretty impressive . -

Remember , the agreement said 32nd level , not the fourth floor , - Galau entreated . - And I have the option of buying further levels if needed . -

What’s the point of that? - Zac asked curiously - We can’t take you past the fourth floor anyway . -

This was something he and Ogras had already decided . They wouldn’t risk their climb by adding Galau to the penalty of the fifth floor and beyond . They would take him to the floor before the floor guardian at highest , and continue alone from there on out .

He doesn’t want to stay on a bad level for months , - Ogras explained . - Remember the 24th level? -

Understanding dawned on Zac’s face as he recalled that wretched level . The 24th level took place inside a swamp teeming with all kinds of disgusting bugs , huge ferocious eels , and pockets of poisonous gases . Their objective had been to find a flower , and Galau had pulled out one treasure after another in order to escape that cursed place as quickly as possible .

That’s fine , - Zac agreed . - We’ll hurry . -

The fourth floor was like the third , but worse . There was no longer any point in color-coding the flares , as they would almost always be thrown into the thick of it according to the merchant . That’s why the merchant wanted to remind them to not dally around wherever they started .

About the price… - Galau ventured .

We’ll discuss it when we get there , - the demon smiled .

Zac nodded in agreement , as that felt like a matter that should be discussed when they got there . What if the 32nd level was the same as the 24th? They’d be able to make a killing if that was the case . The three stepped onto the platform as they had so many times before , and Zac once again found himself in the black space .

Third Floor Complete . Upgrading Title

Choose Reward : Longevity Medicine , Race Medicine , Energy Medicine]

Zac didn’t immediately make his choice , and instead opened his status screen . He had already learned that the black space had an even more dilated time-space . He could spend a few minutes inside with less than a minute passing outside , allowing him to go over the gains before entering whatever mess the fourth floor would bring .

So Zac ignored the prompt with the quest reward and instead opened his status screen .

Name

Zachary Atwood

Level

75

Class

F-Rare] Hatchetman

Race

E] Human

Alignment

Earth] Port Atwood - Lord

Titles

Born for Carnage , Ultimate Reaper , Luck of the Draw , Giantsbane , Disciple of David , Overpowered , Slayer of Leviathans , Adventurer , Demon Slayer I , Full of Class , Rarified Being , Trailblazer , Child of Dao , The Big 500 , Planetary Aegis , One Against Many , Butcher , Progenitor Hegemon , Duplicity Core , Apex Hunter , Heaven's Chosen , Scion of Dao , Omnidextrous , Eastern Trigram Hunt - 1st , Tyrannic Force , Achievement Hunter , The First Step , Promising Specialist , Tower of Eternity – 3rd Floor

Limited Titles

Frontrunner

Dao

Fragment of the Axe - Early , Fragment of the Coffin - Early , Seed of Trees - Peak , Seed of Sanctuary - Peak

Core

F] Duplicity

Strength

861 Increase : 60% . Efficiency : 147%]

Dexterity

429 Increase : 45% . Efficiency : 140%]

Endurance

1244 Increase : 76% . Efficiency : 147%]

Vitality

649 Increase : 61% . Efficiency : 140%]

Intelligence

232 Increase : 45% . Efficiency : 140%]

Wisdom

335 Increase : 45% . Efficiency : 140%]

Luck

198 Increase : 65% . Efficiency : 140%]

Free Points

0

Nexus Coins

F] 2 966 111 618

Tower of Eternity - 3rd Floor : Reach the 28th level of the Tower of Eternity . Reward : All Attributes +10]

He had already known what the title would reward after discussing it with the other two , but he still felt the title was simply amazing . They had just passed the third floor and the title already gave as large a flat boost as any other title he had accumulated . His other titles giving a similar amount of attributes had required far greater accomplishments than beating three pretty easy floors .

Just take the Eastern Trigram Hunt , for example . He had been pushed to and beyond his limits multiple times , yet that title was only marginally better than the one for the Tower of Eternity . The other one , Progenitor Hegemon] , was given to him for becoming the first Lord on Earth , which only came about after defeating the three hordes .

Even the attribute points given for just defeating the Second Floor had been pretty generous in Zac's opinion . It had changed the +5 in three specific attributes to +5 to all attributes .

The ten flat attributes didn’t do much for Zac , apart from the boost to his Luck which was notoriously hard to improve , but the boost should be huge for most people who came to the Tower . He knew that the average warrior only had between 20 and 40 Luck all combined , so buying a carry to the third floor could essentially increase your Luck with up to 50% .

Just the boost to Luck was worth almost any price in Zac’s opinion . Better yet , as they progressed they would move on to percentage-based boosts while still keeping the flat bonuses . As long as Zac conquered the 6th floor the title would be the best one he had , perhaps with the exception of Luck of the Draw] that provided a huge amount of Luck .

Apart from the improved title there was nothing worth noting in the status screen . His Nexus Coins had increased with a couple of million since he entered the Tower , but that was about it . He felt he was closing in on the limits of what he could gain while remaining in F-Grade . The only thing that remained was the final improvements to his Dao and getting as good a Title as possible .

He needed to at least complete his Life-Attuned fragment , and he felt he had a good chance of doing that through forming the Projection the moment he left the Tower of Eternity . According to Galau the effect of forming a Projection was even superior to witnessing it from up-close , and if he could form one Seed from Reoluv's apparition , then he would no doubt be able to form another by creating one .

He closed down the screen and refocused on the available rewards since the Title was dealt with .

None of the three medicines would help him in the short run but were rather geared toward providing boosts after evolving . There were no names attached to the pills , unfortunately , not that there was a large chance for him to recognize the items even if the System provided them .

He immediately discarded the longevity medicine , and his eyes hovered between Race and Energy for a few seconds before he eventually picked Energy . He already had enough Race-related pills and treasures to improve his constitution considerably , which would also push his attribute limit far enough for it to not become a problem before he completed the transition .

Bursting open another node though would provide a direct boost to his strength after evolving , and perhaps the pills that the System provided had a lower amount of Pill Toxicity compared to the norm . Though he might just throw the pill into the Merit Exchange by this point . He had already accumulated a decent number of such pills , but there were only so many he could eat before even his sturdy body wouldn't be able to take it anymore .

He was no good to Earth if he ate so many pills that he became bedridden from the backlash of overindulging on Energy Pills .

The scenery around him quickly changed after he had made his choice , but Zac didn’t even have time to look down at the vial in his hand as the surroundings rapidly darkened while his danger sense activated . Zac looked up to see that a massive boulder was descending upon him . His eyes widened in alarm and he flashed out of the way in the nick of time .

Wake up soldier! - a gruff roar echoed from behind . - This is no time to daydream! Forward! -

Zac quickly oriented himself , only to realize he was in the middle of a massive battlefield . An allied army of various humanoid races fought what seemed to be an army consisting of devils . They were vaguely humanoid , but they couldn't be put into the same category as the demonkin as Zac saw it . The felt more like an intelligent beast horde as they came in all shapes and sizes , though uniting them all was the nasty sets of horns on their heads and the thick scales for protection .

Perhaps they were fallen dragonkin , Zac noted , but he knew too little about the races of the multiverse to be sure . But they wielded various weapons , and some also wore armor on top of the scales , so they were likely categorized like cultivators rather than beasts . The large boulder that almost turned him into paste was actually the head of a tyrannical warhammer that was wielded by an enormous twenty-meter monstrosity .

Similar titans could be seen all over the battlefield , and the ground rumbled as they slammed their weapons into the ground or the erected shields of the humanoid armies . What was even more worrying was that these huge devils were clearly out of his league . The auras they emitted were extremely heavy , and Zac guessed they were almost peak E-Grade . It seemed to Zac that the power was almost at the level that the Cyborg emitted toward the end before it shut down .

How the hell would he fight against something like that?

But he quickly realized that he wasn’t alone in this fight , and the burden of fighting these things didn't fall on his shoulders . A young woman wielding a thin sword that was almost two meters long rose into the sky , and she unleashed a massive swing that seemed determined to cut the sky in two .

A meter-deep gash appeared on the chest of the devil , who stumbled a few dozen meters back while roaring in pain . Similar scenes took place all over the battlefield , with peak E-Grade warriors or mighty war arrays rising to meet the onslaught of the titans .

Meanwhile thousands of warriors filled the gaps between the peak warriors , creating a chaotic battle that stretched for kilometers in all directions . It was a lot less cramped compared to the chaotic fight for the Fruit of Ascension though , as all combatants were a lot more powerful here . The weakest were peak F-Grade , and all attacks caused shockwaves that rippled out for dozens of meters .

Don’t gawk at the Sword Saintess , brat! Do your job! - the voice from earlier echoed behind him , this time a lot closer .

Zac looked around to see a burly middle-aged dwarf who held two spiked hammers in his hands . He was obviously well into E-Grade as well , and judging by the number of insignias on his chest he was likely someone of a decent stature in this army .

I’m sorry , I’m going now , - Zac said and hurried away , in no particular direction .

Was this how it felt to fight in an army with warriors far stronger than himself? He had seen such scenes in his visions , but it was a completely different thing to experience it himself . Some fear crept into his heart that he would be swept into the battle of one of the peak warriors , or that one of them would even earnestly try to kill him .

But more than that he felt a rush excitement . Things were finally heating up in the until now somewhat tame Tower .

Chapter 412 - Voidfire

The gargantuan devil from earlier hadn’t seriously tried to kill Zac judging by the massive attacks they unleashed in their battle against the peak warrior from the allied army . It had only swung its weapon down without imbuing it with the Dao or any skill . Perhaps it had only considered him a bug to be squashed , and if it failed it didn’t really matter .

It was pretty disconcerting to get thrown into a mess like this , but he had a mission to fulfill . His eyes turned back and forth until he spotted a red flare in the distance . He immediately changed course and found Galau desperately fighting a group of the smallest devils that weren’t even as tall as a man .

Zac flashed over and made short work of the group with the help of a Dao-infused Chop] , and none of the other cannon-fodder seemed willing to avenge their brethren for the time being .

Have you seen Ogras? - Zac asked as he looked around .

I’m right here , what took you so long? - a lackadaisical voice drifted out of Galau’s shadows as the demon appeared .

You! - Galau stammered . - I could have died! -

I was ready to help out if things turned bloody . You want to be a traveling merchant , right? I was helping you gain some experience . What if you meet highwaymen in the future? After fighting these guys it would be a breeze , no? - the demon laughed .

Galau spluttered for a bit , but a prompt cut short any chance of a rebuttal .

Aid the war efforts against the tide of the Verakh . Stop the activation of a Voidfire Array] , or deactivate an activated array

The three barely had time to read the whole prompt before battle lust overcame the fear among the devils close-by , and a squad charged the three as they screeched at the top of their lungs .

Who is the floor guardian in a scenario like this? - Zac asked as he cut a frenzied dragon beast in two . - There’s no way we can defeat the leader of this devil army . -

The quest is to stop an array from being planted . So I guess that there is some Array master within our power level that we can kill . It’s not always completely clear in the beginning from here on out from what I’ve gathered , so I could be wrong , - the demon shrugged . - I suggest we try for the quest . It seems somewhat doable , and we'll also find clues of the guardian . Better yet , it might net us a nasty Array . -

Agreed , - Zac nodded .

The issue was how to find their target in a chaotic battlefield like this .

The array is called an Voidfire Array] . Can you see anything that fits the description on the battlefield? - Zac asked as he looked around .

It sounds like an offensive array . Arrays like this are usually placed close to the frontlines to maximize power , but not at the very front as to avoid sabotage , - Galau chimed in .

The trouble was that there was no clear divide indicating where the frontline was . The battlefield could almost be seen as hundreds of individual skirmishes between squads or powerhouses , with weaker combatants strewn in-between .

There were individuals of both camps almost all over to the point it was even difficult to discern which side each army came from . Perhaps it was a measure to avoid either side unleashing massive arrays that could decimate a large chunk of the army . Luckily there was a group of titans standing in a clump far in the distance , which meant that the enemy commanders were likely stationed there .

Similarly , there was a middle-aged man standing on a massive floating sword some ways behind them , overlooking the battlefield with a stern expression . It was probably the leader of the army they had been conscripted into , and he emanated a towering aura that could be sensed all the way over to where they stood .

Don’t look , - Ogras said as he slapped Zac’s shoulder with his spear . - We don’t want any attention from the big bosses . -

I can’t see anything that looks like Voidfire , - Zac said . - Let’s make our way toward the enemy camp . -

The three formed a small squad where Zac took the front and Ogras the flanks as they steamrolled deeper into the army . Galau helped out by making sure they didn’t get too close to any of the elites , which forced them to take a somewhat circuitous pathing .

After they had pushed forward for roughly 15 minutes Zac was forced to slow down , as he realized there were only a scant few humanoids around them now . They had clearly entered the side of the enemies , and he was starting to get mobbed by the devil foot soldiers .

He hadn’t utilized any of his stronger skills though as he had a feeling that doing so might draw the ire of too strong enemies . So he simply kept cutting down enemies one by one while keeping a fractal blade from Chop] attached to his axe , while the independent blade protected their rear .

Over there! - Galau suddenly exclaimed , making Zac look over to their left .

There was a beast carrying a massive purple pillar on its back , and a group of hooded beings walked along its side . Judging from their direction it seemed they were heading toward a titan rampaging in the distance . Was the Voidfire Array] perhaps a support array? Or did they simply want to strike a surprise attack at whoever arrived to combat the titan?

That looks like an array core , - Ogras agreed . - Let’s steal it . -

Isn’t it easier just to break it? - Zac interjected . - I can probably do it from here . -

And leave such a nice thing in this world? - Ogras disagreed . - Better it comes with us . -

If we can even use it . What if it explodes in our faces? - Zac said .

One step at a time , - Ogras smiled as he flashed away .

Zac could only sigh and follow as he grabbed Galau’s shoulder . He activated Loamwalker] and moved straight through the battlefield , each step bringing him over fifty meters away . Ogras was even quicker , and a pond of shadows spread out when he arrived in front of the group .

The fractal edge on Zac's blade grew as he decapitated the warbeast carrying the Array Core in one massive swing , making hundreds of liters of blood to fall like a waterfall , drenching him in a second .

Huerk , - Galau hurled from behind , still squeamish about these kinds of gory scenes .

Zac only shook his head to get the blood out of his eyes and jumped over to the carcass of the beast . One yank was enough to rip apart the chains that kept the large crystals fastened , but Zac swore when he realized that he couldn’t put it in his Cosmos Sack .

This had happened a few times before during the climb , generally when the quest called for delivering or protecting an item . Perhaps it was a method for the System to disallow the climbers from completely circumventing the trials by stashing away the quest items .

Just carry it with you , - Ogras said , but he looked a bit pressured .

What’s wrong? - Zac asked as he fastened the massive crystal like a backpack .

The quest still isn’t complete , - the demon answered with a sour face , making Zac’s brows rise in realization .

Is this the wrong item? - Zac asked .

This was the problem with the quests on the higher floors . Things weren’t as clear-cut as before , and it often took some trial and error before they could figure out what needed to be done . The fact that they needed to do so in the middle of an epic battle-field this time increased the pressure to another tier though .

It might be only a piece of the puzzle , - Galau mused , his face deathly pale .

Look around for any- - the demon said , but was interrupted by a massive roar as one of the enormous devils looked straight at them .

It was the titan that the squad of array masters was heading toward . Did it want revenge because they stole its array?

A humanoid squad hurried over though , and they summoned a massive warrior in the sky with the help of a War Array , and the projection released a terrifying beam of energy that slammed into the chest of the titan .

But the air around the titan suddenly cracked as the devil shuddered , creating a shockwave that blew all the weaker warriors in the area far away . It also made a few of the soldiers managing the array lose their footing , which interrupted the War Array for long enough for the Titan to swing its massive hammer at them . The soldiers only managed to hastily erect a shield at the last second , saving themselves from being annihilated .

Shit , those guys won’t be able to defend for long , - Ogras muttered .

Hooded guys fleeing over there! - Zac said as he pointed in the distance in another direction .

It was a group that resembled the array masters they had killed just now , except they had no warbeast accompanying them . One of them was instead carrying a massive backpack , and six large spikes protruded out of it .

It might be them , - the demon muttered . - It’s only… -

Zac understood what he was getting at . The group of array masters was running straight toward the backlines of the devil army . If they pursued then they would put themselves even deeper in enemy lines . There might not be another squad available to run interference in case they got targeted again .

It’s okay , - Zac shrugged . - If worse comes to worst and it’s the wrong target we’ll simply have to fight our way back to our side . There’s no way we’ll be expected to fight those big things for more than a second or two . -

Fair enough , - the demon nodded . - It’s still only the 28th level , after all . It shouldn’t be too convoluted . We have the core crystal , and those are the array flags . We’ll snatch them and teleport out . -

Let’s go , - Zac said after looking back at the furious titan that was still being held back by the War Array .

The golden projection of the warrior was already starting to dim , meaning that the squad would probably only be able to keep the titan at bay for another 30 seconds or so . But that was enough for Zac and he grabbed Galau again , and the three created a straight line of carnage in their all-out pursuit .

One fractal blade after another carved a path through the devils as Zac kept swinging his axe . Ogras had already taken off his cast , and a twenty-meter long arm crushed any devil that came too close . Zac noted that the demons who Ogras killed oddly enough looked a bit paler after they got killed , like the hand was made out of bleach rather than shadows .

The array masters who carried the six flags soon noticed their approach , and they screeched as they quickly slammed down the six spikes into the ground and started to infuse energy into them . A group of devils also came forward to buy some time , each of them recently evolved judging by their auras .

But that wasn’t enough to noticeably impede the trio , and they fell by the droves as Zac unleashed a barrage of fractal blades . Soon enough they were upon the array masters , only to be met with a wave of illusory flames the devils had managed to bring forth even without the array core .

Zac frowned and activated Nature’s Barrier] and infused it with the Dao of Sanctuary , creating a canopy to protect the three . But the flames passed straight through the leaves and fell onto their bodies .

Netherblasted soulflames , - Ogras growled as a condensed lance of shadows completely obliterated the torso of one of the array devils . - That hurt you scum . -

Zac growled from the pain as well , but his soul was strong enough to handle something like this after being assaulted by the splinter for months . He immediately spread the Seed of Trees through his body as well to help douse the soul-eating flames , and he felt a soothing warmth almost immediately .

Since they didn’t possess the array core the power of the flames was no doubt extremely weakened , and with one step with Loamwalker] Zac was upon them with murder in his eyes . Space split apart as the remaining devils fell apart into neat chunks of flesh as Verun's Bite] roared with glee , and Zac started ripping the array flags out of the ground before the dead array masters even had time to fall apart .

Forcibly taking the flags out like that released another burst of voidflames straight into Zac’s face , but he withstood the pain as he snatched them one by one .

It’s here , - Ogras muttered , pointing to an array forming in blood from the fallen devils . - And just in time . -

Am I supposed to carry around these huge things? - Zac muttered as he had his arms full with the huge spikes .

They are bound to someone here , - Galau said . - But the connection will break when we leave this world which will allow you to stow them away . And I think we should hurry . -

Zac looked back and saw that the massive titan was running toward them with surprising speed going by its bulky frame . A few warriors tried to intercept , but the massive hammer in its hands swung back and forth like a pendulum , turning devils and men alike into goop in its fury .

Let’s hope not all the floors are like this , - Zac said as they stepped onto the teleportation array .

Don’t jinx it , - Ogras sighed just as they were teleported away .

Chapter 413 - Concordat

Cosmic Energy streamed through MacKenzie’s body at unprecedented speeds , and Mental Energy was rapidly getting drained as her mind formed thin strands of her Daos and ingeniously wove them into her Cosmic Energy to create a facsimile of true skill .

Jeeves used roughly 30% fire , 10% wind , and 60% water to cause a reflective mist that formed an amazingly real illusion of herself and Ilvere falling while covering their real bodies in a thick mist . Her arm reached out to grab Ilvere’s shoulder as a rapid succession of bursts of Cosmic Energy mixed with the Seed of Gust unpredictably moved them until they landed some distance away .

Balls of acrid sludge shot through the mist like bullets , but Kenzie’s body floated around like an unbound pixie with the help of Jeeves , effortlessly avoiding all the projectiles . They finally reached the ground that silently opened up to swallow the demon inside .

Stay here , - Kenzie whispered with a monotonous voice as she flitted away .

A dozen emergency drones emerged from her Cosmos Sack and instantly fired at four specific spots that made no sense to Kenzie , but it caused an enraged screech to echo across the area . The newly erected pillar had been destroyed as well , and a scorch-marked woman emerged from the smoke where it had once stood .

It was some sort of the corporeal undead , and no doubt also the source of the attacks earlier as it looked like she stood in a pool of oil that bubbled and churned . She was slim had long grey hair that fell down to her shoulders , and she wore a well-fitting dress that looked suited for a summer stroll . The woman would have been quite beautiful in an austere way if it wasn’t for her enraged and scarred face , or the grisly half-meter talons she had instead of normal fingers .

Unfortunately it looked like Jeeves illusions had failed as the woman looked straight at them through the mist . Kenzie could only see the undead leader's shape through the haze thanks to Jeeves , so the woman must have some sort of skill to do the same .

Target level 85 – Low-Medium talent . Chance of victory through traditional battle <5% . Permission to activate - Pretty Pretty Mecha Kenzie’ Protocol?]

Granted . ’

Get ready to flee , - Kenzie whispered , taking control of her voice . - I’ll unleash something my brother left for me in case things became desperate . -

Just run , lass , - Ilvere said with a shake of his head . - I might be able to hold her for a bit at least . -

Don’t worry , - Kenzie said . - I won’t risk my life against some E-Grade powerhouse . -

The next moment a massive robot appeared in front of her , reaching over ten meters in the air . It radiated danger as its various weapon system went online one after another due to Jeeve’s instructions .

Wha- - Ilvere said , but Kenzie indicated for him to be silent as they were once again shrouded by an altered illusion technique that hopefully would be able to trick the undead general .

The robot shot a wild array of thin laser beams toward the woman , forcing her to start dodging to avoid getting scorched again . This was what Jeeves aimed for , and the AI helped Kenzie silently sink underground with Ilvere in tow . Simultaneously a fake Kenzie rose into the cockpit of the stationary robot , and the cockpit closed behind her .

The mecha generally required a direct neural connection to control due to its high complexity , but Jeeves had circumvented that somehow , allowing it to be controlled just like the drones . However , even Jeeves’ abilities were limited and such a thing would only be possible in close proximity .

But the Undead Woman was not ready to simply eat the beams without fighting back , and Jeeves continuously reported new sources of damage to her precious machine . Only 30 seconds of intense battle passed before Jeeves warned Kenzie that systems were critical .

Blow her up’ Kenzie instructed with some heartache as she soundlessly moved through the earth while the shockwaves of battle became more and more muted .

Affirmative

A few seconds later a massive explosion rocked the very foundations of the area , making it feel like they were swept up in an earthquake .

Self-Destruct initiated within 10 meters of the target , connection cut . Likelihood survival : <5%]

Unfortunately , there was no surge of cosmic energy to tell her whether the sacrifice was successful or not , as not even Jeeves was able to circumvent the ironclad rule that kills by technology wouldn’t award levels .

But even if that crazed banshee survived the blast she would no doubt be taken out of commission for a prolonged duration , which would hopefully help her brother when he returned . As far as she knew there were only a few Undead Generals still around . She guessed that trading her prized mecha for one of them was a worthy exchange .

Thirty minutes later it became clear that they had evaded pursuit , and the two quickly made their way toward the closest Teleportation Array . It was time to return to Port Atwood . Her mission had been a success , but who knew what countermeasures the Undead would have at the next infusion pillar now that even one of their generals had fallen .

With her mecha destroyed and drones exhausted she was unable to keep destroying the pillars in either case .

She could use a rest .

Wake up sailor! - Sap Trang grunted as he kicked the sailor who was supposed to keep a lookout . - This is no time to daydream! -

I’m sorry! - the young man said with a start , forcefully dragged out of his daydreams . - But captain , is there really any need for us to patrol these waters? We haven’t seen a single boat for months , and no beasts that Lord Bau can’t handle . -

Would you rather head to the front-lines , changing the open seas for a sea of zombies? - Sap said with a glare .

No! Please don’t make me fight the undead! I’ll keep watch! -

Good , - Sap Trang said with a nod as his eyes scanned the endless ocean . - Remember , we sail with the flag of Lord Atwood , the champion of Earth . If there is one place that the invaders would want to hit , wouldn’t it be our kingdom? Our soldiers are fighting tooth and nail to protect our world , the least we can do is keep watch over our waters to keep their families safe from ambush . -

Seeing that the young man took his task more seriously after the lecture Sap nodded in satisfaction as he kept making rounds . He didn’t know why , but he had found it hard to stay calm all day , and he needed to keep himself busy .

Perhaps it was because he would soon be back home , which would allow him to meet his grandson again . Who would have known that little Bao was as charming as his grandpa was back in the day , and had already found a little lass for himself?

Even more shocking , the lass was with child! He would be a great grandfather . It was an amazing source of joy in these bleak times , and it was reason enough for him to exhaust his old bones to make sure that the waters were safe .

There was only so much to inspect on these Cosmic Energy Ships that their navy employed though , and most of it went over his head . He would be able to take apart a two-stroke engine and put it back together without breaking a sweat , but these squiggly lines that pushed the boats forward were far beyond his understanding .

The only thing he could do was make sure that no one damaged the lines , and that everything else was kept clean and tidy .

He finally returned to his captain’s quarters and observed the sea charts against to confirm that they hadn’t veered off course , and that the nagging feeling was his subconscious trying to warn him of that . But a sharp stab in his mind suddenly made him stand up in shock and look toward the south . The pain came from his connection to Little Bau . Was his friend wounded?

They were too far away though , and he only got a few indistinct impressions through the connection , the foremost being danger . But Sap unhesitantly ran toward the youngster in control of the Arrays on the vessel . Anything that could wound Little Bau in these waters could be a threat to Port Atwood as well .

Change course , immediately , - Sap said with a frown .

Where to? - the helmsman asked with confusion .

Soon enough the vessel , along with its two sister ships , had changed course and were once again heading toward Pangea . Little Bau was an hour or so away in that direction , but a mist on the water blocked any sight of what it might be that wounded him .

Worry gnawed on Sap as the stood at the fore , trying to glean any signs about what was going on . The bad feeling in his chest was only getting worse as they approached the vast shroud . The mist itself was a cause for concern as the sky was clear as day , meaning there was no reason for such a haze to form in the middle of the ocean .

There was a distinct possibility that this was a smokescreen to hide whatever lurked inside , but Sap still ordered his crew to maintain the course . If the mist was man-made , then all the more reason for them to see what was going on . The two facts that there was both an unnatural cover hours away from Port Atwood and Little Bau being wounded pointed to one grim reality .

Invaders .

Sap shuddered as his vessel cut into the mist and it immediately felt like the temperatures had dropped to almost freezing degrees .

This is miasma! - one of the demon warriors stationed on the ship exclaimed .

The warrior wasn't talking out of turn either , since he had actually been part of the army that heroically fought their way out of the Dead Zone , running and fighting without rest for two weeks .

All to your stations , keep communication at a minimum , - Sap immediately ordered , and the sailors worldlessly took their positions with worry in their eyes .

The same order was transferred to the other ships as well , along with an order to stay extremely close . They could barely see 50 meters through the miasmic clouds , and Sap didn't want them to get picked off one by one .

The minutes passed without anything happening but Sap's nerves only got more and more frayed as they approached Little Bau's location . A massive red wall suddenly appeared just in front of them , reaching over twenty meters into the air . If it wasn't for the fact that Sap spotted worked wood he would have thought it was a cliff-wall , but he realized it was actually a massive ship they had encountered .

Hard left! - Sap roared , no longer caring about subterfuge , and the helmsman immediately complied .

A sharp tug almost threw Sap off his feet as the three vessels turned and sped away with agility that would be completely impossible without the help of magic . With the help of a burst of Cosmic Energy , they opened up a distance of hundreds of meters in an instant . But that also meant that they lost sight of whatever that massive thing was .

Fire the Array! - Sap ordered . - Blast away this damn mist! -

Sap didn't worry about whether there were allied forces on the other side . The fact that the mist was created with miasma was all Sap needed to know .

The array lit up and a massive ray of light ripped through the mists , aimed straight at whatever ship they had just encountered . Sap had to close his eyes from the radiant light and it sounded like the air itself was burning . The laser beam had pushed aside all the miasmic mist in the area , creating a wide tunnel that ran across the water until the attack slammed into a golden array on the other side .

The ocean frothed and churned from the clash , but the enemies' array held steady until the beam winked out of existence . But the attack did at least allow Sap to see what they were dealing with .

Only part of the massive ship could be seen , but judging from the displayed section the whole vessel would have to be well over a hundred meters . It was a massive monstrosity wrought with a reddish wood and inlaid with what appeared to be gold . It was a beautiful creation , but Sap couldn't feel any appreciation of the craftsmanship involved as his eyes were drawn to the massive ball hanging down from the bowsprit .

The ball did at least have a diameter of five or six meters , and it was completely made from gold . But it didn't seem to be either an anchor or a wrecking ball , as it was made with extremely fine details . It actually looked like a sun , and as Sap looked at the thing it started to burn with golden flames , pushing all miasma in the area even further away .

It's those lunatics again! -

Where did the native heathens get this kind of technology? Almost ripped straight through our shield , - Bishop Kyhv-Elerad swore while his eyes moved back and forth through the waters for any sign of the massive beast that had almost managed to sink one of their holy vessels a while earlier .

Still looking for that Cephalopod? - a raspy voice snickered from the side .

Fury ignited in Kyhv-Elerad's chest when he heard the voice of the cursed being , and he wasn't alone in his disdain either . The crusaders in the vicinity were either looking at the newly arrived vessels as they pointedly ignored the group of hooded undead , whereas others blatantly glared at their mortal enemies with bloodshot eyes and burgeoning killing intent .

There was nothing that the Bishop would like to do more than ordering a thorough cleanse of their deck , unleashing a storm of steel and fire , but he knew he couldn't . The could only tighten the grip on his consecrated mace in impotence as his eyes turned back to the ocean . The hooded beings clearly noticed his struggle , but they only snickered in disdain .

Kyhv-Elerad had never heard of the Holy Church co-operating with The Undead Empire before , but it was impossible that the writ the high Vicar received a week ago was fake . It had clearly told them to temporarily co-operate with their eternal enemies until this world's native heathens were firmly under control .

Of course , he understood the reason . Almost twenty Incursions annihilated without a trace in less than a month's time . Reports of sightings of the terrifying contraptions from the cursed Technocrat heretics .

Things had turned extremely precarious , and they needed to deal with this Human Lord so that they could focus on the Mystic Realm . The fact that doing so would allow him to avenge Brother Orsiccas and the 3rd battalion , then all the better .

So he would endure standing next to these accursed clones . He would endure being surrounded by the tainted mists that existed in defiance of The Boundless Heavens . He would endure the vermin staying below deck .

For sooner or later the fire of the Boundless Heavens would cleanse all impurities .

Chapter 414 - Ill-Gotten Gains

A brief bout of darkness shrouded Zac’s vision until he was thrown into the next world . However , the System seemed intent of making the entrances rough ones going forward , and he barely had time to see a moonlit sky and a couple of candles before he fell into a pool of steaming water with his head first .

Zac sputtered as he tried to orient himself in the water , and he soon realized that he had luckily only fallen into a heated pool or hot spring that was a meter or so deep . He had first been afraid that he had been dropped into a pot of soup of some giant or something , but even if he was safe from that fate he still immediately got to his feet and looked around for any looming threats .

You! Who are you! - a shriek echoed with enough force to make Zac’s eardrums vibrate . - AND WHAT ARE YOU HOLDING?! -

Similar shrieks echoed from the vicinity , meaning that the others had likely encountered similar fates . As for the source of the voice , it was an extremely alluring woman with a pair of pointed ears . She wasn't a Tal-Eladar though but more closely resembling the traditional elves in the stories on earth .

Apart from the more generous curves , that is .

The elf stood in the water as well just a few meters away , completely exposed except for a thin layer of lather . It seemed that Zac had been dropped into her courtyard mid-bath , effectively creating an instant grudge with . She was a cultivator as well since Cosmic Energy was already churning around her , though his instincts told him there was no way she was the guardian of the level due to the lacking density of her aura .

Zac froze in shock for a second as he took in the amazing scenery until he realized that he should probably try to explain himself . But he didn’t even have time to open his mouth before shouts from soldiers could be heard approaching and massive drums started beating in the distance . It was no doubt a response to the shrieks that had echoed to the high heavens just now .

Escape with your ill-gotten gains . Note : Hiding your loot will count as forfeiting the quest

What fucking gains?’ Zac inwardly groaned as he looked down at his hands .

His already scrambled head got even more confused when he realized that the massive array flags he was carrying had been replaced by a piece of white frilly fabric . Wasn’t that…?

Zac’s eyes widened slightly and he looked up at the infuriated elf who had somehow covered herself with what looked like thunderclouds . Their eyes met and the air started crackle from lightning as the woman’s eyes started to light up with some unknown power .

The common-sense thing would have been to give back the underwear , but Zac obviously couldn’t do that . The system had for some insane reason sent him on a panty-raid , and if he threw away the - treasure’ he would probably fail the trial .

So he could only stifle his complaints as he took out Verun’s Bite] again , but instead of targeting the elf he cut a massive hole in the wall . Luckily the outdoor bathhouse didn’t seem fortified from the inside , making it easy to escape .

Better yet the girl seemed to prioritize getting dressed over killing him , and she interrupted whatever attack she had been charging up to instead flash toward a dress hanging across a rack right next to the pool . It allowed Zac to slip away with the help of Loamwalker] , but he only used the skill a couple of times before he stopped and took stock of what was going on .

Zac realized he was halfway up a mountain , and he guessed he either was inside a sect or some sort of town . Bamboo stalks and trees ran along the mountainside , while small lamps emitting a warm light was studded along the path created with large slabs of stones . There were stronger lights among the trees when Zac gazed both up and down the mountain , and he guessed it was courtyards nestled into nature .

It was truthfully one of the most beautiful sceneries he had seen , and he wanted to take in everything as quickly as possible . It would be perfect if he could turn the mountains on his islands into a tranquil paradise like this after the invaders were dealt with . The money he could make from renting out properties like this would be amazing .

But Zac only got a few seconds to drink in the beauty before the sound of rapid steps took him out of his reverie .

Halt! - a voice could be heard from behind , but Zac ignored it as he gazed into the sky for any flares .

Now this is more like it! - another voice hollered , and Zac looked over to see that at least one of his companions was fine .

It was Ogras who ran toward him as his shadows knocked out a couple of guards that were hot in pursuit . He was also soaked wet , but it looked like his mission was a bit different from his own as his arms were gripping a veritable mountain of clothes .

You were given that many to steal? - Zac exclaimed with surprise .

Well , no . I only got the one pair . But since we’ve already stolen the eggs we might as well steal the hen , you know? - the demon laughed , his eyes glistening with excitement . - They will make nice gifts if we can keep them , these are high-quality items . -

Well that’s just great , - Zac said as he knocked out a guard who tried to intercept their escape . - Have you seen any flare? -

Nope , - Ogras said , but he nodded toward a courtyard beneath them . - I heard screams in that direction as well though . -

Zac nodded and started running , and after some thought , he took the pair of panties and tried to tie it around his wrist like a bandana . But the flimsy material turned out to be surprisingly slippery , and after failing multiple times he could only resort to a second option with some defeat .

He put them on his head like a cap .

Not bad , - The demon nodded in appreciation . - Heavy taste . Just like when we met the first time . -

Just freeing up my hands , - Zac sighed . - Hiding them in a bag will probably fail the quest . -

Whatever you say , - the demon snorted .

This whole floor felt like a sick joke . Was the System messing with him? Or was there perhaps some bored Stargazer in charge of operations who decided to play around a bit and create weird scenarios?

A wail from just ahead told them that they had found their target , flare or no flare . A quick Chop] broke through a wall , and they found themselves in a similar spa as the one Zac started in . It seemed like the mountain had dozens of private hot springs along the mountain-side , each with its own accompanying mansion . Perhaps it was a hotel rather than a sect?

They immediately found Galau curled into a ball while four scantily clad women were brutally beating him with sticks and fists as he desperately clung to a few pieces of fabric . But it was clear that the assailants weren’t that strong , and the wounds weren’t lethal .

Lucky guy , - Ogras whistled . - I just got the one . -

Zac snorted before he unleashed his accumulated killing intent as he rushed over with his axe waving in the air . The elven ladies immediately retreated with fear when they sensed his strength , but Zac obviously wasn’t there to kill them .

He rather grabbed the balled-up Galau and flashed back to the demon’s side in an instant , and Zac couldn’t help rolling his eyes when he noticed that the demon’s laundry pile had noticeably increased in size .

What’s the matter with you? - Ogras spat as he kicked the butt of the still curled-up youth . - Act like a man . Would you let yourself get castrated and killed if we didn’t drop by? -

I’m sorry , - Galau stammered . - I did not expect the tower to conjure such a- what are you two doing? -

Galau’s eyes went back and forth between Ogras with his huge pile of women’s garments and Zac who stoically wore a pair of panties like a hat . His face was going through a tumultuous change of emotions , and it looked like he was seeing his two travel companions for the first time . Zac only grunted and indicated Galau to start running down the mountain .

Look at you , - Ogras said with some disdain as they fled . - Calling yourself a merchant , yet you lack a nose for opportunity . Look at Zac wearing his ill-gotten gains with such gusto . Where in the outside world can you live large like that without being captured and strung up in the city square? -

Annoyance surged as Zac fought off the incoming guards who seemed hellbent on preventing them from descending the mountain . But he knew he wouldn’t win a verbal spar with the wily demon , so he could only keep pushing forward while keeping the complaints in his heart . A few of the guards were some ways into the E-Grade , but they quickly and ruthlessly swept aside by a Zac fueled by anger and embarrassment .

The description of the quest wasn’t clear , but it felt to Zac that this whole mountain belonged to some force , and to escape meant to leave the mountain . He wasn’t sure if they also needed to throw off the pursuit , but one step at the time .

A horde of irate cultivators was hot on their heels , but Zac breathed in relief when he sensed that there were no people in the angry mob who could be considered real threats to their lives . He still didn’t want to fight them though , as he felt like these people weren’t meant to be killed , like civilians on regular levels .

Killing a few of them might result in some old monster on the summit descending as well , and then they would truly be in deep shit . Zac instead chose to rely on the small mountain of projectiles in his cosmos Sack , and one piece of rock after another appeared in his hand before they shout out with pinpoint precision .

He even chose to use normal stones instead of his specially prepared cannonballs as the targets were around peak F-Grade and might actually die if he threw the clumps of metal . But the stones only created an impact that threw the guards away without creating any mortal wounds .

Luckily they had acted extremely quickly , and most of the people were behind them rather than in front . Zac had been out the bath he started in within 20 seconds , and they had brought Galau away in under a minute . The quick escape had allowed them to gain a decent headstart , making their lives a lot easier .

Between Ogras’ shadow teleportations and Zac’s Loamwalker] they had no problem keeping the lead , and they smashed one hastily erected defensive line after another . The real trial only arrived at the foot of the mountain , as a massive array lit up that covered the whole area .

Won’t be too strong from the inside , - Ogras muttered . - At the same time? -

Zac nodded and a massive fractal edge immediately took shape along the blade of Verun's Bite] . Since it was just an array they targeted , rather than some innocent guard , Zac had no problem infusing the axe with the Fragment of the Axe . The fractal blade turned a deep grey as new fractals appeared along the edge , and its aura quickly became a lot denser .

It was a small change that the Dao Fragment imparted upon the skill , and Zac found it not only made the skill deadlier , but it also seemed more durable . Ogras’ followed suit and prepared a strike , though he couldn’t use his hands as they were still occupied with his 'treasures' .

Instead the shadows all around them started to shudder as they slithered toward the demon like he was some sort of shadow magnet , and in just a second it looked like the ground around Ogras was pitch-black .

Go , - Zac muttered when they were 100 meters away from the shield , and he launched the fractal blade in one fluid motion .

The blade ripped through the air and slammed into the sect-protecting shield in an instant . Huge cracks spread all along the green barrier , but before it had a chance to regenerate a thick beam of shadows completely crushed it , which created a large enough passage for them to easily slip through .

The area outside the mountain was completely barren , and there was nowhere to hide for kilometers in any direction . Zac figured that was probably intentional , and any vegetation would get culled so that the guards would have a clean line of sight in case any hostile forces approached .

Do you have anything to shroud the area? - Ogras asked as he looked back at the mob that still hadn’t given up and streamed out from the shield with murder in their eyes .

I- yes! - Galau said as he produced a glass ball full of a purple haze . - This one will spread a harmless mist across a pretty massive area . But enough force will blow it away in a minute or two . -

That’s good enough , - Ogras nodded . - Use it . -

Galau nodded and infused the ball with Cosmic Energy , which made a huge billowing cloud spread out in all directions . The purple haze reminded Zac of the time he poisoned half the demon army and himself with the massive cauldron , and he couldn't help but shudder at the memory .

Luckily the irate mob also got a bit hesitant after seeing the massive mist , and many stopped in their tracks or even fled to avoid getting swallowed inside .

Let’s go , - Ogras said when they were completely covered , and a transparent tentacle landed on Zac's shoulder .

Just a few moments later they were long gone , and Ogras panted a bit with exertion . He had taken them a shocking distance in a quick succession of teleports , something that Zac’s current attainments of Loamwalker] would be unable to do .

Galau reacted quickly the moment Ogras stopped moving the three , and he sprinkled some white dust over himself and the other two .

Anti-tracking dust , - the merchant explained . - Just in case . -

Zac nodded in understanding as he looked around .

What now? -

Let’s keep moving , - Ogras shrugged . - The Ruthless Heavens should indicate when it considers us having gotten away . -

His words were proven right twenty minute and a huge distance later , as they stumbled upon a teleporter as they crossed a small river in an alien forest .

Zac sighed as he stowed away his only loot from the floor , before he got ready for another fresh hell to welcome them .

Chapter 415 - Hidden Rules

Things were pretty hectic in the next world as well , where they were thrown into a canyon full of rabid beasts . But one piece of good news was that the Voidfire Array] wasn't actually gone or replaced with underwear . The System had been kind enough to place the core and array flags into Zac's Spatial Ring during the transfer .

The mission of the 30th level was to find and save a young master who was being pursued by some rival faction . The target was unfortunately extremely paranoid , and it ended up with the three of them having to find , corner , and kidnap him to complete the mission .

They did stay on for a bit longer than necessary though , as the canyon was filled with E-Grade monster boars that had particularly tasty meat . They spent a few hours stocking up for the climb , as it had turned out that Galau was a pretty decent chef . Only when they had made Galau cook enough food for almost a year did they proceed on to the next level .

The new world they found themselves was an endless desert under a yellow sky with four suns . The monochromatic tone of the surroundings made everything blur together into one big canvas of beige , and the blistering heat didn’t help with the discomfort .

And just like in the previous levels they found themselves in the thick of it the moment they arrived . A group of desert warriors was assaulting a merchant’s caravan , and it looked like they had taken the role of the last survivors . Bodies and mounts littered the area , most of them seemed to be on the side of the merchants .

Zac immediately went to work , as this felt refreshingly straightforward . One bandit after another got bisected by his fractal blades or skewered by snaking shadow spears . The remaining bandits quickly realized that they had met a tough opponent and started to flee , using sand-attuned skills to meld into the endless dunes .

Shit , where are the bodies? - Ogras suddenly growled as he looked around . - Or at least their Cosmos Sacks . -

Zac looked around to see what the demon meant , and he was shocked to discover that the dozens of corpses that had littered the area were gone , not even leaving a drop of blood as evidence that anything had ever been there .

Was it a mirage? - Zac muttered , but even he didn’t believe his own words .

The demon immediately started to kick away the sand where some of the merchants had fallen , but he found nothing even after digging a few meters down into the sand .

I think the bandits brought the bodies with them as they fled , - Galau guessed . - They had sand-attuned classes , they can probably move about underground as freely as walking on top of it . -

What good are you , looking on while they stole my loot , - Ogras muttered as he glared at Galau .

I’m sorry , I only realized it too late , I thought the shifting of the sand simply covered the corpses , - the youth sheepishly said .

It’s fine , - Zac shrugged . - Let’s get moving . -

They hadn’t immediately gotten a prompt upon arriving , so they ascended one of the larger dunes in the area to get a better vantage of the situation . A screen appeared as soon they reached the peak , and Zac carefully read the instructions .

Gain employment with the Desert Eye Caravan and Secure the Transportation Route out of the Heart of Sand]

Desert eye Caravan? - Zac mumbled as he read the quest . - It’s not the guys who just died , right? -

We can probably find the answers over there , no? - Ogras said and pointed in the distance .

Zac looked in the direction Ogras indicated and he could vaguely make out some sort of settlement between the dunes . The three immediately set out and found that the place Ogras spotted was a small town set at the bank of a beautiful oasis .

The town itself wasn’t anything special , and it could house a couple of thousand people at best . Security also seemed to be a bit lax as there were no walls and no guards that intercepted them when they entered the town . Only a few of the locals , who looked a bit like a mix of a gnome and armadillos , looked up when they entered the city .

It was also clear that it wasn’t a permanent settlement for the majority of those walking the streets , but rather a waystation for people traversing the desert . Almost half the buildings were either hotels , bars , or other places for travelers to spend their money , and a large section of the town was meant to house the various mounts people used to travel .

If Cosmos Sacks didn’t exist , then there would also no doubt be dozens , if not hundreds , of wagons parked somewhere , filled with goods . But all the goods were likely secured inside a string of Cosmos Sack on the merchants , or on their strongest bodyguards .

Hold on to your Sacks , - Ogras muttered . - Places like this are breeding grounds for pickpockets . -

Zac nodded in agreement and made sure that none of his spatial tools were easily snatched . What the demon said was extremely true . Successfully snatching a small purse might essentially set you up for life in a place like this , provided that you managed to abscond with the wealth .

A Cosmos Sack was generally bound to an owner as long as he was alive , but there were no absolutes in this world . Anything from contracts to item bindings could no doubt be broken if the party was strong and motivated enough .

Trades were also taking place all over , and the loud clamor of heated bargaining could be heard from almost every corner . Almost all of the trade seemed to take place between traveling merchants as well , while the locals simply ran the town establishments . The traders likely came from different countries , and it was easier to trade their wares in the middle in a place like this rather than crossing the entire desert to trade at the opposite side .

The profit margins might become thinner in a place like this , but they also saved a lot on time and provisions , not to mention reducing the risk of getting killed on the road .

Can you do me a favor? - Galau suddenly said as they inspected the town .

What’s that? - Zac asked .

Kill the bandits for me rather than escort the caravan , - the youth said .

Why? - Zac asked with a raised brow .

Completing the quest generally resulted in more ample rewards , and it wasn't like the aspiring merchant to say no to free money .

Are you planning on staying here? - Ogras asked .

Yes , - Galau succinctly said as he looked around .

We did promise you to take you to the 32nd level , you know , - Zac reminded . - We’re still one level short . -

This level is fine , - Galau said . - It’s a merchant-related floor . Caravans from various distant locations will come to this small oasis town to resupply . It is a good opportunity for me to work on my business acumen . -

There are also no vixens trying to string you up in the rafters , - the demon smiled .

… That too , - Galau coughed . - Finding a place like this on the fourth floor is my good fortune . It might backfire if we keep going . -

That’s fine , - Zac agreed , as killing some bandit lord seemed a lot easier and quicker than leading some slow caravan out from the desert anyway .

From there on out things proceeded quite smoothly . It only took Ogras three hours to sniff out one of the lookouts from the bandits skulking around in the town , and with some - enhanced interrogation tactics’ they soon found out where the bandits hid .

The bandits had found some mysterious ruins long ago , hidden in a natural cave-system far beneath the sandy surface . The bandits not only gained a decent incomplete heritage related to the Desert there , but also a great hidden base .

Many of the natives actually knew about this all along , but they never bothered to do anything about it as the bandits only targeted the caravans , and then sold the stolen goods to the locals at a discount . It was a thriving eco-system of a both black and white economy .

Even some merchants knew of this , but there wasn’t much they could do as this area was truly a no man’s land . Would they spend their money on an expensive excursion where they hired a mercenary squad to come all the way into the desert and fight the bandits?

It was cheaper to bear the risk of getting robbed and losing your money than being guaranteed to lose all your money on such an expensive endeavor .

They also found the Desert Eye Caravan , and they learned that they would be leaving the town within the day , and completing the quest would likely take around three days . That was unacceptable to both Zac and Ogras , so the tree immediately headed to the hidden passageway that the captured bandit used to head back to their base unnoticed .

What ensued was a messy battle between over a hundred bandits and Zac . Ogras assisted by assassinating one target after another , whereas Zac went for widespread destruction . It was a pretty annoying battle as the enemies had an obvious home-field advantage .

The bandits kept blending into the sands in the area , making it almost impossible to pinpoint the targets . Zac eventually got tired of the guesswork and unleashed Nature’s Punishment] to drown the whole area in a massive deluge . Running around inside the sand suddenly became a lot harder when it turned to dense mud , and they finally managed to catch and execute the Bandit Leader and most of the remaining bandits .

Ogras immediately went on a looting spree , while Zac sat down to go over the battle . He felt that his skill was somewhat restricted in the desert , something he hadn’t really encountered before . He could only guess that it was because there was so little water in the area . However , that possibly meant that the skill didn’t bring stuff from other dimensions , but rather took them from the area .

Did that mean that Nature’s Punishment] would be useless if he fought in space?

Ogras returned with a sour face half an hour later . It looked like the System didn't want to provide a bunch of loot when they skipped the mission , and it looked like the bandits didn't keep any wealth on their persons . Most of it was converted to Nexus Coins in the town , which the System kept for itself when they died .

A teleporter had appeared inside the ruins the moment the bandit lord died , and the three gathered in front of it after everything was dealt with .

Good luck , you two . I hope you both can conquer the fourth-floor guardian , - Galau said with some wistfulness as he transferred the agreed-upon fees to Ogras and Zac .

Thank you . Wait what? - Zac asked with a frown .

Well , you no doubt know that if you cannot travel together beyond this floor? - Galau said , looking confused .

Zac’s brain froze for a second before he looked over at Ogras who looked like he had just eaten a pile of shit .

…What? - was all the demon managed to spit out through grit teeth .

The System wouldn’t allow any carries beyond the 4th floor . After all , breaking through the 4th floor is the watermark of an elite . It doesn’t only give you a percentage-based boost , but it also conjures an Apparition . -

So we can’t even fight the floor guardian together? - Zac confirmed .

You can , but only the one the System deserves the most credit will get the title and reward . It’s based contribution and potential , I've gathered , - Galau explained . - And splitting up later doesn’t help either . -

So if I enter the final level of this floor with this monstrosity I’m shit out of luck? - Ogras shouted as he waved his spear at Zac .

Well… Lord Piker is one in a millennium genius . I am afraid the odds of the apparition and titles going to you would be slim , - Galau coughed , looking a bit embarrassed .

We won’t even be able to travel together either for the normal levels? - Zac asked .

Well , you can , but it is practically unheard of . The restrictions for traveling in groups get even worse from here on out , and only one person gets the benefits . Who would travel in groups in such an environment? - Galau said .

The three stood in a suffocating silence for almost a minute until Ogras finally spoke up .

Just give me the beacon arrays and a couple of defensive treasures! - the demon spat .

Wha-? - Galau sputtered , but he still took out the beacon array he had used since the third floor .

This is on you for not telling your employees! You screwed me over royally here by adding difficulty for my tower trial . The least you can do is provide some compensation , - Ogras said as he snatched the array .

But… The three billion… - Galau weakly countered .

Nevermind that , - Ogras growled . - Defensive treasure! -

I guess this might be my oversight? This is a Radiant Intervention] talisman from Talovor Trappings , - Galau said with a pained expression as he took out a small box containing a golden talisman . - It would normally block a single strike , but it might not be able to completely counter the Floor Guardian . It will also release a blinding light upon impact , which might allow you to turn the tides . -

Good , - Ogras said as he quickly snatched the treasure , his facial expressions making a 180-turn . - With this we can barely be considered even . -

Stay safe , - Zac added to Galau . - And remember , try to stay for the full duration . You might also want to prepare to run the moment we exit . I will do my best to shoulder fallout , but I have no idea what the situation is like outside . -

I am sure that you will create a grand feat that will turn enmities into friendships , - Galau said , though his smile was somewhat hollow . - Before I forget , I want you to have this . -

The youth took out another box , and inside was a token that was reminiscent of the Tower Token . However , instead of the intricate fractals covering its surface there was only the insignia of the Beroria Family , the clan that Galau Belonged to .

This is…? - Zac asked , but his heart started to beat faster in excitement .

A teleportation token to Nal Avadar City , the seat of my family . It’s in the Grand Dream Sector of the Allbright Empire . -

Chapter 416 - Bravoria Goods and Treasures

Zac’s eyes lit up as he accepted the token . He knew that he would have to leave Earth sooner or later if he wanted to keep improving , and the Allbright Empire was his first choice . First of all , he had multiple connections there , and there seemed to be all kinds of places where he could grind monsters to his heart’s content .

He could even join the same army as Average since it sounded like it was an army that was constantly in battle with the various threats at the border of the Red Zone .

Wait , Nal Avadar? Not Beroria? - Zac suddenly asked with a start .

Well , most of us aren’t comfortable divulging our real heritage in the Base Town , - Galau said with an apologetic smile .

Ah , I understand , - Zac said with a pang of guilt as he did the same thing .

However , you might not want to use the token depending on how things turn out after we exit , - Galau added .

Do you think your clan will be implicated by my actions here? - Zac asked with worry .

Our family has fought for The Allbright Empire for over 800 000 years , and many of our ancestors have racked up great merit in the army . The Empire wouldn’t allow us to be exterminated over a feud among juniors , especially since I was not directly involved , - Galau explained . - But some elder might want to present you to the Tsarun for private benefits if they believe they can get away with it . -

So you’re gifting him a deathtrap? - Ogras snorted .

This token takes him to the city Teleporter , not our family’s private one , - Galau explained . - He can simply identify himself as a wandering cultivator , no? Besides . If the Peak Family speaks up for you , then no one in our family would dare to have any malicious ideas . -

Zac wasn’t too sure about the last statement . Greed could make people do all types of despicable things , and there was no doubt in his mind that some elders in Galau’s family wouldn’t hesitate to sell him out if given the opportunity .

However , what Galau said was true . He could simply go there using Thousand Faces] and immediately leave for the Red sector if things looked dicey with Galau’s family . Securing passage would likely be a bit cumbersome , but there was no way that there weren't solutions in an established Empire like that .

Thank you , - Zac repeated . - We’ll see you in a couple of months . Have fun over here . -

With that they left their companion of the last month to live it up among the armadillo-people as they stepped onto the teleporter .

Galau watched his two companions disappear after stepping onto the teleporter , a surprising amount of wistfulness filling his heart .

Such a bad actor , - Galau muttered with a small smile before he walked over to a particular pile of rubble in the cavern .

Well , subsidizing the demon a decent talisman in return for the goodwill of Zac Piker felt like an extremely worthy investment . As long as that man survived the aftermath of the Zethaya incident then all would be fine . He had been a bit despondent at the start , but after thinking it over Galau quickly realized the opportunity that had presented itself before him .

The resources he had put into garnering trust and camaraderie would turn into a massive leg to hug onto in a millennium , or perhaps even in just a few centuries . Monstrous attributes that hadn’t been seen since who knows when? Dual Fragments? And he’s a Progenitor with connections to the Peak family? Zac Piker even had a good chance of outperforming Prince Reoluv . What was a little talisman compared to that?

Besides , he had ample time to make up for the expenditure in the coming months .

The excitement of excavating unknown treasure filled Galau’s heart as he pushed the rubble away , displaying a hole full of Cosmic Sacks . If you added the spatial tools he pilfered from the dead merchants when they arrived at the floor , then this might be the most profitable one yet .

Galau quickly transferred all the loot from the Bandit’s cosmos Sacks before he started walking back toward the town . He hadn’t been idle while the demon had been busy hunting bandits , and he quickly moved toward a shop at the edge of the settlement . A human merchant ran it , and the store was empty as usual when Galau entered .

Whad’ya want? - the old man muttered with disinterest , but his eyes widened in fear when Galau threw out a handful of array crystals without warning .

The whole store was locked down in an instant , allowing neither sound nor people to escape . The merchant hastily produced a talisman of his own , but how couldn’t Galau be prepared?

The merchant lay prone on the floor snoring before he even had time to activate his defenses . Galau quickly dragged him to a corner in the basement and poured a black tincture down his throat . It would keep in a coma for up to a year without a problem , which was more than enough .

The merchant wasn’t well-liked and he had no kin in the town . Him disappearing and being replaced by a much more affable merchant shouldn’t result in any waves , and the mystery of his appearance would deter would-be troublemakers .

With lodging secured Galau could finally do what he had longed for the past weeks . One treasure after another started spilling out of his Cosmos Sacks , and he started to go over them one by one with an almost manic gleam in his eyes .

It hadn’t been easy stashing away so much loot under the nose of that paranoid demon , but he still had managed to hide away a pretty impressive haul over 30 levels . After having mentioned his warrior heritage and his goals of being a merchant neither Zac nor Ogras had suspected him to have not one but four skills related to thievery , all of which he had used on the locals on each level any chance he got .

Now he only needed to turn this wealth into more wealth over the coming two months , and finally convert it all to Nexus Coins before he left .

After Galau rearranged the store to be more inviting and added his own wares he went out and took out a large sign that he had already prepared . One swing with his massive zweihander was all that was needed to strike down the old one , and the scene would hopefully create enough buzz to spread the news of the new store .

As expected , it took less than ten minutes before the first patron arrived , and the little armadillo's eyes widened when he saw all the exotic wares on display . Galau adorned an affable but somewhat timid smile as he scurried toward the mark .

Welcome esteemed patron , to Bravoria Goods and Treasures . I am sure you’ll find something to your liking! -

Life was pretty good , all things considered .

After the brief intermission Zac found himself standing on a craggy surface adorned with thick moss and a sparse number of trees here and there . It reminded him of the Scottish moorlands he had seen in movies , but he barely had time to orient himself as a heavy shockwave almost made him lose his footing .

It felt like an earthquake , but it only lasted for an instant , making Zac more inclined to believe that there was a massive battle between two powerhouses somewhere closeby . It might be a clue to this level if he could figure out the source and there was clearly a link as the quest prompt appeared immediately following the phenomenon .

Redirect the Ancestral Avoli from its current path]

Zac’s eyes almost crossed in confusion as he read the mission . Redirect the what? And where?

Another shake almost made Zac fall over , and he looked around for the source of the abrupt earthquakes . But he couldn’t see anything out of the norm .

A red flare rose into the sky far in the distance , and Zac put his questions aside as he immediately set out to find the demon .

As expected the first attack took place within seconds . A disgusting critter as large as a wolf appeared out from a hidden burrow and threw itself right at Zac , who bisected it without even thinking . Zac wasn't exactly sure whether it was a bug or a beast even after observing the corpse . It looked a bit like a naked molerat , but it had eight legs and insectoid eyes , and pincers in its mouth rather than teeth .

The beast also wasn't alone , as more of them quickly appeared out of burrows all over , and Zac found himself in a protracted battle where he had to run and fight simultaneously . The critters were luckily not even as strong as the Battleroaches , and the unceasing number of them only turned into more Nexus Coins for him .

Zac soon enough found the demon with hundreds of carcasses around him , and more animals joined their fallen brethren every second as one spear after another skewered them from below .

Oh , you’re here? - the demon noted . - Help me finish off these ugly things . -

The two went to work and within five minutes the area was strewn with thousands of the small beasts . The animals gave a decent clue about their mission as well , as they were called Avoli Parasites] , meaning they had some connection to their target .

Did you know about those rules? - Zac asked when things had calmed down , referring to the limits to traveling together .

Of course I knew , - Ogras snorted . - Since when was the Ruthless Heavens so generous that it would provide top tier treasures and amazing titles to leeches? Allowing us to travel together for almost half the tower is benevolent enough . I simply wanted to squeeze out a bonus on top of the Nexus Coins . -

Then why didn’t you split off from us on the third floor? - Zac asked .

Well , I knew most of it , - Ogras coughed . - I honestly thought that it would be possible to get help all through the fourth floor . I would enter the teleporter to the fifth floor separately , and that way get the maximum benefits . I guess it backfired a bit , but it's not the end of the world . -

So what will you do? - Zac probed .

I’ll sponge off for you for the levels of the fourth floor , but I will fight the floor guardian by myself , - the demon answered without hesitation .

The guardian still has the boosted attributes of three people though , - Zac reminded .

The fourth floor is breached a couple of times every week in our sector . The experiences on your planet have given me enough strength to match most scions . Why wouldn’t I be able to defeat it if I use my head? - the demon proudly said .

Zac was about to argue , but he realized that what Ogras said might be true . The demon had produced a Dao Fragment along with another Dao Seed that seemed to be related to illusions judging by the fight with the barbarian chieftain . This alone put him in the top percentile of those who visited the Tower .

Let alone the fourth floor , Ogras might actually have a decent chance at the fifth floor unless the difficulty took an unprecedented leap .

I understand , - Zac said as his eyes started to turn pitch-black . - We can go over things properly on the 35th level . -

Ugh , creepy , - Ogras said with a grimace as he witnessed Zac change into his Draugr-form . - I’ll never get used to those eyes of yours . Couldn’t wait even a second after we ditched the dead weight? -

I’ve been itching to try some things out for a while now , - Zac said with a smile that no doubt looked creepy rather than mirthful in his current shape . - Hopefully we’ll find some targets that will do . -

Well , there seems to no lack of targets in this place at least , - the demon agreed .

What do you think of the quest? Have you heard of Ancestral Avolis before? - Zac probed as he took out his new and almost unused shield .

No , but I think we’re standing on him , - the demon said as he poked his spear into the ground a few times .

Realization immediately dawned in Zac's eyes , but he still felt a bit skeptical as he looked around . There were massive vistas in all directions , so if they were actually standing on a beast it would have to be as big as his island .

There are beasts as large as planets swimming around the vast cosmos , so why not ones as large as mountains? - the demon shrugged with disinterest when he saw Zac's face . - I’m more interested in how we redirect a big bastard like this . -

Zac’s scrambled for ideas as well , but there was only one doable solution he could think of .

If we find the equivalent of this guy’s brain we might be able to give him a shock great enough to turn , - Zac ventured .

Sounds as good as any other plan , - the demon agreed . - We can just blast the brain into mush if it doesn’t work . I guess that this thing is the target as well . -

Probably , - Zac nodded .

It might seem preposterous to kill something as large as an island , but it didn’t seem too hard to Zac . They had already done something similar with the Ayr Hivequeen . They were essentially ants to this thing and could freely make their way into its body to cause havoc . It wasn’t like this huge thing could stop them either , just like Zac couldn’t stop bacteria from running around inside his body .

It took the two some time to orient themselves , but they soon managed to confirm the hypothesis that they were standing on an enormous beast . The Ancestral Avoli had eight legs , each like a mountain of its own , and an oblong body . They were somewhere in the middle , and they figured its head was in the direction the Avoli moved , so they quickly set out .

They found nothing of value on the beast itself , just a bunch of beasts living off of the body of the titan . The bodies of the parasites were worthless as well , and they only served as target practice . But that was just fine with Zac as he had been itching to fight in his Draugr-form for a while .

It was finally time to test his new skills .

Chapter 417 - Vanguard of Undeath

Zac's eyes were trained on the sea of parasites that came pouring out of their burrows and he calmly stepped forward as he activated his set of passive skills . A billowing cloud of miasma spread across the area and covered the ground , which elicited an annoyed grunt from Ogras who started to move away in disgust .

Zac could only shrug apologetically , knowing that the skill in his current form affected his allies as well , or at least his living allies . He would have to experiment some more if he ever got some undead companions .

The thousands of parasites didn't seem to care about the miasma though , and they rushed toward the two without hesitation . The situation was a perfect opportunity to Zac , and he activated Vanguard of Undeath] for the first time . A storm of miasma immediately exploded out from his body , which in turn attracted the attention of all the beasts .

Even most of those who had been running toward Ogras changed their course as they seemed intent to take him out first as if their lives depended on it . They flooded toward him like a tide , but Zac didn't worry in the least . He was more interested in the changes that took place to his body .

His vantage rapidly changed as he felt himself grow , and he bones in his body creaked and groaned until he was standing at well over three meters tall . That was just one of the changes though , and Zac couldn't help but marvel at the others . His frame had received a huge upgrade in not only height but also bulk , and he stood his ground like a massive tank .

He wanted to check out his muscles for a second , but it was impossible due to the other addition the skill had brought forth . His whole body was covered in a thick medieval armor that ran in black and turquoise , created by extremely dense layers of miasma .

Even his equipment had been transformed by the skill . Everlasting] had grown to match his increased size , and the circle of fractals in the middle had changed color from white to turquoise to match the details in his armor . Was this the effect of the Neprosium being able to incorporate almost any attunement?

Even Verun's Bite] had enjoyed an upgrade , though it seemed that his Axe couldn't be infused in the same manner as his shield . A massive Fractal axe had instead formed over it , a grisly bardiche that was tailor-made for his hulking frame . The haft was almost two meters long and ended in a sharp spike .

The axehead was one-sided and slightly larger than what felt normal for such a long weapon , with its massive half-moon edge having a diameter of at least a meter . If it had been an actual weapon it would no doubt feel completely unbalanced , but it felt perfect in Zac's hand as he took a step forward that made the ground shudder .

An annoyed growl echoed in Zac's mind , and he realized it was Verun that didn't seem all too happy to be covered in death-attuned energies . A thought struck Zac and he simply put Verun's Bite] away in his Spatial Ring , and the miasma axe thankfully stayed on without a physical base . It did however seem a bit faded until he brought out his axe again .

He could soon confirm that Verun wasn't actually harmed by the death-attuned energies , but it was more akin to being close to a nauseating odor . Zac could only impose on the Spirit Tool for now until he found a better solution . Perhaps he would have to invest in a Death-Attuned axe sooner or later anyway .

Power coursed through his whole body , and a glance at his status screen gave him a start . All his attributes apart from Luck had gained a solid 10% increase , pushing his power to another level . It wasn't as great as the buff from Hatchetman's Rage] , but judging by the modest consumption of miasma he would be able to maintain his current form for the better part of an hour without a problem .

Increased attributes , increased size , impervious armor , and a massive weapon . Zac felt like an invincible tank after having activated Vanguard of Undeath] , and he immediately started slaughtering the parasites . Each swing of his axe cause a ghastly wail to echo across the battlefield , and corpses of Avoli Parasites were launched dozens of meters from the force of his momentum .

But Zac only had time to swing his axe a couple of times before his Danger Sense pricked in his mind .

The next moment a handful of shadowlances flew up toward him and his mind froze by the unexpected ambush . The required movements were long ingrained into his body though , and his arm automatically moved to intercept the strikes with Everlasting] before he even had time to question what was going on .

Ahh! What are you doing! - Ogras screamed with frustration shortly after as a spectral projection stabbed at him as retaliation for the shadowlances .

What am I doing? - Zac grunted in annoyance as he turned toward the demon , but froze for a second when he heard himself .

He sounded like a real devil , where his voice had sunk to a register that shouldn't be reachable for humans . There was also the chill of death to it , giving it an extremely terrifying cadence .

Is this your new skill? - the demon said with complaint as he shot out another handful of shadowblades , half of which were aimed at Zac .

I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about , I used a skill to transform . Can you stop attacking me? - Zac growled in annoyance as he crushed the spears with a swing of his miasmic axe .

Do you think I want to? Your skill messes with my senses , it’s like you’ve given me tunnel vision . I try to hit the damn beasts but I somehow end up targeting you anyway , - the demon said with frustration written all over his face .

Only then did the true effect of the skill dawn on Zac . Vanguard of Undeath] had a taunting function? This was something that had been a huge problem with his class before , at least until he got Profane Seal] .

To strike Zac in his Draugr-form was to slowly kill yourself due to the combination of Deathwish] and Zac’s massive Endurance . But why would anyone hit him if they figured that out? They could always flee or target Zac’s allies instead , forcing him to stomp around by himself .

But it looked like Vanguard of Undeath] at least partly shored up that deficiency .

Ogras reluctantly started helping out by testing the limits , and they found that it did not just work on ranged skills . For example , when Ogras used his movement skill he accidentally ended up closer to Zac rather than further away a couple of times , which would have allowed Zac to launch a strike if he wanted .

There were limits to the efficacy of the skill though , and Ogras got better and better controlling his actions as time passed . After struggling for a bit over a minute he managed to essentially rewire his brain as he described it , where he intentionally aimed off-keel to circumvent the effect of Vanguard of Undeath] .

But a whole minute in a battle between elites was the same as an eternity , and it would give Zac multiple opportunities to destroy his enemies . Zac also quickly learned that he could control the effect a bit , and reducing the area he taunted lessened the mental strain on him .

Conversely , the area he could cover if he strained was pretty massive , and he realized he could easily cover the whole cage he created with Profane Seal] . So if he managed to trap his target he would essentially be able to force a fight .

The skill worked even better with the brainless parasites as long as he kept his taunt active . They heedlessly threw themselves at him with even greater fervor than the battleroaches back in the Underworld . They unleashed barrage after barrage of attacks on either his armor or shield , but the strikes barely left a scratch in his current shape .

Spectral parasites kept appearing one after another as strikes against his new armor would activate Deathwish] just like strikes at his body . Large pockets of carnage were simultaneously carved out by his miasmic axe , each swing taking out over five of the beasts without him even infusing the axe with a Dao .

He quickly realized he had some control over the spectral axe , though it wasn’t as convenient as Chop] . Still , he was able to elongate the handle by another meter , and the edge could grow to be almost as tall as a full-grown person .

Along with his increased size he had suddenly tripled his range and strike zone , which finally allowed him to mow down his enemies by the handful rather than one by one as he did with Unholy Strike] . He realized that skills like Deforestation] or Winds of Decay] were still far superior to clear out a large number of enemies , but it was still a pretty convenient boost .

Zac almost felt drunk with power from using his ultimate form , as this truly was what he expected from his ultimate strike . The only thing missing was a pair of wings like the ones Ogras got , but he guessed that wasn't really on theme for an Undying Bulwark .

Better yet , this was only the first of his two new skills . Zac was about to try out the second one as well , but he suddenly stopped himself as he turned to Ogras .

You might want to back away from the battle , - Zac said . - I think my other skill might target you as well . -

And you’re not just trying to mess with me? - Ogras muttered , but he still flashed away to spectate the battle on a hill far in the distance .

The miasma in the area started to churn and swell as Zac fused more and more of his stored miasma into Undying Legion] , but he was shocked to realize that the skill still kept craving more even after having imbued the fractal with a third of his miasma . It actually gobbled up half of his stores before the skill was satiated .

This was a shocking cost , more than twice compared to Profane Seal] . It was to the point that Zac started to regret trying it out on these trash parasites rather than saving it for a real battle . But it wasn’t like he could refund the miasma so he could only keep going .

One shape after another started to rise from the hazy shroud created from Fields of Despair] . They were humanoid skeletons who shone with sinister energy , and Zac felt their power was comparable to pretty strong peak F-Grade warriors judging by their auras . Figures kept rising until over a hundred of them stood in formation , creating a small army .