Defiance of the Fall

It’s a bit extravagant , but it is a good option to have . It doesn’t have the cool-down like the escape function of the Spatial Gate Array] , meaning you never need to worry about being stranded on some desolate planet , - Abby said .

Is the escape function as expensive? - Zac asked .

No , that function is free . You just need to set up a base array somewhere safe , - Abby explained .

Zac immediately decided he would put it in his cultivation cave , and had Abby make the arrangements . With the layers of arrays that place had become even more fortified than his compound , and he could empower the protections even further with the new arrays available in the store .

More importantly , only his sister , Abby , and Triv knew the exact location of that place , making the risk of sabotage lower . The Spatial Gate Array] was pretty amazing all-in-all and something that he didn't even know he needed until now .

Even if the instant escape function was used up he would still be able to construct a mobile Teleportation Array . It did mean that he would need to walk around with more Nexus Coins than he anticipated , but the Auction should take care of his lack of funds soon enough . Zac wondered what this thing could be worth , and he opened his Town Shop menu to see if it was available there .

You don’t need to look . This isn’t something available in the Town Shop , no matter how much of the inventory you unlock . It only contains Base Arrays . In fact , you shouldn’t rely on those arrays too much . There are extremely effective Array Breakers readily available in the Multiverse for every single array in the shop , - the Stargazer snickered .

What? - Zac exclaimed . - So they’re useless? -

Well no . They might be useless against invasions of advanced enemies who have done their research about your defenses , but they work just fine against weaker foes and beasts . It’s not like anyone on Earth can get their hands on those kinds of siege tools right now , - Abby explained .

Zac sighed in relief , but he was still worried about the future . It felt like he was buying a door lock that everyone had a master key for . It wasn’t like forces like the Underworld Council and the New World Government were the enemies he was worried about , but rather the more advanced forces that might make their way to Earth in the future in search of his secrets and wealth .

That was years away though , and he would have ample time to construct individualized defensive arrays . Kenzie might even be able to adjust the store-bought ones so that they wouldn’t be so easy to break open with standardized solutions .

Worrying me for nothing , - Zac snorted . - What about the second reward? -

Nothing as exciting , but still something of use to you . It’s an upgradeable puppet army , - Abby said . - They can both defend your lands autonomously , or you can control them with an adept array master . Your sister could use them instead of those cursed items she seems to like . -

How strong are they? - Zac asked .

There are 1000 Soldiers , each equivalent to Early E-Grade , with 3 leaders at Middle E-Grade . They should be able to keep most forces of Earth at bay for the foreseeable future , - the stargazer explained . - I haven’t summoned them all yet as you need to pick a spawn Zone . -

Is that one of them behind me? - Zac asked as he pointed at the unmoving golem standing in the corner .

Just so . I took one out to make sure I understood the reward . But now that you mention it , an Administrator without any guards is highly irregular , - Abby said .

Just keep it , - Zac snorted before he considered what he could do with an additional army . - Can I bring them to the Mystic Realm? -

Pure power wouldn’t cut it in the Mystic Realm judging by what he’d heard so far . Half the battle would be exploring the research base to find the Dimensional Artifact , while securing your base from the other factions . That was an endeavor that was manpower intensive , and he would feel much better about sending a bunch of puppets into the depths of the Research Lab rather than the Valkyries and his soldiers .

No , you can consider them a defensive structure . You can send them out by themselves , though they work best in squads under the three leaders , - Abby explained , dashing his hopes .

How big an area can they guard autonomously? - Zac asked with some disappointment .

An island of this size wouldn’t be an issue , - Abby said without hesitation .

Zac asked a few more questions , until he understood the function of the puppet army properly . He eventually decided to keep two of the armies in Port Atwood while sending the last one to Mystic Island to protect against any further sabotage . He could change the composition in the future though , allowing him to protect the settlements that were more important to Port Atwood .

You said they're upgradeable? How do I upgrade them? - Zac probed .

You will have to ask the golems over at the shipyard . The System has connected the puppet army to them , which is good news for you . Any upgrade they do will be of a much higher quality than a standardized solution , - Abby said .

Zac's eyes lit up when he heard the Creators would be in charge of upgrading them . They might turn out pretty weird after Karunthel got his spider-hands on the puppets , but their offensive capabilities would probably be extremely impressive . He had to head over there later , in either case , to see about the possibilities of upgrading the shipyard .

One item which will freely allow me to return to Earth , another that will allow me to protect the town while I’m gone? Do you think the System is sending me a message? - Zac said as a joke after instructing Abby where to set up the puppet armies , but he was surprised to see that the Stargazer agreed without hesitation .

Of course it is , - Abby said as matter of course . - The System wants you to become stronger , but this planet is holding you back . The best route of you becoming a powerhouse is to spread your wings , so I wouldn’t be surprised that the System calculated the most pertinent rewards to help you become stronger were those that allowed you to leave . -

Zac shrugged , not sure if he believed Abby’s explanation or not , but the gifts were indeed exactly what he needed . The Spatial Gate Array] was especially valuable , as it would allow himself and his companions to escape certain death in many situations , and it would be useful all the way until he reached C-Grade and started traveling beyond the Zecia Sector .

Since he was already there he asked the Stargazer to update him on the state of things , but he quickly felt himself being submerged in a sea of data he didn’t understand . Abby quickly caught on and slowed down , and finally stopped narrating altogether .

The day-to-day running of a force isn’t something the leader bothers with . Are the elders of mighty Clans or Sects busying themselves each day with diplomatic issues and crop yields? No , they are cultivating . You don’t have a younger generation to deal with this for you , but you do have me and many other promising administrators , - Abby said .

Zac knew that was true . The patriarch or sect leaders were never the most powerful people of a force , but rather something that could be considered middle management . They were powerful enough to command respect , but they only ran the day to day operations . The real decision-makers were the elders who either traveled the sector for opportunities or were secluded in cultivation in hopes of breaking through .

That wasn’t to say that those positions were useless . The sect leader did have access to most of the resources of the force , and they were in a far better position to break through in the future . Most of the grand elders of a clan had probably been the clan leader for a couple of millennia once upon a time .

This was probably also why Abby was pushing for Zac to be such a hands-off boss . She had clearly evolved since they met last time , no doubt benefitting from having almost free reins when running his force . He would have to put in some checks and balances soon though , but some pilfering of public resources was pretty much bound to happen .

Of course , there were limits to everything .

How are criminals dealt with today? - Zac asked out of the blue .

Thrown out of your sphere of influence or killed , depending on the severity of their crime . You don’t have any dungeon at the moment , though you might want to consider building one . They are usually an effective deterrent against criminals , - Abby said . - Your army is keeping the law at the moment . -

Julia wants to set up a proper Law Enforcement Section for Port Atwood . What do you think about that? - Zac asked .

Most sects and clans have some sort of Law Enforcement to keep the rabble in check , - Abby said with a bob . - How they deal with transgressions vary wildly between forces . That girl seems capable enough , but she would need someone more powerful to help enforce the laws . The leader of the Law Enforcement Hall of a Sect is usually one of the strongest cultivators around . They have to be . -

Zac nodded in agreement . Just Julia wouldn’t be enough . His first choice would be Ilvere , but he was already in charge of the Army . But on further thought , Zac felt Janos might be a pretty decent choice . He didn’t speak much , but he was as powerful as Ilvere while having a skillset extremely suited for incapacitating without killing .

He left the government building soon after and made his way back to his courtyard . The festivities in the town had only grown during his talk with Abby , but he was too tired to join in on the excitement . He found a drone mentioning that Kenzie had left for Mystic Island to work on the tunnel there . It was for the best with the cultists acting as they did .

The chance of him being able to steal one of their entrances felt slim at best , especially after the New World Government already had done so once . So he instead spent the next day in rest , working on restoring his body . The worst of his burns were healed by that point , making him look like a boiled lobster instead of a grilled chicken .

The wound from breaking open his node was healing nicely as well , though Zac had only just started redrawing his pathway . Zac guessed would need another week or so to return to 100% , but that didn’t mean he needed to sit around in his courtyard . There were a lot of things he could do , some of which he had put off for too long already .

Zac somberly left his courtyard and walked over to the teleportation array . He took a deep breath before he stepped onto the array and he appeared at the top of a small hill covered in flowers a few seconds later . It was his first time coming to this specific island , the only prison of his archipelago .

The secluded island where Hannah and David lived .

Chapter 531 : Peace

The island might be the only place where Zac held a captive , but it looked like a paradise rather than a dungeon . A vibrant array of colors spread across the hill as flowers covered almost every inch apart from a small path . It wasn’t wildflowers though , but rather a meticulously arranged garden that stretched from the teleportation array down into a field below .

If that was all it wouldn’t have been too surprising , as getting flowers to bloom was infinitely easier now that there was Cosmic Energy in the atmosphere . What actually surprised Zac was that the flowers seemed to contain a hint of the Dao , and together managed to form an elusive Dao Field .

Zac couldn’t tell what it was as it was just a weak hint at the moment , but if given time it might grow into something impressive . He slowly walked along the path , spreading out his own Dao of the Bodhi to get a sense of what was going on .

From what I’d heard about you I would have thought that your aura would turn my flowers into dust rather than fill them with happiness , - a voice drifted over from a tree to the side , causing Zac’s heart to lurch . - But your Dao almost feels like that of a farmer’s . Or perhaps of a forest elf? -

Part of Zac's reaction was because he recognized the voice , but part of it was that Zac actually hadn’t sensed David at all as he sat beneath the poplar at the edge of the forest . He had utterly blended in with the surroundings , causing Zac’s senses to pretty much register him as another shrub or something .

Zac still felt some nervousness as memories of the meeting with David during his Tribulation flashed through his mind . However , it was a completely different David who sat beneath the tree and enjoyed the rays of sun that managed to make their way through the thick foliage .

He wasn’t disfigured for one . He still had a bunch of scars , but they were only thin white lines on healthy sun-tanned skin , much like the ones Zac had before he evolved his Race to E-Grade . There was also not hatred and blame in his eyes , but rather an almost eerie tranquility .

Zac couldn’t help but wonder just what had happened to the boisterous man during his months on this island . Or had the previously energetic personality already died from being captured by the cultist? Or perhaps it already happened during the Tutorial when Izzie died?

There was only one way to find out what went through his head , so Zac deactivated his Dao and walked over with a smile .

It’s called the Dao of the Bodhi , and it comes from the Seed of Trees and the Seed of Sanctuary , - he explained , not hiding anything . - I actually have a class related to nature , though I focus more on fighting . -

That explains it , - David said as he handed Zac a fruit from a basket next to him . - Taste it , I grew these myself . -

Zac looked down at the fruit that looked like a red plum before took a bite , mostly out of courtesy . A sweet taste almost exploded in his mouth , making Zac wolf down the rest of the fruit in a second .

This might be one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten , - Zac said with wide eyes , not exaggerating at all .

The fruit wasn’t quite as tasty as the Fruit of Ascension , but the plum wasn’t actually a spiritual fruit . It contained a weak hint of Cosmic Energy , but so did everything else in this day and age . The taste must have come from something else , like how it had been nurtured by David .

It’s my first harvest , - David smiled as he handed Zac another one . - Months of work for 29 plums . The next harvest will be bigger though , and I believe the fruits will be even tastier . -

Zac ate the second one with a lot more reserve , but he actually stopped halfway through . It was nice sitting here like this under the rustling trees while gazing at the fields of flowers . But it was not why he came here .

… I’m sorry , - Zac sighed . - I’m sorry about you getting captured because of me . I’m sorry about putting off visiting for so long . -

You shouldn’t carry the blame for the deeds of others , - David said with a shake of his head . - And I know you have your hands full . We’re all just scraping by here in the apocalypse . At least now I’ve found my path , and I am at peace . -

You know , I have a few islands that specializes in farming , and a spot on the main continent that has Spiritual Soil . You’re welcome to head over there if you want if you need seeds or just experiment with various ideas , - Zac offered .

Perhaps I will one day . But I feel I still have a lot to gain by staying on this island . Besides , I don’t want to leave Hannah here all alone , - David smiled . - Both Izzie and Tyler passed away during the Tutorial , so there’s only the two of us still alive of the old gang . There’s no point in going back to Greenworth either . We have to stick together . -

Zac didn’t take offense that David didn’t include him in his list of 'the gang' . He had just met Hannah a few months before the integration , whereas the four of them had been friends since the first grade . As for him not going back to Greenworth , it was no surprise .

Port Atwood had long since gotten a pretty good overview of who was alive and who was dead or missing around the world thanks to their cooperation with the Marshall Clan . It had already been confirmed that both of David’s parents had passed away during the first chaotic month , while his big brother and cousin had passed away in the very same Tutorial that Kenzie was part of .

There was nothing really connecting him to their old hometown any longer , just like how it was with Zac .

It was the same for most people of Port Atwood . With only a tenth of the population of Earth surviving the Integration most had lost their whole families . A few lucky ones had been able to help their households move to Port Atwood or another city under his control , but most were left alone in this new reality of theirs .

It was a cause of concern as quite a few people were suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress on the island . The few therapists on the island had their hands full , and there were all sorts of supports group for those who had trouble acclimatizing .

However , there was undeniably something about cultivation that changed you to your core . Perhaps it was the increase in Intelligence of Wisdom that made your mind stronger , or perhaps it was the effect of their ruthless reality , but a surprising number of people were able to bear the mental strain just fine . They kept moving forward while the people around them were dying left and right .

Zac himself was a prime example of that . Someone who had gone through so much bloodshed and near-death experiences over the past years should be a broken mess by now . But he honestly felt fine , apart from exhaustion that could be felt all the way to his core . Even the fact that his ex-girlfriend tried to murder him just a few short months ago barely registered on his mind .

… How is she? - Zac asked .

Not bad . Not great . She doesn’t like this island as much as I do . But I guess she agrees that it beats prison , - David said with a wry smile . - We… are dating . -

That’s good , - Zac only nodded in response , not surprised in the slightest .

The two of them shared a deep history , and they had survived the Tutorial and everything else together . Besides , something was almost bound to happen with only two people marooned on an island with just the occasional visitor there to drop off supplies . It was either start dating or turn on each other .

It’s her who planted these flowers around the array , though I made the pattern . I think she sees the arrays as the door to her cell , and she wanted to hide it in beauty . -

Do you blame me for sending her here? - Zac asked .

No , - David smiled as he looked across his fields . - She was under the influence of that infiltrator , but she was ultimately exploited because there was a character flaw to exploit . Luckily , you survived , or she would have been a real sinner of Earth . -

Zac sighed as he looked out across the flowers , not sure what to say next .

Come , let me show you what I’ve done so far , - David finally said as he stood up , and Zac was relieved to see him walking with neither a limp nor needing some sort of cane as he did in the vision .

The two toured the fields and the pruned forest that David spent his days tending , mostly talking about things of lesser import . Zac described some of the races and odd things he had encountered during his visit to the Tower of Eternity , and David spoke about his life on the island and his insights into the various plants he cared for .

The longer they spent together , the more Zac felt that David reminded him of someone else ; Abbot Everlasting Peace . Not in their manner of speech , but some sort of mental tranquility that made them one with their surroundings .

However , Zac didn’t feel that David had become one with the universe and taken the first step on the paths of Karma or Samsara , but rather that he had become one with nature . Zac was the one with a mid-tier Nature-aspected Dao Fragment , yet it felt like David was the one who was more in tune with the plants around them .

Zac even asked David about it , but he didn’t have any real answer . He only felt that it was a natural result of persistence , and being wholehearted in his desire to grow and connect with the plants . David said that he believed that everything had a soul , or at least the potential for birthing one , in this new reality of theirs .

There was an important truth in there , something that Zac felt might one day become extremely important in his own cultivation . The matter of sincerity toward the Dao , something that he felt that he was currently lacking a bit . He had made amazing gains to his understanding of the Dao over the past year , but he wouldn’t say that he was sincere in his interest .

He had worked so hard on the Daos in order to get stronger , rather than having a desire to delve deeper into the mysteries of the universe . He honestly didn’t care all too much about trees or coffins , but rather the power the fragments represented .

But that might become a bottleneck that kept him back in the future . He was just scraping by , reliant on treasures and lucky opportunities to shore up his weakness . Zac felt he would need to find some sort of common ground with his Daos sooner or later , and he felt that taking a hint from David was an important first step .

He slowly his Dao Field once more , but he let energy naturally seep out of his body as he tried to connect with the fields around him . And he had to admit that David was onto something . It felt like many of the trees were living and the energy inside them responded to the touch of his Dao .

You see , - David said with a smile , somehow understanding what was going on .

Their stroll soon took them to a small hill by the sea some distance from the teleporter . On top of it stood a beautiful farmhouse surrounded by flowers . It almost looked like something out of a fairy tale , with the glistening sea and rustling plants creating an extremely soothing atmosphere .

However , Zac wasn’t able to completely immerse himself in the beauty as his eyes were trained on something else ; his former girlfriend who was currently tending to a small patch outside one of the windows of the house . She wore a simple dress that somewhat reminded Zac of the Amish , but there were lines of fractals lining the hem .

Zac guessed that it was something that his sister had sent over , as he doubted that the Demons would be so accommodating . Hannah looked up when she heard them approaching , a small smile on her face . However , the smile immediately froze on her face when she saw Zac standing next to David . Zac only looked back at her , surprised at how calm he felt inside .

The same couldn’t be said for Hannah as she hurried back inside the building with her head hanging low . The door slammed shut , leaving the two of them outside . Zac was a bit surprised by the violent reaction , though he guessed she might be afraid that he was coming here for revenge .

I’m sorry , - David sighed . - I guess she’s not ready to face you just yet . -

It’s fine . We can talk another day , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - Tell her that I don't carry any resentment for what happened . -

It was true that Zac didn’t mind not being able to talk things through with his ex . He had mostly come here for David rather than Hannah , as he was a victim while she was ultimately a perpetrator . Seeing that she looked fine was enough for him , as it allowed him to erase the image that had built up in his mind since the Heart Tribulation .

Zac was just about to leave , but David suddenly spoke up after some hesitation .

Wait , before you go . Hannah wrote you this some time ago , but she never sent it out , - he said as he took out a sealed envelope from his Cosmos Sack . - I think she would regret it if you just left like this though . -

Zac accepted the letter , and a movement in the periphery caught his eye . It was Hannah who looked at them from the second story of the small house . Their eyes met once more before Hanna sighed and shook her head . She receded further into the room , while Zac turned toward the Teleportation Array without another word . He felt a sense of serenity , but also some lament as he walked through the fields , the beauty of the island barely registering in his mind .

Peace because he finally faced a fear that had been buried deep in his heart , and sadness because it felt like yet one more of his scant few connections to the past had been severed .

Chapter 532 : Upgrading the Shipyard

Zac looked down at the letter in his hand as he walked the last stretch toward the array , but he eventually put it away unopened and unread . He didn’t want to ruin the state he was in right now , and he took one last look at the world David had built for himself and Hannah .

David had said something that stuck with him as they walked along the fields . He said that the world had become extremely terrifying , but it had also become far more beautiful . David had chosen to focus on the latter , which was what had turned this island to such an amazing place .

It was true . With the Dao unlocked the world had fundamentally changed , like a bleak tapestry having been given color and meaning . Wasn’t the quest for meaning something that so many struggled with before the Integration? Searching for an understanding of the universe and what their place was .

Now it was actually possible .

Over the past year he had just run from one goal to another , desperately clawing himself forward in his pursuit of power . But that wasn't any way to live . He would eventually crash and burn if things continued this way , or he would at least end up with a shaky understanding of the world around him . It wasn't that he needed to ignore all the things that needed to be done , but he also needed to find some joy in his life .

This was the mindset he needed to remember , along with the sincerity he needed to nurture as he kept working on his Dao Fragments .

Zac took one last breath of the enticing mix of aromas before he activated the Teleportation Array . He also bought a comprehensive set of upgrades to the Arrays put in place by his sister . It would take decently strong E-Grade beast a lot of effort to break through the barriers , and Zac would be instantly warned anywhere on Earth .

He briefly considered adding some Farming Arrays to the island as well , but he eventually decided against it . David wasn’t looking for efficiency or actually farming for profit . He was rather cultivating his heart and his mind through farming , and arrays wouldn’t help with that . He left the fields as they were , not putting his thumb on the scale any further .

However , Zac didn’t return to his compound but rather decided to tour his domain for a bit . Visiting Abby had reminded him how long it was since he had seen the day to day operations of his force , and now was as good a time as any to check things out .

He visited the farming islands first , but he was surprised to see that the scale actually hadn't increased over the past months . Zac asked a foreman what was going on , and learned that most of the herb production had been moved to either his own island or the large Spirit Soil Fields on the main continent .

The old farming island was mainly used for growing high-quality crops for the people of Port Atwood now , rather than Spiritual Herbs for cultivation .

It was a step in the right direction in Zac’s mind , as it showed that people were not only thinking of surviving and getting stronger . People were no longer living day to day , and didn't just plant what would grow the fastest . They were rather growing rice and all kinds of vegetables to improve their quality of life , while simultaneously providing them with greater profit .

He could see the same energy in the towns that were studded along the archipelago , though some of the verve no doubt came from the fact that the Incursions had finally been closed . A massive harbor had sprung in Refugee Harbor unbeknownst to him , and he could spot dozens of boats sailing out on the sea , likely to catch fish or search for valuable herbs underwater .

All kinds of shops had cropped up as well , real businesses started by people . Strong-looking warriors walked down the streets as well , seemingly returning from monster hunting ventures . Most of them carried the insignia of Port Atwood , meaning they were part of his army , whereas others looked like free cultivators .

Zac felt that it really wasn’t a coincidence that humans littered the Multiverse . They were resilient creatures that could adapt so quickly to such a drastic change of their lives . Or perhaps that was a too generous a conclusion . With only around 10% of all humans remaining , one might rather say that those unable to adapt had long perished .

In either case , it felt extremely gratifying to walk through the bustling streets , his real identity hidden with Thousand Faces] . He had already arranged a secondary set of credentials with Adran , a Port Atwood inspector which gave him blanket access without having to expose his true identity .

He soon continued from the local cluster of towns to the various alien towns he had snatched out of the hands of the invaders . However , he quickly realized that most of them were little more than outposts who would be hard pressed to do much more than act as scouts for any threats . He had multiple mines and fields standing empty , with no personnel there to extract the resources .

He needed more people . That was the biggest takeaway he got after making the rounds . Thankfully , he shouldn’t be as hard-pressed to attract talents as when he had to sell himself with the help of Sap Trang in the market of New Washington . There should be millions of people willing to relocate to one of his towns .

He finally made a series of jumps that took him to the small outpost at the edge of the unhabituated continent . It had surprisingly grown to a proper town by now , and Zac saw quite a few molemen walking the streets . He found the local mayor , a human administrator who worked under Adran , to find out what was going on .

It turned out that Westbound Harbor had turned into a massive trade hub in the short time since it was established . It still wasn’t possible to freely travel back and forth between the two continents as there were still the cultists roaming about . Of course , it was not solely a security issue , but also a financial one .

There were still massive untapped resources in the underworld that were almost worthless to its inhabitants , while they lacked some things that existed in abundance on Pangea . It would be foolish to not take advantage of this opportunity , so Port Atwood allowed people to travel here from the underworld to trade with their own merchants .

These merchants would then head over to the other continent , to unload the inventory before returning once more . It was exceedingly lucrative , but Zac snorted when he saw how nervous the Mayor started to become the more Zac asked about the situation . A short interrogation later had netted Zac a shocking 200 million Nexus Coins that the administrator had gathered through bribes and skimming Port Atwood's coffers .

It wasn’t that much compared to the massive wealth Zac controlled at the moment , but it was still shocking how much one single person had managed to take for himself in just a few months thanks to the lack of oversight . He really needed to set up a proper organization to take care of issues like this .

The mayor obviously couldn't stay on , so Zac released his aura in the government building , which immediately alerted the guards staying put . A squad of demons appeared a few seconds later , but they visibly relaxed when they saw it was Zac who had appeared rather than some dangerous threat .

This guy has proven a bit greedy . Have someone new take over . Remind the next mayor about the value of moderation , - Zac said to the guards , who nodded as he sneered at the despondent administrator .

Zac also asked the guards on duty about whether they had found anything of interest on the continent , but there were nothing at all for at least four days’ travel inland . There were just endless dunes . However , initial estimations put the continent at least half the size of Pangea , which meant there were ample room for multiple climate zones .

Some day he would travel further inland assisted by his flying treasure , but not today . He had some breathing room before he needed to enter the Mystic Realm , but not to the point that he could map such a massive place . He instead returned to his courtyard before he started walking toward the Creator Shipyard .

This was one of the things Zac had looked forward to since getting the Iliex Shipyard as a reward , though upgrading the shipyard had gone down in priority somewhat since he got his hands on his flying treasure . But equipping his army with proper Flying Treasures would be a huge boon for his force in general , as long as he could stomach the price .

Zac soon arrived at the shipyard and headed straight into the Liaison’s office . Rahm stood behind a reception , like he had been expecting Zac’s arrival . Of course , knowing this particular Creator it was just as possible that he had simply stood there without moving for a couple of days .

Lord Atwood . Congratulations on your evolution , - Rahm said with his usual staid expression .

Thank you , - Zac smiled . - Is Foreman Karunthel here? -

About time you came to visit , - a rumbling voice snorted as Karunthel emerged form the depths of the building . - Didn’t you evolve almost two weeks ago? -

I’m sorry . There’s just too much for me to do , - Zac said with a wry smile . - You don’t happen to have a clone technique that can allow me to get more stuff done? -

Takes a certain aptitude to make the most of clones , and I’m not too sure you have that kind of aptitude , you little brat , - Karunthel laughed , not seeming all that miffed about being forgotten .

Well , it was just a joke , - Zac said , though he couldn’t help but feel a irritated about the low evaluation .

It really felt like he would have to work a bit on his image . Everyone seemed to think that he was just an unkillable brute swinging his axe around . Certainly , it was mostly true , but he still wanted to be known for more than just that .

Are you here about upgrading our facilities , Lord Atwood? - Rahm asked , conveniently giving Zac an opening for the real reason he came .

Yes , exactly , - Zac nodded . - You said I could upgrade the shipyard after I evolved . Is the process automatic , or do I need to pay a price - ?

Not so fast , kiddo . I am supposed to come up with some sort of quest for you before we can release the good items , - Karunthel mused .

We already have instruct- - Rahm tried to interject , but he was silenced by a wave of one of Rahm’s legs .

How about this . Being stuck on this desolate rock is causing delays to my experiments . I am lacking some materials that I cannot get my hands on here . Bring me what I require and we’ll process the upgrade for you , - the foreman decided .

This is not- -

This is not an unreasonable request indeed , thank you Rahm , I know , - Karunthel said as a dense aura spread out throughout the lobby .

Only then was Zac reminded that the spider golem in front of him was no doubt a D-Grade being , and not an early D-Grade warrior either . His aura was far beyond that of the Technocrat Captain that almost got him killed , and Zac could barely breathe in front the suffocating pressure . Rahm didn’t look affected at all though , keeping his neutral expressions .

However , he seemed to relent to the demands of his boss as he only sighed and took a step back .

That’s better , - Karunthel smiled as the pressure disappeared . - Here , get me these things . It might be a bit challenging to gather them all , but I’ll add something extra as a reward . -

Get you what? - Zac asked , but he soon understood what Karunthel was talking about as a quest prompt appeared in front of him .

Materials for Karunthel (Unique , Limited) : Acquire 100 Kilograms of Urgarat Flakes] , 1 kilogram of Realm Locus] , 1 living Ferric Worldeater] , 1 Daemonic Manastone] Reward : Upgrade Iliex Shipyard to Early D-Grade . 1 Custom-Designed Early D-Grade Vessel . (0/4)

Zac read through the quest , his mouth turning a bit upward as he felt like he had just gotten a standard fetch-quest from a MMO game . The problem was that he didn’t recognize a single one of the materials . The last two seemed to be pretty rare , as they only needed one of each . The demons might havesome clues about the last one , but the third item seemed exceedingly troublesome .

How am I supposed to catch something that eats worlds? - Zac asked with a grimace .

They're not as dangerous as it sounds , - Karunthel laughed . - Well , not the young ones , anyway . -

Where can I get these things - Zac asked , hoping to get a running start on the quest .

Sorry , can't give any clues . Finding the items is half the challenge , - Karunthel said , his smile widening even further .

Zac couldn't help but feel that the creator foreman was messing with him a bit , but there wasn't much he could do about it . He would have to inquire with someone more knowledgeable , like Brazla or Calrin . It felt a bit difficult , However , Zac was more interested in the rewards right now .

What’s this reward at the end? - Zac asked with anticipation .

It’s a reward for completing the quest . We’ll be able to provide a flagship vessel for your force , and I’ll be in charge of it myself since you’re helping me out , - Karunthel explained . - I’ll build it based on your specifications . -

D-Grade vessel . A Cosmic Vessel? - Zac said , and he couldn’t help but look up at the sky through a window .

Don’t get your hopes up too high , brat , - the foreman snorted . - I only make good things , but it is still an Early D-Grade vessel . You will not be able to explore the whole Sector in that thing , but you might be able to visit neighboring planets as long as they're not too far away . -

What about the customization? - Zac asked .

The reward has a set budget , - Rahm said . - It cannot excel at everything for the quoted price . -

You could skimp out on the spatial arrays and focus only on offensive capabilities , turning it into a slow-moving mobile fortress . Or you could do the opposite , making a scout vessel that can reach further into the cosmos , - the foreman added . - Just figure out what you want to use the thing for , and I’ll whip up something nice . -

Chapter 533 : Non-lethal Lethality

A keening cry echoed out across the jungle as Zac swung his axe in one lightning-quick motion , his abyssal eyes keeping track of the streams of life inside the target . However , the massive boar didn’t fall apart into two gory slabs from the swing as one might expect , but it rather just seemed enraged .

A deep cut had appeared on its flank , and while it was freely bleeding down on the forest floor it was far from a grievous wound . With the high Vitality of an E-Grade beast the wound would soon enough heal by itself without any intervention .

Kill through a non-lethal cut , - Zac muttered as he dodged the boar’s charge .

He had been walking around the jungles surrounding the former volcano over the past five days , fighting for a couple of hours while spending the rest on cultivation in his cave . He knew that any potential progress before the Mystic Realm closed its doors was limited , and he tried to make the most of it until Kenzie managed to crack open the tunnel .

The most obvious solution he could think of was gaining Blighted Cut] , a skill that would hopefully improve his offensive capabilities in his undead form . He needed a mainstay skill in the vein of Chop] , and this might just be it . Walking around in nature like this would also allow him to bond with nature for lack of a better word , trying to incorporate the lessons he learned from visiting David .

But completing the quest was proving more difficult than expected , though he was making decent inroads . The wound in the boar’s side had already turned into a sickly dark color , and the beast shook from the pain .

This effect solely came about from infusing his blade with the Fragment of the Coffin , as this was the only method he could think of to complete the quest . He had already tried killing an evolved beast the same way he killed Vul , the Barghest alpha , all those months ago . He had inflicted a shallow wound that blinded a panther before tricking it into impaling itself on a sharpened log that he had prepared .

He had technically killed it with a single non-lethal cut that time , but the System wasn't impressed . That meant that his initial guess was more likely , that he needed to use his Dao to kill the beast . Considering his class the most likely suspect was obviously Fragment of the Coffin , and the boar was just the latest experiment .

The wound had already been inflicted , so he didn't swing again . Zac strained his mind to connect to the wound instead , trying to impose his will upon it . It actually worked , and the wound kept getting worse instead of closing itself .

This was a method he had devised after discussing the Dao with his sister . He had already come to terms with the fact that his control over the Dao was pretty bad , and he probably wasn’t going to form any Dao Arrays like those Catheya described anytime soon . But he had also realized that there were more ways to make the most of your mental energy than just using fine control .

Kenzie had told him of the various ways she used her Dao infusion when fighting . Jeeves had taught her various ways that she could maximize the efficiency of her Cosmic Energy and Dao , doing as much damage as possible for as low a cost as possible . For example , when she shot the fireballs that seemed to bounce from head to head between her targets , it wasn’t the skill’s work .

Her skill was just a normal fireball , as basic as they came , but it changed with the help of her Seed of Tinder . It only managed to bounce around like that because she controlled her Seed of Tinder to move toward the next target from a distance , and the skill kind of just followed along if she controlled things just right .

Zac never used the Dao like that when it came to Chop] for example . He just crammed a bunch of Mental Energy into the fractal edge before he launched it at his enemies . But he understood now that he didn’t actually need to disconnect his soul from the strike immediately , though it did free up his concentration for other things .

That was what he was doing now with the strike against the boar . He was trying to use the corrosive elements of the Fragment of the Coffin to worsen the condition of the beast , turning a non-lethal strike lethal . He urged his mental energies festering in the wound to spread toward its heart , to enter the bloodstream , to fight off the natural resistance of the animal . Anything that could kill it .

But he suddenly felt a pang in his mind , and the connection was broken . It was the natural resistance of an evolved being that booted the foreign intruder , and Zac knew that the wound would start to close if he didn’t do anything .

The attempt was a failure , but Zac still didn’t feel disappointed .

He had managed to hold the connection longer than his last attempt , and at a greater distance as well . He was quickly understanding that it wasn’t really a matter of control or skill , but it was more akin to learning to use a limb you didn’t know you had . A bit more and he would get there .

Then again , Zac understood that maintaining the Dao inside his enemy was only part of the requirements to complete the quest for Blighted Cut] . There was also the issue of causing enough damage , which was as much an issue of understanding his Dao and his target as it was about maintaining its effectiveness .

His first attempt had simply been to keep the wound festering as long as possible in hopes that the beast would succumb that way . However , he quickly learned that maintaining a status quo wasn’t enough , and it was a losing battle . The mental energy infused into his strike was only so strong , and it would be slowly whittled down by the natural defenses of his target .

So he couldn’t just run out the clock , but he needed to proactively push his skill forward . This was where his own limitations came in , as he simply wasn’t able to turn the Dao into fine strands that burrowed toward his intended targets like some sort of designer poison . He could only push it in the general direction , just like he pushed the massive clouds of energy forward during his Dao Discourse .

But Zac was surprised how big an impact this simple action had . The previously shallow cut had quickly turned into serious festering wounds that would ail the beasts even after his mental energy had been routed .

The boar roared in pain and anger as it charged Zac once more , but a chain shot out from his back and punched a large hole in its forehead . There was not much point in practicing at the same target over and over , as the beasts quickly learned to resist his attempts .

But that was fine as there was no lack of beasts in the enormous forest , and Zac guessed that hundreds broke through to E-Grade every day right now . With the cultists gone and the defensive towers destroyed , the only threat to the beasts was the flock of birds from the mountains .

It felt like Earth in general was fast reaching a tipping point , where millions of peak F-Grade beasts finally broke the shackles of their inferior bloodlines and took the next step on the path of cultivation . The beasts had always been a step ahead of the cultivators since the integration , and the humans were fast approaching peak F-Grade as well .

That was great news for Zac , though killing level 76 beasts weren’t all that beneficial for his cultivation either . However , it did provide him with a seemingly endless supply of targets to practice both his Dao and his control over Love’s Bond] .

Any Spirit Tool created by the Divine Investiture Array] was supposed to be a perfect fit for his needs and something that would be able to follow him in his cultivation until the end . He needed to become better at using it , and not only relying on his axe .

Doing so would not only improve his overall strength , as using both his spirit tools at the same time wasn’t a problem , but it might even give him a greater understanding of both his classes and his cultivation path .

It was probably the best he could do for Alea as well . Just hanging around his neck day after day wouldn’t challenge her spirit . Spirit Tools grew and were refined through battle , and only through being used could they bring out their full potential .

The boar fell to the ground with a thud , but Zac didn’t bother harvesting the meat since it was tainted by him . He only extracted the two tusks as they might be of use for the craftsmen on Port Atwood , before he shot out a chain that latched onto a tree in the distance . The beast was left where it was , its meat turning into a feast for the other beasts in the region .

The trees flashed past Zac with a dizzying blur as the chains pulled him forward with extreme momentum . He almost felt like a certain superhero as he flew through the forest toward the domain of the next E-Grade beast he had marked for target practice .

Using the chains as a mode of transportation was something he had already dabbled with since fighting the dragon , and he was quickly becoming more accustomed to it . With Love’s Bond] he could also use real and extremely sturdy chains rather than the flimsy spectral ones that the Cultist Bishop effortlessly had cut apart with his flames .

He still wasn’t fast as when he walked with the help of Loamwalker] , but it was still a huge improvement for his Draugr side , which was previously a slow-moving tank . It looked a bit embarrassing though , like he was being dragged around through the jungle like a ragdoll . Then again , he had long discarded any semblance of cultivator’s dignity in favor of pragmatism , so this was nothing to him .

Zac kept working on his coordination and his strikes like this over the next two days , slowly making progress in how much damage he was causing with a - non-lethal’ strike . Better yet , he would no doubt be able to apply these insights to his other Daos and his other class in the future .

Most of his time was still spent in the Cultivation Cave though , sitting inside his Soul Strengthening Arrays while going over his insights . The array pretty much ran on its own by now with how used Zac was getting to the feeling , and he could both ponder on the Dao and work on repairing his pathways while cycling his Mental Energy .

It was a bit like working while being severely sleep-deprived though since the array was siphoning his mental energy . He made quite a few mistakes and was forced to redraw the pathways many times , though it was still a lot more efficient to multitask than just sit around waiting for the array to finish .

Another interesting thing he had learned about the array was that he was actually making better progress when swapping his race in the middle . However , the benefits only appeared when he sat as a Draugr in the life-attuned side and as a human in the death-attuned .

It was like the stark contrasts helped reinforce the effect of the array , which resulted in a larger number of clashes and his soul getting strengthened and purified to a higher degree . One full cultivation procedure still took around 10 hours even when using E-Grade Crystals to power the array , but the improvement he saw while swapping his races was double a normal circulation .

That meant that he was almost three times as efficient compared to his first try , getting 28 hours’ worth of cultivation done in just ten hours . There were probably even greater gains to be had in the future as well , though Zac guessed any future improvements wouldn’t come quite as easily .

He had ordered a couple of D-Grade attuned crystals from the Sky Gnome to see the effect , but the cost of that was a bit extravagant even for him . It would have to provide a huge benefit to motivate spending over a hundred million Nexus Coins every day . For now , he made do with just E-Grade crystals as he was still mostly focusing on short-term benefits and upgrading his skills .

Zac was currently fighting some sort of mutated cat that was as big as a rhino . It looked extremely cute even with its size , with two enormous eyes that stared straight into his . The beast suddenly turned into a blur , and Zac barely had time to block a furious swipe toward his throat by using the flat side of his axe .

The beast unsurprisingly excelled at Dexterity , and Zac tried multiple times to inflict it with a wound without success . It was like trying to hit a cloud , where the cat was just a blur . It was almost as bad as when he fought Faceless 9 back in the tower , though the cat didn’t have that man’s lethality .

It wouldn’t have been hard to kill the thing with the help of Deathwish] , but that wasn’t his goal . He instead activated Vanguard of Undeath] and grew to a towering behemoth almost reaching four meters . The transformation added around half a meter to his height after reaching middle proficiency , while also increasing the thickness of the plating of his miasmic armor .

More importantly , it increased the power of his taunting effect , and the cat suddenly rammed straight into him by mistake when it tried to pass him by . Zac took the opportunity and delivered a shallow cut in its side , eliciting a pained yowl from the beast . It scrambled out of the way as Zac stood rooted to the ground , keeping his focus on the skill .

Zac instantly pushed the mental energy further into its body , like an army performing a blitz to attack its enemy unaware . The natural defenses of the beast were quickly roused , but Zac was like a steamroller as he pushed his energy toward its organs .

This was the one .

Chapter 534 : Blighted Cut

The enormous feline had become utterly enraged by Zac's attack , and it even seemed that the shallow wound had emboldened it , making it think that was the limit of Zac’s capabilities . It shot forward over and over , its claws trying to rip through his armor . However , the cat couldn’t get through the thick plating , allowing Zac to completely focus on his quest .

His abyssal eyes were trained at the nimble form , his eyes clearly seeing the vibrant life-force rousing in the beast’s body to combat the virulence of his strike . It was like witnessing the clash between white blood cells and a virus with his own eyes . However , he was actually able to impact the battle with his mind .

A small headache throbbed in his head as he pushed his concentration to the max , and it look like a surge of death stormed toward the innards of the beast . The cat stumbled on the ground , thrashing in pain from the invasion . Zac felt adrenaline in his body spike , but he still kept his eyes peeled on the animal .

There was some hesitation in Zac's heart about subjecting such a stunning animal to such cruel treatment . However , Zac quickly pushed those discordant thoughts out of his mind as he knew that this thing was anything but a docile house-pet . He had seen carcasses of almost a hundred animals as at the edge of this thing’s domain .

Their bodies had been utterly mutilated before they were left to rot . The cat seemed to enjoy hunting and torturing animals for sport , even when it didn’t require food . This , along with the fact that it was at least level 85 , was why Zac marked it for death the moment he would start trying to complete his quest in earnest .

Most of the kills until now had been for training , whereas Zac saved the beasts that met the requirements of his quest for when he felt he had made enough progress to try for the quest again . He found this animal three days ago , and he would immediately have executed it if it wasn't because he needed some more practice first .

However , the shocking cruelty that this cat had displayed toward its prey wasn’t something unique for this specific E-grade beast , though it was a bit more excessive than most . Beasts seemed to grow more ruthless and aggressive as they evolved , with even herbivores gaining a thirst for blood .

Things on Earth would probably be a bit chaotic over the coming years . A second wave of bloodshed would assault Earth’s settlements with aggressive beasts trying to take everyone out through starting beast tides like the ones that the System sometimes conjured as a quest . The forces who had survived until now thanks to not having any close-by Incursions to worry about would probably fall by the wayside , while powerful warriors would emerge from the surviving towns .

Things would calm down when D-Grade beast kings emerged , as they were intelligent enough to not mindlessly attack human settlements . They instead set up their kingdoms deep in unclaimed territories , where no humans would dare enter . Even better , they kept their subjects in check , lessening the number of beast tides .

Only at that point could Earth be considered to have been fully integrated ; when the energy infusion of the planet was finished , and a balance between races , forces , and beasts had been reached .

But for now , there could be no peace with the animals . If Zac didn’t take out this beast now , then it would probably target the people who moved to the town next to the volcano . It had already been determined that the volcano itself was a unique natural treasure that produced something that calrin called an Earth-Fire , a spiritual flame that was extremely beneficial for craftsmen .

Blacksmiths in particular would be able to both increase the quality and quantity of their crafts with the help of the volcano , and it was no coincidence that the zealots nurtured the massive insignia inside the magma itself . If Zac could set up a bunch of smithies here then it was just a matter of time before someone like the Craftsman Brazla would emerge within his sphere of influence .

So all potential threats to this area had to die for the future of his force .

Zac pushed his energy more and more , though it felt just as frustrating as during the Dao Discourse . It was like he was trying to move the clouds with his bare hands , and it was slow and arduous work . However , the cat had entered a frenzy from the pain , discarding its survival instincts in favor of taking Zac down with it .

Sparks flew across the area as the beast slammed into his armor over and over , and trees toppled as the air itself was split apart from its attempts to tear him apart . Some puncture wounds even started to appear across Zac's body as the beast managed to bite through his sturdy armor , but Zac didn’t care as he did everything in his power to boost the corruption .

Finally , he succeeded in what he had tried so many times before . The corrosive energy managed to take hold in the cat's heart , and its heartbeat rapidly started getting erratic before the whole organ ruptured . The beast yowled on top of its lungs from the pain before its survival instincts finally overrode its bloodlust .

It tried to flee into the jungle , but it had lost its coordination as many of its muscles had turned into a rotten mess by now . A deep thud echoed across the jungle before Zac felt a surge of cosmic energy . However , he wasn’t happy with the result as the stupid thing had actually gored itself on the trunk of a tree it had felled earlier .

Zac quickly opened his quest screen and sighed in relief when he could confirm that the quest actually had been completed even with the abrupt end to the cat's life . He guessed the System passed him because the thing was just a walking corpse with its heart being ruined , and there was no way it would survive even a minute longer .

He wouldn't look in the mouth of a gift horse though , and Zac instead smiled with anticipation as a fractal appeared on his left forearm .

Blighted Cut] actually took the exact same spot as Rapturous Divide] , though the Skill fractal itself obviously looked completely different . He immediately activated it since he was in a perfect spot to try it out , and he was surprised to find that it was a toggled skill just like Deathwish] or his mental defense skills .

A small but constant stream of energy entered the Skill Fractal , and he looked around to see what the skill did . He didn’t feel stronger at all , and no avatar appeared to fight for him . But he soon heard a corrosive sizzling on the ground , and he found that his axe was slowly dripping a grey liquid that seemed to seep out of the weapon itself .

The scene made him worried for Verun , as the Tool Spirit had shown some apprehension to some of his skills before . However , there were no complaints from the spirit tool at all , meaning it wasn't hurt or uncomfortable . In fact , the same was true for when he used Vanguard of Undeath] .

He had been forced to use another weapon before to conjure the massive black bardiche , but after Verun had swallowed the Dragon Core it had no problem to stomach the corrosive and deathly elements of his skills .

Eager to try the effect of the liquid Zac quickly walked over to the closest tree , and simply pushed the edge toward the bark . The sizzling sound of corrosion quickly emerged from the point of contact , but that was the least of what happened . Ashy-grey tendrils spread across the tree with impressive speed , and it only took four seconds before the tree fell apart .

Only a minute later was the tree a rotten mess on the ground , with almost nothing remaining intact . Zac wasn’t done there , and he transformed Love’s Bond]to its backpack form , and four chains emerged like snakes . Zac suddenly felt his miasmic consumption increasing by a large degree , and he wasn’t surprised as he looked at his other spirit tool .

The whole coffin had gained a temporary upgrade , just like how Verun turned into a massive Bardiche . Love's Bond] still looked like a coffin , but instead of being child-sized it turned into a massive box that reached almost three meters tall . It was a lot wider as well , and it completely blocked his whole back like a turtle shell .

Zac had already tried it out before , and he knew that a similar effect would happen when he used the weapon in its shield form . The difference wasn't as startling there though , as Love's Bond] was able to adjust its size to match his increased stature by itself . It only gained another protective layer from Vanguard of Undeath] .

The increase in miasmic consumption obviously didn't come about from this change though , but rather that he had activated Blighted Cut] . Each of the chains was dripping with the corrosive liquid all along their length , though the links themselves weren’t hurt in the slightest . Each of the chains already contained a hint of corruption , but even Zac felt some trepidation when he looked at the chains now .

Even he would probably be in some danger if an enemy came at him with this kind of set-up .

Just attacking a tree was obviously not enough to get a proper gauge of the limits of his new skill , and he spent the next hour like a god of death in the jungle . Anything he targeted was turned into a rotting goop before he moved on . It utterly ruined the bodies of the beasts , meaning Zac probably shouldn't use it when hunting for valuable bodyparts .

Zac had first thought he had gained a supercharged version of his Fragment of the Coffin , but he quickly learned that wasn't the case . He couldn't combine Blighted Cut] with skills like Deathwish] , Profane Seal] or Winds of Decay] , though it was fine together with Vanguard of Undeath] and Unholy Strike] .

The skill rather provided him with a way to deal real damage while skills like Deathwish]and Profane Seal] restrained his enemies .

As for the lethality of the skill , it went without mention . Nothing under E-Grade could withstand a single strike , even when he didn’t empower the corrosion even further with the Fragment of the Coffin . A simple scrape when lashing out with Love’s Bond] was enough to condemn them to a bout of excruciating pain before they died .

The only animal that survived more than half a minute was the massive rhinoceros Zac was currently fighting , but that wasn't because of it having some sort of immunity to his skill . He had caught it with two chains of Love's Bond] , keeping it in place . It had tried to run the moment he saw Zac , but it was currently utterly unable to move .

Zac had just attacked anything he came across until now , but he wanted to see the effect of the skill while just restraining an enemy . Zac quickly realized that the effect was clearly worse when he didn't draw blood . There was still a sizzling sound across the rhino's thick hide , but it didn't immediately turn into a pile of rotting meat . It meant that the skill acted more like a venom than an acid , which has an important distinction .

However , that wasn't the real surprise as Zac felt a startling feedback from the skill the moment the beast was caught . Zac immediately followed his instincts and infused the skill with more Miasma , and his eyes widened when three blades of the corrosive liquid appeared out of nowhere around the rhino , each shooting into the beast from a different direction before it had a chance to react .

They each hit the animal simultaneously , and Zac gaped when he saw that the animal didn't even have time to cry out in pain before it had turned into a black pool of goop on the ground . The blades had not only cut the animal apart into six pieces , but it had infused every piece with a terrifying amount of poison .

The blades had appeared for less than a second before they were gone , and Zac barely had time to see them . However , he still had goosebumps on his arms from the terrifying aura they emitted . It felt like just a graze from those things could kill just about anything .

It was a truly sinister skill . Not only did it continuously inflict enemies with a shocking virulence , it even had some sort of execution that only worked when the target was trapped . Perhaps it was a hint of what the future held for his Fetters of Desolation class . Zac quickly looked inward at the skill fractal , and he wasn't surprised that the skill went on cooldown after activating the final strike . Not even the passive effect worked any longer , meaning Zac would have to be careful about using the execution preemptively in the future .

The skill itself wasn’t as flashy as Rapturous Divide] , but Zac was still very happy with the result . It was extremely lethal , which shored up one of his weaknesses in his current class . He was lacking in offense , which turned every match into a drawn-out slugfest . Between his coffin and his new skill , he would probably be able to take out E-Grade enemies even faster as a Draugr compared to as a human .

His human form was still superior to his Draugr side in large-scale combat though as he didn’t have any way to properly attack large hordes with Blighted Cut] . The situation was fine with him though , as he had always felt it a good idea to allow each class to have its own specialty apart from just being based on different elements .

Zac had finally reached his goal of completing his class quest , but he still didn’t leave the jungle . He had spent the last ten days almost solely as a Draugr , but he had some things to do here in his human form as well . He had already felt that spending some time in this jungle as a Human might benefit some of his skills , and that idea had only become stronger after meeting David .

So Zac swapped over to his Edge of Arcadia class and started clearing out a perimeter around the volcano . However , he only had time to battle for less than 30 minutes before someone tried to contact him through his Communication Crystal .

Are you free? Thea and Billy are here , they need your help , - Joanna said through the crystal .

Chapter 535 : War Council

What? Are Thea and Billy okay? - Zac asked with worry .

They’re fine . They arrived a while ago , tried to enter the Inheritance . But the Tool Spirit is blocking them , and not even your sister couldn’t change its mind , - Joanna explained . - He’s also being a bit… like himself . -

Zac groaned and immediately took out his flying treasure , quickly returning to the volcano . Joanna waited for him there , and they teleported to his private courtyard as it was closest to the Towers of Myriad Dao . However , he barely had time to exit the teleportation house before he saw a massive form appear in front of the Dao Repository .

It was Billy , who must have evolved his skill . He was almost as tall as some of the smaller towers , reaching roughly 15 meters into the air . His club looked like something used to smash mountains , the skull on its end having a diameter of at least 5 meters . Worry gripped Zac’s heart as he activated Loamwalker] , leaving Joanna behind .

Had the Tool Spirit annoyed Billy to the point that he was gearing up to destroy the whole Dao Repository?

It wasn’t that he was worried about the repository itself . It was probably a peak D-Grade Spirit Tool , and nothing that Billy would be able to destroy no matter how much he wanted to . He was more worried about the retaliation from an insane Tool Spirit . There were D-Grade golems inside from what he had gathered , meant to be the challenge to open up the higher floors .

What if Brazla released them upon the town as punishment?

HAHA BILLY WINS! - a massive roar echoed across half of Port Atwood as Billy jumped high into the air while stretching his weapon toward the sky .

Between the jump and the length of the club they reached a bit higher than the tallest towers , and the whole square shook when the giant landed again .

Stupid golden ghost thinks he can be bigg- -

Billy didn’t get any further though before Brazla’s massive form appeared in full splendor above the Towers of Myriad Dao , accompanied by his signature golden radiance . The avatar was well over a hundred meters tall , and it looked down upon Billy and Port Atwood like a god standing in judgment .

An ant dreaming of matching the sky , - a rumbling voice echoed out across the area , and Zac’s eyes widened when he saw that Brazla was about to blast Billy with one of his lightning bolts .

WAIT! - Zac roared as he appeared in front of the towering giant . - Calm down . What is going on here?! -

Billy looked down with surprise , and he started to shrink again after throwing Brazla a glare .

Golden boy said Billy and Thea was small , so Billy proved him wrong . He still needs a good thwonkin’ , - the giant snorted .

Zac wryly smiled before he turned to Thea who had appeared close-by as well .

You weren’t lying about the Tool Spirit , - she said , a few veins popping out on her forehead . - He makes Big Blue feel like a true gentleman . -

I know , - Zac said with some resignation . - What’s the problem here? -

These two talentless ants tried to enter the trial without adult supervision , - a haughty voice echoed out from the gates as the massive head in the sky disappeared .

The gates swung open the next moment , and Brazla along with an exasperated Kenzie walked out .

I already told you Thea and Billy would come to take the trial , and you said that you didn't care , - Zac sighed . - What's changed? -

That was before I saw what kind of wretched beings that you wanted to waste The Great Brazla's gifts upon . Why don't I just send two pigs into the inheritances that my creator so arduously gathered? The effect will be the same , - Brazla snorted as his back bent further and further back until the Tool Spirit was almost looking straight up into the sky .

Zac inwardly groaned when he saw that Brazla was in his most haughty mode today for some reason . He only took that insane power-pose when he started to refer to himself in third person and his annoyance factor maxed out . Zac knew he could probably force the thing to make way if he wanted , but he was afraid that Brazla would mess with the trial if he did something like that .

Simultaneously , he could feel killing intent leaking from Thea , and Billy's brows were crunching together until they almost formed a unibrow .

How can anyone enter the eyes of the Great Brazla? - Kenzie cajoled from the side . - We are just scraping by on this desolate rock , trying to glean a fraction of the wisdom from the Great Sage . Surely The Great Brazla wouldn't hold back on this little bit of wisdom? I am sure my brother would improve your surroundings as a thank you for your magnanimity . -

The tool spirit froze , and he slowly returned to a normal standing position , his eyes slowly turning toward Zac .

. . . What do you want me to build? - Zac said .

The Great Brazla have noticed your little spectral servant scurrying about lately , moving trees and planting flowers . His efforts are barely passable , and this great sage will allow him to create a natural spirit gathering formation around this domicile , - Brazla said as though he was giving Zac a favor .

You want a Spirit Gathering Array? - Zac said in confusion - Why? -

Brazla might act like a cultivator , but he couldn't actually cultivate . Increasing the density of the Cosmic Energy in his surroundings wouldn't help him in the slightest , and it would just make the direct area around the repository slightly worse as the energy had to come from somewhere . However , he immediately regretted his question when he saw the Tool Spirit gearing up for some insane tirade .

Never mind . A Natural Spirit Array , right? I'll have Triv set one up as soon as he returns from his mission , - Zac said . - So , they can enter now? -

Fine , though The Great Brazla still feels that his gifts are wasted on these two . At least the little bird , - Brazla lamented . - The dumb brute seems to have found the resting place of his ancestor , so it might be a bit more apropos . Well , The Great Brazla is a gracious master and an even more gracious host . Enter , and witness a glimpse of greatness . -

… Wow , - Thea just said as she passed through the gates , and Zac inwardly sighed when he saw she was still fuming .

I’m sorry Billy , - Zac said to Billy who still blared at Brazla . - He is a bit mean , but you can be the bigger man here and let it go . -

Mama always said to forgive those who don’t know better , - the giant said with a snort as he entered as well . - So Billy will forgive the stupid ghost . -

You look better , - Kenzie commented from the side . - I heard from Ilvere you looked a bit- -

Disgusting , - Brazla cut in . - You should understand it reflects poorly upon The Great Brazla if you walk around town looking like a burnt piece of dung . Have you no shame? At least you waited to heal up before you dared present yourself in front of me . -

Well , if you unlocked the E-Grade skills I wouldn’t be such a wretched state after every battle , - Zac snorted .

You’re welcome to try the trial if you’re tired of living , - Brazla said with disinterest as he conjured a mirror , blocking him from seeing Zac . - That’s better . -

Zac sighed and looked away . He really wanted to access the skills locked away in the repository , but he wasn’t ready . The trail to open up the second floor was to defeat at least one Half-Step D-Grade Golem , meaning someone at the same level as Anzonil , the Array Master he met during the Hunt .

If it was just a peak E-Grade Golem , then he would probably have tried his luck , as he was somewhat confident in taking it out as long as he went all out . However , the D-Grade was a quantitative leap that far surpassed that between F and E grade , and he didn't want to burn his chances . He only had one shot on the trial , and if he failed then he would have to wait for one of his subjects to get the job done .

Certainly , a Half-Step D-Grade Golem was ultimately not a true D-Grade golem , but it should still be far more powerful than a peak E-Grade warrior . Zac was currently hoping to reach the point where he could challenge the trial before he left Earth to continue his cultivation so that he could arm himself with a few additional skills .

But for now , he would have to do with the things that were already unlocked .

Thea stood in the distance , gazing up at the enormous statue of the Blade Emperor . His face was obscured by a wide-brimmed hat , but the focus was still the massive blade that was stabbed into the ground in front of him . It radiated a terrifying sharpness , eclipsing the insights of his own Dao even though it was just a statue . Of course , the sharpness was hollow without true meaning , just like everything else in this place .

The Marshall Scion clearly wasn’t in any mood to stay here , as she flashed away after taking a few calming breaths .

STUPID STATUE MAN! I'LL THWONK YOU THIS TI- - a roar suddenly echoed out through the hall .

Zac immediately turned toward the source only to see Billy flying toward the head of the statue depicting the Titan . However , Billy was thankfully swallowed by the Inheritance teleporter mid-flight before he could do any damage .

What the hell . . . - Kenzie muttered from the side , and Zac couldn't help but worry that he had made a mistake letting Billy enter that place .

Can you see what’s going on inside their trials? - Zac asked as he turned back toward the Tool Spirit .

Perhaps I do , perhaps I don’t . The heaven’s secrets are not so easily divulged , - Brazla said trying to adopt a mysterious air , but only came off as condescending .

Well , can you tell me about the blade Emperor and the Titan? What kind of people were they? - Zac asked .

The Titan was a dumb brute who kept causing trouble . He came to my master to have him forge a set of defensive treasures , - Brazla said . - The small mountain of muscles you brought should do just fine . -

Zac sighed in relief , as he felt like Billy and that guy would be two peas in a pod . Besides , someone like that would probably not have a convoluted trial . However , his relief only lasted as a weird smile spread across Brazla’s face .

As for the Blademaster… A lunatic who married his sword , - Brazla snorted before he shot Zac a mocking glance . - Be careful you don’t end up like him . He was a friend of master and a talented swordsman , but he died a laughingstock and his wife was sold at an auction soon after . -

Zac coughed and didn’t deign to comment on the Spirit Tool’s snide remark , and he walked out before the Tool Spirit had time to make any more remarks about Alea .

Since Zac was back in Port Atwood he felt that he might as well head over to the Soul Strengthening Array for the day , waiting for the two to come out . He had spent the better part of a day inside , though their trials could take anything from a few hours to a few days . It was up to whatever the creator of the Inheritance had decided , and Brazla wasn’t any help there .

However , Kenzie held him back before he had a chance to walk away .

Wait , I was about to call you anyway , - Kenzie said .

What’s wrong? - Zac asked as he stopped in his tracks .

Nothing . We just got a message from Nonet before . They asked if you could join the Zhix War Council for a meeting tomorrow? - she asked .

Of course . Are the jammers completed? - Zac asked .

They’re up and running since a few days ago , - Kenzie nodded and took out the three black pillars . - Do you want to prepare the armies? -

Have the elite squads get ready , - Zac said after some thought . - We shouldn't need the whole army for these fights . We'll only target one hive at a time , and there's no lack of Zhix warriors who can make up the numbers . -

Kenzie nodded in understanding as Zac put away the Jamming Arrays . He had almost forgotten about the matter of the Zhix due to his hectic schedule over the past weeks . But it looked like he had run of time to play around in the jungle . It was a bit of a shame , but he still had accomplished his main goal over there , and he could work on his skills in other places as well .

However , he didn’t know how long he would be gone after joining the Zhix war chariot , so he needed to finish up with his other tasks here in Port Atwood first .

Oh , and Calrin said he had found something you looked for , - Kenzie added .

Really? Already? - Zac said and he immediately changed his plans .

He had immediately visited Calrin about the Shipyard Upgrade quest after having talked with Karunthel a week ago , and things had looked a bit bleak at first outlook . Even the knowledgeable Sky Gnome had only heard of half of the required materials , and it was the two most common ones .

But had the little gnome suddenly come through for them and actually gathered the items ahead of schedule? It should either be that or he had finally unsealed and cleansed the hundreds of Cosmos Sacks Zac claimed after the battle outside the Tower of Eternity .

In either case , he was about to gain a windfall , and his steps got quicker and quicker as he walked toward the Thayer Consortia .

Chapter 536 : Sincerity

What an asshole .

She knew that Zac had warned her of this Brazla , but she was still fuming after the encounter . However , she knew that part of the reason she got so angry was that the words of the Tool Spirit were getting to her a bit . The image she had nurtured of herself had been cracking over the past weeks .

Waking up in the tutorial had been horrifying , but also exhilarating . Her life had lacked any drive and goals before , with everything she could dream of readily handed to her . But she suddenly found herself at the edge of life and death , and she had excelled . The pixies had called her a once-a-millennia genius , and her performance compared to the other tutorial takers echoed that remark .

She even had the Apex Trainee] title to prove it . Not a single human on Earth had performed better than she had . But was that enough?

Zachary Atwood had initially crushed her confidence with his monstrous power , but she had eventually come to terms with the fact that some people were just beyond comprehension . However , her genius' halo kept taking one hit after another as the months passed . There was Inevitability who could only make her feel despair , then the undead , and finally the cultists .

She had pushed herself beyond her limits , but it wasn't enough .

Were the pixies just humoring her? Or was the title of a millennial genius on a god-forsaken planet just worthless? So hearing Brazla utterly disregard her like that had dug at those insecurities , and those insecurities had turned to anger . However , that anger was quickly exchanged with vigilance as she appeared in the Inheritance Trial .

Just what had happened here?

It looked like she had arrived at a compound where a battle just had taken place . She stood in a massive courtyard full of training equipment , but the hundreds of dead bodies were a clear indication that something had gone terribly wrong if this was just an exercise . The corpses were fresh , and the pools of blood still hadn’t dried out . However , there were no sounds of fighting anywhere , meaning that the battle was over .

It had obviously been a one-sided slaughter as well , as every single corpse wore the same type of robes . It was likely a sword-sect judging by the weapons in their hands and the insignia covering their backs . She stood frozen for a couple of seconds until she grit her teeth and walked over to the closest corpse .

This was a test , and she couldn’t show any weakness . Wasn't part of the reason she decided to undergo this trial early to shake off her weaknesses , both mental and physical , and regain her momentum? A little bit of carnage was nothing special any longer .

She turned over the corpse and inspected the wounds , and she could immediately confirm that she had been killed with one extremely precise cut . Half her throat and her jugular were cut , and an extremely sharp energy emanated from the wound . A stabbing pain prickled her eyes just looking at the wound , and she hurriedly looked away to avoid getting injured .

Suddenly a hidden killing intent assaulted her senses , and she didn't hesitate to shoot out Petalstorm] preemptively . However , she only saw a flash of light as her weapon was intercepted and thrown back to her side .

A hidden blade , - a tired voice drifted over . - Who are you? You are not a conjuration by my demons , but you are definitely not one of that bastard’s descendants either . -

Thea immediately understood who she was talking to , but she still didn't dare to move over . That killing intent hadn't been fake . However , she at least spotted the source of the voice , sitting with his back toward one of few still-standing sections of a building .

I am Thea Marshall . I am not sure what has happened to the original creator of the Towers of Myriad Dao . It was awarded by the System to a friend of mine , and he gave me the opportunity to come here , - Thea said , not hiding anything .

Towers of Myriad Dao , - the man snorted . - That’s Brazla alright . So that old goat croaked before he could sire any descendants . A shame , but that’s what you get when looking for love in the wrong places . No wonder that insufferable Tool Spirt has had the guts to break into my sanctum . -

Thea didn't know how to respond to that , and the man seemed content to let the silence stretch out . She cursed her lacking conversational abilities , but the silence at least let her observe the cultivator in front of her . It was a humanoid male , but his skin had a yellowish tint while his eyes were amber with a thin slit , like those of an alligator .

His build was quite slender , but he was still felt extremely muscular . It almost looked like his forearms were covered in steel wires . However , her eyes couldn’t help but turn to the massive sword in his grip . Or it would perhaps be more apt to say that he cradled it like it was his only source of comfort , with both his legs and arms entwining the blade in an embrace .

Thea’s mouth opened and closed a few times , and she was unsure what would happen next . Zac hadn’t really explained what would happen inside , true to his laconic self . He just said that there would be a trial to pass , but it was up to the masters to design those trials .

I am hoping to lear- - Thea finally said , but she was cut off as the swordsman suddenly appeared three meters away from her , the massive sword in his hand .

Live or die , - he simply said as he lazily swung his sword .

It looked like the Blade Emperor was barely putting any effort into the swing , but it felt like the whole universe was splitting apart to Thea as the sword approached . Her instincts were screaming at her to retreat , to activate her life-saving skill . However , a sense of stubbornness bloomed in her heart .

This was a test . She knew it . This was the kind of pressure that guy had endured over and over as he pushed forward , and conquering those obstacles was what had allowed him to push far beyond anyone else on Earth . She couldn't keep dancing around , balancing progress with the burdens of her family .

She wouldn’t retreat any longer , she wanted to walk forward with confidence as well . She sent out a mental command , causing Petalstorm] to immediately return to its original form , a slender rapier just over a meter long . She rarely used this form any longer due to the convenience of it splitting apart , but a bunch of miniature blades wouldn’t cut it here .

The blade-master didn’t use any skill in his swing , so she wouldn’t either . She instead infused her Daos and her conviction into the strike as she met blade with blade , putting it all on the line . It felt like she was trying to keep the whole universe at bay , and her arms were immediately covered with cuts .

But she held on , refusing to relent to the strike . She wouldn't give in even if she was turned into ribbons .

Rare Class… Tempest Blade… - the Blade Emperor muttered as he looked at her , not sharing her plight in the slightest . - Passable technique . . . Above Average Strength . . . Decent control of your Dao… However… -

The monumental pressure disappeared the next moment , and her own swing was simultaneously canceled . Thea's hands were shaking from the experience , feeling that she had just narrowly escaped death . This was a true D-Grade powerhouse , completely different from anything she had encountered before .

Just a thoughtless swing contained the truth of the sword itself , making her Dao Braiding look like a child's plaything . Her emotions were in turmoil as well by the Blade Emperor's comments . Her confidence had soared after hearing one positive comment after another , but that 'however' had felt like a cold shower .

Was she just a nobody after all?

Is there something wrong? - Thea asked , her heart beating furiously . - I am willing to learn and improve . -

This was the most powerful being she had met thus far , even if it was just a fragment of an old cultivator . Any insight he could provide would probably be worth more than a dozen battles or spending years in her library .

Why did you come to me if you mess about with the elements? I am the Blade Emperor , not the Wind Emperor . My path is one of purity , - he said as his aura exploded , and Thea was forced a step back from the pressure . - What is your goal? Where does your heart lie? -

Her eyes widened as his aura towered toward the sky , but what really startled her was its chape . His aura was actually a perfect copy of his sword , though thousands of times larger . Could an aura actually take a shape like that? He was truly the Blade Emperor .

I- I just want to become stronger . I wanted to hit faster , kill my enemies before they could kill me or my family . I want to become more powerful to stand at the peak . I don't want to be a nobody , - Thea said , the words pouring out of her mouth as she bared her inner thoughts . - I attained the Seed of Gale during the Tutorial and incorporated it in my blade . Was that a mistake? I heard I could fuse it with my Seed of Sharpness into a speed-based Fragment of the Sword . -

The Blade Emperor didn't immediately answer , but his eyes bore into hers . Even his pupils felt like two swords under his aura , but she shoved away any hesitation as she stared back with steely eyes .

Well , you are passable I guess . You can call me Irei , and this is Silene , - he said as he caressed his sword , and the terrifying pressure disappeared the next moment .

What? Just like that? - Thea said with wide eyes before she had time to correct herself . - I mean- -

She lost her train of thought mid-sentence though as she noticed that the surroundings had changed , the battlefield replaced with a run-down courtyard located deep in some mountain range .

I didn’t leave many things in this inheritance , but the things I left all hold tremendous value , - The Blade Emperor said with a solemn expression .

Six blades rose out of the ground the next moment before they lined up in the air in front of her . Thea’s eyes lit up when she saw the exquisite weapons . Each of them emitted both spirituality and power that far eclipsed her Petalstorm] .

They exuded quality , and when Thea prodded the weapons she even felt a sense of spirituality in every single one . She had already learned that her own weapon was barely of passable grade , with neither an attunement nor any spirituality . Its future would be limited , and she had already started looking for ways to acquire something better .

This was exactly why she had chosen this Inheritance ; the chance to gain a weapon that could stay with her as she took the next step on her path of cultivation .

Children , come out , - Irei said , and Thea's eyes widened when six projections emerged .

She couldn't believe that every single one of the six weapons had such spirituality that their Tool Spirit could emerge , though they were just small hazy projections . She believed she had a decent understanding of Spirit Tools thanks to Big Blue , and these swords should only be Early E-Grade . It meant that their potential was even greater than she had anticipated .

However , she didn't quite understand what Irei meant by children , as they looked nothing of the sort . For example , the largest sword , a massive two-hander that reeked of bloodlust , conjured what looked like a small devil . Another Tool Spirit looked like a feline predator that would probably turn into the apex predator in any forest it was placed in .

There was even one that just looked just like the sword itself , though its colors were inverted . She quickly realized that there was a correlation between the spirits and their weapons like they embodied the way the weapon was meant to be used . Her eyes moved back and forth between the six Spirit Tools , and she tried to understand which one was the best for her path .

You can choose to leave here with one of my children , or you can choose to leave empty-handed . It is up to you , - Irei said as he looked at the hovering swords , and Thea couldn't help but feel there was love in his eyes as he looked at each one of them .

She soon enough discarded three weapons that were clearly incompatible with her class and fighting style , and also the odd inverted Tool Spirit . Both of the two remaining ones looked quite strong , especially one that had a Tool Spirit that looked like a gemstone with a trapped lightning bolt . The other weapon looked a lot more nondescript .

It was a thin and slightly curved scimitar made from an elegant blue metal that would blend into the sky . Its tool spirit was a fluffy cloud , that continuously changed between a small thundercloud and an innocuous ball of cotton . The weapon didn't look as intricate as the crystalline weapon , and the tool spirit was probably the least imposing one .

However , her eyes kept coming back to it , and she felt some sort of connection to it .

You've chosen Aigale I see , or Storm's Break] as the original creator called it . It seems you understand yourself well enough , only Aigale and Naral to a lesser degree are suitable for you , - Irei said as the other weapons disappeared . - She is my eighty-fourth adopted child , and she gained incipient spirit after we witnessed a storm of such ferocity that a D-Grade force was killed to the last man . Aigale is meant to dance among the clouds , and strike without warning like a sudden thunderstorm . -

The other swords disappeared , and Thea eagerly grabbed the scimitar and cut a small wound on her hand to bind the Spirit Tool to herself . However , the moment she felt a sense of connection to Storm's Break] she also found herself trapped in a storm of extremely sharp energies . She immediately looked over at the Blade Emperor , but he only had eyes for his own weapon .

I have fulfilled my bargain with that old bastard , but our business is yet not done . Seeing a woman with a fickle heart brings up some bad memories , - the Blade Emperor muttered as a terrifying killing intent started leaking from his body .

Fickle heart? - Thea said , some anger blossoming in her heart even when she felt herself being under tremendous pressure from the sword energies around her . - I’ve never messed around with anyone’s feelings . -

Not toward men . Toward your weapon , your true companion , - the Blade Emperor grunted with disdain . - What if you treat my daughter in the same manner as that little thing you are ready to discard? Wouldn’t she lead a miserable existence if that was the case? -

What do you want me to do?! - Thea screamed as she was left with dozen deep gashes in just seconds .

She tried using her Dexterity to dodge the spiritual blades , but they were simply everywhere . Forcing her way out was impossible as well , as the intensity of the blades just increased as she tried to exit the sphere . She would perish long before getting out .

Prove your sincerity toward the sword . That is the only way for a weakling like you to leave my Blade Domain , - the Blade Emperor said . - Become one with the sword or die . It is up to you . -

Chapter 537 : Clues

Zac couldn't help but fantasize about whether the Sky Gnome had actually got his hands on one of the four materials required for the Shipyard Upgrade . If it actually was the case , then it would most likely be the first one , the Urgarat Flakes] . It was a very rare form of metal , but it was not nearly as rare as the other things Karunthel asked for .

As to why the metal was so rare , it was because it was not a natural element you could find in a mine , but rather something produced when a certain stone beast evolved to D-Grade . The beast was called an Urgarat Crawler] , and it was a creature that only lived on certain earth- or metal-attuned planets .

When it was ready to form its Beast Core and evolve to D-Grade it first created a thick cocoon from the materials it found in the ground . These materials were in turn transformed by the heavy Dao Fluctuations that were released from its evolution . One of the most common mutations was the Urgarat Flakes] , an extremely sturdy alloy .

It was in other words something you could only stumble upon by chance . You might be able to keep the crawlers as domesticated animals , but the value of the materials didn’t make up for the cost of nurturing a beast all the way to the D-Grade , so no one wasted their time on such an unprofitable venture .

The Sky Gnome did find the second material , the Realm Locus] in one of his large encyclopedias as well , though the information was limited . It was an organic gemstone that grew in places with a lot of spatial activity . That meant that they were mostly found inside mystic realms , and they contained a small amount of sealed space-time .

The gnome guessed that Karunthel wanted the gem in order to improve some spatial array for either a weapon or space flight . However , the supply for Realm Locus] was even worse than that of Urgarat Flakes] , and the demand was a lot higher as things with Spatial Attunement had a lot of uses . There were no Nexus Crystals attuned with the Dao of Space in the Zecia sector either .

Those crystals only appeared at C-Grade and above , and the Realm Locus] was one of the few D-Grade materials that could act as a substitute . It was clearly inferior to the real material , but they did not have a lot of options out in a frontier Sector .

Things only got worse from there as Calrin couldn’t make heads or tails about the last two materials , and they were forced to send an inquiry to an intelligence agency at the end . That could probably only mean that they were even harder to acquire .

The quest that had seemed easy enough to complete at a first glance had quickly turned into an arduous task , and the Sky Gnome had already indicated that Zac would most likely need to find some of the materials himself . That obviously couldn’t be done on Earth , but rather required him to travel to places where there was a chance of the items appearing .

But now , just a week later , Calrin was already calling for him , and Zac couldn’t help but getting his hopes up . There were just 4 materials he needed to find , after all , so getting just one was a huge step in the right direction . Of course , it was more likely that he had simply gotten the intelligence reports back than the materials themselves .

Zac still made his way to the commercial district as quickly as possible , but he couldn't help but stop and admire the massive transformation the consortia had undertaken since arriving at Earth . The huge compound had looked like a condemned city-block where not even beggars would stay before , but now domineering structures stood in front with opulent mansions hiding in the back .

There were also four shops now instead of one , each focusing on their respective wares .

The largest one sold armor and weaponry , most of it made by Port Atwood craftsmen themselves , and the second store contained miscellaneous tools for cultivators along with day-to-day items . There was everything from crude talismans to Cosmos Sacks to all sorts of tools required by non-combat classes .

The next store was natural treasures where you could buy herbs and pills , along with a limited supply of Nexus Crystals . The store also bought most sorts of herbs as well , and from what Zac heard they actually bought more than they sold . They also sold some foodstuffs in the store , though most foods were still sold in the open square by the farmers themselves .

The final store was the smallest one , but also the most exclusive . Only VIP clients of the consortia could enter , and it was the place with the most valuable items of every type . This was the store that Zac entered , and he was quickly shown to the highest floor by one of the clerks . Calrin appeared a minute later , sporting a dapper suit that no doubt was made from Spiritual Materials .

The somewhat impoverished image of the Sky Gnome was long gone , replaced by a man looking like a titan of industry . Of course , the effect was pretty limited with his diminutive size .

Have you found one of the materials? - Zac asked without preamble .

Alas , no , - Calrin sighed . - Though I believe I will receive word from the intelligence agency soon enough . -

So why did you call me here? - Zac sighed as he sat down .

You’ve put quite a few orders with me apart from the four materials , remember? - Calrin smiled as he took out a crystal . - I called you about this . -

Zac accepted the crystal with some confusion and infused it with some energy .

A long list of materials appeared , followed by an in-depth guide on how to create a powder that should be applied to one’s body .

Bone-Forging Dust]? - Zac read aloud with confusion before he looked up at the Sky Gnome . - What is this stuff? -

It’s a race improvement formula , see how the materials differ from anything else you’ve seen? - Calrin explained .

Zac took a second look at the materials , and something suddenly dawned on him . Not a single one of the items was a herb . It was all bones from ferocious beasts , stones , or metals . It was extremely different from the medicinal baths that the people of Port Atwood were using , as those were almost exclusively using various herbs that they grew in the Spiritual Soil .

It’s unfortunately not a recipe for the undead . Those things are just impossible to buy it seems , - Calrin sighed . - But I came across this recipe when I tried to come up with a solution for you . I believe your problems might occur because your dead body clashes with the life- and nature-attunement in the plants of a medicinal bath . But what if there’s nothing like that in the mixture? -

So you think I won’t have the same reaction with this new recipe , - Zac nodded in understanding .

Even better , you possessed more than half the materials after killing beasts in all four directions , including the most annoying component to get , - Calrin said before he produced a long shimmering horn . - And I have already acquired the rest . -

It was the Star Ox Horn] that Zac had left with Calrin long ago in hopes of finding some use for it . Back then it was one of the most valuable things in his possession , but it had quickly been thrown aside for far actually precious treasures like the Pathfinder Oracle Eye] and the Divine Investiture Array] .

He had honestly forgotten about it , but it turned out it was doubly lucky he didn't sell the opportunity to Average for a measly 1 Billion Nexus Coins . It also wasn't too surprising that the horn was used for a recipe like this , as Calrin had already found out that the item was related to evolutions . Zac felt that the gnome’s idea was pretty feasible , and it was definitely worth trying .

The worst thing that could happen was that he slightly poisoned himself once more , but he was already used to that .

You should know this , though . The only reason I managed to buy a full recipe on the cheap was that it is not too impressive . It is just one notch better than the dirt-cheap concoctions we are preparing for your army , but its cost is well over a hundredfold , - Calrin said . - And it is supposed to hurt pretty bad . So bad that it's actually possible to gain a few points in Endurance from using it . -

It’s worth some pain if I can get the benefits from it . As for cost , it shouldn’t matter either . How are we looking? Is everything unsealed and uncursed or whatever? - Zac asked .

He had waited a long time now to get a proper look at the small mountain of items he had absconded with after his massacre outside the Tower of Eternity . He had done one preliminary check just before heading over to the Undead Incursion , but he had handed over the rest of the sacks that he and Ogras had collected to the Sky Gnomes later .

The demon probably still held on to some of the benefits he had siphoned off the various scions while Zac met with Catheya , but most of the loot was in the Cosmos Sacks and Spatial rings they had taken of the bodies of the victims . However , he worried about hidden threats such as karmic links or even booby traps , something that was apparently not too uncommon , so he had hired Calrin and his ilk to cleanse them .

Truthfully , utilizing karmic links weren’t all that common in the multiverse , and it was more likely for a cultivator to plant a bomb as a final act of revenge on their killer . First of all , karmic links were easy to break , with even Zac being able to break the links of a D-Grade karmic cultivator . Stronger warriors could break , or at least obscure that kind of weak links even without the help of treasures .

Secondly , normal cultivators couldn’t utilize a karmic link to hunt down someone on the other side of the sector . It would take someone with a deep understanding like Voridis A’Heliophos or his clan members to actually make use of them , or powerful forces ready to spend the money to hire a Karmic Cultivator .

Another issue apart from traps was the seals that covered a large number of the more valuable items , anti-theft devices that were put in place to disallow outsiders to steal the secrets of their clan .

Almost all of the cultivation crystals containing manual and Skills are beyond our capabilities , but that is usually how it goes , - Calrin said with a shake of his head . - They are always guarded the hardest . However , 17 of the manuals are public manuals that are commonly known in the multiverse , and those weren’t sealed or were only using standard seals . The best of them is Warrior’s Heart] . It’s an unattuned manual that can only take you to Peak E-Grade if you're lucky , but the bonus to combat power and recovery is impressive . -

It’s meant for armies? - Zac asked , immediately understanding the use of the thing .

Exactly . It’s made for armies using traditional weaponry . I’ve heard that it is a simplification of a much better manual , but I don’t know if that’s true . In either case , it is very popular in the Zecia sector , and you’ve gathered four versions of it , - the sky gnome said .

Four versions of the same manual? - Zac asked with confusion .

Some forces modify manuals to better suit their inheritance or what weapons they enjoy . Others manage to make some adjustments to increase the power output or recovery by some degree , - Calrin explained . - You can classify a manual from being from Low Grade to Peak Grade . The original manual is a Mid E-Grade cultivation manual , but I’d say that one of the versions you got is almost High Grade . It must have belonged to a pretty powerful clan who exerted a lot of effort in improving it before . -

What do you recommend doing with manuals like that? - Zac asked .

Sell the worse duplicates , keep one or two of the best ones for yourself , - Calrin said . - You could either sell them through me or wait for the Auction you're planning on holding . I would say you stand to gain more by selling them here on Earth . There should be a lack of manuals of this kind on Earth , while they are ultimately very common in the multiverse . Besides , that way you would know what manuals your competition is cultivating . -

We’ll add them to the Auction then , - Zac agreed . - What about the rest? -

It’s too much to go over one by one , - Calrin said with an avaricious glint in his eyes as he took out another crystal . - We created a tally for you . Incidentally , the cost of unsealing all these treasures landed at 1 Billion Nexus Coins . -

Chapter 538 : Nepotism

Billy looked around curiously , but he frowned when there was nothing but fog everywhere . Still , Billy remembered Zac’s words . This magic statue was dangerous . Of course , Billy was smart enough to understand that without Zac telling . The statue was able to grow in size so much that Billy could fit inside without problem , so how could it be normal?

Zac was just trying to help though , so Billy wouldn’t point out his friend’s silly mistake . Billy was a bit confused why the statue in Zac's house made Billy so annoyed though . It was almost as handsome as Billy himself , so he should like it .

He couldn't figure it out , so he just gripped Bonker] even harder as he walked forward . Finally , there was a change in the fog as a smaller statue appeared , standing just a bit taller than Billy himself . Billy frowned at the sight , and something about this statue man was really annoying Billy as well . It felt like the statue was really asking for a beating .

Welcome , descendant . I am Thrak , the Titan . Prove your worthi- - a loud voice shouted out from the stone , but it did get any further before Bonker] slammed into its head , utterly reducing the whole statue into rubble .

Stupid stone , trying to talk like a person , - Billy said with a snort , anger smoldering in his chest .

Wait , why was Billy angry? Something about the talking stone had made Billy extremely annoyed , but he couldn’t remember why? Had Mama warned him of talking statues before? No , that wasn’t it . Billy looked down at the broken stone for a few seconds before he shrugged and kept walking .

If Mama hadn’t mentioned it , and he couldn’t remember , then it couldn't be too important .

Still , the hidden space within the big statue started to annoy Billy . Zac had said that there would be a lot of good things inside , but there were just crazy stones and mist . He kept trying to remember Zac’s other ideas , but Billy had been busy looking at the big octopus when he talked . It was a lot bigger than the ones he had seen at the aquarium , and it even had more arms .

Mama said that a lot of people thought octopuses were really yummy , but Billy had never tasted it . He wondered what Big Blue tasted like . Billy bet it tasted real good since it had so many arms . He couldn't help but drool a bit as he thought about it . Perhaps he should ask Thea if she could give Billy an arm? Big Blue already had so many .

An hour passed and Billy finally gave up on finding the treasure . Perhaps it was buried under the ground , but it was too hard to dig in , even for Billy . He took out a bed from his Magic Pouch and lay down , and thunderous snores soon echoed across the inheritance site .

You’re back , - Statue Man said .

Ah! Billy remembers now! - Billy roared in anger . - You’re the one who sent the talking stone to trick me! You’re the one who stole Billy’s good things! -

He immediately ran toward the statue , and Bonker] ripped through the air as it shot against Statue Man's head . But Bonker]'s bubbly skull was stopped by the shield , meaning that Billy wouldn't be able to destroy Statue Man today either .

Calm down . I haven't done anything to steal your good things . In fact , I've been trying to give you good things for months now , - the statue said , like Billy didn't know that Statue Man was a trickster .

But in this case , it seemed like it was telling the truth . Billy was smart , so he could tell when people were lying .

Oh , it’s wasn’t you? - Billy said with confusion . - Why didn’t you say so , trying to confuse Billy . Stupid . -

… Anyway , - Statue man sighed . - What’s going on? What talking stone? Why do I sense a familiar aura from where you are sleeping? -

Billy considered whether he should tell Statue Man or not , but he eventually decided he could use some help . Billy had been lost in the mist for too long , and he was starting to get bored . Perhaps the Statue Man could help him figure out how to dig for treasure in the hard ground . Or perhaps he was even friends with the other Statue Man .

Billy’s friend had another Statue Man , and he let Billy go inside to look for treasures . But Billy couldn't find any treasure anyway . Statues are all bad , - Billy said .

Statue Man was a bit stupid as usual , needing Billy to repeat himself multiple times before he understood what Billy was talking about . But he eventually understood .

So you’re inside a trail created from a descendant of our clan? Small world , no wonder it felt familiar . The bloodline is weak and impure , but it has undergone a real awakening , - statue-man muttered . - This is good . I can only provide you with theory through this realm , but this half-blood child might be able to help you take the first steps with your bloodline , - the statue said .

Billy has told you , Billy is human . Billy doesn't need any blood either , Billy's body is full of it , - Billy snorted .

Nevermind then , - the Statue said . - But what about treasures? There is a lot of treasure outside , but you won't be able to find it without help . So let me help you find some treasure , ok? -

How? - Billy asked skeptically . - Billy knows you can't get out . Billy won't draw the thing outside to let you free . -

How about this? - the Statue said . - This time when you wake up , you will remember me for one hour . If you shout 'Statue man , help me!' I'll be able to come out and help you , but only for 10 seconds . Any more than that might hurt me and the place where you are . -

How does Billy know you're not lying? - Billy said skeptically .

I swear on my mother that what I said just now was true , - the statue said solemnly .

Good! Billy will trust you this time! - Billy said with a big smile .

However , Billy knew now that Statue Man was a liar . He never swore on his mama when it came to drawing that thing outside . Billy had actually considered drawing it before , but now he definitely wouldn't . Some statues are just too stupid .

But first , explain to me how the trial works , - the Statue said , drawing Billy out of his thoughts .

Billy doesn’t know . Billy only saw a talking stone . It was annoying so it got thwonked , - Billy shrugged . - Then nothing happened . -

The Inheritance Trial seems to have been pretty poorly crafted to allow such a situation to occur without any fallbacks , - the statue muttered . - Well , just call for me outside , and I'll find the guy with the treasure for you . -

Billy woke up a bit later , and he actually remembered Statue Man this time , just like he said . However , he didn't immediately call for him , but rather looked around for a while longer . Billy didn't want to call that guy unless he had to . However , there really was just mist everywhere , and Billy finally gave up .

STUPID STATUE MAN , COME HELP ME! - Billy roared , and a terrifying pressure spread out the next moment .

Billy's eyes widened in shock as he looked for the threat . However , he was afraid that Bonker] wouldn't be able to help him right now . Not even that old spear guy during the hunt was as scary as this . He felt a bunch of bad feelings in his chest , just like those days he had to protect mama from papa when his mouth smelled funny .

Why had Billy cast the spell to let Statue Man out? Was it actually he who was the stupid one?

IN THE NAME OF THE EASTERN MOUNTAIN , HELP THIS CHILD - , a thunderous voice suddenly echoed out across the area , causing the whole world to shake and most of the mist to disappear .

The terrifying pressure was gone the next moment , and Billy could breathe out in relief . Statue Man really didn't lie this time and went back inside Billy's dreams .

Ah? The Eastern Mountain? - a startled voice answered from nowhere the next second , though Billy felt it was a lot weaker than the earlier voice .

Wait , what earlier voice?

Billy frowned with confusion , feeling like he had forgotten something again . Whatever , he had finally solved the riddle as the mist was going away , opening a tunnel to somewhere that shone with light . A wide smile spread across Billy's face as he hurried along , and he could already see himself decked in treasure , looking rich enough to make even the golden ghost jealous .

No stupid trial could trick Billy for too long .

However , Billy stopped in his tracks with confusion when he realized he was standing on a cliff on top of a mountain . He quickly looked back , but the mist was gone , and the flat place he had walked around in for so long was no longer there . This really was a mysterious statue to hold a whole mountain and magic mist .

Welcome , - a deep voice said , and Billy looked toward the source of the voice with vigilance , but he breathed out in relief when he saw that it wasn't another stone , but a man that actually looked a lot like Billy himself .

Hello! I am Billy . Do you have treasures to give out? - Billy said as he walked over with quick steps .

I do , - the man grinned . - A lot of good ones . Are you really a descendant of Brazla? You look much more handsome than him . Almost as handsome as Thrak himself . -

Brazla? Who is that? - Billy said with confusion . - Billy came here because Billy’s friend had a house full of large statues . Zac said that if Billy jumped into the Titan statue , then Billy would get a bunch of good things . -

Haha , that greedy bastard kicked the bucket! - Thrak roared with laughter , and the whole mountain shook with his laughter . - That's what you get for tricking Thrak! -

Billy didn't say anything and only looked at the muscular man with suspicion . He seemed a bit stupid , could he really have good treasure?

Who was it that spoke earlier? Are you really someone from Eastern Mountain? - Thrak asked with almost burning eyes , and Billy started to feel a bit uncomfortable .

It was a bit troublesome to be the world's most handsome boy , even if it made him happy when mama complimented him .

Ah? Why do you keep asking Billy weird stuff? Billy was lost in the mist , then Billy fell asleep . Suddenly I found you after I woke up , - Billy shrugged as he took a step away .

Interesting . I can still feel that aura on you though , so I definitely didn't dream , - Thrak rumbled . - Well , whatever . I'll help like the great ancestor asked , but rules are rules . Do you want my treasures? -

Billy hurriedly nodded in agreement , his eyes scanning the mountain for good places to start digging .

Only someone strong can get the treasures of Thrak . It's a rule . Prove you're strong by bashing that rock , - Thrak said as he pointed next to Billy .

Billy looked over with confusion , and he saw that there was a round rock just twenty meters away . It was over ten meters tall too , and Billy didn't understand how he had missed it earlier .

I just need to thwonk the stone? - Billy said skeptically . - Can Billy use Bonker]? -

Its name is Bonker? - Thrak laughed . - Good name! -

It called itself something else , but it was stupid so Billy renamed it , - Billy shrugged .

Sure , you can use your club . Just turn that ball into small stones and I'll give you treasures , - Thrak smiled .

Billy shrugged in confusion , but he still walked over to the stone . He had thwonked a lot bigger things than this stone , so it didn't really feel like a challenge to break it . He still took the mission seriously , so he walked over and swung at the stone with a lot of power and the impact caused a shockwave to spread out all around them .

However , the rock was completely fine .

Tsk , you're pretty weak , huh? - the man said from behind , immediately igniting a fire in Billy's chest .

Billy glared back before he looked over at the stupid rock again , and this time he activated Disintegrator] , which gave the club a huge destructive power . This was the skill Billy used to break apart that golden ship earlier . Surely it should work on a rock? But Billy even infused the Seed of Expansion in the strike .

The air around Bonker] started shaking as popping sounds echoed out across the mountain , and Billy bashed the stone with everything he had . A huge explosion erupted , as the air around the stone was sucked into a ball the size of a marble before it exploded with the force of a missile . This eruption repeated six times , each explosion larger than the ones before , and even Billy was thrown away twenty meters from the shockwaves .

Six times was just one worse than Billy's record , and he victoriously looked up at his work . However , Billy's eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he saw that the rock didn't as much as move from the attack , and it only got a small mark where he hit . The ground around it was turned into sand like expected , but the ball was fine .

What kind of super stone was this?

Thrak didn't say anything this time , but Billy couldn't help but blush when he heard a snicker from the side . No holding back anymore . Billy got back up on his feet , and he grew one meter every step he took toward the stone . Power coursed through his veins , and he suddenly felt connected to the whole mountain beneath him .

He now realized what he had missed . The Dao of Expansion wasn't right . Bonker] rose into the air , and it suddenly turned heavier as it was imbued with the Dao of Boulder , and Billy swung down with everything in his body as he activated another skill . The mountain shook , and the ball finally cracked .

Good! Good seedling! I understand why the Eastern Mountain is interested in you! - Thrak roared from the side .

So , will you give Billy treasures now? - Billy panted .

Of course . But before that . How about you stay with Thrak for a few days and learn a thing or two? - the man smiled .

What can you teach Billy? No offense , but you seem a bit stupid , - Billy said skeptically .

Haha I am stupid , but that doesn't matter because I am strong , - Thrak laughed as he thumped his chest .

He suddenly started growing , and Billy's eyes widened when he saw Thrak using the same trick as himself . However , he was a bit different from Billy . Billy got golden hair when growing for some reason , but this guy's hair stayed brown . But he was a lot better at growing than Billy , and Billy gaped when the man became as big as the mountain they stood on .

What was this?! One fart from him and his town Billyville would be blown away .

See? Pretty strong , right? - Thrak laughed , and his voice alone caused the whole mountain to shake .

Thrak shrunk again after flexing his muscles for a bit , and he was soon enough just a bit taller than Billy again .

Now let Thrak teach you how to bash without getting bashed . It took Thrak a lot of effort to figure this out , so listen well . -

Chapter 539 : Loot

What? ONE BILLION for some unsealing? - Zac almost roared as some killing intent started leaking from his body .

Most of it was the cost of materials . Unsealing is akin to array breaking , and we had to spend a lot to get the work done . Just the best version of Warrior's Heart] cost us almost 45 Million to unseal , in addition to time and manpower spent . The whole process of unsealing this many treasures required half the clan to work arduously through the week , including our elders and children , - Calrin said with a sorrowful visage .

It was quite an ordeal , come look how gaunt the young ones have become from the stress , - Calrin said with a deep sigh , clearly getting ready to summon a bunch of gnome kids once more to tug at Zac's heartstrings .

Alright , alright , - Zac snorted . - No need to parade the children around again . One billion it is , but you better not have unsealed a bunch of garbage and expect me to pay . -

Just a pittance for a man such as yourself , - Calrin said with a smile . - Don’t be too surprised when you hear this , but the total value of the treasures in the Cosmos Sack reached almost 100 Billion Nexus Coins . -

So you took a flat 1% fee? - Zac said , the quoted value of his treasures quickly calming him down .

Zac had actually expected it to be a lot lower after seeing how little treasures there were in the mentalist's Spatial Ring . People wouldn't be bringing items meant for the E-Grade into the tower , but rather leave it with their clans , and F-grade items along with their equipment could only be so valuable .

However , he was happy to be wrong this time .

He had felt a bit like a pauper after Love's Bond] had swallowed most of his net worth , and much of the remainders were swallowed by Verun's Bite] . He still had a few billion Nexus Coins , but it no longer felt like a mountain of wealth , especially not after having visited the Base Town . The elites there could throw out over a Hundred Billion Nexus Coins without batting an eye , and all the peak treasures were far out of his price range .

Indeed , where else can you get such a low fee for work of this nature? Only for friends and family , - Calrin said with righteousness .

Zac snorted when he saw the Sky Gnome's expression , but he knew that Calrin was telling the truth . One percent wasn't a very high fee for this kind of work . Identifying items cost 5% at the General Store that the System provided to all Town Lords , and they could only identify pretty common items . One percent to not only identify , but also tally and unseal was a great deal .

Well , whatever , - Zac said as he turned his attention toward the crystal with the list of items .

A list materialized as he infused some energy into it , and his eyes widened as one line after another appeared , listing an untold number of treasures . The scions of the clans of the Zecia Sector had really come prepared when dealing with the tower .

We’ve consolidated items of the same category into the same list item as there are simply too many of some items , - Calrin explained . - For example , both Second Wind Pill] and Surging Vitality Pill] are middle E-Grade healing pills , so they are both listed as such . And you have 2348 of those kinds of pills . -

Zac nodded in understanding , and he saw that the list clumped items together by category and grade . For example , there were 84 Low-Grade swords , and 12 Peak Grade swords among the weaponry . However , there were actually 643 High-Grade Swords , which obviously stood out compared to the other qualities .

Why are there so many High-Grade Swords? - Zac asked with confusion . - Was someone carrying around hundreds of them? -

Most of them are of the same make , unattuned shortswords with matching inscriptions . I am guessing that the previous owner was either planning on selling some weapons that their clan had produced , or was able to use the swords in some sort of weapon array , - Calrin said .

Weapon array? - Zac asked with interest .

A mix of a swordmaster and an array master . It is not too uncommon a path . Rather than just controlling one weapon , you would control hundreds of them like a swarm . Some C-Grade Monarchs command millions . You can even set up arrays to unleash powerful attacks or just overwhelm the enemies with numbers , - Calrin explained .

Zac’s nodded in understanding . He had encountered that sort of fighters before , it was just that he didn't know the name for it . One of the Incursion Masters used flying needles to attack him from every imaginable angle . There was also the poison master at the start of the 8th floor who attacked with a flying swarm of daggers .

Even a few of the visions he had seen when reaching peak mastery of Axe Mastery] had used sets of flying axes .

Of course , swords were just one type of weapons he had gathered , and Zac realized he had gotten almost ten thousand weapons from his trip to the Base Town , most of them Medium and High-quality E-Grade weapons . This was far more than he had anticipated as there were just a few hundred people he killed . He had picked up a couple of dozen weapons during his climb as well , but nothing that would explain this number .

These were all normal weapons forged with E-Grade materials , but they weren't Spirit Tools . Calrin’s explanation seemed pretty likely , that some of these collections of gear were meant for resale . A lot of people used the Tower of Eternity as an opportunity to make money as it was a way to circumvent the fees to trade through the Mercantile System .

This was even further evidenced by the mountains of raw materials . There were over 50 thousand E-Grade Attuned crystals altogether , making up roughly a fifth of the total value of the loot . They had probably been brought from attuned worlds where there was a massive surplus of certain crystals , intended to trade for other ones that were more valuable back home .

It was the same with there being large stocks of over a hundred different materials and herbs , many of them extremely useful for Port Atwood . All of them were just peak F-Grade or E-Grade materials , but that was just what Port Atwood needed right now to successfully upgrade from an F-Grade force to a legitimate E-Grade force .

Finally , there were was the list of - big-ticket items - at the end , and Zac looked through them one by one .

There was first of all 92 Spirit Tools , though most of them were the bog-standard fare that might not even make it into an auction . At least a quarter of those who managed to get a ticket to the Tower of Eternity would already have gotten their hands on a Spirit Tool , and it was mostly the stronger people of the Base Town who had assaulted him at the end .

Of course , there were still a lot of people who might have the wealth or background to own a Spirit Tool but hadn't found a fitting one . Ogras was a prime example of this , as his spear was just High-Quality E-Grade weapon without any spirituality .

However , there were some good Spirit Tools among those he had acquired too , and two of the Spirit Tools were actually marked as Peak Quality by Calrin . The Sky Gnome assigned two types of grades on each weapon ; rank and quality . For example , one of the Peak Quality Spirit Tools was just Early E-Grade , whereas the other one was Peak Quality High E-Grade .

That still meant that they were both good enough to have been put at the last section of the Auctions that Zac attended , with the latter probably being something that would be saved for one of the bigger monthly auctions .

The quality assessment by the Sky Gnomes was a mix of attunement , craftsmanship , and upgrade potential . Verun’s Bite] would no doubt have been assessed as Low Quality when he got it , but Calrin said it was either High or Peak quality by now . He was unsure though , as Zac had taken an unorthodox path in upgrading it by feeding it a bunch of uncommon treasures .

Who knew what the stone he fed Verun was , and who knew what effect a bunch of Dragon blood and a Dragon Core would have? But it had definitely improved the weapon at a fundamental level , and not just evolved it to a higher grade . The bones that created the axehead looked completely different from how it did before , and its potential had probably shot through the roof .

Just the fact that Verun already had enough spirituality to actually leave the weapon and take form meant that reaching D-Grade would probably just require him finding the right set of materials . There shouldn't be any bottlenecks to mention .

Zac didn’t really care about the lower quality Spirit Tools , and he guessed that some would be sold during the auction while others would enter the merit exchange . But the two Peak Quality Spirit Tools were essentially strategic resources that he wanted to assign himself . They were a bit troubling though , as he didn’t have a clear candidate in mind .

The first one was a bestial claw , perhaps something that could be used by a pugilist . It actually came from one of the leaders of the attack , but he hadn’t even taken it out during the fight as he was busy maintaining that Six Directions array or whatever it was called . It was a bit sad , the man got killed by the cursed blade’s half-moon before he even had a chance to display his ultimate skills .

The highest-graded Spirit Tool was actually a cauldron , and according to Calrin it could both be used for alchemy and fighting . It was much higher in quality compared to the cauldron he had gifted to his sister , and it was likely the most valuable Spirit Tool on Port Atwood apart from Love's Bond] .

His first idea was to give it to his sister as well , but he eventually decided against it . Kenzie had only shown a fleeting interest in alchemy , and it felt like a waste to give something this valuable away as though it was a toy . He would keep it for himself for now , and rent it out in case his force managed to nurture a talented Alchemist in the future .

That would bind him or her to his force , as a good cauldron was extremely important to progress in alchemy , just like a proper weapon was required to bring out your greatest potential in battle .

The origin of the cauldron was a bit baffling though . Zac's first assumption was that he had killed someone from the Zethaya clan , but he felt that he would have been informed some way or another if that was the case . But it didn't come from one of the five leaders of the assault either , but rather one of the nameless faces in the mob . Calrin had found the cauldron inside a normal Cosmos Sack along with over ten thousand pills of middling quality .

Calrin guessed that it was the defining treasure of a weaker or declining alchemy clan , and the elders had lent it to whoever had entered the Tower of Eternity . The scion would probably just use the cauldron to smash through the earlier floors of the tower before he focused on his alchemy and selling pills , but he had perhaps been caught up in the madness that his Projection elicited .

Zac had been shocked to hear from Ogras that the projection of the Stele had turned everyone almost mad , and it had somewhat lowered the anger he had felt over the incident . He remembered feeling extremely confused that a bunch of weaklings dared to risk their lives fighting him even after he reached the 9th floor , but it turned out that the System had essentially shoved a berserker pill down everyone's throats .

Or perhaps it was the Stele itself . It was based on war or conflict , after all , and the power of its impartment might just have been too high . Perhaps all 9th-floor apparitions had that kind of effect .

In either case , Spirit Toos were obviously not the only high-value items in the Cosmos Sacks . There were was one item on the list that was a natural treasure similar to the Evolution Fruit] he got from Yrial , though it was a shimmering liquid stored in a large crystal vial . Zac was a bit tempted to drink it himself , but he felt it was a bit unnecessary .

It probably wouldn’t work on his Draugr side judging by its name , Water of Exuberance] , and it felt like a waste to use on his human side as well . His human side had almost reached D-Grade Race already thanks to the Evolution Fruit] , and he could just complete the final step by taking normal medicinal baths .

It would better serve someone on his force , perhaps Sap Trang now that his odds of evolving seemed to have improved .

Chapter 540 : Attunement

There were also over a dozen peak quality talismans that were a mix of defensive and offensive among the most valuable treasures , but Zac immediately realized that their craftsmanship paled compared to the ones he had looted from the mentalist . They would still work as back-ups to his somewhat depleted reserves , and he could give out a few more to his core fighters .

But he wasn't personally very interested in talismans of that tier any longer , feeling that his recent attribute gain had made him outgrow these items to a certain degree . After all , a peak E-Grade talisman contained roughly the power of an average peak E-Grade warrior , and he was nearing that point as is .

There were a few items he was extremely keen on keeping for himself though .

The first of them was a consumable talisman as well , called Zephyr’s Charge] . It was a peak-grade speed imbuement treasure if he understood the explanation correctly , and it would essentially give him wings and increase his speed for a few minutes . It would be perfect in case he needed to flee or run down a fleeing enemy , especially in his Draugr form that lacked dependable mobility options .

The second was a handful of Spatial Displacement Talismans] , a treasure that would instantaneously move him to a random spot within a kilometer . It was an amazing treasure to escape certain doom scenarios , provided that space wasn't locked down . For example , if he had a treasure like this when the Hayner Clan Patriarch tried to drop a meteor on his head , then he wouldn’t have to leave the floor so early . He could just have teleported out of the hole and hunted down that treasure .

Finally , there was something called a Blood Nucleus] , a rare treasure related to bloodline awakenings . It was the most valuable item of them all , and Calrin had priced it at 20 Billion Nexus Coins . That might not seem like a terrifying amount after having possessed something like the Divine Investiture Array] , but it was still something that Zac would never have been able to afford if he tried to purchase it during an auction .

He figured that the Blood Nucleus] would go perfect together with the marrow he got for himself from the previous quest . The only reason he didn't cram both of them down his throat right now was that he needed some sort of understanding of his supposed bloodline before trying to wake it up .

There were many items that Zac didn’t recognize either , but judging by the value that Calrin had assigned they were rare treasures that warriors most likely had brought to the Base Town to sell . These kinds of treasures weren’t immediately valuable to Zac , but that didn’t mean that they would sell them for Nexus Coins .

Almost all forces in the multiverse were constantly operating under a lack of resources , and there were always thousands of plans or undertakings on hold due to missing certain ingredients . Top forces like the Dravorak Dynasty might not struggle like this due to their power and vast connections , but Zac had already encountered the problem of lacking materials from the Creator quest .

There were a million ways he could gain more Nexus Coins , so selling precious resources instead of holding onto them for a rainy day was just stupid . This was unfortunately how most forces reasoned , which only worsened the availability of rare items .

Calrin also provided his recommendations of what to keep , what to save for the Auction , what to put in the merit exchange , and so on . Zac mostly went with the Sky Gnome’s arrangements , apart from making some minor adjustments .

It wasn’t that the Sky Gnome suddenly had turned a new leaf and become a decent and honest merchant , but he had kept his greed under check since Zac returned from the Tower of Eternity . Part of it was probably because of Zac’s amazing performance , while part of it was that he knew he was on thin ice after the trouble the ring he gifted Zac caused .

Zac felt like he had just won the lottery as he left the Thayer Consortia , even though there was only one - supreme - treasure like the Blood Nucleus] . Calrin’s estimate was around 100 billion , but that was going by Zecia sector prices . They believed they could make even more as long as they were smart about what items to put on the auction for the native forces .

The elites of Earth were flush with cash at the moment , and they needed to exploit that .

Every force was hunting the hundreds of millions of Zombies for everything they were worth at the moment , wanting to capitalize on this one-time opportunity . The undead were like headless chickens with the Lich King dying , and they had essentially turned into walking bags of wealth to the cultivators of Earth , just like how it was during the beginning of the integration .

Not only did people gain clean-up quests by the System , but the zombies gave a good amount of both Cosmic Energy and Nexus Coins . Add to that the Miasma Cores that formed in the elite zombies’ heads , and it was so lucrative that people were still forgoing sleep even two weeks later . Even the Underworld Council only undertook a cursory search for Enigma who was still missing while they focused on enriching themselves .

At the same time , there was almost nothing for the Earthlings to spend their money on . The general stores provided by the System only sold bare essentials and the lowest grades of weaponry , and there weren’t a lot of other options for them . Starlight , the Ishiate elite , apparently possessed a limited Mercantile License and had some wares to sell , but his influence was limited thanks to pushback from Calrin and the Marshall Clan who were aiming to set up their own business empire .

The Marshalls themselves had kept a low profile until now , perhaps partly because they already knew about his auction . Zac had mentioned it to Thea , who no doubt had informed her grandfather as well . Perhaps they were ready to roll out their businesses already but held themselves back out of respect to him .

Either case it was good for Zac , as it meant that people were more likely to spend their hard-earned money in Port Atwood . He could almost see the mountain of wealth in front of his eyes as he teleported back to his cultivation cave .

When he arrived in the hidden cave he looked over at the array that looked similar to the Teleportation Array , though the inscriptions were a lot denser . It was the - homing point - of the Spatial Gate Array] , the location where he would arrive in case he was forced to use the escape function .

The other part was a thin bracelet that was hidden beneath the sturdy bracer he got from Greatest . He kept the bracer on at all times , and he figured it might be able to hide the Spatial Gate Array] from any discerning eyes . It seemed to be one of the most valuable things in his possession , though not quite at the level of things like the Pathfinder Eye] or the Divine Investiture Array] .

Then again , it was hard to put a price on survival . There was simply no supply of an item like the Spatial Array Gate] in the Zecia sector , though there were a lot of other escape measures around . For example , there was the skill that Thea possessed , and whatever the Head Priest used to turn into a stream of flames that allowed him to escape the Dead Zone . There were even the weaker teleportation talismans he had gained just now .

My lord , welcome back , - A voice drifted out from the rocks themselves as Triv emerged .

It’s been a while . I was almost starting to fear that you had managed to escape your contract , - Zac said with a small smile . - Did you find anything interesting? -

The ghost had been gone for over a week as Zac sent it on a mission after it finished helping Kenzie setting up the cultivation caves . The ghost was a non-combat class , but his incorporeal form also made him a qualified scout by default . So Zac sent the ghost out to explore the depths of his island , to see if there was anything interesting or valuable in the vicinity of the root of the Nexus Vein .

Even if I managed to break the Contract of Servitude I would still surely stay with the young master , - Triv hurriedly exclaimed , eliciting a snort from Zac .

But honestly , it wasn’t impossible that the ghost was telling the truth . Just like Calrin hugged onto his legs because of the potential he represented , so could Triv . A completely purebred Draugr of an ancient bloodline was unheard of in a remote sector like Zecia . The few Draugr clans around were apparently just mixed-blood clans that would just barely be considered Draugr by Heartland Standards .

Following Zac was Triv's ticket to the Empire Heartlands in the future , as Triv was still certain that Zac would end up there sooner or later . And Zac probably would , provided that he ever reached C-Grade or higher . By that time Earth should already be safe , and the Zecia sector wouldn't be able to provide him with a proper environment .

Triv had mentioned a common saying during one of his campaigns to recruit Zac to the dark side . He said that there were four requirements to cultivation : Wealth , Companionship , Method , and Environment . Not one could be lacking if one wanted to reach the peak .

Wealth was the most important , and that went double for someone like Zac who was just a mortal . To cultivate was to burn money , and it only got exponentially worse . In the beginning he could cultivate and gain levels with just a couple of Nexus Crystals who were barely worth anything , but now he was contemplating buying Attuned D-Grade crystals for hundreds of millions just for some advancements to his soul . And it would only get worse from here on out .

Second was companionship , but it didn’t refer to girlfriends or even Dao Companions . It meant that no one could reach the peak alone . You needed a master to teach you , friends you could trust your back to , a support system that could take care of things that were distracting you from your cultivation .

Method was partly referring to a cultivation manual , but it also incorporated things such as Inheritances , Heritages , Dao Impartments , and even hunting grounds . Some insights would have to come from within , but there was no need to reinvent the wheel at every turn . Taking advantage of the wisdom and knowledge of others would allow you to make faster progress without any detriment .

Finally was Environment , and this requirement was why Triv believed Zac would end up in the Empire Heartlands sooner or later . It wasn’t without reason that B-Grade powerhouses never appeared in the Zecia sector . It simply didn’t allow it . No crops would grow if the soil was barren . He needed to go to the more prosperous sectors of the Multiverse if he wanted to progress further after a certain stage .

In fact , moving as soon as possible was the optimal choice from a cultivation standpoint . Earth was just a desolate rock by most standards , and staying here would no doubt delay his cultivation speed .

It is quite odd , - Triv said , dragging Zac back to the present . - There are some Divine Crystals growing close to the source of the Nexus Vein . This can happen spontaneously , but it is far more likely on life or nature-aspected planets . When the world becomes attuned so does most of the neutral Veins . -

So the World Core’s upgrade was gaining an attunement after all? - Zac said with excitement .

This was something that had stumped him and everyone else over the past two weeks . The world was supposed to have upgraded its core because he had defeated the Undead Incursion . There even was that pulse that spread across the whole planet . However , after the pulse there was no follow-up at all .

The density of energy was pretty much the same as before , still slowly climbing as the world continued its gradual integration . No new Nexus Veins or treasures were sprouting up from the ground either , and no attuned energies could be found . Most had simply assumed that it would take more time for the world to adapt to the reward , but it looked like the clues were finally starting to appear .

Well , that’s the thing . I also sensed weak hints of Miasma close to the vein , - Triv said with hesitation . - Though I don't believe the vein is turning death attuned . -

What? Did you do something? - Zac said with a frown .

I swear on the Empire , I didn’t do anything! It could be an effect of the realignment array being shut off at the last minute . Either that , or… - the ghost said , drifting off at the end .

Or what? - Zac asked .

Or the planet has gained a multi-attunement , - Triv said .

You mean the planet might both have life and death attunements? - Zac said , his eyes lighting up .

Wouldn’t that mean that the planet was turning into a cultivation haven for himself?

I wouldn’t be so quick to celebrate if that was the case , - Triv sighed . - It might not be a good thing . -

Zac couldn't stop himself from audibly groaning when he saw the scrunched-up visage of the ghost . What now?

Chapter 541 : Dust and Bones

How can a planet having multiple attunements not be good? It sounds extremely good , - Zac asked with a frown .

In some cases , certainly . Worlds with Wood and Water attunements are supremely valuable among Herbalists , for example . One such planet might be worth as much as 1000 normal worlds of the same grade as they can grow unique plants that require both attunements to thrive . However , such planets appearing is thanks to the two elements harmonizing well with each other , - Triv explained .

Zac immediately understood what the ghost was driving at . Was the World Core going to explode from the clashing elements of life and death? Attunements didn’t get much more mismatched than life and death . They were each other's opposites , and they would constantly clash . His own cultivation chamber was proof of that .

So what would happen with such a world? - Zac asked with some trepidation . - Will the World Core be in trouble? -

I have never heard of a life and death planet before , - Triv admitted . - I don’t think there’s not much use for one , with young master being the exception . The Empire wouldn’t want their planets tainted with life , and death-attunement would make large sections unsuitable for the living . Perhaps it would be able to birth unique treasures , but that's beyond my knowledge . -

So what is the worst-case scenario? - Zac sighed .

The World Core might crumble from the opposing attunements , which would turn the planet into a desolate rock void of energy . Or it could cause the whole planet to completely fall apart , - Triv said .

Zac closed his eyes , a wave of exhaustion hitting him almost like a sledgehammer . Was there yet another thing for him to worry about now? There was already enough on his plate , and now he had to prevent the planet from going up in smokes on top of everything else?

It might not happen , - Triv quickly said when he saw Zac's reaction . - I am not an expert on the subject , but there are multiple outcomes . Sometimes one attunement can overpower the other , and turn into a single-attunement planet . It is also possible that the planet finds some sort of equilibrium , turning it into an extremely rare existence in the cosmos . In fact , I believe this is the most likely scenario . -

Why? What did you find? - Zac asked eagerly , like a man gripping hold of a lifebuoy .

Zac would take any clue that indicated that the world wasn't actually ending .

Well , didn’t young master mention that the World Core upgrade was part of a quest reward that encompassed the whole planet? It would make no sense that the System would provide a detriment as a reward , - Triv said .

Zac’s quickly nodded in agreement . It was true . The System was pretty annoying , and its gifts often felt a bit backhanded . Being stuck with annoying Tool Spirits like Brazla and Big Blue was ample proof of that . However , they were undeniably rewards . It made no sense that the system would leave the world worse off than before as a reward .

However , it didn’t hurt to make sure .

Is there anything I can do to decrease the risk of anything bad happening? - Zac sighed .

Our Empire can easily realign a planet as you know , and many living forces possess similar capabilities . Perhaps there are some arrays to stabilize the process of giving a planet attunement? - Triv ventured , but he didn’t seem very sure . - In either case , with the speed things are progressing it will probably take decades before the attunement is finished , so we have ample time to prepare . There are only small hints right next to the nexus Vein , I might even have seen things incorrectly . -

Well , that’s good I guess . Wait , your first instinct was that the planet would blow up because of the dual attunement? What about me? Am I in any danger? - Zac asked .

I honestly don’t know how young master is still alive , - the ghost coughed . - Life and death shouldn’t intermingle . It is one of the most basic rules of the Undead Empire . But at the same time , everything is possible . I am just a poor ghost , my understanding of the truths of the heavens are shallow at best . -

Have you ever heard of undead cultivating life attuned classes or Daos? - Zac asked .

No , never . It is almost impossible . Our affinities with those types of Daos are essentially non-existent . Why would you spend centuries on attaining a life-aspected Dao Seed when you can gain a death aspected one in a few months? - the ghost said , looking disgusted at the mere thought .

However , the ghost shuddered the next second , meaning that this line of questioning wasn't permitted by the restrictions engraved on its soul , so Zac could only drop it .

Well , I guess I will have to figure things out myself , - Zac sighed before he produced the body refining recipe he just got from Calrin . - Do you think this will work on me? -

The ghost scanned the guide , his eyes widening in incredulity .

It looks like something you would use on a beast companion to refine its constitution? - it hesitantly said . - I’m not sure . It might work? I don’t see anything that would directly clash with you at least . But a pureblood Draugr using some sort of beast powder . . . The heavens will weep . -

I'm sure the heavens will be fine , - Zac snorted as he handed the ghost the materials required for the dust . - I'll go cultivate for a bit . Are you able to prepare the Bone-Forging Dust]? -

Certainly , young master , - the ghost said as he took the Cosmos Sack . - The process is quite similar to grinding the materials used for making incense sticks , and I have ample experience in this regard . There will not be any issues . -

Zac nodded in thanks and the ghost disappeared into the wall the next moment .

It was quite an impressive skill the specter had , being able to freely pass through walls . He could even bring inanimate objects with him , making him an excellent scout or assassin . It sort of felt like a bit of a waste for such a special existence to become a butler .

Unfortunately , its abilities didn’t work with the living , which ruined Zac’s idea to have the ghost taking him to the depths of the Mystic Realm , ignoring all the barriers and walls . He couldn't send Triv by himself either , as that was a death sentence for a non-combat class .

Zac walked into his cultivation cave and immediately started up the Soul Strengthening array . His mind was slowly drained and he let his thoughts drift for a bit . Between grinding his skill and going over the list of treasures his mind was a bit exhausted , and he was too tired to ponder on the Dao while cultivating his soul .

He even dozed off a bit and was only awakened when the revolution finished and he felt a surge of Mental Energy entering his mind . Every time he completed a revolution he couldn't help but marvel at his soul . It wasn't really growing all that much bigger from the revolutions , but it felt like his soul was getting polished each time .

More importantly , it also seemed like the revolutions helped deal with the Splinter to some regard . He never felt the surges of murderousness like he did before any longer , even though the Splinter had regained a decent amount of its strength by now . It was still restrained by the Shard , but it wasn’t in a completely half-dead state any longer .

The two remnants were still interlocked and unmoving inside the improved cage , but the amount of cleansed energies that was seeping out was gradually increasing without him feeling any negative effects from it . His mind had gained a few boosts during the climb , but it couldn’t completely explain his balanced state of mind .

The small improvements that came from the array couldn’t be the reason for his tranquil state either . His soul was definitely a bit stronger , but Soul Strengthening was a slow grind and not something that gave instant results . It was more likely that the spiritual dialysis also helped with the hidden corruption from the Splinter , either by design or by chance .

If that was true it was a huge boon , though it also meant that skipping cultivation sessions would harm his mental state .

Zac finished up the session after ten hours as usual before he walked over to the inner cave that housed the Seed of Undeath] . He found his ghost butler cultivating by silently hovering in the air , and there was a supersized pestle by its side . Inside was a silvery compound , no doubt the Bone-Forging Dust] the ghost had prepared for him .

Young master , it is all done according to the specifications , - the ghost said as it woke up . - There should be enough for 8 to 10 applications . -

Zac nodded in understanding , though he felt a bit disappointed . The powder had roughly the same effect as the medicinal baths according to Calrin , and ten medicinal baths on the road to D-Grade would just scratch the surface . It should be able to increase his attribute limits by a few hundred points though , which was the most pressing matter .

And the pain , - the ghost hesitantly added .

I know , - Zac said as he sat down and disrobed . - Not much of a choice right now . Help me apply it . -

The ghost nodded and a stream of the silvery powder rose from the pitch-black mortar , controlled by the ghost's miasmic tendrils .

Zac sat motionless for over a minute , waiting with a mix of fear and anticipation for the dust to start working . However , he started to worry about the dust not working after all , which would mean that he had wasted over 300 million Nexus Coins . However , his fears soon abated as he started to feel some warmth covering his whole body .

It seems to be working , - Zac said with excitement to Triv who waited upon him to the side , but the smile on his face quickly turned crooked as the warmth turned to pain .

First , it just felt like an itch he couldn't scratch , but that was just the appetizer . It seemed as though the powder was slowly getting absorbed through the skin , and the pain just kept getting worse as more and more of the powder entered his pores . The itch turned into a stabbing pain after ten minutes , and after another ten minutes he felt almost like he was on fire .

The slowly mounting degree of agony was torture by itself , as Zac still didn't know where the limits lay . There were no timeframes indicated in the crystal either , meaning he had no idea how long the torment would last . He could only try to keep his mind stabilized and bear with it , while not even using his Daos to counteract the powder .

Doing so would no doubt counteract the effect , and it would be the same if his Void Heart] activated . However , even he couldn't stop himself from shuddering as the pain suddenly spiked to a level he previously thought was impossible .

My lord , are you okay? - Triv worriedly asked .

Ow . . . My bones , - Zac spat through grit teeth as veins danced all across his body .

He didn't trust himself to open his mouth again , afraid that he would start screaming on top of his lungs . The powder had just entered his bones , and it felt like some sort of parasite was gnawing at him , slowly breaking down his body from the inside . It was beyond painful , and it almost made him look back at the ordeal with the cultists with longing .

Zac quickly realized what the powder was doing . It was continuously breaking down his body parts , especially his bones , before forcibly mending them , each time leaving them slightly stronger . It was a bit like his Soul Strengthening Array which utilized the clashes between life and death to strengthen his soul , though the powder was far more crude and brutal .

All the powder has entered your body by now , - the ghost suddenly said . - Young master just needs to bear it a bit longer . -

Zac stiffly nodded , no longer able to speak . He didn't know how long he sat in the death-attuned sanctum until the pain finally abated , and he took a deep ragged breath even though there actually wasn't any need for oxygen in his current form . He slowly put on his robes once more , but his hands didn't really listen to his commands .

Let me , young master , - the ghost said and hurriedly dressed Zac .

Thank you , - Zac said with a hoarse voice . - How long did this take? -

Around forty minutes , - Triv said .

Forty minutes?! - Zac exclaimed , his voice cracking . - It felt like days . -

Zac shakily threw a healing pill into his mouth , though he knew that he wasn't really hurt . The soothing stream of energy that spread through his boy helped him stabilize himself a bit at least , but he still needed over 30 minutes before he felt ready to stand up .

What do young master want to do with the rest of the powder? - Triv asked .

I'll take it , - Zac sighed .

If I may , if you just- -

Enough , - Zac said , not in any mood to hear about how great the Undead Empire was and how this all was unnecessary . - When can I use this next time? -

Three days , - the ghost sighed . - Your body will need to rest and recuperate for three days . -

Fine , - Zac nodded . - By the way , ready yourself for war . You will need to come with me and activate the Jamming Arrays , perhaps as soon as today . I could do it but I don't want to expose my identity . -

I would have loved to , but I can't , - Triv said , clearly relieved . - Those arrays can't be activated by just anyone . There are restrictions in place . -

We've removed them , - Zac said . - Anyone wielding miasma can activate them now . -

What?! Impossible! - the ghost said with shock . - There's no way we would leave such a weakness that it could be used against us . . . Hm? -

You figured it out? - Zac snorted . - It might be impossible for the living to take control of those things , but it's not like the protections against other undead are as strong . But don't worry . You just need to activate the array then hide while we do the fighting . -

It's my pleasure to assist , - the ghost said , clearly void of any sort of pleasure .

Oh , and that insane Tool Spirit at my Dao Repository wants a natural spirit gathering array because he thinks he's a cultivator , can you start thinking about how such a thing would look? It needs to be pretty too , or he'll probably start shooting lightning bolts at people , - Zac added .

Naturally , - Triv nodded . - Anything else? -

No , that's it , - Zac said as he left . - Pretty calm day for Port Atwood . -

Chapter 542 : Crusade

Zac returned to his compound and just visited his sister for a bite before turning in for the night . Neither Billy nor Thea had returned from their trials just yet according to Kenzie , which hopefully was a good thing . It might mean they managed to get opportunities similar to himself , where he got an additional trial that increased the time that the trial took .

Ogras’ Inheritance had passed quicker , only taking him a few hours . The demon hadn’t divulged everything that happened , it did seem like his haul wasn’t all too impressive apart from the weird creature he was bonded with . Zac guessed his encounter was similar to Zac's if he only defeated the golem and simply got some contribution points to shop for .

The harrowing experience of using the Bone-Forging Dust] left him utterly unable to find the tranquility to ponder on the Dao , especially not with his bones still throbbing painfully . His mind was far too muddled to go over any plans for the war with the Zhix traitors as well , so he just fell on top of his bed and entered a dreamless slumber .

He woke up the next day expecting to be met with a wave of pain , but he was surprised to notice that he felt fine . In fact , better than fine . The pain was completely washed away , and his body felt like he just had spent the last hour stretching and limbering up . He didn’t know if it was thanks to his high Vitality or if it was just how the powder worked , but he felt a lot lighter as he walked toward the teleporter .

He had already gotten all the pertinent details yesterday from Kenzie , and his destination had appeared on his Teleportation Screen .

Zac cracked his neck before he stepped into the teleporter , ready to withstand an assault at moment's notice . He was expected by the Zhix War Council , but you never knew what that meant . There might be a hundred Anointed on the other side of the teleporter waiting to welcome him with their massive fists for all he knew .

Or even worse , a banquet full of all the disgusting things Ibtep had tried to feed him before .

He appeared in a dark cave the next moment , with ten Zhix warriors standing guard . Two of them shot toward him without hesitation , their short spears aiming for his vitals the moment he materialized . Zac didn’t panic at all , and simply materialized the crude club he had used against the Zhix before .

Two hollow bonks later and the two attacking warriors lay sprawled out at the ground at the other side of the room .

Strength to your hive , - Zac said . - I am Zachary Atwood . I am expected . -

The still-standing Zhix didn’t answer with anything but a bow , and two of them stepped off and led him through an intricate series of tunnels , ignoring their unconscious brethren . Zac looked at the surroundings with interest , as this was the first time he had actually been inside a Zhix hive . He had always meant to revisit his local Hive to meet with Nonet , but there was always some fire or another he had to put out .

Zac had always pictured something a bit like a mix of an Ayr Hive and the town caves he had visited , but he realized he had severely underestimated the love for architecture among the Zhix . It would be fairer to compare the Zhix Hive with a dwarven subterranean city . There was extraordinary attention to detail , no matter whether you looked at the intricately tiled floor or the engraved patterns adorning the walls .

Unfortunately , it seemed like he was walking in a restricted part of the complex structure as he saw almost no Zhix warriors while they proceeded deeper into the hive , and there were no buildings or rooms to give an insight into how they lived their day-to-day . It was clear they walked further into the earth though , into the heart of the hive .

It only took them a few minutes to reach their goal though , a large chamber with no point of interest apart from a massive set of doors . In front of it , a familiar figure stood waiting , and Zac walked over with a smile . Zac looked at Ibtep with interest , feeling that the past months had transformed him from a harmless oddball to a warrior emitting a solid aura . Zac could still discern the inquisitive light in his eyes though , the thing that somewhat set him apart from most other insectoids .

The two hadn’t actually seen each other since they split ways at Marshall Manor . Ibtep had been in one long deployment against the undead hordes , both working as a liaison due to his knowledge of humans , and as a scout . Zac had felt a bit bad that this guy wasn't there to join in the opportunity of the Dao Funnel , but it felt like he had improved tremendously even without it .

Greetings , Lord Atwood , - Ibtep said with a bow , almost topping over due to the weight of the massive backpack that he still carried around . - Care for a snack? They are quite delicious , and they can calm a warrior’s mind , readying you for combat . -

He produced a small jar the next moment , and Zac blanched when he saw it contained a few extraordinarily fatty larvae . It looked like some of the Zhix’s odd customs remained , and it made him worry about what came next .

No thank you , - Zac said with a somewhat forced smile . - It’s good to see you’re okay . How is Nonet? -

Nonet has fought valiantly for Hive Kundevi and Port Atwood , and our Hive can now join the council , - Ibtep said with pride before he slightly deflated again . - Of course , Lord Atwood might be a part of that reason . -

Are the others already here? - Zac asked .

Yes , they are waiting on the other side of this door . I cannot follow inside , it is not my place , - Ibtep explained .

Zac nodded as he looked up at the massive gates once more . They reached over ten meters into the air and were covered in a painstakingly detailed mural that depicted various battles . It was a vivid reminder that the Zhix wasn't just a barbaric tribe of insectoids , but an ancient society with thousands of years of history .

Your people actually managed to open these things before the integration? - Zac asked as he looked up at the enormous doors .

Just the greatest of the Anointed , - Ibtep said with a shake of his head . - Normal warriors would never be able to step through these gates . It requires both renown and enough power to actually open the doors . -

Zac only smiled as he put his hands against the doors and pushed . There was some resistance , but they soundlessly opened and let him inside . However , he was still inwardly shocked when he realized just how much power was required to open these things . There was no way that anyone beneath level 40 or 50 would be able to open these doors , proving just how powerful the Zhix Anointed were even before the integration .

However , it was ultimately not a challenge for an E-Grade warrior , and Zac effortlessly entered the inner chambers where over thirty Anointed stood around a table , with another ten normal Zhix warriors standing by at the side . The smaller Zhix obviously weren’t as powerful as the hulking spiritual leaders of their race , but Zac could immediately sense that every single one of them was quite strong . He wouldn’t be surprised if they all were between level 65 and 75 .

The group of Anointed turned toward him as he entered , silently gazing down at him like giants looking down at a small critter . Zac wryly smiled and wondered how this was how it felt to be a Sky Gnome . Zac was about to greet the group , but he inwardly groaned when he felt the aura of one of the largest Anointed blast across the chamber as he started walking toward him .

It looked like Zhix traditions were still going strong .

Zac couldn’t help but ask himself if there was any limit to how big these guys could grow . Normal Zhix were slightly shorter than male humans on average , with weaker anointed like Nonet reaching a bit over three meters . Herat , the Anointed he met during the hunt was another half-meter taller than that , but he was far from the largest one in this place .

There were three anointed in particular that towered above the others , each of them well over four meters tall . The largest one was probably approaching five meters . Zac barely reached their thighs , like a young child next to their parents . And it was one of these three behemoths that had decided to test his mettle as he flashed forward and swung a huge fist toward his chest .

It felt like the fist grew to the size of a mountain , but Zac realized it was just an illusion brought on by the massive killing intent carried within . This hulking Anointed had no doubt been steeped in battle the past months to accumulate such a terrifying aura . However , the fist was still as large as his whole torso , and Zac was afraid he’d shoot out like a bullet when he got hit .

The fist accompanied by that dense aura was pretty intimidating , but Zac was no slouch either . A boundless killing intent spread throughout the whole chamber , almost turning into a palpable haze from how thick it was . A few of the attendants even fell down on their knees before they forced themselves back on their feet with embarrassment .

Zac didn’t care about the normal Zhix though , but he instead readied his body to receive the strike . He stomped down into the ground to lodge himself in place as he leaned forward . He could only pray that his bones were completely healed from using the Bone-Forging Dust] yesterday , as this would probably hurt . At least it couldn't be too bad as his danger sense barely acted up .

A deep clap of thunder echoed out across the hall as the Zhix’s massive fist slammed into Zac’s chest . Even digging his legs into the solid stone tiles wasn’t enough , and Zac was pushed back over twenty meters from the furious momentum . It felt like someone had swung a wrecking ball into him and Zac actually had to stop himself from grunting in pain .

The Zhix warrior clearly had almost 8 or 900 Strength , and it also had a dexterity that was almost on par , increasing the speed and destructiveness of the strike . There was even a hint of a high-tiered Dao Seed in the fist , but Zac knew he hadn't actually infused his strike . This was just a normal attack to test his might .

He looked with surprise at the towering Anointed . Had they found a way to move forward and evolve? From what Zac understood the rite of Anointment came at a cost , cutting off their path of advancement . But these were not attributes that a normal F-Grade warrior should have , at least not without a huge number of special opportunities that he doubted that the Anointed would possess .

You are wondering how I could bring forth such strength , human Warmaster? - the massive Zhix laughed , its booming voice causing ripples in the air . - I have entered the crusade . I will fight for another year or so , then I will join the ancestors . This will be the final War , and my final gift to my Hive . -

Zac’s eyes widened in understanding , once more shocked at the conviction these people carried . He didn’t know the specifics , but it seemed as though the Anointed knew of some technique traded their lifespan for power . It didn’t seem to be directly burning life-force though , as Zac had seen that enough times to recognize the unique aura it radiated .

So I guess it’s time for me to reciprocate? - Zac said as he fully unleashed his aura .

The whole cave shuddered , and it only got worse as Zac started moving toward the enormous insectoid .

Wait , Warmaster , - the Anointed hurriedly said as he took a step back . - If there is one thing we have learned over the past year is that our hives cannot only rely on the old teachings to survive . We must also adapt and move forward . There is no need for you to carry on with that archaic tradition , let us instead talk about the looming threat . -

The other Anointed hurriedly nodded as well , immediately launching into a discussion while pointedly looking away from Zac and his rapidly dwindling momentum . Zac speechlessly looked on with his fist still in the air .

So I just ate your fist for nothing? Zac thought as he looked at the shameless Zhix with mixed feelings .

I am Rhubat . Strength to your hive . Nonet said you might be able to provide a tactic that would expedite our crusade? - the shameless Zhix said .

Is this room secure? - Zac asked with a sigh , finally dropping the subject .

Everyone who has not yet entered the crusade , leave this room , - Rhubat said without hesitation , and a small group of Anointed along with the group of normal Zhix warriors left the chambers .

However , almost all the Anointed stayed , including Nonet who stood to the side , looking almost like a child next to some of its larger colleagues . However , Zac noted that Nonet must have grown by something like 30 centimeters since he had seen the hive leader last time .

You too? - Zac asked with a frown as he looked over in Nonet's direction .

The Anointed exist to serve the Hives . The crusade is our highest order . This is the final crusade , after which the Zhix will be eradicated or have no need for the Anointed any longer . Our era is coming to an end , - Nonet said , and the other Anointed nodded in agreement .

Chapter 543 : Battleplans

Zac sighed when he heard Nonet’s declaration , but he could understand the sentiment . The Anointed were terrifyingly powerful beings who could act as spiritual leaders and protectors of the Zhix , but that could only continue for so long . The world would soon pass them by as they were stuck at the F-Grade . A random warrior would be able to kill them with a simple swing in a decade or two .

Such a transference in power would undoubtedly affect their positions as leaders as well , especially as their purpose of existence would fade into memory with the fall of the Dominators . They rather wanted to go out on their own terms , fulfilling the mission they had carried for over a thousand years .

What about Hive Kundevi? - Zac asked .

We have made arrangements for our elders and strongest warriors to take over after we’ve fulfilled our purpose , - another Zhix explained , and one Anointed after another added a snippet of information .

Zac listened to their explanation , and it sounded like the Zhix would set up governance with two major pillars ; the clergy and the army . One would provide spiritual guidance and be in charge of running the non-combat side of things , while the Army would nurture the next generation of warriors and protect the hives .

The true elites would still be interred into some sort of templar order , making sure there was a balance in power between the two factions .

As for their reproduction , it turned out that Anointed weren’t actually needed for that . From how Ibtep explained it back then it sounded like the anointed were like hive queens that made it possible for Zhix eggs to be fertilized , but it wasn’t the whole story . They were simply the - alphas' of the hive , but the alpha didn’t necessarily need to be Anointed .

It had always simply been like that until now as they were so much more powerful than anyone else in the hives .

We hope you will be able to watch over the children in the future . This new world is hectic and confusing , but you humans seem quite able to adapt , - Nonet added after the group had explained the future path of the Zhix .

Zac finally understood why the large Zhix had taken the time to explain things in such detail . They would be gone in a year , and he was the greatest threat to their population apart from the Dominators . He could definitely eradicate the Zhix if he put his mind to it .

I’ll do my best , - Zac said with a nod , and after some thought added some more reassurance . - I believe my force has become so successful because I welcomed people from all the races . It has allowed me to advance much further than other factions . I will make sure that none of the races will get pushed out in the future as we're stronger together . -

Of course , both Zac and the Zhix understood that promise was provided that no one stepped out of line . Zac didn't really have an active interest in the governance of the new planet , but he definitely wasn't some sort of pacifist . He wouldn't make making examples out of some factions if people started causing trouble for him .

That’s all we ask , - Rhubat said .

With that out of the way they immediately dove into discussing the details of the crusade . Zac immediately took out one of the Jammers from his cosmos sack and briefly explained how it worked . He was a bit fuzzy on the limitations of the array though to give himself some leeway . He didn't believe anyone here was a traitor , but better safe than sorry .

My army can set out at any time , - Zac said . - And I am sure the Human Council would join if I ask as well . We just need to leave some to keep whittling down the zombies . -

Thank you , but there is no need . It is the Zhix who have brought this threat onto this world , so it will fall onto the Zhix to solve it , - another one of the three enormous Anointed said with a shake of its head . - It is better your kind deal with the remaining unliving before they spread across the planet like the corruption they are . -

With your ability to stop the traitors from fleeing , there will be no need for massive armies , - another Anointed added . - Just enough to take out one hive at a time . An army assisted by a coalition of us Anointed will be more than enough . -

Fine , - Zac slowly nodded .

Zac was honestly somewhat relieved that his army wouldn’t have to get their hands dirtied once again . The war was a good opportunity for them to gain battle experience against a strong opponent that wasn’t braindead like the zombies , but it would definitely lead to casualties . The Zhix were more like the demons than humans in one regard .

Their culture was steeped in battle , and the integration only added to their power . And there were a lot of them . His army had many elites , but there were too few of them , and the Zhix warfare doctrine was essentially based around taking down more powerful warriors by grinding them down with a ceaseless wave of violence .

But I still need to come with . The items that can block out teleporters and communication must be activated by the unliving , so I need to bring my undead servant , - Zac said , and added a short explanation after seeing the odd stares . - I captured it from the Incursion for information . -

Zac also felt that he needed to be present in case the real Dominators showed up . That way he might be able to avoid a wholesale slaughter of his allies . Zac might not be fully confident in killing them without sounding them out first , but he was confident in both being able to slow them down and getting away in one piece .

After all , there would be a need for manpower in the Mystic Realm , and this group of Anointed might be the best allies he could get his hands on . They were as powerful as early E-Grade warriors and they had ample combat experience . Bringing these guys would help him even out the odds against the other factions .

Besides , Zac guessed that they would have to enter the Mystic Realm anyway if they wanted to finish their crusade . Void’s Disciple had no doubt already brought in some hives to help him look for the dimensional treasure . He couldn’t do everything himself . And there were only so many Hives that this group could ambush before the Dominators realized something was wrong .

That is fine . We need the assistance of humans for another matter , - the Rhubat added . - Teleportation . Our hives were not placed too close together in this new world , and many hives have been destroyed already from the war . If we would use our own network then we would have to spend months on foot . -

The enormous table lit up the next moment , and Zac’s eyes widened when he saw it was a surprisingly detailed map of Pangea . There were a lot of indistinct sections , including most of the unmapped zones on his own tablet . But a lot of it was properly filled in with what seemed to be even greater detail than the maps produced by the Marshal Clan .

This is something Vanexis was gifted by the System , - Rhubat said , nodding to the other 5-meter Anointed who had spoken earlier , as he took out a small metal ball from his Cosmos Sack . - As long as a warrior travels with a ball like this in their possession , then everything around them will be recorded and added to the map . We have thousands of these balls . -

Zac whistled with surprise as he looked down at the map again . The Zhix had truly been busy going by how much distance they had covered to map out these places .

There are 28 Hives we have marked , - Rhubat said . - All of them are within two hours’ travel . -

Only twenty-eight hives? - Zac asked with surprise .

Twenty-eight cities were nothing to the human population , even after the integration , so it sounded like a really low number if the Zhix had actually defected to the Dominators .

Don’t underestimate these hives . The Dominators have gathered their subjects into massive hives far eclipsing any structures from our old world . Their numbers are almost on par with our hundreds of remaining hives , - Vanexis rumbled . - Each of them holds over a hundred thousand warriors along with millions of normal Zhix . -

Zac nodded in understanding when he heard the explanation , and he tried to understand the motivation for the Dominators to concentrate their followers like this . Was it just out of convenience , or did it have to do with karma? Was the effect of faith more pronounced when one’s followers gathered together , rather than having them spread across the planet?

It was undeniably how cults worked , where groups of people secluded themselves from the rest of the world . This closed system shut out any dissenting voices , which lead to a deeper and deeper indoctrination .

We will need the help of another human force for this , - Zac said as he looked at the map . - I don’t have access to that many teleporters . -

Do you still have multiple factions within your race? We thought the human towns were all under you? - Rhubat asked with confusion . - I have seen the strength of the other human elites . How can they challenge your rule? -

Zac didn't understand the question at first , but it turned out that the Zhix had already changed their structure so that there were only two forces among their race ; The Council of the Anointed and The Dominators . All Anointed-run hives were accessible for all the Zhix , whereas they were obviously shut out from their enemies' teleporters .

It was extremely different from Humans who not only had a handful of major factions like Port Atwood and New World Government , but also dozens of mid-sized forces , though most of the mid-sized forces were kind of under the umbrella of the Marshall Clan by now . There were even hundreds , perhaps thousands , of towns that weren't really aligned with any of the forces , but rather free bases that had survived some way or another .

I have been busy throwing out all the invaders of our planet until now , - Zac said before he wryly smiled . - I guess humans are a bit more individualistic as well . We didn't really get along before the integration either . I probably won’t meddle with the human forces unless necessary . But I can fetch a guide to open the portals for us without a problem . -

The group went over the detail for some time , but the idea was quite simple . Zac would enter a human-controlled town ahead of the army together with a squadron of Zhix scouts , and they would rush to the Hive and get ready to activate the jammers . The army would enter after a short interval , and Zac would activate the jammers the moment the last of the Zhix army had passed through the teleporter .

Activating the jammer before the army had actually arrived at the Hive might warn the traitor Zhix , but they were afraid that the elites would immediately flee through the teleporter the moment they spotted an incoming army . The elites might still try to flee by foot , but the scouts would hopefully be able to spot them this way .

As for the battle itself , it sounded straightforward enough . The Anointed would act as wall breakers and crush all resistance , while the normal Zhix warriors would back them up . In case one of the Dominators showed up , they would take them down even if they had to sacrifice tens of thousands of lives .

How long do you need to prepare , Warmaster? - Rhubat finally asked , surprising Zac a bit .

I only need to pick up my ghost and a guide , - Zac said after some thought . - It’s dependent on how quickly you can gather your armies . -

The armies and the other Anointed are standing ready . Our movements are no doubt being watched , so we need to move quickly from this point on . We want to take out as many of these hives as possible before they adapt , - Rhubat said as killing intent started to leak from its body . - If we can take down five of the Hives before the rest gather , then we are confident in emerging victorious even if Void's Disciple shows up . -

Remember , not even the humans can know where we are going , - Nonet added .

I know , - Zac nodded .

It was already known that there were humans co-operating with the Dominators , and they would have to move randomly to avoid getting exposed and ambushed . There was no point in messing around , so Zac soon exited the secluded chambers . Ibtep was still waiting for him outside , and the scout joined him as they returned to Port Atwood .

However , Zac didn’t even have time to call the ghost before he sensed strong fluctuations over at the Dao Repository .

Wait here , - Zac groaned in exasperation as he rushed over .

Thankfully it turned out that it wasn't Brazla who was causing trouble . The square outside the Repository was completely tranquil , and neither lightning bolts nor a massive face was hovering above it . The fluctuations only grew in power though , and Zac felt they came from inside the towers themselves .

Zac quickly entered the Towers of Myriad Dao , and he quickly spotted the source of the commotion ; the statue of the Blade Emperor .

The girl is coming out , - Brazla said as he descended from a golden cloud floating around in the ceiling .

Did she pass? - Zac asked as his eyes returned to the statue .

She did , if barely , - the Tool Spirit snorted as he turned two disdainful eyes toward the array in the same direction . - Though I'm not so sure she will have the guts to take on the following challenge in the E-Grade . -

Chapter 544 : Intent

Zac looked over at the Tool Spirit with surprise . This time Brazla was dressed like a scholar , and he held a golden abacus in his hands instead of some sort of oversized weaponry . There was also a sense of calmness in his eyes like he had transcended the mortal plane or was beyond mundane worries .

Of course , it was just Brazla playing the part , but it was far comparable to the domineering and arrogant persona he had when pretending to be a cultivator . In fact , Kenzie had already told him that Brazla was usually easier to deal with when he was dressed as a non-combat class . If you saw him wielding some sort of weaponry you were usually better off throwing out a few compliments and trying again tomorrow .

Thea appeared the next moment , and Zac’s eyes widened in shock when he saw her appearance . Brazla wasn't kidding around when he said that Thea had barely passed . She was unconscious and she looked beyond wretched . Her clothes were in tatters and her whole body was completely drenched in blood . Just a few stripes of her hair remained , hanging in clumps held together by coagulated blood .

The only thing that looked completely intact was a blue sword that hummed with power . It was gripped in Thea's right hand with such force that her knuckles were white . Zac wondered if this was the invisible weapon she usually wielded , or if it was something she had gained inside the Inheritance .

This was not the time to worry about the details though , and Zac unhesitantly rushed over as he took out one of his better healing pills . However , his mind actually screamed of danger the moment he reached her side .

Wai- - Zac shouted as he jumped backward , but it was too late as an extremely sharp energy shot out of one of her wounds and flew toward him , cutting open a shallow wound on his right arm .

He had been utterly incapable of stopping that attack , and his usually impervious skin was cut like butter . If Zac reacted any slower he might actually have lost his arm . The odd energy thankfully didn’t try again but rather returned and entered Thea’s body once more , causing a small shudder .

Zac barely felt any pain at all from the small cut , but a burning pain bloomed a second later . He looked down at the wound with surprise , and he found that it was an extremely clean wound , even exceeding the sharpness of the cuts he formed with Rapturous Divide] . Was this the power of the Fragment of the Sword , or was this something else entirely?

Because that small energy didn’t simply feel like a Dao .

Such profound Dao Intent , - Brazla muttered . - That strand of consciousness has actually made progress on his path . -

The Blade Emperor did this? - Zac asked . - And what is Dao Intent? -

That girl is not adept enough in the Dao to form such a pure strand of Sword Intent . It can only come from Irei . It’s really a shame , - Brazla said , unfortunately ignoring the second question .

Only then did Thea wake up , and she looked around with some confusion before she realized where she was .

Hey , catch this , - Zac said before throwing the pill to Thea who immediately swallowed it before she once again closed her eyes to focus on her recuperation . Zac sighed in relief when he saw Thea was fine before turned back to the Tool Spirit . - What’s a shame? -

Irei , - Brazla said as he looked up at the statue . - He was destined to become a C-Grade Monarch , but he fell to his demons in the end . Do you know why the Blade Emperor is the only one who left a complete heritage in addition to an Inheritance? -

Because he was a friend of your creator? - Zac asked , not hesitating to take advantage of the fact that Brazla was in one of his rare sharing moods today .

True , but that’s not the reason . It’s here because of his obsession with the sword and creating a family . He adopted one Sword Child after another after marrying his main weapon , and he poured obscene amounts of wealth into them to awaken their spirits . When he ran out of money he turned to my master , who helped him evolve the Swords in return for the Heritage , - Brazla said . - If he had used even a third of all that wealth on himself he would have broken past his bottleneck without a doubt . He is the second most talented person of the seven . -

So what happened? - Zac asked .

Mental disorder brought by betrayal . It turned into a heart demon that was the source of his obsession with gathering swords , - Brazla said with a shake of his head . - Remember his fate well . You mundane beings are not meant to grasp at heaven's secrets . To cultivate is to go against the heavens , and it is not done without shedding your humanity . As the millennia pass you will come to realize that you don't recognize the person that stares back at you through the mirror any longer . -

Thea opened her eyes and listened to Brazla with a serious expression , and Zac felt a sense of heaviness as well . It was true . How could someone keep their humanity as the eons passed and almost every one they had ever known had long turned to dust? The reasons for struggling to become more powerful might no longer matter , and you were suddenly just a walking nuclear weapon devoid of purpose .